Another Comparative Reading Circle?

[Kell]

So far we've had the Classic Vampires (http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=3499) and the Dystopian Futures (http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=3958)

Please make nominations and/or seconds for possible comparisons in this thread. In December we'll pick a few to choose from and set a poll to make the final choice.

Same guidelines apply as for the "normal" reading circles:

comparative reading circles, and I wondered if anyone would be interested in another one for the first quarter of the New Year?

- Please only make nominations and seconds here, rather than discussing the books nominated or going off-topic.

- Bear in mind that having hundreds of nominations makes it more difficult, so please limit yourself to a maximum of two nominations per person, although you can second as many as you like.

- Please also remember to post a synopsis or link to a synopsis of the books you nominate as it helps people to know what they're seconding!

- Please make sure the books you nominate are available in paperback (as we don't want to make it prohibitively expensive for members to take part in the reading circle).

- If the book you're nominating is part of a series, please make sure it is either the first one or a stand-alone (or the sequel to one already read by the reading circle).


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COMPARATIVE READING CIRCLE NOMINATIONS FOR VARIATIONS ON A THEME:

Mrs Dalloway (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/virginia-woolf/mrs-dalloway.htm) - Virgina Woolf / The Hours (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/michael-cunningham/hours.htm) - Michael Cunningham

Howard's End (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/e-m-forster/howards-end.htm) - E M Forster / On Beauty (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/zadie-smith/on-beauty.htm) - Zadie Smith

Jane Eyre (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/search/?searchfor=book&keywords=jane+eyre) - Charlotte Bronte / Wide Sargasso Sea (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/jean-rhys/wide-sargasso-sea.htm) - Jean Rhys

Great Expectations (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/d/charles-dickens/great-expectations.htm) - Charles Dickens / Mr. Pip (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mister-Pip-Lloyd-Jones/dp/0719564565/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195678672&sr=1-1) - Lloyd Jones

Little Women (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/a/louisa-may-alcott/little-women.htm) - Louisa May Alcott / March (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/geraldine-brooks/march.htm) - Geraldine Brooks

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/t/mark-twain/adventures-of-huckleberry-finn.htm) - Mark Tawin / Finn (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Center-Point-Platinum-Fiction-Large/dp/158547990X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195679001&sr=1-2) -Jon Clinch

Gone With The Wind (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/margaret-mitchell/gone-with-wind.htm) - Margaret Mitchell / Rhett Butler's People (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/donald-mccaig/rhett-butlers-people.htm) - Donald McCaig

The Man Who Smiled (http://www.amazon.com/Smiled-Vintage-Crime-Black-Lizard/dp/1400095832/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195785628&sr=8-1) by Henning Mankell / Heaven's Prisoners by James Lee Burke (http://www.amazon.com/Heavens-Prisoners-James-Lee-Burke/dp/0743449193/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195785771&sr=8-2)

Star of the Sea (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/o/joseph-oconnor/star-of-sea.htm) by Joseph O'Connor' /A Star Called Henry (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/d/roddy-doyle/star-called-henry.htm) by Roddy Doyle

[Echo]

There are so many good ones here!! It's hard to pick just one to give my thumbs-up to! But I think I'll have to pick...

Jane Eyre (one of my all-time favs) and Wide Sargasso Sea.

[lovesreading06]

They all sounds great books.

[Adam]

Sounds like an interesting concept. Those titles sound great!

[Kell]

Please, everyone, do feel free to suggest other combinations too - the more the better, as we'll have a nice, wide range to look at and when it comes to picking a few for the poll, we'll have more chance of finding some combinations that appeal to a wider range of members. The more the merrier, I always say! :)

[pontalba]

There are a few there I'd certainly be interested in...GWTW and Rhett Butler's People for one, or Mrs. Dalloway and The Hours.

I've partially read The Wide Sargasso Sea and found it irritating though, I love Jane Eyre, one of my all time favorites though.

Haven't read Little Women since I was a kid, and am interested in reading March. That would be a nice combo.

Sounds like a good idea. :D

[poppy]

I absolutely loved Howard's End (book and movie )so would love to read On Beauty by Zadie Smith

[pontalba]

I absolutely loved Howard's End (book and movie )so would love to read On Beauty by Zadie Smith

I've only seen the film of Howard's End, but I'd like to read it as well, and would be open to the Smith book too.

Maybe a set of mysteries against each other...something like

The Man Who Smiled (http://www.amazon.com/Smiled-Vintage-Crime-Black-Lizard/dp/1400095832/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195785628&sr=8-1) by Henning Mankell vs. Heaven's Prisoners by James Lee Burke
(http://www.amazon.com/Heavens-Prisoners-James-Lee-Burke/dp/0743449193/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195785771&sr=8-2)

[Kell]

Maybe a set of mysteries against each other...something like

The Man Who Smiled (http://www.amazon.com/Smiled-Vintage-Crime-Black-Lizard/dp/1400095832/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195785628&sr=8-1) by Henning Mankell vs. Heaven's Prisoners by James Lee Burke (http://www.amazon.com/Heavens-Prisoners-James-Lee-Burke/dp/0743449193/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195785771&sr=8-2)
They both sound excellent, however there might be a tiny problem with The Man Who Smiled as it's the 4th in a series, and Heaven's Prisoners appears to be part-way through (it mentions " First met in Burke's excellent mystery, The Neon Rain..." in the synopsis. We once had a bit of a problem with a middle-of-a-series book in the reading circle as hardly anyone had read the whole series and therefore a lot of back story was missing for those who hadn't, which can affect people's enjoyment of the books).

Is there any possibility of switching to the first on the series, or perhaps finding two mysteries set in the same town or country for a connection that way?

[pontalba]

Actually Kell, The Man Who Smiled, although in the midst of the series is quite able to stand alone, Mankell makes pertinent references so one is quite able to understand the stream of time sequence. Heaven's Prisoners is the second of the Dave Robicheaux detective series. However Burke does an equally fine job of keeping the reader up to date on the ins and outs of the character.

I am more interested in comparing the styles of the detectives in different countries in solving their cases and their angst in dealing with their personal lives. There is huge difference in said styles not only due to culture differences, but personality differences.

I find comparing hugely different situations that are within similar parameters very interesting and rewarding in analysis of human nature. I will leave my suggestion as it stands, if you choose not to include it that is of course your decision.

[Kell]

That's perfectly fine - they can stand as they are - if they stand alone then that's just as good as being the first in a series (sometimes better, actually, as the characters fell more developed sometimes).

Excelent - I can add them to the list of options. Thanks for that. :D

[pontalba]

Thanks for adding them Kell. :D

[Gyre]

Star of the Sea (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/o/joseph-oconnor/star-of-sea.htm)

A Star Called Henry (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/d/roddy-doyle/star-called-henry.htm)

Can I suggest 'Star of the Sea' by Joseph O'Connor' and 'A Star Called Henry' by Roddy Doyle. Both books are set in important times during Irish History, 'Star of the Sea' concentrates on the after effects of the Irish Famine and 'A Star Called Henry' concentrates on the Easter Uprising.

:readingtwo:

[Kell]

Added to the suggestions list, Gyre - thanks for that.

Anyone else want to add any more nominations, or second any of those already offered?

I'll close this thread at the end of this week and run a poll for a couple of weeks from those that seem the most popular, or, if there are no seconds, I'll pull them from a hat.

[Gyre]

Thanks Kell

And I would like to vote for 'Jane Eyre' comparative. I am really sorry I can't remember the other book title, but I know I want to read it.

:readingtwo:

[Kell]

OK, the nominations are closed for now, and the poll is now open.