DIS Book Club, 1st Selection: Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi

[robsmom]

count me in as well. I like all of the ideas so far:

taking turns to pick a book
having an on deck book- so we can have time to buy it or check it out.
mixing serious books with some lighter fare

 

[LittleMissMickey]

I am starting this book club... NOW!

I'm off to figure out my technicalities and logistics...

I'll be back tonight!

Ashley

 

[LittleMissMickey]

Alright...

I have three possible books, and after hearing your responses and which books you prefer, we will have our first book club book!! Respond quick, I will be checking back tonight to get ya'll rolling on it!

1. Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi

"Every Thursday morning for two years in the Islamic Republic of Iran, a bold and inspired teacher named Azar Nafisi secretly gathered seven of her most committed female student to read forbidden Western classics. As Islamic morality squads staged arbitrary raids in Tehran, fundamentalists seized hold of the universities, and a blind censor stifled artistic expression, the girls in Azar Nafisi's living room risked removing their veils and immersed themselves in the worlds of Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry James, and Vladimir Nabokov. In this extraordinary memoir, their stories become intertwined with the ones they are reading. Reading Lolita in Tehran is a remarkable exploration of resilience in the face of tyranny and a celebration of the liberating power of literature."

Why? It seems like a very important piece of literature to help us understand the trials and tribulations of women across the globe... And it is about a book club, and we are now an official BOOK CLUB!

2. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

"A most untraditional love story, this is the celebrated tale of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who involuntarily travels through time, and Clare Abshire, and artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. Henry and Clare's passionate affir endures across a sea of time and captures them in an impossibly romantic trap that tests the strength of fate and basks in the bonds of love."

Why? It just sounds really good, it is one of PEOPLE'S top ten books of the year, and I am a sucker for all kinds of love stories... It is being discussed at the book group at my nearest Barnes and Noble and I heard some women talking about it at the register that it was an excellent read.

3. The Life of Pi by Yann Martel

"Pi Patel, a God-loving boy and the son of a zookeeper, has a fervent love of stories and practices not only his native Hinduism, but also Christianity and Islam. When Pi is sixteen, his family and their zoo animals emigrate from India to North America aboard a Japanese cargo ship. Alas, the ship sinks--and Pi finds himself in a lifeboat, his only companions a hyena, an orangutan, and wounded zebra, and a 45-pound Bengal tiger. Soon the tiger has dispatched all but Pi. Can Pi and the tiger find their way to land? Can Pi's fear, knowledge, and cunning keep him alive until they do?"

Why? I have heard many of my fiiends talking about this book and it sounds pretty spectacular and thought provoking. It also won the Man Booker Prize, although I don't know much about that prize, it can't be a bad thing! (It's also been on my shelf for a year now, and it's about time I got to it!)

Ashley (who can't make up her mind for herself...)

 

[cheyita]

I vote for The Time Traveler's Wife.

Second choice is Reading Lolita in Tehran.

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

Prefer them in same order posted. Reading Lolita 1st choice etc.
Usually read several books a week so someone else can set the pace.

 

[Tinkerbelle739]

Please, can I join?

I would choose "Reading Lolita in Tehran"

 

[clhcpaca]

I like them in the order posted.

Sounds interesting.


Cindy

 

[Madi100]

They all sound good. Books I would never pick, but they all sound good. When I say I wouldn't pick them I mean they are probably books I wouldn't take a second glance at, but the plots all sound really good.

 

[LittleMissMickey]

Okay, I had a little brain child...

What if we unlock the nearest chapter to fifty pages every three days. I think that will help people with pacing and will allow people with various amounts of time to read together.

If nobody responds, I will think this is okay. It would leave us finishing about one book per month. If people want to speed it up a bit, we can do that, also. We could go up to 75 pages every three days and that would put us finishing a book about every three weeks. Please let me know what you would like! I'm just trying to organize...

Ashley

 

[OceanAnnie]

I think starting out with 50 pages every 3 days sounds good.

 

[snoopy]

All 3 books are books I have seen in the bookstore and they all look interesting. I especially have an interest in Reading Lolita in Tehran. 50 pages every 3 days sounds good.

 

[LittleMissMickey]

Our first selection will be Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi. It is somewhat new and can be found in the non-fiction section at the bookstore or library. I think it sounds wonderful, and it seems there are others who are okay with it, also!

I sent a PM to snoopy that she should have our next selection picked by the time we meet our first milepost in this book. Our milemarkers will always be on dates that are multiples of three, just to keep it easy (3, 6, 9, 12, 15, etc.). Therefore, here is what this month looks like!

Azar Nafisi's Reading Lolita in Tehran

Aug. 6 - pg. 55 Chapter 16

AUG. 8 - Discuss Book I?

Aug. 9 - pg. 102 Chapter 8 (in Book II)
Aug. 12 - pg. 150 Chapter 26

AUG. 13 - Discuss Book II?

Aug. 15 - pg. 201 Chapter 18 (in Book III)
Aug. 18 - pg. 253

AUG. 18 - Discuss Book III?

Aug. 21 - pg. 301 Chapter 13
Aug. 24 - pg. 347

AUG. 24 - Discuss Whole Book

You may not begin discussing any part of the book until it is "unlocked" according to this schedule. That way, if you fall behind you may simply avoid the thread beyond that unlocking post and not have any spoilers thrown in for you.

I hope this looks okay! I guess this is what it means to "take the bull by the horns?"

Can't wait to get to know you all better through a variety of wonderful books!

Ashley

 

[Madi100]

Do you suppose we could use this thread as our anchor thread but start a new one with a link from this thread for each book? Maybe have a thread that says "Book Club Book One: and the title" Then list what you just did above. That thread can be for discussion about that book only. What do you think?

 

[LittleMissMickey]

I definitely agree with you, Nicole! Thanks!

Ashley

This will be our anchor thread, so I have a few more notes to post on here, then I will add that one in.

 

[LittleMissMickey]

You may begin considering your selection as early as you like, but I do think we should have some guidelines for the selections...

I think the books need to be chosen based on how well they will promote discussion. There are many good books out there that are great for a quick, fun read. There are other books that may be fun, serious, sad, scary, adventurous, realistic, fantastic, etc. The books I am thinking of for this group are books that make you take a second look, ones that will help us get to know each other and come to see different viewpoints through our discussions. Please consider this as you select books. To make it easier, I know a lot of books now are marked if they are suggested for book club reading or even have discussion guides in them. Do not let this limit you, but if you are having a hard time deciding, this is a good thing to consider. Remember that there are many books out there that should have this that don't. If you are unsure about this, please let me know. There are requirements such as this in other book clubs, too, and I think we should have something similar.

I also think that we should always give our members three options. I gave my three this evening, watched the thread and after about two hours make the selection based on what was the popular favorite. When you do this, please write the title, a little summary (I took the one from teh back of the book), and a brief note of why you would like to share it. This way we have some say. With a book club of over forty people, this gives everybody some say when it will be awhile before they get to select a book.

So, here's our order for selecting books:

LittleMissMickey - Ashley --- Reading Lolita in Tehran
snoopy
cheyita
Patty3
tcwitt - Christine
Planogirl
gottaluvPluto - Lynne
Octoberbride03 - Maureen
mrsv98 - Rebecca
Cindy B - Cindy
DD2Disney - Tricia
Kteacher
floridaminnie - Suzanne
powellrj - Raejean
icelady
Dizzy-Disney4 - Kathy
Breezy_Carol - Carol
Vivig
EeyoreJMH
alexandmaddie - Krista
TiggersPal - Peggy Jo
Jolie C - Jolie
luvmk - Rachel
kasar
Wish I lived in Fl
sjh801
CourtasanSatine
clhcpaca - Cindy
Madi100 - Nicole
OceanAnnie
JVL1018 - Vicki
ADisneygirl
Kirby
kejoda
stormi65
fanofmickey
CoMickey
msdznyduck - Elaine
Jenn Lynn - Jenn
luvmy2sams
robsmom
Tinkerbelle739

As I learn your names, I will continue to add them in! I know that some of you are really far down on the list, but hopefully being able to "vote" will make it so you enjoy the books while waiting to get to your own.

If somebody in the group goes MIA to the point that the group thinks they are not returning, their name will be moved to the bottom. It is unfair to not participate until it is your turn to pick. If you are the next person in line and you are not participating, your name will be moved to the bottom of the list. This is only to keep the group having a nice, even flow. With 40-some members there will undoubtedly be some who are less active than others, we want to have a nice, solid book club.

Any questions? Let me know!

Whew, this is tough,
Ashley

 

[LittleMissMickey]

I saw a book club journal today, and was going to buy it, but then decided I could make my own for less money. I wrote down what it had in it for each book, though. I'll share, as it may help some of us stay organized in our thoughts!

Title
Author
Start Date
Finish Date
Next Meeting
Location
Bring to Meeting (MARGARITAS!!! )
Main Characters
Summary
My Comments
Group Comments

The only thing I would add to this would be a QUESTIONS section.

Posing questions is an important part of discussion. I have found some great lists of book discussion questions to fit all books, but everybody should always be thinking!

The person who selects the book should also help guide discussions. They should know going into discussion what some appropriate discussion topics should be.

I know that with numbers as large as ours, we will have spectacular discussions, and I really can NOT wait!

Sound alright? I am looking forward to reading all the replies to these posts!! I have given you your first novel to read already just in these lenthy posts!

Ashley

 

[CourtasanSatine]

Just put the book on hold and a quick question

since one of my possible books in Princess Diaries are YA books allowed? It's light and I figured it might be fun to chat about

 

[Madi100]

Originally posted by CourtasanSatine
Just put the book on hold and a quick question

since one of my possible books in Princess Diaries are YA books allowed? It's light and I figured it might be fun to chat about

Presonally, I think that the ligther reading books are fun sometimes. Maybe there won't be as much to discuss about them, but I still think they would be fun.

 

[LittleMissMickey]

Alright, on Friday (or late Thursday Night) I will post the first "Reading Lolita" Thread. I will put the header as:

DIS BOOK CLUB: Book One - Reading Lolita in Tehran DISCUSSION THREAD

The first post will read:

Unlocking Chapters 1-15 For Discussion

Our first chat is scheduled for Sunday. Chats are not mandatory, but let's hold them at the end of each major section of this book. I don't know what time works best, but I'm thinking 8:00 CST? Maybe 9:00 if we find that we have lots of people on the west coast? If you participate in chat, please post a couple notes on the thread regarding what was discussed in chat in case some people weren't able to make it there. I know our chats may occasionally conflict with other chats, but we can simply go into one of the rooms that are in there.

Our final chat will be on August 24th.

That's all for now! (unless I get a new idea)
Ashley

 

[CourtasanSatine]

That's what I was thinking plus there's the book to film angle too