Poll

Dud Avocado would have been my first pick, but I've already read it! All of these look good!

I got Traveller's Tree back in December when I joined the book club...and I still haven't read it yet. Oops. Let's fix that!

Jenny wrote: "Dud Avocado would have been my first pick, but I've already read it! All of these look good!"

Well, I'm glad that you liked it, Jenny. It's been sitting on my shelf for quite a while. I suddenly thought of it when I saw this poll.

All of these look good! Grumble...

I like the idea of Dud Avocado also, but how did that get there? It is not in the picture of books "what this poll is about." How about Dud Avocado for October, instead? That way, perhaps I'd vote for Skylark, and the second would be The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story.

I really like the idea of The Dud Avocado also. Perhaps if it does not win, we can read it in October? It looks terrific and a friend recommended it to me ages ago.

Trish wrote: "I like the idea of Dud Avocado also, but how did that get there? It is not in the picture of books "what this poll is about." How about Dud Avocado for October, instead? That way, perhaps I'd vote..."

I wrote it in. You can vote for it if you want. Three other people have done so.

Anne wrote: "I wrote it in. You can vote for it if you want...."

I get it. It looks awfully good.

Trish wrote: "Anne wrote: "I wrote it in. You can vote for it if you want...."

I get it. It looks awfully good."

I think so too.

I'm beginning to feel sorry for Anglo-Saxon Attitudes! However I've already voted and I think Trish's idea of Skylark for September and The Dud Avocado for October is a good one and would save us from having to vote again in a month's time.

Declan wrote: "I'm beginning to feel sorry for Anglo-Saxon Attitudes! However I've already voted and I think Trish's idea of Skylark for September and The Dud Avocado for October is a good one and would save us f..."

I don't mind. But The Traveller's Tree has the same number of votes as Dud Avocado at this point.

Dud Avocado is really a silly book. But silly isn't bad. :)

I voted for The Traveller's Tree because I'm always looking for books set in the Caribbean when I travel there. I don't mind being outvoted, I pretty much want to read everything there is.

Jenny wrote: "I don't mind being outvoted, I pretty much want to read everything there is..."

Heh, heh. Me, too. NYRB Classics is kind of a no-brainer. They've already figured out some of the best [relatively]unknown titles and authors and reprinted them for us. Feels like a feast.

I feel the same way, for the most part. There are some books that we may or may not want to read as a group. I did come across one NYR book which I won't read, Kaputt by Curzio Malaparte. Not because its bad, but because it so honestly depicts the most horrific acts of brutality and perversion of the Nazis against civilians during WW11. I've read a lot of books about WW11, but this one I will skip.

There are other books on WW11 that I have at home that I plan to read; Victor Serge wrote two books, The Case of Comrade Tulayev and Unforgiving Years which I have at home and plan to tackle at some point. Wondering if, in general, people in this group are interested in these kinds of books.

Then there's The Post-Office Girl by Stefan Zweig. The Slaves of Solitude by Patrick Hamilton, The Strangers in the House by Georges Simenon and Butcher's Crossing by John Edward Williams.
These are the books I have at home. There are others on kindle which I won't list here. Just trying to get an idea of what the group wants to read in the future and what I may need to read on my own.

I would LOVE to read the Simenon book. And I didn't realize John Williams of Stoner fame had written another award-winner. I'd LOVE that as well. Whatever. I feel like a glutton.

Trish wrote: "I would LOVE to read the Simenon book. And I didn't realize John Williams of Stoner fame had written another award-winner. I'd LOVE that as well. Whatever. I feel like a glutton."

Trish, I love your enthusiasm. I also feel like a glutton, but in a good way.

I would gladly read any of the books you have listed Anne. I've read The Case of Comrade Tulayev and a different Simenon, Dirty Snow, both of which were excellent and I would certainly reread them. I think that we are all pretty enthusiastic about the range of books on the NYRB list and I can't think of any that I wouldn't be willing to try, although I can understand Anne's reluctance to read Kaputt.

Declan, I've already read Dirty Snow (and many other books by Simenon), but would read it again if the group chose it.

I changed my vote to Skylark, because it seems to be winning. I was going to buy a few books from NYRB a few days ago and decided to hold off until there was a clear winner (and I'm kicking myself for not buying The Dud Avocado when I found it at a local bookstore a few months ago).

But I'm open to anything, of course. I own a lot of NYRB titles but I've only read a few of them. Have Simenon's The Man Who Watched Trains Go By, would love to read that or any of his other books--although it seems everyone here has a different Simenon, so perhaps instead of trying to agree on a single title we should just declare a "Simenon Month" and read whatever.

I like that - a Simenon month or two.

Good idea!

It's apparently too late for a "Simenon September." Hmm. How about "Simenovember?"

We could just have Simenon an' on.

Very good. Love it. Perhaps Skylark first, then Simenon an'on?

Simenon an' on is a much better name. I approve!

Aaand it looks like Skylark is winning, so it's probably safe to go on that NYRB splurge now...

Jacob wrote: "Simenon an' on is a much better name. I approve!

Aaand it looks like Skylark is winning, so it's probably safe to go on that NYRB splurge now..."

You just needed a reason! ;)

Wait: we have an excuse to buy another NYRB? Excuse me a moment...

I forgot to vote. But whatever. I will read whatever you all tell me to read. ;)

I think yo can still vote, Marieke. We haven't "finished" yet, I don't think.

Trish wrote: "I think yo can still vote, Marieke. We haven't "finished" yet, I don't think."

oh.... hmmm.

i'm very indecisive.

Last Saturday's Guardian had an article about The Dud Avocado which might help you decide, either for or against! It's here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/...

i ended up voting for the Traveller's Tree since i'll be reading it anyway. ;)

also it appears to not be in a winning position. so i didn't mess anything up!

Declan wrote: "Last Saturday's Guardian had an article about The Dud Avocado which might help you decide, either for or against! It's here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/......"

Declan, you dear. That review was marvleous, and I am going to use the Groucho Marx quote at the header to my review--when I write it! I will read this book, but I am happily following the flow on choices.

I DON'T THINK WE HAVE HEARD FROM S. MAY I PRESUME YOU'VE ALREADY VOTED, S.?

Hey, stop voting! I already ordered Skylark.

Heh, heh. That's okay with me:)

Me too. But just from the library, so it didn't cost me anything....

Well, this is frustrating. I didn't get any notifications for this group for the past 24 hours.

Declan, thank you for the link. Great article.

Jenny wrote: "Me too. But just from the library, so it didn't cost me anything...."

You mean...you're going to return it? But...I...how?

Jacob wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Me too. But just from the library, so it didn't cost me anything...."

You mean...you're going to return it? But...I...how?"
I don't have to buy a book to love it. But if I truly love it, I usually end up with a copy. I have more fun hunting through used bookstores to find that kind of thing than buying new. It is a sense of adventure!

What I meant was, an nyrb from the library isn't the same as one you own (new or used) because you can't stick it with the rest of your collection. If you have a collection. I got most of my books from used bookstores too (fun hunting indeed!) but the nyrb site was having a summer sale and I indulged a bit...

Just a bit.

I do not have any of the nyrb on my own shelf. Will I get kicked out?

I'm holding out for the box o' nyrb, oh yeah and a sugar daddy.

No NYRB? Shame! Shaaaaaaaame.

I voted on the poll but somehow didn't get subscribed to this thread. Anyway, I started reading Skylark today, so of course hope it's picked for September, but I can probably fit in another pick if it isn't. It's short and and I'm liking it so far.

Jacob wrote: "he nyrb site was having a summer sale and I indulged a bit...

Just a bit.
..."

C'mon, Jacob, spill. We want to see what you bought.

" Anyway, I started reading Skylark today, so of course hope it's picked for September, but I can probably fit in another pick if it isn't. It's short and and I'm liking it so far.
..."

Let's just do it.

i think it's safe to assume Skylark wins for September. :D

Does anyone have any idea how the author of Skylark's name is pronounced?

Declan wrote: "Does anyone have any idea how the author of Skylark's name is pronounced?"

Ha! No, but was wondering about that myself since I was having trouble spelling it earlier.

Marieke wrote: "Declan wrote: "Does anyone have any idea how the author of Skylark's name is pronounced?"

Ha! No, but was wondering about that myself since I was having trouble spelling it earlier."

Here is a link where you can hear how it is pronounced:

http://www.rightpronunciation.com/det...

Thanks for the link Anne, but for some reason I couldn't get it to work. However, running with your idea, I did find the name pronounced here: http://www.forvo.com/word/kosztol%C3%...