Chaos Reading discussion

It has been quite a while since we've done a Group Read poll, so here it is - the first of 2014..



This time the theme is: COMEDY vs TRAGEDY
One book that references comedy in some way in the title PLUS one book that references tragedy in some way in the title.

Rules: Add a comment to this thread to nominate PAIRS of books that fit the theme (one comedy + one tragedy). The reference only has to be in the title, not necessarily reflected in the content of the book. You can nominate as many pairs of books as you can think of.

The intention is purely to generate a great and varied list of books to select our next Group Read from. Nominations will close in about a week, at which point I'll post a Group Poll for us to vote on our preferred read.

Looking forward to seeing a long list of nominations..

My first pair of nominations..

Comedy: Comedy in a Minor Key
Tragedy: The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories

I hope this theme doesn't turn out to be too difficult. I was just thinking that "tragedy" titles are so common (anything referencing death, just for starters), it needed an extra twist.

KELLY, KAREN, LISA
Sorry guys - It's the TITLE that needs to reference either comedy or tragedy, not the content - as per the first post.

I've had to delete your nominations, but please have another go!

Hint - Try searching for titles with keywords like "laugh", "amuse", "mirth" etc for comedy or "death", "disaster", "catastrophe", "apocalypse" etc for tragedy.

How about...


A Comedy of Murders
and
Madison Square Tragedy: The Murder of Stanford White

Or is that too literal?

Todd wrote: "How about...
A Comedy of Murders
and
Madison Square Tragedy: The Murder of Stanford White

Or is that too literal?"

That works :)

Comedy -> Coyote Blue
Tragedy -> Almost Transparent Blue

Mhmm????

Ruby [Reviles Censorship] wrote: "My first pair of nominations..

Comedy: Comedy in a Minor Key
Tragedy: The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories"

I think I get the topic, but what (and I will probably slap myself on the forehead and go 'Duh!') but what is the connection in the title of these two?

CD wrote: "Ruby [Reviles Censorship] wrote: "My first pair of nominations..

Comedy: Comedy in a Minor Key
Tragedy: The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories"

I think ..."

One mentions a comedy and the other mentions a tragedy.

At the risk of this first one actually getting voted in, and me having to read a thousand page doorstopper of a book..

Comedy: Infinite Jest
Tragedy: Your House Is on Fire, Your Children All Gone

CD wrote: "Comedy: Comedy in a Minor Key
Tragedy: The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories"

I think I get the topic, but what (and I will probably slap myself on the forehead and go 'Duh!') but what is the connection in the title of these two? ..."

Well, the first one actually uses the word "comedy".
The second one directly references a tragedy- "death".

CD wrote: "Comedy -> Coyote Blue
Tragedy -> Almost Transparent Blue

Mhmm????"

How do either of these reference comedy or tragedy in the title?

Already getting in over my head this year, but can't stop myself.

Comedy The Comedians, my favorite Graham Greene and over due for a re-read.

Tragedy: John Dies at the End, of course.

Whitney wrote: "Already getting in over my head this year, but can't stop myself.

Comedy The Comedians, my favorite Graham Greene and over due for a re-read.

Tragedy: [book:John Dies at the End|185..."

YAY! Both great picks. I've been dying for an excuse to read that Graham Greene novel.

Ok. Let me try again.
Comedy: It's Kind of a Funny Story
Tragedy: Tammy Wynette: Tragic Country Queen

Lisa wrote: "Ok. Let me try again.
Comedy: It's Kind of a Funny Story
Tragedy: Tammy Wynette: Tragic Country Queen"

Awesome. Thanks, Lisa.

Okay another pair from me, and a warning that the nominations will be closing tomorrow sometime. Last chance to nominate your books...

Comedy: The Land of Laughs
Tragedy: The End of Alice

Okay - nominations are closed, and the poll is open here.
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/9...

So get voting!

As long as it's not the dire John Dies at the End I'm in

Sandyboy wrote: "As long as it's not the dire John Dies at the End I'm in"

Them's fightin' words!

i read half of it after reading on one of these lying fecking book forums that it was as good as Ready Player One, turns out it wasn't, it was just dross dressed up as a book.

and the fact the dude who made the excellent Phantasm made a movie out of it......just staggers me.

Sandyboy wrote: "i read half of it after reading on one of these lying fecking book forums that it was as good as Ready Player One, turns out it wasn't, it was just dross dressed up as a book.

and the fact the du..."

I loved it. While Ready Player One was fun and nostalgic, it was a fairly shallow book in comparison. There's far more depth to JDATE, in my opinion. Better writing too - there are some great Lovecraftian bits.

Ruby [Reviles Censorship] wrote: "Sandyboy wrote: "i read half of it after reading on one of these lying fecking book forums that it was as good as Ready Player One, turns out it wasn't, it was just dross dressed up as a book.

an..."

Must have missed that, it smacked of student humour and a lack of editing to me

Sandyboy wrote: "Ruby [Reviles Censorship] wrote: "Sandyboy wrote: "i read half of it after reading on one of these lying fecking book forums that it was as good as Ready Player One, turns out it wasn't, it was jus..."

I thought it was pretty funny, and I haven't been a student for a VERY long time!

still rather try Infinite Jest but whatever the vote says will be law

The voting has closed, and the winner is: The End of Alice by A.M. Homes.

Here's the link to the new discussion thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Thanks to everyone who participated!