You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

The winning theme for August 2015 is - Ancient Rome! Time to get nominating!

A little clarification on the theme from Lisa: the book doesn't have to be set specifically in Rome. It can be set anywhere that was part of the Roman Empire. It can also be a book written by an ancient Roman author or a modern retelling of an ancient Roman work.

Please nominate your book below. You can second someone else's nomination instead, but that will count as your own nomination, and that book will be entered twice in random.org - giving the book an additional chance to make the cut.

Nominations can be seconded multiple times by different people . If you second a nomination, please make clear that is what you are doing. E.g. If I nominate "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", you need to state "I second Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone".

A couple of points to consider when nominating:

- To allow enough time for as many people as possible to read, try and limit the page count to approximately 400 pages maximum.

- To ensure the book is available for as many readers as possible, please consider whether your nomination is 1) still in print or 2) available as a reasonably-priced e-book (under $12) or 3) published no less than 3 months ago.

- Please check the YLTO Group Book Shelf to ensure we haven't already read the book before nominating it.

- One nomination/seconding per person.

Nominations close 22nd July.

I don't know if it is any good - it has mixed (and only 4) reviews on Goodreads. But it is free down loadable and looks interesting. I want to nominate: Britannia: Book One by Letitia Coyne.

Edit: this is just an ebook, so forget I nominated it! My new nomination is a couple of messages down. ;)

This theme is perfect! I took The Song of Achilles with me on holiday but didn't get round to reading it. Nice that I can read it next month. I know I can't nominate it, it was read some months before I joined the group.

I nominate The Aeneid by Virgil.

Been meaning to read the new(ish) translation from Fagles.

I nominate Tiger, Tiger by Lynne Reid Banks, whose best known book is The Indian in the Cupboard.

I thought about that one too Peggy but like you say it has already been a group read but it doesn't stop us from reading it for the "Other book in the theme";-) I think this will be what I read so perhaps we could revive the thread and chat about it in there.

@Elsbeth - I'd be inclined to pick something else as it's only available as an ebook which doesn't make it accessible for everyone.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Lisa nominates :-)

@Lanelle - I think that book would make me cry but it does sound interesting.

Oh, yes, I hadn't thought about that! Okay, so just forget my nomination.

I'll change my nomination to: Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome by Robert Harris

Nice one Elsbeth. I was just having a look at some of Robert Harris' books - he's done a few Roman stories. I found this Listopia for Roman Fiction which is pretty good - https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/... I thought The Gates of Rome looked good and I've added it to my wishlist - I'm not going to nominate it as I'm not sure I'll get to it in August, just throwing it out there.

Peggy wrote: "This theme is perfect! I took The Song of Achilles with me on holiday but didn't get round to reading it. Nice that I can read it next month. I know I can't nominate it, it was read..."

oh, I second this one! I have wanted to read it forever!

Maybe we can buddy read it Cherie? I don't think we can nominate it, because it was a group read already back in February 2013.

I might be interested in joining a buddy read of The Song of Achilles. I joined the group after February 2013.

Sorry to be a spoil sport but I, Claudius has also been a group read before.

Ok, in that case I will nominate Augustus by John Williams.

Sorry to be a spoil sport but I, Claudius has already been a group read around the same time as The Song of Achilles.

Grr. Ignore the second post - I rewrote it as I thought it hadn't posted. Stupid app.

Maybe I should put a hold on the book I started last night. I think it would work for the category since one of the two main characters is a Roman-era soldier (that was made into an immortal and living in modern New Orleans). It is not my nomination, but I could read it as an "other in theme" book. Seize the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Bella wrote: "I nominate The Aeneid by Virgil.

Been meaning to read the new(ish) translation from Fagles.
"

I'll second this one.

This going to be a great theme. I like all these books so far.

Sarah wrote: "Sorry to be a spoil sport but I, Claudius has also been a group read before."

Darn, I was going to nom that one! :(

Pompeiiby Robert Harris

I like that nom Colleen!

I am going to nominate Roman Blood.

Edit: I decided to second Pompeii as I really would like to read that as well.

I'm trying to shove the pedant back in her box. but it's not working. Achilles was Greek hero in a Greek poem about the Trojan war which was thought to be sometime between 1194-1240BC where as the Roman Empire only started in 27BC. I don't know how strict the grouping is. I mean 1100 years later Greece and Troy where part of the Roman Empire. But
...

I'm being pedantic while procrastinating. Thai isn't a good combo...

*that isn't a good combo.

Thai would be a great combo right now!!

But you are also allowed to pick a book written by an Ancient Roman author, which Virgil is.

Unless you are talking about The Song of Achilles, which I forgot was also mentioned in here.

wasn't talking about the Aeneid, was The Song of Achilles. on my phone so just said Achilles. But can see how the Troy thing got it all confused.

Agree. Virgil is as Roman as they come.

also I'm not the boss here. I was just voicing my pedanticness

As much as I'd like to read Achilles, I think you're right Rusalka - yes Greece eventually became part of the Roman Empire but when this book takes place it's not and I'm pretty sure that the Romans won't be mentioned in the book at all. I think we'll have to shelve it. But I'm up for a buddy read on it sometime soon despite it not being a fit for this theme.

Having read The Song of Achilles, I can say that the Romans definitely do not appear at all so it won't really count for this theme I'm afraid. Sorry to be a killjoy.

This theme is a hard one to nom for as most of the books I really want to read are either over 400 pages or have been read already by this group. Just saying... ;)

I always keep mixing up my Greeks and Romans, sorry!

I second Pompeii by Robert Harris - thanks Colleen. (Harris also wrote a Cicero trilogy - I had two of them on my TBR list for a while and just added the 3rd one). Now I have to add Pompeii - ooofff - my TBR list is leaning precariously...I loved Harris' An Officer and a Spy)

Sarah wrote: "Nice one Elsbeth. I was just having a look at some of Robert Harris' books - he's done a few Roman stories. I found this Listopia for Roman Fiction which is pretty good - https://www.goodreads.com/..."

Thanks for this link, Sarah. It has some good ideas to look through.

Peggy wrote: "I always keep mixing up my Greeks and Romans, sorry!"

Easy to do. Sorry for shooting down the idea. It's a pity, as I'd like to read it too.

Pompeii is terrific and I would love to re-read!

When I think of Roman literature I always think of Colleen McCullough, but her stuff is all too long.

I also second the book Pompeii by Robert Harris.

Kandice, she's one of the authors that I was looking at too.

I decided to change my nom (msg 23).

I am going to second nom Pompeii as well.

I'll second Pompei, have read it before and really enjoyed it!

Peggy wrote: "Maybe we can buddy read it Cherie? I don't think we can nominate it, because it was a group read already back in February 2013."

yes, I responded in the Buddy Read thread. :0)

I was going to nominate a book, but then realized it was Greek not Roman. I will have to keep looking. This is harder than it initially sounded.

I will nominate I Am Livia.

THIS IS NOT A NOMINATION,just a comment. I'm thinking in reading Letters from a Stoic by Seneca. Still trying to decide

Tasha wrote: "I like that nom Colleen!
I am going to nominate Roman Blood.
Edit: I decided to second Pompeii as I really would like to read that as well."

I loved Pompeii - so much that I've read it several times already. So I might read his Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome instead. Or possibly Roman Blood, your original pick. No nomination or second at this time.

This month's theme could turn out to be pretty busy for me! So many good looking books! ;)

A while back I read Household Gods set in Roman times. It's different from the others nominated (involving time travel).

Oops, just realized it's over 600 pages.

Cherie wrote: "Peggy wrote: "This theme is perfect! I took The Song of Achilles with me on holiday but didn't get round to reading it. Nice that I can read it next month. I know I can't nominate i..."

Well, not that I want to be or appear a "smart aleck", but this book is not about ancient Rome, but about ancient Greek, and it take place long before Rome

Oops! Only yet (after posting) have I noticed, that other members have made the same remark
(that will show me, to read first and blab afterwards

LOL, Mariab!

I added yours to my list, Roz. Sounds interesting!