Literary Exploration discussion

We are doing True Crime soon so we need nominations for the poll. Let us know what book you are suggesting.

Rules
* can't nominate your own book
* only one nomination per person
* first 6-8 books will be chosen
* need to tell us why you are suggesting this book
* be respectful of other people's choices

I have a suggestion but I nominated last month, so I will let others go first and if don't get enough nominations quickly, I'll put my nomination in

I'll suggest In Cold Blood. I've never read it and I'm not sure what I'll think of it, but it has been regarded as one of the definitive true crime books.

I absolutely love In Cold Blood - even though I've read it, I'd read it again.

Franky wrote: "I'll suggest In Cold Blood. I've never read it and I'm not sure what I'll think of it, but it has been regarded as one of the definitive true crime books."

nice on Franky, hopefully we will have more nominations soon.

I'm also an In Cold Blood fan - read it so, so long ago - would definitely read it again. I'm torn on a nomination. Was thinking about Fatal Vision or The Onion Field but since I've read both of them - loved them both! - I will nominate something I haven't read; Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt.

Franky wrote: "I'll suggest In Cold Blood. I've never read it and I'm not sure what I'll think of it, but it has been regarded as one of the definitive true crime books."

After reading To Kill a Mockingbird last month, I really want to read that one next! (Truman Capote and Harper Lee grew up together in the same small town! sort of - Truman was a 'sometime' resident.)

I, too, wish to read In Cold Blood. It has been on my TBR list way too long.

I'll nominate The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy The Shocking Inside Story.

... and here's why:
THE DEFINITIVE WORK OF AMERICAN TRUE CRIME FROM "AMERICA'S BEST TRUE-CRIME WRITER" (Kirkus Reviews)

Utterly unique in its astonishing intimacy, as jarringly frightening as when it first appeared, Ann Rule's The Stranger Beside Me defies our expectation that we would surely know if a monster lived among us, worked alongside of us, appeared as one of us. With a slow chill that intensifies with each heart-pounding page, Rule describes her dawning awareness that Ted Bundy, her sensitive coworker on a crisis hotline, was one of the most prolific serial killers in America. He would confess to killing at least thirty-six young women from coast to coast, and was eventually executed for three of those cases. Drawing from their correspondence that endured until shortly before Bundy's death, and striking a seamless balance between her deeply personal perspective and her role as a crime reporter on the hunt for a savage serial killer -- the brilliant and charismatic Bundy, the man she thought she knew -- Rule changed the course of true-crime literature with this unforgettable chronicle.

Three nominations so far, would really like some more soon

In Cold Blood
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy The Shocking Inside Story

Can I have some Norman Mailer for 1056 pages, please, Alex? ;-)

I was looking at this one, UNTIL I noticed the page length. Shoulda known without even checking, since it IS Norman Mailer. The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer.


This genre is hard for me. I know almost nothing about it. I tried a google, here's a top ten article: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013...

I almost nominated All the President's Men by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, but I've seen them two so often on tv chattering away over the last few years, that I just can't think of what I might not have already heard about this story/seen in the movie/read in a million and a hundred more articles ;-).


So, hmmm .


How about, I would like to nominate ... *scratches chin* .... the #1 from the article:


"1. Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith, by Jon Krakauer

Krakauer is a master journalist and a storyteller who is unfettered by and unafraid of the true crime mantle. Here, he transcends the genre with a story of Mormon brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty, who insisted God gave them commands (commandments?) to kill. Krakauer pries open the golden doors to one of the newest and fastest-growing religions to set the stage for the non-fiction drama."


Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer

(edit: I nominate ^^^^^ this one, the Krakauer :D)

I'll nominate The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer. It's about Gary Gilmore, who after being convicted and sentenced for murder insisted on his right to die, did not want to be kept alive. It won the Pulitzer Prize.

Flash Beagle wrote: "I'll nominate The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer. It's about Gary Gilmore, who after being convicted and sentenced for murder insisted on his right to die, did not ..."

Almost jinx, but I chickened out! lol

We must have been posting at the same time!

Did you withdraw that one MK? If so I'll nominate Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi. Written by DA Bugliosi about the famous Hollywood murders and the Manson cult.

Flash Beagle wrote: "We must have been posting at the same time!

Did you withdraw that one MK? If so I'll nominate Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi..."


No, I didn't withdraw it, sorry, I meant I almost nominated the Mailer, but I got intimidated by its length, so I went with nominating the Mormons story "Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith" instead ;D.

I think we did hit 'post' at the same damn time! :p lol

I'm going to start over! My bad!

I'll nominate Provenance: How a Con Man and a Forger Rewrote the History of Modern Art by Laney Salisbury. About a decade-long art forgery scam, London, Paris, NY, at the highest level.

I'm confused, is no one nominating The Executioner's Song. Can we be a little more clearer please.

Flash Beagle wrote: "I'm going to start over! My bad!

I'll nominate Provenance: How a Con Man and a Forger Rewrote the History of Modern Art by Laney Salisbury. About a decade-long ar..."

Totally my fault! And, that book looks great. I just read the Goldfinch, so the art thief world appeals at the moment.



Michael wrote: "I'm confused, is no one nominating The Executioner's Song. Can we be a little more clearer please."

Yes, sorry, totally my fault. I won't ramble on nominations thread anymore.

I nominate:

Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer

"1. Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith, by Jon Krakauer

Krakauer is a master journalist and a storyteller who is unfettered by and unafraid of the true crime mantle. Here, he transcends the genre with a story of Mormon brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty, who insisted God gave them commands (commandments?) to kill. Krakauer pries open the golden doors to one of the newest and fastest-growing religions to set the stage for the non-fiction drama."

source - http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013...

Michael wrote: "I'm confused, is no one nominating The Executioner's Song. Can we be a little more clearer please."

Sorry Michael! It's my fault, I changed my mind; Provenance is already on my TBR, it's about art, and I was going to use it as one of my challenge reads.

That's fair enough, I just don't want to misread the nominations and put the wrong one up.

In Cold Blood
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy The Shocking Inside Story
Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith
Provenance: How a Con Man and a Forger Rewrote the History of Modern Art

Different Banner title, Michael.
This is the correct one: Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer.

fixed

Since we haven't got any more nominations, I'm going to nominate Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets by David Simon because...David Simon. If you don't know who he is, look him up.

Poll is up now