21st Century Literature discussion

To honor and celebrate August as Women in Translation Month, these three books are up for your selection and vote:

- Our Riches by Kaouther Adimi (Catapult is the US publisher, the same translation was published in the UK by Serpent's Tail with a different title, A Bookshop in Algiers)
- Optic Nerve by María Gainza (US publisher New Directions, UK publisher Harvill Secker)
- Suite for Barbara Loden by Nathalie Léger (published by Les Fugitives in UK and Dorothy Project in USA)

All three novels are by contemporary women writers born on different continents (Adimi was born in Algeria, Gainza in Argentina, and Léger in France) and written in a genre-bending form. Adimi's novel pays homage to Edmond Charlot and his iconic bookshop/publishing house/gallery Les Vraies Richesses at Algiers, famed among other things for discovering Albert Camus, while Léger's novel is based on Barbara Loden, an American film maker and actress, whose only feature film Wanda (1970) is considered by many as one of the landmarks of independent cinema. Gainza's book is devoted to the art of painting, pairing the episodes in the life of her main character with the great paintings and anecdotal stories of the painters.

All three books are relatively short which might be convenient if any of you have vacation plans for the end of summer. The voting starts a week earlier this time to give a full month for getting the book that wins the poll.

Discussion will start on August 15 and voting poll is open through July 15 at this link:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/224477

(As usual, please vote for a book that you do plan to read if it wins.)

Last day for poll voting today. There is currently a tie for lead between Optic Nerve and Suite for Barbara Loden.

After a very close run with the tiebreaker arriving in the last few hours, we have a winner - Suite for Barbara Loden. We'll have the entire month to get the book and I very much look forward to our discussion. It will start on August 15.

Thank you for taking interest in the Women in Translation theme/month and thanks to all for voting!

Vesna wrote: "After a very close run with the tiebreaker arriving in the last few hours, we have a winner - Suite for Barbara Loden. We'll have the entire month to get the book and I very much lo..."

Just curious to those that read the book, did you watch the film first?

I read the book and have yet to watch the film, Sam, although I'll probably make an effort to do so after re-reading the book for this discussion.

Marc wrote: "I read the book and have yet to watch the film, Sam, although I'll probably make an effort to do so after re-reading the book for this discussion."

It is streaming on Kanopy and Criterion Channel.

Sam wrote: "Marc wrote: "I read the book and have yet to watch the film, Sam, although I'll probably make an effort to do so after re-reading the book for this discussion."

It is streaming on Kanopy and Crite..."

Thanks for the tip!

The August group reads announcement that went out today erroneously listed this month's Wild Card book title as the Moderator Pick.

Rest assured, Suite for Barbara Loden is August's Moderator Pick with Aug. 15th as the discussion start date. GR prevents more than one "broadcast message" going out to group members per day per group, so a correction will go out tomorrow.

Mea culpa.