Textual Relations 2023 Book Selection Thread

[Falselogic]

How is it possible that a year can last forever and yet fly by? I don't know but I do know that 2022 has done just that. Hopefully, this year has been kind to you and yours. If it has not I'm sorry. Rough 21st century, huh? There is always the hope that 2023 is better for us all. However the year turns out we should read books during it! And then talk about them here on Talking Time!

But what books?! It's a momentous series of decisions no doubt! But together I think we can come up with something! So, if you would please submit to me four book recommendations. I will generate some lists and we will vote on them! Remember it can be any sort of genre, fiction or non-fiction. We have only one rule: No repeat authors from the previous year. And, one consideration, new books tend to be hard to source from the local library and many of our readers use theirs for copies.

I am excited to see what everyone has to offer, and of course to read, for this next year!

2022 Authors:
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Joan Wickersham
Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
Erin Morgenstern
Jessica Harris
Samuel Beckett
Wilson Rawls
Julian Barnes
Helen Wecker

If you are curious about our 2021 books, you can find that list here. Our 2022 reading list is here.

 

[lincolnic]

Let's do it!

In the thread for October's book, I mentioned Joshua Ferris' most recent novel as a potential recommendation for next year's batch, so that's where I'm going to start:

Joshua Ferris - A Calling for Charlie Barnes
Carmen Maria Machado - Her Body and Other Parties
Brooke Bolander - The Only Harmless Great Thing
George Saunders - Liberation Day (this just came out, but if it's selected it'll probably be easy to get at the library later next year)

 

[Violentvixen]

H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
If On Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

 

[John]

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Peace by Gene Wolfe
Cuckoo's Egg by Clifford Stoll
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

 

[Falselogic]

I'm just going to poke everyone who nominated last year! We need your nominations @nijhazer @Egarwaen @Paul le Fou @Lokii

 

[Egarwaen]

I don't feel like my nominations were particularly well-received last year, and I've spent most of the past year reading light novels or sequels of them, so I'll decline. I might participate depending on what gets nominated.

 

[Violentvixen]

I don't feel like my nominations were particularly well-received last year, and I've spent most of the past year reading light novels or sequels of them, so I'll decline. I might participate depending on what gets nominated.

You nominated This Is How You Lose the Time War which was one of my favourites so I respectfully disagree! I don't remember the others you nominated.

Also I really enjoyed a lot of the in depth conversations you and I got into so hope you participate. I guess that was more in the 2021 club than 2022 but whatevs.

 

[Falselogic]

I don't feel like my nominations were particularly well-received last year, and I've spent most of the past year reading light novels or sequels of them, so I'll decline. I might participate depending on what gets nominated.

I agree with VV, How You Lose the Time War was a great book and one of the book's that generated a lot of discussion! (I went out and bought a physical copy after we read it here.)

 

[lincolnic]

I don't feel like my nominations were particularly well-received last year, and I've spent most of the past year reading light novels or sequels of them, so I'll decline. I might participate depending on what gets nominated.

I didn't participate in the book club last year, but I did read This is How You Lose the Time War specifically from the recommendations on this forum, so I'd say you're more than welcome to recommend more!

 

[Falselogic]

Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett
The Genesis of Misery by Neon Yang
Goudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers
Still Life by Louise Penny

 

[Falselogic]

Still plenty of time to nominate books for next year's Blook Club!

 

[Positronic Brain]

Mexican Gothic - Sílvia Moreno Garcia
The Rythmatist - Brandon Sanderson
Uprooted - Naomi Novik
Dreadnought - April Daniels

 

[Falselogic]

Here are your two options for next year's readings! please let me know which you would like by the end of this week (31st)

Option A
A Calling for Charlie Barnes by Joshua Ferris
Peace by Gene Wolfe
The Genesis of Misery by Neon Yang
Dreadnought - April Daniels
If On Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino
Liberation Day- George Saunders
Mexican Gothic - Sílvia Moreno Garcia
H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald
Goudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers
Cuckoo's Egg by Clifford Stoll

Option B
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Rythmatist - Brandon Sanderson
Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Her Body and Other Parties - Carmen Maria Machado
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
Uprooted - Naomi Novik
Still Life by Louise Penny
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The Only Harmless Great Thing - Brooke Bolander

 

[John]

Option A for me.

 

[Violentvixen]

Agh, you are too good and making these lists, I want both. I think I'm going to go with B though.

 

[lincolnic]

Dang, that's a tough choice. Gonna have to think on it.

 

[Positronic Brain]

Ack, both look good. I pick B.

 

[Falselogic]

Dang, that's a tough choice. Gonna have to think on it.

Share now or forever hold your peace! I'm about to make the thread for 2023!

 

[lincolnic]

Share now or forever hold your peace! I'm about to make the thread for 2023!

Whoop, sorry! Let's go with option B.

 

[Falselogic]

B it is. I'm posting this from my phone at a public spot because all the power in my town has been out for 14 hours but once it's back I'll update the post.

In the meantime go checkout the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

 

[Falselogic]

B it is. I'm posting this from my phone at a public spot because all the power in my town has been out for 14 hours but once it's back I'll update the post.

In the meantime go checkout the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

The book club thread has been updated and a thread for the January reading is also now up. Thank you everyone.