I would ... try to reread (sort of) Infinite Jest but I can go ahead and be sure right now that I wouldn't have time to finish it until around May.
Yeah, that's the thing. I mean, I got halfway into St John's book way back and didn't even finish that - same for that book about the German author, whose name eludes me. I can't imagine how many people would agree to read Infinite Jest and how few would come back (not to mention when). Not to poo-poo the suggestion of b_b and _refugee_ that we actually do read it (I do have a hundred-page headstart).
It might be for some. Plus, something that one person finds absolutely enthralling is not at all guaranteed to have the same effect on another. I'd just like this round to get as much participation as possible, so it would be great to set this round up for success as much as possible, you know?
Totally. I don't disagree with you, I was just making the point generally that 100 pages is a slog if the writing isn't captivating, while 1000 goes by like nothing when your interest is piqued. Swamplandia is 400 pages. My suggestion or Darkness at Noon is <300. Neither should be too herculean to tackle. After reading a bit about it, I'm pretty interested in reading Swamplandia. It's contemporary and popular, but by all accounts it's apparently also interesting and different. That all seems like good criteria for a book club book.
Generally speaking, people are very keen to say they'll do things, whereas anything that actually requires voluntary effort is only done by a few.
I'd like to forget 2666, I wasn't a fan. The Fountainhead has it's flaws, but it was at least entertaining. I think people have forgotten about Jamrach's Menagerie.
Got it. Jamrach was a long one too though... It would be nice to have a book we could all burn through and enjoy.
I retract my suggestion for Infinite Jest and stick with my first suggestion The Boys in the Boat -My wife highly recommends it, as flagamuffin pointed out, it won a ton of awards and my guess is that nobody here has already read it, which is good. Plus I've never read a book on a kindle and it's on my wife's kindle. It will be my first ever e-book.