So, I don't have a book idea for September.
I have a book picked for October. But not September.
Since I already have a book for October, and we haven't done one yet, I thought it would be cool to do a horror novel in September.
What I was thinking was maybe doing The Exorcist in September. The 40th Anniversary edition was just recently released. It's been updated with some new scenes. It's supposed to be creepier than ever.
That's my idea. Let's see some of yours. I'm open to any and all suggestions for the month of September.
Feel like doing some Dan Simmons? If you want to do horror, he's got a couple. Summer of Night was pretty good. I think doing Carrion Comfort would kick ass, but that could just be because I'm looking for an excuse to read that book.
I've always been curious about Dan Simmons. My only question about his is this - I have a hard enough time getting people to discuss a book with more than 200 pages. His books are extremely long. Do you think people will read and discuss it in a month?
House of Leaves?
@Pete: Hadn't thought of it, but that might be a problem.
I'll think about something else.
Cool, thanks Utah.
Hector - while I love the book House of Leave, I feel the same thing about it. That book took me a few weeks to read (if I remember right) in a time when I was reading two books a week.
The Exorcist 40th is a good read, I can vouch. (But I don't really read horror.) I think it's more than 200 pgs, but it was pretty quick.
How about a Stephen Graham Jones book? Zombie Bake-Off maybe? I have that on my shelf to read and it looks like it would be a quick one. Plus, I bet SGJ could be persuaded to have a gander over the thread and answer a few Q's.
Or Lidia Yuknavitch's new book, Dora. That comes out in August. Same applies for maybe getting a bit of involvement? These folks are familiar with the Lit from teaching classes here.
Then again, I am two months behind right now haha, finally started The Thin Man, so maybe my vote doesn't count.
P.s., I have just stopped being dumb and noticed you said you wanted Horror.
Hmm, I am not the best to ask with horror. A Jack Ketchum maybe? I have only read Red by him and would quite like to check out another.
Martin, why do you persist in sounding like Jude Law when I hear your messages in my head?
Haha. Well, that's all on you my friend. I sound nowt like im'.
Maybe you got the hots for posh English accents?
Martin - I actually think that Zombie Bake-Off is a great choice. It's also in my pile of to-read novels. Not exactly horror, but it is zombies.
J.Y. - Just curious, have you ever read the old edition of The Exorcist (before the 40th anniversary edition)? I'm just wondering how important the changes are. Blatty said that The Exorcist that was out before was like a 1st draft, this edition is The Director's Cut - or something like that.
I have not, so I can only compare it to the movie. It's much more deep, with lots of little suggestive, covert subplots and soft angles.
We should read Growing Up Dead In Texas by SGJ or how about Liminal States by Zack Parsons.
Some decent suggestions, and yet I have one of my own.
This isn't something shelved under horror, but is (as I understand it) quite horrific: J. G. Ballard's High-Rise. It's on my to-read list and I have a copy, so I'd love to do that one. And it's shorter. I think 205 pages or thereabouts? I've wanted to get to this for forever, so I'd love to read it with some others.
El Gomez - While Growing Up Dead is on my to-read list, I'm looking for something closer to horror since we haven't done a horror book yet. Liminal States sounds really cool. I've never heard of Zack Parsons before.
Michael - Love Ballard's work. High-Rise sounds excellent. Not quite horror, but the paranoia aspect makes it eligible in my opinion.
Have you guys done House of Leaves yet?
While I love House of Leaves, I don't think that we would be able to get through it in a month. That book is massive and you should take your time with that one.
Lolita?
In Search of Lost Time.
Utah, I know you have to be joking. It's a total of over 4,000 pages!
Dakota, I kind of wanted to do a horror novel. But, we can do another "classics" discussion if you'd like. Maybe we can do that in November?
That's what makes it horror!
It would be a lot easier if I we just had a yearly Book Club Discussion. We'll just pick a book that will take a whole year to read.
Ghost Story - Peter Straub (I know it's old, but...)
Or maybe we could read a true crime type thing to break it up. Helter Skelter, Deviant, something like that?
Just throwing some ideas out.
Hey I'm not worried about picking an older book. My suggestion was The Exorcist. ;)
Ghost Story sounds cool.
I'm down for doing a nonfiction month in the future for sure.
I'm down for doing a nonfiction month in the future for sure.
We could do The Way Things Ought To Be.
I'd second Helter Skelter for a nonfic for the future. That book is as chilling as any horror fiction.
A classic in November would be super cool!
Horror hmmm...
Jack Ketchum's The Women?
Since I haven't read High-Rise, I don't know exactly what you'd call it, but from what I've read you could maybe call it psychological horror with only a slight stretch.
I'm wishing I had more actual horror novels. I really don't. As a genre it has a tendency not to interest me without there being something unique or different about it. Though my mom and sister found a used copy of Deen Koontz's Life Expectancy which they both read, and they're demanding that I read it because they think I'll really like it. They don't tend to read a lot of "dark" stuff, so they think because this is what they deem "dark", it must be my thing. I don't know if that's accurate or not, but my sister told me enough crazy shit about it that it did sound kind of fun. Mom's shipping it to me in a box, apparently.
You guys should do Cows by Matthew Stokoe. Can't think of a more disgusting/disturbing book and I would love to see a discussion on it.
I'd second Helter Skelter.
Harvest Home is one I think I could read again. It's a "can't put it down" read
I second Zombie Bake-Off
two suggestions for the possible non-fiction month would be "Days of Grace" the autobiography of Arthur Ashe and "Invisible Men: Life in Baseball's Negro Leagues" By Donn Rogosin. Both of these books show up on a lot of "Things you should read before college" lists but I feel they get overlooked. I can't speak for everywhere, but in central Indiana public schools if you talk about African American literature you don't make it past Martin Luther King and Maya Angelou, or if you have a lazy teacher you spent the week watching Roots. These are both great stories that people should read at least once.
What do you guys think of riding the wave of publicity and going with Broken Piano for President?
I know it's not horror, but given the circumstances...
My copy's on its way, so I'm down.
Agreed. Broken Piano for President for the win.
im nearly 300 pages in and think it;s great. But perhaps maybe every 3 or 4 months do a classic or famous book? I love supporting independent books but think maybe something that is a classic like 1984 or something will get more people involved.
I agree Jay. I'm trying to bring a little of everything. It's not as easy as you would think when there are so many amazing books out there. Haha
Yeah, I know it's not easy pete and I appreciate the great job you do, which has led me to discovering so many great authors.
Thanks Jay! :)
How about THE ONES THAT GOT AWAY. it's all horror. From making normal things horrible, to making horrible things normal.
I will be doing the "announcement" thread for September's book some time today.
Do you guys want to do Broken Piano? Or something else? I'm trying to make sure we get some good participation here.
And does anybody know when Stephen King's The Shining sequel is coming out? That can be our horror novel when we do one.
All The Beautiful Sinners.
But I'm sure everyone has read that?
I'm down with Broken Piano. No idea about the King book. I'm holding off on that one because... I don't know. I think I'm gonna need to be convinced first.
Okay, I've moved a few things around.
I'm looking for a more well known horror book / author for October.
What about something by Jack Ketchum for October?
Or Richard Matheson?
I just saw the top of this thread and realized that I bought Drood by Dan Simmons, and the fucker is 784 pages. I don't know how I'll ever find the time for it. I still have 1Q84 to slog through, too. Gads.
I'm drawing a blank for January's book choice.
But I'm kinda thinking it might be cool to do one of Tom Piccirilli's books since a lot of his publishers are donating money to his treatment. Anybody know the details of this? Is it certain books? Are some publishers donating more than others?
What do you guys think?
Yep, I think the Tom Piccirilli idea is great - though, honestly speaking, I haven't read any of his tomes so can't make a suggestion (this will change, I'm sure!).
I believe it is Crossroad Press that's donating 100% royalties to Tom P until the end of the year (so it would behoove the book club to purchase before January.) THE NIGHT CLASS or either NIGHTJACK have been ones I've been meaning to pick up, and those aren't part of any series I don't think so would be good book club choices.
I'm pretty sure they've extended it. This is from Tom's facebook wall (posted by his wife):
And one more mention about David Wilson and everyone at Crossroad Press. Instead of donating the profits from Tom's ebooks back to him for the rest of the year, they have decided to continue the donating indefinitely. You guys are the best.
