Ha! My local library just selected "The World is Flat" for the next discussion.Mr. P. The one thing of which I am positive is that there is much of which to be negative - Mr. P.The pain in hell has two sides. The kind you can touch with your hand; the kind you can feel in your heart...Scorsese's "Mean Streets"I came to kick ass and chew Bubble Gum...and I am all out of Bubble Gum - They Live, Roddy Piper

Quote:Don't vote if you don't plan on reading and discussing the winning book.as quoted from above.

Well then perhaps I should change the wording on that first post. I don't want anyone to avoid voting because one of the 3 books is about a topic they dislike. I'm not sure what to do or how to handle this. I always wanted BookTalk to be a place for people to read and learn about topics that they might not have selected on their own. I find it unfortunate that some members limit themselves and their personal growth by refusing to participate in the reading and discussion of all but their top choice in books. That doesn't help the community or their own development, IMO.

But I do understand if somone like Mad opts out of the discussion of a book bashing religious belief. This makes sense, even though he is one of our most valuable and active members. Even if he says he won't read a certain book, I think he is such a prolific reader that he will get weak, buy the book, and participate. I wish all members were so devoted to reading and thinking and discussing good books. I'll have to change the wording. I think Mad should do his best to influence the choice of books around here. Vote for one of the other two, and then make a persuasive post to motivate members to either change their votes or cast one if they haven't voted yet. That is what our polls are for. We are all welcome to try to influence others.

good call chris. i like that wording better. i originally figured that placing a vote was an unwritten agreement that you would definitely read and participate in discussion regardless of which title was selected. obviously the discussion format won't work well if 2/3's of the voters don't read the book because it wasn't their top choice. but it is good to have the ability to vote and write persuasively without an obligation to read one of the titles you definitely do not want to read.

I'll edit that first post soon and also make sure all future polls are worded properly. I guess what I am trying to say is something like...Please do not cast a vote if you do not plan on reading and discussing your book should it win the poll, AND please heavily consider participating in the reading and discussion of ANY book that wins the poll. Even if your personal choice in books doesn't win you still stand to gain a great deal by getting involved in our discussions.If you can think of a way to word that even better please do!

I'd go with KISS and just use the first sentence If you make yourself really small, you can externalize virtually everything. Daniel Dennett, 1984

tarav: While I understand your sentiment, I'm not sure I understand your method of getting it across. All three choices do not involve religion(only one does).No, I recognize that. The reason for my last post was that the one about religion is the one that is currently winning.I've abstained from voting not because I think the other two books are about religion but because none of the three books in this poll interest me. I could vote for one of the other books to make a point, but it wouldn't make me any more interested in those books. So it's more congenial of me to just let you guys have it your way for a quarter. Maybe you'll make the discussion interesting enough for me to hazard actually reading your choice.There's really two objections being made here: one is that I think there were much better suggestions made in the original thread, and I'm disappointed that these three books were chosen instead; the other is that the "faith" book is getting more votes, despite the fact that that topic haven't been provoking very interesting conversations. It seems like people tend to vote for a book when they want to see a topic championed, rather than voting for books they actually plan on reading and discussing. Chris OConnor: But I do understand if somone like Mad opts out of the discussion of a book bashing religious belief.I'm not objecting to that. Hell, I voted for the last book -- the fact that so many people voted for it but so few have actually participated in the discussion is one of the big reasons I'm suspicious of the number of votes that "The End of Faith" has gotten so far. I'm objecting to boredom.Even if he says he won't read a certain book, I think he is such a prolific reader that he will get weak, buy the book, and participate.I might check the book out if the discussion is interesting. Otherwise, I have a nice big stack of book that should tide me over until the next decade, so don't expect me to read it just to read it.I think Mad should do his best to influence the choice of books around here.I understand that. But I don't think it would be fair of me to try to influence this vote when I don't intend to read any of the books.

I must not have understood you in your original post. If you have no interest in any of the three books you certainly should NOT cast a vote. I thought you simply didn't want to read the End of Faith.

Of the three, that's probably the only one I would have some interest in reading. But I don't think it's a good pick for this crowd.