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WANTED: April, May, and June 2022 FICTION suggestions!

Assist us in selecting our upcoming FICTION book for group discussion in this forum. A minimum of 5 posts is required to participate here!
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Chris OConnor

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WANTED: April, May, and June 2022 FICTION suggestions!

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WANTED: April, May, and June 2022 FICTION suggestions!

Please tell us what FICTION book or books you think we should read and discuss as a community in April, May, and June 2022 (Q2, 2022). It will be helpful to provide a link to where we can learn more about your book suggestion. And if you really want to impress us add a few words about why you're suggesting the book. Feel free to comment on other people's suggestions. If you like a suggestion please say so, and if you find a suggestion to not be enticing it is OK to say so. Feedback makes this process work.
Last edited by LanDroid on Wed Mar 23, 2022 8:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: WANTED: January, February & March 2022 FICTION suggestions!

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Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr.

Sorry... Not doing the html/code tags as it takes too much time.

The heroes of Cloud Cuckoo Land are trying to figure out the world around them: Anna and Omeir, on opposite sides of the formidable city walls during the 1453 siege of Constantinople; teenage idealist Seymour in an attack on a public library in present day Idaho; and Konstance, on an interstellar ship bound for an exoplanet, decades from now. Like Marie-Laure and Werner in All the Light We Cannot See, Anna, Omeir, Seymour, and Konstance are dreamers and outsiders who find resourcefulness and hope in the midst of peril.

An ancient text—the story of Aethon, who longs to be turned into a bird so that he can fly to a utopian paradise in the sky—provides solace and mystery to these unforgettable characters. Doerr has created a tapestry of times and places that reflects our vast interconnectedness—with other species, with each other, with those who lived before us and those who will be here after we’re gone.

Dedicated to “the librarians then, now, and in the years to come,” Cloud Cuckoo Land is a hauntingly beautiful and redemptive novel about stewardship—of the book, of the Earth, of the human heart.
Last edited by LanDroid on Sat Oct 23, 2021 6:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: WANTED: January, February & March 2022 FICTION suggestions!

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Checking through past selections it does not appear we have discussed historical fiction before. Uncle Tom's Cabin is one possible exception.

Panther in the Sky: A Novel based on the life of Tecumseh by James Alexander Thom is one of the best books I've ever read. He goes into deep detail on the rituals and customs of the Shawnee indians and other tribes. He discusses the final attempt to unite hundreds of tribes to defend against the encroachment of European settlers. Tecumseh lead this effort with assistance from his half-crazy brother. Heartbreaking in that we know how that all turned out...

The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War by Michael Shaara is another one I've read. It goes into detail about what happened at Gettysburg. It includes dialog from both sides, obviously not verbatim, but probably reasonably close to what must have been discussed under the chaotic circumstances. This brings history to life (hair curling and goosebumps) more than a textbook can. The film "Gettysburg" was based on this book. I didn't realize this is part 2 of a trilogy, probably something I'll read through completely some day.

To the Last Man: A Novel of the First World War by Jeff Shaara. Haven't read this, but knowing very little about the first world war, I expect we'd all learn quite a bit. (Michael and Jeff Shaara are father and son.)
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Re: WANTED: April, May, and June 2022 FICTION suggestions!

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OMG I just realized how stale this topic has become. I need to update thread title from "January, February & March" to "April - June." From Q1 to Q2!

Perhaps we need to select two fiction books. One could be a more serious selection like the ones above and the other could be a page-turner. Here's one suggestion for a page turner.

Billy Summers by Stephen King
I'm listening to the 16 hour audio version now. Both the book and the performance of the voice actor are very good. The lead character is a professional sniper who has a cover story that he is writing a book. There are multiple levels to the book - the real world of the hit the sniper is to carry out, the book he decides to write about himself and the traumas he has experienced which we also get to read, multiple identities for security, many voices to sort out, etc. There are a lot of negative reviews from whiny Trump supporters who object to a few scattered political references; King is a well known never-Trumper. Ignore that and enjoy the ride.

Any other page-turners or serious works of fiction?
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Re: WANTED: April, May, and June 2022 FICTION suggestions!

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For a change of pace, I recommend "The Quiet Girl" by S. F. Kosa.

https://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Girl-S-F-K ... C67&sr=8-1
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Re: WANTED: April, May, and June 2022 FICTION suggestions!

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I recommend 'Beyond The Fangs:

https://www.wattpad.com/story/292812926

At least everyone will be able to have access to it since its free!
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Re: WANTED: April, May, and June 2022 FICTION suggestions!

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Big Time Stories by Jen Spyra.
https://www.amazon.com/Big-Time-Stories ... C94&sr=1-1

The debut collection of raucous, dark, strange, satirical stories from the former Late Show with Stephen Colbert writer and New Yorker contributor, featuring a foreword by Stephen Colbert.

“Jen Spyra’s stories are shocking, silly, smart, and absurdly funny. Underline both those words, I don’t care how much it costs!”
—Tina Fey

These stories look very interesting. But this is also a strong recommendation based on my laziness. You see, the local Jewish Community Center will host this author and discuss the book on 5/10/22. So, if BookTalk selects this book, I can knock out two discussions with one read. :-D :lol:
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Re: WANTED: April, May, and June 2022 FICTION suggestions!

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I went last night to the Bell Shakespeare production of Hamlet, delayed by two years due to the pandemic. It astonished me how very many lines from this great play have entered common usage. Some are at https://kidadl.com/quotes/famous-hamlet ... hakespeare

The theme of mental illness runs strongly through the play, but not in sympathetic ways.

Hamlet could be a good fiction selection for Booktalk.
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Re: WANTED: April, May, and June 2022 FICTION suggestions!

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Similar to the discussion in the non-fiction thread, I suggest we have two fiction discussions. One would be more serious like Hamlet and the historical fiction I mentioned. The other would be more of a page-turner like some of the other candidates. They could be staggered by a month or so to keep the energy going. What a pair: Hamlet and John Grisham. :hmm:
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Re: WANTED: April, May, and June 2022 FICTION suggestions!

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Ministry of the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson would be a great choice.
Here is an excellent review https://www.openglobalrights.org/the-sc ... an-rights/
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