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Really, what is summer if not a time to do even more reading?!! It's time to nominate books for our August 2016 Open Pick.

The usual rules: 21st Century work of literature, one nomination per person. Nominations will be open for a week before the poll goes up. Please see the How Things Work post if you are new to the group or need a refresher. Let the nominating begin!

Thanks Marc - I will stick to my promise not to nominate this time.

Ok, I am new at posting here but I always love all the suggestions of books I get from this group. So I thought I should make a stab at nominating a novel and try to add a Southern hemisphere slant to it ;)
I have the entire Miles Franklin (Australian literary award) shortlist on my shelves and so I thought I might put forward this one The Natural Way of Things.
With the caveat I have not read it or this author before.

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I'm sure members will be eager to see what you nominate next month, Hugh!

Trudie, what an intriguing selection! Embarrassingly, I'm not sure I can name a single Australian writer.

I nominate Gold Fame Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins. This is her debut novel, published in September 2015. Her first book - Battleborn - was a book of short stories that won a lot of awards.

I nominate The Sport of Kings by C.E. Morgan.

Marc wrote: "I'm sure members will be eager to see what you nominate next month, Hugh!

Trudie, what an intriguing selection! Embarrassingly, I'm not sure I can name a single Australian writer."

Oh well, I can be here to remedy that ! (Actually I am in NZ but that is another nomination list probably)

Trudie wrote: "Oh well, I can be here to remedy that ! (Actually I am in NZ but that is another nomination list probably) "
My list of New Zealanders I've read is very short - can't think beyond Eleanor Catton and Janet Frame ... oh and Lloyd Jones - then there's Keri Hulme but I never got round to that one. I can list a few Aussies though - Richard Flanagan, Thomas Keneally, Peter Carey, Evie Wyld, Nick Cave (assuming he counts as a writer), Michelle de Kretser, etc... Your choice looks a good one - will look out for it

Hugh wrote: "Trudie wrote: "Oh well, I can be here to remedy that ! (Actually I am in NZ but that is another nomination list probably) "
My list of New Zealanders I've read is very short - can't think beyond El..."

This might not be the thread for this exactly but I have read and enjoyed The Book Of Secrets, Once Were Warriors, Going West The Collected Stories of Katherine Mansfield also there is the works of Witi Ihimaera. The film The Whale rider is based on his work...then we have Ngaio Marsh .... hope that helps ;)

I am new here, but I would like to nominate Stonemouth by the brilliant Iain Banks. I really enjoyed his The Wasp Factory and Complicity, and certainly recommend them!

Diego wrote: "I am new here, but I would like to nominate Stonemouth by the brilliant Iain Banks. I really enjoyed his The Wasp Factory and ..."

Sounds good! I recently read his The Crow Road and enjoyed it quite a bit.

Last day to get your nominations in. Thanks for all the great ones above. The poll will go up tomorrow.

The poll is up here:
/poll/show/137886-what-will-be-our-open-pick-book-for-august-2016-please-take-into-acc

Voting will be open through June 30th. Hopefully our results will have less ripple effects than Brexit...

If my choice doesn't win I'm quitting Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ!
#Grexit

Whitney wrote: "If my choice doesn't win I'm quitting Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ!
#Grexit"

Well, you've just placed yourself in a pretty specific demographic. Keep in mind, it's a bare minimum two-year process to exit GR, requiring extensive negotiations, which, in the end, will result in your bookshelves being 5 to 7% smaller, and Amazon owning all your reading memories. Hopefully, your choice wins :D

People who don't share my exact tastes in books are ruining this site. Death before change or compromise!
#Grexit.

#should-I-stay-or-should-I-go-now?

#if-I-go-there-will-be-trouble

Peter wrote: "Diego wrote: "I am new here, but I would like to nominate Stonemouth by the brilliant Iain Banks. I really enjoyed his The Wasp Factory and ..."

Sound..."

The Crow Road is on my to-read, heard and read a lot of good about it. Brilliant opening sentence as well! Would have nominated this one instead of Stonemouth if it were published in the 21st century.

Marc wrote: "#should-I-stay-or-should-I-go-now?" For those of us who were on the losing side, the wounds are still too raw for any of this to raise a smile, but full marks for trying.

I'm also not sure I should have voted for the Charlotte Wood, since it is now looking pretty unlikely that I'll get hold of a copy before the end of August

Hugh wrote: "Marc wrote: "#should-I-stay-or-should-I-go-now?" For those of us who were on the losing side, the wounds are still too raw for any of this to raise a smile, but full marks for trying.

I'm also no..."

Sorry, Hugh. Believe me, we share some related pain here in Amurica. And remember, unlike Regretxit, you can change your vote in the Open Pick poll.

I was completely floored by the Brexit outcome, so definitely no intention to make light of it. Like Whitney said, no vote is final until the poll closes on the 30th.

Does that mean my vote that is currently the losing pick may prevail? Or Whitney I'll throw my vote your way what do you like?

Dianne wrote: "Does that mean my vote that is currently the losing pick may prevail? Or Whitney I'll throw my vote your way what do you like?"

Indeed! Members are free to advocate for their selections, too, so you could swing votes your way.

It's always a good idea to check back in on the poll just before it closes and consider changing your vote to give a boost to your second choice if your first choice looks hopeless.

Thanks for the support, Dianne, but after looking at the financial and cultural implications of Grexit a little closer, I've decided to stay. I actually won't be voting in this one, I'll be out of town for part of the month and am moderating the Wild Card, so there's a good chance I wouldn't get to the Open Pick. I just have trouble passing up any opportunity to be a smart ass.

I like how you think. Smart ass is my speed also. Alright I'll stay put with my horse book for now and if it looks like it's trailing I'll switch gears.

Your horse book, Dianne, is not really about horses. It is about racism and the best book I've read this year. However, it is really new. I would love to discuss it but may be a better nominee with the paperback arrives!

Linda wrote: "Your horse book, Dianne, is not really about horses. It is about racism and the best book I've read this year. However, it is really new. I would love to discuss it but may be a better nominee with..."

I look forward to reading and discussing it, too. I did hold it in my hand at the library a couple of hours ago. Let's just say, it's weighty. Ahem.

Well we will see! And I had heard great things about it, so I'll probably read it if wins or not :)

While we are discussing voting technicalities, I think the only way you can change a vote is to vote for something else, and in this case that could leave the availability issue unresolved, so maybe the solution is to wait until the last day of the poll and change it to the least popular option. But then if we all did took that approach, the game theory wouldn't work, and I do want to read the book I voted for - just think it might be hard to get hold of :)

About voting technicalities again : If you click 'change your vote', it's as if you haven't voted at all. Your previous vote disappears. You can check that by clicking 'show results'. Your previous vote should no longer be there.

Teanka wrote: "About voting technicalities again : If you click 'change your vote', it's as if you haven't voted at all. Your previous vote disappears. You can check that by clicking 'show results'. Your previous..."
Good point - I hadn't realised that I'd done that when I was trying it yesterday. Might reinstate it now...

In case you missed the announcement that went out, Stonemouth won the poll for August's Open Pick. Discussion will start August 1st.

Diego, since you nominated the book, would you be interested in moderating the discussion (you are in no way obligated to do so)?

Marc wrote: "In case you missed the announcement that went out, Stonemouth won the poll for August's Open Pick. Discussion will start August 1st.

Diego, since you nominated the book, would you ..."

Thanks for the offer, Marc. I'm quite new in this group (I'm currently reading my first group read here with The Hired Man), so moderating is maybe a little bit too much for now? I will, however, participate actively in the discussion. Looking forward to August and Banks!

Diego wrote: "Marc wrote: "In case you missed the announcement that went out, Stonemouth won the poll for August's Open Pick. Discussion will start August 1st.

Diego, since you nominated the boo..."

Sounds good--thanks for the quick reply, Diego!

Anybody else who voted for this book eager to moderate?

Marc wrote: "Diego wrote: "Marc wrote: "In case you missed the announcement that went out, Stonemouth won the poll for August's Open Pick. Discussion will start August 1st.

Diego, since you nom..."


Marc if you go down to third tier ( ie, people who didn't vote for the book but think it looks great and will read it), I can moderate.

That would be wonderful, Dianne! Thank you. I should have just invited anyone who planned on reading it in the first place.

Marc wrote: "That would be wonderful, Dianne! Thank you. I should have just invited anyone who planned on reading it in the first place."

Marc wrote: "That would be wonderful, Dianne! Thank you. I should have just invited anyone who planned on reading it in the first place."


Cool thanks Marc!