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The holidays are here one day earlier than normal--that's right, it's time to nominate our February 2017 Open Pick!

Nominations will be open through Dec. 22nd with the poll going up on the 23rd. The discussion will start February 1st. If you are nominating, please begin your post by stating "I nominate [name w. hyperlink to book]".

The usual rules: 21st Century work of literature, one nomination per person. Please see the How Things Work post if you are new to the group or need a refresher.

I nominate All the Living by C.E. Morgan, again.

I admire your persistence Linda and will definitely back you again this time!

Thanks Hugh!

Well I thought I might have another go at nominating a book ( I don't think you have read it in here ?)

This Must Be the Place by Maggie O'Farrell published in May this year and now nominated for the Costa Book Award.

Speaking of the Costa Book Awards, I'd like to nominate The Essex Serpent, since I have had a copy for a few months and that MIGHT get me to actually read it! :-)

Doug, The Essex Serpent is already on my wish list, as it has been talked about a lot, but I intend to wait for the mass market paperback, which according to Amazon is due for release on May 4th 2017. If it gets chosen before that, I will catch up on the discussion retrospectively. Incidentally that date is also the due date for the UK paperback of The Sport of Kings...

Hugh wrote: "Doug, The Essex Serpent is already on my wish list, as it has been talked about a lot, but I intend to wait for the mass market paperback, which according to Amazon is due for release on May 4th 20..."

Hugh, I have just finished The Essex Serpent (much enjoyed), which I read in hardback, borrowed from the library. The libraries in my area all ordered extra copies of the Costa shortlist books once it was announced.

I know the book isn't difficult to find, but I generally like to keep the books I read, and not only do hardbacks often cost more, they also invariably take up more shelf space. Just saying that if we discuss it before May, I won't read the discussions until later, and that there are other options (particularly Linda's nomination) that are more inclusive...

I think library-availability is a pretty high standard for inclusiveness (realizing that there are vast differences among libraries and how closely any one of us actually lives to a good library).

All that aside, thanks for some great nominations!

Hugh wrote: " I generally like to keep the books I read, and not only do hardbacks often cost more, they also invariably take up more shelf space. "

Maybe borrow from library (if possible/convenient for you) while group is reading along, then buy your own copy when the paperback comes out?

(And please don't think I am being argumentative. I also feel frustrated when selected books aren't even available in UK yet. Just trying to make constructive suggestion here, as this one in particular does seem to be very popular in UK at the moment.)

Sorry to have opened up a nasty can of worms with my nomination, but wanted to note that Book Depository UK will have the paperback of The Essex Serpent for sale on Jan 5 2017 for $8.96 (almost HALF the price the paperback will be on Amazon in May, at $16.82! ... 7.15 in pounds), with free (and VERY fast) shipping to the US! So hopefully there is no impediment for anyone to vote for it on inavailability/cost/hardback only account, at least! :-) I DID take such matters into account before nominating it!

Thanks for passing along that deal, Doug!

I nominate Patti Smith's M Train. I'm a doufous about navigation, and I looked, and I don't think this has already been discussed. My apologies if it has.

I'd like to nominate True History of the Kelly Gang . It won the Man Booker in 2001, and is an Australian modern classic

I nominate The Big Green Tent by Lyudmila Ulitskaya. It made the Best Translated Book Award Long List for 2016, but was published in 2015. In the interest of full disclosure, it's 587 pages, likely available at libraries but may not be released in paper in the US before February.

True History of the Kelly Gang is an entertaining and satisfying read, for me much better than Carey's previous winner Oscar and Lucinda. I note that the Patti Smith book is described as memoir, so it may get ruled out on that technicality...

I'll nominate Bleeding Edge by Thomas Pynchon.

Hugh wrote: "True History of the Kelly Gang is an entertaining and satisfying read, for me much better than Carey's previous winner Oscar and Lucinda. I note that the Patti Smith book is described as memoir, so..."

Yeah, I think it is a memoir, though not what you might think of. I'd call it genre-bending. It comes in little stand-alone pieces that work like stories == in fact, I wouldn't know how to talk about them except as stories. Biographical criticism is possible but boring. Still, I guess it is on the fringe.

Dianne wrote: "I'll nominate Bleeding Edge by Thomas Pynchon."

Diane - that's interesting! I was thinking about nominating a Pynchon novel. I think there are 3 to choose from that would qualify for this group. Against The Day is probably too long to consider seriously, so that leaves Bleeding Edge and Inherent Vice. I think you've picked the right one (even if it happens to be my least favourite Pynchon novel, I have to admit), although IV is very, very funny and there's a good film version to watch as a companion.

Exactly my thinking Neil! I want to read against the day but way too long for a monthly read and inherent vice just seemed, well, weird.

Dianne wrote: "Exactly my thinking Neil! I want to read against the day but way too long for a monthly read and inherent vice just seemed, well, weird."

Yes - I set myself a target to re-read Pynchon this year and managed V. and The Crying of Lot 49. So, a bit of a fail there! So I'd back any Pynchon nomination to keep my hand in while I prepare for another assault on Gravity's Rainbow!

This is going to be another interesting vote with plenty of strong candidates!

Hugh wrote: "This is going to be another interesting vote with plenty of strong candidates!"

Agreed! I don't want to wish the year away, but February looks interesting already!

I'd like to nominate His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet

Portia wrote: "I am going out on a limb here and nominating It Can't Happen Here. I'd heard it mentioned in conjunction with both the Trump victory in the US and somewhat less with Brexit in the U..."
A post-truth nomination for a world of post-truth politics? I don't doubt that it would make for an interesting discussion but surely if we let that one through there is no point pretending we have any rules.

Unfortunately, M Train (non-fiction) and It Can't Happen Here (non-21st century) both fall outside of the Open Pick parameters. Charles and Portia, you are welcome to make substitute nominations.

The poll is up here:
/poll/show/147233-what-will-be-our-february-2017-open-pick-please-take-into-account-th

Voting will go through the 31st. You may change your vote any time before the poll closes.

Wishing you all lots of reading time and new books over the holidays!

Do keep in mind when voting that The Essex Serpent has not yet been released in any form in the U.S., is not yet available in e-book version (aside from directly from the publisher as near as I can tell), is not yet available in paperback anywhere, and looks to be a tough find at U.S. libraries. Doug kindly provided a link to order a free-shipping, hardcover option above at . Happy voting!

Marc wrote: "Do keep in mind when voting that The Essex Serpent has not yet been released in any form in the U.S., is not yet available in e-book version (aside from directly from the publisher ..."

BK initially DID have a paperback edition listed as available in early January, but just checked their website and it has since disappeared. The hardback is still very affordable, however :-)

That BK link should prove very helpful, Doug!
The moderators just wanted to make sure voters were completely aware of availability since the aim is to have all those who voted for a winning book participate in the discussion.

No problem - understood!

Tie-breaking votes wanted!

We're currently tied in our poll for the February 2017 Open Pick: /poll/show/147233-what-will-be-our-february-2017-open-pick-please-take-into-account-th

Please only vote (or change your existing vote) if you have the time and availability to join in the discussion for your vote if it wins.

For future thoughts about what from 2016 are particularly "worthy" reads, James Wood has an opinion, expressed here:

Marc wrote: "Tie-breaking votes wanted!

We're currently tied in our poll for the February 2017 Open Pick: /poll/show/1......"

Seems the tie is only getting worse!

We'll keep our fingers crossed for some last minute vote-switching or behind-the-scenes deal making. If it ends in a tie, we'll have a tie-breaker poll.

Linda wrote: "Marc wrote: "Tie-breaking votes wanted!

We're currently tied in our poll for the February 2017 Open Pick: /poll/show/1......"

Ha ha! Perhaps we should Read All The Books :-)

This is so funny! 4 way tie!

Yay! Quite an exciting vote I must say.

A 4-way runoff would be interesting. I could resolve the impasse, but I can't let Linda down again!

I changed mine to The Big Green Tent. I'm good with either that or The Essex Serpent.

An exciting end to the year as the voting goes down to the wire :D

Well I didn't see that coming - a few days ago the Essex Serpent looked a certainty. The Big Green Tent does look like an interesting choice - hope I can get hold of a copy but I'm not promising anything...

It comes out in paperback in the US this month. So hopefully you can Hugh.

Happy New Year!

February's picks have been made:
The Big Green Tent wins the Open Pick and All the Living will be the Moderator Pick. Both discussions will start Feb. 1st.

Carol, would you like to lead The Big Green Tent discussion?

The nomination thread for our quarterly Wild Card group read will open shortly...

That's fantastic that the mods picked All the Living! Linda you prevail!! Happy with both picks.

Yes, thanks to the moderators for that - I have that book and will definitely participate, and it does mean Linda can nominate something else now!.

Marc wrote: "Happy New Year!

February's picks have been made:
The Big Green Tent wins the Open Pick and All the Living will be the Moderator Pick. Both discussions will start Feb..."

Sure, Marc. I have a work trip to Manila in week three so may need some other voices to keep things going that week whilst I lose two days in flight :) Now that I think about it, maybe that trip will present great reading and discussion opportunities.

Carol wrote: "Marc wrote: "Happy New Year!

February's picks have been made:
The Big Green Tent wins the Open Pick and All the Living will be the Moderator Pick. Both discussions w..."

I'll assist if you need Carol. I'm looking forward to this one.

Amanda wrote: "Carol wrote: "Marc wrote: "Happy New Year!

February's picks have been made:
The Big Green Tent wins the Open Pick and All the Living will be the Moderator Pick. Both..."

Excellent -thanks, Amanda. I am, too.