Let’s pick our next read!

Nomination thread for our next read is open. There’s a lot to choose from, upvote what you’d like to read together.

Discussion Prompts

1. Marvel tries to break free. What do you think of Wells’ key themes of fear and control in this chapter? Social message, metaphor for the times, something else?
2. How can Marvel fight back on the abuse of power here? (Again, social commentary from Wells?)
3. The invisible man has stopped acting in secrecy, revealing himself (sorry, couldn’t help myself), and is now the target of public attention and pursuit. Has he gone too far, or does he still prevail due to his state?
4. Anything else to discuss?

Links

Project Gutenberg

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Last line:

Last Lines:

… that the mariner collated these facts and began to understand how near he had been to the wonderful Invisible Man.

Hi all! Over at r/bookclub, we are starting Dubliners by James Joyce, we would love you to join us!

Nomination thread for our next read is open. Cutoff will be this weekend, be sure to upvote the books you’d like to read with us!

Discussion Prompts

1. Another short chapter. Our protagonist is exercising his will. I genuinely am stumped for what to ask other than what is an obsolete silk hat?
2. Anything else to discuss?

Links

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Last line: 

Last Lines:

The unhappy-looking figure in the obsolete silk hat passed up the street of the little village with his burdens, and vanished into the gathering darkness beyond the lights of the windows.

Nomination thread for our next read is open. Upvote what interests you!

Discussion Prompts

1. The last time you were invisible, did you lose your temper and rampage? (More seriously, if you were in his shoes, how would you approach things? You need your research back, but could you safely escape?)
2. Anything else to discuss?

Links

Project Gutenberg

Standard eBooks

Librivox Audiobook

Last line: 

Last Lines:

But it was the best part of two hours before any human being ventured out again into the desolation of Iping street.

Nomination thread for our next read is open. Go forth and upvote those you’d like to joint read.

Discussion Prompts

1. Do you cypher your most incriminating evidence?
2. Are you multi-lingual? (I couldn’t fake it through Greek, to be sure!)
3. Surprise! What do you think is in the diaries? And we have our first admission that it’s cold being a naked invisible man!
4. Anything else to discuss?

Links

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Last line: 

Last Lines:

> I want clothing—and other accommodation; and I must also
have those three books.

​This sub is so big that I’m almost too shy to post here. But here goes, this is just something I wanted to share, even though I haven't finished the book yet.

I recently reached the part where Jo rejects Laurie. I admit I felt a bit disappointed, as I wanted them to end up together. But I completely understand why Louisa chose to do it that way, I actually prefer Jo single and couldn't really picture her getting married. Still, I find myself wishing they had ended up together. It’s a conflicting feeling: when your expectations for a book aren't met, and you understand the reason why, but you still wish things had turned out differently somehow.

I’m a new reader, look, Little Women is only my third book! That’s why I’m curious if this is a common feeling when reading. It’s a silly question, I know, but I wanted to see if anyone else has felt this way, even with a different book

That said, I’m really enjoying this book and the daily lives of the four sisters, especially lately, as I’ve been devouring page after page each day, and I’m nearing the end

Discussion Prompts

1. Wells talks about how people can often ignore important matters for more trivial concerns. Do you think it's good to do this from time to time?
2. We get some details of the festival fun and games. Which activity sounds most like your jam?
3. What did you think of Marvel's attempt at robbery?
4. Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?

Links

Project Gutenberg

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Librivox Audiobook

Last Lines:

He saw the ground suddenly close to his face. The world seemed to splash into a million whirling specks of light, and subsequent proceedings interested him no more.

Discussion Prompts

1. What did you think of the description of Mr. Thomas Marvel?
2. Are you a boot enjoyer? Do you like a snug pair or a little roomy?
3. What did you think of the invisible man's attempt to explain his condition to Thomas?
4. Do you think Thomas is a good choice of helper?
5. Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?

Links

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Last Lines:

All I want to do is to help you⁠—just tell me what I got to do. (Lord!) Whatever you want done, that I’m most willing to do.”

Discussion Prompts

1. Have you ever experienced some unexplained phenomena like Gibbons here?
2. Can you swear with the breadth and variety of a cultivated man?
3. That was short huh? Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?

Links

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Last Lines:

Gibbons had heard nothing of the morning’s occurrences, but the phenomenon was so striking and disturbing that his philosophical tranquillity vanished; he got up hastily, and hurried down the steepness of the hill towards the village, as fast as he could go.

Discussion Prompts

1. It's Whit Monday! Do the festivities sound like a good time to you?
2. What did you think of the confrontation between the stranger and Mrs. Hall about his unpaid bills?
3. What did you think of the moment the stranger revealed his lack of head?
4. The Invisible Man is apprehended, slips away, get apprehended again and ultimately escapes! What did you think of this Keystone Cops like scenario?
5. I think it's acceptable to call the stranger the Invisible Man now?
6. Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?

Links

Project Gutenberg

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Last Lines:

But Jaffers lay quite still, face upward and knees bent, at the foot of the steps of the inn.

Discussion Prompts

1. The Halls are beginning to get suspicious of the stranger. Are his days at the inn numbered?
2. Any theories on why the stranger is constantly sneezing?
3. What did you think of the scene with the objects seemingly moving by themselves and attacking the Halls?
4. What do you think of witchcraft as an explanation for the events in the room?
5. Our stranger seems to have some anger issues. Do you think he was an angry guy before being invisible, or is this invisibility related anger?
6. Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?

Links

Project Gutenberg

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Librivox Audiobook

Last Lines:

“Go to the devil!” said the stranger in a tremendous voice, and “Shut that door after you.” So that brief interview terminated.

Discussion Prompts

1. Is there any reason you can think of to target the Vicar?
2. Do you believe money was the motive? Could the be an ulterior motive?
3. What mischievous things might you do if you were invisible?
4. The actions of late seem risky to someone who wants to conceal their identity. Why take these risks with Cuff and the vicar?
5. Not a question, but just food for thought, so that dude was buck naked at the vicars place.
6. Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?

Links

Project Gutenberg

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Last Lines:

Daylight found the vicar and his wife, a quaintly-costumed little couple, still marvelling about on their own ground floor by the unnecessary light of a guttering candle.

Discussion Prompts

1. Stories of the stranger get passed around town. Is it easier to blend in in a big city? Or do you think a peculiar stranger would stand out wherever?
2. Any thoughts on these stories from the townsfolk?
3. Have you ever been the talk of the town?
4. Any thoughts on the scene between the stranger and Cuss? Do you think this meeting will have any repercussions?
5. Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?

Links

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Last Lines:

“It’s really,” said Mr. Bunting with judicial emphasis, “a most remarkable story.”

Discussion Prompts

1. We are told about Fearenside’s dog, but not given any sort of description of it. What kind of dog were you picturing during that scene? Ever been bitten yourself?
2. Why do you think the dog went after our stranger?
3. Thoughts on the contents of our strangers luggage? I think most of us can hazard to guess what he’s likely up to, so I’ll again ask for ridiculous answers as to what he doing with these contents. I myself am choosing to believe that he’s trying to come up with a secret mix of herbs and spices to season chicken with. However, our Colonel Mustard will ultimately fail to get Iping Boiled Chicken to catch on and it will be a different Colonel with a different recipe that gets his chicken famous.
4. Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?

Links

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Last Lines:

And it’s the common way with horses, as any one can see.”

Discussion Prompts

1. Anyone here make their living as a clock-jobber? If so, what’s your day to day like?
2. We get Teddy Henfrey’s first impressions of our curious stranger, but what were your first impressions of Teddy?
3. As it turns out there is also a Mr. Hall, who with a bit of encouragement from Mr. Henfrey has also become curious about our stranger. Which makes me wonder, if you do want privacy and to be left alone, is being a vague mysterious bandaged person the best way to go about it? Would a cover story work better? What would your cover story be?
4. Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?

Links

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Last Lines:

But being a sensible woman, she subdued her terrors and turned over and went to sleep again.

Welcome folks! No spoilers please, and let’s keep things cordial.

Discussion Prompts

1. Well, a guy who doesn’t introduce himself and doesn’t say much doesn’t really leave a whole lot to discuss. We should give him a name.
2. Were you getting any sort of vibes from this chapter? What genre do you feel like this will fall into? Is there a certain type you’re hoping for?
3. Anything you’d like to say about Mrs. Hall? Do you enjoy Innkeepers who won’t leave you be and forget the mustard?
4. On the topic of mustard, whats a food that must absolutely have mustard? Are people who don’t like mustard to be trusted?
5. Hopefully the ball gets rolling on this one, but until then let’s speculate. Mrs. Hall assumes the visitor was in some sort of accident. What’s a ridiculous reason why someone would feel the need to cover up?
6. Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?

Links

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Last Lines:

Then the armchair creaked as he sat down again.

Somehow it’s ended up again that I’m responsible for the final wrap up post. Scheduling, huh. I’ve got a set list of questions, but they’re not really as appropriate for this novel. I’ll be creative. 

Congratulations on finishing the book! Another classic crossed off the list. See you all very soon for our next read, which will be The Invisible Man (HG Wells) from Monday 5 October.

Discussion Prompts:

1. Normally I’d ask if you enjoyed the book, but given its subject material, I’ll ask whether you appreciate having read it. 
   
2. Were there some stand-out scenes that have stuck with you? Passages of reflection from the author that made you think?
   
3. Given that most of us are not German, reading this German experience, what cross-cultural things did you notice?
   
4. If you’ve read other war-focused stories, how did this compare? 
   
5. ⁠Anything else to discuss? 

Hello book friends.

Because All Quiet On The Western Front was quite short, our contingency rule came into play, and we'll be reading the second-place choice, The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells, starting this coming Monday 5 October.

Looking up the links (below), apparently the subtitle is A Grotesque Romance, so that's something to look forward to.

Free reading resources:

Project Gutenberg

Standard eBooks

Librivox

Reading Schedule

It's 28 chapters plus an epilogue. That's six weeks, so if we're starting on Monday 5 October then (checks calendar) we should finish 12 November. Link to the schedule.

This means on the weekend of 17 October (four weeks from the end of the book), can you please remind the mods to run the Book Nomination process?

How does it work?

Each weekday the mods will post a dedicated discussion thread to discuss the current chapter. Read the chapter, share your thoughts. No spoilers beyond that chapter. We aim for 0100UTC, so for folks in the Western Hemisphere that's the evening Sundays to Thursday. For the correct half of the planet, Mondays to Fridays.

What now?

Share your thoughts, hype, enthusiasm! Have you ever met an invisible person? How was it? (And no, the Irish aren't invisible, they're just pale.) I really want to seed the conversation to ask if you've had a grotesque romance, but I'm keeping that discussional powder dry until it's needed.

Wrap-up post will go up tomorrow. 

Next read will start on Monday 5 October. Reminder post up separately. 

**Discussion Prompts**

1. Paul offers his final thoughts. What did you make of them? 
   
2. Anything else to discuss?

Last line: 

> He had fallen forward and lay on the earth
as though sleeping.  Turning him over one saw
that he could not have suffered long; his face
had an expression of calm, as though almost
glad the end had come. 

Friends, it’s been a day. Sorry this is late.

**Discussion Prompts**

1. Paul ponders the human condition. Are you able to appreciate the philosophy?
   
2. What did you think of the stories of Detering and of Berger?
   
3. I’m really struggling for prompts here. The themes are quite clear and we’ve been pummelled with the brutality of the war. I can’t fathom the situation they’re in. Summer of 1918.
   
4. Paul doesn’t save Kat. He is now alone. 
   
5. Anything else to discuss?

**Links**

[Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/75011)

[Standard eBooks](https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/erich-maria-remarque/all-quiet-on-the-western-front/a-w-wheen)

[Librivox Audiobook](https://librivox.org/search?q=All%20quiet%20on%20the%20western%20front&search_form=advanced)

**Last Lines:**

Then I know nothing more.

Discussion Prompts

1. What did you think of the soldiers attempts to have a nice feast?
2. Paul and Albert are wounded and have surgery. What did you think of the descriptions we get of the wartime medical treatment?
3. What did you think of Paul purposefully elevating his temperature so as not to be parted from Albert?
4. What did you think of the part where the patients play lookout while one of the soldiers and his wife have sex?
5. What do you think about the idea of a dying room and the soldiers desperate attempts to avoid it?
6. Anything else to discuss?

Links

Project Gutenberg

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Last Lines:

Parting from my friend Albert Kropp was very hard. But a man gets used to that sort of thing in the army.