Oct/Nov/Dec 2020: Author Nominations

It may be only mid-year now, but let's plan ahead for the end of the year. Which authors should wrap up 2020? (And let's hope 2021 is a much better year all around!!!!!)

Drop the names of any authors you'd like us to discuss in upcoming months.

Reminder: Any author already discussed in the past 2 years is not eligible to be re-upped yet. (You can find the list here: https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/Monthly_Author_Reads)

However, you CAN re-nominate an author that was nominated in the last round but didn't make the final cut.

Don't forget to second (or third, or fourth) others people's nominations. The top 3 authors will be our Oct/Nov/Dec reads.

Kindly get all your nominations and votes in by August 1 so we may begin procuring our new round of books.

Thank you!

Nella Larsen had some traction in the last round of author nominations but didn't get enough votes. Still, I'd like to try again and see if folks feel a little more like reading her at the end of the year.

Also nominating Chinua Achebe because my partner has been raving about Things Fall Apart for years and 'having' to read it for this group would prompt me to pushing it higher up my long TBR list :)

I would like to nominate Amor Towles. I have read A Gentleman in Moscow and I just loved it. There is also Rules for Civility which I haven't read yet.

I'll second Amor Towles. I've heard good things about both of those titles you mention.

I'll second Achebe since Things Fall Apart is the only thing I've ever read by him.

Other ideas...
My book club friends have raved about Wally Lamb but I've never tried him before.

I've been considering diving back into Virginia Woolf this year.

Karolina Waclawiak has a new novel coming out later this year.

Edit to fix touchstones

>2 sweetiegherkin: I can second Nella Larsen. She would be a new author for me.

>6 sparemethecensor: I only read one book by Wally Lamb but I despised it.

However, there's plenty more Virginia Woolf to read so I'll second her!

I'll second Amor Towles and Wally Lamb

I have Clive Cussler books that need to be read.

>8 sweetiegherkin: oof that's not good news :( I think you and I often agree about books.

>11 sparemethecensor: Everybody else seems to rave about him, but I really disliked She's Come Undone, the one book I read. However, it was probably something like 15 years ago when I read it, so maybe I'd have a different opinion now...? I just remember not liking the main character and therefore not caring enough about what was happening around her.

>11 sparemethecensor:, >12 sweetiegherkin: I just checked and that title has a 4-star average here on LibraryThing (technically 3.82 stars) so apparently it's overwhelmingly popular. So maybe it's just me...?

>13 sweetiegherkin: Hmm, interesting. My book club liked that and another called I know this much is true which is also a tv show. (they read both before I joined, hence my curiosity)

I'd vote for Nella Larson, Chinua Achebe and Amor Towles. I'm blanking on anyone new to nominate, but if I come up with anyone I'll post again.

I too would vote for Chinua Achebe and Amor Towles, the first because I, shamefully have not read any of his books and the second because I so loved 'A Gentleman in Moscow.

>12 sweetiegherkin: Definitely try his other stuff. She's Come Undone is quite a bit different - I think it may have been his first novel? There's one about school shootings that is really good. Despite the fact that I can't remember the title (doh), I still think about it many years later.

>17 Yells: Is it I Know This Much Is True ?

>18 sweetiegherkin: Nope, I looked it up and it's The Hour I First Believed. LB says that I have read both but I honestly don't remember I Know This Much Is True. Weird 'cus I gave them both 4 stars. Maybe I'll try watching the show and see if that jogs a memory or two.

>19 Yells: Ah okay. Yes, I often find screen adaptations bring back my memories of reading the book ... particularly if the adaptation is any good!

Don't forget to make your nominations and/or seconds by August 1 -- just a month away! Thanks :)

(i just wanted to say that she's come undone is the literal best example of a man writing a teen-age girl that i have ever, ever seen. it's been a lot of years since i read it, but that was my take back then, anyway.)

>22 overlycriticalelisa: Cool. I am clearly in the minority of not liking it! Perhaps >11 sparemethecensor: you will like it also!

I'd like to nominate
Kazuo Ishiguro

I would like to nominate Joseph Roth

Has anyone else noticed that the US Post Office has a set of commemorative stamps for The Harlem Renaissance ... Zora Neal Hurston and Nella Larson are both depicted!

>26 BookConcierge: I did notice that. I teach The Harlem Renaissance in 10th grade so it caught my eye!

>24 BookConcierge: i love Kazuo Ishiguro so I'll definitely second that nomination!

>26 BookConcierge: I did not hear about that previously, but that's awesome news!

If you have any remaining nominations or seconds, get them in soon! I'm going to be tallying everything up today.

Okay, so it's going to be Amor Towles in October, Chinua Achebe in November, and Nella Larsen in December. I'll work on making new threads shortly so keep an eye out for those.