After the successful launch of the Cool Bloggers Book Club (CBBC) with A Tree Grows in Brooklyn last summer, I have decided that I am going to facilitate two more iterations of CBBC in 2024. I plan on running these in February and August and, based on feedback from ATGIB, I'm going to make a handful of changes, but it will still look pretty similar in that I'll post a quick summary of the chapters we read, ask a few questions, and point out hats. You guys will sound off in the comments.
Updated to add: You all don't actually have to have a blog to participate in CBBC!! If you don't have a blog, you can still post comments and add to the discussion. Or, if you don't want to post comments, you can just email me your thoughts. Or, if you just want to lurk, lurk. But everyone is invited to join! Blog or not!
But before we get there, we have to make some decisions about CBBC and the most crucial one will be what book will we be reading. I have narrowed it down to two potential candidates*.
Update #2: Please cast votes by Friday the 12th so I can get a post up on Monday with the chosen book and the schedule. No votes after Friday will be considered.
Option #1
My Brilliant Friend (The Neapolitan Quartet #1)by Elena Ferrante - Ignore the terrible cover. This book is a modern classic about female friendship, its importance and its complications. Now, Ferrante is a pseudonym for some apparently well-known Italian author and the book is translated, so if any of that is a dealbreaker for you, don't vote for this. Look, Elisabeth and Kyria, bildungsroman is right there on the cover!
Pros: Female friendship! Lovely writing! Interesting setting!
Cons: Not easily accessible for free if you don't have library access, translation might be a problem for some
If we choose this, we are officially changing the direction of CBBC from classic YA novels. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, of course, since it would open up our options for future books to a much larger number. I'm just saying we might want to think about the mission statement of CBBC. Are we focused on Great Books or Great YA Books?
Option #2
Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables #1) by Lucy Maud Montgomery - I read Anne when I was a young teen and loved it. I tried to read it again as an adult and I found myself annoyed by the eternally sunny Anne and what I deemed as the preachiness of the book. BUT! So many people love this book. Maybe I need to do a reread with an open mind. Maybe you all want to do a reread because you love hanging out with Anne and want to prove to me that I am wrong about Anne!
Pros: Childhood classic! Wonderful setting! Free versions available through Project Gutenberg and other places! Shorter than MBF!
Cons: Anne Shirley! Will we feel like we need to read all the rest of the books in the series?!
So, in the spirit of CBBC, sound off in the comments, or, if you're a lurker like the amazing D. in Texas who sent me the great ATGIB cartoons in week 8 or Librarian Deborah who I know is out there, feel free to email me. There is a place to email me on the sidebar to the right of the screen. Please answer these questions for me!
1) What is the mission of CBBC? Great Books or Great YA Books? Some other option? (I will basically insist that any book we read in CBBC be written by a woman, so that's something I'll let you all know ahead of time so you can skip out if you're offended by my misandry.)
2) Would you prefer My Brilliant Friend or Anne of Green Gables for our February read?
3) For those of you who participated in the original ATGIB CBBC, do you have any constructive feedback for me about changes you'd like to see? I'm definitely going to go at a slightly faster pace, but is there anything else you've been burning to tell me? (Be gentle, friends, I don't really know what I'm doing here.)
Oooh, look at me jumping on a new post! Because YAY ENGIE! You're the best! Thanks for leading our group.
ReplyDelete1. I think opening it up to Great Books is good - that way, we are not locked into the YA genre. I think that might be a less-appealing option to people who tend to shy away from them, in general. (Other than older YA books, that would be me, LOL.)
2. My Brilliant Friend, please. I have reread Anne multiple times on my own (not as annoyed by it as you are, for some reason). MBF is something I have wanted to read, too. :)
3. Hm. No constructive feedback, other than, are you going to add something to your hat-seeking mission? (HA!)
Happy Monday! You really are the best. :)
Ooohhh...maybe I'll do a scavenger hunt challenge every week. That would be fun.
DeleteBOTH! I did a re-read of the entire Anne series a couple years ago and LOVE the brilliant friend books— can’t go wrong
ReplyDeleteThis isn't helpful, Sarah! I need someone to tell me what to do!
DeleteWoot woot CBBC!!! I am down to read both books. I haven't read MBF but I've certainly heard a lot of chatter about it from some cool folks and want to read it. I haven't read Anne since middle school, and I've often thought about revisiting it. I'm slightly more interested in MBF, and I don't mind buying a copy.
ReplyDeleteNo feedback! The pace for ATGIB was very achieveable but I can keep up with more. Also since this is virtual no one should feel under pressure to keep up in real time.
Okay, it's good to hear that people wouldn't be upset about having to buy a copy. I mean, you should be able to get MBF from the library easily enough at this point, too, I guess. I just don't want getting the book to be an impediment to people participating. Maybe I'll even do a small scholarship fund for people who don't have library access/can't afford the book.
DeleteI vote my MBF. I have never read it, and I love the Anne books and have read them many times.
ReplyDeleteOooohhh...adding another tally mark to MBF. Thanks for voting.
DeleteI'd read either/both? I've wanted to reread MBF since finding out the author is a translator.
ReplyDeleteThese neutral votes are hard to tally! I need someone to tell me what to do!
DeleteI feel pretty neutral about this. I'm just excited you're doing Round #2 of CBBC.
ReplyDeleteI've never read the MBF book (and never heard of it before you!) and would gladly buy a copy.
I do also love Anne, of course, and I'm in the rare category of being within easy driving distance of where she "lived." If we do the Anne book, I'll send pictures.
Whatever you pick will be brilliant <3
Thanks, Elisabeth. I was hoping that if we read Anne, you'd do some reporting for us. I'll add your neutral vote to the list.
DeleteI'll happily do either one, but I vote for MBF because I got it for Christmas! I haven't actually read it yet because my husband is reading it. He's not a really big reader, but he LOVES MBF. He might even join in some of the discussions if we do that one! However as I said... I'll do either book. And I have no constructive feedback- I thought the first round of CBBC was perfect.
ReplyDeleteOh, how fun to get a male perspective. I'm not sure if there were any men who participated last time. They probably heard about my misandry and decided to go elsewhere. :)
Delete1. We could do a children/YA book for August and something else for February?
ReplyDelete2. My vote is My Brilliant Friend. I actually did not love Anne when I re-read it a couple of years ago..
3. You did amazing. No changes from me!
You are too kind, my friend. If we decide to do Great Books instead of Great YA Books, we can still do a YA book whenever we like!
DeleteI vote Great Books, rather than being locked into Great YA Books, BUT I'm also voting for Anne (am definitely in the minority it seems though!). I had never read ATGIB and loved both the reading and the discussions and felt I got a lot from them that made me enjoy the book even more deeply than I was already. I'd be curious to see if the same phenomenon happens when reading a book that I've read before and am relatively familiar with!
ReplyDeleteHey, maybe Anne will make a late comeback. Or maybe I'll just keep putting it up as one of our choices until we end up doing it. Who knows what the future will bring?!
DeleteYAY. Another Book Club! I'm so excited. Would you believe I've not read any of the Anne books? I do live under a rock! I've never heard of My Brilliant Friend and it does sound interesting. I'm good with either one.
ReplyDeleteI have zero criticism and I think you ran the club brilliantly, my friend. (see what I did there?)
I think having the club open to Great Books would be easier than narrowing to the YA Genre.
Thanks again for making this happen.
Hmmm..what I see here, Suz, is that you didn't vote! You cheated your way out of answering the question. I won't hold it against you and will just add your vote to the "neutral" tally.
DeleteI am cool with any Great Book, but I might skip if it's MBF - read it once, agree it's very good but no great desire to reread it the way i wanted to reread ATGIB.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, my friend. You are pulling the Anne contingent from a dearth of votes with this comment.
DeleteAfter being called 'amazing' how can I not join? OK with either choice, although I lean more towards MBF. Thanks for the shout out. xo
ReplyDeleteThanks, D! You rock.
Delete1. I am open to Great Books or Great YA Books.
ReplyDelete2. I want to read BOTH of these books; I tried the Ferrante earlier this year and couldn't get into it, and I have owned Anne of Green Gables forever and have never read it.
3. THANK YOU for leading another iteration of the book club!!!! You are amazing! It seems like a ton of work and you are SUCH a good leader and I can't think of a thing I would change. Although I am OPEN to changes. I just really appreciate that you have taken on this leadership role!
Thank you. At first I was appalled at all of you neutral voters, but in some ways it's reassuring to me that people will be happy with either choice.
DeleteOkay, so I will transfer my non-vote to My Brilliant Friend if that helps you AT ALL. But truly I would be delighted to read either. I just... already started it, and so being "forced" to finish it would appeal to my sense of closure.
DeleteVote transfer complete!
DeleteTHANK YOU !!! <3. Either! But I do hope we would read not just YA. Hopefully I won't get dropped this time...
ReplyDeleteIt does seem like folks are open to non-YA options. I just wasn't sure since we started with ATGIB!
DeleteI've never read Anne of Green Gables, but I'm watching Anne with an E on Netflix for the first time because my 15-year-old asked me to (it's one of her favorite shows). I'm glad she asked. It's quickly become one of my favorite shows. I might have to read the book.❤️
ReplyDeleteIf we read Anne of Green Gables, I'll definitely want to watch Anne with an E, too!
DeleteOh, I love the Anne books! My mother and I have traveled to PEI several times, and Anne is why we first wanted to go. It's so lovely! I vote Anne, though if the vote goes the other way I will give it a try.
ReplyDeleteI added you to the Anne tally. It's a close vote! Is that surprising or not?
DeleteWell, I'm not part of the book club so don't count me in the poll but having read both I'd read Anne again. My Brilliant Friend got donated as soon as I was done. (I keep books l like.) I just didn't like the people in the end.
ReplyDeleteWell, you can be part of CBBC whenever you want! Oh, wow. I read the entire Neapolitan quartet because I thought they were so brilliant. We'll see what shakes with the voting.
DeleteI haven't read either of these. TBH, I'm not sure I'm excited about reading a Pollyanna-esque YA book. I reread Little Women several years ago, and I was so disappointed! I used to adore that book, and now I find myself wanting to smack almost everyone in it, even with an eye toward the time period, back story of LM Alcott, etc.
ReplyDeleteSo, I guess I'm voting for the other book, MBF. I've never heard of it, but I'm game.
YES, NANCE, ME TOO. I reread Little Women a few years ago and just couldn't stand all the proselytizing that was going on. How did my parents let me read that? (Ha ha. Like my parents knew what I was reading.)
Delete(Also, let's not limit ourselves to YA books. Please.)
ReplyDeleteDuly noted. This seems to be the consensus. I guess I wasn't sure if people had a vision for CBBC or not. Seems that the YA thing is NOT part of the vision.
Delete1) Great Books! This will give us many more options to choose from, I think.
ReplyDelete2) Put me in for Anne! I tried reading MBF years ago and couldn't get through it. But I'd give it another shot for CBBC, of course!
3) Nope. I think you have done a wonderful job and I'm excited that you're running it again!
Okay. The voting is tight! Thanks for weighing in.
DeleteMBF please! My daughter and I love the TV version on HBO, and I know the book would be even better. I read Anne decades ago and if that one is chosen, I guess I'd go along, but my choice is DEFINITELY MBF. I was reading on my iPad, which I cannot use to comment here, and had to go jump on another computer just to weigh in.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry you had to go to another computer to weigh in, but I'm glad you cast a vote. Thanks so much!
DeleteI wasn't connected here for A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (still haven't read it), so I'm hoping to get to be involved in this book.
ReplyDelete1. I'm game for anything. I do think Any Great Book allows for more options.
2. I would be fine with either one. I'm tempted to say Anne of Green Gables, because it's shorter and I fear that I won't be able to keep up, but I am going to vote for MBF.
3. I didn't participate last time. I'm happy you're doing it again, so I can join in. Thanks!
Your being tempted by Anne, but voting for MBF is hilarious. I'll add your vote to the tally!
DeleteI already told you this via e-mail, but I will officially go in the Anne camp. I know the voting is tight, and I think (especially based on some of the feedback from others) that I'm not sure if MBF would be my favourite read in the doldrums of winter?
ReplyDeleteI'll read and enjoy both, but toss my name in for AOGG.
The vote is really tight, so I'd be interested in what sort of campaigning you are going to do to sway people to your side! Tally for Anne duly noted.
DeleteI was thinking of picket signs? Haha.
DeleteYes, another round of book club. I would do either but I'd prefer My Brilliant Friend
ReplyDeleteDuly tallied! Thanks for voting!
DeleteI think I tried reading MFB years ago and did not like it. But I love Anne, so my vote goes to AOGG!
ReplyDeleteVote for Anne done!
Deletei came across this book several times but never got the chance to read it. I am excited that this is the chosen one. I'm so looking forward to the book club. :)
ReplyDeleteYay! I can't wait to hear what everyone else has to say about it.
DeleteI love that you are hosting this officially now. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAs it is already decided what will be read in February I have nothing to add.
However I do like that we are going to read only female authors. i also would suggest reading great books and not limiting to one genre. But I am going with whatever.
That said I hated MBF as I personally found this book had no friendship at all and I hated it. So i donated my copy to the next free little library and will not try to get a new one. However i will read along the discussions maybe I do get to understand more of it. But i will not waste my time picking it up again.
LOL. I love your vitriol about MBF. I disagree with you - I think it's a very complicated friendship and since all friendships are complicated, it is a great book.
DeleteI think everyone who said anything said we shouldn't limit ourselves to YA books, so I will just limit it to great books written by women.
I love that you're hosting this again. Not sure yet if I will participate (I have so many competing interests these days) but I'll follow along!
ReplyDeleteWell, I hope you do join, but I do understand when life gets in the way!
Delete