If yes, then:
1.a. Should we invite more members or are you fine with the people we have?
1.b. Do you want to have a theme for each/some month(s) (award books, sex, books from other countries, drugs, etc.) or keep it random and free-flowing?
1.c. Do you want to pick all the books out for the YEAR at once or vote monthly/bimonthy?
2. Furthermore, if your answer to question one (1) is, "YES, DAMMIT!" then would you be open to a project? No grades, no percentages (and you will get a sticker and/or gold star for participating) and you get a head start.
Sound good?THE PROJECT:
Sometime (or multiple times) during the months of November and December get ye into a bookstore, library or some other printed word source (online, etc.) and BROWSE the Teen/Young Adult/Children's section. Jot down (doesn't that sound fun -- jotting?) 3-5 titles (including authors) that make you go, "Hmmm. That looks mighty fascinating!" (NOTE: Don't say this aloud unless you want the bookstore employees talking about you.)
Don't worry about other people having read it before*** or the Literary Quality of the book; just find something you'd like to read! (Bonus points for books that are in paperback and therefore more easily picked up.)
In early January, if ye be willing to be reading, we'll have a hoo-ha and figure out what to do with the suggestions (dependent on 1.b. and 1.c..)
***Okay, I don't completely mean that. Don't pick something like Charlotte's Web or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In fact, avoid Classics. Try to stick to something more recent and, dare I add, Cutting Edge.
Feedback?
12 comments:
Oh, Sarah. You are so deliciously organized and thoughtful.
Here are my opinions on the aforementioned thingies:
1. Definitely! I really like having something to read where I know other people are reading it too and we can comment on it together. I enjoy hearing others' feedback. And I like having suggestions for what to read.
1a. Of course I love the people we have. It does seem, however, that it's the same people responding every month. Which is fine, although I'll admit I think it puts a little pressure on those people. For instance, I didn't read the Bray book and felt really bad because I knew that this whole thing only works when people actually read the books, and since only four to six people usually comment, I felt like I was letting the group down by not reading it and therefore having nothing to say. If we had some more people, then you wouldn't have to feel bad if one month was particularly busy for you. And it's not like attendance really affects the group. When it's a group that meets in person, your numbers can't get too high because it's too hard to have a million people meet, but with this whole cyberspace thing, the more the merrier. Within reason, of course. Although... does anyone know anyone else who wants to become a hedgehog??
1b. I don't mind a theme, but I'd hate to be limited. I thought it was good, though, that this past month we were voting on books that had male protagonists. Good to mix it up a bit and narrow it when necessary.
1c. If I can have such a strong opinion, then I say absolutely not. I really hate the idea of setting everything a year ahead of time. Seems way too restricted and locked in and not flexible enough. I like reading Dawn's blog or going into a bookstore and seeing what I want to read, what interests me, at that particular moment. I can almost guarantee I wouldn't be as good about reading the book each month if we did that -- not out of spite, but just because I like to read what I'm excited about, and it's hard to get excited about a book we voted on 11 months ago.
2. Sounds good to me, although if it's just supposed to be feeding into 1c, then I don't like it. But don't we kind of do that anyway? Browse bookstores and blogs and websites to see what would be interesting? I'm not sure if it would make a difference to do it in January, except that it would probably make me want to trump any book club books for something I found right then. Because I'm a one-track-minded attention-deficited self-absorbed bitch like that.
Sorry I've been awol, groupies. I haven't read since that Margaret Rose book...oops, but I like having the Rumpus, just knowing it is there is a comfort in the hectic lifestyle of a grad student.
Anyways, here are my answers: keep rumpusing, invite more people, don't choose a full year of books at once, themes are a good way for us science-types to narrow the overwhelming selection, and the project is a good idea but I'll tell you right now I prob won't participate.
I suggested the "Go out and find books!" thing not necessarily to make a year-long reading plan, but just to get more suggestions each month. Find a few things you want to read in the New Year and suggest one or two for the group, that sort of thing.
What this comes down to is I feel self-conscious when I make two or three book suggestions every month, like I'm too controlling (being the anal bitch I know I am), and would love for there to be more options, something that someone feels passionate/curious about. We've had so many "meh" books; I don't know if this is a result of the publishing world's choices or what.
This seems ridiculous on some levels, being that I spend far too much time in bookstores and libraries in general, so of course I'll have lots of ideas, but really, I do feel dorky, peppering you guys with book suggestions. And yes, I think everyone else here has less time on their hands for browsing, being engaged in real work and/or study, so of course you don't always have the time & energy to search for titles.
It was just an idea --
Thanks, as always, for taking so much initiative here, Sarah. I don't think you ever need worry about being too controlling or pushy.
-- Of COURSE we should keep going!
-- I'd like the site to be a bit more active, so I'm in favor of inviting a limited number of new people. I do like it better when I know a little bit about the folks who booble around here, though, so maybe if we expand we can ask everyone to introduce themselves? We can all post videos of ourselves doing an interpretive dance explicating our thoughts on children's literature. Just for instance.
-- I don't think we need a theme, but we should be mindful of what we've been reading and not reading, and suggest books that expand our repertoire. We could keep a running list of book-types we've yet to try, for instance.
-- Definitely don't want to choose a year's worth of reading in advance.
-- Maybe if there could be a really fast and easy way of suggesting books, we'd do better at this. I almost want to create a Hedgehog Rumpus Amazon wishlist or something.
That's a good idea, M! Setting up an Amazon wishlist would be easy -- we could just open an account and share out the password.
Actually, I'm going to do that now!
Okay -- let's give this a test run.
I set up an account for Hedgehog Rumpus at Amazon.
If you already have an account or profile there, login and go into YOUR AMAZON HOME and search for "Hedgehog Rumpus." (note the space between the two words) You can add it to your list of Favorite People or invite as a Friend.
I'll email login and password information to each of you.
Feel free to start putting books on the wishlist and email me if you have problems loggin on!
What a great idea. We can all be putting books into the wishlist, and then maybe every month we say, "Okay, let's do a nonfiction this month" and see what's in the wishlist already. That way we each don't have to keep another list somewhere else for possible Hedgehog titles but we won't be voting on every single wishlist book every month.
Yay yay yay! I'm gonna go try it out!
what a grand idea...this will be so much easier than actually going to the library or bookstore (shying away from sisterly lashings).
Gee, looks like I'm late to the party (as usual). Here are my answers anyway:
1. Yes, keep rumpusing. I can't be responsible for my own reading list.
1.a. Yes, more people would be nice for all the reasons other people said.
1.b. I don't know about the theme thing. I guess I don't know enough books in those categories, so it would be hard for me to come up with suggestions for "sex", except maybe Forever.
1.c. No, not the whole year at once.
2. I kinda do that already. My problem is that I spend more time in the grown-up book section because it has a better display than the kids' book section (which is mostly holiday books). But I'll do it, and add interesting things to the list if I find some.
Okay -- things are rolling right along!
Hedgehog Rumpus now has a lotta friends -- JoJo, L. Digby, meeralee, eunice and myself. Invitations have been sent to Erica and Kristin.
There are four things in the Wish List. Yay!
Does anyone have J.Liz's email address? I tried her Verizon one with that email I sent to you all and it bounced. As far as I can tell, she has an Amazon wish list but not a profile.
I think it's comcast now.
Meera emailed it to me, thanks --
And Dylan was invited way way way back in the beginning (yahoo account) to no avail. I'll try the other one, Jo.
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