I like the idea of adding to the list of recs as we go. This gives the selector a huge list to choose from. If this is too overwhelming, the selector can just look at the first 5, or 10, or whatever.

Regarding Asher Lev, I'm about a third of the way through, and am loving it. Which brings up an interesting thing re: The Intuitionist. Both are pretty completely outside of my experience, and yet I adore Asher Lev. I have always loved Chaim Potok's writing. I've got to think that the reason I didn't like The Intuitionist is because of the way it was written rather than the subject matter. Although I have nothing in common with 1940's and 50's Jewish boys from New York nor with black elevator inspectors who are women, Potok has a knack for drawing me in.

I've never read any of his work before, but I'm really really loving it, and looking forward to talking about it.

I loved it as well. Although I really liked The Intuitionist, it actually felt kind of refreshing because the style was so different.

I'd like for people to be able to continue to rec at will, but second the call for an exercise of judgement in not going crazy with it.

second the call for an exercise of judgement in not going crazy with it.

Third.

I have a rec that I mentioned in literary to resounding silence, but it is worth considering and is a recent book (1999). Say Goodbye: The Laurie Moss Story by Lewis Shiner.

I thought I said something. I was interested because Glimpses is one of the best books ever. I just ordered a used copy of Say Goodbye.

I'd like for people to be able to continue to rec at will, but second the call for an exercise of judgement in not going crazy with it.

Fourth

Libkitty, re Asher Lev and Potok, I haven't yet started Asher Lev, but I feel exactly the same way about Potok's writing. His book The Chosen, is one of my favorites, and although I had nothing in common with the characters (an Orthodox and a Chassidic boy from th 40s), I really identified with the characters. I'd read anything by Potok, at least once.

I thought I said something. I was interested because Glimpses is one of the best books ever. I just ordered a used copy of Say Goodbye.

I must have missed your post, Ginger, my apologies. I love Glimpses very much too, so I hope you enjoy Say Goodbye.

It's also possible that that was one of those brilliant posts that remain in my head and never make it to the board, JSw.

Anyway, I'm glad you mentioned it again, because I meant to look for a copy the first time, but I was apparently distracted by something shiny.

Okay, here we go at last.

Small World by David Lodge is my pick for book #3.

Recommended originally by David S., who said

Not only one of the funniest books I've ever read, but also (a) a neat structural parody of Medieval romances - so a history lesson tossed in, (b) a satire of academia and specifically deconstruction jargon. But don't worry - it's incredibly fun and absorbing, the kind of book you can't wait to pick up again.

A brief intro, cobbled from amazon and a couple of others:

Veteran rivals for an exclusive academic chair (recently endowed with $100,000 a year) do scholarly battle with each other in what the Washington Post Book World called a "delectable comedy of bad manners . . . infused with a rare creative exuberance".

The unbridled greed, pettiness, buffoonery and intellectual gobbledygook in the world of higher scholarship are the topics of this thorough and thoroughly funny roman a' English department. It's interesting for a couple of reasons, aside from its humor and spoofiness: it's an insider's view of things -- always the best kind -- and it takes its old-fashioned time telling a story, complete with reasonable digressions about the state of literary criticism and what may or may not be a realistic view of the academic life.

I debated with myself a lot about which of the many fascinating suggestions to go with. This seemed so very apropos considering how we got here, as well as a quite different kind of novel from the first two we're reading. Yay variety and all that. The reviews and excerpts I've seen all seem to back up Hec's description very nicely, so I'm really looking forward to diving in to this one.

I now return you to your regularly scheduled Asher Lev.