I want discussion of the kind I can't get in Literary-

I just want to have a really, really, good, meaty, occasionally wrongheaded and loopy, but always facinating and revealing discussion about a book.

I'm just sayin' I think you *can* get that sort of discussion in Literary. I don't know the reason you *haven't*, but I can think of no logical reason for it. Based on that, my vote is a resounding "No".

I'm just sayin' I think you *can* get that sort of discussion in Literary.

This is why I suggested earlier that we beta test it in-thread, letting the result dictate the need or not for a new thread.

We're not voting yet (I promise this was typed with a smile).

I'm just sayin' I think you *can* get that sort of discussion in Literary. I don't know the reason you *haven't*, but I can think of no logical reason for it.

This comes off as a bit testy. We haven't had that kind of discussion in there because there are a good number of people reading a good number of books. Again, it's fine with me if we have a book club in the Literary thread. I just didn't want to suggest that we repurpose something that was already there- it didn't seem like my place and like it might be a little rude. If that's where people would like it to be, I don't see why not.

I think I'm answering what you asked, MM. If not, well, can't blame a girl for trying. And just for context ... I'm coming at this from an "I'd love to have a book club here," point of view. Having it in Literary wouldn't have occurred to me had I just put forth the idea myself, because I don't hang there.

I'd been thinking of a book club thread as being like a show thread. New book? New discussion. Some tangents? Well, yeah ... when does that not happen, and mostly it's kind of fun, but even still, the conversation about the ep is easy to follow along, even parallel tracks of discussion about the same ep/book.

For my part, I'd envision a fairly structured approach ... suggesting books, selecting one per month (or whatever), picking a target date to start discussing, and then discussing (overlaps fine). Mainly I'd like to have it in one thread so that it would flow like a show thread.

And we're talking preferences. Sure we could do what you suggest. I just don't think that's the best way to have a book club run. And my feelings on how it would best run are not in response to any issues with the way things run in Literary, because I don't live there. I just want a focused thread for it ... like the show threads, because that's what I see it as being most like.

---------------------

I did answer Jess's quesiton upthread, but, since Kat's putting it on the table again ... the kerfluffle in Literary has nothing to do with my support of and desire for a Book Club Thread.

I'm not up to speed on the Bat-family...should I split off from Jossverse and propose a thread that talk only about Powers so's I don't have to wade through Plei's (very illuminating, really, no insult) lengthy treatise on Dick Grayson's fffaaaabulous butt?

BWAH!

I am laughing because the comics thread was what I was going to bring up (oh, and my most recent two long posts were on Huntress and Jason Todd, respectively--I've never quite got around to the Ode to Dick's Rear) for why doing a book club in thread could work, but my example was going to be the pages and pages of Marvel stuff I tend to skip over that I'm certain is very interesting, but that I ain't reading.

I agree with JenP's assesment as far as preference goes, but you know if I have to use the LotR thread to discuss the book, I will.

I just didn't want to suggest that we repurpose something that was already there- it didn't seem like my place and like it might be a little rude.

How would it be repurposing the Lit thread?

I see it like Natter...for Books! Natter occasionally has heated debates about politics or whales in tutus or something...lots of people joining in and having a big ol' discussion.

And then people who don't want to talk about that start a whole other conversation. Sometimes they announce it: "Don't know nothing about how to get a whale into a tutu, I'm gonna talk about otters and how they interior decorate."

And somebody else says "Oh, thank God! I also know nothing about whales and ballet attire and would love to talk about otters and what wallpaper they use."

And they do. And the whale discussion goes on around them, undisturbed. And they are undisturbed by the whale discussion.

Having a specific subject doesn't necessitate a thread is all. You wanna talk about "The Brothers Karamazov" just say "Who's read it, who wants to talk about it?" and then...do that.

Besides, in all likelihood it'd be a thread that would see a huge lull while everyone read the assigned book and then a huge jump in activity once everyone has. You could do the same with LiveJournal. Just set up buffistabookclub in LJ and post in Press "Yo, book clubbers, over here."

I'm all in favor of the new thread.

Yeah, that's really about all I've got.

Not trying to be a hardass, but to me it's seeming more and more that a Book Club thread isn't so much about "discussing specific books" but not wading through other peoples' posts while you do it.

The purpose of a Book Club thread is to have a book club. Focused discussion on specific texts where everyone is (so to speak) on the same page. Literary may not mind having book club in their thread, but I can't see any book club succeeding with discussions of other books consistently interrupting the discussion on the text. Can you imagine trying to discuss a recent Angel episode in Natter? Sure you'd get a bit of superficial discussion about Angel's pants or Wes's hotness, but you wouldn't get the in depth character analyses, or the multiple levels of discussion that each show engenders.

Someone upthread (Kat?) said she's never seen a successful online book club because interest fizzles out. Well starting a book club in another thread among conversations about other books, is the surest way to hobble the horse before it gets out of the gate. I have to disagree with Heather on this, I don't think book club would work in Literary.

Also, one rule that I think should apply to Book Club thread (similar to Sang Sacre) is to limit natter in thread, for all the above reasons.

We haven't had that kind of discussion in there because there are a good number of people reading a good number of books.

Also - I hate to bring up the kerfuffle, but... several people in the current Literary thread have indicated that they're extremely uncomfortable with the kind of discussion Heather is talking about, due to a variety of factors: everything from fear of and discomfort with academic jargon (which I, pro-book club talky meat though I am, also dread - I'd far rather keep it smart but conversational), to an express desire to continue using the thread as a recs-only source, to a strong fear that deep analysis will kill their gut-level heart-and-soul love.

I lurked in Literary for a long time but I've rarely posted there, precisely because it doesn't offer the kind of broody bad-boy discussion Heather describes so well. Some of the people who do post there often, and have for a long time, have indicated very, very strongly that not only are they not interested in that kind of discussion, they feel it's antithetical to their pleasure in literature and its frequent presence in the thread would make them want to go away. So it's not just a matter of adding in posts on a subject other posters will have to skim past; it would be a matter of adding in posts that would make the regular longtime posters feel actively unhappy and unwelcome.

Or, anyway, that's my take on their feelings. Which I totally and completely respect, which is why a separate book club thread seems like a better idea than taking their thread and remaking it into an actively unpleasant environment for them.