Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

The authors for June Jorge Luis Borges through Joyce Carol Oates.

Books over 600 pages are not included and books that have been past botm in 2023 are also not included. ( Three Penny Novel, Arcaanum 17) Voting for the botm starts today and ends on the 24th when the winners will be announced.

Only books that have not been previous botm (*) in past 10 years (2015 +) will be added to the randomizer. Each book you choose that has not been previously botm in the past 10 years will be fed into the randomizer for an opportunity to be chosen by the randomizer.

HOW TO VOTE:
Please send your choices by private message to either myself or the Shelf Personality. Everyone gets one free vote. if you have participation points you can have up to 4 additional votes. You can use them all on one choice or you can make 5 different choices. Please see how to obtain participation points in the Annual Point Challenge explanation.

Jorge Luis Borges - Argentina
1. Labyrinths: Selected Stories & Other Writings
2. Ficciones, 174 pgs, 2013 botm

Tadeusz Borowski - Ukraine
*3. This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen, 180 pgs, 2019 botm

Elizabeth Bowen - Ireland
4. Eva Trout 301 pgs
5. A World of Love 160 pgs
6. The Heat of the Day 415
7. The House in Paris 269 pages
8. To the North 320 pages
9. The Last September 303 pages

T. Coraghessan Boyle - US
*10. Drop City, 497 pgs, botm 2019
*11. World's End, 480 pgs, 2017 botm

Richard Brautigan - US
12. Willard and His Bowling Trophies 167 pgs
13. In Watermelon Sugar, 144 pgs

André Breton - France
14. Nadja, 160 pgs

André Brink S. Africa
*15. A Dry White Season, 316 pgs, botm, 2019

Hermann Broch - Austria
16. The Guiltless, 292 pgs
17. The Death of Virgil, 496 pgs

Charlotte Brontë - British
18. Jane Eyre, 532 pgs
19. Villette 537 pgs, botm 2013

Emily Brontë, British
*20. Wuthering Heights, 532 pgs, 2017 botm

Anne Brontë, British
21. The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall, 576 pgs
22. Agnes Grey, 226 pgs

John Buchan - Scotland
* 23. The Thirty-nine Steps, 100 pgs, 2015 botm

Mikhail Bulgakov - Russian
24. The Master and Margarita, 372 pgs, 2013 botm

John Bunyan - England
25. The Pilgrim's Progress, 324 pgs

Anthony Burgess = England
26. Inside Mr. Enderby, 207 pgs
27. A Clockwork Orange, 240 pgs, botm 2011

William S. Burroughs
28. Naked Lunch: The Restored Text
29. Junky
30. Queer
31. The Wild Boys: A Book of the Dead

Samuel Butler - English
32. Erewhon,
33. The Way of All Flesh

Dino Buzzati - Italian
34. The Tartar Steppe

A.S. Byatt - UK
35. Possession, 555 pgs
36. The Virgin in the Garden

James M. Cain - US
37. The Postman Always Rings Twice, 116 pgs, botm 2013

Erskine Caldwell - US
38. A House in the Uplands

Italo Calvino - Cuba
*39. If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler, 260 pgs, botm 2017
40. The Castle of Crossed Destinies, 144 pgs
41. Invisible Cities,165 pgs, botm 2015
42. Our Ancestors, 393 pgs
43. The Path to the Nest of Spiders, 172 pgs

Albert Camus - Algeria
44. The Plague, 308, 2011 botm
45. The Rebel, 320 pages
46. The Stranger, 123 pgs

Karel ÄŒapek - Czech
47. War with the Newts, 241 pgs

Truman Capote - US
48. In Cold Blood, 343 pgs
49. Breakfast At Tiffanys, 2011 botm

Peter Carey - Australia
*50. Jack Maggs, 344 pgs, 2017 botm
51. Oscar and Lucinda, 515 pgs

Joyce Carol Oates - US
*52. Black Water, 160 pgs, botm 2021, 2010
53. Marya
* 54. Them, botm 2021

Elias Canetti - Bulgaria
*55. ´¡³Ü³Ù´Ç-»å²¹-¹óé - 2119 botm

* not eligible for randomizer

This is the list. I apologize for the # being 24. I found that some how Samuel Butler through Buzzati had been dropped from my list.

What have you read, what would you like to read.

Probably my most read group with 30. Still, I have 3 of these books on my TBR shelves, all of them on the long-ish side:

- World's End (Boyle)
- Death of Virgil (Broch)
- Them (Carol Oates)

No preference among these, but since I will be done with the annual read and have no more quarterlies to read, I will back one of them or toss them all to the randomiser.

Patrick wrote: "Probably my most read group with 30. Still, I have 3 of these books on my TBR shelves, all of them on the long-ish side:

- World's End (Boyle)
- Death of Virgil (Broch)
- Them (Carol Oates)

No pr..."

Remember that previous botm are not eligible for randomizer. Includes World's End and them.

I’ve read 19 of these, I own 3

- A World of Love - Bowen
- The Virgin in the Garden - Byatt
- The Pilgrims Progress - Bunyan

Not sure I have the time for Bunyan in June, so I’ll probably split my votes between the other two as they’re both eligible for the randomiser

I've read a lot of these. The only one I have to read is Erewhon, which I'd like to get out of the way but don't want to put all my votes behind. So I'll probably go with that and some others for the randomiser. A World of Love by Bowen could be one, also The Death of Virgil.

I have read 21 of these. I have read all three of the ones that Pamela has on her shelf and two of the ones that Patrick has on his. I have not read The Death of Virgil and would like to read that. I also would not mind reading another Italo Calvino. I have not read: The Castle of Crossed Destinies, Our Ancestors or Path to the Nest of Spiders. I may add them for the randomizer.

Kristel wrote: "Patrick wrote: "Probably my most read group with 30. Still, I have 3 of these books on my TBR shelves, all of them on the long-ish side:

- World's End (Boyle)
- Death of Virgil (Broch)
- Them (Car..."

DOH!

I did not love If On a Winter's Night..., but I could get behind The Castle of Crossed Destinies or The Path to the Nest of Spiders. A World of Love also looks good. I might divvy up my points among those unless others have strong preferences.

I am reading Death of Virgil now (it was my WL book) and it’s fantastic but dense and slow going - I wonder if it could be bumped into the quarterly category because not going to be done in a month without a lot of effort!

I'm with Jane, I liked the two Calvino I’ve read and would be up for reading any of the ones mentioned. Was less a fan of Eva Trout but would try Bowen again if she was a favorite. I am less enthused about Erewhon as we just read a treatise in novel form in Elective affinities.

I also would not mind reading another Italo Calvino and have not read: The Castle of Crossed Destinies, Our Ancestors or Path to the Nest of Spiders. I've only read his "If on a Winter's Night", and have planned to read Invisible Cities in 6 - 12 months. Gail and Jenna and I need to settle on one of the three 'nominated' to vote for- I lean toward Our Ancestors, a collection of three unrelated short novels or novellas which my friends who have read liked a lot.
Like Jenna I've been reading Death of Virgil, have read about 1/6th but am ready to give it a rest either temporarily or permanently- it is "challenging" to read as we say. It's more or less 500 pages of dense poetry- sometimes movingly eloquent though.
I've read 22 of these, 40%, I think that's a record for me.
I'd also like to read World's End by Boyle. The last reading in 2018 was probably before I joined this group. Also: Junky by Burroughs, haven't read any of his, just a couple by his cousin Edgar R. Burroughs ;)

George P. wrote: "I also would not mind reading another Italo Calvino and have not read: The Castle of Crossed Destinies, Our Ancestors or Path to the Nest of Spiders. I've only read his "If on a Winter's Night", an..."

Lol, I have 4 Calvino on my shelves in addition to Winter's Night and Invisible Cities, and none of them are these three - so it doesn't matter to me although both Spiders and Castle are still on the core list, which I have a slight preference for.

I've read 10 in this grouping, and I am a little surprised at that number. Anyhow, of the one's I haven't read these I can easily access:

Drop City
Willard and His Bowling Trophies
A Clockwork Orange
Naked Lunch: The Restored Text
If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler
Invisible Cities
The Castle of Crossed Destinies
+ the Bronte's

The Castle might be an interesting choice, I may give it a couple of votes. There are many others that interest me, but I would have to see if I could get them through inter-library loan (and that can be a crap shoot).

Perhaps we should combine forces and go with Calvino’s Castle.

I've read The Castle of Crossed Destinies but will split my votes between others for the randomizer.

I went through the list. I've read 30 of these. I have about 3 on my shelf but I also checked availability on Hoopla, chose 5 to feed the randomizer. Castle of Crossed Destinies is available so I am good with that one too.

Last day to get your votes in. Winners will be announced tomorrow.

Winners:
Popular: The Castle of Crossed Destinies
Randomizer: Willard and His Bowling Trophies, thank you Val.

Ha, ha.... I certainly did not expect the randomizer to pick Willard!

I hope to read both.

Valerie wrote: "Ha, ha.... I certainly did not expect the randomizer to pick Willard!
I own the book so was not unhappy that it popped up. And it is short for a short month.

I will read The Castle of Crossed Destinies - although it will be my 3rd Calvino this year so not sure my little brain will take it� :)

Willard looks quite hard to get hold of here for a decent price. Will keep my eyes open for a more affordable second hand copy, but may have to pass on that one.

Sigh... I've read the Calvino and there's Buckley's chance that I can find the Brautigan in Australia (or even in London, from the brief search I just did). Looks like it will be time to start hitting my randomised list!

My library has both available so I will be reading both.

I can also get both from my library!

Patrick wrote: "Sigh... I've read the Calvino and there's Buckley's chance that I can find the Brautigan in Australia (or even in London, from the brief search I just did). Looks like it will be time to start hitt..."

Hi Patrick -- You might check out Internet Archive: . It's free to create an account and you can borrow Willard there. I think you'll have to read it on the browser window, but it is available there. Hope this helps!

p.s. You can also access dozens of old magazines and silent films if you're into that. I used it for research in my previous life and went down many a rabbit hole.

I've read both so I'll concentrate on the keyword and TBR challenges in June. I'm planning Lanark by Alasdair Gray for the keyword challenge, and it's a long one, so that works well.

I read In Watermelon Sugar a few years ago and decided I didn't want to read any more books by Brautigan- it was over-the-top kooky.
I will read Calvino's Castle of Crossed Destinies although I was more inclined to read his Invisible Cities. They're both short though, so I'll get to Invisible Cities a little later. I'll have to go to the University library here for "Castle". I'm planning to buy a 2nd home in Tucson Arizona later this year (maybe Jojo's home is available?) so I wonder if I will be able to get books from the U of Arizona library then.

George P. wrote: "I read In Watermelon Sugar a few years ago and decided I didn't want to read any more books by Brautigan- it was over-the-top kooky.
I will read Calvino's Castle of Crossed Destinies although I was..."

Ha, ha - I thought In Watermelon Sugar is only good if you are high (which sadly, I was not when I read it!). I wanted to read Willard because I think the title is funny and then I am done with Brautigan!

Totally agree with George and Val. I will be done with Brautigan.

Jane wrote: "Patrick wrote: "Sigh... I've read the Calvino and there's Buckley's chance that I can find the Brautigan in Australia (or even in London, from the brief search I just did). Looks like it will be ti..."

Thanks for the suggestion Jane, but the older members of the group will remember how much of a purist I am with respect to the List and how I am dealing with it: first, I only read physical books, not e-formats; second, I have to own the physical book, which might mean that I might never finish the List. I don't intend yet to deviate from these principles.

Patrick wrote: "Jane wrote: "Patrick wrote: "Sigh... I've read the Calvino and there's Buckley's chance that I can find the Brautigan in Australia (or even in London, from the brief search I just did). Looks like ..."

Wow, that is hardcore Patrick. That makes 'reading the list' into a real adventure!

Patrick wrote: "Jane wrote: "Patrick wrote: "Sigh... I've read the Calvino and there's Buckley's chance that I can find the Brautigan in Australia (or even in London, from the brief search I just did). Looks like ..."

Got it! I respect your purism :)

I was a fan of Brautigan in the 1980s and had all his books in the UK Picador edition, but I have scoured my shelves and they are all gone in various house moves. Otherwise would have been happy to pass on to you. I can't believe how expensive they are now, like collecting art or something!

Patrick wrote: "Jane wrote: "Patrick wrote: "Sigh... I've read the Calvino and there's Buckley's chance that I can find the Brautigan in Australia (or even in London, from the brief search I just did). Looks like ..."

So, inspired by Rosemary I thought I would search the US sites and I just found a "very good" hardback copy on thriftbooks for $16 all in and snapped it up for you Patrick, hopefully it is actually in good condition. I'm not a purist so if when it comes you want it, I can pass it on!