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Ship of Fools Book Club 2026

CaissaCaissa Shipmate
in Heaven
The time has come to speak of many things...

Once again this year, would it be possible to get 12 volunteers (1 for each month) to agree to facilitate a discussion? The volunteer would get to choose a book (keeping in mind availability). If we could have a complete schedule in place by the end of this year people could plan for acquiring copies for the months in which they want to join in the reading and discussion.

Comments

  • SarasaSarasa All Saints Host
    I think I've mentioned this book before, but it is one I really enjoyed this year Ordinary Saints by Niamh Ni Mhaoilecoin. It's about a gay woman whose younger brother is in line for sainthood.
    Another book that might be interesting is The Conjure Man Dies by Rudolph Fisher. Thought to be the first detective novel by a black American author it is set in Harlem and is interesting for all sorts of reasons.
    Most months should be OK but earlier in the year might be better as I'll probably be a bit busy from May onwards.
  • CaissaCaissa Shipmate
    If we had individuals and books chosen for January and February that would give us some space to fill in the rest of the year.
  • SandemaniacSandemaniac Shipmate
    I can do The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot if we fancy another sciency one?
  • NenyaNenya All Saints Host, Ecclesiantics & MW Host
    We are likely to be moving house in the early part of next year so I will have to go for something later and will do my best to get my head round it as time goes on...
  • MiliMili Shipmate
    Sandemaniac wrote: »
    I can do The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot if we fancy another sciency one?

    I think we might have read that one for bookclub before, but it would have been quite a few years ago. If not I must have read it at some other time. It was really interesting so I would definitely read it again.
  • SarasaSarasa All Saints Host
    I read the Skloot about ten or twelve years ago and wouldn't mind revisiting.
    I'm happy to do January or February. If no one fancies the Ni Mhaoilecoin or Fisher books I really enjoyed Gabriel's Moon by William Boyd recently. A book a bit in the Le Carre vein about an accidental spy. A lot of it is set in 1960s London which I found interesting.
  • MiliMili Shipmate
    If people would like to read a memoir I could lead 'Crying in H Mart' by Michelle Zauner, a US singer with a Korean mother and white American father. The memoir charts her relationship with her mother especially during her mother's treatment for cancer, her career progression and maintaining links to her Korean culture once her close Korean relatives have passed away.
  • MiliMili Shipmate
    Sarasa wrote: »
    I think I've mentioned this book before, but it is one I really enjoyed this year Ordinary Saints by Niamh Ni Mhaoilecoin. It's about a gay woman whose younger brother is in line for sainthood.
    Another book that might be interesting is The Conjure Man Dies by Rudolph Fisher. Thought to be the first detective novel by a black American author it is set in Harlem and is interesting for all sorts of reasons.
    Most months should be OK but earlier in the year might be better as I'll probably be a bit busy from May onwards.

    Both these books sound like good choices. 'Gabriel's Moon' sounds interesting too, but the type of book I would need full brain power to follow all the twists and turns.
  • CaissaCaissa Shipmate
    I am going to type in a template below. If you have a book and month you want to lead, please, copy the template and add book, author and leader beside the month you wish to lead. Subsequent leaders can just copy and add to the most recent schedule.

    January-
    February-
    March-
    April-
    May-
    June-
    July-
    August-
    September-
    October-
    November-
    December-
  • SarasaSarasa All Saints Host
    January- Ordinary Saints by Niamh Ni Mhaoilecoin
    February-
    March-
    April-
    May-
    June-
    July-
    August-
    September-
    October-
    November-
    December-

    I'm re-reading Ordinary Saints for a real life book group in January so thought it made sense to double up. If put a link that I think explains the tone of the book well. I found it and engaging read the first time round and one that I think we'd find interesting and thought provoking.


  • CaissaCaissa Shipmate
    edited December 5
    I just checked with my bookpusher and it seems Ordinary Saints is only selling in the UK at the moment. It sounds like a fantastic book that I would love to read.
  • SarasaSarasa All Saints Host
    Drat, we could push it to later in the year and we could go with The Conjure Man Dies instead which I assume is available more widely.
  • MiliMili Shipmate
    Caissa wrote: »
    I am going to type in a template below. If you have a book and month you want to lead, please, copy the template and add book, author and leader beside the month you wish to lead. Subsequent leaders can just copy and add to the most recent schedule.

    January-
    February-
    March-
    April-
    May- Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
    June-
    July-
    August-
    September-
    October-
    November-
    December-

    I'm flexible with months except not June as I will be on holidays
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