MENAGE Day 5: Thanks for playing!

Hey everyone. Thanks so much for yet another great Book Menage. I thoroughly enjoyed this outing, even if I didn't wholeheartedly love both the books. And I found that interesting too: I've definitely had to re-evaluate Dangerous Laughter based on your comments!

My question today is twofold, and mostly on process: How did you like this five days, five different questions format? Or did you prefer the good old days when there was one post and one massive comments section?

And, the all-important matter of: What should we read next? I'm still wanting to pair Tom Bissell's memoir The Father of All Things (I'm cheating; I've already read and reviewed this book) with Doris Lessing's memoir/novel Alfred and Emily, but I'm flexible. Would you like to make some suggestions? Please list any book pairings you'd be interested in, and sometime next week we'll take a vote and I'll announce the winner of the next Menage's books.

Thanks again. This was awesome! And have a great weekend.

Comments

[Tripp]

CR,

I really liked the five different question format, it made it easier to read and comment, I thought.

As to next, I like the memoir vs. cloaked memoir or bio vs. autobio idea. I also like the idea of some sort of travel book comparison. Maybe a travel book on one region written recently vs. a book on the same region written some time ago?

I will try to think of specific titles.

Tripp

[Care]

I enjoyed the five day - five questions format,

[Laura]

I liked the multiple day format, but thought 5 was maybe a bit long. But I liked each day's focus; it made it easier to have conversations (says she who only commented on the first day!)

I like the paired autobio or memoirs idea too, although I must admit to loathing Lessing. It might be good for me to read another of hers, though. I've only read The Golden Notebook, and that was for a test, so perhaps I didn't give it a real chance.

[Venta]

Hey, CR!

I'm sorry I couldn't make this menage! I had the books but not the time. My sister did read dangerous laughter, but i think she was too shy to comment. I have a feeling she didn't like it and was too polite to say so. I'm up for whatever you suggest, but i still have to finish these two books.

fyi. matt taibbi has an article in the new rolling stone. he's been on the rachel maddow show a couple of times discussing aig and the rest.

it sounds like you had another great menage! i promise to be there next time.

venta

[Kim (Sophisticated Dorkiness)]

This is my first menage, but I liked having the questions spread out. It was nice to respond to specific things since there are so many things we could talk about.

Kim

[Citizen Reader]

Tripp,
Hmm, travel books. We've never done travel books before. I will have to think on this. In the meantime, if you think of any titles, let me know!

Care, Kim:
Thanks for the feedback. I rather liked the multiple days-multiple questions format too, so I think we'll stick with that!

Laura,
I've never read any Doris Lessing except for "Alfred and Emily," but I've always meant to get "The Golden Notebook." Perhaps I will have to try it on tape. I don't know that she's for everyone--and I'm not sure how I felt about "A and E." At least it was short, which I always appreciate.

Venta,
Tell your sister never to be shy or polite! (I wasn't all that fond of DL either, but that's never really the point--the point is to talk about how our opinions of these books differed--so the more viewpoints the better!)

And thank you for the FYI on Matt Taibbi. I'm off to check it out now!!

[Laura]

Ugh - Golden Notebook is not short . . . would that it were.

[Citizen Reader]

Laura,
My mistake! Sorry about that. I don't know why I had the idea that The Golden Notebook was short--perhaps because "Alfred and Emily" is?--but if it's long, I definitely won't get to it for a while. Thanks for the warning!