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The Big Read: Your Vote

A

ALI

New Member
What book do you want to win..... what book do you think will win and what book don’t you want to win? I have a few books to read first before I vote for a winner, so I will fill that gap in later!


Want to win: ??????
Think will win: Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter
Don’t want to win: Catcher in the Rye, Harry Potter
 
Want to win: Great Expectations
Think will win: Lord of the Rings
Don’t want to win: Lord of the Rings

Mxx
 
Want to win: Not sure. P&P? Jane Eyre? War and Peace? 1984? To Kill a Mockingbird?
Don't want to win: Catch 22 (impenitrable), Gone with the Wind, Harry Potter.
Think will win: Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, probably the former. Remember all of the Potter books would have been in the Top 21 if they hadn't put a rule in place to stop it! The conclusion I draw? We're a nation who don't want to grow up? A bit rich perhaps, coming from someone who reads primarily to escape from reality. Still, better than getting wasted on drink or drugs I suppose.

Although I like Dickens, Great Expectations has never been one of my favourites. I prefer both Tale of Two Cities and Bleak House, and was please they made it into the top 100.

I read Mockingbird at school. I liked it's basic moral message. In particular I always recall the way the lawyer Finch tells his daughter not to criticise someone until she has imagined walking around in their shoes for a day.

War and Peace and 1984 are big books, with big important themes.
 
Originally posted by David181173
Remember all of the Potter books would have been in the Top 21 if they hadn't put a rule in place to stop it! The conclusion I draw? We're a nation who don't want to grow up? A bit rich perhaps, coming from someone who reads primarily to escape from reality.
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Personally I think the Potter books are on there because of the large amount of Children voting for it, especially as the votes are online. I cannot seriously imagine so many adults voting for it (especially HP4). Likewise Lord of the Rings has it's clique who vote for it regardless of what competition it is, they would probably vote it in as the Worst book ever just because they organise themselves to vote in every poll it appears in and they just want it to win. Not that I'm saying the Tolkien society would fix such a thing...but they do really.

Mxx
 
Originally posted by murphyz
Personally I think the Potter books are on there because of the large amount of Children voting for it, especially as the votes are online. I cannot seriously imagine so many adults voting for it (especially HP4).
Mxx
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Given that a lot, but not all, of the voting took place online, I suppose that it is likely childrens votes will have predominated over those, say, 50 or older. This would help explain why there are so many children's books - not just HP - in the top 100. Having said that, I never cease to be amazed at how many adults I see on the train reading the Potter books. My brother is a postman: most of the Potter books he delivered on the launch day of the latest title were going to young adults - the 18-30 generation.

In any case, the bookmakers currently have P&P as favourite. If they are right, a proven classic might just top the poll after all.
 
Let's hope so. I don't doubt the amount of adults that read Potter, I myself read them. I do doubt, however, that many adults would class Potter as their favourite book - whether they look at it in terms of storyline, or if they look in depth at the literary value - most adults would agree there are better books on that list.

Mxx
 
Want to Win: To Kill A Mockingbird on the serious literary side, HHGTtG on the enjoyable read side
Think Will Win: Depends on whose voting the most - if its kids then i should imagine Potter is a shoe in
Dont want to Win: Dont really mind actually, they are all fine books in my opinion (especially the ones ive read :D )

I think that some of you are missing the point rather - its not a 'crowning literary achievement' vote, its the Big Read - wouldnt bother me a jot if Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings won - at least they are books that encourage people (especially children) to continue reading - i have enjoyed all eight books in those two cycles :)

Phil
 
It's the Nations favourite, and I would have trouble believing that the Nation likes Harry Potter. If it had age groups it would be more representative, but this seems like it will be a vote on the Nation, with 43% of the Nation being Children.

They should add the question into the next Census. :)

Mxx
 
Well if they are the only ones who care enough to read and then vote for their favorite books then prehaps it IS representative of the Nation, or at least the proportion of it that reads rather than sitting googly-eyed in front of the TV (although i tend to do that also :D ) No offence to the BBC, but i doubt this vote will garner enough interest to truly represent the Nation's Favorite Book anyway!

Phil

Edit: The next census -

Age:

Sex:

Religion:

Do you like Harry Potter:

Is it the bestest everest book:

:) Anyway, it isnt til 2011 so maybe theres a small chance Book 7 will have been out by then!! :p
 
Originally posted by phil_t
[I think that some of you are missing the point rather - its not a 'crowning literary achievement' vote, its the Big Read
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Fair comment.
wouldnt bother me a jot if Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings won - at least they are books that encourage people (especially children) to continue reading
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I never know whether I really agree with this line or not. It may seem a sacriligious thing to say on book forum but is perhaps the message more important than the medium? The 'at least it gets kids reading' line presumes that reading anything is superior to watching anything on TV. Might I suggest that watching a serious documentary on TV might actually be more socially and educationally worthwhile than reading Harry Potter? Why do we put reading on a pedastal, suggesting that it is good in its own right no matter what it is that is being read?
Well I've lit the touch paper, now I'll retire! Even it wasn't almost bonfire night I expect fireworks.
 
As for Pride and Prejudice winning 89% of votes for it come from women, still like Phil-t said, it's all about those who do read (women & kids apparantly) and can be bothered to vote.
Harry Potter's sold more books than a few so in a poll of 'favourites' it's gotta be up there.
My only problem is with the format. The books that get on the last show might get an advantage - it might be up to whether LOTR or HP are reviewed on the last show and hence in fresh in peoples minds. Anyway...

Want to win - Winnie the Pooh
Think will win - hmm Lord of the Rings has a film out soon
Don't want to win - Captain Corelli's Mandolin/Gone with the Wind
 
I suppose i partly agree with your comments about the merits of television David, but i would say the number of times i have seen a kid watching a serious documentary as opposed to say .... Power Rangers are few and far between - at the times that they tend to watch TV the programs that are on are not exactly highbrow - and i suppose in some cases the same could be said for books, but then at least if you can get kids into reading when they are young then hopefully they will continue to read and move onto to more 'worthwhile' books :)

As for Pride and Prejudice, i have no problem with that winning, i have never read it, but did rather enjoy the number of corsets on show in the TV version :p

Phil
 
Originally posted by leapylees
Want to win: Rebecca or Catch 22
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As I think I've said elsewhere in these forums, I've just never been able to get through Catch 22. I like the central premise - the catch 22 - if you think going out on further bombing missions is insane you are obviously still sane and must continue to go on bombing missions, or however it goes. I just found so much else in the book - or in the hundred or so pages I managed to read - silly rather than humorous.

I was delighted when "War and Peace" defeated "Catch 22" in a BBC Four Big Read Battle of the Books programme. Sorry.

Where we can agree is that I think it would show people have a better sense of what's really important if Catch 22 were to win rather than Harry Potter.
 
I would love to read War and Peace. Anyone here finished? What's your thoughts?
I'm a bit worried about the length and era it was written. It sounds like it might be difficult to read.
 
I think Birdsong will be getting my vote. I finished the book just a few days ago, i would go as far as to say it is the best book i have read. It had me from start to finish, it still has me now. I have plenty of books here waiting to be read but i cant bring myself to get started on any of them, i'm still living Birdsong!
 
Birdsong also appeals to me. Will definitely be purchased with my Xmas book tokens I'm sure to get!!
 
I would love to read War and Peace. Anyone here finished? What's your thoughts?
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It took me the better part of a summer to finish, but in the end was worth it.

Once you get over the length, the most difficult part is getting used to the different variations in the Russian names! Otherwise it's not difficult to follow. The story is pretty straight-forward until near the end - where one of the characters goes off into a philosophical rant of sorts.
 
Want to win: The Lord of the Rings
Think will win: LOTR, Harry Potter or Pride and Prejudice
Don't want to win: Wuthering Heights
 
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