Mumsnet Talk

Its a Mumsnetters Own month this time. We came across this inspiring thread and found a brilliant selection of recommended classics, books that other mums would take to their Desert Island if they were ever lucky enough to have such an escape.

So we've taken the cream of the list (focusing on the ones that were written at least 40 years ago, the ones you always meant to read but never quite got round to it) and now there's 10 titles for you to choose from. Will it be Dickens or Flaubert? Bronte or Mitford? Browse the list and cast your vote here ...and let the battle of the classics commence...

(Just a reminder, polls will close on Friday February 1st at 8pm.)

Was just about to post when are we selecting this will peruse now and vote.

Have voted, although am a little worried about my ability to finish Dickens in a month (so didn't choose Great Expectations)
In fact have started re-reading Jane Eyre, and it is great. Very 'passionate' in comparison to Jane Austen and the like.
I did find it difficult trying to choose the book this month. Great list.

sooo...Tilly, how are you getting on with tracking down the writers for our live chat..?

OOOOh, I'm soooo Funny

I'm struggling here. My conscience says 'pick something new, something challenging.' My bone idle self says 'pick Wuthering Heights...or To Kill a Mocking Bird...or the Women in White. You know you love them, and if you run out of time before the night then you can bluff your way through...'

Its a tricky one.

You know, i thought about getting a medium in to put us in touch with the other side ('so Monsieur Flaubert, do you think Emma Bovary should have had therapy?' etc). But not sure if the physic waves get scrambled when using the internet...

I had exactly the same dilemma (well trusted fave or totally new challenge). Exacerbated by the fact it is such a short month. Plumped for a new one in the end and felt very virtuous.

We might have a tie on our hands this month - Evelyn Waugh and Edith Wharton are both in the lead so far...(and both of them have fantastic movie adaptations so that's a relief)

Hope everyone's put their vote in, just a reminder that the polls close at 8pm this Friday...

sorry - new to this but always fancied being in a book club.

I have voted.

Will you then post the result & then we read the book & then discuss?
sorry if I sound stupid

Mitford.

Damn I've either read, or have no interest in reading them
Could you not have included a few less obvious choices?

Plus what's the point in a book club where it is expected you will rent the dvd rather than actually read it?

Devil, not really expected to rent the DVD, just interesting that pretty much every classic has been adapted at least twice, and sometimes you can't get the film characters out of your head.

The shortlist came from a Mumsnet thread on classics, hence the popularity/familiarity of the choices. But in a few months I want to do an Unsung Heros selection, where we do writers who are brilliant but don't seem to be as well-known as they should be. Any suggestions?

mistress miggins, we'll post the result at 8pm tonight, so watch this space. Everyone then buys/borrows a copy and reads it over the next few weeks. We'll discuss the book on 26th February. (not much chance of an author chat this time so it'll just be a normal discussion night)

oooh to Kill a Mockingbird. Fabulous AND relatively short.

I didn't realise until I read it (quite recently) that Harper Lee was a woman.. Does that put me at the bottom of the class?

Love TKAMB but Wuthering Heights, now there's a novel. I spent my A-level years furiously underlining whole sections and sighing and how manly heathcliff is.

Oh yes, katierocket, empathising with the furious underlining during A levels.......

I was just so angst ridden then and god, what the hell did I have to worry about!

I agree, all those walks All By Myself, staring out to sea with a copy of Tess of the D'Urbervilles. What was I thinking?

Looks like Mockingbird has a big lead, only 10 minutes to go...

Its official - To Kill a Mockingbird is the Mumsnet Classic of the Month. It won by a long way - if you need to buy a copy click here.

It was the very first book I did at secondary school. Wrote my very first essay on it. Feeling quite nostalgic at the thought of it all.

And a few diary details for this month.

We decided we'd move discussion nights back to Tuesdays, as it seems a lot of bookclubbers are busy on Thursdays. So this month the discussion night will be Tuesday February 26th, 8-10pm. Apologies to all those who prefer Thursday - and if there's a massive outcry then we'll have to put it to the vote...

I didn't realise Harper Lee is actually alive (had to check on a brilliant website called deadoralive). But she is 81. And famously publicity shy. So not sure if we'll get an author chat but I'll give it a shot.

Oh I'm sure if she hears that it is a webchat for mumsnet she would change her mind
Right, I don't think I have a copy of this in the house, although I think I studied this for GCSE english all those years ago.
Will have to read concurrrently with Jane Eyre which is really fantastic

Me too, can't find a copy anywhere though sure there is one with lots of pencil in the margins and highlighted bits.

Jane Eyre is fantastic, I think I might have to re-read that once this baby arrives and I'm back doing midnight feeding sessions. Might just keep me sane.

Sorry Tilly my above posts weren't intended to be nearly as mean spirited as they came across.
I think I'll leave it out this month, but hopefully join you in March.

I have countless suggestions. T.C Boyle, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Phillip Roth, Lawrence Norfolk to name a few.

I'm being dumb: I can't see how to vote from the link in the OP. It just takes you to results. Can anyone help a stupid person?

I think the poll has closed because To Kill a Mockingbird won. Keep an eye out for the next poll for March's book of the month!

Thanks! Didn't think of that -- Dur!

Middlemarch for March then!