[nesfa-reading-group] selection of books??? Re: T -1 week to Piranesi

[Louis Galvez III]

Robert,

You are correct, this Friday we’ll be selecting books for our May, June, July, and August discussions.

A sentence relaying the above information was originally to be included in the email you’re replying to, but, was redacted by my email client.

The book selection process is:

• Three times per year, we (The NESFA Reading Group) choose four new books to read.
• The selection of those four books takes place in two parts.
    • Part 1: we shortlist twelve books.
    • Part 2: we select four of those twelve books to add to our schedule.
• The shortlisting or the twelve books happens during the meeting at which we discuss the third book in the current four book block.
    • Only regulars who attend that meeting can recommend books
    • Regulars are those who regularly attend meetings (no more formal definition at this point) and who are placed on the NESFA Reading Group email list.
    • Each regular attending the meeting in which we shortlist books is encouraged to (but not required to) recommend at least 1 book for discussing at a future meeting.
    • At least one book from the regulars who attend this session and who recommend at least one book are put on the twelve book shortlist.
    • The goal is to have an as even as possible number of books per attending regular on the shortlist
        • If eight regulars attend, we can’t have two suggestions per attendee on the twelve book shortlist.
        • If six regulars attend and one regular only suggested one book, we can’t have two books per person.
• After the meeting is over, a link to an online poll (currently conducted on survey monkey) is emailed to the regulars.
    • All regulars (not only those attending the meeting) are invited to vote on which four books, out of the twelve book shortlist, we’ll read and discuss.
• The four books receiving the highest vote totals are chosen as the next four books we’ll read and discuss.
    • The poll asks each regular to rate the books from 1 - 12, 1 being 'would like to read and discuss most', 12 being 'would like to read and discuss least'.
    • The poll is typically open from when I send it out (Friday night or Saturday morning) until Monday evening.
    • Which month we’ll discuss which book is (usually) chosen using a randomizer.
• The results are sent via email to the NESFA Reading Group and to the NESFA Clerk.


We have a google sheet (workbook) with two tabs (worksheets). One tab contains a list of all the books the NESFA reading group has already discussed, as well as those books scheduled for discussion. The other contains many of the books that have previously been suggested, but have not been chosen for discussion by this group.

Everyone on the NESFA Reading Group email list should have editor access to this google sheet. Feel free to look over the list prior to the meeting. Feel free to add new book recommendations to the google sheet. Feel free to recommend books that are on this list as well as books that are not on this list.

This google sheet IS NOT a way to make book suggestions. It is reference only. Book suggestions must be made in person during the meeting at which we create the shortlist.

We don’t reread books that have previously been discussed by this group. There would have to be a very compelling reason for us to consider re-discussing a book that's already been discussed.

NESFA Lou
El Jefe
NESFA Reading Group
NESFA Writes!

M (617) 605-6346
E nesfalou at gmail.com
nesfa.org
boskone.org
NESFA, the New England Science Fiction Association, is a non-profit group (and a 501(c)(3) corporation) interested in supporting all things related to science fiction and fantasy.
On Mar 1, 2021, 9:54 AM -0500, R. Luoma <malkin8244 at pobox.com>, wrote:
> On Fri, 26 Feb 2021 17:25:37 -0500
> Louis Galvez III <nesfalou at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Next Friday (March 5th) we'll meet to discuss Piranesi by Susanna Clark.
>
> If I remember correctly, we were planning on proposing
> a set of books to be voted on for future reading.
>
> If so, I would appreciate a reminder of the selection process.
>
> Thanks,
> --
> Robert L.
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