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Our March 2013 Open Pick nominations are now open. Everyone is allowed one nomination, but remember that eligible books must be works of fiction published from 2000-2012. As usual, selections that are overly genre or fail to meet the group standards of literary quality will not be permitted in the final poll.

Nominations will wrap up on February 8th and the poll will run until February 15th. Happy nominating!

Do we just post nominations here? Apologies if we don't, I'm going ahead because I don't see anywhere else...

I nominate Barbara Kingsolver's 'The Lacuna'.

Terry: You've got it exactly right. For the more visually oriented, I would suggest adding a picture of the cover from the "add book/author" link at the top of the comment box. And don't hold yourself back from fighting for your nominee with some unreservedly shameless plugging. Keep in mind that you're attempting to convince us why we absolutely must read this book next month!

Ah, I see. Good stuff. Well here goes then...



The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

Barbara Kingsolver's 'The Poisonwood Bible' is one of my favourite books, and one that has never failed to gain profuse praise from anybody I've lent or recommended it to. The Lacuna is widely hailed as her best thing since. Set against a historical backdrop from 30s Mexico to 50s McCarthyism, the reviews say it echoes The Poisonwood Bible in its ability to set urgent, individual lives and experiences against big movements of history and tell something more than either alone.

I love it!

I'd like to nominate Bring Up the Bodies

It is a winner of the Manbooker Award and is the sequel to Wolf HalL.

I have certainly seen this recommended in many places. You mention that it is a sequel. Would not have read "Wolf Hall" be a problem?

I'd like to nominate Binocular Vision: New and Selected Stories by Edith Pearlman.

It was published in 2011 and won the National Book Critic's Circle Award last March, beating out Teju Cole's Open City, Jeffrey Eugenides' The Marriage Plot and Alan Hollinghurst's The Stranger's Child. It also won the Julia Ward Howe Award, and was nominated for the National Book Award.

Casceil wrote: "I have certainly seen this recommended in many places. You mention that it is a sequel. Would not have read "Wolf Hall" be a problem?"

From what I have been told, it could be read independently. Its about Henry VIII wife Anne and what happened during the time she was married to him. As a sequel, the reviews I have read say it is a sequel as in it follows the chronological order of the events of that time.

I have to say that Wolf Hall is something I really want to read; I almost nominated it this month myself. Not sure I would read Bodies before it. Just my view, though.

Binocular Vision looks interesting... have you read other stuff by her?

No, Terry, never even heard of her before this award, but I plan on reading it by March of this year.

It was nominated once before, last year some time. I voted for it, but something else won.

I second The Lacuna

Anything by Kingsolver is worth reading, but this is outstanding.

Terry wrote: "I have to say that Wolf Hall is something I really want to read; I almost nominated it this month myself. Not sure I would read Bodies before it. Just my view, though."

I've read both and would wholeheartedly recommend 'Wolf Hall'. 'Bring Up the Bodies' isn't as good – IMHO.

With 'Wolf Hall' Mantel really did write a novel in a new way.

I would suggest that you do read the novels in sequence, by the way – otherwise you'll be missing out. Unless, of course, your knowledge of British history is very good (!)

Thing Two wrote: "I'd like to nominate Binocular Vision: New and Selected Stories by Edith Pearlman. "

Oh, another good one. So many to choose from!

Sophia wrote: "Terry wrote: "I have to say that Wolf Hall is something I really want to read; I almost nominated it this month myself. Not sure I would read Bodies before it. Just my view, though."

I've read bot..."

Really? I detested Wolf Hall, but have heard so many good things about Bringing Up the Bodies that I was hoping to discover I was wrong about the first.

I agree about the Kingsolver book. Either would be fine with me.

The poll is up. I hope everyone will vote.

The poll was looking like it might be a three-way tie for a little while, but The Lacuna got a burst of steam and came through as the winner of this month's open poll. Make sure you grab a copy and join us for the discussion beginning March 1st!