Hi all,

Penguin has selected Paths of Glory by Humphrey Cobb as the next title for discussion on the Penguin Classics Book Club blog.  I'll quote the book description from the Penguin Classics web page:

"Familiar to many as the Stanley Kubrick film starring Kirk Douglas, Paths of Glory explores the perilous complications involved in what nations demand of their soldiers in wartime.  Humphrey Cobb's protagonists are Frenchmen during the First World War whose nightmare in the trenches takes a new and terrible turn when they are ordered to assault a German position deemed all but invulnerable ...  This novel offers insight into the tragedies of war in any age."

My plan is to begin discussions in the middle of July, probably around the week of the 19th.  Penguin's new edition of the book is just now being released and Amazon lists it as available June 29th.  I hope three weeks is enough time to get and begin reading it; if there are significant delays getting a copy please let me know and we may slide a bit.  In any case, we will start with discussions that just focus on the first sections, so people can participate even if they haven't finished the whole book.  There are several people connected with the new Penguin Classics edition who may be enticed to provide guest blogs, always a welcome added dimension to our discussions.

And lastly, the plan for the subsequent book is to select another Steinbeck title for discussion.  For this future book choice, I've asked that the book club participants get to make the selection from several proposed titles.  I don't have the official list yet, but after we finish Paths of Glory we plan to give you several books to choose from.

See you in July!

-- Kathy Gursky