I think an important factor in a good discussion is the number of people who have read the book. The more people, the more opinions, the more likely that people are going to join in the discussion. Certainly not the only factor, but one to be considered. In a few days, we will begin nominating our next six selections. Since joining last June, I have become very aware that books that people tend to really like or really dislike do not necessarily make the best selections for discussion.
Some books just seem to provoke more discussion than others.
I always nominate books from my TBR book case but starting with the last nominations, I tried to nominate something that I thought would make for good discussion. During the next two weeks, I will learn whether I succeeded. I agree with the forward regarding the fact that Solzhenitsyn separated a feeling of hopelessness from the bitterness and pain. He did it with a masterful story that is all the more so because he did in such a relatively short work. And Lee, while I may not go so far as to suggest Solzhenitsyn is the greatest author of the century, I'll agree that he is deserving of the accolades he has received.