Victorians! discussion

Which victorian authors do you love? Who do you recommend?

Please feel free to start a new thread about your faves.

Probably my favorite Victorian author is Charles Dickens, and my favorite novels of his include: Dombey and Son, Bleak House, Little Dorrit, and Our Mutual Friend.

But I must also put a plug in for my second tier of authors, including: Elizabeth Gaskell, Anthony Trollope, George Eliot, the Bronte sisters, Wilkie Collins, Thomas Hardy, Lewis Carroll, and Tolstoy. Although I am an American, I tend to be a bit of an Anglophile when it comes to Victorian literature.

Boof wrote: " Which victorian authors do you love? Who do you recommend? "

For those wondering who qualifies as a Victorian author, here's a list from the Victorian Web of all the authors they have any information on. It has many more authors than I think most of us would think of. And some I know well but for some reason don't associate with the Victorian age, like Conan Doyle.

Thanks for that, Everyman; that's really useful.

Well...while the list does an admirable job of identifying the British authors, it does not identify the Continental or American authors. Cheers! Chris

I suspect they're being "precise" about "Victorian."

I was glad to find George Macdonald on the list of Victorians. My others would be Dickens, A. Trollope, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Conrad, Christina Rossetti, Tennyson, the Brontes (especially Charlotte). the Brownings, and Hardy. So far.

I love Christina Rossetti. I bought Posession while I was out the other day, Elizabeth. I quite fancy reading that in the next few months.

Really? Ooh, I'm excited now. I have heard good things too but since Elizabeth mentioned the connection to Rosetti I had to have it!

I am also really quite fond of Possession. Excellent book.

Ooh, I have had Possession on my shelf for about 2 years now. Seems it may be getting bumped up my to-read list.

as a kid i always liked a bit of playfullness or strangeness in my stories, mystery, or something haunting. I liked Lewis Carroll, Bram Stoker, Robert Louis Stevenson ... later on Sheridan Le Fanu & Ambrose Bierce.

Boof wrote: " Which victorian authors do you love? Who do you recommend? "

My favourite Victorian author is Elizabeth Gaskell. I loved North and South and Wives and Daughters

Everyman wrote: "Boof wrote: " Which victorian authors do you love? Who do you recommend? "

For those wondering who qualifies as a Victorian author, here's a list from the Victorian Web of all the authors they ha..."

Thanks for posting the link up! Although I've heard of a number of them, I'm sad to say that I've only read books from a few =(

Li wrote: "Boof wrote: " Which victorian authors do you love? Who do you recommend? "

My favourite Victorian author is Elizabeth Gaskell. I loved North and South and [book:Wives and Daughters|3..."

Li, wasn't Wives and Daughters just a beautiful novel? If you haven't seen it, go rent the 1999 BBC film adaptation with Justine Waddell and Kealy Hawes; it is terrific! Cheers! Chris

I concur with the above. The W&D miniseries was just fantastic. One of my all-time favorites.

I saw the 1999 BBC adaptation recently and I agree, it was absolutely wonderful =D

I have to add a nod to Thackeray - I think his rendition of the character "Becky" was heavily adopted in Mitchell's American classic, "Gone with the Wind." It's so easy to fall into the female author trap, but I love Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker, and Doyle. Seems I now need to introduce myself to Christina Rosetti and Elizabeth Gaskell! :) Oh, happy days to find a new 'old' author!

Paula wrote: "I have to add a nod to Thackeray - I think his rendition of the character "Becky" was heavily adopted in Mitchell's American classic, "Gone with the Wind." It's so easy to fall into the female auth..."

Paula, Christina Rossetti's poetry is beyond sublime; and if you are going to read A.S. Byatt's novel, Possession, in the group read and discussion, it is almost a prerequisite, in my opinion.

I am reading a beautiful edition of her poetry right now, and am simply amazed at the intensity of emotion and the passion. She may well be the finest female poet of the Victorian Era, bar none. Enjoy! Cheers! Chris

Christopher wrote: "Paula wrote: "I have to add a nod to Thackeray - I think his rendition of the character "Becky" was heavily adopted in Mitchell's American classic, "Gone with the Wind." It's so easy to fall into t..."

Thanks, Chris! Just ordered a copy of "The Goblin's Market, The Prince's Progress & Others" via my Kindle. I'm trying not to read anything for me until my paper is done (due next Monday) but I doubt I'll be able to wait that long! :)

Paula wrote: "Christopher wrote: "Paula wrote: "I have to add a nod to Thackeray - I think his rendition of the character "Becky" was heavily adopted in Mitchell's American classic, "Gone with the Wind." It's so..."

Goblin Market is an awesome and visionary epic poem. Let me know when you've finished it. I'd love to talk with you about it. If you're interested my blog has several discussions and postings of Christina Rossetti's poetry. The URL is at the top of my profile here. Cheers! Chris

Elizabeth wrote: "Have we started a Victorian poetry section here? I'm a big fan of Rossetti, too. Chris, have you read Maude Prose & Verse? Her prose is also very engaging."

Elizabeth, great idea about a Victorian Poetry folder here! I have my own blog where I do a lot of writing on Victorian and Romantic Era poetry too; but it'd be fun to share stuff with this group too. I think it will be vital to discuss and have access to poetry as we read Possession too.

In answer to your question about Christina Rossetti's Maud, I have most of the poetry in that volume in a volume of Rossetti's poetry, and in Harold Bloom's big monster anthology (The Best Poems in the English Language). I would have to say that Christina Rossetti, Robert Browning, and Tennyson are my faves of the Victorian Era; there's some other poets works I like too, but I love everything the 'big three' have done. Cheers! Chris

There's a poetry section on the bookshelf - add stuff to it!

Paula - my father once said one of the best papers he ever got was in the form of Becky Sharpe writing letters of advice to Scarlett O'Hara.

Susanna wrote: "There's a poetry section on the bookshelf - add stuff to it!

Paula - my father once said one of the best papers he ever got was in the form of Becky Sharpe writing letters of advice to Scarlett O'..."

Susanna, done! I have added two volumes of poetry to the shelf. I appreciate you reminding me of that option. Cheers! Chris

Elizabeth wrote: "Christina Rossetti wrote a poem, Maud, and also a prose novella, Maude. I was referring to the latter. It's also about the relationships of sisters, one quite ill. The book link may not have been h..."

Terrific! Thanks for sharing this, Elizabeth! I will look it up and see if I can find a copy (maybe Gutenberg).

I am on a curious little project right now - I am doing a side-by-side comparison of Christina Rossetti's The Convent Threshold (1862) and Dante Gabriel Rossetti's The Blessed Damozel (last version, 1870). They would seem to describe the same situation, but from diametrically opposing perspectives; Christina's speaker looks down from a Higher Place, and Dante's voice looks up. Fascinating stuff! I think I have a topic for a future posting on my blog. ;-)

Susanna wrote: "There's a poetry section on the bookshelf - add stuff to it!

Paula - my father once said one of the best papers he ever got was in the form of Becky Sharpe writing letters of advice to Scarlett O'..."

I didnt know there was a section for this, I will go take a look. :-)

Susanna wrote: "There's a poetry section on the bookshelf - add stuff to it!

Paula - my father once said one of the best papers he ever got was in the form of Becky Sharpe writing letters of advice to Scarlett O'..."

That is fantastic! I'm working on a paper now and had to re-read "Gone with the Wind," and it wasn't until I finished it, and was relaxing with a glass of wine and thinking about the book, that I randomly thought of Becky Sharpe. I have to admit, it was more along the lines of beloved heroines who are idealized by society as strong, independent women, and whom I both see as ... kinda sad, to be honest. Not enough credit is given to the female sidekick, who unfortunately typically dies before the ending. I bet that was a rather enjoyable paper for your father! What level does he teach?

Christopher wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Have we started a Victorian poetry section here? I'm a big fan of Rossetti, too. Chris, have you read Maude Prose & Verse? Her prose is also very engaging."

Eliza..."

There is a victorian poetry thread already set up - I have moved it up so that people can see it and add to it. It's in the general dicusssions topics.

Amyone read any H G Wells? I just read (well listened to) The Time Machine . I normally don't like sci-fi but I loved this. I couldn't quite believe that it was written when it was - he was a clever guy I think!

I have a copy of The Island of Dr Moreau which I got as a swap recently after someone (Bettie maybe?) suggested it as a nomination. TTM has really made me want to read some more of his stuff.

Boof wrote: "Amyone read any H G Wells? I just read (well listened to) The Time Machine . I normally don't like sci-fi but I loved this. I couldn't quite believe that it was written when it was - he was a clev..."

I read the War of the Worlds when I was younger several times and The Island of Doctor Moreau.

I would love to read.. The Food of the Gods and How it Came to Earth and also The First Men in the Moon. I am sure there are others.

Paula wrote: "Susanna wrote: "There's a poetry section on the bookshelf - add stuff to it!

Paula - my father once said one of the best papers he ever got was in the form of Becky Sharpe writing letters of adv..."

He's taught English at UNC-Charlotte since the 60s.

I really enjoy the Bronte's but I have many more books to read!

A very late note on topic, but...

I purchased Possession through Amazon (at an AMAZING price) and I thought it was wonderful! Very dense and delicious in description of scenery and the characters. You should enjoy it very much.
Boof wrote: "I love Christina Rossetti. I bought Posession while I was out the other day, Elizabeth. I quite fancy reading that in the next few months."

Kel, we have read Possession as a group and we still have the discussion open in the Prevoious Group Reads thread if you want to have a look. Please feel free to comment, it may reawaken some discussion too.

If it isn't obvious enough, I like Lewis Carroll, hence my user name. Personally, I think he is amazing. Although, some people have a great many things against him. There are far to many sad and wicked rumors believed about him...

I always adored Charlotte Bronte... (Villette, Jane Eyre and the professor) she seems to be my best writer, until of course i began reading Elizabeth Gaskell's books; which I must say are very provoking.
“North and South” was a masterpiece as well as “Jane Eyre”.
I also like George Eliot’s "Middlemarch"...and Charles Dickens’s "David Copperfield" & "Little Dorrit"...All beautifully written!

I couldn't figure out which discussion I should post this link to, so I'm posting it here. I may be wrong, but there's no topic that I could find that would be a good place for this.

Anyway, here's a link to the New York Times Sunday Book Review article called "Getting to Know Charles Dickens" that I thought you might enjoy. The article discusses some new books about Dickens with comments about Dickens himself and more.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/18/boo...

Thanks!

Well my top favorites would have to be
Thomas Hardy
Wilkie Collins
Charles Dickens

Kawther wrote: "Well my top favorites would have to be
Thomas Hardy
Wilkie Collins
Charles Dickens"

To which I, for myself, would add Austen, Eliot, and Trollope.

The Brontë Sisters.

It don't get no better than Anthony Trollope, in my opinion.

Katy wrote: "It don't get no better than Anthony Trollope, in my opinion."

Glad to see another Trollope lover! I'm not sure I would say he's better than Austen, but he's certainly wonderful. Which is your favorite? I find that most people either like Barchester and not Palliser or vice versa, but I find very few people who like the two series equally well. And of course many of his stand-alone books are just excellent.

I love many of the Victorian authors. I just joined this group and am looking forward to reading those I have not heard much about! My favorites would have to be Doyle, the Brontes and Dickens from the top of my head. I also love Stoker's Dracula (and E. A. Poe as was mentioned in one of the other topics)

Adam wrote: "I'm hoping this group will inspire me to fill in some authors I've heard of but never read, like Hardy, Collins and Trollope.
"

Oh boy, do you ever have some wonderful reading ahead of you!

Maybe we'll get you started soon. Next month is Kipling, but after that ... we've only read one Trollope, so have lots of scope for reading more of him, and while we've read two of Hardy's novels, there are plenty of great ones of his still unread.

So stick around and we may well get you into one or both of those before too long!

Everyman wrote: "Adam wrote: "I'm hoping this group will inspire me to fill in some authors I've heard of but never read, like Hardy, Collins and Trollope.
"

Oh boy, do you ever have some wonderful reading ahead o..."

Everyman, good to see you on the site. I am excited too for Trollope and whatever else comes our way!

Beve wrote: "Everyman, good to see you on the site. I am excited too for Trollope and whatever else comes our way!
"

Thanks. I've been hanging out here for several years, and we've had some great discussions -- with more to come!

The group came close to collapse when its founder, Boof, dropped out as moderator, but fortunately SarahC, Marialyce, and V.r. came to our rescue and have done an awesome job of leading the group over the past several years. They deserve our very great thanks and appreciation.

Everyman wrote: "Beve wrote: "Everyman, good to see you on the site. I am excited too for Trollope and whatever else comes our way!
"

Thanks. I've been hanging out here for several years, and we've had some great..."

Thanks for the history lesson. I am really enjoying this group and hope to be around for a while. I too am grateful for the moderatos--they all have my thanks and deep appreciation.

Lewis Carroll, Frances Hodgson Burnett (though the books I like from her were published just after), Leo Tolstoy, Anna Sewell, Charles Dickens and Bram Stoker

Everyman wrote: "Katy wrote: "It don't get no better than Anthony Trollope, in my opinion."

Glad to see another Trollope lover! I'm not sure I would say he's better than Austen, but he's certainly wonderful. Whi..."

I'm here if you love Trollope! Always with a book of his open! At the moment I'm on The American Senator

It's been 3 and 1/2 years since this thread was added to. I am certain that some of us joined Victorians! more recently so I'd like to revive it.

I love the Victorian period and I love the major authors---the usual culprits. I have a special affinity for Trollope and for Victorian poetry. But I am in a rut--I reread certain authors so often that I have neglected some -- for example, George Meredith, and some of those who verge on the Edwardian period, but who truly are late Victorians, such as Wells, Conrad, Frances Hodgson Burnett, Kipling.

Natalie wrote: "It's been 3 and 1/2 years since this thread was added to. I am certain that some of us joined Victorians! more recently so I'd like to revive it.

I love the Victorian period and I love the major a..."

This may have been done, but I have never read "Heart of Darkness". I would be interested in that.