Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

Pink, I have set up a thread for reading Death in Venice in February. Could you add it to the schedule please.

Anyone interested is most welcome. We have Sara, Sue, Katy, and Helene so far.

Sara wrote: "Pink, I have set up a thread for reading Death in Venice in February. Could you add it to the schedule please.

Anyone interested is most welcome. We have Sara, Sue, Katy, and Helene s..."

I'm looking forward to it!

I’ve added Death in Venice to the schedule list

thank you, Pink.

Martin wrote: "Would anyone like to read H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds with me? It is a relatively short book, 180 pages in my edition (Penguin). This is pretty spontaneous, because I am starting today, but ..."

We already have a discussion thread for War of the Worlds, where you can add your thoughts, either alone or if you find someone to buddy read with. We don’t create new threads for books on our shelf, but rather add to the existing discussion.

Here’s the link https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I hope you enjoy it :)

Cynda wrote: "Bat-Cat wrote: "Just throwing out this idea: Moby Dick read for June onward (summer on the ocean :-) and War & Peace around September?!?!?"

I am in for Moby-Dick in July or later."

I stared reading War and Peace a few weeks ago- if I can remember I'll join in your discussion this fall. Can you let me know which thread? There are a bunch under the bookshelf, probably the one titled "Book as a whole" {or similar} would be best for this purpose.

George P. wrote: "Cynda wrote: "Bat-Cat wrote: "Just throwing out this idea: Moby Dick read for June onward (summer on the ocean :-) and War & Peace around September?!?!?"

I am in for Moby-Dick in July or later."

..."

This post was originally from 2016, but there may be new interest in War and Peace by the Autumn! As for which thread to use, you can post in the chapter discussions as you read, (I did this myself when I read it a few years ago) or the book as a whole is fine too.

Pink wrote: "This post was originally from 2016, but there may be new interest in War and Peace by the Autumn! ..."

Thanks Pink. That explains why I couldn't find the earlier post referred to. I have had a response today by a reader who is reading it and saw my post on the W & P thread.

That’s great, I hope you enjoy it :)

To search for specific threads you can use the search bar feature (it’s near the top right hand side of the main page), then filter for ‘only topics’ and it will show up any threads with the title you select.

No problem :)

I'd like to read The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens in March if anyone wants to join me :)

Erin wrote: "I'd like to read The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens in March if anyone wants to join me :)"

I think I might join you. A couple of years ago I saw a musical version where the audience could vote for an ending. Plus, I found a Librivox recording and simply love Dickens ;-).
https://librivox.org/the-mystery-of-e...

Erin wrote: "I'd like to read The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens in March if anyone wants to join me :)"

I’d be down for that too :)

Philina wrote: "Erin wrote: "I'd like to read The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens in March if anyone wants to join me :)"

I think I might join you. A couple of years ago I saw a musical version where th..."

That sounds amazing! I can't wait to start!

Allie wrote: "Erin wrote: "I'd like to read The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens in March if anyone wants to join me :)"

I’d be down for that too :)"

Yay!

Would anyone be interested in a Buddy Read of No Name by Wilkie Collins?
If there's interest, we could decide on a good time to start later but I was thinking maybe May, or thereabouts?

It is on my challenge list, Petra, so I would be glad to join. May would work for me.

Im not completely sure what a buddy read entails, but I have been meaning to read No Name for quite a while and would be interested.

I am currently reading it but i have read only two chapters, I like it so far. If buddy read is arranged for No Name I am in for it.😀

This is great! Shall we say a May 1st start then? Does that work for everyone?

Emily, a buddy read is where a few of us read the same book at the same time. Pink will set up a thread for us to discuss the book in.

In our continuing effort to read all of John le Carré, Candi, Lori, Brenda and I will be reading A Perfect Spy in March. I am off to set up the thread and wanted to issue an invite to anyone who would like to join us.

Anyone up for joining me for a reading of Promise at Dawn by Romain Gary (1960) soon? He was from Lithuania but lived most of his life in France and wrote in French.

hey guys and dolls I need a page wager. explanation its flipping March already and I'm kinda behind like really behind and I really need to get in gear. So I'd like to combat my procrastination with some competition. A page wager (new idea) is a race to read a certain number of pages. first person to finish wins. if anyone wants to help me cultivate this idea I'm open. maybe teams or funny literary forfeits lemme know

The Decameron, specifically the Rebhorn translation with the complete 100 stories.

Starting immediately (yesterday, actually). I am a slow reader, so I'm still in the front matter and haven't even made it to Boccaccio's introduction.

Here is some background:

I am a school teacher in Ohio. School is cancelled for the next three weeks. There are rumors that it will be cancelled for a total of eight weeks. Institutions that normally sustain me, such as museums, libraries, and churches, are closed. Travel is becoming increasingly restricted.

My neighbors have varying attitudes and interpretations of "social distancing." Some are okay with visits and small gatherings. On the other hand, one of my relatives has taken to patrolling his home with an assault rifle. (Is he worried that someone will steal his toilet paper?)

My intention in reading the Decameron is to focus on joy in spite of the uncertainty and stress that are in the air at this time.

Anyone up for it?

Phil wrote: "The Decameron, specifically the Rebhorn translation with the complete 100 stories.

Starting immediately (yesterday, actually). I am a slow reader, so I'm still in the front matter ..."

Okay, I think i'd report that relative to the police. People like that are a menace to society.

Phil wrote: "The Decameron, specifically the Rebhorn translation with the complete 100 stories.

Starting immediately (yesterday, actually). I am a slow reader, so I'm still in the front matter ..."

This is a great idea. (The reading, not the patrolling.) I'm still working, but if I had the time, I would totally be up for this.

Except that I don't have a copy and they've just closed all the libraries … :-( Fortunately, since I prefer paper books, I have a bunch to choose from and now is apparently the time to get to them!

Same boat here. Also in Ohio. I knew three weeks plus two more for a scheduled Passover break. But eight weeks of the kids doing online school? Oh boy. I do have Don Quixote if anyone wants to read that. I’m in a tough boat books wise. I rarely buy books- everything is from the library. Thankfully I do have a few favorites I can reread but otherwise once I finish my library pile I will have to cave and get an ebook for the first time.

I got used to ebooks, Brina. I like the fact that you can change the font size!

Rosemarie wrote: "I got used to ebooks, Brina. I like the fact that you can change the font size!"

Me too!!!

You might be forced to discover that you like them, Brina.

Yes, I think it's a wonderful choice at this time!

You got it. I already got Libby and started putting my April tbr list on hold. Olive Kitteridge is a seven week wait so I’ll start with the nonfiction. Not bad.

In the meantime, I happen to have a copy of Don Quijote. If anyone is game for a BR I could read that serially over the next eight weeks or so.

If I were forced to stay home from work, I would be up for reading something difficult and mammoth with someone too. I am not yet in that boat but it sounds like a great option for those of you who are.

Perfecto Phil.

I am down for the The Decameron. I am ordering from online source with slow delivery option--easier on book budget and on Earth's resources. So I will play catch up op or read in tandem--or give someone else a longer window of opportunity to read with.

I am not sure of which edition I am ordering from thriftbooks.com. I will select either the Oxford World Classics edition or the Norton Critical Editions edition. I will order by end of today.

Something else might be interesting at this time: The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. Pilgrims traveled to the cathedral for a variety of reasons, including for health problems, sonetimes to thank for recovery.

I will be happy to read with others too. Interested?

I will be ordering a copy of this book as well.

Cynda wrote: "Perfecto Phil.

I am down for the The Decameron. I am ordering from online source with slow delivery option--easier on book budget and on Earth's resources. So I will play catch up op ..."

Thanks, Cynda! I'll start a thread for it.

No response for Promise at Dawn, so what about Pather Panchali: Song of the Road (translated from Bengali) by the very long-named author Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay ? (I swear I didn't make that name up). Last I checked you could get a copy on ebay for $6 incl shipping.

re Pather Panchali
I read it v.recently so won't be re-reading any time soon
but just in case anyone is considering it, I thought it was a masterpiece and would point out that it has a Goodreads rating of 4.56 :oO

Cynda wrote: "I was wondering if anyone wanted to read Song of Sacrifice by Janell Rhiannon. I think the book is free on K..."

I'd be up for it. When do you want to start?

This means postponing my Bingo plans for a bit, but that's ok.

Thanks Philina! I would prefer to start Sunday the 22nd. Is that okay?

Cynda wrote: "Thanks Philina! I would prefer to start Sunday the 22nd. Is that okay?"

Yeah. I just acquired my Kindle edition.

Oh good.
Anyone interested in reading Song of Sacrifice by Janell Rhiannon is tree to join Janell and me starting Sunday the 22nd. Philina has already set up a thread for us.

I'll be reading William Shakespeare's histories for university this year, at the same time also fulfilling a long-standing goal of mine. I have thought long and hard about the order to read them in, but, as we don't have any secure dates to generate a reliable chronology, I'll just leave them in the order of the reigns of the respective kings.
May: King Richard II
June: King Henry IV, Part 1
July: King Henry IV, Part 2
August: King Henry V
September: King Henry VI, Part 1
October: King Henry VI, Part 2
November: King Henry VI, Part 3
December: King Richard III
The timeline is just a very loose structure for the sake of planning; basically, the goal is to read a play per month (for myself that includes plenty of introductory materials). The more obscure histories - King John, King Edward III, King Henry VIII (All Is True): The Arden Shakespeare Third Series - I'll leave out for the time being, perhaps returning to them at a later point.
If anyone would like to join me, I'd be really happy! It's not often that the histories get much attention, and not often that you can discuss them with other people. By the way, I'll be using the Arden 3rd editions, as those are the best currently on the market (trust a literature student's word on this), at least short of the Variorums (overkill for anyone but professors of Elizabethan drama).

Inkspill and I will be reading the Mourning Becomes Electra triology by Eugene O'Neill. Would anyone like to join us starting on April 20th?

Cynda wrote: "Inkspill and I will be reading the Mourning Becomes Electra triology by Eugene O'Neill. Would anyone like to join us starting on April 20th?"

count me in :D

It's a deal!

Minnie wrote: "I'll be reading William Shakespeare's histories for university this year, at the same time also fulfilling a long-standing goal of mine. I have thought long and hard about the order to..."

Hey! I'd love to join you in reading these, but I don't have physical copies of the plays. I've watched Hollow Crown and know about these kings from studying but have not read the original plays. Would online texts or ebooks suffice?

Minnie and John if you read one play a month, I will join in. I have a Shakespeare collection edited by Bevington, 3rd edition, that I will use. I read all these plays a couple of years ago. The general idea of the 100 Years War is clear but not the meat of the matter. I continue to read. This will give me a needed push to read other books on the topic, do research like Minnie says.

John I so want to watch all the Hollow Crown series. What I have watched is so good. I will watch more in time.

Cynda wrote: "Minnie and John if you read one play a month, I will join in. I have a Shakespeare collection edited by Bevington, 3rd edition, that I will use. I read all these plays a couple of years ago. The ge..."

Great! I do not know how close HC sticks with the lines but I feel it sums up the general events more than well (of course, with some Shakespearean twists and elements here and there).

It definitely is worth a watch, especially if you have background with the plays! I had the historical background but not the plays.