Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

Alrighty! Kathleen and I are reading The Wanderer: or, Female Difficulties by Fanny Burney in Sept-Oct. We are taking it easy and aim to spend two weeks on each of the five volumes. (The volumes are around 160-180 pages each.)

Anyone else who would care to join us in Fanny Burney's magnum opus about a mysterious french woman trying survive in England during the French revolution are most welcome to do so. From the reviews it seems people either hate this book (too long, too slow, needless subplots and exaggerated characters), or absolutely love the book (beautiful writing, excellent political commentary, good theological discussions, and surprising plot twists).

Hi Leni and Kathleen. This book, The Wanderer: or, Female Difficulties, sounds wonderful, in fact, it sounds right up my alley - "too long, too slow, needless subplots, exaggerated characters, beautiful writing, excellent political commentary, good theological discussions, and surprising plot twists" - everything I absolutely love in a book!!! :) However... I can't, at the moment, totally commit to it, but... I will most definitely endeavor to attempt to work it into my already ridiculously, over-bloated reading schedule for the year. As Kathleen says, "what's another 1000 pages". I will keep you posted and thanks for the invite. ;-)

You know, I think it only adds up to 800 and something pages. It's just the Oxford edition that's a thousand pages because of their always excellent introductions and extras. We can totally do this! (I live in utter denial of facts as pertain to books to be read versus time left in the year.)

Leni, I live in exactly the same denial :)

Pink wrote: "Leni, I live in exactly the same denial :)"

Denial is a great thing in my world - it allows me the freedom to not get boxed in and limited by my own (or someone else's) narrow, restricting beliefs. I'm a "the sky's the limit" kind of gal and then work on busting through that as well!!! ;-)

I love that bat cat! I'm the same way :)

Bat-Cat wrote: "Pink wrote: "Leni, I live in exactly the same denial :)"

Denial is a great thing in my world - it allows me the freedom to not get boxed in and limited by my own (or someone else's) narrow, restri..."

I love that too Bat Cat and I think you and other's are already rubbing off on me in that regard. The Wanderer: or, Female Difficulties sounds right up my alley. I'm going to try and fit it in too. It seems clear that I'm going to have to become one of those reading 3 or 4 books at once people to have any hope of keeping up with all I want to read with this group.

Sue wrote: "Bat-Cat wrote: "Pink wrote: "Leni, I live in exactly the same denial :)"

Denial is a great thing in my world - it allows me the freedom to not get boxed in and limited by my own (or someone else's..."

Sue, I have found that it is my only hope in trying to even stay close with these read-aholics around here. ;-) I mean that with the utmost respect, awe and envy. :)

I might have asked but it got lost in the thread- is anyone interested in reading Lonesome Dove next month?

Bat-Cat wrote: "Pink wrote: "Leni, I live in exactly the same denial :)"

Denial is a great thing in my world - it allows me the freedom to not get boxed in and limited by my own (or someone else's) narrow, restri..."

Oh, this is just what I needed to hear! And I bet you bust through that often, Bat-Cat. You're an inspiration, and I am going to apply this to my reading as well as a bunch of other stuff that's been piling up on me.

Hope all of you join us. We can do it!

Wow, thanks everyone for your kind words. I had no idea that my sometimes off-hand remarks could be so motivational. Indeed, it gives me great joy if even the slightest thing I do, say or, now a days, type has the potential for aiding and uplifting a fellow traveler on this beautiful planet of ours. We are all in this together and the more love, gratitude and positive energy we can share with one another the more magnificent our experience of life will be.

Kathleen, I am so pleased that I was able to provide you with what you needed to hear - it is quite beautiful when we notice these synchronicities that are happening all around us all of our lives. You and several others in this group have served as that catalyst for me at times when I seemingly most needed it and I am most grateful to all of you for that. This group is awesome and its function, at least for me, goes way beyond that of the description of a what a "book group" is. My thanks as always go out to all those who make this group the wonderful experience that it is.

Life has an amazing way of providing us with everything we need in every moment and, if we pause for just a second to notice, we are able to briefly witness the perfection of it all. To experience this perfection and interconnectedness of all things is way beyond the mind's ability to comprehend but our hearts are capable of feeling it and we feel it as love. And, like the Grinch in the famous child's book, our hearts fill to bursting with this love and grow 3 (or more) times their normal size until there is nothing left for us to do but to share it. In reality, there are no limits and "bursting through"becomes yet another illusory mental obstacle to successfully navigate past in our ever expanding exploration of what it means to be a human being on this planet in the midst of a galaxy floating in the middle of nowhere.

Brina wrote: "I might have asked but it got lost in the thread- is anyone interested in reading Lonesome Dove next month?"

Lonesome Dove has been on my list forever. I would be ready to start mid august?

I want to join in "The Wanderer". I have penciled it in for September/October. Too many books on the schedule has become a common ailment for me.

Sara wrote: "Too many books on the schedule has become a common ailment for me."

Welcome to the club. :D

Ooh, and then they were five. Maybe. We might some good discussions out of the book. :D

Holly- sounds good. I'm waiting for book from the library then I can start then too.

Kim and Sarah Anne, are you still interested in reading The Beach this month?

I am. It's an end of the month read and only if I get to it. I'm pretty sure I will. If you guys don't feel like it that's fine too.

Sarah Anne wrote: "I am. It's an end of the month read and only if I get to it. I'm pretty sure I will. If you guys don't feel like it that's fine too."

That's fine, I just thought I'd check as its scheduled for August, but there isn't a discussion thread for it yet. If Kim still plans to get to it this month we can leave it pencilled in for late August. Or let me know if you want to shift it on to September. I really don't think I'll have time to join in this month, although next month is already looking Just as busy! I definitely need to cut down my reading goals!

My September is pretty packed since I want to read most of what won the polls. But if I make it my last August read then you read it in Sept that should work.

Definitely still interested, and I have a hold on it at the library, but I'm finding out that it takes awhile for them to get books in sometimes!

Yeah I love my library, the only thing is you can never tell how quickly reserved books will arrive. Sometimes they come before I'm ready and sometimes I'm waiting weeks and weeks, still I shouldn't complain, at least I have free access to most of the books I want to read. I'll see if I have time at the end of this month, but don't hold me to it!

Maybe we should figure out where we're all at when Kim gets her book?

Sounds good to me, let me know when you're both ready to start :)

If Don Quixote doesn't win revisit the shelf, marking down for December.

Brina you have great ideas!

Lena, not my idea to read but my idea to suggest buddy reads. I really don't have time in my schedule until December. Feel free to join in.

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I won't be participating in The Lord of the Rings or The Beach after all. I apologize, it was completely unforeseen!

Sarah Anne wrote: "I won't be participating in The Lord of the Rings or The Beach after all. I apologize, it was completely unforeseen!"

No problem, thanks for letting us know :)

Kim, I don't know if you're still waiting for a library copy, but I don't think I'm going to have time for The Beach either. Sorry, so many books and too little time to read them....our eternal problem.

Pink wrote: "Sarah Anne wrote: "I won't be participating in The Lord of the Rings or The Beach after all. I apologize, it was completely unforeseen!"

No problem, thanks for letting us know :)

Kim, I don't kn..."

Oh, I feel less badly now - I did end up getting the book, finally, but I've not been getting much reading done lately, have other things going on and whenever I get spare time, I just haven't been feeling like reading at all. Doesn't help that some of what's on my current reading and upcoming list are dystopian in nature, and I'm really needing more light-hearted, fun things right now!

I have the book anyway, and my library's great about giving us a lot of renewals, so if you guys want to tackle it next month or in October or something, that might work for me.

Oh, just thought I'd add that since my reading is getting a bit thrown off here, I'm actually kind of hoping that LOTR wins the 4th quarter read, in which case I assume it won't be held as a buddy read in Sept-Oct. Reading it a bit later in the year might work better for me now.

Kim, I think we all do the same thing, getting excited about group reads or buddy reads, though we don't always have the time. I've read hardly anything this month as I've been watching the Olympics, but I still have some group reads and planned challenge books to finish.

Oh and yes if LOTR wins the 4th quarterly read they'll be no need for the buddy read from Sep-Oct, as it will only be one month difference. We'll know by the 1st September either way :)

Sarah Anne and Kim, I Know what you both mean. I wanted to read three lengthy books to finish August but I am running out of time so I had to eliminate Lonesome Dove and decided to read it when I have more time. Back to school is not the time for me to be reading an 850 page book and I decided on only shorter reads until the end of October when my busy season ends.

Pink wrote: "Oh and yes if LOTR wins the 4th quarterly read they'll be no need for the buddy read from Sep-Oct, as it will only be one month difference. We'll know by the 1st September either way :) "

*fingers crossed* :)

Brina, my reading challenge total is pretty modest, but I'm starting to feel like I won't meet it. I guess we'll see...

Kim, I just want to read everything. My mantra is quickly becoming too many books, too little time. I'm prioritizing that I'd like to read Doctor Zhivago and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn before the end of the year.

Pink wrote: "Sarah Anne wrote: "I won't be participating in The Lord of the Rings or The Beach after all. I apologize, it was completely unforeseen!"

No problem, thanks for letting us know :)

Kim, I don't know if you're still waiting for a library copy, but I don't think I'm going to have time for The Beach either. Sorry, so many books and too little time to read them....our eternal problem."

I got over 100 pages into The Beach and started a discussion thread before seeing this thread. Looks like I'm all alone. Too bad, it's a great book so far. :(

Sorry, Nathan. I didn't realize you were reading it or I would have let you know.

Sarah Anne wrote: "Sorry, Nathan. I didn't realize you were reading it or I would have let you know."

It's okay. I'm too hooked by the story to stop though. If you, Kim, Pink or anyone else plan to read it anytime soon, I'll leave the thread up and comment on it. If not, I'll delete the thread, just let me know.

I can't, unfortunately.

Sorry Nathan, I'm not going to get to it any time soon either :(

Nathan wrote: "It's okay. I'm too hooked by the story to stop though. If you, Kim, Pink or anyone else plan t..."

Aw, sorry about that, Nathan! :( I do have the book from the library, so I plan to get to it eventually, maybe next month. I think you should leave the thread up either way, and I'll add to it when I get to reading the book. :)

Want a buddy read on east of eden if it is possible,am new here and dont know how to do it....want to discuss and read...if possible let me know

Pink, I'd still like to read Doctor Zhivago in November and also A Tree Grows in Brooklyn in December if it doesn't win in the polls before then.

So, I nominated The Monk as October Old School read, but it got just a dozen votes. I'm really interested in reading this, especially in English, so any native speaker willing to join me will be very welcome!

Brina wrote: "Pink, I'd still like to read Doctor Zhivago in November and also A Tree Grows in Brooklyn in December if it doesn't win in the polls before then."

Doctor Zhivago is still on the buddy read schedule for Nov/Dec. I can add A tree grows in Brooklyn to the list now if you like, or we can wait and see if it wins either of the next two rounds of nominations. It's in 4th place for October, but without Frankenstein out of the running it would be very close, so it might win another time.

Tintinnabula wrote: "So, I nominated The Monk as October Old School read, but it got just a dozen votes. I'm really interested in reading this, especially in English, so any native speaker willing to join ..."

I do want to read this, but realistically I might not have time so I don't want to commit to a buddy read and then have to pull out (which I've been doing lately). Someone else might like to join you, or you can suggest it for November group reads, as nominations will open in a few days time.

Hmm. If I nominate Brooklyn for November and it wins, then I will have two long books to read the same month. I guess I could nominate it for December and see what happens first.

Completely up to you! I'll wait and see what you decide :)

I guess you can put Brooklyn on the schedule for December and if it wins you can always take it off. Seems like the perfect soothing book for late in the year.