Reading the 20th Century discussion

As The Magic Mountain is such a long book, I have made a reading schedule, as we did for the Virginia Woolf biography. I hope this will help organise our reading and encourage more people to join in.

Week 1: Oct 29th - 4th November
Part 1: Arrival (Number 34, In the Restaurant)

Week 2: Nov 5th - 11th
Part 2: Of the Christening Basin, and of Grandfather in his Two-Fold Guise (At Tienappels' and of Young Han's Moral State)

These are both short and so anyone joining late, can easily catch up and join mid-month, when most of our Buddy Reads open.

Week 3: Nov 12th - 18th
Part 3: Drawing the Veil (Breakfast, Banter, Viaticum, interrupted..., Satana, Mental Gymnastic, A word too much, Of course, a female!, Herr Albin, Santana makes proposals...

Week 4: Nov 19th - 25th
Part 4: Necessary Purchases (Excursus on the Sense of Time, He practices his French, Politically suspect, Hippe, Analysis, Doubts and Considerations, Table-talk, Mounting Misgivings..., The Thermometer)

Week 5: Nov 26th - 2nd December
Part 5: Soup-Everlasting (Sudden enlightenment, Freedom, Whims of Mercurius, Encyclopaedic, Humaniora, Research, The Dance of Death, Walpurgis-Night)

Week 6: Dec 3rd - 9th
Part 6: Changes (A New-Comer, Of the City of God...., Coler, and worse, An attack, and a repulse, Operationes Spirituales, Snow, A Soldier, and Brave

Week 7: Dec 10th - 16th
Part 7: By the Ocean of Time (Mynheer Peeperkorn, Vingt Et Un, Mynheer Peerkorn (cont.), Mynheer Peerkorn (conclusion), The Great God Dumps, Fullness of Harmony, Highly Questionable, Hysterica Passio, The Thunderbolt)

Here's to a winter in the Alps!

As The Magic Mountain is such a long book, I have made a reading schedule, as we did for the Virginia Woolf biography. I hope this will help organise our reading and encourage more people to join in.

Week 1: Oct 29th - 4th November
Part 1: Arrival (Number 34, In the Restaurant)

Week 2: Nov 5th - 11th
Part 2: Of the Christening Basin, and of Grandfather in his Two-Fold Guise (At Tienappels' and of Young Han's Moral State)

These are both short and so anyone joining late, can easily catch up and join mid-month, when most of our Buddy Reads open.

Week 3: Nov 12th - 18th
Part 3: Drawing the Veil (Breakfast, Banter, Viaticum, interrupted..., Satana, Mental Gymnastic, A word too much, Of course, a female!, Herr Albin, Santana makes proposals...

Week 4: Nov 19th - 25th
Part 4: Necessary Purchases (Excursus on the Sense of Time, He practices his French, Politically suspect, Hippe, Analysis, Doubts and Considerations, Table-talk, Mounting Misgivings..., The Thermometer)

Week 5: Nov 26th - 2nd December
Part 5: Soup-Everlasting (Sudden enlightenment, Freedom, Whims of Mercurius, Encyclopaedic, Humaniora, Research, The Dance of Death, Walpurgis-Night)

Week 6: Dec 3rd - 9th
Part 6: Changes (A New-Comer, Of the City of God...., Coler, and worse, An attack, and a repulse, Operationes Spirituales, Snow, A Soldier, and Brave

Week 7: Dec 10th - 16th
Part 7: By the Ocean of Time (Mynheer Peeperkorn, Vingt Et Un, Mynheer Peerkorn (cont.), Mynheer Peerkorn (conclusion), The Great God Dumps, Fullness of Harmony, Highly Questionable, Hysterica Passio, The Thunderbolt)

Here's to a winter in the Alps!

Just to let everyone know that our Buddy Read list has been updated for 2019.

Upcoming titles for next year include:

Mid-Jan - Invitation to the Waltz by Rosamond Lehmann (Buddy read)
Invitation to the Waltz

Mid-Jan - The Road Through The Wall by Shirley Jackson (Buddy read)
The Road Through the Wall

February 2019

Mid-Feb - Frost in May by Antonia White (Buddy read)
Frost in May

Stalingrad Stalingrad by Vasily Grossman is being published in English for the first time in June next year. It is the prequel to Life and Fate.

Stalingrad is the prequel to Life and Fate, one of the twentieth century’s greatest novels. This is its first publication in English.

In April 1942, Hitler and Mussolini plan the huge offensive on the Eastern Front that will culminate in the greatest battle in human history.

Hundreds of miles away, Pyotr Vavilov receives his call-up papers and spends a final night with his wife and children in the hut that is his home. As war approaches, the Shaposhnikov family gathers for a meal: despite her age, Alexandra will soon become a refugee; Tolya will enlist in the reserves; Vera, a nurse, will fall in love with a wounded pilot; and Viktor Shtrum will receive a letter from his doomed mother which will haunt him forever.

The war will consume the lives of a huge cast of characters – lives which express Grossman’s grand themes of the nation and the individual, nature’s beauty and war’s cruelty, love and separation.

For months, Soviet forces are driven back inexorably by the German advance eastward and eventually Stalingrad is all that remains between the invaders and victory. The city stands on a cliff-top by the Volga river. The battle for Stalingrad – a maelstrom of violence and firepower – will reduce it to ruins. But it will also be the cradle of a new sense of hope.

Stalingrad is a magnificent novel not only of war but of all human life: its subjects are mothers and daughters, husbands and brothers, generals, nurses, political officers, steelworkers, tractor girls. It is tender, epic, and a testament to the power of the human spirit.

It's pretty long at about 700 pages. Is anyone planning to read it? I would be happy to run it as a Buddy Read, in mid-June, much as The Magic Mountain, with a reading schedule, taking us through a few weeks.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...

Here's a link from Penguin.

I'm in!

I think the long read of The Magic Mountain is working well as it's such a dense book - the very opposite of a page-turner. But so good.

Hurrah! Good to hear, Roman Clodia :)

Upcoming Buddy Read titles for next year, now include:

Mid-Jan - Invitation to the Waltz by Rosamond Lehmann (Buddy read)
Invitation to the Waltz Invitation to the Waltz by Rosamond Lehmann

Mid-Jan - The Road Through The Wall by Shirley Jackson (Buddy read)
The Road Through the Wall The Road Through the Wall by Shirley Jackson

February 2019

Mid-Feb - Frost in May by Antonia White (Buddy read)
Frost in May Frost in May by Antonia White

Mid-June - Stalingrad by Vassily Grossman
(as a LONG read, I will do a reading schedule, as I did for The Magic Mountain and we will read this book over a number of weeks)

I hope you all enjoy it. I won't ever hop into a group/buddy read intended to span several weeks because I read one book at a time. Trying to slow down enough (even more than my slow reading already) for segmented reads just doesn't work for me.

Fair enough, Elizabeth. We have found a reading schedule works for longer books. I first tried it when I read Proust one year with a group; as it helped to have something to aim for when in a, seemingly interminable, dinner party! The Magic Mountain is such a long read, it would be hard if the group are reading different bits at different times. At least if we have one section a week, we are all, more or less, in synch :)

Yes, I have seen in other groups where it works. My current read is over 700 pages, and I'll be finished in about 10 days.

I've just started An Awfully Big Adventure by Beryl Bainbridge. I only managed about 20 pages before falling asleep last night. I found it a bit confusing but I suspect that was just my tired brain. I'm looking forward to reading and discussing it with you all.

The Beryl Bainbridge discussion of An Awfully Big Adventure is due to open any day now.

See you there.

Nigeyb wrote: "I've just started An Awfully Big Adventure by Beryl Bainbridge. I only managed about 20 pages before falling asleep last night. I found it a bit confusing but I suspect..."

I'm about half way through it and enjoying it a lot, but I would agree it's not one to start with a tired brain as there are a lot of confused snippets at the beginning that make more sense as the tale unfolds. So you don't want to miss those :)

Thanks Pamela. I might go back to the beginning as I can't remember much about what I've read - except, perhaps, Stella is a bit awkward?

Judy, Elizabeth and I have been talking about a buddy read of Lolly Willowes in April.

All are welcome to join in and will add the book to the reading list.

Not sure how they chose this NYRB cover.

I have the Virago cover, but I like this one:

I recently had a message asking about members starting buddy threads, and how to go about it. If anyone wants to suggest a buddy read, they can. It only takes 2 people to make a discussion, so feel free to suggest a read anywhere - on the favourite author threads, or in general discussion. One of us will set up a thread for the book and then it will remain locked until the time of the discussion, when a mod will open it for discussion. If a book is suggested by a member, who wants to run the discussion, you can feel free to do so.

We encourage members to organise their own discussions and suggest books. A group is only a group with members and, so, if you have a passion for a particular book/author, why not share it?

Susan wrote: "I have the Virago cover, but I like this one:

"

Lol - Susan, just glanced at this and thought you had written " I have the Viagra cover".

:) I am a nervous wreck at the moment, Ian. Man City have just equalised.... Come on, Liverpool! I really want them to win the title!

One of our members, FR, posted the following in the general discussion thread:

Hi everyone,
I don’t know if anyone is a TV series Game of Thrones fan? The series is ending for UK viewers on 20 May 2019. I've always wanted to read the books but wanted to wait until the tv series was over.

I know there are plenty of Goodread groups for ASOIAF, but there are so many members and posts etc. that I find it daunting.

I'm going to start reading book one in a few weeks, and I thought it would be nice to have some company to share thoughts and talk about it in a Buddy read thread.

I know they are big books so will take time to get through.

I’ve never read a George RR Martin book, and I'm not much of a fantasy reader so don’t know what I’ll make of them…. but if anyone is interested in starting the journey with me, let the thread know.

Thanks!

I will admit that I haven't seen the show, and rarely read fantasy, although I used to. Still, I am willing to give the first a try, as they are supposed to be very good and certainly have a loyal following.

Thanks Susan! 😃

Susan wrote: ":) I am a nervous wreck at the moment, Ian. Man City have just equalised.... Come on, Liverpool! I really want them to win the title!"

I've just got back from Brighton v Man City

Sorry Albion could not make your dreams come true

Never mind, Nigeyb. West Ham finished tenth, which was good and Brighton, hurrah, did not get relegated. Today has been emotionally draining for football fans, but I will hope that Liverpool win the UEFA Cup.

At least Brighton stay up Nigey, so not a complete disaster.

If you're talking about football disasters, I live in Ipswich, who were bottom of the Championship! But I'm not really a big football fan.

"Walk On - to all you footy fans" - thanking you all for your best wishes.

No problem about the football today (sob, sob, beer, beer) and congratulations to Manchester City - well deserved.
But remember ... We will return!

And now to Madrid....(anyone got a spare 2 grand? For the day trip-lol)

Seagulls, Hammers and Tractors - sure that would make a good book title.

Susan - thanks for your support.
Nigey and Val - congrats on staying up.
Judy - commiserations. Whatever you do though Judy, don't look at the top of the Championship table...will give you nightmares!

It's a shame that Liverpool were reliant on other teams to win. They lost a couple of games earlier in the season, which cost them dear. However, the fans can't really complain - beating Barcelona 4-0 at home is pretty impressive.

West Ham, as usual, meander around the middle of the league, but never mind. Incidentally, as a Beatles fan, there is, of course, always a link! Ringo's stepfather, Harry Graves, came from East London (he was born in Ilford) and supported West Ham.

Thanks all - staying up is an achievement for the Albion. It's a brutal league


#BHAFC #UTA

Ian wrote: ""And now to Madrid....(anyone got a spare 2 grand? For the day trip-lol) .."

I got an email from online retailer Zavvi claiming I'd won an all-expenses paid trip there ... but turned out they had sent it to everyone on their mailing list by mistake! Whoops. Admittedly, I hadn't actually entered, but still.

Judy wrote: "Ian wrote: ""And now to Madrid....(anyone got a spare 2 grand? For the day trip-lol) .."

I got an email from online retailer Zavvi claiming I'd won an all-expenses paid trip there ... but turned o..."

Lol - never mind Judy. " They giveth...and then they taketh away!"

Sounds a bit like buying a second hand car for £500 for a son/daughter who may have just passed their driving test and then having to pay approximately £2000 for the car insurance.

Ian wrote: "Judy wrote: "Sounds a bit like buying a second hand car for £500 for a son/daughter who may have just passed their driving test and then having to pay approximately £2000 for the car insurance. ......"

Ouch, no spare 2 grand for Madrid, then!

Unfortunately not, Judy...not yet anyway, but thought you moderators might have had a "whip-round" to send yours truly on his merry way...lol.

Looks like off down the pub to watch the Final then...never mind...have to live with it.

Our two May/June buddy reads are now open for discussion:

The Mitford Girls: The Biography of an Extraordinary Family aka The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family by Mary S. Lovell

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

and

We Were the Mulvaneys or the book of your choice by Joyce Carol Oates

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

According to this post, we have no buddy reads on the schedule for July. Is anyone hankering to read something in addition to/other than Nancy Mitford?

For those of us reading Stalingrad, which is over 900 pages, that will probably take 2 or 3 months to complete. However, if anyone has any suggestions of Buddy Reads, they are keen to read in July, please do suggest them. I don't feel I should add anything more, as I'll be leading Stalingrad, and so someone else should have a choice.

Some books I have penciled in for summer are:

Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission by Hampton Sides
They Hanged My Saintly Billy: The Life and Death of Dr. William Palmer by Robert Graves
The Soldier's Return by Melvyn Bragg
Lady Chatterly's Lover by D.H. Lawrence

I could fit in anything by either Graves or Bragg, as a matter of fact, but wouldn't be interested in Graves poetry. I think anything by D.H. Lawrence would fit anywhere, too.

I don't think the Nancy Mitford theme will stretch to more books, but perhaps something on Italy, the June theme, might. I will have a think, but in the meantime how about Pereira Maintains by Antonio Tabucchi, which was recommended by at least two group members?

Edit: We are already reading my nomination and the book I voted for in June, so I will not make a new suggestion but I will leave the one above in the mix.

I will finish Pereira Maintains this afternoon.

If anyone is interested in running a buddy read, just let us know and we will open a thread for July.

Just to let you know, Elizabeth, Ghost Soldiers is not on kindle in the UK. They Hanged my Saintly Billy is, but very expensive at £14+.
The Soldier's Return is available on kindle at a reasonable price. Obviously Lady Chatterly is available.

My local libraries have Pereira Maintains and it sounds good, so I would be up for joining in with that one if anyone wants to go ahead? It is also on Kindle and audible in the UK.

It can be good to know that the book goes by two different English titles, both Pereira Declares: A Testimony and Pereira Maintains. I do not undertand why since they are the same book-.

'Declares' is by a US publisher and 'Maintains' a UK one, it happens sometimes, even when not a translation.

Three books I am planning on reading very soon are:

1. Whisky Galore - Compton Mackenzie
2. Pied Piper - Nevil Shute
3. 11/22/63 - Stephen King

Judy wrote: "My local libraries have Pereira Maintains and it sounds good, so I would be up for joining in with that one if anyone wants to go ahead? It is also on Kindle and audible in the UK."

Chrissie liked this, I did not and gave it two stars.

Susan wrote: "Just to let you know, Elizabeth, Ghost Soldiers is not on kindle in the UK. They Hanged my Saintly Billy is, but very expensive at £14+.
The Soldier's Return is available on kindle at a reasonable..."

A 4-novel bundle by Robert Graves has been available here off and on at discount. I picked up Soldier's on discount also.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Judy wrote: "My local libraries have Pereira Maintains and it sounds good, so I would be up for joining in with that one if anyone wants to go ahead? It is also on Kindle and audible in the UK."

C..."

Sorry, I led you in the wrong direction here.

Chrissie wrote: "Sorry, I led you in the wrong direction here. "

Not a problem. I think we agree on lots and lots and it's natural that our likes might diverge on some books. What it did give me was a sense of Portugal pre-WWII. When I read The Two Hotel Francforts, people were escaping to Lisbon because Portugal was neutral. (And, please note, not everyone will appreciate David Leavitt as his novels include gay characters, sometimes with sex scenes.)