Reading 1001 discussion

The results are in and we had close to 50 people voting this time around!! For a while it was a close race between One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Poisonwood Bible, and Passing until one book took a major lead. And the winners are...

Popular vote: Passing
Randomizer pick: Women in Love

Remember our first seasonal read will be Blonde

And the Annual read will be: Water Margin, Volume 1

Plus soon we'll be announcing some updates regarding upcoming challenges. So lots to look forward to in 2018!!

What will you be reading in January? What are your reading goals for the upcoming year?

I could read both BOTM as I have both. I hope to start and stick with Blonde, will see. Not sure that I am up to trying Water Margin. I don't own it.

Anyone have any information about buying Water Margin?

My goals for 2018 was to try not to spread myself so thin with all the challenges, etc but I can see that it is a lost cause and the new year isn't even here.

I read Passing earlier this year, so I will skip that. I will try Women In Love (I have always avoided Lawrence, I think I won't like his work)--I guess this is as good a time as ever to see. I am definitely up for Water Margin if I can get a copy. And Blonde too, I like Oates but know nothing about this book.

I’ve read both BOTMs. I’ll read Blonde, and try to do Water Margin. My track record with yearly reads hasn’t been good- maybe this year will be the exception.

I am going to try and read Passing. I am also going to read Blonde and moderate that book. I too get sucked into challenges so we shall see...

I got the $.69 Kindle deal on Passing, so I’ll read that. I also have Blonde and Water Margin, so I’ll read those, too.

I read both BOTMs last year, so I will pass on them. I also already read The Water Margin. I look forward to getting started on Blonde, though.

I’ve picked up Passing, so I’ll read that. And I have a French copy of The Water Margin. I’ll try to start with that too.

I will read Passing. I'm not sure about Women in Love. I was planning on reading the Rainbow first. Although I'm not sure if they need to be read in order?

I picked up both Passing and Quicksand on Kindle, so I plan to read Passing in January.

Since I found Water Margin on Hoopla, I'll give it a try as well and decide from there whether I need my own copy.

I am pleased that I followed the hint and bought Passing, so will read that and start on Blonde. I have wanted to Read Pages for a long time. I love Lawrence and have read Women in Love, so will give that a miss. I have two books to finish this month that I may not manage. I am too busy researching a European Tour next year!

Can anyone tell me more about Hoopla?

I have access to Blonde, Women in Love and Passing. I have yet to pull off two 1001 books in a month, much less seasonal and yearly reads too, so we shall see.

The page count on Hoopla and one Goodreads for The Water Margin are very different, I wonder if Hoopla’s is just the first part or abridged?

Maybe we should agree on a common translation version before we start so everyone participating is reading the same version.

Chinook wrote: "I have access to Blonde, Women in Love and Passing. I have yet to pull off two 1001 books in a month, much less seasonal and yearly reads too, so we shall see."

I think Passing is a shorter story, so maybe January will be our month!

Leni wrote: "I will read Passing. I'm not sure about Women in Love. I was planning on reading the Rainbow first. Although I'm not sure if they need to be read in order?"

Can anyone comment on this? I have never read D.H. Lawrence, so am inclined to read Women in Love, but the description says it is a sequel. Can it be read as a standalone book?

Kelly wrote: "Can anyone tell me more about Hoopla?"

I love Hoopla. Your library has to have a relationship with them, but if it does you can log in with your library card information and download up to 10 items a month (no waiting lists). They have books, audiobooks, movies, and music... but with limited variety. Right now I am alternating between reading Bleak House and listening to their free unabridged audiobook version which is pretty good.

So selection is spotty, but what I’ve found, I’m very glad to have access to.

Another good app I’ve heard about is a free app called Serial Reader ... it has a lot of older books that are free in public domain now and if you sign up, releases them to you serially, one section a day. It’s good for some, especially those that we know were originally released serially to began with.

Anita wrote: "Leni wrote: "I will read Passing. I'm not sure about Women in Love. I was planning on reading the Rainbow first. Although I'm not sure if they need to be read in order?"

Can anyone comment on this..."

I’ve never read Lawrence either, so I’ll be interested in the answer to that one too.

I’ve just started using Serial, so I started with a reread of Wuthering Heights. I’m really enjoying it.

I may try and read The Rainbow in he next month in preparation. We shall see.

I looked up Women in Love in the 1001 Book and no where does it reference it as a sequel to Rainbow. Usually 1001 does not do one book out of sequel unless they can be read as a stand alone.

It does say this; "one of the greatest English twentieth-century novels, was written in a mood of rage and despair against an increasingly decadent, mechanical civilization."

It was refused publication "for four years after it was completed. This was due to the candid appraisal of sexuality, the violence endemic to relationships, the instability of identity (portrayed as prey to unconscious drives and motives), and the seeming cynicism of several of the characters."

Should make for a good discussion.

After searching around a bit I've found that Women in Love is a sequel to the Rainbow but that they can be read separately. Both books follow the same two sisters, but the plots are not connected. I still have to wonder if it won't impact my reading of The Rainbow to know what happens in Women in Love. Maybe I can manage both if I start the Rainbow in December... My experience with Lawrence has been varied. I thought "Sons and Lovers" was great, hated "The Fox", and go back and forth a bit on Lady Chatterly.

I read Women in Love recently and did not know it was a sequel. It read as a stand alone book.

Melissa wrote: "Another good app I’ve heard about is a free app called Serial Reader ... it has a lot of older books that are free in public domain now and if you sign up, releases them to you serially, one sectio..."

I use Serial Reader. It has given me access to some great books.

Kelly wrote: "Can anyone tell me more about Hoopla?"

Hoopla is available through some libraries, so I thought I would mention it. The cool thing is that if you have access, there are no holds. If the title is there, it is always available.

Daisey wrote: "Kelly wrote: "Can anyone tell me more about Hoopla?"

Hoopla is available through some libraries, so I thought I would mention it. The cool thing is that if you have access, there are no holds. If ..." Hoopla must be a more expensive program than overdrive. My library only has Overdrive. Too bad.

Thanks so much to those who helped clarify the whole sequel situation . . .very helpful!!

My library only has Overdrive too. Darn it.

Kristel wrote: "I could read both BOTM as I have both. I hope to start and stick with Blonde, will see. Not sure that I am up to trying Water Margin. I don't own it.

Anyone have any information about buying Wate..."

There appear to be four translations available in English:

Pearl S. Buck translated one of the abbreviated versions of 70 chapters - it is about 700 pages. It is also titled All Men are Brothers.

J.H. Jackson has a translation that weighs in at about 800 pages. The Water Margin: Outlaws of the Marsh.

Sydney Shapiro's translation of 120 chapters comes in at about 2100 pages (in four volumes) and thus would fit with the length information we have. It is also highly thought of and considered one of the best. Outlaws of the Marsh.

Finally, there is a recent translation by Alex and John Dent-Young, The Broken Seals: Part One of the Marshes of Mount Liang is the first volume and comes in at 450 pages, so likely 2000 - 2500 for the set.

I plan to read the Shapiro translation, just because I haven't found much critical info on Dent-Young, though both of those would seem to qualify for an Annual Read. The Buck translation is broadly criticized, but also seems too short to qualify as an annual read. Same with Jackson (short, not criticized).

John wrote: "Kristel wrote: "I could read both BOTM as I have both. I hope to start and stick with Blonde, will see. Not sure that I am up to trying Water Margin. I don't own it.

Anyone have any information a..."
Thanks, John, That is helpful. Would you be interested in hosting the annual read?

Thanks for the specific information about the editions. The one available through my library is the Jackson, so I think I will give it a bit of try and then decide if I want to actually buy the Shapiro translation.

I have the J.H. Jackson translation. How does it work if we are reading different translations?

Sue wrote: "I have the J.H. Jackson translation. How does it work if we are reading different translations?"

You are free to read any translation that you want or have access too, some like to try to get the translation with the best reputation. I’ve often read the lesser translation and it goes okay.

AmaOn doesn’t make it easy to see what translations are available on kindle. From what I can see, it’s easy to get Johnson but Shapiro is maybe only on kindle for volume 1. Can anyone find Shapiro as an ebook with all volumes?

I will read Passing and try for Women in Love. I also am reading Blonde.

Kristel wrote: "John wrote: "Kristel wrote: "I could read both BOTM as I have both. I hope to start and stick with Blonde, will see. Not sure that I am up to trying Water Margin. I don't own it.

Anyone have any ..."

I'll pass.

I am planning to read Passing and Women In love.
I also want to try to read Water Margin.

I think I am going to pass on Blonde

I plan to read from my bookshelves this year
or to do only kindle downloadable

I couldn't find any of the other quarterly book lists.
Is there is one, please let me know the discussion
title.

MaryAnn (EmilyD1037) wrote: "I am planning to read Passing and Women In love.
I also want to try to read Water Margin.

I think I am going to pass on Blonde

I plan to read from my bookshelves this year
or to do only kindle do..." Yes, here is a thread, https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Dree wrote: "I read Passing earlier this year, so I will skip that. I will try Women In Love (I have always avoided Lawrence, I think I won't like his work)--I guess this is as good a time as ever to see. I am ..."

Would you like to moderate/lead discussion for Passing? No pressure, just asking b/c you've already read it.

I would have to read it again to ask effective questions. I think I read it last winter? And, truly, I am very bad at literary analysis type stuff. As is probably very obvious when I answer questions!