Chicks On Lit discussion

If anyone would like to join us, please do. I will set up pages/chapters. Does starting Wednesday 8/4 sound ok or is that too soon?

Ooh that's too soon for me I think, but I could catch up to you guys if you want to go ahead.

You did it M!!!

Ok I can wait that is for sure! I am turning into a real computer guru!

Thanks, L!

Glad to be of help!

I just ordered it from paperbackswap, so I wont have it that soon. If need be, I can see if the library has it in the meantime...

Don't rush Vicki, We can surely start later in the month whenever everyone is ready. I do have plenty to read in the meantime. Let me know when you are ready.

Thanks, but it could take 2 weeks. If you do want to get started earlier, my library does have it.

Ok I am definitely starting on August 15th. Those of us who can can start them and anyone else can chime in whenever they want. Would say 40-60 pages a day be too much for everyone? Let me know.

I will be joining. I am just finishing up Jane Eyre and have selected this book to read for my summer reads so I am excited and anxious to have it being read. Thanks Marialyce.

August 15th is a good time. I would say 40 to 60 pages is reasonable.

I am so looking forward to our sharing this novel, Rebecca and Vicki, and Laura. It is so great to read with someone else. Thanks for wanting to read with me! :)

I just started Madding, so not sure if I can get to it that soon, but I'll try Marialyce!

I would like to join too. I've had this on my book shelf for about a year. I loved The Woman in White.

Absolutely, MG. We would love to have you with us. :)

"The Moonstone (1868) by Wilkie Collins is a 19th-century British epistolary novel, generally considered the first detective novel in the English language.
The Moonstone was originally serialized in Charles Dickens' magazine All the Year Round. The Moonstone and The Woman in White are considered Wilkie Collins' best novels. Besides creating many of the characteristics of detective novels, The Moonstone also represented Collins' social opinions by his treatment of the Indians and the servants in the novel."

Hope everyone is ready to start on Sunday. Sixty pages a day with a chat about them after. Hope that is agreeable to all. I can't wait to read it!

I got my copy today so I will be ready to go!

I am anxious to get started! :)

Vicki and Rebecca mentioned this read in our recent discussion of Jane Eyre and I would love to join in! I am going to go to my local bookstore tonight and buy a copy, I am sure I saw some as I was browsing the other day :)
This will be my first Wilkie Collins read! Thanks for setting it up Marialyce!

So happy to hear that you are joining us Amanda!

You will looooove Collins, he's awesome! Marialyce if I can finish Madding by 8/15, I'll be in too!

Great! I love reading the classics with other people. Its interesting seeing everyone's opinions not to mention it keeps you motivated to read!

Perfect Laura!

Just picked up the book on my lunch hour :)

In case you want to know the characters here they are:
Rachel Verinder – heiress and inheritor of the large Indian diamond known as "The Moonstone"
Franklin Blake – Rachel Verinder's cousin and suitor
Godfrey Ablewhite – philanthropist, also Rachel Verinder's cousin and hopeful suitor
Gabriel Betteredge – the head servant, first narrator
Rosanna Spearman – second housemaid,
Drusilla Clack – cousin to Rachel Verinder, second narrator
Mr. Bruff – family solicitor, third narrator
Lady Verinder - Rachel's mother
Sergeant Cuff – famous detective with a penchant for roses
Dr. Candy – the family physician
Ezra Jennings – Dr. Candy's unpopular and odd looking assistant
Octavius Guy (aka 'Gooseberry') - a street boy
The three Indians – Hindu Brahmins

Yeah this is going to be fun. Amanda glad your joining and I agree about the motivation factor. Laura I hope you can join us too. I am still reading FFTMC too but I am struggling with it. Not an easy one for me.

I know Rebecca, The book's story is good, but sometimes there is too much analysis going on. I often wonder if an author intended so many discussions and analysis of his/her writing and was simply just writing a story that they felt might interest the people who might read it.

..and I am so looking forward to sharing The Moonstone with everyone!

What is FFTMC?

It looks like we have a good group for this read. I am excited, but I have two books I am working on to keep me busy in the meantime.

Thanks for the character list Marialyce!

Elizabeth, I am reading Far From The Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy.

I would love to join this group read. I found a used copy of The Moonstone the other day. I haven't read any of Wilkie Collins writings, but I've heard many good things and am excited.

Great Melissa! We are so happy to have you join us! :)

I found some interesting things about our author. Seems like he was quite the modern man. His parents were both artists and he had a brother. The boys attended private school and traveled and lived for a time in many countries in Europe.

Here's the juicy part. Collins lived with two women (Martha Rudd and Caroline Graves) almost simultaneously and this was Victorian England no less! He had three children with the second of his live ins. He never married either one.

He was a friend of Charles Dickens and his writings were published in Dickens's magazine. Some think the friendship soured when The Moonstone outsold Dickens's Great Expectations. Others believe Dickens just grew to be intolerant of his friend's lifestyle. Collins was also addicted to laudanum.

All in all, a very interesting character himself. He is buried next to
Caroline Graves, the mother of his children.

Thanks for the info Marialyce! Its also great to know a little bit about the author :)

Very interesting, thx M!

Since the Moonstone is a yellow diamond it might be interesting to see a famous yellow Diamond

The largest known diamond on earth is a yellow diamond weighing in at a huge 616 carats. The Kimberley Octahedron is an uncut diamond that was discovered in South Africa in the Dutoitspan mine about 1972. It was the property of Diamond Trading Company (De Beers) in 2001. The diamond is today exhibited in the "Diamond Vault" of the visitors center of the "Kimberley Big Hole".

The Kimberley Octahedral diamond is the largest naturally formed octahedral diamond crystal in the world, and it was the seventh largest gem-quality rough diamond ever discovered in the world in 1964. Today it is the 14th largest gem-quality rough diamond ever discovered in the world.


Although there are other larger famous yellow diamonds to talk about, one of the most famous yellow diamonds is the Tiffany Yellow diamond. This cushion shaped diamond weighs a massive 128 carats. It was made famous by the legendary film Breakfast at Tiffany's which starred Audrey Hepburn. Tiffany & Co is a famous diamond jewellers located in New York City.
http://www.yellowdiamonds.co.uk/image...
This photo shows the stone set in the "Bird on the Rock" brooch, which was designed by the famous Tiffany jeweler Jean Schlumberger. The piece is the Tiffany Yellow's most well-known setting, and is the setting it remains in to this day. It was originally bought in 1879 for $18,000.

You can get a 2.74 yellow diamond for approximately $76,000 on Amazon.
I think I know what I want for my anniversary! :0)