Reading the Classics discussion

Faulkner, sounds good. Perhaps I should give that a try. I just finished The Foutainhead by Ayn Rand. The size was intimidating, as novels from Russian writers can be. But since she wrote the whole thing in English (a second language for her), I found the story especially delightful all the way through. I have gained a new character in literature that I can list with other favorites of mine.

New here and about to finish my first classic Northanger Abbey, so glad to see the current reading involves more of Jane Austen!

Kathy,read The Monk...Starts slow but really picks up steam.Around a third of the way in.Has everything, all the crimes that can be committed!By a man.And women too.Gave it four stars.The Gothic Book....

Henry wrote: "Kathy,read The Monk...Starts slow but really picks up steam.Around a third of the way in.Has everything, all the crimes that can be committed!By a man.And women too.Gave it four stars.The Gothic Bo..."

Henry, I am starting The Monk today. I am vacationing in Myrtle Beach this week and it has rained every day! Thank goodness for the kindle. I am catching up on a lot of reading.

GreenEyedGirl wrote: "New here and about to finish my first classic Northanger Abbey, so glad to see the current reading involves more of Jane Austen!"

So happy to hear from another Jane Austen fan. Haven't read Northanger Abbeyyet, but from the sounds of it I won't be disappointed.

Jennifer wrote: "So happy to hear from another Jane Austen fan..."

Me too! I have to admit that I became an Austen fan by watching almost every film adaptation of her novels, and was planning on reading P&P first, but when I saw the 2007 adaptation of NA, I completely fell for the story and upgraded the book in my TR list, now having almost finish the book, I can say that the film does great justice to it. Looking forward to know what you think of it :)

GreenEyedGirl wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "So happy to hear from another Jane Austen fan..."

Me too! I have to admit that I became an Austen fan by watching almost every film adaptation of her novels, and was planning on ..."

Good a positive review. Not sure whether to read Persuasion or Northanger Abbey first.

I have just finished reading The Silver Linings Playbook and started reading A Farewell to Arms.

Jennifer wrote: "Not sure whether to read Persuasion or Northanger Abbey first..."
Finished NA, loved it, definitely one of my favorite reads. As I've learned, if you are looking for something less, let's say "complex", I don't know how to put it because it is a great novel, Northanger Abbey is the book.

Starting Jane Eyre...

GreenEyedGirl wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Not sure whether to read Persuasion or Northanger Abbey first..."
Finished NA, loved it, definitely one of my favorite reads. As I've learned, if you are looking for something les..."

Then NA is the next Austen for sure. I am currently reading A Farewell to Arms so Northanger Abbeysounds like it will be a good change of pace.

I am reading North and South. It is interesting so far although I am only on chapter 7.

Kathy,tell me how you like the Monk.

Thérèse Desqueyroux.

Katarina wrote: "I am halfway through Vanity Fair (W.M.Thackeray) and now I made a small break by starting Silas Marner (G.Eliot)."

Is this your first read of Silas Marner? Do let us know your thoughts. The first time I read it, in high school, I hated it. When I came back to it 20 years or so later, I absolutely loved it. I'm always curious about how other people take it.

I read Silas Marner in middle school and really liked it, but I don't remember much of it now.

You're doing

I meant to say, you're doing great Katarina!

I was reading a A Farewell to Arms and was planning on following it up with Northanger Abbey. However, I happened upon my copy of Persuasionand planned on reading just a few paragraphs, but I couldn't put it down. So still reading Hemingway and am trying to figure out what to read after that.

I seem to have unintentionally selected Edith Wharton for some of my summer reading. I've read most of her books years ago and have come back to them just recently. I've finished The Age of Innocence and The House of Mirth, and am now reading The Glimpses of the Moon. I'm also trying to get through James Joyce's Ulysses, but it's slow going (I'm only about halfway through).

Currently reading The Monk by Matthew Gregory Lewis.

Susan wrote: "I seem to have unintentionally selected Edith Wharton for some of my summer reading. I've read most of her books years ago and have come back to them just recently. I've finished The Age of Innocen..."

Oh Susan, you've reminded me that The House of Mirth is definitely next on my to-read list. Care to share some thoughts on it?

I finally got around to picking up my copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray and i am absolutely enthralled by it. The language, Lord Henry's cynicis (albeit at times a tad too much), and the prose is just simply amazing.

I'm also prodding my way through Anna Karenina which i too am also loving- just not to the extent of Wilde's work. But i guess that's due to the fact that its a translated piece and therefore the meaning is at times not portrayed to the full extent.

I recently posted a review of The House of Mirth on Goodreads. I think this is far and away one of her best. I cried near the end as I saw what was happening to Lily, and her inevitable end. In this novel there is far less intellectualizing and commenting on social norms that are defeating Lily, and despite her failings, she is much more attractive than some of Wharton's other characters. I felt I understood Lily's conflict and I think it's hard for us today to understand the constrictions she had to live with. It's a wonder anyone ever learned to think independently in that world.

Saima wrote: "I just started reading Wuthering heights by Emily Bronte."

This was a good one, how are you liking it?

I am reading 1984 by George Orwell. I am very engrossed in it. I loved Animal Farm so I have high hopes for this book and so far I have not been disappointed

Now I am going to begin Mansfield park I hope I'll enjoy it as I did pride and prejudice though I doubt I'll enjoy any other Austen's as I enjoyed pride and prejudice

currently reading A Midsummer Night's Dream: Texts and Contexts.

Currently I am reading a Golden Age mystery by Edmund Crispin, Buried for Pleasure, and a short story collection by Isak Dinesen, Winter's Tales, and listening to the audiobook of The Call of the Wild.

I'm half way through The War of the Worlds. I've just read Day of the Triffids, which was amazing. Clearly I'm going through a sci-fi invasion phase...

I'm in the midst of Emma. I love Jane Austen but this one is not one of hers that I fell in love with. But it has some good messages for our times.

I'm reading 'Cranford' by Elizabeth Gaskell, the copy of which I had lost for a few weeks, but found again and re-started on the whole story, glad to reclaim and resume. I am looking forward to finishing the story so that I can give it a good review.

I'm currently reading The Scarlet Pimpernel. Considering restarting Heart of Darkness.

kellyjane1212 wrote: "I'm reading 'Cranford' by Elizabeth Gaskell, the copy of which I had lost for a few weeks, but found again and re-started on the whole story, glad to reclaim and resume. I am looking forward to fi..."

I listened to that as an audiobook a few months ago. Very enjoyable :)

I am currently re-reading Sense and Sensibility :) a favorite of mine

Leslie wrote: "I listened to that as an audiobook a few months ago. Very enjoyable :)"

I've never in my life listened to an audiobook, and feel like I'm missing out. It seems like it could be a nice way to experience a story ...

I am experiencing a little bit of literary ADD. Just started reading Madame Bovary. It's been on my shelf forever. Provincial life in France during the mid-nineteenth century seems pretty bleak thus far.

Jennifer wrote: "I am experiencing a little bit of literary ADD. Just started reading Madame Bovary. It's been on my shelf forever. Provincial life in France during the mid-nineteenth century seems pretty bleak thu..."

If you end up liking it, I recommend Thérèse Desqueyroux by François Mauriac.

I just read The Train Was on Time and now I'm moving on to The Ship of Widows, both classics in English translation.

Thanks Lobstergirl. I have added it to my TBR list.

Jennifer wrote: "Thanks Lobstergirl. I have added it to my TBR list."

Cool. Just FYI, there's the novella Therese Desqueyroux, but then Mauriac kept writing over the next ten years, and basically wrote two interim short chapters and then another novella-length finale, all of them covering Therese's life. I didn't know this and was confused because all these versions were combined on Goodreads (until I separated them). The one I owned and read was the full length novel (it's just called Therese). But the initial novella in my opinion is (literarily) the strongest.

Lobstergirl wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Thanks Lobstergirl. I have added it to my TBR list."

Cool. Just FYI, there's the novella Therese Desqueyroux, but then Mauriac kept writing over the next ten years, and basical..."

Thank you. That will save me some confusion when I look for it. My reading list is growing and every day I feel a little less well read even though I have read more books.

I'm 132 pages into Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë.

Just finished Silas Marner.

Masha, how are you enjoying Wuthering Heights? I read it for the first time last month and had a very love/ hate time with it.

Currently reading The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes for a summer of Sherlock :)

Currently rereading Madame Bovary and loving it.

Reading the Annotated Emma, enjoying it as expected. Just finished A Fine Brush on Ivory: An Appreciation of Jane Austen, which is now my favorite book on Jane Austen (although I've appreciated all the rest). Just the right combination of sheer appreciation with thoughtful analysis for my tastes. :)

I see many people rereading books. Perhaps Goodreads should come up with a feature where you can not only set a date for a book you've read, but several dates for the several rereadings of the same book. If you now change the date of finishing a book, it looks like you've read it for the first time.

They have,Renate.The count,tells how many times, you read a book.People should use it.

Pink wrote: "Masha, how are you enjoying Wuthering Heights? I read it for the first time last month and had a very love/ hate time with it.

Currently reading The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes for a summer of She..."

I can't put this book down. It's so good! :-)

Henry wrote: "They have,Renate.The count,tells how many times, you read a book.People should use it."

O really?!? I can't believe I've never noticed that. Thanks!

currently reading Lord Jim.