Hi All-

I set up a folder here in the Books on the Nightstand Goodreads Discussion Forums as a place to create and view all of our discussions about the books we're reading for this challenge.

I think it would be great if we started a new topic within this folder for each book that's being read. I've started a topic for Moby Dick, so anyone else who is reading that can comment. If you come here and there's no topic for the book you're reading, start one! In the interests of consistency, let's just use the tile of the book as the title of the topic.

and.... discuss!

I have a group called The Proust Project for those of us attempting to read all of "In Search of Lost Time" -- about to start volume 3!

Here's the link to Suzanne's group!

http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1699...

and if anyone wants me to join or lead a group on any of the books in Beowulf on the Beach (or any other, just ask), i'm happy to. just let me know.

-- jack

Jack wrote: "and if anyone wants me to join or lead a group on any of the books in Beowulf on the Beach (or any other, just ask), i'm happy to. just let me know.

-- jack"
Jack, we are loving your referral of Marcel as the foremost wuss in literature.

well, i'm just glad you guys are persevering past Swann's Way, as i think the whole things gets considerably better. more power to you!

HI, is anyone else reading or have read Middlemarch? I just finished it and would love to hear someone else's thoughts on it. I put up my review on my blog at http://byhookbook.blogspot.com. Be warned though, it's not so much a reveiw as it is my thoughts and feelings on what I read. I'm moving on next to To the Lighthouse.

I'm currently attempting to finish The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. Anyone interesting in discussing?

I just finished To The Lighthouse and was blown away. It's the third Woolf novel that I've read, and the most rewarding. But Jack--I respectfully disagree with your recommendation to skip the middle section. I thought that was one of the most haunting in the book. But, you know, that's just me. :-)

I completed the BOTB Challenge! I read four books: JANE EYRE (by Charlotte Bronte), MADAME BOVARY (by Gustave Flaubert), PERE GORIOT (by Honore de Balzac) and, GREAT EXPECTATIONS (by Charles Dickens.)

My favorite was PERE GORIOT (translated by Ellen Marriage.) I was fascinated by Balzac's insights into the human heart. I'm definitely going to go on to read LOST ILLUSIONS.

The title I liked the least was MADAME BOVARY (translated by Eleanor Marx Aveling.) I may try to re-read it some time, but a different translation.

The biggest disappointment was GREAT EXPECTATIONS. Perhaps my own expectations were too great! I just didn't love it the way I had anticipated I might have after having read not only Jack Murnigham's commentary, but several reviews.

I also "applied" BOTB to WUTHERING HEIGHTS (by Emily Bronte), a book I finished right before the Challenge had begun. I also continue to look up commentaries on possible future reads. BEOWULF ON THE BEACH shaped my summer reading nicely. My only regret is that I didn't initiate or participate in any discussions on the books I did read.

Way to go Tanya!

Wow, Tanya, congratulations!

Fantastic work Tanya!!

Tanya wrote: I completed the BOTB Challenge! I read four books: JANE EYRE (by Charlotte Bronte), MADAME BOVARY (by Gustave Flaubert), PERE GORIOT (by Honore de Balzac) and, GREAT EXPECTATIONS (by Charles Dickens.)

Holy cow! That is impressive.

that is impressive!!

Awesome, Tanya.
Being a late comer to the podcast, this group, etc.…
My library book discussion has been reading a classic each August. Two years ago we read Anna Karenina, last year it was The Count of Monte Cristo (which most of us read the unabridged version) and this year we read The Grapes of Wrath.
I just finished the book last night and I gave it five stars which I don't do lightly. I should not have been surprised how good the book was since I have never been disappointed by Steinbeck. Grapes seems timely with the country (the world) experiencing the economic and unemployment issues it is now.

I've been working my way through Clifton Fadiman's Lifetime Reading Plan for more than twenty years. I think I'm around halfway through it.

http://www.interleaves.org/~rteeter/grtf...

I'm a fan of Henry Fielding...the bawdiness is amazing. I've continued to read sections of Tom Jones (after seeing the A&E production), but not really a seriously straight read through. Trying to read Joseph Andrews...

Closing in on the end of War and Peace.

I recently decided to read a classic along with a current piece of writing. So far I have really enjoyed Great Expectations and Silas Marner. I am currently reading Middlemarch.

Would love to connect with someone who has read Middlemarch!
Tressa

I read it 19 years ago, Tressa. I remember that I really enjoyed it, but unless something jogs my memory, that's all I can dredge up.

I also read Middlemarch years ago. I loved it, but will need to look at my copy to refresh my memory.

I read Middlemarch years ago. I loved it so much that I named my two cats George and Eliot. I am currently rereading it, and enjoying it even more than the first time. I am also reading four other books, so I am not anticipating finishing it anytime soon. The sentences in this book are so deliciously constructed that I am savoring every one.

Go, Eric, go!

And let us know what you think when you finish W&P!

I'm thinking of writing book reviews in the form of limericks.

Amy wrote: "I just finished To The Lighthouse and was blown away. It's the third Woolf novel that I've read, and the most rewarding. But Jack--I respectfully disagree with your recommendation to skip the middl..."

Jack, I'll second Amy's vote on that. See -- what to skip and what to read can be very subjective. but then you already knew that, of course. I've shelved your book as read, BTW but I'm only about halfway finished with it -- will read the appropriate sections when I approach the particular classics which I have yet to tackle.

Okay. Quick review of War and Peace:

There once was a Russian Count, Leo,
With a theory of history quite "neo".
He slandered Napoleon
He earned big samoleons
And his book slaughtered many a tree-oh.

Ha! Love it, Eric!

I started to read War and Peace through Daily Lit. This is a great way to sneak in some reading time while you are "working." :)

I love Daily Lit too and use it all the time! I finished BLEAK HOUSE a few weeks ago and am now on WUTHERING HEIGHTS. Both of those are re-reads, but I've read books for the first time there too, great site!

Eric wrote: "I've been working my way through Clifton Fadiman's Lifetime Reading Plan for more than twenty years. I think I'm around halfway through it.

http://www.interleaves.org/~rteeter/grtfad4.html"

I just followed this fantastic link...thanks Eric!

I love BOTB. I decided to join this challenge because I really want to read books this year that I feel I should have read before. Sooo I decided to read Les Miserables. After almost 100 pages I'm really enjoying it and decided to go bact to BOTB and read Jack Murnaghans view of the book. I was pretty shocked to find that I had hallucinated the fact that Les Mis was in there. I could have sworn I saw it there. So now whats a girl to do? I'm hooked on Les Mis and don't want to stop reading it. I guess I'll delay my participation til I finish Les Mis but that could take a while.

Amanda wrote: "I love BOTB. I decided to join this challenge because I really want to read books this year that I feel I should have read before. Sooo I decided to read Les Miserables. After almost 100 pages I'm ..."

I vote for giving you extra credit, Amanda.

oki am lost what the challenge what are we doing thank

Melodie wrote: "oki am lost what the challenge what are we doing thank"

Don't sweat it Melodie! This is actually a challenge from the summer of 2009!