Ken’s Comments (group member since Jan 21, 2020)

Ken’s comments from the The Obscure Reading Group group.

Day 3 of Voting!

Last call. Midnight and the poll freezes. Right now there is a single leader by one vote, so most likely that will be the choice.

Tomorrow it will all dawn on me.

Day 2 of Voting!

Per usual, the quality of the list is confirmed by a wide spread in voting results. Right now, THREE books are within one vote of the lead and EIGHT books are within two votes of the lead, meaning that it's very much a horse race as remaining votes trickle in.

I say trickle because, typically, the bulk of votes arrive on Day One. Tomorrow morning I'll send out a last call for votes and on Thursday morning I will give everyone two reasons to celebrate:

1. We have a February book to find, read, and discuss.

2. The fateful year of 2020 has only hours of life-support remaining.

As a new Man of Letter (and "Kard"), I'm happy to provide details of my former ignorance. Those I'd not heard of:

Kenilworth
For the Term of His Natural Life
Gösta Berling's Saga
The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyõng
Ramona
Memoirs from Beyond the Grave

There are SIX titles unfamiliar to me. Here I thought I was a man of letters. Maybe I should revise it to "Man of Letter," but then I'd have to decide which one.

K, maybe.

Hi, Al. Welcome to the group.

As for the poll, you can mull it over for awhile before committing.

Although I'll vote, I'm happy to go along with whichever title wins.

The 12 books for February's selection are up as a poll now. Browse and vote!

Hey, all. I just sent out the nomination FAQs for our February book.

Remember, if you want to nominate a book, hit reply and MESSAGE ME so your nomination is private.

Ideally, the poll should be a list of nominations where no one knows who nominated what.

Glad you already have a book hiding behind Door #3, Kelly!

Yvonne: It would be a great problem to have, finding multiple possibilities and having to narrow it down to one. I'd make it one I haven't read yet.

Jan... I don't know. Talking to teachers in my old school, I realize just how much a tough job became that much tougher during a pandemic. Bless you all, is all I can say.

It helps to know that you don't have to look at the usual suspects of England and the once United States for classic literature. World Literature opens up all kinds of possibilities... especially when you wander from the fertile (and familiar) grounds of western Europe!

Some say 2020 will end in fire,
Some say in ice.


Both, probably, when you consider the irony of the vaccines being approved and out there just as the pandemic hits its terrible fall-winter stride. So close, yet for most of us who have to wait, so far -- that's the fire.

Ice is the climate the vaccines require to get there.

Sandra wrote: "I have had several ideas for our next book, but Kathleen seems to have read every one!"

Ah, well. There's no way any of us will find a classic that none of us has read. One that few of us have read will have to do.

Plus, if you're like me, many classics I've read were so long ago a rereading will not only be harmless, it'll be edifying. Then again, if it's one I've read or reread just a year ago, maybe not.

I have no ideas yet, but on the Second Day of Christmas, my true love and I will get to work.

Nothing like a 19th century (or 18th, 17th, 16th, etc.) to pull you out of a reading funk. I think someone famous said that.

Friday, Dec. 11th, only two weeks away from Christmas, and it's hard to believe a lot of things, chief of which is how strange this Christmas will be with so many of us (friends, family) sequestered from each other due to Covid numbers being at their all-time worst.

To perk matters up a bit, let's talk about the succor we call reading. We are also but two weeks and a day away from an all-group message from me requesting OBSCURE(-ish) titles for our February group read.

Remember that February is set aside for reading a classic, but you'll want to be thinking about a less-known or appreciated or read classic. Not one you've already read, but have been tempted to read. Not one many of us have already read (if you're GR friends, check our reading lists), but one many of us have NOT read.

Tall order? I consider it a fun order. Anyway, you'll hear from me the day after Christmas and, in a matter of days, we'll have a poll of possibilities up. My hope is we'll have a selection by New Year's Day so people can get it read for the Feb. 1st start.

One good thing? Classics are usually easy to find at your local library. Lonely, even. Looking for a temporary home and the warmth of two hands.

Until then, have yourself a merry little Christmas (or whatever winter date you mark for special celebration)....

Fergus wrote: "Hi again, folks! Yeah, this latest freeze-up was a total bummer and obviously a damper on all of our spirits. I’ll join my voice in loudly acclaiming Thomas Hardy’s genius too, though!"

At least you said WAS, Fergus, meaning your Ice Age has ended. Mine is still cutting out north-to-south glacial lakes in the landscape. Very pretty, but a little late.

Matthew wrote: "Ken wrote: "S'OK, Sandra. We'll catch you next time!

Not sure if I'm the only one here, but I'm missing reviews and comments from GR friends because my UPDATES FEED froze two days ago.

I contact..."


It's like elementary school, where you go through all your Valentines cards and realize SUZY didn't give you one! "Why is Suzy freezing me out?" you ask. "I gave HER one."

Well. Something like that, anyway.

S'OK, Sandra. We'll catch you next time!

Not sure if I'm the only one here, but I'm missing reviews and comments from GR friends because my UPDATES FEED froze two days ago.

I contacted the gurus at GR and they responded, to their credit, ipso fasto, but they said it's a bug they are working on that has frozen a bunch of posters' UPDATES FEED, though not all. Guess I'm one of the lucky ones. Again.

Paula wrote: "Hello! I seem to have randomly wandered in here, but you had me at Trollope. Is there a FAQ for how this works? Instructions? Directions? Orders?"

Glad you happened by, Paula. Welcome. We are just wrapping up one of our three-times-a-year discussions. See the description on the group home page for how it works here. Our next discussion will be in Feb. 2021. It is the only one of these three months where an "obscure" classic must be nominated, circa 19th century or earlier.

I will send a message to all members for an optional nomination fitting that description in late December. Then a poll will go up, we will vote, and we should have a new book to find and read by New Year's Day.

January is reading time, Feb. 1st begins discussion time. Simple!

Cindy wrote: "Ken wrote: "Not sure of the exact moment, Kathleen, but that "Dearie" bit makes it a definite Mrs. Hedges line. Everyone was "Dearie," seems. Except Jones.

Speaking of, to bring up what I mentione..."

Well said, Cindy, and nothing I can disagree with, really. Let's just say the brevity of that Bub-Lutie meeting is purposely designed by Petry in hopes that we will buy that very scenario -- that Jones wouldn't be the first thing out of Bub's mouth (or at least the second).

For me it defies belief and is thus a flaw, but I still 4-star the book and am thankful some mystery poster put it up for nomination!

Good for you, Darrin. When I went through a bunch of Hardy's in my 20s, I started with Return of the Native and followed it with Tess, which I think I liked more. Definitely was not wild about The Mayor of Casterbridge and completely forgot what Far From the Madding Crowd was about, though I loved the title for teaching me the difference between "madding" and "maddening" so I could promptly forget it.

Never read Jude till las Feb., though. It was like Homecoming.

Matthew wrote: "Sounds great. I too am trying to fill in some 19th century gaps in my reading. (I say that as if there are not several million gaps elsewhere across every century.)"


Remember the GAP store? I don't even know if they're in business anymore. But they used to have a jingle that went "Fall into the Gap," making me think of my reading resume.

Sadly, you can't read everything. Even in a lifetime. Even if you hit 100 (and younger people have a better chance at that than relics like me).

Darrin wrote: "I love it. I definitely want to read more 19th century (or earlier) lit. I am hoping to get to another Thomas Hardy myself this year too."

Not saying February has to be a Hardy. Or even Brit Lit. Just a classic written before the year 1900, is all. Heck, I could nominate The Tale of Genji, which was written circa 1010, when I was a lad.