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

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

Sara wrote: "Good point, Laysee, about the power shift with the pov shift. I was feeling most concerned for Lutie's financial situation and the desperate position it might put her in with regard to the activiti..."


Two things, Sara.

1. Jones touching and smelling Lutie's clothing in her absence, along with his brutality to his dog, is the sort of behavior consistent with rapists and murderers. Whether Petry knew this from studies in criminology, which are far more advanced today, I can't say. It may just have been keen instincts on her part.

2. Weirdly, considering she is a "madam," Mrs. Hedges struck me as a "conscience" type of presence, watching over all goings on in the neighborhood, judging over all goings on in the neighborhood. It vaguely reminded me of that big eye in The Great Gatsby. I forget its name, but I think it was a billboard ad overseeing poor behaviors of the rich.

Interesting point about the wind in the opening paragraphs, Laysee. I never linked it to power and powerlessness, but the parallels work! And for Lutie, life is cold, indeed, whether viewed from the chic seashore town of Lyme, Connecticut, or from Harlem.

And I agree about the point of view strategy, Matt. Jumping into Jones' POV was not a pleasant ride. After we've warmed up to Lutie and her struggles, suddenly the reader is forced to see her in the sights of a predator. It's an unpleasant sensation, to say the least.

The discussion of this book will be broken into three parts as follows:

Oct. 1 - 7 Chs. 1-5 inclusive
Oct. 8 - 14 Chs. 6-12 inclusive
Oct. 15-21 Chs. 13-18 (End)

Please try to confine posts to events in each week's chapters so that there are no spoilers for fellow readers.

To launch our Week #1 discussion:

* What struck you in the first third of this book?

* What do you think about Petry's writing style?

* What are your thoughts on pacing and point of view?

* How is this narrative relative both to its times and ours?

* What are your thoughts on the characterization?

* Strengths? Weaknesses?

* Anything else you'd like to bring up?

I'm glad everyone is footing the brakes. It's one royal pain when you run a stop sign and are left trying to recall if you're discussing something that happened in the first five chapters or not.

I finished the first section (Chs. 1-5), so I'm ready for the first week's discussion.

Nope. No politics. Very much, though, a look at socio-economic, gender, and racial issues.

First discussion thread goes up tomorrow night, then it's off to the races.

Sue wrote: "Ken, I certainly hope you’re right. 2020 is giving too great a dose of American History."

And we may be broaching new territory this fall if, as threatened and for the first time since our inception as a nation, there is no peaceful transfer of power.

(Gee, I wonder if The Street has any politics? In a way, I hope not.)

I hate to think of the 40s at a time in our history that's bringing the 30s to mind.

Thank God history doesn't repeat itself.

T-Minus 8 days and counting. Slow readers, start your engines -- not to finish by Oct. 1st, but to have the first five chapters read, is all.

Probably I will put up the first discussion thread on the eve (Wed., Sept. 30th). Probably I will start reading The Street myself this coming weekend.

Man. Can't believe it's going to be October already. Fasten your seat belts and hide with a book!

Sandra wrote: "I bought the kindle book but I haven’t had time to even think about reading. I may have to skip this discussion. Life is getting in the way. My hope is to join in but I am not sure if I will be abl..."

If not, not, and everyone understands. But don't give up hope! Life might give you a breather in the coming weeks. It is unpredictable, after all.

Yvonne wrote: "One of them meets Saturday morning, the other on Monday morning — both by Zoom — so, nope, no wine, Ken. Good coffee, instead!"

Great strategy. If your RL group is too much about the wine, schedule for 10 a.m.!

Man, you more-than-one-book-group people put me to shame! (Of course, I've never been in a RL book group, but I've seen enough of my wife's to say they should be called Wine Groups.)

OK, I'll go with the 3-week way, as more seem to prefer that or either. It would also follow the pattern of the first two discussions.

Note to newbies in the group or lurkers thinking of joining: You don't have to FINISH this book by Oct. 1st. You'll only have to read Chapters 1-5 by that date. Then you can continue to read the next installment while the previous installment is discussed.

Some people who read quickly have two books going during the ORG discussions. That way they can read our book piecemeal and the second book at their usual pace.

Just rec'd my paperback copy of the book, the second printing of Mariner Books issued in 2020. It totals 374 pp. and by all accounts is a fast read. If we break it into a 2-week discussion, it would look like so:

Chs. 1-8 (180 pp.)
Chs. 9-18 (193 pp.)


And if we break it into a 3-week discussion, it would look like so:

Chs. 1-5 (120 pp.)
Chs. 6-12 (137 pp.)
Chs. 13-18 (117 pp.)

Of course, using these chapter numbers in different editions will give you different page counts, but in general it should work out pretty close.

Do people care whether it's a 2-week or a 3-week slice? I'll hold my opinion so as not to sway the crowd, but am interested in everyone's preferences.

I approve of the Kindle and audio options 100%. I'm just stuck in my paper rut, which alarms my book shelves no end.

I'm one of these Can't-Read-It-On-a-Kindle guys paying the price for smelling paper and ink. My hands like the smooth feel of it, too. Only my wallet's barking, but what else is new.

Darrin wrote: "eBay decided to send me a $25.00 coupon for virtually anything that I wanted so I took advantage of that by purchasing a used copy of The Street along with four other used books including March by ..."


I ordered a new copy and, as always, "save" on shipping by ordering additional books so I meet the threshold. All told, this strategy means I spend more and thus LOSE money.

But wait. I get two additional books! In this case they are The Complete Works of Alberto Caeiro: Bilingual edition and Lyrical and Critical Essays. No one burns "free shipping" book money like I do.

BarbaraW wrote: "Ordered off Amazon. Hooked me in immediately. Great choice."

That's a good sign, Barbara. And a hearty welcome to you!

Hi, Denise, and welcome to the group. You can luxuriate in our archived discussion of JUDE THE OBSCURE any old time (you'll see it in our discussion lists). We broke it in three and Hardy really gave us food for thought with his characters.

Congrats on the MA program. Some day I might try an MFA in writing as a retired man, but I'd like to do it in person, so those plans, like many others, are on hold.

Visited Philly in 2002 last, though I train through it frequently when visiting the parentages in So. Carolina. Neat little town with some great restaurants (and, as I recall, a nice art museum).

Helen wrote: "Ken, thank you for the warm welcome. I am from Ukraine (Kiev) which is "next door" to Poland. I do understand spoken Polish, and can read it, as Ukrainian language is very close to Polish.

One da..."


Ah, the Ukraine (so MUCH in the news these days, but I won't go there). My great grandparents' first language was Polish. My grandmother was born here, but of course brought up in a household speaking both Polish and English. Me? I just know Polish cuisine, a few expressions, and of course Polish swears. 😇

Great to have you (and our other new members) here for our Oct. book!

Matthew wrote: "Ken wrote: "I don't even remember Handel in GE. Was there water music involved?"

Handel was simply the nickname Herbert gave Pip. One of the other students called me Pip first, on accounts of the ..."


Thanks for the refresher. I wonder if Dickens meant it to be an allusion to George Frederic?