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

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

Pace yourselves. I won't start reading this till the last week of September.

Results may vary based on reading paces.

I don't even remember Handel in GE. Was there water music involved?

The winning book in our special run-off between W.G. Sebald's The Emigrants and Ann Petry's The Street is Petry's 1946 novel set in WW II era Harlem.

This thread is for any reaction, anticipation, or background information on Petry leading up to the 3-week discussion. When I get the book, I will determine how best to break it into three parts, each around 150 pp.

It appears that some stores do not have this copy: The Street, but they do have this copy: The Street, which I ordered. As for library copies, you're more likely to find the first version I mentioned or a hardcover.

Thank you to all who participated in our polls.

Bionic Jean wrote: "Hi Ken, and thank you for the welcome! I'd happily nominate an "obscure" work by Charles Dickens - probably not a novel - for the group's delectation when I have been with you for a..."

Oh, man. It's been so long since I entered my "Favorite Authors" for the GR profile that I forgot who was there. Just looked and see that my Russian phase is most evident:

4 Russkies
3 Americanos
1 Irish
1 Norwegian
1 French

The most glaring nationality missing is women novelists. There's work to do there, though I listed a lot of women poets as influences.

As for British authors, I've read a ton thanks to majoring in English. I love Orwell as an essayist, the Bard, of course, for plays, Robert Louis Stevenson (counts or not?), Hardy, of course, and I went through a big D.H. Lawrence phase in my 20s.

Right. Work to do there, too.

Helen wrote: "Hello - I have just discovered this group thanks to Bionic Jean, and followed her trail to the Obscure Reading. I have come to United States more than 20 years ago from Eastern Europe, and am looki..."


Hi, Helen, and welcome. Maybe some day we'll read another Thomas Hardy. Maybe, too, I need to rewrite the introduction to this group so people don't think it is a Thomas Hardy Only book group. I don't know.

I do know I'm happy to see you here. I have Polish roots myself (close?), but mostly Irish ones.

Bionic Jean wrote: "Hi everyone,

I'm Jean and have been "lurking" a couple of weeks reading the posts, so thought I should introduce myself. How I found you is unusual ... Someone liked a review of mine ... I checked..."


Hello and welcome, Jean.

I'm from New England just across the pond from Jolly Olde. Glad we are increasing our international perspective here.

As for Dickens, maybe next go-round someone (you, perhaps?) will nominate a more obscure novel of his. I've read The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, Hard Times, and A Christmas Carol (umpteen times, as a licensed sentimentalist).

CDs I've yet to play include the more obscure but critically acclaimed Bleak House as well as Our Mutual Friend, Nicholas Nickleby, Martin Chuzzlewit, and God knows what else I can't think of.

Matthew wrote: "Hi all, I've just joined the group and looking forward to some discussions. I'm Matt, I'm twenty-three years old from Worthing near Brighton in the south of England. Thanks for inviting me, Ken. Lo..."

Great to see you here, Matt!

Good morning, friends. We have a two-way tie. Just sent out a new poll, a 24-hour run-off. Vote early (but not often). Although I will vote just on the principle of the matter, I'm happy with either one!

In addition to Kelly, we've picked up a few new members during our voting this week. They are welcome to vote, too, by scrolling all the way down on the group's home page, checking out the October nominees (ten, as of today), and voting for one.

(Uh-oh.) Sad to say this, Kelly, but we are not a Thomas Hardy group. We just happened to choose a Thomas Hardy novel for our first group discussion.

I hope you read some non-Hardy books, too. You know. Obscure ones. Like that Jude dude.

Who would've thought that "friend" would outverb (!) befriend some day (but it has... at least online). Great to have you in the group, Daniel. There are a few teachers and a few ex-teachers here. Just a few. ;-)

Today is Day 2 of 3 voting days.

Update: As expected, the voting is spread like mayonnaise. Two books are tied for first followed by a 5-way tie only one behind.

In other words: Anything could happen.

P.S. To see the poll, go to our group's homepage and scroll all the way down to the BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.

THE OCTOBER POLL IS OUT!

Take your time exploring the ten titles and then cast your votes. I think you'll be pleased with both the variety and the obscurity. Some I know only a little about and some I know not at all!

I will be announcing the winner on the morning of Sept 2nd (it closes at midnight on the First).

Congrats on the book, Sandra! Enjoy all those ZOOM readings that are part of every author's new reality!

That's not cheating. That's practical. Plus voters don't know who nominated what (as it should be).

Rifle away, in other words!

Update on Nominations for October:

I now have FOUR titles. Message door open until Sunday noon Eastern Daylight Time, right coast.

Thanks, Jan, for being such a devoted contributor, all while holding down a full-time, pandemic-time teaching job! (He says, glad he's retired).

Sounds like me when I say I don't own a cellphone. Partial Luddites. Ludds, then.

Watch. your mailbox, Carol. You'll have a chance to nominate ONE October book (if you wish, as it is optional) on Aug. 28th (coming soon to a calendar near you).

P.S. Glad you're not watching TV tonight, either (wink).