Brian E’s Comments (group member since Jul 25, 2017)

Brian E’s comments from the Reading the Chunksters group.

Dianne wrote: "That's right! thank you - I think I joined for one of the barsetshire book group reads. "

When you join many groups its hard to keep track of things.
Dianne, one of the other Goodreads groups you are in, LitnLife recently started the Barsetshire series.( I'm not a member.)
LitnLife can be reached at https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/....

Dan wrote: "I am in the same The Trollope Project group as Brian."

Yes, I'll probably wait to re-read it with that group at the beginning of next year. It's hard to fit on an 800+ page book right now. Since I have read it once, I might chime in anyway, but its been about 18 years. I remember some of the plot, but my memories are probably more from watching the very good miniseries that Hugh referred to.

I won't be commenting again until the end as I've finished the book and don't want to accidently give spoilers. But I will post a comment that I saved back when I read chapters 12 and 13, before I advanced on.

These two chapters made for a fairly short section. I too enjoyed that Beggarmaster becomes larger in the story. He is the Don Corleone – giving protection to his ‘family’ of people. It was good to see him appreciate having Shankar as a brother.
It was also funny to see Ishvar show emotion even when though he is unreasonable about it, because he's an amateur a it. The stress of doing the right parental function for OM is just a bit much for him.

Mekki wrote: "Chap 10- The four become a family. A happy chapter but i'm cautionary. The author likes to pull the rug out from under you at any moment."

Good reason to be cautionary. Not only is Chapter 11 not a 'happy chapter' due to the landlord, but the 'family' splinters as 'brothers' fight because one brother wants to spy on 'mom' getting naked.
While Om and Maneck both engage in crude Porky's-type behavior while at the tailors, it is really Om's idea and it is only Om who disgustingly brings the behavior home. At times it is hard to have sympathy for Om and I find myself longing for further comeuppance for him.
I agree the Beggarmaster seems more like a businessman adapting to the time and place than a ruthless man. However, there is still more story so we may see him again and we may see which way he acts.

Not haven't read any of the books, I wouldn't have recognized either acronym. But if you had asked me to guess the series title in a trivia game I would have said Songs of Fire and Ice, and been wrong for 2 reasons.

Lorna wrote: "unless we want to be reading until October we need to stay on schedule. Plus September is when I start my ASOFAI book 4 and 5..."

I was curious about the book series ASOFAI so checked it out. Do you mean ASOIAF, with it being Ice and Fire rather than Fire and Ice? Your abbreviation does sound more natural.

While there are some events in these Chapters, as the tailors are turned into slave labor, I at first thought their absence meant there was no development in a key aspect of the novel, their relations with Dina. On rethink, though, I realize their absence does give Dina an opportunity to feel the loss in their absence and both value and miss them. It also gives more time for Maneck to work on softening Dina's shell.

We do learn more about the Emergency events. The scene with Dina's brother Nusswan gives some clarity to who might support the Emergency measures which, as he claims, are to "fight fascism and other evil forces threatening our country" including the censorship which is "necessary to preserve the democratic structure.

As to some of Lorna's questions:
First, the slave labor is the Emergency's solution to 2 problems. It supplies cheap labor for public beautification projects while removing the unsightly huts and street people. As Nusswan says, "people sleeping on pavements gives industry a bad name." Its only a little less drastic than Nusswan's poisoned free meal project, which actually only provides a solution to one problem.
Second, while it is not Dina's 'duty' to protect her employees outside the workplace, Maneck is correct that she could have helped prevent their capture. As Dina is learning, helping the tailors more would have been both more kind and responsible, and in her self-interest.

Lorna wrote: "I did not post last Sunday because it seemed some needed time to catch up. I just finished, Chapter 8 which is kind of on a short side but lots of activity. ."

I don't understand how delaying opening the section thread makes sense. I try to finish chapters on the day the section thread opens so I have a place to comment when my memory is fresh. When you delay opening the thread, I have no place to post a comment. Those who need to catch up on reading merely have to wait to open and post on the open thread until they finish.
Since threads are not being opened when scheduled, I've put reading the book aside and will wait and read the chapters when I confirm that the section thread is open

Yes, do some research, even just reading Wikipedia, It is interesting to get the whole history of Indira G.

Cindy, being voted "Woman of the Millennium" probably doesn't mean that she was popular or wasn't viewed as corrupt, but just that she was the most influential and powerful woman of the time period. She deserves that title as most heads of big important countries were men.

I found the personal stories just so-so in these chapters, although it was good for the two young men to get to know each other and, as Lorna identified, everyone wants and expects Dina to loosen up.

I'm more interested in the book's political and social details concerning Gandhi's 'state of emergency' of 1975 - 1977. I really don't recall it, probably because it came during my first 2 years of law school and I was micro-focused on my studies and breaks from my studies. World affairs were not my breaks. I am enjoying that this book makes me more aware of such important events and matters that I overlooked back then.

Tammy, in the last section you mentioned that you hoped Ishvar and Dinah get together. While one may hope that Dinah gets together with Ishvar, in Chapter 4 we learn that she seems to prefer looking at Maneck's more studly physique.

Western Carolina is in a nice locale. I went to a university which, while not as picturesque, has a good name: The University of Dayton.

The backstory gives us insight into the how and why of Ishvar and Om. Both suffered the great tragedy of the loss of all their family members. However, growing up, Ishvar had a brother Narayan and learned to cooperate and share with an equal. Om, on the other hand, is the only son and thus was spoiled and treated better than his two sisters. These influences are reflected in Ishvar and Om's current personalities

I found the beginning a bit of a slow read. But that's on me, as I wanted to make sure I attached the right names and characteristics to the right new character, I also wanted to make sure I don't gloss over something in the beginning that becomes important later. As Ami points out, there is a feeling of more to come in this first part. I'm hoping it foreshadows some good and not necessarily bad, though I agree there were some disturbing and foreboding sexual references.
Now that I am into the flow of the novel, I'm finding it to be an easy read. Also, while I agree that Dina seems the central character, I am presuming its only because the other 3 characters' backstories remain untold at this time. A lot of story left in this Chunkster.

I'll be joining in as I too have had a copy for ages, if 10-15 years can count as ages. I have a lot of other committed-to group reads so may not be joining in until mid-July, but when depends on how many books I choose to juggle at a time.

Thanks, Ami. I shouldn't have brought the subject up since out of sight means out of mind and the further the read pushes into the summer the better it is for my schedule. Apparently, though, my anal desire for planning my reads overcomes my common sense.

Is there yet a schedule or at least an estimated range for the A Fine Balance read?
I have a used copy of it bought 10 years ago so I'd like to join in the read if I can fit it in with my already scheduled reads.
I ask because It is designated as a 'spring' read but spring is ending in a month so it needs to be a fairly quick read or it might be more of a "Summer'' Contemp read, which I don't mind at all.

Tracey, if you want a lighter one for a month try Tempest-Tost by Robertson Davies.

Tracey wrote: "I read A Fine Balance last year and it’s a great book. Good choice. I am currently working my way through The Far Pavilions."

Quit changing avatars on me. There are a few Traceys on Goodreads and I didn't recognize that this was THE Tracey. Of course If I had read your avatar I'd have known. Also, of course you've read A Fine Balance - the author's from Oh Canada!

If you can record it, a repeat of the first episode will be shown at 2 a.m. tonight (Tuesday morning) on WILL, the Champaign PBS station and 3:00 a.m. on WESC, the Springfield PBS station.

I enjoyed it but my wife thought it a little slow and fell asleep. The Waterloo scene was striking. It looks like they've spent money on it and since Andrew Davies wrote it, and with a good cast, I look forward to seeing the rest as a 6 part show should get in more of the novel's details.