☯Emily ’s Comments (group member since Jul 27, 2011)

☯Emily ’s comments from the Classics for Beginners group.

Nina wrote: "The Melancholy of Resistance by László Krasznahorkai
Can lead if it wins."

Nina, do you know when this was originally published?

Beranga wrote: ""Hopscotch" by Julio Cortazar ("Rayuela" in Spanish).

It is a very fun read, you can do it two ways: either read it from beggining to end, or --the author's intended way "Rayuela"-- hop from chapt..."

Can you lead the discussion if it wins?

The Stranger by Albert Camus - written in French. Can lead.

It's time to nominate our November 2016 Classic Group Read. Looking over the past year, it appears that almost all the books selected were written in English. I would like to challenge everyone to nominate a book that was originally written in any language other than English.

Nominations will close and the poll will open on September 16 .

Usual rules for nominations apply:
1. One nomination per person.
2. Classic books only (over 50 years old).
3. Books should be under 600 pages (books over can be nominated for our tri-monthly read instead).
4. No book we have read before as a group read.*
5. No book from an author who we have read either in the last 10 group reads or the last 4 tri-monthly reads.†
6. To facilitate poll creation, please use a Goodreads link to add the nomination by clicking on 'add book/author' above the text box.
7. Please indicate whether or not you would be willing to lead the discussion if your nomination is chosen.


*For a full list of books we have read before please check the master-list:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
(Note: lists sorted by book title, author surname, or date read)

†Authors not to nominate:
M.R. James (October2016)
Jack London (September 2016)
Mark Twain (August 2016)
Truman Capote (July 2016)
Henry Miller (June 2016)
Rebecca West (May 2016)
Anne Brontë (April 2016)
Robert Louis Stevenson (March 2016)
Frank Kafka (February 2016)
Nevil Shute (January 2016)


Charles Dickens (October-December 2016)
James Joyce (July-September 2016)
Wilkie Collins (April-June 2016)
R.D. Blackmore (January-March 2016)

Nominations:
Hopscotch by Julio Cortázar-Beranga
The Stranger by Albert Camus-Emily
The Dirty Dust: Cré na Cille by Máirtín Ó Cadhain-Nina
The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson-Louise
Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The Confessions of Lady Nijō by Lady Nijō- Alma

Georgette Heyer has great mysteries!

Rory wrote: "I'm halfway through reading The Woman in White. So far it's quite interesting, I like the stuff with the characters investigating the mystery behind the titular character and the genera..."

You are welcome to comment on the thread for this book. This is the link to the First Epoch: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Phil wrote: "☯Emily wrote: "I loved this book when I was a middle school girl!"

I could use more middle school girls like you. I can't get mine to put down John Green and [author:Marissa Meier..."

But I read it a L-O-N-G time ago.

I loved this book when I was a middle school girl!

Great example, Mark.

I actually never said that no writer can have an original thought. I said that I have never read a book that was truly original according to your definitions. Your definition said that any auther who used "any idea from a previous classic as a springboard is an author who is capable of writing English in prose formate, educated in literature but incapable of an independent thought or idea."

One of YOUR examples of an original writer was Jane Austen, yet she was influenced by Fanny Burney, among others: http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/0/21122727. According to your own definition, she is undeserving to being consider an original, classic author.

This discussion began because you said, "I tend to keep away from books like this (books inspired by a classic.) After all, the classic is a classic and shouldn't be tampered with in my opinion." If others want to continue this fruitless conversation, they are welcome to do so.

Jane Austen, herself, would tell you she was influenced by authors of her day. She created works that were influenced by others, but with a special viewpoint of her own. The books themselves did not come entirely within the recesses of her mind and spring, like Minerva, fully developed.

I have never read a book that was truly original according to your definitions. You are very harsh on writers.

Loretta wrote: "I tend to keep away from books like this. After all, the classic is a classic and shouldn't be tampered with in my opinion. :)"

It is not necessary tampering with the original, but rather using a thought or idea from a book as a springboard for another story. Heart of Darkness has been the inspiration for many books and movies about the evils of imperialism, yet all are different. There are few original ideas in literature.

I was assigned to read To Kill a Mockingbird while I was in High School. I loved it then and even more so today. I would think it would be more appropriate for high school rather than middle school. I should definitely be read as a supplement to American History.

A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter

Mark wrote: "The Story of Burnt Njal"

Mark, this book appears to have more than 600 pages and might be more suitable for our tri-monthly read. We are currently taking nominations in that category here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham

Hello, Fellow Classic Voyagers!

It's time to select our next trimonthly group read: October through December 2016
1. One nomination per person.
2. Classic books only (over 50 years old.)
3. No book from an author who we have read either in the last 10 group reads or the last 4 tri-monthly read.
4. Must be 600 or more pages.
5. No book we have read before as a group read.**
6. To facilitate poll creation, please use a Goodreads link to add the nomination by clicking on 'add book/author' above the text box.
7. Please indicate whether or not you would be willing to lead the discussion if your nomination is chosen.
8. Please nominate a book that you are willing to discuss with others!

**Please check out the list of past group reads so that you don't nominate a book we've already read.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

†Authors not to nominate:

Jack London ( September 2016)
Mark Twain (August 2016)
Truman Capote (July 2016)
Henry Miller (June 2016)
Rebecca West (May 2016)
Anne Brontë (April 2016)
Robert Louis Stevenson (March 2016)
Franz Kafka (February 2016)
Neil Shute (January 2016)
Daphne du Maurier (December 2015)
James Joyce (Trimonthly -July to August 2016)
Wilkie Collins (Trimonthly - April to June 2016)
RD Blackmoore (Tri-monthly - January to March 2016)
Charlotte Bronte (Tri-monthly - October to December 2015)

Looks like you found the discussion threads. Unfortunately, no one is making any comments. Perhaps you give some pointers about this section.

Heather L wrote: "I wasn't going to nominate anything for September, since I am doing the August book, but seeing as there is only one other book so far, I'll choose one from my banned books TBR, in honor of Septemb..."

Do you know why that was banned? I read it as a kid and my parents wouldn't let me read anything that was questionable.