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

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

Heather L wrote: "☯Emily wrote: "Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham"

No offense, but as this one is close to 700 pages, I think it would be better suited for a quarterly read."

My copy isn't that long, but I will change it to Cakes and Ale by the same author.

Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham

Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote: "I didn't know we read nonfiction in this group."

We read classics and a work could be fiction, non-fiction, essays, historical, etc.

Bron wrote: "Well I finished the book and glad to be rid of it. If I was still going my English major at Uni I might have gotten something out of this in terms of style but the content was not at all enjoyable...."

I didn't plan on reading this book once I read a tiny blurb about its content. I'm glad I made the right decision.

Part III of the book will be discussed in this thread. Any thoughts about the book, its themes, its fame, etc. should be written in this section.

Part II of Ulysses is very long, so I have split the Odyssey section into 2 parts. This thread will discuss Episodes 10-15.

Part II of Ulysses is very long, so I have split the Odyssey section into 2 parts. This thread will discuss Episodes 4-9.

Welcome to our July-September Tri-Monthly group read of Ulysses. This is an extremely long book which I have divided into 4 sections.

This is Part I: The Telemachiad. Please limit your comments to part 1 of the book only. Make sure you use spoilers for anything that MIGHT ruin the story for other readers.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad has inspired many books and movies. The one book I have read is A Bend in the River by V.S. Naipaul.

I am halfway through this section and have loved the whole book so far. I enjoy the backstory immensely although I'm not sure why Walter is in love with Laura instead of Marian. Isn't Count Fosco a delicious villain?

Louise wrote: "Nominating Khirbet Khizeh by S. Yizhar. I can lead."

Louise, have you read the fiction and non-fiction of David Grossman, who deals with the conflict of Israel and Palestinians with sympathy for both?

Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell

Enjoyable review by someone, like me, who loves Wilkie Collins:
http://www.theoohtray.com/2010/06/30/...

I quite enjoyed the battle scene over Laura's signature. It is obvious to everyone that Percival is doing something illegal or immoral. Percival has just left the house in anger.

The status and rights of wives was non-existent in 1850. This is a chilling link about that time period: http://www.hastingspress.co.uk/histor...

Wilkie Collins was considered a writer with "feminist" views who understand the plight of women. The following is a little bit about his women protagonists, but do not read it if you haven't read the Moonstone because it contains spoilers: http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/c...

I have just started the second part of the book and I am delighted to meet the Count and his wife. There is something eerie about them. I have no idea why Marian finds the Count fascinating. It almost sounds as if she were in love with him. Ugh.

This is a delightful history of the Woman in White and its popularity: https://www.theguardian.com/books/boo.... I especially liked that baby boys were named Walter and cats named Fosco after the book was published.

I will be skipping this one!

☯Emily wrote: "For many years, Anne Bronte has been the forgotten Bronte author: I found this quote in Wikipedia:

"A year after Anne's death, further editions of her novels were reprinted but Charlotte prevente..."

I personally think Charlotte was jealous of Anne's writing. I find Anne's books very readable and realistic and powerful.

Just a late observation about the condition of wives when Bronte wrote: "Until the passing of the Married Women's Property Act in 1870 a wife had no independent existence under English law, and therefore no right to own property or to enter into contracts separately from her husband, or to sue for divorce, or for the control and custody of her children." This is a link to the changes to women's rights when this act was passed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ten...

Love Marian Halcombe. Quote #1: "This is a matter of curiosity; and you have got a woman for your ally. Under such conditions success is certain, sooner or later."