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

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

Just started and am loving it. I really enjoy Collins' style of writing.

The deterioration of a marriage is realistically portrayed by Anne. Women haven't changed much over the centuries. They are attracted to the "bad guy," believing their love will change the man. Most of the time, it ends badly.

I'm on chapter 39 and I can't believe that Helen is telling (view spoiler)[ Hargrave her plans to leave her husband. I can't decide whether Hargrave can be trusted or even if he truly loves Helen. (hide spoiler)]

Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz

Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope Can lead.

Myst wrote: "How about Bulfinch's Mythology?

First published 1863, 862 pages long."

Are you willing to lead?

Hello, Fellow Classic Voyagers!

It's time to select our next trimonthly group read: July to September 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.

**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:

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)
Oscar Wilde (November 2015)
Jane Austen (October 2015)
D.H. Lawrence (September 2015)
H.G. Wells (August 2015)
Wilkie Collins (Trimonthly- April to June 2016)
RD Blackmoore (Tri-monthly read January to March 2016)
Charlotte Bronte (Tri-monthly read October to December 2015)
William Makepeace Thackeray (Tri-monthly read July to Sept. 2015)

The poll will go up on May 15.

Nina wrote: "I agree to Adria, I found it comical. Not necessarily amusing, it would be shocking in real life but it seemed a bit exaggerated in the novel. I also found Gilbert immature but then again I think h..."

I hate violence of any type, even slapstick. The behavior Gilbert exhibited was childish, crude and cruel.

You thought that was amusing? I am actually appalled at his behavior and have started to dislike him. As a result, I have stopped reading it for a while.

Just finished the first eight chapters. I am enjoying this book. Gilbert Markham has just presented Mrs. Graham with Marmion by Walter Scott. The most famous line from this poem is "Oh, what a tangled web we weave...when first we practise to deceive!"

Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote: "☯Emily wrote: "Joanne wrote: "I am almost done reading The Woman in White and love it. Can't wait to read more books by this author."

Have you read The Moonstone? It is written in the ..."

Yes, Gabriel was a great narrator and a wonderful character.

Joanne wrote: "I am almost done reading The Woman in White and love it. Can't wait to read more books by this author."

Have you read The Moonstone? It is written in the same format and has some very fascinating characters.

Nina wrote: "I just finished it and quite enjoyed it! It was the first book I read from Anne Bronte.

I really enjoyed Agnes Grey. It is also based on Anne's personal experiences, this time as a governess.

I started it yesterday and I am finding it readable and interesting.

Perhaps The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham. It has 246 pages and is easy to read.

Heather L wrote: "Can we institute a new rule that it must be a book most people will be able to find? I know for a fact I will never be able to find the Barbara Pym, and one other may be difficult to find as well. ..."

Barbara Pym is not a obscure author. Her books are at most libraries. There are 9 copies of my nomination in my library system.

I have checked the other nominations and none are hard to find with many library copies available.

Jane and Prudence by Barbara Pym - Willing to lead

I agree with this ranking of Jane Austen's eligible suitors. Do you agree? http://community.sparknotes.com/2016/...

Branwell Bronte has a great influence on the sisters' writings. http://www.haworth-village.org.uk/bro...

Anne Bronte was not buried in Haworth with the rest of her family. She is buried in Scarborough: http://www.haworth-village.org.uk/bro...