From the Bookshelf of Catching up on Classics (and lots more!)…

The Bell Jar

Sylvia Plath

Start date: March 1, 2023

Finish date: May 31, 2023

Discussion: Upcoming Books: No Spoilers

Why we're reading this: Revisit the Shelf Reread, March 2023

Revisit the Shelf Reread, April 2016

Previous Reads:
New School Classi…more
[close] Revisit the Shelf Reread, March 2023

Revisit the Shelf Reread, April 2016

Previous Reads:
New School Classic Group Read, December 2014

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of -20 topics — 267 comments total

Upcoming Books: No Spoilers

This topic has been closed to new comments.

* Purpose of this Folder
By Katy , Quarterly Long Reads · 31 posts · 857 views

last updated Dec 01, 2024 11:48AM

Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler - No Spoilers
By Lynn , New School Classics · 3 posts · 26 views

last updated Sep 14, 2025 05:34AM

showing 10 of 77 topics view all »

What Members Thought

May 06, 2022 Karen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 1001-books-2008-edition, absolute-favourites, 1001-read-since-joining-gr, 5-star-fiction, read-more-than-once, mount-tbr-2022, books-i-own, covers-i-love

One of the best opening lines of any book ever, and some of the best writing I have ever read. Few books feel as real, or as heart-wrenching, as this book. We know that Plath did not make it out of The Bell Jar, which only adds to the poignancy of the novel.

5 likes · Like · see review

Aug 02, 2012 Chinook rated it really liked it

Shelves: 1-kindle, 1001, america, north-america, feminism, 500-women

"You were doing fine, a familiar voice informed my ear, until that man stepped into your path."

This ended up exceeding my expectations - it's too bad it took me fifteen years to get around to reading it - as I recall getting a copy the end of summer before my last year of university, having just returned from Scotland and house hunting with a week to go before classes. I guess on the rush, it just got put aside.

I thought it was a good exploration of the stifling roles for women and the pressure ...more

1 like · Like · see review