What translation is everybody planning to read?

[Melody]

What translations is everybody planning on reading?

Is anybody interested in being a moderator?

War and Peace starts Sunday!

[Sue]

I have the P & V translation. That's what I've used for Anna Karenina and Brothers Karamazov.

[Sonja]

P/V is what I have. I was gonna start this after the new year, but I think I can squeeze some into December!

[Sue]

December is a busy month! Maybe we will all be squeezing our reading in.

P&V are great translations. The only exception to this I've heard is from friends who prefer other translations for The Master and Margarita.

[Melody]

I started reading Crime and Punishment in the P/V translation, but an former teacher recommended me to David McDuff. For War and Peace, I was recommended Anthony Briggs. So excited to start reading with everybody!

[Sue]

Are people starting reading? Is this group actually happening? It's terribly quiet considering that the reading was supposed to start this weekend.

[Rowena]

I actually already read it a couple of months ago and I'm not sure I have the energy to re-read it so soon, especially now that I'm reading Ulysses. I will join in any discussions though, I think I still have a pretty good memory of the story.

[Melody]

Yes. Sorry. I started it this weekend. I am unfamiliar with the discussions. Is there a set date for them? Is there supposed to be a seminar "leader?"

[Sue]

Well, the ones I've been involved in the leader usually checks in re: starting, progress, getting discussion started after a bit, etc. tying in to the times etc. whatever they want to do. I've never been involved in one where there was silence. There pretty much always is a leader except when it's more like a buddy read, where everyone just chips in.

I'm not saying there would necessarily be daily messages, but every group I've been involved with confirms the date that the reading is starting.

[Sue]

I actually haven't been able to start reading the book this weekend for a couple of reasons and will try to start during the week. I'm hoping to be able to read with you all.

[Melody]

So how's everyone doing with the reading? If the majority of you are behind, we can wait till January to discuss. However, I do have to adhere to my schedule, so I have started . . . Happy reading!

[Melody]

I haven't gotten a response from anybody, but I am going to postpone the discussions till January so everybody can participate without stressing out over getting the reading done.

[K]

If you are seperating the reading schedule into chunks (for example, weeks one and two dedicated to book one) then it is usual, I believe, to start a thread for each of these chunks. I'd be willing to help out with moderating, if need be. I have been reading War and Peace for a few weeks now. I am reading the Aylmer and Louise Maude translation, apparently approved by Tolstoy.

I'm a big fan of both Tolstoy and Dostoevsky and speak some limited Russian, so if I can be of any use to anybody, feel free to ask. :-)

Happy reading, folks.

[Melody]

Great! It seemed as though some people were wanting to start in January. I was going to read keep till my schedule, but wait to post till January. But if your interested in starting sooner, I'd be happy with that too. I'd love if you would become a moderator; I'm a little unfamiliar with the discussions. Thanks!

[K]

Waiting until January is fine by me; I understand that a lot of people have commitments, as well as perhaps being invovled in other group reads. I could have a think and perhaps revise the schedule a little, so as to make it start from January? Should be a lot of fun. :-)

[Susan from MD]

I may be able to join in, but will have to join in later. Somehow I ended up with group reads of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Crime and Punishment and The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt all in January! Yikes!

My head will explode if I try to add War & Peace! But, February is lighter - only group read is Catch-22, so I can probably add it then and try to catch up with the discussion.

I also have the Maude translation.

[K]

That's fine, Susan, just join when you can. That's a mammoth amount of group reada, though - good luck!

[Kaveh]

hello all - just joined - i'm reading the Dunnigan translation. i have the P/V on my shelf but its way too bulky for me to take around (i live in NYC). also the constant french footnotes in P/V are annoying!

how active is this group? and how is everyone enjoying the book so far?

[[deleted user]]

I have the P-V translation, but I'm not going to read that. I checked out the Maude translation from the library and I think it is much better (at least for the first read-through). I hate having to check the bottom of the page for each French translation in the P-V version. Also, I hate that the notes are End notes so I have to keep flipping pages every couple minutes. It ruins the flow for me. The Maude translation I'm using has a small amount of footnotes to help explain things. I'm ok with that!!!

[K]

Well, I finished reading a short time ago, so am perfectly willing to still act as discussion leader. It would be good to know how many people are reading and when they have started/ expect to start. In the meantime, I will add myself as moderator so that I am able to get the discussion started. I hope this is okay, Melody?

[Grant]

Currently on Book Ten. I've been reading the Constance Garnett translation. Loving the book. Now that I have passed the halfway mark, I'm torn between excitement that I'm on my way to finishing it and sadness that I'll never be able to experience a first readthrough again.

[K]

I know what you mean, Grant! Have you read Anna Karenina by any chance?

[Grant]

K wrote: "I know what you mean, Grant! Have you read Anna Karenina by any chance?"

No not yet. It is definitely on my list though. I think I'm gonna take a break from Tolstoy after I finish War and Peace. I've been wanting to read East of Eden so I think that is next.

Is AK as good as War and Peace?

[K]

Oh wow, I intend to make a start on East of Eden at some point over the next couple of months. Let me know what you think!

Personally, I much prefered it, but each to their own. It's one of my favourite novels of all time.

[Grant]

K wrote: "Oh wow, I intend to make a start on East of Eden at some point over the next couple of months. Let me know what you think!

Personally, I much prefered it, but each to their own. It's one of my fav..."

That's great to know. I can see why people would say War and Peace is one of the best novels, so I'll be looking forward to reading another of his works. W&P is my first Tolstoy book so far.