New York - reading schedule and discussion

[Meg]

New York our next chunky novel!!!!
I will post reading schedule midweek.

Who is in???? I am and very excited about our selection.

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

I'm in! Already have a copy on my shelf.

[Meg]

Me too!!!!

[Irene]

Just have to get a copy of the book.

[Taylor]

I think I'll give it a try. I've got my name down for it at the library.

[Meg]

Great

[Meg]

READING SCHEDULE

Sept 27: start reading to page 116 (stop at BOSTON GIRL)
Oct 4: Discuss through 116 read through page 207 stop at LOYALIST
Oct 11: discuss through 207 read through 311
Oct 18: discuss through 311 read through page 409 stop at THE DRAFT
Oct 25: discuss through 409 read to page 495 stop at SNOW
Nov 1: discuss through 495 read through page 602
Nov 8: discuss through 602 read through page 700
Nov 15: discuss through 700 read through page 791 stop at GIVING BIRTH
Nov 22: discuss through 791 finish book
Nov 29: final discussion

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

Sounds great, Meg!

[Irene]

I am in, too. A little late, but in.

[Meg]

You are not late! Great to have you

[Patricia]

Just ordered myself a copy. Looking forward to reading this.

[Rebecca]

I would like to, the book at the library was due back on the 31st. It must have been renewed so I am waiting for it.

[Irene]

Thank you Meg.

[Meg]

Great group for our read~

[Meg]

Great group for our read~

[Taylor]

I got my copy from the library and within a few days all the copies had been borrowed and a line-up started forming. Are there more Chicks in Edmonton? Anyhow, it's due back before we even start reading it as a group so I just ordered a copy. Let's hope it's worth the $20.

[Meg]

Well we are happy to have you join us. Interesting that the book is developing a wait list there maybe another book club is reading it or we have auditors!

[Irene]

I buy my books on Nook Device.

[Rebecca]

I picked up my book. I am starting it tonight. Meg how have you found the reading so far?

[Meg]

I haven't started it yet. Plan to thisweek

[Meg]

Some New York Facts

Settled in 1624
Dutch colonists purchased it in 1626 from Native Americans for $1050
land measurement: 22.64 square miles
population: 1,636,270
Said to be cultural and financial center of USA
Most expensive real estate in the world
Manhattan land value is $3 trillion
Most densely populated county in USA
Most economic powerful city
Leading financial center of the world

[Laurie]

I bought the audible version of New York. I have listened to the first four hours of it and totally enjoy it. I am not sure what page I am on. It is definitely a tome!

[Meg]

Welcome Laurie!

[Irene]

I really like this book. I can't wait to discuss it.

[Meg]

I really like it too!

[Taylor]

I'm really enjoying it too. I'm only sorry it covers such a large time span as I'm becoming quite attached to the characters. I'm half through this week's reading but hope to have it finished by tomorrow

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

I just cracked into the preface last night, and have to admit I spent a large amount of time looking at the maps in the front of the book. I love studying maps!

[QueenAmidala28]

I have not received this book yet. I was going to ask if anyone recommended the book over the audio or e book. Someone said it has many maps in it so I think I'm just going to order the book. Yet the e book may be easier to highlight unknown phrases whatnot. Suggestions?

[Irene]

Although I have a Nook, I also have the Kindle app. I ordered it in Kindle.It reads it and I can follow along. I don't see an issue.

[Meg]

I know a few people doing the audio version and are happy with it.
I am going the old fashioned way with book in hand and pretty happy with it.
So far I am very happy with my read.

[Meg]

So my first question, which I have been thinking about after reading Taylor's post.
Do you prefer books where the characters remain the same for the length of the book, or is this format where the characters change with the years preferable?

[Taylor]

I definitely prefer reading about the same characters over the course of a novel. The alternate seems to me to be like a series of short stories with a common thread. (I'm not too fond of short stories. I like something I can really sink my teeth into.) I am curious to see how the author is going to pull this off though. He seems to be a skilled writer.

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

I usually prefer stories which characters that stay through the novel, but I will be interested to see how the author does with this book and varying characters.

I was interested to read in this first section about the wall that was built in New Amsterdam for protection (or to keep the English out). I was wondering if there were any remnants of these old historic things in New York, but then after looking at the oldest map in the front of the book I see that the wall was built where current day Wall Street is! So I don't imagine anything from the original 300+ year old wall. LOL

[Meg]

Well that is how Wall Street got its name directly from that wall!!!

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

Meg wrote: "Well that is how Wall Street got its name directly from that wall!!!"

Yes! :-) A little history trivia!

[Irene]

I was hoping to start this book last night, but I hosted a church meeting last evening and one of the participants over stayed, long after everyone else left. So.... Now I hope to start tonight.

[Meg]

It is easy to read and I was hooked right away so no worries!

[Irene]

Reading a book, one builds a relationships with the characters. You get to know each on a personal level. Reading a novel that changes the characters just makes the events more intense and the interest level increases because you can't predict. I am enjoying the novel.

[Rebecca]

I am hooked to. I like how you can keep reading sometimes and others a page or two can leave you at an exciting place.

[Irene]

Read the first 50 pages last night. Generally like it so far. My personal pet peeve is that I don't like when the author simply explains historical tibbits rather than weaving them seemlessly into the story. For example, rather than tell me that most Dutch women smoked pipes at that time, I would rather see all the women smoking.

[Meg]

I wonder if that would have added another 500 pages lol

[Irene]

The author emphasis how different the English culture is from the Dutch culture by showing the pipe smoking was a norm for the Dutch women who had more freedom and control over matters the English women didn't.

[Meg]

This is something I was unaware of. I know so little of the Dutch back then. I learned something in the book The Miniaturist and now I am wanting to learn more. Any suggestions?

[Irene]

Irene, I did not make that connection, that the female pipe smoking was a sign of female independence for the Dutch. I did catch the English/Dutch contrast of women's lives in the part about the will, but not the pipe. In fact, I don't recall anything being said about whether or not the English, males or females, smoked clay pipes as a popular trend. I had better read more closely.

[Irene]

The author skips from character to character to tell the story. I find myself slowing down and reviewing what I read to keep track of the storyline. Still interesting. Great book to use for academics.

[Meg]

I loved the trial, I thought it was brilliant. I also thought the ending of our reading:

"Yes when old Hamilton addressed the jury, he had made one other point that they had liked. An ancient law, he told them, might have been a good law long ago in England, but it could also become a bad law centuries later in America. Though no one particularly remarked upon the statement, the idea had been sown. And it would put down roots, and propagate, in the huge American land."

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

I don't think I read far enough for this week, as I didn't read about a trial. :-) I ended with the chapter where Quash bought his son's freedom.

[Irene]

Neither did I and I stopped where the schedule told me to stop.

[Taylor]

I'm a little confused by the reading schedule. For this week are we discussing the section ending at Boston Girl or The Loyalist? I'm ready to go for The Loyalist but in taking a closer look at the schedule it would appear that Boston Girl is the end point for this week's discussion.

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

We are supposed to be discussing the first reading section, which Meg has listed as:

Sept 27: start reading to page 116 (stop at BOSTON GIRL)
Oct 4: Discuss through 116 read through page 207 stop at LOYALIST

Page 116 for me is the START of Boston Girl, which I have not read yet, but it appears this is the chapter with the trial as the first sentence of this chapter is "The trial would begin tomorrow."

I'm thinking maybe Meg read too far this week? :-)