Introduction to "The Trollope Project"

[Lily]

Some thoughts about writing strong characters -- the question being which ones of Trollope's succeed and why.

This one is a rather raunchy, but amusing and useful, if perhaps over-wrought, treatise:

http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2014/...

So-soo :
http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-...

I searched for "what makes a good character in a story" and scanned several of the hits. Not satisfied with most of them, but also many were pretty good. If you have a favorite list of your own or an article on what makes a good character, share?

[Lily]

Interestingly, no Norton Edition of a Trollope writing appears to have been issued?

http://books.wwnorton.com/books/subje...

[Haaze]

It is fantastic that The Readers Review is embarking on a major Trollope Project!!!! I wish I was paying more attention to Goodreads posts over the summer. Do you think you will go beyond the Barsetshire series and the Palliser novels into terra incognita in the distant future? I presume the group will cross that bridge when they get there? Regardless, thanks for bringing this reading project forward! Bravo!!

[Rosemarie, Moderator]

We are going on to the Palliser novels after we finish the Barsetshire novels, and perhaps a couple of other novels that aren't part of a series.

[Lynnm]

What do you all think about beginning Doctor Thorne on October 2? This week, we're discussing the end of Barchester Towers, and that will give us a week off before starting Doctor Thorne.

[Renee]

October sounds great to me.

[Rosemarie, Moderator]

Sounds good to me as well.

[Lynnm]

Yeay! I loved Doctor Thorne. So good.

[Frances, Moderator]

Sounds good.

[Robin P, Moderator]

That date is fine. I found Doctor Thorne a disappointment after Barchester Towers, as it doesn't have the satire. I remember it as being more sentimental. But maybe I will feel differently this time.

[Dianne]

I'm going to finally join you guys with this one :)

[Everyman]

Robin wrote: "That date is fine. I found Doctor Thorne a disappointment after Barchester Towers, as it doesn't have the satire. I remember it as being more sentimental. But maybe I will feel differently this time."

It certainly has a very different tone. Shows that Trollope is not a one-trick pony!

[Rosemarie, Moderator]

Welcome, Dianne.

[Lynnm]

The next novel in the series is Framley Parsonage. I just downloaded the book, and there are 48 chapters: 6 chapters each week so that will be 8 weeks to read/discuss the book.

Question: When should we start given the holidays next month? Do you want to start on December 4 or wait until the new year (January 1 is a Sunday)?

And I'll be able to participate more with this one. This semester was incredibly busy; I just had time to read the chapters and post the summaries, which made me feel badly. But the Fall semester is always busy, but Spring semester is far less busy.

[Dianne]

I'm happy to start in December if that works for everyone else.

[Rosemarie, Moderator]

I will go with whatever the group decides.

[Renee]

Also ovary with either.

[Frances, Moderator]

I'd vote for the new year

[Frances, Moderator]

Interesting autocorrect there Renee!

[Lori, Moderator]

I can start anytime

[Lynnm]

Frances wrote: "Interesting autocorrect there Renee!"

These autocorrects make me laugh - but also frustrating! :-)

[Hilary]

Heehee, Frances and Renee!!

[Hilary]

I loved Dr Thorne. I am overloaded with books, but I shall go with whatever you decide!

[Robin P, Moderator]

I'm ok either way.

[Haaze]

Fantastic! After this reading experience with Dr. Thorne I'm very much looking forward to embracing Framley Parsonage!

[Lynnm]

It seems as if people are up for either start date so why don't we go with the December 4 start date?

I'll post the reading schedule tomorrow.

And for Frances (and I'm sure others who didn't post or didn't see my post yet) who wanted January, I will leave Christmas week off the schedule. That way people don't have to worry about the reading that week, and if they are behind, they have a chance to catch up.

[Frances, Moderator]

Sounds good-looking forward to the next instalment!

[Renee]

My ovaries and I are just catching up. What? Your ovaries can't type?

[Lynnm]

The next novel in the series is called "The Small House at Allington," and it is the second to the last in the series.

I was thinking that we could start it on Sunday, February 19.

This gives us this week to finish "Framley Parsonage," and two weeks off.

Once I get the thumbs up and we've finished "Framley Parsonage," I will post a reading schedule.

[Renee]

Sounds good

[Dianne]

I like it! I need to catch up on Framley so the time buffer is very helpful.

[Hedi]

I still have to catch up, too. Then this will be my goal date for Framley Parsonage so that I can start the next novel together with you. I really have to do something about my current news addiction that is still taking up most of my spare time. :-(

[Lori, Moderator]

fine with me!

[Rosemarie, Moderator]

Sounds good to me.

[Frances, Moderator]

2 thumbs up!

[Robin P, Moderator]

Fine with me. When I started reading this series some years ago, I got through Framley, so the other books will be totally new to me. I noticed that, just like many modern authors, Trollope's books get longer as the series goes on.

[Lynnm]

Robin wrote: "Fine with me. When I started reading this series some years ago, I got through Framley, so the other books will be totally new to me. I noticed that, just like many modern authors, Trollope's books..."

The next book is much longer - somewhere in the 700+ pages range - more like a Dickens book than the Trollope books that we've previously read.

[Everyman]

Frances wrote: "2 thumbs up!"

3 thumbs up

[Everyman]

Framley Parsonage discussion formally ended today, according to the home page, though I'm sure we'll be discussing it awhile longer.

So I can plan my reading over the next weeks, has there been a decision yet on when we start The Small House at Allington, and what the reading schedule will be?

[Rosemarie, Moderator]

We are starting to read it on Feb. 19.

[Lynnm]

Everyman wrote: "Framley Parsonage discussion formally ended today, according to the home page, though I'm sure we'll be discussing it awhile longer.

So I can plan my reading over the next weeks, has there been a ..."

I'm going to put up the reading schedule tomorrow, and yes, we are going to begin on Sunday, 2/19.

This will give people who are a bit behind some time to catch up.

[Everyman]

Excellent. Thanks.

[LiLi]

I'm interested in reading my long-collected Palliser novels. do you know when you'll be starting the series?

[Rosemarie, Moderator]

We are on the second last of the Barsetshire novels, and then we will start on the Pallisers.

[Haaze]

Rosemarie,
Are the Barsetshire novels relatively independent from each other or do they require that one reads them in a sequence?

[Rosemarie, Moderator]

The first two should be read in order, but the rest stand fairly well on their own. The book we are reading now has a new setting and new main characters, so you could easily begin with The Small House at Allington before going back to read the others.

[Haaze]

Thank you Rosemarie!

[James]

i love the warden. great book

[Haaze]

James wrote: "i love the warden. great book"

That's what I hear!

[Rosemarie, Moderator]

I have really enjoyed all the books we have read so far. Some of the characters are starting to feel like family-even the annoying ones.