Reading the Classics discussion
Past Group Reads
>
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Jenn, moderator
(new)
Aug 05, 2014 08:42PM
Mod
reply
|
flag
It's been 50 years since I read it & delighted to have another chance with the group.
I read this some months ago. I confess that I didn't entirely understand it, but the atmosphere lingers on. It will be interesting to check in on comments here so that I might at last understand it!!!
I read it a few months ago and I loved certain parts but it was too abstract at others
I just started it and I feel the same way. Some parts are really beautiful or a character might have a profound thought that hits home for me, but unfortunately, much of the time I'm just trying to figure out what is going on. There is a sparknotes page for this book, though, and reading through the first few chapters on there really helped. I think I am going to use it as a companion for the rest of the book.
Thanks for the heads-up on sparks notes, Kaycie. I must try to look those up!
This is my first group read in a while and I am enjoying it a lot! It's true that you sometimes get lost in the words but it is lovely written and full of details.
Audio disc arrived Monday & this is now my travelling book. The reading by Nicole Kidman is quite splendid & I love her voice tho' occasionally an Australian vowel slips in - 'waves' sounded like 'wives' to me.
Just started it. For me it's a perfect timing with this, just came back from the seaside. :) The hot august also makes a perfect setting. The stream of thoughts is done to perfection, you can really feel like you're part of the Ramsey family.
I had a hard time with the stream of thoughts because the thought processes seemed identical for each person...including the 6 year old boy. It always took me awhile to figure out who was talking now, then I had to go back and reread it once I knew who it was.
I get lost in the words and the stream of
Let's try again, without the boyfriend stealing the iPad. I love the way the words flow, even if it makes me feel lost at times.
The finality of the last chapter is truly what gets me every time I read this book.
About the figuring out who's talking ...it happened to me too, once...and had to rewind. :) They are all very contemplative and poetic yes, but to me very different. I also love the flow of words. To me, the thoughts are perfectly made. Mrs Ramsey is well contoured as the bond of the family, the maker, the beautiful image. And, after eight kids and the years passing by she is still calm, poetic, a liaison between all.
Enjoyed the self irony of Mrs. Woolf, at page 49 (my edition) saying "women cannot paint, women cannot write" , but sure she demonstrates the contrary. :)
To me the first chapter - The Window- is not about the physical object, but about the frame that follows everybody's thoughts- looking at the sea, the lighthouse, Mrs Ramsey reading to James in front of it, or a link between the two separated worlds - inner and the outer one- of each other.
The second one-Time passes- is pure poetry in prose form.
About the last one ... I just started it...:)
Finished this afternoon. Not @ all sure what I should say about it. More later. But delighted we chose it for the group.
Had a fun lunch with an old friend & we talked about To the Lighthouse. She was delighted to learn how to say boeuf en daub.
