Reading George Eliot 2019 Challenge

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

George Eliot was the pen name of Mary Ann Evans, one of the leading English novelists of the 19th century. Her novels, most famously Middlemarch, are celebrated for their realism and psychological insights.

This year (2019) would be her 200th birthday.

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

George Eliot



George Eliot was born on 22 November 1819 in rural Warwickshire. When her mother died in 1836, Eliot left school to help run her father's household. In 1841, she moved with her father to Coventry and lived with him until his death in 1849. Eliot then travelled in Europe, eventually settling in London.

In 1850, Eliot began contributing to the 'Westminster Review', a leading journal for philosophical radicals, and later became its editor. She was now at the centre of a literary circle through which she met George Henry Lewes, with whom she lived until his death in 1878. Lewes was married and their relationship caused a scandal. Eliot was shunned by friends and family.

Lewes encouraged Eliot to write. In 1856, she began 'Scenes of Clerical Life', stories about the people of her native Warwickshire, which were published in 'Blackwood's Magazine'. Her first novel, 'Adam Bede', followed in 1859 and was a great success. She used a male pen name to ensure her works were taken seriously in an era when female authors were usually associated with romantic novels.

Her other novels include 'The Mill on the Floss' (1860), 'Silas Marner' (1861), 'Romola' (1863), 'Middlemarch' (1872) and 'Daniel Deronda' (1876). The popularity of Eliot's novels brought social acceptance, and Lewes and Eliot's home became a meeting place for writers and intellectuals.

After Lewes' death Eliot married a friend, John Cross, who was 20 years her junior. She died on 22 December 1880 and was buried in Highgate Cemetery in north London.

Reference: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic...

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

Works by George Eliot

Novels
Adam Bede, 1859
The Mill on the Floss, 1860
Silas Marner, 1861
Romola, 1863
Felix Holt: The Radical, 1866
Middlemarch, 1871–72
Daniel Deronda, 1876

Novelas
Scenes of Clerical Life, 1857
The Lifted Veil / Brother Jacob, 1864
Maggie and Tom Tulliver

George Eliot also wrote non-fiction, poetry, and essays.

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

You can personalize your challenge to read as many of her works as you want for the year.

Only books read between 1 January 2019 - 22 November 2019 can be included.

This challenge can be used in conjunction with all of our other challenges. So you can double up and use the same book for as many as you like!

NOTE: When posting advancements on your challenge, please copy and re-post your original selections with your changes or post the original message number so interested members can follow your progress.

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

You might want to use this list to start your challenge post. Then you can fill in the dates as you read the books.

Also feel free to add to the group discussions for George Eliot's books.

Novels
Adam Bede
The Mill on the Floss
Silas Marner
Romola
Felix Holt The Radical
Middlemarch
Daniel Deronda

Novelas
Scenes of Clerical Life
The Lifted Veil
Brother Jacob
Maggie and Tom Tulliver

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

Reserved

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

Katy's George Eliot 200 Celebration Challenge

Novels
Adam Bede
The Mill on the Floss
Silas Marner
Romola
Felix Holt The Radical
Middlemarch
Daniel Deronda

Novelas
Scenes of Clerical Life
The Lifted Veil
Brother Jacob
Maggie and Tom Tulliver

[Luke]

Oh, now I have to read Silas Marner and Romola. Nice. That'll make for five Evans' works. I'd like to think there'll be more, but I'm not going to push it

Novels
Silas Marner
Romola

[siriusedward]

Elena's GE 200 challenge

Adam Bede
Scenes of Clerical Life
Essays

And maybe
Some poems by her.

[Kathleen]

Kathleen's George Eliot *Celebration* (under construction)

Novels
Adam Bede
Daniel Deronda

Novelas
Scenes of Clerical Life

Essays

[Christopher]

Does anyone know anything about "Maggie and Tom Tulliver"? Because it sounds like an abridged version of The Mill on the Floss.
(i.e., not a separate work)

Also, I believe The Lifted Veil and Brother Jacob are long narrative poems.

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

Christopher wrote: "Does anyone know anything about "Maggie and Tom Tulliver"? Because it sounds like an abridged version of The Mill on the Floss.
(i.e., not a separate work)

Also, I believe The Lifted Veil and Brot..."

Haven't read any of those so can't say. I was just pulling works off of web pages about Eliot. I guess we will find out over the year

[MK]

These really long 1800s novels haven't proved to be my favorites ... but Middlemarch has been on my bucket list for a long time. I'll commit to that one, and see how it goes ;-)


MK's Reading George Eliot 2019 Challenge:

1.


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MK's 2019 Challenge Threads (or Posts) ...

• A-Z Author Challenge
• A-Z Title Challenge
• Classic Bingo Challenge
• Old & New Classic Challenge
• Reading George Eliot 2019 Challenge
• Quest for Women Authors Challenge

MK's Other Challenge Threads (or Posts) ...

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[Anetq]

I have been considering giving Middlemarch a go - I guess it's the year!
We'll see how it goes and what else to add...

Novels: Adam Bede, The Mill on the Floss, Silas Marner, Romola, Felix Holt The Radical, Daniel Deronda, Middlemarch
Novelas: Scenes of Clerical Life, The Lifted Veil, Brother Jacob
Maggie and Tom Tulliver

[Candi]

I really enjoyed Middlemarch, but loved The Mill on the Floss! Daniel Deronda was a bit harder to get through initially, but the payoff was worth it.

I'd like to read one or two Eliot's this year in celebration of her 200th birthday. My top choices to try in 2019:

1. Romola
2. Scenes of Clerical Life

[Susie]

Anetq wrote: "I have been considering giving Middlemarch a go - I guess it's the year!
We'll see how it goes and what else to add...

Novels: Adam Bede, The Mill on the Floss, Silas Marner, Romola, Felix Holt Th..."

You won't regret it!!

[Susie]

Susie's George Eliot 200th Birthday Celebration Reads...

3/5

1. The Lifted Veil 1/6/19 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

2. Adam Bede 5/30/19 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

3. The Mill on the Floss.

4. Scenes of Clerical Life

Alternate and/or if time!
5. Silas Marner - 8/15/19 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[MJ]

So.... this is your way of saying I should finally read Middlemarch? I bought it several years ago and has been on my tbr even longer, but have never managed to get to it. I haven't read anything of hers. I'm in!!

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

So nice to see many of you interested in reading George Eliot in the coming year.

[Luke]

Katy wrote: "So nice to see many of you interested in reading George Eliot in the coming year."

I sure hope so! She's fab.

[KarenMc]

Novels
Adam Bede
The Mill on the Floss
Silas Marner
Romola
Felix Holt The Radical
Middlemarch
Daniel Deronda

Novelas
Scenes of Clerical Life
The Lifted Veil
Brother Jacob
Maggie and Tom Tulliver

[KarenMc]

I am so excited for this challenge! I read Middlemarch last year with my book group and we absolutely loved it! I have been wanting to read more of her books and this is the perfect challenge to motivate me to do so. :)

Happy Birthday Ms. Evans!!

[Cleo]

I'd like to read them all even though I've read Middlemarch, Silas Marner and Daniel Deronda. But considering I had a really "off" reading year for 2018, I can only promise to try to get to as many as I can. Thanks for bringing this to our attention, Katy. One thing is certain, I love Eliot's writing! :-)

[LiLi]

I have loved every one of Eliot's novels that I've read. She's my absolute favourite. I still haven't read _Romola_, _Daniel Deronda_, or _Felix Holt_, because I wanted to save some Eliot for the future! I'll probably try to read one of them next year. I'm also interested in rereading _Middlemarch_. It was the first Eliot I read, back in 2001, so it's been a long time.

[Susie]

Elizabeth wrote: "I have loved every one of Eliot's novels that I've read. She's my absolute favourite. I still haven't read _Romola_, _Daniel Deronda_, or _Felix Holt_, because I wanted to save some Eliot for the f..."

I'm saving my Jane Austen reads the same way...one a year and I skipped this year, so 2019 is looking good for another one! 🤗

[Susie]

MJ wrote: "So.... this is your way of saying I should finally read Middlemarch? I bought it several years ago and has been on my tbr even longer, but have never managed to get to it. I haven't read anything o..."

We read here as a quarterly read and that helped my motivation/commitment to start, but the book itself did the rest. Enjoy!

[Leni]

Excellent! I have read three of her novels (Middlemarch, The Mill on the Floss, and Silas Marner) and I'm ready to add to that! I also have her Essay collection and while it's not on the list here, I mean to read it in 2019.

[Laurie]

I've read Middlemarch and Silas Marner, so I will try for two more this year.

1. The Mill on the Floss
2. Adam Bede

[Christopher]

Leni wrote: "Excellent! I have read three of her novels (Middlemarch, The Mill on the Floss, and Silas Marner) and I'm ready to add to that! I also have her Essay collection and while it's not on the list here,..."

Good point, Leni.

The Essays of "George Eliot" Complete

[Pink]

I've read Middlemarch (loved it) and Silas Marner (didn't love it), so I'll aim for one book in 2019. I'm not sure which to pick yet and will probably wait and see what comes up in group or buddy reads.

Novels
Adam Bede
The Mill on the Floss
Romola
Felix Holt The Radical
Daniel Deronda

[George P.]

I haven't read any G Eliot, and it seems time I did with this stimulus. Most of her books are pretty lengthy, so I think I will do what most readers do and read Silas Marner first. Of my ten GR friends who've read it only two rated it less than 4 stars. I suspect its less-than-outstanding average rating to be due to it being required of a lot of people in school who would otherwise not choose it.
If I enjoy Silas, I'll go on to probably either
Daniel Deronda or The Mill on the Floss. I liked the miniseries of D Deronda that I saw.

[Renee]

I haven't read anything by George Eliot either, so I think I'm going to try Silas Marner, and The Mill on the Floss since I already own those two. We'll see if I can get to more of them during the year.

[Pradnya]

Will read as many as i can!

[Cendaquenta]

I'd certainly like to read more Eliot - Silas Marner and Mill on the Floss are available in the Penguin English Library editions I already collect, so I'll pick them up during the year.

[Elizabeth]

I'm going to try and read most of what she's written over the next year. I'm going to try and incorporate them into other challenges! Let's see how this goes...

Scenes of Clerical Life 28/01/2019
The Lifted Veil 21/01/19
Adam Bede
The Mill on the Floss
Silas Marner
Romola
Felix Holt The Radical
How Lisa Loved the King
Middlemarch
Daniel Deronda
Brother Jacob
Impressions of Theophrastus Such
Selected Essays etc.

[Vicky]

I am going to try to read some of her work,however,this will have to suffice for this year-an excellent novel-certainly one of the finest I have ever read:


The Mill on the Floss ✔19/1/19★★★★★

[Nathalie]

Nathalie’s George Eliot 200 Celebration Challenge

Novels
Silas Marner
Middlemarch

I’ve never read anything by George Eliot so I’ll start with these two.

[[deleted user]]

I'm in. Have read all the novels except for Felix Holt and Romola. Would like to read those and reread the rest. If I don't run out of time and/or enthusiasm would like to read the novellas as well.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

I'd need to read Felix Holt: The Radical, Romola and The Lifted Veil. That would leave me only the poetry and essays to tackle.

[Annette]

I am hoping to read or reread all of the Eliot writings that I can get my hands on in 2019. I enjoyed reading a number of her novels in school. (Edit: Sadly, I'm not going to make it through all of the rereads before her birthday. I've decided to concentrate on finding and reading the ones new to me.)

Novels
Adam Bede - reread, June 2019, 5 stars
The Mill on the Floss -reread, August 2019, 5 stars
Silas Marner - previously read
Romola - first read on kindle/listened on Audible, Oct-Nov 2019, 5 stars
Felix Holt The Radical - first read, listened on Audible, Aug-Oct 2019, 5 stars
Middlemarch - previously read
Daniel Deronda - first read, Sept-Oct 2019, 4 stars

Novelas
Scenes of Clerical Life - first read, July 2019, 4 stars
The Lifted Veil - first read, July 2019, 3 stars
Brother Jacob - first read, July 2019, 4 stars
Maggie and Tom Tulliver - first read, August 2019, 4 stars

Poetry
Two Lovers - first read, September 2019, 4 stars
How Lisa Loved the King - first read, September 2019, 4 stars
I Grant you Ample Leave - first read, September 2019
In a London Drawingroom - first read, September 2019
The Choir Invisible -- first read, September 2019

[Karen Michele]

George Eliot 200 Celebration Challenge

Novels

Adam Bede
The Mill on the Floss
Silas Marner Read, 2018
Romola
Felix Holt: The Radical
Middlemarch Read, 2018
Daniel Deronda Completed April, 2019

Novelas

Scenes of Clerical Life
The Lifted Veil
Brother Jacob
Maggie and Tom Tulliver

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

I think I will start my year of Reading George Eliot with this book:

Selected Essays, Poems and Other Writings

[Kev]

Love The Mill on the Floss IN 2018 I read Middlemarch which had sat on my shelf for over a decade...and I struggled. Have Daniel Deronda and Adam Bede on my shelf..and have had for over a year now, but I have promised myself I will read them in 2019 as well as a 6th re-read of Mill on the Floss

[George P.]

Kev wrote: "Love The Mill on the Floss IN 2018 I read Middlemarch ......I will read them in 2019 as well as a 6th re-read of Mill on the Floss.."

Sixth reading? Omigosh I've never read a book more than twice and not many of those. Have you read other books multiple times as well?

[[deleted user]]

Started reread of Adam Bede yesterday.

[Tonia]

I have been aiming to read some George Eliot in my challenges for the last couple of years but for whatever reason (too much else going on usually!) I just haven't ever gotten around to it.


I WILL read something of hers this year!!

Novels
Adam Bede
The Mill on the Floss
Silas Marner
Romola
Felix Holt The Radical
Middlemarch
Daniel Deronda

Novelas
Scenes of Clerical Life
The Lifted Veil
Brother Jacob
Maggie and Tom Tulliver

[[deleted user]]

Finished reread of Adam Bede last night. It had been a couple of years since I had read any George Eliot. Now I remember why I love her books so much that several of them would be "Desert Island Book Shelf" choices. She just wrote so beautifully and richly that it is a pure pleasure to read her work.

Loved the descriptions of country lives and personalities in pre-railroad rural England so vividly captured in Adam Bede. No spoiler here: the shocking and suspenseful parts still gripped me the second time around which is for me evidence of superior writing. I am aware of the imperfections of this book but the perfections shine so brightly for me that they more than compensate for any of the deficiencies.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

I agree, nothing not to like about Eliot.

[Hayley]

Adam Bede was great, but a little slow in places.

[Kathleen]

I'm reading Scenes of Clerical Life. I am loving it, but it is going very slow. Mainly because I'm reading lots of other books too, but it does strike me that she packs so much into this, that it just isn't something you can whiz through.

I've read two of her other novels, and I get the feeling that she learned as time went on to maybe hold back a little bit, in order to make for a better narrative flow. This was her first work of fiction, and this is the one (only) area that I think she improved on!

I'm just mentioning this because I think there were a few people who were going to read Scenes of Clerical Life as their first book of hers, and I'm not sure this is the best one to start with, but I'd love to hear what others who've read it think.