Frankenstein Reading Schedule

[Kathy]

Join us for a group read of Mary Shelley's classic horror novel Frankenstein, a great read for a dark winter's night. We'll break our reading into four parts, with a post to get each week started and opportunities to chime in with questions and impressions as we go. We'll wrap up with a live online book discussion at the end.

I'll be using the Norton Critical Edition of Shelley's original 1818 text. Here's the reading schedule, with a light first week to get us started and heavier weeks to follow. Of course, you can read on your own schedule. If you'd prefer to read the later 1831 edition, we'll try to compare differences:

Feb. 17-23: Preface, Letters and Chapter I [1831 edition, through Chapter II]

Feb. 24-March 2: Remainder of Volume I (Chapters II-VII) [1831 edition, Chapters III-VIII]

March 3-9: Volume II [1831 edition, Chapters IX-XVII]

March 10-16: Volume III [1831 edition, Chapters XIX-end]

After March 16 (date TBD): live online book club discussion

[Jennifer]

I’ve always wanted to read this. I’m in. Would you think about the Count of Monte Cristo for the summer book?

[Kathy]

I've never read it. Let me take a look!

[Rochelle]

Thanks! I'm in. We were at the Morgan Library in NYC to see the Tolkien exhibit, and we also stopped into an exhibit they had for the 200th Frankenstein about the story in popular culture (movies, comic books, etc.) Kind of interesting. Don't know how long it will be there.

[Jackie]

Kathy wrote: "Join us for a group read of Mary Shelley's classic horror novel Frankenstein, a great read for a dark winter's night. We'll break our reading into four parts, with a post to get each week started a..."

I've been meaning to read "Frankenstein" for a while. Looks like now's the time!

[Kathy]

Great! See you soon!

[Kathy]

Rochelle wrote: "Thanks! I'm in. We were at the Morgan Library in NYC to see the Tolkien exhibit, and we also stopped into an exhibit they had for the 200th Frankenstein about the story in popular culture (movies, ..."

Thanks for the heads up. I'll check it out!

[Rochelle]

One thing I have always found interesting is how she frames this book largely as conversations within a conversation. Don’t know of any other book with a frame quite like that.

[Kathy]

Yes, there's a double frame! I'm not sure I can think of another example of that off the top of my head. But the initial frame reminds me of narrators like Nick Carraway in Gatsby and the Customs House section that opens The Scarlet Letter. Though, of course, Shelley predates both of them. You're making me wonder how old this device really is...

[Kathy]

Looks like we've missed the exhibition, but here's a link for anyone who might be interested: https://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions...