Discussion Schedule

[David]

Editions of this book are commonly divided into both 4 volumes and the original 9 volumes. There is a column for both divisions depending on the edition used.

Start	Week (4) Volumes	(9) Volumes
11/13	Week 1 Vol 1: 1 - 12	Vol 1: 1 - 12
11/20	Week 2 Vol 1: 13 - 20	Vol 1: 13 - 20
11/27	Week 3 Vol 1: 21 - 30	Vol 1: 21 - Vol 2: 5
12/4	Week 4 Vol 1: 31 - 44	Vol 2: 6 - 19
12/11	Week 5 Vol1: 45 - Vol 2: 5	Vol 3: 1 - 12
12/18	Week 6 Vol 2: 6 - 24	Vol 3: 13 - 30
12/25 Holiday Catch Up/Read Ahead Week
1/1	Week 7 Vol 2 24 - 35	Vol 3: 31 - 42 + Slawkenbergius's Tale
1/8	Week 8 Vol 2: 36 - 57	Vol 4: 1 - 22
1/15	Week 9 Vol 2: 58 - 67	Vol 4: 23 - 32
1/22	Week 10 Vol 3: 1 - 14	Vol 5: 1 - 14
1/29	Week 11 (4)Vol 3: 15 - 43	(9)Vol 5: 15 - 43
2/5	Week 12 Vol 3: 44 - 62	Vol 6: 1 - 19
2/12	Week 13 Vol 3: 63 - 83	Vol 6: 20 - 40
2/19	Week 14 Vol 3: 84 - 9	Vol 7: 1 - 28
2/26	Week 15 (4)Vol 4: 10 - 41	(9)Vol 7: 29 - Vol 8: 17
3/4	Week 16 (4)Vol 4: 42 - 59	(9)Vol 8 18 - 35

3/11	Week 17 Vol 4: 60 - 92	Vol 9: 1 - 33 and book as a whole

[David]

My 9 volume kindle edition is paired with a 4 volume Audible book for narration. I was going both cross-eyed and cross-eared until I figured that out.

[Susan]

Thanks for the chart. Looks like my old Modern Library edition (jacket price $1.25) has 9 volumes.

[Ian]

Others may have noticed this before, but Modern Library now has TWO Kindle editions currently available from Amazon and at different prices.

This may make for confusion if there are textual differences, and we happen to discuss such a passage. (And both use the nine-book format, but of course with different page numbers.) I haven't been able to call up a Goodreads entry for either, although lots of other other editions are available there.

The older, from a hard copy edition of 1995, at $2.99, includes "A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy." It has a biographical note, but offers no other assistance to the reader.
https://www.amazon.com/Tristram-Shand...

This is no longer available as a hard copy from Amazon, except through dealers, with prices starting at $20.00, plus shipping.

The more recent, originally from 2004, now at $9.99, is limited to "Tristram Shandy" alone, but offers an introduction, suggested readings, a chronology, notes, and a glossary (of military terms), etc., by Robert Folkenflik.
https://www.amazon.com/Opinions-Trist...

For those who may want a hard copy, it is $13.02 in paperback. No hardcover edition seems to be available.

I have no idea how either compares textually to the older Modern Library version mentioned by Susan, but used copies of that version may further compound potential problems if you want to order either the 1995 or 2004 edition from a dealer, who may not have noted that they are different, or bothered to include"A Sentimental Journey" in the short title listing.

If I continue to join in, I will be using the 1999 edition: but I'm going to miss my old copies of the Odyssey Press and Penguin English Library editions.

[David]

There is always this original signed copy:
https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/fi...

I found this note regarding his signature an interesting one:

The author went to extraordinary lengths to guard against piracy, signing the whole first and second editions of Volume 5, and the first editions of Volumes 7 and 9.

Also, it seems the books and volumes were confusing from the start. From the picture of the complete first edition set it looks like volumes 1 and 2 are separate books, 3 and 4, 5 and 6, 7 and 8, are combined into three 2 volume books, and finally volume 9.

[David]

My kindle edition notes indicate:

Tristram Shandy was first published serially between 1759 and 1767 as follows:
December 1759 Vols. I and II – in York by Ann Ward
January 1761 Vols. III and IV – in London by Dodsley
January 1762 Vols. V and VI – in London by Becket and DeHondt
January 1765 Vols. VII and VIII – in London by Becket and DeHondt
January 1767 Vol. IX – in London by Becket and DeHondt

Sterne, Laurence. The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman (Penguin Classics) (p. xlix). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.

[David]

Since we have read interim reads around the last few holidays, we decided to add a holiday/catch-up week. The discussion that would normally begin on Dec. 25 has been pushed back to allow a little breathing room around the holidays. The schedule in the first post above has been updated to reflect this change.

[David]

I am listening to the first in the list below. All are unabridged and on Audible. Lesser or Keating are probably better narrators and read it with a heavier British accent, but McCallion is pretty good and whispersynced to my Kindle edition. I was never able to sample as far as the discussion in French so I can only vouch for the Mcallion edition for that section. The biggest negative for the McCallion narration is that he seems to be reading from an edition split into 4 volumes vs. the 9 volume sections in my Kindle edtion, thus the two columns in the schedule table.

1. Tristram Shandy
Narrated by: David McCallion
Release date: 05-11-17
Publisher: A.R.N. Publications
Whispersync enabled
https://www.audible.com/pd/Tristram-S...

2. Tristram Shandy
Narrated by: Anton Lesser
Release date: 01-03-12
Publisher: Naxos AudioBooks
Whispersync enabled
https://www.audible.com/pd/Tristram-S...

3. The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman
Narrated by: John Keating
Release date: 10-05-16
Publisher: Recorded Books
Not Whispersynced
https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Life-a...

[Susan]

I’m listening to the Anton Lesser version, and they did a cool thing with the long French section in chapter 20 — there was a voice in French briefly, then all the discussion on validity of baptism in the womb in English translation, and a fade out to a voice in French. (Phrases in French and Latin elsewhere in the text are read in those languages without translation).

[David]

Remember, there is no new discussion for the week of December 25 through December 31.

I hope you all enjoy the holidays.

Please use any spare time to catch up, post additional comments on our story thus far, or to read ahead for the next discussion starting on Jan 1st for Vol 3: chapters 31 through 42 + Slawkenbergius's Tale, which are a little more reading than usual but contain some crucial information about noses: 👃 🍆

[Susan]

Thank you, David. I’ve fallen a bit behind and can use this chance to catch up, or even (maybe) get a bit ahead

[Chris]

I had every intention of reading this, I bought a copy of the book. No surprise with family health issues over the last 3 yrs, once again I was thwarted! Stuck to things that did not need a lot of thinking involved and/or were easy to carry around with me ( not an e-reader) But perhaps after this next trip out to attend a funeral, I can pick it up.

Hope everyone has had a joyous holiday season.

[Tamara]

Chris wrote: "I had every intention of reading this, I bought a copy of the book. No surprise with family health issues over the last 3 yrs, once again I was thwarted! Stuck to things that did not need a lot of ..."

Chris, so sorry about the funerals you've been attending. I hope the coming year brings you better news about family health.

No worries about catching up with Tristram Shandy. It's a quick read as long as you go with his flow and don't expect him to follow a logical sequence :) As you know, our threads always remain open. So you're welcome to comment whenever you're ready.

I wish you all the best for the coming new year.

[Chris]

Tamara wrote: Chris, so sorry about the funerals you've been attending. I hope the coming year brings you better news about family health.

No worries about catching up with Tristram Shandy. It's a quick read as long as you go with his flow and don't expect him to follow a logical sequence :) As you know, our threads always remain open. So you're welcome to comment whenever you're ready.

Thanks Tamara. I am looking forward and very hopeful that 2020 will be a better year!

[Gary]

Is there any interest in picking up the pace a bit so we finish at the end of February instead of mid-March? I know it's a small adjustment, but I wouldn't mind moving onto something else a couple of weeks sooner.

[David]

Gary wrote: "Is there any interest in picking up the pace a bit..."

Since we are on to Vol. 6, it is safe to post this as my response to speeding up :)

’Tis enough, brother Shandy [Gary], cried my uncle Toby [the moderator], to burst it {Tristram's head [my head] into a thousand splinters.

but

——We’ll not stop two moments, my dear Sir,—only, as we have got thro’ these five volumes, (do, Sir, sit down upon a set——they are better than nothing)

I have to admit this one is forcing me to a much slower pace than normal due to the style, language and obscure references I am compelled to follow. So far the extra time I am putting into it increase both my enjoyment of it and my looking forward to being done with it. I feel I would struggle, miss too much, and enjoy it less, if we increased the pace.

I am curious to know other members' thoughts on the pace.

ETA: The next major read discussions will begin Feb 26.

[Susan]

I like the current pace as it gives me time for hobbyhorsical mental wanderings of my own and checking things out.

[Tamara]

Susan wrote: "I like the current pace as it gives me time for hobbyhorsical mental wanderings of my own and checking things out."

I second that.

[Gary]

David wrote: "’Tis enough, brother Shandy [Gary], cried my uncle Toby [the moderator], to burst it {Tristram's head [my head] into a thousand splinters.
but
——We’ll not stop two moments, my dear Sir,—only, as we have got thro’ these five volumes, (do, Sir, sit down upon a set——they are better than nothing)."

Now, that's funny : ) I get it. Steady as she goes.

[Lily]

Gary wrote: "Now, that's funny : ) I get it. Steady as she goes...."

Thanks, Gary. Having sort of "given up" and decided the only way I could understand this thing in any way close to the way David is attempting to gloss* it for us, was to "skim read" or more accurately, "skim listen" to the whole thing and then go and peruse again commentaries like Richard A. Lanham's Tristram Shandy: Games of Pleasure, which I can now kind of grasp! While I can't recommend obtaining a copy of one's own, if a library copy is available, you or others here may find at least some of it of interest. With perhaps an apology to our founder: (view spoiler)[ Eman, please forgive us. Not all of us have the discipline of St. John's training. And I still respect your admonishments not to quote critics as a substitute for our own tussling with a text and conversations with each other. (hide spoiler)]


*gloss, in the sense of "a continuous explanation or commentary accompanying a text"