Nominations Aug-Oct '11 Group Reads

[Ellen]

How about reading another book by George Gissing that was written during the required time period? There are many that fall within it, including "New Grub Street". If I find some, would anyone be interested in reading any of them? Thanks!

[SarahC]

Ellen, just let us know which Gissing title you want for your official nomination. If you had rather try one as a side read, you can gather interest by creating a separate thread -- I can let you know how or create one for you -- and for this nominating period you can leave if off the official nominations.

Just let me know which you want to do -- it seems you might have posted the same thought twice so I was wondering if you were having a glitch with your posts maybe. Remember, just choose one title only if you want to place it in the nominations for the poll voting.

[Ellen]

SarahC wrote: "Ellen, just let us know which Gissing title you want for your official nomination. If you had rather try one as a side read, you can gather interest by creating a separate thread -- I can let you ..."
Sarah, I did have a computer glitch as it turned out. Just as I was going to post this recommendation the computer went nuts and I had to reboot. Here's the book I'm nominating...

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17...

It's "In the Year of the Jubilee", which is set during the celebration of Queen Victoria's 50 years on the throne. It was first published in 1893. There are some good reviews of this book, and I think it would be very appropriate for our group. So that's my nomination.

Thanks so much for your patience, and sorry about the multiple postings. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.

[Captain Sir Roddy, R.N. (Ret.)]

Ahhh, Eustacia Vye, Eustacia Vye...what a woman!

A completely and totally shameless plug for Hardy's The Return of the Native. Even Salinger's 'Holden Caufield' loved her! She is, for sure, one of my favorite Hardy heroines!

[SarahC]

Yes, not to mention, this thread may also contain enthusiastic comments on WHY the nominations are so good. Plug away! Everyone tell us why you'd love to discuss those you have chosen :)

[Marialyce]

Well.......I have to write a bit of a plug for my book, The Way We Live Now. It is on the list of A Thousand Books You Should Read ...(before you die I think is the ending of this list.) There is also a fabulous adaptation of the book staring Matthew Macfadyan who is in so many of these period pieces and is quite handsome) and David Suchet who you might recognize as Hercule Poirot.

Beside that, it is a highly satirical novel with lots of sub plots. In Trollope's own words "upon the whole, I by no means look upon the book as one of my failures."

[Everyman]

Christopher wrote: "Ahhh, Eustacia Vye, Eustacia Vye...what a woman!

A completely and totally shameless plug for Hardy's The Return of the Native. Even Salinger's 'Holden Caufield' loved her! She is, for sure, one of my favorite Hardy heroines!
"

Ah, Christopher, you are a fickle lover. You say that about almost all of Hardy's heroines!

[Captain Sir Roddy, R.N. (Ret.)]

Marialyce wrote: "Well.......I have to write a bit of a plug for my book, The Way We Live Now. It is on the list of A Thousand Books You Should Read ...(before you die I think is the ending of this lis..."

I couldn't agree more, Marialyce! I loved "The Way We Live Now"! I just finished reading it a couple of weeks ago, and it was a ripping good yarn, from start to finish!

[Captain Sir Roddy, R.N. (Ret.)]

Everyman wrote: "Christopher wrote: "Ahhh, Eustacia Vye, Eustacia Vye...what a woman!

A completely and totally shameless plug for Hardy's The Return of the Native. Even Salinger's 'Holden Caufield' ..."

You are so right, Everyman! I love most of Hardy's women; they are just the most terrific of fictional characters--complex, complicated, and most are completely different than the female characters typically encountered in Victorian literature.

[Deanne]

Loved The Return of the Native and would love to read it again.
In the year of the jubilee sounds interesting, and it's diamond jubilee year next year too.

[SarahC]

Here is the latest updated summary of nominated titles for this nomination period. Nominations still open through June 8.

Our Mutual Friend
The Old Curiosity Shop
The Idylls of the King
The Rise of Silas Lapham
Return of the Native
Under the Greenwood Tree
The Real Charlotte
Daniel Deronda
Can You Forgive Her?
The Way We Live Now
Barchester Towers
Phineas Finn
No Name
In the Year of the Jubilee

Please see messages #1 and #2 of this same thread for the full details on nominating.

[Martha]

I don't know how a person would choose!! This is a great list. :-)

[Captain Sir Roddy, R.N. (Ret.)]

I should certainly like to second the nominations of "The Return of the Native", "Daniel Deronda", and "Under the Greenwood Tree"--

And I would like to throw into the mix a novel by Thomas Hardy that few ever read--but should--The Woodlanders. Great plot, and some truly amazing characters. This is the story of the people of the forests of Dorset. Some of Hardy's magnificent poetry even speaks to the plot of this wonderful novel, The Woodlanders.

[Rachel]

Wow. I don't know what I will pick! I'm certainly not going to nominate any more, since there are so many good choices! I just finished 2 excerpts from "Idylls of the King" in my literature class, and I have always been obsessed with King Arthur, so I would love to read that.
I also saw 2 miniseries based on books by Trollope, so I wouldn't mind reading those either. One thing I noticed in the miniseries was that both "The Way We Live Now" and "He Knew He Was Right" had SO many subplots. For those of you who have read the book, did you feel it was messy and hard to follow because of that?
I've also never read anything in full by Thomas Hardy so I would love to try him. I have read parts of "Tess of the Durbervilles", and it was a very easy read.

Hopefully I will be able to join in more of these discussions, as I won't have any school for the fall semester! :)

[SarahC]

Christopher wrote: "I should certainly like to second the nominations of "The Return of the Native", "Daniel Deronda", and "Under the Greenwood Tree"--

And I would like to throw into the mix a novel by Thomas Hardy t..."

Would you like to officially nominate The Woodlanders, Chris?

[SarahC]

Due to my schedule the rest of the week, I may close the nominations early in the day tomorrow, so we can get on with the voting poll. Please add any nominations you have by the morning of the 8th. (I am on United States time).

[Kristen]

i will second any of the current nominations except Idylls of the King, which i remember put me to sleep every time i opened it.

[SarahC]

That's too bad, Kristen, I assume Idylls has an overall nice chance of winning though because we have interest stirring for Victorian poetry. Either way, I hope you enjoy the final selections and join us for discussion.

[Everyman]

Kristen wrote: "i will second any of the current nominations except Idylls of the King, which i remember put me to sleep every time i opened it."

Oh, dear. I started reading it the other night, since it's one of the classics I haven't gotten around to yet, and was finding it very enjoyable.

The Victorians certainly loved it!

[Sarah]

I agree. The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy. :D

[Kristen]

SarahC wrote: "That's too bad, Kristen, I assume Idylls has an overall nice chance of winning though because we have interest stirring for Victorian poetry. Either way, I hope you enjoy the final selections and j..."

haha! that would be my luck. although, on second thought it was at least ten years ago when i tried to read it. so maybe it deserves another shot.

[Everyman]

Kristen wrote: "on second thought it was at least ten years ago when i tried to read it. so maybe it deserves another shot. "

Certainly! Ten years ago you were still a teenager -- no surprise that you didn't enjoy Idylls way back then!

[SarahC]

Good afternoon everyone, the nominations are now closed. I will be posting the poll shortly. Thanks for all the great ideas for our upcoming reading discussions.