The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

In the apparent (hopefully temporary!) absence of Chris, I thought I would open a thread to choose our next group read. I think those of us who have been reading The Brothers Karamazov would quite like a lighter read for January, although I must confess I have not thought of one yet, mainly because I now have a Kindle and am still searching through the Amazon Kindle Store for possible downloads.

Ideas anyone for a lighthearted novel to bring in the New Year? Perhaps one about the Edwardian period, written around the beginning of the twentieth century?

What do people think of E.M.Forster's novels?

Nemo wrote: "What do people think of E.M.Forster's novels?"

I loved Passage to India. (mmm, perhaps the title is A Passage to India.) Others might as well. But I would not categorize it as a lighthearted novel. 'Though there were lighthearted moments. Were ANY novels of that time period lighthearted? I can't think of a one.

A nice Hardy would do well as a palate cleanser. Not one of his heavier ones; maybe Two on a Tower, or A Pair of Blue Eyes (the novel which coined the term "cliffhanger" for reasons you will understand if we read the novel) or Under the Greenwood Tree (his first published novel).

Perhaps something by Oscar Wilde? I notice a few of his works are on the group bookshelf. I've never read any of them, but I believe the reputation is not anywhere near so dark as what the group has been reading lately?

Of course, I'm sure that depends on which novel, so I'd probably have to rely on someone who has read any of them to pick one.

Madge, do you know how to do the poll? Kate taught me.

Wilde wrote several very funny plays; it doesn't always have to be a novel. Lady Windermere's Fan, The Importance of Being Earnest, An Ideal Husband, The Canterville Ghost. Because of the length, we might group them.

Light as a feather
http://www.africa-eu.com/book/show/34...
This is cartoonist Beerbohm's only novel, a satire about university life.

Under the Greenwood Tree is lovely, Hardy's most lighthearted novel. Yes, he did smile now and then. And also Forster. Can we read them all?

You can get them online if there's no Kindle edition, Madge. Remember print? I just printed a 30-page novella (8 8 1/2x11 pages) I'm reading with another group. No, I wouldn't print an entire novel. :)

I believe Dorian Gray is Wilde's only full-length novel. I just did it at that bookseller's book club.

I'm in the mood for something light, too. What about "The Man Without Qualities"?

Rochelle wrote: "Madge, do you know how to do the poll? Kate taught me...."

No, I don't Rochelle, so I will leave it to you!:D.

A play might be a nice idea and Wilde's are very funny- satirical.

Rochelle wrote: "You can get them online if there's no Kindle edition, Madge. Remember print? I just printed a 30-page novella (8 8 1/2x11 pages) I'm reading with another group. No, I wouldn't print an entire nove..."

Oh I must have a Kindle edition so that I can play with my new toy!:O

MadgeUK wrote: "Rochelle wrote: "Madge, do you know how to do the poll? Kate taught me...."

No, I don't Rochelle, so I will leave it to you!:D.

"

I'll show you how.

MadgeUK wrote: "Oh I must have a Kindle edition so that I can play with my new toy!:O"

Did you get it as a gift? How do you like it so far?

John wrote: "I'm in the mood for something light, too. What about "The Man Without Qualities"?"

That's not in our time period. Pick again.

Erewhon?

Nemo wrote: "MadgeUK wrote: "Oh I must have a Kindle edition so that I can play with my new toy!:O"

Did you get it as a gift? How do you like it so far?"

Yes it is an Xmas gift from my 4 children - I LOVE IT!

Rochelle wrote: That's not in our time period."

Yes, the RR time period is 1800-1910, although that could be stretched to 1914 because the beginning of WWI, for some historians, ended the Edwardian period even though King Edward died in 1910. So if anyone wants to make a case for something between 1910-1914, it would be acceptable (unless Chris disagrees).


Another Hardy would be nice and might prise Chris' nose from the grindstone!

Forster is OK except for Passage to India which was published in 1924. Room with a View would be a good one since it is a critique of Edwardian England, a period which is often eulogised in English literature.

Rochelle, I quite like your idea of bundling several of Wilde's plays together, due to their length. If we choose 4, then we could read one per week to take us through the month of February.

So, to be official, I'd like to nominate An Ideal Husband, The Importance of Being Earnest, Lady Windermere's Fan, and The Canterville Ghost for our next read.

I went to the Google ebooks website, and it seems that all are available free of charge.

"The Canterville Ghost" wasn't a play.

John wrote: ""The Canterville Ghost" wasn't a play."

OK, sorry. Remove that, Loretta, and substitute another play.

How about A Woman of No Importance? The description is intriguing.

I preferred "Salome," but it's certainly not bad.

Loretta wrote: "I went to the Google ebooks website, and it seems that all are available free of charge. "

Books no longer under copyright are free for download in many places on the net. etc. Just do a search for them. Some are in fonts that are easier to read than others, so I usually shop around.

Madge, what's the closing date for nominations?

December 31st. So that we can start afresh in the New Year:).

Loretta wrote: "Rochelle, I quite like your idea of bundling several of Wilde's plays together, due to their length. If we choose 4, then we could read one per week to take us through the month of February.

So,..."

December 31st. So that we can start afresh in the New Year:).

That's a good idea Loretta if Rochelle can put them on the poll together?

We could do the The Canterville Ghost in the short story section so nominate it there sometime.

I'd like to nominate an Edith Wharton as a change from English novels - which is her most lighthearted?

(For our February read I am thinking of a Balzac or a Zola.)

I'm nt sure any Wharton would precisely qualify as light-hearted (although after TBK anything short of "Moby Dick" would seem light-hearted) but "The Age of Innocence" is an excellent expose of the American uppercrust of the times, and "The Custom of the Country" is upbeat and a great read.

Gail wrote: "I'm nt sure any Wharton would precisely qualify as light-hearted (although after TBK anything short of "Moby Dick" would seem light-hearted) but "The Age of Innocence" is an excellent expose of the..."

This introduces the question; "what exactly do we mean by light hearted?"

Edith Wharton didn't do "lighthearted." Her novels were in the vein of Henry James - social commentaries, morality tales (soap opera?). "The Custom of the Country" was terrific and not as dark as "House of Mirth" or "Age of Innocence."

Ivan wrote: "Edith Wharton didn't do "lighthearted." Her novels were in the vein of Henry James - social commentaries, morality tales (soap opera?). "The Custom of the Country" was terrific and not as dark as..."

"Lighthearted" for Wharton means the protagonists aren't dead at the end or in total misery. They're coping with their misery.

Book has to be 1800-1910. We have to see how Chris feels about stretching it, because then we could keep stretching.

Custom of the Country is 1913 so we can't do that one. We can do:-


The Touchstone, 1900
The Valley of Decision, 1902
Sanctuary, 1903
The House of Mirth, 1905
Madame de Treymes, 1907
The Fruit of the Tree, 1907
Ethan Frome, 1911
The Reef, 1912


Rochelle - did you nominate Under the Greenwood Tree? What is on the list so far?

NOMINATIONS END ON DECEMBER 29th.

Not a great selection with Wharton. Most of us have read House of Mirth, and the others are not winners, metaphorically, unless someone knows of a hidden gem tucked in there.

Yesterday you said noms end Dec. 31. Are the last 2 days in Dec for voting?

Rochelle wrote: "Not a great selection with Wharton. Most of us have read House of Mirth, and the others are not winners, metaphorically, unless someone knows of a hidden gem tucked in there.

Yesterday you said ..."


Sorry, I am not good at this sort of stuff - I haven't paid attention to what has gone on in previous nominations !! Presumably we need days for voting if we are to be up and running with another book on January 1st?

So far:

4 plays by Wilde
Butler--Erewhon

Hardy--Two on a Tower
--A Pair of Blue Eyes
--Under the Greenwood Tree
Beerbohm-- Zuleika Dobson

Wharton--??
I don't think anyone else wants Ethan Frome, although I see qualities in it that many miss. Unfortunately it was forced on everyone in high school, before we could understand what it was REALLY about, the same conflict as in Age of Innocence. Do you go along with what your restrictive society requires of you or follow your bliss? And I didn't know that for many years, until I read Age of I and House of M, and understood what Wharton was about. But I don't think it has a chance in hell if I nominate it. It's out there with Silas Marner.

OK, I've been checking out Wharton's minor novels.
This one looks promising: Madame deTreymes. From a review:

"Madame de Treymes, Edith Wharton's first publication after the highly successful The House of Mirth, is a captivating portrait of turn-of-the-century American and French culture. Inspired by Wharton's own entré into Parisian society in 1906 and reminiscent of the works of Henry James, it tells the story of two young innocents abroad: Fanny Frisbee of New York, unhappily married to the dissolute Marquis de Malrive, and John Durham, her childhood friend who arrives in Paris intent on convincing Fanny to divorce her husband and marry him instead.

A subtle investigation of the clash of cultures and the role of women in the social hierarchy, Madame de Treymes confirms Edith Wharton's position, as Edmund Wilson wrote, as "an historian of the American society of her time."

Madge, I think I'll be the only here on Jan 1.

lol @ someone taking my "Erewhon" suggestion seriously.

Is there anything wrong with it? It's a satire a la Gulliver's Travels.It even spawned a sequel.

No, I don't suppose there's anything wrong with it. Other than the fact that I'd rather slide down a razor into a giant vat of alcohol before reading it again. As far as satires go, it's of the especially unfunny kind.

So nom something else. Semi-obscure books generally don't win in these polls anyway.

Rochelle wrote: "Madge, I think I'll be the only here on Jan 1."

I'll be here! :)

Rochelle wrote: "OK, I've been checking out Wharton's minor novels.
This one looks promising: Madame deTreymes.

OK I'll nominate that one then:). I like the idea of it being about America and France.

So far:

4 plays by Wilde

Hardy--Two on a Tower
--A Pair of Blue Eyes
--Under the Greenwood Tree

Beerbohm-- Zuleika Dobson

Wharton-- Madame deTreymes

I've edited the list and re-posted it. John has a point. Satire doesn't always keep its humorous edge as time passes and society changes.

These are all lots lighter than The BK.

John, we have a huge bookshelf to choose from. It's up on the top right.

What about a Dumas? I nominate The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.

That's a good one David, and French too:).

I realise that I was rather late in putting up this Nomination thread but I do hope that more folks will find time to come online early next week to nominate a book or two from their socks/stockings! Or from the Group bookshelf of course.

Speaking of French, how about Jean Christophe by Romain Rolland? It covers a wide range of subjects, music, literature and social commentary, etc. There're lots of interesting topics to discuss. :) It was published between 1904 and 1912, and Rolland received the Nobel Prize in 1915. We'd need more time for this tome, though.

The TBK group read ends on Jan 22, 2011, is there a schedule conflict with this?

Probably not the best choice, since longer novels aren't going to get finished, or people are going to lose interest this time of year. Witness the moribund "Brothers Karamazov" thread.