It would be an advantage in my part (I mean if Vanity Fair wins), for we are going to have a review of the book in class..My classmate will have Becky Sharp portrayed in our finals. hehe
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It would be an advantage in my part (I mean if Vanity Fair wins), for we are going to have a review of the book in class..My classmate will have Becky Sharp portrayed in our finals. hehe
too bad I can't vote.. It would be a help perhaps for eyemaker..I'm voting for "Vanity Fair". :)
go to the games section and post.. increase your number of post first. Thanks by the way.:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Shrieking
Daisy miller is very short... I dont want to read Emma, never like that book much, but I nevre did get around to finishing wives and duaghters so I guess Ill vote that or the Bostinions becuase I havent read that one either....Quote:
Originally Posted by sofia82
I was hoping that The Bostonians would get more votes, to be honest.
I won't mind reading most books on the list but not reading another Woolf. Not sure if I will be tempted to read VF, FFTMC or WAD again.
I also read DM and Emma but I won't mind reading those again (and they are readily available on my reader too).
oh I hadnt realised FFTMC was on the list.. thats the one I keep meaning to read, hummm oh this is difficult I would like to read all of them ,
I'm going to join in with this one! very excited! when do i read the winner by? end of april?
Not Vanity Fair - i;'ve just recently finished, felt like it took decades. (2 months - so not sure how other members who have other commitments will manage)
Not anything by Austen, I've read everything of hers too many times.
So it's a toss between daisy miller and kate chopin. Might go with Kate Chopin - simply because I like saying that name....
I am really looking forward to next month's reading.
I am happy sense it looks like The Awakening is winning since I wanted to read that one
Why do people nevr vote for gaskell. :(
Had no idea what it was about but now I am looking forward to reading it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark Muse
Do you promise not to go sulking if I say "because it is a snorefest"? ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Niamh
Seriously, read it about some 10 years ago and found it rather predictable and too sentimental.
I read Chopin's book last year, it's more on "woman-issue" themes. It's a proto-feminist precursor to modernism- American in particular. I guess it's a novel of intellectual, spiritual or moral evolution (of Edna Pontelier). It's nice actually, though I want a little more challenge that's why I chose Thackeray's.:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Scheherazade
How is The Awakening a novel of manners? :confused:
The Wiki defines "novel of manners" as:Quote:
Originally Posted by Virgil
Again from Wiki re.The Awakening's themes:Quote:
The novel of manners is a sub-genre of the realist novel which deals with aspects of behavior, language, customs and values characteristic of a particular class of people in a specific historical context. The novel of manners often shows a conflict between individual aspirations or desires and the accepted social codes of behavior.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Awakening_(novel)Quote:
The demands of society versus the needs of individuals. Society, in order to cohere, must impose certain expectations upon its members who are motivated to comply through economic and social rewards. Some individuals may find fulfillment in meeting society's expectations (e.g., Adele Ratignolle), but some, like Edna Pontellier, cannot. Society often sees this as rebellion, failure, and a general character flaw, as well as a threat to its own survival, and so refuses to accommodate such behavior.
So, without reading the book itself, I think it sort of fits.
It would be nice to bring up any objections earlier during the nomination stage, though.
Having recently enjoyed the subtlety of 'Washington Square' by Henry James, I'm keen to read one of his later, even more subtle novels.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scheherazade
Yay, two votes! :banana:Quote:
Originally Posted by Gladys
I have read only Daisy Miller by James but I have persuaded myself that I would like his works very much (I liked DM very much even though read it about 20 years ago). So, I am desperate to try another book of his.
haha....I saw the film version twice now and loved it. I guess I am also guilty of watching the adaptations, but this one might not be too long and I would read it as well, since the movie has inspired me to. I had the DVD but it was slightly defective so I took it back to the store. I need to buy another copy from Amazon. I have it in my wishlist. It is a very fine film - Merchant Ivory, I think.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scheherazade
Heck, I voted for "Far From the Madding Crowd" since it is one of my favorite books but I should have voted for this James novel; that is one I haven't yet read.
I was just going to say that! You voted for Hardy! :bawling:Quote:
Originally Posted by Janine
I am glad you liked the movie because I think I will watch it after I reading the book (even though it does not look likely that it is going to win the poll).
Hmm. Emma or Awakening, i'm excited for either.
I enjoy Henry James and would not mind reading more of his work but I don't happen to currently own The Bostonians so I went with what I know I already have.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scheherazade
Scher, I am sorry; I guess I was too rash about voting. I should have read the thread entries first to see which way the voting was going. I wouldn't have voted for the Hardy book if I knew I was the only one wanting to read it. I would have gone for the James book instead. Now ages ago I read "The Awakening". I thought that was considered a short story; true it is a long short story or novella. I guess if that is chosen I will read it since I can knock that off in a few nights' time. I have that on hand in a book of Kate Choplin short stories.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scheherazade
Now did you see "The Bostonians" - the movie? It is a wonderful movie with great performances. Vanessa Redgrave gives the performance of a lifetime in that film - very impressive. Did everyone hear about the tragic death of her daughter, Natashia Richardson, today? I feel so sad and devasted about it. She was a very fine actress and wonderful human being. I can't believe she died so suddenly and in such a freak skiing accident. I feel for Liam Nieson and there two young sons. I just saw her in a BBC production of Ibsen's "Ghosts" and she was wonderful. It is too sad to think about. She will be greatly missed.
I was just asking. It's been a long time since I read it, but I don't really remember it concerning manners. i guess in a broad definition of manners almost anything can fit. I envision a novel of manners to be more like a Jane Austen novel. I have to back off participating while I catch up. I still need to finish Kim and I haven't started Persuasion and I do want to read that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scheherazade
As Scheherazade said - sentimental, soooo predictable - but likeable.Quote:
Originally Posted by Niamh
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scheherazade
:lol: So you quote from wiki then say 'without reading the book itself, I think it sort of fits' ? That's made my day. :lol:
When is the winner announced?
Uh oh - does this mean that every single copy of the awakening (or the winner) will be out of the bookshop and library?
Whatever happened to superman by the way? :lol:
I agree that in a broad way many books might fit...Quote:
Originally Posted by Virgil
I gave up on Kim because I could not pass page 30 despite my best intentions. Might give it another try in future.
As for Persuasation, you are not missing much in my opinion but you need to read and see for yourself, of course :)
I have never claimed to have read all the books that are nominated or read by the club so I need to rely on some source. However, I am glad that that made your day.Quote:
Originally Posted by optimisticnad
The end date is clearly stated at the top of the poll.Quote:
When is the winner announced?
Could you be more specific, please?Quote:
Whatever happened to superman by the way? :lol:
I am glad someone else agrees with me on that. I keep hearing people talk about how much they liked that book and I don't get it. I know for a fact I read it, but if you were to ask me what it was about I would just stare at you with a blank face. It left 0 impression on me.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scheherazade
The only thing I could tell you about that book is well it was probably about some girl falling in love with some guy.
*high fives DM*Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark Muse
:D
Well, I think every serious reader should read most of Jane Austen's work and I've only read two. This will make my third.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scheherazade
Yes, of course, as I said in my post too, you should read and see for yourself. :)
After having read all of Austen's books, in my opinion, Persuation is one of the bottom three.
I read The Awakening very quickly once last year, and it is a book that I want to re-read. I don't know exactly what "novel of manners" means, and looking at its definition in Wiki, I do not think The Awakening fits very well with the given definition. This is because the social conventions in the book is not just the conventions of a single class at that time, in my opinion. But I do agree with the second Wiki explanation on what is said about The Awakening.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scheherazade
I will also like to read Emma soon. This book is an assigned reading for a short course that I am taking. I look forward to seeing the poll result. I'm sorry for not having the time to read Kim and Persuasion yet.
Thanks for your input, Amethyst. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Amethyst2010
And please do not worry about reading other books; join whenever you can and whenever you like.
I think perhaps you've got the wrong end of the stick. I simply meant that wiki is hardly reliable and to say based on what you read there you thought the book might fit was hillarious - especially if, for example an extreme case, we read the book based on what wiki said, found out it was completely different and irrelevant to the topic at hand. I wasn't aware I gave the impression that I thought you had read all the books that were nominated etc. Sorry about the confusion, if there is any.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scheherazade
Superman - just a joke earlier on in this thread.
And yes, thank you, I must have missed that 1st of April deadline at the top. CONCENTRATE!
Harsh. :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark Muse
Maybe a second attempt might change your view? I've read a countless number books I've looked over or neglected at first only to come back it with fresh eyes and different perspective.
It's not rocket science, it's not one of Austen's best books. I think the reason why some people here talk about it so much - including me - is because of the character of Captain Wentworth. Also I really believe that unlike pride and prejudice which everyone can more or less relate to Persuasion is a novel which wil strike a chord depending on your life experiences, it's more mature than all that flirting and light banter in Pride and Prejudice\.
Men, books and shoes - they either fit or they don't. No biggie. :D
Misunderstandings do happen.Quote:
Originally Posted by optimisticnad
As for Wikipedia, even though I am acutely aware of Wiki's limitations and shortcomings, it is a general reference source and I, personally, have no problem refering to it while settling matter of little consequence.
Well it is a bad sign that whenever I think of the book I draw a complete blank about it. I usually can remember the books I read. Even books I did not care for at least leaves some impression on me. I could remember books I read all the way back when I was a kid. The fact that I cannot bring anything into recollection for this book and it was not THAT long ago since I read it does not bode well. It was like forgetton as soon as it was over.Quote:
Originally Posted by optimisticnad
Rather harsh?Quote:
Originally Posted by optimisticnad
Having recently read, Virginia Woolf's 'To the Lighthouse' I can see, in the mindset of Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth, a foreshadowing of the understated alienation between a young Lily Briscoe and William Bankes. A decade and The Great War later, Lily has unexpressed regrets. 'He liked her. There had been some talk of her marrying William Bankes once, but nothing had come of it.' Lily remembers the late, beautiful Mrs Ramsey with irritation: 'Mockingly [Lily] seemed to see [Mrs Ramsey] there at the end of the corridor of years saying, of all incongruous things, “Marry, marry!” (sitting very upright early in the morning with the birds beginning to cheep in the garden outside). And one would have to say to her, It has all gone against your wishes. They’re happy like that; I’m happy like this. Life has changed completely'. In the words of Leonard Cohen:
Despite a fairy tale ending, the heart-rending predicament of an alienated Anne Elliot has counterparts in the private experience of us all, in a life too short. 'Persuasion' is before its time in existential insight, whereas the ironic 'Pride and Prejudice' is little more than a masterpiece of humour.Quote:
Ah, they'll never, they'll never ever reach the moon,
at least not the one that we're after;
it's floating broken on the open sea, look out there, my friends,
and it carries no survivors.
But lets leave these lovers wondering
why they cannot have each other,
and let's sing another song, boys,
this one has grown old and bitter.
I'm hoping Emma, which I haven't read, gets up. And, Optimisticnad, I did appreciate your subtle but harmless Wiki joke first up.
Wiki is no different than any other encyclopedia. You would be amazed at the errors they have in them. And with Wikipedia it can easily get corrected, while once a hard book is published it remains fixed until the next publishing. A book feels more authoritative than a virtual website, but it's the information that counts, not the feel.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scheherazade
I have found Wikipedia to be fairly accurate. The only time I leave doubt in my mind is when it's a controversial subject, things concerning politics or things that are passionately debated.
hmmmm, well this is interesting. Which way should I vote?
If you are looking for sex go for 'The Awakening'....stiff characters go for the other two with 4 votes...haha...
:D
*is waiting to see how Papaya will vote now*
Quote:
Originally Posted by Janine
Bring on the sex!!!!:lol::lol::D
Going once...