Captain Sir Roddy, R.N. (Ret.)’s Comments (group member since Aug 31, 2010)

Captain Sir Roddy, R.N. (Ret.)’s comments from the The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 group.

Olga wrote: "I read this book in January and I found Benjamin McEvoy's lectures very helpful and insighful. The introductory one is available on YT - https://youtu.be/zpqES5V6iAg?si=2MwRs...
It could b..."

Olga, I cannot thank you enough for providing this link to Benjamin McAvoy's introduction to the Brothers Karamazov!

I got so much out of this introduction, and he has made me that much more excited to participate in a group read of the novel with all of you. His tips and suggestions on how to approach the novel, as either a first-time reader or as a returning reader, really made sense to me. All of my life I have tried to embrace reading the book and always floundered. This time I know I can do it! Thanks again for providing Dr. McAvoy's wisdom and experience for us to consider.

Tom wrote: "I have been checking out what is available in my library and have found a more modern version by Michael Katz. Does anybody know anything about this translation?"

Tom, I actually almost bought this new Katz translation today in a small indy bookstore in Washington, D.C. ("Politics & Prose" down by the waterfront), but the cover was bent. I did look it over and was intrigued.

Thank you for preparing this schedule, Gem. I have printed it out and put it in my copy of the novel. I will be in southern Italy for weeks 4-7, and a portion of 8, but I plan to participate as the novel and my small laptop are going with me. It'll be fun!

I plan to participate, and am very much looking forward to reading this with all of you.

Robin P wrote: "Captain Sir Roddy, R.N. (Ret.) wrote: "I browsed the Archives and it doesn't seem like Henri Guy de Maupassant has made an appearance. Maupassant not only has a boatload of great short stories, but..."

Challenge accepted, Robin. When I am back from Italy in late-September, I will 'meet' with the mods and see what can, or should, be developed, and I'd be delighted to lead/co-lead. Thanks heaps!

I browsed the Archives and it doesn't seem like Henri Guy de Maupassant has made an appearance. Maupassant not only has a boatload of great short stories, but has three novels that are terrific (I think he wrote 5-6?).

I see that Zola was given a shot, but sputtered out, and I can understand why. I think the Rougon-Macquart 20-book series is a commitment, and it took me years to finally bite the bullet and start.

I would love to see if there is any interest in Henry James. With HJ, it would make sense, in my opinion, to look at the two phases, his early works and then the last three novels. I used to think the last three, The Wings of the Dove, The Ambassadors, and The Golden Bowl, were virtually impenetrable. I now think they are--with The Portrait of A Lady--his very best works.

Edith Wharton is another author I'd love to see explored. Her major novels are amazingly good; and she, like Maupassant and James, wrote some terrific novellas and short stories. One cool read that could be done would be to compare/contrast Wharton's novella The Touchstone with James' novella The Aspern Papers.

I know that we have Dostoevsky's TBK coming up in August, and I'm terribly excited for that, but wonder if we couldn't perhaps build a "Russian Project" and include several other Russian authors? Perhaps we could do a "French Project" that could address Balzac, Flaubert, Dumas, Hugo, Sand, de Maupassant, Zola, etc.?

Just some 'food for thought'.

Lynnm wrote: "I'm so excited that we are starting the Trollope Project! (Although I'm still missing Dickens...). Here is the order for the novels, and we will start "The Warden" on Sunday, June 5.

Chronicles of..."

I am quite sorry to have missed all of these group reads. You have done a great job of hitting all of Trollope's best. I re-read two or three every year, mostly from the Palliser series, but I also love Dr Thorne, and The Small House at Allington, as well as He Knew He Was Right, and The Way We Live Now.

This is arguably my favorite Trollope novel. I agree with the observations, above, regarding emotional similarities between Alice V. and Lily Dale from TSHaA. It would seem that Trollope has a thing for "steadfastness" in his tales.

Rosemarie wrote: "I'm reading The Innocents Abroad, Or, the New Pilgrims' Progress by Mark Twain."

Good Heavens! It has been ages since I read that. I haven't revisited Twain in forever.

Deborah wrote: "I’m reading a popular fiction book about Margaret Fuller, as well as the Wilkie Collins book. I, too, plan on reading The Brothers Karamazov. I have a beautiful antique copy that has been on my she..."

I have a Kindle too, but, like you, I'd never go abroad for three+ weeks without a back-up plan ;-)

Deborah wrote: "I’m reading a popular fiction book about Margaret Fuller, as well as the Wilkie Collins book. I, too, plan on reading The Brothers Karamazov. I have a beautiful antique copy that has been on my she..."

Thanks for the tip about Woolf's Orlando, as I have it but have not yet read it.

I have been enjoying revisiting some authors and exploring some new authors this summer. Revisiting George Eliot, Thomas Hardy, and Henry James, while also exploring Emile Zola's 20 volumes of the Rougon-Macquart series (I've gotten through the first two books). I plan to join all of you in the The Brothers Karamazov group read too, as that will be new to me.

My wife and I headed off to southern Italy for nearly the whole month of September, and I am starting to think about what's going in the book bag with me. Definitely going to include 1-2 Zola novels, probably Eliot's Daniel Deronda (a re-read), and we'll see what else, maybe some Virginia Woolf . . .

Rochelle wrote: "Another vote here for her short stories written for magazines. We could cherry-pick the ones up to 1910.

http://readbookonline.net/stories/Wha...

I sometimes wonder why this group stopped at..."

I have all of her short stories--all of them, mind you--in various collections, but my favorite collection is the two-volume Library of America hardback set. They are wonderful to dive into, and all of her short stories are presented in chronological order. I highly recommend these editions!

Rochelle wrote: "Another vote here for her short stories written for magazines. We could cherry-pick the ones up to 1910.

http://readbookonline.net/stories/Wha...

I sometimes wonder why this group stopped at..."

Or, why didn't we go to 1930, or something...

Even though Mrs Gaskell died, I still have always believed that this novel ended rightly--i.e., Molly and Roger ended up together. How could it be anything else?

Oh, jeez, favorites...for me it is Hardy, Eliot, Bronte, Austen, Zola, Wharton, James, Trollope, and Dickens...well, something like that anyway.

For 'feel good'--Austen, Dickens, and probably Trollope;
'Naturalistic' (i.e., 'not so feel good')--Zola, Eliot, Hardy, Wharton and James. All pretty much in this order.

Erica wrote: "Just finished "The Aspern Papers" by Henry James and it made me so curious to speak with others about it that I found this web site and joined it!"

Erica, I am so glad that you enjoyed The Aspern Papers, and highly recommend that you read Edith Wharton's The Touchstone. You'll find some amazing parallels, and perhaps you'll even walk away with a better appreciation of Wharton. Please do let me know your thoughts about her novella if you read it. Cheers!

Hello, everybody! Yes, I've been absent for a bit, but I'm going to try to be more present and involved. The past couple of years have been a zoo. but my wife and and I are in a new house and things are starting to slow down (knock on wood), and I believe that I can be more involved in group reads and other back and forths.

Please stop by for coffee, or tea, and a croissant. Bring your book and sit a spell, and tell us what's going on.

Definitely The Beast in the Jungle. I just read it!