Victorians! discussion

It's that time again. Please nominate a Victorian book that you would like to read and discuss in August. One nomination per person, and the group should not have read it in the last two years. This thread will be open for one week or until we have eight nominations.

Great expectations or Nicolas Nickleby by Charles Dickens.

Echoing Nassiba's nomination for Nicholas Nickleby.

The Small House at Allington, by Anthony Trollope. I have to read it in August anyway, and I would love the company!

Here are the links for those books

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickelby

The Small House at Allington

HI!

I nominate A Study in Scarlet. It was read by the group in 2012.

I've taken Great Expectstions out of the running as it was read by the group last year.

How about "Three Men in a Boat" by Jerome K. Jerome. I have read an excerpt about Uncle Podger hanging a picture. It was hilarious.

The link is here

Three Men in a Boat

There are some great choices here, but I vote for Three Men in a Boat. I have never heard of it or its author. Who could not like an author named Jerome K. Jerome?

Maybe something by Henry James? I know he's American but so much of his work is set in Europe and you get a really good sense of the nineteenth century in general from his writing. Some of his novels are quite long but not all of them. Potentials could be "Daisy Miller", "The Europeans", "An International Episode", "The Turn of the Screw", "Washington Squre". :)

Christopher wrote: "Maybe something by Henry James? I know he's American but so much of his work is set in Europe and you get a really good sense of the nineteenth century in general from his writing. Some of his nove..."

Christopher because James is American he's not truly considered a Victorian.

Christopher wrote: "Maybe something by Henry James? I know he's American but so much of his work is set in Europe and you get a really good sense of the nineteenth century in general from his writing. Some of his nove..."

I've been thinking. Christopher you can always start a buddy read using a book by James

Hmm-how did La tulipe noire get onto next months read?

Frances wrote: "Hmm-how did La tulipe noire get onto next months read?"

I nominated and will be leading The Black Tulip but based on the above about Henry James I also was wondering the same.
I thought Victorian meant written during the Victorian Era. So I think James is acceptable.

Anyhow for this new thread I am nominating The White Company

Three Men in a Boat sounds wonderful. And it has a subtitle: (To Say Nothing of the Dog). I've never heard of it either.

Frances wrote: "Hmm-how did La tulipe noire get onto next months read?"

How did a French book get accepted? The unvarnished truth is I was juggling too many things in too many groups (I moderate in several), and I missed it. By time I caught it, it was the lead vote. A decision was made to just go with it this time. So think of it as a vacation in France :). I'm sorry for the mistake. I now have help in all my groups so this shouldn't happen again. Deb

Villette by Charlotte Brontë.
Highly underrated and quite unknown gem of one of the greatest authors in history!

Deborah-I know the feeling and it's sometimes hard to keep the groups straight! Maybe we can add a little compare and contrast discussion of French vs Victorian literature of the time!

Roos-good choice, however this group read Villette last year so it won't qualify for a reread yet.

What, you haven't heard of Three men in a Boat!?

To be fair, neither would I have if I hadn't read To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis. After that I had to read the Jerome one. Just thought I'd let you know that it's a children's story, and quite silly. You'd be hard pressed to find three men more inept. But it is great fun and has a lot of nice Thames boating scenery. A perfect August summer read, really!

Three men in a boat is indeed very funny, silly, and quintessentially English. I finally read it earlier in the year, and listened to a version read by Hugh Laurie (brilliant). And I do want to read Connie Willis' book :o)

For the nominations, do we have a restriction on size?

In the meantime, I found a shortish book that I've been meaning to read. I'd like to nominate Moonfleet by John Meade Falkner. It's an adventure story, a little bit like Treasure Island - ish. Something a little different from what we've had :O)

Veronique wrote: "In the meantime, I found a shortish book that I've been meaning to read. I'd like to nominate Moonfleet by John Meade Falkner. It's an adventure story, a little bit like Treasure Isl..."

Oh, Moonfleet is fabulous! I'd been considering nominating it for a while but never got round to it, so thanks Veronique!

Looks like the choice is going to be tough, though: I also fancy TMIAB and Nicholas Nickleby, though personally I'd rather read the latter in Autumn-Winter.

Deborah wrote: "So think of it as a vacation in France :)..."

That will always sound good to me! :D

Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens or Wuthering Heights By Emily Bronte .

Veronique wrote: "Three men in a boat is indeed very funny, silly, and quintessentially English. I finally read it earlier in the year, and listened to a version read by Hugh Laurie (brilliant). And I do want to rea..."

I haven't restricted size this nomination

"Roos-good choice, however this group read Villette last year so it won't qualify for a reread yet. "

Oh I'm terribly sorry! I've joined a few days ago, so I wasn't aware of this.

How about The Woman in White? Have you guys read that one?

Nassiba wrote: "Wuthering Heights By Emily Bronte ."
+1

My all time favorite novel

The link for Wuthering Heights

That makes 7. We have room for one more

Roos wrote :"How about The Woman in White? Have you guys read that one?"

I've this book on my bookshelves . I didn't read it yet.

Roos wrote: "Nassiba wrote: "Wuthering Heights By Emily Bronte ."
+1

My all time favorite novel"
It's really funny because at the beginning I didn't want to read this book at all. I read a lot of reviews about it and wasn't attracted by it . The story seemed so dark and the characters so bad. Two lovers because they cannot be together decide to destroy each other and the people around them.I read a review where it was said that all the characters were mean and monstruous . Especially the main characters who were described as really selfish people. I don't appreciate peple like that.But my reading has transformed and now I will like to read it. Because of the psychology of the characters and the beautiful writing of Emily Bronte. I care less at the story than before. I don't want to judge it before reading it and I think I can end up to really like it . It will be the surprise.

Link for The Woman in White

And that's it for our nominations. I'm closing this thread. Poll will be posted within the next few days.