Women's Classic Literature Enthusiasts discussion

I don't know the location of all the members of this group nor the affect of the coronavirus on your community.. Charlene and I are in the United States and basically confined to our homes. Most places are closed, including libraries. If you participate in the group reads by using library books, you might not be able to get the books selected in April and/or May.

So it has been suggested that we have other books to read until this crisis is over. So these are the questions I am asking the group:

1) Will you be able to read Red Pottage in April? If not, do you want to move this selection to another month?

2) Are your libraries available for borrowing? If not, do you have your own book collection?

3) Charlene has suggested that we have buddy reads. In order to do this, we need to get suggestions for buddy reads and then set up threads for those who are able to read the same books. Anyone who participates in the buddy reads would then be able to vote in future polls.

4) We would still select books that 50 years and older, but we could also do rereads, as long as they were read and discussed more than 2 years ago. This might be a great time to reread a favorite classic, like Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice or any other book in your personal library. Reading during this time of "social distancing," is a great way to pass the time.

Any suggestions and comments are welcome.

I'd be down for buddy reads. Any members interested in rereading some older, more popular classics?

I'm able to read Red Pottage and planning on doing so. I have it on kindle. For those that can use audiobooks, it is available free on the Internet Archive via Libravox here https://archive.org/details/red_potta.... I think it is also available on Project Gutenberg.

I have Red Pottage at home but can do whatever is easier for the group.

We could have the monthly read as well as a buddy read.

Any suggestions for a buddy read?

I have Red Pottage & am intending to join the group read. I will be a bit late starting.

Other than group reads I am mostly reading NZ books & they aren't suitable (wrong time period) or easy for this group to get hold of.

Yes, the only good thing about these troubled times is more time for reading!

I wasn't going to read Red Pottage because I was so busy teaching classes. Now I have lots of reading time, but libraries are closed so I can't get the book. I am currently reading Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, but I doubt if a lot of people have it hanging around their house. I planned on rereading Pride and Prejudice this summer because I am planning a course on Pride and Prejudice and it many influences in literature today. If anyone else wants to join me, I can always start early.

I haven’t read anything by George Eliot. So I wouldn’t mind buddy reading one of those. Any of them would be fine with me.

I just found out my local library is closed until May 17.

I’d love to reread Pride and Prejudice

My state of New Jersey is no longer allowing ANY gatherings for the foreseeable future. It looks like I will have lots of time on my hands unless one class I teach can be converted to an online course. I would love to reread Pride and Prejudice beginning in April. Anyone else other than Lisa?

I think we should have two reads for April. One is for Red Pottage and the other a buddy read. Please give more suggestions for a buddy read and, if necessary, have a poll for that.

Charlene, is there any particular book you would like to read by Eliot? I have not read Silas Marner. I have read Mill on the Floss and Middlemarch and don't want to tackle them again.

Would Adam Bede be alright? It was her first novel.

☯Emily wrote: "My state of New Jersey is no longer allowing ANY gatherings for the foreseeable future. It looks like I will have lots of time on my hands unless one class I teach can be converted to an online cou..."

I’d be willing to join a Pride and Prejudice read but would probably not be able to join on April 1, but maybe by mid-month.

My library also is closed and I have several dozen classics on hand.

If anyone’s interested in any of these, let me know.

La Femme de Gilles by Madeleine Bourdouxhe
Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompson
A Glass of Blessings by Barbara Pym
Maru by Bessie Head
The Minister's Wooing by Harriet Beecher Stowe
The Judge by Rebecca West
Dread Journey by Dorothy B. Hughes

Charlene, I’m keen to read Adam Bede too.

I own a copy of both books.

But at this point, with cases climbing in SA, working at my hospital may become unpredictable

I have Pride and Prejudice and Glass of Blessing. So I could participate in those.

Carol wrote: "☯Emily wrote: "My state of New Jersey is no longer allowing ANY gatherings for the foreseeable future. It looks like I will have lots of time on my hands unless one class I teach can be converted t..."

I have Maru, A Glass of Blessings and borrowed a few Dorothy B. Hughes including Dread Journey, so I can do those, as well as The Minister's Wooing as it's on Project Gutenberg.

Today, when I was looking for Gentleman's Agreement for May (and couldn't find it), I did find an old copy of Glass of Blessing, which I didn't know I had.

I have looked over this thread and I see the following books have more than one person interested in reading them:
A Glass of Blessings, Pride and Prejudice, Adam Bede, Maru, and Dread Journey. Do we want to have a vote or decide through this thread?

I only have access to the first three books.

☯Emily wrote: "I have looked over this thread and I see the following books have more than one person interested in reading them:
A Glass of Blessings, Pride and Prejudice, [book:Adam Be..."

Probably decide in this thread. Considering that we don't really know what will happen, I would be fine with setting up all five of these book from now until June. Discussing book with everyone here is always delightful.

Maybe all five would be fun. Time to read during lockdown

Do you mean set up all five discussions now?

I appreciate these efforts so much! I haven't wanted to weigh in, because I am such a die-hard paper book reader it isn't fair to influence any votes because of that. Also, I'm reading so much less right now--distracted, and spending so much extra time trying to figure out how to work and get everything done in this new world.

So I'm a bit in the background for the time being, but I've read Adam Bede recently, so may join in on that, and I think I have a copy of Pride and Prejudice I might re-read.

Thanks!

Hi Emily

I wondered about having all five discussion threads up simultaneously. That way as people read they can comment. Alternatively, could be sequentially.

On another note, I’m happily immersed in Pride and Prejudice

Lisa wrote: "Hi Emily

I wondered about having all five discussion threads up simultaneously. That way as people read they can comment. Alternatively, could be sequentially.

On another note, I’m happily immers..."

Then we definitely need to set up a discussion for P & P!

I will set up the threads for P&P, Adam Bede and Glass of Blessing since I have the books and I can divide the books up properly.

I have set up 8 threads in the folder Buddy Reads: Coronavirus:
If you don't see the thread for your book, just open the folder and all should appear. Pride and Prejudice is here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Adam Bede starts here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

and A Glass of Blessings begins here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Any other books can be set up in the same folder.

Thank you!

How is everyone doing?

My local library is slowly reopening. It is taking books and you can pick up holds with an appointment. June 1 it is starting to open with limits.

The library system for where my parents are at is just doing drive thru holds and returns at three of the fourteen libraries. There isn't any information as to when the others will accept returns.

Are libraries coming back in your area?

No progress in reopening in New Jersey.

The libraries here remain closed. One of them will do curb side pick-up but I haven't tried it.

Marilyn wrote: "The libraries here remain closed. One of them will do curb side pick-up but I haven't tried it."

I haven't tried at my library either. I did figure out how to use the e-book selection but haven't checked out any yet. I have one e-book on hold.

There’s no timetable for reopening our libraries. More’s the pity.