The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

Hello, everyone! We will start reading Evelina on May 31. Here is the reading schedule (the numbers are irregular because the letters are all of different lengths):

Week 1: Letters I - XVII (May 31 to June 7) "CAN any thing, my good Sir, be more painful to a friendly mind"

Week 2: Letters XVIII - XXIV (June 7 to 14) "I HAD just finished my letter to you this morning, when a violent rapping at the door made me run down stairs; and who should I see in the drawing room, but-"

Week 3: Letters XXV - XLII (June 14 to 21) "NO, my dear Sir, no: the work of seventeen years remains such as it was, ever"

Week 4: Letters XLIII - LII (June 21 to 28) "June 10th THIS morning Mr. Smith called, on purpose, he said, to offer me a ticket for the next Hampstead assembly."

Week 5: Letters LIII - LXVII (June 28 to July 5) "LISTLESS, uneasy, and without either spirit or courage to employ myself, from the time I had finished"

Week 6: Letters LXVIII - LXXVII (July 5 to 12) "SWEETLY, most sweetly, have two days more passed"

Week 7: Letters LXXVIII - end (July 12 to 19) "I COULD not write yesterday, so violent was the agitation of my mind"

*Edited June 11, 2020, to add the first lines of each section

I'm looking forward to this read!

Me too, and it's well timed because I'm just starting to write a novel in which Fanny Burney is the central character so I need to immerse myself again in her voice.

I’ve had an older Everyman library copy on my shelf for years. It will be great to read it.

Ha! I have a copy on my bookshelf! I'll try to join you then. :)

I'm so glad you'll all be joining us! Good luck on your novel, Abigail.

Thanks! This one’s fighting me pretty hard.

I'll be joining you as well-I was able to borrow a copy from a neighbour.

It's in public domain so electronic copies would be available free from libraries or on tablets.

The audiobook is also free on YouTube.

Good to know; thanks!

I first read Evelina as a grad student and have loved it since.

There's also a free recording on Librivox.

Thanks! Great to see you here.

Allie wrote: "The audiobook is also free on YouTube."

Thanks, I tried this one. There were no Librivox podcasts as far as I could see.

The first chapter in the Youtube Librivox recording is read by a woman named Christi, who does not read English fluently. She has a heavy Polish or French accent and I have given up, because I can’t understand it! Just a warning.

The book is delayed at my library, so I might not be able to join on time. Will try and see if I can purchase another audiobook or something. I don’t read on tablets.

Hurrah, I have signed in for a free month trial at Audible and downloaded the novel with three readers, including Judi Dench! :)

That's great, Charlotte!

Lori, my copy of Evelina has three volumes, which each volume beginning to number the chapters starting from one.

Oh, it doesn't just number the letters?

Give me some time and I'll put the first line of each section.

The letters are numbered, but volume 1 ends with letter 31 and then volume 2 begins with letter 1 again.

The first lines of each section are now up. I hope that helps!

Arg, I've had books like that, also that restarted the page numbering with each volume. I was constantly using a calculator to figure out where I was. So annoying!

I have started with the book, but later than the group, as I wss late finishing my previous book. But I'm trying to catch up to you now!

Thanks, Lori!

I too have a different edition, and an audiobook with arabic numeration, so I have made my own notes for the sections. You may compare with your own chart:

Last chapters for each week:

Week 3 - XLII - 42 - Vol. II, Letter XI

Week 4 - LII - 52 - Vol. II, Letter XXI

Week 5 - LXVII - 67 - Vol. III, Letter VI

Week 6 - LXXVII - 77 - Vol. III, Letter XVI

Thanks, Charlotte.

Much appreciated, Charlotte, I just discovered that my edition is numbered the same way as yours!

I did, too!

I’m very behind so I’ve decided to read at my own pace and add to the discussion late.

Deborah wrote: "I’m very behind so I’ve decided to read at my own pace and add to the discussion late."

We look forward to reading your thoughts on it!