Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

Hello everybody!

We'll be reading Framley Parsonage, book number 4 in Trollope's Barchester series, in MAY 2021.

Everybody's welcome!

If you like audiobooks, you can find a brilliantly narrated free version here:
https://librivox.org/framley-parsonag...

I'm looking forward to the next instalment. I'm so glad I joined the original group read of The Warden, Trollope is high on my list of best newly read authors of 2021.

For me as well! I'm so happy I discovered him.

I'm in!!

So, does this mean everyone has already FINISHED Dr. Thorne?
(Hangs head in shame..)
IIRC, F.P. is better than Dr. T., and Small House at A. is the best novel ever written.. (slight exaggeration..)

Christopher wrote: "So, does this mean everyone has already FINISHED Dr. Thorne?
(Hangs head in shame..)
IIRC, F.P. is better than Dr. T., and Small House at A. is the best novel ever written.. (slight exaggeration..)"

Lol you still have time! :D

That's good to hear about the next two books in the series - I'm really looking forward to them!

I will probably start not right away at the beginning of May with this buddy read. I first want to get Wives and Daughters, one of our group reads, out of the way.
I had started reading that in March before nominating it as a group read. Since it won, I put my reading progress on hold.
I now want to finish it first.

I'll also only get to it later in the month, I'm busy with Palace Walk which is a tome in its own right.

I hope you enjoy Wives and Daughters, Philina. I read it in Jan - Feb and loved it, such a beautiful story.

Philina wrote: "I will probably start not right away at the beginning of May with this buddy read. I first want to get Wives and Daughters, one of our group reads, out of the way.
I had started reading that in Ma..."

I'll be reading Wives & Daughters, too!

Christopher wrote: "IIRC, F.P. is better than Dr. T., and Small House at A. is the best novel ever written.. (slight exaggeration..)"

So you're in sync with former Prime Minister John Major who considers The Small House at Allington his favorite novel.

I've read through chapter 10. Enjoying this so much!

It's fun to see the Proudies back in action in this book - Mrs Proudie had had a couple of great scenes so far. The Arabins, Mr Harding, and Archdeacon Grantly have been mentioned - curious to see if they'll be active in this story. From Doctor Thorne, Miss Dunstable, Frank and Mary, and the Duke of Omnium are back. I love this bit about the Duke, too funny -

that great Whig autocrat the Duke of Omnium, whose residence was more dangerous even than that of Mr. Sowerby, and whom Lady Lufton regarded as an impersonation of Lucifer upon earth.

I'm always interested in anything that might point to Trollope himself. Given his father's problems with debt, I wonder if this is a belief of Trollope's that made its way into the narrator's comments -

Such companions are very dangerous. There is no cholera, no yellow-fever, no small-pox, more contagious than debt.

I'm delighted with the playful names for estates - Heavybed House and Creamclotted Hall :D

Mark Robarts is going to be an interesting character I think. He seems to be experiencing or heading towards a moral crisis - I look forward to seeing how this unfolds -

If his rising in the world brought him in contact with such things as these, would it not be better for him that he should do without rising?

He had owned to himself that he was ambitious; but he had to own to himself now also that he had hitherto taken but a sorry path towards the object of his ambition.

I've read through chapter 25, forgot to stop and comment on chapters 11-20. This book is so good I was carried away!

Trollope has such fun with his summations of people -

Lord Dumbello's muteness was his most eloquent mode of expression.

Captain Culpepper was a man with an enormous moustache, and a great aptitude for slaughtering game; but as he had no other strong characteristics it was not probable that he would make himself very agreeable....

The Proudies are still a divisive bunch, some enjoy them, others loathe them -

Early in the winter he had gone to Chaldicotes and to Gatherum Castle, consorting with gamblers, Whigs, atheists, men of loose pleasure, and Proudieites.

Another laugh out loud name -

Dowager Lady Goodygaffer :D

Romantic entanglements develop, and Trollope captures beautifully in a few words unspoken love -

She could look at him, and that alone was happiness to her.

(view spoiler)[Mark Robarts is conflicted between his clerical duties and the lures of high society. Things could go amiss for him -

A man always can do right, even though he has done wrong before. But that previous wrong adds so much difficulty to the path—a difficulty which increases in tremendous ratio, till a man at last is choked in his struggling, and is drowned beneath the waters. (hide spoiler)]

And a personal favorite line from these chapters -

With her own book and a fireside she never felt herself to be miserable....

I was so wrapped up in the story yesterday I kept reading until I finished the book! My goodness, what a fantastic novel! I just love this one to bits!

My spoiler-free review -

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Framley Parsonage is my favorite of the Barsetshire series. I think its because I thought Lucy Robarts the best of Trollope's heroines.
As you say, this book has a 'treasure trove' of characters, including the Proudies. Lucy is a great one and also helps balance out her sometimes-knucklehead brother Mark.
Trollope can write interesting women characters, such as Mrs. Dunstable in this and the previous book and Lily Dale in the next. I will be interested in your take on Ms. Dale if you do read Small House.

Brian wrote: "Framley Parsonage is my favorite of the Barsetshire series. I think its because I thought Lucy Robarts the best of Trollope's heroines.
As you say, this book has a 'treasure trove' of characters, ..."

So far for me it's pretty close between Barchester Towers and Framley for which is my favorite. I still have books 5 and 6 to go.

I agree - Lucy Robarts is a phenomenal female character. You think she'll be a quiet, mousy young woman then she bursts into bloom and there's this amazing, strong, decisive, courageous, funny woman. She does have a stronger internal compass I think than her brother.

I'll be reading Small House next month - I'll post my thoughts on Lily Dale when I review it!

Barchester Towers is my clear second favorite of the Barsetshire series.

I'm currently in chapter 10 and I love it as well. I love the fact that many known characters have returned. I also laugh a lot again after Dr. Thorne was less comedic in my opinion.

I'm not sure if I will continue next month as the LibriVox recordings end here. I'm very tempted to wait until Nick Whitley publishes his next narration.

Just finished the chapter „The Little Bill“. Oh, how I want to kill the stupid Sowerby scamming poor Mark out of his money!!! £ 400 is already too much for his finances and now he‘s increased it to £ 900 plus potential lawyer bills (and interest?). Why, for heaven‘s sake, doesn’t he consult a lawyer behind his wife’s back if he wants to keep it secret. He is such a nice guy, but he acts like a little boy and not a grown man taking care of his own affairs.

Philina, I agree Doctor Thorne wasn't as funny as Barchester Towers or Framley. Still wonderful, but in a different way.

I know, I was so frustrated with Mark signing his name to not one but two bills!! His ambition gets the better of him - Mark thinks "helping" Sowerby will help his career in the church. So unwise and scary and sad - he puts his family at risk by doing this.

Dr. Thorne might marry Miss Dunstable? OMG! I LOVE this! I so hope this comes to pass!

I get why this book might be a series favorite. It is like icing on the cake of the previous books, because most of the previous characters come together.
For me, it might be #2, as so far Barchester Towers is still solidly #1.

I also love the friendship between Miss Dunstable and Mrs. Harold Smith. They could talk about her marrying Mr. Sowerby, reject the idea and still be fast friends.

Philina wrote: "Dr. Thorne might marry Miss Dunstable? OMG! I LOVE this! I so hope this comes to pass!

I get why this book might be a series favorite. It is like icing on the cake of the previous books, because m..."

I know! I didn't see a possible Dunstable/Thorne romance coming at all in the last book, so this was a happy surprise!

It will happen !!!! (just read the love letter chapter)

Could it be a Trollope thing to end a book always with a marriage?

#1 the Warden‘s daughter and Mr. Bolt
#2 the Warden‘s daughter and Mr. Arrabin
#3 Mary and Frank
#4 Mrs. Dunstable and Dr. Thorne / Lucy and Lord Lufton

Philina wrote: "It will happen !!!! (just read the love letter chapter)

Could it be a Trollope thing to end a book always with a marriage?

#1 the Warden‘s daughter and Mr. Bolt
#2 the Warden‘s daughter and Mr. A..."

It's interesting, isn't it? I wonder if Trollope gave his readers happy endings with marriages because that's what he felt the public wanted in a novel or if that was his ideal for men and women - everyone should be married. Maybe a bit of both, I don't know, but I love all these happy ending weddings!

Cozy_Pug wrote: "Philina wrote: "It will happen !!!! (just read the love letter chapter)

Could it be a Trollope thing to end a book always with a marriage?

#1 the Warden‘s daughter and Mr. Bolt
#2 the Warden‘s da..."

It's actually a 'trope' for Shakespeare's comedies to end with a marriage (or three), and Jane Austen, and, for all I know, Menander, Plautus, and Terrence.

Not to mention Golden Age Hollywood:

Philina wrote: "Could it be a Trollope thing to end a book always with a marriage?..."

During a discussion in another classic reading group about a year ago, I observed that Framley Parsonage had tied with (view spoiler)[ Ayala's Angel (hide spoiler)] in having the most weddings at the end of a Trollope novel, with 4 marriages. Further discussion revealed that another Trollope novel, (view spoiler)[ The Way We Live Now (hide spoiler)], ended with 6 weddings.

So while there are many Trollope novels that end without a wedding, as some have several weddings, he probably averages an ending wedding per novel.

I've only just started and so glad to be back in Trollope's world. Based on the comments so far, I am in for a treat.

Carolien wrote: "I've only just started and so glad to be back in Trollope's world. Based on the comments so far, I am in for a treat."

I hope you enjoy it, Carolien! It's a pretty special book - I just loved it!

Have fun, Carolien! Yes, you are ;)