Classics and the Western Canon discussion

As both 2021 and Dracula are coming to and end, it is time to choose our first major read of 2022. Here are the nominees up for consideration. You have a week to lobby for your favorites here before the poll next week.

The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life by Herman Melville

Ethics by Baruch Spinoza

The Metaphysics of Morals by Immanuel Kant

An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals by David Hume

The Aeneid by Virgil

Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

I will vote for Virgil, but some of the choices are interesting too.

I'm also leaning toward Virgil.

Ooh, Udolpho! My favourite Jane Austen novel is Northanger Abbey because it's the one where she's the most satirical. This is the book that Catherine is obsessed with and that causes her to fantasise that the titular Abbey is haunted.

Typee would be interesting for both literary and anthropoplogical reasons.

Been hoping to read Aeneid! that is a great choice to begin 2022

Udolpho are Aeneid! I'm already planning a reread of the latter.

Typee would be my choice as well. I have not participated in commenting for some time due to my health. I realize that participation is required to vote.

Susan wrote: "I realize that participation is required to vote.

Susan, anyone can vote. Participation isn't required for voting. But votes are weighted depending on the number of posts a person has made.

I hope your health improves.

Tamara wrote: "Susan wrote: "I realize that participation is required to vote.

Susan, anyone can vote. Participation isn't required for voting. But votes are weighted depending on the number of posts a person ha..."
Good to know. I doubt that I have posted since before Everyman passed.

We hope everyone participates in the discussion no matter what they vote for. We only ask that each member vote on a nominee they intend on reading along with the group, whether they participate in the discussion or not.

Great list of choices! I wouldn’t mind reading some philosophy, say Spinoza or Hume, or taking a trip on a whaling ship to a South Sea island (Typee).

Sam wrote: "Udolpho are Aeneid! I'm already planning a reread of the latter."
Hi this is Sam who has been posting, so I can only ID myself that way. I have not seen postings by the New Sam. Maybe he could put in a profile picture so we could tell us apart.

My first vote would be Spinoza's "Ethics" one of the founding documents of The Enlightenment. My vote #2 would be Great Expectations.

The Aeneid was the runner-up of the last poll and I hope it will win this time. Typee and Ethics would be also really interesting and I wouldn't mind reading them.

Kant's The Metaphysics of Morals would be a good choice if you suffer from insomnia.

Sam wrote: "Sam wrote: "Udolpho are Aeneid! I'm already planning a reread of the latter."
Hi this is Sam who has been posting, so I can only ID myself that way. I have not seen postings by the New Sam. Maybe h..."

I'm a she. I will work on that. If you look closely, my profile picture is spawning sockeye salmon. I'm not new.....have been involved for a few years. Sometimes I read with the group, sometimes I don't.

Thanks for joining up, fine profile pic.

Poll is open https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...
Poll ends at: Dec 22, 2021 11:59PM PST

I think this is the best list yet. I might just close my eyes and pick one.

I studied The Aeneid last year, but I've been wanting to read Shadi Bartsch's translation. Hope it's chosen, so I can re-read with a group.

There are still a few hours to vote in the poll. The poll will close
Dec 22, 2021 11:59PM PST
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

Great list but the one the sparks my interest the most is Kant’s “Metaphysics of Morals”. But all the choices are great. Happy New Year from sunny Hawaii.

The Aeneid by Virgil will be our next read. Discussions will open Jan. 12, 2022 after a two week interim read.

R	W	W%	Book
12	22	40%	The Aeneid
7	17	31%	Typee
6	12	22%	Ethics
2	2	4%	Tess of D'Urbervilles
2	2	4%	The Mysteries of Udolpho
29	55		Totals

I'm new to the group and looking forward to the Aeneid reading. Happy New Year to all.

Welcome, Jacob. We're delighted you decided to join us. And Happy New Year to you, too.

The Aeneid discussion will start on January 12. Meanwhile we are discussing D.H. Lawrence's short story The Odour of Chrysanthemums as our short interim read. Feel free to join the discussion at any time.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Greetings
When are we starting the Aeneid?

Hi Duvall -- the Aeneid discussion starts next Wednesday, Jan 12. The translations and background thread is open now: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Thomas wrote: "Hi Duvall -- the Aeneid discussion starts next Wednesday, Jan 12. The translations and background thread is open now: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/..."
much appreciated.