Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

A number of our members are palnning to read the books of Aldous Huxley in 2023.
Anyone can join in-the more, the merrier!

This is the place to discuss the Huxley books. Happy reading everyone!

I would like to join in for at least one book. I read Brave New World this year.

Welcome, Shaina.

Sandy, please note in message 3 above that I've read Brave New World ........and gave it four stars. Before adding more, I want to see how I react tp Those Barren Leaves. Several others are available to me.

Thanks for your time and effort in arranging the thread.

Pam, please fill us in on your thoughts about Island. I hesitate only because I tend to prefer books set in reality. I do less well with science fiction. Descriptive, thought provoking prose is always a huge plus for me. In-depth character portrayal increases my interest too!

Are we in agreement that we use html spoiler coding? It's easy and doesn't destroy the reading for others.

I will certainly read Brave New World in 2023 and maybe a few others by the author.

Sandy wrote: "Message 3 was added to minimize the need to flip back and forth to the original discussion for the detsils shared there. If any participants want to use this thread to keep a personal log of the Hu..."

OK --I will reserve a post. Pls connect me to it. I hope I have done as you want.

Thank you Sandy and Rosemarie for getting this Buddy Read set up so quick! It’s amazing to me how one comment can get the ball rolling. My interest in Huxley started about a month ago when I decided to set up a 52 book challenge, which I do every year, for my 6 year old grandson. One of the prompts is a book with a murder. Since that’s not an appropriate topic for his age, I decided to go with the phrase “a murder of crows” and started looking for a children’s book with crows. I found The Crows of Pearblossom and then went down the rabbit hole of researching what else Huxley wrote! I’m really interested to see what we will find. 🐇 📚

Chrissie's Aldous Huxley reads:

*Brave New World 4 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

*Those Barren Leaves TBR

I want to read:

The Invisible Man
When the Sleeper Wakes

Take care of yourself, Sandy!

I'd like to reread Brave New World. I've read it twice, but it's been some years and I'd like to refresh myself. I liked it a lot better when I was growing up than I did as an adult but see I gave it 3 stars, so I must have liked it.

I would like to read Those Barren Leaves and Island.

Karin wrote: "I'd like to reread Brave New World. I've read it twice, but it's been some years and I'd like to refresh myself. I liked it a lot better when I was growing up than I did as an adult but see I gave ..."

I just read Brave New World this year but I'm willing to reread it. I would like to read Island, his last novel and Crome Yellow, his first novel. I'm also fine with Those Barren Leaves. It might be interesting to compare how his writing changed over the years.

I suggest January 15 - April 15. How about reading them in the order they were published: Crome Yellow, Those Barren Leaves, Brave New World, and Island? Is 3 weeks between each book long enough, with other reads we have going on? After that, if people are still interested in his works, we can choose more books or just read and discuss as we go.

Yes, I agree with the spoiler coding! Sometimes I'm afraid to read these types of threads because of possible spoilers, same with forwards to books and book reviews.

*Pam's Aldous Huxley Reads*:

Read:
Brave New World - Nov 2021- 3.5 stars

Currently Reading:
Island

Want to read:
Crome Yellow
Those Barren Leaves
Antic Hay
The Crows of Pearblossom - children's picture book

Maybe:
Eyeless in Gaza
Ape and Essence
The Burning Wheel and Leda - poetry

I would like to read Those Barren Leaves.

I would like to read, at some point, Brave New World Revisited

Sandy - I probably can’t handle 4 Huxley books over 3 months either! I was being a bit optimistic. I will be reading a Latin American Author and a sci-fi every month plus books for challenges in other groups! I’m ok with not having a structured Buddy read but do others want to read the same book at the same time?

Sandy, thank you for so very much for your excellent organizational help!

Thank you, Sandy for putting in the effort to coordinate this buddy read. I want to read Crome Yellow and Island. I would like to keep my schedule fluid as I'm more of a mood reader.

Since it sounds like none of us are very familiar with Huxley’s works, outside of Brave New World, so it could be that if one of us reads something and reports positively, others might be inclined to pick it up sooner than later.

Sandy, is it like during March that you think you will be reading Those Barren Leaves? Approximately...... I could try and plan it for about the same time.

Sandy wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Sandy, is it like during March that you think you will be reading Those Barren Leaves? Approximately...... I could try and plan it for about the same time."

Let me t..."

I don' want to cause you stress. In any case, it is NOT essential! I just thought it might be fun if we read it simultaneously. January is not good for me.

Sandy, sometime in February would be great.

Others interested in reading Those Barren Leaves, does February fit for you too? We could hold it up as a guideline.

Yes, I still plan to start Crome Yellow around Jan 15. I’m still working on Island. It’s not as interesting as I hoped it would be. I might put it on hold and try to come back to it.

Pam, glad February works for you too.

It seems to me that people are having trouble with several of these books........ I am going to stick to reading Those Barren Leaves.

I would like to read Those Barren Leaves with others. February would work well for me, much better than January.

Melanie, great! The more the merrier!

Sooo ..... I finally received the contents back from my flooded house (which is now repaired, thankfully) and I found the box with my Aldous Huxley novels. I have Crome Yellow, Time Must Have a Stop, and The Doors of Perception / Heaven and Hell. So I'm going to join you and try to read a couple of these at least during the year. Hopefully I'll get to all of them!

Cleo, that's nice.

We are planning on reading Those Barren Leaves in February. I hope you can join us.

Cleo wrote: "Sooo ..... I finally received the contents back from my flooded house (which is now repaired, thankfully) ..."

Cleo so happy that your house is back in order! I cannot imagine your worry during that time.

I have begun Those Barren Leaves. Several of us said we would start at the beginning of February. Has anyone else started?

I like the satire. There are both funny lines and amusing situations. I hope it stays this good.

Sandy and others

Re: Those Barren Leaves The satire hits you right at the start. The writing is good. I also like how Huxley's descriptive writing. It gets more serious and moves part of the time to England. You have to be patient--parts are confusing, but then you come to understand.

Re: Antic Hay. I have considered reading this too. Please tell me why it is difficult? Sandy, do you mean that it is confusing? TBL was too, until you give it a while! Huxley doesn't explain things. Pls tell me what you like and what you don't like. I am all ears! Anybody else reading this? Please advise me. Tell me what you think about as you read the book, please.

Sandy, thanks for the link. I am on the way to look at it

Sandy, I've read now, what you wrote. Thank you. How Huxley describes his characters is similar in the two books. He does the same with his landscapes too! I like the details. You really see the people and the places--I do agree. II think I should read Antic Hay.

In Those Barren Leaves he writes a lot about the art of reading and writing and about how people behave. The section in England is where you are filled in about past events in a character's life.

Sandy, yeah, no explanations at all. You're dropped in and figure it out yourself. The section called something like Autobiographical Fragments I found quite confusing for awhile. Don't worry; it clears up.

So very glad to help others!

Having read most of his books many years ago, I hadn't planned on joining the Huxley Buddy Read - but have decided to make an exception for Those Barren Leaves.

Glad to see you joining in John! I checked out the ebook version of Those Barren Leaves but am going to finish one other book, in the next few days, before reading it. Do you have a favorite book by Huxley? I’ve only finished one - Brave New World.

Pam wrote: "Glad to see you joining in John! I checked out the ebook version of Those Barren Leaves but am going to finish one other book, in the next few days, before reading it. Do you have a favorite book b..."

Brave New World was probably my favourite, Pam, and I've read it several times. But I also enjoyed Island, and The Doors of Perception / Heaven and Hell. (I really liked Doors of Perception - but that was in the 70s - would I like it now, at my age, and with LSD just a distant memory????

John, nice! Glad you've joined us!

Sandy wrote: "Huxley has assembled a variety of eccentric, although not particularly likeable, characters in TBL but I do hope that they have less to say than Mr. Cardan. His monologue at the dinner table in Cha..."
Sounds like you are soon giving up.....

Sandy, when I rate a book I go by my personal reaction to it. Rating in this way is extremely simple. If I cannot stand another second with the book, then I stop. If I am sure, 100% sure, I am never going to like it, then I dump it. Usually I know this only after having read a very large portion of the book.

Sandy, I've come to the same conclusion as you concerning an author's early books. I think they often have more vitality than those that follow.