The Perks Of Being A Book Addict discussion

If anyone would like to join Anne and I in reading David Copperfield, please do!

Well Jess, it is about 6:45 p.m. on Friday June 7th and I am about to start David Copperfield.
First of all I am amazed how long it is. 1057 pages in my edition! We read this in school - I was probably 12 or 13. I can’t imagine that I read to the end because I was a lazy little oik back then, and hated all set books on principle. And I am sure we weren’t given an abridged version - “This is your British birthright”.
I hadn’t thought about rate of reading. Sure, 2 chapters a day sounds good, so it will take a bit over a month. We didn’t really have a pace problem with Bleak House, did we?
Anyway, this is going to be fun!
My original idea was to read the original followed by Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead, which is apparently based on the original DC.
(And I will want to know if that rooster stays sweet after his hormones have kicked in?!)
Anne

Woo hoo! I'm going to start reading now too! After Bleak House, I'm unsurprised by how long it is lol.

I'll definitely let you know about the rooster! And I also like the idea of following up with Demon Copperhead!

I loved Miss Trotwood. She had me literally laughing out loud with her behavior during the birth. I felt so bad for everyone around her but she’s really funny. I hate that she just abandoned them though. If she hadn’t, Murdstone never would’ve had a chance!

I just finished chapter 4. What do you think so far?

I finished chap. 3 last night. I haven’t read today yet. I have to feed the animals (cats and dogs). Then I will have several hours to devote to the book.
I am enjoying it. I love the boat-house. I would love to live there, on the beach, with the constant sound of the sea - but not with all those people. I think alone, with just my books and my animals.

I also like the boat house but am used to a big family. I like to be outside reading alone but I no longer enjoy it when everyone is gone and I’m the only one in the house. It feels too quiet.

Yes, I think we are two opposites. 🤪

I have just finished chapter 7 and now I am going to bed as Master Copperfield goes home for the holidays.
I think that kids today have no idea how well they are treated. The horror of those boarding schools and the cruelty of the teachers is just amazing. I know this is fiction, but I believe Dickens drew on his own childhood for this book. Times have certainly changed.

Anne wrote: "I have just finished chapter 7 and now I am going to bed as Master Copperfield goes home for the holidays.
I think that kids today have no idea how well they are treated. The horror of those boardi..."

In regard of the teacher´s behavior yes but in the treatment through fellow students they got worse.

I’m a bit behind. Didn’t get to read hardly any yesterday because we were at our grandparents celebrating a birthday all day. I just got the kids to bed and am picking up towards the end of chapter five.

Don’t worry. It will all even out in the end. Just enjoy the book! 😃

I am enjoying it but I feel awful for poor little David. I just want to give him a great big hug. I just finished chapter 10 and I can’t stand that he’s leaving his home again and going farther away from Peggoty.

from: 48596220 Helke
to: 3530440 Anne
subject: re: David Copperfield
message: Hi Anne.
Thanks for the invite. It is one of my all-time favorite books. When I was in my 7th school year we had an excerpt of it in our german textbooks and I begged my mother to buy it for me. It was the start of my great love for Dickens work.

No I´m not reading alongside because I have some challenges I have to read for. I saw your comment on my notifications and as usual had an opinion of my own lol. But I will try to look more closely and try to participate a bit.

48596220 Helke said to you:
Hi Anne.
Thanks for the invite. It is one of my all-time favorite books. When I was in my 7th school year we had an excerpt of it in our german textbooks and I begged my mother to buy it for me. It was the start of my great love for Dickens work.

No I´m not reading alongside because I have some challenges I have to read for. I saw your comment on my notifications and as usual had an opinion of my own lol. But I will try to look more closely and try to participate a bit.

16 hours, 24 min ago
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3530440 you said to Helke:
Hi Helke,
Thanks for your comment about the schools of today versus those of Dickens time. Are you reading alongside us? In which case, welcome. Maybe you just know the book well? Either way we would love to have your insights. Thanks for joining in. I am loving the book.

Jess, I am posting a little conversation I had with Helke, just to keep you in the loop.
(Helke, I hope you don’t mind me reposting so Jess can see.)

Hello Helke! I also read the book when I was younger but as I’m reading it this time around I’m realizing I forgot a LOT! It feels like a whole new book. I ended today where David has been sent away by Murdstone to London to work for Mr. Quinion.

Well Jess, I am at just the same place! To be continued tomorrow…

Jess wrote: "Hello Helke! I also read the book when I was younger but as I’m reading it this time around I’m realizing I forgot a LOT! It feels like a whole new book. I ended today where David has been sent awa..."

You are right. I forgot a lot too. Sadly I really don´t have time for the book right now. But I promised myself that I will read all my Dickens books for the UNO challenge from February to April next year latest. I know it sounds like a long time but my current challenge will end at the end of September. So there is no chance for me to start much earlier.

Jess wrote: "I am enjoying it but I feel awful for poor little David. I just want to give him a great big hug. I just finished chapter 10 and I can’t stand that he’s leaving his home again and going farther awa..."

Exactly. I want to give him a hug and a big mug of cocoa and some cookies.

Hi Jess,
I have just finished chapter 16, and I have to go to bed.
I am so glad that DC is having an easier life for a while.

Hello!!! Sorry I haven't checked in. We had really bad storms come through that knocked out our internet, which unfortunately means no cell service here either. I just finished chapter 20. Where are you at?

Sorry to hear about the storms. Hope everything is O.K. now without too much damage.
I am at the exact same place. I will be starting chapter 21 this evening.
I don’t trust Steerforth. I am worried that he is going to hurt our innocent, gullible little hero. Although he is a grown young man now, not so little.

I felt the same about Steerfortg. Our internet is back out and isn’t scheduled to be fixed until Monday! I finished chapter 25 last night though.

Oh I didn't like the guy either. He is a false one.

Woo hoo!!! Internet is restored!!! Where are you? I haven’t been wanting to put the book down the last couple of days. I’m on chapter 36.

There’s so much I want to say but don’t want to spoil anything. So much has happened!

I wasn’t expecting to hear from you until Monday!
Oh dear, I am just about to start chapter 33. I will try to catch up with you tonight, then we can talk. 😃

Now I am half way through chapter 36 and I have to go to bed - too tired to read any more.

I’m so glad we got it back early! I knew Em’ly was taken with Steerforth but it was still so emotional when she took off with him. David only seems to see the good in those around him. And just when it seemed his life was changing for the better, everything turned again. I was blindsided by his aunt showing up after losing everything. I didn’t see that coming at all! I’m not a fan of Dora at all. I wish he would see Agnes and save her from Uriah! I just know Uriah’s plan is to steal Agnes away!

We knew Steerforth was no good, but I didn’t imagine he would be so dastardly. Ham was so devoted to Em’ly, I hate that his love was torn away.
Dora is just a cipher, she doesn’t have any personality, she is just some one for David to pretend (to himself and others) to “love”.
Yes, I agree, Agnes is the woman for him. But he sees her as a sister, not a lover.
I like the way David is working to earn some money for them all, and even Mr. Dick has found something he can do.
I think I am going to name my next dog “Barkis”.

It is Sunday night and I have just finished chapter 38. To be continued tomorrow…
(I didn’t realize, but we are well over half way now.)

I just finished chapter 42. How about you? Now I’m off to bed. Dora is a complete airhead. If DC is not careful he is going to end up married to her.

How’s it going, Jess?

I’m in the middle of chapter 42. I agree about Dora. She annoys me lol.

We’ve had a big week here. My eldest moved back in with us and I haven’t had much time to read.

I suspected that something was going on at home, because of your silence. Is it good or bad, having the offspring back home? I imagine probably a bit of each.
I have pushed on a bit, thinking that you were probably chewing up the chapters like the bookworm that you are. So I will take a breather. That is good because hubby has been on at me to read a book about nutrition and losing weight. Not very exciting stuff, but he has lost an enormous amount of weight by intermittently fasting. It is very impressive!
Shoot me a note when things have quieted down. I have just finished chapter 46, but there is no rush. Family comes first.

Will do! My cousin has been intermittent fasting too! Yes, it’s a bit of both. I love having almost all of my children home but it is a tight fit and a bit of an adjustment for everyone.

Hi Anne! I’m caught yup and a little ahead of you I think. I just finished chapter 49. Thanks for giving me some time to get settled into a new rhythm here! How’s your intermittent fasting going??

Great to hear from you Jess.
I am sorry but I just couldn’t stop. Please forgive me. I am at chapter 62, only 20 pages from the end. But I won’t say a word until you are caught up. Lots of things for you to read about. I have to read my book club’s choice, then I will check back with you.
So far I haven’t started really fasting, but I did lose 1.5 lbs last week just from no snacking and only 2 meals a day. Hubby is totally off his diabetes meds and the blood pressure ones also. Amazing!

Oh my goodness that’s great!!! I’d love to be able to get off my bp meds! I’m really hoping growing and raising most of our food out here will help. I’m actually glad to hear your ahead! I was worried I’d get too far because I didn’t want to stop reading either 😂

Thank you for not being mad at me for getting ahead.

Hi Jess!
I have finished the book for the book club (Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson). A light read on a serious subject.
So how is DC going? Just asking, no rush.

I finally finished David Copperfield last night! I felt surprisingly bad for Dora. I really hadn’t wanted them to end up married, but I didn’t want her to slowly water away either. But still, I was happy he and Agnes ended up together. It was such a happy ending, I really wasn’t expecting that 😂 Mr. Peggoty even came back to check on them!

Yes, it was an overall happy ending. Even Steerforth got what he deserved and Heep ended up in jail, which he fully deserved. I did feel very sorry for poor Ham. He didn’t deserve the misery he got, and then he basically committed suicide, even though he was attempting a heroic rescue. And Dora had to go. I thought she might die in childbirth, but she was too childish to even get pregnant. 😳
I thought Mr. Pegotty returning was a bit contrived. The journey to Australia must have been long and miserable. No one in their right mind would want to repeat it unnecessarily. But he had to return to give us an update on everyone.

He could’ve written a letter 😂 His coming back kind of threw me because it was unbelievable. I thought the same, he was just described as being an old man, but he was fit enough to risk the trip back and forth again? Micawber being a magistrate was a little out there too. I feel like Dickons hardly ever had a really happy ending, this was tied up a little too nicely. 😂🤣😂

Thanks for reading with me, Jess. It was fun. 😃
As to my plan of reading Demon Copperhead after David Copperfield - I feel that a 1-2 month break would be good. I have several smaller books I would like to read before I tackle another large one.
How do you feel?

Sounds good to me! Just let me know when you’re ready

Hey Jess!
How’s life?
How about starting Demon Copperhead at the beginning of October?
Or insert a date of your choice…
I hope you have had a fun summer and are looking forward to cooler weather. I know I am.
😃

Sounds good to me!! Want to start on October 1?

Great! October 1st it is.

And one of my Goodreads groups (Bookworm Bitches) is doing it as a 3 month read, starting October 1. I only just noticed that. I have never done very much with that group.

That’s convenient! Do you want to spread it out over the months to follow their schedule or do you want to read ahead?