Reading the Chunksters discussion

Hey everyone, it's that time again! Please post nominations for our next Classic Chunkster! I will post the Poll 2/6/11, so be sure to get your nominations posted befor then!

*A Chunkster is over 500 pages

Nominations:

Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak
Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo
The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe

I still haven't even started The Woman in White, sheesh! I will renominate Docter Zhivago, I suppose. I really wanna read it soon.

I nominate:

Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

Amy wrote: "I still haven't even started The Woman in White, sheesh! I will renominate Docter Zhivago, I suppose. I really wanna read it soon."

Please be sure to link the book and author to any nominations.

Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak

I am going to nominate:

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

I'd like to nominate:

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

It's a chunkster-lite at just over 500 pages.

I have started "The Counte of Monte Cristo" twice and have yet to finish it. Not because it was boring - it was actually very interesting - I just kept getting side tracked with other things. I would totaly give it another shot, third times the charm!

Loretta wrote: "I'd like to nominate:

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

It's a chunkster-lite at just over 500 pages."

Loretta, I hate to do this, but could you nominate something 600 pages or more please?

Are we changing the rules from 500 to 600 pages?

If so, Dr. Zhivago isn't eligible either.

ok...hold on a sec while I check...I will get back to you.

I'd like to nominate:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40...

I'm not sure if it qualifies as a classic since it was just published in 1982, but everyone has told me to read it, and it's definitely a chunkster!

I will second The Count of Monte Cristo. YEAH!!!

Kristi wrote: "I nominate:

Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray"

I would love love love to read this! I saw the movie (with Reese Witherspoon) last summer, and have been wanting to read the book since then!


I have read The Count of Monte Cristo about 6 times already, and I don't want to read it again right now. So my vote is for Vanity Fair!

I have a copy of Vanity Fair, so I could go for this one if it wins.

I like all of these so I'm going to go with these nominations!

There are some great ones!!

I like the nominations too so I'll go with them.

Going with these nominations :)

ok...I guess it was 500 pgs...sorry for that little mix up.

Like all of the choices...not sure which one I'll pick! :)

I'm actually curious to see which one. Last nominations we got so many to pick from. I'm looking forward to a more denser choice.

I think all the nominations are great, I'm excited to see how it goes!

Yes, at least this way, one of them will probably win definitively, rather than tying or by a margin of one.

I love the list!! I would read any of these books. So, count me in!!

Lyn M wrote: "I am going to nominate:

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas"

For those who want to read and discuss it without waiting, the Readers Review group is reading the Count of Monte Cristo right now. Started on January 16, running through February 28.

I would like to nominate: The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo

I got you added Am10000

If it's not too late, I'd like to nominate The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe

Ok...Nominations are closed, and I'm posting the poll!

Allen I got you in.

Ok everyone...be sure to vote...the poll closes at midnight!!

It looks like our next Classic Chunkster will be:

Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

Please go vote in the poll for when you would like to start reading!!

Thinking about reading the chunksters, at least those "triple deckers" from the 18th and 19th centuries, I find it worthwhile remembering that the original audiences didn't try to read these in a compressed time frame. Most of these novels were originally published in serial form; Vanity Fair, for example, was published in monthly installments from January, 1847 to July, 1848. Thackeray's original readers had a year and a half to read the book; here we are trying to fit it into busy (probably much busier) lives in a matter of four to eight weeks.

Everyman, over here we usually read about 50 pages a week, so this book at ~800 pages (depending on the edition) could take us up to 16 weeks or more, though that's for Kristi to decide in the end.

I will be skipping out on this one, though, with leading the LOTR and C&P reads.

Loretta, you can't do it all?...hahaha I'm only kidding! We will miss you on this one. I was just thinking of you the other day and wondering how you are adjusting to your new home, job, etc....

Darn, Loretta. I was looking forward to discussing with you again. I love your take on things. Hope the other two are going well. Hopefully I will see you on the next contemporary one.

What's this about a new home, job, etc.? What did I miss?

Thanks, Lyn, that's really sweet!

Yeah, I just felt terrible that I basically abandoned The Woman in White after just the first week. I haven't given up hope of finishing it before the spring, but I have missed out on the weekly discussions (though I'll read them as I continue the book). So I figure it's best to step aside ahead of time and make sure I keep up with LOTR and C&P.

Those two discussions have been going really well, I think. Small groups for both, but the conversations are really active.

Oh, and I moved to Boston in late October and started a job on Nov. 1. (I'm a lawyer.)

Things are going well, but obviously I'm very busy! and I'm still in the process of setting in and making new friends and all that.

And yes, when LOTR and C&P end, I'll definitely jump in on other discussions.

Loretta, I did not know you are a lawyer! Impressive. :)

I may stay out of this one too. Still reading the side read of Crime and Punishment and have a couple of buddy reads set up from another group.

However, I've not made a final decision bc Vanity Fair does sound interesting!

Loretta, WOW, you are crazy busy! I'm glad the move went well and you are settling in though.

Everyman, we try to keep the reading scedule as easy as we can, while also not dragging it out so long that we lose interest in the book. I've been sticking with a 50 page/week form, and it's seemed to work well. I do throw in a "break" week if it seems people are getting behind.

I will post the reading schedule for Vanity Fair sometime before next Sunday, and eveyone can comment on it, then we will start.

Please vote on the poll that's up right now so I can tell when most people would like to begin! Thanks!

Looking forward to this one, Kristi. I am getting it from the library as I don't own it, and I heard that the Nook free copies are missing parts. I did download a free copy to my PC, but can't quite figure out how to get it to my nook, lol

I can help you with that, if you PM me with what version you have...

Also be sure to check project Gutenburg, they may have a good free copy of it as an eBook...

Kristi wrote: "I can help you with that, if you PM me with what version you have...

Also be sure to check project Gutenburg, they may have a good free copy of it as an eBook..."

I agree with this suggestion. For a long time, Gutenberg only had text copies of their books, but recently they have begun converting them in to the formats for various e-reader so they're much easier to access. Definitely worth checking out for classics.

Thanks guys, I will check out Gutenburg.

Ok, so far it's looking like March 20...Today's the last day to vote!

While I would like to read Vanity Fair someday, I don't think I will be participating in this one either. I didn't vote for it. Also, I don't have a copy. But, really, I am just too busy right now. I apologize for bailing out on TLOTR and TWIW. I'm getting ready to move back home to Colorado in the spring and have so much on my plate right now.

No worries Amy! It's great to have you in the group! Where in COlorado are you moving? I love nin Northern Colo. Good luck with your move, I look foward to reading with you again when you have a bit more time.

Thanks, Kristi! I'm moving to Denver.

Nice! I like Denver, I'm just far enough away to be able to have fun there, without having to deal with all the traffic.

I vacationed in Denver and the surrounding area this past August. Lovely area.

It looks like the overwhelming majority want to begin Vanity Fair on March 20. I will work on the schedule and have it posted by Feb 22. Thanks for all the great input!