SHIRLEY: Discussion Schedule January 2011 [ Edited ]

[Peppermill]

Sorry that I haven't been staying with the Shirley discussion.  I did get involved with the Dori Ostermiller's Outside the Ordinary World  on the general fiction board, but most telling is that I am headed for a reading retreat in early February and I must have Pride and Prejudice read (re-read) along with Jamaica Inn  (Daphne du Maurier).  Two Victorian novels at the same time is just proving too much for me.

I am using Dulcinea's approach for Pride and Prejudice of just immersing myself in the time and place; at least I am trying to do so, since I instinctively rankle so much at the class stuff and the rigid social expectations of Jane Austen's time and place, along with the put-downs and put-ups of the characters.  I am using this edition and am finding the commentary wonderful, even where I disagree with it or think Shapard has missed some obvious point.

 

The Annotated Pride and Prejudice  by Jane Austen, annotated by David M. Shapard

I will be back.  In the meantime, I am enjoying your discussions of Shirley.  Do keep them coming (as with a number of classics, I do know the general outlines of the plot, even though I haven't read the book, so I don't consider anything spoilers, in fact, it is fun to trace the uncovering in the posts.)

Pepper

[Melissa_W Moderator]

That's ok Pepper, I'm going to extend the SHIRLEY discussion by another week so we start MEMOIRS OF HADRIAN the first full week in February. Your retreat sounds interesting and I've never read Jamaica Inn....speaking of things I've never read, I need to get a nominations thread up and running so we know what we're reading in March, etc, so we'll work on that next week too

[dulcinea3]

I'll miss your active participation, Pepper, but I can understand - I prefer to read one book at a time, so having to read two at a time would be plenty for me!  What is this reading retreat?  Do you actually go off to some isolated location for a month?  I have read Jamaica Inn, but many years ago.  I have watched the Hitchcock movie with Maureen O'Hara more recently (I have both the book and the DVD).  I think it's an exciting story; a bit of a swashbuckler/bodice ripper.

Zaphiragirl is busy with school, and shmengee is only partway through.  I haven't seen Valentini lately, either.  I think Melissa is keeping up, though.

I'll try to carry on, though.  I am a bit discombobulated by the sheer volume of snow we have been getting and seem likely to continue to get, and I am also very busy at work, but I don't want to give up on the discussion altogether.  The extra week will be appreciated, Melissa!  I do better responding to others than coming up with things to discuss, so I've been trying to skim each chapter and give my impressions, but I'm pretty far behind since I haven't found much time to do it.  I hope that others who are behind in the reading will continue and then give their own thoughts on the appropriate threads, no matter how many extra weeks it takes them.

[zaphiragirl]

Hello girls, I'm sorry I've been veeery inactive in the discussion too. As dulcinea said I'm busy at school and haven't been able to keep up with the reading week by week. I'm still stuck on chap. 22 -ashamed- thing is my teacher asked us for a book report and it has to be a modern fiction book, now, Shirley is not so modern is it? I also have a research project...now I don't want to disglose my big school work scheadule here but I do am reading the discussions and as soon as I have that book report off my back I'll be here to share...just hope the thread won't be closed by then...lol!

Take care all! Oh! Also, we finally opened our small cafeteria!! and we are thinking of adding a wireless spot to it! TTYL girls!

[Melissa_W Moderator]

Don't worry, zaphira, I've only ever once closed a discussion thread and it was to keep the peace.  We don't have to worry about that   Keep up with your schoolwork - we'll be here when you have free time - but be sure to pop in next week/week after since we will be doing nominations and voting for the new reading schedule.

[dulcinea3]

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zaphiragirl wrote:

Hello girls, I'm sorry I've been veeery inactive in the discussion too. As dulcinea said I'm busy at school and haven't been able to keep up with the reading week by week. I'm still stuck on chap. 22 -ashamed- thing is my teacher asked us for a book report and it has to be a modern fiction book, now, Shirley is not so modern is it? I also have a research project...now I don't want to disglose my big school work scheadule here but I do am reading the discussions and as soon as I have that book report off my back I'll be here to share...just hope the thread won't be closed by then...lol!

Take care all! Oh! Also, we finally opened our small cafeteria!! and we are thinking of adding a wireless spot to it! TTYL girls!

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Congratulations on the cafeteria!!!  I hope it is very successful!!!