There is indeed a lot of walking in Tess, and her travels form one of the key elements of the book. Which perhaps you will select for us here for the next time a Hardy book is due for discussion? 
ConnieK wrote:An interesting observation, Everyman. Each person's walk is distinctive, but it's hard to describe in writing. I think that would make a neat dissertation to examine the motif and technique in Hardy. There's lots of walking in Tess, too, as I recall.
Everyman wrote:
The opening scene of Michael and Susan walking along the road reminds me how often Hardy's characters travel on foot. Austen's characters walk only for pleasure (with rare exceptions such as Lizzie's walk in the rain to see the ill Jane); when they travel they do so by horse or carriage. Dickens's characters are often found traveling by chaise, post, or on horseback. But in book after book, Hardy's characters walk, even on trips of relatively long distances.
Hardy was expert at describing these walking characters. The description in Chapter 1 of Henshaw walking is delightful: "His measured,
springless walk was the walk of the skilled countryman as distinct from
the desultory shamble of the general labourer; while in the turn and
plant of each foot there was, further, a dogged and cynical indifference
personal to himself..."
If I had a PhD thesis to write, I could do worse than write it on "Walking journeys in thomas Hardy."
If I did the selecting, that might certainly be so, Everyman! 
Perhaps I can pass along the suggestion to those who do make the selections for us all.
Perhaps I can pass along the suggestion to those who do make the selections for us all.~ConnieK
Everyman wrote:
There is indeed a lot of walking in Tess, and her travels form one of the key elements of the book. Which perhaps you will select for us here for the next time a Hardy book is due for discussion?
ConnieK wrote:
An interesting observation, Everyman. Each person's walk is distinctive, but it's hard to describe in writing. I think that would make a neat dissertation to examine the motif and technique in Hardy. There's lots of walking in Tess, too, as I recall.
Everyman wrote:
The opening scene of Michael and Susan walking along the road reminds me how often Hardy's characters travel on foot. Austen's characters walk only for pleasure (with rare exceptions such as Lizzie's walk in the rain to see the ill Jane); when they travel they do so by horse or carriage. Dickens's characters are often found traveling by chaise, post, or on horseback. But in book after book, Hardy's characters walk, even on trips of relatively long distances.
Hardy was expert at describing these walking characters. The description in Chapter 1 of Henshaw walking is delightful: "His measured,
springless walk was the walk of the skilled countryman as distinct from
the desultory shamble of the general labourer; while in the turn and
plant of each foot there was, further, a dogged and cynical indifference
personal to himself..."
If I had a PhD thesis to write, I could do worse than write it on "Walking journeys in thomas Hardy."
Who does do the selecting?
There's been a discussion over on the Community board, which you may have seen, about making the book clubs stronger. Two suggestions may be relevant here: one, that participants be invited to have some input into books they would like to read and discuss, and two, that selections be posted sooner so that people have more time to get the books and fit them into their busy lives and reading schedules. It's June 9th, for example, and there has been no posting yet about the July book club selections.
Would it be helpful, or would it be unwelcome, or a waste of effort, for people here to suggest books they would like to see selected (or be given a list of books under consideration to indicate those they would be most interested in reading and discussing)? If that would be taken amiss, there's no point in roiling waters needlessly. But if there is some consideration that readers should have input into the selections, I'm sure there are people here with ideas to offer!
This Classics areas would seem to be a good place to start, since there's no issue of seeing what new books are coming down the pike, nor is there (unfortunately!) any issue of trying to schedule in an author appearance.
There's been a discussion over on the Community board, which you may have seen, about making the book clubs stronger. Two suggestions may be relevant here: one, that participants be invited to have some input into books they would like to read and discuss, and two, that selections be posted sooner so that people have more time to get the books and fit them into their busy lives and reading schedules. It's June 9th, for example, and there has been no posting yet about the July book club selections.
Would it be helpful, or would it be unwelcome, or a waste of effort, for people here to suggest books they would like to see selected (or be given a list of books under consideration to indicate those they would be most interested in reading and discussing)? If that would be taken amiss, there's no point in roiling waters needlessly. But if there is some consideration that readers should have input into the selections, I'm sure there are people here with ideas to offer!
This Classics areas would seem to be a good place to start, since there's no issue of seeing what new books are coming down the pike, nor is there (unfortunately!) any issue of trying to schedule in an author appearance.
ConnieK wrote:If I did the selecting, that might certainly be so, Everyman!
Hi, Everyman--
I realized I hadn't opened an Off-Topic thread, so I've moved our conversation here.
I'm not aware of the discussion by readers on the Community board, but I do know that B&N.com is currently working on some changes to the clubs. I'd suggest PMing Maria if you have concerns or suggestions as a club member. To my knowledge, bn.com staff selects the book titles for the clubs. Sometimes others may have input or perhaps a choice among a few suggestions, but it's their final decision, of course, since they own and operate the playground.
That said, I think there are some book clubs here that are set up such that the members themselves choose a book to discuss by consensus. Literature by Women, for example, may operate this way, but don't quote me on that one!
Hope that helps,
~ConnieK
Everyman wrote:
Who does do the selecting?
There's been a discussion over on the Community board, which you may have seen, about making the book clubs stronger. Two suggestions may be relevant here: one, that participants be invited to have some input into books they would like to read and discuss, and two, that selections be posted sooner so that people have more time to get the books and fit them into their busy lives and reading schedules. It's June 9th, for example, and there has been no posting yet about the July book club selections.
Would it be helpful, or would it be unwelcome, or a waste of effort, for people here to suggest books they would like to see selected (or be given a list of books under consideration to indicate those they would be most interested in reading and discussing)? If that would be taken amiss, there's no point in roiling waters needlessly. But if there is some consideration that readers should have input into the selections, I'm sure there are people here with ideas to offer!
This Classics areas would seem to be a good place to start, since there's no issue of seeing what new books are coming down the pike, nor is there (unfortunately!) any issue of trying to schedule in an author appearance.
ConnieK wrote:If I did the selecting, that might certainly be so, Everyman!
I was going to post in the Announcement thread but thought my post better belonged here and I moved over your thead as well, everyman.
From Announcement thread:
Yes, early posting of upcoming books is greatly appreciated. Hope the rest of the boards do so as well.
I agree with you, everyman. I think I might pass on these. Secret Garden maybe, Little Women not. I don't object to children's books. I would could have jumped in enthusiastically for something like in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass (Barnes & Noble Classics Series), which, incidentally, I have never read! But I will be back. My dance card is a bit full anyway.
ConnieK wrote:Hi, Everyman--I realized I hadn't opened an Off-Topic thread, so I've moved our conversation here.I'm not aware of the discussion by readers on the Community board, but I do know that B&N.com is currently working on some changes to the clubs. I'd suggest PMing Maria if you have concerns or suggestions as a club member. To my knowledge, bn.com staff selects the book titles for the clubs. Sometimes others may have input or perhaps a choice among a few suggestions, but it's their final decision, of course, since they own and operate the playground.That said, I think there are some book clubs here that are set up such that the members themselves choose a book to discuss by consensus. Literature by Women, for example, may operate this way, but don't quote me on that one!Hope that helps,~ConnieK
Everyman wrote:
Who does do the selecting?
There's been a discussion over on the Community board, which you may have seen, about making the book clubs stronger. Two suggestions may be relevant here: one, that participants be invited to have some input into books they would like to read and discuss, and two, that selections be posted sooner so that people have more time to get the books and fit them into their busy lives and reading schedules. It's June 9th, for example, and there has been no posting yet about the July book club selections.
Would it be helpful, or would it be unwelcome, or a waste of effort, for people here to suggest books they would like to see selected (or be given a list of books under consideration to indicate those they would be most interested in reading and discussing)? If that would be taken amiss, there's no point in roiling waters needlessly. But if there is some consideration that readers should have input into the selections, I'm sure there are people here with ideas to offer!
This Classics areas would seem to be a good place to start, since there's no issue of seeing what new books are coming down the pike, nor is there (unfortunately!) any issue of trying to schedule in an author appearance.
ConnieK wrote:If I did the selecting, that might certainly be so, Everyman!
From Announcement thread:
Everyman wrote:
Thanks for posting those early!
Secret Garden is certainly a wonderful book, though it will be interesting to see how deep a discussion it will engender. But I see you do have a B&N Classics edition of it, so presumably there's at least some introductory material, and perhaps some notes, that might add substance to the story. Plus, I see that there is an Annotated Secret Garden. What on earth is there worth annotating about it?? Well, looking further, I see that there's a whole book study on TSG by Phyllis Bixler, which contends that "Its rich characterization and mythic imagery and themes have allowed it to transcend its own era; it has been described as ahead of its time for the accuracy with which it reflects our contemporary understanding of child psychology." So we'll have to see.
And I'm astonished to find that there are more than 25 separate editions of TSG offered by the BN website. Egad!
Little Women -- well, yes, I know it's a classic, and I read it when I was young, but have you actually tried reading it as an adult? It was suggested for another club a while back and I took it down to read a few pages and it was so turgid and sappy that I simply couldn't read more than a page. I know it's beloved of girls, and maybe of women, but egad, it acts on the brain like bacon on the arteries. I was interested to read this excerpt from the introduction: "After determining that her inclusion of too many controversial ideas about marriage had hurt sales of Moods, Alcott decided to make her girls' book idea-free: 'My next book shall have no ideas in it, only facts, and the people shall be as ordinary as possible.'" No ideas, eh??
And particularly if you're planning to read the whole book, part 2 as well as part 1, it's a LONG book. Do you know whether the B&N Classics edition is both parts? The website isn't clear. Part 1, at least according to the Library of America edition, has 23 chapters ending with "Aunt March settles the Question." Part 2 has 24 chapters starting with "Gossip" and ending with "Harvest Time."
Yes, early posting of upcoming books is greatly appreciated. Hope the rest of the boards do so as well.
I agree with you, everyman. I think I might pass on these. Secret Garden maybe, Little Women not. I don't object to children's books. I would could have jumped in enthusiastically for something like in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass (Barnes & Noble Classics Series), which, incidentally, I have never read! But I will be back. My dance card is a bit full anyway.
