I've decided to read Anna Karenina as one of my books for 2009, but I don't think I can do this alone.
From Powells.com:
Anna Karenina is the Abbey Road of literature. Critics may argue about its relative importance (is it the greatest novel of all time, or merely one of the top ten), but none (besides mean Mr. Mustard Seed, of course) dispute that, with respect to its elegant prose style, its seamless narrative architecture, and its deeply human characters, Tolstoy's masterpiece is a wonder. Fortunately for readers, it's also one of the most engrossing, and moving, reading experiences ever written. Take that, Ulysses.
Recommended by Martin, Powells.comPublisher Comments:
Anna Karenina tells of the doomed love affair between the sensuous and rebellious Anna and the dashing officer, Count Vronsky. Tragedy unfolds as Anna rejects her passionless marriage and must endure the hypocrisies of society. Set against a vast and richly textured canvas of nineteenth-century Russia, the novel's seven major characters create a dynamic imbalance, playing out the contrasts of city and country life and all the variations on love and family happiness.
Is anyone out there interested in participating in a "book club" blog for reading Anna Karenina? I think there was a similar one last year for readers of Les Miserables, and I think it would be nice to have all sorts of people doing the reading and writing, leading to hopefully some good discussions and perspectives on the book.
My idea is to plot out a basic timeline for reading so we all can be at about the same place at the same time, thus preventing spoilers from being too prevalent (though I refuse to be too hardcore about that since anyone can go on Wikipedia and read the entire synopsis.) I'll set up a Blogger blog so that others can easily sign in, join, and post and participate. But I need other people to help make this happen.
Are you interested? Drop a comment with your email or email me at my contact info above. I think I'd like to get this party started sometime in February or no later than March.
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14 comments:
Sign me up! It's on my list too! I think Stefanie at So Many Books is going to try to read it too.
Awesome! I just emailed you too :) This is what happens when I have a spotty internet connection.
I would like to because I've been wanting to read that book as well. However, I should probably wait until next week when I get my syllabus for my semester to see how crazy it's really going to be before I commit to it...
I hope you can participate! I'm imagining with the length of it the reading timeline will stretch out over the whole of 2009, if that makes your schedule any easier.
Sign me up! I just bought a new copy last week so it's meant to be. I'll keep up as best I can, real life gets in the way sometimes.
I'm in! Always wanted to read. Great idea!
I'm totally there! Add me to the list!! I've owned the book for years but have never really picked it up.
oh and my email is isabel.eljaiek@gmail.com
Wow, this is great! All in all I've heard from eight interested people, a few of them avid bloggers. I think this thing is on! I'll start sorting out a timeline and setting up a basic Blogger site this week...watch this space for announcements of when it goes up, or I'll email you if I have your email.
If anyone already thinks they'd like to participate as a blogger, drop me an email at the contact above and I'll get you enrolled on the list.
I'll join in, this sounds like fun. My school schedule is pretty busy so having it stretch out through the year would be great. My email is nortsgurl@yahoo.com
I'd love to join! I would also love to be a blogger for it, I like the idea of the community read :) My email is dorolerium@gmail.com
Hi Tiah! Thanks for joining! I think spreading it over a year will work out best for everyone - chunking the book into manageable goals is pretty important to me :)
Crystal, I've added you to my blogger list! Excellent - I'm excited to have you on board!
Everyone - I'm working on setting up the site with a few guidelines, and my biggest block right now is that I don't actually have a copy of it (I thought I did!) But I should be getting a copy of the new translation sometime this week, gauge a reading time line, and then start everything up (hopefully.) If you have a blog or a website, I'd love it if you could announce this project since I really think the more voices we have in the discussion, the better the discussion.
Thanks everyone for your interest!
Hi! Can we still sign up? I would love to try out a blogger approach to book-clubbing. My email is cinderellii1@cox.net.
By the way, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is a wonderful book! One of my favorites.
Sure, Webster! I'll drop you an email.
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