Classics Without All the Class discussion

I'm on chapter 2. I'm a just little intimidated about finishing before January. Anyone else?

Me too, also chapter two. :)

I'm also working through some heavy theological books this month (including a 1,300 page behemoth) so I may have to abandon it for another time.

But: Isn't it the book *for*January? So, you shouldn't need to finish it before then, just by the end of the month.

Gone With the Wind isn't all that intimidating. Long, yes, but easy to get through.

Hi, I started reading it, but I forgot which group was discussing it!

Tanya-Marie wrote: "Gone With the Wind isn't all that intimidating. Long, yes, but easy to get through."

The time sink *is* the intimidating part. :) I have very little free time available this month, and the theology is course work, so I need to get that read before anything else, unfortunately.

School is school.
I don't think anyone expects others to skip on school for a group read that qualifies as a hobby.
You're not intimidated. You're busy. Big difference ;)

Big books intimidate me too. GWTW will take some planning in order to get through it but I doubt I will be done by Feb 1. It looks like the Feb read, Sword in the Stone, is average length. I think our discussions can overlap for awhile on these books. Also, we can do a shorter read in March, There are lots of shorties we can choose from. Hopefully this way everyone will have a chance to read all three (Jan, Feb, March) if they want to.

Read a few months ago. It is a great book. Much much more than I expected

Thanks guys- I'm actually really enjoying it-perhaps I will make it through by end of Jan.

If you divide the number of pages you have left by the amount of days left in the month, you'll know how many pages minimum you have to read in a day. If you miss a day, you have to double up and so on. That helps take the edge off big time with the bigger books.
And size isn't always an indicator of difficulty either. I found GwtW to be highly readable and a real page turner while I couldn't fathom one more page of A Tale of Two Cities.
I think this will be an easier read than people assume. I was pleasantly surprised.

@Tanya-Marie that's quite encouraging since I also found a tale of two cites difficult I stared it twice and still haven't finished it. Gone With the Wind should fare better

I have read the first chapter and liked the writing style so far. I am a bit intimitated by the length, but think it will be easier to finish than for example Midnights Children (took all of my willpower to finish).

I read "A Tale of Two Cities" at this time last year and had to rely on snow days home from work to get through it. The story was so good, but I always find Dickens narrative really overly long and hard to keep my concentration on. I think most of his writing was to be read in bits and pieces, with the public waiting for the next instalment.

Gone With The Wind is instantly readable to me - (mainly because it was not written in the 19th Century) but perhaps doesn't have the quality of Dickens work.
Anyway, even though the book is long, it is an east read to me.

Saw an interesting episode of the series American Masters on PBS this week about Margaret Mitchell—more to her than I imagined! If it comes your way, you might want to check it out.

I just finished re-reading it a couple of months ago, and don't be intimidated: the story flows along very quickly, so I think most of you won't find it difficult to finish, but even so, there's plenty to discuss long into February, so I doubt you'll get behind :)

It's a great story, well worth reading!

I am on Chapter 4- so far I'm really enjoying it.

For those who are interested: Margaret Mitchell: American Rebel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hEj9...

hi, i'm carol. I just started reading Gone with the Wind and I look forward to finishing this book, and what others thought.

Hi Carol! We know each other from the 19th Century Epic Romance group.

I love the beginning of this book. Sometimes I go back and read just the bits with the Tarleton twins and the party at Twelve Oaks just because it is so pleasant and innocent.

I'm about 200 pages in (and did that in about a day!) Really impressed with how easy it is to read, and how much I like the characters, despite how they're really not all that likeable as people.

Karen, I feel the same way. The characters are complex, good and bad qualities. But the character development is outstanding, the story so grand. It's hard not to empathize, even with Scarlett. (o: I admire her unravelling the strict rules of decorum a bit. I am in Part 2 right now.

I would like to participate. This has been on my TBR list for a long time. I probably won't be able to get to it till the last week in January.

So expect me then.

I just got through reading The Beautiful and the Damned, i wonder how Scarlett will compare to Gloria?

This is turning out to become one of my all time favorites, on the same list as Jane Eyre, Madame Bovary and Wuthering Heights. I am almost halfway through and I am loving each page. I'm already dreading the moment when I will finish it. As previously noted the character development is amazing and I love each character, even though some are not that lovable.

Cosmic wrote: "I would like to participate. This has been on my TBR list for a long time. I probably won't be able to get to it till the last week in January.

So expect me then.

I just got through reading The ..."

People finish late all the time. Especially when a monster read drags on and on or life interrupts your beloved reading schedule. Enjoy!

Shanea wrote: "People finish late all the time. Especially when a monster read drags on and on or life interrupts your beloved reading schedule. Enjoy! "

Thank you!

I am not even halfway through but am loving the story when I find time to read.

"Gone with the Wind" is one of those books people need to read. I love it!:)

Angela wrote: ""Gone with the Wind" is one of those books people need to read. I love it!:)"

I agree with you completely!

C wrote: "Angela wrote: ""Gone with the Wind" is one of those books people need to read. I love it!:)"

I agree with you completely!"

:) some of the best literary lines in history are from "Gone with the Wind."