Forgotten Classics and Other Lesser Known Books (or No One Has Read this but Me!) discussion

We start our discussion of The Statement of Stella Maberly by F. Anstey here on July 6. If you haven't yet obtained your copy, this is your friendly nudge. It's available from Valencourt and on Kindle.

Are you planning to join the discussion?

I have it from my library and will start it as soon as I finish Beloved. :-)

Sorry, it doesn't interest me.

It sounds interesting, and I was able to get it from the Internet Archive:

https://archive.org/details/statement...

Christopher wrote: "It sounds interesting, and I was able to get it from the Internet Archive:

https://archive.org/details/statement..."

That's most excellent, Christopher. Thanks for sharing the link.

For some introductory materials, Valancourt Books, the publisher provides the following background at its site:

When originally published in 1896, The Statement of Stella Maberly was subtitled 'Written by Herself' and presented as the real-life confession of a possibly mad woman, but the identity of the book's true author, F. Anstey (1856-1934), famous for his oft-filmed bodyswap novel Vice Versa (1882), was soon revealed. This first-ever scholarly edition of Anstey's lost classic features a new introduction and notes by Peter Merchant, plus the first-ever appearance of unpublished manuscripts pertaining to the novel, including a 1916 screenplay for a never-produced film version, An Evil Spirit.

A GR friend of mine, Nancy Oakes, publishes this fascinating review and analysis. There are spoilers so if you are spoiler-averse, you should wait until after you've read the novel.

http://www.oddlyweirdfiction.com/2017...

I clicked on the review and didn't read much due to the fact I don't want the spoilers, but it sounds like an intriguing book. I look forward to reading it.

Wow an 1800s book about demonic possession! And under 200 pages to boot. Sounds intriguing - count me in!

Dianne wrote: "Wow an 1800s book about demonic possession! And under 200 pages to boot. Sounds intriguing - count me in!"

I saw it as a two-fer as well :)

carissa wrote: "I went to numerous used bookstores in the city and no one had heard of it and every person I talked to wants to read it now! I ordered a POD from work, which kills my conservative nature, but the s..."

Yay! I feel your pain on the POD :)

Librivox has a bunch of his books on audiobook but unfortunately not this one. I'll have to get in from one of the other sites suggested.

Found an article from when it was published. http://archives.chicagotribune.com/18...

Luella wrote: "Found an article from when it was published. http://archives.chicagotribune.com/18..."

Wow! How cool is that? Thanks for finding and sharing this, Luella.

A quick reminder - our read and discussion starts Thursday, although of course everyone is welcome to join and participate at any time, as whimsy and finishing other reads permits.

Ok, got it downloaded. Hopefully start this weekend.

ConnieD wrote: "Ok, got it downloaded. Hopefully start this weekend."

Excellent. I'm on a flight tomorrow and hoping to start then.

Mines on its way through Inter Library Loan I found out this author also wrote Vice Versa: A Lesson to Fathers which is basically the premise of Freaky Friday. So now I wanna read that one too.

I want to read vice versa too. So many books to read. sigh.

So I just got the book from the library the edition they sent me is ancient 1896 how neat.

Luella wrote: "So I just got the book from the library the edition they sent me is ancient 1896 how neat.

"

That is lovely, indeed!

About a third of the way into it. I was beginning to think I misunderstood what this book was about, but here it comes!

I hope that's not considered a spoiler.

ConnieD wrote: "I hope that's not considered a spoiler."

Absolutely it is not a spoiler! I'm having fun with this but need to bite off a big chunk today and tomorrow in order to feel like my opinion has a firm foundation.

Luella wrote: "So I just got the book from the library the edition they sent me is ancient 1896 how neat.

"

Very cool. The image didn't come up on my phone, so I didn't realize there was one.

I probably won't be able start on this for a week and a half. I have over-stretched my reading during this time!

Joanna wrote: "I probably won't be able start on this for a week and a half. I have over-stretched my reading during this time!"

It happens to all of us sometimes. We look forward to your participation when you can.

MIchael Dirda wrote a fab review published at the end of June in the Washington Post. It covers not only Stella but Anstey's other works.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entert...

Did you know for example that my fave TV show of all time, I Dream of Jeannie, (haters be gone), is based in part on Anstey's The Brass Bottle, first published in 1900? "in which a well-meaning “Jinnee”— an elderly fellow named Fakrash — causes all sorts of mischief and havoc in the life of hapless architect Horace Ventimore."

Dawn wrote: "Joanna wrote: "I probably won't be able start on this for a week and a half. I have over-stretched my reading during this time!"

Since I'm reading the ebook I log into my Amazon account at the off..."

Very generally speaking... I do like short reads, but it is the thick ones that people need a little impetus like a group read to get 'cracking.'

On Stella Maberly I am at 8 percent.

I guess if the author was known for farcical fare like Vice Versa, he left his name off this horror story so that no one would pick it up expecting something lighthearted?

Dawn wrote: "Joanna wrote: "I probably won't be able start on this for a week and a half. I have over-stretched my reading during this time!"

Since I'm reading the ebook I log into my Amazon account at the off..."

Alright, you got me. I started, just barely, but as you say, every little bit helps. Reading the PDF is not bad.

Part of my problem is that I put several books on hold at my library that were part of group reads. There were enough holds in front of me that I didn't think it would be a problem. They all came available at about the same time. I think my library will get more copies of a book if there are enough holds, and that is what happened. Due to the popularity, though, I doubt I will be able to renew when the time comes.

Christopher wrote: "Dawn wrote: "Joanna wrote: "I probably won't be able start on this for a week and a half. I have over-stretched my reading during this time!"

Since I'm reading the ebook I log into my Amazon accou..."

I believe he released it without his name in order to further the illusion that it was actually a true statement and not fiction. If you remember when Blair Witch was released in the states, for the first couple of weeks there was buzz about it perhaps really being found footage. Masterful marketing plan, that.

Joanna wrote: "Dawn wrote: "Joanna wrote: "I probably won't be able start on this for a week and a half. I have over-stretched my reading during this time!"

Since I'm reading the ebook I log into my Amazon accou..."

There are moments when three holds come in for me and I'm more than a bit overwhelmed, in a good way, but still. This one is fast :)

That's the way I am approaching it. I have knocked two off, so progress is being made!

Joanna wrote: "That's the way I am approaching it. I have knocked two off, so progress is being made!"

Ditto I currently have 13 books out which is cuckoo. This one is going back tomorrow so I have to figure out what to read next by due date and possibility the renewals will not be possible.