Reading the Chunksters discussion

April 1-7 - Fantine, Book 1
April 8-15 - Fantine, Books 2-3
April 16-21 - Fantine, Books 4-6
April 23-30 - Fantine, Books 7-8
May 1-7 - Cosette, Books 1-2
May 8-14 - Cosette, Books 3-4
May 15-21 - Cosette, Books 5-7
May 22-28 - Cosette, Book 8; Marius, Book 1
May 29-June 4 - Marius, Books 2-4
June 5-11 - Marius, Books 5-7
June 12-18 - Marius, Book 8
June 19-25 - Rue Plumet, Books 1-2
June 26-July 2 - Rue Plumet, Books 3-5
July 3-9 - Rue Plumet, Books 6-8
July 10-16 - Rue Plumet, Books 9-12
July 17-23 - Rue Plumet, Books 13-15
July 24-30 - Jean Valjean, Book 1
July 31 - Aug 6 - Jean Valjean, Books 2-4
Aug 7-13- Jean Valjean, Books 5-6
Aug 14-20- Jean Valjean, Books 7-9
August 21-31 - Catch up

because the books vary in length the amount of pages per week varies, but I generally tried to keep it around 60-70 pages a week (with some exceptions) and the schedule slows down a bit towards the end to allow for some catch up in addition to the final catch up period.

Looks great!

This is going to be a great read! Thanks, Dianne!

Thanks! The reading schedule is just suggested and not set in stone so don’t feel compelled to follow it. It’s just a guide so we can try to stay together in discussion but like in Moby dick we will respond to comments whenever you get to a new thread.

This is a great suggested reading schedule, Dianne, and thank you for giving us the flexibility to go at our own pace!

Sure! I’m just starting the part where we meet Jean valjean and it is riveting! Can’t want to discuss!

Dianne wrote: "Sure! I’m just starting the part where we meet Jean valjean and it is riveting! Can’t want to discuss!"

So am I, and yes it is. But I must not start a discussion yet. I just wanted to say thank you for posting the schedule. The table of contents alone is a chunkster :)

I am just a little bit behind the 2 of you but not by much. The writing is beautiful. I’ve been taking notes.

Stephanie

Thanks Dianne, I started reading it a few days ago. I think this one will be fun to discuss. The narrative moves quickly!

The book is so big that it's unwieldy to read. I'm using the backpacking book technique. When I go backpacking, I get a cheap paperback copy of a book I want to read from the local used bookstore and every night I tear out the pages I've read and add them to the campfire.

No campfire for this book, but the size of the volume is already dwindling :-)

Doug wrote: "Thanks Dianne, I started reading it a few days ago. I think this one will be fun to discuss. The narrative moves quickly!

The book is so big that it's unwieldy to read. I'm using the backpacking b..."

Interesting technique! I go camping a ton during the summer so while ordinarily I’d be loathe to toss pages into a fire, for a beat up copy of a chunkster that might be perfect!

Into a fire?


Another way to do it is to just cut the spine & take a section of the book that you'll have time to read. Bring it home with you and bust out the duct tape for some repair work. The book'll have some style afterwards.

Or instead of destroying a beautiful masterpiece of a book you could download an ebook version for free.

https://www.amazon.com/Mise%CC%81rabl...

https://www.amazon.com/Mis%C3%A9rable...

Just download the free Kindle app on your phone and/or PC. Problem solved.

My plan for April is to alternate this book with War and Peace (and a few shorter ones for variety), but I'll be without internet so I might get behind in the schedule.

Taz wrote: "Or instead of destroying a beautiful masterpiece of a book you could download an ebook version for free.

https://www.amazon.com/Mise%CC%81rabl......"

I never made it through War and Peace. Too many Mikhails.

Footnotes footnotes footnotes. I'm told choosing a translation that suits you makes all the difference. I got halfway through the book (with a reading group) over the summer and then abandoned it while reading Little Women. I plan on picking it back up in a few days.

We should put w+p in the next classics poll! I’ve never read it.

Our reading schedule involved 6 chapters a day over the course of 2 months and proved manageable for most of the group. The group leaders also recommended you read smaller books alongside War and Peace. It worked. My mistake was reading Little Woman. With such a slow-paced book, you need to have something fast-paced with it or you don't really feel like you are accomplishing anything.

Hummingbirder wrote: "Too many Mikhails.." I struggled with Chinese history for the same reason!! Too many Emperor Wu's and other Wu's. To keep them straight in English, they have to be firmly associated with their dates (of reign, birth, ect.) Gah! Names & dates, my 2 weaknesses!

Wow, Dianne! It'll be stellar for you to read it with everyone ^.^

War & Peace and Magic Mountain are 2 novels I'd love to read one day. But I want to read them super slowly for the element of time. Just chip away leisurely. I'd join in, but I'd lag far, far behind schedule.

Biblio wrote: "Hummingbirder wrote: "Too many Mikhails.." I struggled with Chinese history for the same reason!! Too many Emperor Wu's and other Wu's. To keep them straight in English, they have to be firmly asso..."

Lol. I decided to read my families history in 2016. Almost every male had the exact same first and last name for 7 generations and there were no dates to which to tie them. They just did different things...like in War and Peace. I suppose that is why I haven't often found it confusing.

Are you serious?! How on Earth would Christmas morning gift distribution work at the in-laws or the grandparents?

Yep. The problem is there is a tradition in my family to name the first-born son John after our first ancestor to immigrate to U.S. shores (which was before the Civil War) and none of them are juniors. No one shares a middle name with their father.

Here's how: Great-grandpa John had Grandpa John who named his first son John. The fourth son was my father who also named his first son John.

So, I have great-grandpa John, Grandpa John, Uncle John, and brother John...who thankfully decided to name his first son Mason (a family name from his mother's side.

Yep, the tradition continues to this day.

Nicknames are your friend.

That sounds like a lot of fun! Your family members probably have some different nicknames for each other, not everyone uses the same nickname for the same person. Eep.... newly wed folks have their hands full keeping everyone straight!!

I have been meaning to read Les Mis for a while now so definitely joining in for this read. I will probably be VERY far behind most of the time- my 2 month old and my 2 year old get most of my attention!

It's awesome to have you join in, Tanya!

I have to get started on this one too.

This is my first read with this group. Since I see there is only one thread so far, I'm assuming you post them weekly?

Welcome Tanya! No worries, we will be here when you get to the threads!

Renee yep I post weekly so we can more or less keep the discussion together. Very happy to are joining!

For the week of April 22-30, if we want to add in book 8 so we finish part 1 this week (it’s just 14 more pages) I can adjust the schedule. We can play it by ear based on where we are.

I think that would be a good idea, especially as it’s such a short book. Would be nice to finish the first section

That’s what I was thinking. Let’s shoot for it.

I got a tonne of reading finished the last few days, I'm drowning again in books, but the surface is just yonder. So I'll be stumbling far behind schedule on this read. I'll post, like weeks after everyone else has moved forward ^.^

So any stragglers are welcome to shuffle along with me at a leisurely bunny slipper pace.

Biblio wrote: "I got a tonne of reading finished the last few days, I'm drowning again in books, but the surface is just yonder. So I'll be stumbling far behind schedule on this read. I'll post, like weeks after ..."

You're not alone! I'm lagging far behind, as well, but I will get there!

Cindy wrote: "Biblio wrote: "I got a tonne of reading finished the last few days, I'm drowning again in books, but the surface is just yonder. So I'll be stumbling far behind schedule on this read. I'll post, li..."

Same here! I just finished Book 1, so am quite a bit behind. I'm hoping to catch up if I can, but so many books to read!

Biblio, Cindy, Renee, No worries, catch up when you can, we will be sure to respond to any posts. Go ahead and post on the threads as you go along, would love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks, it's a 5 month read, so there's plenty of time for us slowpokes.

I snooped... not ready to get into it yet but couldn't resist snooping. It sounds good, the language doesn't have the beauty of The Hunchback but this is Hugo's final work and his masterpiece. Clocking in at 1200 pages, there's plenty of room for his beauty to come through.

So far behind!!! No matter how many times i try to pick up this book, it seems the fates have other plans! I will definitely be bumbling very far behind everyone...

I finally got a copy and am on board. Don't worry Tanya you are not the only one behind! I am also grateful for the good pace for reading the book over a five month period as I will need the time to catch up. But I am determined to get there by the end of the schedule and so far I am enjoying the book.

Glad you are joining Bron! I’m posting new thread tonight, this book is so wonderful, take your time!

It's such a great book so far!! I'm so glad to own a copy, the tough part is to not highlight the entire page ^.^

I re-read this a couple of years ago and loved it again, so I'm curious what everyone thinks of it!

I've got really behind as I went away in mid-June and didn't take my book and then I had lots of library requests come through

I'm hoping to catch up a bit over the weekend and look forward to reading all your thoughts