Victorians! discussion

Hi and welcome to the October - November group read on East Lynne by Ellen Wood!

I'm new to the author and her books and wouldn't have heard of her if I weren't part of this unique group! :)

It is a bit early to start on with the thread and post the reading schedule, but I thought it will be easy that way for those members who would be reading to get hold of their reading materials and join with us in reading and discussing.

Below is the reading schedule and I must sincerely thank Renee for helping me to plan it out.

Wk 1: Oct 21-27: Ch 1-11
Wk 2: Oct 28-Nov 3: Ch 12-21
Wk 3: Nov 4-10: Ch 22-27
Wk 4: Nov 11-17: Ch 28-33
Wk 5: Nov 18-24: Ch 34-38
Wk 6: Nov 25-30: Ch 39-47

Oxford World Classics has a great edition with a lot of good notes, in both print and kindle versions.
Sometimes these books can be difficult to find I know.

Please feel free to post any background information relating to both the author and the book.

For those who do not have a physical copy of the book, they can download the EPUB version from the goodreads site.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

You can also get free kindle version or read online through Project Gutenburg .
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3322

And those who prefer audio books you can listen through Librivox.
https://librivox.org/east-lynne-by-mr...

Hope these links will be useful. Happy reading everyone!

Brittany wrote: "Oxford World Classics has a great edition with a lot of good notes, in both print and kindle versions.
Sometimes these books can be difficult to find I know."

That is very true, Brittany. In my part of world we don't get much of these classics locally.

I'm doing an e-read. So I don't have any explanatory notes in what I read. I hope to hear from our members who are reading any useful insight in to the book.

Hi, I am looking forward to reading this book with you!

My book has 62 chapters, so I would like to confirm the schedule again. Do we have different editions?

Is the title for chapter 39 in your book “Stalkenberg”, and is it the first chapter in “Part the Third” (the third book)?

Chapter 48 in my book is called “Fading Child”.

Here are the end chapter titles for each section.

East Lynne
Wk 1: Oct 21-27: Ch 1-11
(Ch. 11: The New Peer - The Banknote = Ch. 11 in the print version)
Wk 2: Oct 28-Nov 3: Ch 12-21
(Ch. 21: Quitting the Danger = Ch. 22 in the print version)
Wk 3: Nov 4-10: Ch 22-27
(Ch. 27: Barbara’s Misdoings = Ch. 32 in the print version)
Wk 4: Nov 11-17: Ch 28-33
(Ch. 33: The Yearning if a Breaking Heart = Ch. 41 in the print version)
Wk 5: Nov 18-24: Ch 34-38
(Ch. 38: The World Turned Upside Down = Ch. 51 in the print version)
Wk 6: Nov 25-30: Ch 39-47
(Final Chapter-Ch. 47: I. M. V. = Ch. 62 in the print version)


Is that helpful?

I'm sure there are different editions, Charlotte. Unfortunately I have access only to the links I've provided. They all have 47 chapters. And there is no division in to parts. I hope Renee's information will help you to sort out.

If any member has a hard copy of this book, could you please help Charlotte to figure out?

Thanks.

Hi, Charlotte. I looked through all the chapter titles in myKindle version and I don’t see either of the titles you have mentioned anywhere. I’m not sure how to match up our versions.

Hoping someone else can solve the mystery because I’m stumped.

What’s your copy Renee? I don’t see it in mine either.

It’s the free Kindle with the green cover.

Okay I checked my print version and I don’t see it.

What is the printed edition you have, Brittany? And how many chapters are there in you version?

I have the Oxfords world classics edition. 62 chapters.

Oh boy, looks like we have a difficulty in matching the printed and e-versions.

So does you book have different parts, as Charlotte refers?

Yes it’s broken into 3 parts, as it would have originally been published as 3 volumes.

Yeah, there is a different division into chapters in our print version.

The New Peer - The Banknote is Ch. 11 in the e-book and Ch. 21 in the print version.

Barbara’s Misdoings is Ch. 27 in yours and 32 in mine.

I guess we divide our weeks going by the names of the chapters and not the number.

I have found the chapters with the same names here:

Week 3: -27 (e-book) and -32 (print)

Week 4: -33 and -41 (print)

Week 5: -38 and -51

Thanks for that, Charlotte.
What print chapter is “Quitting the Danger?”
I’ll edit it into the schedule with the titles for those who have print versions.

Sorry,

In the print-version, “The New Peer and the Bank Note” is chapter 11 as well.

“Quitting the Danger” is chapter 22.

Okay. I put that in. Would you mind checking up on me to make sure I got it straight? (It’s Message 6 if you’re looking at the website.)

Just got the official notice from GR of the start of this read. So excited!

Oh!! I am so excited to read East Lynne again with you guys!! I need to dig up my copy. I cried when reading this, and “Little Women” was the only other book to make me cry.
I am interested to hear what others think.

Renee wrote: "Okay. I put that in. Would you mind checking up on me to make sure I got it straight? (It’s Message 6 if you’re looking at the website.)"

Yes, everything is correct. Looking forward to enjoying this story together with you!

Happy to hear that all of you are excited with the read. Hope we will have much discussion in coming weeks.

I have just discovered that the two versions are very different!

How many are reading the printed book? It has 691 pages.

There is nowhere in the introduction that says that this book had several versions. It looks like this is the only official version. Is there an explanation in your short version of why it has been shortened?

I just looked at chapter 7 in the Guthenberg e-book (link above). This chapter flies over events in a superficial and confusing way and many (I think) important details are left out, like for instance two pages about Miss Carlyle, that shows what kind of person she is. Only half of the chapter remains. A big portion of the beginning and a portion of the end of the chapter is left out.

Each of our divisions is 110 pages in the book. I am not sure if I will manage to catch up every week, but I will try my best, if that is what you do too.

Unfortunately, there is no introduction given in these free e-book versions, so I cannot answer your question as to why the e versions are shorter.
I too saw that Oxford edition is the only official printed edition available.

Could any member help out Charlotte with her queries?

Piyangie wrote: "Unfortunately, there is no introduction given in these free e-book versions, so I cannot answer your question as to why the e versions are shorter.
I too saw that Oxford edition is the only offici..."

Hi Piyangie, So will you be reading the short version? I assume it is shorter than the printed book.

It looks like I'm reading a shorter version. I think all e versions I can have free access to are shorter.

Hi Charlotte, I believe mine (Oxfords World Classic, print) is the “uncensored slangy version “
I’m not sure what that means, but my guess is the e version is the more ladylike edition.

I believe the librivox version is the shorter free version.

I also found an interesting article on the sensation novel: https://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victo...

With East Lynne we will have read all three novels mention as foundation texts.

This is an interesting piece of information Renee. Happy to hear that with East Lynne we will complete the read of all three foundation texts of 'sensational' novels.

I have read other two and liked them both. I absolutely loved Woman in White. Both are my favourites. Hope I'll enjoy this one as well. Fingers crossed.

Renee wrote: "Here are the end chapter titles for each section.

East Lynne
Wk 1: Oct 21-27: Ch 1-11
(Ch. 11: The New Peer - The Banknote = Ch. 11 in the print version)
Wk 2: Oct 28-Nov 3: Ch 12-21
(Ch. 21: Qui..."

Is the first chapter in Week 6 called “Miss Carlyle in Full Dress. Afy also”?

Charlotte wrote: "Is the first chapter in Week 6 called “Miss Carlyle in Full Dress. Afy also”?..."


Yes, it is, Charlotte.