EVERYONE Has Read This but Me - The Catch-Up Book Club discussion

I'll start the thread here so we can congregate and see who's interested in joining for A Tale of Two Cities
I'm slotting this in amongst my year of Dickens so my projected reading dates are 8th - 21st Oct or thereabouts.

Dates are flexible though - tag spoilers and mention chapter numbers in comments and then everyone can keep track.

Looking forward to it!
Laura

I've been wanting to reread this for decades, ever since I enjoyed it in high school. I'll try to join in.

I would love to join you ☺️ I’ve been wanting to read this forever too 👏

I'M IN

Yay! Looking forward to starting next week.

I have started on the introduction and hopefully start the book tomorrow. Excited to hear everyone's thoughts.

I have only read three other books by the author - A Christmas Carol, The Cricket on the Hearth and The Pickwick Papers.

I’m in, will probably start the book in the next couple of days.

Hi, I'm in. Looking forward to it. It keeps getting rolled over on my tbr pile...since high school...over 20 years ago.

@Laura, would you be able to make us a schedule?

I'm finishing Frankestein and will join right afterwards!

Hey all,

Here is my planned schedule - although I'm already behind!
It's chapter numbers - finish the numbered chapter on the date given.


Sun 10 Oct 5
Mon 11 Oct 9
Tue 12 Oct 14
Wed 13 Oct 18
Thu 14 Oct 23
Fri 15 Oct 28
Sat 16 Oct 32
Sun 17 Oct 37
Mon 18 Oct 41
Tue 19 Oct 46
Wed 20 Oct 50
Thu 21 Oct 55

Only Very provisional so please feel free to read at your own pace.
Lxx

Laura wrote: "Hey all,

Here is my planned schedule - although I'm already behind!
It's chapter numbers - finish the numbered chapter on the date given.


Sun 10 Oct 5
Mon 11 Oct 9
Tue 12 Oct 14
Wed 13 Oct 1..."

Thanks , Laura. I’m behind with your schedule, but enjoying the book so far.

Which edition are you all reading? Mine only has 45 chapters while Laura's schedule goes up to 55 so I'm worried I got an abridged version or something

Samuel wrote: "Which edition are you all reading? Mine only has 45 chapters while Laura's schedule goes up to 55 so I'm worried I got an abridged version or something"

Samuel, my Kindle book is A Tale of Two Cities which also has 45 chapters, complicated further by being divided into 3 “books” each starting with a “chapter 1”. Mine says somewhere that it isn’t abridged, so perhaps some publishers divided the book differently from others? I can’t work out where I am in Laura’s schedule, but know that I’m behind as I haven’t spent as much time reading as I wanted. But I’m enjoying the book.

Samuel wrote: “Which edition are you all reading? Mine only has 45 chapters while Laura’s schedule goes up to 55 so I’m worried I got an abridged version or something”

I’m listening to an audiobook (the Tantor recording, with Simon Vance reading), and it has 45 chapters. I also have an eBook version, again with 45 chapters.

I’m on the 27th chapter (Book the Second, chapter 21), but maybe I’m not as far behind schedule as I had thought?

This is a re-read for me, and I find that I’m enjoying the development of things even though (or perhaps because) I know how they will develop. It seemed like a pretty suspenseful book the first time through, but this time it seems more driven by character than plot. The fact that I’ve enjoyed it both ways indicates the power of the writing, I think.

spoko wrote: "Samuel wrote: “Which edition are you all reading? Mine only has 45 chapters while Laura’s schedule goes up to 55 so I’m worried I got an abridged version or something”

I’m listening to an audioboo..."

Spoko, you are ahead of me - I’m on Book 2, chapter 8. It’s my first time reading this & I like it much more than I expected.

I'm still on Ch4. I'm finding it difficult to get used to the style of writing. I can't make sense of it. If it doesn't become easier soon, I'll probably stop. I have a lot going on and my attention/concentration isn't at it's best. 😔

Frances wrote: "I'm still on Ch4. I'm finding it difficult to get used to the style of writing. I can't make sense of it. If it doesn't become easier soon, I'll probably stop. I have a lot going on and my attentio..."

Have you tried listening instead, Frances? If I’m having difficulty with a book, listening to a couple of chapters sometimes helps me to get involved with the story & adjust to the author’s style. There are some free audio versions of this book available online, including Apple podcasts. I hope this helps - but sometimes life gets in the way, so don’t feel bad if you have to stop reading this for a while.

Trisha wrote: "Frances wrote: "I'm still on Ch4. I'm finding it difficult to get used to the style of writing. I can't make sense of it. If it doesn't become easier soon, I'll probably stop. I have a lot going on..."

That’s an excellent idea Trisha! I did try the read-to-me-function of my kindle early into the book. I found that i had to keep pausing and backtracking bec I couldn’t understand what was going on even at the slowest reading speed. Ill give it another go. 🤗

Frances wrote: "Trisha wrote: "Frances wrote: "I'm still on Ch4. I'm finding it difficult to get used to the style of writing. I can't make sense of it. If it doesn't become easier soon, I'll probably stop. I have..."

If that doesn’t work for you, try the opposite - listen to a small section at a faster speed! It’s a bit like skimming through part of a book. You won’t follow the story as well as usual, but it sometimes helps just to get the feel of the book, or pick up a dialect in some books. Once you feel more involved, it’s easier then to read the same section again to pick up the points missed. I’m mostly reading the Kindle version of this one, but am using an audio version for some of it. In this case, I found that a good narrator (Simon Vance) made me notice the subtle humour that I would have missed otherwise. If all else fails, read something different for fun & try this one again another time!

Trisha wrote: "Frances wrote: "Trisha wrote: "Frances wrote: "I'm still on Ch4. I'm finding it difficult to get used to the style of writing. I can't make sense of it. If it doesn't become easier soon, I'll proba..."

Humor? I must have missed that because Im struggling so much to make sense of it. Text to speech on kindle isn’t good with nuances like humor. I’ll try to find an audio version. Thank you so much, Trisha! 😘

I found several audio versions on Librivox! If anyone else is interested, there's an app for Librivox for free audiobooks. There are several uploaded audios of ATOTC on YouTube as well.

Super duper lots of thanks, Trisha!

Samuel, I'm reading the Penguin edition and it does have 3 books which add up to 55 chapters.

Trisha@ Thank you for the suggestion of the audiobook. That seems to be working for me as well. Like Frances, I couldn't connect with the text.

Spoko@ You seem way ahead. I'm still at Chapter 3.

I’m feeling guilty now - I have to confess that I got so addicted to this that I finished reading the book this afternoon! My plan had been to catch up, then read part of a different book if I had time today. Instead I couldn’t put it down. I think this is the Dickens’ book that I enjoyed most of those I have read so far, probably because it hadn’t been spoiled for me by being forced to read it when I was young, or knowing parts of the story from tv dramatisations.

Hey everyone,
I FINALLY started - way behind my own schedule! Just read a couple of chapters last night and I'm intrigued already.
I think I was able to tune in pretty quickly because I'm on a Dickens marathon.
It feels like there's conspiracy in the air and I love the threat of the Highywaymen!

I’m so late you guys. Still waiting on my copy at the library. I have it on audio but the narrator is awful 😣 so im struggling to understand what he’s saying. I’m glad some of you are still behind too 😅 maybe I’ll be able to catch up 🤞

Helene, did you check out Librivox? They have 5 different readers to choose from.

They have a free legal copy here: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/98

There are also 5 different readers on Librivox.org if you want to give any of them a try if you aren't happy with your audiobook. They're also a legal site.

I didn’t have the app. I thought it was a app that cost money and I already have a audiobook provider (Storytel) but I see now it is free 🤩 thanks I will be checking that out 👏

I read A Tale of Two Sitters, a Wishbone book for kids, just to get the general idea. It promises to be a good story... if Dickens added 'value' with all the extra words he added. I also have the Cliff Notes guide checked out from the library to help me as I go along.

Once I do start, it'll only take me a few days to read, so I'll finish up my others that are on top of the pile first. :)

If you are looking for an audio version, I recommend one read by Simon Vance. I was able to borrow the Kindle book using my Kindle Unlimited subscription & the audio download was included. I mostly read the book, but listened to some parts of it.

Just finished the First Book. Mme Defarge is quite sinister!

Trisha, if I use an audiobook I almost always have to read parts of it too like you said. But it does sometimes help me along and also if it’s in-put-downable (I know it isn’t a word 😂) I can do other stuff while listening to it. Will see if I can find the narrator you mentioned. The one I’m listening to so far is Geoffrey Guiliano. I know he’s a known author himself and it is probably me that is the problem but he just talks in his nose to much 🙈

Just a status check as I'm so far behind.
How far is everyone?
I'm hoping to make good progress over the weekend and catch up more then.

Helene wrote: "Trisha, if I use an audiobook I almost always have to read parts of it too like you said. But it does sometimes help me along and also if it’s in-put-downable (I know it isn’t a word 😂) I can do ot..."

We obviously use audiobooks in the same way, Helene. The book edition I used, borrowed using Kindle Unlimited, was A Tale of Two Cities. This came with a link to download the audio version, also borrowed & automatically returned when the book is returned. If you buy the audio version via Kindle I don’t know if you would get the same version. Perhaps try the “look inside” option to preview the book & listen to the audio sample? Although I liked him, the narrator may not be one that you enjoy. I hope this helps.

I will second Trisha’s recommendation of the Simon Vance audiobook, if you have the option. He’s one of my go-to narrators, and I’m enjoying his reading of this.

Helene wrote: “ in-put-downable (I know it isn’t a word 😂)”
Yeah, the word is unputdownable. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dicti...

Haha I meant to write un not in but I didn’t realize it was a real word 😅 thanks for clearing that up Spoko.

Thank you for the suggestion Trisha. I will have a look 😊 I have it on my kindle too but I prefer a solid book. I know I sound super picky, but if I have it on my kindle, a solid book (pocket or hardcover cause I like either) and then audiobook, I’m golden 😅

I’m at chapter 7 now 😊

I had to dnf. Love the prologue, but I just couldn't make the time to squint over this after all, given all the books that I have piled up that I do love.

I am really behind but nevertheless I'm enjoying the book so far.

Helene wrote: "Haha I meant to write un not in but I didn’t realize it was a real word 😅 thanks for clearing that up spoko."

I started my reply as a joke, but then my library-school training kicked in and I decided to check. Most of the major dictionaries have it, though any of them with comment sections are filled with people complaining about it. 🙄

spoko wrote: "Helene wrote: "Haha I meant to write un not in but I didn’t realize it was a real word 😅 thanks for clearing that up spoko."

I started my reply as a joke, but then my library-school training kicke..."

First Known Use of unputdownable
1935?? Surprising!

Samuel wrote: "I am really behind but nevertheless I'm enjoying the book so far."

Is this possible? Not this far into a buddy read. I think there was a general guideline for when were were going to get this done, but it is such a large and heavy undertaking. Didn't the larger book club do this as a quarterly read instead of as a monthly read?! Wasn't Two Cities released as a serial? Like when Dickens wrote it originally, people read it in small magazine release sections not as a the huge tome that we undertake all at once. It's like trying to eat a brick of extra rich Godiva chocolate a pound at a time instead of a truffle at a time. (That's what I'm telling myself).

And if you are late, I am decades late reading this. My hubs saw what I was reading and said "Yeah... that... I was supposed to finish that in AP English in high school. Good luck." before he walked away.

That being said, I am done! I don't think I will ever call it "unputdownable" I think I have struggled with Dickens every time I pick up his books. But I acknowledge that I joined this classics group to get over never finishing these books.

I put the book down several times. It came down to listening to several audiobooks to identify a narrator that I liked. Then I basically read the kindle version when the audio was a bit much for me and listened to the audio when my eyes started to cross and I thought the book was better suited to be heard/performed. I don't think that I actually got attached to any characters or the plot until halfway through the book. However, once I did, it was a smoother read from then on. I can't say I was sad to finish, but I will say that once invested, it was easier.

I'm glad I read it, I don't think I will be listing it as one of my top 100 books of all time. I am interested in talking over some plot points and characters with you guys.

I'm very sorry and sad that I won't join you in the conversation of this book anyway. I have experienced sanctioned bullying in this group (not in this thread though! rest assure - this thread is a nice one!) I have decided to leave this group even though it is one of my two absolute favourite groups on GoodReads. What has happened is something that I cant yet wrap my mind about, the thing I'm accused of having done is considered a good thing everytwhere in this world except here. I apologize for using this thread for this message but I'm so sad and I have been crying heavily yesterday and do feel very alone in this. It's awful to be bullied by a group. So, I will say good bye to you and I will read this book by myself. I wish you all good discussions of this book.

Nike wrote: "I'm very sorry and sad that I won't join you in the conversation of this book anyway. I have experienced sanctioned bullying in this group (not in this thread though! rest assure - this thread is a..."
Hi,
I am really sorry for you feeling this way.
It is quite a strong statement to make, been allegedly bullied by a group? Do you feel like elaborating on how and why?
Wish you well :)

Goldlion wrote: "Nike wrote: "I'm very sorry and sad that I won't join you in the conversation of this book anyway. I have experienced sanctioned bullying in this group (not in this thread though! rest assure - thi..."

Thankyou, but maybe in another thread and I wouldn't know which one. The admin has mailed me an excuse but I am shocked over what happened and I leave now. Thank you for your kind support <3

I am starting reading Tales of Two Cities!

Anyone would like to join for a buddy read?

Pushkar wrote: “I am starting reading Tales of Two Cities!

Anyone would like to join for a buddy read?”

Pushkar, it might actually be coming up as a group read. If you haven’t voted yet, you might want to!

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/1...

(See Poll #3, specifically.)