Reading the Chunksters discussion

The Jonathan Strange discussion only has a few more weeks to go, so we need to start thinking about the next one, which should be a classic this time. I will aim to close nominations in mid-August (16th). One nomination and two seconds per person, anything with at least one second will go to a poll. Any thoughts?

I nominate Of Human Bondage by William Somerset Maugham.

First published 1915
Pages 648

I nominate Villette by Charlotte Bronte. Page count varies depending upon the edition; however, on Goodreads, it defaults me to an edition with page count of 500 +.

I nominate Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. 608 pages

Actually, scrap my nomination for Villette.

I would like to nominate The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte. I have always wanted to read it, but somehow never have.

I nominate No Name by Wilkie Collins (1862) 748 Pages

Thanks for those nominations, any seconds yet?

I will second Tenant of Wildfell Hall.

I’m still looking for my potential nomination.

I'll second No Name, thanks

I am tempted not to nominate this time but may use my second.

I will second Oliver

I also will second No Name.

I will second Of Human Bondage because it's a great 5-star book, one of my top 20 all time favorite novels. But I've read it this century so prefer to read my nominated choice, No Name. However, OHB is deserving of a second.

I second Villette, it is a wonderful book and it inspired me to read Bronte sisters’ biography by Gaskell.

I agree that Of Human Bondage is great, but the only one on this list that I’ve already read.

If Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is allowed, then I’d like to nominate that. My edition is only 487 pages, but depending on which edition you look at, some are well over 500 pages (and some under).

Nidhi wrote: "I second Villette, it is a wonderful book and it inspired me to read Bronte sisters’ biography by Gaskell."

I think Paula changed her nomination from Villette to the Tenant of Wildfell Hall, going from Team Charlotte to Team Anne. If it isn't nominated and chosen here, you can still catch it as the GR group Catching up on Classics will be reading Villette in September 2022, as a Revisit the Shelf Classic.

Oh yes, thanks for pointing that out. The only book that needs a second is now The Little Women, I second it I will reread it, if it’s selected, I watched the movie which has Emma Watson as Meg , I feel they make nice (visually stunning) movies based on classics.

(A thought came to mind - maybe we should skip the nominations this time and simply read "The Satanic Verses" because of what has happened?)

We could do a buddy read Nike. The only book I have read by Rushdie is Midnight Children. This year I planned to read The Ground Beneath Her Feet but may switch to The Satanic Verses.

I would rather reread Midnight's Children

Midnight’s Children is a far better book. Although, in all honesty, I have generally found Rushdie’s ideas to be far superior to his actual execution.

So are we ditching the classics read?

I like the buddy read idea for Rushdie and keep the regular vote plan myself.

No, we can still do both

Tomorrow is the last day for nominations and seconds - I plan to create a poll on Wednesday.

I’d like to nominate Bleak House by Charles Dickens, which I have wanted to read for decades but never have. I also second the nomination of Tenant at Wildfell Hall, which is on my STBR (soon to be read) list now.

I will second Bleak House

Ok, I won't be able to set the poll up until tomorrow morning, so we can accept late nominations and seconds until then.

OK, the poll is now up here and will run until September 4th. I decided to include Villette anyway so there are 7 books on the list.

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

Thanks Hugh! Should we set up a buddy read for Rushdie also?

Sorry, I forgot about this poll, but it is now over and No Name has won by a large margin.

Does anybody else want to lead this one - if nobody else volunteers I could but I don't yet have a copy of the book which makes it difficult to create a schedule. We can start in October - exact date to be decided.

Thank you, Hugh.

I didn't vote for No Name, but I'd like to try a Wilkie Collins novel so I might try to join the read. I don't have a copy yet so I won't be able to create a schedule.

I have just bought a copy, so I will try and get the schedule done tomorrow.

Hugh wrote: "I have just bought a copy, so I will try and get the schedule done tomorrow."

Thanks Hugh! I can lead if no one else has volunteered.

No index, so knowing where to find breakpoints could be tricky...