Anyone interested in reading and discussing a classic book for May?

Nominate a book for our May discussion. We can take nominations for a week or so and then vote.

Everyone is welcome! If you have not participated before, we would love to have you join us. If you have participated before, welcome back!

Ideally, it would be preferable if the book is available here at PBS.

Would anyone like to lead the discussion?

I'd be willing to lead in June, but not May--we're going to be gone a lot in May.

I'd like to nominate Oliver Twist again...I am determined to get another Dickens book read this year!

Eugene Onegin!

Rich, deep, but not at all dense. And so lyrical.

Two good suggestions! Eugene Onegin intrigues me because I've been reading a lot Russian fiction and nonfiction and Pushkin is often mentioned.

I'll try out Oliver Twist or any other Dickens novel. Great Expectations (I think) is most often recommended for Dickens newbies because it's the shortest of all his tomes.

I just received The Friendly Dickens, by Norrie Epstein in the mail and I am dying to use it as a reading guide. It's full of interesting tidbits about Dickens' life, time period, and of course, his novels.

I don't know what's involved in leading a discussion, but if it's breaking down the book into chunks and asking questions and inserting interesting trivia about the book and author etc as we read I can do that.

I hate to admit that I have never even heard of Eugene Onegin. However, I would be more then willing to give him a try.  Also I have never read any Dickens either. Either works for me.

I have always wanted to read something by George Elliot...I don't know a lot of his books be would like to post as a suggestion.  I too have never read any Dickens but would welcome the challenge (but Oliver Twist seems a bit sad).

Wasn't George Elliot a woman?

I always want to join in here, but I get swamped down with swap books.  So this month, I'm going to make sure I put whatever

gets chosen here on the top of my list.

Wasn't George Elliot a woman?

Yup.  Mary Ann Evans.  I read Middlemarch a couple of months ago and loved it, but it may be a little long (nearly 900 pp) for reading here.

I would love to re-read Great Expectations.  It's really wonderful, IMO, a much better book than Oliver Twist.

ETA - now that Mill on the Floss is on the table, I vote for George Eliot!

After reading the last two comments, I am totally ashamed.  I did actualy know that George Elliot was a woman and am not sure why I put "his" (that is what I get for sneaking in some PBS at work). 

I vote for Great Expectations...

Marissa, sorry I wasn't trying to make you feel bad.  I wasn't sure myself, just seemed to remember that from somewhere.

Michael, I'll admit to not hearing of Eugene Onegin before either.  Perhaps I should just quietly lurk.

Marissa, don't be ashamed, we all have our moments :-)

Chris and Caviglia - thanks for the reminder about George Eliot aka Mary Ann Evans.

Hope all of you decide to join us for May!

We'll take nominations for a few more days and then vote.

Laura - if you would like to lead the discussion, that would be great! I have two kids playing little league and one playing tennis this spring and I know my evenings and weekends are going to be super busy.

I'd be happy with either Oliver Twist or Great Expectations.  I've read both before, loved OT in college, hated GE in high school (but I've always meant to re-read it since, its the only Dickens book I didn't enjoy and I've always thought I must not have been ready for it).

If we're going to do Eliot, could it be Mill on the Floss (that's been on my TBR forever)?

"Laura - if you would like to lead the discussion, that would be great!"

Mmmm, kay.

So who makes and when do we make a final selection?

Nominations:

1. Oliver Twist 
2. Eugene Onegin
3. Great Expectations
4. Mill on the Floss

I vote for MIll on the Floss.

I only joined this group once--October, I think.  I thoroughly enjoyed Howard's End with you all.  Shelia is kind enough each month to send me a pm, encouraging me to join you again.

I just listened to Oliver Twist in February on my Zune.  Also, I taught Great Expectations for many years.  Therefore, my vote is for The Mill on the Floss.

Vivian

So who makes and when do we make a final selection?

After nominations, everyone casts a vote for the book they would like to read and the book with the most votes wins :-)

If the vote is close we could make the second highest vote-getter the June book.

Laura has a list of the four nominations in her post. Please cast a vote for one of them. If you have already voted, great! if not, either post again or edit your original post. THANKS

We can leave voting open for the next few days. How does May 4 sound for the official determination?

Since it is on my TBR I'm going to vote for Mill on the Floss.

My first choice would be for Oliver Twist.

I vote for

Great Expectations

it is may, so do we have a book yet?  if not, i vote for mill on the floss because it too is in my tbr pile (great minds think alike). 

Mill on the Floss wins.

Everyone have a copy?

ETA: Holy Smokes! This thing is 704 pages!

You all knew that, right?

First Mill on the Floss discussion will be held May 18.

This will give everyone enough time to (a) acquire a copy, and (b) read the first 1/3 of the book.

Fair enough? Suggestions? I am open to 'em.

got mine, I'll start it probably the end of this week.

Sounds good! :-)