Next Read is................................

just askin'
belva

How about a mystery? Say, a Louise Penny mystery? Maybe even one called, oh, I don't know, The Brutal Telling?

No! No! I have a better idea: Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf!! Short, sweet, to the point, and unearthly beautiful. What say?

Would lurve to do Mrs. Dalloway, Richard....but i've put the kibosh on Group Reads for now..i always mean well at the start...but something usually happens to keep me from participating like i want to....sari/sorry

;-}

Mrs. Dalloway sounds good to me. I have it here waiting to be read. A group read would be good for actually doing that :)

Mrs. Dalloway sounds the perfect fit for me right now. I am always up for Virginia WoolfShe would kind of balance out Moby Dick, Les Miserables, My Name is Red, A Tale of Two Cities, The Black Cauldron, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers, Anna Karenina, Conqueror of the Seas; Magellan, and Great Expectations quite nicely. In point of fact, St. Richard; I am actually surprised that you didn't come up with some little "Dickens. hee hee hee!~!~!
Damn, sometimes I just crack myself up! hee hee.
belva
P.S. So Mrs. Dalloway it is. Shall we begin next week end? or tomorrow? And thank you St. Richard.
xoxo

Please not tomorrow! My copy isn't here yet!

February 28th.

Thank you oh high one.

That sounds good. I haven't read any Woolf, yet, so I'll see if I can pull it together to read with you guys. :)

blythe025;
I took a peek at your library and I think you will like it. Mrs. Dalloway wasn't really what I thought it would be, but Ms. Woolf has a style of writing all her own and she could write a book about slugs and most of us would probably easily become immersed in her writing. I have found with Virginia Woolf it is not necessarily her content that grabs me but I can't stop reading her words, her phrases, her thoughts.
Yup, I definitely think you should try to join us.
belva

I haven't read any Woolf yet either so I did some research on the book to see if I would be interested. I am a mixed fan of 'stream-of-consciousness novels', (some I loved, some were alright and some downright dreadful!), but I am willing to take the plunge, join the read and see if this is one that I will enjoy..... just no promises :-)

Is there a group set up for the book yet? I didn't see one.

No, not yet. I'm thinking it'll be Tuesday or Wednesday.

I've skipped the last one or two reads, but am looking forward to Mrs. Dalloway. I didn't expect to like Woolf when I first read her a few years back, but found her writing surprisingly lovely.

I am looking for a copy of this book. I might not find it until after my trip. You did a super job setting up the group read, Richard! Thanks!
--BJ

Although I have several books on the go, including incidentaly Virgina Woolf's diary I think I will join in this read. I keep on meaning to read some more of VW and it just so happens that Mrs Dalloway is the next one in my omnibus to be read!

It also has the merit that it is short!

_ TT

#17 Glad to see you again, TT! I'm about to start the book today.

I just reread (so no review this time round), Mrs. Dalloway and I have to say it again; that to read Virginia Woolf in any form is to read pure poetry. I love how she puts her words together, her phrasing..........always perfect and yet she writes simply. The woman was a gift to the literary world. No wonder the "Bloomsbury Group" came together. How could they help but?
Oh, I am so proud...............no spoilers!~!
belva

Uh oh, Belva...http://www.librarything.com/groups/groupreadlatewinter2/ was the place I meant to send you to!

So Whatever happened to reading A Separate Country next?

Definitely count me OUT of Mrs. Dalloway

cyderry;
I am all for that; the reading of A Separate Country next. Sounds good!~! And I finished Mrs. Dalloway & supposed that everyone else had eons ago.
So c'mon St. Richard...................Man up & put it up!~!
(or we will)
xoxo
belva

I have a copy of A Separate Country. :)
--BJ

Same here, I have a copy of A Separate Country just waiting for on my desk.

I don't have a copy of A Separate Country but I am willing to go and track one down if a group read is in the makings.... hint, hint! ;-0

I can't even remember what it's about. I'll go study up.

Ye gods and little fishes! What a grim story! Are y'all SURE you want to read that?!

Nooooo.... I didn't even bother to check the book first but, hey.... I am game if everyone else is!

I couldn't figure out what the fuss was about. This got a rare 'Did Not Finish' from me.

Well, not for me. I don't like the way it sounds.

Fine St. Richard. Just frickin' pick something; anything. I mean, after all, we are "The Highly Rated Book Club". We had better by gawd be reading something worthwhile.
How about Giant by Edna Ferber?

I have A Separate Country so I'll read it on my own.

Just a question though, I understand that not everyone likes every book. But if this is such a bad book, why have the majority of reviews ranked it 3½ stars and above?

Personally, I am with you, cyderry, not everyone likes the same book. For me, a book is only a bad book if it is really, really, REALLY bad and there is no opposing point of view on that position. I am always willing to concede that what I consider to be a bad book may be a treasure in someone else's opinion. I haven't dived on the book myself mainly because the civil war is a theme I don't gravitate towards. I am willing to give it a try in a group read, where someone might be able to explain to me certain dynamics of the civil war that, as a Canadian, I don't remember learning during my school years.

I hope you find the book enjoyable!

I have this book and would participate in a group read of it.
--BJ

Anybody who wants to lead a group read can...! I'll give it a miss because I can't abide the sound of it, but no one died and left me queen anyway.

Hell Richard, you are already a queen!~!
luvs n hugs,

Okay, so a group read of A Separate Country by Robert Hicks.

cyderry;
When would you like to start it? I think I have it here somewhere and can round it up in a hurry.
belva

Yea!~! Someone picked a book!~!

I actually own/won a copy of A Separate Country...I don't do Group Reads...usually..but hey..I'm game!

;-}

I almost put this one down about 80 pages in. It just was not doing anything for me but then I decided to go a little further first & now I am 250 pages in and pretty wowed. So for those of you not taken by the first few pages; extend that old "pearl rule" and see how you do. I am quite enjoying it now and want to see where it goes & how it is going to get there. I have met a couple of really interesting characters and am very glad that I stuck with it.
belva

Do we have a discussion thread or timeline up anywhere?

I've not seen one yet, but am certainly enjoying this read. Somebody picked a good one!~!

I'm getting ready to start a Separate Country at the beginning of June. Is anyone still intereted in doing a group read - I will setup the group if there are enough takers.

Still interested!

Still interested in keeping this group alive.
I thought we were already reading A Separate Country so I have finished it. It is an amazingly good book but it took me about 80 pages to get hooked.
I will carry on with my other reads & continue to check back now & then. I would really hate for this group to fold. I think it could be a very different group from most of the other group read groups if we tried. I do think that if we carry on we do need to be honest to the group name; "Highly-Rated Book Group" and not read "pop" titles. I think we should stick with "highly rated books & authors" & not read off the Post, Times, or any other new book listings. However, that is just one girl's opinion.
belva

I still want to read this book. Sorry to be late here. Just got back in town. June sounds perfect. :)
--BJ

I'm planning on reading in next month (June) so I will setup the group and the question threads.

The group and questions are at this link.

http://www.librarything.com/groups/hrbgearlysummer2010a#forums