My absolute favourite blog series feature is from our very own DaniBP and her wonderful Mop Philosophy Book Club. I sent Dani an email lobbying for Middlemarch to be her next selection and then knowing how busy she is with her renovation project and move I told her I would be more than happy to help in any way should she be too overwhelmed with everything else going on. As it turns out she has accepted my offer so your GSL will be assisting Dani for the next Mop Philosophy Book Club to be held on Saturday, November 22nd. Dani read Middlemarch when she was 15 and I am hoping circumstances allow her to reread this classic so we can hear her perspective nearly 3 decades later. Dani always writes a superb preview announcing the selection and her Book Club introduction is always insightful and beautifully written. I only wish I had read Dani's brilliant introduction for To Kill a Mockingbird prior to reading the book as I found the young narrator tough going likely due to starting TKAM the day after reading a book with a much older British narrator.
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| 'George Eliot' pen name of Mary Anne Evans Aged 30 by the Swiss artist Alexandre Louis François d'Albert Durade (1804–86) from wikipedia |
I am hoping Dani gets a large turnout for her book club as we at The Den feel duty bound to see that it becomes a huge success since that is what we are all about. The Den is a champion of women of merit. The Den is a champion of literary excellence. The Den is about promoting more active engagement with The Arts as it leads to a more fulfilling life. My children's book series is specifically designed to be a shared experience between caregiver and child. It is a little overwritten for it's target audience to help build vocabulary and promote discussion with a little moral instruction. I want these children to grow up loving the art of language, storytelling, and have deeper literary connections to those they share these early reading experiences with. My goal is a parent and child who begin with reading one of my stories together will one day read a book like Middlemarch together. I think of all the mediums of artistic expression, a novel is the form you become the most deeply involved with. I will never forget meeting my best friend's mother for the first time. My friend assured me that his mother and I would connect right away as she was the lone serious reader in a family of doctors, engineers, and lawyers. We were at brunch and it just so happened that we had both recently finished The Professor and The Madman which is actually a superb work of creative non-fiction that steals your heart. When I saw her face light up, I knew we were dear friends for life. When I was in Iraq, she had her granddaughters load an ipod with Christmas music and sent it to me just after Thanksgiving. Great literature makes our lives more meaningful.
GSL thank you so much for putting forward this brilliant idea of reading Middlemarch, I am so excited to read and discuss! I think we're going to have so much fun hosting this together, do you think we could get Tabs to pour the wine and pass the cheese straws?
ReplyDeleteDani, I am way ahead of you there too. All the couturiers are presently busy plunging necklines and making deep well-above-knee slits into frocks so that there submission will be judged the va-va-voomiest. Natch, I'll gallantly turn my head as Tabitha's ladies-in-waiting help pour her into the chosen frock...and then lowered by crane onto mass-murdering heels (as we speak Loubs is the front runner over Jimmy C for that honour).
DeleteAs Tabs sashays to and fro with minions distributing magnums of DP her breathy whisper will, in my case, make any half-shelled oyster an overkilling redundancy..
GSL - you are a true gentleman! Loading it into the kindle tonight and anticipating the usual vigorous and thought- provoking discussion. This is one I've never read, so am in for a treat!
ReplyDeleteI haven't either Wendy so we must correct this glaring omission.
DeleteI also read this when I was 15 or 16 years old! Fingers crossed that I can make the time to read again and participate. But, if Dani can do it with all that she has going on...well, I will find the time! George Eliot-a very interesting woman!
ReplyDeleteRight you are my dear T and I do hope you and Dani both are allowed to become reacquainted with this classic.
DeleteI haven't read this either. Will have to make an effort, although I've found fiction not my favourite recently, I think due to a spate of books I've disliked. Very interesting that you mention Martin Amis's fiction, as he's one I can't bear, likewise his misogynistic father.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to sneaking in the back at the club and having a listen!
Ruth, I do hope you get a chance to read Middlemarch but in any case you will be eagerly welcomed....especially if in updo and pearls.
DeleteOkay, have never read martin Amis either and he is on the list. Where do you recommend I begin?
DeleteFor Amis, as I mention his novels often disappoint but a few of his earlier ones were pretty good such as 'Money', 'The Information', and 'Yellow Dog'. I didn't like 'House of Meetings' or 'Lionel Asbo'. I love his non-fiction and anything he ever writes about writing or writers. A memoir 'Experience' is very interesting and there are several collections of essays available all of which I'd recommend.
DeleteOh I'm going to read it too then.
ReplyDeleteLove both those British authors, although in past years have gotten a bit weary of Martin Amis and his housing estate life (as in for poor people) and his violent sociopaths. Julian Barnes - you feel such in good hands as soon as you read the first sentence don't you.? You don't feel all the fingers pulling the strings behind the curtains as you do with lesser writers
Just read someone's novel - about a woman judge, It was one of those guys who are all friends and it was great.
Jody, I'm glad Amis moved to America and think it will bear fruit and thus far I've been avoiding the reviews of his new novel 'The Zone of Interest' and read without any background music. Barnes is the master and have read 'The Sense of an Ending' 3 times. 'Arthur and George' is one of my all time favs as 'Arthur' is the creator of 'Sherlock Holmes'.
DeleteLooking forward to the book club and want to hear more about this book series of yours.
ReplyDeleteI will be doing some previews in the future as we are in preliminary stage with illustrator. Just ordered your book.
DeleteThank you! Keep us informed of the book process. How exciting!
Delete"Great literature makes our lives more meaningful", a true statement indeed GSL! I've not read this book but I was just speaking with my daughter a few days ago about reading David Copperfield, a story I read during English Literature class when I was twelve years of age, along with my fabulous teacher, Miss Bottle (yes, real name). I was encouraging my daughter to read DC as I felt it was time for her to be introduced to Mr. Dickens and some of his characters. I'll never Miss Bottle explaining the quote from that story, "procrastination is the thief of time", which remains my favorite little piece of advice to dish out when appropriate.
ReplyDeleteMiss Bottle sounds like she comes from Blunderstone and CD as a fellow fan I would think you'd be especially particular when naming a character. I'd love it if the wonderful Chronica Domus hostess had a name we could all pay homage to for her keen insights and exquisite taste....I'll bet Miss Bottle would suggest something Dickensian.
DeleteWe'd love have you over to Dani's blog for the Middlemarch book club on November 22nd !
Very true, what you say about great literature. It makes me cringe slightly to see what can at times, pass for lit at my daughters school. For the most part they assign the right reading but there have been some real misses which, to my mind, is inexcusable given the amount of great work out there.
ReplyDeleteMy dear Bebe don't even get me started on what formal education at both the Uni and High School level have done to diminish literature. I dipped my toe back into the Academic realm a few years ago and was deeply dismayed at what a political indoctrination camp in the Humanities they have become. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. English Departments nowadays have nearly ruined literature and one professor I befriended who is a distinguished Dr Johnson scholar said he could never suffer through the English curriculum his Uni Department imposes.
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