I'm currently reading EAST OF EDEN by John Steinbeck. It's taking forever and it's quite challenging, but also remarkable. Like nothing else I've ever read.
I would love a Steinbeck re-read of East of Eden or Grapes of Wrath. Or anything else by Steinbeck, I've read many but not all. I would love to do this with folks from around the world--it's been since HS that I've read both.
I love both East of Eden and The Grapes of Wrath - the latter is one of the greatest novels, in my opinion. I love all of Steinbeck's novels and would be happy to read everything he ever wrote.
Not to mention the original 1950s movie with James Dean. ;) There was also a miniseries back in the early 1980s, which is what prompted me to read the book back then.
I read East of Eden earlier in the year and it’s terrific - my favourite book of the year so far (so I think). It would be perfect for a slow read. And if you enjoyed Cannery Row then do read Sweet Thursday which I think I enjoyed more than CR.
I just read THE GRAPES OF WRATH for the first time and I am actually blown away by how good it is. I was absolutely gripped by not just the story but how topical it is from a socio-political perspective especially in modern Australia where we are seeing the same issues with banking, poverty and farming. Also mining camps.
That was my first Steinbeck, E of E is my second. Grapes is mind-blowingly good, and yes, it's pretty relevant in our times (UK here). It's also a profound and astonishing piece of writing, a true work of art.
Make sure they are in a good headspace when suggesting it. I am a happy person and although Grapes of Wrath is a beautiful book, everything that happens is worse than the terrible thing that happened before-for the whole book.
That's a good point. I write about war and democide so, unfortunately I am used to closely examining the very worst of humanity on macro- and microscales. Thanks.
East of Eden is such an extraordinary novel. It's a coming-of-age story for the small communities of northern California (where Steinbeck's family settled), and it's also a modern, distinctly American retelling of the Cain and Abel story. Lastly, it's an extraordinary meditation on evil.
I read most of Steinbeck’s novels and novellas growing up in California and East of Eden was my favorite. It would be great to revisit it with a guide.
My suggestion is Possession, A.S. Byatt. I have it on the shelf but feel intimidated although I love her Virgin In The Garden trilogy. I think Possession would lend well to your wonderful footnotes and tangents.
I'm reading THE UNTOUCHABLE by John Banville. Readable and intelligent. Highly recommend.
He is a great writer, I have his THE SEA lined up next. I will listen to THE CORNER THAT HELD THEM before reading LOLLY WILLOWS again. I missed so much on my first read. On that topic I've just bought RURAL HOURS by Harriet Baker - looks very promising.
Possession is an absolutely magnificent novel! Everything Byatt wrote was pretty magnificent, but this was by far the best. I used to teach it in my Victorian literature, classes, tucked in between real Victorian poets – she makes hers up, including their verse, because she can. I think she's magnificent at modeling intellectual quest and the gloriousness of true historical discovery. The book never gets old.
I read POSSESSION a really long time ago (1990s!) and it is one of my favourite novels ever (though as someone else said, I skimmed the poetry). I don't usually re-read novels but I think I would re-read that one. And maybe in a slow read I would actually read the poetry too!
How about some Proust IN SEARCH OF LOST TIME? Maybe just one volume? I would like to read it but it sounds like something that could be better with discussion and some background.
I did read ISOLT last year, but got very bored by it. Maybe it's just me, and perhaps it'd be helpful to re-read it with a group's alternate opinions on it to think about.
I'd be up for that . I'm currently reading Proust for the first time and am already sure I'd benefit from a follow through second read next year . Some books are so big in scope and reach they demand repetition . It's like nothing else I've read .
Some fantastic ideas here. I’m going to add Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain. The sort of book that mutual encouragement would really help with but very satisfying when I first read it at university. I also wondered if The Scarlet and the Black would work. And another vote for Proust but all this is definitely more than one year!
How apropos! I'm reading The Empusium right now as my own solo slow read (I paused to participate in the APOGS read) — I haven't read The Magic Mountain before and both would be helpful!
I recently read my first Olga Tokarczuk book - Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead and was just awe-struck. Loved it. Discovering her makes me want to go to Poland.
I was also thinking of suggesting The Magic Mountain. I was sad to learn I had just missed a read along for it with a couple of my favorite Booktubers at the beginning of the year.
I would LOVE to read Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain. One of those books I read in college with a great professor. I remember very little of it except that I loved it.
POSSESSION would be amazing to do together, with you Simon.
I’m also going to vote for MIDDLEMARCH for itself but as a related contrast to W&P once this final year of F&T slow read is completed, knowing how influenced Tolstoy was by Eliot.
Midnight’s Children would be interesting to explore too, and Remains of the Day as a shorter read would be interesting given some of the parallels to what is happening politically now but as a study of the writing too
YES to Midnight's Children. I started it some time ago, was dazzled and then for some reason, never picked it up again. This format would be ideal for that masterpiece!
I’m looking forward to it and love how Haley approaches reading, but being a complete Middlemarch nerd would also love a slow read with you too next year Simon
Thank you for sharing the link, Simon. A note to all who want to participate in a slow read of Ulysses- I genuinely don't think that readers will be able to fully appreciate Ulysses without having first really got to grips with his earlier books, Dubliners and A Portrait, so I am going to be running slow reads of them in preparation for the Epic read of Ulysses.
Can I just say that I did a read through of Ulysses with Elizabeth a few years back (in a less formal setting than this one) and it was an incredible experience.
Her knowledge and passion for Joyce is impressive, but it is her willingness to continue to challenge herself and to continue to learn that makes her a wonderful person to read with.
If you have always wanted to finally finish Ulysses, than she is the person to guide you!!
Thank you, Jonathon! Yes, I am passionate about all Joyce's works, and I adore introducing them to novices and discussing them with everyone- newbies or seasoned Joyceans alike.
When I was in college, there was an emeritus scholar of James Joyce who was supposed to run a seminar, but it didn't enroll enough students to go. So she did it for just three of us-- me and two faculty members. I still can't say I really understand Ulysses, but that was an amazing experience. And prompted me to write a paper on Sylvia Beach, Joyce's publisher and original owner of Shakespeare and Company in Paris. She was amazing.
I am so glad that you enjoyed reading Ulysses in College, and I agree with you about Sylvia Beach- a remarkable lady, indeed. Joyce had a fascinating relationship with her. You say you are not sure whether or not you understand Ulysses- why not join in with my slow read and I will try to explicate it to you?
Our local library hosted a year-long "Audacious Read" of Ulysses in 2020, and it was fantastic to read with a group - which became a Zoom group due to the pandemic. If I may to refer to another website, I found UlyssesGuide.com to be an invaluable resource.
One I’ve always wanted to read but have been reluctant to dive in on my own, is Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie. I currently have a few books on the go alongside APoGS, including Third-Class Ticket by Heather Wood, about a large group of village elders who embark on a rail journey around India in the 1960s. (India is one of my 3 comfort-locations for reading, the other two being France and Ireland 😂 ).
Loved your post on Instagram today - Is a River Alive? was already on my TBR, but I might be pushing it closer to the top of the pile now.
Please do this! I’ve been badly wanting to read it but given the heavy historical context from an era Im not very familiar with I’ve been worried I wouldn’t get full benefit and I think subconsciously have been intimidated.
I read Midnight's Children earlier this year. I found the plot and pace of the book quite strung out. For me, I'm not sure it lends itself to a slow read. I was expecting to be wowed by it and on reflection was underwhelmed. Still enjoyed it, but as it gets hyped up I was expecting more.
MC has a profound effect on me when I was eighteen. It was my introduction to magical realism. I don't know what I would make of it now. I think whether a book lends itself to a slow read probably has less to do with the book and more to do with the reader. If it sparks your imagination, you can do something with it.
I would definitely vote for MIDNIGHT'S CHILDREN (or any Rushdie) and REGENERATION. Both have been on my list for ages but are a bit intimidating! Suggestions from me would include A SUITABLE BOY by Vikram Seth, THE BOOK OF NIGHT WOMEN by Marlon James, THE LUMINARIES by Eleanor Catton and THE SEA OF POPPIES by Amitav Ghosh. A few books that I've already read and loved that I would read again would be A FINE BALANCE by Rohinton Mistry (my favourite novel ever until I read Wolf Hall), SACRED HUNGER by Barry Unsworth and THE BETROTHED (in translation) by Alessandro Manzoni. A lot of history to dig into in all of these, as well as beautiful writing. Oh, and (another favourite) HALF OF A YELLOW SUN by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie would also be very worthy of a slow read. Can't wait to hear everyone's suggestions and add them to my endless to-read list!
I liked Americanah too (I’d actually like to read it again), but HOAYS is in a league of its own. If you like audiobooks the audio version is fantastic.
I’ve always struggled with Dickens so I’d welcome a long read of one of his novels to try and ‘get it’. Maybe something chunky but not too intimidating such as Pickwick Papers? Don Quixote is another one I keep meaning to get to and am putting off due to length!
Dickens! He is my jam. Simon – random thought – if you might ever want to cohost a slow read focusing on Dickens, I'd be happy to discuss! It is requiring great restraint right now for me not to unload a whole bunch of thoughts on Pickwick.
It might be interesting to do a slow read of a Christmas carol. It’s so slight that everyone zips through in one go, but there’s actually a lot to unpack.
December 2026? If I was feeling evil, I'd pair it with The Death of Ivan Ilyich, which is sort of Tolstoy's reworking of A Christmas Carol. Both short powerful books.
I just finished it and found it absolutely delightful. I'm not surprised, since I am a Dickens stan, but it started a little slowly only to now be living rent-free in my head as I continue to chuckle at the jokes.
I too have struggled with Dickens so I did a slow-ish read of Bleak House this year and watched Katie's chapter summaries over at her Books and Things channel. It was such a rewarding experience and she inspired me to make my chapter summary videos for Brothers Karamazov, Anna Karenina and Oblomov. I'm planning to read all of Dickens at one or two books a year.
I'm so grateful that you said this. If YOU aren't clever enough for DM, really, who is? I'm rereading The Cloud Atlas. Actually, listening to it this time, and there's a marvelous foreword by Gabrielle Zevin. This foreword alone is making me want to read it again after I'm done listening, if only to savor her descriptions in print. Listening to it has made it more accessible for me, though I still don't enjoy the dialects of two of the sections.
The first time I read The Cloud Atlas, it was for my book club, about 20 years ago. I accidentally read a different book, also called The Cloud Atlas, by Liam Callanan. When my friend and I were discussing our reading, I couldn't figure out if I hadn't gotten to the things she was describing or if I'd forgotten or what! It was hilarious when we finally figured it out.
It took me two tries to finish Cloud Atlas, but I loved it when I did. I got A Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet the first time and it was amazing. Learned a lot about Japan!
I found the grid…I’d stuck it in one of the books! It’s what made me think I’d revisit them all so have accumulated them on audio. They make for great listening. Utopia Avenue is brilliant…1960’s music scene…I was there!
I'll hereby volunteer to go to Abbotsford as your roving reporter. I've never read any Scott, but he pops up all the time in my job and Abbotsford is on my list of places I want to visit (mostly because he hosted a bunch of French PoW officers there during the Napoleonic wars - I originally intended to investigate last year during the W&P slow read and never got round to it).
Oh, no, please not Wattie Scott! I found him very turgid, but that was about 50 years ago, so maybe my mind will be more open to him these days. Heart of Midlothian is a novel of his that I liked, and some of his dialect short stories are excellent.
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke is such a wonderful read with so many layers. I’m certain there’s plenty of footnotes and tangents to add that would further enrich it.
Simon, really? I was just about to suggest The Count of Monte Cristo. It's one of my favorites. Maybe because I was deeply invested in the story: I saved a 1895 edition from a recycling depot, leaving two other "identical" copies for others to take. I was at first deeply confused but finally got engrossed in the story only to realize to my horror that I had just finished reading Vol 2 of 3. So I ended up buying the complete novel and going back to the start; then it made so much more sense :) Curious what aspect of the book makes you "not a fan"?
Ha, that's great, Ruth. The first third or so is my favourite bit, and I kind of lost interest after he becomes the Count of Monte Cristo. It's fun enough, but very *very* silly and melodramatic. I felt like none of the emotions people had bore any relation to real emotions real people have. Which is fine, it's an adventure book and blazes a trail for great adventure fiction. But I wouldn't want to re-read it, or slow read it. Just my personal take!
I would, although I don't have a personal relationship with it and haven't read it, so I'd be going in cold - which isn't really how I like to do things!
Simon there were some very good long read suggestions in the comments on my "long reads" post a couple of weeks ago. I'll try to dig them up for you later (LBJ books by Robert Caro comes to mind) or you can pop over there and have a gander
Master and Margarita - accompanied by many arguments about best translation and Soviet censorship. I have now read it 3 times and always find something different - in my 20s - who doesn’t want to be flying over Leningrad on a devil powered broom heading to a ball in hell. In my 30s hypocrisy is all its guises. Last year’s favourite line - “Cowardice is the greatest sin.”
I ran a Goodreads reading group for DUCKS, NEWBURYPORT and it's great for a slow read. Very readable despite being (kind of) one long sentence, and full of references to unpack. I know it's fashionable to hate on INFINITE JEST online but it's an *incredible* book (I also did a reading group for it; we read it over 28 days but followed a programme for reading it over 28 weeks). And of course there's ULYSSES (a friend of mine did a long read for that one about 15 years ago on LiveJournal--we did it with the help of The New Bloomsday Book, which I found essential, but sadly it looks like it's now out of print and extremely expensive.) LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA is also worth taking your time over, though it gets a little tricky content-wise toward the end.
I will be doing a slow read of Ulysses next year with my group- we are reading Dubliners, the A Portrait of the Artist first. There are lots of newer critical works that adequate replace the New Bloomsday book to support readers.
I'm currently reading EAST OF EDEN by John Steinbeck. It's taking forever and it's quite challenging, but also remarkable. Like nothing else I've ever read.
Oh that's a good suggestion. I loved CANNERY ROW and it would be great to do EAST OF EDEN.
I'd like to read East of Eden, too
Same!
I would love a Steinbeck re-read of East of Eden or Grapes of Wrath. Or anything else by Steinbeck, I've read many but not all. I would love to do this with folks from around the world--it's been since HS that I've read both.
I love both East of Eden and The Grapes of Wrath - the latter is one of the greatest novels, in my opinion. I love all of Steinbeck's novels and would be happy to read everything he ever wrote.
I feel like Grapes of Wrath would be a better slow read.
There's also a Netflix miniseries coming out next year https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_of_Eden_(American_TV_series)
Not to mention the original 1950s movie with James Dean. ;) There was also a miniseries back in the early 1980s, which is what prompted me to read the book back then.
One of the great novels. With some of the most memorable characters (both good and bad) in all of literature
I read East of Eden earlier in the year and it’s terrific - my favourite book of the year so far (so I think). It would be perfect for a slow read. And if you enjoyed Cannery Row then do read Sweet Thursday which I think I enjoyed more than CR.
I just read THE GRAPES OF WRATH for the first time and I am actually blown away by how good it is. I was absolutely gripped by not just the story but how topical it is from a socio-political perspective especially in modern Australia where we are seeing the same issues with banking, poverty and farming. Also mining camps.
I keep telling people here to read it.
The whole novel is one big gut punch. I’m still a little scarred from it.
That was my first Steinbeck, E of E is my second. Grapes is mind-blowingly good, and yes, it's pretty relevant in our times (UK here). It's also a profound and astonishing piece of writing, a true work of art.
My idea also. Considered it for personal read one more time.
Same. I read it so quickly the first time around because I just devoured it. It deserves a slow read now.
Grapes is one of my all-time favourites.
Make sure they are in a good headspace when suggesting it. I am a happy person and although Grapes of Wrath is a beautiful book, everything that happens is worse than the terrible thing that happened before-for the whole book.
That's a good point. I write about war and democide so, unfortunately I am used to closely examining the very worst of humanity on macro- and microscales. Thanks.
The writing in East of Eden stunned me. I would love to revisit it!
East of Eden is such an extraordinary novel. It's a coming-of-age story for the small communities of northern California (where Steinbeck's family settled), and it's also a modern, distinctly American retelling of the Cain and Abel story. Lastly, it's an extraordinary meditation on evil.
That is one of my all-time favorite books! I would love to do a slow re-read. I also love the suggestion of THE GRAPES OF WRATH.
I love Steinbeck, any of these would be great to do
I have this on my list too but never seem to get to it. Would be great as a slow read.
East of Eden is on the top of my TBR list.
I read most of Steinbeck’s novels and novellas growing up in California and East of Eden was my favorite. It would be great to revisit it with a guide.
+1 for East of Eden!
I would love a slow read of East of Eden, it’s been in my TBR for a while!
This is my vote!
East of Eden is sitting on my shelf and would love to do that one.
I loved East of Eden and would happily dive into it again for a slower read.
My suggestion is Possession, A.S. Byatt. I have it on the shelf but feel intimidated although I love her Virgin In The Garden trilogy. I think Possession would lend well to your wonderful footnotes and tangents.
I'm reading THE UNTOUCHABLE by John Banville. Readable and intelligent. Highly recommend.
Ah, POSSESSION is a good shout. Thanks, Claire. As in Banville. THE UNTOUCHABLE is a great book.
He is a great writer, I have his THE SEA lined up next. I will listen to THE CORNER THAT HELD THEM before reading LOLLY WILLOWS again. I missed so much on my first read. On that topic I've just bought RURAL HOURS by Harriet Baker - looks very promising.
I'd be curious for Possession. I have that, unread, on my shelf, looks intriguing.
Harriet Baker? That's a new name to me. I wasn't as taken by The Corner That Held Them as I would have liked, although it was still very good.
Possession is an absolutely magnificent novel! Everything Byatt wrote was pretty magnificent, but this was by far the best. I used to teach it in my Victorian literature, classes, tucked in between real Victorian poets – she makes hers up, including their verse, because she can. I think she's magnificent at modeling intellectual quest and the gloriousness of true historical discovery. The book never gets old.
POSSESSION is wonderful!
Possession, absolutely!
I've wanted to read Possession for so long!!
Me too!!!
I've read Possession but I'd DEFINITELY read it again. Sublime.
Same!
OMG I was just thinking about Possession this morning! I loved that book, even though I confess I skim-read the poetry.
Yes! Great choice.
I read POSSESSION a really long time ago (1990s!) and it is one of my favourite novels ever (though as someone else said, I skimmed the poetry). I don't usually re-read novels but I think I would re-read that one. And maybe in a slow read I would actually read the poetry too!
I struggled with the hard copy of Possession, so listened to it first on Audible. I think it would be a an excellent slow read, so much to unpick.
I read Possession years ago and loved it! I think that it would be a great slow read!
I love Possession. Did anyone w we see the movie?
Obsessed with The Untouchable. Banville is so brilliant!
How about some Proust IN SEARCH OF LOST TIME? Maybe just one volume? I would like to read it but it sounds like something that could be better with discussion and some background.
It's a great idea. I'm a Proust novice though, so it would be a big jump into the unknown!
Do it! Proust is easier and much more fun than people think.
It sounds like it’s quite a jump, too!
Another vote here for Proust. I’m on book 3 but would definitely benefit from a deeper insight into the first or all 7.
I did the audiobook of all 7 volumes last year, and it was marvelous. The first volume would be great for a slow read.
This is what I was going to suggest! I was given a beautiful edition of the first volume last Christmas and am waiting for the right time.
There's a book club in South America that have only discussed In Search of Lost Time for the last 20 years so there must be a lot of food for thought.
I did read ISOLT last year, but got very bored by it. Maybe it's just me, and perhaps it'd be helpful to re-read it with a group's alternate opinions on it to think about.
I vote for Proust as well! I feel that one really needs to be read with others to help you understand it. ;-)
Another vote for Proust ISOLT! A big book I'm fairly intimidated by, that would be helpful to read with others.
I'd be up for that . I'm currently reading Proust for the first time and am already sure I'd benefit from a follow through second read next year . Some books are so big in scope and reach they demand repetition . It's like nothing else I've read .
I would be up for it, too! I’ve read the two first volumes, and I loved them
ooooh nice sugestion!!!
Some fantastic ideas here. I’m going to add Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain. The sort of book that mutual encouragement would really help with but very satisfying when I first read it at university. I also wondered if The Scarlet and the Black would work. And another vote for Proust but all this is definitely more than one year!
Good shout on The Magic Mountain. I think that's definitely a slow read kinda book.
I really want to do Magic Mountain and think the Empsium by Olga Tokarczuk would be amazing to read after!
How apropos! I'm reading The Empusium right now as my own solo slow read (I paused to participate in the APOGS read) — I haven't read The Magic Mountain before and both would be helpful!
I recently read my first Olga Tokarczuk book - Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead and was just awe-struck. Loved it. Discovering her makes me want to go to Poland.
Give The Books of Jacob a go then….roams all over the greater Polish commonwealth (and beyond) in the 1700s. She’s incredible!
Thank you!
Most definitely and a wonderful slow read to sink your chops into.
I was also thinking of suggesting The Magic Mountain. I was sad to learn I had just missed a read along for it with a couple of my favorite Booktubers at the beginning of the year.
Who are your favorite Booktubers?
Yes, I love reading Thomas Mann- you have my vote for this.
Yes please!
Oh the times I’ve got half way through The Magic Mountain and somehow got stuck!
I definitely need help to summit!
I would LOVE to read Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain. One of those books I read in college with a great professor. I remember very little of it except that I loved it.
Buddenbrooks too!
I’ve tried for years to get through MAGIC MOUNTAIN. It would be great to read it with others!
POSSESSION would be amazing to do together, with you Simon.
I’m also going to vote for MIDDLEMARCH for itself but as a related contrast to W&P once this final year of F&T slow read is completed, knowing how influenced Tolstoy was by Eliot.
Midnight’s Children would be interesting to explore too, and Remains of the Day as a shorter read would be interesting given some of the parallels to what is happening politically now but as a study of the writing too
I think all four of these are high on the list. We'll get to all the Ishgiruos eventually, and I'd love to do MIDNIGHT'S CHILDREN.
YES to Midnight's Children. I started it some time ago, was dazzled and then for some reason, never picked it up again. This format would be ideal for that masterpiece!
Whoops - I think I actually started The Satanic Verses, but have also wanted to read Midnight's Children.
Ah yes, of course! Thanks, Amanda. Here's the link if anyone's interested: https://haleyalarsen.substack.com/p/the-april-report
I’m looking forward to it and love how Haley approaches reading, but being a complete Middlemarch nerd would also love a slow read with you too next year Simon
Thanks, Jamie. Haley and I have different approaches - hers are close reads, mine are creative. So hopefully complementary!
Completely complementary 😊
Ulysses is the book that stares at me from my shelf but I am a bit intimidated to start. I'd love the guidance and the company getting through that.
Right now I'm reading Elif Shafak's There Are Rivers in the Sky, which I'm enjoying more than I've enjoyed anything for a while!
One of our Wolf Crawlers has got a slow read of Ulysses planned: https://elizabethgrahammadden.substack.com/
I'm not gutsy enough to run one myself, but I would certainly take part.
Thank you for sharing the link, Simon. A note to all who want to participate in a slow read of Ulysses- I genuinely don't think that readers will be able to fully appreciate Ulysses without having first really got to grips with his earlier books, Dubliners and A Portrait, so I am going to be running slow reads of them in preparation for the Epic read of Ulysses.
Can I just say that I did a read through of Ulysses with Elizabeth a few years back (in a less formal setting than this one) and it was an incredible experience.
Her knowledge and passion for Joyce is impressive, but it is her willingness to continue to challenge herself and to continue to learn that makes her a wonderful person to read with.
If you have always wanted to finally finish Ulysses, than she is the person to guide you!!
Thank you, Jonathon! Yes, I am passionate about all Joyce's works, and I adore introducing them to novices and discussing them with everyone- newbies or seasoned Joyceans alike.
I love Joyce's Ulysses, but I don't think I know much about it. I'll check out the slow read.
When I was in college, there was an emeritus scholar of James Joyce who was supposed to run a seminar, but it didn't enroll enough students to go. So she did it for just three of us-- me and two faculty members. I still can't say I really understand Ulysses, but that was an amazing experience. And prompted me to write a paper on Sylvia Beach, Joyce's publisher and original owner of Shakespeare and Company in Paris. She was amazing.
I am so glad that you enjoyed reading Ulysses in College, and I agree with you about Sylvia Beach- a remarkable lady, indeed. Joyce had a fascinating relationship with her. You say you are not sure whether or not you understand Ulysses- why not join in with my slow read and I will try to explicate it to you?
Our local library hosted a year-long "Audacious Read" of Ulysses in 2020, and it was fantastic to read with a group - which became a Zoom group due to the pandemic. If I may to refer to another website, I found UlyssesGuide.com to be an invaluable resource.
My book club is discussing There Are Rivers in the Sky soon! I'm even more excited now. :)
One I’ve always wanted to read but have been reluctant to dive in on my own, is Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie. I currently have a few books on the go alongside APoGS, including Third-Class Ticket by Heather Wood, about a large group of village elders who embark on a rail journey around India in the 1960s. (India is one of my 3 comfort-locations for reading, the other two being France and Ireland 😂 ).
Loved your post on Instagram today - Is a River Alive? was already on my TBR, but I might be pushing it closer to the top of the pile now.
Yes! Midnight's Children is the joint best book in the English Language (the other joint best is PALE FIRE). This is objective truth. ;)
Shucks, I forgot to put MIDNIGHT'S CHILDREN on the list above. It is a book I definitely want to do.
Please do this! I’ve been badly wanting to read it but given the heavy historical context from an era Im not very familiar with I’ve been worried I wouldn’t get full benefit and I think subconsciously have been intimidated.
I read Midnight's Children earlier this year. I found the plot and pace of the book quite strung out. For me, I'm not sure it lends itself to a slow read. I was expecting to be wowed by it and on reflection was underwhelmed. Still enjoyed it, but as it gets hyped up I was expecting more.
MC has a profound effect on me when I was eighteen. It was my introduction to magical realism. I don't know what I would make of it now. I think whether a book lends itself to a slow read probably has less to do with the book and more to do with the reader. If it sparks your imagination, you can do something with it.
This is a big book that I am ashamed to say I have not yet read- I would love to read it with a group.
Oh, Pale Fire or another Nabokov would be such a good slow read!
Thanks Andrea!
Another I forgot to mention is GRAND DAYS by Frank Moorhouse.
I would definitely vote for MIDNIGHT'S CHILDREN (or any Rushdie) and REGENERATION. Both have been on my list for ages but are a bit intimidating! Suggestions from me would include A SUITABLE BOY by Vikram Seth, THE BOOK OF NIGHT WOMEN by Marlon James, THE LUMINARIES by Eleanor Catton and THE SEA OF POPPIES by Amitav Ghosh. A few books that I've already read and loved that I would read again would be A FINE BALANCE by Rohinton Mistry (my favourite novel ever until I read Wolf Hall), SACRED HUNGER by Barry Unsworth and THE BETROTHED (in translation) by Alessandro Manzoni. A lot of history to dig into in all of these, as well as beautiful writing. Oh, and (another favourite) HALF OF A YELLOW SUN by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie would also be very worthy of a slow read. Can't wait to hear everyone's suggestions and add them to my endless to-read list!
Great suggestions. A SUITABLE BOY and A FINE BALANCE were both magnificent.
I know A Suitable Boy almost by heart. I‘d be along for the ride, because I love it so much.
I'm excited for next year already!
Would love to read A Suitable Boy. Fine Balance is an all time fave
My husband loved A FINE BALANCE.
Loved Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Would definitely be interested in reading another book by her.
I liked Americanah too (I’d actually like to read it again), but HOAYS is in a league of its own. If you like audiobooks the audio version is fantastic.
Oh yes, would def re-read The Luminaries
Love me some Amitav - fiction as well as nonfiction.
I’ve always struggled with Dickens so I’d welcome a long read of one of his novels to try and ‘get it’. Maybe something chunky but not too intimidating such as Pickwick Papers? Don Quixote is another one I keep meaning to get to and am putting off due to length!
I sort of struggle with Dickens myself, but a slow read would be the way to go. Don Quixote would be fun!
Dickens! He is my jam. Simon – random thought – if you might ever want to cohost a slow read focusing on Dickens, I'd be happy to discuss! It is requiring great restraint right now for me not to unload a whole bunch of thoughts on Pickwick.
Ha! Thanks! Hold that thought. I'd love to do colabs in the future, as I've done with Bea and Wolf Hall.
Awesome. Whenever the time is right, let me know and we can talk.
It might be interesting to do a slow read of a Christmas carol. It’s so slight that everyone zips through in one go, but there’s actually a lot to unpack.
December 2026? If I was feeling evil, I'd pair it with The Death of Ivan Ilyich, which is sort of Tolstoy's reworking of A Christmas Carol. Both short powerful books.
The Death of Ivan Ilyich is in my head now after watching Severance! I've not read it yet and hope to soon.
This sounds like an excellent idea- I am interested.
Oooh a festive special slow read maybe? Over the run to Christmas?
I'm warming to this idea!
I love this idea!
Sir Gawain and the green Knight also great to do over Christmas
A Prayer for Owen Meany is a good December read. It's one of my all-time favourites.
DON QUIXOTE, yes
I just started reading The Pickwick Papers, following the original serialised publication schedule! It's approximately 2 chapters a month
I just finished it and found it absolutely delightful. I'm not surprised, since I am a Dickens stan, but it started a little slowly only to now be living rent-free in my head as I continue to chuckle at the jokes.
Definitely up for DON QUIXOTE, that book has sat on my shelves waiting for me to read for over 6 years.
I too have struggled with Dickens so I did a slow-ish read of Bleak House this year and watched Katie's chapter summaries over at her Books and Things channel. It was such a rewarding experience and she inspired me to make my chapter summary videos for Brothers Karamazov, Anna Karenina and Oblomov. I'm planning to read all of Dickens at one or two books a year.
My suggestion is CLOUD ATLAS
Definitely think we should do some David Mitchell.
I’ve started listening to Cloud Atlas having read it when it first came out.
I’m back on David Mitchell after loving Utopia Avenue and now want to re read and make all the previous de Zoet connections.
I seem to remember seeing a grid somewhere that illustrated how all the books linked up. Sometimes I don't think I am clever enough for DM.
I'm so grateful that you said this. If YOU aren't clever enough for DM, really, who is? I'm rereading The Cloud Atlas. Actually, listening to it this time, and there's a marvelous foreword by Gabrielle Zevin. This foreword alone is making me want to read it again after I'm done listening, if only to savor her descriptions in print. Listening to it has made it more accessible for me, though I still don't enjoy the dialects of two of the sections.
The first time I read The Cloud Atlas, it was for my book club, about 20 years ago. I accidentally read a different book, also called The Cloud Atlas, by Liam Callanan. When my friend and I were discussing our reading, I couldn't figure out if I hadn't gotten to the things she was describing or if I'd forgotten or what! It was hilarious when we finally figured it out.
It took me two tries to finish Cloud Atlas, but I loved it when I did. I got A Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet the first time and it was amazing. Learned a lot about Japan!
I found the grid…I’d stuck it in one of the books! It’s what made me think I’d revisit them all so have accumulated them on audio. They make for great listening. Utopia Avenue is brilliant…1960’s music scene…I was there!
It’s really good on audio!
I bought the anniversary edition last year and hope to read it soon. I read the novel when it first came out and loved it.
Crime and punishment
Ivanhoe
Moby Dick one of the most never read books
People "should" finish Moby Dick, it's well worth it! And yeah, maybe we need to actually do some Walter Scott OG historical fiction.
Ivanhoe is a great romp among other things. Moby Dick is really funny. No one tells you that
I'll hereby volunteer to go to Abbotsford as your roving reporter. I've never read any Scott, but he pops up all the time in my job and Abbotsford is on my list of places I want to visit (mostly because he hosted a bunch of French PoW officers there during the Napoleonic wars - I originally intended to investigate last year during the W&P slow read and never got round to it).
Consider yourself hired!
*opens notebook and licks pencil*
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Moby Dick.
Oh, no, please not Wattie Scott! I found him very turgid, but that was about 50 years ago, so maybe my mind will be more open to him these days. Heart of Midlothian is a novel of his that I liked, and some of his dialect short stories are excellent.
The Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry- it’s a monster of a book,but I’ve heard great things!
They go ape for this over on Instagram. I need to read it and find out what all the fuss is about!
Also The Lord of the Rings-
Heretically not a fan (*whispers* Mervyn Peake is the godfather of fantasy), but fortunately there are loads of LOTR read-alongs out there!
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke is such a wonderful read with so many layers. I’m certain there’s plenty of footnotes and tangents to add that would further enrich it.
Haha, but Clarke has already provided the footnotes! Joking slightly, it would be great to do.
The Count of Monte Cristo OR Crime and Punishment
Same to say exactly the same two! I keep meaning to read them but put them off
They are two very popular suggestions! I'm not a fan of Monte Cristo, so I'd pass on that one (I'm sure someone will be happy to take the lead).
Crime & Punishment has already been done by a few people on Substack, check out Dana's guide: https://dostoevskybookclub.substack.com/p/c-and-p-chapters-posts and Cams': https://camscampbellreads.substack.com/p/crime-and-punishment-home
Simon, really? I was just about to suggest The Count of Monte Cristo. It's one of my favorites. Maybe because I was deeply invested in the story: I saved a 1895 edition from a recycling depot, leaving two other "identical" copies for others to take. I was at first deeply confused but finally got engrossed in the story only to realize to my horror that I had just finished reading Vol 2 of 3. So I ended up buying the complete novel and going back to the start; then it made so much more sense :) Curious what aspect of the book makes you "not a fan"?
Ha, that's great, Ruth. The first third or so is my favourite bit, and I kind of lost interest after he becomes the Count of Monte Cristo. It's fun enough, but very *very* silly and melodramatic. I felt like none of the emotions people had bore any relation to real emotions real people have. Which is fine, it's an adventure book and blazes a trail for great adventure fiction. But I wouldn't want to re-read it, or slow read it. Just my personal take!
Yes, I do get the melodramatic.
Might you consider Les Miserables?
I would, although I don't have a personal relationship with it and haven't read it, so I'd be going in cold - which isn't really how I like to do things!
Simon there were some very good long read suggestions in the comments on my "long reads" post a couple of weeks ago. I'll try to dig them up for you later (LBJ books by Robert Caro comes to mind) or you can pop over there and have a gander
Thanks Delia!
Master and Margarita - accompanied by many arguments about best translation and Soviet censorship. I have now read it 3 times and always find something different - in my 20s - who doesn’t want to be flying over Leningrad on a devil powered broom heading to a ball in hell. In my 30s hypocrisy is all its guises. Last year’s favourite line - “Cowardice is the greatest sin.”
I have read M&M twice. I got so much more out of it the second time!
MASTER AND MARGARITA is my all time favorite. Any opportunity to wallow in it, SAVOR it, would be welcome by me ☺️
I ran a Goodreads reading group for DUCKS, NEWBURYPORT and it's great for a slow read. Very readable despite being (kind of) one long sentence, and full of references to unpack. I know it's fashionable to hate on INFINITE JEST online but it's an *incredible* book (I also did a reading group for it; we read it over 28 days but followed a programme for reading it over 28 weeks). And of course there's ULYSSES (a friend of mine did a long read for that one about 15 years ago on LiveJournal--we did it with the help of The New Bloomsday Book, which I found essential, but sadly it looks like it's now out of print and extremely expensive.) LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA is also worth taking your time over, though it gets a little tricky content-wise toward the end.
Need to give DUCKS a go. I would also love to do some Gabo.
THE PALE KING is one of my favourite books.
I am going to do a slow read of all Joyce's works, including Ulysses. You can subscribe here: https://elizabethgrahammadden.substack.com/
I’ll check it out. When do you start?
I have just begun my close readings of Dubliners- go to my substack and follow Dubliners Reading Group.
I will be doing a slow read of Ulysses next year with my group- we are reading Dubliners, the A Portrait of the Artist first. There are lots of newer critical works that adequate replace the New Bloomsday book to support readers.