Erin Blakemore of The Heroine's Bookshelf is hosting another readalong! The previous one, where we read and discussed Gone With The Wind, was really interesting - Erin provided discussion prompts and historical tidbits - and it was also a lot of fun - whoo hoo, giveaways!
This time around, we're reading Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. Unlike GWTW, I haven't read this one before and I'm really looking forward to it. It's one of those books that's been on my to-read list for awhile but that I just haven't gotten around to reading.
Want to join in? Visit here for all the information. Hope to see you there!
Showing posts with label Erin Blakemore. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Erin Blakemore. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
It's a Classic for a Reason
I'm not going to argue what makes a book a "classic." That's for more scholarly brains than mine to deal with. In my mind, Gone With the Wind is truly a classic and what proves this to me is the great discussion taking place over at The Heroine's Bookshelf.
We're talking history, the roles of women and men in that time and place, love, marriage, conformity and courage. Our hostess, Erin, briefly summarizes each chapter and provides a bit of historical background and/or trivia and then she lets us loose to discuss favorite scenes and characters and to ask questions and to share our opinions and thoughts. There's no pressure, no right or wrong answers. We're just a group of people gathered around this novel, much like the boys gathered around Scarlett at the Twelve Oaks barbecue, all of us fascinated by this young woman who has no idea how much her life is about to change.
One of the things that strikes me about this re-read, is how I feel so differently about the some of the characters this time around. I used to love Ashley and his romantic, poetic ways and this time? He comes across more wishy-washy than anything. I used to think Melanie was a boring, goody-two-shoes but this time? I see the steel of her backbone.
Go on over and check out our discussion of Part I and Part II. Meet Scarlett and her sisters, meet Gerald and Ellen, Mammy and Prissy and Pork. Meet the Tarleton boys. Meet Ashley Wilkes, Melanie and Charles Hamilton. And you will never forget Rhett Butler. See the land of Tara stretch before your eyes, smell the barbecue, watch the young, bustling city of Atlanta age and evolve, hear the moans of the wounded, of the dying men, who crowd homes and hospitals as they return from a war they won't win.
To me, this book is a classic in every sense of the word.
We're talking history, the roles of women and men in that time and place, love, marriage, conformity and courage. Our hostess, Erin, briefly summarizes each chapter and provides a bit of historical background and/or trivia and then she lets us loose to discuss favorite scenes and characters and to ask questions and to share our opinions and thoughts. There's no pressure, no right or wrong answers. We're just a group of people gathered around this novel, much like the boys gathered around Scarlett at the Twelve Oaks barbecue, all of us fascinated by this young woman who has no idea how much her life is about to change.
One of the things that strikes me about this re-read, is how I feel so differently about the some of the characters this time around. I used to love Ashley and his romantic, poetic ways and this time? He comes across more wishy-washy than anything. I used to think Melanie was a boring, goody-two-shoes but this time? I see the steel of her backbone.
Go on over and check out our discussion of Part I and Part II. Meet Scarlett and her sisters, meet Gerald and Ellen, Mammy and Prissy and Pork. Meet the Tarleton boys. Meet Ashley Wilkes, Melanie and Charles Hamilton. And you will never forget Rhett Butler. See the land of Tara stretch before your eyes, smell the barbecue, watch the young, bustling city of Atlanta age and evolve, hear the moans of the wounded, of the dying men, who crowd homes and hospitals as they return from a war they won't win.
To me, this book is a classic in every sense of the word.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Get Yourself GONE . . . WITH THE WIND, That Is!
Come join me - and about 100+ other people - for THE GREAT GONE WITH THE WIND READALONG over at The Heroine's Bookshelf.
Whether you've read it before or are reading it for the first time (oh, I envy you!), there's a place for you in the discussion. Erin has a schedule for what chapters will be discussed when (it sounds more formal than it is, don't worry!) and she'll provide some historical background and fun ways to approach the reading. Plus, there will be prizes!
The first discussion starts August 1st and covers Chapters 1-7. Believe me, for such a huge book, it reads incredibly fast. I'm already up to the part where Scarlett meets Rhett for the first time . . .Sigh. Where was I again? Oh, forget it. I'm already Gone...
Whether you've read it before or are reading it for the first time (oh, I envy you!), there's a place for you in the discussion. Erin has a schedule for what chapters will be discussed when (it sounds more formal than it is, don't worry!) and she'll provide some historical background and fun ways to approach the reading. Plus, there will be prizes!
The first discussion starts August 1st and covers Chapters 1-7. Believe me, for such a huge book, it reads incredibly fast. I'm already up to the part where Scarlett meets Rhett for the first time . . .Sigh. Where was I again? Oh, forget it. I'm already Gone...
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