The Bear & Badger Intimidating Book Club: Clarissa by Samuel Richardson, schedule in OP - The Bear and Badger

EvilRedEye

I read today about a book club held by DC Public Library in America that slowly works through classic novels perceived as difficult (they've done Middlemarch, Moby-Dick, and The Brothers Karamazov and are currently working through In Search of Lost Time). I thought it might be cool if we did something similar, especially as being a discussion forum it means we can break down books into low-commitment chunks and discuss them weekly like our favourite streaming shows instead of asking people to read big ol' chunks in a month.

I also read an interesting article today that pointed out that Clarissa by Samuel Richardson, one of the longest ever English novels (the Penguin Classics version is 1536 pages) which is made up of a sequence of letters between the characters, can be read in real-time between Tuesday 10 January 2023 and Monday 18 December 2023 with the days of the week matching the original days from 1747, the year the book is set. So I think it'd be cool to pencil in Clarissa for 2023.

What do people think? Any interest? If we start Clarissa in January 2023, what would people like to read in the meantime? Would probably want to be an intimidating book of around 400 pages max. (I think this would include some of the classic Russian ones, Paradise Lost, etc.)

The Bear and Badger Intimidating Book Club - Book II - Clarissa by Samuel Richardson

We are reading the book in real time so you read the letters on the date they are dated and are then welcome to discuss straightaway.

Please spoiler tag any ahead-of-thread-pace discussion of the book. I know the statue of limitations for spoilers is up on classic literature but, y'know.

Discussion schedule

Here's the schedule for January:

Tuesday 10 January - Letter 1
Friday 13 January - Letter 2
Saturday 14 January - Letter 3
Sunday 15 January - Letter 4
Friday 20 January - Letter 5 and 6

Letter 3 is labelled 13, 14 January, which I think means it was drafted across both days and posted on 14 January so let's read it on the day it went in the post.

Raiziel

I gotta say, this is weird coming from someone who doesn’t participate in any of the book threads.

EvilRedEye

I post in the book review thread,!

Raiziel

Sorry, must’ve missed it then. Apologies.

JonB

I wouldn't mind a bit of this. There are a few big ones I've been meaning to read for years, like Roberto Bolano's 2666, for instance. But it would be good to start with something shorter.

Bob

Raiziel wrote:

I gotta say, this is weird coming from someone who doesn’t participate in any of the book threads.

Book police alert
You’re buzzing like a fridge!

davyK

I'm resting after Anna Karenina because I wanted to bask in its brilliance before moving on to something else.

I'm eyeing up War and Peace - a book I abandoned in my early 20s. But I'm not sure that qualifies.

I don't find large books intimidating any more after reading the 6 volume World War 2 by Winston Churchill and the monolithic Suez by Keith Kyle. Anna Karenina, Life and Fate and Lord of the Rings aren't short books either. I've done all of those over the last 18months or so.

Steven King isn't afraid to challenge the bookbinders either.

But of course length alone isn't a measure of difficulty (King's books are a breeze to read). Some of the older English novels can be hard going. Even Dickens can be because of the writing style of the time.

James Joyce is infamous of course. Finnegan's Wake and Ulysses are supposed to be a real challenge though I've read some of his shorter works which are more accessible. I've have tried reading some Beckett and it makes one feel like a moron.

But aye - I'd be game to tackle something provided the timing is right. Even if it isn't I'd still be interested to hear what people have to say about some of the big boys I haven't read.

EvilRedEye

How about Crime and Punishment to start off with?

Blue Swirl

This is a coincidence. Over the last few months I've been reading some of the classics that I'd always promised myself I'd get around to. So far I've read Catcher in the Rye, Moby Dick, and Crime and Punishment. All really good so far. just wondering what I'm going to tackle next.

If you're going to read Crime and Punishment, this is the edition I read. It's got tons of things that make the read itself easier. It introduces Dostoevsky, the zeitgeist in Russia at the time, and has a handy list of characters at the start. This is especially useful when the characters start referring to each other with nicknames, some of which are a bit confusing - imagine the Russian equivalent of a Richard suddenly being called Dick. There's also a lot of notes at the back which are referenced in the text; useful for when Dostoevsky starts talking about current trends in 19th century Russia.

regmcfly

I read Moby Dick in Venezuela a few years back. It was quite readable in chunks.

JonB

Actually, I have Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera lined up next. Might that be of interest?

But C&P could also work.

Raiziel

regmcfly wrote:

I read Moby Dick in Venezuela a few years back. It was quite readable in chunks.

I had a go at reading Moby Dick in my teens. While I recognised that I was reading something special, the style at the time defeated me. I’m ready now. When the Folio Society print it again, I’m in.

acemuzzy

JonB wrote:

Actually, I have Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera lined up next. Might that be of interest?

Absolute banger of a book. I wouldn't say it was particularly long or hard to read though? Well worth it even so ofc :-)

.

I'm moderately interested in this, but have been struggling to get into/complete books of late. Wondering if a commute will help...

Of tomes mentioned, C&P is of interest. And conceivably Clarissa. I've read AK and 2066, and half of W&P. No big desire to try MD. The Stand is the chunkiest one currently unread on my bedside table but I suspect others have read already.

yourfavouriteuncle

Raiziel wrote:

regmcfly wrote:

I read Moby Dick in Venezuela a few years back. It was quite readable in chunks.

I had a go at reading Moby Dick in my teens. While I recognised that I was reading something special, the style at the time defeated me. I’m ready now. When the Folio Society print it again, I’m in.

I read a folio version of this last year. Totally managed it which, for dumb dumb garden man, should have been an achievement. Actually didn't feel like it though, genuinely enjoyed it and not even for smug big brain points.

Kow

Moby Dick in Venezuela is a poor sequel, you should read the original

yourfavouriteuncle

Moby Dick Goes To The Park.
Moby Dick in Rome.
Moby Dick and Obelisx.
Count With Moby Dick.
My first Moby Dick.

All strong personal faves.

Wookienopants

Moby Moby Moby Moby Moby Michael Stipe

FranticPea

I preferred Moby Goes Bananas.

Moot_Geeza

Wookienopants wrote:

Moby Moby Moby Moby Moby Michael Stipe

Lol

Wookienopants

Blue Swirl

regmcfly wrote:

I read Moby Dick in Venezuela a few years back. It was quite readable in chunks.

Agreed. The prose is dense as fuck, but chapters are short. It’s easy enough to squeeze in a few before bed.

yourfavouriteuncle

I read quite a bit whilst pooing.

JonB

I poo quite a bit whilst reading.

Wookienopants

JonB wrote:

I poo quite a bit whilst reading.

The library must love you

acemuzzy

I rue while pleading

Raiziel

Honestly, do people really read on the toilet? Please tell me it’s just a thing people joke about rather than actually do.

acemuzzy

Why wouldn't we?!?

afgavinstan

Nah, I'm an in and out, handle ya biz kinda guy.

Kow

I have a selection of books and comic in the jacks. Can't beat a bit of leisurely reading on the can. It's the one place in the house where people will leave you alone.

Wookienopants

I do. The bathroom is the only place in my house I can get any sort of peace.

Raiziel

Weird.

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