Huldra Forsvant (Theodor Kittelsen)

Huldra Forsvant (Theodor Kittelsen)
Huldra Forsvant (Theodor Kittelsen)

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Book Group- Start Reading!

Well, I got my copy of Crime and Punishment today. I'm looking forward to getting started tonight, but am a bit apprehensive about how it's going to be. I hear it's pretty heavy going. We'll soon see, I guess!

So, I should outline a reading plan. I looked through the book and divided it into 12 weeks. I didn't want to have to read too much per week, but also didn't want to be stuck on one book forever. Does 12 weeks sound do-able??


Week One: Chapters 1-3 of Part One (That is about 40 pages in my copy).

Then, on Monday, July 7th, I will write a post to start a bit of a discussion. Every Monday after that, I will do the same.

Happy (yeah right) reading!

18 comments:

Drew said...

12 weeks is completely do-able. And if it's 40 pages for seven days, that's only 6 pages a night.

Ben McLaughlin said...

Good stuff. Remember mate, you are the one who initially suggested Dosto, so if everyone hates it and ends up depressed, it's You they should hunt down, not me. :) Everybody hear that?

lu said...

Thanks for letting me know who to blame when I am lying in bed at night crying and not able to sleep because of this book that I am already intimidated by....Drew, got it!

I think the reading plan sounds very doable, Ben. Hopefully I'll make it through with this one!

onlinesoph said...

will do!

Drew said...

The introduction to my copy says a contemporary commented on the book as follows:

"when they [Russian readers] talked about it [Crime & Punishment] they generally complained of its overmastering power and of its having such a distressing effect upon readers that those with strong nerves almost grew ill, while those with weak nerves had to put it aside."

Looking forward to it :)

Ben McLaughlin said...

Mate, I'm not sure if you're helping matters:)

soph said...

I haven't tracked down a physical copy, so just pasted the online version into a word document and reading off the screen. So far, not too bad, but thanks Drew for the wonderful insight into my future emotional reaction!

Ali said...

Yes, Drew I READ that in the front of mine!! Then I decided to stop with the introduction and see if I could still face it once I'd finished the book.

But you know, I made it through six chapters on the weekend, cause it's just a teeny weeny bit interesting ... so anyone should be able to survive three chapters a week.

Ali said...

By the way, I'd like to be optimistic, assume I won't have slit my wrists, and make another book suggestion for the future - that being Tim Winton's new novel "Breath", just for some modern Australian "literature" if we want to get with the 21st century. It's supposed to be good. (And I gave it my brother-in-law for his birthday yesterday and felt a bit miffed about parting with it when I haven't read it myself.) But I shall leave that to you Captain!

Ben McLaughlin said...

Ali!! Stop reading ahead!! Do you not know that is cheating? I guess if you must, you must.

Yeah, Breath is a good suggestion. I would be interested in reading that.

PS "Captain" ...I like it.

Ben McLaughlin said...

Yeah E is doing that too, Soph

onlinesoph said...

My copy has the WORST blurb. I will put it up on my blog (www.thefountainside.com).

It's not as indigestable as I thought it would be. But I'm with Ben. Ali, no reading ahead!

Ali said...

So it's to be a slow and painful torture then!
Ben all you said last week was to start reading this weekend, no stopping point, so I thought I was just doing what I was told! :(
Do I really have to spend 12 weeks reading the same book?!

Ali said...

P.S. How good are my italics everyone? I just figured out how to do it!

Ben McLaughlin said...

Yes you Do have to spend 12 weeks reading. It's the rules. Fall in to line, soldier. This is The Captain speaking. ps- Yeah good italics work. Can you tell me how to do it? I'm sick of SHOUTING for emphasis.

yeah, I agree soph-- surprisingly digestible. I wonder how much that has to do with it being a modern translation? I hope it wasn't changed too much over time.

Anonymous said...

Finally spent a solid $5.65 and got a copy of it myself. It's so refreshing to read consistent, quality writing! I'm only half-way through chapter 2 (blasted lunch-hour always flys by so fast...), so I feel like I know Marmeladov more than Mr Raskol himself - but I'm looking forward to sinking teeth in and having some discussion.

Ben McLaughlin said...

tops mate. Actually I think I'm up to about the same place-- after about 4 sittings:)

Ali said...

You know, this could be fun - I could take up the role of the uncooperative, rebellious book group bad girl! I've never played that part before ... and they do say that you can be anyone you want to be on the internet.

I'll have to show you the italics via email, cause the hilarious thing is, if I put them in here it just nicely italicises everything I wrote in between.