Middlemarch group read

I'm enjoying this, and now that others are starting to read, we should have a place to discuss it.

I am planning on starting this soon - maybe this weekend.

I've already read the book and can't fit in a re-read this year, but I really enjoyed it! Hope you all like it too. :)

I just downloaded a copy this morning so I guess I will bw starting soon.

I am seriously considering joining in. I may start it next month so I can take advantage of the three day weekends.

I know i have this book, it's not small, so where could it be hiding?

>6 cyderry: I'm glad to know I am not the only one this happens to!! In my case, it is my copy of Stendhal's The Red and the Black that has gone walk-about.

I don't know if anyone is interested in this, but a book just came out called My Life in Middlemarch by Rebecca Mead, a woman who's read the book several times and apparently loves it to pieces. Someone at Barnes & Noble interviewed her here.

I'm still looking! :-(

I adore Middlemarch. I have read it 2-3 times, seen adaptations of it, and am thrilled that my Library is going to be doing it as year long book group. I hope everyone is enjoying the read so far.

I have finally started this and am enjoying it so far, although Dorothea seems a tad irritating...

Only a tad?

LOL!

I just have to share this line, which I find a hilarious description of someone who is wishy-washy:

"Brooke is a very good fellow, but pulpy; he will run into any mould, but he won't keep shape."

Oh, that's glorious!

I found a copy of Middlemarch at the FOL book sale today, so I am going to try to read it as well!

Finished Book II... I am enjoying the characters but not so much Eliot's writing style.

Okay, a foot of snow has fallen and nothing is getting anywhere, sounds like the perfect time to hunt down this book. It can't escape!

My online library catalogue recently posted this (My Life in Middlemarch) as a new ebook offering. I promptly downloaded it and am now over halfway through. I'm enjoying it and intend to download and read an ebook of Middlemarch. Is any particular edition of this book recommended??

I got mine from Gutenberg.

I am reading an old hardcover edition, but I did also download a Kindle copy from Girlebooks… sometimes you just don't want to lug around such a big book!

However, I don't think that there is any particular edition that is preferred.

"But we all know the wag's definition of a philanthropist: a man whose charity increases directly as the square of the distance."

LOL!!! It is sentences like this one that keep me going...

I've hunted and hunted and can't find it. I'll have to beg off this group read. Maybe I'll find it now.

Hi everyone, my names Tracey and appreciate the invite to join in - tho be a slow contributor because I'm only doing a chaper a day. Even though I know of the book, prompted to actually read it because of hearing Revecca Mead enthuse about her love of Middlemarch while promoting her new book My Life in Middlemarch.

First observation, Dorothea is a dill in overlooking Sir James Chettens's attentions and hankering for Casauban. I guess it's a common enough condition, to chase what we'd like to be and reject who we are.

Second observation, characters in 'the classics' often appear to act 10 years older than their biological age.
Have a great week.

I'm trying to figure out what, if anything I have ever read by Eliot before. I come to the conclusion that I may have tried The Mill on the Floss but given it up quite quickly.

It seems as though I've been reading this for a long time, but I'm only about a third of the way through. On the other hand after this much text I would expect to care about at least one or two characters. But I really don't. I'll persevere a bit longer, but this is never going to be a favourite of mine.

I'm thinking of borrowing the BBC series from the library to try and get more involved.

MarthaJeanne wrote: "It seems as though I've been reading this for a long time, but I'm only about a third of the way through. On the other hand after this much text I would expect to care about at least one or two characters. But I really don't. I'll persevere a bit longer, but this is never going to be a favourite of mine."

This is my first book by George Eliot and I must admit I am a little disappointed. I like the story OK but not the writing style. I do appreciate the wit in some of this but overall I am not really enjoying it the way I had hoped I would.

I am now in Book VI (about 2/3 through) so I will persevere to the end.

While I don't know that I will ever be that interested in Dorothea (who seems to be a twit to me), I like her sister Celia and Sir James, and Mary Garth, and Lydgate and Farebrother. However, I am rapidly developing a strong dislike for Rosamund and think Fred is a bit of a prat (in fact, none of the Vincey family is very admirable).

I've finished chap 3 and 4 - I think Dorothea is about to get what she deserves - bit of an intellectual snob - blind to reality and underestimating of those around her, especially her astute sister. Actually, Dodo reminds me of an older version of the smarty pants Bennett sister whose acts out moral superiority and plays bad piano. What I've also learned is that Mr Brookes is quite sweet and caring, Celia has great insight and Sir James is an early feminist.

Almost done now... Rosamund has become even more unlikable :( Plot is much more interesting now so the rest of the book should go quickly.

I have yet to start, but despite the size (600+ pages) I may give it a try anyway.

Happy that sweet Sir James looks like his head is about to turn towards the sister he'll most likely be happiest with.

I've now watched the first three episodes of the BBC series on DVD, just a bit past where I was in the book, which has helped me get the story into my head better, but whether that is enought to get me reading again now that I finished the two ER e-books I had, I'm not sure. I have to admit that I am just not very interested in any of the characters.

I decided against reading further. I did finish watching the DVDs. >28 leslie.98: is probably right that the plot gets better towards the end, but I can't help thinking that the main point of the book seems to be to show the utter emptiness of society in that sort of town.

I'm not sure that is Eliot's point but whatever her point was, I wish she could have made it with about 150 pages less! I don't know, many people I know rank this as one of their top 10 books so maybe I was just not in the right mood for it...

After a very slow beginning, I am finally getting along nicely in the book. Nearing the end - maybe 80% finished. Rosamund is very disagreeable. I wish someone would just smack her.

What I have been enjoying more as I've progressed, is the wonderful way Eliot has of pointing out the human foibles that are so universal. These people habitually act badly, and do stupid things, and yet she makes it seem as though their behavior is the most natural thing in the world and totally understandable. (Well, except for Rosamund. She's just a selfish, childish twit.)

I'm beginning to try to predict how the book will end for each of the characters. I've enjoyed it far more than I expected in the beginning. Hopefully, just a few more days - maybe next week sometime.

Well, I finished the book yesterday - sooner than I expected. I didn't care for the ending - with everything so neatly wrapped up. But it was a book worth the effort of reading. I gave it 3-1/2 stars. Probably won't read it again, though.