See you tomorrow, Travelinchica and Beautiful Spam at 4 o’clock at the Starbucks in TianMu. I don’t think I’ll have finished the book unfortunately.
Looking forward to seeing you next Sunday, TianFu: hope you had a good weekend away. Suggest a time and somewhere we can meet.
Well y’all, I’ve only read about 100 pages…so we’ll see what use I can be to this conversation!
Sigh. See you guys later!
Good group today. I am surprised by how much I am enjoying this book so far. it is quite different from the victorian “novel of manners” that I expected.
Young Jane has quite a strange, dark little mind, doesn’t she?
Yes it was another good meeting today. Lots of food for thought especially with regards to the character of Jane Eyre and the language used by Charlotte Bronte. It is Victorian and borrows heavily from ‘Victoriana’ while marking something of a progression in the rise / development of the novel. It’ll be interesting to hear what TianFu has to say about it next week.
Just to reiterate, and for your information, TianFu a novel I have in mind for my particular choice is ‘Brick Lane’ by Monica Ali.
Anybody else out there who might like to join us for regular discussions of books then please do so. The reading group is now an established reality - and we are enjoying it.
This is a bit awkward, but I just booked a flight home.
I may or may not return to Taiwan after christmas.
I’ll keep up online as much as I can.
Best of luck,
Spam
Now that y’all have a reading group established, what forum would you like to be its home – Events, or A&E?
DB, WCIF Mod
I’ve just finished reading ‘Jane Eyre’ and can’t stop marvelling at just how ‘modern’ a novel it is. Admittedly it has its faults - in particular the almost ‘stock’ male characters (surely composites of Charlotte’s observations - and with Rochester (what, pantomome dame at times ?!! Why not, 'tis the season to be merry !!) and St John - say no more, as Eric Idle so sagely observed - such odd passions compared) - but it remains undeniably a monumental work. It appears the only ‘principal’ males not to have appealed to our Jane were John Reed (the ruin of his own family) and Mr Brocklehurst the brutish curate ‘proprietor’ of Lowood, their respective varieties of sadism not quite to her more refined tastes. Actually, I quite liked Miss Elliot (and hello there George) by the end of the book - and I think old Rochester there could have had a future as a thesp but … … to be blinded by the light !! And she managed to ‘capture’ the ‘working class’ local patois - so a couple of people spoke differently from Charlotte - Jane / Rochester / St John etc.
Why did Rochester make sure people knew about his so-called secret - his skeleton-in-the-cupboard on the third floor ? Why did he try to marry Jane while she was still legally his wife ? Perhaps Jean Rhys really does have the answer ?
The key to their relationship is Pilot the dog: it’s all in the name, you see (or not ?)
Well I’m sure you’ve all got questions to ask so put them up and let’s discuss (even as we start another book.)
Happy Trails (Quicksilver … … …)
Is this group still meeting? What a fantastic idea!
If you are still meeting, can I ask what you thought of Wide Sargasso Sea. Don’t you relate to Rochester (who goes unnamed)? I did, especially how he is faced with a whole world that is completely the opposite of all the other ones he has ever known. All his old ways of thinking don’t apply here and he has nothing to use instead. And the only way he can cope is to be paranoid… To a lesser degree, I definitely used to (and still sometimes do) feel that way living in Taiwan.
Sorry to be replying a little late to you, Yoman Prince; it’s that holiday time of the year - actually, not quite the case personally as I’ve been busy working (but a couple of the group members are currently on holiday and one - if you’ve read the thread you’ll see - has gone back to the States and may not return ) - which is my roundabout way of getting to answer your question. We are still meeting but until the other people get back we won’t be arranging anything concrete. As for ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ it was mentioned as a possible choice of novel to discuss (after ‘Jane Eyre’ - which was the subject of the last discussion.) If / when you come along to the next meeting you could make it your choice (or it could be suggested in this forum and agreed to before we meet next ?) and we could discuss it. In the meantime why not have a go at ‘Jane Eyre’ if you haven’t already read it. We didn’t quite finish talking about it. Happy reading.
[quote=“Dragonbones”]Now that y’all have a reading group established, what forum would you like to be its home – Events, or A&E?
DB, WCIF Mod[/quote]
Ok, no answer, so off to Events you go. Cheerio!
I have already read Jane Eyre. Bronte is one of my favorite writers. I think Wide Sargasso Sea is the best choice for after Jane Eyre because it was specifically written as a rebuttal to JE. Personally, it was so hard to get over that fact and enjoy WSS the first time I read it-- JE is a masterpiece, how dare some drunkard like Rhys critize it? But I can see the value (and talent) behind WSS. The non-English and therefore nonhuman, colonized Bertha of JE does have a story that, like so many of the colonized people, was unfairly silenced.
But here is another idea for reading after JE, how about Vanity Fair? Thackery was extremely embarrased about JE, because his wife was crazy and he kept her locked up in his house, just like Rochester. And Bronte dedicated JE to Thackery. Ha ha.
Sorry to appear to be replying to your post so late, Yoman but I haven’t been alerted to it yet (? - via the normal channels) and only saw it because I went back to have a look at the forum this morning. Thackeray might make a good choice of novel to read next: I say might only because of its length. We seemed to have some difficulty getting through ‘Jane Eyre’ in the allotted time. Something shorter may be preferable. The ‘non-human, colonised’ aspect of WSS you refer to reminds me in part of the book I mentioned in a previous post as a possible choice for discussion, ‘Brick Lane’ which I’ve recently finished. While it isn’t a masterpiece - and has evidence of being the debut novel it is - I think it is still worth reading and discussing. The other members haven’t ‘reported’ back yet so I’m not sure just when the next meeting will be. Will keep you and any interested others informed.
The next meeting of the reading group will be on Sunday February 11 at 4 o’clock at the Starbucks opposite Dayeh Takashimaya in TianMu. We will be discussing ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ by Jean Rhys ( and doubtless referring to ‘Jane Eyre’.)
Anyone interested in coming please do. See you there then.
Happy reading !!
Another good meeting today. Such a powerful hallucinatory text, and Rochester - cad or gentleman ? If you can’t understand it and you can’t really ‘control’ it (embodied this time in the form of an incredibly sensual creole) in that male way of yours,then what do you do ? Lock it up - in the attic of your house, out of the ‘goodness’ of your English heart !!
Several books are under consideration for discussion at our next meeting including ‘The Sound and the Fury’. ‘The Mill on the Floss’ and ‘Brick Lane’. Decision and date to be announced.
Happy reading.
The next meeting of the reading group will start at 4 o’clock on Sunday April 15 at the Starbucks opposite the Dayeh Takashimaya department store in TianMu.
The book chosen to be discussed is 'Brick Lane ’ by Monica Ali.
We now have 5 members.
If you would like to come along, then please do so. The more, the merrier.
Happy reading.
Hi everyone, would this group welcome new members? I wasn’t sure how to go about introducing myself on this forum, but basically I’m an ABC in Taiwan taking a break between work and school. I’m doing freelance work at home so I don’t get a lot of opportunities to meet new people. I learned about this site via a friend so I thought I’d take a look at what’s going on.
Due to an unforeseen last-minute problem we will be having another meeting to discuss ‘Brick Lane’ this coming Sunday April 22 starting at 4 o’clock at the Starbucks opposite the Dayeh Takashimaya store in TianMu.
It throws up lots of interesting post-colonial / multicultural issues which can be discussed even if you haven’t actually read the book so if you want to come but are put off by not having read it then rest assured you’ll be able to contribute / participate in the discussion. We can talk about other books too - and choose the next book for discussion.
Please come. All welcome.
delete
Quentin: a pity you’re in Tainan as you could have come along to the reading group meeting at which ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ was discussed. I’m not sure you’re referring to the same book. Jean Rhys, the author was not some’privileged American’ and the book is in fact a fictional prequel / rejoinder to ‘Jane Eyre’. And it’s phenomenal !! If I could write like that I’d die happy, eh ? (Actually, I’d be Jean Rhys … …!!!)
Good luck with your proposed book discussions.
Well it may have taken a long time but we got there and the wait was worth it (I think.) A very useful and insightful meeting today about ‘Brick Lane’ which made us all change our minds regarding certain opinions we had held. Ali’s characterisation may well have appeared stereotypical - even grotesque in some cases (but what’s wrong with that: Mr Dickens used to do it to good effect !!) - but that is sometimes necessary for ideas writing to be noticed in the first place.
The next meeting has been arranged for Sunday May 27 starting at the usual time of 4 o’clock. Please make a date in your diaries.
Details of book chosen and place to follow.
Happy reading.