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Lcsmcat
The Gods Arrive | Edith Wharton
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Searching for analysis of our novel, this poem popped up. If you can‘t read it here it‘s available online here https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/50464/give-all-to-love
Wow. Once again Wharton expects us to be well read, as well as well travelled, and it all makes so much more sense. I still don‘t like V and think Halo deserves better, but we all make stupid choices sometimes. 😂 #whartonbuddyread

Lcsmcat Now the quotes “He had thought he loved her, and he had failed her; she had accepted the fact, and faced it with her usual ironic courage; and the one service his unstable heart could do her now was to leave her in peace and go his way.” (I almost liked Vance here.) 3d
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Lcsmcat ‘Some books fail slowly, imperceptibly, as though an insidious disease had undermined them; others plunge from the heights with a crash, and thus it was with “Colossus”‘ (The voice of experience?) 3d
Lcsmcat “Like most artistic coteries they preferred a poor work executed according to their own formula to a good one achieved without it;” (Definitely the voice of experience!) 3d
Lcsmcat “They were not used to death at the Westons‘, it did not seem to belong to the general plan of life at Euphoria, it had no language, no ritual, no softening conventions to envelop it.” 3d
Currey @Lcsmcat As usual great quotes. 3d
Currey @Graywacke @Lcsmcat It was an extraordinarily rich two books, clearly full of life experiences, deeper and more subtle understanding of the human heart, but Vance is still a selfish, childish man. Did Wharton hope to win me over just a touch? Or was this her way of crafting a damning portrait of a failed artist? Ah, yes. I wish Halo had some hope of better. 3d
Lcsmcat I think that Halo is one spoken to in the poem, so you have to flip the gender. But it‘s almost like Wharton followed the narrative arc of the poem across the two novels. My head‘s spinning a bit. 3d
Lcsmcat @Currey I wonder why I hoped for a less-flawed character in these 2 books. It‘s not like Wharton ever gave us one before. But I really wanted Vance to be better. 3d
Currey @Lcsmcat Yes, I certainly was not expecting a happy ending or a complete turn around of Vance‘s character. Have read too many Wharton‘s for that. 3d
jewright It‘s sort of a happy ending? I was honestly surprised by Lewis‘s offer at the end. 3d
Graywacke Halo was too good for Vance. Thanks for the poem. It explains things a bit. I was really puzzled by the title. 3d
Lcsmcat @jewright Me too. As a matter of fact I also marked this quote “He had been prepared—perhaps—to regret his offer; but not to have it refused. It had never occurred to him that such an extreme of magnanimity could defeat itself.” 3d
Lcsmcat @Graywacke The title puzzled me too. And none of the things I read addressed it, until the poem popped up. I find knowing the source of a title can be helpful, especially from an author as widely read as Wharton. 3d
Graywacke Two quotes from me. First the awkward departure from Lewis: "They stood by each other in silence, miles of distance already between them, while they waited for the preliminary rattle and rumble from below; then the mirror-lined box shot up, opened its door, and took her in.” 3d
Graywacke Halo‘s best line ?: “Did you really come all the way to Paul's Landing just to tell me that you were going away again?" (edited) 3d
Lcsmcat @Graywacke Halo sees right through him, doesn‘t she? The line about having 2 children to raise also rang true to me. 3d
Lcsmcat @Graywacke Re your first quote - Wharton is very good at describing the uncomfortable between people, isn‘t she? 3d
Graywacke I‘m puzzled on the purpose of this book. Vance‘s WI soul searching is brief at best. A seasonal vacation. (About as deep as Thor‘s in the Avengers movies?) Halo‘s affirmation to Tarrant doesn‘t hold up to Vance. Yes, she establishes control on the relationship - she‘s read her Age of Innocence. But, you know, why not be free? And this is just this last section. We have two books of V & H the lead to - ?? Hmm. 3d
Graywacke @Lcsmcat Tarrant as Hades returning Persephone? 3d
Lcsmcat @Graywacke I‘ve not seen any of the Avengers movies so I can‘t speak to that, but, Vance is being true to character. He hasn‘t stuck with anything long. I was hopeful when I read “these weeks outside of time gave him his first understanding of the magic power of continuity.” But he didn‘t stick with it. So bye-bye magic power? 3d
Lcsmcat @Graywacke Tarrant as Hades I can see (you‘re exposing my lopsided cultural knowledge here) but I can‘t decide quite that he acted. It was more like he knew he couldn‘t stop it, so he would let it happen with the least fuss possible. Hard on his pride, but true to character as far as his propensity to avoid exertion. 3d
Graywacke @Lcsmcat i think Halo just knew how to manage Tarrant. And she‘s the moment. Vance gone and can‘t undermine or stand for anything, she‘s pregnant. Cards were in her favor when she made that move. 3d
Graywacke @Lcsmcat in the Avengers movies Thor occasionally can‘t pick up his hammer. He‘s not pure enough - always this is plot friendly. But then the movie needs a snap-quick convincing purification scene so can finally pick it up. 🙂 3d
Lcsmcat @Graywacke Thanks. Now I won‘t look so stupid in front of my son-in-law. 😂🔨 3d
CarolynM Another abrupt ending that left me a bit puzzled. Thanks for the poem, I think it throws light on what EW was doing here. There‘s no doubt H deserves better than V, but for whatever reason she actually does love him, faults and all, so she‘ll accept whatever he offers. This is in stark contrast to V‘s “love” for F which collapsed as soon as he recognised her true character. Very interesting pair of books. Thanks for all your insights. 3d
Lcsmcat @CarolynM Good observation about the difference in V‘s infatuation with F and H‘s more mature love! 3d
20 likes28 comments
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BC_Dittemore
The Yellow Wall-Paper and Other Writings | Charlotte Perkins Gilman
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Came across Duck River Books in Columbia, TN. Found one book I had been looking for (Meditations) and one that was a total surprise: this CP Gilman collection.

*alternate photos from my Meditations post

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BarbaraJean
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#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

One of the themes in the novel is the conflict between external appearance and internal consciousness. What examples of this conflict do you see—in the central characters, or even in the house itself? How do appearances and consciousness change over the course of the novel?

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BarbaraJean
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#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

Let‘s talk genre. Hawthorne is said to have considered this a romance—in literary terms: “a narrative, allegorical treatment of heroic fantastic or supernatural events.” I picked it for October because of the gothic elements: witchcraft/family curse/murder/creepy house. Other than “classic,” how would you classify this book, and why? “Romance” in a literary sense, gothic fiction, something else?

lauraisntwilder As it is, I can't really classify it, but I could see it being rewritten as a modern day thriller. 1w
BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder I have a hard time classifying it, too! There are enough elements of gothic fiction that I want to call it that, but it doesn't feel gothic in tone. And the “heroic fantastic or supernatural“ was also very slight. I would be very interested in a modern retelling that amps up those gothic elements. 5d
lauraisntwilder @BarbaraJean I think something actually supernatural happening would've improved it! 4d
16 likes3 comments
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BarbaraJean
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#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent
“…it is a weird, melancholy creation, and every few paragraphs I would stumble over a sentence that brought stinging, painful tears to my eyes… Once, tears over a book-woe were something sweetly, sadly pleasant…Still, I love the book and found pleasure in reading it…” (Journals Vol 2, p. 67)
Do you enjoy stories that prompt “tears over a book-woe”? Are there books that give you “sweetly, sadly pleasant” tears?

lauraisntwilder Sometimes, yes. I enjoy feeling connected to other people (even if they're fictional) through shared experiences, which is one of the best parts of reading fiction. Little Women comes to mind. Oh, Beth. ❤️ 1w
BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder I agree with you and LMM, I enjoy the emotional connection with characters--but I rarely shed tears over a book. And I don't dislike sad stories, but I don't usually seek out a book just because it's sad. I also tend to find hope in stories that others find depressing, so maybe that's part of it, too! 5d
lauraisntwilder @BarbaraJean I'm very picky. I would never read any book if I thought the whole point of it was to be sad 4d
15 likes3 comments
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BarbaraJean
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#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

In Vol. 2 of LMM‘s journals, she comments: “The ‘Seven Gables‘ has the indefinable charm of all Hawthorne‘s books—that airy, fantastic, elusive fancy of his permeates every line of it” (pp. 67-8). However, many readers have criticized this book for being far too wordy & thin on plot. Did you enjoy Hawthorne‘s writing style? Did the slow pace, drawn-out descriptions, and slow-burn plot work for you in the end?

JenlovesJT47 I‘m sorry, I got behind again! 😳 Going to start this today or tomorrow. 😬 1w
BarbaraJean @JenlovesJT47 Haha—I get it! Take the time you need. You can always come back to the discussion posts later! 1w
lauraisntwilder I have been so busy at work this month that I've had trouble focusing to read -- or I just fall asleep. I got through this in audio form. I do like the writing, but in the end, the payoff seemed anticlimactic somehow. I appreciated the atmospheric writing, but I tend to agree that the plot was thin. 1w
BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder I'm glad the audio worked for you! I didn't mind the writing in spite of how wordy it was. There are some beautiful images and I felt like I could picture the scenes and characters vividly. But I was annoyed by how long Hawthorne took to get around to the plot! I agree, the payoff seemed anticlimactic. I feel like this would have been better trimmed down to a short story... or fleshing out the plot as an intergenerational drama. 5d
lauraisntwilder @BarbaraJean I remember loving Hawthorne's short stories in college. I'm not sure I ever truly read The Scarlet Letter, just wrote papers on it. 😜 So, take this with a grain of salt, but maybe he was better at short stories? 4d
15 likes5 comments
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Lcsmcat
The Gods Arrive | Edith Wharton
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Wow. This was a brutal section for me. Vance has sacrificed any sympathy I ever had for him. He‘s not young and impulsive anymore. He‘s selfish and cruel. I wish Halo had better options, but she needs to be shed of V.! Thoughts about either V or H‘s behavior? #whartonbuddyread

Lcsmcat Quotes coming, but I‘ll be out of pocket most of today for my grandson‘s birthday, so talk among yourselves as they used to say on SNL. 😀 1w
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Lcsmcat “But it is almost unbearable to be forgotten. The victim invents a thousand pretexts rather than admit that one fact.” 1w
Lcsmcat “This man whom she could no longer make happy, who needed her so little that he could disappear for weeks without giving her a sign—how much longer was she going to burden him with her unwanted devotion?” 1w
Lcsmcat “Ah, happy artists! No wonder they were careless of other people‘s wounds, when they were born with the power to heal their own so easily…” 1w
Lcsmcat And I won‘t quote it, but the cruel words V used when telling H that F had dumped him but he still wanted her and the way he dismissed H‘s intelligence and contributions to his work make me think Wharton must have had some wrenching scenes with her lover! 1w
Currey @Lcsmcat it was so painful to watch Halo twisting herself into a pretzel 🥨 really appearing to believe that her love for Vance wasn‘t worthy and leaving him would be the best thing she could do for him. Meanwhile I‘m thinking “get out of there Halo, you deserve so much better” 1w
Lcsmcat @Currey If everything else hadn‘t done it, his “do I have to use words of one syllable” dig pushed him past redemption in my eyes. Run, Halo, run! 1w
Currey @Lcsmcat I agree that much of the writing appears to come from personal experience but I suspect her sympathy (as a writer) to Vance is that at some point in her life she had played both parts 1w
Lcsmcat @Currey Yes, she is much more understanding of him than I can be. But how she could write him that clearly and see herself in that behavior- wow. That‘s a tough self-reflection. 1w
Graywacke Happy birthday to your grandson! 1w
Graywacke I wonder what drove this Wharton take on jealousy and unrequited devotion. Vance hurt me most when he called Hale an amateur critic. And she handled all his bitter lines so gracefully. He‘s not worthy 1w
Graywacke Why does Frenside always offer such inadequate advice that never helps anyone? 1w
Lcsmcat @Graywacke Frenside is a puzzle. He seems intelligent and caring, but always at a remove. Like he can‘t quite connect. I wonder if that‘s why his advice doesn‘t quite work? 1w
Graywacke @Lcsmcat he is a puzzle. He‘s so nice, though. 1w
Lcsmcat @Graywacke Yes, he is one of the likable ones in this story. 1w
Lcsmcat @Graywacke As to why these themes now, what makes a 70 year old tackle doomed love. It seems like a subject for a young romantic, doesn‘t it? Was she looking back at her relationship with Walter Berry? Maybe trying to justify to herself why it went the way it did? I‘m not sure. 1w
Graywacke @Lcsmcat i think about Berry a lot. Of course, she‘s the Vance artistically. He‘s the Halo. 1w
CarolynM You have summed up my response to this part perfectly. As an aside, I think it was a bit mean of EW to take a swipe at Belgium😆 1w
Lcsmcat @CarolynM 😂 Everyone mistreats Belgium! 1w
jewright Vance is so self-absorbed. My word. In a sense, Flossy treats him just like he treats everyone else in his life. I do wonder if his new book is any good, or if Halo is right. 1w
Lcsmcat @jewright I so want Halo to be right! 1w
Graywacke @Currey @CarolynM @jewright - just, a bit random, but I‘m really proud of Halo in chapter 34. Not sure how it will play out, but, for now, thank goodness 5d
Lcsmcat @Graywacke 😀 Me too. 5d
21 likes27 comments
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lil1inblue
Modern Life: Poems | Matthea Harvey
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dabbe 🧡🖤🧡 2w
TheSpineView Perfect ❤️❤️❤️ 2w
lil1inblue @TheSpineView 💛 💖 💛 2w
16 likes4 comments
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BarbaraJean
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“I doubt whether even our public edifices—our capitols, state-houses, court-houses, city-halls, and churches—ought to be built of such permanent materials as stone or brick. It were better that they should crumble to ruin once in twenty years, or thereabouts, as a hint to the people to examine into and reform the institutions which they symbolize.”

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

Texreader Very thought-provoking 2w
DogMomIrene That‘s a perspective I‘ll be mulling over today and the next 12 days. 2w
BarbaraJean @DogMomIrene I know, right? It's kind of a throwaway comment in the book, but so pertinent right now! 5d
28 likes3 comments
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BarbaraJean
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Pickpick

A few years back, I read the authors‘ first book, I Think You‘re Wrong But I‘m Listening. It was so good that I‘ve recommended it over & over again. (It also got me hooked on their podcast, Pantsuit Politics, which has been a much-needed refuge of sane and nuanced dialogue during the current political landscape in the US.) While their first book focuses more on getting out of the party-focused mentality and advocates finding places for dialogue⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont) within the complexities of policy issues, this book focuses more on relationships: how to approach meaningful political conversations with family, friends, co-workers, in the organizations we‘re part of, and on social media. While their first book will still be my first recommendation, this is a worthy follow-up full of practical and thought-provoking content for navigating the division that‘s so pervasive in our current political climate. (edited) 2w
BarbaraJean This was a timely September #DoubleSpin pick! @TheAromaofBooks 2w
MaureenMc I love Pantsuit Politics ~ their podcast is so good! 2w
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britt_brooke Always so happy to see Sarah‘s books here. Love seeing her success! (I‘ve known her for decades; we went to school together). 🩷 2w
BarbaraJean @MaureenMc It really is!! @britt_brooke It may have been your recommendation that initially put “I Think You‘re Wrong” on my radar!! I know it was a Litsy rec. 2w
britt_brooke @BarbaraJean I‘m sure it was me! 😁 2w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2w
39 likes7 comments