I seem to have lost my motivation for online book talk, but I am still reading and doing more in person things — including now hosting a book club through Inkwood Books in Haddonfield, New Jersey! #bookclub #southjersey #philadelphia

If any of my online friends in the Philadelphia/ South Jersey friends want to join me in person, follow the link below and join me at Inkwood!

Among its many flaws, I can‘t really read this book in public because it has a butt on it.

Chapter 64: A Last Retrospective. We learn that nobody changes unless David is looking at them, which mostly involves minor characters I had forgotten (Julia?) but also includes Rosa Dartle and Mrs. Steerforth— who I had thought implicitly died after her son, but apparently is locked in eternal conflict with her arch-nemesis like in that one Star Trek episode where the they fight in a parallel dimension forever. #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 63: A Visitor. In a continuing effort to tie up every single lose end — both spatially and temporally — we jump 10 years in the future when Mr. Pegotty drops by to tell David, Agnes, and the three kids that everyone in Australia had a relatively happy ending.and Martha got married. #readalong #buddyread

Got my copy of Demon Copperhead today! I noticed immediately that it has 64 chapters, just like the Dickens, and begins, “First, I got myself born.” Will the parallels to DC be that close, Chapter by Chapter?

Last call for anyone that wants to join me in a #buddyread of the new Barbara Kingsolver book that just came out today! We are just finishing up our #readalong of David Copperfield! (64 Chapters in 64 Days!) So I‘ll be ready to start this one over the weekend! Let me know if you want to jump in!

Chapter 62: A Light Shines On My Way. So did Aunt Betsey know Agnes was in love with David, or did she think there was another man? If the first, why didn‘t she tell him? If the second, why did she think that? #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 61: I Am Shown Two Interesting Penitents. Okay, this is just getting silly. In an effort to tie up lose ends, David tours a prison randomly, where he meets two model inmates — Uriah Heep arrested for bank fraud and his neighbor Steerforth‘a valet, tackled after stealing from his employer by Miss Mowcher. Every loose string is now tied up! #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 60: Agnes. David loves Agnes, but is afraid of losing his sister-like advisor. Agnes loves David, but will not impose herself on him. We all know where this is going, and they have like four chapters to get there, so let‘s get on with it already! #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 59: Return. A lot of marriage foreshadowing. David comes home to find Traddles still poor and not famous, but happily married and new guardian of his wife‘s sisters. Meanwhile, the Murdstone siblings are “pulling a Murdstone” with another young bride. Makes you wonder what the young wealthy women are getting out of it. #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 58: Absence. David spends three years in Switzerland being sad and realizing he loves Agnes but probably missed his chance. I‘m guessing he didn‘t. #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 57: The Emigrants. I loved combining the sad task of everyone shielding Mr. Pegotty from Ham and Steerforth‘s deaths until they left with the comedy of Micawber getting repeatedly arrested, losing hope, and getting bailed out in a matter of minutes. Beyond that, I wasn‘t really sure what most of them were talking about. #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 56: The New Wound and the Old

So, Steerforth and Uriah Heep are supposed to be the bad guys, but oh my goodness Rosa took the cake here. Mrs. Steerforth finds out her son died, and Rosa Dartle send her over the edge into catatonia by blaming her and saying she was the only one who really loved him. The enemy of my enemy is my . . . bigger enemy. #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 55: Tempest. They criticize Game of Thrones for being too bloody, but David has lost everyone in his family except his Aunt Betsey, is now widowed, his boss died, and then goes out in a storm to watch Ham die trying unsuccessfully to save his archenemy Steerforth, who shouldn‘t have been anywhere near Yarmouth anyway. And the man is maybe 23? Bloody book. #readalong #buddyread

The Super Team of ever single character in the whole book who is at least 7/10 good and 5/10 competent in their field (except for the Pegotty family): David (9/7), Aunt Betsey (7/8), Traddles (9/5) and Agnes (10/10) send the Micawbers out of the room and decide their fates like gods among men. The send the Micawbers off with the Pegotty family. #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 53: Another Retrospective. It is a cliche that you can fool the people, but the dog can sense your true nature. That‘s why I support Jip, a stupid dog who loves and hates fairly randomly. I guess we are left to conclude that Dora and Jip both lived long, full lives in dog years, before slowly fading away simultaneously. #resdalong #buddyread

Chapter 52: I Assist At An Explosion. Micawber accuses Heep of defrauding everyone and brings the receipts. Aunt Betsey is so happy she might get some of her estate back that she offers the Micawbers a one-way trip to Australia that they accept faster than David accepted her idea for a rando administrative law career. #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 51: The Beginning of a Longer Journey

Mr. Pegotty and Emily are going to Australia. I was thinking about how Emily shouldn‘t have been shamed into leaving, but at least she had somewhere to go. If someone today gets “canceled” by their society‘s norms, they don‘t have an Australia to start over in. #readalong #buddyread

REMEMBER— Even if you are not reading David Copperfield with us, you are welcome to dive into Demon Copperhead with us right after! Just acquire the book when it comes out (October 18!) and we‘ll make a reading schedule based on however the book is arranged (approx. 15 pages per day). Please COMMENT if you‘d like to be included in the read along!

#readalong #buddyread

Chapter 50: Mr. Pegotty‘s Dream Comes True

Emily appears, but before our heroes find her, Rosa Dartle appears to rip her a new asshole. All Rosa cares about is that Emily be seen as a slut temptress rather than an innocent victim. Not sure if women are better at supporting each other today. #NotAllMenAreJamesSteerforth #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 49: I Am Involved In A Mystery

The solution of the mystery is Micawber hates working for Uriah Heep, but the real mystery is exactly why. We know Heep is horrible and deceitful and other bad adjectives, but we don‘t get any specifics to know how he‘s a bad boss. I assume Dickens didn‘t know enough about the law to specify. #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 48: Domestic. I really want to know what sort of illnesses Dickensian women get where they just slowly fade away over the course of weeks or months in their 20s. After his mom, it‘s almost like he Murdstoned Dora by trying to form her mind against her will. #buddyread #readalong

Chapter 47: Martha This was another chapter where the text is Martha agrees to help if she finds Emily, but I felt like there was ten pages of subtext that I missed. Also, Uncle Betsey is weird. That is all. #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 46: Intelligence

Steerforth‘s (ex-)butler reports that Emily ran off after Steerforth tried to pawn her off on the butler himself. Between Mrs. Steerforth‘s son, Mr. Pegotty‘s daughter, and the orphan David, we are invited to consider what it means to be proud of your own child. #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 45. Mr. Dick Fulfills My Aunt‘s Prediction. Honestly, I think I missed a plot point. Dick has Mr. Strong leave his full estate to his wife, the Old Soldier overhears, and Mrs. Strong is kneeling before her husband leading to a full reconciliation. Did I miss a step here? #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 44: Our Housekeeping

When someone shows you who they are, believe them. David marries his self-described “child-wife” and then seems surprised that she continues to act like a child. Aunt Betsey has the right advice, and David stops trying to change her into someone useful. Then, they are happy, if not completely satisfied. #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 43: Another Retrospect

Honestly, the most surprising thing to happen in this book so far is that David and Dora actually got married, even though they‘ve been foreshadowing for ten chapters. I felt like they were on the verge of realizing their mistake before we got to this “fast forward a few years” chapter where all character development freezes. #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 42: Mischief. Is Mr. Strong better off knowing the truth — that literally everyone suspects his young wife of being in love with a younger man, or is he better off living in blissful ignorance believing that they are just good friends?

#buddyread #readalong

Chapter 41: Dora‘s Aunts It‘s clear that David and Dora are not meant to be, but I‘m not sure how it‘s going to end. David is too responsible to break an engagement, and Dora has been too infantilized to make a decision. With everyone‘s aunt on board, I‘m counting on another deus ex machina.

#readalong #buddyread

Chapter 39: The Wanderer

David randomly runs into Pegotty and catches up on his “plan” to get Emily. (If I find her, she will come?) Thats fine, but David also sees Martha at the same time. Is Martha looking for info on Emily? An agent of Emily? A metaphor for Emily? I feel like we‘re supposed to know already, but I don‘t. #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 39: Wickfield and Heep. We get a full blown Villain Origin Story for Uriah. “They want me to be humble? Well, I‘ll give them humble! That‘s how I became — The Humbler!!!!” Also, possibly the original incel—I‘ve worked hard! I‘ve earned Agnes! Yuck. #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 38: A Dissolution of Partnership

Mr. Spenlow learns of David and Dora‘s secret engagement, orders him to call it off, and then immediately gets Deus Ex Machina‘d to death. And without a will! Jip is dognapped, ransomed, and recovered within a half paragraph. I know Dickens is canonically plot-driven, but Jeez. #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 37: A Little Cold Water

David‘s being better that I probably would have been about the financial stuff, but it looks like a no-go with Dora, who doesn‘t seem built to handle hardships, despite having to spend excessive quality time with Miss Murdstone.

#readalong #buddyread

Chapter 36: Enthusiasm

Well, holy hell. Uriah got Micawber a sort of real-ass job! I mean, I won‘t be bringing my legal needs to the firm of Heep, Micawber and Wickfield anytime soon, (first, since I don‘t think I‘d trust any of them with the retainer) but doesn‘t it have to endear you to Uriah at least a little that he actually helped Micawber? #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 35: Depression

So Aunt Betsey losing her money is just because her investments sucked, not because of the mysterious figure. I guess we‘ll have to wait on that. Also, Uriah Heep is still a very unconvincing Svengali. That is all.

#readalong #buddyread

Chapter 34: My Aunt Astonishes Me

After some tragicomic relief with Traddles, Aunt Betsey shows up and is ruined! This has been a long-foreshadowed situation that seems to disappear for years when Aunt Betsey is off-stage, making me struggle to remember that it‘s even a plot point. #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 33: Blissful Am I the only one who spent half the chapter thinking Dickens was foreshadowing that Dora was to be married to Murdstone? Dora seems a little immature and frivolous for David, but I wouldn‘t wish Murdstone on my worst enemy. #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 32: The Beginning of a Long Journey

I get why Mr. Pegotty and Mrs. Steerforth we‘re at cross purposes— he only wanted Emily respectably married and she only wanted Steerforth back home single. But what was Dartle‘s motivation to be so angry at David for even bringing Mr. Pegotty?

Also, this illustration leads me to believe I have once again missed the Christ imagery. #buddyread #readalong

Chapter 31: A Bigger Loss

Emily chooses to become Steerforth‘s mistress (I guess) with the hopes of social elevation, instead of marrying Ham, who she doesn‘t really love but is fine but is also her cousin. Seemed like a fine choice (although I would have gone with “dump them both”) but the chapter titles inform us this is a bigger loss than Scrooge McDuck dying.

#buddyread #readalong

BREAKING NEWS!!!! David Copperfield turns 66 years old today! #buddyread #readalong @Ruthiella @CrowCAH

Ebenezer Scrooge Barkis dies still clutching his box of hoarded money, but surrounded by weeping loved ones, so I guess the Ghost of Christmas Future was just pulling that part out of his ass, or else morals don‘t apply across Dickens novels. It always kind of bothered me that Horton Hatches an Egg and Thidwick the Big Hearted Moose had opposite morals. #buddyread #readalong

Chapter 29

I don‘t like when I know they characters are being tricked, but they only realize it slowly. Clearly Steerforth has lied to everyone, but Dartle is the only one starting to work it out. It‘s why The Manchurian Candidate is one of my favorite movies. Sinatra doesn‘t spend half the movie wondering what‘s wrong. He realizes in Scene One that he‘s been brainwashed, and the movie is trying to find out how and why. #buddyread #readalong

Chapter 28: Mr. Micawber‘s Gsuntlet

What I like most about Dickens is the subtle things. The first time David runs into Micawber unexpectedly at Canterbury, he‘s embarrassed that he‘ll reveal details about David‘s early life. The second time, in London, that‘s far enough into his past that he doesn‘t even think of it — even if he‘s not ready to forgive and forget with Miss Murdstone.

#readalong #buddyread

Chapter 27: Tommy Traddles

It‘s a small world after all! After Miss Murdstone and Traddles appeared out of nowhere, David goes to visit Traddles, and he‘s living with the Micawbers! Apparently they are the only ones in London who are gentry struggling to make ends meet. (The population of London was about 1.5 million at the time.)

#buddyread #readalong

Chapter 26: I Fall Into Captivity. Is London society really so small or is David Copperfield living in a play with a small cast and double casting, so Miss Murdstone and Tommy Traddles show back up, while David falls for another pretty girl raised by a single doting father?

#buddyread #readalong

Chapter 25: Good and Bad Angels.

Uriah Heep puts in notice to get a better job, but he has become indispensable to Wickfield, who makes him a partner to keep him. For some reason, this is evidence that Uriah is evil. That and adverbs — he‘ll say things in a slimy or simpering way — but all he has done is his job and fallen for Agnes.

More importantly, my Punk Band will now be known as “Ecclesiastical Cheese.” #readalong #buddyread

Chapter 24: My First Dissipation

The Bromance blooms as David has a housewarming party with Steerforth and his friends, gets blasted, and somehow embarrasses Agnes at the theater. A much-needed short chapter to keep me from falling behind!

#readalong #buddyread

Chapter 23. I Corroborate Mr. Dick and Chose a Profession

David suddenly remembers he is supposed to be picking a career, so Aunt Betsey says, “How about weird specialty law?” and David says, “Sure. Whatevs.” So he gets set up as a Proctor at Doctors Commons doing Ecclesiastical and Maritime Law, freeing up Aunt Betsey to pay off her mysterious close-talker and return to fight the Donkies.

#readalong #buddyread

Chapter 22.

This Chapter almost killed me. It‘s the longest so far, all full of subtext and nudge-nudge wink-wink innuendo that I couldn‘t really follow. Steerforth is melancholy and Emily is stand-offish and Martha is outcast from good society. It all seems related. Did they have a secret three-way? And that‘s not mentioning little Miss Mowcher, who talked for 45 minutes and I didn‘t understand a word that she said.

#buddyread #readalong

Chapter 21: Little Em‘ly

I have no idea what this is a picture of. In true Dickensian fashion, nothing happened to the Pegottys for seven years until David shows up and Emily, now apprenticed to the undertaker, announces her engagement to Ham, her cousin/brother. Far too many women getting married to the only nice guy in the room. Were their know eligible women choosing from, like, three possible suitors?

#readalong #buddyread