Doorstep eBook Bookclub Suggestions aka The Return of the Re-pressed

Thinking of finally reading either Under the Volcano or The Recognitions and wonder if anybody would like to bookclub either one although maybe that idea has been done like dinner.

I would hypothetically love to read The Recognitions

The revival of the 1871 poll prompted a think on doorstep books I'd like to read and might not as I mostly like re-read, or read more books by people I've read a few things from and like.

More suggestions then:

- Middlemarch
- Demons
- Golden Notebook
- Don Quixote

Don't think I'd join, even if it happened. A threshold has been reached :-(

I'd have another go at Under The Volcano, not exactly doorstep.

I could not commit because I'm cramped at the mo - but that makes me think I could set up something short-form alongside – poem-of-the-week maybe – someone picks a short-to-medium poem, we argue about it, someone else picks the next one. Any takers for that?

What would you classify as medium - five pages at most?

something like that - 100-400 lines say.

Actually 400 could be a bit long. That almost puts The Waste Land in scope. So a bit less than that.

Yes, UtV is difficult but not actually quite so long.

i seem to have started reading 'middlemarch' again, might take this time

in theory i have all the time in the world to finally read 'the recognitions' but i dunno, something tells me i'm not in the right headspace for it

I really want to read it, but I couldn't even finish JR so I don't know what my odds are. I was really enjoying it but there's just a certain point in the book where I lose the thread of what's going on, maybe need to read it with a companion/guide text.

tbh, don't really have that kind of time myself, just was thinking about David Markson last night and recalled two of his favorite books.

Ha, Hurting looked at other thread yesterday and saw how that turned out for you.

As with musil, my purchase of the recognitions was sheer hubris on my part. I've always used the sheer physical weight of the bloody thing as my excuse for never picking it up, but now I can get a digital copy I have to admit fear & reduced mental capacity :-(

Would def be into a 2nd reread of utv.

sheer I say

sheer hubris attack

Maybe we could just do Carpenter's Gothic -- never even finished that one but think I hypothetically could.

Didn't hear too much enthusiasm for the poetry idea but I do like it.

btw the recognitions is available as an audiobook as is jr

I would love to do Carpenter's Gothic, it's the only Gaddis I haven't read yet.

Tbh I'd love to do Recognitions too, it's almost 10 years since I read it cover-to-cover. I am unsure I can commit time-wise though, life is hectic.

Nobody can every read any of these long or difficult books in the breakneck time allotted anyway. Maybe the few who want just start reading and we meet up again on the other side.