chesilbeach

Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens is one of the books we've chosen in the English Counties Challenge, and I thought it would be good to read along with some other people, a few chapters at a time. Janet looked it up and found out that the book was originally published in 19 monthly instalments, so that seems a good basis to start the read along. We're going to try and read one instalment per week, and we can chat about it and discuss our progress along the way. Synopsis: Around the central story of Nicholas Nickleby and the misfortunes of his family, Dickens created some of his most wonderful characters: the muddle-headed Mrs Nickleby, the gloriously theatrical Crummles, their protege Miss Petowker, the pretentious Mantalinis and the mindlessly cruel Squeers and his wife. Nicholas Nickleby's loose, haphazard progress harks back to the picaresque novels of the 18th century - particularly those of Smollett and Fielding. Yet the novel's exuberant atmosphere of romance, adventure and freedom is overshadowed by Dickens' awareness of social ills and financial and class insecurity. Please feel free to join in! This is the first time I've done a social read-a-long, so we may find we need to change how we do it as we go along, but will update this first post to say what instalment we're currently reading, with links to where each discussion starts, but please bear in mind, there will be spoilers! Part I chapters 1–4: reading until Sunday 31/8/14 - spoilers for this section start in next post (#2) Part II chapters 5–7: reading Mon 01/9 to Sun 07/9 - spoilers for this section start in this post (#9) Part III chapters 8–10: reading Mon 08/9 to Sun 14/9 - spoilers for this section start in this post (#13) Part IV chapters 11–14: reading Mon 15/9 to Sun 21/9 - spoilers for this section start in this post (#13) Part V chapters 15–17: reading Mon 22/9 to Sun 28/9 - spoilers for this section start in this post (#16) Part VI chapters 18–20: reading Mon 29/9 to Sun 05/10- spoilers for this section start in this post (#17) Part VII chapters 21–23: reading Mon 06/10 to Sun 12/10 - spoilers for this section and the next start in this post (#25) Part VIII chapters 24–26: reading Mon 13/10 to Sun 19/10 - see above Part IX chapters 27–29: reading Mon 20/10 to Sun 26/10 - spoilers for this section start in this post (#30) Part X chapters 30–33: reading Mon 27/10 to Sun 02/11 - spoilers for this section start in this post (#34) Part XI chapters 34–36: reading Mon 03/11 to Sun 09/11 - spoilers for this section start in this post (#45) Part XII chapters 37–39: reading Mon 10/11 to Sun 16/11 - spoilers for this section start in this post (#48) Part XIII chapters 40–42: reading Mon 17/11 to Sun 23/11 - spoilers for this section start in this post (#51) Part XIV chapters 43–45: reading Mon 24/11 to Sun 30/11 - spoilers for this section start in this post (#54) Part XV chapters 46–48: reading Mon 01/12 to Sun 07/12 - spoilers for this section start in this post (#56) Part XVI chapters 49–51: reading Mon 08/12 to Sun 14/12 - spoilers for this section start in this post (#57) Part XVII chapters 52–54: reading Mon 15/12 to Sun 21/12 - spoilers for this section start in this post (#60) Part XVIII chapters 55–58: reading Mon 22/12 to Sun 04/01/15 - spoilers for this section start in this post (#63) Part XIX-XX chapters 59–65: reading Mon 05/01 to Sun 11/01 - spoilers for this section start in this post (#64) All reading dates subject to change after discussion.

Aargh, I didn't see the free one! I've gone for this one … http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nicholas-Nickleby-Vintage-Classics-Charles-ebook/dp/B00B2N5GR6/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1408559392&sr=1-2&keywords=nicholas+nickleby I'm not 100% sure how the thread will work either, it's a whole new world! I think editing the first post is a good idea, with the date against each part to say what we've read and where we're up to, and putting a link to the first post where we discuss those chapters. If I create the thread, and then as an admin you'll be able to edit it as well. For the first week, I was thinking of making it a bit longer, so we finish the week on a Sunday and start the next one on a Monday, that'll give us a bit of time to get into it, and we can see how we get on. I think it'll be a case of making it up as we go along, and see how it works!

Anna, I do love that I can find time to read, and that I'm quite a fast reader, plus if a story captivates me, I find it incredibly hard to put a book down! I have to say, that my reading rate has also increased dramatically since I joined the forum, as the recommendations just don't stop coming. I heartily recommend the Patrick Ness books - they are absolutely amazing. With the #bookadayuk on Twitter, it's been running for three months so far, but I haven't seen if anyone else is going to pick up the reigns next month, so this might be the last. There's still time, so I'm hoping another group will keep it going, although I can imagine it's difficult to come up with categories that haven't been used before! You can definitely lurk in Twitter and not post, and I know lots of people who do just that.

I've downloaded the Kindle version, and although it doesn't have page numbers, Part I is 5%, so I'm guessing that's close to 50 pages, which sounds achievable and reasonable for each week, and I'm happy with the 19 weeks to finish the books (Christmas is probably in there, so we might run on a couple of weeks extra as well). So far, it looks like it's only me and you, Janet, but I'll set up a thread in the social reads board and we can see if anyone else wants to join in. I'm so glad to be reading along with someone else!

There were a few good suggestions on Twitter, particularly YA books, with The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness (sequel to The Knife of Never Letting Go), Spirit Walker by Michelle Paver (sequel to Wolf Brother) and The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper (sequel to Over Sea, Under Stone) all of which are excellent and I actually agree that the sequel is better. Another interesting choice was Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys as a sequel (or prequel, really) to Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, and also one I'd agree with. My own choice is Something Borrowed by Paul Magrs (sequel to Never The Bride) in the Brenda and Effie series. I did enjoy the first one, but it felt a bit like a few short stories rather than a cohesive novel, but the follow up was brilliant. Not only did it not need to introduce the characters and the setting, but it was a cracking story.

I finished Mortal Engines last night. I enjoyed it, but probably won't read any of the sequels. Today, I started reading Capital by John Lanchester, which is a bit of a daunting 577 pages long, but I've also bought a copy of Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens for my English Counties Challenge which weighs in at a staggering 944 pages!

Give up! Life's too short

Well, in the end, I narrowed it down to three books plus one author: Stolen by Lucy Christopher - a compelling story written as a letter from an abducted teenager to her kidnapper, which completely absorbs you from the very start. With an obvious bias to the narrative with only one perspective on the story of the kidnapping, it is a challenging book that leaves it up to the reader to decide on their own truth about the story. Tomorrow, When The War Began by John Marsden - such an interesting premise - while a group of teenagers have been away for a few days in the mountains, Australia has been invaded and their town is close to one of the main ports the occupying forces have used for entry into the country. Told in the form of a reported story by Ellie, recalling the events that have led them to their living as resistance fighters. Brilliant characters and the story is exciting, realistic and justifiably tough at times, If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch - I've already mentioned this one earlier in the month, but it is a very arresting story, and one I highly recommend. Finally, anyone following this on Twitter will know that the author I've chosen is closely associated with the charity that is running the #bookadayuk hashtag this month, but I can't even think about YA without thinking about Patrick Ness. I've loved every single YA book of his I've read, and I definitely recommend reading his Chaos Walking trilogy and the incredible A Monster Calls.

I was exactly the same … the first time I read it, it was my first Austen, and I found the language difficult to start with, but like you, after a few chapters, you get into the rhythm and style, and you're away! I love how witty it is - I find something new with each re-read too, and it's definitely one of the books that makes me chuckle and titter out loud. Now, Mrs Bennet is an interesting character. I initially found her dislikable too, but over the years, she's grown on me - that's partially been based on some film and TV adaptations, but also after reading Letters to Alice: On First Reading Jane Austen by Fay Weldon, it gave me a completely different view of her character and a better appreciation of her and her role in that period of society. Probably one to keep for after you read more Austen books, but if you do (which based on your enjoyment of this one, it looks like you will), I would highly recommend it. Watch it. I promise you, you'll fall in love with him. It's pretty faithful to the book and simply gorgeous. I heartily concur with your assessment!

Excellent! I'm so pleased, Janet - I find them all a bit intimidating, but have to day Dickens is top of my list too at the moment. Let's see if anyone else wants to join us

I've been thinking about the challenge today, and about the new section on the forum for group reads. There a few books on our English Counties list that I find a bit daunting, and wondered if anyone would be interested in doing a group read with me? The books I've been thinking about are: Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope Middlemarch by George Eliot Far From The Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy I was thinking of taking it fairly slowly, and depending on the length of chapters, maybe just one, two or three chapters a week (which I'll be mixing in with other books). It might mean reading some of the books for quite a long time, but I think I might be less daunted with only having to read a little bit at a time, and being able to discuss and keep track of progress with someone else. Anyone fancy joining me in a social read? If so, any preferences on any of these books?

Today is I read it to impress (& did it?) and I can only think of one occasion I ever did this. I remember reading Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, as I thought it might impress one of my work colleagues - not sure if it impressed him, but we did talk about it then and we're still talking about it decades later! Tomorrow is Best YA book and I'm really struggling to narrow it down to just one!

I've been watching that on my iPad at night, and I finished that last one available in the On Demand service last night which is series 2, episode 15 - hope that more will be available soon! Might have to keep an eye on E4 to see if they have more episodes coming up that go beyond that. Undemanding but entertaining

I finished listening to A Room With A View this morning on my way into work, and I've started reading Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve.

Oh Sari, it all sounds fantastic! I'm so pleased for you, as it sounds like it's going to be a new chapter in your life, and the future looks bright! I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years now, so meat and fish are a dim and distant memory for me, but I could never go vegan, as I'd miss my dairy too much, but we do have some vegan dishes we cook (I say we, obviously, I mean my OH as he's the main cook in the house ), and I honestly don't miss meat or fish at all. Hope the move goes well, and can't wait to find out more about your new fabulous library.

Yes, I've read it a few times, and the film is in my top three films ever, and I've seen it a whole bunch of times. I needed a new audiobook, so when I saw it was by Joanna David, I couldn't resist, and it's been worth every penny - she's got the perfect voice for it.

For Defending the undependable, I was also a bit bemused by the category, but in the end I chose a YA book I read earlier in the year called If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch. It's about a teenager who has lived in a camper van in the heart of the woods with her mother and six-year-old sister, and the girls often have to fend for themselves as their mother abandons them for weeks at at time. I thought this would fit with the category as the two girls have no-one to care for them and defend them. Today's category is Most Beautifully Designed Book and I haven't chosen a single book, I've chosen the whole catalogue from the publishers Persephone. Whether it's their plain dove grey covers or the classics with paintings from the period when the story was written, they look stunning on the bookshelf. But not only that, the size of the paperback, the weight of the paper they're printed on, the typeface they're use, and the layout of the pages all add to beautiful books that compliment wonderful stories that are a joy to consume.

I've been busy all day, but I have managed to finish The Crane Wife which I thought was fantastic, and I've been listening to A Room With A View by E. M. Forster, narrated by Joanna David, and it's been an absolute joy. Not sure what I'll start next, but my TBR shelf is starting to look rather bare again, although I have a handful on my Kindle too.

I've started The Crane Wife by Patrick Ness this morning, and I love it. I love George and Amanda, and I'm fascinated by Kumiko. About a third of the way through so far … Oooh, I hope you like The Taste of Apple Seeds, Kay. I loved it, and it's one of those books that's staying with me - I can vividly remember passages of it, and I think about it a lot. I read Eva Rice's book, The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets a while back, which was pretty enjoyable. I liked her style of writing, and thought she did a great job of creating the period setting for it. I thought it was her first book, but looking it up now, it was her third, and she's written another in-between that and The Misinterpretation of Tara Jupp. I might have to look up the books and add them to my wish list.

It's definitely a book shop!!!! I am beyond excited. The poster in the window says it's opening August 2014, and they have the daily opening times and website address etched on the door now. There's still paper covering the windows so you can't see inside, but they were working in there yesterday and the door was open ... I has a sneaky peek inside, but no bookshelves or books yet, so I hope that side of things doesn't take too long! I've had a look at their website, and it's just a covering note at the moment, although there is the option to sign up for a newsletter, which I might do. They say they'll have a book ordering service, be hosting author signings among other things, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it'll live up to my hopes for it. I'm hoping they'll run a book group (or two), as I'd love to join another one in addition to the library one, hopefully with some younger people in it! I think I may have just found my new weekend home …

I finished We Were Liars a couple of days ago, but I'll save my thoughts for my review. I picked up Italian Ways by Tim Parks (again!), and although I finished the first chapter, I'm just not in the mood for it, so I've put it aside again. Instead, I started Circle Line: Around London in a Small Boat by Steffan Meyric Hughes, and will probably finish it this afternoon. No new purchases, but have had one helluva week, and there's still more to come this weekend, so it'll be a while before any book perusing can be done.

I have to admit, I can't come up with anything for the most controversial read - I guess I read more for escapism and entertainment to read anything that has a "controversial" theme. The only think I can think of is reading children's and YA books, but I guess the most high profile of those would be the Harry Potter books. Woah, look at me, what a rebel, eh?! Best quick read … another tricky one for me as I'm a pretty fast reader, so nearly ALL my books are quick reads! The one book that springs to mind is one I've picked far too many times already, so I'm going to abstain from this category too. And onto the best looooong read - finally, one I can get my teeth into. In fact, I had a few to choose from, but in the end, I had to go for the longest book I think I've ever read, and one that remains on my favourites list, many, many years later - A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth. I read it in hardback when it first came out, and at a 1400 pages, that's quite a book to carry around! I love this epic saga set around the time of the independence of India. Beautifully written and plotted, and a totally captivating story, I read it in about a week on holiday, and loved every single page. Close runners up were Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke and The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber.

My favourites have to be Aladdin and The Bird Cage. I also loved his appearance on Inside the Actors Studio, where he did an amazing improvisation using a pink pashmina. A wonderful entertainer. This has been the best thing I've learned today … Robin Williams improvised so much of Aladdin that the film couldn't be Oscar nominated for Best Screenplay (via @qikipedia)

I don't know how it ends yet, but I think I know where it's going. I almost hope I'm wrong, as everyone says they never saw the end coming, and I'd like to be surprised, but I think I'm seeing clues here and there. But, if it carries on as it's started, I'm definitely going to be recommending it!

I started We Were Liars at lunchtime - it's certainly gripping!