read4life8

Hi producerji,
Yes! I will be reading this along with A Summer of Faulkner, Anna Karenina, the Twilight series and some more Oprah's Book Club picks I have on my book reader.
Bye 4 now,
Read4Life8

Barnes and Noble has a copy that is a part of their Classics collection. It has study questions in the back.

iamhappy21

Hi Producerji,

I will read with you. It may be fun and the discussions might be interesting.

Talk to u soon,

I am Happy 21

rabenaug

I'm reading The Count of Monte Cristo at the moment but as soon as I am done, I will join you for Middlemarch...Sounds GREAT!

producerji

Jun 5, 2009 4:15 PM

  |   in response to: rabenaug

"The Count of Monte Cristo" was also in the running and I really want to read it some day. So many classics, so little time!

mainejane

A book that has never left my top 10 all time favorites!

couthier1

I have not read that book either, so when I finish the one I'm reading now (Gomorrah, which is true and excellant about the Italian Mafia in Naples) I will pick that one up. Please keep us posted....

toymother

This is fantastic news!
I have started reading Middlemarch many times over the years.
This will be great! Can't wait for the discussions.
Thanks for picking it.

missbelle6

This is exciting! I figured a book would be picked that I had already read....but I have not read Middlemarch.....it has been on my "to be read list" though. I will enjoy reading along with you & everyone this summer!

dani1165

Oh, I am excited for you! It is a great read, one that I would never have taken up if it wasn't a course assignment, but it was very worth it. You won't stop thinking about the story, the characters, or your life as it relates - and that really is the best thing about a good book: connecting the themes to the real world and hopefully learning something from it.

pamburger1

After reading your blog, I realized that I had never read F. Scott Fitzgerald, so I checked out The Great Gatsby from my library. Looks like I finished just in time to join you with Middlemarch!

katehasl

i read adam beade in college and i remember i really enjoyed it. elliot was ahead of her time. when school is out, i may catch up to you and read it. thanks for the inspiration!

pi2nyc

Sounds great. Thanks to the Kindle Oprah gave me in October, I'll be reading along with you for FREE. Thanks & enjoy!

vmcarlin

Excellent book! I have not read it since college, but I think a re-read might be in order! Good choice.

dthom1106

Sounds very interesting. As soon as I finish reading Receive Me Falling by Erika Robuck, I will catch up with you on this one.

kac5418

I have always wanted to read "Middlemarch" and now it'll be even better with lots of people reading it along with me. Good Choice!

hessmlou

I'm looking forward to reading this classic and hearing what you have to say.

kathy1162

no I'm not going to read it with you just dont have the time this time of the year.

veezee

I wonder if I can find my copy from college--it would be fun to read my margin notes of 30 years ago. I've always wanted to re-read it, but there are SO many great books and SO little time! Wonderful choice: count me in.
veezee

freserva77

I excited to read along with you. Can't wait to hear what everyone has to say.

tru2nyc

I look forward to reading it, along with all of you!

melwyk

Yay! I'll be reading along with you too; this book has been on my TBR for far too long now.

tallweave

Great choice! I love George Eliot. Her writing is beautiful. I read Silas Marner this year and loved it. I had a friend who asked me if I wanted to read Middlemarch with her this summer, and I am so tempted! My husband read it several years ago, and I watched the mini-series with him and loved the story. I think Dorothea is my favorite heroine!

So, I might just read along with you.

jloeffer

I loved Middlemarch, and also Mill on the Floss, and look forward to everyone's impressions. I'm finishing Seven-Storey Mtn by Thomas Merton and next will start on some novellas & essays by Natalia Ginzburg. Thanks for so much fun and have a great summer.

renae49

I'll be joining you! I look forward to reading the blog entries.

deniset524

This book is free for Kindle owners, but I think it also is on the web for free..."This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web." Just wanted to pass on the good news for everyone...enjoy!

denise

delvorno

What a coincidence! Although I recommended "Madame Bovary" to you, I have long planned to reread "Middlemarch" this summer and started it a few days ago.

So do you think Dorothea is a prig not to partake more joyfully of her mother's jewelry collection and the connection to a lost parent it represents? Or is she just a young girl determined that "bling" is not her style?

kathrynlp

Whenever anyone asks me to name my favorite novel, I say "Middlemarch." The truth is, however, that I haven't read it for over 25 years. It's about time! Looking forward to a reread.

aruffian56

Wonderful pick!!! One of those books I have always meant to read but haven't gotten around to...yet. I'm so excited!!!

spinach22

Well, I was going to reread Moby Dick this summer as it is one of my all time favourites, but I've not read Middlemarch so will be joining you over the summer. Recently finished The Gargoyle which left me unable to pick up another book for weeks as I couldn't get it out of my mind! So, am looking forward to reading George Elliot with you!

karereads

I want the old version of OPRAH and her book club back.I want an anticipated Book Club announcement date, I want the excitement of getting to the book store to get my copy (the old fashion paper version that smells sooooo good), I want the discussion around the table with Oprah.
Hope you enjoy your classic I prefer something knew and perhaps supporting a new voice.
I want the old Oprah back!!!

chloe711

Hi Jill,
I am so sorry you did not choose The Count of Monte Christo by Dumas.
It is a long book, but a captivating read.
Middlemarch comes no where near in comparison.
If you ever do get around to reading The Count, remember my words.

Dumas was the FIRST in many ways to put the technique of fine writing along with mystery, love, money, treasure, kidnapping, and time all together in one tome.

As a teacher of writing at a college, and being married to a novelist, and as the owner of some 50,000 books, I should know--
Madeline Roberts

buckley06

Thank you!!!!!..........yes I will be reading this book with you!
We too often dismiss the classics in this country. They have just as much drama and sex and turmoil. However, the language is less coarse and explicit. This leaves us with a more cohesive story line unmuddled with unnecessary verse geared to shock and awe. I finally can get back on the Oprah reading train. Will have my ticket in hand and sit back and relax and enjoy the ride!

producerji

Jun 6, 2009 9:05 AM

  |   in response to: pamburger1

"The Great Gatsby" is one of my favorite books of all time! I try to read it every ten years. And given the economic meltdown -- it's a very timely story about greed and excess.

robertsp20

I have read Middlemarch, loved it, and I'll be following along! Great choice for summer reading.

producerji

Jun 6, 2009 9:08 AM

  |   in response to: delvorno

I do love "Madame Bovary" and think it's a must read, but wanted to read something new. I'm so glad to see you're reading "Middlemarch" too!

producerji

Jun 6, 2009 9:16 AM

  |   in response to: chloe711

I'm sorry to disappoint you -- and I promise to read "The Count of Monte Christo" one day soon. And that's quite an impressive library you have! What are your top 5 favorite books of all time?

producerji

Jun 6, 2009 9:19 AM

  |   in response to: tallweave

Let us know if you decide to read along with me this summer -- and if not, tell us what you're reading instead!

producerji

Jun 6, 2009 9:21 AM

  |   in response to: karereads

I'm sorry we didn't have a new title for you this summer but we hope to have some new selections next season!

producerji

Jun 6, 2009 9:22 AM

  |   in response to: deniset524

Thanks for the Kindle tip!

producerji

Jun 6, 2009 9:24 AM

  |   in response to: buckley06

Welcome aboard!!!

producerji

Jun 6, 2009 9:31 AM

  |   in response to: missbelle6

Fantastic -- thanks for being my reading buddy!

producerji

Jun 6, 2009 9:32 AM

  |   in response to: read4life8

My, you are quite a reader! Thanks for the tip and I'll check out that edition.

blueize22

I just downloaded the book for free on my Kindle. I can't wait to get started with the group.

mhhildy

Hi: I'm in! I too miss the former Oprah Book Club - the excitement of waiting for the title, getting to the bookstore to buy it before it was gone, reading it immediately! Altho I would never have picked up "Pillars of the Earth", I loved it; I also read the sequel "World Without End" and loved it too. Just finished T. C. Boyle's "Road to Wellville" - weird but fascinating....loved it. Altho not an avid reader of classics, I always love them when I do read them - can't wait to get started on this one!

shalom2008

dear producerji,

thanks for picking middlemarch. it's on my list a little further down and so this may be just the time to bring it up! And thank you all for your comments and enthusiasm. s2008

chickee74

My favorite book of all time is one of Oprah's picks, "The Pillars of the Earth". You got sad toward the end of the book, cause you knew that very soon this incredible reading experience was going to be over. Looking forward to "Middlemarch."

carpent77

I look forward to reading Middlemarch with the book club gang. My library's book club disbanded due to lack of support. There were enough readers, just too many scheduling conflicts.
If I may suggest a book for future discussion;The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a charming read. I finished it a few months ago, yet am ready to revisit it for a re-read this summer. Loved the place, the time and the people. I encourage others to give it a try. If you have a Kindle, you can download a free sample. Off to download Middlemarch.

joanmceach

I read Middlemarch many years ago and have always maintained that Dorothea Brooke is my favourite heroine of all time. Serious, focussed, pragmatic and the personification of goodness yet completely strong. The series on BBC was also very good and may be purchased on DVD. Your members/readers are in for a treat. A lengthy tome but worth the effort.

dananci

I've been looking for a book club to join and am glad to have found that you are reading "Middlemarch" over the summer.

This book was recommeded to me three years ago by a friend who was studying comparative literature. I haven't made the time to read it but will look forward to reading along with you and the group.

Do you have a certain time to begin reading and an itinerary for us to follow? Or do we just begin and chat as we go along?

Looking forward to this!

tamsin66

Okay, I am with you. A lot of the books I suggested I have already read, and am willing to read again, but I am excited to try something new. Going to see if I can download it on Kindle right now!

aleebrookl

"Silas Marner" was one of my high school's required reads (so long ago alas). The storyline was memorable, being about an outcast Silas who raises an orphaned girl named Eppie. Eppie helps Silas become a better person, through experiencing a new bond and love as he unexpectedly becomes a father to her.

A year ago, I bought a copy of "Middlemarch" yet haven't opened that book. The Oprah newsletter about Jill's "Middlemarch" book blog just reminded me it was there! Now I can't wait to read "Middlemarch" for the characters and their stories. Will it be the same or different as "Silas Marner", I wonder. Looking forward to the blog.

storjia

Might I just add that I am elated with this choice? My mother-in-law along with her sister-in-law have their own little book club. She told me years ago that they had chosen this book, had a lively discussion and loved it!
I was a General Manager of a large book store in a previous life and have my own personal library. Guess what is sitting on my shelf still waiting for me to pick it up and get going? You guessed it, your book choice. As soon as I am done with Mr. Brown I will get right on it. Thank you so much for this title - job well done!!!

dot716

Hi producerji,
This book has been on my to read list. I have read some good reviews on this book. On my way to Barnes and Noble to get MiddleMarch. Thanks for picking this book.

princestkd

Cool! - I'm on board - love the classics, and am looking forward. Just ordered from amazon. When do we start, do we have a schedule etc? My husband is going to read too, we belong to a mystery writer's book club and a quaker study group too. I am presently reading The Working Poor and Animal Vegetable Miracle and The Tale of Despearaux. The 1st 2 are pretty heavy, have to read together to get some relief. Read the Elm Creek Quilt books (3) last month, Willa Cather (2) and started Doris Lessing.

Again - so glad to be reading a classic with this book club!

micjoh

Interesting and challenging choice. I look forward to finding a copy when I visit my family in Canada this summer. I live in Mexico and am doing volunteer work. I am seriously deprived of English book stores. There's only book exchanges here!! I really depend on sites like this for book recommendations when I make book orders. Thanks!

rileyroo25

I think I will read this along with you. A couple years ago I found a copy that was discarded from the library, and sold for about a quarter so I picked it up because it was something I was interested in, and I like collecting the classics. I haven't read it yet, and this is a good time to do so. The same thing happened with Anna Karenina - I bought a copy from the library for a quarter, unsure of when I would ever read it, and then not long after Oprah announced it as her book club pick and I was really happy. It helped that Oprah had a schedule of how many chapters to read per week. I think at the end I managed to finish ahead of schedule, and I loved the book. I hope I have the same positive experience with Middlemarch.

kdrce5

I picked up the book today and I'm very excited about reading it. I don't usually read more than one book at a time but I'm in two book clubs and I might have to try it this summer!

jmk1979

I am so excited to be reading Middlemarch along with you! I was upset that there wasn't a new book club selection for the summer...but this works out perfectly! Will you be blogging about the book during the summer? Just curious, are you able to read more than one book at a time?

Looking forward to the journey through Middlemarch!

best,
Jocelyn

lisaskyon

Jun 8, 2009 8:55 AM

  |   in response to: pamburger1

The great gatsby is one of my all time favorites. I had to read it in college but it wasn't much of an assignment because I enjoyed it so much.

producerji

Jun 8, 2009 4:12 PM

  |   in response to: joanmceach

Looking forward meeting your favorite heroine! And I will definitely check out the BBC production after I finish...

pmunro627

Jun 8, 2009 4:21 PM

  |   in response to: producerji

Hello, Jill ...
As a public library director, I suggest that you choose an edition that is readily available from many sources and that you do so soon. I am certain that our system will be besieged with requests.

producerji

Jun 8, 2009 4:36 PM

  |   in response to: jmk1979

I will certainly be blogging about my reading experience so I can hear from all of you about your thoughts on "Middlemarch."

I try not to read more than one book at a time because I like to get absorbed in the story. But I admire those who read several books at a time and can keep all the story lines and characters straight!

producerji

Jun 8, 2009 4:44 PM

  |   in response to: storjia

Glad to know you'll be reading along!

scadbd

I bought the book yesterday and will be starting tonight. Sounds like the perfect story for this time in my life and so many others, I'm sure.. Looking forward to reading the blogs... Thanks for the pick.

annlantis

Like so many others, Middlemarch is on my "to-read" list. Yes, I have a lot of other books to read as well. But, after reading all of the comments, I just can't resist this one any longer. It's good to read with friends!

jcrossing

If you every get the chance, I would love for you to read Jezebel's Wings. It is a motivational read. Good luck with Middle March and I will return for the updates.

dianesu

Dear Producerji,
I'm still working on what book you should be reading this Summer. Honestly, I don't have any recomendations yet because my lifestyle doesn't allow the time for research. Never enough time in the day.

monttrac

Hi, Producerji -- Middlemarch is an alltime favorite for me. You have a wonderful treat in store. Hope it will inspire more fans for George Eliot, my favorite 19-c novelist. Her other books, like Romola, are as beautiful and satisfying. tm

lkjb711

I am THRILLED that you chose "Middlemarch". I've been wanting to read this book for years and never seemed to get around to it. I'm looking forward to the upcoming discussions on your blog. Thanks for making this available to us.

notlate

I checked it out at the library yesterday. They only had it in paperback, with very small print, and the book is very, very worn. Evidently it has been enjoyed by many. I'm going to challenge myself to finish it in my 3 week allotment but 838 pages in that small type I'm not so sure, I may have to renew.

lynnebrand

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro taught this book several years ago in its Master's of Liberal Arts program. I didn't get to take the class but now, I have the chance to read along with you. You gotta love a woman named "George" who was ahead of her time and forged the path for all women writers.

Lynne Brandon
Brandon Communications

marym2

I read 'Middlemarch' in my early 20s...I'm now 72...and, it's been on my list of books to re-read. It should be an interesting read at this stage of my life. I'm sure that I'll view the book quite differently, now looking through the lense of my life experience, a changed perspective and orientation to life.

m1nn1e

Virginia Woolf said Middlemarch, with all its flaws is the one novel written for grownup people. My copy is falling apart from being read and reread so often . I'm going to follow this discussion because it will be interesting to see what new readers of this all time classic think of it and how they experience the clearly evoked town of Middlemarch

m1nn1e

Jun 13, 2009 3:23 AM

  |   in response to: delvorno

I think and George Elliot says it outright, "Miss Brooke's plain dressing was due to mixed conditions... The pride of being a lady had something to do with it... Young women of such birth, living in a quiet country-house, and attending a village church hardly larger than a parlour, naturally regarded frippery as the ambition of a huckster's daughter". So I think there was a small element of pride and a need to be seen as serious and above such foibles, in her refusal. What amazes me to this day is the forthrightness of GE as an author. She creates a complex women who we can almost dislike for her little pretensions but her growth in the novel leaves me breathless with admiration. She is truly my most beloved fictional character.

jeanw17

I bought a copy of Middlemarch some time ago with every intention of reading it, but other things happened, and it was put away in a box of books during a move. Needless to say when I learned that Middlemarch was the summer book, I went hunting for my copy and am happy to say I've found it and look forward to reading it this summer, and sharing thoughts with others online.

roste11

I'm really enjoying this book.
Will there be some discussion of the Prelude and Book One????

pattybrenn

I had a hard time getting into the first chapters but I figured out the writing and am enjoying the book except it is like watching a train that you know is going to crash. Dorthea reminds me of myself. I see things in my own way, but later realize that I should have had my eyes open. It is really hard to read knowing the train is going to crash, don't do it! Don't marry him. Silly fool.

But would not be much of a story if there was no trouble.

I know better is to come.

lucas34

where are the discussions?

bvaughn512

Just bought the book at local Barnes and Noble ($2.99)!!!! I'm going to tackle this because of your blog. Have just finished John Updike's Rabbit, Run and got Rabbit Redux. Love to read classics, but book clubs I've belonged to always go for contemporary fiction. Thank you for choosing a classic written by a woman.

ses125

Where are the discussions?

notlate

I'm always reading, and normally read at least one book a week. When I checked this out of the library I planned to finish it in the 3 week alloted time. I had to renew it twice! I turned it back in yesterday, it took me 7 weeks. I did have some heavy things going on and got off to a slow start, but it was not the easy read I usually enjoy. Partly because when I get into a book it consumes me, I can't put it down, and I read much later into the night than I should. This one just didn't do that for me. I did enjoy it, I'm glad I read it. Normally when I finish a book I'm a little let down, you miss the characters. This one I was so glad to see page 838.

lvdtolstoy

Aug 3, 2009 9:54 PM

  |   in response to: ses125

Aren't we going to talk about poor Chetham, or the bad choice of Fred Vincy? or how about poor Dr. Lydgate....I am nly halfway there but LOVE picking it up and reading it. The way the society works is fascinating. Her analysis of people is incredibly right on in how we al relate to each other. Isn't anyone going to talk about hte book?

thisanthat

Tomatoe Rhapsody is a must read, I just finished and I can't wait for the movie. Adam Schell is a brilliant writer! He makes you want to go and eat tomatoes or anything with tomatoes. The book is funny and his way with words make you feel like you are right there living in Italy. Anyone else out there?