George Eliot or Thackeray? what to read next?

Paul Ilechko <noSPaM_pilechko_DeLETe.RemoveThis@patmedia.net> wrote in message news:<2r2rg4F1597j8U1.RemoveThis@uni-berlin.de>...
 > Neil Coward wrote:
  > > I'm planning to read a 'proper' book next, one of the classics. I'm
  > > thinking of either Vanity Fair or a George Eliot novel.
  > >
  > > Which would you recommend?
  > >
  > >
 > Vanity Fair, no question.

Unless, of course, you want a carefully constructed and written novel
with a deeply moral take on life--then it would be Middlemarch. Vanity
Fair is a hastily written, sloppily constructed novel with a highly
ironic take on life and a cynical narrator. It's Thackeray's one
masterpiece of course.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: George Eliot or Thackeray? what to read next? 

delatane wrote:
 > Paul Ilechko <noSPaM_pilechko_DeLETe RemoveThis @patmedia.net> wrote in message news:<2r2rg4F1597j8U1 RemoveThis @uni-berlin.de>...

 > Unless, of course, you want a carefully constructed and written novel
 > with a deeply moral take on life--then it would be Middlemarch. Vanity
 > Fair is a hastily written, sloppily constructed novel with a highly
 > ironic take on life and a cynical narrator. It's Thackeray's one
 > masterpiece of course.

Exactly why I prefer it !<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: George Eliot or Thackeray? what to read next? 

ok thanks, but any particular reasons why VF ? I am leaning towards it as at
least I expect it'll be a jolly book whilst Mill on the Floss seems to be a
bit of a sad and miserable tale, which I don't feel up to reading at the
moment!


"Paul Ilechko" <noSPaM_pilechko_DeLETe.DeleteThis@patmedia.net> wrote in message
news:2r2rg4F1597j8U1@uni-berlin.de...
 > Neil Coward wrote:
  > > I'm planning to read a 'proper' book next, one of the classics. I'm
  > > thinking of either Vanity Fair or a George Eliot novel.
  > >
  > > Which would you recommend?
  > >
  > >
 > Vanity Fair, no question.
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: George Eliot or Thackeray? what to read next? 

"Neil Coward" <Neil.Coward.DeleteThis@nospam.com> wrote in message news:<cih5j8$r6e$1@sparta.btinternet.com>...
 > I'm planning to read a 'proper' book next, one of the classics. I'm
 > thinking of either Vanity Fair or a George Eliot novel.
 >
 > Which would you recommend?

Neither. Read Leo Tolstoy.

Arpad<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: George Eliot or Thackeray? what to read next? 

Paul Ilechko <noSPaM_pilechko_DeLETe.DeleteThis@patmedia.net> wrote....
 > Arpad wrote:
  > > "Neil Coward" wrote in message news:...
  > >
   > >>I'm planning to read a 'proper' book next, one of the classics. I'm
   > >>thinking of either Vanity Fair or a George Eliot novel.
   > >>
   > >>Which would you recommend?
  > >
  > > Neither. Read Leo Tolstoy.
 >
 > Don't. Tolstoy is a bore.

You remind me of my 14-year-old niece who says she would rather listen
to J.Lo than Mozart, cause Mozart "is a bore".

Arpad<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: George Eliot or Thackeray? what to read next? 

Arpad wrote:
 > "Neil Coward" <Neil.Coward.RemoveThis@nospam.com> wrote in message news:<cih5j8$r6e$1@sparta.btinternet.com>...
 >
  >>I'm planning to read a 'proper' book next, one of the classics. I'm
  >>thinking of either Vanity Fair or a George Eliot novel.
  >>
  >>Which would you recommend?
 >
 >
 > Neither. Read Leo Tolstoy.

Don't. Tolstoy is a bore.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: George Eliot or Thackeray? what to read next? 

delatane wrote:
 >Unless, of course, you want a carefully constructed and written novel
 >with a deeply moral take on life--then it would be Middlemarch.

I haven't read _VF_ but will second _Middlemarch_ on its own merits.
I found it, although somewhat heavy, not nearly so much so as its
reputation would suggest.

 >Vanity Fair is a hastily written, sloppily constructed novel with
 >a highly ironic take on life and a cynical narrator.

That sounds pretty good too!



--
+------Mike Wasson------------------ <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.io.com/~wasson/" target="_blank">http://www.io.com/~wasson/</a> -----------+
"Only one life in this role-playing game." Super Junky Monkey<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: George Eliot or Thackeray? what to read next? 

I started War and Peace but had to stop because I was bored sh**less! Sorry



"Paul Ilechko" <noSPaM_pilechko_DeLETe DeleteThis @patmedia.net> wrote in message
news:2r6289F16k43fU1@uni-berlin.de...
 > Arpad wrote:
  > > "Neil Coward" <Neil.Coward DeleteThis @nospam.com> wrote in message
news:<cih5j8$r6e$1@sparta.btinternet.com>...
  > >
   > >>I'm planning to read a 'proper' book next, one of the classics. I'm
   > >>thinking of either Vanity Fair or a George Eliot novel.
   > >>
   > >>Which would you recommend?
  > >
  > >
  > > Neither. Read Leo Tolstoy.
 >
 > Don't. Tolstoy is a bore.
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: George Eliot or Thackeray? what to read next? 

wasson at io dot com (Mike Wasson) wrote in message news:<7dednfIzpr_xw9PcRVn-qg.TakeThisOut@io.com>...
 > delatane wrote:
  > >Unless, of course, you want a carefully constructed and written novel
  > >with a deeply moral take on life--then it would be Middlemarch.
 >
 > I haven't read _VF_ but will second _Middlemarch_ on its own merits.
 > I found it, although somewhat heavy, not nearly so much so as its
 > reputation would suggest.
 >
  > >Vanity Fair is a hastily written, sloppily constructed novel with
  > >a highly ironic take on life and a cynical narrator.
 >
 > That sounds pretty good too!


VF is definitely a more rollicking tale. Read them both, eventually,
but you probably would find VF more to your liking at this point.


David Loftus<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: George Eliot or Thackeray? what to read next? 

Arpad wrote:

 > Paul Ilechko <noSPaM_pilechko_DeLETe RemoveThis @patmedia.net> wrote....
 >
  >>Arpad wrote:
  >>
   >>>"Neil Coward" wrote in message news:...
   >>>
   >>>
   >>>>I'm planning to read a 'proper' book next, one of the classics. I'm
   >>>>thinking of either Vanity Fair or a George Eliot novel.
   >>>>
   >>>>Which would you recommend?
   >>>
   >>>Neither. Read Leo Tolstoy.
  >>
  >>Don't. Tolstoy is a bore.
 >
 >
 > You remind me of my 14-year-old niece who says she would rather listen
 > to J.Lo than Mozart, cause Mozart "is a bore".
 >
 > Arpad

And you are an idiot. Anyway, Bach is far better than Mozart.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: George Eliot or Thackeray? what to read next? 

In article <cih5j8$r6e$1@sparta.btinternet.com>, Neil Coward
<Neil.Coward.DeleteThis@nospam.com> wrote:

 > I'm planning to read a 'proper' book next, one of the classics. I'm
 > thinking of either Vanity Fair or a George Eliot novel.
 >
 > Which would you recommend?

The Eliot that would have to be considered is Middlemarch and frankly,
you should read both MM and VF, not because you "should" but because
they are both great books well deserving of their status as classics
but are also both great reads even now 150 years later. VF is a more
"fun" and I think MM benefits from having someone to talk about it to
but as I said, I think they are both great reads and have read them
both twice just because I liked them.

Spence

--
James P. Spencer
Rochester, MN

"Badges?? We don't need no stinkin badges!"<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: George Eliot or Thackeray? what to read next? 

James Spencer <jspencer78REMOVE.RemoveThis@charter.net> wrote in message news:<200920042140114576%jspencer78REMOVE@charter.net>...
 > In article <cih5j8$r6e$1@sparta.btinternet.com>, Neil Coward
 > <Neil.Coward.RemoveThis@nospam.com> wrote:
 >
  > > I'm planning to read a 'proper' book next, one of the classics. I'm
  > > thinking of either Vanity Fair or a George Eliot novel.
  > >
  > > Which would you recommend?
 >
 > The Eliot that would have to be considered is Middlemarch and frankly,
 > you should read both MM and VF, not because you "should" but because
 > they are both great books well deserving of their status as classics
 > but are also both great reads even now 150 years later. VF is a more
 > "fun" and I think MM benefits from having someone to talk about it to
 > but as I said, I think they are both great reads and have read them
 > both twice just because I liked them.


It might be noted that Virginia Woolf once said something like Middlemarch
was the first novel for grownups.


David Loftus<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: George Eliot or Thackeray? what to read next? 

James Spencer <jspencer78REMOVE.TakeThisOut@charter.net> wrote:

  >> I'm planning to read a 'proper' book next, one of the classics.
  >> I'm thinking of either Vanity Fair or a George Eliot novel.
  >> Which would you recommend?
 >
 > The Eliot that would have to be considered is Middlemarch and frankly,
 > you should read both MM and VF, not because you "should" but because
 > they are both great books well deserving of their status as classics
 > but are also both great reads even now 150 years later.

Agreed. Two oddities:

Why is _Mill on the Floss_ so much worse a book than _Middlemarch_?
You wouldn't think both books could be written by the same woman.

Why did the BBC production of Middlemarch come out so much better
than the recent movie of Vanity Fair? Does that mean Vanity Fair
is probably the better book, because the movie was worse?<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: George Eliot or Thackeray? what to read next?