Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Pace and schedule

It wasn't my intention to set a pace or schedule for reading Middlemarch. Mostly because I'm not very good at keeping to them. I can set them though.

The fact is: I've read 8 whole chapters, and I'm loving it, and I'm bursting with things to say already, and as much as I hate to put the book down, I have little opportunity even to pick it up this week or next (pesky paying work is keeping me busy), let alone post my thoughts in a coherent fashion.

Also, I realize some of you are still waiting on copies or finishing up other projects.

So I'm asking for a show of hands, majority rules.

Do you want a schedule? It may serve as motivation for some. (Given that's it's 86 chapters, I think 5 (to 10?) would be reasonable, certainly forgiving — anyone who lags behind one week can probably make it up the next. Make no mistake: I will read ahead, but I can refrain from posting on the matter. We could set dates on which chapters would be opened up for discussion.)

Or would you prefer an anarchic free-for-all?

Ideas?

10 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hmmm...I'm terrible at sticking to schedules so I know that it wouldn't work for me, I'm afraid.

That doesn't matter as I'm sure that I could enjoy the posting (reading/writing) regardless of my own progress.

10:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Personally, schedules help me a lot. I made one with Don Quixote last year and managed to finish it in a month. I'm still impressed with that (obviously).

10:34 PM  
Blogger martha said...

I could probably manage 5 - 10 chapters a week pretty easily, though I'll know better tomorrow, since I plan to start the book tonight. It might make sense to have some sort of loose schedule, even if we don't stay completely on target. But I'm happy to go along with whatever everyone else wants.

11:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'd like a schedule too...with a newborn at home, it's tough to get any reading done unless I manage to really plan it, and schedules help.

BTW, I'm on chapter 5 and surprised at how FUNNY it is (not a spoiler).

12:20 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I plan on starting it this weekend (trying hard to finish a book that I should have finished a while ago...). I may not be able to keep up with it--but some sort of loose schedule would be nice--that way we are all sort of on the same page so to speak. I don't mind reading posts of people who are ahead of me. I will have to see how long the chapters are...

9:22 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Actually, a schedule would be really nice! It would sort of eliminate the spoiler problem by giving me a range of chapters that were "in play", as it were.

I had forgotten that this was one of those dangerous books that I can't even crack open unless I have several hours to spend with it. I threw out my back on Monday, so I've had a lot of time this week. And yes, mardougrrl, it IS funny! I keep wanting to post favourite quotes. Maybe I will.

10:15 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm happy either way - as long as the schedule isn't too taxing.

2:36 PM  
Blogger JoanneMarie Faust said...

Can the schedule be loose? It might take care of the spoiler issue and the schedule issue in one fell swoop. Say discussion of chapters X-Y begins on a certain date. Then people who are reading slower can just chime in when they reach that point. But, people who are ahead will hold off until the start date for each portion of the book, limiting spoilers.

3:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm with Mardougrrl. Schedule please!

I have just started reading and am already enjoying.

5:59 PM  
Anonymous Max Donovan said...

Thanks for writingg

7:05 AM  

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