Andrew Cattanach
Booktopia
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John Purcell, The Booktopia Book Guru
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Haylee Nash
hayleys2013
Toni Whitmont
Hello Reader,
I have been thinking I might start an online book club for those interested in literature from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. I’ll call it something like:
The Dead Writers Club.
If you’re interested in joining, or know someone who would be, express your interest by emailing me at – deadwritersclub at booktopia dot com dot au
Regards
John Purcell
The Booktopia Book Guru
P.S. I will post more details when I make them up.
P.P.S. My aim is to encourage readers to persist with a classic novel they may put down because they are not sure it is worth the effort. They may think it slow, or not relevant to their lives, or too descriptive, or the language may seem foreign to them.
I would also like to share experiences with those who already love the literature of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. I think by expressing our enthusiasm as a group we can encourage the doubtful to take a chance with some of the best books ever written.
How would I/we do this? That is undecided. It may be through Twitter and Facebook. It may be through comments on the blog or a forum page. Or the posting of reviews. It may be done via a webinar or YouTube or Skype. We may even organise groups in the real world to get together, give them questions and guides, and then ask them to publish their notes (or film their discussion).
Who knows? It is up to us. The thing is to make a start – so drop me an email deadwritersclub at booktopia dot com dot au to tell me you’re in.
Here are a few examples of me expressing my enthusiasm for literature:
The book is dead. Long live the book!
Did you just call me an idiot? No, I said I enjoy reading the classics…
The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas
Elegant writing….. I’m in!
Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, O’Henry, Somerset Maughan….the list is endless… oh yes, and Gogol, Saki, Collette ………
Please advise me when everything happens
When your up & running, I’m in!
So I’m not the only procrastinator…
PS one literary icon I hate is Shakespeare – can you cure me of this?
Hello Marjorie,
Take one tiny step towards a love of Shakespeare by learning a little bit about him – I recommend this > Shakespeare : The World as Stage by Bill Bryson. Buy this book online here http://www.booktopia.com.au/shakespeare-the-world-as-a-stage/prod9780007197903.html
It is short, easy to read and entertaining so you aren’t investing too much time or effort but it could open the door for you.
Thanks for your comment,
John.
Is this club going anywhere… yet?
Not yet. But as this year will be known as ‘the year of John completing things he started’ I have high hopes.
Excellent. We wait in hope.
How did you go getting this up off the ground? Any luck?
I’m still working on it.
I am ready and willing.
I just need help from IT and I am in a queue!
Taps foot impatiently….
Franzen?
Did you read the review, sir?