The Virago Chronological Read Project

A while ago I became dissatisfied with the low number of Virago releases I had read, and decided to make a concerted effort to do something about it. The question then became "Where to start?" Those who know me will probably not be surprised to learn that I decided the best way of tackling the issue was "in order".

In other words, I decided to start working through my unread Viragoes in order of original publication date.

Having had this idea, I mentioned it to Heather (souloftherose), and was thrilled when she expressed an interest in reading along. For one reason or another, the project then failed to get off the ground. However, we are finally in business, and I have set up a thread for a tutored read of Aphra Behn's Love-Letters Between A Nobleman And His Sister - it is here.

Anyone who is interested in reading along for all or just some of the books would be more than welcome to join us. When we were discussing this, Heather and I did speak vaguely of a schedule of one book every two months, but nothing in that regard is set in stone, and we would be happy to work around the convenience of others with an interest in joining in.

I will continue to use this thread to alert people when another such read is looming, and it can also be used for expressions of interest and organisational purposes.

I noticed that the spreadsheet/Google doc has a column for original publication date but it isn't filled in. Do you have that info for every book? I'm a big fan of chronological reading, so this is right up my alley! Just wondering if there is a quick way to see all of the original publication dates or if I am going to need to go fill it in for my own benefit.

That column has been put there for me, I think! :)

I am quite obsessive about "in order", and I have been given the job of filling in that information about the Viragoes. I have a spreadsheet that lists original publication dates up to the end of the 19th century, and I need to get cracking transferring them to the Virago lists.

Maybe when you get to Fanny Burney, I'll join you. I'm dying to know whether I like her as much now as I did in college.

I hope so!

I like Burney too. I find the way her writing evolved very interesting, and she was hugely influential on other female writers, of course.

>3 lyzard: That column has been put there for me, I think! :)
Indeed it has!

>2 SleepySheep: Just wondering if there is a quick way to see all of the original publication dates
Liz, recognizing that populating the spreadsheet is a formidable task, would you be able to list the first few books here for us? I've really not paid attention to original publication dates in my collection and haven't a clue how many early volumes I have.

I'll fill in what I have...just as soon as I can find my spreadsheet... :)

I think that after Love-Letters, A Description of Millenium Hall by Sarah Scott (1762) is the next in order of publication date (almost 80 years later) and then Cecilia by Fanny Burney (1782). But I will let Liz confirm that when she's found her spreadsheet!

>3 lyzard: Oh excellent! I am like-minded in my obsessiveness, so I have already started filling them in on my own saved version of the spreadsheet :) I'm excited to see what you have and would be more than happy to help fill in dates for the later volumes if you'd like!

I have filled in what I have, the 17th century through the 19th, which is the main focus of my interest. I am happy to do the rest, though it may take a little longer. (Heather is quite right about the next two works on the chronological list.)

>10 lyzard: Thank you Liz! I'm surprised how few there are in those three centuries, which means the overwhelming majority are in the 20th century. I hadn't realized that. Even so, we have enough to keep us busy for a while.

I'm curious about your notation on the Austens, where you have two dates, e.g., 1817 (1818). What does that mean?

Yes, there are huge gaps in the canon. One of the purposes of my blog is finding out what was going on in those "black holes".

Those Austen novels were published in December but carry the copyright of the following year. The copyright date is usually the one given, but I tend to use the earlier date just to be ornery. :)

>12 lyzard: well, because I'm ornery, I've added a copyright symbol (©)!

Excellent! :D

This is so exciting but it's one too many challenges for me. Might join in with the odd one. Hope you have fun!

>10 lyzard: I am happy to do the rest, though it may take a little longer.
Define "a little longer" -- like 5 minutes? Looks like you've finished it already, Liz. Thank you!!!

>15 LyzzyBee:

I hope you do! And wouldn't expect anyone to join in all the time, since it's really all about plugging the holes in your Virago reading. When Heather and I first discussed this, for instance, we agreed we needn't feel "obliged" to re-read the Austens and Brontes, but that if there was a lot of group interest, we might. Nothing about it is nailed down, we'll just see how things play out as we go.

I must say, though, I'm thrilled to be meeting new people already through the Love-Letters thread.

>16 lauralkeet:

:D

Yeah, I had some time yesterday, but I was tired and felt like doing a mostly mindless job (i.e. NOT writing reviews!), so I just sat down and did it. I'm sure there are glitches in there, so please tidy up anything that needs it.

I am bowing out of this one. Hopefully can join in on the next. I will continue to follow the thread however as I am finding the Q & A much more interesting than the book.
Thank you lyzard.

The tutored read of the second volume of Aphra Behn's Love-Letters Between A Nobleman And His Sister is now underway - everyone is most welcome to participate or just lurk!

The thread is here.

*bump*

Liz (lyzard) and Heather (souloftherose) are planning the second group read in this project. In April they will tackle Sarah Scott's A Description of Millenium Hall and the Country Adjacent, aka Millennium Hall. All are welcome to join!

Thanks, Laura!

Just to sum up The Story So Far, over October - December last year we worked our way through the three volumes of Aphra Behn's Love-Letters Between A Nobleman And His Sister, using the "tutored read" format so that I could help to explain the real-life scandal that inspired the novel, and also the politics of the time which are heavily referenced:

Volume I - thread here.
Volume II - thread here.
Volume III - thread here.

I will be setting up a thread for Millenium Hall at the beginning of April, and yes, as always, all welcome!

Oh, I read Millenium Hall a while ago, not sure I remember enough about it to take part in the discussion, though. And I think I passed it on to someone?

I have a copy on my kindle ready, but, as with Aphra Behn, I shan't commit myself to actually reading but may just follow the thread.

I'm in. Millennium Hall is fairly short, and much shorter than Love-Letters Between A Nobleman and His Sister, if that helps anyone make a decision. :)

I've had Millennium Hall on my tbr pile for a long time, so am looking forward to reading it in company.

And one day I really will get out my copy of Love letters between a nobleman and his sister and read it.

Looking forward to having you join us!

The thread for the group read of Millenium Hall is now up - here. We will not necessarily be starting immediately, but if you do plan to join in, please drop by the thread and say so!

Technically the next work in The Virago Chronological Read Project is Fanny Burney's Cecilia, but after some discussion Heather and I have decided to tackle Burney's Evelina first. We will we setting up the group read next month, and then moving on to Cecilia in November / December (two months allowed because, for those of you not familiar with Burney's second novel, it is a CHUNKSTER!).

As always, anyone who would care to join in with either of these reads is more than welcome. I will post a link to the thread for Evelina here when we are ready to start.

>28 lyzard: Hi Liz, this is good information. It appears Evelina is not a Virago Modern Classic, is that correct? So this is a little side trip before continuing the chronological read? What made you decide to read it first? I don't own a copy so I'm weighing this vs the many other books on my shelves. :)

I do have Cecilia and am eyeing it with trepidation. :)

Hi, Laura!

Correct, Evelina is not a Virago - but it is a very important novel, historically and in terms of women's fiction. When Heather and I were discussing Cecilia, she mentioned that she'd never read Evelina and that it felt odd to her to be starting with Burney's second novel instead of her first. (Of course, she was preaching to the choir saying that to me!) So we decided to start with Evelina and then move on to Cecilia; we have also discussed doing Camilla and The Wanderer at...some undecided point in the future. :)

And yes, Cecilia is quite a commitment! That's why we've pencilled in two months for tackling it. I wouldn't say it's a difficult read, though, just long.

Excellent! I read Evelina last year and really enjoyed it, but I'd love to follow along and glean some deeper insight. I've been meaning to try another of Burney's novels since enjoying Evelina, so I will most likely join in reading Cecilia in November/Dec.

Looking forward to it!

That's great, Jennifer - we look forward to having you join us! :)

Hmm ... I'm not sure I feel odd enough about reading Cecilia first to tempt me into reading Evelina, but I will give it some thought.

The thread is up for the group read of Evelina - here - hope to see you all there! (You too, Laura! :D )

...and now with Evelina under our belts, next month Heather and I will be tackling the next entry in our Virago Chronological Read Project, which is Fanny Burney's second novel, Cecilia, originally published in 1782.

We are hopeful that others will join us, but those thinking of doing so should be aware that Cecilia is a very long novel and one that requires a significant time commitment.

If you are thinking of participating, please post here and let us know!

I didn't read Evelina bit I'd like to join in on Cecilia. I'm likely to spread it out over more than one month though ...

We have pencilled in both November and December for Cecilia, Laura, so we can give people plenty of time to get through it.

When we get started we might have a chat about a reading schedule, i.e. trying for a minimum number of chapters or pages per week. I don't usually like to do that with our group reads because I think it runs the risk of being a bit too much like homework, but this one could easily become unmanageable. Anyway---we'll see who's joining in and how they feel about it. :)

I will have finished reformation studies by then so I would like to join the group read. - Minimum chapters/pages sounds a good way to get through such a large work.

You're very welcome, Trish!

Thanks Liz - I look forward to it.

I have my (kindle) copy ready!

I like the idea of minimum chapters or pages.

I have the VMC edition and will be getting it on Kindle as well because I need to take it with me on a business trip.

I would like to join in on a group read of Cecilia. I think having a suggested reading schedule is a good idea, though, depending on the book, I sometimes find that reading a long book too slowly doesn't work for me since I can't get into the flow. Even if I find that to be the case, I think it will still help discussion to have a reading plan. People can always read ahead, but discuss at the point where the group is.

Welcome, Kerry and Jennifer!

Okay, it sounds like everyone is happy to have a schedule set, so we'll work something out for that when we start.

I have the Oxford World's Classics edition---941 pages of worryingly small font. :)

A schedule also sounds fine to me.

I'll join in too, as I've had a copy sitting on my shelves for many years now, as yet unread. I too have the Oxford World's Classics edition.

Welcome, Claire!

I'd like to join in too. It'll provide excellent motivation to get through the rather intimidatingly large book.

That's the idea - glad you're joining us, Katie! :)

Cecilia arrived in the post this afternoon and goodness me, she's rather sizeable! I think this one may end up being finished next year as I don't think I'll be able to fit the book in my little suitcase for going home for new year.

Yes, she is that! :D

What's your travelling schedule? We'll have to see what we can do for you.

We're going to stay with friends in Edinburgh for the new year, so flying on 28th December and back on 7th January. I know it's a rather busy time for a lot of people immediately before that, so I'm fine with catching up when I get back.

We should be making a start on 1st November - if we can work out a schedule that suits everyone, we may be done by then.

The thread for the group read of Cecilia is up - here.

There's no hurry about starting but please drop by and let us know if you're planning on participating - all welcome!

Welcome to 2016, Virago Readers!

In February Heather and I will be picking up this Virago Chronological Read Project, with Susan Ferrier's Marriage. Anyone who cares to join us is more than welcome!

Note that in doing this, we are skipping over the works of Jane Austen: when we started this project we agreed that it was predominantly about reading works we had not read before or had not read for some time - Austen definitely doesn't fit those headings!

However, I have had a request for a tutored read of Emma, and this will be taking place in April; again, all welcome!

>55 lyzard: oh hey, I have that one! Count me in.

Excellent!

>55 lyzard:: I'll join in too, Liz

>55 lyzard: I would also love to join in.

Oh, I think I have that one somewhere, I'll have a look and a think ...

I've said this elsewhere, but I'll put it here too: Count me in!

I would like to join in on this read as well. Thank you.

Wonderful! Welcome, all! I will put up our thread over the last weekend in January and then post here and elsewhere to let you know.

Have ordered a copy from the UK through Abe. Not sure how long it will take. This is a difficult book to find in NA at a reasonable price in a reasonable condition.

It should arrive in time - very glad you're joining us!

It certainly is one of the rarer VMCs. I don't own it, but I've been lucky that the one academic library here that holds a copy (just one! - I was shocked) happens to be the one I have access to.

I will try my best to make room for Marriage in February. Thanks, Liz!

Thank you. :)

My copy from the library arrived, so I am ready to read!

Excellent! - so did mine. :)

My copy arrived today. Oddly it was ordered from Reading through Abe (64 above) and mailed from Switzerland.

The thread is now up for the group read of Marriage - here.

Well! - it's been a while, but our Virago Chronological Read Project is up and running again; hopefully we will do better this time around at keeping it ticking along.

First up, there will be a group read of Harriet Martineau's Deerbrook, from 1839; anyone who cares to join in is more than welcome!

The thread is here

The Virago Chronological Read Project read of Geraldine Jewsbury's Zoe: The History Of Two Lives is now under way - all welcome!

Thread

Time for some discussion!

While the previous few Viragos have been unread by me and/or relatively obscure, and therefore definite inclusions in this reading project, our next year in publication order is 1847, which gives us:

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Personally I know all three of these novels well, so I may or may not re-read them; however, the real question is what others may like to do here:

If you would like a group read of any or all of these three novels, please say so here; or alternatively, if you would prefer to skip them. I believe there was a group read of Jane Eyre relatively recently, but we can do another if there is sufficient interest.

I am kind of on the fence here. While I have read Jane Eyre multiple times, as it is probably one of my top 10 evers, I have read Wuthering Heights only once as an adult & I have yet to read Agnes Grey. It is not difficult to find a great deal of discussion on 'Jane' but not so much with the other two.
I recall loving & thrilling to all of the emotion & angst when I read WH as a teenager but as a 40-something woman I wondered if that was the same book I was reading. So I would probably appreciate a tutored read of that one, were I to choose.
Though I've not read Agnes Grey, everything I have read about it strikes me as more of a typical 'governess' book of that era..........whether that is true or not, I do not know.
But I am happy to go along with whichever you or the group chooses. I am definitely up for a Bronte read.

To my eternal shame I've not yet read any of those books though I've owned them all for a long time - hard to believe they came out in the same year! I love the idea of the chronological read project and have followed the other discussions but didn't have easy access to the books at the time (apart from Deerbrook which looked off-puttingly long). Given the success of the monthly author reads in providing me with an added incentive to read more VMC's I'd be "in" whichever of these books was chosen.

I reread Jane Eyre and Agnes Grey fairly recently so probably wouldn't reread these again (although would follow a discussion if anyone else wanted to). I have been meaning to reread Wuthering Heights for a while though but then I would read that anyway whether or not we read it as a chronological read. So, I guess I'm also kind of on the fence.....

I've read all three before: Jane Eyre several times, the other two only once. I've no wish to read Wuthering Heights again but would like to re-read Agnes Grey (and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall). What ever the decision I would certainly follow the discussion even if I don't re-read the books.

If we don't read these three, what comes next?

I'm not too sure if I would revisit Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, but I'm pretty sure I've never read Agnes Grey, so I'd be keen to get involved in that one - I don't know if I've ever actually read an Anne Bronte. Like Kerry, I will follow with interest even if I don't join in. I *might* be persuaded by Wuthering Heights, depending on the timing, but I definitely don't want to go back to Jane Eyre - Rochester annoys me a bit nowadays! :)

>78 CDVicarage:

I haven't looked any further ahead; I wanted to gauge the interest in these three first.

I can pretty much go with whatever the group agrees, and then just decide whether I want to read the book or wait for the next one.

>78 CDVicarage: I second Kerry's question about what comes after the Brontes ...

>80 lyzard: ETA I cross-posted with Liz. I can be patient!

I've read all three and reread Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights several times so I probably wouldn't reread any of these. I would follow along discussion for any but probably wouldn't be very active.

Since people are asking, next up chronologically are Emily Eden's paired works, The Semi-Attached Couple and The Semi-Detached House, from 1859 / 1860.

I suppose I could do with a reread of Agnes Grey, which I've only read three or four times. WH & JE, though, I've read a bit more often.

>75 rainpebble: Belva, you might want to try The Annotated Wuthering Heights edited by Janet Gezari. She's also the editor of the Penguin edition of Emily's poems, which is probably the canonical version today (the 1940 Hatfield edition, published by Columbia University Press, being a bit dated). She also wrote Last Things: Emily Brontë's Poems, partly a thematic study and partly a set of close readings (gifted to me a couple Christmases ago by my Virago Secret Santa).

The reason I mention this is that Gezari's Annotated Wuthering Heights includes substantial references to Emily's poetry, and their poetry is all that we have today of Emily and Anne's Gondal juvenilia (Charlotte having burned everything else after their deaths, believing and probably rightly so that that's what her two sisters would have wanted). Using the poetry, Gezari makes a fairly successful effort to tie WH to Emily's Gondal juvenilia.

The Annotated Wuthering Heights is one of those coffee-table editions (Harvard's Belknap Press), a little bit pricey, and probably not readily library-available, but you might be able to get it on interlibrary.

Like others, I might not reread any of the three novels, but I would follow the discussion and contribute if inspired. I love JE and AG, but dislike WH.

I would be happy to reread any or all of these novels. Wuthering Heights is the one I have read most often, but always love rereading it, as there seem to be different aspects on which to focus with each rereading. Also, taking note of >84 CurrerBell:, that would be a new way to look at it.

It would be interesting to reread Jane Eyre as it has been longer since I read it last, but just having taken one of those online quizzes which claim to tell you which classic character you are closest to, Jane was the name which popped up, much to my surprise, so I was contemplating rereading it anyway! In case anyone is interested: http://www.playbuzz.com/gretab10/which-classic-literary-character-are-you

Lastly, Agnes Grey was last read a long time ago, but having just read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall this winter, which I found amazing, it would be interesting to look at another of Anne's works with it in mind.

>86 SassyLassy:
That was fun, Sassy.



"You (I am) are Jane Eyre! You may appear soft spoken but you are a little firecracker and have a lot to say! You are highly intelligent and would make a very good teacher. You are supportive of the ones you love and want to feel equal to your significant other."

My family should be so fortunate. lol

Rather worryingly, I came out as Holden Caulfield.... =:o

"You are quite troubled and find most people to be very disappointing. You are highly intelligent and sensitive but you are also very cynical. If you don't get it together you might have an emotional breakdown..."

Not quite sure about that....

I'm delighted! I'm Jo March!

---- and for some reason, I didn't copy the text, but I ended up loving my family and reading and writing.

(Weird, Karen. I'm pretty sure that you are NOT Holden Caulfield.)

>89 LizzieD: I certainly don't feel like him.... :s

>88 kaggsy: >89 LizzieD: >90 kaggsy:
But yet 'I' am he!
"quite troubled and find most people to be very disappointing, intelligent and sensitive but you are also very cynical."

*bump*

Did we ever reach a consensus/decision on our next read for this project?

I don't know about consensus, but input suggested that Agnes Grey was least familiar to the most people and therefore most suitable for this fill-the-gaps project. :)

The plan at the moment therefore is to tackle it next month, and at the same time revisit whether we want to pursue group reads of Jane Eyre and/or Wuthering Heights, or whether those novels are sufficiently well-known, it isn't necessary.

I'd be keen to have a go at Agnes Grey, assuming I can squeeze this in alongside War and Peace! :) Off to see if I actually own a copy!!

Agnes Grey sounds good to me! I don't have a VMC edition but I'll look for a free/cheap Kindle edition.

I'm due for a reread of Agnes Grey and just found a Penguin edition of it yesterday while the unpacking continues. Count me in.

I am in as well. I have been in the mood for a Bronte all summer so I look forward to a tutored read of Agnes Grey. I can't find my hard copy so I will also be reading it on my Kindle. I think my K edition was a free one, Laura.

Thank you Liz.

Excellent, everyone! - I'm looking forward to it too. :)

Hurrah! I do have a copy - a pretty old edition from the year I was born!

{Wikipedia}: "Edmund Dulac (born Edmond Dulac; October 22, 1882 – May 25, 1953) was a French-born, British naturalised magazine illustrator, book illustrator and stamp designer. Born in Toulouse he studied law but later turned to the study of art at the École des Beaux-Arts. He moved to London early in the 20th century and in 1905 received his first commission to illustrate the novels of the Brontë Sisters."

==========

Here are Dulac's five Agnes Grey illustrations from my six-volume J.M. Dent set (1922 edition) of the complete novels. They correspond, in order, to chapters 3, 6, 12, 16, and 24.

Those are lovely, Mike - thanks for sharing them with us!

Oh Mike, how lovely. Sweet of you to share. I am even happier now to begin this read.
Thank you dear man. :-)

Yes, I'm in too! By the way, I finally took the literary quiz mentioned above and found that I'm Jo March. Naturally, I'm delighted!

I think I've read Agnes Grey recently enough that I won't want to reread next month but will happily follow the read and try to comment.

>104 souloftherose: ditto

It looks like we have a really good group shaping up - excellent!

>100 CurrerBell:

Lovely, Mike, thank you! I hope you'll post them again on the discussion thread. :)

>104 souloftherose:, >105 kac522:

Fair enough, you two; I hope you will add your thoughts to the discussion.

Do we have a start date for Agnes?

I have it slated for September, though of course it occurs to me belatedly that it should have been an AV / AA project: I wasn't thinking on those lines, just giving myself a break after the group read of He Knew He Was Right.

>108 lyzard: I'm okay to start whenever. August is fine if you want to move it up, but I also totally understand wanting a break between reads so September sounds good too.

Whenever is good for me too. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing the read, really looking forward to this one.

>106 lyzard: I'll post the Dulac illustrations to the Agnes Grey thread as soon as it's started.

When I have a chance, I'm going to scan all sixty of the illustrations and I'll post them to a Dulac/Bronte thread here on the VMC Group. It's going to take a little while because I'm prepping for a colonoscopy on Friday and it takes the day to recover.

I'm hoping I'm alert enough early Saturday morning that I can get to the Migration Kick-off at Hawk Mountain, a drive that's a bit over two hours. I've been a member for a couple years now, as you can see from my Early Review of Vulture: The Private Life of an Unloved Bird. I haven't bought my raffle tickets yet and I'll have to get up there in person to buy them. (The first prize is a $2500 set of Swarovski EL 8.5x42 binoculars.)

September would be great for me as I will have caught up a bit after War and Peace!

The thread for the group read of Agnes Grey is now up - here.

All welcome!

>113 lyzard: woo hoo! I'm ready!

Please note that due to feedback received, we will be sticking to the original concept of this project, i.e. plugging the gaps in our reading, and so skipping past both Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. If anyone really wants a group read of either or both of these, we can certainly revisit the question later on.

Therefore, next up in the Chronological Read project will be Emily Eden's paired novels, The Semi-Attached Couple; and The Semi-Detached House.

If you are interested in joining in a read of these novels, please drop a line here; and also whether December or January (or a later time) would suit you best.

Yes, Liz. Your tutored reads are a great help at keeping me aware of my Virago reading, or lack thereof. I think that January would suit me best but will be happy to join in whenever is best for the group. Thank you.

I really like this project; it's an interesting way to explore my Virago collection. So I'm in, and like Belva I would prefer January as November & December will be pretty busy for me. However, if December works best for others I can certainly make it work.

>115 lyzard: I'm in...I don't have a lot of Viragos, but that title caught my eye and my curiosity. No preference on timing.

I'm in too. This is one of my favorite book titles but I had no idea it was published that long ago. I guess I will have to read Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights under my own steam some time.

>116 rainpebble:, >117 lauralkeet:, >118 kac522:, >119 europhile:

Thank you for checking in, I will note your preferences.

>119 europhile:

The majority feeling at this time was to stick with the more obscure Viragos for this project, but if there is sufficient general interest, there's no reason we can't have separate group reads for the others at some point.

>115 lyzard: I'm in - no real preference for timing.

>121 souloftherose:

Excellent!

>119 europhile: >120 lyzard:
Liz & Grant; While I am very happy & enthusiastic about the way this tutored 'group' is heading.........
.......... I would still love to at some point do a tutored read of the two Bronte novels that you mention, Grant. Especially Wuthering Heights. While I have read them both several times in my 70 years, I always come away from 'WH' feeling like I am lacking somehow in my understanding of the novel.
Thank you for listening to an old broad's yakking.

I've mentioned this before, but there's a wonderful edition of WH, The Annotated Wuthering Heights (Harvard Belknap Press), edited by Janet Gezari, who's also the editor of the Penguin edition of Emily's poetry (probably the canonical edition today, replacing the excellent but somewhat dated 1941 Columbia University edition edited by C. W. Hatfield). Gezari is also the author of Last Things: Emily Brontë's Poems, a short but excellent collection of close readings and thematic studies.

Those Belknap Press annotated editions generally tend to be coffee-table books – very pretty and enjoyable to read, but not all that great on annotations. (Forced to choose one or the other, Norton Criticals are almost always superior.) But Gezari's edition of WH is especially interesting because Gezari incorporates Emily's poetry very substantially into the annotations. Since Charlotte burned Emily and Anne's prose juvenilia after their deaths (believing, I think rightly, that that's what her sisters would have wanted), all we have of the Gondolan juvenilia is the poetry. Gezari uses Emily's poetry in her WH annotations in an interesting effort to tie WH to Gondal.

>115 lyzard: I'm in too. I am not familiar with Emily Eden, however, having missed only the first in this chronological read (I think just the first) and enjoyed them all to date, I know this will be a worthwhile read too.

I'm another who can never read Wuthering Heights too often, and would be happy to revisit it in a group read some time. Still taking note of >124 CurrerBell: and the annotated edition, but waiting for a time when I feel I should give myself a present. Unfortunately I passed up the annotated Anne of Green Gables in a used book store in Toronto last year, and when I returned it was gone. That's on my list too.

I have read these but a long time ago and it's one of the Viragos I bought and then gave away (and now regret).

Okay---

At the moment, I think we will pencil the Emily Eden novels in for January (subject to further input). Then, in the New Year, I will raise the possibility of separate group reads for Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre at the main Virago thread, and see where we might slot those in if we decide to proceed.

Meanwhile, if anyone who hasn't spoken up yet could note their interest here, that would be really helpful.

Regarding the Emily Eden novels, I just wanted to note that in addition to the editions issued under the familiar title(s), there was also one from Gollancz in 1969 simply called "Two Novels". Some libraries might hold it under that title.

>126 CDVicarage:

Bummer, Kerry! These look like being a library loan for me but I will be keeping an eye out at my pet bookstores between now and then.

>127 lyzard: I've found two very cheap kindle versions so I shall be able to read along!

Good to know! I hadn't looked into those options yet.

I'd also be interested in joining in with a GR of WH next year.

>127 lyzard: I have copies of the Emily Eden novels from Manybooks.net. Not sure why they aren't showing as available on Project Gutenberg.

>127 lyzard: Just ordered the Emily Eden through abe books from a place in the UK. It charged about the same for the book as the American dealers, but the shipping was 1/5 the cost, although the American dealer was much closer. Odd how these things work. At any rate, I will be ready for the read.

There's nothing you can tell me about the vagaries of international shipping! :D

Great to hear you'll be joining us.

Emily Eden has arrived, so ready to go.

I don't know whether I can commit to the E. Eden, but I'll certainly keep her in mind. I read her (Virago/Beacon Travellers) Up the Country: Letters from India and loved her voice.

>133 SassyLassy:, >134 LizzieD:

Thank you for checking in, ladies.

The majority vote was for January, so I've pencilled that in. I hope that you will both be able to join in! :)

Just a reminder that in January there will be a group read of Emily Eden's The Semi-Attached Couple; and The Semi-Detached House for this project - all welcome!

I just read those for my podcast and they're brilliant!

The threads are up for the group read(s):

The Semi-Attached Couple
The Semi-Detached House

Hope to see you there!

A few years ago now (ulp!) we did a group read of Frances Burney's Cecilia for this project, and before that one of her very important - if non-Virago - first novel, Evelina. At the time there was some discussion of going on to Burney's later novels, although for a variety of reasons it didn't happen at that time.

However, we've picked the idea up again and there will be a group read of Camilla next month. All welcome as always; I will post more heads-up around as we get closer to starting.

>139 lyzard: Thanks for the heads-up. Camilla is on my tbr pile and I think I will benefit from reading it with the group.

Excellent, Claire!

The thread is now up for the group read of Frances Burney's Camilla---hope to see you there!

We will be reading Frances Burney's fourth and final novel, The Wanderer, in August; I will post more details here when we are ready to go.

All welcome!

...and the thread is now up for the group read of The Wanderer - here.

Hope to see you there!

Well---

This project went a little skew-whiff last year, although we were still in Virago territory with our group reads of Frances Burney's Camilla and The Wanderer.

For the moment we have decided to persist with our accidental 'Important Female Writers Before Jane Austen' detour: there will be a group read of Maria Edgeworth's Belinda next month, another of the novels title-checked in Northanger Abbey.

I will post more details here when the time draws nearer. All welcome!

Important note for those intending to join the group read of Belinda:

Please be careful in choosing your edition of Belinda: the novel was originally published in 1801 and reissued in 1802; however, before it was reissued again in 1810, Edgeworth was pressured into editing and significantly revising some of her characters and subplots.

This version was subsequently considered the "standard" text until it was reissued in 1986 by Pandora; later editions released by the Oxford University Press (including the Kindle version) have also gone back to the original text.

Unfortunately, the Project Gutenberg version uses the edited text; and at the moment I don't think there is a free online version that doesn't. I will continue to research this and add any further information about any other suitable sources.

>146 lyzard: Interesting...so I own the 1986 Pandora edition, which doesn't say specifically anywhere which text it is based on, but the blurb on the back cover says "written in 1811." So is the Pandora edition from 1801 or 1810?

I also have borrowed from the library an Everyman edition published in 1993, that specifically says it is based on the 1801 edition.

Unfortunately, Kathy, I think you're right, and the Pandora edition has used the later, revised text: I have just flicked through my copy and it is missing a critical scene.

Therefore, the Oxford University Press / World's Classics versions of the novel are the best ones to access. The Everyman edition would be the next best choice, however Edgeworth did make some (voluntary) revisions between the 1801 and 1802 editions, so those texts are not identical.

I will revise the above note and the one on my thread.

>148 lyzard: Well, there we are, then...the Pandora edition goes into the "donation" pile....

It's hard to believe that they went to all the trouble of resurrecting this novel in the first place, and then used the edited text!

Then again, look how many editions of Frankenstein don't go back to the 1818 edition... It's bad enough that women were pressured into changing their books without those changes being perpetuated as their true intentions.

The thread is now up for the group read of Belinda - here - all welcome!

Testing, testing... Is this thing on?

After a lengthy hiatus, during which some of us pursued a side-project that amounted to "important female authors before Jane Austen", the Virago chronological read project is being resurrected!

The next work on our list is Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon.

If you would be interested in joining in, please check in here! At the moment April is looking a likely slot, so please also indicate if that would work for you.

I love that book! It has been some time since I read it, but I would be happy to read it again, so I'm in.

I have the Broadview Press edition (excellent).

I should certainly follow along. I've read it before but enjoyed it enough to re-read, especially with commentary from Liz! I would be happy to fit in with whichever time that suits you.

>152 lyzard: I read it years ago and conveniently it is on my TBR this year for another challenge. I'm in!

I'm in, have the Virago edition, and have not read it.

>153 SassyLassy:, >154 CDVicarage:, >155 JayneCM:, >156 kac522:

Excellent, thank you for the responses.

We look to have a really good (and quite numerous) group shaping. :)

I have it, I’ve not read it but if I can fit it in I will try! 😁

>158 kaggsy: Same here - I've been meaning to get to it so this would be a good time. And April should work well.

Liz, thanks for restarting this long-term project! I read Lady Audley's Secret and really enjoyed it. I don't plan to re-read but will follow the discussion with interest.

>160 lauralkeet:

Sorry, missed this! Please do, lurkers will be very welcome. :)

April seems to suit the majority so we can nail that down. I will post reminders mid-March.

...and here is that reminder!

The group read of Mary Elizabeth Braddon's Lady Audley's Secret will be next month (April); all welcome!

Yes.

It is certainly my intention to go ahead with the group read of Lady Audley's Secret as announced.

Of course there is a chance that under the existing circumstances, some potential participants may not feel in the mood to participate. On the other hand this might provide a welcome distraction?

Fortunately this novel is readily available as an ebook; and while this may not be everyone's preferred way of reading, it does at least make participation possible even where access to a physical copy of the book has been cut off.

I will be setting the thread up towards the end of the week. Hopefully I will still see all of you there!

I have now set up the thread for Lady Audley's Secret---here.

Please note that there are variant editions of this book (groan!), and you should not use the Project Gutenberg copy.

If you need time to access the correct edition (there is information on the thread), please let me know.