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Book Club Discussion for April 2024 (Patreon)

Published:
2024-04-02 20:29:39
Imported:
2026-06
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Dear Book Club Readers ---

You had an incredible reading month in March, and it would be lovely to hear about the books you're enjoying this month.

Your comments in these Book Club Discussion threads continue to reveal your deep love of great literature, and we would love to hear about how your reading is treating you at the moment.

So, tell us what your April is looking like.

What are you reading at the moment?

Let us know anything that's on your mind, your literary loves, and anything you wish to share or sharpen your thoughts about.

  • Author details

  • Seasonal reads

  • Areas to explore

  • Your current Big Read

  • Complementary art forms

  • Questions about literature

  • Favourite lines and passages

  • Things you're finding difficult

  • Rewarding literary rabbit holes

  • Musings, notes, and marginalia

  • Things you want to recommend

  • Resonant character descriptions

  • General life updates (we're interested)

This is the place to put anything bookish you like, and get other readers weighing in on your thoughts!

Our wonderful Book Club community continues to be a literary oasis thanks to your thoughtful appreciations of the Great Books.

Reading through the recent book discussion threads, one can see what a truly special group of literature lovers we have here:

So thank you so much for being a part of the family, and I hope your month is filled with exciting bookish adventures.

Happy reading!

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Comments

Melody Sciarratta

Hello. I recently discovered the Hardcore Literature Bookclub through the joys of watching analysis videos on YouTube...most of which have been regarding music. It had never occurred to me that Classic literature would have it's place there! My excitement over this discovery cannot be overstated! (I blame my age. And I may have been living under a rock. LOL) Although I've read more classic literature than most people I personally know, it's been a solitary journey and often lonely. Just the videos on how to read deeply, and the few I've watched on preparing for a specific read, have been motivating and helpful. Since I'm new to the group, and after watching the "How to Read The Master and Marguerita" I decided to start with this book as my first toe-dipping. I received my copy yesterday and read the introduction last night. I plan to reread it this evening, and today took a few minutes to peruse the recommendations for further reading in the "Contents." I can't recall ever having read any Russian literature. I'm sure cultural and historical context will be needed. Fun adventures ahead! (Btw...I chose the Prvear/Volokhonsky translation.) As to what I've been reading recently... Just prior to discovering and joining the HLB, I've been enjoying... "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari "Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art" by James Nestor "Jailbird" by Kurt Vonnegut and had just started... "The Ten Thousand Doors of January" by Alix E. Harrow "Sapiens," for being quite the weighty tome, is remarkably easy to read. The authors voice is refreshingly clear and direct for the science it aims to convey...touching on anthropology, genetics, archeology, forensics, etc. I'm probably 1/5th of the way into the book and the revelations are amazing and often startling. Thoroughly enjoyable so far. "Breath" is a "recommendation read" by several friends with whom I've joined in pursuing ways of living in better harmony with nature and circadian rhythms. Nestor is a science journalist who's personal investigation of the topic gives a very engaging account of the science of breathing. He's very much a "jump into the topic" sort of narrator, sharing recent science, personal journey anecdotes, his own joining into research studies, and also living with spiritual practitioners, pearl divers, etc. I'm halfway through the book and have found it very entertaining as well as edifying. After an offhand recommendation to a friend where I referenced a theme from "Galapagos" I decided to delve into a Vonnegut I hadn't yet read, and randomly chose "Jailbird." Most of what I've read of this author I read in my youth and, although I thoroughly enjoyed the reads, I do recall feeling a bit at sea at times. Vonnegut's style can jump the reader around, and sometimes the story is a bit fractured. "Jailbird" so far has followed a more linear path, although I've had to do research to understand the historical references he bases this story on. I was a teenager in the 70's and not what you might call "aware of socio/political events." It's been wonderful to realize how many more tools I'll have to excavate the themes of this book by virtue of the HLB as I continue reading! While the prologue was most probably meant to be in the voice of the author, the story is written in first person narration by the protagonist. OK. "The Ten Thousand Doors of January" was pressed on me by a dear friend who read it in a book club and was so perplexed by it that she vented a bit to me, and made me want to find out what the hubbub is all about! I'm only 2 chapters in, and it does have charm. I really can't say I have any firm ideas about where it's going but it's well written enough, and intriguing enough, that I'll continue on. It has a "vintage" feel to the writing style in the way of early science fiction. It's considered to be in the "fantasy" genre. This is the author's debut novel and was a finalist for several 2020 fiction awards including the Hugo and Nebula. I haven't done any research as to the themes of the story so that I can come to it free of expectations, but I did learn that it's supposed to be something of an ode to books and reading. :D To close... I'm deliriously happy to have found this group. I look forward becoming acquainted with members of the group, if that's a part of what we do here, and also look forward to many happy reads!

Brook
>>135845479

Welcome to the group! I'm new here as well. I recently read The Ten Thousand Doors of January based on a friend's recommendation. I'd be interested to hear what you thought of it when finished. You have quite a list of reads going on right now. Enjoy!

Alex Zoubine

Greetings. Just joining this group recently after tossing the idea around for a few days. There is nothing more delightful than being in the company of others who are unabashedly enthusiastic about great literature and Benjamin's work appears truly first rate. It is a privilege to be in your company.

Donna F.

Since I’m not into the current big read, Jane Austen, I’ve been delving into Moliere—fantastic reading! And “the mystery of Edwin drood”. I’m very much enjoying that, too. But I’m confused about the drood book…evidently Dickens only wrote 6 chapters, but the various kindle and physical editions I’ve checked out go through the 23rd chapter. When I finish here I’ll be listening again to lectures for Edwin Drood in back catalog. I hope things will be made clear at some point. I finally watched the 6.5 hour miniseries “East of Eden”—FANTASTIC!!! I watched the Anthony Hopkins version of “King Lear”—I understand the language a little better reading it; 2nd best is listening to the dialogue, and watching movies with Shakespearen language seems to be the least comprehensible for me. I will be watching 2 more versions of King Lear to see how it goes. I’ll also watch “Bicycling with Moliere”. I also always have a sci-fi novel going. Enjoy the journey everyone!

Donna F.

Sheesh! I feel so silly! I finally heard what I’d missed twice before in the introductory lecture to Dickens’ “mystery of Edwin Drood” about the novel only being half completed…Benjamin said in the lecture that Dickens died after only 6 parts of the novel had been written, and I thought that meant 6 chapters. However it turns out that the 6 parts were 23 chapters!

Becca Hodgson

International Booker prize finalists

Tatiana

It doesn't look like HLBC has done Bleak House, I hope that will be this year's Dickens pick.

Donna F.

I think I’m going to go a little more off track. I’m reading the 2 volume RW translation of Moliere’s plays straight through, “mystery of Edwin Drood” and a sci-fi novel. I think I’ll add the reimagining of “King Lear”, “A Thousand Acres” because it’s calling to me. Maybe I won’t get to “Macbeth” when others on this list do. As the tee shirt reads,”so many books,so little time “

Aida Farrell

Aside from HBC reads, I've squeezed in daily snippets of Montaigne's Essays, Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics, Marcus Aurelius Meditations, and HDF Kitto's marvelous The Greeks. Figured I should catch up on some of this stuff and am finding lots of resonance with current HBC reading.

Aida Farrell

I'm doing the same -- daily snippets of Montaigne. Also came across an essay in Harold Bloom's The Western Canon discussing Montaigne AND Moliere. For poetry, started Ted Hughes Tales of Ovid -- magnificent! No short stories lately.

Aida Farrell

Love, love, love Don Quixote! I've been listening to an absolutely fabulous audio version of the Grossman translation narrated by George Guiddall. Perfectly captures the characters, humor and spirit of every episode.