On George Eliot
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 25 авг 2024
- All about my reading journey with George Eliot. I discuss the books by her that I've read and the couple I haven't gotten to yet.
Books Mentioned:
Middlemarch
Adam Bede
Daniel Deronda
Silas Marner
Romola
Felix Holt: The Radical
Scenes of Clerical Life
The Mill On the Floss
Ha Kate, you make me wish I loved George Eliot 😄
Haha, if only! 😂 I would love to see one on different Victorian authors from you!
“Do NOT start with Romola!” 😂😂 And here I am, dipping my toes into George Eliot for the very first time with Romola!! And, oh my goodness, it is GRIPPING, even with all the philosophical content, historical references, and extended political conversations. Its impact and power has completely caught me off guard, and I find myself reading it in any spare moment I can carve out, even when I should be prepping for my next university class!! Kate, you convinced me to read both my first Gaskell (Mary Barton) and my first Eliot-and I couldn’t be more grateful!!
I started with Middlemarch and I loved it. Eliot is the greatest novelist of the English language - for me.
I am coming to this video after reading my first George Eliot which was Silas Marner.... and I loved it!! Haha! My next George Eliot will be Daniel Deronda. My copy is on it's way to me, but I may wait a little bit before I start it so I can read other classics.
Felix Holt is the most plot-driven and dramatic of her novels, in my view. I found it one of the most fun and readable of her novels, though not her best in terms of literary quality.
Kate, you are the one who persuaded me to pick up George Eliot-with Adam Bede last Victober. I loved it-and am now a quarter of the way through Middlemarch and absolutely loving it! I saw some parallels between Scarlet Letter and Adam Bede, but I had no idea that Eliot intended them! Fascinating.
That's wonderful! I love that you're enjoying Middlemarch 😍 There are a lot of characters that aren't that likable but I still love it.
I really enjoyed hearing about your journey with George Eliot, Kate. I have read Silas Marner and Middlemarch. I started with Middlemarch and really struggled with the first 200 pages, but I flew through the last 200 pages in just a day. I think Mary Garth was the character who kept me anchored to the novel on that first read, so I do look forward to re-reading it in the future and immersing myself in that even more. I hope to read all her novels, too.
Thank you! Oh Mary Garth is just the absolute best! My favorite character by far 😍
I really needed this today. Read Silas Marner in high school and liked it; reread it as an adult and still liked it. Adam Bede last year was wonderful. I'm doing Middlemarch this year and though I started strong I started feeling lost around chapter 13. However, thanks to you and SparkNotes I'm determined not to give up!
There's no shame in stepping away and trying another time from it if you need to but if you feel you're still being rewarded by a challenging reading experience I think it could be worth it.
Fun to hear about your journey with Eliot! I agree that Middlemarch worked really well as an audiobook! I really want to reread it at some point. I want to read the one's I haven't too. (Romola and Felix Holt). I'm really enjoying Daniel Deronda so far.
Thank you!...Juliet Stevenson's stunning narration probably didn't hurt.
The setting of Romola is very cool, I think you'll enjoy how vividly it brings Florence to life.
I really hope I enjoy Felix Holt.
I loved hearing your personal journey with George Eliot! In many ways my own journey mirrors the very beginning of yours, as I have yet to fall in love with George Eliot's work. I read Middlemarch years ago in school and enjoyed it, but I barely remember it at this point. And then I read The Mill on the Floss and was so disappointed. I've toyed with the idea of rereading Middlemarch at some point, but it always seems long and daunting and there are so many long and daunting Dickens books that I feel like I'd enjoy more. Still, this video makes me want to give George Eliot another chance. Perhaps I should pick up Adam Bede or Daniel Deronda (not this Victober though because I'm already behind in everything somehow).
Okay, you've convinced me. I don't think I've ever read Geoge Elliot and I was going to start with Middlemarch. But I'm going to buy Adam Bede and start with that book, because I like The Scarlet Letter. Thank you!
It was lovely to hear your journey with Eliot. I think I came to Middlemarch at the right time in my life and my reading. I am gradually reading all of her books. I am hoping to squeeze Felix Holt into Victober. I love Silas Marner for its humour and gentleness.
I love George Eliot! One of my favourite novels of all time is The Mill on the Floss!! I think I just love novels about strong, independent women who seem to be ahead of their time. I also love Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles!
I need to try it again!!
I really wish that Middlemarch was not my first George Eliot novel! I enjoyed the writing style but it didn’t feel worth it. You have convinced me to try something else by her. I am just going to wait a little while before challenging myself.
You can recover and try her again next year! I hope you enjoy your second book by her better.
Love Love Love George Eliot. My fave has always been Daniel Deronda. I've read all her novels and, though I am fond of them all, some more than others, Daniel Deronda always makes me feel like I'm visiting old friends. It's a very happy comforting feeling. 😊❤📚
Elena, I had no idea you were such a George Eliot fan! How cool 😃 Since I just reread it I definitely call it my favorite as of now. There's such an ache about her books and I think I love that because they make me feel so deeply.
You have inspired me to try Eliot again. I read Silas Marner a few years ago and didn’t enjoy it. But I am going to read Adam Bede this winter either before or after my classics book club reads The Scarlet Letter in January. Thank you!!
I am so glad you're going to try her again! I hope you get on with Adam Bede better.
I absolutely loved Middlemarch after The Mill on the Floss. This time I'm also buddy reading Daniel Deronda. Happy reading!
That's wonderful! I hope I like The Mill on the Floss better the second time around. I hope you thoroughly enjoy Daniel Deronda!
Meaty is definitely the right word! I might be willing to try Middlemarch again, but yeah it was my first read of Eliot’s and it was TOUGH!! I need a little break from her right now but I will definitely try her books again. Great video, Kate! I think Daniel Deronda will be the next one I try.
Sorry the first Eliot read was not the best for you. I'm glad that you're willing to give her another try though!
Audiobooked Middlemarch last victober and loved it. I want to read it when I get a copy. Reading Mill on the Floss at the moment. So far loving it.
That's wonderful! I know a lot of people who enjoy The Mill On the Floss a lot so I definitely want to try it again.
I hope to read Scenes of Clerical Life for Victober. Loved your overview of your George Eliot reading journey
Thank you! I hope we both enjoy it.
This was such a lovely exploration of your relationship with George Eliot! I started with Middlemarch and you’re right; that’s just not the place to start with her. I’m looking forward to Romola this month, even though it will be a more intensive reading experience. You make me want to reread Middlemarch and see how I feel!
Thank you, Jen! Ahhhh Romola pierced my soul. I think you'll have a great advantage with your history knowledge. It was a labor of love reading it but the character of Romola is one of the greats.
Middlemarch is a masterpiece. I always want to reread that, but I ought to explore more of Eliot's novels. Middlemarch definitely needs to be read multiple times. 😀💝
Oh most definitely. I love that different characters in it can speak to you in different readings.
Thank you for sharing your George Eliot journey and insights. Last fall, for a graduate British Lit class, I read Middlemarch. The class was given two weeks to read the entire novel, post a two-page response paper at the end of each week, and respond to classmates. This schedule was intense! However, I loved Middlemarch and intend to read more of her novels and reread Middlemarch in the future. But, this is my first Victober and my TBR is already heavy with Shirley, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Aurora Floyd, Dombey and Son, My Reminiscences vol. 1, and some short works.
This was fascinating! I read Silas Marner, but you have encouraged me to read Adam Bede and Daniel Deronda!
Thank you, Meghan! I think they're books you could really love.
Really cool to see an overview of her books! Middlemarch is my “big books list” together with Anna Karenina. I don’t put myself through big books often, but I think I won’t mind the slowness of Middlemarch.
Thanks! I hope you enjoy a slow read through Middlemarch where you can savor it.
Kate Howe ah yes, thank you! I hope so too :)
I loved mill on the Floss. Middlemarch was definitely dense and slow. After watching your video, I've decided to pick up more of her books :)
Oh yay! That makes me so happy to hear 😃
Silas Marner was my first George Eliot read (earlier this year) and so far my only. I loved it and loved that I was reading my great aunt’s school copy, seeing all of her notes in it while I was reading added something special to the experience. I’m really interested in reading more from her and I’m thinking either Adam Bede or Daniel Deronda for my next GE pick. Thank you for your video, loved hearing your thoughts on these books.
I agree with your first assessment of Middlemarch, when it was receiving all the hype I picked it up, only to realize after the first third of the read that I had already read it. It is similar with Buddenbrooks, read it because of the hype but was left ho-hum. I love The Mill on the Floss and Silas Marner. Yes, maybe audiobook is the way to go with Middlemarch.
I hope maybe an audiobook would suit you. I haven't read Thomas Mann yet.
I really hope I enjoy Silas Marner and The Mill On the Floss the second time round.
My favourite George Eliot novel (and favourite novel) is 'the mill on the floss' for very personal reasons. I feel like your George Eliot journey mirrors mine so perfectly, I also only have 'Felix holt' and 'scenes of clerical life' left to read and I remember your review of 'Daniel Deronda' coming out when I had just started reading it ( which was my first George Eliot book). when you talk about George Eliot it makes me so happy because although she is well known she doesn't really get much love on this platform.
She really doesn't get a lot of booktube coverage.
That makes me excited that you enjoyed The Mill On the Floss.
I hope I do too when I eventually read it.
I just finished my reread of Daniel Deronda and loved it still. What a novel.
I definitely want to read Felix Holt asap.
Hi Kate, nice viewpoints!
I read Middlemarch as my first George Eliot this year. It was a bit slow to start with but I had a great experience!
After this Victober read, I'll be buddyreading ' the mill on the floss' with a good friend in November, can't wait!
Hope you're enjoying your reads!😃
I'm so glad you enjoyed it the first time was around!
I hope you love The Mill On the Floss!
I get what you have said about middlemarch....I had the same experience with Jane Eyre...I read it three times at different stages of my life and only on my forth reading did I have that aha moment. I have just finished mill on the floss and I hated and loved this book I'm equal measure but it's left me with so many emotions and that's why I have come to your video in the hope that I can understand my own thoughts on this
I love this! I’ve always been intimidated by George Eliot but your video has helped. I’m actually planning on doing a similar video on Thomas Hardy later this month and am so excited about it.
Thank you! I look forward to seeing your Thomas Hardy video!
I loved Middlemarch so much!! I might reread it though because I feel I may have more to learn from it the second time around, her writing being so full of reflections on life and feelings. I have just read The mill on the floss and I adored that one too. I tried listening to the audio book for some parts, mainly while I was walking with my dog, but I found I missed out on her beautiful words a lot, because I couldn't go back on them to let them sink in. I am very uncertain as to which novel to read now: Adam Bede or Daniel Duronda....any tips? Thanks 😊 and thank you for your inspiring videos!
This was really interesting. I have only read Middlemarch so want to read more Eliot next year as well as Hardy 👍🏻
Thanks Tom! I think you could really enjoy Daniel Deronda or Adam Bede. There's definitely some dramatic plot twists!
I love Hardy a lot as well! I'd say the reading come easier with him too.
I have re-read Middlemarch every 5 years and have gotten something different out of it each time as I age . I am not sure why I have not read more George Eliot. This was my year to reread Middlemarch but i did not complete my reread so I am moving it to next year. I think I may read 'My life in MIddlemarch' before my next reread. I have to say I did NOT like Mill on the Floss (although I recently found out that Queen Victoria adored the book)
I hit enter too soon lol. I loved Adam Bede and SIlas Marner . I guess i have read more Elliot than I realized
Daniel Deronda--added! The only George Eliot I've read is Middlemarch and I think it took a while to get into but then I liked it by the end.
Oh yay! I think you will really be impressed by it. It's got some surprising turns in it and it's so compelling.
I love the classics but i can not believe that i have not read any of her books 📚 please stay safe love you and your beautiful channel love 💖 John from Australia
I hope you enjoy her if you do try her!
Thank you so much!
Kate Howe if I do try I will let you know
I love George Eliot; I read Middlemarch as an audiobook and I loved it, thought it was a masterpiece and all the superlative and nice things people say about it.
I’m currently rereading it as a physical book, and I feel like I’ve been hit with a brick. I’m still really enjoying it; but I feel like I maybe don’t quite read fluently enough for Middlemarch, because Eliot’s righting is beautiful, but it uses the full depth of the English language. An audiobook narrator can say a line 4 or 5 times to get it right and editing makes it sound great, but if you misread a word and have to go back it doesn’t sound as nice.
This was an excellent video, I really liked it. :)
She is dense - no doubt about it! Even though I love her I still find it takes immense concentration to read her. Maybe setting out a certain number of pages per day to read?
Or honestly just listen to it in audiobook again if that suited you better.
Audiobook reading is still reading!
I really don't understand why people feel Middlemarch is such a challenging novel to get through. I didn't feel this way at all, and was hooked early.
Sounds like you and George Eliot are a good fit! I think that reading her feels very different from modern reading so it's an adjustment?
I’m reading Adam bede this month and I’m glad you recommended that. I won’t rush for Silas market. A Booktube friend just got Daniel deronda so I will be borrowing it from her next 😊
I hope you love it as much as I did!
Oooh I just finished my reread of Daniel Deronda and it was as glorious as I was hoping it would be.
I still haven't read anything by George Eliot, I'm a bit intimidated by her work. I was thinking maybe starting with her horror story 'The Lifted Veil', just to see what her writing style is like. Thanks for the advice on where to start with her books, I think I'll pass on 'Middlemarch' for now and pick up 'Adam Bede' or 'Daniel Deronda' instead, but probably not this Victober. Maybe some time next year.
Love this video!
Thank you! I forgot to speak about The Lifted Veil - I think it didn't really resonate with me but I know there are a number of people that like it.
I hope whatever you start with, it's a good start for your George Eliot reading!
Middlemarch was my first Eliot. Apart from its length I did not have any difficulty with it.
I'm glad it was a success for you the first time!
Silas Marner was my first Eliot and I loved it although on a reread twenty years later I did find it a bit overly sentimental, as it’s so easy to read though it meant I wasn’t intimidated by Middlemarch and loved it. Must admit I struggled with Daniel Deronda- I was far more interested in Gwendolen than Daniel but as you say Kate, rereading her novels can make you get a different perspective each time so maybe a reread will help. And yes, Romola was challenging, but so good!
I don't think it's necessary to say to everyone "don't start with Middlemarch"...I started with Middlemarch and had a totally different experience, after trudging through Austen's Persuasion and Mansfield Park, I took to Middlemarch very quickly and then enjoyed a really rewarding reading experience!!! 😉📚❤️
My first (and thus far only) George Eliot was Middlemarch which I buddy read with a friend of mine last summer. We started on June 1st and finished in late August. It wasn't the best reading experience for me but that was almost certainly because I was going through a really rough time at work and didn't have the clear mindset I feel is needed for a book like Middlemarch. I could see the merit but just couldn't get myself to love it and most of it went over my head. My friend on the other hand, absolutely ADORED every minute! I'm definitely going to reread it sometime in the next year or two and hopefully I'll be in a better mindset then.
Also, please let me know if you go through with your Scarlet letter/Silas Marner/ Related nonfic triple review plan! I read The Scarlet Letter earlier this year and really liked it and I had no idea that Silas Marner was GE's retelling of it so I'm interested to see how the two compare when read together or back to back.
P.S. I know you said Romola was challenging but now I'm quite intrigued to pick it up! Don't worry though, I won't do anything reckless :P I'll pick some easier George Eliots first :P
It's so interesting how unique each readers experience is. You were reading the exact same book as your friend but had a very different experience as her.
Yes - it's Adam Bede that is a Scarlet Letter retelling. I will let you know! I think it could be fascinating.
Haha, Romola definitely does have a fascinating setting! Who knows, maybe it would be a good book for you to try next.
Silas Marner was okay. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. It was interesting. I wouldn't read it again.
Haha, exactly!
I am so intimidated by George Eliot! Honestly, I don’t know if I will ever be brave enough🤦🏼♀️ Also, I have finally found something that we don’t completely agree on! You don’t do books about books?? My mind does not compute😝
Girl, you should try her!! You never know.
Haha, I just get bored a few chapters in 🙈
Not true!!! I started with Middlemarch. I could not put it down. I have read almost all of them and still nothing compares to Middlemarch.
Ur stunning, lets hold hands under the rainbows hahhah. Sorry im weird and a tart....Meow
I loved mill on the Floss. Middlemarch was definitely dense and slow. After watching your video, I've decided to pick up more of her books :)
Yay! I'm so glad I inspired you.