Possession – February CC Book Club Selection

Parent Cafe
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<p>“Why, what’s the matter,
That you have such a February face,
So full of frost, of storm and cloudiness?”</p>

<p>~ William Shakespeare</p>

<p>Don’t risk developing “February face” – please join us that month for our next book discussion!</p>

<p>As a precursor to Valentine’s Day, we will be reading Possession by A.S. Byatt, described on Amazon as “an exhilarating novel of wit and romance, an intellectual mystery, and a triumphant love story.” Published in 1990 (and winner of the Booker Prize that year), Possession is the story of two scholars who join forces as they research the lives of two Victorian writers, and in doing so, uncover an unusual love story.</p>

<p>“Possession is a tour de force that opens every narrative device of English fiction to inspection without, for a moment, ceasing to delight." – The New York Times Book Review</p>

<p>Discussion begins on February 1st. Please join us!</p>

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<p>Looking forward to it. Have to finish Of Human Bondage first - what a book that is!</p>

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<p>Oh oh oh!!! Possession is a GREAT book. One of my faves of all time. What writing!!! Enjoy!!! !!! Thanks for reminding me of the title. I’ll read it again -it’s been around two decades. Read it for its poetry as well as its interesting plot device. Psyched!</p>

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<p>^ Yay! It’s good to hear such a positive review!</p>

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<p>

?</p>

<p>Really?</p>

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<p>^ Hmmm….not sure if you are commenting on Christabel’s odd use of metaphors, or on her self-denigration (i.e., Ash is the brilliant sun, while she is only the “lumpen surface of a dead moon”), but I think we’ll have plenty to talk about on February 1st!</p>

<p>I am enjoying the book as much as I did the first time around (many years ago), but I do find the poetry challenging—poetry was never my strong suit. I look forward to everyone’s interpretation of the multiple “romances” within the novel, as well as opinions re what Byatt might be saying about the study of literature and how one’s gender influences both the creation of literary works and the way they are critiqued.</p>

<p>There is still plenty of time to read the book for anyone who is thinking about joining us for discussion. See you in a few short weeks!</p>

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<p>I’m struggling with the letters.</p>

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<p>I loved it. I may have to reread it since I couldn’t possibly answer any of those suggested questions!</p>

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<p>Happy to share EditorialEyes read-along selection is ---- Possession for the next several weeks.
This is a challenging book, on many levels, and Dee does an excellent job of breaking down the dense material into digestable bits. </p>

<p>Her first post was yesterday. Join in! </p>

<p>[Possession</a> Readalong Part 1: Chapters 1, 2, and 3 | editorialeyes](<a href=“Possession Readalong Part 1: Chapters 1, 2, and 3 – EditorialEyes Publishing Services”>Possession Readalong Part 1: Chapters 1, 2, and 3 – EditorialEyes Publishing Services)</p>

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<p>Thank you, CC book club peeps, for enriching my senses yet once again. I never would have read this on my own! Glad I am starting early–it is a challenge.</p>

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<p>Uh oh, if it’s a challenge, I’d better get started. </p>

<p>Thanks for the readalong link, SJCM. I enjoyed reading it during Cloud Atlas</p>

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<p>^^^</p>

<p>Ditto to everything BU+BC just posted.</p>

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<p>The story about Brittany that is told in a journal is upsetting. :frowning: At page 417, I’m asking myself, “How much darker can this book become?”</p>

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<p>I just pulled this off my bookshelf and read the first paragraph and am tempted to plunge in this weekend, although I’m in the middle of a couple of other books. I read it years ago and loved it. It was the first thing I’d read by A. S. Byatt although I’d read a lot by her sister Margaret Drabble. I even love the cover illustration on my edition: [Google</a> Image Result for <a href=“http://media-cache-ec5.pinterest.com/upload/32299322297262163_ru1W0hjD_b.jpg[/url]”>http://media-cache-ec5.pinterest.com/upload/32299322297262163_ru1W0hjD_b.jpg](<a href=“http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&tbo=d&biw=1348&bih=579&tbm=isch&tbnid=JwCxNFRvj6dM_M:&imgrefurl=http://pinterest.com/fernkaren/pre-raphaelite/&docid=SNMg9dF6OTOBbM&imgurl=http://media-cache-ec5.pinterest.com/upload/32299322297262163_ru1W0hjD_b.jpg&w=192&h=253&ei=wJ76UM2MDMXg2QWGuYD4DA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=412&sig=110306726262372606231&page=1&tbnh=132&tbnw=106&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:0,i:109&tx=57&ty=53]Google”>http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&tbo=d&biw=1348&bih=579&tbm=isch&tbnid=JwCxNFRvj6dM_M:&imgrefurl=http://pinterest.com/fernkaren/pre-raphaelite/&docid=SNMg9dF6OTOBbM&imgurl=http://media-cache-ec5.pinterest.com/upload/32299322297262163_ru1W0hjD_b.jpg&w=192&h=253&ei=wJ76UM2MDMXg2QWGuYD4DA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=412&sig=110306726262372606231&page=1&tbnh=132&tbnw=106&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:0,i:109&tx=57&ty=53)</a>. What does the cover look like now?</p>

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<p>Yes, keep looking at that cover picture (this is not a kindle read for me although the wiki links would help so much) </p>

<p>Slogging through the letters, but enjoying this selection- maybe downton abbey effect.</p>

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<p>I’m going to try to pick up Possession today, although at this late date, I suspect it will be practically impossible to finish before February. I loved the detailed writing of “The Children’s Book” but I believe I only made it halfway through. Dare I say that I discovered, while looking for a copy of Possession in our library system, the novel was made into a movie starring Gwyneth Paltrow (2002)? I have added it to my Netflix list.</p>

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<p>I need to start reading … I need to start reading … I need to start reading …</p>

<p>(I have about 20 pages left in a book that I don’t like but am determined to finish. Once I finish it - really, 20 pages - then I can start Possession. If I put the other book aside, I’ll never pick it back up. Did I mention I only have 20 pages left? ;))</p>

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<p>Ummmmmm yes "you must " start Ignatius - ;)</p>

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<p>Plant mom-I added the movie to Netflix queue too! We love Netflix.
I like your screen name- just read possession paragraph about purple creeping clematis and an almond scented Hawthorn tree "now tressed and heavy with pink and creamy blooms and alive with almond smell- so sweet- too sweet…</p>

<p>Missing my summer deck plants- I guess</p>

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<p>PlantMom, while googling around for Possession commentary I noticed it was a movie. So I checked Netflix. Hah - I had given it 5 stars already. Will have to watch it again =).</p>