Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Announcing the Evelina Group Read

Gentle Readers,

I am very excited to make the long-await announcement for a group read of Fanny Burney's first novel which she published anonymously, Evelina, or a History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World.  The book was a big success and even an inspiration to Jane Austen.  Queen Charlotte liked the book so much she hired Fanny as a Keeper of the Robes, much to Fanny's chagrin.  But who can say "no" to the queen; especially when she is your fan!  Now it's our turn to find out if we enjoy Fanny's wit as much as Queen Charlotte (my money is on "yes") with the Evelina Group Read.


Book Editions
Our salons will meet once a week (every Thursday) here to discuss designated chapters but that doesn't mean you can't get a head-start now!  Many local libraries may just have this classic in their stacks.  Amazon also has many affordable editions of the book from Penguin Classic, Oxford World Classics, Norton, and Broadview (which I personally enjoyed).  GirleBooks has an ebook version for free.  Lauren even found an audiobook from SilkSoundBooks in which Judi Dench is one of the readers; doesn't that sound awesome?  Our group read will also offer participants and opportunity to win a copy of the soon-to-be treasured book!

Calendar
Mark your calendar, the tentative salon schedule is as follows:
2 June: Volume 1 Letters 1-20
9 June: Volume 1 Letter 21- Volume 2 Letter 6
16 June: Volume 2 Letter 7- 22
23 June: Volume 2 Letter 23- Volume 3 Letter 9
30 June: Volume 3 Letter 10-23

So who is with me?  The more the merrier I say!  Please don't let anyone miss out on your wit!  Sign up below via the Mr. Linky widgit (hit refresh if you don't see it below).  Stay tuned to the blog for more details.  I can't wait!




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67 comments:

  1. DollyMay 10, 2011 at 2:11 AM

    I've been thinking of reading this for a while now! I'm surprised i'm the first to comment though.

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  2. Phoebe's SistersMay 10, 2011 at 2:35 AM

    Wow! That's exactly what I've been thinking about for a while now! I've just rediscovered Fanny Burney for myself and I wanted to start reading her books with someone.

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  3. KatinkaMay 10, 2011 at 5:31 AM

    Yay! I've been just itching to start!

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  4. Heather CarrollMay 10, 2011 at 7:38 AM

    Hurray! I'm glad my announcement was timely.

    @Farida, I'm so happy that you will be back for another group read!

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  5. VicMay 10, 2011 at 7:43 AM

    I should read this book. Haven't so far, so this is a good time to start!!

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  6. Heather CarrollMay 10, 2011 at 7:44 AM

    As I told Laurel Ann, you'll fly through it due to your love of Austen. Their work (and wit) is so similar!

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  7. Katherine LouiseMay 10, 2011 at 8:46 AM

    I'm in! I love group reads, it's such fun to talk to others reading the same book. Just a note to Apple users--if you have iBooks, I believe that Evelina is one of their free books.

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  8. Katherine LouiseMay 10, 2011 at 8:49 AM

    PS Who is the beautiful girl on the cover of the book?

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  9. Talia FelixMay 10, 2011 at 10:33 AM

    I'll do my best -- I'd been planning to read the book at some point, here's an excuse to start.

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  10. AnonymousMay 10, 2011 at 11:03 AM

    Oh dear haven't done a group read since Love In The Time of Cholera, six tortuous chapters with a clever hidden duplicate paragraph.
    Retro

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  11. Laura McDonaldMay 10, 2011 at 2:11 PM

    Oh how I love, love, love this book. I've read Cecilia and Camilla and while good, neither compares to Evelina, her masterpiece.

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  12. Miss BettyMay 10, 2011 at 2:59 PM

    I've been meaning to read this forever so thank you for providing me with an excuse!

    Also, thank you for pointing me to SilkSoundBooks! Or maybe not, when I come to think of it. I could easily spend faaaar to much money on there!

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  13. Heather CarrollMay 10, 2011 at 3:50 PM

    I have a bad habit of spreading my online spending addictions ;)

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  14. GrubStLodgerMay 10, 2011 at 4:05 PM

    Been on my reading list for ages, lets go for it

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  15. katie eggemanMay 10, 2011 at 4:18 PM

    I ordered the book as a result of reading Becoming Jane Austen and her letters. Also I am about to finish Georgiana where she was mentioned. I am excited to have found you and now the book reading.

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  16. C. Allyn PiersonMay 10, 2011 at 5:35 PM

    I just got this from gurlbooks for Kindle- I am lookign forward to reading it! I haven't ever come across any of her books, although I have often heard her mentioned in historical fiction.

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  17. Heather CarrollMay 10, 2011 at 6:01 PM

    @Katherine Louise, Sorry forgot to answer you. It's Hoppner's Evelina which some think may have been a portrait of Burney herself

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  18. VineryMay 10, 2011 at 6:44 PM

    I bought my copy at a local bookstore when you first mentioned the group read a couple months ago. It's been sitting on the "read" pile ever since, tempting me to get started--so now I can!

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  19. CarrotsMay 10, 2011 at 6:59 PM

    I'm so excited for this! I love a good book, and I've been looking for a new one.

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  20. Phoebe's SistersMay 10, 2011 at 10:27 PM

    Me too! I'm glad to take part in another group read. Lovely picture of the cover!

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  21. KayMay 10, 2011 at 11:40 PM

    I needed a new book on my reading list, so I definitely can't wait to start this one!

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  22. JuanMay 11, 2011 at 9:19 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  23. AnonymousMay 11, 2011 at 9:21 AM

    I'm in!!! I've been itching to read more 18th/19th century literature (outside of class, I mean) and this is the perfect opportunity to do so!

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  24. Diane DonaldMay 11, 2011 at 9:56 AM

    What a great idea! I'm definitely in. People may be interested in the free audio book from librivox, the link is here: http://librivox.org/evelina-by-fanny-burney/

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  25. HeatherMay 11, 2011 at 10:10 AM

    Just ordered! Excited to read another of Fanny's works.

    I'll also share this on my blog!

    -H

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  26. Molly M.May 11, 2011 at 1:29 PM

    I'd love to participate. I'll be out of the country for the first session but I think I can catch up. Thanks for doing this.

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  27. JuanMay 11, 2011 at 2:46 PM

    So excited! This sounds like it'll be lots of fun!

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  28. Heather CarrollMay 11, 2011 at 9:35 PM

    Yay! Yay! Yay! I am thrilled to have you all!

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  29. ChrisbookaramaMay 11, 2011 at 9:50 PM

    I think this is the push I needed to finally read it!

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  30. GrubStLodgerMay 12, 2011 at 3:52 PM

    That picture doesn't look like the pictures of Fanny Burney that I've seen.

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  31. Wendy La CapraMay 13, 2011 at 4:07 PM

    I read it in college and would love an excuse to read it again!

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  32. LetherMay 13, 2011 at 5:48 PM

    Really excited! I've been meaning to read it for some time and the group read would be just perfect!
    Ordering my copy tonight. :)

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  33. LuliMay 13, 2011 at 8:22 PM

    Hi. I'm on board! Can't wait for June book meetups. Hopefully I can download Evelina for free on my Nook. If not, then I'll get it from the library.

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  34. Snickers MomMay 13, 2011 at 8:27 PM

    I'm so excited about this. I bought the book back when it was first mentioned and I read the first volume. I can hardly wait to re-read it and then finish the book with the group.

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  35. Heather CarrollMay 13, 2011 at 10:41 PM

    Hurray, you can't even imagine how psyched I am to have you all on board!

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  36. Lady WesleyMay 14, 2011 at 10:16 AM

    I've just discovered your blog and find it delightful. I ordered the Oxford version of Evelina, and to my surprise, sped all the way through it in just a couple of days! Looking forward to the discussion.

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  37. Heather CarrollMay 14, 2011 at 12:57 PM

    It's an addicting read, isn't it?

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  38. OogleMay 14, 2011 at 3:14 PM

    This sounds like so much fun! I've been wanting to read this for quite some time, and this is the perfect excuse.

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  39. Laurel Ann (Austenprose)May 14, 2011 at 4:50 PM

    Wonderful Heather. I will announce it on my blog next week. Not sure I can commit, but will try my best.

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  40. viridianMay 14, 2011 at 7:15 PM

    I'm on - I hope I make it thorugh all the chapters.

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  41. AnonymousMay 15, 2011 at 2:13 AM

    How perfectly marvelous! I've been looking for an excuse to reread Evelina (not that one is needed, really) and the timing is perfect.

    What a wonderful idea!

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  42. MELMay 15, 2011 at 1:06 PM

    I am looking forward to reading this and hearing what everyone thinks. Thanks Heather!

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  43. WendiMay 16, 2011 at 12:44 PM

    Yes! Yes! Yes! I've been loving your blog and now that I have had a few minutes to spend more time here I stumbled across this and I'm so excited. what fun. I dashed out to my van and grabbed my Kindle and I'm ready to go.

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  44. AnonymousMay 17, 2011 at 9:10 PM

    Question: my copy of the novel isn't divided into volumes, so I'm having a bit of trouble with the letter numbers we're supposed to read to. If it would be too much trouble, could you tell me how many letters are in each volume? I could calculate things from there, I think.

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  45. Heather CarrollMay 17, 2011 at 9:13 PM

    Aha! I think I may actually be prepared for this. Which edition do you have and does it end with letter LXXXIV aka 84?

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  46. AnonymousMay 17, 2011 at 9:27 PM

    I have the Girlebooks version, and yes, the last letter I have is LXXXIV.

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  47. Heather CarrollMay 17, 2011 at 9:28 PM

    Fabulous! Then we are alll set!

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  48. SusanMay 18, 2011 at 11:03 AM

    This is a re-read for me, but that's good because I've forgotten mostly everything!

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  49. SakiVIMay 18, 2011 at 10:44 PM

    Yay! This has been on my to-read list forever!

    And how cool is it that to post this comment my word verification is "minx"? ;)

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  50. Heather CarrollMay 18, 2011 at 10:46 PM

    That is cool! If I could have things my way Minx would always be the verification word of this blog!

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  51. Reads Books and LeavesMay 18, 2011 at 11:03 PM

    As I've mentioned on the goodreads event page you sent, I'm really excited about this. Have been meaning to read it for a long while!:D

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  52. Heather CarrollMay 18, 2011 at 11:13 PM

    Once again, I can't stop saying how happy I am to have you all!

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  53. ChristyMay 19, 2011 at 2:55 PM

    Really looking forward to this! :)

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  54. Kate MaxwellMay 20, 2011 at 2:27 AM

    Looking forward to this...I will be in the middle of a move, but think I can manage! Thanks for the opportunity

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  55. GrubStLodgerMay 21, 2011 at 4:14 AM

    Just finished volume one, surprisingly engrossed.

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  56. AnonymousMay 23, 2011 at 10:33 AM

    How did I miss this getting posted...so glad I saw it in time. Will begin my re-read today...so excited to see how other react to the book. Thanks for hosting!

    Courtney

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  57. ElleMay 24, 2011 at 7:45 PM

    Just the encouragement I needed to finally pick this one up!

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  58. ElleMay 25, 2011 at 2:14 PM

    Just added a link to the group read to my own blog here:

    http://marquise-elle.blogspot.com/2011/05/evelina-group-read.html

    This is a perfectly marvelous idea! I'm so glad you've put this together.

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  59. SusanMay 26, 2011 at 9:22 PM

    I just got the book last night! I am off to read, right now. :)
    Que fun!

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  60. GenistaMay 27, 2011 at 7:36 AM

    Just stumbled upon this! I've been meaning to read Evelina for ages. Never done a group read, but it sounds fun. I shall see if I can get hold of a copy.

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  61. JessiMay 27, 2011 at 1:33 PM

    Back (after a hectic year of neglectfulness to the GG) and really looking forward to the salons

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  62. SakiVIMay 31, 2011 at 1:18 PM

    I think I might indulge in that silk sound reading. Yes, quite definitely...

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  63. Heather CarrollMay 31, 2011 at 4:49 PM

    I just bought it and so far it's been worth the money!

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  64. Carey HannafordJune 4, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    I have only just found this blog but would love to join in. I have not yet read Evelina so am looking forward to it.

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  65. Heather CarrollJune 5, 2011 at 7:50 AM

    Welcome! Can't wait to have you!

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  66. laninakiJune 14, 2011 at 10:46 AM

    I'm excited to read this!

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  67. Pechorin de VeuvrayJuly 4, 2011 at 12:50 PM

    Better late than JAMAIS!!!

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