16 Comments
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Shari Decter Hirst's avatar

I'm looking forward to this slow read. I went to order Possession on Amazon and was told that I have had it in my kindle since 2015. lost in the volume of books since ordered and read. Fate?

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Caroline Donahue's avatar

Sounds like fate to me!

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Tammy Evans's avatar

This book was recommended to me eons ago and I have tried to start it and I lose steam. I am certain this slow reading group will help me this time. Fingers crossed!

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Caroline Donahue's avatar

We're here for you, Tammy! I find when I get stuck on a book, a group read definitely helps me persevere.

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Rufus Williams's avatar

Long overlooked on my TBR list. Looking forward to this. As a slow reads virgin and substack neophyte, though, is there a link to click on for the August 22nd event?

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Caroline Donahue's avatar

There is! https://substack.com/@carodonahue/note/c-140357036?r=m4847&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action

That lets you click „interested“ but as a paid subscriber you‘ll also get an email when we go live. Welcome to the membership! 🥳

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Meredith DC's avatar

I was 25 years old when I read this novel a very long time ago! I’m also doing slow reads with Simon & Hayley so I’m very much looking forward to seeing your take on doing a slow read. I’m very much an introvert too, and chat rarely in these groups, but I love the concept and have special journals to take copious notes in. See you in September 😊

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Caroline Donahue's avatar

Yay for special journals! I am absolutely in favor of those. There's room for every type of reader and I think it will be really exciting to see how the book feels at a different point in life. I noticed that in my 40s I'm far more in awe of the work that went into creating this book. In my early 20s I was just swept along with the story.

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Carolyn Henderson Lukas's avatar

I've already got my copy of Possession ready to go. I have never done this sort of thing before so I am looking forward to it.

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Caroline Donahue's avatar

Exciting Carolyn! I think you'll really enjoy it. It's now one of the things I look forward to every day -- sitting down with a big juicy book and having a small taste I can savor.

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Grace Jeschke's avatar

Hopefully a used copy is winging toward me. I’m quite a neophyte—I had no idea that Byatt also wrote Angels and Insects, and so I grabbed a copy of that, too, having seen the movie ages ago.

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Caroline Donahue's avatar

I remember that film -- poor Daniel Day Lewis getting the shaft from that weird family! Byatt is amazing. I haven't read all her books, but I feel myself gearing up to go through the full list eventually.

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Cara Finnegan's avatar

I first read Possession a few years after it came out, just before I started graduate school. It made a strong impression on me then. I’m eager to dive in again to see how it reads to me now.

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Caroline Donahue's avatar

Yay Cara! I loved it even more the second time through — hoping it feels the same for you. 🥰

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Simon Haisell's avatar

Looking forward to chatting with you Caroline, and AS Byatt's novels are perfect for a slow read.

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Caroline Donahue's avatar

So many layers! I cannot wait to see what your version looks like. ✨

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