Welcome to Litsy!

#12booksof2024 #August
This book was a literary adventure. Just loved it. Although I was often behind the group, sharing it as a buddy read helped me finally pick it up & read it! #TBR Thank you @Graywacke for taking this on!!!!

Possession is a different book, with narrative and letters and poetry and stories woven together to make a breathtaking account of love, loss, and regret. I finished reading the book in August, and I have to thank @Graywacke for leading us through the discussions. Such a good book! #12BooksOf2024

#12DaysofChristmas

Honorable mentions that didn‘t make my #Top24in24

The reading experience with the tagged book was enhanced by the comments and observations of the buddy read participants led by @Graywacke

@Andrew65

It's little hard for me to adequately explain how much I enjoyed this book, was obsessed by it (possessed), and was so unrelentingly curious. I was aware of this while reading, from about page 7 when it fully struck that I wanted to be involved. And that feeling never spoiled. I adored this book. I think this might be best book written in my lifetime. 🙂 Really. #byattbuddyread

I‘m so happy to have finally read this after years on my shelf. What a book - the layers of stories, the romance, the academic drama. The way Byatt wrote the artifacts of letters and poetry to create the characters is incredible. Thank you @Graywacke for hosting our buddy read!

Possession - chapters 22-28 - the end }#byattbuddyread

So those letters - didn‘t everyone, even us readers, desperately want them, at any cost? Is that bad? 🙂😇

So, apologies if I‘m a little overgushing, but this was an unparalleled amazing reading experience for me. I was possessed (how long before you realized the title has 2 meanings?). Have you finished? What was your take? What are your thoughts?

Byatt incorporates multiple types of documents to create a dual timeline of love and secrets. It‘s a very detailed read, and I think at some point I will have to reread this to fully intake the multiple layers. The ending is spellbinding, a perfect conclusion to a story rich in interweaving details. So glad I finally read this! #ByattBuddyRead #192025 #1990. #52BookClub24 #NominatedForTheBookerPrize

This a fun new graphic from the Bookly app - my July

- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
- Possession
- Lost & Found by Kathryn Shulz
- Above Ground by Clint Smith
- Light in August by William Faulkner
- The Control of Nature by John McPhee
- Sympatia by Rodrigo Blanco Calderon

#byattbuddyread
A quote on reading from AS Byatt‘s Possession:

“There are readings—of the same text—that are dutiful, readings that map and dissect, readings that hear a rustling of unheard sounds, that count grey little pronouns for pleasure or instruction and for a time do not hear golden or apples. There are personal readings, which snatch for personal meanings, I am full of love, or disgust, or fear, I scan for love, or disgust, or fear. … 👇

It might be me, but I listened to this book (a reread for me), and I think it‘s better in print because of the variety of formats Byatt uses — letters, essays, poetry, straight narrative. It‘s easier to see and make connections in print. Still good. No map, so here‘s some pictures of Little George in my husband‘s walker and on the sofa, and there‘s also one of Missy sitting on the back of the sofa like a cat. #audiowalk #byattbuddyread

Possession - chapters 18-21 #byattbuddyread

A lot in these four chapters. Blanche‘s letters, Lenora Sterns story, Sabine‘s letters on Cristabel in Brittany (👆), Cropper‘s philosophy of artifacts, Lenora saving Blackadder‘s TV interview, Hella Lees, and a lot poetry - on Is, seances and a lost child.

Byatt‘s son was struck and killed by a drunk driver when he was 11. Byatt stopped writing for 11 years.

Please, on all this, thoughts?

Heading home today from our NYC adventure. I‘m glad I have some good reading to entertain me on the flight. And relieved I got all my book purchases into my bags. 📚 📚 😮‍💨

I had to walk inside today because it started raining as soon as I went out to walk. I honestly don‘t know how, but I completely forgot about Christabel‘s time in France. #byattbuddyread #audiowalk

This 1990 Booker winner was told through two time periods with the help of some poetry, fairy tales, and letters. A romance with a bit of a mystery and some academic competition. I loved the ending! 4 🌟

I thought I‘d walk outside for a bit, but it started to lightning, so I walked 1 mile outside and 1 inside. After I‘ve finished this book, I may watch the movie again to see what I think of it so close to reading it. #byattbuddyread #audiowalk

Possession : chapters 11-17 #byattbuddyread

Two chapter-length poems, many other lengthy quotes, and Ash and Cristabel narrated in chapter 15 (my notes say “hot hot”). Meanwhile Maud and Roland trace Ash along the York cost, neglecting home. How‘s it going? For me, Byatt has prepped me for all these quotes. I‘m fascinated and entertained.

The photo of the ammonite comes from a Whitby webpage on finding fossils.

I like the addition of Christabel‘s & Ash‘s letters and poems, Ellen Ash‘s journal, and an excerpt from Lenora‘s book. I‘m finally settling into the rhythm of the audiobook. Only 82° this evening! #byattbuddyread #audiowalk

It has been too many days since I could not enjoy my porch due to the heat & humidity. So far today (9 a.m) it‘s a pleasant 73 degrees. Yay! I have missed being on my porch. Finished & posted a review of Murder on Wall Street& now I am continuing reading Possession. #porchlife #coffeeandbooks

Possession - Chapters 6-10 #byattbuddyread

I fell behind this week, care of Hurricane Beryl. But have just finished chapter ten and am staring down the title Swammerdam, knowing something of its consequences. I haven‘t read on yet.

Roland is charmingly humbled by our author, and our compassionate hearts maybe lie with Maud (mine does). But that was before we were showered with these passionate letters. You in? Overwhelmed? Share how it‘s going.

Getting some reading time in a beautiful setting today while I wait for a glimpse of my partner in the Triple Bypass bike race in Colorado. I‘m glad to be the one sitting here reading. 😂

@Graywacke

It‘s a good thing I decided to walk instead of swim. About 5 minutes after I got to the rec center, it started thundering and lightning. I‘ve now caught up to the schedule for #byattbuddyread and think I‘m finally getting used to the audio. #audiowalk. Our giant Maine Coon, Wash, is playing with little George.

Today I split my walk between indoors and outdoors, so the map is for the first half. I‘m getting a little bit better at keeping the characters straight in the audiobook. #audiowalk #byattbuddyread

It was only 85° today at 6:30pm, so I walked outside, finally! I‘m not sure Possession is the best book to listen to instead of read in print or as an ebook. If I hadn‘t read this book before, I‘d have a little trouble following it. #audiowalk #byattbuddyread

Reading this novel but it is slow going- only because each sentence is chock full of imagery & images that I have to slow down to take each sentence in. This is a buddy read but I probably will be behind - I am only on p.57! I am totally immersed in the story so far.

Started this book this evening for my #audiowalk book — I‘m alternating between it and Stone Blind. I read it when it first came out and loved it. So much of it was familiar from my own grad school in British Lit (Victorian) days. I‘m finding that I still enjoy it. No map today — it was 90° F in the shade at 6:30pm, so I walked at the rec center.

Possession - chapters 1-5

We have met Roland, our knight, and his research on Randolph Henry Ashe that he performs for someone else. And his discovery of the link to Cristabel LaMotte, thanks to help and family connections of Maud Bailey. Poetry, stories and letters.

How goes it? Are you struggling, completely infatuated and in love with Byatt like me 😁, or some, hopefully positive, place between?

Ok. I‘m on page 7. But I‘ve begun #byattbuddyread

Repost for @Graywacke

Two weeks and one day out.

Our plan

July 7: chapters 1-5
July 14: chapters 6-10
July 21: chapters 11-17
July 28: chapters 18-21
August 4: chapters 22-28
#byattbuddyread

Two weeks and one day out

Our plan

July 7: chapters 1-5
July 14: chapters 6-10
July 21: chapters 11-17
July 28: chapters 18-21
August 4: chapters 22-28
#byattbuddyread

repost for @Graywacke:

#byattbuddyread

I‘m looking for a reading plan for Possession and finding poetry everywhere. Had no idea.

Ok, plan idea A:

July 7: chapters 1-5 (102 pages)
July 14: chapters 6-10 (118 pages)
July 21: chapters 11-17 (111 pages)
July 28: chapters 18-21 (114 pages)
August 4: chapters 22-28 (109 pages)

What do you think? This is just a suggestion. I‘m open to what might work better for anyone.

#byattbuddyread

I‘m looking for a reading plan for Possession and finding poetry everywhere. Had no idea.

Ok, plan idea A:

July 7: chapters 1-5 (102 pages)
July 14: chapters 6-10 (118 pages)
July 21: chapters 11-17 (111 pages)
July 28: chapters 18-21 (114 pages)
August 4: chapters 22-28 (109 pages)

What do you think? This is just a suggestion. I‘m open to what might work better for anyone.

#ThreeListThursday #TLT @dabbe

1. An English Suite - Finzi, Parry, and Bridge. An excellent classical music collection.

2. Possession movie soundtrack composed by Gabriel Yared. Lush and heartfelt.

3. March by Michael Penn. Good acoustic rock songs.

We almost decided to read these. Ended up going in another direction.

Maybe I'll return to this someday, but I'm abandoning it for now. At nearly 50% in, I just didn't care enough to pick it back up, and I didn't want to slog through this as my last read of the year when better books are waiting. This was my December #bookspin @TheAromaofBooks

I have been in a massive (seriously, year long) reading slump. But Byatt's passing prompted me to finally pick this one up that has long been on my TBR. Y'all, I tore through this novel! It is so good! The narrative is great, the prose is great, the letters, diaries, poems are all great. It was a delight to read in every sense. The ending is a bit hasty and zany but it doesn't take away from how masterful the novel is overall.

RIP
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/nov/17/as-byatt-author-and-critic-dies-ag...

I am so sad to see this. I read the tagged in college and loved it, and got to see Byatt speak while in grad school. She was engaging, and I was star struck meeting her to sign my book. Rest in Peace amongst all the great storytellers, AS Byatt.

I‘ve been meaning to read this for years and I was absolutely right about how much I‘d love it. Beautiful, labyrinthine, full of yearning and strange surreal mystery elements and I LOVED how it viewed the past and wrote about (obviously very romanticised and somewhat secret history-esque) academia. The ending was a bit predictable but I wasn‘t really in it for the solution to the mystery eh

My long weekend goal is to finish POSSESSION. As good as it is, I‘m now at the point where I‘ve spent way too much time with it and I‘m ready to move on to something else. The tiny typeface they‘ve used for all the letters, journals, poems, and academic excerpts is doing me in. It‘s not a vision issue; it‘s about how I read for long stretches and get through, like, thirty pages. It‘s a frustrating progress to effort ratio.

Back in the day, after I encountered some stuff that helped me break past the idea that all litfic writers mistake dispassion for sophistication, I read a whole ton of novels that I absolutely COULD NOT WAIT to reread so I could catch all the little moments that gave the endings so much power.

POSSESSION was one of those—but y‘all, it‘s been 18 years, and while I remember the historical ending, I don‘t remember what I wanted to watch for. 🤷‍♀️

I was swept away by this novel. Just a big, dramatic story about scholarly passion and obsession, Victorian poets and the making of art, and love, but I think its dry humour goes under the radar.

Other 5 ⭐ reads that come to mind for P are Jane Austen's Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice, and Susanna Clarke's Piranesi.

I listened to this as read by Samuel West who was the perfect narrator. Most people have heard of this, it won the 1990 Booker Prize. It‘s a deep dive into nineteenth century poetry and modern day (well 1980s!) literary academics, particularly a pair of researchers, Roland and Maud who discover some hidden letters. There‘s mystery, romance, academic politics, feminist theory and a lot of 19th century style poems. ⬇️

Two thirds through this audio #chunkster which I‘m thoroughly enjoying and 100% through the chocolate berry waffle that my daughter bought me for lunch 😂😂 As good as it looked!

Such a cool list of books! Added so many to my TBR

? "Best books about books"
https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/2021/august/best-books-about-books-reading-di...

#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView
1. Possession was a good movie,if not as devastating as the book. I absolutely adore You've got mail too!
2. I think AJ Pearce's books, both Dear Mrs.Bird and Yours cheerfully would make for excellent movies!

Based on what I had heard and read about Possession before I was expecting to devour the book and absolutely love it. I did not. I liked it, sure, it was enjoyable, but I never reached that "I have to keep reading NOW" stage ? But still, a clear pick ?

I expected to love this book. Everything I knew about the plot seemed directed straight toward me. A scholar finds mysterious letters from his favorite poet in the London Library, steals them, and proceeds to uncover mystery after mystery? Yes, please. But...it just didn't do it for me. Reading this novel is a LOT of work. Are there pieces of it that are fantastic? Yes. Are there MANY pieces of it that are absolute drudgery to get through? Yes.