Lit Snobs Group Read?

Would anyone be interested in doing a Lit Snobs group read?
With some of the snark-masters in this group, it might be fun. Suggestions for which book to use?

I would be very interested. I have fallen into reader's block lately. I used to force in time for my reading, and even though I technically haven't gotten any busier, I changed a few habits and started studying for the MCAT, and not a lot of reading has gone on since. Lots of book buying. But not much book reading.
If I felt I was failing the entire illustrious Lit Snobs group by continuing my habits, maybe I'd be more inclined.

I've heard Anthony Burgess' Earthly Powers mentioned frequently in threads: that might be a fun book to use.

Anyone else interested?

I've read EARTHLY POWERS, it's one of my favorite books of all time. Happy to share & discuss it with others.

Count me in. I loved Earthly Powers when I read it eons ago, and had been thinking it was time for a re-read. For me, that book has a top-10 of all time best first line. "It was the afternoon of my eighty-first birthday, and I was in bed with my catamite when Ali announced that the archbishop had come." Who wouldn't want to continue reading with a set-up like that??

Agreed. Killer line. Years ago I was traveling on a train to Ottawa, had a few drinks with a chap and when I mentioned the book, he could quote that first line verbatim. I knew then that I was in good company...

I'd be interested, so long as I can find a cheap copy.

I read that first line and thought "I've never heard of that drink before. A catamite?" Looked up the word and well, that will definitely change the meaning of the sentence!

I'm sorry, I always think of the character "Carmenguia" out of Mel Brooks The Producers whenever I hear Catamite. So how on earth can you weave a plot that can follow an opening line like that?

9: LOL, I certainly had to look it up the first time I heard that opening sentence, too.

I am in, when do we start and who wants to run it?

My copy (bought upon recommendation from Cliff and others) has been languishing on my shelf, so I'm totally for this.

If it's anywhere near as good as Cliff says, I'm looking forward to it.

You won't be disappointed. It's a masterwork. I'm finishing off a couple of projects but I'll follow along as best I can. May have to pull my fat ol' hardcover off the shelf and refresh my memory. It's been awhile but I have a hunch a re-read would reveal even more depths and nuances to a book I already revere.

"I am in, when do we start and who wants to run it?"

I just ordered the book, so it'll probably arrive in a week or so. Does starting in a week work for you all?

And has anyone here moderated a group read before?

I already own a copy, I'm in!

My mass market paperback dates to 1981, the first paperback printing, and I expect pages to fall out when turned but it's definitely time for and worthy of a reread.

I've got my digital copy on my hard drive. All I need to do is download it to my Kindle - ready to go.

Just ordered my (paper) copy through Amazon. Should be here between July 20 and August 6, so long as nothing gets messed up...I've made maybe a half dozen or so orders through them in the past 6 months, and two have either been the wrong book or never arrived.

17: "I've got my digital copy on my hard drive."

Where'd you get your digital copy?

I'll have to pass. While I'd like to read Earthly Powers, it sounds like a hefty tome and since I'm already working on The Alexandria Quartet I wouldn't be able to give it the attention it doubtless deserves. Another time....

Well, I just joined LT, was enticed by Lit Snobs, went and got the book from the library and read a few chapters yesterday. Does that make me an embarrassingly keen newbie?
I had never read any Burgess before, but can tell I'm going to enjoy this book.

Have to check and see if I still have my copy. I have read it, but typically the only thing I remember about it is the first line which was, somehow, burned indelibly into my brain.

I'll be glad to start it as soon as I finish Bleak House...

My favorite bit so far - Toomey's casual put-down of Henry James at the end of Chapter 14, in which he quotes or paraphrases the tortuous prose in the latter's letter to him, and then simply...
"My mother brought in the cocoa."

You're already on chapter fourteen??
*runs off to do some reading*

Actually, I may be cheating, since this is supposed to be a group read, and some folks probably haven't got the book yet. Not sure how these things are supposed to work. I'm on Chapter 25 now. However, I'm a slow reader, so I'll probably still be last to finish!

I just got my copy! I'll probably start reading it tomorrow. Didn't realize how large a book it is - all in small print, too. Could take me a while to get through...

I've kind of ground almost to a halt, as real life has intruded on my time for reading. One good thing about it is that, despite its bulk, the chapters are mostly relatively short, which makes it easy to consume one chapter at a time. I like short chapters. They show consideration for the reader, or at least that's what it feels like.

I bought the book on Saturday finally. I am finding it really enjoyable to read. It reminds me of lots of other books. Is anyone leading? Should we start a new thread?

Finally got Earthly Powers in the mail!

Since no one has started the group read thread, I'll start it. I want people to be able to discuss the book before they finish without worrying about reading spoilers from later in the book. So what I'm going to do is start three threads:

*Earthly Powers: first ten chapters. A thread for our initial reactions to the book. Please don't mention any events that occur after the first ten chapters.

*Earthly Powers: first forty-two chapters. A thread for people to discuss the first half of the book. Also, forty-two is the answer the ultimate question of life.

*Earthly Powers: whole book. Spoil away!

24: What's worse than James's 'tortuous' prose? His long-windedness combined with Burgess's penchant for large words.

31: You may have a point. Nevertheless, these large words, or rather these obscure words, are part of the fun of this book for me. I don't mind stopping to look some of them up. It feels like part of the game Burgess (and Toomey) are playing with the reader.