Group read: The Hours by Michael Cunningham - non-spoiler thread

Hi. We’re reading The Hours, Michael Cunningham’s 1998 response to the 1925 classic stream of conscious novel, Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. “The Hours” was Woolf’s working title as she constructed and reconstructed what became Mrs. Dalloway.

We started talking about this group read in January, and later discussed it here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/385020

This thread should have no spoilers. I should note there likely isn’t much to spoil. But please post with this non-spoiler caution. On July 31 I’ll create a post-reading discussion thread where we can say anything about the book.

Anyone can join. I’m tagging everyone who wanted to join or follow: @rhian_of_oz @Dilara86 @wandering_star @markon @Nickelini

thank you! started reading yesterday & looking forward to discussing with you all

Thanks Dan, I've started and look forward to discussion.

I"m in. I won't have time to reread it, but I've read it at least twice already, and my copy is marked up. I've also read Mrs Dalloway several times at univeristy and wrote on it, so I feel confident that I can contribute.

I've also seen the film about a hundred times, although that was years and years ago already. I wonder if everyone participating has seen the film?

Lovely! I reread Mrs Dalloway a couple of weeks ago in preparation. I'll be reading The Hours on Everand. I was a bit worried that, with their brand-new tier system, it wouldn't be available to me, but it is :-) I'll start as soon as I finish my library book.

>5 Nickelini: I've also seen the film about a hundred times, although that was years and years ago already. I wonder if everyone participating has seen the film?
I saw it at the cinema when it came out, and once on DVD, but like you, it was years ago.

>2 dchaikin: me me me ! ive read it a few times and saw the film years ago

Hey everyone. Busy day for me today. Coming in late. >3 wandering_star: >4 markon: Glad you're already reading it! (I need to finish my current book, Ali Smith's Glyph. 40-ish pages to go. So I'll start soon.) >6 Dilara86: that's fantastic you re-read Mrs. Dalloway. It will be fresh. (I might re-read it next month. Trying to decide. But I'll be sitting on my memories from January while reading Cunningham.) >7 cindydavid4: welcome Cindy!

>5 Nickelini: I have not seen any films. The Hours is from 2002?

>8 dchaikin: Well, one film. Yes, from 2002. Nominated for 9 Academy Awards. Nicole Kidman won for best actress for her performance as Virginia Woolf. Five star film in my opinion, but if you don't watch films, at least listen to the soundtrack and score by Philip Glass. They don't make movies like this any more.

>9 Nickelini:
Totally agree. One of my top 3 films of all time - and what a soundtrack! Play it regularly (it's great to read to as well).

>3 wandering_star: and >4 markon: how’s your progress? How are enjoying?

I just read the prologue. And I’ve thought about this lot, but in glimpses among other thoughts. Not sustained as we are while reading the text. I’m, if traumatized were a spectrum and reading could put you on some gentler edge of that traumatized spectrum, I’m there.

>9 Nickelini: >10 Willoyd: wow. What have I missed? I must read this 1st.

Uh oh - early book worries.

I didn’t know this was an imitation of Woolf. I knew it was focused on Mrs. Dalloway. Based on it. But i didn’t know it was also an imitation. And - he can’t. He’s contemporary, but … I’m uncomfortable early

Mrs. Dalloway opens with a raw power. It’s the prose. The reworking. The rethinking. The uncertainty slowly carved in new ways. It’s fresh.

“How fresh, how calm, stiller than this of course, the air was in the early morning; like the flap of a wave; the kiss of a wave; chill and sharp and yet (for a girl of eighteen as she then was*) solemn, feeling as she did, standing there at the open window, that something awful was about to happen;”

(*she is, of course, 52)

That’s from the 1st page. Cunningham cannot do that. He can’t replicate the freshness. He also can’t replicate that prose, it’s power. The wind and waves rushing in. No one can.

What he does:

“The vestibule door opens onto a June morning so fine and scrubbed Clarissa pauses at the threshold as she would at the edge of a pool, watching the turquoise water lapping at the tiles, the liquid nets of sun wavering in the blue depths.”

This is fine. Pretty. On its own, I like it. But - fine, threshold and torquiest do not have the energy of “the flap of a wave; the kiss of a wave; chill and sharp and yet”. She uses “wave” twice. It and freakin works.

I’m worried i might not forgive Micheal this pale imitation. I’ll pause and come back.