Group Read: Foucault's Pendulum in June

Welcome aboard. I want to read Foucault's Pendulum in 2010 because I read The Name of the Rose in 2009 and it whupped me. I found the story fascinating and enraging but the nature of the various other intellectual games Eco was playing just sailed right over my head, mostly. So, rather like hiking, I want to try again on another of his novels, this time better prepared. Or so I hope. Before I get anywhere near Pendulum, I am going to try to read a book about the Templars, a book about Foucault and a lit crit by Eco. See if it helps. Oh yes, and dust off my dictionary. That's why the June start up. Don't let me scare you off though ... This is supposed to be fun.

Thanks for starting this NST. I have it on my calendar for June. I haven't read any of Eco's books but they sure sound intriguing ( and difficult! ) It's for my 1010 challenge and I picked it only because you had mentioned doing a group read. First challenge, and March wll be my first group read; Briar Rose. I am loving LT but spending way too much time here. :)

I'm in for FP in June. I did read The Name of the Rose many years ago and felt that I only read it quite superficially. I am a little intimidated by Eco and like #1 would like to be better prepared this time around.

I'm in. I read and enjoyed The Name of the Rose but I'm sure I didn't get much out of some parts. I look forward to reading something else by Eco and a group read is the safest way to go.

I finished The Name of the Rose a few days ago to see what I was getting into. I have successfully been intimidated! Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to Foucault's Pendulum; maybe it will be easier with some moral support!

I have FP and may join in the read, if I can find it, and depending on what I am doing in June :).

For people who succeeded in intimidating themselves with TNOTR, I recommend one of the many reviews posted to LT. I found this MONTHS after I completed my own read and think it is going to help me think more usefully about FP. Not to mention if I get it together to reread TNOTR. Here's the link:

http://thelectern.blogspot.com/2009/12/name-of-rose-umberto-eco.html

Actually, I recommend a number of the others as well but in a "misery loves company" kind of way. Seeing so many other people report out an experience similar to my own was very cheering.

Funnily, I am not at all interested in reading any of the FP reviews until after I have read the book. I am deeply committed to making my own d*** mistakes.

I read The Name of the Rose many years ago and found it to be educational as well as entertaining. So when I saw Foucault's Pendulum on my future brother-in-law's shelf last week, I asked to borrow it. He said he has read it many times. What luck to find it in the group read! I am looking forward this.

I'd love to read along with you guys in June! Remusly gave me the link to this group and I think I'll have great time! Can't wait!

See you in June. I last read Foucault's Pendulum in early 1991, so it will be just like reading it for the first time.

I like the format some of the earlier Group Reads have chosen, of setting up a Read-specific group with specialized threads. I am thinking of trying to do that for FP. Any feelings?

I'm new to the Group Read thing, so I don't have a clear idea how that would look. Could you say more about it please?

Another group I'll be reading with mentioned reading up to an agreed upon stopping point, having discussion time, then moving on.

I have no preferences at this point as I am totally ignorant! ;>)

Different groups handle it differently. One way is to divide the book into sections, with one thread each, so that people discuss the section in question on the designated thread. This shields those who have not finished the book from comments that assume they have. Another way is the way it is being handled for Dorian Gray, where someone has done the research and/or hard thinking to develop theme questions and established threads for those.

As a newbie, I will be happy with either, but my preference is for the latter, based only upon my remembered pain from High School English classes (many, many years ago). On the other hand, I imagine that it's good to have some sort of focus for the discussion, so.......Hopefully, others will chime in.

I've only participated in group reads where the book is divided into sections with a thread devoted solely to that section but I'm game to try the other way. Would we all have to finish the book before tackling the questions? Any volunteers willing to lead the discussions?

I don't know that "leading" would be necessary. We could start out with a couple of questions snagged from some readers guide somewhere (I am volunteering to hunt) and participants could add some others if they felt like it. I don't see the Dorian Gray group raging out of control. People would begin to participate as they finished the book or when they felt ready to discuss the specific question. These threads can have a long life. I have just seen some threads from last year's Orlando reading go strolling through my "Your Groups" thread tab.

I have other reading I have to do each month for RL book groups, so I would like to see it broken up in some manner and discussion about the completed section in separate threads. But I realize that others may want a different schedule, its just my 2 cents.

No reason not to have some of both, it seems to me. I will take a look at the book proper and try to divide relatively equally by number of days across 5 weeks. And then go looking for just a couple of reading guide questions so we don't die of too many threads. How does that sound?

That sounds good. The more I think about it, the more I'm with FicusFan. From what I hear, it can be an intimidating read, and it would help me to have support and discussion along the way rather than waiting until the end.

I am just worried that if the reading pace is too fast and I can't keep up, then I will give up because I will never catch up.

Also just reading the threads and not being able to participate until later kills the fun and plays havoc with the reading. But again thats my take, don't want to force it if others prefer something else.

Well, we've got until mid-May to organize the June read for real. But I hear you loud and clear on the "break it up".

I participated in The Brothers Karamazov group read last year. The book was divided into sections in its own forum, and people could add topics/questions for discussion as they wanted. This allowed the readers to proceed at their own pace, contributing to threads as they read. It also allowed people to skip discussions that didn't interest them or ask questions as needed. Is this what you are thinking of?

Precisely.

#22 sounds great to me.

Great. In a (ha-ha) quiet moment, I will learn how to set up a group and then do it.

I would like to read this, too. But I haven't read The Name of the Rose. Is that OK? I have it on my tbr, just never got to it yet.
--BJ

Foucault's Pendulum isn't a sequel to anything. Please jump in and join us!

I like the sound of #22. I tried to participate in a group read of Alias Grace last month, but without such organization, it fell apart.

Foucault's Pendulum is such a substantial book, that we'll need a little structure. Things won't work if we have to wait until the end to read or comment. Neverstoptrying, will you set that up?