Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Tuesday Intro: The House of the Seven Gables

"Half-way down a by-street of one of our New England towns, stands a rusty wooden house, with seven acutely peaked gables facing towards various points of the compass, and a huge, clustered chimney in the midst. The street is Pyncheon-street; the house is the old Pyncheon-house; and an elm tree of wide circumference, rooted before the door, is familiar to every town-born child by the title of the Pyncheon-elm.  On my occasional visits to the town aforesaid, I seldom fail to turn down Pyncheon-street, for the sake of passing through the shadow of these two antiquities; the great elm-tree, and the weather-beaten edifice."

The House of the Seven Gables
by Nathaniel Hawthorne

September signals the beginning of Carl's R.I.P. Challenge (Readers Imbibing in Peril). New for the sixth year is the Peril of the Group Read. Along with Carl's offerings, Frances and Audrey have teamed up to host The House of the Seven Gables group read. We will post our thoughts on Friday October 14, then discussion will take place in the comments section all weekend long.

Although I wasn't a huge fan of The Scarlet Letter, group reads are always appealing and The House of the Seven Gables has been on my reading list for some time. Does the first paragraph appeal to you? Would you like to join us? Sign up with either Audrey or Frances... all are welcome!

Tuesday Intros is hosted by Diane at Bibliophile be the Sea.




17 comments:

  1. Well, I would keep reading but I'd like to do it within a group to keep me motivated!! I'd join in but I have way too much on my reading plate as it is!!

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  2. Staci - Oh, I know that feeling ;-)

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  3. JoAnn...I liked this book and the intro as well. I've visited The House of Seven Gables in Salem, MA - very cool.

    BTW...That "your" instead of "you're", on my intro was this ditz' fault, not the editor LOL

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  4. This is one I've been meaning to read. Thanks for the sneak peek!

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  5. This book reminds me of the card game "Authors" that we played when I was a little kid. I never did read the book. I'll keep an eye out for the review to see if I should give it a chance.

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  6. Diane - I'd love to visit the house! And LOL on the editing... one of my pet peeves, but so easy to do myself when typing quickly.

    Julie - It's been on my reading list forever, too. Glad to finally tackle it.

    Paulita - If all goes as planned, the review will be posted October 14.

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  7. Well, I'm intrigued! :) I think Frances is right...any book with a house as a main character is right up my street. I'm jealous that you've started already...and I'm so glad you're going to read with us!

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  8. I can't sign up for the read-a-long but will look forward to hearing your thoughts on this one. I've only read The Scarlett Letter.

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  9. Audrey - I'm starting early, because The Scarlet Letter was slow going for me..... seems like I'm only reading a few pages per sitting.

    Kathleen - Tune in on October 14 :-)

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  10. Based on that paragraph I'm not sure. ;) But I am interested as I visited The House of the Seven Gables during a trip to Salem three years ago. It was near Halloween so very crowded but I'd love to visit again one day.

    ps--started listening to Unbroken this morning. :)

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  11. Trish - Gables is definitely slow going and requires full concentration. Definitely can't read it when I'm tired! Hope you like Unbroken. It drew me right in - strange for a subject I'm not really interested in...

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  12. I wasn't taken by The Scarlet Letter either, but I felt I owed Hawthorne a second chance. Then the readalong came along and I ordered in my copy. I've only read this opening but I love it, and now I have high hopes.

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  13. Fleurfisher - I'm so glad you're reading along, Jane! The first chapter is slow going, but I do like it... not a book to read when I'm tired though.

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  14. I'd like to read it, but first I have to find a French traduction !

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  15. Annie - I hope you can find a French translation and read along with us!

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  16. A great choice! I haven't been up to visit The House of the Seven Gables for years. Perhaps a re-read and field trip are in my future ...

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  17. Dawn - I'm hoping to convince my husband to visit, but this is really pushing the upper limits of a day trip!

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