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In August we are looking at families in classic books. You could choose a book where the title includes a word that is a relationship, such as “mother��, or just read a book about a family.

Examples:

Wives and Daughters - Elizabeth Gaskell
Père Goriot - Honoré de Balzac

Thank you Trisha!
Hello everyone and welcome to our latest challenge.


No! Not that show, Moss...this one






Dick & Dom

Here is your template:

Ask the Family (August 2023 Challenge)
1/8/23 - 31/8/23
0/?

1

2

3

1 2 3


As always, more or less books as you desire!

Ask the Family








Family Members:
�� Kathy
�� Nike
�� Rosemarie
�� Trisha
�� Vicky

🌸Ask the Family (August 2023 Challenge)🌸
1/8/23 - 31/8/23
2/2

1 Buddenbrooks - Thomas Mann
Finished 8/8/23

2 The Sojourner - Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
Finished 8/16/23

I'm in.

And I might just try to read Buddenbrooks me too ... Despite of everyone's appreciation of it I've started it and put it down twice. But I'd like to finish it. Or I'll do as I often do in this group and stick to delicate short stories.

Ask the Family (August 2023 Challenge)

1/8/23 - 31/8/23

1 Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann

Tr1sha wrote: "I’ll have to do this - but perhaps just one book as it’s a long one. It’s been on my TBR list for ages, so it’s the obvious choice for the challenge.

Ask the Family (August 2023 Challenge)
1/8/23 ..."

I just might try and read the same. I've abandoned it twice but I'd like to finish it some time.

Ask the Family (August 2023 Challenge)
(August 1 to 31)

1.The King of Elfland's Daughter by Lord Dunsany��
2.Brother Jacob by George Eliot��
3.The Mother Hunt by Rex Stout��
4. The Father Hunt by Rex Stout��
5. Death Comes As the End by Agatha Christie��

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Nike wrote: "�� I just might try and read the same. I've abandoned it twice but I'd like to finish it some time��

I’ll feel guilty if you don’t enjoy the book this time, Nike! I was trying to decide what to read for the challenge & remembered Buddenbrooks has been on my list for a long time so it was the obvious choice. Perhaps we can encourage each other to read it. I have a Kindle version but may use the audio version for some of it too. But if you prefer to read something else I will understand.

Ask the Family (August 2023 Challenge)
1/8/23 - 31/8/23
1/1 finished 8/16/23

��1. His Family by Ernest Poole

My brother Scott, me, Grandma Smith, and sister Diane (in front)

Ask the Family (August 2023 Challenge)
1/8/23 - 31/8/23
0/2

1: Buddenbrooks (1901) - Thomas Mann
This book chronicles the decline of a wealthy north German merchant family over the course of four generations, incidentally portraying the manner of life and mores of the Hanseatic bourgeoisie in the years from 1835 to 1877. Mann drew deeply from the history of his own family, the Mann family of Lübeck, and their milieu. It was Mann's first novel, published when he was twenty-six years old.

2: The Magic Mountain (1924) - Thomas Mann
The story revolves around the protagonist, Hans Castorp, a young engineer who visits his cousin Joachim Ziemssen at a sanatorium in the Swiss Alps. Initially planning to stay for only three weeks, Hans becomes captivated by the peculiar atmosphere of the sanatorium and ends up staying for seven years.

Lovely photo, Jazzy!

That looks like fun, Jazzy!

A very sweet photo Jazzy!

Aww thanks Kathy, Rosemarie, & Trisha! We visited our grandparents once a year and here we are going to a creek with our little pails to collect shells and pebbles.

Ask the Family (August 2023 Challenge)
1/8/23 - 31/8/23
3/3

1After the FallbyArthur Miller
��14/8/23 �� �� �� ��
2A Civil ContractbyGeorgette Heyer
��1/8/23 �� �� �� ��
3Watsons, The and SanditonbyJane Austen
��2/8/23 �� �� �� ��


1 2 3

-BTW, nice photo,Jazzy!

Completed 14/8/23

The Rolling Stones - Family
“Here’s the son, yes his legs are screwed on
Yeah, they’re screwed on pretty tight
But his brain is loose and it ain’t no use
He’s already lost the fight
What exactly’s gonna happen
When he’s finally realized
That he can’t play his guitar like E.G. Jim
Or write St. Augustine if he tried?
And that’s what happens
When a family finds out
That they've been in orbit now for a thousand years
And need a thousand more to climb out.��
H. E. Bates - The Darling Buds of May 1958
Eça de Queirós - The Maias 1888

Tr1sha wrote: "Nike wrote: "�� I just might try and read the same. I've abandoned it twice but I'd like to finish it some time��

I’ll feel guilty if you don’t enjoy the book this time, Nike! I was trying to decide..."

I"ve been thinking about it and I've made up my mind. You mentioned audiobook and I've decided to finish it once and for all by listening to it instead. I think I've read a third of it but I haven't been looking at the book since September 2021 ...

I have enjoyed it while I've been reading - or at least liked it enough - but once I put it down I never seem to long for to pick it up again. I wasn't aware that it was that long ago since I laid it down though!

And I won't start from the beginning, it's long enough. But thanks to you I'll start listening to it instead of reading it and with your kind support I might get through it this time. So Yes, I'm up for it! 🙂

Jazzy wrote: "
My brother Scott, me, Grandma Smith, and sister Diane (in front)

Ask the Family (August 2023 Challenge)
1/8/23 - 31/8/23
0/2

1: Buddenbrooks (1901) - Thomas Mann
Th..."

Lovely photo of you and your family Jazzy! 🙂

And I see that you also will join me and Trisha for the Buddenbrooks family. I've tried it twice before but this time I might just finish it.

I’m happy to see this, Nike & Jazzy. Let’s hope we all succeed in reading this book, whether reading, listening or a mixture of both.

Ask the Family (August 2023 Challenge)
1/8/23 - 31/8/23
4/2

1 The Surgeon's Daughter; by Walter Scott 3.5 stars

2 The Hated Son by Honoré de Balzac 3 stars

3 To Please His Wife by Thomas Hardy 4 stars
4. Father Goriot by Honoré de Balzac

1
2
3
4

I want to read Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon (I cannot locate a reference in add book that does not have it in an omnibus format at the moment.) The word "Lady" would be a family/marital relationship, right?

Ask the Family (August 2023 Challenge)
1/8/23 - 31/8/23
1/2


1 The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson (1958) 4*

1 2 3


As always, more or less books as you desire

Lynn I am also very interested in Lady Audley 's Secret, please share with us your response to the book after reading it.

Lynn wrote: "I want to read Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon (I cannot locate a reference in add book that does not have it in an omnibus format at the moment.) The word "Lady" woul..."

The reference you may need is Lady Audley's Secret - you didn’t look far enough! It’s on page 5 when you click on “more�� in your search.

I’m not convinced that “Lady�� is suitable for the theme - it’s just a title rather than describing a relationship. Or are both of these books about families?

Tr1sha wrote: "Lynn wrote: "I want to read Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon (I cannot locate a reference in add book that does not have it in an omnibus format at the moment.) The wor..."

Lady Audley's Secret is about Bigamy,, so two families LOL!! But really I think it's about crime, it probably doesn't fit.

Lady Windemere's Fan probably is not.

I seem to have missed a month or two. Hopefully, I can read at least one book in August.

Ask the Family (August 2023 Challenge)
1/8/23 - 31/8/23
1/2

1. Castle Rackrent
2. Death Comes as the End
��3. A Civil Contract

Lynn wrote: "Tr1sha wrote: "Lynn wrote: "I want to read Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon (I cannot locate a reference in add book that does not have it in an omnibus format at the m..."

Lady Audrey’s Secret seems fine from what you said. Perhaps you could read that, especially as it’s the book you really want to read. After all your extra work during your holidays you need to enjoy doing something else!

Welcome back Shaina - enjoy your books!

So many dissimilar families��
The Who �� Quadrophenia:
«I went back to my mother
I said, “I’m crazy Ma help me��
She said, “I know how it feels, son
‘Cause it runs in the family.”��
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Eça de Queirós - The Maias 1888
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Boris Zaytsev - Gleb’s Journey 1953
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 H. E. Bates - The Darling Buds of May 1958

Jazzy wrote: "
My brother Scott, me, Grandma Smith, and sister Diane (in front)

Love your family picture.

I think I will start Magic Mountain today. I have had it in my pile for a while. How are you enjoying it. Do you read both you books at the same time? This book is a little daunting and I wouldn't have picked it for a monthly read...but I might never pick it to read ...so I will start it.

Ask the Family (August 2023 Challenge)
1/8/23 - 31/8/23
0/?

1. The Magic Mountain

2

3

1. 2 3

I've finished the challenge. I've read five books!

Congratulations, Rosemarie!

Thank you!

Rosemarie wrote: "I've finished the challenge. I've read five books!"

Well done, Rosemarie! You chose an interesting selection.

Copied from message #3:

🌸Ask the Family (August 2023 Challenge)🌸
1/8/23 - 31/8/23
2/2

1 Buddenbrooks - Thomas Mann
Finished 8/8/23

2 The Sojourner - Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
Finished 8/16/23

I recommend The Sojourner - one of the books I enjoyed most during the month.

I added The Sojourner in my tbr list, thanks for the recommendation.

The Sojourner sounds good, Trisha.

I finished my challenge and updated message 20. I am glad that i could read more than one book this month.

Way to go, Nidhi!

Nidhi wrote: "I finished my challenge and updated message 20. I am glad that i could read more than one book this month."

Well done, Nidhi!

I finished my one book and updated message 9.

How was the book, Kathy?

Kathy wrote: "I finished my one book and updated message 9."

Well done - it was a good choice! I remember enjoying this book.

I read His Family, which won the first ever Pulitzer Prize for Novel in 1918. I thought the characterization of the family were excellent. The three sisters were definitely different from each other. I even enjoyed the ending!

Sorry I was missing this month, I moved house rather suddenly and am still sorting it all out, so may have to read my August books in the next challenge! You have all done so well x

Jazzy wrote: "Sorry I was missing this month, I moved house rather suddenly and am still sorting it all out, so may have to read my August books in the next challenge! You have all done so well x"

It’s good to have you back, Jazzy. I hope you will be very happy in your new home - & have lots of time to read once you are settled!

It is good to have you back, Jazzy. I hope you get settled in quickly and get to stay there as long as you want.

And so I have finally finished the most boring novel I've ever read.

Don't read it. It's seven hundred pages filled with descriptions of moustaches, gaits, voices and pale faces.
I think that at the most there are 100 pages worth of reading. I won't ever want to read a description of a moustache again. I've had it with moustaches after first reading and then abandoning the reading for listening to this book. I wanted to know what the fuzz is all about. I won't ever get it. Unless you're a moustache fetishist.

Nike wrote: "And so I have finally finished the most boring novel I've ever read.

Don't read it. It's seven hundred pages filled with descriptions of moustaches, gaits, voices and pale faces.
I think that at..."

Lol, Nike!