Hard Times readalong 2022

[Piggywaspushed]

Hello and welcome to the selected Dickensalong of 2022 : Hard Times.

This is Dickens' shortest novel (yay!) but was still serialised in instalments running from April to August 1854.

I propose shortening this slightly:

January BOOK ONE Chapters 1- 6
February Chapters 7–12
March Chapters 13 -16
April BOOK TWO Chapter 1- 5
May Chapters 6-12
June BOOK THREE Chapters 1 - 5
July Chapters 6 to end.

Some version number chapters consecutively but I have gone for the Wordsworth edition numbering. Hope that is OK.

So this is kind of a pint sized readalong! Might be more manageable for some of those who fall by the wayside normally (naming no names...)

I enjoy Dickens when he does social commentary so am looking forward to this one and to eventually meet Gradgrind.

MaryasBible this is the first readalong I've managed to complete - the first one I joined was Bleak House back in 2018/19 but I had to drop out when my DF passed away suddenly. Have had a couple of failed attempts at other readalongs since then too! These books are still on my TBR list and I'm going to try and finish Bleak House before the year is out. WIW is very readable, you should hopefully have more luck with this one.

My Penguin edition has arrived!

Are we waiting until July to read our first bit or do we want to get stuck in and do a June section, which I think would be about 126 pages?

The original serialisation was 40 weekly parts so I need to figure out something a bit more user friendly! It's quite complicated...

I would definitely like to start in June :)

I’m happy to start in June.

Me too.

I'm happy to go with a June start too.

Okeydoke. Have tried to split it by voices. Sections very uneven in length but seems the logical way. Will set up a Collinsalong tomorrow!

Thanks Piggy. Doing it by voices sounds logical. We can tweak it it as we go along if necessary. We might* *a few more to join in, we'll see!

My Harper-Collins version arrived today. I couldn’t see a penguin copy on Amazon. I shall look forward to starting tomorrow

I only found the Penguin via Google.

Here is a link to new thread.
Apologies for typo on mid chapter!

www.mumsnet.com/talk/what_were_reading/4562778-womaninwhitealong-readalong-20223

Brilliant, thanks Piggy.

Just wondering, how many Dickens books did you all read as a group?

@IsFuzzyBeagMise there have been at least five - Bleak House, David Copperfield, Our Mutual Friend, Little Dorrit and Hard Times (with the last one being the only one I've seen through to the end!). There may have been more before Bleak House though, am sure a longer serving 50 booker can keep us right on that.

Thanks @InTheCludgie I've done the last two. I'm thinking of reading 'Bleak House' later on this year.

@IsFuzzyBeagMise Bleak House is on my to-read list for this year, I think I made it to around two thirds of the way through when my DF passed away. I'll probably carry on following the old readalong thread too (IIRC this was the readalong where reviews by Katie the booktuber were linked monthly in the thread, which was quite entertaining).

Ha cludgie, you remember better than me!

The first one was started to match with Katie's YouTube readalong but she kept falling behind. She then had a minor tantrum and declared herself out of readalongs - I think that was the David Copperfield one. She still does some but shorter books and in 4 weeks or so.

Good idea to look up the old thread :)