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.

I hadn't read much Dickens until the Readalongs began. It has really persuaded me to get better read in the Victorian period and helped me get through weightier books.

Me too

Hello. I'm in, my book is on the way. I did think about the War and Peace readalong, but thought this might be a bit more manageable time wise. And its ages since I read any Dickens

I’ve only read A Christmas Carol and Great Expectations (and most of The Old Curiosity Shop, but I’m not sure I quite finished).

I read 'Hard Times' and 'Great Expectations' years ago and 'Little Dorrit' and 'A Christmas Carol' recently.
I like a bit of Dickens.

I lurked on the Little Dorrit thread and will no doubt lurk on this one. Looking forward to starting tomorrow.

Ah, go on then! Not joined a read along before, but you’ve drawn me in. Got a busy first half of the year, so not sure if I am over stretching, but perhaps I’ll keep going with this even if my other reading drops off.

I’ve not read Hard Times before, and actually it’s quite a few years since I’ve read any Dickens. Have downloaded the free Kindle edition for now, so thanks to YnysMonCrone for linking that.

I’ve read the first two chapters today. Impossible to deduce very much, but I have absolutely no idea at all what Hard Times is about so looking forward to it unfolding.

I am just going to experiment with finding my pace so I don’t forget what has happened each time I pick it up but also so I don’t finish the chapters before we are due to speak.

Yes, the pace is always a challenge! I keep thinking I should make notes, and never do!

Hello, I’d like to join please.
I don’t think I’ve read any Dickens apart from A Christmas Carol and some of his other Christmas short stories. I’ve listened to the audible version of David Copperfield that Richard Armitage narrated, and enjoyed it more than expected.

I’m not sure why as I used to be, if not now, a huge reader and enjoyed many of the classics but always got it into my head I wouldn’t enjoy Dickens so didn’t ever really bother. I’d like to change that.

I’m not sure how well I will do at a read along - I’m not someone who usually has several books on the go and I generally like to focus on one at a time - plus I have a sleep averse toddler and not much time for reading at all these days but am really going to try to make more time and get back into it.

So with all that said I’ll go off to download a copy now.

I read four or five chapters already, but I think I'll read the six chapters in full during the last week in January. I'm thinking of setting a reminder on my phone to read the next installment during the last week of the month.
I used to only read one book at a time, AliasGrape, but now I hop between books. I quite like to mix it up a bit :)

Reminders on my phone is a great idea IsFuzzyBeagMise going to do that!

@AliasGrape

Reminders on my phone is a great idea IsFuzzyBeagMise going to do that!

Great

Perhaps that is a good way. I am just worried about falling behind (and then off the thread) if I have a particularly busy last week at any point.

I love Hard Times. I read it in 3rd year at school (year 9 now, this was 44 years ago 😀). Our set text was Great Expectations and we had to find another Dickens novel and write a report on it. I was NOT a fan of Dickens’s perceived wordiness at the age of 14 so chose the shortest book I could find. I’ve changed my mind on Dickens since but Hard Times remains a favourite (though David Copperfield is still no 1)

I must get round to reading 'David Copperfield' one day.

Can I join? This is my first read along and Dickens novel, but thought it would be a good way of learning to juggle two books at once and reading a classic!

Welcome! Hard Times is quite sort so a good place to start.

David Copperfield is my favourite too.

I ordered a paperback version of the wordsworth edition in the end, not sure why but felt like I wanted the physical book for this. I'm excited to get started now!

I've just downloaded it.
I dithered over the War and Peace readalong but I'd never stick to it.

Kindle copy bought, I've got two weeks to myself coming up once all uni assignments are done so plan to start my chapters then.

My copy arrived today, and its a beauty.

If anyone is wanting to buy a paper copy and hasn't got round to it yet, I'd recommend the Macmillan Collector's library one, £10.99 (£8.45 on amazon).

Obviously the content is the same, but this is just a lovely little thing, gold edged pages, ribbon book mark, hardback with little oak leaves printed on the end papers. and a good size for carrying about, 10cm x 15cm. I tend to buy slightly manky second hand books most of the time, so its a rare treat!

I'm in! Never done a read along before but sounds fun!

OK, all. I have not started yet but as a reminder Chaps 1-6 by end Jan!

I'm looking forward to it!