For lovers of fat 19th century novels I warmly recommend my own personal all-time favorite author: Anthony Trollope. He wrote 48 novels, and I've read (and recommend) all of them. Don't start with the somewhat pedestrian English Lit Course standard, Barchester Towers; go with one of his rip-roarers, like Orley Farm or Can You Forgive Her. Margaret Oliphant (1828-1897) is another excellent choice. Try one of her triple-deckers!
I have a theory that if a young person started reading Moby Dick with access to a search engine and stopped and researched every unfamiliar word or concept they would finish with good education. (but they might no longer be young) Layden Jar, gnomon, and Siamese ligature stood out for me. It was interesting to read Melville’s description of whale anatomy knowing that he knew nothing of echolocation.
For lovers of fat 19th century novels I warmly recommend my own personal all-time favorite author: Anthony Trollope. He wrote 48 novels, and I've read (and recommend) all of them. Don't start with the somewhat pedestrian English Lit Course standard, Barchester Towers; go with one of his rip-roarers, like Orley Farm or Can You Forgive Her. Margaret Oliphant (1828-1897) is another excellent choice. Try one of her triple-deckers!
I just started on Trollope with Can You Forgive Her about 5 weeks ago, then read the next 3 Palliser novels. 2 more to go.
(I read them on paper, not audiobook, but just had to give a shout-out to a Trollope fan!).
I have a theory that if a young person started reading Moby Dick with access to a search engine and stopped and researched every unfamiliar word or concept they would finish with good education. (but they might no longer be young) Layden Jar, gnomon, and Siamese ligature stood out for me. It was interesting to read Melville’s description of whale anatomy knowing that he knew nothing of echolocation.
Yeah, I read them all in paper, too. Glad you're having fun!
Which Middlemarch narrator did you listen to? Juliet Stevenson or Maureen O'Brien?
Juliet Stevenson