No. I have NOT finished Uncle Tom's Cabin. In fact, I am a mere 382 pages into the 1300 page version that lives inside my Nook. But, I am going to read it. I am. I really am.
Here's the story:
Every year that Rob and the girls and I visit our favorite place, Walt Disney World, we visit The American Adventure show. And every year I promise myself that I am going to read Uncle Tom's Cabin, as it is mentioned a few times during this performance and somehow I escaped both high school and college without reading this book. And every year I never do it. So, knowing that last year I was able to read 52 books, I figured that reading one, very long, very influencial book would be this year's goal. So, it was the first book I bought in 2011 (in fact I bought it in 2010) and then bought it again for my Nook (for 99 cents, BTW).
But, here's the problem...I apparently have a hard time reading very long books. I see the page count at the top of my Nook and get restless. So, I am going to read Uncle Tom's Cabin throughout 2011. My goal is to have it done by the end of the year and to read 200 pages or so at a time in between my other books. I have set the bar high for myself with 52 books again this year and one of them being a very, very long one. But I must have been crazy to think that I was ever going to read that entire book all at once and that I wasn't going to read any others besides this one this year. How absurd!
As for the 300 pages I have read so far...this book is amazing. The dialogue is sometimes hard to follow but the storyline is fascinating. I guess after I read my current Western Romance, I will settle back into reading Uncle Tom's Cabin. Anybody want to read with me?
My iPad version is 1699 pages!
ReplyDeleteWow...that's even longer than my version. 1699 pages it a daunting task. Maybe that's the real reason few people have read this book--it's just too dang long!
ReplyDeleteI am now 550 (about) pages into UTC and have fallen in love with Eva St. Clare. What an adorable little girl who speaks and acts far beyond her years. Her mother, Marie St. Clare, on the other hand, is quite another story, but does provide comic relief in a hard hitting story with heavy themes and provides quite a contrast to her young daughter. (I feel as though I am writing an introductory paragraph for one of my college english classes) Now that I am farther along in the book, the pages are turning faster. I am really enjoying UTC.
ReplyDeleteSo, I am now on page 950 and getting closer everyday to finishing this amazing book. Things have happened in the past 200 pages that don't make me very happy. Surprisingly, the events have NOTHING to do with the slavery issue, too. I am anxious to see how it all turns out, but so wish that I had had the opportunity to read this book in college under the guidance of a teacher who would help me catch all of the little things that I am sure I am missing because I am reading this alone (and am ultimately reading for plot). Anyway, if you haven't read this yet, don't let the number of pages scare you. This book is amazing!
ReplyDeleteDoug and I just saw the Barter Theater production of Civil War Voices -- a beautiful and moving play about both sides of the war told from the perspective of real people and in their own words. The story of the slave who purchased her freedom and eventually lived with the Lincolns in the White House was a great compliment to the story lines and themes we are reading about in Uncle Tom's Cabin. It brought many elements of the book to life for me. Can't wait to tell you about it.
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