Group read: Poldark series

Welcome to the Poldark group read thread! Several people have expressed interest in reading the Poldark saga by Winston Graham this year, and this will be our home base for discussion.

In the general 2017 group reads thread, I suggested reading one book per month because there are 12 books in the series. That way, people who want to start at the beginning and read straight through can do so, and people who have already read some of the books can jump in whenever they want to. Does this basic structure sound good to everyone? If not, I am definitely open to suggestions!

The series, in publication order, is as follows:

1. Ross Poldark -- discussion thread is here
   
2. Demelza -- discussion thread is here
   
3. Jeremy Poldark -- discussion thread is here
   
4. Warleggan -- discussion thread is here
   
5. The Black Moon -- discussion thread is here
   
6. The Four Swans -- discussion thread is here
   
7. The Angry Tide -- discussion thread is here
   
8. The Stranger from the Sea -- discussion thread is here
   
9. The Miller's Dance -- discussion thread is here
   
10. The Loving Cup -- discussion thread is here
    
11. The Twisted Sword -- discussion thread is here
    
12. Bella Poldark -- discussion thread is here

Personally, I'd like to read all 12 books this year, and I'll be starting at the beginning with Ross Poldark. Have you already read some (or all) of the books? Were you a fan of the 1975 TV series starring Robin Ellis, or did the more recent adaptation starring Aidan Turner spark your interest? Which books do you plan on reading this year?

Thanks for getting us started Christina!!
I do plan to read all of them this year. I have Ross Poldark at home now. Well, the book that is *blush*

>2 VictoriaPL: *applause*

This series looks very interesting. I'lll try to join you on this journey. I just ordered the first one Poldark from the library.

Woo! Thanks for creating the group.

I discovered Poldark back in the days it was being broadcast on Masterpiece Theater in the USA, probably 1977? My mother and I fell in love with the story, the characters (Robin Ellis was/is a charismatic actor), the whole of the series. Angharad Rees was spunky, and I still picture her when I reread the books.

A few years later I found some of Winston Graham's books in the public library, of course NOT the entire series and not in order, but I persevered. In the last five or so years I have managed to complete the series, and own it all, mainly in paperback.

It will make you smile, gasp, and cry. And you'd better have the next book ready, because you won't want to stop to wait for a library loan or Amazon to deliver!

Addendum: I'll get a good scan of my old copy, there doesn't appear to be any decent images available on the web for the edition I own...

I'll be joining all y'all in May and June, because I'm up to books 5 and 6. (I might not be able to continue, though, if I don't get the rest of the books in time!)

I'm keen to read this series. I might be a bit late off the starting blocks as I feel quite overcommitted this month, but hope to do catchup in Feb.

I'll join in on this. I love the books AND the current PBS series.

I'm reading bk 5 right now.

I think I'm in! I say I think, because sometimes joining a group read leads to me not reading it all, but since this is a series I've wanted to read for years, I should be good!

I've seen part of the original Masterpiece series, but didn't want to get too far ahead of the current one. I'll come back to it. One of the reasons I want to read these books is not just the gorgeous current cast (helloooooo, Aidan!) but because my Mom, her Mom and her Aunt all read them in the 60's/70's and enjoyed them. I love all of these ladies, and my Mom has no one to blame but herself for my reading and books obsession, so I'm keen to see what so captivated these three women.

Will we do a separate thread for each book/month? Just want to make sure I don't miss anything.

I wasn't familiar with this series or the TV show, but it sounded interesting, so I decided to give the first book a try. I'm almost finished with it, and have really enjoyed what I've read so far. Now, I'm going to have to check out the show.

>9 LauraBrook: brought up the possibility of having a separate discussion thread for each book in the series. The big advantage of this, in my opinion, is that we can discuss book-specific plot points without spoiling anything for anyone else. The big disadvantage is that the discussion can become very fragmented, and some people don't want to have to follow twelve new threads when they could just follow one. So I'm happy to go with whatever the group decides here!And if we do want separate threads, when should those be posted? Should they be spoiler-free or not? If you have an opinion, please voice it!

>11 christina_reads: I like the idea of individual book threads.

Spoilers are okay, as long as the posters either use the spoiler feature (see https://www.librarything.com/topic/35356#4465263), or put up spoiler warnings.

Links to the individual threads can be placed in the OP here.

Waddayathink?

Oh, and speaking of the original series, here is the cover of my edition of Ross Poldark, printed after the original series began, in 1977:

I voted "Yes", because, like fuzzi above, it sounds easier to keep track of each book read. And, if we use spoilers in some form, things shouldn't be spoiled too much. If we did one long thread, it may be more difficult to follow a conversation as time goes on. But, I'll go along with whatever is most popular!

>12 fuzzi: Love that cover!

>13 LauraBrook: thanks, so do I.

I just finished my reread of Ross Poldark, and don't see a discussion thread...should I start one?

I agree. Sounds like it will work. I haven't been able to start yet, but should this week.

It's halfway through January, so I made a discussion thread, here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/246977#

>16 fuzzi: Thanks! I'll add the link to the top of this thread.

In future, I'll put up the thread for each new book at the beginning of the month (i.e., the thread for Demelza will be posted on February 1).

>17 christina_reads: thank you. :)

Demelza and Ross

The February discussion thread for Demelza is up! http://www.librarything.com/topic/247751

The March discussion for Jeremy Poldark is up! http://www.librarything.com/topic/250592

>21 christina_reads: yippee! Thanks.

I just finished Jeremy Poldark, and my review has been posted in the March thread.

Y'all are falling behind, come on! :)

The April discussion thread for Warleggan is here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/254205.

Oh, wow, it's almost May, and time for The Black Moon...

But I'm still only halfway through Warleggan! I'll get there eventually...

>26 christina_reads: no worries, catch up when you can!

>27 fuzzi: I'm thinking I'll have time to finish it this weekend, fortunately! Must know what happens with Dwight and Caroline. :)

>28 christina_reads: haha, you're HOOKED!!

The May thread for The Black Moon is up! http://www.librarything.com/topic/256304

>30 christina_reads: thank you, found it!

Hey >1 christina_reads:, could you put up The Four Swans thread?

Thank you SO much! :)

While reading The Four Swans today, I laughed out loud at some of the dialogue, and thought I'd share:

(Note: this conversation is chiefly between Ross and Caroline)

'Whitworth,' Ross said. 'Do you find him an agreeable fellow?'
'He's seldom about when I call.'
'I have always wanted to throw him in some stinking pond.'
Caroline said: 'I admire you for your subtlety, Ross. What has the poor man done to deserve such dislike?'
'Except that he used at one time to come sniffing round Demelza, very little to me personally, but--'
'Well, I trust you don't dislike every man who takes a fancy to Demelza, or you would be hard pressed to find a friend!'
'Sniffing,' said Demelza. 'I don't recollect him sniffing. It was the way his tail wagged I didn't greatly care for.'

Oh, how much I enjoy Winston Graham's writing!

>33 fuzzi: Oh, looking forward to The Four Swans. I love that snippet of dialogue.

I've posted a thread for The Four Swans: http://www.librarything.com/topic/258791.

>35 christina_reads: thank you!

The thread for book #7, The Angry Tide, is up! http://www.librarything.com/topic/260731

>37 christina_reads: thank you!

This is the book that ends the current time frame of the series. In the next book we jump ahead about 10-15 years in The Stranger From the Sea.

Is that really a spoiler?

There was someone following this group read that was interested in my spare hardcover copies of The Four Swans and The Twisted Sword.

If it was you, please PM me. :)

The discussion thread for book 8, The Stranger from the Sea, is up! http://www.librarything.com/topic/266401

>40 christina_reads: thank you!

>40 christina_reads: Thanks Christina! Just got it from the library!

The September thread for book 9, The Miller's Dance, is up: http://www.librarything.com/topic/268555. I already have my copy from the library!

>43 christina_reads: thank you so much. I've pulled my copy from my Poldark shelf... ;)

I picked up The Miller's Dance from the library. Yay!!

>45 VictoriaPL: excellent! I'm a few chapters in, myself.

The thread for The Loving Cup (book 10) is up! http://www.librarything.com/topic/270438

>47 christina_reads: thanks! Only three books to go...

Started The Loving Cup!

>49 VictoriaPL: I plan to start reading it tonight!

>1 christina_reads: hey! Are you planning on putting up November's thread today, or waiting until Tuesday? :)

>51 fuzzi: I was going to do it tomorrow, but I can do it today if you'd like it sooner.

>52 christina_reads: we're just anxious, no worries. Don't rush it to please us! ;)

>53 fuzzi: Haha OK. I promise to get it up early tomorrow! I'm only about 70 pages into The Loving Cup, but I'm hoping to finish it this week and get back on track.

>54 christina_reads: I'll be looking for it tomorrow...

I'm only halfway through The Loving Cup just due to Real Life, it's as good as I remember from the first time I read it. I should have it completed by the weekend.

The thread for The Twisted Sword is up! http://www.librarything.com/topic/272943

>56 christina_reads: thank you!

The thread for Bella Poldark is up! http://www.librarything.com/topic/276639

Thanks!

I'm going to have to "book it" (no pun intended) as I've not finished November's read yet...