March 2020: E.M. Forster

March is in like a lion, out like a lamb ... and we'll see how we feel about E.M. Forster this month. Have you read any of Forster's works before? What do you think you'll read in March?

For what it's worth, E.M. Forster has four titles on the "1001 Books to Read Before You Die" list:

Where Angels Fear to Tread
A Room With a View
Howards End
Passage to India

I've already read (and enjoyed) A Room with a View and Howards End*, so I will read one of the other two listed above.

Incidentally, I am currently reading On Beauty by Zadie Smith, which brings Howards End into the modern era with a loose retelling/adaptation. I didn't know that when I picked it up so I'm glad I had read Howards End previously!

*I also watched the Merchant Ivory film adaptations for these and quite liked them as well. The 'Can I Just Say' podcast read/watched E.M. Forster books/adaptations to discuss them: https://commonroomradio.com/podcasts/can-i-just-say/

I've not read the "typical" Forster titles, but like >3 sweetiegherkin: I've seen several Merchant/Ivory film adaptations and enjoyed them.

I have read Forster's Celestial Omnibus and found it deliciously subversive. I'm curious what if any of Forster's outlook in those stories might appear in his more widely known books. For anyone curious about the specifics, you're welcome to read my review. Not sure I'll read any novel but definitely will lurk here to see what I might learn.

>4 elenchus: Hmm, I read your comprehensive review but not having actually read those stories, it's hard to draw a strong conclusion. Sounds like the omnibus has much more fantastical and allegorical elements whereas the other two books I've read by him are grounded in the everyday. But there's definitely things left open to interpretation though so perhaps that's a common thread.

One thing I would look for if I ever get to the novels: is there one or more "odious characters", and to what purpose? This is a clear motif in all six stories. I vaguely recall such characters from the films, but it's been decades and the insight would come from knowing the particulars of the character and how they interact with others in the specific story.

>6 elenchus: There are definitely characters I like less than others, but I'm not sure if there are any I'd describe as entirely "odious" (with maybe one exception in Howards End). Mostly they are pretty well rounded, so even if you don't like certain aspects of their characterization, there is something else to balance them out.

It's officially March! What's everyone reading this month?

I own Howard's End, so that's the one I'm planning on attempting this month, though at this rate of reading a couple of book club books I may not finish 'til April.

>9 bell7: No worries ... chime in when you can! :)

I'll be reading Maurice. It appears that's the only e-book by Forster my library has available.

What books of E.M. Forster do you recommend? Now that we are pretty much on lock down for the next 2 weeks to a month because of the pandemic i am looking for some new authors to read.

>12 DaltonSmith: I've really enjoyed A Passage to India and A Room with a View.

>12 DaltonSmith: I just finished Maurice. I would recommend starting with one of Forster's more famous works like Passage to India. Overall I liked Maurice but it doesn't have the same punch I think.

I read A Passage to India years ago and while I liked the story line, I found the writing style hard to follow at times. I read A Room With a View shortly after and found the same thing. After taking a ten-year break, I decided to tackle two at the same time this month - Where Angels Fear to Tread and Howard's End. I was pleasantly surprised to find that both stories were good and the writing style much more straight forward.

WAFtT is about an English young woman who, while visiting Italy, falls in love and gets married. Her family is NOT happy about the arrangement but they are too late to stop it. The novel explores the cultural & class differences of the two families. I won't say much more, as it would give too much away, but I will say that I ended up feeling a little sorry for poor Gino. What a nutty family to marry into!

HE is also about class differences and it looks at three very different families in turn-of-the-century England. At the heart of the book is Howards End, a charming cottage that is apparently so appealing, that everyone seems to want to live there.

Yesterday, March 32nd ;), I finished Where Angels Fear to Tread and agree with >15 Yells: comments generally. I didn't like it quite as much as either Howard's End or A Room with a View, but it was definitely engaging. Forster keeps readers on their toes as you never know where he's going to go next with the plot. Going back to earlier comments by >6 elenchus:, this one definitely lacked likable characters. Some could have their moments, but most weren't really people you'd want to spend time with in the real world!

>16 sweetiegherkin: this one definitely lacked likable characters

Thanks for that titbit, I think I'll put it on my Wishlist. The stories in Celestial Omnibus impressed me enough I'm willing to take a chance there's something similar going on there.

>17 elenchus: Cool! I liked it overall; it definitely wasn't what I expected based on the other two books I read by him.

Definitely agree with the sentiment that Where Angels Fear to Tread had no likeable characters. They were all pretty awful, weren't they? I did feel a little sorry for Gino by the end. He wasn't perfect by any means, but he did lose the most. The ending really ticked me off. "Oops, did I do that? Oh well, I meant well so no harm done. I'll just go home now.. "

>19 Yells: Yeah, it was truly an example of "good intentions pave the road to hell."

>20 sweetiegherkin: and by "it" I mean the book as a whole ... every character doing what he/she thought was best but often with the very worst results.

>21 sweetiegherkin: Yup, that about sums it up.