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James Maynard's avatar

Enjoy “Wolf Hall”, I just went through it the second time and while I don’t think the other two in the series are worth rereading (I’m on the third now) that first one is just spectacular.

Kortney Garrison's avatar

I can't stop thinking about what you've said. As soon as I finished Wolf Hall, I started it again. (I was farther ahead in the slow read than I thought.) The second time through hasn't been quite so luminous.

I really must commend the year long slow read of War and Peace to you though. Especially in light of your long term sonnet project. I think you would find much that resonates by reading the novel over a year.

And since we're dredging up past posts...I can't wait to hear more about your old manuscript, the one that maybe got abandoned nin the ordering stage? I'd love to hear more about your process.

James Maynard's avatar

I probably had about ten years between the readings, so it was like meeting an old friend.

What is a slow read? How does it work?

Kortney Garrison's avatar

Ah! The slow read! Check out https://footnotesandtangents.substack.com/ Simon is wise and funny and such a fine writer and guide.

Last year 4 of us in my family read a chapter a day of War and Peace along with Simon at Footnotes and Tangents--there are 360 chapter in the book. Chapters are all about the same (short) length, so I read other things besides.

I'd read W+P when I was in the Peace Corps, and I am generally a pretty devoted reader. But I have never experienced anything like this. Letting the story unfold in time, letting it work on me through the year, reading along with a community. These were rich gifts.

This year people are reading W+P and the Wolf Hall trilogy. My daughter is doing the W+P read along for a second year! Knowing your commitment and experience to the Sonnet Project made me think that you would reap rich yields from the slow read.

Kortney Garrison's avatar

I am wholly devoted to Master Cromwell!

Sarah Teresa Cook's avatar

Love this behind-the-scenes glimpse.

Kortney Garrison's avatar

I love knowing that *you* are reading.