MJ's Challenge ~ The Voyage Out

[RoyalChick]

Yes, caused by hockey but being chased by hounds cross country wouldn't! And what I do find endlessly fascinating is hearing the other side of history because whichever sister it was who said it is quite right: Hitler wasn't always seen as the ogre he became.

My youngest DD became quite fluent in German & when she studied WWII she listened to some of Hitler's speeches & commented he was mesmerizing & charismatic ~ it's only to our English ears he sounds like a raving lunatic.

Going to have to declare Hitler out of bounds as a topic. Killed most of my mother’s family one way or another.

 

[Ribh]

Going to have to declare Hitler out of bounds as a topic. Killed most of my mother’s family one way or another.

Please, I'm not pro Hitler, merely commenting on how the history changed.

 

[RoyalChick]

Please, I'm not pro Hitler, merely commenting on how the history changed.

Sorry. Didn’t mean to suggest that.
I am going back to TVO.
This passage copied below reminds me of Nancy Mitford’s ‘U and non-U’, which makes me think it is satirical. But I still don’t find humor in TVO so is it intended seriously? I remain a bit mystified by this book.

Mr. Perrott again knew that he was not “quite,” as Susan stated in her diary; not quite a gentleman she meant, for he was the son of a grocer in Leeds, had started life with a basket on his back, and now, though practically indistinguishable from a born gentleman, showed his origin to keen eyes in an impeccable neatness of dress, lack of freedom in manner, extreme cleanliness of person, and a certain indescribable timidity and precision with his knife and fork which might be the relic of days when meat was rare, and the way of handling it by no means gingerly.

 

[MaryJanet]

I wouldn't have said any of them turned out ok. They all had quite a strange morality.

I think of them as an opinionated bunch.

 

[MaryJanet]

Sorry. Didn’t mean to suggest that.
I am going back to TVO.
This passage copied below reminds me of Nancy Mitford’s ‘U and non-U’, which makes me think it is satirical. But I still don’t find humor in TVO so is it intended seriously? I remain a bit mystified by this book.

Mr. Perrott again knew that he was not “quite,” as Susan stated in her diary; not quite a gentleman she meant, for he was the son of a grocer in Leeds, had started life with a basket on his back, and now, though practically indistinguishable from a born gentleman, showed his origin to keen eyes in an impeccable neatness of dress, lack of freedom in manner, extreme cleanliness of person, and a certain indescribable timidity and precision with his knife and fork which might be the relic of days when meat was rare, and the way of handling it by no means gingerly.

U and non U is about accent (if I recall correctly) but the para you quote is illustrative of the social context in which the old stratified hierarchy was making room for mobility. Mr Perrot is aware that he's not quite right, a little out of his depth.

 

[Ribh]

Sorry. Didn’t mean to suggest that.
I am going back to TVO.
This passage copied below reminds me of Nancy Mitford’s ‘U and non-U’, which makes me think it is satirical. But I still don’t find humor in TVO so is it intended seriously? I remain a bit mystified by this book.

Mr. Perrott again knew that he was not “quite,” as Susan stated in her diary; not quite a gentleman she meant, for he was the son of a grocer in Leeds, had started life with a basket on his back, and now, though practically indistinguishable from a born gentleman, showed his origin to keen eyes in an impeccable neatness of dress, lack of freedom in manner, extreme cleanliness of person, and a certain indescribable timidity and precision with his knife and fork which might be the relic of days when meat was rare, and the way of handling it by no means gingerly.

I think this is a really valid point. The lack of obvious humour [ie wit] makes it hard to distinguish the satirical. I have assumed she is being just because her characters are so very unlikable. This is where I think Wilde & the Mitfords are superior. They are often making the same point but are far funnier about it.

 

[Ribh]

I think of them as an opinionated bunch.

They were that too ! often unpopular opinions!

 

[Scrambles83]

I just finished chapter XII, was tough as I had a 5 yo chatting to me constantly

 

[MaryJanet]

I just finished chapter XII, was tough as I had a 5 yo chatting to me constantly

Ok. I'm going to give up on Ribh's original suggestion that we read a chapter a week I think I'm the only person holding to it

 

[Scrambles83]

Ok. I'm going to give up on Ribh's original suggestion that we read a chapter a week I think I'm the only person holding to it

Sorry!!!
I got caught up in the story and start punching knowing that it might be my only good reading window for the week

I’m a ‘just one more chapter’ reader and then it’s 3 am all of a sudden (with a young kid you need to sacrifice your sleep for me time reading sometimes )