Saturday 13 December 2014

The Canterbury/The Brubury Tales Project 2015



I've been meaning to read The Canterbury Tales for years but have been too intimidated to attempt them by myself.  I've looked for read-alongs and buddy reads but to no avail.  Then suddenly in one of my Goodreads' groups, a new member joined who has written a book called The Brubury Tales, which is based on Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales.  Voilà ...... inspiration, and a person who can give me more insight into both reads!  Works for me.

Woodcut from William Caxton's
second edition of The Canterbury Tales
source Wikipedia


The Brubury Tales, written by Frank Mundo, is a modern version of The Canterbury Tales, and for his work Mr. Mundo won the Poet Laureate Award Nomination from UCLA and CAL, Reader Views 2011 Reader's Choice Award for Poetry Book of the Year, and the 2011 Bookhitch Award for the Most Innovative Poetry Book of the Year.  The LA Book Examiner said about his work, "a unique and powerful new book, The Brubury Tales draws upon Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and classic stories by Mark Twain, Edgar Allan Poe and Charles Dickens, to name a few.  Frank Mundo takes risks with his writing, which is sensitive, thoughtful, and gritty." 

I have received nothing from Mr. Mundo in exchange for reading his book.  He has been a very valued member in the discussions in my Goodreads group and has never once even mentioned that he was an author, which increased my respect for him.  I can't wait to start this paired read, probably around April or May of this coming year!




11 comments:

  1. I admire your dedication to be a 'well read' person.
    My drive to read the classics is just as strong.
    I will join you reading The Canterbury Tales in 2015.
    I will read 2 tales a month - my reviews will be my thoughts without too much backround detail. I have so many other books I want to 'devlve' into in detail. This is not one of them. I will let you do the hard work. Yet I think* it will be fun to follow you on this journey, is it in the backround! *** This committment is your Christmas 'stocking stuffer'!***

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    1. Wow, I'm getting so many lovely presents from you! Any gift that relates to books is much appreciated!

      A number of tales per month might be the way to go. I'll have to think about it and how to work it out. Thanks for the idea!

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  2. It's a perfect spring read :) I'm thinking I'll be reading it March, maybe February. I love it, I hope you do too :)

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    1. I've been enjoying your Chaucer Project. TCT will be my first foray and then I can branch out from there if I like Chaucer. Getting my feet wet by reading Le Morte d'Arthur will probably help; I'm completely used to odd, curious tales by now!

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  3. This is the first I'd heard of The Brubury Tales, but my dad is a big fan of The Canterbery Tales. It's one of the few books he's read more than once. (Yet I've still never read it. Must remedy.) I hope you enjoy both!

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    1. After spending many years dreading The Canterbury Tales, now I think that they'll be a fun read. I hope you get to read them one day!

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  4. Thanks to you, and you alone I read The Canterbury Tales!
    I am so glad I decided to join you on this challenge.
    These are tales I will listen to on Audible and read when I feel like a good laugh! (The Friiar's Tale !) . I hope to join you in another challenge in 2016!
    At the moment I am ' exhausted' from the 2 big reading projects in September. Time to go back and 'relax' with a book in French!

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    1. I'm so glad that I was able to inspire you. And O at Behold the Stars inspired me, so we all help each other.

      I think that we're doing Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene in 2016 and/or possibly Ovid's Metamorphoses. Those are biggies but perhaps you'll be up for one of them ....???

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  5. OMG.... huge classics, I'll have to think about this one!
    :)

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  6. I really like The Faerie Queene --- the 7 deadly sins. It's definitely worth your time.

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    1. Yes, I'm pretty certain that it's on the slate for 2016. I'm just considering whether to add Ovid too. I may only get two books read for the year then .... :-Z Yikes!

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