introducing the Missed Classics book club

and a discount if you scroll!

I am always awkwardly self-conscious about the Great Books I haven't yet read — whether because in my laziness and/or busyness they've slipped my radar, because in college I studied poli-sci instead of literature, or because I spent too long fixating on nineteenth century Russian literature to pay much attention to the twentieth century (Russian or otherwise).

Walking into a bookstore to buy a classic has for me become an exercise in subterfuge, which I recognize is incredibly silly. But I am too embarrassed for the bookseller to discover that it is my first time reading a novel I should have — according to my judgmental little mind — read years ago. In an overly casual sort of way, I pad my purchase with contemporary, perhaps somewhat esoteric, titles, as if to distract whoever's ringing me up from my woeful ignorance. Impressing — or at least confusing — bookstore employees is very important to me. 

To reiterate: I know this is ridiculous. But after all this time, did you not think that I too was a victim of my own pretentiousness?

The other day, I started reading Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar for the first time, a sentence that actually caused me physical pain to type.¹ Because of course The Bell Jar is one of those books I was supposed to have read already. And yet here I am, reading it at an age older than Plath’s when she wrote it. Terribly embarrassing.  

It occurred to me that I was not the only person whose reading list lacked a few critical titles. I broached it on the Chat (linked below with this shockingly gargantuan button, since a few people told me they weren't sure how to access it) and it sounded like yes, a lot of you felt similarly.

I know there are a million and one book clubs out there — many of which I treasure and adore! — and I didn't want to start one for the newsletter if it would just be about the same new releases everyone else is covering (even though I am, as you well know, also reading these new releases). 

And so: The Missed Classics Club, where we'll read and discuss classic novels that, for whatever reason, we've never gotten around to reading.² I love the idea of picking books that are easy to borrow from the library or a friend, buy at a used bookstore, or even find in your own home, collecting dust on a forgotten shelf.

Not to worry — I am back on my Canva beat:

For accessibility, expanded information, and links, below are the logistical details; subject to change, etcetc, but I'm hoping we can stick to them!

• What it is: The Missed Classics Club

• Our first pick: Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar (1963)

• Reading cycle: October 19-November 13

• Where/when to discuss:

  • First: I made a Storygraph readalong page³ for us that you can join here if you'd like. There, we can share our ongoing impressions, thoughts, etc. as we read.⁴

  • Wednesday, October 30, 8-9:00pm EST: Live Substack chat for us to discuss the first half of the book (chapters 1-10). 

  • Wednesday, November 13, 8-9:00pm EST: Our last event, a live video meeting for paid subscribers.⁵

Note that I can’t emphasize enough how extremely open to suggestions, thoughts, comments, and concerns I am, especially as it is early stages and logistics are simply not my forte. There are bound to be things I've unintentionally neglected.

That said, I'm so excited about this, and was thrilled to see that enthusiasm reflected back from hundreds of you in the last couple of days. The comments are open and I'd love to hear from you.

(P.S. In honor of the launch, I’m running a sale on annual subscriptions to Hmm … That’s Interesting, making them $40 instead of the usual $50/year. Redeemable until Friday, October 25!)

1. When I bought it, the bookseller told me to "have fun" and I’m culturally fluent enough with the novel to understand that was a little joke just for me.

2. Obviously you don't have to not have read a book to join lol; I read Anna Karenina at around 15 years old, for instance (A Choice), and have been meaning to re-read it as an adult for a long time now. Would simply love to know what 15-year-old-Clara was thinking, because I'm pretty sure this was also during the depths of my V. C. Andrews phase.

3. Idea for this comes courtesy of MD on the Chat!

4. I'm new to Storygraph so I'm still figuring out the platform, but it looks easily navigable and most importantly it the capacity for forums, which takes me back to my early Internet days! I already made a thread for introductions, if you’re so inclined.

5. I'm still ironing out the details because I think I'd like for video participants to actually be able to participate instead of just watching me, which I believe takes Substack Video out of the running as it is (for now) just streaming. But I'll figure it out, get your input, and let you know with plenty of time!