The George Eliot Chapter-a-Day Read-along continues this week with a book that some call the greatest novel in the English language, Middlemarch: A Study in Provincial Life. I have wanted to read Middlemarch for many years, having started it several times, but I was never able to make it very far. A book like Middlemarch is exactly the reason I began the chapter-a-day read-alongs, and I look forward to finally engaging with Eliot’s masterpiece.

If you’ve been following this year’s reading schedule, then you know that tomorrow you will read the Epilogue to Romola and then on Thursday, July 27 you will begin reading Middlemarch. If you haven’t been participating in the chapter-a-day read-along, this is a great time to start. I invite you to jump on board this week and join us for this classic work of Victorian literature. For all the details, including the reading schedule, visit the George Eliot Chapter-a-day Read-a-long announcement post.

Penguin Classics Edition

Up to this point in the read-along I have been reading from a vintage set of the Works of George Eliot. I have used that set for Adam Bede, The Mill on the Floss, Silas Marner, and Romola. But for Middlemarch I will be changing my approach a bit. For reading Middlemarch I have purchased the Penguin Classics paperback edition so I can mark it up with my thoughts, questions, and insights.

I’m also excited to enhance my reading of Middlemarch with a series of lectures by Benjamin McEvoy, founder of the Hardcore Literature Book Club. In December of 2021, Ben led a reading of Middlemarch that followed the original publication schedule, reading each section roughly two months apart. While I will not be following his schedule, since I will be reading a chapter a day, I’m sure his lectures will still be relevant and insightful. Maybe a few years down the road when I reread Middlemarch I will follow the original publication schedule.

Ben published one of his introductory videos for reading Middlemarch on his YouTube channel, and I share it here for those who are interested: How to Read Middlemarch by George Eliot (10 Tips).

To access the rest of the Middlemarch videos you will have to be a Patreon member of the Hardcore Literature Book Club, but it is well worth it for the sheer volume of quality lectures Ben has created. I highly recommend the Hardcore Literature Book Club to anyone who wants to live literature more deeply. There must be close to 400 lectures already available on the site, with more being released multiple times during the week. You can join the group’s current reading schedule or you can use the back catalog to create your own reading journey.

So, I’ve got my Penguin Classics edition of Middlemarch, a green Pentel metal tip .7mm EnerGel pen, and a green Leuchtturm1917 notebook with ruled pages. I’ll be continuing to post my favorite quote each day on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter using the hashtag #eliotreadalong and I hope to see you there!