Spring Book: Lady of the Camelias

As part of a "Bestseller Books of Yesteryear" series we will be exploring world history through the eyes of the more obscure books that, while probably not widely read nowadays, were bestsellers in their time.

Penguin RandomHouse Overview of Novel:
The landmark novel that inspired Verdi’s opera La Traviata, in a sparkling new translation

“One of the greatest love stories of all time,” according to Henry James, and the inspiration for Verdi’s opera La Traviata, the Oscar-winning musical Moulin Rouge!, and numerous ballets, stage plays (starring Lillian Gish, Eleonora Duse, Tallulah Bankhead, and Sarah Bernhardt, and films (starring Greta Garbo, Robert Taylor, Rudolph Valentino, Isabelle Huppert, and Colin Firth), The Lady of the Camellias itself was inspired by the real-life nineteeth-century courtesan Marie Duplessis, the lover of the novel’s author, Alexander Dumas fils.

Known to all as “the Lady of the Camellias” because she is never seen without her favorite flowers, Marguerite Gautier, the most beautiful, brazen, and expensive courtesan in all of Paris. But despite having many lovers, she has never really loved—until she meets Armand Duval, young, handsome, and hopelessly in love with her.

This is an online meetup so a Zoom link will be sent out via email just prior. Also, please note this event has been posted in other groups so there will be non-members of this group in attendance.

• What to bring:
The book, questions/ideas for discussion!
⏰ Agenda
1pm Introductions & virtual catch-up, icebreakers
1:30 Book Discussion
2:00ish Wrap Up

FYI: Any screens that show up blank or without audio will be removed to prevent trolling, so do technical troubleshooting ahead of time if possible!