COMPLETE - Bleak House, by Charles Dickens - AF/ez

acrobatty · Post by **acrobatty** » September 15th, 2006, 5:57 am

This project is now complete. All the files can be downloaded from our catalogue: http://librivox.org/bleak-house-by-charles-dickens/

Bleak House

Is anyone doing Dickens' "Bleak House"?
I would like to try this as a solo project.
Please get back to me on this as this would be a massive effort and will take several months I anticipate. I would like some suggestions as to how to vary my voice for the myriad characters, and I would welcome tons of other suggestions before I start this.

Acrobatty

Summary:

Bleak House is the ninth novel by Charles Dickens, published in 20 monthly parts between March 1852 and September 1853. It is widely held to be one of Dickens' finest and most complete novels, containing one of the most vast, complex and engaging arrays of minor characters and sub-plots in his entire canon. Dickens tells all of these both through the narrative of the novel's heroine, Esther Summerson, and as an omniscient narrator. Memorable characters include the menacing lawyer Tulkinghorn, the friendly but depressive John Jarndyce and the childish Harold Skimpole. The plot concerns a long-running legal dispute (Jarndyce and Jarndyce) which has far-reaching consequences for all involved.

(Summary from Wikipedia)

Link to PD text source: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1023
filename/id3 tag scheme:

bleak_house_##_dickens.mp3

Title: Chapter ## - [name of chapter]
Album: Bleak House
Artist: Charles Dickens

(admin link)
(Prooflistening thread)
files

1. Full title: Bleak House
2. Full name of author(s): Charles Dickens
3. Full name of translator (if applicable, and if available):
4. Link to PD text source: http://www.gutenburg.org/etext/1023
5. Link to author on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickens
6. Link to title on Wikipedia (if available): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleak_House
7. Target completion date (an estimate which can be changed): April, 07
8. Short description (can be a paragraph copied from Wikipedia. If you write this yourself, please be aware that your summary will be in the PD. Please state who wrote the description):
http://www.bibliomania.com/0/0/19/34/frameset.html
9. Number of sections (files) this project will have: 67
10. Does the project have an introduction that will be separate from the first chapter? [y/n]: n
11. Original publication date (if known): 20 monthly parts between March 1852 and September 1853

earthcalling · Post by **earthcalling** » September 15th, 2006, 6:10 am

Wonderful book - great choice!

According to here: http://librivox.org/to-come-collaborative-projects/ and here: http://librivox.org/to-come-solo-projects/ , it's not being worked on.

So, to it!

David

kayray · Post by **kayray** » September 15th, 2006, 7:57 am

Hi Acrobatty :)

It is a big project, but you can do it! I'll be your MC if you like.

I don't worry much about character voices. Ususally the words take care of themselves. A little variation in inflection and tone does the trick in long passages of dialogue. Just read.

If you'll change your first post to show a chapter list, and then mark them off as you progress, it'll be very helpful for me. You might pick up a dedicated proof-listener -- soloists often do -- and that will help inspire you to keep going.

Let's decide on a filename/id3 tag scheme, to make my life easier :)

I suggest:
bleak_house_01_dickens.mp3

Title: Chapter 01 - [name of chapter]
Album: Bleak House
Artist: Charles Dickens

Do you have webspace where you can store the files until the book is complete? If not, you can try using my uploader here:
http://librivox.kayray.org/
password: vox

If that doesn't work for you, we'll think of something else. Please don't use yousendit.

Let me know if you have any questions, and happy reading!

kayray · Post by **kayray** » October 3rd, 2006, 9:15 pm

acrobatty wrote: I volunteered to read "Bleak House" solo a week or so ago. I am a bit daunted by this project. I read the first chapter last night but did not send it as I would really like some oversight on this my first solo project.

I would like someone to listen to the first chapter and give me suggestions about improving quality. Also, I would like someone to give me a realistic target date for completion.

Acrobatty

kayray · Post by **kayray** » October 3rd, 2006, 9:15 pm

earthcalling wrote: Hi acrobatty (batty by name...? certainly ambitious!)

Why not post the first file in 'listeners wanted'? Be clear about the type of feedback you're looking for, and it will flood in.

I doubt if anyone but you could set a target date for completion. And does it matter to anyone but you? Work at your own pace etc...

Oh, and three cheers!

David, a lover of Dickens.

kayray · Post by **kayray** » October 3rd, 2006, 9:17 pm

a.r.dobbs wrote: I love your reading Acrobatty; please let me hear your file. It'll take me some days probably, but I'll give you feedback. And there are several other folks around -- putting it in listeners wanted is a great idea. Why, in fact, that's one of the purposes of that forum, though I only recently heard of it myself. Always the gaps in my understanding.

Oh! Let me tell you how long it will take. Wink Yust Yoking.
Think you could do a chapter a week? Or ... a chapter every two days ? ? ? That would be so wonderful!

I would MC your project, but that would be a disservice to you. Give me another couple weeks though, and I should be back in LibriVoxian mode. Oh, I do look forward to it.

I'll be mostly offline till Monday, but I hope to hear your file then.
Very Happy

Anita

Do specify what sort of feedback, as David mentioned. And I can recommend a number of listeners . . . David for one, Gesine, Stephan, Starlite, Jimmowatt (I typically concur with Jim's responses to readers), Fae, Anna, um, um, Kristin, oh, Kayray, um, um... and manymanymany more.

kayray · Post by **kayray** » October 3rd, 2006, 9:17 pm

Cynthia, It would be good to combine your posts in this thread with the ones in this thread:
http://librivox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3546

Because otherwise it's very confusing :)

Is it ok with you If I copy these posts over to that thread and delete this thread?

Also -- I just wanted to suggest that, if you're feeling doubtful about this work, just pick something else for your first big solo. It's perfectly ok to put Dickens on hold for a while and try something less daunting!

kayray · Post by **kayray** » November 19th, 2006, 8:54 pm

Hi!
We've begun using a new system for keeping things organized in our new searchable catalog. Would you please give me the following onformation so I can add your project to the database? Thanks!

Full title:
Full name of author(s):
Full name of translator (if applicable, and if available):
Link to PD text source:
Link to author on Wikipedia (if available):
Link to title on Wikipedia (if available):
Target completion date (an estimate which can be changed):
Short description (can be a paragraph copied from Wikipedia. If you write this yourself, please be aware that your summary will be in the PD. Please state who wrote the description):
Number of sections (files) this project will have:
Does the project have an introduction that will be separate from the first chapter? [y/n]:
Original publication date (if known):

HeartofTexas · Post by **HeartofTexas** » November 21st, 2006, 8:24 am

Do y'all still want someone to listen as this book is read? I realize that I'm new, but I have the time to do this, and I know I'd be a good collaborator as a first listener. Please let me know if you're interested, and best wishes on your project.

Susan KC

kayray · Post by **kayray** » November 21st, 2006, 9:31 am

I'm not sure if Acrobatty is still planning to do this project. It's been a while since we've heard from her. However -- if you're interested in sci-fi at all, I have a reader doing "From the Earth to the Moon" by Jules Verne. He's got the first 7 chapters done, and it would be great if you wanted to give them a listen! Um, poke around in the Going Solo section, it's there somewhere, and links to those first 7 chapters are in the first post. :)

And there is always plenty of listening work to be had in the Listeners Wanted section of the forum!

Thanks a lot!

kayray · Post by **kayray** » December 2nd, 2006, 4:17 pm

Note to self: have PM'd Acrobatty

acrobatty · Post by **acrobatty** » December 3rd, 2006, 1:51 pm

I have read 16 chapters of Bleak House as of today. And I am determined to finish within the next three months or so. I have not uploaded them as yet as I am not sure who wishes to be my coordinator.

Please let me know who wants the job. Is a "first listener" the same as a coordinator?

I will complete the data for the new organizing system and post the info soon.

Acrobatty

acrobatty · Post by **acrobatty** » December 3rd, 2006, 2:26 pm

1. Full title: Bleak House

2. Full name of author(s): Charles Dickens
3. Full name of translator (if applicable, and if available):
4. Link to PD text source: http://www.gutenburg.org/etext/1023
5. Link to author on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickens

6. Link to title on Wikipedia (if available): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleak_House

7. Target completion date (an estimate which can be changed): April, 07
8. Short description (can be a paragraph copied from Wikipedia. If you write this yourself, please be aware that your summary will be in the PD. Please state who wrote the description):
http://www.bibliomania.com/0/0/19/34/frameset.html

9. Number of sections (files) this project will have: 67
10. Does the project have an introduction that will be separate from the first chapter? [y/n]: n
11. Original publication date (if known): 20 monthly parts between March 1852 and September 1853

Post by **ezwa** » December 3rd, 2006, 4:48 pm

Hi Acrobatty!

I'll take over MCing this project for you.
That means I'll be cataloguing your recordings when you are through. Of course, in the mean time, I can help you through the process or if you have any questions.

acrobatty wrote:.. Is a "first listener" the same as a coordinator? ...

A first listener (proolistener, as we say) listens to recordings before they are released in the catalogue to check them for any obvious problem.
You can find more information on how prooflistening works here : http://librivox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=724

The coordinators are either book coordinators or metacoordinators.

The book coordinator starts a project, collects all the files, quickly checks them for ID3-tags, ... In short, he manages the project, adding readers and saving files as they come. He sets up the prooflistening thread and hands over to the metacoordinator when it's done.
The metacoordinator takes over to add the project in the LibriVox catalogue.

So, we could say that on this project, you are your own book coordinator and I am the metacoordinator.

Thanks for the information for the new catalogue system.
Just one thing about it : we won't be able to use the summary provided by bibliomania, as it is copyrighted (see their note at the bottom of the page you linked to). If there's no summary available that we can use as such, we can ask for someone to write one.

Cheers,

a.r.dobbs · Post by **a.r.dobbs** » December 3rd, 2006, 8:00 pm

HeartofTexas wrote:Do y'all still want someone to listen as this book is read? I realize that I'm new, but I have the time to do this, and I know I'd be a good collaborator as a first listener. Please let me know if you're interested, and best wishes on your project.

Susan KC

I hadn't heard the term "first listener" before, but as I think about it, I like the term, because whenever there's a correction to be made, it's handy to have a second full listen to a chapter, and then it's more fun if someone else -- a second listener -- does that listening to the corrected file.

Cynthia, would you like to burn a CD and mail it to me so you're not sitting around waiting for your computer to upload files? I'm happy to do that! The more acrobatty files I have around, the happier I am.

Otherwise, Kara (kayray) offers her server space for your files. She has a handy uploader.

ezwa wrote:If there's no summary available that we can use as such, we can ask for someone to write one.

This is another GREAT thing that a "first listener" can do for a book if the reader doesn't want to write a summary, because the book is pretty fresh in your mind and . . . you know . . . just a thought.

cheers,
Anita