English Study Group

[Ольга]

I am not sure if there is such a group. If it exists already, I beg your pardon.
Let's share our experience and knowledge.
Firstly, I will tell what I do. Some piece of my humble experience.
I am reading "The Thorn Birds" by Colleen McCullough, "Committed" by Elizabeth Gilbert, "Gone with the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell. To be honest, I am crazy about American literature.
I am listening to theater productions with Stephen Fry, like "Afternoon Play - I Love Stephen Fry" (BBC), "The Dongle of Donald Trefusis", Jane Austen Collection, "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy (BBC7) (it is especially interesting to compare British and Russian versions of "War and Peace". I have read all the parts of "War and Peace" in Russian. The BBC theater production of this book is magnificent, no Runglish, professional translation, professional performance, 35 actors and awesome music!).
Before I have read "The Forsyte Saga" by J.Galsworthy, "Eat, Pray, Love" by E.Gilbert and many others.
I have listened to Oscar Wilde's short stories (Stephen Fry's performance is superb).
I tried to read the seventh part of Harry Potter and "Of Human Bondage" by S.Maugham, but it was too boring.
Besides, I like to read novels by Sidney Sheldon. I have read several, the language is too simple. I read something from J.R.R.Tolkien, the language is spectacular, but it was a fairy tale and I dislike fairy tales.
I read some translated books, like novels by Paulo Coelho, but the translation spoilt his books, and I was not impressed and I could not catch the philosophy and the main idea of his books.
As for podcasts: I don't know, I don't like podcasts. They make me feel bored.
As for speaking: I use these sites for recording my spontaneous speech:
http://screencast-o-matic.com/home

https://www.photo.net/search#//Sort-New ... ime/Page-1

Writing: My favorite site for penpaling – PenPalWorld http://www.penpalworld.com/
I have found several interesting blokes over there, and I was writing them pretty long letters for several years.

[smallwhite]

Existing English study group / team:

Team Tea and Scones

[Ольга]

So, it would be nice to unite these groups, if it is possible.

[aaleks]

I have read all the parts of "War and Peace" in Russian.

I, as seems most of girls, read only the Peace parts . I tried to read the book as adult, but stopped at the chapter XXIII (there’s a bookmarker in the book). My problem with the Russian classic books has always been that back in school we were tortured by those books . Fortunately there was a time when I read some of them just because I liked it.

Besides, I like to read novels by Sidney Sheldon. I have read several, the language is too simple.

With Sidney Sheldon there is other problem . I had read too many his books translated in Russian in my high school and college years. About 3-4 years ago, out of curiosity, I looked through pages of a couple of Sheldon’s books in English in a bookstore and it seemed that’s really easy to read even then.

[Ольга]

I have read all the parts of "War and Peace" in Russian.

I, as seems most of girls, read only the Peace parts . I tried to read the book as adult, but stopped at the chapter XXIII (there’s a bookmarker in the book). My problem with the Russian classic books has always been that back in school we were tortured by those books . Fortunately there was a time when I read some of them just because I liked it.

Besides, I like to read novels by Sidney Sheldon. I have read several, the language is too simple.

With Sidney Sheldon there is other problem . I had read too many his books translated in Russian in my high school and college years. About 3-4 years ago, out of curiosity, I looked through pages of a couple of Sheldon’s books in English in a bookstore and it seemed that’s really easy to read even then.

Oh, you know, "War and Peace" was my favorite book when I was a youngster. I loved Dolokhov too much, because I always loved antagonists. I retold each chapter of the novel to my friend, and each time we were amazed how sexual protagonists and antagonists were.
As for Sidney Sheldon, his "Master of the Game" is one of the books, which he wrote so masterfully, that it reminds me some Pulitzer Prize Winners's novels, even if his "Master of the Game" is concerned to be only "a cheap dime novel".

[Xenops]

We can make this one the American English group:...But I can't think of a food to go with it. Hamburgers and Coca-Cola? French fries would just be funny.

Edit: I read War and Peace in English, and I was very proud of myself.

[iguanamon]

Basically, Team Tea and Scones never got off the ground. Only three posts, all from November 1, 2016 and only the OP was learning English. So the tea is finished and the scones are gone. In the last three days, three English-learners from China have joined. Perhaps they may join. This could be useful for English-learners. The forum has a large percentage of native English-speakers ad near-natives to help.

[smallwhite]

Basically, Team Tea and Scones never got off the ground. Only three posts, all from November 1, 2016 and only the OP was learning English. So the tea is finished and the scones are gone. In the last three days, three English-learners from China have joined. Perhaps they may join. This could be useful for English-learners. The forum has a large percentage of native English-speakers ad near-natives to help.

There were only 14 Study Groups before OP started this one and I hate it when bad guys win.

[iguanamon]

There were only 14 Study Groups before OP started this one and I hate it when bad guys win.

True, I see your point. There should be a way to deactivate a study group if there's no activity after a certain point. I agree that it does lead to clutter. The "Team Tea and Scones" thing was a clear throwback to TAC and the cute name may have put off learners of non-British English.

[smallwhite]

There were only 14 Study Groups before OP started this one and I hate it when bad guys win.

True, I see your point. There should be a way to deactivate a study group if there's no activity after a certain point. I agree that it does lead to clutter. The "Team Tea and Scones" thing was a clear throwback to TAC and the cute name may have put off learners of non-British English.

To me, tea is Chinese and scones are western