Slow Read: How to do the Books of Jacob 'read along'

Slow read along of Olga Tokarczuk, The Books of Jacob

First, a quick recap on the ‘slow reads’ program.

A ‘Slow read’ or read along program is an online book group that reads classics slowly with some guidance from a facilitator through posts and chat. Participants share their experience of the book. It is not formal study. It is an appreciative reading experience in good company.

My ‘Slow Reads’ program is designed around your interests in history and cultural perspectives from across the world. And include not old school classics, but great historical fiction by living writers.

That is why I chose Olga Tokarczuk, The Books of Jacob. It is an acknowledged masterwork by the 2018 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature.

How the Slow Read of The Books of Jacob works

We will read the 32 chapters of this thousand-page historical novel over 32 weeks. That is about 30 pages per week. I will post a guide to one chapter each week on Monday mornings. Then we have a whole week to discuss characters, context, history, and the story.

Of course, you can read ahead or start later, if you want. You can join any time, or dip in and out as you wish.

The aim is to enjoy the “fantastic journey across seven borders, five languages, and three major religions” that Olga Tokarczuk created for her readers.

The aim is to savour the experience with all the faculties of our greatest gift, imagination.

Everyone can participate in this read along.

All readers will receive my brief summary of the chapter in the weekly post.

Paid subscribers and Angels of History will receive more notes on context, characters, and chat questions.

And browsers on Notes and YouTube will also receive regular updates on this Slow Read experience.

What you do on the Slow Read of The Books of Jacob

First, get the book.

It was published in English in late 2022, translated by Jennifer Croft.

There are two English language editions which you can buy at these affiliate links: Fitzcarraldo edition and Riverhead/Text Books edition (the version I use).

The book was written in Polish and published to wide acclaim in 2014. It was a national bestseller for months. If any Polish readers do join me on this fantastic journey, your insights will be especially welcome. You no doubt know where to get the Polish edition.

Second, get a feel for Olga Tokarczuk.

You don’t need to have read any other works by Tokarczuk to appreciate The Books of Jacob. Her style is accessible, friendly, and immediately engaging.

It does help to get a feel for her concerns and interests at a time that works for you.

You can read her Nobel lecture, “The Tender Narrator” here, and I also narrated it as a mini audiobook here.

This interview (in Polish that YouTube translates in captions) is worth watching at some point along the journey.

Third, get a feel for the history of the ‘Other Europe’

Don’t worry if you can’t do this over the next month. I will provide notes on historical context and the characters who appear in the novel, who Tokarczuk drew from the real history of the ‘Other Europe’ in the 17th and 18th centuries.

But it does help to learn about the ‘Other Europe,’ that is, the many cultures, faiths, and histories of Eastern Europe, including the old Commonwealth of Poland and Lithuania (including modern day Ukraine), European Jews, and Ottoman Europe.

I am reading Jacob Mikanowski, Goodbye Eastern Europe: an Intimate History of a Divided Land (2023), which has a great brief section on Jacob Frank, and is a well-written guide to the multicultural history of Eastern Europe.

This short video on Sabbatai Tzvi, the heretical Jewish Messiah featured in the book, is helpful.

Fourth and finally, start reading.

It is that simple. There is no test. There is no right or wrong response. There is no rush. There is no fixed schedule for you; though I will keep to mine, for your benefit. Read the seven books of Jacob in your own way and enjoy some company on this fantastic journey.

What I will do for you on the Slow Read of The Books of Jacob

I will send you a weekly post on Monday morning that summarises the story of the chapter for the week, and points to key characters, context, and chat question for the week.

This post will come as an email, with a paywall.

Below the paywall, paid subscribers will receive more notes on the characters, context, and chat question.

These notes will give readers resources and pointers to the historical context so you can appreciate Tokarczuk’s masterpiece, which deals with historical characters and themes in 17th and 18th century Poland that many in the ‘West’ are unfamiliar with.

The whole email will be 500 to 1000 words. My aim is to be brief and guide your slow reading, without intruding or spoiling the story.

Paid subscribers will also have access to the weekly chat thread on the discussion question.

Paid subscribers will also have access to a page with a complete indexed guide to the weekly posts, characters, and context so that you can refer to it more conveniently at any time.

Coming up Next and the Reading Schedule

I have set out the complete weekly schedule for the Slow Read here.

The Slow Read begins on 3 February, and over the next two weeks I am writing two posts to orient you to the characters and historical context.

• 20 January - An overview of the characters of The Books of Jacob

• 27 January - Historical context of the 'Other Europe' in The Books of Jacob

Thanks for joining me and I hope you can join me on the Slow Read of The Books of Jacob.