Back in November 2011, I signed up to participate in A Classics Challenge, sponsered by Katherine Cox at November's Autumn. Now that we're officially half-way through 2012, I thought I would see how I'm doing with regards to the challenge, especially given my penchant for surrendering to tangential temptations, reading-wise.
My Reading List for this Challenge:
Silas Marner - George Eliot: this was a reread, and I did so in January. I love it more every time I read it. Here's my post on it.
Tortilla Flat - John Steinbeck: read in May, a bit disappointed but still found it interesting and glad I read it. Here's the post for that one.
Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes - Robert Louis Stevenson: I forgot that I signed up to read this. I just voted on Goodreads to read Stevenson in August, so maybe I'll take this with me on my upcoming trip to Boston.
Barchester Towers - Anthony Trollope: putting this off until the fall, but really looking forward to it.
Romola - George Eliot: a promising book for late fall; something meaty to read by the fire when the wind is howling!
Little Dorrit - Charles Dickens: read in the spring; loved it, and watched the latest BBC adaptation. Wonderful!!! Here's the post.
Uncle Tom's Cabin - Harriet Beecher Stowe: currently reading; so much better than I expected; truly, one of the most important books ever written.
Three out of seven done, with the fourth half-way read. Sounds like I'm right on schedule!
Silas Marner is a book I read twice and that rarely happens for me --enjoy and have fun with the challenge.
ReplyDeleteWell done! I've finished with my Classics Challenge but I'm only halfway through with my TBR challenge -- maybe I should have picked books I really wanted to read, not books that I *thought* I should read. I'll choose more wisely next year!
ReplyDeletegreat to see you're part of this challenge - i've also challenged myself with it & making good progress [thankfully!] enjoying the discoveries along the way :)
ReplyDeletecongrats on your excellent results so far !
Jane, I so enjoyed hearing about your classics reading, whether for this particular challenge or just your lifetime list--which is definitely awe-inspiring! :) I can identify with your classics menu for this year, since I share a couple of the seletions on mine.
ReplyDeleteI read Little Dorrit to "find out what happened" and, as you have often mentioned, there is a special pleasure in going back to savor the sight and sound of the writing--and better appreciate plot elements on the second go-round. So true here. I've been so caught up in Dickens mania this year, Little Dorrit is part of it, along with Our Mutual Friend, which now has a bookmark in it. Also waiting for some concentrated attention is Romola, which I have begun--thank goodness for endnotes! The normally erudite George Eliot outdoes herself with this one! Having an Italian dictionary handy doesn't hurt either. But it is gloriously atmospheric and historically fascinating. Perhaps I will really dig into it in the fall as well. All best to you! ~lucy
Impressive list. I always look at these lists and want to read virtually every book. Usually there are a few that I have already read. I have not gotten to any of books on your list yet. Once again i am reminding about how much there is to read but so little time available!
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