Sara’s Comments (group member since Jul 20, 2015)

Sara’s comments from the Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) group.

Duh, yes. Thank you Darren.

Sorry guys. Teri-K you can nominate something else here and nominate this in New School. Same with your second, Terry.
I have been working on my decades list and reading in the 1930s, I think that date just seemed normal to me.😖

Nominations Update:

The Duel: by Joseph Conrad, 1908, 112 pp
J_Blueflower, Wobbley

The Story of Gösta Berling by Selma Lagerlöf, 1891, 318 pp
Ascanio, Nike

The Nun by Denis Diderot,1796, 240 pp
Kimberly, Ascanio, Austin

Lord Of The World: by Robert Hugh Benson, 1907, 296 pp
Austin

The Republic of Plato by Plato, -380, 487pp
Sam

The Children of the New Forest by Frederick Marryat, 1847, 304 pp
Darren

If I have made any error or omitted anyone, please let me know.

Teri-K wrote: "I took the time to look over all your challenges again. You've found some really good new authors - which should mean great reading ahead. (I can recommend Tozer's The Pursuit of God and Knowledge ..."

It has been a great year for discovering new writers. I have both of those books in my hands, Teri, and plan to read them soon. I have a couple of on-going inspirational reads to finish and then Tozer gets front and center.

Kathleen wrote: "Well there has to be something to compare the good ones too, right?

Sara, the last few times I've looked at your Old and New, I've seen Under the Greenwood Tree and thought "that wil..."

Lovely way to look at it, Kathleen! I am planning the Hardy for later this month. I'm usually a fan, so I'm glad to have your assurance that it won't disappoint.

Oh yes, Connie. In the running for my favorite Austen.

Always nice to hear from you, Greg. I also hope work gives you a break soon!

Welcome Alvina and Marulina.

Lori wrote: "Darn it! I’ll have to remember this in the future. I hope you liked An Old Captivity as I have this one coming up before the end of the year. 🤞🏻"

It was another that just didn't live up to what I expect and it had a rather strange twist to it. It will be interesting to see what you think. I have exhausted his more famous novels and there might be a reason some of these lesser-knowns are lesser known.

Terris wrote: "Sara wrote: "Another marked off my Old and New Challenge. This one was quite a disappointment. I suppose I may have read all the good books by Nevil Shute. This one was terribly dated, a little ove..."

It was okay, which is what I rated it, but I would say to all the Shute lovers out there--you can miss this one.

Teri-K wrote: "Sara wrote: "Another marked off my Old and New Challenge. This one was quite a disappointment. I suppose I may have read all the good books by Nevil Shute. This one was terribly dated, a little ove..."

So true, Teri. I always have great expectations of him and usually I am justified. I think this one was written for reasons that had nothing to do with literature or storytelling.

Wobbley wrote: "Oh no! Nevil Shute was one of the authors who had never let you down, right? So Sorry this one was a dud."

I have read of couple of his that I could have done without, but his good stuff is beyond stellar, so worth taking the chance.

Another marked off my Old and New Challenge. This one was quite a disappointment. I suppose I may have read all the good books by Nevil Shute. This one was terribly dated, a little overloaded with naval/sailing details, and felt slightly unrealistic in light of now knowing what happened during World War II. It would have been speculative when written, so no blame goes into that.

I have three more books to read for the challenge, which I hope are winners. I try to be so careful with those chosen for this particular challenge. Of course, that is what the alternates are for!

Can't read too many Austen's nor too often. My last re-read was Persuasion. I do hope to get through all of them again, soon.

Teri-K wrote: "#3, 5 The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart 9/5 3*
I surprised myself by really having fun with the last third or so of this, though I found the first part ki..."

I enjoy Rinehart. Mysteries are not my favorites, but I have read several of hers and liked them all.

Great work, Lori. I think you ended on a very high note...two great books. Good luck on finishing the buffet!

Congratulations! Wobbley is right, this is a pretty impressive card. You've got some on there that I haven't yet read but keep popping up on my TBR and a few I'm not familiar with. I need to check them over before I plan next years reads.

I think this can be seen as a metaphor for whatever we miss in life, because none of us gets to experience it all. Whatever choice you make, there is some other choice that would have given you something this choice didn't. I like that Chopin has given her a meaningful and full life. She liked running the farm, so it isn't that she didn't have a life, or a good one, because of the lack of children. I don't think it is a matter of a good or a bad decision she made, just that in choosing one way of life, one path, we automatically lose another. See Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken. "sorry I could not travel both and be one traveler..." She got a glimpse of the other road.

I'm glad you made it through The Iliad (I have it on a list to re-read, but never seem to get to it). It is always a challenge to continue with something that isn't really working for you...too much desire to pick up the other books that are stacked right by your elbow.

Congratulations! Finishing does feel grand.

We also did a Shakespeare yearly. I don't know if he has also been jettisoned, but it wouldn't surprise me.

From Julius Caesar I think I might only have "et tu, Brute" left.