Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion
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Chris' Classics Bingo 2016
If anyone is interested in book pal/buddy reads for any of these please let me know. I will be reading the collection of Elizabeth Browning's poems throughout the year. That one is the Penguin Classics one. I'll work to get these all linked at some point.
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Just realized I botched on N2: Short Story Collection. I was reading that as Short Story Classic and put The Little Prince in there but that doesn't fly, it's supposed to be a collection.So I'm debating between Graham Green's complete collection on Penguin Classics or the complete works of Flannery O'Connor. Both are on my nightstand and in my currently reading list because I will often grab one every once in awhile to read before bed. I am leaning toward O'Connor, which the collection I have has them presented in the order they were published. I would just start back at the beginning with the Geranium.
Decisions, decisions...
The mysteries of Udolpho is on my challenge list too, so I'd be happy to join in if you do want to set up a buddy read :)
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Mine too.
Sounds good to me. I would be able to start it in another 3 or 4 weeks. What about you guys?
So a mid/late Feb start? That could work for me.
I think mid will work best for me. We will be moving at the end of February or early March so either mid Feb or late March. Afraid my reading time will be very limited in between then.
How about we push it back slightly later if you're moving at the end of Feb, as it's quite a long dense book and there's no rush. We could pencil in April and re-assess nearer the time...I'll read other books from my list in the meantime. Or we can stick to mid Feb if you prefer?
Yeesh, I didn't realize it was a 650 page book. Yes, thanks for letting me know and I think April will be a much better time :)
I know, it's page count isn't inspiring me to pick it up....but it's been on the tbr list for too long....pencilling in for April.
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Sara, perhaps we can push back until May, or you can join in once you've finished your other books. I'll post in the buddy reads thread a bit nearer the time to see who else wants to join in.
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At this rate our build hasn't completed and May might be a better option for me. We've now had to move twice while waiting for this to complete. It's a wonder I've been able to read much at all the last 3 or 4 weeks!
I2: New-to-You Author: The Stranger; Albert Camus ☐This one is completed but I can't check my box (it's MS Word). I am noting this here so I don't forget :)
I have a few other changes to make as well when I can actually sit down with the document.
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I'd be up for a read then -- I've overcommitted myself to books for early springtime here.
Good luck with the build Chris.
Kathy wrote: "Chris wrote: "At this rate our build hasn't completed and May might be a better option for me. We've now had to move twice while waiting for this to complete. It's a wonder I've been able to read m..."Sounds good and thanks! We are certainly looking forward to it but what a process it is.
Checked off Middlemarch & The Stranger. I changed out The Grapes of Wrath for Of Mice and Men since we are reading it in the group this month. Hoping I won't have to fit in group reads as much later on but will likely need to get a little more creative for the Spring until we're moved and settled. EDIT: Moved list to first post and am keeping that post updated with progress.
Looks like the swap has worked well for you, you're doing great still :)
Thanks Pink.Finished Of Mice and Men. I hadn't read it or seen the movie before. My understanding of the story was scant at best. Really liked it though and I can see why it is so revered.
Started The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt the other day. I didn't realize this was nearly 800 pages and really need to do a better of job of checking that out before I go adding it to the list! At any rate I've wanted to read this for some time and I'm glad it's on the nightstand now.
Well I am still chugging along. We are finally moving into our new home this weekend which has been a long time coming. Still a couple weeks from getting settled but we are ready for it!I finished reading The Mysterious Affair at Styles. This is my least favorite Agatha Christie so far. I really enjoyed the others though (Endless Night, Crooked House, And Then There Were None). As far as this one is concerned I just didn't find myself caring about the characters much and as a result I really didn't care who the murderer was. But all the attributes that make up a great Agatha Christie mystery were still there. The intricate plot, a crazy cast of characters, a great climax and finale... It may have just been a timing thing. At any rate next on my list of Christie books is Murder on the Orient Express and I'm looking forward to that but for now I'm focused on the challenge.
I am also about halfway through Treasure Island. This one I am really enjoying and I can't wait to do this as a read-aloud with the kids in a few years. It's a great adventure and so far, of the 200 or so pages I've read, I haven't been disappointed. We have the Usborne Books copy and they do a great job on the overall package of their books so that is part of the fun.
Finally I'm about 150 pages into The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt. I didn't realize this was a 750 page book and I really should have planned better as I was setting up the first half of this challenge. I just wasn't thinking about book sizes. Even still I have wanted to read this for some time and am glad I'm finally doing so. Roosevelt lived a life that, as far as I'm concerned, naturally resonates with men in general. This is currently a nightstand read for me, meaning I am only getting a few minutes before bed right now so it will likely not be done until late May or early June.
So now I am looking at adding The Mysteries of Udolpho to my audio collection. I will likely pick up a paperback copy as well but I am between audio right now and thought this might be a good one to add. I will ping you guys and see if you are still interested in doing this together. Of course I can still wait if we all need some time. It will likely be a slow go for me, probably 6-8 weeks.
Good luck with your move! It looks like you're chugging along just fine and enjoying some good books. I'm ready for The Mysteries of Udolpho anytime if we take it slow, but maybe a May or June start?
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Well the last 6 weeks have been busy with getting settled and reading had to take a backseat. I haven't completed either Treasure Island (I'm now about 3/4ths of the way) or The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt (only just past page 200) but I haven't quit.In fact, only this week have I really been able to pick these back up. My status hasn't changed much but I did want to chime in to note I'm still planning on seeing this through. Things should be picking up now that we are getting our routines back.
I will be shooting to complete Treasure Island this coming week so could be up for a start of Udolpho come mid to late June. I may still need to take it a little slower. I'm also starting Black Beauty with my oldest (since it's a book of the month this month and she loves Black Beauty) and I'd like to read the Fall of the House of Usher with the group since it's one of my favorites.
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How are you enjoying The Rise of TR? I just finished River of Doubt and I'm pretty taken with Mr. Roosevelt at the moment.
Can't say I blame you Sara! I've been fascinated by his character for the sheer audacity of some of the things he did (hiking the Matterhorn, the Brazilian expedition that the River of Doubt is based on, etc.) It's definitely a great read. I wish I could take it at a faster pace than I am but I'm still enjoying it. There are a few qualms I have with the way Mr. Morris presents some of TR's ethic but they are minor and most readers probably wouldn't even notice so I try to let it go.It's a very thorough biography and only takes you from birth to winning the presidency. The 2nd book is Theodore Rex which covers his two terms and the 3rd is Colonel Roosevelt which covers his final years after his presidency. I recommend it so far.
I'm glad that you're all moved. I'm not surprised that reading had to take a back seat for a while. I'm still up for Udolpho, but I'm swamped with other books right now. July onwards would be perfect and I'm happy to take it slower.
That works for me, Pink. Lets plan on July. I think both Kathy and Sara were looking at Udolpho as well.
Great, I'll post in the buddy reads thread to see if they or anyone else are still interested.
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Chris--I feel that I need to learn a lot more about Mr. Roosevelt. I will add these biographies to my ever-growing TBR.
I may join in for Udolpho, since it looks like youre backing up to July...that definitely works better for me!Glad to here you're moved and hope you able to be settling b in now...
Thanks Susie - we definitely are. Glad you can join in on the Udolpho read!I finished Treasure Island and am going to focus my time on The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt until we begin Udolpho. Not sure I'll be able to complete it before then but will be in much better shape either way.
As for Treasure Island, it was fun to see where so much of the pirate imagery comes from. We (myself, my wife and kids) read a lot of Stevenson's poetry but this is the first of his books that I've read. This Usborne Books copy also contained a short biography about him which was also very interesting. The pace is very fast from chapter to chapter. The chapters feel like a particular scene or event. Some of the style was a little difficult to follow but apart from that the story was fun and definitely full of adventure. I look forward to this one as a family read aloud in the coming years.
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Thanks Sara! We have worked hard to make reading the normal family activity and really enjoy it. Our previous neighbors did this as well and several of their kids are all grown and out of the house. When they come home though they still all get together and read through books. Seems to be a tradition that sticks well!
Well, I finally have my list completed. I'm looking forward to the rest of these. I added The Pilgrim's Progress even though I've read it several times. We have a nice new hard cover copy so I'm kind of anxious to go through that again. Uncle Tom's Cabin and Animal Farm are re-reads for me as well. I had picked Uncle Tom's Cabin because I really wanted to read it again. It's a bonus that it's up as a group read next month. I also picked Animal Farm because it's a group read next month and small enough to squeeze in. I don't think I've read it since middle school so my memory of it is faded apart from what's known of the book on a popular level. A Death in the Family is autobiographical, set in Tennessee and won the Pulitzer in 1958 so that counts for O1. I had originally thought the book had to be prize winner and set in your country/region which is why I chose it. I see now the prize needs to be from your country/region but this works on both counts. If these categories remain next year I will look for a more specific prize to the area I'm in.
Finally I had to keep lengths down. I hated having to do that but I really wasn't paying attention earlier when I started some of these so in order to be able to complete this I need to be practical. A couple of these final picks were chosen based purely on overall review and length; particularly B5, I1, G4, G5 and O3 although I really did want to read O3. Not that I would complain about reading any of these, I just hate that I had to use that as part of my picking criteria.
EDIT: Moved list to first post to clean up the thread.
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Chris, have you finished these books? Are you calling bingo for completion?
You have a good selection of books.
Thanks Sara. I'm looking forward to the rest.Andrea - I wish! No only the ones that are crossed out have been completed.
Up until today I only had about half the card picked out and spent sometime last night and earlier today finishing the picks.
I have been reading the poetry selection and the short story selection throughout the year so far and am pacing those to complete before the years out. At this rate I will likely not finish until early December, best case scenario :)
Your list is looking great. I'm really looking forward to starting Udolpho next month. I'm also planning on reading Uncle Tom's Cabin for both the group read and my women's challenge. Plus I have The Pilgrim's Progress on my 12+2 classics challenge list. Feeling slightly overcommitted right now!
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I'm up for The Mysteries of Udolpho too!
Kathy wrote: "Pink wrote: "Your list is looking great. I'm really looking forward to starting Udolpho next month...."I'm up for The Mysteries of Udolpho too!"
Great!
Awesome! I am really looking forward to Udolpho as well.I'm a little more than halfway through the TR biography now and am expecting to finish in the next week and a half or so. Also planning to read Uncle Tom's Cabin w/ the group next month.
I am thinking I may plan to knock out Pilgrim's Progress shortly thereafter but we'll see.
Finally finished The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt and will probably begin The Mysteries of Udolpho tonight.The TR biography was a very good 4-star read. It's emphasis really is on TR's climb to president and takes him from birth to the assassination of McKinley. As such there were a few things I wish could have been delved into more, but at nearly 800 pages I honestly don't know you could. Since the focus is on his coming to power it does make sense that some areas wouldn't get as much attention as others. I'm primarily thinking of his family life and marriage to Edith after the passing of his first wife.
I would have loved to also learned more of TR's ethic. While we do get to meet his character quite a bit and learn a bit of his worldview, there is quite a bit lacking and I feel I've come away only scratching the surface of 'knowing' the man (as best one could anyway.)
I tend to judge a biography by how much I feel I'm going to miss the person I've just spent all this time with. Sometimes you close the back cover and feel a sense of grief that it's complete and you are saying goodbye to this person, only to realize you can open it up again and start all over. This one is a little different. It does have that feel at the end but there is a lack of finality - TR hasn't died yet, he's just assumed the presidency, and there's another 6-700 page book waiting that focuses on those next 7.5 years. Maybe that'll be my non-fiction choice for 2017 Bingo.
But for now, it's on to Udolpho I go...
Hoping to join in with Udolpho... :)
Susie wrote: "Hoping to join in with Udolpho... :)"Hi Susie - I've begun and am really enjoying it. I'm only at the start of chapter 6 which is around page 60. There's a lot of scenery so far, which I don't mind, but not much by way of a plot yet. Someone else commented the plot really begins roughly 30% in. I'll enjoy the ride in the meantime. Hope you can join us!
Monica wrote: Chris, appreciated your comment about the book on Teddy Roosevelt. Fascinated by that family's story, and enjoyed The Roosevelts, companion book to the Ken Burns PBS documentary.
I'm glad you enjoyed it! I would also like to read his autobiography to get more of his perspective on things. TR is sort of a mythic figure. He was an intellectual, a rancher, a sheriff, a family man, an author, a soldier, a police commissioner, a hunter, a wildlife conservationist, an Amazonian explorer, a naval secretary, a president and the list goes on.
I wish to preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life, the life of toil and effort, of labor and strife; to preach that highest form of success which comes, not to the man who desires mere easy peace, but to the man who does not shrink from danger, from hardship, or from bitter toil, and who out of these wins the splendid ultimate triumph. – Theodore Roosevelt
Completed Animal Farm on Friday. Unfortunately didn't get a whole lot of reading done this weekend though I did start on the first few chapters of Uncle Tom's Cabin.
I started audio of "Animal Farm" today.It seems as if it won't take much time to listen to this on my work commute.
No, it definitely won't. I primarily listened to it to/from work and then wrapped it up while doing some errands. It's an easy one to listen to.
Catching up on Classics (and lots more!)
Books mentioned in this topic
The Complete Stories (other topics)Gilead (other topics)
Night (other topics)
Night (other topics)
The Scarlet Letter (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Flannery O'Connor (other topics)Flannery O'Connor (other topics)
Etienne van Heerden (other topics)
Penelope Fitzgerald (other topics)
Progress: 25/25
B1. Written by Nobel Laureate: Night by Elie WieselB2. Sci-fi or Fantasy Classic: Treasure Island by Robert Louis StevensonB3. Classic of Africa: Ancestral Voices by Etienne van HeerdenB4. Children's Classic: Heidi by Johanna SpyriB5. Winner of a Foreign Literary Prize: Offshore by Penelope FitzgeraldI1. Published/Written Before 1600’s: The Epic of Gilgamesh by AnonymousI2. New-to-You Author: The Stranger by Albert CamusI3. Classic Play: Hamlet by William ShakespeareI4. Banned Book: Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher StoweI5. Published in the 1700's: The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann RadcliffeN1. Classic of the Americas: Of Mice and Men by John SteinbeckN2. Short Story Collection: The Complete Stories by Flannery O'ConnorN3. FREE SPACE: Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt VonnegutN4. Poetry Collection: Aurora Leigh and Other Poems by Elizabeth Barrett BrowningN5. Classic of Europe: Middlemarch by George EliotG1. Published in the 1600's: The Pilgrim's Progress by John BunyanG2. Le Monde’s 100 Books of the Century: The Sound and the Fury by William FaulknerG3. Classic Non-fiction: The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund MorrisG4. Classic from School: Animal Farm by George OrwellG5. Published in the 1800's: The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel HawthorneO1. Literary Prize of Your Country/Region: A Death in the Family by James AgeeO2. Gothic Classic: Northanger Abbey by Jane AustenO3. Classic of Asia or Oceania: One Thousand and One Arabian Nights by AnonymousO4. Mystery or Crime Classic: The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha ChristieO5. Prize-Winning Female Author: Gilead by Marilynne Robinson