Lifetime Classics Challenge discussion

I'm planning to read 16 classics, maybe including these:

A few I'm reading or hope to read:

X 1.The Passion by Jeannette Winterson. 4.5 stars. 2/21/16
X 2. The Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka. 5 stars. 3/15/16
X 3. A Fine Balance by Robinton Mistry. 5 stars. 5/7/15.
X 4. The Bluest Eye. Toni Morrison. 4.5 stars. 4/13/16
X 5. A Body in the Library by Agatha Christie. 3 stars. 5/27/16
X 6. King Solomon's Mines. by H. Rider Haggard. 3.5 stars. 7/19/16
X 7. Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor. 3.5 stars. 9/30/16
X 8. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. 4.5 stars. 10/19/16
X 9. Old Yeller by Fred Gipson. 4.5 stars. 11/11/16
X 10. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. 5 stars. 12/24/16



Nicholas Nickleby
Cannery Row
X Fahrenheit 451
1984
The Dark Child by Camera Laye
War and Peace
A Christmas Carol
Native Son
A Streetcar Named Desire
Yearling
Rascal
My Family and Other Animals
Essential Tales of Chekhov
My Side of the Mountain
North and South
Richard II (or Hamlet)
Rachel Ray. Anthony Trollope
Peyton Place?
Cat of Bubastes

I would love to read Nicholas Nickleby this year. I am planning on reading David Copperfield in May. Perhaps I can get one more Dickens in towards the end of the year.

We'll keep encouraging each other. You may get to it before me...

Actually Read:

1. The Passion by Jeanette Winterson. 5 stars. 2/21/16 (from 1001 Books to Read Before You Die)


2. A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka. 5 stars. 3/15/16. (from 1001 Books to Read Before You Die)


3. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. 4.5 stars. 4/13/16 (from 1001 Books to Read Before You Die)


4. A Fine Balance by Robinton Mistry. 5 stars. 5/7/16 (from 1001 Books to Read Before You Die )


5. The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie.


6. King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard.


7. Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor.


8. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.

My Review of The Passion by Jeanette Winterson
5 stars

This is a fascinating and unusual book: a historical novel set in France, Russia and Venice during Napoleon's war rampage, it is full of magical realism, philosophical quotes, friendship, violence, endurance, disguises, madness, and love. Yes, passion too, but rarely in the steamy sex-raged way you might expect.

Winterson's writing is very unusual too; the sentences are often quite short, as is the book, but both the sentences and novel include everything you need. This is not a book to skim. The images are clear, but the full meaning is sometimes elusive until later in the book.

A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka
5 stars

When I started this, I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew it was on the 1001 Books to Read list, and guessed it was about farming in Ukraine. It isn't. The history of tractors is in the novel, as a booklet written by the aging father that briefly retells the history of Ukraine (and his family's life there). However, most of the story deals with his two daughters trying to deal with him and the mess he's gotten himself into. That mess is his getting married to a much younger sexpot from Ukraine who is trying to get asylum in England. Quite a bit of chaos ensues, but there are many life lessons for everyone involved. I don't want to add too much detail or I'll give things away.

The charm of this story is really the quiet humor, lines that made me smile and shake my head. I also loved Lewycka's lines that pierce to the truths about life, questioning why we do the things we do, why we care about people, why we hurt each other, how we help each other and so on. I appreciated that the ending was satisfying but not too tidy and pat.

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
4.5 stars


It is very hard to describe the experience of this book or even give it a true rating. I LOVED the writing; the detailed observations made everything seem completely real and put all senses in alert. The similes, somewhat unusual and occasionally confusing narrative line, and Toni Morrison's reading of her own novel are all amazing too. But...the story line is disturbing, and not in the same way as violence in a mystery novel, so I couldn't say I enjoyed the book in the end. I found it crushingly sad towards the end. (This is not a coming-of-age book you would let your child read, despite the charming cover and petite size.) I love the questions Morrison brings up about beauty, race, acceptance and awareness of self, but of course, there's no answer.

A Fine Balance by Robinton Mistry. 5 stars

The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie
3 stars. 5/27/16

This is my first Agatha Christie in a long time; I forgot how different a Miss Marple book is from my usual police procedural or psychological thriller. It's still very clever and had smart twists and turns.

A young woman is found dead in the Bantry's library, and eventually the body leads back to a dancer at the Majestic Hotel. I could have guessed who the killer was, but I definitely didn't notice all the clues Miss Marple did.

It was a quick delightful read and I'm looking forward to reading more Agatha Christie mysteries soon.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. 4.5 stars. 10/19/16

Long ago, I watched the movie version of Fahrenheit 451 an it made quite an impression on me. It was not only my first dystopian glimpse at the future, but a world in which books are burned and free thought has disappeared. In fact, I waited so long to read it because I didn't want the film version distracting me. They are not the same, but the message and attitude was maintained in the film.

Compared to so many older sci-fi, this book holds up well, both the language and the concepts. Several aspects were disturbing because much of what Bradbury imagined in 1953 has come true, notably the live media chase.

I actually listened to Tim Robbins' audio version of this, not the hardback version. Well done.

Connie wrote: "Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. 4.5 stars. 10/19/16

Long ago, I watched the movie version of Fahrenheit 451 an it made quite an impression on me..."

I'm so glad you enjoyed this! I really liked it :)

Old Yeller by Fred Gipson
4.5 stars 11/11/16

I'd heard of Old Yeller forever, but was always afraid it would be too sad. What I didn't know was how comical Old Yeller could be or what an engaging voice Travis the narrator would have. His mother and brother Little Arliss are strong characters too, all wrapped up in the interesting life in the bush of 1860s Texas .

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. 5 stars! Read 12/24/16