Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

2022 Hefty/Husky Reads of 4 Hefty and 4 Husky.

Hefty reads are over 750 pages
Husky reads are from 500 to 749 pages

January thru March
The Good Soldier Švejk by Jaroslav Hašek (752 pages)
Queen Margot, or Marguerite de Valois by Alexandre Dumas (542 pages)

April thru June
Consuelo: A Romance of Venice by George Sand (860 pages)
The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni (720 pages)

July thru September
Cecilia by Frances Burney (1056 pages)
The Glass Bead Game by Hermann Hesse (578 pages)

October thru December
Clarissa, or, the History of a Young Lady by Samuel Richardson (1533 pages)
Demons by Fyodor Dostoevsky (733 pages)

Pam wrote: "One more for me: The Glass Bead Game"

The Glass Bead Game at 578 pages by Nobel Prize winner Hermann Hesse

I have a few suggestions for Husky Reads:

The Good Soldier Švejk by Jaroslav Hašek (752 pp and pub. in 1921). WWI, Czech Lit, satire, historical fiction

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (608 pp. and pub. 1838) Sad to say. the only Dickens book I have ever read is A Christmas Carol!

Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser (580 pp. and pub.1900)

Queen Margot, or Marguerite de Valois by Alexandre Dumas (542 pp and pub. 1845)

I'll support The Good Soldier Švejk.

I'll support Oliver Twist.

I’ll support Sister Carrie as it’s been on my TBR list for a while.

I suggest The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni for hefty classics. 720 pages.

I’ll support The Betrothed! I’ve never heard of the book or the author but it sounds really good.

I've read The Betrothed-it is really good!

720 pages will go for Husky classics not Hefty classics, sorry.

For hefty reads I would suggest Cecilia by Francis Burney. 1,056 pages.

I am reading Evalina by Burney currently, it is in epistolary from, and it’s good.

I second Oliver Twist and The Betrothed

Edit: I also second Queen Margot, or Marguerite de Valois

I support The Good Soldier and The Glass Bead Game.

Thank you!
Updated.

If there is room, I'd like to suggest Demons by Fyodor Dostoevsky. This edition has 733 pages (Penguin has 880 but it may be due to notes, introduction, etc.).

I will support Demons!

A few hefties:
Sir Charles Grandison by Samuel Richardson 1754 1,646 pages and
Clarissa, or, the History of a Young Lady also by Samuel Richardson 1747 1.533 pages;

I support The Betrothed.

hi

BookStarred wrote: "hi"
Hello BookStarred. Do you have a Classic Hefty or Husky to recommend for next year?
Do not forget these are written 50 years or more ago!

Updated!

Gilbert wrote: "A few hefties:
Sir Charles Grandison by Samuel Richardson 1754 1,646 pages and ..."

Gilbert did you know that Jane Austen wrote a book called Sir Charles Grandison?
A play based on Richardson's book.

Nope, didn't know that. Thanx for the information.

Next year I am planning to read The Good Soldier Svejk anyways... it would be nice to have a group reading and discussing it then.

Cecilia and Clarissa look very interesting. I would like to second them.

Scott it will be great having you join in with us next year! of course you are more than welcome to share your thoughts in other threads too!

Shaina wrote: "Cecilia and Clarissa look very interesting. I would like to second them."

Thank you Shaina!

Updated!

I would like to see the Hefty's make it but my goodness I would need a shelf just for those 3 books!! haha :)

I don't want to discourage anyone from The Good Soldier Švejk, but you should be aware that it is unfinished. (Wikipedia observes that "Hašek originally intended Švejk to cover a total of six volumes, but had completed only three (and started on the fourth) upon his death from heart failure on January 3, 1923.")

It's still brilliant, but that it just stops abruptly is disappointing.

Doris I have not taken the time to look into any of these yet. Thank you for sharing your knowledge about this.

It will be good to know the end leaves us using our imaginations.

All the suggestions sound great to me, although 'Demons' and 'Queen Margot' might be at the top of my list, closely followed by 'Oliver Twist'.

As for hefty books - on my 'to read' pile I currently have The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye (958 pages). I started reading a borrowed copy a long time ago, but had to give it back before I had got very far, so I've been itching to read it since then.

I also have All Men Are Brothers by Chinese author Shi Nai'an (1279 pages). My version is the translation by Pearl S. Buck, but there are several other translations with different titles such as Water Margin, Volume 1 and The Broken Seals: Part One of the Marshes of Mount Liang. It looks very interesting, although some might find it quite a heavy read in more than one sense.

Helen I am taking you want to support Demons, Queen Margot and Oliver.

Updated.

The Far Pavilion is not at the age requirement for a Classic read, 1972 or older.

All Men are Brothers - Updated

Lesle wrote: "Helen I am taking you want to support Demons, Queen Margot and Oliver.

Updated.

The Far Pavilion is not at the age requirement for a Classic read, 1972 or older.

All Men are Brothers - Updated"

Oops, for some reason I had thought 'The Far Pavilions' was written in the 1940s. Thanks for checking!

One more suggestion for a husky read: The Man on a Donkey by H. F.M. Prescott — 717 pp. F irst published 1952

And want to add support for Queen Margot and The Betrothed

Either hefty ( short one page ) or husky:
Consuelo: A Romance of Venice by George Sand. The version I have is 799 pages.

I support Consuelo.

I’d like to support Demons and The man on a donkey.

Gilbert wrote: "Either hefty ( short one page ) or husky:
Consuelo: A Romance of Venice by George Sand. The version I have is 799 pages."

Most of the editions I saw listed were over 800 pages. Place in Hefty.

Gilbert just read the publication page and that will make yours a Hefty read! lol

Updated!

Hopefully other Members interested in supporting any of the Hefty/Husky suggestions for next year can take a moment and look into these and let us know your thoughts!

I support The Glass Bead Game and The Betrothed

Thank you John!

Updated!

My sympathy is with "The Glass Bead Game" and "The Good Soldier Švejk".

Thank you Peter!

Updated

I'd like to read the 600 page Husky of: Lark Rise to Candleford (The trilogy) "Lark Rise", "Over to Candleford", "Candleford Green". by Flora Thompson
I plan to read it early next year because I want to watch the miniseries after I read it - HULU is currently streaming the 40 episodes of the series but I don't know how long that will last.

I realize I'm a little late to nominate here as there are already such good Husky candidates - such as the three that Peter and John mention - and only four total slots. Perhaps a Buddy Read is preferable. I only thought of it now because I'm starting the third Forsyte trilogy and was thinking of what trilogies I will read next year.

I also plan to read the 600 page Austrian family saga The Vienna Melody by Ernst Lothar but that can wait until 2023.

Thank you Brian!

Updated

Still looking for support for 4 Hefty's and 4 Husky reads for next year.

We have a late suggestion but looks interesting. Please look into the suggestions and support the ones you think you would like to read with us.

I support Lark Rise to Candleford: A Trilogy

I've heard of the Lark Rise To Candleford television series.

Hey Lesle, there looks to be a lot more support for and more desirable candidates in the Huskys than the Heftys. There are currently 6 Huskys with at least 4 votes and no Heftys with more than 2 votes. I'd like to suggest that, to help alleviate this situation, either:

1) Move the Hefty/Husky demarcation line from 800 pages to 750 pages; or
2) Simply change the edition used for Good Soldier Svejk from the 752 page Penguin version to this more recent 901 page Penguin edition: The Good Soldier Švejk;

Either of these steps would move The Good Soldier Švejk from being a Husky to being a Hefty. With 5 votes it would be a lock as a Hefty and leave open a Husky slot for another deserving candidate.

While I understand a reluctance to change things during the electoral process, remember that I'm from Illinois where we're more used to doing such things.