Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

Matt wrote: "Challenge #15 - A-Z Author

On this challenge, I've added myself a twist to try get back to reading more of my favorite genre - fantasy or epic fantasy authors. I can't have a fantasy list without ..."

I find the A-Z lists so hard. You've done a great job with Fantasy Authors. It looks fun. Ursula K. Le Guin and Roger Zelazny are authors I am always interested in reading.

Oh, goodness, now you have made me hungry for French fries, Matt. 🍟

Planning can be half the fun. Best of luck next year.

The French challenge looks great, Matt! I'm reading Swann's Way this year too. Hope we can share notes on that one. All the best.

Wow, the A-Z challenges are so difficult, and yours is already planned out. Enjoy!

Wow, Matt! I’ve never tried the A-Z challenges- they are so intimidating to me. Best of luck to you!

You are such an inspiration, Matt. This year, Shakespeare, next year, an entirely French Old and New challenge! Wow.

These look so fun. I have a soft spot for The Once and Future King, so I'll look forward to seeing if you get to that one.

Enjoy!

Wow! A lot of nice lists there, Matt! You're making me hungry! haha!

I see that you have "Mysterious Island" on your Old/New Challenge. That was my very favorite of his! It has really stayed with me. I hope you enjoy it :)

Happy Reading in 2024! I'll be looking for some good recommendations from you!

Oh, Matt, this is so inspiring! I am excited about your lists, and off to think more about mine!

Happy Reading! Enjoy!

Matt wrote: "Terris wrote: "Wow! A lot of nice lists there, Matt! You're making me hungry! haha!

I see that you have "Mysterious Island" on your Old/New Challenge. That was my very favorite of his! It has real..."

Matt, you've just blown my mind! I did not know that Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea was BOOK #2 of a three book series! AND I didn't know that Mysterious Island was the sequel to Twenty Thousand Leagues!! Now I'm going to have to go back and read Book #1 In Search of the Castaways; or the Children of Captain Grant! I've never even heard of it. It must not have been very popular ;)
Thanks for the info!!

I love the French Fried theme, Matt! I love Verne and read one book by him every year. You also have my all-time favourite The Count of Monte Cristo.

Lots of great books on your list that I have read of plan to read and I look forward to seeing your thoughts on them.

Love the French themed Old and New, Matt. Look forward to your thoughts on some of them!

What great books you have once again chosen this year, Matt! And I am absolutely in love with your French Fried New & Old choices! Most of your books fall into two categories with me: Read and Want to Read. So I can't wait to see what you think of your choices.

Happy reading!

Matt wrote: "I wish I had room for Les Misérables but I have already read it and it is awfully long..."

I felt the same way, Matt, when I saw that a Buddy Read was forming in 2024. Even with the year-long schedule, I still don't think I could fit it in my schedule.

Good luck with your challenge Matt! You have some great books listed.

The one good/bad thing about reading everyone’s lists is that I keep finding more and more books to read. Good luck with your challenges, Matt!

Wow! You have both A-Z challenges fully planned. I have only been successful once. Looks like you have a good year ahead. How about them dawgs.

LOL your ten trips sounds like my husband. He is never so happy as when he has multiple plates in front of him at a restaurant.

Matt wrote: "Challenge #15 - A-Z Author

On this challenge, I've added myself a twist to try get back to reading more of my favorite genre - fantasy or epic fantasy authors."

Great list Matt. For many years I read mainly fantasy books.

It sounds like you've made a lot of progress! What have been the highlights for you so far?

Matt, I agree this has been a great start. I'm reading more than normal, and the variety has been good. I am hitting the short stories hard, 15 to date. I hope the rest of the year continues as good.

You're doing great, Matt, and I like your philosophy on the challenges leading to mood reading. Keep enjoying!

Great job, Matt! I'm glad to hear you say you were doing more "mood" reading and that it felt liberating. That's what I'm going for!
You've given me inspiration that I can do that, too! :)

Nice progress!
Wouldn’t mind getting to 11.22.63 too.

Hmm, I bet you'll get a lot of conflicting opinions on that one. I personally preferred The Count of Monte Cristo, but both are good books.

Well done with the ones you've finished so far -- you're ahead of schedule!

Matt, I loved The Count, so I'm biased, but the 1000 pages flew by, and I still wanted more...

I definitely preferred The Count of Monte Cristo! Also, I am a lover of Dickens, but The Tale of Two Cities was not one of my favorites of his (though, I'm sure others disagree with me). I say Read "The Count"! ;)

I'll just add that, unless you read it in French, your experience with The Count of Monte Cristo will likely vary quite a bit depending on which translation you read. I read the English translation by Robin Buss, and I highly recommend it -- very engaging.

I haven't read The Count, but am loving A Tale of Two Cities so far. Congrats on your progress, and good luck with your decision!

Matt, I'm not going to be much help. But I read The Count of Monte Cristo in 16 days, rated it 5 stars, and list it as one of my favorites. I read Two Cities in 7 days and rated it 4.5 stars. Both are truly classics and really great reads. I agree with Shaina, Monte Cristo seems to fly, a true page turner. I was surprised to look back an see it took so many days, it felt much faster. Unless, you have serious time limits, toss a coin and read the winner. You won't lose either way it lands.

It sounds like you're making great progress. Well done on the 5-star reads!

I read The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris, Matt. I think you'll really enjoy it!

You're reading some great books. Glad you're enjoying yourself :)

Your Paris pair sounds wonderful, and happy anniversary, Matt!

Happy GR anniversary :O)

I’ve been toying with re-reading Monte Cristo for a while. Everyone does say it is a very quick and engrossing read. Hope you enjoy it.

Wow, so many huge classics on the go. I've not yet read Don Quixote, but I really enjoyed Monte Cristo and War and Peace (although War and Peace took me one and a half tries -- I threw it away in disgust halfway through my first reading when my favourite couple broke up, haha). Good luck with your VERY ambitious reading!

I have yet to get to Don Quixote, but Monte Cristo and W&P are great. Good reads, lots of pages, enjoy.

I really hope you like Monte Cristo and Don Quixote. I enjoyed them both.

I just started The Count of Monte Cristo, another one of those classic books that I somehow never read. So far I'm enjoying it, hope you are too Matt. : )

Matt wrote: "After a mid-year assessment of my reading challenges, I realized I’ll need to postpone my A-Z author reading challenge. This will allow me to focus on other challenges I have set up for myself this..."

It's good to reassess. Make it fun for you. You've read quite a lot already.

I really liked The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg.
I nominated it a couple of times, but it didn't win yet.

Just catching up on a lot of missed posts, Matt. Congrats on all your marvelous progress. Hope you read and enjoyed The Count of Monte Cristo. It is a personal favorite of mine.

I fully agree on the timing element. It can be like reading a completely different book--and it can swing both ways.

Bravo! What did you think of The Count of Monte Cristo? Was it worth the investment for you?

So very happy that you gave The Count 5-stars!

You give such good advice in your review, Matt, to have patience with these books. So glad you enjoyed it! Maybe I'll fit it in next year.

Matt wrote: "Thanks Wobbley! Yes - The Count of Monte Cristo was wonderful. 5 stars. Worth the effort."

Yay! Glad to hear it.

Matt wrote: "Just finished The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas for my Old & New.

Phew!. That was a big hurdle in my reading year and now am motivated to finish up the Ol..."

I'm so glad you loved it, Matt! I thought you would! I read it in high school and it has been at the top of my favorites list ever since! Yay for another lover of "The Count"!

Great progress, Matt. I think the Old and New is one of the harder challenges to complete, so congrats on whittling it away!

You're moving right along, Matt! I'm glad you enjoyed Madam Bovary and Germinal, but The Mysterious Island is one of my very favorites of Verne's! I love all the problem-solving (BTW, have you read The Swiss Family Robinson? It has a lot of problem-solving, too, and is fun!).
I'm also trying to finish my Old/New Challenge. So, we'll just have to keep reading and be glad that there are 3 1/2 months left to do it in ;)

Matt wrote: "Terris wrote: "You're moving right along, Matt! I'm glad you enjoyed Madam Bovary and Germinal, but The Mysterious Island is one of my very favorites of Verne's! I love all the problem-solving (BTW..."

The Disney movie was entertaining, but I think you'd really enjoy reading the book. It also tells why the author wrote the book (to entertain his sons). I think you'd really like it :)

Wow, you've made such great progress in your Old & New TBR challenge. I'm really glad to hear you're getting a lot out of it too!

Wow, three door-stoppers in a row is a lot of commitment. Well done! And it's great that you enjoyed them all too.