Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion
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Ann's 2024 BINGO Challenge
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Welcome to the Bingo Challenge, Ann! What a nice list you have made! So many good books there. Enjoy your reading in 2024 :)
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Lots of great choices on your list. I hope you have a great challenge!
I read Swerve and intend to reread it. So much I was unaware of. I hope you find the book as intriguing!
I2 A Classic from your Personal Bookshelf -- If this Isn't Nice, What Is? By Kurt Vonnegut 2/17
If this Isn't Nice, What Is? by Kurt VonnegutMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
A collection of graduation speeches that Kurt Vonnegut presented across 5 decades. The problem with the collection is that he recycled his best material and used it repeatedly -- and why not? The audiences were almost guaranteed to have never heard it before. And no speech was exactly the same, so there was always a new nugget of wisdom.
The speeches are not arranged chronologically, but that was how I wanted to read them, to see if his themes changed over time (they really didn't). Maybe I'd have been happier had I read it as the editor intended, but I doubt it.
The same problem I often have with Vonnegut -- I think I'm going to like it more than I do.
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I1 A Classic from our Short Story Group Shelf -- Brokeback Mountain , Proulx, Annie (in Close Range) 2/22
Well done getting started on your challenge!
Particularly Cats by Doris LessingMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A memoir of sorts of -- three essays really, although one is quite long -- of the cats the author has known over her life, from a childhood somewhere in Africa to adulthood in London. The problem I have is that everything is kept at arm's length. The first long essay is mainly about Gray Cat and Black Cat. Their features, characters, actions are described quite lovingly, but their names are hidden from us, which, sure, why not, but also, why?
It also took me about the whole book to realize that when she said "rooms at the top of a house," she meant something like an apartment building (or maybe an old mansion converted into units, because she also referenced her rooms being spread across multiple floors ... ?), and that she had a balcony with access to a tree that one cat could use for a while.
I don't know what I was expecting -- maybe more antics? What I got was more from the grief and trouble end of cat companionship. But make no mistake, there was definitely love and concern.
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4 out of 5 stars sounds like a pretty successful read. Well done!
"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a Curious Character by Richard P. FeynmanMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
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G2 A 21st Century Potential Classic
Life After Life by Kate AtkinsonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Ursula lives her life across several timelines or alternate universes. In this one, she dies at birth because the doctor couldn't make it through the blizzard. In that one, the snow doesn't stop him. And on and on. It seems completely freeing for the author -- why limit the main character to only one story line when we can explore them all? But it isn't just about Ursula, there's also the two world wars that shake England, the Spanish flu, personal triumphs and tragedies. And through all the timelines, Ursula doesn't really carry any knowledge or foresight, although she does occasionally get some serious deja vu. And of course, it ends the only way a book like this could end (view spoiler)[... the same way it started. (hide spoiler)]
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I'm not sure whether this would catch on as a future classic. I was influenced to choose this because of this article from the New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...
Hmm, that sounds like a book I might find frustrating, but it sounds like it worked for you, which is great!
B3 A Classic Comedy or Satire
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella GibbonsMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
It took me a while to get into this book, as I was bouncing between different titles, with nothing really seeming to hold my interest. This audiobook was a full cast production, which is both good and bad -- some of the accents were so thick to me that I could only understand part of what was said. I was having a pretty good time by the end though.
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I read this one last year, and it got a 3 from me too. Those accents sound challenging -- I didn't do the audiobook. Good progress!
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Somehow, I gave it 4 stars! I liked it but I didn't love it, though, it was entertaining. I don't remember much about it since I read it nine years ago. Glad it ended well for you, Ann :)
Vonnegut is a great writer. I am glad some of my friends have been reading more and talking more about his writing. Wishing you more good fun!
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B1 A Classic by a Nobel Laureate or a Pulitzer Prize Winner -- Steinbeck – Sweet Thursday 
Sweet Thursday by John SteinbeckMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed catching up with the residents of Cannery Row, although there's been some turnover in population since World War II. As I read Cannery Row previously, I had enjoyed the episodic, disjointed nature of the story, that gave different players their moment in the spotlight. The structure of Sweet Thursday was similar but less pronounced, and we spent a lot more time with Doc, and frankly I'm okay with that.
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I'm actually in the middle of working on the same square in my own Bingo! I'm glad you liked it so much. Sometimes it's a risk to read a second book about characters you love, in case it doesn't go as well, but it sounds like this was a winner for you. You're making terrific progress!
Good to hear that Sweet Thursday is good as well. I have read some of Steinbeck's books this year. . . . There's plenty time left in the year, you'll blackout if you want.
I'm not sure whether I'll blackout at this rate, but I keep chugging along...N1 A Classic Made into Movie/TV.
How Stella Got Her Groove Back by Terry McMillanMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
A woman spontaneously decides to take a vacation to Jamaica. What happens while she's there sets her life on a new -- or maybe returns her to a previous -- trajectory.
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Ann wrote: "I'm not sure whether I'll blackout at this rate, but I keep chugging along..."All forward progress counts! Try not to worry too much about finishing. As long as the challenges inspire you to read, they are doing their job. :)
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G3 A Classic from our Old School Group Shelf -- Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There 11/26 
The Wonderland Collection by Lewis CarrollMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
If this had contained only the Alice novels, I would have been perfectly content. The inclusion of the very strange book of math and logic problems -- called knots by the author -- left a lot to be desired -- especially the solutions! Maybe I would have
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You've read some good ones, Ann! I'm glad to see that you read one of Richard Feynman's books. I had a professor in college who loved him, and I ended up reading three of Feynman's books! Quite an interesting character ;)
BINGO🔴G1 A Classic of North or South America. The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey 11/29
Well done getting a bingo! I see you're close on a couple more as well. :)
Bingo! 4 corners and a diagonal!🔴O5 A Classic Book that Reminds You of Someone. In the Study with the Wrench 12.17
Not a classic by any means, but CLUE! reminds me of my misspent youth, wasting afternoons with my sister and my best friend, playing the board game or watching the 80s Tim Curry movie.
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Yay, you're really knocking out the Bingos now!
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Congrats on your Bingo! Also, I loved your Bingo card! I may copy it for 2025!
Catching up on Classics (and lots more!)
Books mentioned in this topic
In the Study with the Wrench (other topics)In the Study with the Wrench (other topics)
The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey (other topics)
How Stella Got Her Groove Back (other topics)
Sweet Thursday (other topics)
More...
🔴B1 A Classic by a Nobel Laureate or a Pulitzer Prize Winner. Sweet Thursday 9/21
⬜B2 A Classic Book in Translation. Madame Bovary
🔴B3 A Classic Comedy or Satire. Cold Comfort Farm 9/6
⬜B4 A Classic Written Before 1700. Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary, together with Sellic Spell (Tolkien)
🔴B5 A Classic of Asia or Oceania. Eugene Onegin 6.29
🔴I1 A Classic from our Short Story Group Shelf. Brokeback Mountain 2/22
🔴I2 A Classic from your Personal Bookshelf. If this Isn't Nice, What Is? 2/17
⬜I3 A Classic Historical Fiction or a Nonfiction History. Memoirs of Hadrian
🔴I4 A Classic Prize-Winning Female Author. The Color Purple. 8/20
⬜I5 A Book Recommended by a Group Member. In the Country of Last Things (from Franky's favorites of 2023)
🔴N1 A Classic Made into Movie/TV. How Stella Got Her Groove Back 10/28
⬜N2 A Classic you've been meaning to read. The Joy Luck Club
🔴N3 Free Space. Particularly Cats 6.30
⬜N4 A Classic on or about the Sea/Ocean. The Riddle of the Sands
⬜N5 A Literature Class Book. Gulliver's Travels and Other Writings
🔴G1 A Classic of North or South America. The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey 11/29
🔴G2 A 21st Century Potential Classic. Life After Life 8.14
🔴G3 A Classic from our Old School Group Shelf. Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There 11.26
🔴G4 A Classic New-to-You Author. The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas 8.1
⬜G5 A Classic Play or Classic Poetry Collection. Angels in America
🔴O1 A Classic Book you begged, borrowed, or stole. "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a Curious Character 7/14 (borrowed from the library, as I do most books)
⬜O2 A Classic Children's Book. Redwall
⬜O3 A Classic Book found by using Literature-map.com. The Virgin Suicides
⬜O4 A Classic from our New School Group Shelf. The Left Hand of Darkness
🔴O5 A Classic Book that Reminds You of Someone. In the Study with the Wrench 12.17
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