Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

Here are our chosen Hefty and Husky reads for 2025 with their reading schedule.

Hefty:
January - December: Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong
January - June: The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
July - December: Shōgun by James Clavell

Husky:
January - April: The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing
May - August: The Ladies' Paradise by Émile Zola
September - December: East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Husky: La regenta by Leopoldo Alas
Hefty: Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong

Is there a page minimum for husky? I was thinking of this:

My Uncle Napoleon by Iraj Pezeshkzad - 528 pages, originally published early 1970s.

He is an Iranian author and journalist. I thought to nominate this here rather than in Rosemarie's around-the-world thread because it doesn't seem he has alot of translated work and this book is particularly widely loved, but I understand if you feel it's on the short side for this thread.

Husky: The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing
Hefty: An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser

Hefty Nominations:

Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong III ☑️
An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser
Shōgun by James Clavell I ☑️
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky III I ☑️
Wolf Solent by John Cowper Powys

Husky Nominations:
La Regenta by Leopoldo Alas
My Uncle Napoleon by Iraj Pezeshkzad
The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing I ☑️
East of Eden by John Steinbeck II ☑️
The Ladies' Paradise by Émile Zola III ☑️
The Vienna Melody by Ernst Lothar

Hefty: Shogun - Published 1975 and is considered a "classic" next year!

by James Clavell

Husky: East of Eden - Published 1952
by John Steinbeck

Thanks all, for your nominations. They are updated in message 5. Keep the nominations and supports rolling.

I'll second East of Eden by Steinbeck

Thanks, Luis.

I nominate The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky for hefty.

I will support Shōgun. I just bought a copy a few weeks ago!

Pam wrote: "I will support Shōgun. I just bought a copy a few weeks ago!"

Me too!

Thanks, Pam.

I support The Brothers Karamazov

Thanks, Kathy.

I also support The Brothers Karamazov.

Thanks, Luís.

Luís wrote: "I also support The Brothers Karamazov."

Same here.

Luís wrote: "I also support The Brothers Karamazov."

If it wins, it will be my second reading.

Chad wrote: "Luís wrote: "I also support The Brothers Karamazov."

Same here."

I take it as a support, Chad. Thanks.

Luís wrote: "Luís wrote: "I also support The Brothers Karamazov."

If it wins, it will be my second reading."

I think it will. We already have 3 supports. It's my second reading as well, Luís. It's the first major work of Dostoevsky I read, the one that made me fell in love with him.

All are updated in msg 5. Keep your supports and nominations rolling. :)

I will also support East of Eden. Thanks!

Piyangie wrote: "Luís wrote: "Luís wrote: "I also support The Brothers Karamazov."

If it wins, it will be my second reading."

I think it will. We already have 3 supports. It's my second reading as well, Luís. It'..."

I've already read it in two volumes.

My husky nomination is The Ladies' Paradise by Émile Zola

I support The Ladies’ Paradise. I’ve wanted to read this for a while.

Thanks, Kathy. I bought the book about two years back but still couldn't get down to reading it.

I will support The Ladies Paradise. The edition I have is just titled The Paradise. I watched the first season of the Masterpiece Theater TV show and really enjoyed it. I was planning to read it this year, but I’m running out of time.

I will also support The Golden Notebook. I’ve been wanting to read it for several years. I’ve already read An American Tragedy and East of Eden and highly recommend both of them!

I support Three Kingdoms and The ladies' Paradise.

Thanks Pam and Lorraine. All are updated in message 5 above.

Only two weeks more for the nominations and suggestions. The thread will be closed on 31st October.

I support Three Kingdoms.

Thanks, John. Updated in message 5.

Three Kingdoms is 2000+ pages...can we look at 6 months for it? Just saying...

Lorraine wrote: "Three Kingdoms is 2000+ pages...can we look at 6 months for it? Just saying..."

Yes, we could consider a longer period for that.

I nominate:


HEFTY - Wolf Solent by John Cowper Powys - 966 pages

HUSKY - The Vienna Melody by Ernst Lothar - 608 pages

Thanks, Brian. Updated in message 5.

Piyangie wrote: "It's time for us to decide on our next year's hefty and husky reads. As you all know, we read 1 hefty and 1 husky every quarter. The set page limit is 800+ for hefty and more than 800- for husky. T..."

You mention novels but I hope you will consider The Power Broker by Robert Caro. It is non fiction but is the very compelling story of Robert Moses' rise to and maintenance of power in NYC. It is 1344 pages long and one of the best books I have ever read. Modern Library lists it as one of the best books of the 20th Century. It was published in 1975.

Jeremy wrote: "Piyangie wrote: "It's time for us to decide on our next year's hefty and husky reads. As you all know, we read 1 hefty and 1 husky every quarter. The set page limit is 800+ for hefty and more than ..."

There's a seprate thread for Nonfiction in the Group, Jeremy. Therefore we restrict our readings to fiction here.

Jeremy wrote: "Piyangie wrote: "It's time for us to decide on our next year's hefty and husky reads. As you all know, we read 1 hefty and 1 husky every quarter. The set page limit is 800+ for hefty and more than ..."

I started this book on 19 Sept and finished 50%. I needed to take a break from Robert Moses...once he finished Jones Beach 1929. New governor FDR (...very unlike Moses's friend Al Smith)...is in office making life difficult for The Power Broker! I'll finish the book in Janaury...it is just so massive a pauze essential to echarge my battery!

Piyangie wrote: "Jeremy wrote: "Piyangie wrote: "It's time for us to decide on our next year's hefty and husky reads. As you all know, we read 1 hefty and 1 husky every quarter. The set page limit is 800+ for hefty..."

Oh ok. Thanks

It's less than a week until the thread is closed. I've decided not to accept anymore nominations since we already have unsupported nominations. Kindly mark your support for the books listed in message 5.

Please note that books unsupported at the closing of the thread will not become eligible reads for next year.

I support The Ladies' Paradise and The Brothers Karamazov.

I support The Brothers Karamazov and Three Kingdoms

Delirious Disquisitions wrote: "I support The Brothers Karamazov and Three Kingdoms"

Thanks. Updated above in message 5.

This thread is now closed for votes.

Piyangie wrote: "This thread is now closed for votes."

If my candidate The Vienna Melody failed to get any support by last evening, I was going to come on this thread to enter my support My Uncle Napoleon. The book interests me but I didn't want to support it earlier because it was against my own candidate's interest to do so.
Well, as I expected, The Vienna Melody failed to garner any support, but I forgot to come on to add my support for My Uncle Napoleon because ... it was Halloween.
Unfortunately, as you did say: Please note that books unsupported at the closing of the thread will not become eligible reads for next year, it looks like My Uncle Napoleon is SOL.

I'm sorry, Jen.

I’m fine with making an exception for Halloween! 🫢

😮 how about it, Piyangie? Can we add a 4th husky to the schedule?

I personally am interested in The Brothers K and the Doris Lessing and maybe Zola. Just scared to vote for and commit to such big books haha but I do hope to join for those.