Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion
2025 Challenge Buffet
>
Mia's 2025 Buffet Challenge
date
newest »
newest »
COMPLETED
Only six of the 12 books selected are required be Books based on the Groups date requirements, they do not have to come from the group's bookshelf . At least 3 old books (published before 1915) and 3 newer books (published from 1915-2005). The other six and your three alternates can be any genre or age you wish to read. Yes, even non-fiction and post 2005.
Starting today you can begin creating your challenge thread. The whole month of December is dedicated to planning your challenge. You can add your books and make edit adjustments till December 31st. No challenge reading can start till January 1, 2025. No changes should be made to your list once challenge starts
1914 and earlier/Old school
✔︎1. Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong (1522) 3 stars
✔︎2. Myrsky by William Shakespeare (1611) 3 stars
✔︎3. She by H. Rider Haggard (1887) 2 stars
1915-2005/New School
✔︎4. The Book of Disquiet by Fernando Pessoa (1982) 4 stars
✔︎5. Manhattan Transfer by John Dos Passos (1925) 3 stars
✔︎6. Jorge Luis Borges: Selected Poems 1923-1967 by Jorge Luis Borges (1971) 3 stars
Wildcard
✔︎7. Vino nenä by Luigi Pirandello (1926) 4 stars
✔︎8. Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse (1922) 4 stars
✔︎9. Cities of Salt by Abdul Rahman Munif (1984) 4 stars
✔︎10. Dream Work by Mary Oliver (1986) 3 stars
✔︎11. Incidences by Daniil Kharms (1939) 3 stars
✔︎12. Willard and His Bowling Trophies by Richard Brautigan (1975) 3 stars
Alternates
✔︎A-1 The Black Prince by Iris Murdoch (1973) 3 stars
✔︎A-2 Kuolema ja pingviini by Andrey Kurkov (1996) 4 stars
✔︎A-3 Living by Henry Green (1929) 3 stars
COMPLETED
✔︎1. 19th Century or Older - Ormond by Maria Edgeworth 3 stars
✔︎2. 20th Century - Full Woman, Fleshly Apple, Hot Moon: Selected Poems by Pablo Neruda 3 stars
✔︎3. 21st Century - Jäähyväiset Hanhivaaralle by Pentti Kirstilä 2 stars
✔︎4. Nonfiction - Love Armi: Armi Ratian Henkilokuva by Marja-Leena Parkkinen 3 stars
✔︎5. An Author never read before - The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien 4 stars
✔︎6. Diversity, read a book from a religion, culture, country, or race different than yours - Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden 2 stars
✔︎7. Members Choice Genre - Foundation by Isaac Asimov 3 stars
✔︎8. Members Choice Genre - The Song of Roland by Unknown 3 stars
✔︎9. Members Choice Genre - Kevät by Ali Smith 4 stars
Science Fiction. Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Suspense, Young Adult, Nonfiction, Poetry, Romance, etc.
COMPLETED
Seek out at least six (6) authors that you have never previously read, from any genre or era you want.
✔︎1. Päättymätön riemu by David Foster Wallace 3 stars
✔︎2. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell 2 stars
✔︎3. Silas Marner by George Eliot 3 stars
✔︎4. Fanny Hill, or Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure by John Cleland 3 stars
✔︎5. Kuolema ja pingviini by Andrey Kurkov 4 stars
✔︎6. White Teeth by Zadie Smith 4 stars
Read 18 short stories.
COMPLETED
✔︎1. In a tub - Reasons to Live by Amy Hempel 3 stars
✔︎2. Tonight is a favor to Holly - Reasons to Live
✔︎3. Celia is back - Reasons to Live
✔︎4. Nashville gone to ashes - Reasons to Live
✔︎5. San Francisco - Reasons to Live
✔︎6. In the cemetery where Al Jolson is buried - Reasons to Live
✔︎7. Beg, Sl Tog, Inc, Cont, Rep - Reasons to Live
✔︎8. Going - Reasons to Live
✔︎9. Pool night - Reasons to Live
✔︎10. Three popes walk into a bar - Reasons to Live
✔︎11. The man in Bogotá - Reasons to Live
✔︎12. When it's human instead of when it's dog - Reasons to Live
✔︎13. Why I'm here - Reasons to Live
✔︎14. Breathing Jesus - Reasons to Live
✔︎15. Today will be a quiet day - Reasons to Live
✔︎16. Everything That Rises Must Converge - Everything That Rises Must Converge: Stories by Flannery O'Connor 3 stars
✔︎17. Greenleaf - Everything That Rises Must Converge: Stories
✔︎18. A View of the Woods - Everything That Rises Must Converge: Stories
✔︎19. The Enduring Chill - Everything That Rises Must Converge: Stories
✔︎20. The Comforts of Home - Everything That Rises Must Converge: Stories
✔︎21. The Lame Shall Enter First - Everything That Rises Must Converge: Stories
✔︎22. Revelation - Everything That Rises Must Converge: Stories
✔︎23. Parker's Back - Everything That Rises Must Converge: Stories
✔︎24. Judgement Day - Everything That Rises Must Converge: Stories
COMPLETED
Only one version of the challenge is required to participate. For those exceptional readers, over achievers, or competitive eating gluttons, feel free to increase the difficulty of the challenge by taking on 2 or all 3 versions. There are three ways to participate. First, read one book per year for 10 consecutive years, one-decade total. Second read one book from 10 consecutive decades, one century total. Third, read one book from 10 consecutive centuries, one millennium total.
Decade Challenge
✔︎1920 - Main Street by Sinclair Lewis 3 stars
✔︎1921 - Kristuksen historia by Giovanni Papini 2 stars
✔︎1922 - Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse 4 stars
✔︎1923 - Antic Hay by Aldous Huxley 3 stars
✔︎1924 - The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann 3 stars
✔︎1925 - Manhattan Transfer by John Dos Passos 3 stars
✔︎1926 - Vino nenä by Luigi Pirandello 4 stars
✔︎1927 - Neljä suurta by Agatha Christie 3 stars
✔︎1928 - Nadja by André Breton 2 stars
✔︎1929 - Living by Henry Green 3 stars
Century Challenge
✔︎1920 - Main Street by Sinclair Lewis 3 stars
✔︎1930 - Party Going by Henry Green 3 stars
✔︎1940 - Taikurin hattu by Tove Jansson 4 stars
✔︎1950 - Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White 3 stars
✔︎1960 - Albert Angelo by B.S. Johnson 3 stars
✔︎1970 - Blaming by Elizabeth Taylor 3 stars
✔︎1980 - Reasons to Live by Amy Hempel 3 stars
✔︎1990 - Hymyilevä Mies by Henning Mankell 3 stars
✔︎2000 - Fellinin raitiotie by Jukka Pakkanen 4 stars
✔︎2010 - Talvi by Ali Smith 3 stars
Challenge 6 - Group Reads, Buddy Reads, or Moderators Run AmokThe challenge is to read 12 total books/stories from this year's selected group reads. Your reads can come from this year's poll winners, the Buddy Read Requests, or the new Moderators Run Amok! There should be plenty of choices.
✔︎1. Humboldt's Gift by Saul Bellow 2 stars
✔︎2. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger 3 stars
✔︎3. Lost Illusions by Honoré de Balzac 3 stars
✔︎4. The Seagull by Anton Chekhov 3 stars
✔︎5. The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster 4 stars
✔︎6. Zero Hour by Ray Bradbury 3 stars
✔︎7. Tuulen varjo by Carlos Ruiz Zafón 3 stars
✔︎8. The Man of Property by John Galsworthy 3 stars
✔︎9. In Chancery by John Galsworthy 3 stars
✔︎10. To Let by John Galsworthy 3 stars
✔︎11. The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin 4 stars
✔︎12. Meditation by Franz Kafka 3stars
COMPLETED
Many if not most of us read series books. Sometimes these books are neglected in favor of other reading. As much as I like reading several of the series I have on my shelf. I have at times left them untouched for as much as a year. This year’s series challenge is to break the neglect and bring series books back into our current annual reading.
Continue
Seasonal Quartet
✔︎#2 - Talvi 3 stars
✔︎#3 - Kevät 4 stars
✔︎#4 - Kesä 4 stars
COMPLETED
Select a book or an author from each of the seven world continents, *Antarctica is optional, and can be substituted for a country specific book. I understand that most around the world challenges are much longer in both time and number of books required. Our challenges run from January 1-December 31. So, this seems more doable.
✔︎Africa - Henderson the Rain King by Saul Bellow 3 stars
✔︎Asia - Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden 2 stars
✔︎Australia - Voss by Patrick White 4 stars
✔︎Europe - Eugénie Grandet by Honoré de Balzac 3 stars
✔︎North America - Viides rooli by Robertson Davies 2 stars
✔︎South America - Jorge Luis Borges: Selected Poems 1923-1967 by Jorge Luis Borges 3 stars
✔︎*Antarctica, or a Country - Season of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih 4 stars
*I'm changing this to a book from a country I've never read before
COMPLETED
Some of us reread regularly, others reread rarely if ever. We have all read books that we found fantastic. We finish the last page, set it aside and think someday I would like to read this again. Let us know the titles of five or more books you found worthy of rereading. This year’s challenge is, reread two of your reread selections.
Books I'd Love to Reread
1. A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro
✔︎2. Vaarallinen juhannus by Tove Jansson 4 stars
3. The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
4. Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust
✔︎5. Taikurin hattu by Tove Jansson 4 stars
COMPLETED
Locate and list 10 books that most interest you from the year of your choice. The challenge is to read 3 books from that list.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/popula...
NOTE: click on the link above then change the date to the date you wish to search.
1957
✔︎1. On the Road by Jack Kerouac 3 stars
2. Pnin by Vladimir Nabokov
3. Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak
4. 4:50 from Paddington by Agatha Christie
5. The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
6. Seize the Day by Saul Bellow
✔︎7. Voss by Patrick White 4 stars
8. The Birds by Tarjei Vesaas
✔︎9. The Glass Bees by Ernst Jünger 2 stars
10. The Pledge by Friedrich Dürrenmatt
COMPLETED
A Quarter of the 21st Century has passed; did you read any potential classics? For discussion, and the benefit and curiosity of our members please list 5 books you have read over the last 25 years that you believe will still be actively read in 50-100+ years.
These Five Were Great, I Believe They Will Stand the Test of Time
1. Vilnan pokeri by Ričardas Gavelis
2. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
3. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
4. 2666 by Roberto Bolaño
5. The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
The Future Classic Challenge - List 3 unread books published between 2000-2024 that you feel have the potential to become a classic. The challenge, read 1 of your 3 selections. Then let us know if you think it has a chance at greatness, or will it pass into oblivion.
These Might have a Chance at Greatness?
1. Puhdistus by Sofi Oksanen
2. Against the Day by Thomas Pynchon
✔︎3. White Teeth by Zadie Smith 4 stars
COMPLETED
Using the below categories or a selection of your own pick three subjects of interest and read a fiction book and a non-fiction book about that subject. Total number of books for this challenge is six.
Travelling
✔︎Fiction - On the Road by Jack Kerouac 3 stars
✔︎Non-Fiction - Lisboa: O Que O Turista Deve Ver/What the Tourist Should See by Fernando Pessoa 3 stars
Fernando Pessoa
✔︎Fiction - The Book of Disquiet by Fernando Pessoa 4 stars
✔︎Non-Fiction - Lisboa: O Que O Turista Deve Ver/What the Tourist Should See by Fernando Pessoa 3 stars
Strong women
✔︎Fiction - Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell 2 stars
✔︎Non-Fiction - Love Armi: Armi Ratian Henkilokuva by Marja-Leena Parkkinen 3 stars
COMPLETED
Using the below categories or choices of your own, pick three subjects of interest. Link the chosen subjects to an old book 1914 or earlier to a newer book 1915 -present. Total number of books for this challenge is six.
Banned
✔︎Old - Fanny Hill, or Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure by John Cleland 3 stars
✔︎New - Cities of Salt by Abdul Rahman Munif 4 stars
1001 books you must read before you die
✔︎Old - Lost Illusions by Honoré de Balzac 3 stars
✔︎New - Malone kuolee by Samuel Beckett 2 stars
Murder
✔︎Old - The Song of Roland by Unknown 3 stars
✔︎New - Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind 3 stars
COMPLETED
The below link provides a list of bestsellers from 1895-2023. Pick 10 years of interest. List the bestseller for each year selected. If you have read it, list the 2nd bestseller and so on. Ideas for picking years: birth years for family and friends, memorable events graduations, anniversaries, etc. or historic events.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publish....
NOTE: click on the link above then Look for the blueish info bar, just under it you will find a list of decades from 1890-2020. Click the decade needed and search individual years.
1901 - The Crisis by Winston Churchill
1917 - Mr. Britling Sees it Through by H.G. Wells
1924 - So Big by Edna Ferber
1957 - By Love Possessed by James Gould Cozzens
1969 - Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth
1980 - The Covenant by James A. Michener
1992 - Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King
2000 - The Brethren by John Grisham
2009 - The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
2016 - The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
The Bestseller Challenge from your list of 10 books pick two. One from a genre outside your comfort zone. You may surprise yourself and like it. If it ends as DNF no problem at least you tried. Book two should be a book you think has a chance at 4 or 5 stars.
Books Chosen
✔︎1. Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth 3 stars
✔︎2. Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King 3 stars
COMPLETED
From the below book prize lists, or a prize from your country or local region, seek out and read two award winning books. Please let the group know what prize list or lists you use, as well as the book information.
✔︎1. The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes 4 stars (Booker Prize)
✔︎2. Possession by A.S. Byatt 3 stars (Booker Prize)
COMPLETED
I find this to be a very difficult challenge, many others consider it one of their favorites. For those who really enjoy this challenge in its pure form use all 26 letters. For those of us who struggle, with this challenge consider it successful by using only 23 letters. There are 4 optional letters marked with an (*), you only need to use one.
✔︎A - Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand 3 stars
✔︎B - Henderson the Rain King by Saul Bellow 3 stars
✔︎C - The Seagull by Anton Chekhov 3 stars
✔︎D - Incidences by Daniil Kharms 3 stars
✔︎E - Silas Marner by George Eliot 3 stars
✔︎F - The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster 4 stars
✔︎G - Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong 3 stars
✔︎H - The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton 4 stars
✔︎I - The Black Prince by Iris Murdoch 3 stars
✔︎J - Albert Angelo by B.S. Johnson 3 stars
✔︎K - Broken April by Ismail Kadare 4 stars
✔︎L - The Female Quixote by Charlotte Lennox 3 stars
✔︎M - Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham 3 stars
✔︎N - The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger 3 stars
✔︎O - Dream Work by Mary Oliver 3 stars
✔︎P - The Keeper of Sheep by Fernando Pessoa 4 stars
*Q -
✔︎R - Roskapönttöjen ritarit by Bjarne Reuter 3 stars
✔︎S - Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind 3 stars
✔︎T - Blaming by Elizabeth Taylor 3 stars
✔︎U - Jää by Ulla-Lena Lundberg 4 stars
✔︎V - Ilveksen oma kirja by Jarkko Vehniäinen 3 stars
✔︎W - Päättymätön riemu by David Foster Wallace 3 stars
*X -
*Y -
✔︎*Z - L'Assommoir by Émile Zola 3 stars
COMPLETED
I find this to be a very difficult challenge, many others consider it one of their favorites. For those who really enjoy this challenge in its pure form use all 26 letters. For those of us who struggle, with this challenge consider it successful by using only 23 letters. There are 4 optional letters marked with an (*), you only need to use one.
✔︎A - Antic Hay by Aldous Huxley 3 stars
✔︎B - Billy Budd, Sailor by Herman Melville 3 stars
✔︎C - Cakes and Ale by W. Somerset Maugham 3 stars
✔︎D - Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King 3 stars
✔︎E - Everything That Rises Must Converge: Stories by Flannery O'Connor 3 stars
✔︎F - Fellinin raitiotie by Jukka Pakkanen 4 staes
✔︎G - The Glass Bees by Ernst Jünger 2 stars
✔︎H - Humboldt's Gift by Saul Bellow 2 stars
✔︎I - Illuusioiden kirja by Paul Auster 3 stars
✔︎J - Jäähyväiset Hanhivaaralle by Pentti Kirstilä 2 stars
✔︎K - The Keeper of Sheep by Fernando Pessoa 4 stars
✔︎L - Loving by Henry Green 3 stars
✔︎M - Malone kuolee by Samuel Beckett 2 stars
✔︎N - Nadja by André Breton 2 stars
✔︎O - Ormond by Maria Edgeworth 3 stars
✔︎P - Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth 3 stars
*Q -
✔︎R - Rajalliset maat by Olli Heikkonen 4 stars
✔︎S - The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes 4 stars
✔︎T - Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong 3 stars
✔︎U - Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand 3 stars
✔︎V - Vartijat hoi! by Terry Pratchett 5 stars
✔︎W - Willard and His Bowling Trophies by Richard Brautigan 3 stars
*X -
✔︎*Y - Ystävän muotokuva by Pentti Holappa 3 stars
✔︎*Z - Zero Hour by Ray Bradbury 3 stars
It looks like your planning is going really well. I really enjoyed Doctor Zhivago and Voss (though I liked the first half of Voss better than the second half). Have fun with it!
Mod
Thank you, Wobbley. Good to hear you enjoyed Doctor Zhivago. I've wanted to read it for long time, hopefully next year. And thank you, Sara!
3 challenges done by the start of March -- that's terrific!
First time viewer, and first time for congrats for you excellent work! 👍🎉
Four more challenges completed. And doing ok with others, except group reads.
All challenges completed. Thank you again for this challenge.
Mod
Hear! Hear! I second everything Sara says. This is so impressive!
Thank you, Sara and Wobbley. Old and new has became my favorite challenge. Great way to read those books that has been on my TBR list for so long, but I never get to.
Catching up on Classics (and lots more!)
Books mentioned in this topic
Meditation (other topics)The Outsiders (other topics)
Vartijat hoi! (other topics)
The Stepford Wives (other topics)
The Things They Carried (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Franz Kafka (other topics)S.E. Hinton (other topics)
Terry Pratchett (other topics)
Ira Levin (other topics)
Tim O'Brien (other topics)
More...
Challenge #1 - New & Old TBRChallenge #2 - Members ChoiceChallenge #3 - New AuthorsChallenge #4 - Short StoryChallenge #5 - Decade/Century/MillenniumChallenge #6 - Group Reads, Buddy Reads, Moderators Run AmokChallenge #7 - Series Books – Start, Continue, CompleteChallenge #8 - Travel the World One Continent at a TimeChallenge #9 – Rereading Some do Some don'tChallenge #10 - Most Popular Goodreads Books Listed by YearChallenge #11 - Future ClassicsChallenge #12 - Fiction/Non-FictionChallenge #13 - Old and New Linked CategoriesChallenge #14 - Bestselling Novels in the United StatesChallenge #15 - Award WinnersChallenge #16 - A-Z AuthorChallenge #17 - A-Z Title