Wednesday 17 December 2014

Back to the Classics Challenge 2015



This challenge beckons me...



This challenge is hosted by Karen at Books & Chocolates.
I have some ideas only at the moment but I'll probably be using some of the books I listed in the Classics Book Club Challenge which I started a year ago. Here are some thoughts anyhow - subject to change. I'll come back to this post and update it as I decide on the books.


1. A 19th Century Classic -- any book published between 1800 and 1899.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson


2.  A 20th Century Classic -- any book published between 1900 and 1965.  Just like last year, all books must have been published at least 50 years ago to qualify as a classic.

Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh, The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis


3.  A Classic by a Woman Author

Bronte's, Flannery O'Connor, Jane Austen - which will be a re-read, if that's allowed.

4.  A Classic in Translation.

Probably something by a Russian author; Tolstoy or Solzhenitsyn but nothing too long because I need to get through No. 5...

5.  A Very Long Classic Novel -- a single work of 500 pages or longer.

? The Old Curiosity Shop

6.  A Classic Novella -- any work shorter than 250 pages.

H.G. Wells or Flannery O'Connor unless I use one of her books for No 3

7.  A Classic with a Person's Name in the Title.  First name, last name, or both, it doesn't matter, but it must have the name of a character.  David Copperfield, The Brothers Karamazov, Don Quixote -- something like that. It's amazing how many books are named after people!

Need to think about this one. Would Mr. Standfast qualify?

8.  A Humorous or Satirical Classic.

Have no idea. Any suggestions??

9.  A Forgotten Classic.  This could be a lesser-known work by a famous author, or a classic that nobody reads any more.

A Philosophy of Education or another by Charlotte Mason

10.  A Nonfiction Classic.  A memoir, biography, essays, travel, this can be any nonfiction work that's considered a classic, or a nonfiction work by a classic author.

WW1 or 2 or related to a war.

11.  A Classic Children's Book.

Undecided but won't have any trouble finding one in this category.

12.  A Classic Play.

Definitely Shakespeare - Hamlet, Richard III 


Thanks to Nancy and Cleo for pointing me in the direction of the Challenge.

10 comments:

Cleo said...

Oh fun! I'm so glad that you're joining us, Carol! For a humorous book I would completely recommend Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome or The Diary of a Nobody by George and Weedon Grossmith, if you haven't read either already. Both are hilarious. This year I read Barbara Tuchman's The Guns of August for a WWI read and it was excellent. I'd highly recommend any book by her. Have fun with your reading and thanks so much for mentioning my blog!

Carol said...

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm pretty sure I have the first one you mentioned and I like the sound of the Tuchman book - I'd heard of it but for some reason thought it was about the American Civil War.

Anonymous said...

Flannery O' Conner is a wonderful choice with her command of literary devices simile, metaphor and surprising turns of phrase. Satire suggestion would be ( also fun for the kids...) the Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving. He satires the ' supposed' refined culture of city folks through Ichabod Crane. There are some great movie versions to watch too (Johnny Depp, Tim Burton director, is spooky 1999) and a Disney version. 2015 will be a great reading year with this challenge!

Christine said...

Great choices! I'm thinking about reading the unabridged Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce for the humorous or satirical category -- I read part of it in high school and have been meaning to revisit it in full every since. Or perhaps the O. Henry collection that has been collecting dust on my shelves!

Karen @ The Simply Blog said...

I've not heard of this challenge before. Hmmm....I'm thinking I might go down the list and see if I can come up with a book for each category and then maybe consider joining in. :) We'll see......
Thanks for sharing about it!

Carol said...

How's your list coming on, Karen??

Karen @ The Simply Blog said...

Have you thought about Gulliver's Travels for the humorous/satirical category? I'm working on my list right now. Thank you for reminding me about it. I've got a couple settled, a few potentials, and several categories I still have to find titles for.

Karen @ The Simply Blog said...

Carol, just thought I'd let you know I just posted my tentative list on my blog for the challenge. :)

http://thesimplyblog.wordpress.com/2015/01/04/back-to-classics-challenge-for-2015/

Unknown said...

I suggest anything by Jonathon Swift for the humorous/satirical category...I'm in the middle of Middlemarch by George Eliot right now and really enjoying it.

Carol said...

Thanks for the suggestions, Kyle. I'd like to read some more of George Eliot. I've read Silas Marner which I enjoyed.