It’s a wrap! I have
officially completed the Back to theClassics Challenge 2018 hosted by Karen at the blog Books and Chocolate.
AND I managed to choose and read all 12 titles from
books I already had on my shelves. YAY!
Details
are as follows:
1. Fittingly, I started this literary journey off with A
CLASSIC TRAVEL OR JOURNEY NARRATIVE, FICTION OR NON-FICTION. I read Orient Express by Graham Greene, first
published in 1933. It wasn’t as good as his better known books such as The
Quiet American in my opinion, however.
2. Then I moved on to a sure fire good read: A CLASSIC
CRIME STORY, FICTION OR NON-FICTION. I read and really enjoyed The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey.
3. The enjoyment factor took a nose-dive with my choice of
A 20TH CENTURY CLASSIC. While I am glad to have read Winesberg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson because I can now cross
it off the Modern Library 100 Best of List, I think this was probably my least
favorite of all 12. Too bleak and monotone for my taste.
4. I was pleasantly surprised with my choice of A CLASSIC WITH A COLOR IN THE TITLE. I read The Scarlet Letter by Nathanial Hawthorn and once I got past that unnecessary
prologue, I found it really interesting and strange (in a good way).
5. My absolute star was the book I read for A CLASSIC IN
TRANSLATION. I loved Guy de Maupassant’s
Bel Ami. Such a great book about a really unpleasant man!
6. Next up was A CLASSIC WITH A SINGLE-WORD TITLE which I fulfilled
by reading Passing by Nella Larson, a
short but very powerful read.
7. Possibly the hardest to choose for was the category RE-READ
A FAVORITE CLASSIC. I finally landed on Wuthering Heights by Emilie Bronte. This turned out to be a great choice because I think
this is a book upon which one’s perspective can change dramatically with age
and experience.
8. For the choice of CHILDREN'S CLASSIC I read and enjoyed the Newbery award winning Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes, a book a never read as a child.
9. For my favorite category of A 19TH CENTURY CLASSIC I
read Dickens’ The Old Curiosity Shop
which was not his best in my opinion, but nonetheless, wonderful because Dickens was
a genius.
10. For A CLASSIC BY AN AUTHOR THAT'S NEW TO YOU I read Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston which was pretty fabulous.
11. For the choice of A CLASSIC THAT SCARES YOU I girded my
loins and read Light in August by William Faulkner, which wasn’t as difficult
as I had feared.
12. Finally I read No Fond Return of Love by Barbara Pym for the
category of A CLASSIC BY A WOMAN AUTHOR which I really loved as I have loved
everything I’ve read by Pym thus far.
As usual, I
am so looking forward to the 2019 edition of this challenge and so pleased that Karen has graciously decided to continue hosting for another year. Contact information is: naessa[at]yahoo[dot]com.
Congratulations! The variety of authors, styles, genres, and and periods is impressive in itself. I've enjoyed reading your reviews of these classics--especially the ones I've never read, but am now interested in.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment jenclair! I am glad I was able to interest you in a few books. I love this challenge because of the breadth of books one can choose from.
DeleteCongrats on finishing all twelve categories! And from your own shelves, too. That's pretty awesome. I did this challenge a couple of years ago, but I'm thinking I want to do it again next year. Though I might only make 9/12 categories. :D
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Lark! I hope you do it next year! 9 titles works and I would be really interested to read about your picks!
DeleteWell done! I'd like to read Man in the Queue & Theor Eyes Were Watching God. I didn't like The Old Curiosity Shop as much as many of his others but what an interesting cast of characters! Quilp, Dick Swiveller & the Marchioness were just fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI finished my last book for the challenge a couple of days ago so I'm in the process of writing a final wrap-up. The 2019 categories sound interesting.
Thanks for the comment Carol! You will like The Man in the Queue I think being the Tey fan that you are! I can't wait to read your wrap up.:D
DeleteCongratulations on finishing tne challenge and a great collection of books on your list! I know what you mean about Winesberg Ohio. I have heard really good things about Josephine Tey and Barbara Pym neither of which I have read and I vow to fix that in 2019. Also putting Bel Ami on my list. I read Their Eyes Were Watching God too for my challenge and I was really moved by Zora Neal Hurston's novel. Its so sad in many ways but agree a fabulous book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Kathy! Yes, I really enjoyed your review of Their Eyes Were Watching God. It helped me in deciding to also incorporate it this year. I look forward to your 2019 challenge reviews!
DeleteYou did very well this year--a nice diverse set of books. I'm with you on Old Curiosity Shop--although I liked it better when I read it the second time through with the Victorians on Goodreads. I have a good friend who is reading Wuthering Heights for the first time, and I keep on telling her it is good and gets better on rereading and it's NOT a love story! I still haven't read Johnny Tremain myself, though all three of my kids enjoyed it very much. I promised myself not to torture myself with Sherwood Anderson--one book in college spoiled me for life for him!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Jane! I look forward to re-reading The Old Curiosity Shop and seeing what my feelings are. Luckily Dickens can be read over and over.:D
DeleteGood call on Sherwood Anderson!
Oh, how I'd love to discuss the challenge with you over coffee or tea. Let me see, -we overlap in books and taste much. Your #1 book reminds me I do DO have to read Graham Greene. I own that title by Tey, and I may also read it, (I didn't love her Daughter of Time, but I've heard this title may be better, I'll remember it for a light read.) I do LOVE The Scarlet Letter, and I'm please to see you do too. I like how good it is in a weird way, yes! I read Johnny Tremain aloud to my girls, and it's a favorite at home. I haven't read that Dickens or much Dickens, and I also consider him a titan. Maupassant, wow, I have not read any of him since ages! I read him in Spanish when I was in my twenties. The thing is that I still remember a few of the short stories by him I read. And boy, the characters in those memories I have were also immoral and quite unlikable. I enjoyed his short stories. At the time I read Poe, and while Poe is dark, Maupassant is French and quotidian with a gloomy tone.
ReplyDeleteTheir Eyes... yes, pretty fabulous! (I also enjoyed the movie)
Thanks for the tip on that non intimidating Faulkner, author I'm always putting off because of that, intimidation factor.
Pym is new to me, I am taking note also.
Thanks for the review, and excited about one more year, my 5th.
Thanks for the comment Silvia! It would be lovely to discuss over tea or coffee but like so many serious readers we have only the internet to bring us together! I think it is fabulous that we have so much overlap in the listed books.
DeleteI encourage you to give the Faulkner title a shot if you are so inclined. But Pym is really a must. Just delightful! I look forward to seeing what you choose for next year's challenge!:D
I'm glad you had such a great time with this challenge overall. I finally read Johnny Tremain and enjoyed it very much - I'm not sure I would have as a child though. Wuthering Heights is one I definitely was too young for when I read it for the first time (15) -- I needed to grow up to appreciate it. I think I"ll avoid Winesburg, Ohio - bleak and monotone is not my cup of tea.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Lory! Good call on Winesburg, Ohio. I don't know how I would have felt about Johnny Tremain as a kid either, but it does at least hold up for adult readers! :D
DeleteI'm with you on The Old Curiosity Shop - not my favorite Dickens - but still Dickens. Nice choices; well done.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Joseph! Any Dickens is well worth reading, I agree. :D
DeleteWOO HOO!! I managed to read 10 classics, 5 for my Club 50 list and apparently I never signed up for this one (since I have never been able to meet the minimum ever and I didn't want to fail again?!) and guess what. YEP! I hit 8 categories. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Care! Aw shucks! But at least you read 10 great books, right? :D Catch you on the other side of 2019!
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