Monday, December 16, 2013

Back to the Classics Challenge 2014

So remember the last post, where I bemoaned my lack of reading generally and in November specifically? After writing something like that, a logical, sensible person would probably think about how little they had read in 2013 and decide not to do reading challenges in 2014. Well, thank goodness I'm not particularly logical or sensible, because I stumbled on a book blog post today and immediately decided to sign up for the Back to the Classics Challenge, hosted by Karen K. at the Books and Chocolate blog.

Now I should make it clear that I decided to sign up for this challenge based on my enormous to be read pile - I was able to easily find books for each category in this pile, so I will not have to visit the library or otherwise obtain new books in order to complete this challenge. In addition, reading classic books is always a good thing, as I've mentioned on this blog repeatedly. So I figure this is a win-win scenario all around.

Here are the categories and the books I've chosen:

Required Categories:
A 20th Century Classic - The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck
A 19th Century Classic - Bel Ami, Guy de Maupassant
A Classic by a Woman Author - Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë
A Classic in Translation - The Tin Drum, Günter Grass
A Wartime Classic - Catch-22, Joseph Heller
A Classic by an Author Who Is New to You - Lady Chatterly's Lover, D.H. Lawrence

Optional Categories:
An American Classic - The Prince and the Pauper, Mark Twain
A Classic Mystery, Suspense, or Thriller - The Man Who Was Thursday, G.K. Chesterton
A Historical Fiction Classic - The Man in the Iron Mask, Alexandre Dumas
A Classic That's Been Adapted Into a Movie or TV Series - Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
Extra Fun Category: Write a Review of the Movie or TV Series adapted from Optional Category #4 - Rebecca, the 1940 Alfred Hitchcock film starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine (the film review has spoilers)

Head over to the challenge sign up post (linked above) for more info, including the rules, etc., and sign up!

6 comments:

  1. Thanks for signing up! You have so many great books on your list -- I loved Rebecca, it's one of my all-time favorites. Grapes of Wrath is also wonderful. And I read Lady Chatterley for another challenge this year and ended up really liking it. Looking forward to reading your posts!

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  2. So glad I found your blog through this challenge. I've been wanting to read Bel Ami for quite awhile. And I'd forgotten The Man Who Was Thursday could be considered a classic mystery/thriller! It's on my list for 2014.

    Happy reading!

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  3. Grapes of Wrath is AMAZING! I love it, hope you do too! :)

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  4. Hi Karen, thanks so much for hosting a great challenge! I'm looking forward to filling in some of these gaps in my reading.

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  5. Hi Cleopatra - great name! :) I look forward to comparing notes with you on some of these books!

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  6. Hi O! Looks like you read some great books - I look forward to reading your blog. I want to read the Moonstone as well, but I don't have a copy on hand so it might have to wait until I've cut down my TBR pile some in 2014 - and I did read Middlesex this year, I'm looking forward to hearing your opinion of it!

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