Pam’s Comments (group member since Jul 12, 2018)

Pam’s comments from the Never too Late to Read Classics group.

Of Zola’s books, I have 4 on my shelves that I am interested in reading, in this order: 1) Nana, 2)The Paradise (The Ladies Paradise), 3) The Belly of Paris, and 4) L’Assommoir. I haven’t read any of his books so I’m open to suggestions.

For the male authors, I’m interested in Hesse.

All of my bookcases are my unread books, with the exception of classics which my husband refuses to part with. I have one plastic tub of books of favorites that I keep in case I decide to reread them or pass them on to a younger family member. After I read a book, if a family member doesn’t want it, I either donate it or sell it to the used bookstore. 2022 is going to be the year of culling the book herd!

Lesle - It might have been me that you are thinking of. I keep a shelf with ~20 novels I plan to read during the year, for the ATY 52 Challenge. It’s a constant reminder to pick a book from that shelf! I also have a small bookshelf with just classics (alphabetic by author) and a different bookcase with only sci-fi. I also keep most of my non-fiction separate.

Thanks Lesle for the explanation! That makes sense.

I like Brian’s idea of moving the criteria down from 800 to 750 pp. I didn’t realize there was a newer and longer edition of Svejk. I just used the edition that I have. Either of his solutions work for me, though. Is the process that we select 4 Heftys and 4 Huskys or is it just the top 8?

Samantha wrote: "Pam, there is nothing wrong with a long TBR list. What is life without ambitions? 😉"

True! I would rather have an impossibly long TBR than a very short one. But, it is so unmanageable at ~4,000 books that I've had to create other shelfs like 2022 Planned Reading so I can track what I want to realistically read in the near future.

I would like to read Oblomov but it will have to be next year! I think I will still be reading the Russians next year. There are so many I still want to read!

About 40% done with The Count of Monte Cristo. I’m also reading a 1973 YA novel A Hero Ain’t Nothin’ but a Sandwich by Alice Childress.

I also want to read Brothers Karamazov. There is just not enough time to read the books I want to read, ever! But, I keep chipping away at the list.

I just started Memories: From Moscow to the Black Sea by the Russian author Teffi. It was published in English for the first time in 2016 but was originally published in a Russian-language newspaper as a serial between Dec 1928-Jan 1930. Has anyone read any of her books? So far I like this one.

I would be interested in reading The Dark is Rising (but not sure about the rest of the series) since I have a copy of it. If I like it, I’ll read the rest. I feel like I read this book in the 70s but I don’t remember the story.

I will support Demons!

I’ll support The Betrothed! I’ve never heard of the book or the author but it sounds really good.

I have a few suggestions for Husky Reads:

The Good Soldier Švejk by Jaroslav Hašek (752 pp and pub. in 1921). WWI, Czech Lit, satire, historical fiction

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (608 pp. and pub. 1838) Sad to say. the only Dickens book I have ever read is A Christmas Carol!

Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser (580 pp. and pub.1900)

Queen Margot, or Marguerite de Valois by Alexandre Dumas (542 pp and pub. 1845)

I’ve read 5 from the list and own 5 that I haven’t read. I’m looking forward to participating in a few group reads in 2022! It’s hard for me to keep up with group but I’m going to try.

I am also interested in Zola.

I just finished Arthur C. Clarke’s sci-fi classic Childhood’s End and loved it! 60 years later and it still feels relevant.

From those authors listed already, I am definitely interested in:

Franz Kafka
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Stendhal
Thomas Mann
Herman Hesse

I'm also interested in these authors:
Stefan Zweig
Nikolai Leskov
Vsevolod Garshin (Might be hard to find. I have 1 of his books and it wasn't even listed in GR. Someone had to add it for me.)

I hope to be able to participate more in 2022! My timing is always off with what the group is reading.

I finished Pride and Prejudice and The Lathe of Heaven, 2 books I’ve been planning to read for years. I’m now reading The Count of Monte Cristo and really enjoying it!

I just started Troubles, published in 1970, by J. G. Farrell.