Bob’s Comments (group member since Jun 22, 2011)

Bob’s comments from the Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) group.

I nominate The Magician by W. Somerset Maugham

I nominate God's Little Acre by Erskine Caldwell

J_BlueFlower wrote: "I have read two short stories by Edith Wharton now, and did not like any of them. I am starting to wonder if I should slash her completely from my to-read list. What am I overlooking?"

I understand completely, everyone is different. There are authors that as good as the world thinks they are I just can't handle them. Virginia Woolf and Franz Kafka come to mind.

I read this five years ago and plan to reread it, hopefully in the next couple of days. While I am a big fan of Wharton this one was lacking what I have come to expect. I hope a reread and the passage of time will make a difference. Thats the nice thing about short stories, they don't require large amounts of time to read.

The Seagull by Anton Chekhov is our Febryary 2025 Short Story/Novella Read.

This discussion will open on February 1

Beware Short Story Discussions will have Spoilers

These are the 10 titles randomly selected from our Master Short Story List These 10 titles are going straight to the poll. No cut down voting.

Mar. '25
269. Queenie: A story by Alice Munro
243. The Weary Blues by Langston Hughes
36. The Queen of Spades by Alexander Pushkin
191. The Devil and Tom Walker by Washington Irving
286. Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories title story by Sandra Cisneros
320. Bliss from The Collected Stories by Katherine Mansfield
7. Rock Crystal by Adalbert Stifter
8. Rappaccini's Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
493. Mimsy Were The Borogoves by Lewis Padgett
101. The Hunting Gun by Yasushi Inoue

Poll Link - https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/3...

The winner: The Queen of Spades by Alexander Pushkin

Welcome, Marcella.

Welcome, Mary.

Welcome, Kathy.

I'm looking forward to this. I got my copy from the library late last week. I will have plenty of time to read it but won't be able to keep it as reference for the last parts of our discussion. Should not be a big problem as I'm usually pretty reserved during discussions.

Sharon wrote: "Do we need to pre-select short stories before Dec 31st? Or just add to the list as we read during 2025?"

The only challenge that needs pre-selected is Challenge #1 Old and New. You can create any other lists prior to the 31st and change them as you wish, even during the year.

The winner for Feb. '25 147. The Seagull by Anton Chekhov

We have a six-way tie for fourth place. Rather than only listing the three with the most votes the poll, I will post the six others that received only one vote.

Welcome, Mary!

My planning is done!! If you go to the top and scan down, I feel pretty good about it, especially my master list, message 19. Challenges 2, 3, 4, and 6 are not pre-planned but will self-fill as the year progresses. In fact, I won't be surprised it one of these finishes before a fully planned challenge. I also find it curious that after using 88 books in my planning I don't think I can cover the continent Australia challenge #8. The A-Z's don't cover either.

I may tweak my Old and New before the 31st, but I doubt it, I am content.

Sara wrote: "LOL. I was going to say exactly what Kathleen said about Ulysses. Remind me when you are finished to give you a reward!

I hope you have better luck with Ship of Fools than I did. I t..."

Sara, I feel compelled to give Ship of Fools another go. You tried it twice and dumped it into the well. doesn't make feel as enthusiastic as I did when planning. I will still give it another chance, but I won't stick with it if it proves as bad as my first try. Between you and Terris, The Chosen will move to an early read next year. Thanks!!

Terris wrote: "You have so many good books listed, Bob! I agree with Sara, you definitely need to read The Chosen, and two others that I saw a couple of places on your lists that I highly recommend ..."

Terris, I put Blindness on my '24 Old and New and never started it. I don't know why I shied away. I think it will be really good, and your recommendation helps. Thanks, also for the recommendation for All the Kings Men, another that has sat on my shelf for years

Kathleen wrote: "You have some great planning going here, Bob. I've just had some fun checking out some of your choices I haven't heard of. I particularly love your Millennium challenge--such adventures!

But [book..."

Kathleen, I think I did OK with my planning. Two-thirds of my choices are in my possession. Which makes this whole challenge a huge TBR reducer

Ulysses, what can I say. It has been the monster under my bed for years. This is the year I slay or I'm slayed, either way it is off my TBR this year forever.

Wobbley wrote: "Have fun with your planning Bob. Thanks so much for setting up the Buffet Challenges every year!"

Jeri wrote: "Wobbley wrote: "Have fun with your planning Bob. Thanks so much for setting up the Buffet Challenges every year!"

Agree, thank you! I get pretty jacked for Thanksgiving knowing the challenges are ..."

Matt wrote: "Good luck on your challenge buffet Bob, and thanks again for the work of putting then challenges together. Your planning has me wanting to add the future classics challenge."

Ila wrote: "Whoa, that's quite the planning! I remember liking Of mice and men, Peyton place, and Miss Pettigrew lives for a day. All the best."

Thanks, you all for your comment's encouragement. Planning is particularly fun, and I have just now finished. The next best part is now starting, checking out other challenges. I really like seeing what others are doing.

Ila, I agree, Of Mice and Men and Peyton Place are very good and I may reread them both. However, Miss Pettigrew still lives in my future. I appreciate your recommendation.

Welcome, Thomas.

Leona, I have been under the weather and misread your question. But you got excellent correcting info, thanks everyone for your help. This is about enjoying our reading.

I nominate Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad