Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion
Archived Chit Chat & All That
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How many have you read? (Reading the books on our group bookshelf)
Emily wrote: "Just found the group and I've read 56 of the 155 books. Only 99 to go! :D"
Welcome Emily & hey you've got less than 100 to go ;)
Welcome Emily & hey you've got less than 100 to go ;)

I've got 99 right now! Hope to read something of the group reads in September to bring it up to the round number =)
For some books I have weird editions on my shelves (such as War and Peace, where I have two-volume Russian edition), so had to keep my eyes open not to miss anything.

Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen
www.goodreads.com/review/show/958141168
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
www.goodreads.com/review/show/976473068
The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy
www.goodreads.com/review/show/1175742682
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
www.goodreads.com/review/show/1648631669
My total currently stands at 116/155

Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen
www.goodreads.com/review/show/958141168
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
www...."
That's really an outstanding number Duane! Keep it up! :)
Duane wrote: "My August shelf reads were:
Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen
www.goodreads.com/review/show/958141168
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
www...."
You are amazing Duane!
Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen
www.goodreads.com/review/show/958141168
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
www...."
You are amazing Duane!

Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen
www.goodreads.com/review/show/958141168
Things Fall Apart by [author:Chinua Ach..."
Thanks Kathy.


Good job! You're already ahead of the game! The only one I haven't read yet is Invisible Man and I'm really looking forward to it.

That's great Duane! It's like you just passed "go" and you get to collect the $200 (the $200 dollars in this case would be that you get to read a book of your choice, which is always good too!). :)


Classics but not on shelves. And in light of a these comments about reading books on the the pile instead of group reads it might be awhile until I make a dent in the group shelves.

That's great Susan! I really enjoyed [book:The Secret Garden too and I have you and Sue to thank for reading that book! We should pick another one! :)

Secret Garden was a favorite of mine too. So glad we did it. You should suggest something Loretta since you've read the most.

I have?

My favorites this past month were The Secret Garden, and The Odyssey and The Picture of Dorian Gray
My favorite so far (since June) is Bleak House

yeah, Susan is at 40 and I'm only at 32


That's great Fae! I'm sure you'll be able to reach your goal! :)

Awesome number Simone! I hope you get to read Rebecca someday! It's an excellent book! :)

King Lear by William Shakespeare
www.goodreads.com/review/show/1716018366
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy
www.goodreads.com/review/show/1668171421
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind
www.goodreads.com/review/show/1689417041
The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
www.goodreads.com/review/show/1758419219
Current total 124/159

King Lear by William Shakespeare
www.goodreads.com/review/show/1716018366
The Scarlet Pimpernel by [author:Emmuska Orczy|289..."
Excellent progress Duane! :)

King Lear by William Shakespeare
www.goodreads.com/review/show/1716018366
The Scarlet Pimpernel by [author:Emm..."
Reading all the books on the bookshelf is like going on a trip where the destination keeps moving farther away.



Right now I'm aiming for 25% by the end of the year, and I think the October books are on there, so adding 8 more makes the total 167 and 25% is 42. I'm at 37 now so I should make it.
For future years, I just want to increase my percentage. Since the group reads 52 per year, I only have to read 1 more than 25% of those to increase my %. 25% is only 13 books in a year! Doesn't that sound easy peasy? Especially since there will be 12 short stories?!
I plan to increase my % by at least 5% and with next years total group reads at 219, 30% would mean 66 of which I will have started the year with 42, so only 24 to read (again, with 12 short stories!)
The most I ever plan on getting is around 60-70% because I'm not going to have time or interest for some. 60% would take 1 short story and then 1.5 books per month to maintain. So doable!
The moral of this story, think in terms of percentage goals (any percentage that's good for you), and you'll be proud. : )

so that just leaves 28 books/year increase
as I read far more than 28 books in a year, if I concentrate on reading a lot of classics as years go by I should also benefit by having already read quite a few of the books that get chosen
that's the way to do it!

Congrats! You've passed me! I figured that would happen soon.
I think the % read looks more impressive when it comes to this group's book shelves.
I've been barely treading water when it comes to keeping pace with the group reads for the last couple of years. But my % of books read keeps increasing steadily.

that's the way to do it! ..."
Yep! The only way I can keep up with Group Reads is because about half of the books added are books I've already read.
Except for November... The way the polls are looking for November, I won't have read a single one of the new additions!

so that just leaves 28 books/year increase
as I read far more than 28 books in a year, if I concentrate on reading a..."
Oh yeah! Since one is a re-visit the shelf read, there's really only a 40 book increase per year (28 Novels & 12 short stories)! See, it gets easier and easier.
You and many others do have that nice advantage of having books chosen that you've read already. For me, I had been reading mostly non fiction and modern fiction so I'm screwed there.

Congrats! You've passed me! I figured that would happen soon.
I think the % read looks more impressive when it comes to this group's book shelves.
I've bee..."
That's great Melanti and I'm sure, like Darren, you'll have a bunch pop up that you've already read.


That's amazing Elena! 49 books in 3 months is way beyond my possibilities. Congratulations!


That's a good way to do it. :)

Thanks =) but I haven't managed it yet ;) success depends mainly on the workload I'm going to have to manage for uni when the next semester starts in a few weeks...
But some of the books on that list are quite short, so I've got hope ;)




Wow, Terris! That's a great number! :)
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That is amazing progress Paula. I had only read 14 since starting in June and have now read 21. I won't be able to keep up that pace though. July and August are among my slowest work months and I challenged myself to read as many of the groups classics as I could in that time period. My goal is to try and read 2 classics a month with one being the short story collection.