March 2013 Challenge - Neglected Classics

[Janice, Moderator]

Lara wrote: "Gaeta, you're too funny! But, I'm right with you. Every time I think it's going to warm up, I look at the new forecast and it has highs just above freezing."

It's -20 Celcius here this morning. But temps are supposed to be above freezing by tomorrow and stay that way for the rest of the week.

The operative phrase is "supposed to be". I wish I could make the big bucks to make predicitions that rarely come true, like the weather forecasters. Mind you, Madame Tutti Fruiti had the potential to make a lot of money. Hehehehe!

[Cathie]

Hey Janice, I didn't realize, you too (me too) lived in Canada! I come from the warmer Toronto area where we hardly had any snow at all in 2012; this time last year it was 24 degrees Celcius here; this morning 2 degrees Celcius. You guys get it a lot colder out west. Brrrr!

[Janice, Moderator]

Cathie wrote: "Hey Janice, I didn't realize, you too (me too) lived in Canada! I come from the warmer Toronto area where we hardly had any snow at all in 2012; this time last year it was 24 degrees Celcius here;..."

Yes, it is a little cooler here in Alberta. There are times I pout, until I hear about your heat waves with the high humidity you get there.

[Cathie]

The humidity kills me, now so more than ever, but I do love heat and sun...I think I should have been born in a tropical place that never sees snow, lol. My son loves winter and snow and the outdoor sports that goes with it, so he is fine staying in Canada. Me, I just want a beach, with sand and sun and surf and good books :-)

[Janice, Moderator]

I'm planning a trip to Hawaii this August where all I intend on doing is sit on the beach with a book.

[Shirley]

Janice wrote: "I'm planning a trip to Hawaii this August where all I intend on doing is sit on the beach with a book."

When we were there we were entertained at night by the activity below our balcony. The "John's" cruise for a "date" was so interesting.

[Cathie]

OOOhhhh, I'm so envious Janice, lol. Hawaii!! I hope this You'll Love This vacationing bug you members have is catchy ~ infect me please!! lol

[Pragya]

Connie wrote: "Me, too! It is miserable here. Wet, cold, and raw weather will not cease. Where is the sun?"

Sun is right here, Connie. And you're most welcome to take it away with you. Send some winter please. Thanks.

[Janice, Moderator]

LOL! Poor Shirley. I'll be staying at my sister's, so shouldn't have to worry about that kind of entertainment.

I don't call myself a tourist any more when I go.

[Shirley]

Janice wrote: "LOL! Poor Shirley. I'll be staying at my sister's, so shouldn't have to worry about that kind of entertainment.

I don't call myself a tourist any more when I go."

My husband wasn't complaining and I thought it was "just normal".

[Tejas Janet]

Tejas Janet wrote: "Okay, have done a chant for sun your way, and rain this way."

We actually got a little rain, AND a late cold snap yesterday and today -- woo hoo!

[Aga]

Looks like I found my read for Easter weekend and I will finally have a motivation to get into by , Italian Nobelist from Sardinia where I currently live. Reading in English of course ;-) 6 days to go so I hope I make it on time!

[Rusalka, Moderator]

You can do it!

[Aga]

Rusalka wrote: "You can do it!"

Thanks Rusalka! It is 199 pages only so I should be fine ;-)

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Heh, if needed chuck a sickie! We all know challenges are more important than work*



*This statement may not be true at all, especially when work pays your bills and challenges probably don't. Especially if you live in a country with weird sick leave laws.

[Cherie]

Wow, 20 CDs. I thought A Tale of Two Cities would never end, and it was only 12.

Listening to audio books puts reading into a whole new light. I never thought much about how fast or slow I read or how much it might affect how I enjoyed a book before. While listening, one can only go as fast as the reader speaks. For listening - there is no such thing as speed reading. There isn't even a setting on the CD player to go faster, LOL!

[Tejas Janet]

Cherie wrote: "Listening to audio books puts reading into a whole new light. I never thought much about how fast or slow I rea..."

I've listened to and enjoyed a couple of audiobooks previously, but this month tried out Suite Francaise as an audiobook. I strongly disliked the narration by Daniel Oreskes. Almost ruined it for me. Then I switched to book format, and scarcely could put it down.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Cherie wrote: "There isn't even a setting on the CD player to go faster, LOL! "

Bit of a plug here. If you copy the cds (some of the ones I borrowed from the library are just mp3 files on the cd in order to make this easier) on to the puter, and then onto a tablet or phone, I have found a great little app.

It's called Smart AudioBook. You link it to your library and it remembers when you stop your book, you can bookmark the good bits/quotes so you can go back to it, when you pause it it goes back 5 secs when you restart the file in case you got interrupted like me *all the time*, etc. But pertinent to this convo, you can play it at 1x speed in .1 increments to 2x speed. So if 1.5x is too fast, you can put it down to 1.4x for example.

I've got it on Android (obviously) but I would be surprised if it didn't have an apple incarnation.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Time for the home stretch everyone. 10 hours left for me over in Aus all the way through to 30 hours left in Hawaii. Hope everyone gets through what they were aiming for in the remaining time frame!

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Yay Gaeta!

[Cathie]

So I finished The Poems of Dylan Thomas , A Tree Grows in Brooklyn , The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales and The Bell Jar .

By far my favourite was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn . 5 stars.

I don't know which one I'll use as a posting yet but it was good to read books that I probably wouldn't have read otherwise or that would have taken me forever to get around to reading, and I discovered a new favorite that ranks right up there with my all times :-)

I put 5 books down for the front page challenge and only read 4, but I am still pleased that I read the 4.

[Pragya]

Cathie wrote: "So I finished The Poems of Dylan Thomas , A Tree Grows in Brooklyn , The Fall of the House of Usher and Other T..."

You did so great, Cathie. I love A tree grows in Brooklyn.

[Cathie]

It's a great book, isn't it Pragya :-). I think it will be one that I return to again and again (and I don't do that with very many books)

[Pragya]

Cathie wrote: "It's a great book, isn't it Pragya :-). I think it will be one that I return to again and again (and I don't do that with very many books)"

That's exactly my thought. One to re-read.

[April]

Wow, Cathie! You did great! I'm impressed!

[Cathie]

Yea, I feel ok about it...I set my sights too high ...and this month only has 31 days, lol

[Lindy]

I tried but clasics are so dry. College drained me

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Nice haul there Cathie! I really need to read The Bell Jar, but after my disappointment with Catcher, I think I need to wait a bit.

No worries Lindy. When i was at uni I would go whole semesters not reading for fun, so I understand not wanting to pick up Geoffrey Chaucer or something for fun in between textbooks and journal articles. Next challenge maybe!

[Kimberly]

Would a children's classic work as a neglected classic?

[Rusalka, Moderator]

If it fits the criteria listed above. Published before 1963. And if you've been "meaning" to read it for a while and can knock it over in the next couple of hours, go for it.

There are some great kids classics.