Sarah's 2016 Exciting & Wondrous Classics Challenge

[Sarah]

Finished Mason & Dixon, which is my second challenge book. It was fun and confusing at the same time.

[Amanda]

:)

[Sarah]

I finished The Winds of War. Three stars and I don't recommend the audio.

[Sara, New School Classics]

I have been considering Winds of War. I came by a copy at a used book store. Maybe I will push it back a bit.

[Sarah]

It might have been four without the audio. It definitely wasn't the best option. A friend of mine just read it and gave it four stars.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I'm sorry to learn that the audio is not reccoed.

This is just the type of book I try in audio.

[Sarah]

I find it easier to listen to lengthy audios than to read long books. It's disappointing when it doesn't work. Especially if the book alone would have been four stars.

[Sarah]

Finished Sentimental Education by Gustave Flaubert. This was a really good book and it reinforces my initial impression of Flaubert's writing. He's very good. Four stars.

[Pink]

Sarah Anne wrote: "Finished Sentimental Education by Gustave Flaubert. This was a really good book and it reinforces my initial impression of Flaubert's writing. He's very good. Four stars."

That's good to know. I loved Madame Bovary and I've been meaning to read more of his work since then.

[Sarah]

This one is different b but also very good. Flaubert actually had me laughing at Frédéric's womanizing ways and that's not something I would have thought possible since it's a major pet peeve of mine. He's quite a writer.

[Sara, New School Classics]

Have only read Madame Bovary. Glad to know his other works are worthwhile.

[Sarah]

I'm reading Salammbo in July and I absolutely can't wait.

[Sarah]

Finished #5, This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Strongly disliked it so one star only.

[Sara, New School Classics]

I am reading Zelda about his wife, and I think they would have been people worth despising. Of the books of his that I have read, only Gatsby has impressed me.

[Sarah]

Finished #6! Maurice by E.M. Forster, which was a beautiful story and received 5 stars from me. This is the only five star one I've had so far so that makes it even more fun :)

[Sara, New School Classics]

Congrats, Sarah Anne. I love Forster but unfamiliar with Maurice. I have added it to the TBR.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I think "Maurice" had been a movie too.

I'm glad you enjoyed "Maurice."

"Maurice" is on my tbr pile but Forster's "A Passage to India" will be my last book I need to complete to black out my board.

I'll get to "Maurice" someday.

[Sarah]

It sounds like it was made into a movie in the 70s. I would love to watch it. His books translate well to film.

Andrea, I'll be curious to see what you think of A Passage to India. That one will probably be my next of his.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I'll post when I have finished "A Passage to India."

I'm not sure when I'll read it though.

I prefer eBooks and I'll have to read "Passage" in hard copy, so I'm dragging my feet!

[Sarah]

Is it not available?

[Veronique]

Nice review. Been meaning to read Maurice for a long time. Not sure why since I do like Forster... I did read two of his short stories however not long ago and was flabbergasted - it was Scifi and scarily modern - The Machine Stops

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

The hard copy of "A Passage to India" is from the library and the eBook is not in the library's eBook collection.

I don't want to pay for the eBook.

[Sarah]

Veronique wrote: "Nice review. Been meaning to read Maurice for a long time. Not sure why since I do like Forster... I did read two of his short stories however not long ago and was flabbergasted - it was Scifi and ..."

I have this in my TBR. It's good to know you enjoyed it. I'll have to make time :)

Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "The hard copy of "A Passage to India" is from the library and the eBook is not in the library's eBook collection.

I don't want to pay for the eBook."

That's a bummer :(

[Sarah]

Finished #7 - Moll Flanders, which puts me at the halfway point. Four stars for this fun book.

[Sarah]

I finished my eighth, Salammbô by Gustave Flaubert. It was quite painful and one of the more difficult books I've read. I'm very glad to be done with it.

[Sarah]

Finished my ninth, Light in August by William Faulkner. It was even better than I had hoped and it's my favorite from this challenge so far. It's also now my favorite read of 2016.

[Sara, New School Classics]

So glad you followed up Salammbo with Light in August. Good to get back on the horse and have a good ride! I LOVE Faulkner and Light in August is one of his best.

[Sarah]

Yes, it was definitely a good one to recover with :) So far I've only read this and The Sound and the Fury. I will definitely be reading more.

[Sara, New School Classics]

I love "As I Lay Dying" and "Absolom, Absolom" in case you are looking for your next title.

[Sarah]

Oh, As I Lay Dying is the next one I was thinking of :)

[Sara, New School Classics]

I'll be watching for your review!

[Sarah]

I finished #10, Anna Karenina. I completely loved it :)

[Sara, New School Classics]

One of my favorites! You are really killing this challenge.

[Sarah]

It took me a bit to get going but I have had a run :) Between Anna Karenina and Light in August I've had a great month, too!

I've been trying to get up the courage to try Anna Karenina for more than 10 years. I'm incredibly pleased :)

[Sara, New School Classics]

I'd hate to have to pick a favorite from among your reads this month. Glad you worked up your courage....I felt the same about War and Peace and then found it a very fluid read and terrific to boot.

[Nathan]

Sarah Anne wrote: "I finished #10, Anna Karenina. I completely loved it :)"

Dang! You're fast! I'm on track to finish by the end of the month, but I'm a few days away at least.

I love that I ended up reading half of your challenge with you. :)

Are you thinking about tackling Sacajawea this year still? That thing is massive!

[Sarah]

Sara wrote: "I'd hate to have to pick a favorite from among your reads this month. Glad you worked up your courage....I felt the same about War and Peace and then found it a very fluid read and terrific to boot."

Light in August is my favorite from this challenge so far. That one was completely amazing and I'm so glad I read it. But Anna Karenina was great and I reread Jane Eyre for the millionth time, so it's been a truly wonderful month. I'm going to try for Wings of the Dove next week.

Nathan wrote: "Dang! You're fast! I'm on track to finish by the end of the month, but I'm a few days away at least...."

Yes! I finally beat you! ;) And I rather love that you read half my challenge with me too. It's much more fun that way.

I am still planning Sacajawea. I'm going to nominate it for the 4th quarter long read but I'm planning on reading it either way. I just need a few months because it's so gigantic.

[Sarah]

I ended up with Wings of the Dove being a DNF - twice. There are about 400 commas per sentence and it's much too convoluted to be interesting to me at this point in my life. Will try again sometime later.

[Sarah]

I finished Les Miserables and I give it a very enthusiastic 5 stars :) Two more to go!

[Veronique]

After the DNF, always nice to have a great read :0)

[Annika]

Sarah Anne wrote: "I ended up with Wings of the Dove being a DNF - twice. There are about 400 commas per sentence and it's much too convoluted to be interesting to me at this point in my life. Will try again sometime..."

I started The Wings of the Dove this year too, got one chapter in and gave up, wasn't the right time for me either.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I'm glad, Sarah Ann, that you enjoyed "Les Mis."

A read that is such a big time commitment absolutely MUST be enjoyable!

I liked it too.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "I'm glad, Sarah Ann, that you enjoyed "Les Mis."

A read that is such a big time commitment absolutely MUST be enjoyable!

I liked it too."

A true favorite one of my top five of all time.

[Sarah]

Thanks guys :) It landed on my favorites shelf. It was wonderful.

[Sarah]

I read 232 pages of Sacajawea today. I don't like it and I'm going to look for non-fiction instead.

This is my second DNF. :(

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I'm sorry you had to bail on that book.

You certainly invested plenty of time to complete 200+ pages!

I hope the next book you try is a winner!

[Sarah]

Thanks! Me too :) I'm extremely excited about my remaining one. I did a much better job of picking books I loved last year. This year seems like it's been either a dud or totally and epically brilliant :) I'm sure my last one will be the latter.

And I'm totally ready to go with my 2017 challenge :D

[Sara, New School Classics]

Always difficult to bail on a book you have put that much into, but why waste any more time when you know you are not getting anything out of the reading.

Hope the last one lives up to your expectations.

[Sarah]

Me too :) Thanks, Sara.

[Pink]

Aw, a shame that Sacajawea was a disappointment, but I agree there's no point continuing when a book just isn't working for you. I hope you have better luck with your next non-fiction choice.