Amanda R's Old and New Classics Challenge 2017

[Amanda]

I would like to join in this challenge. Here is my list of books.


Old School
Pre-1900

1. Treasure Island Completed 16/11/17 Rating 4 stars

2. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Completed 8/7/17 Rating 5 stars

3. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

New School
1900-1999

1. Breakfast at Tiffany's Completed 3/4/17 Rating 5 stars

2. The Color Purple Completed 25/8/17 Rating 4 stars

3. The House of the Spirits

+6

1. Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There Completed 19/9/17 Rating 3 stars

2. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

3. A Tale of Two Cities Completed 28/2/17 Rating 2 stars

4. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit Completed 30/5/17 Rating 3 stars

5. The Kreutzer Sonata Completed 16/4/17 Rating 3 stars

6. Revolutionary Road

+2

1. Candide
2. I Capture the Castle

8/12

[Sue]

Great list Amanda. Tom Sawyer and A Tale of Two Cities are on mine also. Breakfast at Tiffany's is one of my favorites, but it's not for everyone. Hopefully you didn't see the movie yet because it's way different.

I saw the movie Revolutionary Road and it was great. I'm sure the book is even better. The movie was exhausting though. Such heavy material. I'll be curious to see what you think of it.

[Amanda]

Thanks Sue. I have seen the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's so now I'm curious as to what the book is like. I have also seen Revolutionary Road the movie and it touched me. I felt I had to read the book. I'll check out your list.

[Terris]

I'm also reading "The House of the Spirits" next year. Hope we both enjoy it. I've heard lots of good things!

[Pink]

Good luck with your list, I've read half of them and none of them disappointed!

[Kathleen]

This is a great, diverse list that should keep you happily reading all year. Enjoy!

[Amanda]

Thanks ladies!

[Sue]

Amanda wrote: "Thanks Sue. I have seen the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's so now I'm curious as to what the book is like. I have also seen Revolutionary Road the movie and it touched me. I felt I had to read the bo..."

If you know that Tiffany's is going to be way different then maybe you can still enjoy it. It takes place in the drearier 40's not the wild and happier 60's and is darker and much more moody. Holly Golightly is darker but mostly the same. "Fred" the nameless narrator in the book is a completely different character.

[Terris]

Sue wrote: "Amanda wrote: "Thanks Sue. I have seen the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's so now I'm curious as to what the book is like. I have also seen Revolutionary Road the movie and it touched me. I felt I had..."

I really liked it though. And after reading In Cold Blood, I couldn't believe that Truman Capote wrote it!

[Amanda]

That's one I've still to read In Cold Blood.

[Amanda]

1. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Completed 28/2/17 Rating 2 stars

I struggled with this one. I read A Christmas Carol last year and absolutely loved it. I was expecting more of the same. I read the complete and unabridged version and I did think editing would have made it flow better. Sometimes there were parts where it went on for ages and I switched off. I have heard mixed reviews on this one, some people love it so I suggest the best thing is to read it and make up your own mind.

[Samanta]

Great list! I've read both "Alice books", Treasure Island, Candide (ages ago in high school) and A Tale of Two Cities (I agree with your review).

I didn't know Allende's books are considered Classics. Good to know. I love her work.

Off topic: If you'll like the Alice books, there is a very interesting non-fiction Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy: Curiouser And Curiouser by Richard Brian Davis. Contains some very interesting theories.

Enjoy!

[Amanda]

Thanks for your comments and your book tip. I'll have a look. Hope you're enjoying your reading.

[Amanda]

2. Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote

I loved this. I had seen the film already and I do love it too. I've never read Truman Capote before but he just has such a lovely way of writing.

"Eight martinis before dinner and enough wine to wash an elephant"

"That's because he's fat, he can eat ten hamburgers and two bowls of relish and a whole lemon meringue pie"

I didn't realise that there were other stories in this book. I enjoyed A Christmas Memory the most. A couple of months back I was really lucky to see some of the dresses Audrey Hepburn wore in the film so it really got me into the mood for reading the book.



I bought this copy of the book for the cover which I love.

A great reading experience.

Completed 3/4/17 Rating 5 stars

[Renee]

I love the cover of the book you got for Breakfast at Tiffany's. Glad you enjoyed it. I only read it on my tablet, so didn't get any fancy cover, but I liked the short stories that came with it. I didn't know it came with any either. I think A Christmas Memory was probably my favourite also.

I must have missed your review of A Tale of Two Cities. I have that one on my list to read for this year, but haven 't started it yet. I love Dickens though, so am looking forward to this one. Maybe I shouldn't go in with such high expectations. I've heard so many people praise this book as one of this best. David Copperfield so far, is my favourite.

[Kathleen]

I felt the same way about Breakfast at Tiffany's--the book and the movie, and also was surprised at how wonderful A Christmas Memory was. Must have been so fun to see those dresses!

[Amanda]

Thanks for your comments. It's great to hear what other people think about the books I'm reading. Hope you're both enjoying your reading.

[Amanda]

3. The Kreutzer Sonata by Leo Tolstoy

What I have enjoyed again about Tolstoy's writing is that he takes you on an emotional journey with no holds barred. This story is about a relationship between husband and wife.
Completed 16/4/17 Rating 3 stars

[Amanda]

4. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson

This book follows a girl's upbringing in a very strict Christian household. She starts to have feelings for other girls and this causes all sorts of problems.

Quotes I liked:

“I have a theory that every time you make an important choice, the part of you left behind continues the other life you could have had.”

“In the library I felt better, words you could trust and look at till you understood them, they couldn't change half way through a sentence like people, so it was easier to spot a lie.”

“Of course, people will laugh at you, but people laugh at a great many things so there is no need to take it personally.”

“It is not possible to control the outside of yourself until you have mastered your breathing space. It is not possible to change anything until you understand the substance you wish to change.”

“There’s this world,’ she banged the wall graphically, ‘and there’s this world,’ she thumped her chest. ‘If you want to make sense of either, you have to take notice of both.”

Completed 30/5/17 Rating 3 stars

[Amanda]

5. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

What's not to love about this story? It's quirky, it's strange, it's bonkers. There are a lot of characters, good and bad, that there's bound to be a favourite for everyone. My favourite is the White Rabbit.

If you haven't read it because you think you know the story, read it anyway, it's just one of those books that makes you happy to read.

I like buying books with nice covers.
Love this one:



Completed 8/7/17 Rating 5 stars

[Amanda]

6. The Color Purple by Alice Walker

I had never seen the film so I went into this book blind. It's the story of Celie and it's difficult and harrowing to read at some points. What shone through for me was the light within the darkness. It also made me smile.

Completed 25/8/17 Rating 4 stars

[Amanda]

7. Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll

I didn't enjoy this sequel as much as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I loved the poem The Jabberwocky and it was nice to have another adventure with the characters.

Completed 19/9/17 Rating 3 stars

[Amanda]

8. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

I had never read this before and last year I read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by the same author. It whetted my appetite for more. When you read this book, you are fully immersed in the pirate world. The way they speak, the way they act, the ship, the island, the treasure. It's a great story.

Completed 16/11/17 Rating 4 stars