Sara's 2017 Old and New Classics Challenge

[Sara, Old School Classics]

1899 and Earlier:
1. Our Mutual Friend August 18
2. Cranford March 1
3. Basil October 8

1900 - 1999:
1. The End of the Affair January 10
2. Lolita April 4
*3. Xingu March 22

Wild Cards:
1. The Sea April 16
2. Bring Up the Bodies Aug 24
3. A Thousand Splendid Suns
4. A Yellow Raft in Blue Water July 28
5. Watership Down July 18
6. Waiting June 4

Alternatives:
1. The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickelby
2. The Sparrow July 16

*I feel I need to add another book to this list, since this turned out to be only a 32 page novella...really more of a long short-story.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Completed:

[Susie]

I'll be interested to see what you think about Cranford ...I read it this year and it was ok, but I think I might not have given it the attention it deserved...

I keep seeing The Sea popping up on lists...looks good, but to my tbr for now...

Good luck with your challenge!

[Kathleen]

Oh, these look interesting. Enjoy the challenge, and I will enjoy adding to my TBR list!

[Terris]

Susie wrote: "I'll be interested to see what you think about Cranford ...I read it this year and it was ok, but I think I might not have given it the attention it deserved...

I keep seeing...

If you read Cranford, you should watch (either before or after) the BBC PBS version of Cranford. It is wonderful! I watched the show then read the book, and the book did seem a little drier than the show. The show is very entertaining and has several English actors that I have seen on Downton Abbey and other BBC performances. And Dame Judi Dench plays one of the main characters (I love her!)! I really enjoyed it! I'm not sure if I would have liked the book as much if I had not seen the movie first. Hope you get to watch and read :)

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Terris wrote: "If you read Cranford, you should watch (either before or after) the BBC PBS version of Cranford. It is wonderful! I watched the show then read the book, and the book did seem a little drier than the show."
I actually did watch it and loved it. It has been enough time now that I think the book will be interesting and I'm hoping having seen the PBS series will make it even more enjoyable. Really can't beat PBS productions, can you.

Kathleen wrote: "Oh, these look interesting. Enjoy the challenge, and I will enjoy adding to my TBR list!"
Oh yes...these challenges are always good for adding to the TBR. I want to read everything other people love.

Susie wrote: "I'll be interested to see what you think about Cranford ...I read it this year and it was ok, but I think I might not have given it the attention it deserved...

I keep seeing [book:T..."
The Sea was on my reading list 2016, but not on a challenge, and I didn't get to it. Figured if I put it on a challenge list I would not let that happen this year.

[Susie]

Thanks Terris, and Sara, for the recommend to watch the PBS/BBC series...I think I will do that! Maybe my expectations were too high, but it did seem kind of 'dry' as you put it ;)

[Melanti]

The End of the Affair is excellent, and I thought Cranford was amusing.

You've got a fun list here.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Your list is interesting.

I think that I've only read "Cranford."

I mostly enjoyed it.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "Your list is interesting.

I think that I've only read "Cranford."

I mostly enjoyed it."
Cranford has been on my radar for too long, need to check it off. I have Wives and Daughters on another challenge list. Going to get to both of them this year!

Melanti wrote: "The End of the Affair is excellent, and I thought Cranford was amusing.

You've got a fun list here."Really looking forward to The End of the Affair. I think Greene is someone I would like to read a lot more of.

[Sue]

Great list Sarah. I loved A Thousand Splendid Suns and The Sparrow. Nicholas Nickelby and Jekyell & Hyde on my TBR list and the rest sound very interesting.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Thank you, Sue. I have great expectations for this list.

[Darren]

I don't see Great Expectations on it at all?! ;o)

[Emerson]

Haha!

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I really liked "Wives and Daughters" when I read that with an E.G. Group.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "I really liked "Wives and Daughters" when I read that with an E.G. Group."
I have liked her other works that I have read, including the biography of Charlotte Bronte. I have high hopes.

Darren wrote: "I don't see Great Expectations on it at all?! ;o)"
:) I hope even one of these books lives up to that one.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Sara,

I ended up CNFing EGs Biog of Charlotte Bronte, but the descriptions of Yorkshire and its people were wonderful.
I made. Moments/review why I didn't finish it.

I was also disappointed in EGs "Ruth" that I tried to read with the E.G. Group read. I CNFd that too.

I liked 2/4 books I attempted to read/completed that were written by E.G.

[Alissa]

Im going to be reading The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as well. :-)

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "Sara,

I ended up CNFing EGs Biog of Charlotte Bronte, but the descriptions of Yorkshire and its people were wonderful.
I made. Moments/review why I didn't finish it.

I was also disappointed in E..."
I have read North and South and thought it was quite good. Also liked Mary Barton. Never tried Ruth, but it is on the TBR. I will tackle both Wives and Daughters and Cranford this year, which I think leaves me two others and then Gaskell will be pretty much covered.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Alissa wrote: "Im going to be reading The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as well. :-)"
Maybe we should do a buddy read on that one once we get into 2017?

[Leni]

Nice, Sara! I am intrigued by The Sparrow, Waiting, and A Yellow Raft in Blue Water. I haven't heard of either of them before. I will let you vet them for me. ;) Looking forward to your reviews!

[Sara, Old School Classics]

They all came very highly recommended and I have had copies on my physical book shelf for over a year. Hopefully, I will be telling you they are great.

[Amanda]

I read The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Watership Down this year and enjoyed both. I've read The Sea which was a good read. I gave all three four stars.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Watership Down is my only re-read. I read it in the 1970s, so it is going to be like a new read for me. I keep seeing group reads and reading reviews and realized that I remembered almost nothing of it.

[[deleted user]]

Hope you have a great time reading these books, Sara! :) I recently read A Thousand Splendid Suns and thought it was a really great novel!

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Nargus wrote: "Hope you have a great time reading these books, Sara! :) I recently read A Thousand Splendid Suns and thought it was a really great novel!"

Thanks so much. I think I have a pretty good list for this year.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

I had to change out one of my choices. I had selected Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as one of my 1900-1999 choices. It was published in 1886. I have substituted Lolita. I will still read Jekyll...just not for this challenge.

[Pink]

Both great books and worth reading :)

[Sara, Old School Classics]

I had both of them on for this year, so this was OK with me. I'm glad you liked them Pink...I have been a little afraid of Lolita. :)

[Pink]

Lolita does seem to split opinion, personally I think it's one of the best books I've ever read, but the topic is hardly palatable so I also know lots of people who hate it or don't finish. Only one way to find out how you feel about it though!

[Leni]

I still have Lolita on my personal challenge, Sara. I'll be taking that up again now. I guess I'll get to Nabokov in March. Or April if I go easy on myself. Come to think of it, I'll probably be reading Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at some point this autumn if I can keep it up. Anyway, we're in this together! I'm a bit hesitant about Lolita too, but somewhat reassured by Pink liking it so much!

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Leni wrote: "I still have Lolita on my personal challenge, Sara. I'll be taking that up again now. I guess I'll get to Nabokov in March. Or April if I go easy on myself. Come to think of it, I'll probably be re..."

I does help to know that Pink liked it. Maybe we will come upon a group read or get up a buddy read when we get to them, Leni.

[Leni]

Sara wrote: "Leni wrote: "I still have Lolita on my personal challenge, Sara. I'll be taking that up again now. I guess I'll get to Nabokov in March. Or April if I go easy on myself. Come to think of it, I'll p..."

It would be nice to have a buddy for Lolita at least, yes. I know the group called The Bowie Book Club read Lolita in December. I meant to do it then as well, but I just fell behind on my A-Z.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

I have also intended to, but missed, several group reads of Lolita. There seems to be one going on much of the time. Most readers seem to wince at the subject matter but praise the book, and I know there is a reason it is still so widely read.

[Melanti]

I also loved Lolita. Yes, it's an awful subject, but beautifully written. And for whatever reason, I generally enjoy books with unreliable narrators.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

I like unreliable narrators as well. Gives you a different kind of insight into the narrator himself.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

First read for this challenge: The End of the Affair. I gave it 4-stars and came away from it sort of thunderstruck. It was very deep and I found myself lying awake thinking about it last night. Might be one of those that I have to reconsider the rating and pump up to 5-stars.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Finished Cranford. I gave it 3.5 stars and rounded down. It was very sweet and held my interest, but it had no real focus or theme to give it impact.

[Leni]

Oh. That's disappointing about Cranford. After "North and South" I have such high expectations of Gaskell.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

I probably would have liked it better had I read it before North and South and Mary Barton, Leni. It did not live up to those novels for me, but still worth the time spent with it.

[Leni]

Ah, so you recommend Mary Barton then?

[Sara, Old School Classics]

I loved Mary Barton. My first Gaskell.

[Kathleen]

This is good news. I recently decided to switch out a George Sand in one of my challenges for Mary Barton. It will be my first Gaskell too. Thanks for the good word, Sara!

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Hope you like it, Kathleen. I have Wives and Daughters up next.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Finished Xingu which was a huge surprise because it was such a lighthearted and witty satire.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Lolita Don't even know what to say. I considered DNFing at several points, and kind of wish I had.

[Darren]

Sara - you're not alone - I DNF'd it and wish I'd never started.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Thanks for saying so, Darren. I think it surprised me mostly because other people have heralded it so. I kept thinking I would understand by the ending why that was so, but I did not. You are a wiser man than I!

[Biblio]

I felt the same way about Lolita. I would have DNF'd it but I read a non-fiction psychology book about perps' frame of mind. That non-fiction explained that by understanding how these perps get access to kids, we can ultimately help to protect kids better. I hated Lolita until I read that book.

After that book, I appreciated Lolita because it gives insight into the grooming part of abuse. And way more of course :(

I just finished Ada or Ardor. And I'm hating Nabokov all over again. Ada makes me think Lolita was just him indulging in nastiness.

If he indulges in over-sexualizing things, why is he still in print? Why hasn't his books passed out of circulation?

[Sarah]

Sara wrote: "Lolita Don't even know what to say. I considered DNFing at several points, and kind of wish I had."

I've never felt compelled to pick up Lolita (plot synopsis never enticed me), but I am curious how I'd respond to it, since it seems to elicit such polarized views. Sometimes I find twisted, disturbed characters interesting probably due to morbid curiosity. And there are some authors who are just so good with words that their horrific content doesn't bother me. I might try Lolita out with the group out of sheer curiosity.