Sara's Old and New Challenge #3

[Sara, New School Classics]

OLD & NEW 2018

Pre-1900
✔ 1. Hard Times
✔ 2. Vanity Fair
✔ 3. Barchester Towers

1900-1999
✔ 1. So Big
✔ 2. The Power and the Glory
✔ 3. Lie Down in Darkness

Wildcards
✔ 1. A Thousand Splendid Suns
✔ 2. Middlesex
✔ 3. A Summons to Memphis
✔ 4. A Morbid Taste for Bones
5. The Big Rock Candy Mountain
✔ 6. All Quiet on the Western Front

Alternates
1. Little Dorrit
✔ 2. The Magnificent Ambersons

[Sara, New School Classics]

[Petra]

Nice list, Sara! I've read a few of these and enjoyed them all.
I hope you enjoy Father Cadfael. I find his stories a real treat.
Middlesex in audio is a real gem, I thought.

[Terris]

I like it, Sara! I really enjoyed A Summons to Memphis, and All Quiet on the Western Front is one of my all-time favorites!
I'm also trying to get to Vanity Fair and Middlesex this year. Glad to hear Petra say that she enjoyed the audio. I may try that :)
Good luck on your challenge & enjoy!

[Candi]

I love your list, Sara. Good luck with your challenge!

[Sara, New School Classics]

Petra wrote: "Nice list, Sara! I've read a few of these and enjoyed them all.
I hope you enjoy Father Cadfael. I find his stories a real treat.
Middlesex in audio is a real gem, I thought."

I'm excited. I saw several Cadfael's on PBS with Derek Jacoby many years ago and loved them. I am hoping the books live up to my memories. I hear good things about Middlesex (and it will also tick off another of my Pulitzer Prize list.

[Sara, New School Classics]

Terris wrote: "I like it, Sara! I really enjoyed A Summons to Memphis, and All Quiet on the Western Front is one of my all-time favorites!
I'm also trying to get to Vanity Fair and Middlesex this year. Glad to he..."

Glad to hear you liked Summons to Memphis. It is definitely time for All Quiet to come off my pending list.
Maybe we can hook up for Vanity Fair and/or Middlesex?

[Susie]

Your list is great! I found 4 'new to me' books that I want to read now!
Good luck!

[Terris]

Sara wrote: "Terris wrote: "I like it, Sara! I really enjoyed A Summons to Memphis, and All Quiet on the Western Front is one of my all-time favorites!
I'm also trying to get to Vanity Fair and Middlesex this y..."

That would be great! I think I'm going to need a little push (or maybe a big shove!) on those two (they've been on my list for so long!). And knowing someone else is reading and possibly expecting some discussion at some point is just what I need! ;)
Let me know when is good for you :)

[Melanti]

Here's another vote for the audio for Middlesex. I enjoyed it quite a bit!

I'm a big Graham Greene fan, but The Power and the Glory is one of the ones I haven't gotten around to yet.

[siriusedward]

I hope you enjoy Brother Cadfael Sara..they are said to be very well researched..I love her books..

[siriusedward]

Sara wrote: "Terris wrote: "I like it, Sara! I really enjoyed A Summons to Memphis, and All Quiet on the Western Front is one of my all-time favorites!
I'm also trying to get to Vanity Fair and Middlesex this y..."

I read All Quiet this year..and it was a very moving book...

[Sara, New School Classics]

Susie wrote: "Your list is great! I found 4 'new to me' books that I want to read now!
Good luck!"

That is the reason my TBR never shrinks. I add them from other people's lists faster than I can tick them off of my own.

[Sara, New School Classics]

Terris wrote: "Sara wrote: "Terris wrote: "I like it, Sara! I really enjoyed A Summons to Memphis, and All Quiet on the Western Front is one of my all-time favorites!
I'm also trying to get to Vanity Fair and Mid..."

As soon as we get into the new year, we'll get together and set a date!

[Sara, New School Classics]

siriusedward wrote: "I hope you enjoy Brother Cadfael Sara..they are said to be very well researched..I love her books.."

I'll be glad to finally get to her. If I love it, I will have a whole series ahead of me again. Sigh.

[Sara, New School Classics]

siriusedward wrote: "Sara wrote: "Terris wrote: "I like it, Sara! I really enjoyed A Summons to Memphis, and All Quiet on the Western Front is one of my all-time favorites!
I'm also trying to get to Vanity Fair and Mid..."

I hear such wonderful things about it. I am really looking forward to finally reading it. You guys are making me very anxious to get to 2018 and get started!

[Terris]

I know! I can't wait to start reading my 2018 list! :)

[Leni]

Several books there I haven't heard of, so I'll be looking out for your reviews! Good luck!

[Sara, New School Classics]

Thanks, Leni. I have already started out the year with more on the plate than I think I can clear. January is out of control!

[Terris]

Sara wrote: "Thanks, Leni. I have already started out the year with more on the plate than I think I can clear. January is out of control!"

I'm feeling it too! I'm going to try to stay calm ;)

[Leni]

Sara wrote: "Thanks, Leni. I have already started out the year with more on the plate than I think I can clear. January is out of control!"

Haha, tell me about it! Come February I'm going to be mentally exhausted and just drop everything to read paranormal romance or cozy mysteries or something (and Ulysses). I get overwhelmed just by looking at my January TBR. XD

[Sara, New School Classics]

Terris wrote: "Sara wrote: "Thanks, Leni. I have already started out the year with more on the plate than I think I can clear. January is out of control!"

I'm feeling it too! I'm going to try to stay calm ;)"

Yes, easy for panic to set in.

[Sara, New School Classics]

Leni wrote: "Sara wrote: "Thanks, Leni. I have already started out the year with more on the plate than I think I can clear. January is out of control!"

Haha, tell me about it! Come February I'm going to be me..."

Part of my panic is that I have Ulysses, Vanity Fair and Dr. Zhivago all in one month, a book that requires to be read and reviewed for an author, and another big book that is a buddy read but hasn't arrived at my door yet. Whew! I might be joining you in a romance or mystery before all is said and done.

[Terris]

Sara wrote: "Leni wrote: "Sara wrote: "Thanks, Leni. I have already started out the year with more on the plate than I think I can clear. January is out of control!"

Haha, tell me about it! Come February I'm g..."

Wow! You did "overbook!" I also just started Dr. Zhivago, but I'm trying to keep it to only one daunting read per month. We'll see how it goes! ;)

[Leni]

Sara wrote: "Part of my panic is that I have Ulysses, Vanity Fair and Dr. Zhivago all in one month, a book that requires to be read and reviewed for an author, and another big book that is a buddy read but hasn't arrived at my door yet. Whew! I might be joining you in a romance or mystery before all is said and done. "

I don't have any review obligations, fortunately! But I do have Ulysses, Doctor Zhivago, Women in Love, and Wives and Daughters. The last one is over two months though, and it's Gaskell, and I know I like Gaskell. (And of course Ulysses is over three months, so it's ok to fall behind a bit, right?)

And then I have three other group reads, but one I'll do on audio and the other two are relatively short. There's nothing like starting the year hitting reading burnout in the first month! XD

[Sara, New School Classics]

Yikes. Your load might be heavier than mine!

You will enjoy Wives and Daughters, I am loving Dr. Zhivago, Ulysses feels a bit like having to swallow medicine at this point, and I have never read Women in Love (but wasn't a fan of Lady Chatterley's Lover) so I'm wishing you good luck with that one.

You are right, though, Ulysses can be spread out over time or even postponed until all the others are cleared away. I do hope I can be more sensible with the rest of 2018.

[Terris]

Leni wrote: "Sara wrote: "Part of my panic is that I have Ulysses, Vanity Fair and Dr. Zhivago all in one month, a book that requires to be read and reviewed for an author, and another big book that is a buddy ..."

Oh my! You've got me spinning! Hold on tight, shut your eyes, and read! ;) (haha!)

[Leni]

Sara wrote: "Yikes. Your load might be heavier than mine!

You will enjoy Wives and Daughters, I am loving Dr. Zhivago, Ulysses feels a bit like having to swallow medicine at this point, and I have never read ..."

I go back and forth on D.H. Lawrence. I hated The Fox, found Lady Chatterly's Lover in equal parts intriguing, boring, and inadvertently funny, but I really liked Sons and Lovers. Keeping my fingers crossed for Women in Love.

[Terris]

Leni wrote: "Sara wrote: "Yikes. Your load might be heavier than mine!

You will enjoy Wives and Daughters, I am loving Dr. Zhivago, Ulysses feels a bit like having to swallow medicine at this point, and I hav..."

Well, cross them tight, because I liked Lady Chatterly and Sons and Lovers, but I could not force myself to finish Women in Love! It was awful (to me). Now, I've been told to read The Rainbow first, then follow it up with Women in Love, which is the sequel. So that's my plan for this year. I still want to try and get through it. We'll see -- Good luck to you! :)

[Kathleen]

Wow. I was feeling exactly the same way until I saw what you guys are tackling! I like Terris' advice--try to stay calm. :-) I think that's what got me--I was too excited about a new reading year, and there are too many good group reads!

So glad to hear that Sons and Lovers is one you particularly liked, Leni and Terris. I have that coming up later.

I think Zhivago will go down easy, Sara. (Maybe the spoon full of sugar you need to help with Ulysses.) Good luck!

[Leni]

I intended to read The Rainbow first, but Women in Love came up as a group read in the Reading 1001 group. I'm feeling very torn, but didn't have the time for The Rainbow in December, and I definitely can't do them both this month! But it appears they can be read independently of each other.

[Terris]

Leni wrote: "I intended to read The Rainbow first, but Women in Love came up as a group read in the Reading 1001 group. I'm feeling very torn, but didn't have the time for The Rainbow in December, and I definit..."

I'm interested to see what you think of Women in Love. Maybe it was just my mood at the time but I tried for quite awhile & finally gave up. But it's on every list! So I really wished I would have forced myself to finish it. It was several years ago, but now when I have trouble reading a book I try audio. And it happens to be on my LibriVox free audio app (read by a reader I like). So that's probably what I'll try this time. Good luck! :)

[Sara, New School Classics]

Started off the challenge with a 5+ read: So Big by Edna Ferber

[April]

Sara wrote: "Started off the challenge with a 5+ read: So Big by Edna Ferber"

I hadn't even heard of this, but the reviews are very good.

[Sara, New School Classics]

I read it because of my Pulitzer Prize challenge, April. Very glad I did.

[Sara, New School Classics]

Finally completed Vanity Fair, which has been on my TBR for years. I gave it 3-stars, but that is not to imply it was not a good read or unenjoyable. It had some flaws that I found kept it from being a stellar read for me.

[Terris]

Sara wrote: "Finally completed Vanity Fair, which has been on my TBR for years. I gave it 3-stars, but that is not to imply it was not a good read or unenjoyable. It had some flaws that I found kept..."

I'm glad to hear you got through it! I have it on my list for this year, but I'm kind of dreading it because it's SO long!
Any words of encouragement?

[Petra]

Congrats, Sara!
I gave Vanity Fair 3-stars as well and, like you, found it to be an interesting and good read, just not stellar.

[Sara, New School Classics]

Terris wrote: "Sara wrote: "Finally completed Vanity Fair, which has been on my TBR for years. I gave it 3-stars, but that is not to imply it was not a good read or unenjoyable. It had some flaws that..."

Yes, I encourage you to push through the occasional over-descriptive lists of who is at the party, etc. and moments when he goes completely off topic for no apparent reason. Also, be prepared for the author to insert himself into the story and begin to speak directly to the reader. A bit distracting in the beginning, but I got used to it and didn't mind in the end.

I read it very slowly in the beginning, Terri, but I enjoyed parts of it very much. I'll be very interested in seeing what you think.

[Sara, New School Classics]

Petra wrote: "Congrats, Sara!
I gave Vanity Fair 3-stars as well and, like you, found it to be an interesting and good read, just not stellar."

Thanks, Petra.

[Sara, New School Classics]

5+ stars for A Thousand Splendid Suns.
What a remarkable book. It was the second alternate from last year's challenge and had to carry over to 2018. Sorry I waited so long for this one. It was unforgettable.

[Kathleen]

Sara wrote: "5+ stars for A Thousand Splendid Suns.
What a remarkable book. It was the second alternate from last year's challenge and had to carry over to 2018. Sorry I waited so long for this on..."

Great! I may have to move that up ...

[Brina]

I hope to read this over the weekend. Glad to see a stellar review.

[Sara, New School Classics]

Kathleen wrote: "Sara wrote: "5+ stars for A Thousand Splendid Suns.
What a remarkable book. It was the second alternate from last year's challenge and had to carry over to 2018. Sorry I waited so lon..."

Cannot recommend it highly enough.

[Sara, New School Classics]

Brina wrote: "I hope to read this over the weekend. Glad to see a stellar review."

Anxious to see your reaction, Brina. I think it should make for a good discussion.

[Sara, New School Classics]

Checking off another Dickens from my list:
Hard Times
Not my favorite Dickens by far, but still quite a good read.

[Petra]

Dickens is always a good read, I find, even when the book isn't one of my favorites. I still have so many of his books to look forward to, including Hard Times.
So glad you are enjoying it, Sara.

[Sara, New School Classics]

I agree, Petra. I have six novels left and I am hoping to get to at least three of them this year. If I make it through the six, I will then reread my favorites.

[Petra]

That's a terrific goal!

[Veronique]

Sara wrote: "I agree, Petra. I have six novels left and I am hoping to get to at least three of them this year. If I make it through the six, I will then reread my favorites."

Wow! I’ve got all his books but I’ve only read a handful... It will be interesting to find out which are your favourites :O)