Back to the Classics - Info, Sign-up, Discussion

[Jazzy]

I don't think I even finished those points. I'm just reading as many classics as I can and enjoying them too! Been going very slowly on the beautiful book The Count of Monte Cristo. Where is everyone on this book now?

I used to be in a Shakespeare theatre company and the first play we did was Macbeth.

I would like to suggest that all our books should be at least 125pp though.

[Jazzy]

Oh and I have read the Complete Works of William Shakespeare before, when I had a beautiful illustrated edition.

I have gotten a new Barnes & Noble edition and it's so lovely looking and smelling. I've only read a couple of plays out of it though.

[Tiina]

I wish we had more reading levels :D It was so much easier to stay motivated and keep myself pushing if it the next level was only 2-6 points away

[Jazzy]

Well the next one is quite a ways away. Let's try to get to it!

[Anne ✨]

Mion wrote: "I wish we had more reading levels :D It was so much easier to stay motivated and keep myself pushing if it the next level was only 2-6 points away"

That's definitely a big spread between the top two levels HA!

If Grandmaster Jazzy agrees, we could definitely add a level or two in between 100 & 800

I'm still 3 levels away from 100, but I'd like to think I'll get there before the year is out :)

[Jazzy]

I would have to think of some names though!

[Jazzy]

I have added some new levels, but will need our dear Anne to sort out the codes x

[Jazzy]

[Tiina]

Jazzy wrote: ""

I love them!! Thank you so, so much for taking the time for this!

[Jazzy]

Thank you dear Mion! you've made my day x

[Tiina]

My concentration on reading has plummeted BUT my excitement is as high as it could be! I've just been informed that I'm shortlisted for the JET programme. I'm also terrified as I'm going to be getting my health certificate only next week because I thought I didn't need to hand it in until 17th June (date in the instructions) but it turns out they need it for the 5th already!

[Anne ✨]

Awesome, Jazzy, thanks for all the additional levels - wonderful colors and names, as always :)

I've updated the spreadsheet totals column formatting with the new levels/colors now!

Mion, that's exciting that you're shortlisted! We're all rooting for you!

[Jazzy]

This should be listed at the top as an on-going challenge so people will know it's still on

[Anne ✨]

Jazzy wrote: "This should be listed at the top as an on-going challenge so people will know it's still on"

Added! I'll mention in upcoming newsletter too! I know I definitely need lots of reminding to add some classics into my planned reads!

[Jazzy]

Anne ✨ wrote: "Jazzy wrote: "This should be listed at the top as an on-going challenge so people will know it's still on"

Added! I'll mention in upcoming newsletter too! I know I definitely need lots of remindin..."

At the moment, i'm not reading anything but classics! :D

[Jazzy]

A mistake has been made!

Back <<< to the Classics DOES NOT END AT THE END OF THE YEAR! It is ongoing!

You don't have to fill in any of that goodreads challenge rubbish with numbers of books you plan to read. I hate those so I would guess I'm certainly not alone. I didn't fill that in, and don't expect anyone else to.

Just read classic books and add them to the spreadsheet and talk about them and have fun!

[Tiina]

I have been slacking off so much! And my new local library here in Japan actually has some classics in English too!

[Anne ✨]

I finally finished all the tasks = 16 classics read! In 2018 I only read 7, so this challenge definitely helped me to add more classics into my reading!

✔️1. A really old classic – published before 1800Macbeth
✔️2. A classic with a single-word title. Emma
✔️3. A classic by an author you’ve never heard of before.The Book of Tea
✔️4. A classic you can read in a day, (< 200 pages)Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats
✔️5. A 19th century classic (1800-1899) Persuasion
✔️6. A classic in translation Zorba the Greek
✔️7. A children's classic.Pippi Longstocking
✔️ A banned or challenged classic. Flowers for Algernon
✔️9. A classic that scares you or intimidates you. Dracula
✔️10. A 20th century classic - published between 1900 and 1969I Capture the Castle
✔️11. A classic that has been made into a movie, television series/mini-series, or theater production Sense and Sensibility
✔️12. A classic published in the year one of your parents or grandparent's were born in. (or your own birth year if before 1969) 1929 - All Quiet on the Western Front
✔️13. A classic crime story (fiction or non-fiction).In Cold Blood
✔️14. A classic travel or journey narrative (fiction or non-fiction.) (ie. The Hobbit, Around the World in 80 Days, Kon-Tiki, Travels with Charley, etc. )A Wizard of Earthsea
✔️15. A classic with a color in the title The Picture of Dorian Gray
✔️16. Re-read a favorite classic. Pride and Prejudice

[Jazzy]

Well done1 did you know Dodie Smith who wrote I Capture the Castle also wrote 101 Dalmatians?

[Anne ✨]

^ oh that’s interesting, no I’d never made the connection.i have only ever seen the movie, I should read that now too!

[Tiina]

Your list looks amazing, Anne!

I've lost track of which classics I've read for those tasks! I should definitely check which ones I've completed... and which I haven't!

[Jazzy]

I wasn't reading for the challenge but to learn as much as i could. I'm in a couple of classic groups and if i buy a book i check to make sure it's at least 50 years old. I had my computer stolen and lost the link to the spreadsheet and haven't updated it in months :)

[Anne ✨]

^im sorry about your computer Jazzy, that really sucks! I hope you didn’t lose any of your photo files.:

[Tiina]

With Christmas being just around the corner, I want to read some lesser known Christmas classics. What are some of your favourites?

I'm currently reading The Santa Klaus Murder which was published in Estonian only this year. So I only recently found out about it (even if it is part of the British Library Crime Classics series!)