Sarah's Classics Challenge

[Kent]

As anyone seen an audiobook for it that isn't abridged?

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Kent wrote: "As anyone seen an audiobook for it that isn't abridged?"

I don't see what the point of abridged audio books could be.

Last year for one of our Long reads I mistakenly checked out a library copy (eAudio)abridged Count of Monte Cristo. I had actually put in some time listening to it before I realized I was listening to a shortened version.

I gues some people want shortened versions of books, but for me, I'm afraid I'll "miss something" that I would get in the standard version.

[Amanda]

I really don't get abridged audiobooks either. When I first started listening to audiobooks I ended up with a couple of abridged versions by mistake. Total waste of time.

[Kent]

Exactly. Hence my intense frustration when I track down yet another version to find out its abridged...

[Amanda]

I just looked around and don't see an available unabridged version which I find really surprising. I'll keep looking and if I come across one I'll let you know.

[Nathan]

Kent wrote: "As anyone seen an audiobook for it that isn't abridged?"

There's one that Books On Tape Inc. did in 1997 read by Alexander Adams. A cassette to MP3 transfer version exists on the internet. I don't know if a CD version was ever made.

[Sarah]

Nathan, we're discussing it on the same site where we discussed North and South so yes! Please join us.

Andrea, I totally agree. I dislike abridged books because I'm afraid I miss something.

Kent, I can't find anything either. It looks like the cassette was not abridged but it's a cassette set... That's a bummer that it's abridged. A Tim Curry narration would be awesome.

[Nathan]

Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: " I don't see what the point of abridged audio books could be."

I don't either. Abridgement is a crime against literature.

[Sarah]

That's an excellent way of putting it :)

[Kent]

Found one. Can I join too?

[Sarah]

Absolutely, I'd be glad to have you. It's on the site where we discussed Jonathan Strange. I'll open up multiple threads to make it easier. I'm glad you found one :)

[Sarah]

Finished Faust more or less. Part One was four stars for me but Part Two was making no sense so I DNFd at 23%. Maybe I'll try some other time.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Sarah wrote: "Finished Faust more or less. Part One was four stars for me but Part Two was making no sense so I DNFd at 23%. Maybe I'll try some other time."

How I hate it when I have to DNF.

I feel your pain.

[Sarah]

Thanks :) It is frustrating.

[Sarah]

Finished Foucault's Pendulum and was not terribly impressed. Three stars only.

[Sarah]

My first alternate, and most frustrating book, Lady Chatterley's Lover is now complete. Thank God I don't have to read it again!

[Sarah]

I just finished The Name of the Rose and it was about ten times better than I expected, and I had high expectations! I really loved it. My 9th book and my 2nd five star.

[Desertorum]

I really enjoyed The Name of the Rose too!

[Sarah]

Much better than Foucault's Pendulum, wasn't it?

[Desertorum]

Yes so much better! I have read tNotR long before Focault´s Pendulum so I had high hopes for the latter...but they didn´t live up to it :( Funny high different his books are. Haven´t read any others.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Great list. So many of these I loved. Grapes was a bit of a disappointment to me and is the least favorite of Steinbeck for me...but East of Eden (which I also read at a very young age and several times since) is on my best ever list. You have a great list here!

[Sarah]

Thanks :) It actually doesn't look like I'll get to Grapes this year. It's unfortunate but I'll get there someday.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Sara, I'm your opposite. I loved "Grapes of Wrath" but hated "East of Eden" and wound up CNFing it.

I was very surprised that EoE didn't agree with me.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "Sara, I'm your opposite. I loved "Grapes of Wrath" but hated "East of Eden" and wound up CNFing it.

I was very surprised that EoE didn't agree with me."

Just proves we are all different. I'm sure they are both stellar novels (history tells us so), but what we bring to the book often determines how well we like it. Grapes was too slow for me...but EoE was pure excitement.

[Sarah]

EoE is my favorite book and had been from my first reading. I love it and I'm very sad for you Andrea ;) Now I want to read Grapes even more!

[Janet]

Sarah wrote: "EoE is my favorite book and had been from my first reading. I love it and I'm very sad for you Andrea ;) Now I want to read Grapes even more!"

I really loved both but if I rated them Grapes would be my pick. It is one of my all time favorite books.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I feel bad about not liking EoE since it's so popular.

[Sarah]

That does happen. I read Lady Chatterley's Lover with two friends who absolutely loved it but it just made me angry and irritable.

[Sarah]

Finished #10, The Red Badge of Courage. 4 stars. I think I'll be able to finish 13 of my 14.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Sarah wrote: "Finished #10, The Red Badge of Courage. 4 stars. I think I'll be able to finish 13 of my 14."

I loved The Red Badge of Courage. So impressed that you will finish more than 12 on your list. I am plodding away at mine. :(

[Sarah]

It's actually hard! I've read more than twelve classics this year but reading this particular bunch has been difficult.

[Nathan]

Sarah wrote: "It's actually hard! I've read more than twelve classics this year but reading this particular bunch has been difficult."

I'm finding this to be my toughest challenge too, which isn't really a bad thing. For me it's being pinned down to specific books that's tough. I like to have some wiggle room.


As far as Grapes vs. EoE - I liked both a lot, but would rate Grapes a little higher. I really liked the storytelling voice he used in it.

[Sarah]

Yeah, if I had just chosen 12 classics I would have been fine. I like to read as the mood strikes though and that's tough with specific ones.

Grapes is on my schedule for next month. Fingers crossed!

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Sarah, I hope that you enjoy "Grapes." I read it last your and I was surprised at how much I liked it.

EoE was a CNF for me. I didn't like how it was narrated.

[Sarah]

EoE is my favorite book so I'm curious to compare then.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I found "Grapes" and EoE to be written/narrated differently.

I can see the value of EoE and why it's popular. It just didn't agree with me in terms of narration, but JS is still an excellent writer.

[Sarah]

I can't believe I've gotten this far without reading Grapes and of Mice and Men. You would think they would be to priorities based on my love if EoE.

I'm glad to hear you liked it! I do hope my expectations aren't too high :) It's my second Nov priority right behind The Ice-Shirt.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

"The Ice-Shirt" is an interesting name for a book.

It's very unique.

[Sarah]

I'm reading it with a friend. It's the one by Vollmann. We're both hoping that it's brilliant because there's a whole series of them, but we're also both hoping that it isn't worth reading the sequels since it's 3900 pages so far and only 5/7 are published. I hadn't even heard of it until I saw it in Amanda's challenge. I just got my copy Thurs.

[Sarah]

Finished #11 (on 11/11 - weird) The Grapes of Wrath. I prefer East of Eden but I still felt the Grapes was worth a full five stars.

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

Cool -- 11/11/#11

And you are doing great on this challenge.

[Sarah]

Thank you! It's a weird coincidence that I finished it today :)

I honestly didn't have much confidence that I would finish this challenge so I'm thrilled!

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Congrats!

I loved Grapes of Wrath when I read it last year.

[Sarah]

I can see why! I really liked it a lot.

[Amanda]

WooHoo! Congrats!

[Sarah]

Thanks Amanda :)

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Bravo!

[Teanka]

Congratulations! The list looks impressive :)

[Sarah]

Thanks guys! I actually chose from books I own so I've made progress in my own stash. It's so exciting that it looks like I'll make it. I'm still planning on The Woman in White and The Sound and the Fury.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Sarah wrote: "Thanks guys! I actually chose from books I own so I've made progress in my own stash. It's so exciting that it looks like I'll make it. I'm still planning on The Woman in White and The Sound and th..."
Both superb books for me. I love when I can whittle down the TBR's that are actually sitting on my bookshelves.