Read a Classic Challenge discussion
2015 Challenge Archive
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2015 Challenge: Log a book you finished
John, I was on a dystopian classics kick for awhile, mostly sci-fi. I think it got triggered by Animal Farm, which I read in late December. I'm part way through 1984, but I think I'm going to save Brave New World for later and read something more cheerful for a couple of weeks. :) I really did like Fahrenheit 451 though. . .
Men of Iron by Howard Pyle.Published 1891.
Kindle edition, 200 pages.
Gulliver's TravelsJonathan Swift
1726
Kindle edition, 234 pages
Georgia, USA
Read 1/18/15-1/28/15
Gulliver’s firefighting technique alone made the book a worthwhile read.
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy.Published 1903.
Kindle edition, 203 pages.
This was a fun read.
read Brave New World in 2014Currently reading Bleak House for this challenge
The Mansion by Henry van Dyke.Published 1887.
Kindle edition, 30 pages.
Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini.Published 1921.
Kindle edition, 367 pages.
Title: The Handmaid's Tale
Author: Margaret Atwood
Year of Original Publication: 1985
Number of Pages: 311
Read: January 2015
State, Country: Indiana, USA
Diana wrote: "Title: The Handmaid's Tale
Author: Margaret Atwood
Year of Original Publication: 1985
Number of Pages: 311
Read: January 2015
State,..."
Brilliant, brilliant novel!
Kathryn, agreed! Five star novel, without a doubt!
I Will Repay by Emmuska Orczy.Published 1906.
Kindle edition, 198 pages.
Lord Tony's Wife by Emmuska Orczy.Published 1917.
Kindle edition, 300 pages.
Triple Spies by Roy J Snell.Published 1920.
Kindle edition, 114 pages.
The Treasure of the Incas by G.A. Henty.Published 1902.
Kindle edition, 302 pages.
In the Year 2889 by Jules Verne.Published 1889.
Kindle edition, 32 pages.
Love of Life: & Other StoriesJack London
Published 1905
Kindle edition, 262 pages
Georgia, USA
Read 1/31/15-2/10/15
Eight short stories, all excellent.
Note-The ebook I read did not list the number of pages. I averaged four paperback editions to arrive at the above pages total.
The Moon Pool by Abraham Merritt.Published 1919.
Kindle edition, 263 pages.
The Blithedale RomanceNathaniel Hawthorne
Penguin edition, 247 pages
1852
Calumet K by Samuel Merwin.Published 1901.
Kindle edition, 176 pages.
Go Tell It On The Mountain by James Baldwin1953
213 Pages
Florida
SPOILER ALERT.
Just finished about an hour ago. Spectacular, passionate read. Both the story and the reaction it invoked in me were a combination of righteous and vindictive. John's salvation at the end pleased me both because hello, salvation and because it spites his father.
Did anyone else think that Roy's death in John's vision indicates his hopelessness in terms of being saved? If that's the case, then I suppose that the Lord cursed Gabriel's line instead of blessing it. Which suits me just fine because Gabriel is a snake...Actually, now that I think about it, I'd say that he's a wolf in sheep's clothing who genuinely believes himself to be a sheep.
Stupid Gabriel. I was angry at him the whole book, and I was cheering for both John and Roy (which makes Roy's implied downfall all the more tragic. Sins of the father. Poor kid barely has a chance).
Also, you go, John! Whoo!
I'm almost done, seriously! One more comment: Elisha & John's adorable bromance is adorable. There, I said it.
...Okay, not the last comment. Of the major characters' names, Florence, Frank, Richard, and Roy(al) are not from the Bible. How interesting that in his ill-suited attempts to be holy, Gabriel named two of his sons out of hubris. Both Royal and Roy paid the price for that hubris. And Esther of all people was named after one of the only two women to earn a book. Gabriel, you done messed up.
How Green Was My ValleyRichard Llewellyn
1938
448 pages
Spotsylvania, VA
Mrs. DallowayVirginia Woolf
Published 1925
Paperback, 197 pages
Read 2/13/15-2/22/15
This was my second and last book written by Virginia Woolf. I'm just not up to her writing style and life is to short for trying a third time.
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles DickensOriginally published 1859
Kindle 200th anniversary edition, 366 pages
Now I can get back to Anna Karenina. :-)
The Laughing Cavalier by Emmuska Orczy.Published 1914.
Kindle edition, 344 pages.
The Ice PalaceTarjei Vesaas
Published 1963
Paperback, 176 pages
Read 2/23/15-2/24/15
Great story.
Some may debate whether this is a classic. I don't see how it couldn't be considered classic. It's 53 years old, awarded the Nordic Council Literature Prize for 1964, and the author has been several times nominated for a Nobel.
Notes from the UndergroundFyodor Dostoyevsky
Published 1864
Kindle edition, 160 pages
Read 2/11/15-2/28/15
La Sorcerie by Jules Michelet 244 pages e-book first published 1862
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath 1963 paperback 244 pages
Title: HeidiAuthor: Johanna Spyri
Published: 1880
Pages: approx 300 (kindle)
Completed Jan 2015
Ontario, Canada
Sugar sweet in places. I read it aloud to my children and they adored the story.
One of my favorites from my childhood. I want to read it again.
The Hound of the BaskervillesSir Arthur Conan Doyle
Released serially August 1901- August 1902
177 pages
Read: March 2015
Pennsylvania, USA
The Age of InnocenceEdith Wharton
Published 1920
Kindle Edition, 305 pages
Read 3/1/15-3/10/15
Very good read, best of the year so far.
Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut published 1963 paperback 287 pages.
Jamaica InnDaphne du Maurier
Published 1935
Old 1936 Hardback from Library, 244 pages
Read 3/15/15-3/21/15
This was a solid read. The weakness for me was that I saw through the mystery fairly early. I was hopping to be wrong and have a du Maurier plot twist at the end, it never came. The best part of this is the written descriptions, very vivid. The Inn inside and out, the country side, and characters were described excellently and were the key to enjoying this story.
To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer. 220 pages e-book, 1971.
Stranger in a Strange LandRobert A. Heinlein
Published 1961
Paperback, 438 pages
Read 3/22/15-3/30/15
While reading this I was reminded of Somerset Maugham's The Razor's Edge. Maugham's Larry Darrell and Heinlein's Michael Smith were seekers. both looking for reason and purpose in their lives. A very good read, I highly recommend-both.
Title: The BorrowersAuthor: Mary Norton
Year: 1952
Pages: 192
Read: March 2015
Ontario, Canada.
I read this aloud to my children. They enjoyed the idea of little people living in the floorboards. My daughter is attempting to read the second book on her own.
Mod
I actually read this in January. I put down some thoughts in a blog post written a couple months back which fairly well summarizes my thoughts with no spoilers.
http://dkkriegh.blogspot.com/2015/01/...
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I just finished DOCTOR ZHIVAGO, by Boris Pasternak, in the Vintage International edition translated by Richard Pevear. The novel was originally published in 1957; my paperback edition is 704 pages.I had never read this book before, although I have vivid memories of the movie, which my parents took me too when I was much too young. I had a recurring nightmare about the funeral at the beginning of the film, whcih melded in my seven-year-old dream-brain with the frozen mustached face of a devastated Omar Sharif -- and that's all I remembered of the story. That and the pretty music.
I'm so glad I read it! The plot is much more involved and intricate than can be touched on briefly here -- but I sucked it down in great big book-drunk gulps. Love!
[ I live in Woodbridge, Virginia. ]
[[ This is posted on Facebook as well. ]]
I just finished -- - The Grapes of Wrath
- John Steinbeck
- first published in 1939
- 496 pages
- Alexandria, Virginia
The Grapes of Wrath was beautiful and heartbreaking. I have to say, after reading a bunch of 'modern' literature recently, I was really riveted by the eloquence of the prose. Yet, overall the story was boring and tedious. I'm glad I read it and appreciate it from an educational perspective, I was relieved when it was over.
Mod
Took Turns reading this with my daughter at bedtime. I logged it two years ago, so I am only counting toward her books read. Great book. We are currently watching the movie, so I guess it also counts for this month's theme.
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2001: A Space OdysseyArthur C. Clarke
Published 1968
Paperback 297 pages
Read 3/3015-4/4/15
I started this book 45 years ago. Took awhile to finish.
Beowulf: A New Verse TranslationUnknown
Translation by Seamus Heaney
Published 800
Hardback from Library, 213 pages (not truly an accurate number)
Read 4/8/15-4/11/15
This is the April book selection from another group. I had no intentions of reading it, until I started reading some of the posts. I became intrigued. There was an interesting debate between two members as to the quality of Heaney’s translation. One seemed to think Heaney did a good job while the other was of the opinion that Heaney stayed to far from the author’s original intents. I am not remotely qualified to offer an interpretation of who has the better argument. I can say that of the other translations I looked at Heaney’s was the only one I felt comfortable in trying. Since I am not a scholar I will never revisit Beowulf again, so I can never compare Heaney to other’s who have offered a translation. All I can say is Heaney put forth a translation that is readable and enjoyable. I liked it and I’m glad I read it.
Sorry, I haven't updated my list in a while. I will post them individually.Where Angels Fear to Tread by E.M. Forster
Published 1905
Kindle Edition, 153 pages.
Washington State.
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A Summer Place by Sloan Wilson
Published 1958, Kindle version, 339 pages
Still in central Illinois :-)