April's 2021 Old and New TBR Challenge

[April]

Books Read 7/12

Pre 1900
1. On The Incarnation by St. Athanasius
2. The Niebelungenlied
3. Everyman and Medieval Miracle Plays

1900 to 1999
4. L'alouette by Jean Anouilh
5. Der Steppenwolfby Hermann Hesse
6. Il Gattopardo by Tomasi di Lampedusa

Others
7. The Rainbow by D.H. Lawrence
8. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
9. The Journey to the East by Hermann Hesse
10. The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli
11. The Spanish Bawd by Rojas
12. Les Ruskoffs by Cavanna

Alternatives
The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Wishing you joy of your reading in 2021, April.

[April]

Thank you, Sara. I hope you also enjoy your reading next year.

[April]

First book finished. The Journey to the East was both easier and more fun than I was expecting.

[April]

I've finished the second book, The Prince by Machiavelli. It was a surprisingly entertaining read, although the political realities are not pretty.

[April]

Since some of the books later in the year are longer, I'm trying to get ahead of the game and I've finished the third book - L'alouette by Jean Anouilh. It's the story of the trial of Joan of Arc. Like most plays, it doesn't really live on the page.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

For me Anna Karenina and The Caine Mutiny were excellent. Your off to a great start, enjoy.

[April]

Bob wrote: "For me Anna Karenina and The Caine Mutiny were excellent. Your off to a great start, enjoy."

I'm looking forward to Anna Karenina and might have to start it soon. I'm hoping not to have to read The Caine Mutiny this year. If I don't, it will be on next year's list.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

I understand what you are saying about plays, April. They are meant to be seen, and it is difficult sometimes to really engage when you are just reading stage directions and dialogue.

I'll second both Anna Karenina and The Caine Mutiny as great reads!

[April]

Sara wrote: "I understand what you are saying about plays, April. They are meant to be seen, and it is difficult sometimes to really engage when you are just reading stage directions and dialogue.

I'll second..."

I have read loads of plays and many of them have worked perfectly well on the page. They were great works, though, and I think that L'alouette is a good play, but not a great one.

[April]

Der Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse was hard going. I might have enjoyed it more if I hadn't read it in German, but I like to read books in the original language if I can.

There were times when I thought I had at least some grasp of what was going on, but it was mainly obscured by what was going on in Harry's subconscious. Reading it felt very much like observing a mid-life crisis from the inside.

[April]

I've finished Anna Karenina and i was quite surprised by it. It's an interesting, if not exactly enjoyable, read.

[Lynn, New School Classics]

Congratulations on your books so far. I noticed On the Incarnation in your list. I was using it as a commuting audiobook for a while...but that was a couple of years ago. I did not mark that I finished it. Hmmmm Maybe I didn't. Thanks for the reminder. I should go look at it again.

[April]

Lynn wrote: "Congratulations on your books so far. I noticed On the Incarnation in your list. I was using it as a commuting audiobook for a while...but that was a couple of years ago. I did not ma..."

I've started On the Incarnation today. Anna Karenina took me longer than expected, so I wanted a short book so that I can catch up.

[Emily]

April wrote: "Der Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse was hard going. I might have enjoyed it more if I hadn't read it in German, but I like to read books in the original language if I can.

There were times when I tho..."

I had trouble with Steppenwolf as well..and I read it in English.

[April]

Emily wrote: "April wrote: "Der Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse was hard going. I might have enjoyed it more if I hadn't read it in German, but I like to read books in the original language if I can.

There were ti..."

That makes me feel a bit better :-)

[April]

I'm halfway through now, having finished On The Incarnation. This is a fairly short book packed with theology. It was easy enough to read, although St. Athanasius says some deep and serious things.

[Lynn, New School Classics]

April wrote: "I'm halfway through now, having finished On The Incarnation. This is a fairly short book packed with theology. It was easy enough to read, although St. Athanasius says some deep and serious things."

Congratulations on this one. I am glad you like it.

[April]

Lynn wrote: "April wrote: "I'm halfway through now, having finished On The Incarnation. This is a fairly short book packed with theology. It was easy enough to read, although St. Athanasius says some deep and s..."

I do. It's the only treatise by St Athanasius I've got, but I'd like to read more. He's very easy to understand.

[April]

The Spanish Bawd by Rojas is the first Spanish classic that I've read. Although it's a tragi-comedy, I found it quite grim. It is a great novel and it does have a moral, but everyone behaves badly and comes to a bad end.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

April wrote: "The Spanish Bawd by Rojas is the first Spanish classic that I've read. Although it's a tragi-comedy, I found it quite grim. It is a great novel and it does have a moral, but everyone behaves badly ..."

Thanks, I may add this one to my list, grim has its place now and then.

[April]

Bob wrote: "April wrote: "The Spanish Bawd by Rojas is the first Spanish classic that I've read. Although it's a tragi-comedy, I found it quite grim. It is a great novel and it does have a moral, but everyone ..."

In some ways it reminded me a bit of Hamlet. There's the protagonist who has no idea of all the plots being woven around him and the stage is littered with corpses at the end.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

How interesting that you compare it to Hamlet and the blurb compares it to Romeo and Juliet. I added it to the TBR.