Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion
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⭐️ COMPLETE ⭐️ Wobbley's 2024 Buffet Sampler
Thanks EvenB, that's really great to hear!
Great lists Wobbley. I love seeing The Whale Rider on lists because it should be more widely read. You are in for some real treats with Little Women, North & South and the Tenant of Wildfell Hall too! Happy reading!
Thanks so much, Sue. That's really nice to hear! I loved Wives and Daughters this year, so I hope I'll love North and South just as much. :)
Wobbley wrote: "Thanks so much, Sue. That's really nice to hear! I loved Wives and Daughters this year, so I hope I'll love North and South just as much. :)"I I really wanted to Read Wives and Daughters last year. Maybe I can fit it in this year.
Sue wrote: "I really wanted to Read Wives and Daughters last year. Maybe I can fit it in this year."I hope you'll love it. For me, it was a book I didn't want to end, despite its length.
Wobbley wrote: "New - Georgette Heyer (book not yet chosen -- I'm open to suggestions!)"I've only read two books by her but enjoyed them both.
These Old Shades
Cotillion
I also have Lorna Doone and North and South to read for the challenge. Though North and South will be a re-read.
Wobbley wrote: "Thanks so much, Sue. That's really nice to hear! I loved Wives and Daughters this year, so I hope I'll love North and South just as much. :)"Wobbley, North and South is one of my favorites by Elizabeth Gaskell. Hope you enjoy it!
Rora wrote: "Wobbley wrote: "New - Georgette Heyer (book not yet chosen -- I'm open to suggestions!)"I've only read two books by her but enjoyed them both.
These Old Shades
Cotillion"
Thanks so much for the suggestions, Rora -- I appreciate it!
Terris wrote: "Wobbley, North and South is one of my favorites by Elizabeth Gaskell. Hope you enjoy it!"That's really good to hear, Terris. This is a bit embarrassing to admit in a reading club, but one reason I've avoided reading North and South for so long is that I really love the miniseries, and I didn't want to ruin it for myself if the experience of reading the book feels quite different. But after reading Wives and Daughters last year as a long read with the group, and really loving it, I feel that I trust the author, so I'm going to give it a go!
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Wobbley wrote: "Terris wrote: "Wobbley, North and South is one of my favorites by Elizabeth Gaskell. Hope you enjoy it!"That's really good to hear, Terris. This is a bit embarrassing to admit in a reading club, ..."
I don't know anything about the miniseries, but you should definitely read the book. I think you'll enjoy it :)
Thanks so much Sara and Terris, I appreciate the encouragement!
I've been struggling to get started with my reading this year, so I'm trying to ease myself in with short stories and fun re-reads. R is for Rocket ⭐️⭐️⭐️½: A collection of short stories by Ray Bradbury. Like most collections of short stories, it's a mixed bag. But the best stories are Bradbury at his peak: affecting stories, ostensibly about space exploration, but actually about people, their dreams, and how they find meaning in life. My favourites were: R is for Rocket, The Sound of Summer Running, The Fog Horn, and The End of the Beginning. For me, some of these were 5-star stories.
All Summer in a Day ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½: A standalone short story by Ray Bradbury, which I sought out to read for Challenge #2 (books on our polls that have not won yet). For a really short story (it's only 4 pages!) it's quite effectively heartbreaking.
Yotsuba&!, Vol. 1 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½: This graphic novel from Japan was a reread for me. Like the rest of the series, it is fun, quick, and happy. Stories about a young girl who finds excitement and joy in absolutely everything. In this volume she learns how to use a swing, and climbs a telephone poll to pretend she's a cicada. Ridiculous. It makes me smile.
Well, I'm happy to have gotten a couple of books in, and hopefully I'll feel motivated to get to longer books soon. :)
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All Summer in a Day is one I've been meaning to read--glad you enjoyed it.Take it as it comes, Wobbley, and as Sara says, read what you need.
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I love Ray Bradbury! I'm so glad you're enjoying his stories :)
I'm a Bradbury fan, as well. I'm not generally a sci-fi reader, but I've loved Bradbury since I was a teen. I think it's because his stories are less hard science heavy and tend to be more about people. I haven't read R is for Rocket, but I might dip into that one. Wobbley, you're really cruising along on the short stories!
Kathleen wrote: "All Summer in a Day is one I've been meaning to read--glad you enjoyed it.Take it as it comes, Wobbley, and as Sara says, read what you need."
Thank you Kathleen. If you're interested, you should give that story a try. It's easy to find online, and it's a quick read.
Ila wrote: "You're still doing good, Wobbley!"Thanks for the encouragement Ila!
Bob wrote: "I am a short story junkie, thanks for letting me know about R is for Rocket. I also agree that All Summer in a Day packs quite a punch for a few minutes reading."Thanks Bob. If you're into short stories (and I seem to remember that you're into sci-fi as well), you should check out They're Made Out of Meat by Terry Bisson. It's easy to find online, really short, creative, and pretty funny!
Terris wrote: "I love Ray Bradbury! I'm so glad you're enjoying his stories :)"Thanks Terris! I read The Martian Chronicles a couple of years ago, and it similarly had a few real stunners!
Regina wrote: "I'm a Bradbury fan, as well. I'm not generally a sci-fi reader, but I've loved Bradbury since I was a teen. I think it's because his stories are less hard science heavy and tend to be more about people."Yes, Regina, I think you've absolutely nailed what's great about him. I also love his writing style; at his best he's a terrific writer!
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R is for Rocket ⭐️⭐️⭐️½: A collection of short st..."
You read R is for Rocket! I have memories of borrowing that from my elementary school library. That collection is meant for children but you might like some other things he wrote better. That being said, I love to reread children's books.
There was another collection he wrote called S is for Space.
Lynn wrote: "You read R is for Rocket! I have memories of borrowing that from my elementary school library. That collection is meant for children but you might like some other things he wrote better. That being said, I love to reread children's books.There was another collection he wrote called S is for Space. "
Yeah, I read that most of these stories were previously published elsewhere, and then he put together this compilation to introduce his work to YA readers. That said, the stories I liked best here were best read as an adult I think, although certainly some had children or teenagers as their protagonists. And boy can he write -- even the preface about why he thinks these stories will appeal to the intended audience is just beautifully written!
Wobbley wrote: "Thanks Bob. If you're into short stories (and I seem to remember that you're into sci-fi as well), you should check out They're Made Out of Meat by Terry Bisson. It's easy to find online, really short, creative, and pretty funny! "This story sounded interesting so I found it online. It is funny.
Laurie wrote: "Wobbley wrote: "Thanks Bob. If you're into short stories (and I seem to remember that you're into sci-fi as well), you should check out They're Made Out of Meat by Terry Bisson. It's easy to find online, really short, creative, and pretty funny! "This story sounded interesting so I found it online. It is funny. "
That's great Laurie, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! And it's from 1991, so it's officially a classic!
Wobbley wrote: "Bob wrote: "I am a short story junkie, thanks for letting me know about R is for Rocket. I also agree that All Summer in a Day packs quite a punch for a few minutes reading."Thanks Bob. If you're..."
Wobbley, I just read this and watched the video -- it's crazy! I loved it! Thanks for the recommendation :)
Terris wrote: "Wobbley, I just read this and watched the video -- it's crazy! I loved it! Thanks for the recommendation :)"Fantastic! I didn't even know there was a video...
Wobbley wrote: "Terris wrote: "Wobbley, I just read this and watched the video -- it's crazy! I loved it! Thanks for the recommendation :)"Fantastic! I didn't even know there was a video..."
Yes, it's on Youtube. It's kind of weird, but it's a weird story! ;)
Great progress, Wobbly. You are really going to town on the short stories!
Thanks so much, Sue. I don't usually read a ton of short stories, but it seemed to fit my mood this month.
I know what you mean about easing oneself into the year’s reading with short stories. Wouldn’t mind trying Bradbury. As for mangas, I’ve tried a couple here and there. Didn’t know that one. One Piece is everywhere right now due to the tv adaptation, but that one is beyond huge :O)
Yotsuba is actually the only manga I've ever read. I think it's a bit atypical, since it's just slice-of-life stories. But I enjoy them!
I've read a few more books for my Buffet Challenge.Books 2 through 5 of the Yotsuba&! series, all ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ to ️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️:I've decided to use these fun graphic novels for the Series challenge. Nice, fun, light reads about a young girl who is always happy. This series is a reread for me.
Wurzel-Flummery ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: This is A.A. Milne's first play. It's a bit slight and perhaps not really memorable, but it's fun at the time, full of his trademark wit.
The Moonstone ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: Wow, I really enjoyed this one; it could easily end up on my best of the year list! Really engaging, and I was attached to a lot of the main characters, and invested in their happiness. It's told in epistolary form, mainly as sort of diary entries made by various characters. The character who gets the largest section is kind of quietly hilarious. For example:
My own good sense ought to have warned me, I know, to let the matter rest — but, there! the virtues which distinguish the present generation were not invented in my time.
or:
It is one of my rules in life, never to notice what I don’t understand.
I've been slow with my reading so far this year. But I'm really glad to have finally gotten a start on my Decade and Century Challenges, which are pretty much the backbone of my planned reading this year.
Moonstone is a great book, Wobbley. Glad to see you liked it.
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Glad you enjoyed The Moonstone Wobbley, its a good book.
Thanks so much Ila, Kathleen, Sara and Rora. It's nice to know that so many other people are fond of The Moonstone too. I've read his Woman in White as well, and I have to say they are excellent choices for being his 2 most famous novels!
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Thanks for the tip Sara! Other than these 2 most famous ones, the only one I've read so far was The Haunted Hotel: A Mystery of Modern Venice. Though I didn't enjoy it as much as these two, it was still quite good. I'll add No Name to my TBR!
A few more for my Buffet Challenge.Books 6 through 8 of the Yotsuba&! series, all ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: Just continuing on with my reread of this fun, happy graphic novel series from Japan.
The Invention of Morel ⭐️⭐️⭐️: What a strange story. Part castaway story, part sci-fi. I didn't exactly enjoy reading it, but it was interesting, and held my attention pretty well. In a way, its strange feeling reminded me of Piranesi (except that I enjoyed Piranesi so much more). I don't have a great track record with fiction from South America (their version of magical realism doesn't often work well for me), and I have to say this was one of the more coherent entries I've read so far.
Greenbanks ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: My first Dorothy Whipple, and it won't be my last. It's a bit hard to explain what's so good about this book, since there isn't really a big overarching plot. It just follows the dramas in a large family in England over about 15 years around the time of WWI. I found the writing very strong, and the book was immediately engaging.
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Congratulations on some good progress and fun reads, Wobbley.
Thanks so much Sara. I think there's been a lot of variety in the Dorothy Whipple books I've seen people in the group read recently, and they all seem to be a hit! I hope you enjoy The Priory.
I read Because of the Lockwoods. I thought Whipple wrote a really good story. It would be nice if her books were more readily available in my library system but I have a couple of them waiting on my kindle. Happy reading!
Yes, I'm a new fan of Dorothy Whipple, also! I have read High Wages and Someone at a Distance. I enjoyed them both! Hope I'll be able to find more of her books somewhere! I don't usually buy books, but even at $9.99 each on Amazon, that is less expensive than on Thriftbooks where they are anywhere from $15 to $57!! Happy Reading, Wobbley! You're moving right along :)
Catching up on Classics (and lots more!)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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I always enjoy when a book refers to other books/authors, especially when they are classics. I don't think I'm giving any spoilers here, but in Little Women, they refer to the book/story of The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan (written in 1678). So, after I read Little Women, I read The Pilgrim's Progress. I really enjoyed this fun allegory. And, I think reading Pilgrim's Progress after Little Women enhanced my reading experience of both books.
Happy reading!