2025: Hefty/Husky Reading Schedule

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

This time we have only 6 books chosen by your votes to read for next year. Here are the chosen books.
Hefty:
Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong
Shōgun by James Clavell
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Husky:
The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
The Ladies' Paradise by Émile Zola

Since we have only six, this is the kind of plan I have in mind.
Since the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong is over 2000 pages, we'll read it through the year. The other two Heftys will be read six monthly. I'm yet to decide the order.
The three Huskys will be read every four months. I'll work out the reading order.

I've received an appeal from some members a request to add My Uncle Napoleon by Iraj Pezeshkzad which received no supporting vote at the closure of the thread as a fourth husky. But since I cannot bend the rules and in all fairness to the other unvoted nominations, there are only two options to consider:
(A) To take forward the unvoted nominations to the 2026 palnning, or
(B) Set up a buddy thread for the year for those unvoted books.
From these two options, please let me know which one do you prefer (A) or (B)
And those who prefer (B), kindly let me know which book from the unvoted that you want to read from the list in message 5.
Thanks.

[Luís]

I vote for the option B.

[John]

I vote for option A please.

[Lorraine]

Since I have already read East of Eden twice, I will vote for option B and would like a buddy read for My Uncle Napoleon. Thanks

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

Luís wrote: "I vote for the option B."

Can you please specify the book you'd like to buddy read from the list, Luís?

[Luís]

Piyangie wrote: "Luís wrote: "I vote for the option B."

Can you please specify the book you'd like to buddy read from the list, Luís?"

Do you mean a joint reading? Well, maybe I'll choose option A.

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

Luís wrote: "Piyangie wrote: "Luís wrote: "I vote for the option B."

Can you please specify the book you'd like to buddy read from the list, Luís?"

Do you mean a joint reading? Well, maybe I'll choose option A."

Yes, that means joint reading. Thanks, Luis.

[Kathy]

Option A for me.

[Jen]

I’d be up for the buddy read with Lorraine and whoever else may have interest in My Uncle Napoleon

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

Option A - 4 votes
Option B - 2 votes

[Delirious Disquisitions]

I vote for option A

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

Delirious Disquisitions wrote: "I vote for option A"

Thanks.

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

Hefty and Husky reading schedule is posted on message 1.

[Jen]

Oh nice. We have more wiggle room for fitting these long reads in.

[Lorraine]

Thank you Piyangie.

[Kathy]

Looks good. Thanks, Piyangie!

[Pam, Southwest Enchanter]

Thanks Pyangie! There are at least 2 I plan to read.

[John]

Looks like an excellent schedule - thanks Pyangie. I plan to read them all, but iron discipline will be required.............sadly this usually runs out about 5th January!

[Lesle, Appalachian Bibliophile]

Great selections and the schedule layout will be good I am sure in your hands Piyangie!!

[Luís]

Excellent way to rediscover Dostoyevsky!

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

Thanks, everyone!

[Book Nerd, Purple Book Horse]

Great hefty choices. I haven't read the huskies.

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

Book Nerd wrote: "I haven't read the huskies."

You could join us, Book Nerd! 😀

[Book Nerd, Purple Book Horse]

Piyangie wrote:You could join us, Book Nerd! 😀"
Maybe.
I was just saying they're some good books.

[Anisha Inkspill]

I have The Romance of the Three Kingdoms rather than The Three Kingdoms. Luo Guanzhong that I've been meaning to read for sometime

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms is the right book, Anisha.

[Anisha Inkspill]

Piyangie wrote: "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms is the right book, Anisha."

thanks Piyangie, mine isn't over 2000 pages, it's something like 700 which to be honest with you makes it more possible to think about lining it up for next year

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

I don't why that's so. Your edition comes under the Three Kingdoms in GR book page.

[Brian E]

According to the Goodreads description of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, it is an abridged version of Three Kingdoms.

The Goodreads description calls it:
A new translation and abridgment of one of the four classical Chinese novels - an epic story of warring factions in the era of China's Han dynasty.

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

Brian E wrote: "According to the Goodreads description of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, it is an abridged version of Three Kingdoms.

The Goodreads description calls it:
A new t..."

Oh, so that's the reason. Thanks a lot, Brian.

[Anisha Inkspill]

Brian E wrote: "According to the Goodreads description of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, it is an abridged version of Three Kingdoms.

The Goodreads description calls it:
A new translation and abridgment of one of the four classical Chinese novels - an epic story of warring factions in the era of China's Han dynasty.."


Thank you Brian, and to Piyangie, for both your input.

I did wonder and didn't mind as 2000 pges seemed more of a challenge to know how to fit in. I'm glad I noticed this thread, it will be good to know what everyone makes of the unabridgd., I did have a look and find it as an eBook but will keep looking but for a future read.

[John]

I may just be taking the easy way out here, but I'm opting for the abridged version - The Romance of the Three Kingdoms on the basis that this is manageable for me; if its a mistake, I can always go for the unabridged version at a later date. As Anisha says, it will be helpful to compare reactions with those who choose the unabridged version.

[Richard]

It is important to distinguish between 1. Romance of the Three Kingdoms and 2. Three Kingdoms. Moss Roberts is generally considered the best translator, but some newer translations are available. I suspect the readers here would prefer Romance of the Three Kingdoms because it sticks to the basic historical accuracies of the Three Kingdoms, but adds more fictionalized and fanciful passages. It is also shorter. Like an earlier reviewer, I struggled reading it in literary Chinese, but the story is amazing. The characters are unforgettable. Make sure you get a little background on Chinese history and the Three Kingdoms era.

[John]

Richard wrote: "It is important to distinguish between 1. Romance of the Three Kingdoms and 2. Three Kingdoms. Moss Roberts is generally considered the best translator, but some newer translations are available. I..."

I've ordered the Penguin Classics edition, where three translators are listed - He Yun, Jay Ramsay and Victoria Finlay.

Your advice re getting some background on Chinese history is appreciated, Richard - are there any books you'd particularly recommend?

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

Just saw this interesting discussion about The Three Kingdoms. I wasn't planning to read it since it's a very long book. But this abridged version sounds appealing.

[Joseph]

The Brothers Karamazov is one of my favorite novels.

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

Joseph wrote: "The Brothers Karamazov is one of my favorite novels."

Mine, too, Joseph!

[Richard]

Piyangie, I think you would really enjoy reading that abridged version of The Three Kingdoms. That is particularly true if you are interested in Chinese history. And yes, Joseph and Pyangie, I agree. The Brothers Karamazov has to be one of the great works of literature.

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

I have zero knowledge on Chinese history, Richard. And I'm interested to learn.

[Richard]

John wrote: "Richard wrote: "It is important to distinguish between 1. Romance of the Three Kingdoms and 2. Three Kingdoms. Moss Roberts is generally considered the best translator, but some newer translations ..."

John, there are a plethora of books on China, but unless you want to delve more broadly, I would limit my search to a history of ancient China (which would include the Han dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era.) Here are a couple I found, but check some of the others that are available to suit your tastes.
Ancient China: An Enthralling Overview of Chinese History, Starting from the Settlement at the Yellow River through the Xia, Shang, Zhou, and Qin Dynasties to the Han Dynasty

A Brief History of the Dynasties of China

I hope this helps.