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| Image from Karen K. at Books and Chocolate |
Today is a very happy day, because today is the day I finished my Back to the Classics reading challenge!
I was able to read everything I planned out last December and complete all twelve categories in the challenge--with two months to spare too! That earns me three entries into the final prize drawing. It would be cool to win, but honestly, the real reward is getting to read so much classic literature this year (not to mention the satisfaction of sticking to a plan that I made almost a year ago).
1. A 19th Century Classic: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (1861)
2. A 20th Century Classic: This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1920)
3. A Classic by a Woman Author: Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte (1847)
4. A Classic in Translation: The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux (1909)
5. A Classic by a Non-White Author: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (1958)
6. An Adventure Classic: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (1844)
7. A Fantasy, Science Fiction or Dystopian Classic: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne (1870)
8. A Classic Detective Novel: A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle (1887)
9. A Classic which Includes the Name of a Place in the Title: The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo (1831)
10. A Classic which has been Banned or Censored: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (1906)
11. Re-read a Classic you Read in School: The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1850)
12. A Volume of Classic Short Stories: Roman Fever and Other Stories by Edith Wharton (1934)
So, now for some thoughts:
My favorite: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
I will never forget reading this massive brick of a book! The Count's quest for revenge was ridiculously elaborate and endlessly entertaining. It was a long journey, but I'm glad I made it.
My least favorite: This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
This novel was Fitzgerald's first, and it felt underdeveloped. It was a portrait of the life of a privileged young man between 1910-1920, but it lacked a compelling story. It was an interesting read in a social-history sense, but not a favorite.
The biggest surprise: Roman Fever and Other Stories by Edith Wharton
Who would have thought short stories could be so clever! I'm still thinking about "Roman Fever" and "Xingu" months later!
Characters I'm glad I met:
Miss Havisham
The Phantom of the Opera
Edmund Dantes (The Count of Monte Cristo)
Captain Nemo
Sherlock Holmes
Claude Frollo
Truthfully, I don't think I would have read this many classics this year without the motivation of this challenge. I really hope that "Back to the Classics" will be around next year so that I can do it all over again!
I agree that the real reward is the satisfaction of having read the books and listing them at the end of the year!
ReplyDeleteI need to consider reading some Dumas to my classics reading. I know that the books are bricks but have heard they read fast because they are action, action, action. The Count of Monte Cristo sounds like it would be a lot of fun to read.
Thanks so much for your comment! You definitely should try Dumas. The Count of Monte Cristo was insanely long, but the characters and situations were so insane that it was definitely worth the time. I don't know how he came up with all the plot twists and weirdness!
DeleteI probably wouldn't have read some of the books I chose unless I was doing the challenge. It's forced me to read some difficult books and kept me focussed because I have a deadline. One of my choices still isn't finished & I started it at the beginning of the year but I'm slowly getting there.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. I agree that I would not have read most of the classics that I read this year without this challenge. It's kept up my literary IQ, so to speak. It's tempting to just keep reaching for young adult novels (my guilty pleasure), but this challenge helped me to read more difficult texts throughout the year.
DeleteI absolutely agree with Carol. Having to find classics to fit the categories has led me to books I would never have heard of let alone read. It's been amazing journey. I have three more to go but I think I will make it.
ReplyDeleteEmbarrassing fact - several of the books I had not encountered before were already on my shelves, probably bought automatically because they were Virago books or Oxford Classics on sale at our library book sale.
Thanks for the comment! I automatically buy classics too, and then forget that I have them on my shelves. Good to know that I'm not the only one!
DeleteCongratulations on having made your goal! I love your description of The Count of Monte Cristo - I've heard from other bloggers who love Dumas, so I should really try him at some point.
ReplyDeleteThanks! The Count of Monte Cristo is CRAZY, but totally worth reading. It's one of those stories that will stick in your brain forever.
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed the challenge! Several of the books on your list are among my favorites but I have to admit I still haven't tackled Hunchback. Thanks for signing up!
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting such a motivating and inspiring challenge!
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