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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

The Classics Challenge – 2010


I really enjoyed being a part of The Classics Challenge last year and so I am signing up again for it this year. I’m running a couple of months late for sign-up due to Baby Gerold Number 3 causing much morning sickness distress. As I am running behind, I am going to sign up for a “Classics Snack,” which is four classic novels by October 31st. The novels I plan to read as a “snack” are as follows:

1. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
2. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
3. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
4. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

I do like to change my mind, and a couple of alternatives are:

1. Foundation by Isaac Asimov
2. Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence

Trish also has an intriguing question on The Classic Challenge, what book do I think might be a classic one day? I have many books that I think meet this criteria including, but not limited to:

1. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
2. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
3. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
4. Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
5. The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini
6. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
7. Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
8. Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
9. Atonement by Ian McEwan
10. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Anne Barrows
11. Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
12. The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K. Lee
13. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
14. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

I can only suggest one of these on The Classics Challenge. After looking at what has already been nominated, I will suggest The Help by Kathryn Stockett. For my bonus read, I will choose The Life of Pi by Martel. I have been meaning to read The Life of Pi for quite awhile, and I’m tired of waiting for one of my book clubs to pick it!

The Classics Challenge also asks for a suggestion on a good “starter” classics novel. Most of my suggestions have already been listed. . . so I will go with A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway.

I am looking forward to this challenge!

6 comments:

  1. Good luck with the challenge Laura! I've been wanting to read The Life of Pi for quite some time also.

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  2. Goofd luck, I might join as well. I would suggest that you read Lady Chatterley's Lover, it is really amazing!

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  3. Good luck with the snacking and hope the morning sickness passes quickly..I would also suggest Lady Chatterley's Lover, I loved it!

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  4. Laura, great list of future classics!! And no worries for signing up late--there's still plenty of time. :) Glad you're joining us!!

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  5. I love the Count of Monte Cristo! I just read Shadow of the Wind and that could definitely be on the new classics list. It's a great novel!! Hope you are feeling better!

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  6. It looks like I may need to move Lady Chatterley's Lover up to the must read list for this challenge. Thank-you all for the suggestions!

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