Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

Will probably join in on the Magic Mountain presuming I'm about wrapping up the Bingo challenge. Would love to join in on the Odyssey but I'm afraid I'll be over committed for it in August. Great selections for late summer and fall reading!

Okay, this newb's beginning to see how it works -- I can have my cake and eat it: LOTR and TMM. Wish I had the time. Too many books and writing projects going. Still have to choose.

Pink wrote: "Okay all of you busy buddy readers. I've updated the schedule list to include these ..."

What on the surface looked like a nice simple list just keeps growing. Thanks for keeping it up Pink.

Pink, I just went over to check out the updated buddy read schedule, and just wanted to point out that some of us are also going to be reading The Hobbit along with the Lord of the Rings.

Steve wrote: "Okay, this newb's beginning to see how it works -- I can have my cake and eat it: LOTR and TMM. Wish I had the time. Too many books and writing projects going. Still have to choose."

Yes Steve, in this group you CAN have your cake and eat it too; in fact, you can eat so much that you're stuffed. It sure is fun though, planning my reading for the rest of the year. I have finally broken down and created a chart to keep it all straight. The only problem, like you said, is time. I am finding I have a bit of a problem with over eating. ;-)

Bat Cat I have 3 more long reads in this group. Plus if any group reads I like win and 2 longer non fiction. No time for any contemporary I might want to read. Time to get creative.

Kim, ok so when is everyone planning on reading The Hobbit? Do you want it listed separately to LOTR, or included in the Sep/oct/Nov slot? I'll add it somewhere once I work out where exactly!

Just speaking for myself, it would probably be fine to throw it into the same slot (Sept/Oct/Nov). I'm planning on reading it first, then LOTR.

Sarah had mentioned being up for it, too.

Pink wrote: "Kim, ok so when is everyone planning on reading The Hobbit? Do you want it listed separately to LOTR, or included in the Sep/oct/Nov slot? I'll add it somewhere once I work out where exactly!"

Kim wrote: "Just speaking for myself, it would probably be fine to throw it into the same slot (Sept/Oct/Nov). I'm planning on reading it first, then LOTR.

Sarah had mentioned being up for it, too."

Yep, up for The Hobbit!

I would agree adding it in the same slot as LotR is ok.

I don't want to read The Hobbit but I'd like to reread LotR.

I'm also interested in The Beach, Kim.

You're all ambitious-- isn't that 4 books??? I shouldn't talk, I'm sure war and peace is just as long. Just thinking about all these books, I don't know when I'm going to fit time into read everything. I'm going to go into my little engine that could mode as I actually plan on taking part in three of the books discussed.

Is August good for you, Sarah Anne, for The Beach?

Brina, I think the 4 books together end up being a bit longer than War and Peace, but we've got 3 months to get through them. :) I'm planning a couple of other reads for that time, too, but so far my schedule is manageable! :)

Sarah Anne wrote: "I don't want to read The Hobbit but I'd like to reread LotR.

Ditto!

Kim, then I think we're in the same boat. I have a few contemporary books I'd like to read but war and peace and then dr Zhivago will be taking most of my time. At this point my main obstacle isn't going to be reading time, it will be in October balancing war and peace with a month of holidays and the baseball playoffs. As I said, must go into little engine that could mode.

I plan on reading The Hobbit and LOTR.

Bat-Cat wrote: "I plan on reading The Hobbit and LOTR."

Yay, so that's at least three of us doing The Hobbit anyway, and more are interested in LOTR. :)

Brina, read what you can and participate when you can. Can't speak for the others, but I plan to keep following all discussions I participate in, so even if people get to the threads later on, when we're not doing group or buddy reads for those books, I'll probably still be happy to chat with anyone that wants to. :)

Brina wrote: "Kim, then I think we're in the same boat. I have a few contemporary books I'd like to read but war and peace and then dr Zhivago will be taking most of my time. At this point my main obstacle isn't..."

Hey, Brina. I'd be up for a better-late-than-never buddy read of W&P sometime this winter. There's just no way I can touch it sooner than that. We could tag onto the ends of the other W&P threads, just like Merry and Pippin.

Brina and Kim, don't worry about "time frames", there is always someone to discuss the books with you no matter how "late" you are in finishing. I am more often than not pulling up the rear with these group reads and there is usually someone right there along with me - we're known as the cabooses. Just enjoy the books and talk about them if you want, whenever you want. Happy reading!!! ;-)

So how about if I add the Hobbit separately for September? As I guess those of you who are reading it will do so before LOTR.

Phil I get that reference. I can't promise I will finish W&P in the alloted time frame but I will try. In the winter I usually catch up with contemporary but if I stay on track I'd like to read Don Quijote in January. Or maybe catch up with contemporary works.

Pink wrote: "So how about if I add the Hobbit separately for September? As I guess those of you who are reading it will do so before LOTR."

Makes sense. That's when I'll be reading it.

Pink wrote: "Also, I may as well mention now. If The Odyssey doesn't win the August Old School poll (currently 2nd place with 31 votes, behind The Professor with 36 votes) I plan on reading it anywa..."

I can't keep up with this thread! I'm reading this one in August anyway and I'll join you if it doesn't win.

Sarah Anne wrote: "I can't keep up with this thread! I'm reading this one in August anyway and I'll join you if it doesn't win.
"

I know, there's a lot going on, lots of buddy reads being organized! Is August good for you for The Beach, too? And is two people enough to set up a buddy read thread, Pink? Others might join in, if not in August, later on.

Yep 2 people are enough for a buddy read! I'll update the schedule tomorrow when I'm not on my phone :)

Thanks!

Pink wrote: "Okay all of you busy buddy readers. I've updated the schedule list to include these -

Life on the Mississippi- July/ August
War and Peace- September/October
Lord of the Rings- September/October/N..."

Thanks, Pink!

Is there a big group for Life on the Mississippi? I actually have a copy of that that I've been meaning to read/listen to.

Melanti- we have a small group for Life in the Mississippi. Starting when I finish Gone With the Wind hopefully soon.

Brina wrote: "Melanti- we have a small group for Life in the Mississippi. Starting when I finish Gone With the Wind hopefully soon."

Okay then.
I can't make any promises since I'm terrible about sticking with the books I plan to read but I'll keep your buddy read in mind!

I wish I had more space in my reading calendar!

I'm in for The Odyssey. I had planned to read it with Sarah Anne already.

I want to read The Beach also. I can fit it in in August, but later is fine with me too.

I'm a strong maybe for Life on the Mississippi. I'll do my best to fit it in, but I'm not completely sure I'll have time.

I'll be in for The Odyssey. I hope it wins though. I switched my vote to it since it doesn't look like the Life on the Mississippi will win.

Okay, I'm still lost on how to find stuff. Did I already ask if someone wants to buddy read ? Now this is a long book and I'm currently reading Gone with the Wind with you all and want to read some of the other tomes plus my other books so I want to read the count slow or is there a read coming up?

Melissa- after the first of the year :). I have such a reading schedule I need to see the light at the end of the tunnel before I can commit to anything else.

I know, I am loaded down but I'm going to read it next and read it over the rest of this year because it's on one of my reading challenges. :-)

Brina, the same for me, the count is on my 2017 schedule, but I have no plans to start buddy reads for next year quite yet!

Awww, I will comment on it if I can get it done this year for my yearly challenge. If not then I will be reading it with you guys or it may roll over. :-)

Pink if love to read both the Count and Don Quijote next year but there's still 6 months left of this year and I'm still committed to 4 long books in this group. As I said, one thing at a time. After I finish Dr Zhivago on time ;) I will think about the Count for next year.

No no, I don't want to make any plans for next year yet! I'm just pretty sure that the count will be on one of my challenges for the year.

Pink there's 3 books on next year's list for me but I don't want to think about it either. I love how this group is so organized that we're even discussing next year at all.

You all are great :-)

As regards the buddy read of The Magic Mountain, how would folks feel about making it a two-month read, October-November? The copy I have is 727 pages long. Would that work for the rest of you?

If we can agree on a date, I will be happy to set up a folder for our buddy read, and we can move further discussions to there.

Pink wrote: "No no, I don't want to make any plans for next year yet! I'm just pretty sure that the count will be on one of my challenges for the year."

Yes, please -- no plans for 2017 yet! My brain is on overload trying to figure out what I'm going to read -- so many really good books.

MMG wrote: "As regards the buddy read of The Magic Mountain, how would folks feel about making it a two-month read, October-November? The copy I have is 727 pages long. Would that work for the res..."

I agree, TMM should be a two-month read. Oct/Nov sounds good.

ditto re TMM

Kathy wrote: "Pink wrote: "No no, I don't want to make any plans for next year yet! I'm just pretty sure that the count will be on one of my challenges for the year."

Yes, please -- no plans for 2017 yet! My br..."

Really glad I wasn't the only one who went "I haven't even figured out this year yet!" when people starting talking 2017!

I was thinking of doing East of Eden. I am committed to long reads until September. I think I'd start then.

I have a reading schedule on my computer, and I've started adding potential reads for 2017 just recently, haha, but what I do is put question marks beside them. :p That signifies my commitment hasn't been made yet. I have question marks next to some of the books for 2016, too. If I lose interest, off they go, or if I just can't get to them now they can be pushed somewhere further down the list or in the "read sometime" pile.

Kim wrote: "I have a reading schedule on my computer, and I've started adding potential reads for 2017 just recently, haha, but what I do is put question marks beside them. :p That signifies my commitment hasn..."

I usually put a list together in mid/late December for the next year. Then it gets changed a million and one times over the course of the year, lol

MMG wrote: "As regards the buddy read of The Magic Mountain, how would folks feel about making it a two-month read, October-November? The copy I have is 727 pages long. Would that work for the res..."

I just went to amend this, but realised it's already scheduled for a 2 month read in Oct/Nov!

I just created a discussion thread for the Buddy Read for The Magic Mountain.

To find the thread, please see: Discussion >> Book Chatter -- non-Group Reads > Buddy Read/The Magic Mountain/October-November 2016.

Sue, Steve, and Darren all indicated that a start time of October would be good for them. I hope that works for everyone else who was interested. Strangely, I can't figure out who initiated the buddy read for this book, and I hope it's OK that I've taken the liberty of creating a discussion thread.

I'm looking forward to reading it with all of you.

Kim, MMG, Pink, anyone I may have missed- I love how everyone here is so organized :) :)