Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

B1: Written by Nobel Laureate Lord of the Flies
B2: Sci-fi or Fantasy Classic Brave New World
B3: Classic of Africa: Out of Africa
B4: Children's Classic The Secret Garden
B5: Winner of a Foreign Literary Prize The House of the Spirits

I1: Published/Written Before 1600’s The Odyssey
I2: New-to-You Author Dracula
I3: Classic Play - The Merchant of Venice
I4: Banned Book - The Picture of Dorian Gray
I5: Published in the 1700's Robinson Crusoe

N1: Classic of the Americas Uncle Tom's Cabin
N2: Short Story Collection Terrifying Tales
N3: FREE SPACE Othello
N4: Poetry Collection Shakespeare's Sonnets Shakespeare's Sonnets
N5: Classic of Europe Bleak House

G1: Published in the 1600's The Tempest
G2: Le Monde’s 100 The Name of the Rose
G3: Classic Non-fiction In Cold Blood
G4: Classic from School Animal Farm
G5: Published in the 1800's Pride and Prejudice

O1: Literary Prize of Your Country Breakfast at Tiffany's
O2: Gothic Classic Frankenstein
O3: Classic of Asia or Oceania: Monkey: A Journey to the West
O4: Mystery or Crime Classic And Then There Were None
O5: Prize-Winning Female Author We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Sue wrote: "B1: Written by Nobel Laureate Lord of the Flies
B2: Sci-fi or Fantasy Classic
B3: Classic of Africa
B4: Children's Classic The Secret Garden
B5: Winner of a Foreign Literary Prize House of Spirit..."

Wow, Sue, excellent! :)

I finally figured out how to start a thread. Having trouble formatting so that it's readable but I do have at least one BINGO so far. I'll try to figure out how to fix this later

Loretta wrote: "Sue wrote: "B1: Written by Nobel Laureate Lord of the Flies
B2: Sci-fi or Fantasy Classic
B3: Classic of Africa
B4: Children's Classic The Secret Garden
B5: Winner of a Foreign Literary Prize Hou..."

Thanks Loretta! I have to work on my formatting! I just read group reads and fit them in here where I could. Now I'm going to see if I can fill in some more.

Hi Sue, nice to see you in the Bingo Challenge. You are doing great so far.

I'm glad you've joined Sue. It looks perfect to me, so I'm assuming you've figured out any problems you were having. If there's anything we can help you with, just ask :)

Thanks Kathy and Pink. I got some of the formatting worked out. I was wondering how to to the crossing out but I think I'll just add books I plan on reading not as links and that's how I'll distinguish between finished or not.

I wish I could do the grid and book covers in the boxes and all that fancy stuff but this will have to do.

Looks great Sue!

Great start :0)

The formatting tips are under the 'some html is ok' tab. To cross out, or strike through, just do this without the * (I put that in so it would show up without crossing out my text)

<*s> to start
<*/s> to end

It's the same with bold, or italics, but substitute the s for a 'b' or an 'i'.

I also wish I could do the fancy book covers, but that's beyond me!

This is a great list, Sue, with some massive ones (Odyssey, Bleak House, Name of the Rose) already completed!

I have a CS Lewis to recommend. If you haven't already read it (and you aren't too depressed after Ivan Iyitch), A Grief Observed is really good. It's the kind of thing people read when in the middle of that kind of tragedy, but I think it has a lot in it that's good to read outside of that, and it's probably easier to take when you aren't.

Enjoy the rest of your challenge!

You've managed to get off to an impressive start with some good books already completed!

I couldn't get past the preface of "The Name of the Rose."

I'm going to try it again later on when I am not distracted.

Pink wrote: "I'm glad you've joined Sue. It looks perfect to me, so I'm assuming you've figured out any problems you were having. If there's anything we can help you with, just ask :)"

Thanks Pink! I tried it and it worked. I'm going to go back through the rest later

Thanks you Veronique and Susan!

Glad to help Sue :)

Kathleen wrote: "This is a great list, Sue, with some massive ones (Odyssey, Bleak House, Name of the Rose) already completed!

I have a CS Lewis to recommend. If you haven't already read it (and you aren't too dep..."

Thanks Kathleen! I also have lots of novellas and easier works too, but I've done this all since June. For me this is a huge accomplishment considering before this I probably read only one fiction and one non fiction book a month and rarely were they classics. This group has been so motivating.

I have read A Grief Observed. It's very good. I had been stuck in grief for an exorbitantly long time after losing two family members simultaneously in an accident, that and some other writings of his helped me to pull out of it. I have this ginormous book that is a collection of much of C.S. Lewis' non fiction. One of the ones I haven't read is The Abolition of Man. I'm picking that also because it's the shortest and after putting this list together (I had no idea where I stood), I'm feeling like maybe I can cover all the squares if the books aren't too long. ; )

But hey, since I'm doing this in 1/2 a year, I'm giving myself some slack. Next year I'm going to be more bold.

Sue wrote: "Kathleen wrote: "This is a great list, Sue, with some massive ones (Odyssey, Bleak House, Name of the Rose) already completed!

I have a CS Lewis to recommend. If you haven't already read it (and y..."

That must have been so daunting to get through, Sue. I'm glad you were able to find something that helped.

Maybe you'll find a short essay or something in that big anthology to balance out all of your long reads!

Sue, may I ask you if you enjoyed "The name of the Rose"? I read it almost 10 years ago, and I loved it, but I'm not so sure I would like it so much if I were to read it right now...

Tintinnabula wrote: "Sue, may I ask you if you enjoyed "The name of the Rose"? I read it almost 10 years ago, and I loved it, but I'm not so sure I would like it so much if I were to read it right now..."

I loved it! If you read it once and enjoyed it, I think you would again. It's heavy on philosophy and when people don't like it, I think it's mostly because of that. I love philosophical discussions.

Phew, I finally updated this list and it was harder than the reading! I'm only 4 books away from a black-out and coincidentally 4 books away from reaching 52 books for the year which was kind of a stretch goal for me.

My initial goodreads goal in January was only 22 based on my prior reading patterns, but having started this group in June, I've been amazed at how much I can read. Thank you to all in this group who are so motivating!

Congratulations Sue!!! That is really quite an accomplishment. I can definitely relate with your amazement as I, too, have far exceeded my reading goals for this year - thanks in large part to this incredibly wonderful group!!! May next year prove even more successful. ;-)

Bat-Cat wrote: "Congratulations Sue!!! That is really quite an accomplishment. I can definitely relate with your amazement as I, too, have far exceeded my reading goals for this year - thanks in large part to this..."

Thanks Bat Cat and congratulations on exceeding your goal too!

Wow, Sue. You are doing great.

Sue (and Bat-Cat) that is awesome! Shows that quality of books read is just as important as quantity and I should take that lesson to heart.

Thank you Kathy and Brina. I agree Brina. I think the quality is helping to drive the quantity. I've never enjoyed reading as much as I have since June. And to think I was only going to join this group to read 1 book (The Name of the Rose).

Great achievement Sue! I'm glad you've been inspired to read more with this group :)

Thank you Pink!

You have exceeded your original goal by so much!! That is so awesome. But more importantly, it sounds like you have enjoyed your reading. At least that is my assumption since enjoyment usually encourages more reading. Well done.

Thank you Laurie! I have enjoyed it very much.

Congrats Sue! It is amazing how inspiring this group is.

The Poisonwood Bible is one (of the many) books I'm still planning to read before the end of the year--fingers crossed. :-)

Thank you Kathleen! I may save The Poisonwood Bible until next year since the group hasn't read it and I could nominate it for a group read .

Sue that is one I keep procrastinating on also. Happy to read it with you next year.

Brina wrote: "Sue that is one I keep procrastinating on also. Happy to read it with you next year."

I was hoping to nominate it for May since tax season is my super busy time. Then if it doesn't win maybe we could do a buddy read?

May works because it's after Passover is over so I will actually have time to read it. Amazing how we are planning next year.

Brina wrote: "May works because it's after Passover is over so I will actually have time to read it. Amazing how we are planning next year."

yes! I never did this before. It's a great way to make sure you get to books.

One left and I'm started on it!

Good luck with your last book!

Thanks Pink. It's Shakespeare's Sonnets and I'm enjoying it so far

Oh how interesting. I read a collection of his sonnets a couple of years ago and really couldn't get into them. I think I tried to read them too quickly, rather than dip in and out and savour each verse. I should probably read them again, especially as I'm now enjoying working through his plays.

Pink wrote: "Oh how interesting. I read a collection of his sonnets a couple of years ago and really couldn't get into them. I think I tried to read them too quickly, rather than dip in and out and savour each ..."

I'm reading and listening and it's helping to do both, I'm still not getting all of them but enjoying it just the same.

That's the main thing, that you enjoy it :)

Sue wrote: "One left and I'm started on it!"

You go girl! Fantastic -- how is the book going?

Kathy wrote: "Sue wrote: "One left and I'm started on it!"

You go girl! Fantastic -- how is the book going?"

Thanks Kathy! I'm half way done with Shakespeare's Sonnets.

Cool, they are beautiful to read.

I can hear the theme song to Rocky playing now....great job Sue!

Krista wrote: "I can hear the theme song to Rocky playing now....great job Sue!"

he he, it is quite an accomplishment for me since I had only read a couple classics, besides at school, before this.

Woo hoo! I'm done. Before joining this group and this challenge in June , I had only read a handful of classics. My original goal was 8 books for 2 Bingo's. I mostly only read Non Fiction and non romantic historical Fiction before this. I feel so well rounded now and can't wait for next year's challenge!

A huge congratulations to you Sue!!! That is an amazing accomplishment and you have every right to feel great about it. Enjoy your free time this month before you dive into next year's Bingo. ;-)

Bat-Cat wrote: "A huge congratulations to you Sue!!! That is an amazing accomplishment and you have every right to feel great about it. Enjoy your free time this month before you dive into next year's Bingo. ;-)"

Thanks Bat Cat!

Yay Sue! I love how reading books seems to add to who we are. Congratulations.