Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

Please use this thread to ask questions and discuss the 2017 challenge.

2017 Challenges should be posted in this folder.

After Jan. 1st, we'll archive the 2016 Challenges.

Hi Melanti,

Are there criteria for what counts as "old school" and "new school", like a published by date for instance?

Yep!

It's the same criteria we use for group read nominations.

Old School is 1899 or earlier.
New School is 1900-1999.

The 6 wild cards and 2 alternates can be from any year at all, including the 21st century.

So excited for this already!!!!

I've been planning mine for months :) These have helped me so much, especially with incentive to do more difficult books that I would normally be too nervous to try.

Super-excited for this. I've been planning my list for a while, but I still wound up changing it at the last minute. I will probably change several more times before the deadline.

I haven't even thought of planning this one yet, I was bemoaning the fact that I did not do well on the 2016 challenge. I need to learn to choose books I will really read.

I've had a couple of choices planned for months, but most of my list I'm still not sure about (despite having partially filled it out already)!

I'm sure I'll have some last minute change-ups too.

I had my list pre-planned, although it still might change between now and December 31st.

I am really looking forward to this particular challenge, although it will be difficult to stick to a pre-planned list.

I think I will join. My tbr is now 400 books. And what is 12 more when a) I have at least 3 choices in each Bingo square already and b) I'm going to read at least 36 books anyway. I will put up my challenge tomorrow.

Melanti wrote: "Yep!

It's the same criteria we use for group read nominations.

Old School is 1899 or earlier.
New School is 1900-1999.

The 6 wild cards and 2 alternates can be from any year at all, including t..."

Got it. Thanks!

I ended up as an epic fail on my 2016 challenge.

It is making me be way more critical of my choices for 2017.

I finished 7/12 books this year (so far), which is 2 more than I completed in 2015.

I'm hoping if I pick books carefully enough I might be able to finish 8 or 9 in 2017!

I never do well reading from set lists. It's stil lfun making the list to begin with and looking at others' lists.

Set list are not my cuppa either.but it looks like fun.and theres still a month to really fix the list.so I think I will join .

Sarah wrote: "I ended up as an epic fail on my 2016 challenge.

It is making me be way more critical of my choices for 2017."

Me too.

Gosh, not sure whether to do this one or the bingo....

Well, you COULD pick books for this one specifically to fill out the harder categories in the Bingo challenge and do both.

This probably a stupid question but can you still use one of the books if it's a reprint but the original was an old date?

I hope that made sense :-/

Melanti wrote: "Well, you COULD pick books for this one specifically to fill out the harder categories in the Bingo challenge and do both."

Lol

Melissa ♥ Dog Lover ♥ wrote: "This probably a stupid question but can you still use one of the books if it's a reprint but the original was an old date?

I hope that made sense :-/"

Of course!
It's the original publication date that matters, not the date of the particular edition you own.

Using old editions would get a little expensive - especially for the pre-1900 books.

I thought so but I wanted to make sure. Thank you so much :-). I hope to start my list soon. I might have to steal some books from others lists because I have seen a few I own. Yay! :-)

What is the status of the alternates, please? What role does the category serve?

If you're unable to finish one of the 12 main books for any reason, you can use an alternate to replace it.

That way, if you have problems getting a copy of a book, or have run out of time to read a 1,000+ page selection, or just can't stand one of the one you picked, you can still finish the challenge.

Melanti wrote: "If you're unable to finish one of the 12 main books for any reason, you can use an alternate to replace it.

That way, if you have problems getting a copy of a book, or have run out of time to read..."

Thanks for the relatively prompt reply!:)

I have had my books for this challenge more or less ready since summer! lol
I'll be setting myself up to fail spectacularly, I think. Not that I've aced the 2016 challenge, but I might still squeak by with my alternates. I threw that list together a bit haphazardly. For 2017 I have premeditated my downfall!

Sigh. I Managed to read 8 of the 12 books on my list, which is a fail, but I read numerous others that weren't on MY list but have been declared NEW school classics so I'm patting myself on the back and regrouping for 2017.

And because I'm like that, I'm going to make sure they each serve multiple challenges. >.<

8/12 is a great achievement! I think lots of us end up reading different books to what we planned, so it makes sense to make them serve more than one challenge!

I put my list together, so we'll see if I can stick to a list like that this year :)