Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

Well, I had decided to try on less challenges this year - but this is just too good to pass over ;-)

Challenge #1 - New&Old TBR Challenge

FINISHED

Old (pre-1900):
1. Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell (1863) Read October-November 2020
2. The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens (1840) Read March 2020
3. Rob Roy by Walter Scott (1817) Read June-July 2020

New (1900-1999):
4. Dune by Frank Herbert (1965) Read January 2020
5. Don't Look Now by Daphne du Maurier (1971) Read September 2020
6. The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough (1977) Read June 2020

Wildcards:
7. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (2011) Read January 2020
8. Emma by Alexander McCall Smith (2014) Read February 2020
9. Hærværk by Tom Kristensen (1930) Read February-March 2020
10. Orlando by Virginia Woolf (1928) Read February 2020
11. The Good Soldier Švejk by Jaroslav Hašek (1923) Read July 2020
12. The Lost Prince by Frances Hodgson Burnett (1915) Read April 2020

Alternates:
A1: Fiskerne by Hans Kirk (1928) Read February 2020
A2: Maurice by E.M. Forster (1971) Read April 2020

Challenge #3 Your Birth Year Top 10 Best Sellers
Goal is to read 5/10

Currently at: 5/10 FINISHED

Top Sellers for 1980:
1. The Covenant Read September 2020
2. The Bourne Identity
3. Rage of Angels Read October 2020
4. Princess Daisy Read July-August 2020
5. Firestarter Read February 2020
(6. The Key to Rebecca) Read previously
7. Random Winds
8. The Devil's Alternative
9. The Fifth Horseman
10. The Spike Read November 2020

Challenge #4 - Members Choice/Genre Challenge - FINISHED
Read 12 books for each of the following categories:

12/12

18th Century or older: A Modest Proposal Read February 2020
19th Century: The Old Curiosity Shop Read March 2020
20th Century: Humboldt's Gift Read January 2020
Current or Past Group Read: The Body Snatcher (from Tales and Fantasies) Read January 2020
An Author not read before: Poems of Giosue Carducci: Giosue Carducci and the Hellenic Reaction in Italy and Carducci and the Classic Realism Read January 2020
Diversity Classic, read a book from a religion, culture, country, or race different than yours. Orlando Read February 2020
Science Fiction: Dune Read January 2020
Romance: A Pair of Blue Eyes Read January 2020
Historical fiction: A Journal of the Plague Year Read June 2020
Nonfiction Meditations Read June 2020
Mystery/Crime: The A.B.C. Murders Read January 2020
Horror or Humor: Firestarter Read February 2020

Challenge # 5 Century (Pulitzer) Challenge
I've been doing the Women's Challenge each year - both Decade and Century.
This year I have decided to only participate in the Century Challenge and combine it with my personal challenge to read more Pulitzer winners. Since I've allready read all but one of the female fiction winners this will not be a Women's Challenge..

9/10

1910's: The Magnificent Ambersons (1919) Read August 2020
1920's: The Bridge of San Luis Rey (1928) Read August 2020
1930's: Honey in the Horn (1936) Read August-September 2020
1940's: Dragon's Teeth (1943) Read September-October 2020
1950's: The Caine Mutiny (1952) Read October-November 2020
1960's: House Made of Dawn (1969) Read November 2020
1970's: Humboldt's Gift (1976) Read January 2020
1980's: The Executioner's Song (1980)
1990's: American Pastoral (1998) Read October 2020
2000's: The Road (2007) Read November 2020
2010's: The Orphan Master's Son (2013) Read March 2020

Challenge #6 - Short Story Challenge - FINISHED
Read 24 short stories (130 pages maximum).

1. The Misadventures of John Nicholson (from Tales and Fantasies) Read January 2020
2. The Body Snatcher (from Tales and Fantasies) Read January 2020
3. The Story of a Lie (from Tales and Fantasies) Read January 2020
4. A Modest Proposal Read February 2020
5. Elskeren Read March 2020
6. Ethan Frome Read March 2020
7. Dr. Faustus Read April 2020
8. The Night Before Christmas Read April 2020
9. A Woman of No Importance Read June 2020
10. Kitchen Read August 2020
11. Fuldmåne (from Kitchen) Read August 2020
12. Moonlight Shadow (from Kitchen) Read August 2020
13. Karnak Café Read August 2020
14. Carmilla Read September 2020
15. Don't Look Now (from: Not After Midnight, and Other Stories) Read September 2020
16. Not After Midnight (from: Not After Midnight, and Other Stories) Read September 2020
17. A Border-line Case (from: Not After Midnight, and Other Stories) Read September 2020
18. The Way of the Cross (from: Not After Midnight, and Other Stories) Read September 2020
19. The Breakthrough (from: Not After Midnight, and Other Stories) Read September 2020
20. There Will Come Soft Rains Read July 2020
21. The Mantle (from The Mantle and Other Stories) Read September 2020
22. The Nose (from The Mantle and Other Stories) Read September 2020
23. Memoirs of a Madman (from The Mantle and Other Stories) Read September 2020
24. A May Night (from The Mantle and Other Stories) Read September 2020

Challenge #7 - 2020 Group Reads Challenge - FINISHED
Read 12/40 group picks for 2020.

1. The Body Snatcher (from: Tales and Fantasies) (February 2020 Short Story)
2. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (January 2020 Old School)
3. Stoner (January 2020 New School)
4. A Modest Proposal (March 2020 Short Story)
5. Elskeren (April 2020 Short Story)
6. Dr. Faustus (May 2020 Short Story)
7. The Mayor of Casterbridge(April 2020 Old School)
8. Dangerous Liaisons (May 2020 Old School)
9. White Fang (May 2020 New School)
10. A Journal of the Plague Year (July 2020 Old School)
11. Meditations (June 2020 Old School)
12. The Thorn Birds (2nd Qtr Long Read)

Challenge #8 - A-Z Author Challenge
01/01/20 - 22/08/20

26/26 - FINISHED

A - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
B - Christina Bonde - Kampen for Valianien
C - Agatha Christie - The A.B.C. Murders
D - Marguerite Duras - Elskeren
E - Katrine Engberg - Vådeskud
F - Deborah Frances-White - The Guilty Feminist: From Our Noble Goals to Our Worst Hypocrisies
G - Charlotte Perkins Gilman - With Her in Ourland
H - Thomas Hardy - A Pair of Blue Eyes
I - Henrik Ibsen - An Enemy of the People
J - Dennis Jürgensen - Faldende masker
K - Sophie Kinsella - Christmas Shopaholic
L - Kim Leine - Dansk Standard
M - L.M. Montgomery - Rainbow Valley
N - Garth Nix - The Creature in the Case
O - Sara Omar - Skyggedanseren
P - Palle Hyldgård Poulsen - Kastaniens DNA
Q - Lucy Quinn - New Corpse In Town
R - Ane Riel - Bæst
S - George Saunders - Lincoln in the Bardo
T - Rebecca Traister - All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation
U - Sigrid Undset - Jenny
V - Inge Vinding - Vægt i balance: tag magten over dine spisevaner
W - Virginia Woolf - Orlando
X - Diana Xarissa - Arrivals and Arrests
Y - Charlotte Mary Yonge - A Book Of Golden Deeds
Z - Andi Zeisler - We Were Feminists Once: From Riot Grrrl to CoverGirl®, the Buying and Selling of a Political Movement

Challenge #9 - A-Z Title Challenge
01/01/20 - 01/12/20

26/26 + 2/3 FINISHED

A - The A.B.C. Murders
B - Bæst
C - Christmas Shopaholic
D - Dødfunden
E - An Enemy of the People
F - Faldende masker
G - The Guilty Feminist: From Our Noble Goals to Our Worst Hypocrisies
H - Humboldt's Gift
I - I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life
J - A Journal of the Plague Year
K - Kampen for Valianien
L - Lincoln in the Bardo
M - Mennesket er en stor fasan i verden
N - New Corpse In Town
O - Orlando
P - A Pair of Blue Eyes
Q - The Queen of the Tearling
R - Rainbow Valley
S - Spor i sneen
T - Tales and Fantasies
U - The Upside of Unrequited
V - Vådeskud
W - With Her in Ourland
X - Xala
Y - Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass
Z - Zinkdrengene

Danish letters:
Æ - Ære
Ø - Ørsted: Han satte strøm til verden
Å

Saved

Saved

I was waiting for your challenge thread, Julie. You always have such good resources.

Brina wrote: "I was waiting for your challenge thread, Julie. You always have such good resources."

Thank you Brina :) It's allways great to see what everybody else is reading

I’m looking forward to see your challenge selections. Your choices for challenge #1 are great, excellent picks.

Updated Challenge #3 and #5 :)

You do pick out good books, challenge #5, nice.

Great old and new books!

Julie wrote: "Challenge # 5 Century (Pulitzer) Challenge
I've been doing the Women's Challenge each year - both Decade and Century.
This year I have decided to only participate in the Century Challenge and combi..."

Brina, Sara, Terris and a few others are doing Pulitzer challenges so maybe we can vote in some group reads! I'm definitely going to read The Caine Mutiny next year.

I've read the first two and the last two in your challenge. I loved The Magnificent Ambersons for 5 stars and The Bridge of San Luis Rey and The Orphan Master's Son for 4 stars. The Road I gave 3 stars, but I love Cormac McCarthy's writing but apocalyptic stories aren't my favorite thing,

Sue wrote: "The Road I gave 3 stars, but I love Cormac McCarthy's writing but apocalyptic stories aren't my favorite thing"

I'm really looking forward to this one as apocalyptic stories really are my thing ;) - I loved The Stand

Bob wrote: "You do pick out good books, challenge #5, nice."

I agree on Challenge #5. Nice way to combine this challenge with Pulitzers.

As always the A-Z challenges are well under way. Also got a good start on both the 'Members Choice' challenge and my Bingo Challenge :)

Wow!! you are doing a lot of the buffet different challenges! Wish you good luck and hope you enjoy!!^^

Irphen wrote: "Wow!! you are doing a lot of the buffet different challenges! Wish you good luck and hope you enjoy!!^^"
Thank you Irphen - I enjoy myself a good challenge - it helps me diversify my reading :)

I managed to get a start on all of my challenges :)

I think the birthyear challenge will be the hardest to accomplish, as I'm finding it hard to find english copies of these books at the library (I prefer to read in english if it's written in english) - I might have to read translated versions instead

I'm doing birth year and 100 years earlier. I'm comfortable with my birth year, lots of choices. But, 100 years before, not so easy. If I am successful, it will be late in the year before I finish.

being in isolation here in Denmark has not made it easier to come by copies of the books as all the libraries are closed.

I'm so glad I can read lots of e-books from my library app as well as from gutenberg.org while this lasts.

Finished Challenge #4 and #7 - and making very good progress on #1

Congrats! you are dong well.

Finished my A-Z Author Challenge (message 8)

Julie wrote: "Finished my A-Z Author Challenge (message 8)"

Congrats, you are doing amazing on your challenges.

Julie wrote: "Finished my A-Z Author Challenge (message 8)"

Congratulations! I believe this is the hardest challenge we have.

Bob wrote: "Congratulations! I believe this is the hardest challenge we have."

I'm finding the title challenge much harder this year :)

You are making good progress Julie. I think the alphabet challenges are difficult!

Finished challenge #6 (short story challenge)

Congratulations, Julie--a great list of stories. Carmilla! I really liked that one.

Congratulations with your progress!

Wow you’re almost done with all of these challenges. I always love your choices :-)

Brina wrote: "Wow you’re almost done with all of these challenges. I always love your choices :-)"

Thank you Brina, I love the way the challenges broadens my reading. Otherwise I might just read contemporary crime fiction all the time as it's so easy for my head. It's nice to be challenged by different genres and time eras.

Congratulations on finishing the short story challenge! I was comparing and I have read five of the stories you read. There is such a wealth of short stories out there.

Congrats on finishing the short story challenge!

Challenge #1 (old&new) and #3 (birthyear) are done - I've still got 3 books to go for challenge #5 (pulitzer decade) and 2 books for #9 (A-Z title).

My ability to finish #5 comes down to whether I can get copies of the books. The Road should be no problem, but I ordered the other two from my library some time ago and I'm still waiting for them to arrive.

Got a Z-title on my tbr for #9 (Zinkdrengene) but Hit me with your X suggestions - this challenge really gets harder year by yearvas you read the obvious choices...

Congratulations Julie! I've decided that I need to check on the availability of books before I commit to them in a challenge. Especially the Old and New since that's the one that you have to stick to the ones you picked in the beginning.

Sue wrote: "Congratulations Julie! I've decided that I need to check on the availability of books before I commit to them in a challenge. Especially the Old and New since that's the one that you have to stick ..."

True! I do a Nobel Laureate challenge each year, and several of the early recipients have proved hard to find. Mostly Sully Prudhomme since my french skills are limited...

Congratulations! I hope time allows you to finish your other challenges.

Julie wrote: "Got a Z-title on my tbr for #9 (Zinkdrengene) but Hit me with your X suggestions - this challenge really gets harder year by yearvas you read the obvious choices...
"

I liked Xala by Ousmane Sembène, if you can find a copy.

Thank you Aubrey - I will look it up !

For X you can try X. Y. Z. by Anna Katharine Green if you like murder mysteries.

Carolien wrote: "For X you can try X. Y. Z. by Anna Katharine Green if you like murder mysteries."
Thank you Carolien - I'll keep it in mind for next year. I just got a message from my local library that they have a copy of Xala for me :)

Finished my A-Z title challenge with Xala - thanks for the recommendation Aubrey, I really enjoyed the story.

Also finished my nobel laureate challenge.

Still have one book to go for my pulitzer decade challenge, but the book (The Executioner's Song) is still a no-show from the library...

Congrats! Looks like you had a really good year. The A-Z's are the two challenges I won't be finishing. I came close, but I'll end up a few short.