Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

Bob wrote: "I'm curious how many hours an audio book of that size would be, i can't imagine reading that much aloud.."

53.5 hours ;-)

Carolien wrote: "War and Peace is between 55 - 61 hours on Audible's versions. And Shogun is 53 hours. That is a lot of commuting/ironing/dishwashing hours."

Not that long in total... once you get used to audiobooks, you can crank up the listening speed. Depending on the narrator I'm between x1.5 and x2.

Bob, for W&P you could also use the free serial reader app:

https://www.serialreader.org/

It cuts down the book into manageable (10-20 min) bits every day. If you invest into the upgraded app (in Europe around EUR 2.50), you can also read ahead if you want to read more than one bit per day.

Bob wrote: "Carolien wrote: "War and Peace is between 55 - 61 hours on Audible's versions. And Shogun is 53 hours. That is a lot of commuting/ironing/dishwashing hours."

Carolien, thanks for this information,..."

I tackled my African Female challenge this year based on 10 -20 pages per day once I realized that Covid lockdown was not a particularly great motivator for reading. As long as I managed 10 pages, I made progress and eventually all the books got read. I think your 25 page a day will work very well. Good luck!

Annette wrote: "I am currently reading War & Peace. It is quite good, moves along and there aren’t that many names contrary to what you might hear. Most probably read it alone & straight through but I find that if..."

With all the encouragement I've gotten I'm looking forward to starting W&P and beginning to wonder why I've been afraid of reading it all these years, Thanks everyone.

Sara wrote: "Bob, you definitely will want to read McEwan. I loved Atonement and have read some others that fell into the 3-4 star range. It is only The Cement Garden that I found horrid..."

I feel kinda foolish. I didn't think I knew anything about McEwan the author. That is until you mentioned Atonement, which I do have a copy of. Now I have a reason to pull it off the shelf and give it a go later this next year.

Philina wrote: "Bob, for W&P you could also use the free serial reader app:

https://www.serialreader.org/

It cuts down the book into manageable (10-20 min) bits every day. If you invest into the upgraded app (in..."

I have heard of this app and will look into it.

Philina wrote: "Carolien wrote: "War and Peace is between 55 - 61 hours on Audible's versions. And Shogun is 53 hours. That is a lot of commuting/ironing/dishwashing hours."

Not that long in total... once you get..."

I'm not a big user of audio. I do enjoy reading and then listening to plays and poetry, it makes them more enjoyable.

Philina wrote: "Bob, for W&P you could also use the free serial reader app:

https://www.serialreader.org/

It cuts down the book into manageable (10-20 min) bits every day. If you invest into the upgraded app (in..."

Highly recommend, I'm planning on using it for my older reads this year. Delivered in 10-15 min chunks a day.

I use the serial reader for less-modern English like Shakespeare. Smaller bits make it less intimidating.

I debated over War and Peace and Anna Karenina. Chose Anna Karenina -- will see if that still holds till January as the choice.

I'm predicting that you will wonder why you waited so long for W&P. That is how I felt!

Bob wrote: "Kathleen wrote: "You know, Bob, I found War and Peace an unexpected page-turner! I hope you do too."

Cynda wrote: "I too found large sections of War and Peace to be page turners. I think Bob that ..."

Bob my go-to plan for reading books that challenge is to adapt the reading directions of one of my literature profs. She provided this frustration-preventing and time-saving direction: Read through quickly as possible, gathering some general information before going back through to read as many times as I the reader needed to feel comfortable with the text. With a grade looming, I read and reread and reread again. Without a grade looming, I can do a first read one year, a second another. In case this relieves some of the concern. . . .

With just a couple of days left till the new year start I’m done with my pre-planning. All books listed except for challenges #2 & #7 are books that I own a copy of, no library and no new purchases. I know I will not make it very long into the New Year until I buy new books, but I will hold off as long as I can.

I have not pre-planned any books for challenge #4. I have already got a bunch of books planned in other challenges that will work, but I plan to try doing my challenges with no duplicates. May not be a pure no duplicates plan since the new authors books will most likely be used in other challenges, but they are still new authors for challenge #8.

On Jan. 1 I will start War and Peace as my Kindle read, giving it my one hour per day as my post morning walk read. I will start Angle of Repose as my day/evening print and paper read, and I will start one of my brain candy books as my reading in bed till I get tired read.

That’s it Happy New Year!!

Bob wrote: "With just a couple of days left till the new year start I’m done with my pre-planning. All books listed except for challenges #2 & #7 are books that I own a copy of, no library and no new purchases..."

I understand your predicament with buying books. Each year I plan to read books from our group shelf that I already own, then we vote in new books and I go on a spending spree!! The second place or worse challenge was an attempt to read some of the books I had already bought! Right now I am trying to double and triple use my books on challenges, but I figure I can always trade out for something new later if I read enough books.

I read Shogun as a teenager. It must have been good, because forty years later I still remember sections of it. There is one section that I found a bit traumatic, but the rest was really good. Of course, I was a little girl at the time.

Good luck with your challenges.

Bob wrote: "With just a couple of days left till the new year start I’m done with my pre-planning. All books listed except for challenges #2 & #7 are books that I own a copy of, no library and no new purchases..."

I love this, Bob, especially the W&P as post morning walk read. I think if I had a post morning walk read planned, I might be more excited about my morning walk--thanks for the idea! :-)

I should join you, Bob but I’m trying to get through my tbr. If all goes well, I’m going to attempt in 2022.

Happy reading, Bob!

All the best, Bob

January 1, 2021
I read the first five chapters of War and Peace this morning. A longtime bucket list is finally underway. I will start Angle of Repose later today, gotta love a holiday, and tonight I will visit with Nevada Barr in the Deep South.

The new year has started!

Bob wrote: "January 1, 2021
I read the first five chapters of War and Peace this morning. A longtime bucket list is finally underway. I will start Angle of Repose later today, gotta ..."

Great start, Bob! I have the same "bucket list" feeling that you are having -- I started The Idiot this morning. It has been on my list for so long, and I'm really enjoying it so far! Happy Reading!

Six days into the new year and I'm chipping away. I have started two for my Old & New War and Peace and Deep South, both going well. I finished two short stories for Second Place or Worse, The Minister's Black Veil and The Bottle Imp, both are really good. In addition I am reading Angle of Repose which is also one for this challenge. I have also read one of our 2021 Group reads, The Captain's Daughter, which also gave me my first new author for challenge 8. I am getting an early start on our February short story, Songs of Innocence and of Experience. I've been working on it since the 2nd and I'm close to finishing my first read through. I will reread it along with an audio version, this helps me with plays and poetry.

That's it, I'm hoping for a good year and it the first six days is an indication it's going to be great

I am awed by how fast you are out of the gate. I cannot wait to hear your thoughts on Angle of Repose!

Yes, you have so many things you are reading at once! Great start.

We are approaching the end of the month, can you believe it. At first glance I don’t feel like I am accomplishing much. I have read one brain candy novel and seven short stories. But, when I take a quick look at the approximate number of pages I’ve read this year, it’s close to 65 per day. For me, depending on the type of reading I’m doing it’s a fair average.

Everything read so far has found a place on my challenges. I admit I could double up and even triple up one or two reads in multiple challenges, if it were not for my goal of not using duplicates. This may not prove to be practical, time will tell.

All three of my current reads will find a place on my plate and are exceptional. War and Peace is half way finished and will be worth every minute spent reading it. I have stuck to my plan of reading one hour per day, plus a few extra minutes. I read the full hour and then read to a natural stopping point, usually a chapter break.

Another that will prove to be a top read for this year is Angle of Repose. This is an outstanding book. I have been slow in reading it, mostly because of the time slot I am reading it in. It is my night read and I have not been able to stay awake as long as I wish, so it ends up waiting from one night to the next night. Thank goodness some nights I am wide eyed and turning pages.

The third current read is The Warden. Three current reads and all are excellent. So glad I finally read something by Anthony Trollope. I started last year with Barchester Towers, which should be read after The Warden. No harm, no foul, reading them out of order has not hurt my enjoyment of either. A great author. I should have this finished before the end of the month.

In addition to the three current reads, two will continue into next month, I hope by the 1st, to squeeze in another short story. I have two other books started and temporarily set aside, my want is exceeding my reading ability to keep up. They are The Snow Child, the first three chapters are read, and a brain candy read, Raise the Titanic!, the first two chapters read.

What an amazing start Bob. You are juggling so many right now! I go through times where I juggle a few at once but right now I'm only reading Angle of Repose. I loving it too.

I really need to read Wallace Stegner's books soon since I've heard such good things. January seems to have been a great month for you.

I'm so glad War and Peace is going well for you, Bob. And I'm also enjoying The Warden right now. Angle of Repose, I will get to soon I hope.

I agree you are off to a wonderful start to the reading year!

Sue wrote: "What an amazing start Bob. You are juggling so many right now! I go through times where I juggle a few at once but right now I'm only reading Angle of Repose. I loving it too."

Sue, I guess I got a little excited starting the new year and put too much on my plate. Before Goodreads I never read more than one book at a time. I started my buffet with a bigger appetite than one on a diet should have. Such a lack of discipline.

As for Angle of Repose, I’m a little over half way done and I agree, I’m loving it. It will be one of the top reads this year. It’s hard to imagine anything being better, but it would make for great reading if books do come along better or at least equal, what a tear that would be.

Ila wrote: "I really need to read Wallace Stegner's books soon since I've heard such good things. January seems to have been a great month for you."

Ila, I can’t speak to anything written by Wallace Stegner other than Angle of Repose and I am only half finished with it. That said even only half way finished I can heartily recommend it and I will be searching for others books written by him.

Kathleen wrote: "I'm so glad War and Peace is going well for you, Bob. And I'm also enjoying The Warden right now. Angle of Repose, I will get to soon I hope.

I agree you are off to a wonderful start to the readin..."

Kathleen, War and Peace has turned out to be a real gem. It takes time and patience to get going, but once you get the characters straight, look out, you are hooked. One of the hardest things is sticking to my one hour per day reading. But a plan is a plan and I want to stick it out.

As for The Warden, I don’t know if all his writing is as smooth and as expressive as The Warden and Barchester Towers, but in the future, I’ll be finding out. I do hope you can fit Angle of Repose into your schedule, it really is worth it.

Bob wrote: "We are approaching the end of the month, can you believe it. At first glance I don’t feel like I am accomplishing much. I have read one brain candy novel and seven short stories. But, when I take a..."

You have read quite a lot with a nice mix of fun and stronger stuff. Nice start to the year!

Mark was particularly proud of his Joan of Arc novel. He did a fine descriptive job. I read it and appreciated it. I hope you will too. Enjoy.

I finished War and Peace and it only took me 55 days. I want to thank everyone who encouraged me to finally read this long put off bucket list book. My only regret is that I waited so long to finally read it. It was excellent. I am sure that over the next several days I will miss the morning reading time I spent with this story.

Withdrawal symptoms aside, this now consigned to memory. Like old friends not seen for decades, time will dull some of these memories. But many will never fade. The death of the little princess, the death of Petya Rostov, Piere’s experience with the French firing squad, the POW Platon Karataev unable to continue a forced march shot on the side of the road. These and many more scenes will stick with me for as many years as I have left.

I have also made advancement on a few other challenges. I have read 3 books for my Old & New. I have read 2 books and currently reading 2 more books for the Second Place or Worse challenge. I have read 6 Short Stories, as well as 4 more that I won’t count toward the 24 needed. Lastly, I have finished 4 current group reads.

All and all, I’m happy with my progress.

Congratulations Bob! I love your list of memories. Such a lovely way to think of this experience.

Congrats Bob!

Fantastic progress--and it's only February!! What you say about War and Peace is so true. I read it a long time ago now, but there are parts I can still conjure up in my mind.

I have a feeling you'll soon find another wonderful morning read. :-)

I am glad you liked War and Peace. It is so worth the time. It is one long novel I might reread someday. Your challenge progress is amazing, as usual. Well done so early in the year.

Congrats, Bob! You're an inspiration. It is a bucket list item for me as well.

My goodness you are churning away at these challenges. War and Peace is a novel I will read again someday, God willing, but you are right that there are pieces of it that play in your head like a movie after you have read it. (aside--Get to it, Anne).

Congratulations, Bob! I'm glad you enjoyed it and you are making great progress with your challenges.

Congrats Bob! I'm thinking of scheduling War and Peace for next year.

Congratulations on finishing War and Peace Bob! I just finished my first Tolstoy novel (Anna Karenina) and can't wait to read more.

It's so impressive that you completed so many other books while reading it.

Congrats on finishing War and Peace, Bob! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it.

Yes, you have made nice progress. War and Peace sounds fun! It has been so long since I read it that I cannot remember any details.

Very impressive progress, Bob! Keep it up!! It's very inspiring!

I have finished 4 or the 6 challenges I planned to work on this year.
✔️Challenge #3 - Second Place or Worse-Completed 7/7
✔️Challenge #6 - Short Story Challenge-Completed 24/24
✔️Challenge #7 - 2021 Group Reads Challenge-Completed 12/12
✔️Challenge #8 - Expand Your Horizon With New Authors-Completed 6/6

Challenges I intend to complete.
Challenge #1 - New & Old TBR-Completed 8/12
Challenge #4 - Members Choice Classic/Genre Challenge-Completed 4/12

Challenges I don’t plan on completing, but have and will continue to work on.
Challenge #2 - Does a Century Make a Difference?-Completed 1/10
Challenge #5 - Decade/Century Challenge-Completed 2/10

No read has been used twice.

Bravo, Bob! Especially on not using any book twice. I have bounced around too much and not put the finish on as many as I had hoped, but I am close on a few. It would be nice to have check marks in front of four already!

Wow nice job, Bob. There is definitely time to finish the other two if you want to.

Sara wrote: "Bravo, Bob! Especially on not using any book twice. I have bounced around too much and not put the finish on as many as I had hoped, but I am close on a few. It would be nice to have check marks in..."

Sara, not using the same book twice has slowed things quite a bit, but it does add to the “challenge” part of the challenge. Also, I believe that if I did use the same book twice challenge #5 would be complete. For me the best part of this year’s challenges is that all I have completed has been done with books I own. With the exception of two books purchased from Better World Books, which you told me about. So far this has been a good year for good reading.

Lynn wrote: "Wow nice job, Bob. There is definitely time to finish the other two if you want to."

Thanks Lynn, I have doubts about challenge #2, but I do feel like I will have enough time for challenge #5. The A-Z’s not a chance.