Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

Time to start planning!

✅ B1: Book Published 1950 - 1999 Crampton Hodnet (published in 1985)
✅ B2: Classic written in your native language The Book of Daniel
✅ B3: Classic of Europe The Immoralist by André Gide (France)
B4: Classic involving art Cat's Eye
✅ B5: Classic from your bookshelf Something Fresh

✅ I1: Book from the Group’s Bookshelf Prior to 2023 The Island of Dr Moreau
✅ I2: Classic biography/autobiography or memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
✅ I3: Classic horror or gothic Wuthering Heights
✅ I4: Classic comedy, satire, or humor Money
I5: Book from the group’s Favorites of 2022 The King's General (Sue’s favourites)

✅ N1: Classic of the Americas Manhattan Transfer
N2: Classic Western The Virginian, a Horseman of the Plains
✅ N3: Reader’s Choice H is for Hawk
✅ N4: Classic mystery or thriller The Nine Tailors
✅ N5: Classic of Africa or Oceania Arrow of God

✅G1: Classic from a group poll that did not win Oblomov (October 2022 Old School poll)
✅ G2: Classic action or adventure The Riddle of the Sands: A Record of Secret Service
✅ G3: Classic history or historical fiction Jazz
G4: Classic fantasy or science fiction Lolly Willowes
✅ G5: Book from the Group’s 2023 Bookshelf Twelve Angry Men

✅ O1: Book Published before 1900 A Pair of Blue Eyes (published in 1873)
✅ O2: New-To-You Classic Author The Expedition of Humphry Clinker by Tobias Smollett
✅ O3: Classic of Asia Malgudi Days
✅ O4: Classic in translation A Dog's Heart (Russian)
✅ O5: Book Published 1900 - 1949 To the North (Published 1932)

Have a great year planning & reading!

You've got a lot of good ones on your list so far! Enjoy your year of reading, Pamela :)

I agree, some great choices already!

Thanks all, I love the planning almost as much as the reading!

You read such interesting books, Pamela. Cat's Eye is one of my long-time favorites, and a perfect choice for this category. Have fun!

Looks great so far, Pamela! I'd like to read Doctor Thorne. Cat's Eye is on my December list and I'm looking forward to that. Have a great year of reading!

Oh I’m glad I picked Cat’s Eye now, thanks Kathleen and Lori!

Great choices, Pamela. I loved The King's General and The Kreutzer Sonata. Great idea for The Sheltering Sky for Africa/Oceania. I may have to change mine to that because I've been wanting to get to it for awhile. Happy reading!

Thanks Sue. I hope you get to read The Sheltering Sky this year, there are always so many good books to choose from!

I have had The Sheltering Sky on my Kindle for six years. I might have to make the switch now that you have reminded me of it.

The planning is fun and I can see you’ve chosen some great titles :O)

The King’s General is wonderful (from what I remember - eons ago). I’m currently going through the Lord Peter Wimsey in chronological order, which has been a lot of fun (Bellona Club this month), so that I shall read Nine Tailors some time next year. Very tempted by Lolly Willowes, and Doctor Thorne too.

Good luck with your bingo :O)

Veronique wrote: "The planning is fun and I can see you’ve chosen some great titles :O)..."

Thanks Véro, I read most of the Lord Peter Wimsey books many years ago, but not The Nine Tailors so I’m looking forward to it.

The King's General is a great one, I read it recently and Lolly Willowes is a very unusual protagonist. I adore Dr Thorne, it's wonderful. Enjoy!

Carolien wrote: "The King's General is a great one, I read it recently and Lolly Willowes is a very unusual protagonist. I adore Dr Thorne, it's wonderful. Enjoy!"

Thanks Carolien, it seems I’ve picked some good choices for 2023 so should be a great year!

Made a good start in January but can I keep it up?

B1 Book Published 1950-1999 Crampton Hodnet by Barbara Pym - published in 1985 but written earlier, a typical Pym offering 4*
N3 Reader’s Choice H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald. Really interesting mix of memoir, nature and literature, 4*
G1 Classic from a group poll that did not win Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov. (October 2022 Old School poll) Good fun, reminded me of Dead Souls 4*
G5 Book from the group’s 2023 Bookshelf Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose. Very powerful but I struggle with reading plays, I need to see them on the stage. 4*

Not only a great start but all are high scores! :O)

Pamela, you have gotten a great start. . . .You have reminded me that someday I want to read Five Weeks in a Balloon. It goes back on the list of possibilities :-)

Great start, Pamela! Looks like you've really been enjoying everything you've read. That's the goal! :)

Ha ha after my great January start I didn’t read a single bingo book in February and only one in March…
G2 Classic action or adventure The Riddle of the Sands - 3.5*

Try harder in April!

You Read a Book!! Better that you did in February!! haha! ;)
That counts as progress -- and you have nine months to keep working on your Bingo challenge. Just Keep Reading :)

But it looks like all the ones you have read have been winners. Well done!

Came by to say hello. Good to see that you making progress here. . . . .Enjoy.

Changed a couple of entries having read books that magically met those categories!

O5 Book published 1900-1949 To the North by Elizabeth Bowen (published 1932) 4* - a very intense read
I2 Classic biography/autobiography/memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou 4* - absolutely loved the first 2/3 but the last 1/3 was a bit muddled and disconnected

Congratulations, Pamela. I am always switching up books on this challenge, planning is fun but I never get married to it. :o)

I really need to read another Bowen and To The North sounds marvelous. Thanks for the reminder.

Pamela, I have read The Death of the Heart by Elizabeth Bowen, but I couldn't tell if I liked it or not! It was very different. I'm glad that To the North was a 4 star read for you. I might be tempted to try it! :)

Pamela wrote: "Changed a couple of entries having read books that magically met those categories!

O5 Book published 1900-1949 To the North by Elizabeth Bowen (published 1932) 4* - a..."

I also read “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” last month, and totally agreed with your comment. Because of the last third, I was only able to give 3*.

O1 Book published before 1900. Not my original choice for this square, but I’ve read A Pair of Blue Eyes by Thomas Hardy. 3*

At last, a bingo for 4 corners!

Four corners counts! Yay!

I like Hardy and have A Pair of Blue Eyes on my list. I am sorry it was only a 3* read for you, but I'm going to keep it in the queue. I will see if I agree with you ;)

Happy Reading!

Pamela wrote: "At last, a bingo for 4 corners!"

Well done on your bingo. You're actually really far along towards a blackout!

Congratulations on a BINGO, Pamela! I read H is for Hawk this month and loved it. I tried to start A Pair of Blue Eyes but couldn't get into it. Maybe I'll try it again some day.

A couple more finished…

N1 Classic of the Americas Manhattan Transfer by John Dos Passos. I thought this was great, such a vivid picture of New York from Gilded Age to Jazz Age, 5*

O2 New-to-You classic author The Expedition of Humphry Clinker by Tobias Smollett
I usually find 18th century writing a bit heavy but I enjoyed this satire, 4*.

Bingo for the O column

Congrats on the bingo, Pamela. I keep promising myself to read Dos Passos, so I am glad to see he got 5* from you.

Great progress!

Nice reading Pamela. So many of us are closing in on the Bingo Blackout. You'll be there soon.

You’re close to a blackout! Good job :)
And thanks for a few more book ideas. I love “shopping” others’ reads for fresh ideas.

Great reading, Pamela! I have Manhattan Transfer on my list -- I'm so glad you gave it 5 stars! Now I'm really looking forward to it :)

Well done, Pamela--getting close. Manhattan Transfer was not even on my radar, but after your review, I realize it should be!

I1: Book from the Group’s Bookshelf Prior to 2023 The Island of Dr Moreau by H.G. Wells

I3: Classic horror or Gothic Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Both 4* Victorian classics - completing rows 1 and 3. 4 more books for blackout

I'm so glad you enjoyed Wuthering Heights again, Pamela. I'm going through it slowly, and still find it exceptional. Congrats on bingos--almost there!

Two 4-star reads -- that's terrific! I also read The Island of Doctor Moreau this year, and enjoyed it.

Well done on your bingos!