Reading the Classics discussion

Malcolm wrote: "Currently I am reading Mary Barton."

I haven't read any of Gaskell's shorter works, but N&S and W&D are favorites of mine. Mary Barton was good, but not as polished as her later works. Ruth is on my shelf as well as Uglow's biography of Gaskell.
I couldn't get interested in Cranford and never finished it. Didn't really love the BBC mini-series of it either.

I've recently finished Bleak House, and am now about to begin my very first Trollope. The Goodreads group "Victorians!" is going to read "Can You Forgive Her?" for December.

Im reading Snuff by Terry Pratchett. Last I read one of his books i was still in school...saw it and seemed fun. Still ironic n funny :)

Allie wrote: "I'm 155 pages into Wolf Hall and want to quit :( ugh! I'm sick of awful books!"

This is one that certainly gets diverse reviews. Some people really love it. I think I'll try it from the library to see if it appeals. I haven't read anything Tudor-related in several years.

We.Russian science -fiction classic.Published in 1924.Influenced later works.1984 and Brave New World.

I just finished Ivanhoe. It was a struggle, but a worthwhile story. Now for something light, and to get ready for Peter Pan, I have chosen...The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Trudy wrote: "Malcolm wrote: "Currently I am reading Mary Barton."

I haven't read any of Gaskell's shorter works, but N&S and W&D are favorites of mine. Mary Barton was good, but not as polished as her later wo..."

Loved Mary Barton but struggled to finish Ruth. Love, love, love Bleak House. Probably my favorite Dickens novel.

Trudy wrote: "Allie wrote: "I'm 155 pages into Wolf Hall and want to quit :( ugh! I'm sick of awful books!"

This is one that certainly gets diverse reviews. Some people really love it. I think I'..."

I probably read something Tudor related about once a month....Wolf Hall was such a disappointment.

Allie wrote: "Loved Mary Barton but struggled to finish Ruth. Love, love, love Bleak House. Probably my favourite Dickens novel..."

Not that I've read them all, but Bleak House is my favourite of his that I have read so far. I love Lady Deadlock.

Found it a bit confusing with regards to one of the female characters being referred to by two names. Other than that, it was brilliant.

A Tale of Two Cities is another favourite Dickens novel of mine, as is Domby and Son.

I need to read Dombey and Son. Seeing how Dickens is tied for my favorite novelist, I should have read it sooner :(

Allie wrote: "I need to read Dombey and Son. Seeing how Dickens is tied for my favorite novelist, I should have read it sooner :("

Domby & Son hits home how daughters were usually considered less important than sons. I love Edith.

about to start The Complete Stories of Truman Capote.

Currently, I am also reading a few books with other groups. 1. The American Senator, by A. Trollope; The Good House, Ann Leary; and on my own, because a friend told me how much she enjoyed it..New York Times Best Seller -The Husband's Secret, by
Liane Moriarty.

I'm slowly making my way through The Norse Myths and actively reading The Shadow of the Wind. I knew nothing about TSotW before I picked it up, but I really like it so far. I'm just over 100 pages into it.

Ah, Wyllow (love that spelling :-)--I'm on the second book by Zafon, The Angel's Game. This is turning into one of my favorite series, and I look forward to finishing up with The Prisoner of Heaven.

Carlos Ruiz Zafón holds me spellbound, even though often that spell is a dark one. It's interesting that Barcelona has an entire tour based on the book: http://www.carlosruizzafon.co.uk/shad...

I am reading The Optimists Daughter by Eudora Welty.
It is very moving and incredibly well written. Also I am reading A Christmas Carol and other christmas writings by Charles Dickens which is wonderful. I am reading around 'Carol' until the 17th as it is the 170th anniversary of it's publication on that day).

I just started reading Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë.

Tracey wrote: "I am reading The Optimists Daughter by Eudora Welty.
It is very moving and incredibly well written. Also I am reading A Christmas Carol and other christmas writings by Charles Dickens which is wo..."

Oh, I think that I will listen to A Christmas Carol on the 17th then! Thanks Tracey for the info & I hope you are enjoying the Welty!

I followed Everyman's advice and am reading Trollope - I have been making my way through the Palliser series, so I am reading the fourth book, Phineas Redux.

hello Leslie fancy bumping into you here :) really liking the Welty thank you will be finished tomorrow. Hope you enjoy A Christmas Carol .

Leslie wrote: "I followed Everyman's advice and am reading Trollope - I have been making my way through the Palliser series, so I am reading the fourth book, Phineas Redux. "

If you've gotten that far into the series, I assume you're enjoying them?

And don't miss the Bartsetshire series. I like them even better than the Palliser.

Everyman wrote: "Leslie wrote: "I followed Everyman's advice and am reading Trollope - I have been making my way through the Palliser series, so I am reading the fourth book, Phineas Redux. "

If you've gotten that..."

Oh yes, but not as much as the Barsetshire series which I read earlier this year. This has been a Trollope year for me - almost one a month!! And I have a few of his shorter Christmas books lined up for later in the month if time allows: Christmas at Thompson Hall and The Mistletoe Bough.

I am also reading The Death of Ivan Ilych, which I am finding surprisingly readable. (I don't know why I am surprised as I found the only other Tolstoy I have read, Anna Karenina, also very readable!)

I agree with you that the Barsetshire series is more enjoyable than the Palliser, though they're both good.

I'm reading The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells. I didn't enjoy The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds as much as I thought I would, but I'm liking this one.

I just finished the second book in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books trilogy by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. I have to say that I couldn't read The Angel's Game at night, it was that frightening to me!

Zafon himself has said, "if The Shadow of the Wind is the nice, good girl in the family, The Angel's Game would be the wicked gothic stepsister." He is so right!

My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Julia wrote: "Ah, Wyllow (love that spelling :-)--I'm on the second book by Zafon, The Angel's Game. This is turning into one of my favorite series, and I look forward to finishing up with [book:T..."

Thank you :) It's sort of the "pen name" I adopted years ago, and I think it's more fitting for me than my legal name.

I finished the first book earlier and I'm in love. I can't wait to read the next book, but there's a waiting list with the library, so it will probably be sometime in January before I get to it. I had no idea about the tour, but that's fascinating.

Read The Bell Jar. Don't get what the big deal is about this one either or why its considered a classic. Yawn, I was bored. Now I'm enjoying some nonfiction w/ THOMAS COSTAIN's history of the plantagenets The Conquering Family.

Allie wrote: "Read The Bell Jar. Don't get what the big deal is about this one either or why its considered a classic. Yawn, I was bored. Now I'm enjoying some nonfiction w/ [author:THOMAS COSTAIN|46..."

I love that history!! All 4 volumes are good but the first one, The Conquering Family, is excellent. And I am someone who rarely reads nonfiction...

Enjoy :)

I'm reading The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Leslie wrote: "Allie wrote: "Read The Bell Jar. Don't get what the big deal is about this one either or why its considered a classic. Yawn, I was bored. Now I'm enjoying some nonfiction w/ [author:THO..."

I'm enjoying it immensely so far. It doesn't read like a boring history text book, its actually quite funny.

The Voyage Out.

I just started A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki, and it's hard to put down. I really enjoy the alternating chapters format. Off to read some more :-)

I'm trying to read It, but I haven't made it very far. This is my second attempt at reading it (the first was about a dozen years ago), and if I can finish, it'll be my first Stephen King book.

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

Mrs. Dalloway - I'm totally absorbed.

Kathy, The Turn of the Screw is up the top of my list.

Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol. 170 years old today.

Joy wrote: "I'm planning to read The Brothers Karamazov starting in January. I saw that it was a group read here a while back. Anyone have a favorite translation? There seem to be a plethora available."

I will be reading this in 2014, but in the spring. Anyway, I would also be interested in hearing recommendations about translations.

In the meantime, I am reading Zuleika Dobson: or An Oxford Love Story.

I'm reading a few things right now from different genres. "Anna Karenina" by Tolstoy and "Sonnets from the Portuguese" by Browning.

Ooo, I quite liked "Sonnets from the Portuguese"!

I just finished Sense and Sensibility, which is the last David M. Shapard annotated Austen for me. The only one of the "big six" he hasn't done yet is Mansfield Park, which won't be out until next year. I'll probably read it without annotations next, and then re-read it next year when the annotated version comes out.

And I'll probably pick up David Copperfield after that, since I hope to get it done this year.

Re-reading Dracula by Bram Stoker. Awesome!

The Old Man and the Sea

Erika wrote: "The Old Man and the Sea"

Aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All Quiet on the Western Front

Abby wrote: "I'm reading a few things right now from different genres. "Anna Karenina" by Tolstoy and "Sonnets from the Portuguese" by Browning."

Nice combination!

It's strange but, unlike some other folk, I am never reading more than one book at a time. I always have a few ready but like to concentrate on just one at a time. Perhaps some people are just better at multitasking!

Martin wrote: "It's strange but, unlike some other folk, I am never reading more than one book at a time. I always have a few ready but like to concentrate on just one at a time. Perhaps some people are just bett..."

I only read one book at a time too. It feels like I wouldn't be giving a book proper attention or something if my reading time was split between different books. Does that make sense? lol.

Moby Dick and two non-fiction books--helped me get through the "Cetology" chapter.

Just finished Richard II and am now moving on to Le Carre's "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold". Need to finish one more book after this to scrape through my GR target of 50.

Martin said:
I am never reading more than one book at a time.

A lot of classics I only read when I have at least a half hour to focus on them, because they do require that level of concentration. But only reading when I have a fair chunk of time would severely limit my reading, so I have non-fiction, light fiction, kid's books, re-reads, etc. stashed all over the house for when I have a few minutes reading time or for reading when constantly interrupted (like when I have cookies in the oven). ;)

My "have a goodly chunk of time" read right now is David Copperfield. I have a collection of G.K. Chesterton newspaper articles upstairs near the laundry room, and a similar Harold Kohn collection near my bed, both for quick reading, and a goodly stash of chatty Christmassy cookbooks downstairs. When I put away the Christmas cookbooks I'm thinking I'll replace them with Josephine Tey mysteries.

Sheryl wrote: "Martin said:
I am never reading more than one book at a time.

A lot of classics I only read when I have at least a half hour to focus on them, because they do require that level of concentration. ..."

I recently finished David Copperfield and absolutely loved it! You are so right, when reading classics I need a good quiet spot in the house and time to concentrate and absorb!

Allie wrote: "Martin wrote: "It's strange but, unlike some other folk, I am never reading more than one book at a time. I always have a few ready but like to concentrate on just one at a time. Perhaps some peopl..."

I try to do it, but you are right, I don't feel like I am giving each book the full attention it needs. I put up a few that I am reading, but end up reading one at a time.

Sheryl wrote: "I have a collection of G.K. Chesterton newspaper articles upstairs near the laundry room, ...When I put away the Christmas cookbooks I'm thinking I'll replace them with Josephine Tey mysteries. "

Both favorite authors of mine!