We’ve made a lot of changes to the Classics bookclub over this year to try to make it easier for people to participate. We’ve reduced the frequency, we’ve added in some non-classics, we’ve selected an author instead of a specific book to give people some leeway — and it’s still been slow going.
We don’t want to dump it. We know that there are some of you out there who love to read the Classics and love to be able to do so alongside other booklovers. And then there are those of you (like me!!), who want to re-read some of those classics that didn’t mean as much as they could’ve because we read them when we were 16 years old. There are also books that we never got around to that we feel like we really “should” read someday.
So now we have a new idea.
- We are going to reduce the frequency to quarterly — meeting up here on the 5th Tuesday of the month. Each quarter you can link up your reviews and thoughts of the classics that we’ve read over the previous quarter.
- You pick the books you want to read, you pick when you want to read them, and you pick how many you’ll read.
- It’s my hope that even though we aren’t reading the same book, we’ll still build a community of classics-lovers. If someone posts a review of a book you’ve read, go over and comment and join in the discussion, just as if we were holding a regular “bookclub chat.” I also think that by doing it this way, we’ll find books that we want to add to our list, or read reviews that will convince us that we can finally take a book that we thought we really should be read off that list for good.
So, this month, you can either link up the review of a book that you’ve read in the last couple of months, OR write up some goals for this year, letting us know how many classics you might want to read, or specific titles that you hope to get to (or both).
We will have prizes throughout the year to spur you on.
Anyone who links up a goals post by the end of January will be eligible to win a copy of Invitation to the Classics: A Guide to Books You’ve Always Wanted to Read (linked to Carrie’s review).
Another reader will win a copy of Jane Eyre (From the Readable Classics series, which could be a great option for those of you who dislike the dated language of many classics).
When you link up, put either the name of the book you are reviewing, or “goals” (and you are welcome to do both) along with your name or blog site. The posts containing goals (U.S. and Canada residents) will be entered to win either of the books.
For example
Jennifer, Snapshot (Jane Eyre), would be how I would enter it if it was linked to my review of Jane Eyre, which was posted in October, November, or December.
My goals post would be entered as Jennifer, Snapshot (Goals).
I will try to blog about this, but I just thought I’d share that I’m in the mood to reread Les Mis. I haven’t read that since college! Also I’m going to read The Bell Jar this month, for the first time, and possibly reread The Lord of the Rings trilogy, although I don’t know if they count as classics.
This is a great idea. I do like to work in a few classics a year. I haven’t read any lately because I’ve been striving to get as many not-read-yet books off my shelves as possible, but I will keep this in mind for next time.
What a fantastic idea! I’m all for reading more classics, and I love the accountability of a group like this combined with the freedom to select your own choices. I hope you girls will help me read through my list!
Also, @EDJ, I’m pretty sure The Lord of the Rings is a classic by now; maybe not in age, but in terms of influence and cultural impact, definitely. That’s the definition of “classic” I am using to justify some of my own more modern choices this year, like The Hitchhiker’s Guide and Lolita.
I think this is a great idea! And with winter here I’m totally ready to cuddle up with a good book. 🙂
It’ll be interesting to find out what classics people read and what their opinions are on it. There are so many I want to read. I’ll be thinking about a post.
I’m in, of course. Considering the fact that I FINISHED neither of the classics I attempted this year, I definitely need the motivation. I’ll work on my post ASAP.
I have been planning to read more classics in 2010, so this is great! I’ll get a goals post up today or tomorrow. 😀
I am so new at this I forgot to state category GOALS when I signed up.
And here they are:
–read a classic per quarter (starting out slow)
following my cousin’s Book Club on Moody Radio and her recommended reading list for American lit:
http://www.moodyradio.org/uploadedFiles/Broadcasting/Programs/Library/reading_list_middayconnection.pdf
–start with Old Man and the Sea
–join in any 5min4books reviews of books I am reading (still have to find and figure out how)
Looking forward to joining in! Thanks for encouraging us to pick up the classics!
I love the classics, but get sidetracked by all the other stuff that’s available. Thanks for offering a way for me to be more accountable.
I recently posted on Dylan Thomas’ “A Child’s Christmas in Wales”. I love classics, and look forward to the club.
It’s been years since I’ve read anything like a classic, but I’ve always been wanting to. The books I’ve picked to read here may or may not be the best choices but they sounded interesting at the moment.
Looking forward to the coming year of reading.
I should not sign up for this, I’m already up for two. But what the heck, I love this idea and I’m sorry I didn’t find it sooner!
I guess I don’t understand how to do this. My link to my goals is here http://abookwithaview.blogspot.com/2010/01/book-goals-2010.html.
Link to my review of A Child’s Christmas in Wales is here http://abookwithaview.blogspot.com/2010/01/book-goals-2010.html
Sorry for the mix up. After I clicked on Mr. Linky it didn’t give me a chance to comment.
Is there an approved list of classics somewhere so that I know I’m choosing titles appropriate to the category? I’m sure about Moby Dick but what about Woolf’s novels? Or Graham Greene, W.Somerset Maugham, or Nabokov? Faulkner I assume yes; what about Ralph Ellison, Wallace Stegner, or Marguerite Duras? Are the ancient Classics included, and those called “modern classics”? I’d like to join, I will link as soon as I have written a post. Thank you.
Here’s my review of The Awakening.
New here and want to join the fun! I am also joining the 52 books in 52 weeks challenge, and will be reading many classics for this.