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I would like to increase my reads in this category and have a few laying around that should make the list. I also belong to a Classics group here on GR and would like to increase my participation there too. I would like to get to Level 3 Bookwom for sure.

1. A Tale of Two Cities read 1/16/16
2. Pride and Prejudice read 2/18/16
3. Fahrenheit 451 read 2/22/16
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Are the number of books for each levels the number of books that we will be reading in a year?

I'll be trying for Level-5 and will try to read at least 1 classic every 1-2 months (the exception being classics month of genre challenge, where I'll be reading 3-4.)

I'll be completing the Richard Hannay series this year.

@Dagny Can you please recommend some adventure classic? (other than HBF.)

Then I should do this too. Might as well increase my list of classics which is not much to start with. :P

Dagny wrote: "Adventure classics:

There is always Edgar Rice Burroughs. I've been meaning to read his Land That Time Forgot trilogy. I was disappointed in A Princess of Mars which is the first of his John Carte..."

HBF- Huckleberry Fin. (hehe!)

And thanks a ton, Prof. Dagny!!! I'll check all of these out and add them to my classics-list.

PS: I had no idea John Carter movie was an adaptation and also that it's a part of the series. Interesting.

BTW, here's the logo for Classics Challenge:



I hope you'll like it (I absolutely adore it! <3)

Dagny wrote: "Dimple wrote: "Then I should do this too. Might as well increase my list of classics which is not much to start with. :P"

Great, Dimple! You should be able to do it easily. You have several 'class..."

Yeah true. I am all set for it then. :)

Dagny wrote: "Dimple wrote: "Yeah true. I am all set for it then. :) "

Super, glad you are joining us, Dimple! I remembered later that you also have an H. G. Wells on our list - how could I forget it when it's ..."

That's awesome! :D I am really very excited for 2016 to begin. :) :P

Count me in! This one should be fun. I really like to read classics occasionally.

I'll go for Level 5 ;)

I'd like to do Level 3 bookworm

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I'm a sucker for this genre. Hopefully I'll be a "bookworm".

Great to see so many people joining for Classics catch-up... :)

I'll be reading more classics this year (or, at least I'll try to.) As I mentioned earlier, here are some of the books that I'll be reading for this year:

The Scarlet Letter [audio book]
Gone with the Wind [ebook]
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn [audio book]
Richard Hannay series by John Buchan: [ebooks]
3. Mr. Standfast
4. The Three Hostages
5. The Island of Sheep

Count me in. This one should be fun. I'd really like to read more Classics. I'd like to do Level 3 Bookworm.

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Level 5: Professor: 12 or more books

I plan on reading everything by Jane Austen, and definitely some Dumas and Zola.

Dagny wrote: "Simona wrote: "Level 5: Professor: 12 or more books

I plan on reading everything by Jane Austen, and definitely some Dumas and Zola."

Yea, Simona, another Professor! Dumas wrote a lot of books, j..."

The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favorites, too!I've alread read it a few times.

I love Thérèse Raquin by Zola and I've read a few of his works already. Sure, they are far from being "easy reads", but his books are worth it :)

I'm gonna with Level 3 for now. I have already finished the first three books of the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery. I had never heard of the series before and it was last month that I came across a Buzzfeed post about it. It starts of in 19th century Canada and is set on Prince Edward Island, which really sets it apart from the novels of that period.

So far...
1. Anne of Green Gables
2. Anne of Avonlea
3. Anne of the Island

I finally go around reading this year's first Classic!

1. Sense and Sensibility

I have seen a couple of different screen adaptations and I superficially studied it in school, so I knew what it was all about. The interesting thing, though, is that there is a historical fiction, The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, which I've read last year, that takes on Sense and Sensibility and makes it out as something Jane Austen wrote because of her own experience.

Dagny wrote: "With eight done, I am running slightly ahead of where I was last year. At the end of March last year, I had read eight Classics. This year I have eight completed, three in progress plus one more no..."

Oh, wow! Good going Dagny. That's amazing.

I've just completed my second classic, Pride and Prejudice (5 stars, I loved it), and I started with Lady Susan which is rather short.

Dagny wrote: "Simona wrote: "Oh, wow! Good going Dagny. That's amazing."

Thanks, Simona. It's not too difficult since I'm in the
19thCenturyLit
and we're reading several shortish ones now - girding our loin..."

Well, that's the point of reading, isn't it, just plain enjoying it?

I've completed following classics while sitting out the genre challenge:

1. A Room with a View by E.M. Forster
2. The Willows by Algernon Blackwood
3. The Mansion by Henry Van Dyke
4. The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
5. My Man Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

2. Pride and Prejudice (re-read, 5-stars) by Jane Austen
3. Lady Susan by Jane Austen

I'm currently reading Mansfield Park and I listened to Polidori's The Vampyre: A Tale on Librivox, but I won't consider it for the challange since it's a novella.

4. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

My 6th for the year and one which I've been meaning to read for a very long time Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
My review here: /review/show...

Dagny wrote: "Manaswin wrote: "My 6th for the year and one which I've been meaning to read for a very long time Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
My review here: ..."

I guess you're right. Even I didn't like the protagonist but its just wonderful story telling albeit a sad one that takes you to the end.

5. A Sicilian Romance by Ann Radcliffe
I have a thing for gothic novels - just love them - and I am partial to anything Sicily related.

My 7th is 84 Charing Cross Road. My review here /review/show...

Done with 8th of the year Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo. With that I've met my challenge to be a Classical bookworm this year. Hopefully I'll graduate a Scholar this time!! Lol!

6. Emma by Jane Austen - 2 stars. I was bored and annoyed most of the time: Emma, the main character was just infuriating and childish in her matchmaking pursuit.

Level 3:

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Dagny wrote: "Simona wrote: "6. Emma by Jane Austen - 2 stars. I was bored and annoyed most of the time: Emma, the main character was just infuriating and childish in her matchmaking pursuit."

I don..."

I'll tell you, among all the classics I've read, Jane Austen's work is the one that's letting me down the most. I get that she's an icon and I won't deny I liked at least Pride and Prejudice very much, but the other ones I've read so far are not particularly up my alley. They are too flourished and dispersive for my tastes. feel like 3/4 of a book she has written could've been cut off and thinned out, and it would've benefitted considerably...

I'm looking forward to Northanger Abbey, though, since I love gothic novels.

Dagny wrote: "Alyssa Janine wrote: "Level 3"

Glad to see you going for the Classics, Aly."

Thanks! I'm looking forward to reading more classics this year. :)

9th down and its sweet and simple Anatole France's The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard.

7. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells.

Dagny wrote: "Simona wrote: "7. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells."

This book was a disappointment to me when I read it. I don't think it was the book itself though. But I had watched and enjoyed an ..."

Yeah, I guess the megalomaniacal attitude and unlawful and immoral behaviour of Griffin are realistic consequences of invisibility. t's plausible to feel almost godlike and entitled to do whatever you want when you virtually can't be caught or punished for any misgivings... Who knows what we'd do were we to be invisible!

Hello, everyone :-)

Finally, I'm reading my first classic for this year!
I'm starting my book's research and stuff and my female lead in my current novel that I'm working on reads a lot of classics. So I thought why not kill 2 birds with 1 shot :D

I'm starting with Wuthering Heights.

I'll be reading Emma next and then follow it by The Scarlet Letter's audio book (that Dagny graciously sent me.)

:D

I just posted this on my Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ timeline, but thought I'd share it here too:

I'm seriously obsessed with this book! Never in my life have I ever read anything, even remotely, like this book before. This book is a true masterpiece! And the story about its author has only further added to my obsession.
I wish Ms. Emily Bronte had written more novels because I'm sure I would have read them all.

I haven't been reading many classics this year. I have started one for Dagny's group at Yahoo: Anne

OMG! You guys are reading so many book!!!

I went to Crossword last week and, for the first time, bought classics. I got 7 for the price of 3 and they all are hardbacks (Penguin's vintage edition.) Finally, I have a few physical classic books, so I'm sure that I'll read them now :)

BTW, did you guys felt weird when you started listening to the audio books for the first time? I'm having a hard time following it, it's like I feel weird. So is it something that'll subside after a few chapters? I really want to listen to audio books as I want to listen to classics to read at least a couple before this year ends.
If you have any suggestions on how should I cope with this weirdness, then please share. :)

Heena wrote: "BTW, did you guys felt weird when you started listening to the audio books for the first time? I'm having a hard time following it, it's like I feel weird."

I, too, have a problem with listening to audio books, especially if I'm doing something else at the same time (i.e. walking, driving, cooking). I am looking for advice to help me with this, too.

Dagny, please give us some tips... :D

Thanks for the tips, Dagny. I think I might do better if it's a lighter book where you don't have to keep an intricate plot or a long list of characters straight.

Dagny wrote: "It really depends so much on the book. I've found series mysteries to work the best for me. Not the first book, but later books when you are already familiar with the characters. These were what I ..."

Lighter and shorter books. Got it! Thanks a ton, Dagny :)
If you have any specific Classic recommendation which is Short and Light and ideal for a first timer then please share. I'll start with your reccomendation only.

Wow! Thanks a lot, Dagny, for your awesome recs.! I tried the librivoux site and I was able to play the files.
I didn't try to download yet, because my WiFi is giving me trouble. I'll try it later today, but even if I won't be able to, I'm glad that atleast now I can play them online :)

I'll start with A Dog Flanders tonight (I'll listen to it before sleeping. It'll be better than meditation!)
I want to listen to Bel Ami too because I once watched half of the film and liked it, but I'll gradually increase my capasity to listen as I don't want to leave it halfway.

Out of the author's you mentioned, can you please suggest a nice and short Short-Story(ies) by Lovecraft, Dagny? I've always heard Stephen King mention his name in his interviews.
And also one by Poe? Please!!

@Dagny: I can download them too!!! I'm so happy!
I'm halfway through A Dog Of Flanders and I love it! I can totally understand the reader, though I did drifted off to sleep 5-6 times and had to go back and listen for the missed parts.

I must say, Dagny, that you've introduced me to such an amzing new thing! I know audio books are really picking up, but I wouldn't have given it another thought had it not been for you. :)
I loved the experience of having someone 'read' the book in my head (ears) and falling asleep listening to a story. it reminds me of my grandfather so much (and the reader's voice is so much like an elderly grandfather) that I was completely spell-bound when I listened to the audio book this time.

I guess my major aversion to it was being continously attentive lettign go of everything else. When I read a book, I tend to roam around the house while doing so and taking care of other chores and checking emails and phone again and again. So it really felt peaceful when I listened to it this time.

So, a big Thank You!!! <3

Dagny wrote: "The Dunwich Horror 1:55
Don't worry about the very beginning. It starts with a long quote about superstition and terror. I don't advise listening to this one if Vishal is away, lol. The first half or so would be ok, but it gets really scary later."

Thanks for the heads-up. I'll keep this for next month then as Vishal hass already told me that he'll be staying away for nights this entire month (and asked me not to read any such books. Lol.)

I do like the idea of reading Poe's books this month. I'm really happy that these are so short. I can practically read one every day :)
Thanks, Dagny. I'll finish A Dog Of Flanders today and will read The Tell-Tale Heart and then The Fall of the House of Usher and then the last one. These are all mystery, right?

Let me know if you're planning on reading any of these in the coming days, I'll be happy to read them together :)

Again, thank you!

PS: Thanks for lettign me know that Cheryl knows so much about short stories. I've read so few that i can surely use her help with them! I'm so happy to have met and become friends with Cheryl too!!! <3

Cheryl wrote: "I haven't been reading many classics this year. I have started one for Dagny's group at Yahoo: Anne "

I forot to say that I finished this book. Three stars.

In two weeks I will be starting The Mysteries of Paris at Dagny's classics group. It is 1359 pages long, so Dagny will have to hold my hand and lead me on this long reading journey. (Ha ha!) The book looks good, though.

Heena wrote: "Dagny wrote: "The Dunwich Horror 1:55
Don't worry about the very beginning. It starts with a long quote about superstition and terror. I don't advise listening to this one if Vishal is away, lol. T..."

Heena,

Dagny is the person who introduced me to H. P. Lovecraft, too. She is an expert on these stories and on Lovecraft himself. They are SO scary to read!