I actually managed to read all twelve books in this year's Back to the Classics Challenge. It's hosted by Karen at Books and Chocolate, and is always a lot of fun. Though I don't usually manage to finish all the categories. Here are the twelve books I read, with links to my original posts, in the order that I liked them...from best to worst:
💗Classic set in a place you'd like to visit: The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
A 19th Century Classic: Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
Classic that's been on your TBR the longest: The Virginian by Owen Wister
Wild Card Classic: Uncle Silas by Sheridan Le Fanu
A Classic in Translation: City Folk and Country Folk by Sofia Khvoshchinskaya
A 20th Century Classic: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
A Nonfiction Classic: Twelve Years a slave by Solomon Northup
A Classic by a BIPOC Author: House Made of Dawn by N. Scott Momaday
Mystery/Detective/Crime Classic: Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay
A Classic by a Woman Author: A Double Life by Karolina Pavlova
Pre-1800 Classic: The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless by Eliza Haywood
Classic Short Story Collection: Maggie and Other Tales of New York by Stephen Crane
There you have it...the twelve classics I read this year. The only one I truly disliked was the short story collection by Stephen Crane. And while I didn't love some of the others, at least I found them to be interesting reads. But most of these books I ended up really liking. So a big THANK YOU to Karen for picking these fun categories and hosting this challenge again this year.
Happy Reading!
Congratulations for finishing all the categories! I have just finished my last book for this challenge too. Just curious.. have you ended up reading all books you have intended from the beginning? My list is continually changing. :))
ReplyDeleteMy list changed a bit this year...one book I was going to read I ended up DNF-ing, so then had to choose another book for the challenge. And sometimes your mood changes halfway through the year. That happens to me a lot, too. But the majority of the books on my list this time around are the ones I intended to read last January. :D
DeleteIt's impressive you read all of these, congrats! it seems a good mix of classics too - some well known and others less known. A few of these I want to read.
ReplyDeleteSome of these have been on my TBR list forever, so I was glad to finally get them read; others were new to me and ended up being fun discoveries. :D
DeleteWell done :) Great assortment there!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteWow, well done, that's an amazing acheivement! By the end of the month I should've managed six which, a couple of months ago, I wouldn't have thought I would've got anywhere near so I'm happy with that.
ReplyDeleteSix is awesome! I've only ever managed to read books in all twelve categories twice.
DeleteCongrats on finishing the challenge, Lark! 😊👏
ReplyDeleteThanks, Melody! :D
DeleteCongratulations on your accomplishment of the challenge. Very well done!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I had fun doing it this year. :D
DeleteCongrats! I've enjoyed reading along on yours. I'm close to finishing all twelve of mine, but we'll see...
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed! I love reading all your classic book posts, too. :D
DeleteCongrats on completing the challenge! That's awesome! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ashley! I usually never manage to finish these kind of reading challenges, so I'm happy I did this year. :D
DeleteCongrats to finishing all the books.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary! :D
DeleteWay to go, Lark! Congratulations! I think I read one classic this year--The Count of Monte Cristo.
ReplyDeleteThat's a classic that's been on my list for a long time. Someday I might actually get around to reading it. ;D
DeleteCongrats! I really should read more classics. You never really know what you're going to get! :)
ReplyDeleteYou really don't. I was pleasantly surprised many times this year with several of these books.
DeleteCongratulations!! I'm so impressed.
ReplyDeleteThank you! :D
DeleteCongratulations! This seems like a great challenge, and I'm so impressed that you completed it! I do want to read Grapes of Wrath, but since I just read Cannery Row earlier this year, I didn't think I should put another Steinbeck on my Classics Club list just yet. Soon, I hope!
ReplyDeleteYou have to be in the right mood to read Grapes of Wrath, I think. And you need time, too, because it's one of his longer books. Good, but sort of depressing.
DeleteCongratulations Lark on completing all 12 books In the Classics Challenge! Now that I have finally read Thomas Hardy I will be eager to read your review of Far From Madding Crowd and put the book on my .ist.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Far From the Madding Crowd. The latest movie version of it was really good, too.
DeleteGreat job! The only one I've read on this list is The Grapes of Wrath but your review and your ranking has me wanting to read The Scarlet Pimpernel.
ReplyDeleteIf I'd known what a fun story it is I would have read it years ago. :D
DeleteYay!! Great job! I'm horrible at challenges, and you nailed this one.
ReplyDeleteI struggle with challenges, too. If they're longer than six books, I usually can't finish them. This particular challenge is my one exception.
DeleteCongratulations on completing this challenge!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteCongratulations, Lark! You did it! :)
ReplyDelete:D There was a few times I wasn't sure if I'd make it, but somehow I did.
DeleteOh wow, congratulations!! That is awesome :)
ReplyDeleteThanks. I can't believe I got through all twelve books! ;D
DeleteCongratulations on finishing all 12. I am having a bad year with regards to the classics--I've only finished 4, but with 2 in the works I might make 6 by NYE. I really need to make an effort to read Scarlet Pimpernel--I know I would like it. I was blown away by 12 Years a Slave when I read it a few years ago. Grapes of Wrath is compelling and a masterpiece. I have mixed feelings about Picnic at Hanging Rock--thought the ambiguity troubling, but I think that was the point. Anyway, congrats and Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jane! And good luck finishing up those 2 other classics this month. I have to start early with reading challenges because I also poop out at the end with them.
DeleteYes, I have read The Grapes of Wrath and Twelve Years a Slave plus others from Thomas Hardy, not Far From the Madding Crowd but that is definitely on my wishlist.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good one! I'm glad I finally read it this year. :D
DeleteCongrats on reading for all 12 categories! I only got through 9, but I also read a lot of books outside of the challenge. I hope she hosts again next year - what do you think?
ReplyDeleteI hope she does, too, because it's one of my favorite reading challenges. Congrats on finishing 9 categories this year! :D
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