Challenge Wrap-Ups: Those CLASSICS!
Since I knew that I wanted to reread Jane Eyre, Walden and The Moonstone in 2012, the reading challenges for classics intrigued – and I entered four of them, with rather poor results.
Let me start my recap with my sole
SUCCESS!
– the tremendously popular Back to the Classics Challenge hosted by Sarah Reads Too Much.
Here are Sarah’s nine categories of classics, and my results:
Any 19th Century Classic
WALDEN by Henry David Thoreau
Any 20th Century Classic
THE INNOCENCE OF FATHER BROWN by G.K. Chesterton
Reread a classic of my choice
LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott
A Classic Play
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM by William Shakespeare
Classic Mystery/Horror/Crime Fiction
THE MOONSTONE by Wilkie Collins
Classic Romance
JANE EYRE by Charlotte Bronte
Classic that has been translated from its original language to mine
THE STRANGER by Albert Camus
Classic Award Winner
THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA by Ernest Hemingway (read in December 2012) Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Literature 1953
Classic set in a country that I (realistically speaking) will not visit during my lifetime
THE BRIDGE OF SAN LUIS REY by Thornton Wilder (set in Peru)
* * * * *
I didn’t do so well, though, on the also popular Classics Challenge over at November’s Autumn. To distinguish this challenge from the one above, I dubbed this dare The Classics Challenge with a Twist – the twist being that on the 4th of each month Katherine posted a prompt for a discussion of whatever classic I happened to be reading.
I had to read seven classics and I crossed over a few titles on my list for the first classics challenge. You can see the list on the sign-up page for this ‘twist’.
Despite the fact that I did read the seven required books, I posted discussions on only two: Uncle Tom’s Cabin in January, and Walden in February. Overall, I must admit:
FAILURE!
* * * * *
The Classic Double Challenge hosted by Melissa at One Librarian’s Book Reviews encouraged me to read one older book (classic) and a newer book that related to the older one in some way.
I’m opted in at the Medium level, which required me to read two sets of related books.
FAILURE!
Unless I’ve missed a connection somewhere, I managed to get in only one set of doubles:
JANE EYRE and
THE FLIGHT OF GEMMA HARDY
* * * * *
And last, but not least, I wanted some structure and discussion to delve into the bard and so signed up for Reading Shakespeare: A Play a Month Challenge that Risa over at Breadcrumbs Reads started in January. You can see the entire “play-list” on my sign-up page.
Unfortunately, personal issues made it necessary for Risa to drop the group early in the year and we all just fell apart without her – at least, I did. I managed to read the first two but the rest is a
FAILURE!
January – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
February – MacBeth
Oh, I feel so guilty about abandoning the Shakespeare project when it had just begun….especially when I see the logo on some of the blogs. 🙁 I’ve now joined another challenge similar to this one being hosted at Fandalit Classics. It began in November and ends in October 2013. I’m hoping to get some Shakespeare done this way.
Risa, don’t feel guilty! There’s no reason in the world that I couldn’t–and shouldn’t–have finished this project after my commitment.
I hope you get a lot of the bard under your belt during Fandalit’s challenge. 🙂
So glad that you scored a success on the Back to the Classics challenge!!
I wouldn’t call it a complete failure on the Classic Double Challenge! Half complete is a fabulous accomplishment. I didn’t reach my goal either 🙂 Hope to see you join in next year!
It was just too bad that I didn’t set my original goal to just one pair, Melissa.
I’m going to take a break from classics this year, so maybe I’ll join in again in 2014.