Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

I would like to play this game.

B1: Classic of Asia
The Art of War by Sun Tzu
B2: Classic Tragedy
The Great Gatsby
B3: A Book Published at Least 200 Years Ago
Waverly Novels or Frankenstein
B4: Memoir, Autobiography, or Biography
Kind of Blue by Ken Clarke
B5: Classic of Europe
The Diary of a Young Girl

I1: Classic Mystery or Crime
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
I2: Group Bingo Participant Pick
Moby-Dick or, the Whale by Herman Melville
I3: Classic Drama or Play
The Lion in Winter by James Goldman
I4: Book From Group’s 2020 Bookshelf
I5: Classic Gothic or Horror
Dracula

N1: Book From Group’s Old School Classic Shelf prior to 2020
The Time Machine
N2: Winner of a Foreign Literary Prize
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
N3: Reader’s Choice
Open by Andre Agassi
N4: Classic Short Story
Three Men in a Boat
N5: Book From Group’s New School Classic Shelf prior to 2020
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

G1: Classic Science Fiction or Fantasy
The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
G2: The Bigger Read List by English Pen
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
G3: Poetry or Essay Collection
Fifty Orwell Essays by George Orwell
G4: Banned Book
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
G5: Classic Science or Philosophy
A Mathematician's Apology by G.H. Hardy

O1: Classic of Africa, Antarctica, Australia, or Oceania
Cloudstreet
O2: Classic Western
O3: Book Published the Year You Were Born
The Firm by John Grisham
O4: Classic Adventure
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien
O5: Classic of the Americas
The Alchemist

Welcome to the Bingo Challenge, Rob. I am so glad that you have decided to play.

Thanks Katy. Fortunately I have been able to tick off a few already to catch up a little from my slightly late start.

What counts as a classic?

A classic needs to be written prior to 2000 for the challenge. A pretty loose definition. Have fun with the challenge.

Cheers, a very loose definition. I might be a bit stricter than that to be honest.

Rob wrote: "Cheers, a very loose definition. I might be a bit stricter than that to be honest."

Well, I am with my own reading, but for the challenge we use an easy definition.

Good luck on your challenge, Rob!

it's fair enough Katy. It needs to be simple for everyone to understand

I need some advice please. I need something to read that fits the play or drama section. I don't normally read plays, in fact I can't remember reading one in adulthood at all. I think I was put off by reading Shakespeare at school. Don't get me wrong Shakespeare is hugely important and interesting but I would far rather watch it at the theatre than read it.

I would like one that might just hook me in. But also one that isn't too long so at least I can get it over with and still complete the challenge. Any suggestions

Rob wrote: "I need some advice please. I need something to read that fits the play or drama section. I don't normally read plays, in fact I can't remember reading one in adulthood at all. I think I was put off..."

I recommend A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry.

Rob wrote: "I need some advice please. I need something to read that fits the play or drama section. I don't normally read plays, in fact I can't remember reading one in adulthood at all. I think I was put off..."

There a couple of Oscar Wilde plays on our group bookshelf. We had lively discussions last summer about Oscar Wilde's writing. You can easily find an audio version of one of his plays and read along. I read Oscar Wilde An Ideal Husband that way last summer.

Another idea is Twelfth Night a comedy by William Shakespeare which I listened to as I read along.

These are great suggestions, but I'll add another: The Lion in Winter. I just read it last year and loved it. It's short and dramatic and funny.

For a taste of the movie, which is even better: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKoYH...

I read A Raisin in the Sun last month and An Ideal Husband a couple of years ago, both are excellent. I struggle with Shakespeare so I can’t helpfully advise. That said, of the plays I’ve read liked Romeo and Juliet as well as Othello the best.

As For Kathleen’s suggestion for The Lion in Winter, she made the same suggestion to me a short while back. All I can say is that I take her suggestions seriously and plan to someday read it, based only on her suggestion. It's sure to be good.

Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose is also very good.

Rosemarie wrote: "Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose is also very good."

This is a really good idea, that I just had to add--thanks, Rosemarie. :-)

(And Bob, I truly appreciate your kind words, and am sure you'll enjoy it whenever you get to it!)

You're welcome, Kathleen!

Thanks all. I will keep these in mind. The Lion in Winter might just win it you know.

Hi all, I'm getting on well with this so far I think.

I now need suggestions for the group pick.

Ideally I would like to read of this list:
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
The Iliad by Homer
The Odyssey by Homer
Moby-Dick or, the Whale by Herman Melville

What is your favourite out of those?

I loved Carcher in the Rye. and Brave New World. i would recommend either. A Study in Scarlet would come after the other two.

I too loved The Catcher in the Rye and would also recommend Brave New World and The Iliad/The Odyssey if you haven't read Homer

Rob wrote: "Hi all, I'm getting on well with this so far I think.

I now need suggestions for the group pick.

Ideally I would like to read of this list:
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
War and Peace by Leo Tolst..."

Moby Dick.

Rob wrote: "Hi all, I'm getting on well with this so far I think.

I now need suggestions for the group pick.

Ideally I would like to read of this list:
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
War and Peace by Leo Tolst..."

If you want something quick, fun, and intelligent, A Study in Scarlet fits that bill. I love how it takes place in England and America.