Reading the Classics discussion

Let's start nominations for what we want to read for October. Remember to keep it a classic that is at least 50 years old.

I'm going to get it started by nominating our runner-up from September, An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser.

I’m also really keen on Dreiser but would like to throw something else into the ring-The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington.

I’d like for us to read Elizabeth Bowen, The Death of the Heart.

I nominate Native Son by Richard Wright.

I nominate Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

I have wanted to read this for a long time and some people say it's a must read.
However, it is a rather long book and that might put people off, so perhaps it can be read over two months?

I give my vote to Dreisers american tragedy, re-read DQ this year, but won't be angry if Dreiser would start in 2021

Good suggestions! I suggest something a little shorter for the choices through the end of the year and start the new year with a two month read.

I love all of these suggestions. I agree with shorter reads for the rest of the year and tackling An American Tragedy in January, possibly as a two month read. My suggestion for October is Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zorzi Neale Hurston.

A lot of great suggestions! I will be posting a poll on Friday, so if you haven't nominated a book yet, now is the time! Or put your support behind someone else's nomination.

As a recap, so far our nominations are:

An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser
The Death of the Heart by Elizabeth Bowen
Native Son by Richard Wright
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
Their Eyes Were Watching God By Zora Neale Hurston

I nominate A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.

Oh, looks like I’m a few days late to nominate, maybe next time!

Don Quixote won with 14 votes, with An American Tragedy a very close second with 13 votes. Don Quixote has over 1000 pages, while An American Tragedy has around 850 pages. I'm considering reading An American Tragedy for our October and November group read, and postponing Don Quixote to be our first Doorstopper Read for January-March. What does everyone think?

As I read DQ in February, I would pause this month, AAT would be my kind of meat as the shorter novels had not enough votes.

I’m happy to read AAT.

I am happy with whatever, have both books, poised to begin one! Thank you, Jenn!

I think the Edith Grossman translation was recently very cheap on the kindle store. Her translation is considered the best.
I read it in university and it’s got lots of humour and sweetness in it,really a book of small tales. I would read it again..slowly.

American Tragedy is 34 hours on audio. This will be the longest journey I’ve ever taken.

I voted for AAT so I'm down!

Jenn wrote: "Don Quixote won with 14 votes, with An American Tragedy a very close second with 13 votes. Don Quixote has over 1000 pages, while An American Tragedy has around 850 pages. I'm considering reading A..."

This sounds just fine to me! Excited to begin.

So if we are reading An American Tragedy it looks like we should be through Chapter 14 of Book 1 by Monday? Does that seem right? Starting tonight! 😄

Seems like everyone is for reading An American Tragedy. I will work on a reading schedule and we will plan to start reading Oct 10 and finish at the end of November or mid-December. Sorry about the delay, as I was trying to decide what to do and give enough time to discuss our options.

October 10th till mid-December is fine for me,

I have posted a new discussion in the Group Reads folder with the reading schedule for An American Tragedy. We will read from today through mid-December. Check out the schedule, and join us for the read.

Also, for those who do not want to ready An American Tragedy, we will nominate and vote on two short reads for November and December. I have already started a nomination thread for November's shorter Group Read in the Choose the Next Group Read folder.