Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

I'm only participating in 3 of the challenges in the buffet this year.

Challenge #3 - Decade/Century/Millennium
Challenge #5 - Short Story
Challenge #7 - Expand Your Horizon With New Authors

Challenge #3
CENTURY CHALLENGE COMPLETE

10/10 Read

1910s The 39 Steps by John Buchan(1915) 4/20/23 ★★★
1920s One of Ours by Willa Cather (1922) 2/8/23 ★★★
1930s The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck (1931) 2/18/23 ★★★★
1940s The Makioka Sisters by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki (1948) 5/25/23 ★★
1950s To Sir, With Love by E.R. Braithwaite (1959) 3/27/23 ★★★★
1960s The Great Fortune by Olivia Manning (1960) 1/8/23 ★★★½
1970s The Driver's Seat by Muriel Spark (1970) 6/17/23 ★★★★
1980s The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor (1982) 2/26/23 ★★★★
1990s Kehinde by Buchi Emecheta (1994) 7/22/23 ★★★★
2000s Eve out of Her Ruins by Ananda Devi (2006) 1/7/23 ★★★★

CHALLENGE #5
SHORT STORY CHALLENGE COMPLETE

1. The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin 1/1/23 ★★★★★
2. A Private Experience by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 1/27/23 ★★★★
3. All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury 2/10/23 ★★★★★
4. The Last Night of the World by Ray Bradbury 2/10/23 ★★★★
5. Those Are As Brothers by Nancy Hale 2/15/23 ★★★★
6. From A to Z by Susan Glaspell 3/5/23 ★★
7. Foster by Claire Keegan 3/8/23 ★★★★★
8. The Whole World Knows by Eudora Welty 3/22/23 ★★
9. Haircut by Ring Lardner 3/22/23 ★★★★
10. Schrodinger’s Cat by Ursula K. Le Guin 3/23/23 ★★★
11. Displacement by David Wong Louie 5/6/23 ★★★
12. Natalie by Alice Dunbar-Nelson 6/2/23 ★★★
13. You Can't Be Any Poorer Than Dead by Flannery O'Connor 6/13/23 ★★★
14. Three-Ten From Yuma by Elmore Leonard 7/1/23 ★★★★★
15. Why Do Heathens Rage? by Flannery O'Connor 7/6/23 ★★★
16. 2 B R 0 2 B by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. 8/14/23 ★★★
17. The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin (reread) 9/1/23 ★★★★★
18. Before the Party by W. Somerset Maugham 9/4/23 ★★★★★
19. The Ant and the Grasshopper by W. Somerset Maugham 9/4/23 ★★★★★
20. The Traveler by Wallace Stegner 9/17/23 ★★★
21. Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville 9/29/23 ★★★★★
22. How Much Land Does a Man Need? by Leo Tolstoy 11/7/23 ★★★★
23. The Storm by Kate Chopin 11/7/23 ★★★
24. Gooseberries by Anton Chekhov 11/7/23 ★★★

CHALLENGE #7
EXPAND YOUR HORIZON WITH NEW AUTHORS

CHALLENGE COMPLETE 6/6

1. Ananda Devi - Eve out of Her Ruins
2. Florence Williams - The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative
3. Roxane Gay- Bad Feminist
4. Olivia Manning - The Balkan Trilogy
5. Patricia Hruby Powell - Loving vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case
6. Beryl Markham - West with the Night

Three is better than none, as long as you have fun. I agree, Omelas is a solid five stars. Enjoy the coming year.

Thanks, Bob.

My first book read for two of my challenges. Eve out of Her Ruins by Ananda Devi is not a classic, but it worked for my century and new author challenges. It was good but a heartbreaking book to read.

I've finished the 2nd book on my century challenge. The Great Fortune is the first book in a trilogy about a young English couple living in Bucharest, Romania in the first year of WWII. In this first book, Romania has not been invaded but they are waiting to see how far Germany expands its conquest. They are initially concerned whether it will be Russia or Germany that invades as neither is seen as a good thing for Romania. While they wait, the war is a relatively distant concern for everyone's daily lives. Although this is set in Romania, the main characters are mostly English expats with a few other nationalities thrown in. I am enjoying the various characters, and I'm interested to see where things go as the war encroaches on their lives so I am continuing on to read the rest of the trilogy.

Laurie wrote: "I've finished the 2nd book on my century challenge. The Great Fortune is the first book in a trilogy about a young English couple living in Bucharest, Romania in the first year of WWI..."

I read this trilogy in another group and one person's assessment was, "those two were a couple of knuckleheads." While I agreed with that statement I really enjoyed all three books and went on to read the Levant Trilogy.

I’m not familiar with either of your first two reads, but both sound interesting.

Marilyn wrote: "Laurie wrote: "I've finished the 2nd book on my century challenge. The Great Fortune is the first book in a trilogy about a young English couple living in Bucharest, Romania in the fi..."

Marilyn, I can see why someone thinks they are knuckleheads and it will probably only get worse as the war moves closer to Bucharest. I've read that there is quiet humor in these books which mostly escapes me. I assume Prince Yakimov is supposed to be humorous but I find his sponging off everyone around him infuriating.

Bob wrote: "I’m not familiar with either of your first two reads, but both sound interesting."

Bob, they are interesting I would be reticent to recommend Eve Out of Her Ruins to many people. What happens to the female characters is brutal and I came close to dnfing the book. I think many people in our group would like The Balkan Trilogy although it is such a long book that it's a real investment in time.

Thanks, Laurie.

I am going to substitute the 1920s book on my century challenge with something else but I haven't decided what yet. I made it to page 95 of Told By An Idiot and I am so bored. The first chapter was great but it has not held up to the promise of that beginning.

Oh man, short stories by Ray Bradbury are so good but so depressing. I read 2 of his stories today and All Summer in a Day broke my heart.

I haven't read that one, but I've read Dandelion Wine, which is a set of connected short stories by Ray Bradbury. Some of them were so wonderful and made me so happy, and some made me feel just awful. He's certainly an evocative short story writer. Though a bit uneven, I also quite enjoyed The Martian Chronicles, another set of connected short stories by the same author, full of creative ideas.

I read Dandelion Wine many years ago and I don't remember much, so I should reread it. I have not read The Martian Chronicles, but there were so many positive opinions about it from group members when it was a group read that I plan to read it someday.

The Last Night of the World does sound like a particularly sad collection, Laurie. Glad to hear you found the stories moving anyway.

(Dandelion Wine is a favorite of mine, and while he touches on some heavy topics, overall it leaves me feeling nostalgic, but wonderful!)

Wobbley wrote: "I haven't read that one, but I've read Dandelion Wine, which is a set of connected short stories by Ray Bradbury. Some of them were so wonderful and made me so happy, and some made me ..."

You have an interesting list of books lined up. Getting some good ideas for my own challenge.

I've always been afraid to read Dandelion Wine for some reason. But since so many from our group seem to like it, I'm thinking of moving it up on my reading schedule.

I remember liking Dandelion Wine so I feel it is worth reading.

Laurie wrote: "Oh man, short stories by Ray Bradbury are so good but so depressing. I read 2 of his stories today and All Summer in a Day broke my heart."

I love short stories. After seeing your post, I found a PDF copy of All Summer in a Day excellent story, and agree it was sad.

Bob wrote: "Laurie wrote: "Oh man, short stories by Ray Bradbury are so good but so depressing. I read 2 of his stories today and All Summer in a Day broke my heart."

I love short stories. Aft..."

It is a wonderful thing to be able to find many classic short stories for free somewhere online. One benefit of reading oldies.

I read The Good Earth for my century challenge. It had started to feel like one of those everyone's read it but me books. I liked it and I may read more of her work, but I don't see her becoming a favorite author.

I read The Good Earth quite a long time ago, but I remember finding it fairly compelling. Glad to hear you enjoyed it. Actually, it looks like you've enjoyed all the ones you've read so far -- a great start to the year!

This was one of my mother’s favorites. Whenever I see the title I think of her and smile. This is the only book by Buck that I have read, I do have a couple more on my shelf.

Wobbley wrote: "I read The Good Earth quite a long time ago, but I remember finding it fairly compelling. Glad to hear you enjoyed it. Actually, it looks like you've enjoyed all the ones you've read so far -- a gr..."

I have enjoyed my books. I'm being more choosy these days and I have no qualms about quitting a book I not liking. My dnf stack may be much larger than it used to be.

Bob wrote: "This was one of my mother’s favorites. Whenever I see the title I think of her and smile. This is the only book by Buck that I have read, I do have a couple more on my shelf."

I have a couple of other books by Buck I am interested in so I hope to read more someday.

Great progress, Laurie!

I liked but didn't love The Good Earth, and thought Pavilion of Women was much better, if you're interested in more from this author.

Kathleen wrote: "Great progress, Laurie!

I liked but didn't love The Good Earth, and thought Pavilion of Women was much better, if you're interested in more from this author."

That's one of the books I am interested in. I'm glad to see you liked it better.

I have finished my century challenge. Overall I enjoyed the books I read. I made a few changes to my original plans and I am pleased with the books I ended up reading. Only one more challenge to complete now.

Well done completing your century challenge! I've only read a few of the books you chose, so I may need to add some of the others to my list.

Congratulations Laurie on the completion!!

Congrats, Laurie! My century challenge is going very slow, so I'm impressed. :-)

Congrats, only short stories left.

Thanks everyone!