Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

In October and November we will be reading books set in school. You can read YA books, Children's Classics or Non-fiction-even picture books.
The books need to have been published for the first time before 1974.
You can read books suitable for readers 16 and under.
If you're not sure if the book you plan to read is suitable for this buddy read, don't hesitate to ask.

Which book(s) are you planning to read?

I have read and finished both Goodbye Mr. Chips by James Hilton and Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster. Both were enjoyable 4 star books that I read in one day. I read both in Illustrated editions which certainly added to the enjoyment.
and

Here's my review of Goodbye Mr. Chips: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Here's my review of Daddy-Long-Legs:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

That's good to hear, Brian. I enjoyed your review of Daddy Long-Legs.
I'll be reading Good-bye Mr Chips later this month, after I finish the 700+ page book I'm reading now, La Regenta by Leopoldo Alas.

I've just finished Goodbye Mr. Chips and agree with you, Brian. It's a lovely book but I wish it were longer!

If anyone would like to read a very funny book set in a school, I recommend Mike and Psmith by P.G. Wodehouse. It's content is suitable for teenagers and it's very funny!

Rosemarie wrote: "If anyone would like to read a very funny book set in a school, I recommend Mike and Psmith by P.G. Wodehouse. It's content is suitable for teenagers and it's very funny!"

This book looks good, Rosemarie. I've been wanting to read more books that feature cricket, a sport totally alien to me.

Rosemarie wrote: "If anyone would like to read a very funny book set in a school, I recommend Mike and Psmith by P.G. Wodehouse. It's content is suitable for teenagers and it's very funny!"

I recently finished Leave It to Psmith which also serves as an early Blandings Castle novel, so that would be right up my alley right now. Now how to fit in in?

I read it in a couple of hours, Brian. It had me laughing out loud!

I am now the proud owner of a freebie Kindle of Mike and Psmith courtesy of my friendly local Amazon dealer.

Yay!

I'll get to it after I finish my current "fun" "light" or "comfort" read, D.E. Stevenson's The Four Graces, which is actually a 4th Miss Buncle Book, with the same town and society, just different main characters. Or, I'll really live it up and read both of them simultaneously. It is Christmas-time.

Yes, you're allowed to give yourself a treat, Brian.
We all are!

Actually I had a Cadfael lined up too and will read Mike and Psmith after Christmas and New Year's.
Yes, I can over-indulge as these are sugar and fat-free treats

And good for our emotional well-being.

Which Cadfael? I read them all years ago and do have some favourites.

Rosemarie wrote: "Which Cadfael? I read them all years ago and do have some favourites."

I'm reading them in order and I'm now on #15 The Confession of Brother Haluin. I decided to add it in when I realized I only had read 2 Cadfaels so far in 2023.

I need to read that one again. It sounds good!

I have finished reading P.G. Wodehouse's Mike and Psmith on the recommendation of our esteemed roaming scholar for the northern sector.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

It was a fun read and was definitely more typical of the time-period's (1909) boy's school story than Wodehouse's typical society satire story. This one fit right into this Back to School Buddy Read's category, albeit the Winter term edition.
I enjoyed it enough that I started it's predecessor Mike at Wrykyn today.
I really need to learn more specifics about the processes of cricket though.

I also started Swann's Way yesterday. One of these two books serves as my "comfort" read. Surprisingly, its not the one about the guy who lays in bed all day.

I didn't know there was a Mike book-I need to find it.

Brian E wrote: "I also started Swann's Way yesterday. One of these two books serves as my "comfort" read. Surprisingly, its not the one about the guy who lays in bed all day...."

Brian I am not sure how interesting a day in bed could possible be. Makes one want to read it though just to discover what it is all about!

That’s just a joke, Lesle. The book(s) not about what the narrator does in bed (thank God) but just the oft-used format of a narrator telling about events in his past, in this case in beautifully descriptive language and luxuriously long sentences, capturing his impressions of people, things and nature during those past events. It’s not a complexly difficult read like Mann’s Joseph, you just have to focus and not let your mind wander.
It’s too bad I couldn’t fit this in with the Buddy Read last year but this group really had so so much going on last year. I’ll check the thread.

I'm bumping that thread up to save me from having to dig deep in the archives every time:https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Brian E wrote: "That’s just a joke, Lesle. The book(s) not about what the narrator does in bed (thank God) but just the oft-used format of a narrator telling about events in his past, in this case in beautifully d..."

Haha!

Brian I moved that thread back up into Buddy Reads for you. Easier that way.

Anyone can ask Rosemarie or I to move threads back into active if you want. It is not a problem at all. We want our Members to have ease as well.

May I suggest The Browning Version by Terence Rattigan as a counterbalance to Goodbye, Mr Chips?

Like Chips, it is set in a school, and like Chips, it is a deeply moving story. Actually it's a play.

Anything else I add might spoil it for others.

Thanks for the suggestion, Mbuye. Is it suitable for younger readers under 15?

My review of the Wodehouse schoolboy novella Mike at Wrykyn https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

It's a great read if you like schoolboy tales, cricket and the Wodehouse wit. Or something similar.
I liked it very much even though I don't like cricket. I just don't know cricket. But I do like boarding school stories, sporting contests in general and adore the Wodehouse wit. That was enough.

Thanks for the review, Brian.
I sort of know how cricket works, so hopefully I can find a copy of the book.

Hi, Rosemarie

For under-15 readers, I would hesitate to recommend The Browning Version, not because of the content in the play, but because of their levels of comprehension.
For that matter, I would hesitate to recommend quite a large chunk of literature for very young people that 15-year old readers might enjoy

It sounds like it really depends on the maturity and reading ability of the younger reader, or for that matter, readers of any age.

I wouldn't go so far as to say "readers of any age", but perhaps it is not a buddy read