Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

I need to do better this year. :D

Challenge #3 - Expand Your Horizon with New Authors

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg - FINISHED 13. 2. 2025.
Košulja sretnog čovjeka: filozofske i srodne priče by Vesna Krmpotić - FINISHED 22. 2. 2025.
Augustus by John Williams - FINISHED 21. 3. 2025.
CONOCER TOLEDO by Various - FINISHED 15. 4. 2025.
The Peabody Sisters by Megan Marshall - FINISHED 23. 4. 2025.
Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie - FINISHED 2. 6. 2025.
Under the Ottoman Veil by Grozdana Lukic - FINISHED 6. 6. 2025.
The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt - FINISHED 20. 6. 2025.
The Jefferson Key by Steve Berry - FINISHED 25. 8. 2025.
Attila by William Napier - FINISHED 13. 11. 2025.

Challenge #8 - Travel the World One Continent at a Time

Africa
✅Asia
Pillars of Light by Jane Johnson
Australia
✅Europe
Bringing Up Girls in Bohemia by Michal Viewegh
✅North America
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
✅South America
El túnel by Ernesto Sabato
*Antarctica, or a Country

*Read a book set in the country you'd most like to visit

Challenge #12– Fiction/Non-Fiction

Sea Travels/Adventures
✅Family
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg - FICTION
The Peabody Sisters by Megan Marshall - NON FICTION
Historic Event
Pillars of Light by Jane Johnson - FICTION

Challenge #13 - Old and New Linked Categories

Genres-Romance, Science Fiction, etc.
Has a Murder
El túnel by Ernesto Sabato (1948)
Contains Time Travel

Challenge #15 - Award Winners

✅From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg - 1968 Newbery Medal
✅Augustus by John Williams - 1973 National Book Award
✅The Peabody Sisters by Megan Marshall - 2006 Francis Parkman Prize (Society of American Historians) & 2006 Mark Lynton History Prize
✅Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie - 2012 PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography & 2012 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Nonfiction
Historians) & 2006 Mark Lynton History Prize
✅The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt - Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction (2012)

Enjoy your planning!

Thank you! This year I decided to do the challenges that I do not need to plan. Somehow, the magic is lost when I feel obligated to read a certain book, and I never finish the challenge.

Challenge #7 - Series Books – Start, Continue, Complete

Challenge #6 - Group Reads, Buddy Reads, Moderators Run Amok

Augustus by John Williams
A Clean Well-Lighted Place by Ernest Hemingway

Challenge #8 - Travel the World One Continent at a Time

EUROPE - Czech Republic

by Michal Viewegh

Review: A middle-aged school teacher living in the Czech Republic in the early 90s, all of a sudden receives an offer (more like a request) to work as a part time creative writing tutor to the eldest daughter of a local nouveau riche who gains his money in dubious ways. He needs extra income so he decides to accept the offer. What he doesn't realise is that his actual job is not that of a tutor, but of a therapist, as he is required to help Beata surpass severe depression. At first, Beata is completely unresponsive, even mean to him, bus slowly she starts opening up, and they start an affair.

I wasn't as thrilled with Bringing Up Girls in Bohemia as others seemed to be. It was apparently a huge hit in its homeland as well as in Croatia. I didn't like any of the characters (maybe that was the author's intention). Beata was a spoiled brat, but also a deeply troubled young woman with extremely low self-esteem. Don't get me started on the teacher. I know that middle-life crisis is a real thing, but when it includes an affair with a woman almost half your age, you'll get no sympathy from me.
The blurb and the reviews state that the novel is a satirical representation of post-communism Czech Republic trying to unsuccessfully transition from the long period of Eastern influence to new, modern and liberal Western one.

Great job getting in your first read of the year. :)

Samanta wrote: "I need to do better this year. :D"

I think you will! You have 8 challenges which is a good number and your strategy seems to be sound. Good luck.

Wobbley wrote: "Great job getting in your first read of the year. :)"

Thank you! :)

Lynn wrote: "Samanta wrote: "I need to do better this year. :D"

I think you will! You have 8 challenges which is a good number and your strategy seems to be sound. Good luck."

Thank you, Lynn! I decided to forgo the Old and New Challenge, which is my favourite, but I just can't seem to finish it. I just don't like planning my reads. I feel like the magic of discovering a new story is gone.

Challenge #8 - Travel the World One Continent at a Time - SOUTH AMERICA

Challenge #13 - Old and New Linked Categories - HAS A MURDER (1948)

by Ernesto Sabato

Review: The Tunnel is a story of obsessive and toxic "love".
Jun Pablo Castel is a semi-famous Argentinian painter whose work the critics describe as solid. He is also a higly intelligent, arrogant man devoid of empathy and emotions for other people. In short he despises and looks down upon everyone around him. One day, during an exhibition of his work, he sees a woman, Maria Iribarne, looking at his painting, and noticing a detail that no one ever notices, a small window with a woman in the corner of the larger painting. He becomes obsessed with find Maria, and eventually becomes obsessed with her, making himself believe that he loves her. Although Maria is married, they start a very toxic and obsessive relationship, which eventually results in murder.

Although it may seem like I've given away the whole story, I have not. We get the ending at the beginning, and then we slowly get the story that led to the ending.

The concept of the story is interesting, but both Juan Pablo and Maria are unlikable characters (which is what the author probably wanted).

Challenge #8 - Travel the World One Continent at a Time - ASIA
Challenge #12– HISTORIC EVENT - FICTION

by Jane Johnson

Review: The Pillars of Light tells a story of the Third Crusade and the infamous Siege of Acre that took place from 1189 to 1191, ending with Salah ad-Din's defeat and the murder of innocent prisoners by the Christian forces. Unlike many stories of this type, this one is written from the perspective of the civilians - both Christian and Muslim - who were caught in between this supposedly religious conflict. On the one side we meet Zohra, a young Muslim girl living in Acre, who falls in love with a young Jewish doctor Nathanael. On the other side, we have a young orphan man known as John Savage, who grew up in a monastery full of abusive monks, and his (almost) merry group of thieves and swindlers, who travel through England trying to gather people and money for the Crusade. Eventually, all of them will meet in Acre, on opposing sides, and witness first-hand the horrors of war, greed and religious zealotry.

Although I found it a bit too long, it was an interesting read because I love reading stories written from the perspective of ordinary people. Jane Johnston gave us an account of both sides equally, although I did feel that she was more inclined toward the Muslim side of the story. I know that Muslims are not the innocents in the story either, but I can't say that I don't agree with her, because I am generally disgusted with the things Christians did in the name of God.

Challenge #3 - Expand Your Horizon with New Authors
Challenge #15 - Award Winners - 1968 Newbery Medal
Challenge #8 - Travel the World One Continent at a Time - NORTH AMERICA
Challenge #12– FAMILY - FICTION

by E.L. Konigsburg

Review: This is a story of Claudia and Jamie, siblings who one day decide to run away from home, well...Claudia does, and she also decides to take one of her brothers, Jamie, with her.

Claudia is the eldest of four children, the only girl, a straight A student, a very serious and inquisitive girl, but she is not great in money management...unlike her younger brother, Jamie.

Claudia thinks her family does not appreciate her, because she has to do all the chores in the house, and - in turns - take care of her youngest brother Kevin, the "spoiled brat". So, she decides to run away to New York, specifically to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and live there until her family starts to appreciate her. Jamie is in it only for the adventure. During their escapade, Claudia and Jamie will learn a lot of theoretical and practical things, but most of all, they will learn to appreciate each other, and their family. There is also a special angel statue involved, but I don't want to spoil things for you, in case you'd like to read it. :)

This one sounds like a lot of fun! Glad you found one you enjoyed so much.

Challenge #3 - Expand Your Horizon with New Authors

by Vesna Krmpotić

Košulja sretnog čovjeka (The Shirt of a Happy Man) is a collection of philosophical essays in which the author tries to explain various topics, like why we dance, how we die or why we are born, our fights with our personal demons..., using religious and folkloric stories from all over the world, but focusing more on Indian stories and philosophy. Apart from Indian culture, we get a glimpse into Slavic (Croatian, Polish...), as well as Jewish and biblical stories. All in all, it's a cultural melting pot in which the author managed to demonstrate the similarities in our cultures and beliefs. The reading was a bit dry for my taste, but I did find some interesting quotes.

Vesna Krmpotić has a large opus, and she is a winner of many rewards, including the Vladimir Nazor Lifetime Achievement Award, and HAZUs (Croatian Academy for Science and Arts) award for highest achievements in Literature.

Challenge #3 - Expand Your Horizon with New Authors
Challenge #15 - Award Winners
Challenge #6 - Group Reads, Buddy Reads, Moderators Run Amok

by John Williams
Date: 21. 3. 2025.
Rating: B
Genre: Historical Fiction, Ancient Rome
Review: Augustus tells the story of how Octavian, the great Julius Caesar's nephew and adopted son and heir, became the first emperor of what was, up until then, a Roman Republic.

The story starts just when Julius Caesar is assassinated, and we meet various characters who are, in different ways, affected by his death. We meet members of his family, his friends, and his enemies.

The novel is written in epistolary form, with the readers finding out the story of Octavian's rule through the exchange of letters between different people around him. Only at the very end of the book, the readers get to hear Octavian story from his own perspective.

The first part of the novel was hard to get into, because it felt like reading military reports. They were more or less short, but very dry. The second part is when the things get interesting. We read more in-depth letters and we get to know all of the characters intimately, we get to like them, dislike them, feel sorry for them, or not.

Despite what for me was a slow start, I believe Williams did a great job describing Octavian through the eyes of people close to him, and at the same time, the authors of those letters.

Glad you enjoyed this one Samantha -- I did too.

Delighted it picked up for you, Samanta.

I am, too. I liked that second part much more, because it gives us a glimpse into the characters' emotions and thought processes.

Challenge #3 - Expand Your Horizon with New Authors

by Various
Date: 15. 4. 2025.
Rating: B-
Genre: Travel Guide
Review: I bought this little guide when I was in Toledo (Spain. Btw, is there a Toledo in U.S., too?)) last week. It's a very short book, only 67 pages, and it gives an overview of the origins of the city, as well as all the cultures that influenced its architecture, culture, and its way of life. Additionally, the authors propose various thematic routes for sightseeing, and the texts are accompanied by lovely illustrations of different parts of the city.

What a fun idea to use a travel guide for your challenge! All reading counts. :) I hope you enjoyed your trip.

There is a Toledo in the U.S., Toledo, Ohio. I think most of the major European cities have cities in the U.S. named for them. I am very jealous of your trip to the original Toledo...I would love to go.

Sara wrote: "There is a Toledo in the U.S., Toledo, Ohio. I think most of the major European cities have cities in the U.S. named for them. I am very jealous of your trip to the original Toledo...I would love t..."

A friend of mine from another group told me that there were several Toledos in the U.S., but that the one in Ohio was the most famous one. :) During my formal education I realised that people who migrated to North and South America simply named their new settlements after their original ones (we learn quite a lot about the American continents) in Croatian schools. I always found that funny, because in Croatia you will rarely find two places with a same name.

Toledo is gorgeous and rich in history. I was there for a day trip from Madrid, which turned out to be an afternoon trip because we didn't plan it well, and it wasn't nearly enough.

If you ever get a chance to go to Toledo, do a morning to sundown day-trip, or better yet stay the night.

Wobbley wrote: "What a fun idea to use a travel guide for your challenge! All reading counts. :) I hope you enjoyed your trip."

Thank you, Wobbley!

This one is also not your typical travel guide. They do name routes, but they focus on a detailed description of the historical buildings from their history to the architecture.

Challenge #3 - Expand Your Horizon with New Authors
Challenge #12– FAMILY - NON FICTION
Challenge #15 - Award Winners - - 2006 Francis Parkman Prize (Society of American Historians) & 2006 Mark Lynton History Prize

by Megan Marshall
Date: 23. 4. 2025.
Rating: B
Genre: Biography
Review: I didn't know anything about the Elizabeth, Mary and Sophia Peabody before reading this book, which attracted me with its a bit bombastic title. Even though I think that the three sister did not necessarily IGNITE the American Romanticism, they certainly made their mark on the Boston's and Salem's society of the 19th century. I am so glad that they managed to make their dreams come true, albeit very late in life for some of them, even when faced with the most difficult obstacle of being a woman in the 19th century. Although I saw a lot of myself in Elizabeth, the outspoken oldest sister who likes to mother her younger siblings, I liked Mary, the second sister, the best. She was unable to stand out between the oldest Elizabeth, and the youngest, romantic and "eternal patient", Sophia, so she learned to quietly thread through life, extensively reading, educating herself, and others, and eventually managing to win the heart of the reluctant Horace Mann, whom she patiently waited for years, as well as becoming a writer and publishing various books.

All in all, I was quite happy with the execution of this book. Megan Marshall has and engaging writing style, sometimes maybe to detailed, but still very interesting.

Challenge #3 - Expand Your Horizon with New Authors
Challenge #15 - Award Winners - PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography (2012) & Andrew Carnegie Medal for Nonfiction (2012)

by Robert K. Massie
Date: 2. 6. 2025.
Rating: B
Genre: Biography
Review: Catherine the Great, during her life known as Catherine II because she wouldn't allow anyone to call her "Great" was one of the most famous and grandest monarchs of Europe. According to the author, the only female monarch that could ever be equal to her was Elisabeth I of England, who lived 200 years before her. The book tells us the whole story, from the impoverished German princess Sophia, shipped of to Russia to be married to the grand duke Peter III, the grandson of Peter the Great and the future emperor, to Catherine, one of the most powerful monarchs of her age.
The author did not just describe what made her great, but also what made her human, good and bad. It took me a very long time, almost four months to finish the book, because of the many details of Catherine's life. The book was very slow-paced and many times I felt overwhelmed with the idea of reading 625 pages of details. Now that I have finished it, I am glad that I did because Catherine had a very interesting life, she knew and actively corresponded with so many famous people, and took part in, or observed from afar, so many important events in our history.

I find non-fiction to be a difficult category for me. I'm glad you found one you thought was worthwhile!

Challenge #3 - Expand Your Horizon with New Authors

by Grozdana Lukic
Date: 6. 6. 2025.
Rating: B
Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Family Drama
Review: Undet the Ottoman Veil tells the story of a brave young woman, Marija, living in a remote village in Medieval Serbia at the brink of battle of Kosovo polje, where the Ottoman army defeated the forces of the Serbian prince Lazar, and made Serbia part of the Ottoman Empire. Marija will find herself a prisoner to Bayezid, the new Sultan, who will force her to marry him.

Without going into much spoilers, I really enjoyed the story. It was written by an aspiring Serbian authoress who promoted her novel through Facebook pages for book lovers. That is how I found out about the book, and decided to buy it to support her. It was published on Amazon, and is available only in English, as far as i know. I have quickly scanned through the historical information, and Bayezid from the book is the actual Ottoman sultan Bayezid I Thunderbolt who married the Serbian princess Marija Olivera Lazarević (in the book Marija discovers she is not a mere village girl). Apart from that, as far as I can see, the story is completely fictional. Still, a very enjoyable book, and a fast read.

Wobbley wrote: "I find non-fiction to be a difficult category for me. I'm glad you found one you thought was worthwhile!"

it's not always easy for me, either, but I am reading more and more non fiction lately. Much more than fiction.

How lovely that you supported this new author and found her book enjoyable. So much history to discover out there!

Sara wrote: "How lovely that you supported this new author and found her book enjoyable. So much history to discover out there!"

Oh, yes, definitely! We have had some many changes and different influences here in the Western Balkans. Serbia is our neighbour, but I know next to nothing about its history, apart from the part we share which was not great.

Challenge #3 - Expand Your Horizon with New Authors
Challenge #15 - Award Winners - Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction (2012)

by Stephen Greenblatt
Date: 20. 6. 2025.
Rating: B
Genre: Philosophy, History, Religion
Review: An overview of the period in history when the world started to stray from the rigorous teachings and rules of the Catholic Church; the time when people discovered "scandalous" works of Ancient Roman writers and poets which started changing human perception of God, religion, and human body and soul.

I really liked this book, and I can see myself reading it again at some point.

Hooray! Congrats on finding a success!

Thank you! :)

Challenge #3 - Expand Your Horizon with New Authors

by Steve Berry
Date: 25. 8. 2025.
Rating: C
Genre: Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Review: This is the 7th installment of the Cotton Malone series, and the first Steve Berry's book I've read. I must admit that I was not impressed. It was more than 500 pages of an action movie written on paper. It felt like reading a movie script. I expected more from such a renown author of so many books.

This edition contain a short story The Devil's Gold which I definitely liked, much better than the novel. It is a sort of a character-related prequel to this novel, but has nothing to do with the main story. It is a very interesting take on the story of Hitler's death and the hidden Nazi gold.

At the very end of this edition is an excerpt of Berry's novel The Columbus Affair.

Challenge #3 - Expand Your Horizon with New Authors

by William Napier
Date: 13. 11. 2025.
Rating: A
Genre: Historical Fiction
Review: The first book in the trilogy about one of the most fearsome chieftains (rulers) and conquerors of the world, Attila the Scourge of God (in Croatian he is known as "Bič Božji", which roughly translates as the Whip of God). Here we meet Attila as a young boy, around 12 years old while he is living in the slowly dying Roman Empire as a war hostage. As the political and economic situation in Rome worsens, the current princess tries to assassinate Attila and pin his assassination to the Goths, to create a conflict between the Huns and the Goths. With the help of various people, Attila manages to escape and eventually finds his way back to his homeland Scythia (part of modern-day Hungary), only to find his beloved grandfather and father dead, and his uncle the new ruler.

Yay, sounds like you found one you love!