Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

Reminder: -All books must be published before 2006-

➤B1: 20th Century Andrew Wyeth: A Secret Life – The Definitive Biography Revealing the Turbulent Obsession Behind an Iconic American Realist Painter by Richard Meryman - 1996 - (non-fiction) - 4✭
➤B2: Your Native Language - One Foot in Eden by Ron Rash -2002 - 5✭ {Not just English, but Southern English}
➤B3: New Country Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry - 2002 - 5✭
➤B4: Chosen by the Cover The Curate's Wife by E.H. Young - 1934 - 4✭
➤B5: Ancient/Old or Future Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace - 1880 - 4✭

➤I1: Group’s Bookshelf Prior to 2026 The Garden of Forking Paths by Jorge Luis Borges - 1948 - 4✭
➤I2: Prize Winning Author To the North by Elizabeth Bowen - 1932 - James Tait Black Memorial Prize (1969) - 4✭
➤I3: Science Way Station by Clifford D. Simak - Sci-Fi - 1963 - 4✭
➤I4: From Your TRB Shelf - The Two Mrs. Abbotts by D.E. Stevenson- 1943 - 4✭
➤I5: Book From the Group's Favorite 2025 Reads If Winter Comes by A.S.M. Hutchinson - 1921 - recommended by Bob

➤N1: The Americas or Oceania The Sound of One Hand Clapping by Richard Flanagan - 1997 3.5✭
➤N2: Action & Adventure Airs Above the Ground by Mary Stewart - 1965 - 5✭
➤N3: Free Choice — Classic or Not - If Morning Ever Comes by Anne Tyler - 1964 - 4✭
➤N4: Mystery, Suspense, or Thriller The Dead Secret by Wilkie Collins - 1856 - 4✭
➤N5: Africa, Asia, or Europe {England and France} Little Boy Lost by Marghanita Laski - 1949 - 4✭

➤G1: Group Poll that Did Not Win The Snow Goose by Paul Gallico -1941 - 5✭
➤G2: Missing From the Group’s Shelf Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner - 1984 (won the Booker) - 5✭
➤G3: History The Marne by Edith Wharton - 1910 - 4✭
➤G4: Recommended to You Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis [Recommended by both Kathleen and Terris] - 1946 - 4✭
➤G5: Group’s 2026 Bookshelf Kew Gardens by Virginia Woolf - 1919 - 4✭

➤O1: Birth Year of Someone You Admire Near to the Wild Heart by Clarice Lispector - 1943 - David - 3✭
➤O2: New-to-You or Favorite Author The Sleeping Beauty by Elizabeth Taylor - 1953 - 4✭
➤O3: Somewhere Else - (Japan) - Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami - 1987 - 2✭
➤O4: Translation Marta Oulie by Sigrid Undset - 1907 - 4✭
➤O5: 19th Century The Prime Minister by Anthony Trollope - 1876 - 5✭

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*And the PLUS*

You can earn up to ten (10) extra points (or Kudos) by choosing classic reads that fit into any of the categories below. The reads must be from those that you use to fill in a Bingo Square for 2026.

Each read and extra point category can be used only once for extra points.

Audio Book
Children’s Book
➤Epistolary Marta Oulie by Sigrid Undset
Essay
Graphic or Comic Book
➤Nonfiction Andrew Wyeth: A Secret Life – The Definitive Biography Revealing the Turbulent Obsession Behind an Iconic American Realist Painter by Richard Meryman - 1996
➤Novel The Prime Minister by Anthony Trollope - 1876
Play
Poetry
➤Short Story Kew Gardens by Virginia Woolf

I love the beauty of the book cover board as it begins to fill up.

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5

I1 I2 I3 I4 I5

N1 N2 N3 N4 N5

G1 G2 G3 G4 G5

O1 O2 O3 O4 O5

Saved

Happy Reading

Enjoy filling up the bingo card:)

Thanks, always fun. Thank you, Katy for giving us this.

Have fun with your reading, Sara!

Great ideas already, Sara. I absolutely loved Embers. Have fun!

Yay, I'm so glad you've penciled in Way Station! I hope you enjoy it. :)

Kathleen wrote: "Great ideas already, Sara. I absolutely loved Embers. Have fun!"

Good to know. I'm not sure where I got the recommendation for it, so probably from you!

Wobbley wrote: "Yay, I'm so glad you've penciled in Way Station! I hope you enjoy it. :)"

Yes, you and Lynn sold me on Way Station!

What a great list of books, Sara, I think I’ve read two!
I’m so pleased to see Richard Flanagan there, my favourite Australian author. I think I may have to reread The sound of one hand clapping :)

Sara f you are interested in a buddy read of A Place of Greater Safety or of the Trail of Tears book, let me know!

Janelle wrote: "What a great list of books, Sara, I think I’ve read two!
I’m so pleased to see Richard Flanagan there, my favourite Australian author. I think I may have to reread The sound of one hand clapping :)"

I fell in love with him when I read The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Can't wait to get to this one!

Cynda wrote: "Sara f you are interested in a buddy read of A Place of Greater Safety or of the Trail of Tears book, let me know!"

Absolutely, Cynda, either one. Let me know what your schedule looks like. I am pretty open right now after March.

Your lists are already looking fantastic, Sara! I will have to check out some of your choices that I'm not familiar with. It will be another fun year!

Oooh, I would really like to read Trail of Tears, Sara!

Lori wrote: "Your lists are already looking fantastic, Sara! I will have to check out some of your choices that I'm not familiar with. It will be another fun year!"

This year's entries are 100% suggestions, Lori...I might or might not read them. I am going to do pretty much what I did this past year, just read what I want to when the mood feels right.

Terry wrote: "Oooh, I would really like to read Trail of Tears, Sara!"

I'd love to have company!

You are on! The question is when!

Trail of Tears - Yes for me too!

Lots of good ones I've read or am interested in reading!!

I'm interested in The Way We Live Now (for some reason I haven't got to that one yet!) and The Fruit of the Tree (I've never even heard of that one!).
I will be watching to see what you think of Way Station -- I think you'll like it! :)

Lori wrote: "Trail of Tears - Yes for me too!"

Terry wrote: "You are on! The question is when!"

I'm totally open after March. You guys pick a month and I will post it at the buddy reads and see if anyone else wants to join us.

Terris wrote: "Lots of good ones I've read or am interested in reading!!

I'm interested in The Way We Live Now (for some reason I haven't got to that one yet!) and [book:The Fruit of the Tree|5448..."

I hope that means we will be reading some things together this year! I am looking forward to Way Station, it gets nothing but good reviews here.

Lori, June or August would be best for Trail of Tears for me. What about for you?

Terry wrote: "Lori, June or August would be best for Trail of Tears for me. What about for you?"

Either month works for me, Terry. I'm flexible for now!

I'm going to put in on the schedule for August and we can adjust if we need to.

Thanks, Sara. That sounds great.

Thanks, Julie. Ehle is usually a great read for me, but I know nothing about the book other than title and that he authored it. I don't mind a long read if it is engaging.

Sara wrote: "Terris wrote: "Lots of good ones I've read or am interested in reading!!

I'm interested in The Way We Live Now (for some reason I haven't got to that one yet!) and [book:The Fruit o..."

Yes, we will definitely be reading together this year. I think we have several of the same books (and group & buddy reads) listed already!!

I will think about "Trail of Tears" -- it looks very interesting, and it would fit right in with my "read more nonfiction!" motto for next year! I will "pencil" it in for August :)

Hard to believe we are already scheduling reads for August. It is actually helping me to organize my earlier reads, because I have a tendency to want to pick up every single book right away! Glad you are at least considering it, Terris!

G4: Zorba the Greek, recommended to me by both Kathleen and Terris. Thanks, guys. I can always trust you for good reads.

G5: Kew Gardens - 2026 Group Read for January.

Two successes -- a terrific update!

Thanks, Wobbley. Slow start, but going now!

Sara, this is some great reading--you are going now!

I'm feeling much better about my start now. I have two long reads in progress and today I started When the Cranes Fly South, which I think is going to be gold for me.

Oh boy, I’ve got When Cranes Fly South ready for me soon. Looking forward to your thoughts!!

B1: 20th Century - Andrew Wyeth: A Secret Life – The Definitive Biography Revealing the Turbulent Obsession Behind an Iconic American Realist Painter. Pretty fascinating look at a painter whose work I have admired. I was a little amazed at how seldom I had gleaned from the painting the intended "message" of the painter. Of course, when a painting draws from experience and you don't know what that experience is, the meaning can be obtuse. What I had done, however, was catch the emotion and supply a meaning of my own--which might be what good artwork is all about.

At least I have made one step toward my non-fiction goal for this year.

I agree Sara, art is a very personal experience. Great progress!

B3: New Country - Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry set in Bombay (Mumbai). I love to come away from a book feeling as if I have truly learned something about another culture. 5✭

N5: This book was set in England and France during and after WWII. Little Boy Lost by Marghanita Laski 4✭

A Persephone Book, so pretty much a given that I would enjoy it.

I've never heard of this one, but you're right about Persephone. I'll add it to my TBR. Great progress, two finished in two days!

Sara wrote: "B3: New Country - Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry set in Bombay (Mumbai). I love to come away from a book feeling as if I have truly learned something about another cul..."

So true! This is the kind of book that stays with us, because of revealing more of the world to us. Fantastic choice for the amok read, and great it filled this slot!

Wobbley wrote: "I've never heard of this one, but you're right about Persephone. I'll add it to my TBR. Great progress, two finished in two days!"

I never hesitate on a Persephone, Wobbley, and they haven't sent in the wrong direction yet. This one has a kind of dated feeling, but that was okay because I put myself right back into WWII and how it must have felt to anyone right after it was over and the world was still in chaos.

Kathleen wrote: "Sara wrote: "B3: New Country - Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry set in Bombay (Mumbai). I love to come away from a book feeling as if I have truly learned something abou..."

I'm actually surprised at how many different countries I have already read. The travel categories usually take me a while to fill in, but I am having an international year already.

O4: Marta Oulie by Sigrid Undset a Norwegian translation.

Sara looks like we will be reading the Trail of Tears together during the buddy read. Looking forward!

Sara wrote: "O4: Marta Oulie by Sigrid Undset a Norwegian translation."

Sara this book has been on my.radar.for some time. Your 4-star rating is just another reason to read :)

Cynda reads little. Welcomes prayers for health. wrote: "Sara looks like we will be reading the Trail of Tears together during the buddy read. Looking forward!"

I am really hoping my life is more normal and I will be able to read it, Cynda. I think it will be a worthwhile read.