Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

Bingo Plus Scorecard, Updates and Commentary and Plus Points

Updates and Commentary:
12/04/25. I am going to plan most of this, some with options, but leave a few blank to fill in as I go. My level of commitment to Bingo is high, aiming for a full scorecard. As to the Plus section, low. I am reserving the right to make changes as I go.

📚 🟰 Owned, on my bookshelf.

* B - I - N - G - O
1 🟨 🟥 🟪 🟦 🟩
2 🟥 🟪 🟦 🟩 🟨
3 🟪 🟦 🟩 🟨 🟥
4 🟦 🟩 🟨 🟥 🟪
5 🟩 🟨 🟥 🟪 🟦

Plus (if and as I do them)
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2.
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4.
5.
6.
7.
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10.

Bingo List

B1: 20th Century
B2: Your Native Language
B3: New Country
B4: Chosen by the Cover
B5: Ancient/Old or Future

I1: Group’s Bookshelf Prior to 2026
I2: Prize Winning Author
I3: Science
I4: From Your TRB Shelf
I5: Book From the Group's Favorite 2025 Reads

N1: The Americas or Oceania
N2: Action & Adventure
N3: Free Choice — Classic or Not
N4: Mystery, Suspense, or Thriller
N5: Africa, Asia, or Europe

G1: Group Poll that Did Not Win
G2: Missing From the Group’s Shelf
G3: History
G4: Recommended to You
G5: Group’s 2026 Bookshelf

O1: Birth Year
O2: New-to-You or Favorite Author
O3: Somewhere Else
O4: Translation
O5: 19th Century

B is for Bingo Books

B1: 20th Century - The World According to Garp by John Irving, (1976) 437 pages. 📚 This book has been on my shelf longer than any other John Irving book. It is high time I read it!

B2: Your Native Language - Go Tell It to the Mountain by James Baldwin, (1952) 221 pages. 📚 American English - if only I was as articulate as James Baldwin!

B3: New Country - Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry, (2002) 448 pages. India is a country that I didn’t read last year, and a country to which I have never traveled. This is also a 2026 Mods Run Amok selection.

B4: Chosen by the Cover- Safe Harbour by Danielle Steel, (2003) 332 pages. 📚 Believe it or not, I have never read one of Steel’s books! I like the serene seascape on the cover.

B5: Future - Sailor Song by Ken Kesey, (1992) 526 pages. 📚 I chose future over ancient because I own this and want to read more Ken Kesey!

I is for Immersion Into It

I1: Group’s Shelf Prior to 2026 - Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin, (1956) 159 pages. Reading James Baldwin is one thread I am pursuing this year. This book was read by the group in July 2018.

I2: Prize Winning Author - The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner, (1976) 214 pages. 📚 while Stegner has also won a Pulitzer, this book won a National Book Award in 1977. This book will also be a Buddy Read.

I3: Science, Nature or SciFi - The End of Nature by Bill McKibben, (1989) 223 pages. 📚 I saw him speak once. Nonfiction.

I4: Very Old TBR Shelf - No Name by Wilkie Collins, (1862) 610 pages. 📚 A book that I have had on my bookshelf for many years, this is a 2026 first quarter Long Read.

I5: Group's Favorite 2025 Reads - 2 to chose from —
Peyton Place by Grace Metalious, (1956) 384 pages. One of Bob’s favorites.
The Last September by Elizabeth Bowen, (1929) 303 pages. 📚 One of Greg’s faves.

N is for No Nonsense, just do it!

N1: Americas or Oceania - The Bone People by Keri Hulme, (1986) 450 pages. I choose Oceana (New Zealand).

N2: Action or Adventure - The Homesman by Glendon Swarthout, (1988) 248 pages. 📚 This book’s back cover says it is a fast-paced adventure.

N3: Free Choice Classic - Cane by Jean Toomer, (1923) 224 pages. This book will fill a spot in my 20th Century Multi Year Challenge.

N4: Mystery, Suspense, or Thriller - A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle, (1887) 138 pages. 📚 This novella mystery is part of an anthology of Holmes stories on my bookshelf.

N5: Africa , Asia, or Europe - Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, (2006) 435 pages. This book has been recommended to me. It may not yet be considered a classic, but could be a future one. It is set in a seminal moment of modern Africa’s history, the struggle of Biafra to become independent from Nigeria..

G is for You Go Girl

G1: Group Poll Loser - The History of Mr. Polly byH.G. Wells, (1910) 209 pages. 📚 I was sorry this one didn’t win.

G2: Overlooked by Group -Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion, (1968) 238 pages. 📚Essays about the 60s are about an important time in my growing up. This will be a Buddy Read.

G3: History/Historical Fiction - Gods and Generals by Jeff Shaara, (1996) 498 pages. 📚 This continues my education about the US Civil War.

G4: Recommended - 2 choices
Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner, (1984) 184 pages. Recommended by Sarah.
Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee (1999) 220 pages. Recommended bt Darren.

G5: Group’s 2026 Bookshelf - Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis, (1952] 335 pages. 📚 I want to read more books from around the world.

O is for Oh no you don’t give up!

★O1: Birth Year
Read a classic published in your birth year or in the birth year of someone that you admire.

★O2: New-to-You or Favorite Author:
Read a classic by an author whose works you have never read or a work by one of your favorite authors.

★O3: Somewhere Else
Read a classic that is set somewhere other than the regions listed in N1 or N5. This can be a real (Antartica, sea, moon, etc) or an imaginary setting.

★O4: Classic in Translation
Read a classic that has been translated from another language.

★O5: 19th Century
Read a classic that was published in the 19th Century (1801 - 1900).

P is for Plus Points!

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 used 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
Essay
Graphic or Comic Book
Nonfiction
Novel
Play
Poetry
Short Story

Have fun with your planning, Terry!

Wobbley wrote: "Have fun with your planning, Terry!"

Thanks. I am starting with my Bingo planning before I move on to the Buffet. I already got an idea from a group member for G2 — Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion. This is a book I have on my bookshelf!

Yay! Glad you too will be reading Slouching toward Bethlehem. Maybe we can buddy read it in a few months!

I hope you enjoy your Bingo Challenge.

Cynda, I’d be happy to Buddy Read it with you. Not in April or May.

LOL. I love your bingoisms.

Thanks, Sara. I tried to inject a little humor!

I am having one heck of a time editing my Bingo posts today, which I was doing on my iPad. First I tried to enter books and authors with the linking function and it wouldn’t work for me. Then I tried to fill in all my B slots (message 3) but when I went to save it, the whole B section disappeared. So I tried to make a comment in message 1 and the when posting the edit, message 1 disappeared, which is particularly frustrating.

So I switched to my phone. They both show up in this posting of your comment, but I am fearful that they are gone. Perhaps they have not permanently disappeared.

Is Goodreads overwhelmed today?

They are showing up on my phone, but without the edits I made to B1 to B5.

Okay, on my iPad again, I just typed in a new search for the GR website, got here, and at least I still have my original posts! I am going delete the previous link and come back to this link later. Whew!

I've been having troubles posting since last night, but whenever comments disappear from failing to edit, just hitting reload makes the original reappear. Hope that helps.

Yes, two days of aggravation. I guess they are overhauling the system so they can cut off our messaging. I have been copying what I type before I try to save it, just in case.