Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

This year, I plan to overplan. I will plan and list more books than I can ever read in a year. Then I will free-graze the selections. By that I mean. I will roam freely through the lists and only pick what appeals to me at that time. I enjoy searching for books of interest to me. I try to make the majority of my selections from books that I already own. When that fails, I fall back on my TBR of books, many of which I don't own, but I'm interested in reading. At the buffet, using books that I don't own comes in handy when working to fill calendar dates. I never use a book that I don't feel I would enjoy reading.

That's it, that's my plan. Lots of work to do between now and the 1st. I hope that through the year, as I forage, graze, and ponder my buffet menu, you will stop by and leave a comment. I'm interested in your thoughts concerning my selections and whether you think I made a good choice or a bad choice.

I don't know how many challenges I will finish this year. The only one I will require myself to finish is the Challenge #1 - New & Old. I'm sure that there will be others but finishing a challenge this year is not as important as reading what really appeals to at the time I pick it up.

✔️= Challenges/Books Completed
For All Challenges "*" Marks Books I Own

Challenge #1 - New & Old TBR
Challenge #2 - Members Choice
Challenge #3 - New Authors
Challenge #4 - Short Story
Challenge #5 - Decade/Century
Challenge #6 - Group Reads, Buddy Reads, Moderators Run Amok
Challenge #7 - Series Books – Start, Continue, Complete
Challenge #8 - Travel the World One Book at a Time
Challenge #9 – Rereading - Some do. Some don't.
Challenge #10 - Most Popular Goodreads Books Listed by Year
Challenge #11 - Future Classics
Challenge #12 - Fiction/Non-Fiction
Challenge #13 - Old and New Linked Categories
Challenge #14 - Genre Locked? Neglecting Your Favorite Author?
Challenge #15 - Award Winners
Challenge #16 - Terry's Book Chain
Challenge #17 - The Year You Were Born and 100 Years Earlier
Challenge #18 - A-Z Author
Challenge #19 - A-Z Title
Challenge #20 - No Challenge Here. A Place to List Your 2026 Impulse Reads

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Challenge #1 - Old & New TBR Challenge

My Crusty Musty Dusty TBR Clean-up Challenge
Missing Group Reads, 1914 and earlier
1. Lois the Witch, 1861
2. *Behind a Mask, Or, a Woman's Power, 1866
3. Hunger, 1890
Missing Group Reads, 1915-2006/New School
4. *The Good Soldier Švejk, 1921
5. The Body in the Library, 1942
6. *Pale Fire, 1962
Overlooked No More, Read 'EM Now or Never, Six Dust Collectors
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12.

Alternates
A-1.
A-2.
A-3

Challenge #2 - Members Choice Challenge Choose one book per category/genre for a total of 9 books.

1. 18th Century or Older - *The Federalist Papers, 1788 -or- *Fanny Hill, 1748
2. 19th Century-*The Mayor of Casterbridge,1886-or-*The Man Who Would Be King,1888
3. 20th Century - *The Willows, 1907 -or- *Friday, 1982
4. 21st Century - *Rain Will Come, 2020 -or- *Thin Air, 2019
5. A book of interest from another diner's buffet -
6. Members Choice Genre - Sci-Fi - *Lucifer's Hammer, 1977
7. Members Choice Genre - History - *The Lost Airman: A True Story of Escape from Nazi Occupied France, 2016
8. Members Choice Genre - Biography - *Jefferson: Architect of American Liberty2017
9. Members Choice Genre - Memoir - *Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis, 2016

Other Options
Action-Adventure - *Dragon, 1990
Noir - *The High Window, 1942
Religion - *Mere Christianity, 1952
Pulp Fiction - *Battle Mask, 1970
Play - *The Crucible, 1953

Some Genre Choices-
Fiction - Science Fiction. Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Suspense, Young Adult, Poetry, Plays, Romance, etc.
Nonfiction - History, Biography, Memoir, Politics, Religion, Science, Philosophy, Sports, Travel,
Self Help, etc.

Challenge #3 - Expand Your Horizon with New Authors

Seek out at least four (4) authors that you have never previously read, from any genre or era you want.

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Challenge #4 - Short Story Challenge
Read 16 short stories.

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16.

Possible Collections to be Read in 2026
*The October Country by Ray Bradbury, 1955, 19 Stories
*Civil War Hospital Sketches by Louisa May Alcott, 1863,
*The Son of the Wolf by Jack London, 1900, 9 Stories

Challenge #5 - Decade Challenge

My Decade Challenge the 1950's
1950 - *Mr. Midshipman Hornblower
1951 - *Prince Caspian #4
1952 - *The Voyage of the Dawn Treader #5
1953 - *The Silver Chair #6
1954 - The Cold Equations and Other Stories -or-The Bird's Nest
1955 - *The October Country
1956 - *The Last Battle #7
1957 - *Miracles on Maple Hill
1958 - *Have Spacesuit Will Travel
1959 - *The Sirens of Titan

Challenge #5 -Century Challenge

My Century Challenge - 1900-2024
1900-1910 - 1900 -
1910-1919 - 1913 -
1920-1929 - 1922 -
1930-1939 - 1931 -
1940-1949 - 1949 -
1950-1959 - 1953 - *The Crucible
1960-1969 - 1962 -
1970-1979 - 1978 - *The World According to Garp
1980-1989 - 1986 -
1990-1999 - 1993 -
2000-2009 - 2004 -
2010-2019 - 2011 -
2020-Present - 2024

Challenge 6 - Group Reads, Buddy Reads, or Moderators Run Amok
The challenge is to read 10 total books/stories from this year's selected group reads. Your reads can come from this year's poll winners, the Buddy Read Requests, or the new Moderators Run Amok! There should be plenty of choices.

✔️= Challenges Completed, 0/10

1. *No Name by Wilkie Collins, 1862, 1st Quarter Long Read
2. Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis, 1946, January New School Group
3. Kew Gardens by Virginia Woolf, 1919, January Short Story, Questionable not a Woolf Fan
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Challenge #7- Series Books – Start, Continue, Complete
Many of us read series books. Sometimes these books are neglected in favor of other reading. As much as I like reading several of the series I have on my shelf. I have at times left them untouched for as much as a year. This year’s series challenge is to break the neglect and bring series books back into our current annual reading.

Start Series

Continue Series
Allan Quatermain
by H. Rider Haggard
*Allan Quatermain #2, 1887

Complete Series
The Chronicles of Narnia - Chronological Order
by C.S. Lewis
*Prince Caspian #4, 1951
*The Voyage of the Dawn Treader #5, 1952
*The Silver Chair #6, 1953
*The Last Battle #7, - 1956

To help members find new reading, list a few series that you enjoy.
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...


The challenge is to read at least two books.

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Challenge #8 - Travel the World One Book at a Time
Select 5 books, by 5 different authors, from 5 different countries, other than your own.

Book Title - Author/Country - Book Setting
1. The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough Australian/Australia
2. *Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov, Russian Empire/United States
3. *A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman Swedish/Sweden
4. *Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood Canadian/Canada
5. *The Violent Land by Jorge Amado Brazilian/Brazil
6. *Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh Indian/Pakistan
7. *The Good Soldier Švejk by Jaroslav Hašek Austro-Hungarian Empire/Czech Republic
8. *The Persimmon Tree by Bryce Courtenay South Africa/ Indonesia, Southeast Asia
9. *The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe England/Italy, Pyrenees Mountains, France

Challenge #9 - Re-reading? - Some do, Some don't

Some of us reread regularly, others reread rarely. Let us know the titles of five or more books you find worthy of rereading. This year’s challenge is, reread two of your selections.

Books I'd Love to Reread
1. *Little Big Man by Thomas Berger, 1964
2. *Ruth by Elizabeth Gaskell, 1853
3. *Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, 1985
4. *The Law by Frédéric Bastiat, 1849
5. *All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque, 1928
6. *Watership Down by Richard Adams, 1972
8. *The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, 1952

Read Again in 2026
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Challenge #10 – Most Popular Goodreads Books Listed by Year
Locate and list 10 books that most interest you from the year of your choice. The challenge is to read 2 books from that list.

10 Books of Interest for 1956
1. *Train to Pakistan
2. Don't Go Near the Water
3. *The Last Battle #7,
4. *The Seeds of Time
5. *Seize the Day
6. The City and the Stars
7. A Walk on the Wild Side
8. *Miracles on Maple Hill
9. Cop Hater
10. *Dead Man's Folly
11. Diamonds Are Forever
12. *The Minority Report

2026 Books Read
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Challenge #11 - Future Classics
A Quarter of the 21st Century has passed; did you read any potential classics? For discussion, and the benefit and curiosity of our members please list 5 books you have read over the last 25 years that you believe will still be actively read in 50-100+ years.

These Five Were Great, I Believe They Will Stand the Test of Time
1. The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
2. The Martian by Andy Weir
3. Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer
4. The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset by Suzanne Collins
5. The Road by Cormac McCarthy

The Future Classic Challenge - List 3 unread books published between 2000-2025 that you feel have the potential to become a classic.

The challenge, read 1 of your 3 selections. Then let us know if you think it has a chance at greatness, or will it pass into oblivion.

These Might have a Chance at Greatness?
1. *Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow Goodreads rating 4.12, 1,321,000+
2. *A Man Called Ove - Goodreads rating 4.38, 1,196,000+
3. *The Goldfinch - Goodreads rating 3.96, 1,030,000+

Book Chosen for Challenge
1, 2, or 3
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Challenge #12– Fiction/Non-Fiction

Using the below categories or a selection of your own pick two subjects of interest and read a fiction book and a non-fiction book about that subject. Total number of books for this challenge is four.

Categories
Space Exploration
War
Sea Travels/Adventures
Family
Exploration
Animals
Historic Event
Natural Disaster
Survival
Death
Civilization
Justice
Religion/Faith
Slavery
Politics
Royality

Sea Travels/Adventures
Fiction -
Non-Fiction -

World War II - Europe: The Beginning of the End
Fiction -
Non-Fiction -

Challenge #13 - Old and New Linked Categories

Using the below categories or choices of your own, pick two subjects of interest. Link the chosen subjects to an old book 1914 or earlier to a newer book 1915 -present. Total number of books for this challenge is four.

Categories
Contains a Trial
Has a Murder
Contains Time Travel
Coming of Age
An Error in Judgement - Paying the Ultimate Price
Set on or has The Sea involved
Animals
School
Travel
Life Changing Action
Survival
Friendship
Bravery/Courage
Generation Gap

Dragons/Fantasy Animals
Old - *The Book of Dragons by E. Nesbit, 1899
New - *Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey, 1968

????????????
Old -
New -

Challenge #14 - Break Your Reading Rut
Part A-Are you Genre Locked?
Part B-Are you Neglecting a Favorite Author?
If the answer is yes, then this challenge is for you.

Part A - Are you stuck in a Genre Rut? Reading to many romance novels or God forbid to many classics? Break out of that rut by picking a couple of different genres, any two genres will do.

Challenge-pick and read one book from two different genres that are not your normal go too. Science Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Suspense, Young Adult, Nonfiction, Poetry, Plays, Romance, etc.

Genre Selected - Book Chosen
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Part B - Who have you been neglecting the most? Has your favorite author slipped away from you because life is hectic or other books get in the way? Think about your favorite author or authors, who haven't you read in a while?

Challenge-pick one or more favorite authors you have been mistreating by leaving them on your shelf for far too long. Pick up that book you have been meaning to read and READ IT!

My Neglected Authors, those I have not read in a year or more.
Issac Asimov, Margaret Atwood, Nevada Barr, Octavia E. Butler,Orson Scott Card, Lee Child, Clive Cussler, Daphne du Maurier, Thomas Hardy, John Irving, Jack London, Brad Meltzer, James Patterson, Stuart Woods, John Wyndham

Neglected Author - Book Chosen
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Other Neglected Authors - Book Chosen - Not a requirement
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Challenge #15 - Award Winners
From the below book prize lists, or a prize from your country or local region, seek out and read two award winning books. Please let the group know what prize list or lists you use, as well as the book information.

Award Winners
Pulitzer Prize
One of Ours by Willa Cather, 1922 - 1923 Pulitzer Prize
*All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren, 1946 - 1947 Pulitzer Prize
*American Pastoral by Philip Roth, 1997 - 1998 Pulitzer Prize
*The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson, 2012 - 2013 Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
*The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, 2013- 2014 Pulitzer Prize

Other Award Winners
How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn, 1939 - 1940 National Book Award
*The World According to Garp by John Irving, 1978 - 1980 National Book Award
*Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen, 1956 - 1957 Newberry Medal
*American Gods by Neil Gaiman, 2001 - 2002 Hugo Award

Books Chosen
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Challenge #16 Terry's Book Chain

This challenge comes from Terry. At first look it seems easy, on further thought it looks kind of difficult. One thing for sure is that it looks like a ton of fun. The idea is to start with a book you want to read, then take one word from that title, and find another book you want to read with that word in the title. Repeat the process until you have the total required to make your chain. The idea is to take yourself on a somewhat random journey through the year. Terry's example has 12 books needed to complete the challenge. Since overeating at the buffet can be a problem for some, for our challenge the total needed is 6 books.

My Six Book Chain
*Dragonflight
*The Book of Dragons
*Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
*People of the Book
*The Five People You Meet in Heaven
*From Earth to Heaven

Will I finish? I already planned to read the first two on the list. Tha other four, time will tell.

Challenge #17 - The Year You Were Born and 100 Years Earlier
Select 7 books from the year you were born. Select 7 more from 100 years earlier, for a total of 14 books. The challenge is to successfully read 4 of the 14 books selected. 2 from your birth year and 2 from 100 years earlier.

Note: Should you feel that your birth year is too personal, please feel free to choose any date that has significance. Such as a family member's birth, an anniversary, or graduation, etc.


1957

1857

1957
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1857
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Challenge #18 - A-Z Author Challenge

I find this to be a very difficult challenge. Many others consider it one of their favorites. For those who really enjoy this challenge in its pure form use all 26 letters. For those of us who struggle, with this challenge consider it successful by using only 22 letters. There are 4 optional letters marked with an (*), you only need to use one.

A
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K
L
M
N
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*Q
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*X
*Y
*Z

Challenge #19 - A-Z Title Challenge

I find this to be a very difficult challenge. Many others consider it one of their favorites. For those who really enjoy this challenge in its pure form use all 26 letters. For those of us who struggle, with this challenge consider it successful by using only 22 letters. There are 4 optional letters marked with an (*), you only need to use one.

A
B
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J
K
L
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*Q
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*X
*Y
*Z

Challenge #20? No, Just a Place to List Your 2026 Impulse Reads

Use this thread any way you wish.

One of my most anticipated books, that is not a challenge and has no time limit is The Holy Bible: King James Version. I have thought about reading it for years, I start on January 1.

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I think your approach to your reading sounds really sensible. I'm happy to see a Bradbury on your Decade Challenge. I haven't read that particular one yet, but I find him really reliable. Watership Down is one of my favourites too. Happy planning! (And thank you again for creating the Buffet!!)

Bob, that’s sort of the way I am planning to do it — plan a lot but nibble where I feel like it. And leave some openings to be filled in.