Reading with Style discussion

A place to post the books you plan to read for the RwS Winter Challenge.

ETA: No, me first :P

20.1 - published from 1812 to 1870:
Rob Roy, Eugenie Grandet, King Lear of the Steppes, Sentimental Education, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

20.2 - A Tale of Two Cities:
A Room with a View

20.3 - Great Expectations:
Bleak House, Of Human Bondage, The Grapes of Wrath, The Metamorphosis, Robinson Crusoe, The Sorrows of Young Werther, Silas Marner

20.4 - A Christmas Carol:
Kristin Lavransdatter, Part 1: The Wreath, Kristin Lavransdatter, Part 2: The Wife, Kristin Lavransdatter, Part 3: The Cross

20.5 - David Copperfield:
The Mill on the Floss, The Way of All Flesh, In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower, Journey to the End of the Night, The End of the Affair, Junkie, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, Empire of the Sun, Borstal Boy, The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge

20.6 - Bleak House:
Bleak House

20.7 - Cold Outside:
Kristin Lavransdatter, Part 1: The Wreath, Kristin Lavransdatter, Part 2: The Wife, Kristin Lavransdatter, Part 3: The Cross

20.8 - Fictional fiction:
Sentimental Education, A Room with a View, Fugitive Pieces

20.9 - High Road:
Angels in America, Part I

20.10 - Play the numbers:
Angels in America, Part I

Christmas in Vegas:
The Blind Owl: G-H, 101-140/501-540, 1929-1940
Pnin: N-O, 141-180/541-580, 1953-1964
The Beggar Maid: L-M, 181-220/581-620, 1977-1988
Fantômas: A-B, 221-260/621-660, 1905-1916
Amerika or Storm of Steel: I-J-K, 261-300/661-700, 1917-1928
The Riddle of the Sands: C-D, 301-340/701-740, 1892-1904
Consider the Lobster: V-W-X-Y-Z, 341-380/741-780, 2001-2012
The Tin Flute: P-Q-R, 381-420/781-820, 1941-1952
The Great Indian Novel: S-T-U, 421-460/821-860, 1989-2000
The French Lieutenant's Woman: E-F, 461-500/861-900, 1965-1976

Me first! Me first!

For 20.6, Bleak House, I'm going to read Bleak House. I expect it to take forever, or at least most of December. It's worth a whopping 80 points if I'm still strong enough when I've finished to write a review. (20 task; 10 combo 20.1, 20.3; 10 review; 15 oldie (pub 1853); 25 jumbo at 1024 pages).

Can you tell I'm just as excited about this challenge as the rest of you?

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Me first! Me first!

For 20.6, Bleak House, I'm going to read Bleak House. I expect it to take forever, or at least most of December. It's worth a whopping 80 points if I'm still stron..."

I might join you in this read, Elizabeth. It's a Dickens I haven't read. We'll see because I also want to read Murakami's 1Q84 which is equally huge!

Karen, if you were hesitating only because you would have 2 really jumbo ones, I can understand. But if you were hesitating because of not wanting to repeat a task, there just might be another place for this, although I can't say for certain. Sam said 1Q84 is a book he wants to read.

I am hesitating because of two big ones. I think 1q84 fits the past/ future task- set 27 years before publication, but I don't know if it stays in 1984 throughout. Anyway- I think I may try to do both of them. I got to go to Dickens' home when we were in London a few years back and we are going to a production of Oliver so this is a great theme to plan for!

I read 1984 and I think it just stays in that year.

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "I read 1984 and I think it just stays in that year."

She's talking about 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. The English translation was released recently. For the record, I would love to read that one! For now, here are my plans:

Dickens' Lifetime: Persuasion by Jane Austen
Tale of Two Cities: either Changeless or Blameless by Gail Carriger, depending on if I can wait another couple weeks to continue with the series
Great Expectations: The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
David Copperfield: Empire of the Sun by J.G. Ballard
Bleak House: either Man Is Wolf to Man: Surviving the Gulag by Janusz Bardach or John Adams by David McCullough

Now someone just needs to add a task for which I can read The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York. Yes, I am a masochist when it comes to reading ginormous books.

Denae, when my task gets published, I think you'll be pleased.

Ooh, can't wait!

Ooh for Dickens lifetime, Persuasion is a good choice but I was also thinking The Count of Monte Cristo. I could also suggest Vanity Fair.

I took a couple of Victorian & Edwardian lit classes back in the day and read Bleak House so I wish those of you reading it much luck. I didn't care for it. Vanity Fair was also on our list but our Prof decided we didn't need to read it. I read one line. It's a running joke between a friend and I. :-)

For the Dickens lifetime, I'm going to read an Elizabeth Gaskell. I've been wanting to pick one up for some time now.

For Great Expectations, I have penciled in The Lottery and Other Stories, which I had hoped to get to for Fall, so we'll see if it makes it this time.

I was thinking of just going off on a Dickens Reading Spree since quite a few i haven't really "read", just know about them through movies and other books. The thing is, he writes such Longggggggggg books. On audiobooks, The Pickwick Papers, David Copperfield, Nicholas Nickleby, and Our Mutual Friend are all in the >30 hrs range. Bleak House is just a few minutes shy of 40 hrs! it makes me afraid to look at the page count for the real book.



ok I looked. PP = 801, DC = 974, NN = 817, OMF = 880 and BH = 1024

Here's my plan so far - I'm sure it will change a million times in the next few months.

10.10 Group Reads: East of Eden

15.1-15.10 Christmas in Vegas
1892-1904: Dracula (S-T-U) 381-420/781-820
1905-1916: The Man Who Was Thursday (C-D) 221-260/621-660
1917-1928: Complete Stories (P-Q-R) 461-500/861-900
1929-1940: A Handful of Dust (V-W-X-Y-Z) 301-340/701-740
1941-1952: The Poor Mouth: A Bad Story About the Hard Life (N-O) 101-140/501-540
1953-1964: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (I-J-K) 261-300/661-700
1965-1976: The French Lieutenant's Woman (E-F) 341-380/741-780
1977-1988: Magnetic Field (L-M) 181-220/581-620
1989-2000: Snow Falling on Cedars (G-H) 421-460/821-860
2001-2012: The Sense of an Ending (A-B) 141-180/541-580

20.1 Dickens 1812-1870: Our Mutual Friend
20.2 A Tale of Two Cities: What is the What
20.3 Great Expectations: Jane Eyre
20.4 A Christmas Carol: 1Q84
20.5 David Copperfield: Of Human Bondage
20.6 Bleak House: Bleak House
20.7 Baby It's Cold Outside: We the Drowned
20.8 Fictional Fiction: Breakfast of Champions
20.9 High Road: A Better Angel
20.10 Play the Numbers: We

Rebekah wrote: "I was thinking of just going off on a Dickens Reading Spree since quite a few i haven't really "read", just know about them through movies and other books. The thing is, he writes such Longgggggggg..."

I already have Bleak House planned, and Nicholas Nickleby is the 1001 Books club read. I'm not at all certain I'll get to Nicholas.

Cait wrote: "20.7 Baby It's Cold Outside: Rebecca"


Cait, this book doesn't qualify for 20.7. The author must be from one of the countries that is inside the Arctic Circle and du Maurier was from the UK.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Cait wrote: "20.7 Baby It's Cold Outside: Rebecca"


Cait, this book doesn't qualify for 20.7. The author must be from one of the countries that is inside the Arctic Circle and du Mau..."

Oh, thanks Elizabeth! I don't know why I was thinking she was from the U.S.

Christmas in Vegas

Cat's Cradle/Kurt Vonnegut
V-W-X-Y-Z 181-220/581-620 1953-1964

Blind Watchmaker/Richard Dawkins
C-D 381-420/781-820 1977-1988

Old Man & the Sea/Richard Hemingway
G-H 101-140/501-540 1941-1952

The Call of the Wild/Jack London
L-M 141-180/541-580 1892-1904

Hell/Henri Barbusse
A-B 261-300/661-700 1905-1916

Clouds of Witness/Dorothy Sayers
S-T-U 221-260/621-660 1917-1928

The Godfather/Mario Puzo
P-Q-R 421-460/821-860 1965-1976

Sabriel/Garth Nix
N-O 461-500/861-900 1989-2000

The Sound and the Fury/William Faulkner
E-F 301-340/701-740 1929-1940

I've not narrowed this last slot down, but here're the ones I'm considering.
I-J-K 341-380/741-780 2001-2012

Cait wrote: "Here's my plan so far - I'm sure it will change a million times in the next few months...."

Wow, ambitious. I like it!

Denae wrote: "Christmas in Vegas..."

Richard Hemingway?

The Godfather is one of the books in my alternate CiV plan. And many of your other choices are old favorites.

Liz M wrote: "Denae wrote: "Christmas in Vegas..."

Richard Hemingway?

The Godfather is one of the books in my alternate CiV plan. And many of your other choices are old favorites."

Multi-tasking fail with the name there. Don't believe I straight up switched him & Dawkins at least.

Liz M wrote: "

Wow, ambitious. I like it!"

I know! When I see how long many of my picks are, I just have to laugh at myself. :oD

My CiV list:

101-140 Bunner Sisters
141-180 O Pioneers!
181-220 The Country Girls
221-260 now in november (my library's edition has 231 pages)
261-300 The Heart of the Matter
301-340 The Chosen
341-380 Gold Coast
381-420 Scaramouche
421-460 Girl in a Blue Dress
461-500 Tales of Burning Love

Some others that I have penciled in:

20.1 Dickens lifetime North and South and (probably or) The Warden
20.2 Tale of Two Cities Dark Star (happy to have a place to continue this series)
20.3 Great Expectations The Lottery and Other Stories
20.4 Christmas Carol The Wives of Henry Oades
20.6 Bleak House Bleak House
20.7 The Winter Queen (among others)
20.8 Fictional Fiction Straight Man
20.9 Take the High Road The Angel's Game
20.10 Play the Numbers Turn of Mind

Yeah I need a spot here too! I think my brain is addled! :-)

1892-1905: Dracula S-T-U 461-500/ 861-900
1905-1916:
1917-1928:
1929-1940:The Good Earth (A-B) 381-420/781-820
1941-1952: Animal Farm (N-O) 101-140/501-540
1953-1964:The Horse and His Boy (L-M) 181-220/581-620
1965-1976:
1977-1988:
1989-2000: Ceremony in Death (P-Q-R) 301-340/701-740
2001-2012: The Eyre Affair (E-F) 341-380/741-780

20.1 The Count of Monte Cristo
20.2 A Discovery of Witches
20.3
20.4 The Queen's Fool
20.5 Playing With Fire
20.6
20.7
20.8
20.9 A Madness of Angels
20.10

My current "Christmas in Vegas" list:

1892-1904 A-B 181-220/581-620
1913 Burroughs, Edgar Rice –A Princess of Mars [#1] (202p)

1905-1916 E-F 221-260/621-660
1914 Ford, Ford Madox – The Good Soldier (222p)

1917-1928 C-D 421-460/821-860
1921 Dos Passos, John – Three Soldiers (454p)

1929-1940 V-W-X-Y-Z 301-340/701-740 One of:
1938 Waugh, Evelyn – Scoop (321p)
1934 Waugh, Evelyn – A Handful of Dust (308p)
1930 Waugh, Evelyn –Vile Bodies (321p)

1941-1952 S-T-U 461-500/861-900
1943 Smith, Betty – A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (493p)

1953-1964 I-J-K 261-300/661-700
1954 Jackson, Shirley – The Bird’s Nest (284p)

1965-1976 G-H 101-140/501-540
1965 Herbert, Frank – Dune (535p)

1977-1988 P-Q-R 141-180/541-580
1980 Rushdie, Salman – Midnight’s Children (544p)

1989-2000 L-M 341-380/741-780 One of:
1994 Mallon, Thomas – Henry and Clara (358p)
1992 Mantel, Hilary – A Place of Greater Safety (768p)
1998 Martin, George R. R. – A Clash of Kings [#2] (761p)

2001-2012 N-O 381-420/781-820
2003 Nagata,Linda * - Memory (416p)

Tobey wrote: "Ooh for Dickens lifetime, Persuasion is a good choice but I was also thinking The Count of Monte Cristo. I could also suggest Vanity Fair.

I took a couple of..."

If I recall correctly, we couldn't even get through the Coles Notes!

I'm excited to be finished with grad school so I can get into the Winter Challenge. I spent most of the day formulating a plan and my 14-yr-old daughter helped. I told her if she helped with CiV, I would read whatever selection she chose for me! Wish me luck! LOL

That can be dangerous. So is there Twilight, Vampire Diaries, and other YA fluff books on your list?

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "That can be dangerous. So is there Twilight, Vampire Diaries, and other YA fluff books on your list?"

No, she's not into all typical YA. She has recently read things like "Bumped", "Animal Farm", and "The Help". She loves a series, too! She's on Goodreads and wants to join a challenge soon.

Cool,

I have a CiV plan!! I'm so excited! And I struggled with finding the last wheel (line with last name S-T-U) but found another version of the book that my library has, that fits the page amount!

Last Name Year Published Pages Title
E-F 1989-2000 181-220/581-620 The Bishop's Tale
G-H 1905-1916 301-340/701-740 The Phantom of the Opera
C-D 1917-1928 421-460/821-860 An American Tragedy
N-O 1892-1904 261-300/661-700 The Scarlet Pimpernel
L-M 1941-1952 101-140/501-540 The Great Divorce
V-W-X-Y-Z 1953-1964 221-260/621-660 The Once and Future King
I-J-K 2001-2012 141-180/541-580 Haunted Britain and Ireland
A-B 1965-1976 461-500/861-900 Watership Down
S-T-U 1977-1988 381-420/781-820 The Silmarillion (get copy from library w/ 416 pages)
P-Q-R 1929-1940 341-380/741-780 Swallows and Amazons

Paula wrote: "but found another version of the book that my library has, that fits the page amount!"

Don't you just love it when you can wheedle one out?!?

Seriously! I hate to admit how much time I spent trying to figure out the whole thing. I'm doing the same thing with this challenge as I did for the fall, which is to only use books that I own and haven't read, and I get to buy just one book to fit the challenge (all the books I have shelved as tbr I own but haven't read yet).

It's been a great way to get through Mt. TBR!

I wasn't quite able to use books I own and still get to 10, but I was proud of myself for getting 6 of ones I own, able to 2 from the library, a free one from paperbackswap, and the final one a used copy purchase. Of those I didn't already own all were on my "list". Well, sort of. One was by an author on my list - does that count?

For sheer perseverance, if nothing else! :)

I am soooo glad this thread is here. The cat just knocked my netbook off my lap and in the process killed the spreadsheet I keep all my planning lists on. Unfortunately, I have to redo all of mine for this challenge. Fortunately, I don't have to completely re-pick my CiV list!

Oh, Denae, I'm so sorry.

Denae wrote: "I am soooo glad this thread is here. The cat just knocked my netbook off my lap and in the process killed the spreadsheet I keep all my planning lists on. Unfortunately, I have to redo all of mine ..."

Ouch!

Bad kitty!

I did have the basics of my spreadsheets elsewhere, but now I'm having trouble remembering which books on my challenge shelf are definites and which are potentials for group picks. Ah well, I'll figure it out once everything is up. My boyfriend's gonna see if he can salvage the drive.

I'm having a hard time figuring out what to read for 10.1 Square Peg. Anyone willing to share what they're using?

So far I have About a Boy tagged for this one, dependent on what the other tasks turn out to be. I struggled with this task the most, so many of my books fall into another category! And, oddly for me, I kept running into US authors, who fall under the "baby it's cold outside," task.

I'm having the same difficulties.

Denae wrote: "I'm having the same difficulties."

What are your location choices?

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Denae wrote: "I'm having the same difficulties."

What are your location choices?"


As far as where I've lived? Del Rio/East Tennessee; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Duluth/Atlanta, Georgia; Columbia/Spring Hill/Nashville/Chattanooga/Middle Tennessee; Los Angeles/Southern, California; Charlotte, North Carolina; Woodbridge/Northern Virginia/DC Metro Area

LOL, Denae - can you tell I thought I was on the Home for the Holidays thread?

With the Arctic Circle, task, looking at an author from the UK/Europe, Australia, South America, looks like a good bet.

Haha, I was wondering! I hadn't thought about it, but I should check Nadine Gordimer, since ya'll knocked out both Coetzee and Garcia-Marquez. There is also a Slovenian poet, although his stuff might be harder to find.

There are still three tasks to come, and since I can't read enough to finish the challenge anyway, I probably will skip the square peg task. But if I were to make a choice, I might lean toward Anita Brookner's Booker winning Hotel du Lac.

That's another good idea. Obviously I won't be able to make my final choice yet, but I'm trying to have some ideas ready. This challenge I am determined to not have to play catch-up at the end.

Every challenge, I tell myself I'm going to read mostly books I've already purchased and have been languishing on my shelf. I think this time I'll be able to make a good dent in them.