One of the events offered by The Classics Club is The Classics Club Spin. Spin #23 has just been announced, which is perfect timing for me. A number will be announced on Sunday, April 19,
and the goal is to read, review and post about that book by June 1, 2020.
Members who participate list twenty books from their classics list that they have not read. I am mostly using my list for the previous spin, replacing the three books that I read since that spin and making a couple of other changes. I wanted to be sure that I had every book on the list easily available to read since I may not be able to get a copy as easily now.
So, here is my list of 20 books for the spin.
- Things Fall Apart (1958) by Chinua Achebe
- Jane Eyre (1847) by Charlotte Bronte
- The Master and Margarita (1967) by Mikhail Bulgarov
- The Postman Always Rings Twice (1934) by James Cain
- The Sign of Four (1890) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- And Then There Were None (1939) by Agatha Christie
- Anna Karenina (1878) by Leo Tolstoy
- The Quiet American (1958) by Graham Greene
- The Talented Mr. Ripley (1955) by Patricia Highsmith
- In a Lonely Place (1947) by Dorothy B. Hughes
- Foundation (1951) by Isaac Asimov
- A Wrinkle in Time (1962) by Madeleine L'Engle
- Show Boat (1926) by Edna Ferber
- Beast In View (1955) by Margaret Millar
- The Pursuit of Love (1945) by Nancy Mitford
- The Moviegoer (1961) by Walker Percy
- Much Ado About Nothing (1598) by William Shakespeare
- Frankenstein (1818) by Mary Shelley
- Sense and Sensibility (1811) by Jane Austen
- Dracula (1897) by Bram Stoker
I have no favorites on this list, but some would be easier to read than others.
19 comments:
That's a superb list. I've read a few, the Arthur Conan Doyle, the Agatha Christie, Dracula, Jane Eyre etc. But there are a few I haven't that I would like to, Nancy Mitford for instance, and I never have got around to Frankenstein. Hope you get one you like.
Thanks, Cath. Some of the books I may have read when I was younger, like Jane Eyre. I think I will be happy with anything from the list, although there are two or three of the crime fiction books that may be more tense than I like.
Have read a few of these, Tracy and liked some more than the others. It'd be interesting to see which one you get. Happy Reading.
Neeru, I am hoping that this gets me back into reading some classics... although I have read a few in the last couple of months.
I have read almost all of these. THINGS FALL APART has influenced my thinking so heavily. Such a slim book that is so profound. Haven't read Asimov much. THE MOVIE GOER, A BEAST IN VIEW, IN A LONELY PLACE and THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY are four of my favorite novels. This is a wonderful list. Highsmith is certainly tense. I watched RIPLAEY'S GAME on Prime yesterday and it made me very nervous.
What a great list you have here, Tracy! I'm another fan of Things Fall Apart. I used to teach that book and Frankenstein as perspectives on humans and human nature. Whichever book you get, I hope you'll really enjoy it.
Patti, My husband gave me his Walker Percy books years ago, some of them paperbacks with really tiny print unfortunately. I haven't read any of them yet.
I did find Strangers on a Train a very tense read, as much as I admired it. I want to read at least one of the Ripley books.
Margot, I do plan to read Things Fall Apart this year. Very interesting that you used that book and Frankenstein in a course. I look forward to reading all of these, so any pick will be good.
That's an interesting list. I've read about half of them, but I also have the Bulgakov at number 3 on my list, it could be even more interesting if we are both reading that one.
That is a coincidence, Katrina. It would be good to have someone else reading that one at the same time, because it seems like it would be a challenging read.
I’m not at all sure all of these, even most of them meet the definition of a classic in the literary sense. I’ve read eleven of them, and have mixed thoughts about reading any of the others. I’m not reading anything “hard” these days.
Rick, When I was coming up with a list, I found it hard to find anyplace that defined "What is a classic?" For the purposes of the Classics Club, members make their own decisions. When I wrote up a post with my original list I said: My list is still primarily works of fiction that were published over 50 years ago that have "stood the test of time." Only in my own opinion of course.
Hi Tracy,
I may have to respond more than once. I was entranced by your list of 20 Classic Reads. I read The Heart is a Lonely Hunter when I was about 15, and I am positive that I was too young for it. Do you recall the movie version with Alan Arkin? I saw it, but because it came out at the same time I was reading it (1966-1969), I'm afraid that the movie went way over my head as well. I was just too young for it. I should reread it, without a doubt. It is absolutely amazing to me that by age 17, I had matured so much in just two years, and was on fire with reading and absorbing classics that I never would have been able to fully understand before.
Jane Eyre is one of the best novels ever written. Period. I think you'll enjoy it, if not love it.
So much more to say! Best wishes!
Judith, it is interesting the difference it makes at what age you read a book. I don't think I read a huge amount of classics when I was very young, but I would certainly benefit from reading most of them again.
Jane Eyre would be a good one if they pick that number. I am hoping that this list will motivate me to read more classics in the next few months.
Oh, I hope it's #6 or #19. Both are favorites of mine.
Kay, I would be happy reading either one of those picks. Sense and Sensibility is the last Austen I have to read (or reread... I can't remember).
Kay, I just checked the Classics Club site and the number is #6 so I will be reading And Then There Were None by Christie. I am happy about that.
Nice list Tracy - I've read a couple - When Things Fall Apart and In a Lonely Place. Greene, Cain Christie, Highsmith and Millar have all been on the TBR pile for a long long time.
Thanks, Col. All of those authors you listed are worth reading, although Christie is not close to your normal reading. I need to read more by Greene.
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