The latest Classics Club Spin has been announced. To join in, I choose twenty unread books from my classics list and list them in a post before Sunday, February 8th, 2026. On Sunday, the Classics Club will generate a random number between 1 through 20 and post it at the website. Then I will read whatever book falls under that number on my Spin List by March 29th, 2026.
So, here is my list of 20 books for the spin...
- Patricia Highsmith – The Talented Mr.Ripley (1955)
- Madeleine L'Engle – A Wrinkle in Time (1962)
- Graham Greene – Our Man in Havana (1958)
- Roald Dahl – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964)
- Ray Bradbury – The Martian Chronicles (1950)
- Ray Bradbury – Fahrenheit 451 (1953)
- Robert Louis Stevenson – The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886)
- Kurt Vonnegut – Slaughterhouse-Five (1955)
- John Steinbeck – Cannery Row (1945)
- Mary Shelley – Frankenstein (1818)
- Oscar Wilde – The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890)
- J. D. Salinger – Catcher in the Rye (1951)
- Chinua Achebe – Things Fall Apart (1958)
- Lewis Carroll – Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865)
- Dashiell Hammett – Red Harvest (1929)
- Charlotte Bronte – Jane Eyre (1847)
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – The Sign of the Four (1892)
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902)
- Edna Ferber – Giant (1952)
- Edna Ferber – Show Boat (1926)
The four books I would most like to read for this spin are A Wrinkle in Time, The Talented Mr.Ripley, Jane Eyre, or Our Man in Havana. But, really, any of the books on my list would be fine.
31 comments:
When I look at this list, I realize I used to read more classic books than I do now. I have read nearly all of these except the Ferbers and the Doyle.
I've read several of these books, but a long time ago. My pick would be Jane Eyre, but we'll see what you get. Maybe Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? LOL
Tracy, I think you should also join the You're Not the Boss of Me Classic Books Challenge, in which -- in addition to title selected -- you also randomly (or not so randomly, whatever floats your boat) select another book from your list and read that one, too.
BTW, none of my selections for my granddaughter's Family Book Club have been selected yet, but I went ahead and read them all anyway.
You have some wonderful books on your list. I hope you'll get one of the Ray Bradburys. I love both of them.
Patti, I had not read many classics before I joined the Classics Club. Any classics that I read for school I no longer remember. I had mostly read mysteries, old and new, and occasional science fiction or fantasy books. For a few years I read self help and spiritual books a lot. So I think reading more classics has helped to broaden my horizons. But mysteries are still my go to reading because I can always count on a mystery to entertain. Unless it has torture in it.
Kay, Jane Eyre is my top choice, but I would enjoy Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (I think). It would be a Kindle, and I need to read more of those.
Jerry, I think the You're Not the Boss of Me Classic Books Challenge is a great idea, especially since on of my goals is to read more classic books this year. If I don't get Jane Eyre as my choice, that would be my alternative pick. Otherwise, I would have to think more on the choice.
I know I have told you this many times, but I am very envious of how many books you can read. Did you enjoy all of your selections for the Family Book Club?
Kelly, I have not read that much by Ray Bradbury. I have read Fahrenheit 451, a long time ago, but it would be like new when I read it again. I have several mass market paperback copies; I buy one every time I see it at the book sale. I hope at least one of them has decent print size and is not falling apart. The Martian Chronicles would be perfect actually, because it is linked connected stories; it is on Kindle but that works well for short stories.
We have at least one book in common. This is my first time in joining the spin so I am a bit daunted!
Tracy, we're now in the second month of the Family Book Club and both books that were selected (J-F. Dubeau's A GOD IN THE SHED and Robert Harris's THE FEAR INDEX) were both good enjoyable reads, although slightly flawed in different ways. We each select two possibles each month and the winner is chosen randomly; with no modesty at all I would have to say that the four books I have suggested so far would have knocked it out of the park (FORTUNE FAVORS THE DEAD by Stephen Spotswood and SLOW HORSES by Mick Herron for January, and EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE by Benjamin Stevenson and A KILLING IN COTTON HILL by Terry Shames for February. For March, my suggestions will probably be THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING by T. H. White and MY BROTHER MICHAEL by Mary Stewart.
That’s a great list, and I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them. Looking through it reminded me how much I enjoy reading the classics. That’s something I need to start doing more of. I think I’ve read eight of the ones on the list, but it’s been way too long.
Well, I’m obviously hoping you’ll get Jane Eyre but Giant and Show Boat are intriguing, too.
Rose
Marg, I was probably daunted when I first tried the Classics Club Spin also. It has a been awhile. I always get excited about waiting for the announcement of the number. I haven't usually had trouble reading the books, but I do have problems keeping up with reviewing them. That is my next project to work on... catching up with Classics Club reviews.
Sam, it is so good to hear from you. I hope things are going well. I think any books on the list will be fine too. I have been too lax in reading Classics in the last year or two, and I want to read more this year.
Sam, I just went to check out your blog and I was surprised and happy to see new posts there. I will be back to check those posts out soon.
Rose, We will find out soon what book we get. Getting Jane Eyre would be perfect. I hope that I enjoy Giant and Show Boat whenever I read them. I enjoyed the adaptations of both of them and I am interested in seeing how different the books are from the movies.
Lots of goodies there! I love The Hound of the Baskervilles - my favourite Holmes story - so I'll hope for that one. Hope you get a good pick!
A Wrinkle in Time is So GOOD!
Oh, my, Tracy! I'm late to the party - sorry! You do have a great list here. I was especially glad to see Fahrenheit 451 here. It's such a powerful story, in my opinion, with a lot to say about society, especially now. Even if you don't get this one when the dice roll, I hope you'll read it.
FictionFan, The spin has spun and the # was 2 and I will be reading A Wrinkle in Time. I am glad it has finally been chosen from my list. I have a lovely mass market paperback with a beautiful illustration but small type, but a Kindle copy to back it up if needed.
Jerry, I have read all four of the books that you suggested and they were all good. I need to read more books in Terry Shames' series. I think I read THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING but not sure about MY BROTHER MICHAEL. It is wonderful that you have a big family that likes to read. (and do things together)
Mary, I hope I enjoy A Wrinkle in Time as much as you did. I have been putting that book on the spin list for 6 years now and it finally came up.
Margot, I am behind on both my Classic Club reading and the reviewing. Right now I am reading The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. After that I will read A Wrinkle in Time (for this spin), and after that I will read Jane Eyre. And then I can get to Fahrenheit 451. (I will have to keep this list somewhere or I will forget.)
So I think the Spin was #2. I have read Wrinkle in Time but it's been a while. I hope you enjoy it. Of those on your list: I think Jane Eyre and Catcher in the Rye are tough to beat. I wouldn't mind reading those again.
Susan, I hope I like A Wrinkle in Time. I almost always like time travel books, but I don't always like children's books.
Regarding Catcher in the Rye, I have been surprised to see (over the last few years) so many negative reviews of that book. I enjoyed it the first time I read it. I might have been the right age for it at the time. Regardless, I do want to reread it and recently bought a new edition to make sure it was a good reading experience.
I love A Wrinkle in Time...it's one of my favs. .And I've been meaning to read The Talented Mr. Ripley for years now. HOpe you spin a good one. :D
Those are some great options.
Hi Tracy, great collection of books. for the Classics Club and I can absolutely vouch for these 4:
Charlotte Bronte – Jane Eyre (1847)
Mary Shelley – Frankenstein (1818)
Ray Bradbury – The Martian Chronicles (1950)
Chinua Achebe – Things Fall Apart (1958)
Lark, I am glad to hear that you enjoyed A Wrinkle in Time. I hope I do too.
I have been avoiding The Talented Mr. Ripley for years because I have heard it is a tense demanding read. But I really want to try it soon, because there are others in the series if I like it.
I agree with you, Ryan. I hope to read a lot of the books in this Classics Spin list this year.
Thanks for that list, Kathy. I am especially eager to read Jane Eyre and Frankenstein.
Post a Comment