2018 Back to the Classics Challenge

I didn't participate in 2017 but want to try again this year. In 2016 I read 6 of my 12 books but they are books I would not have read if I hadn't signed up. I am still working on my list but have started my 1st book "Orient Express" by Graham Greene. I have never read anything by him before although I was aware that he was an author. I may pick up some of the ones from my 2016 list that I didn't read but fit into one of the new 12 categories. My choices appear in ORANGE but they may change. This year the challenge is:

1.  A 19th century classic - any book published between 1800 and 1899. The Moonstone

2.  A 20th century classic - any book published between 1900 and 1968. Just like last year, all books MUST have been published at least 50 years ago to qualify. The only exception is books written at least 50 years ago, but published later, such as posthumous publications.

3.  A classic by a woman author. 

4.  A classic in translation.  Any book originally written published in a language other than your native language. Feel free to read the book in your language or the original language. (You can also read books in translation for any of the other categories). Modern translations are acceptable as long as the original work fits the guidelines for publications as explained in the challenge rules.

5. A children's classic. Indulge your inner child and read that classic that you somehow missed years ago. Short stories are fine, but it must be a complete volume. Young adult and picture books don't count! Black Beauty

6.  A classic crime story, fiction or non-fiction. This can be a true crime story, mystery, detective novel, spy novel, etc., as long as a crime is an integral part of the story and it was published at least 50 years ago. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

7. A classic travel or journey narrative, fiction or non-fiction. The journey itself must be the major plot point -- not just the destination. Orient Express by Graham Greene 

8. A classic with a single-word title.   Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier


9. A classic with a color in the title. The Scarlet Letter

10. A classic by an author that's new to you. Choose an author you've never read before.

11. A classic that scares you. Is there a classic you've been putting off forever? A really long book which intimidates you because of its sheer length? Now's the time to read it, and hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised! The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

12. Re-read a favorite classic. Like me, you probably have a lot of favorites -- choose one and read it again, then tell us why you love it so much. 

The Christmas Train

Every year I read a Christmas book. I use to buy really sappy romance novels to take on our trip to visit my husband's family for several years. This year I chose The Christmas Train by David Baldacci. I didn't realize it was romance, I just like traveling by train and thought it would be a humous fun read. I have read books by David Baldacci but they were very different. I did enjoy this one and would recommend.

Back to the Classics Challenge 2016

I got off the track for the Back to the Classics Challenge 2016 about 6 months in and never got on that train again. But I plan to do it again or at least start it again in 2017. Granted I did not read 12 classics but I did read 6 which is 6 more than I would have if I hadn't joined the challenge. Therefore I see it as a success for me. But here is the recap:

January - The Chimes by Charles Dickens
January - The Gift of the Magi and Other New York Stories by Henry James
February - Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (in French) by Jules Vern
March - Peyton Place by Grace Metalious
April - To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee
May - Animal Farm by George Orwell

reading update

I have read more books than reviewed so far. I just haven't taken the time to review or list them. So here I go trying to remember the additional ones.

1) The Twelve Dogs of Christmas
2) Turbo Twenty-three by Janet Evanovich
3) Circling the Sun by Paula McLain
4) Amy Snow by Tracy Rees
5) A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny

The Samantha Sweet series by Connie series:
6) Sweet Masterpiece
7) Sweet's Sweets
8) Sweet Holidays
9) Sweet Hearts
10) Bitter Sweet
11) Sweets Galore
12) Sweets Begorra
13) Sweet Payback
14) Sweet Somethings
15) Sweet Forgotten

16) Sins out of School by Jeanne Dams

There may have been more in the last 6 months but this is all I could remember.

More books by Dorothea Benton Frank

I have been going through her books like they were potato chips (You can't read just one). I enjoy the history she adds. They are romances without porn or sentimentality. So here is my list far the past couple of weeks: Folly Beach, The Hurricane Sisters, The Last Original Wife, Lowcountry Summer and Sullivans Island. All nice, light reads. Probably need to get back to reading my classics.

Without Warning by David Rosenfelt

I have read a couple of Rosenfelt's dog books before and liked them. Without Warning is a stand alone mystery, thriller maybe too strong of a description. I would still rank it with my cozy mysteries. This is good because cozy mysteries are my favorite reads for leisure. this is a book that keeps you guessing but you can read it alone at night and not have trouble going to sleep. I picked it up and to read anytime I had a free moment. Would definitely recommend.

The Four Agreements

Because of a recommendation on one of the blog I follow, I picked up The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz at the library. Over the next 2 days, I skimmed most of the first 24 pages but read the rest of the book. I liked the ideas presented so much that I bought the book and the companion book, The Four Agreements Companion Book: Using the Four Agreements to Master the Dream of Your Life (Toltec Wisdom). I feel this is a book that deserves rereading.