Animal Farm by George Orwell

Somehow I never read this one in high school. It wasn't a long read and I enjoyed the allegory. The theme was obvious even if you did have the background knowledge of the farm compared to the rise and fall of the Soviet Union. Lord Acton's quote "Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely" popped into my head as I finished this book.

This was for my dystopian classic read.

Vingt Mille Lieues Sous Les Mers (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas

Finally, yesterday afternoon I finished this book. The version I bought was bilingual, French and English. This was very helpful since my French is rusty plus many of the words were nautical and the language was dated. That said, it really did go pretty fast. I read the French and when I got stuck I peeked at the English translation. The story line is good and holds your interest until you run into the myriad lists of fish, sea creatures, and plants. I will confess to skimming these from time to time. I had read this book in 5th or 6th grade and loved it. There is enough mystery left in the ending that you finish feeling it was a good read and intriguing. I think it would make an excellent movie. I am glad I picked this Jules Verne book for my "classic in translation".

The Gift of the Magi and Other New York Stories by O'Henry

For my "12. A volume of classic short stories" I selected this book. I was first introduced to the short stories of O'Henry (William Sydney Porter) by my 6th grade elementary school teacher. Our textbook included 3 of his stories (The Gift of the Magi, The Last Leaf, and The Ransom of Red Chief). All three plus nine more stories and a biography were in this Kindle edition.

The only ones I didn't enjoy were

1. A Harlem Tragedy,
2. The Voice of the City
3.  The Skylight Room

The ones that I rate as OK were:

1. The Cop and the Anthem
2. The Making of a New Yorker
3. The biography (which included a critique of O'Henry's work)

The ones I really liked were:

1. The Gift of the Magi 
2. The Last Leaf
3. The Ransom of Red Chief
4. The Trimmed Lamp
5. A Retrieved Reformation
6. The Duplicity of Hargraves
7. The Whirligig of Life

Over all it was a great read. Each short story is about a facet of human nature that could easily be dropped in to 2016 and not lose their point. You will find some comedy, tragedy, sacrifice, and love (not just romantic love but love for your fellow human being). Definitely recommend this collection.

A 19th Century Classic - The Chimes (1844) by Charles Dickens

When I found out that this story is a New Year’s Eve story not a true Christmas story I thought it would be just the one to  start my 2016 challenge. Of course I have read A Christmas Carol but did not know that it was the first of 5 Christmas stories that Dickens wrote in the 1840’s. The Chimes is the second written in 1844. The Chimes are bells in a church near where the main character Trotty Veck, a messenger, waits for the gentry to employ him to deliver messages. He gets his name from his gate, a fast trot. You can help but continually compare it back to A Christmas Carol. There is the theme of injustice of the rich to the poor of the time, the ghosts, and the flight over the town to see into homes. I think it is fine and worth the read but not as good as the first. I feel a bit like I cheated because it was a quick read, about 4 hours.

Back to Classics Challenge 2016

Thinking back I can't remember reading a single classic except some British murder mysteries since I left college. So I am really looking forward to this challenge. My choices aren't all locked down yet and I may end up switching some around. But here goes:

1.  A 19th Century Classic - The Chimes (1844) by Charles Dickens, this is his 2nd in the series of 5 Christmas stories. Although it isn't technically a Christmas story. It is a goblin story of some bells that rang an old year out and a new year in. So I thought it would be a perfect way to start 2016 and my classics challenge off. Besides Audible is offer this one for free. It might not be considered long enough so please let me know if it doesn't qualify but I will still read/listen to it.

2.  A 20th Century Classic - TBA

3.  A classic by a woman author - Murder on the Orient Express. I have read this one before, in fact, I have read everything Agatha Christie has ever written. Earlier this year I was looking for a copy of this book in hardcover. The only ones I could find were very expensive then on Amazon I discover a version that had just come out. It a reproduction of the 1934 British edition. So I have to read this one.

4.  A classic in translation - 20,ooo Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne in French.

5.  A classic by a non-white author -The Art of War. I haven't ever read this one but it comes up in conversations often. Plus my son has read it so this will give me something to talk with him about.

6.  An adventure classic - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

7.  A fantasy, science fiction, or dystopian classic - Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

8.  A classic detective novel - The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

9.  A classic which includes the name of a place in the title - Peyton Place by Grace Metalious

10. A classic which has been banned or censored - To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee. Like who isn't reading this one or reading it this year? It would be fun if everyone who was reading it in this group did so at the same time. That way we could discuss it together.

11. Re-read a classic you read in school (high school or college) -  The Scarlet letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Read this one in high school and remember being very angry with the man and crying. Of course, I was a teenager with emotions all over the board.

12. A volume of classic short stories - The Gift of the Magi and Other New York Stories by Henry James.