Books I have chosen for the latest Spin...

Ah, it is time to have another Classics Spin!   The rules are that I need to pick 20 books from my Classics Club list that I still need to read. I have a few books on my list that I had previously started reading but than never finished as of yet, so I will list those first with an asterisk, then any others I want to read.

1. Heart of Darkness and Selected Stories by Joseph Conrad*

2. Walden and Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau*

3. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain*

4. Little Dorritt by Charles Dickens*

5. Poor Folk and other stories by Fyodor Dostoyevsky*

6. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte*

7. The Death of Ivan Ilych and other stories by Leo Tolstoy*

8. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy*

9. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen*

10. Germinal by Emile Zola*

11.  Little Women by Louisa May Alcott*

12. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

13. The Oregon Trail by Francis Parkman, Jr.

14. The Letters of the Rozmberk Sisters

15. The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain

16. The Pioneers by James Fenimore Cooper

17. Larkrise to Candleford by Flora Thompson

18. The Memoirs of Gluckel of Hameln

19. Rights of Man by Thomas Paine

20. The Kilvert's Diary

Classics Club Spin 13, Kidnapped Book Review

I completed the book Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson for the Classics Club. This book told the tale of David Balfour and the many adventures he goes on at the sea and in Scotland after the Rebellion. It is a very small book and it seems like we are just kind of getting to know David when the story ends. In some places this book doesn't have a whole lot of dialogue but more of the adventures and their surroundings, so in mentioning any of the characters I feel that I would give some of the story away. At the end I did feel that I wanted to know what else happened to everyone and in fact Stevenson did write a sequel, which now I can't wait to read. I rank this book a 4 out of 5.

Classic Spin 13 List...

Another classic spin will be determined on Monday, June 6th and the book will need to be read by August 1st. Here are the rules for more information.

Here is my list, in no certain order;

1. The Outsiders
2. North and South
3. Wives and Daughters
4. Treasure Island
5. Little Dorritt
6. The Pioneers
7. Jane Eyre
8. My Antonia
9. Larkrise to Candleford
10. The House of Mirth
11. The Rights of Man
12. The Grapes of Wrath
13. Little Women
14. The Secret Women
15. Kidnapped
16. Barnaby Rudge
17. The Oregon Trail
18. Northanger Abbey
19. Private Yankee Doodle
20. The Prince and the Pauper

Late on my Spin Results!

 
I am late on this post but the lucky Spin number was 8, which for me is Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. I do not know much about this book and never seen any movie about it before. All I know it is seems sort of like a mystery/ghost type book. I need to have the book read by May 2. We shall see how far along I get.

Twelfth Spin...

The Classics Club is having another Spin! Here is my list;

1. Larkrise to Candleford
2. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
3. The Secret Garden
4. Little Women
5. North and South
6. The Pioneers
7. The Outsiders
8. Northanger Abbey
9. Jane Eyre
10. Treasure Island
11. Main Street
12. The Awakening
13. Jude the Obscure
14. Poor Folk and other short stories
15. My Antonia
16. The Rights of Man
17. The Oregon Trail
18. Kilvert's Diary
19. Barnaby Rudge
20. Kidnapped

Number 19 is the winner!

 

The winner for this Classics Club Spin #11 was number 19! So I will be reading Larkrise to Candleford by Flora Thompson. There is a television series somewhat based on the books (which Larkrise to Candleford is a triology all in one) which is based on her own experiences of being a postmistress in a small village in England during the early 1900's.  I have heard that the book is quite different, I did start to read it a few years ago, but didn't get too far. In regards to the small part I had read of the book previously it was mostly about the description and every day life of the small village but not that much on any dialogue. That doesn't bother me, but like I said since I haven't read that much of it perhaps it changes in time. I do have a somewhat rare copy of this book as my version is a hardback with lovely pictures/paintings in the book. Once I do my review I will perhaps post a picture of it. I am excited about this book and love the television series. 

Classics Club Spin Eleven!

 The Classics Club is having another spin! You have until Monday December 7th in order to join and list your 20 books. Then once the winning number has been announced then you have until Feb. 1, 2016 to finish and review that book. I have enjoyed previous spins and sometimes haven't gotten to finish the book, but this time I think that I will have plenty of time to do that. Here is my list! Join it is a lot of fun!

1. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
2. Treasure Island
3. Kidnapped
4. Wives and Daughters
5. The Secret Garden
6. Little Women
7. War and Peace
8. Little Dorrit
9. Adventures of Tom Sawyer
10. North and South
11. Northanger Abbey
12. Eight Cousins
13. Barnaby Rudge
14. The House of the Dead
15. Rights of Man
16. Five Little Peppers and How They Grew
17. Poor Folk
18. House of Mirth
19. Larkrise to Candleford
20. The Pioneers

Spin Results and Review

 I am only two days late in finishing and three late in posting my progress on the Classics Spin results that ended on May 15th. It has been quite a few spins since I was able to finish a book. My book for this spin was The Railway Children by E. Nesbit. So what are my thoughts for this book? It was ok wasn't the best book but wasn't horrible either. This is of course a child's book and I can see how it would be appealing to children who loved trains or a little adventure. Basically, the story entails about a few siblings who for unknown reasons to them, are made to leave London with their mother and move to the country. It is then about the people they met and a few adventures, which as an adult become rather predicable, but to a child might not be. Even though later on you find out why they moved and how come the father was no longer involved in their lives, one issue isn't quite resolved for sure, they give you a hint who you assume is correct later on but never say for sure. I give it a 3 out of 5, perhaps if I was younger it would have been given a higher rating. The next book I will be reading for the Classics Club is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.

Classic Spin #8 Age of Innocence Review

 I finished reading this book last night for the latest classic spin. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton.  The main characters are Archer Newland and May Welland along with her cousin the Countess Ellen Olenska. The setting takes place in the 1870's in New York's old money society with the books main focus on family morals and standards of the day. Does one follow their heart or go by what is expected of them? It took me a couple of chapters to get interested in this book. Some of the characters I was on the fence about, although I can see their point of views, so for me I was more interested in seeing what they would end up doing more than anything else. The author Edith Wharton knew society well during the time this story she wrote takes place, as her own wealthy family came from New York. I think this does add to the book as some of the society manners and etiquette was quite fascinating to learn, however some of them were quite ludicrous by today's standards. I didn't feel that I really connected with the characters though, I think this is because the book was so much about society in general. I rank this book 3 out of 5, an ok read but not one I would want to reread.

Classic Spin Number

 I know that I am a few days late posting but the number for the Spin is 13! I was a little surprised since I had so many previous event/spin books listed that one of them didn't make it. I have started reading The Age of Innocence of Edith Wharton, only about a chapter or so in, to early to see if I will like it or not. Have you read Age of Innocence? If so what are your thoughts? I have until Jan. 5, 2015 to finish it.

Classics Spin #8!!

So I realized I haven't posted on here in a long time. How time flies, anyways it is time for another classic spin.

  If you have read my blog before, then you will recognize the first ten books, were all previous spin list or event books that I have yet to finish. I hope that I get something that is somewhat a light read.

1. Heart of Darkness and selected short stories by Joseph Conrad
2. Walden and Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau
3. Germinal by Emile Zola
4. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
5. The Railway Children by E. Nesbit
6. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
7. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
8. Persuasion by Jane Austen
9. Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad
10. The Secret Garden by Hodgson Burnett
11. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
12. Main Street by Sinclair Lewis
13. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
14. Rights of Man by Thomas Paine
15. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
16. Love Letters of Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn
17. The Pioneers by James Fenimore Cooper
18. Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
19. The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
20. The memoirs of Gluckel of Hameln

What book on your list are you hoping to read or dreading? I have tried to read Conrad's books and gotten stuck. I am in the first part of Walden but not finding it very interesting, and I have heard the second part is better. I am about halfway through Jane Eyre and Sense and Sensibility, and finding I am liking Jane Eyre more than I originally thought I would. I have read a few chapters in Germinal and found it quite interesting, as well as War and Peace (although trying to remember all of the characters and their nicknames is a huge challenge). I have previously read The Outsiders multiple times, but for books listed 12-20 I have never read and just listed ones that I thought sounded interesting. 

Classic Spin Number......

 The number for the 7th Spin the Classics Club picked was 17! So I will be reading Germinal, I have heard it is good but just haven't read it yet. Have you read Germinal? What were your thoughts? Did you get a good number for the Spin?

Classic Club Spin #7!

Unfortunately, I saw this notice of a new spin early this morning, so I am making a very late post about it. The last few I have participated in I was not able to finish the books. The  books marked with an * are from previous spins that I was unable to finish; because of time, couldn't get through it,etc. The challenge is to read whatever book from my numbered list that the Classic Club picks by October 6.

1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte*
2. Walden and Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau*
3. Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell
4. Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
5. The Republic by Plato
6. Main Street by Sinclair Lewis
7. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett 
8. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
9. The Magican's Nephew by C.S. Lewis
10. The Railway Children by E. Nesbitt*
11. Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens
12. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
13. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
14. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
15. Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy
16. Rights of Man by Thomas Paine
17. Germinal by Zola
18. My Antonia by Willa Cather
19. Heart of Darkness and other stories by Joseph Conrad*
20. Five Little Peppers and How They Grow by Margaret Sidney

Classic Spin Number Announced

 The number that was picked for this spin was number 1, so I will be reading Walden and Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau by July 7th since my book only has 260 pages. I plan on having it read by then, but might hold off posting a review as quite a few people wait until July 7th.




Have you read either Walden or Civil Disobedience, what did you think?

Join me in a spin!

 The Classics Club is having another spin! I haven't been able to participate in the past few they have had. So here is my list, those marked with an * will be rereads for me:

1. Walden and Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau
2. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton *
3. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
4. Germinal by Emile Zola
5. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson *
6. Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
7. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
8. Wives & Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell
9. Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens
10. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett 
11. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
12. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
13. North & South by Elizabeth Gaskell
14. Main Street by Sinclair Lewis
15. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
16. Larkrise to Candleford by Flora Thompson
17. Persuasion by Jane Austen
18. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
19. Little Dorritt by Charles Dickens
20. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

I will anxiously await to see what book I will start reading on Monday.

My Spin book is.......

 

The Classics Club has picked number 10 for the winner of the Spin List. So I will be reading Persuasion by Jane Austen! It should be a fun read, and I think it will be finished before the deadline of Jan. 1st. If you are participating in the Classics Spin, what book will you be reading?