2020 CHALLENGE: The Reading Classic Books Challenge

2020 READING CLASSIC BOOKS CHALLENGE

hosted by the The Broken Spine

I am signing up for the 2020 Reading Classic Books Challenge hosted by Erica at The Broken Spine.

The goal is to read more classic books. Erica isn't a stickler about her definition, although book must have been originally published more than 50 years ago. There are 12 prompts and each book can count for one or two prompts. I'm going to try to read at least six classic books for this challenge. I'm trying to make some progress on my Classics Club list in 2020 and this challenge will be a good way to do it.

CHALLENGE PROMPTS

1) Read a classic over 500 pages
2) Read a classic by a POC and/or with a POC as the main character
3) Read a classic that takes place in a country other than where you live
4) Read a classic in translation
5) Read a classic by a new to you author
6) Read a book of poetry
7) Read a classic written between 1800-1860
8) Read a classic written by an LGBT author and/or with an LGBT main character
9) Read a classic written by a woman
10) Read a classic novella
11) Read a classic nonfiction
12) Read a classic that has been banned or censored

MY BOOK POSSIBILITIES

1) over 500 pages: The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
2) POC:
3) another country: Something to Answer For by P. H. Newby (Egypt)
4) translation: Cheri by Colette
5) new author: The Late George Apley by John Phillips Marquand
6) poetry:
7) 1800-1860:
8) LGBT: Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs
9) woman: A Severed Head by Iris Murdoch
10) novella:
11) nonfiction: Prospero's Cell: A Guide To The Landscape And Manners of The Island Of Corfu by Lawrence Durrell
12) banned or censored:

SOCIAL MEDIA, ETC.

Goodreads @ Reading Classic Books
Twitter @Read_Classics
Instagram @Reading Classic Books
hashtag #readclassicbooks2020

THE CLASSICS CLUB

The Classics Club is an ongoing book challenge where participants pledge to read at least 50 classic books in five years. It has been going since 2012 and many participants are on their second or more lists by now. I am still working on my first CC list.

Anyone can join. The Classics Club website has lots of fun stuff for participants, like games, events, and an enormous book list if you need inspiration for "classic" books.

2019 Challenge: COMPLETED - Back to the Classics

2019 Back to the Classics
COMPLETED

I love the Back to the Classics Challenge hosted by Books and Chocolate, but I've been hit or miss with it over the years. The prompts are good and I enjoy participating, but I have failed several times to sign up in time. But I got on board in time for 2019 and I finished the six book I signed up to read!

The idea is to read six, nine, or 12 books published more than 50 years ago, one each from a list of categories. Other than being more than 50 years old, Karen at Books and Chocolate does not strictly define a “classic” book. However, she provides guidelines for each of her categories.

I signed up in 2019 at the six-book level, and ended up reading nine.

CATEGORIES AND BOOKS READ

• 19th Century Classic: The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy (originally published in 1878)
• 20th Century Classic: Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot (originally published in 1939)
• Classic by a Woman Author: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
• Classic in Translation: The Heart-Keeper by Françoise Sagan (translated from French)
• Classic Comic Novel: Agents and Patients by Anthony Powell
• Classic Tragic Novel:
• Very Long Classic (over 500 pages): Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (608 pages)
• Classic Novella: Lady Into Fox by David Garnett (96 pages)
• Classic from the Americas (includes the Caribbean): The Professor's House by Willa Cather (there is a New Mexico story line involving indigenous peoples and artifacts that is dated but still thought provoking)
• Classic from Africa, Asia, or Oceania (includes Australia):
• Classic from a Place You’ve Lived: The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy (England)
• Classic Play:

Karen offers a prize for those who complete the challenge and review the books they read. She does a drawing for the prize and participants get one entry if they complete six books, two entries for those who complete nine books, and three entries for those who complete 12 books.

I didn't review any of the books I read for this challenge -- I haven't had much time to review books lately! So I'm just happy to have read my nine books even though I don't qualify for the drawing. Like I said, I'm a little hit or miss with this one. Oh well. Book blogging is supposed to be fun!