Classic Club: Spin #19
It’s time for another Classic Club Spin. I wasn’t going to participate this time around because I already have a few books lined up to read in the next few weeks. But then I noticed today that we have an extra long period in which to read the selected book.
So here we go with a list of 20 books remaining from my Classics Club list. I don’t actually have 20 titles remaining from my original list – I am down to the last 13 in fact – so have had to add in a few extras just to make up the numbers.
Here is my list. I’ve tried to go for a mixture across centuries and geographies. The bulk are from the twentieth century but I’ve included a smattering from eighteenth and nineteenth centuries also. Geographically, it’s a mix of British, French, American and Australian. Just to be patriotic I included two titles by authors from Wales.
- The Vicar of Wakefield — Oliver Goldsmith 1766
- The Black Sheep — Honore Balzac 1842
- Basil— Wilkie Collins 1852
- Framley Parsonage — Anthony Trollope 1861
- The Kill/La Curée – Emile Zola 1871-2
- Daniel Deronda — George Eliot 1876
- New Grub Street— George Gissing 1891
- My Brilliant Career — Miles Franklin 1901
- O pioneers — Willa Cather 1913
- Gone to Earth — Mary Webb 1917
- Return of the Soldier — Rebecca West 1917
- Age of Innocence — Edith Wharton 1920
- The Last September — Elizabeth Bowen 1929
- All Passion Spent — Vita Sackville West 1932
- Frost in May — Antonia White 1933
- Old Soldiers Never Die— Frank Richards 1933
- Turf or Stone — Margiad Evans 1934
- The Grapes of Wrath — John Steinbeck 1939
- Never No More— Maura Laverty 1942
- The Quiet American — Graham Greene 1955
Tomorrow we learn which of these titles I will be reading between now and the end of January 2019. I have a hankering for the Trollope, it seems just the right kind of book to be reading in front of a cosy fire. But otherwise I have no particular favourites.
Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle just for variety.
Good luck with the vicar.., I got A Moveable Feast – my post will be live on the 29th
All Passions Spent and Frost in May are both wonderful books, although if you read the latter you might then find yourself needing to go on and read the other three in the series, which won’t do much for your tbr list.
Candide won’t take you long to read, so that would be a good pick – easy to slot in to your reading schedule 🙂 I’ve also read The Grapes of Wrath, which I loved – that would take much longer to read, but I think it is a wonderful book.
The only ones I’ve read are My Brilliant Career, so long ago I don’t really remember it but think I enjoyed it, and The Grapes of Wrath which I loved and hated in equal measure, but which has certainly taken up permanent residence in my mind. Hope you get one you enjoy!
I’ve heard of My Brilliant career so many times I felt I needed to find out what all the noise was about
Is this a read-along type event? Do you encourage others to read the book as you read it and then we have a discussion? I’m new to your site and that’s why I’m asking. Thanks!
No it’s not a readalong – it’s what is called a meme where someone picks a topic and gets people talking about it Thanks for following me – hope to hear more from you in the future
Always delighted to add another Welsh book to my wishlist (thanks).
My mum has spent the past 30 yrs working on our family history too, slowly, slowly. When I was in Wales in 1991, I had the opportunity to stay with some third cousins still living in the ancestral village (Pendoylan). They knew where the gr, gr grandparents that we had in common were buried and we wandered by the old family farm. It was a wonderful experience to see where my Pop’s dad had grown up and to meet distant family that still shared uncanny resemblances to various of my aunts and cousins.
Will you be joining in Paula’s Dewithon next year?
https://bookjotter.com/2018/03/26/dhq-dewithon19/
I know Pendoylan. It’s actually not too far from my home. We used to go to the Red Lion …. Yes I’ll join in the Dewithon – would be unpatriotic not to do so 🙂
I just noticed Grapes of Wrath on your list! I sooooo love that book!
It’s one my husband keeps advocating that I read….
Okay. I saw yours and posted one of my own! (https://books-n-music.blogspot.com/2018/11/classics-club-spin-19.html) I definitely listed more of those I really want to read! And I’m really jealous of the progress you’ve made on your list! 🙂
It’s taken me way longer than the 5 years though Lynn.
Fingers crossed for The Age of Innocence – its wonderful.
I’d be more than happy to get that one. I think I read House of Mirth years ago and enjoyed it so I have high hopes
I have some Trollope on my list too! Fingers crossed for a good result
I’ve loved the ones I’ve read so far…
Some great books there – some I’ve read (of course) and some I haven’t (of course). Favourites there include New Grub Street, plus Cather (though I’ve not read that particular one) and Wharton (where I have.)
I’ve just put together some schedule suggestions for my reading group’s next schedule which we’ll be choosing tonight, and one of those ideas (these are from the group) is a book by Trollope. But, which one? I’d be happy if we chose him, I must say, as it’s been a while.
I have a particular affection for the first two in his Barchester series…..
Yes, but I’ve read those, although a long time ago. I’d like to do one of his one-offs.
Definitely some classic titles on that list!
There were so many more I could have included. I feel I have barely touched the surface with classics from some countries
That’s a very varied and wide-ranging list – good luck! 🙂
I like to mix up the styles just for variety