UPDATE: Classic Challenge

Kathrin hosted this summer version of booklogged's Winter Classic Challenge. I had a few books from a way long ago for the decades challenge I wanted to read, so I combined these two challenges. And I finished!
There seems to be so many of these classics that I haven't read. I don't think many are making my favorites list, but these books are classics for a reason, and while sometimes it feels like I'm reading them just to read them, it enhances my other modern reading, because these books are referenced and alluded to so much. I just finished The Thirteenth Tale, and I'm so glad I read Jane Eyre to get the connection. I would have enjoyed it regardless, but it added so much more.

The books I read were:

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte (1840s)
The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde (1890s)
O'Pioneers! - Willa Cather (1910s)
Hound of the Baskervilles - Arthur Conan Doyle (1900s)

Favorite Book: Jane Eyre and Hound of the Baskervilles I enjoy mysteries so Sherlock Holmes was good, but he's not better than Poirot.

Least Favorite: The Picture of Dorian Gray. The idea was great and I can see why people like it, but it just didn't do it for me.

Favorite Part of Challenge: Finishing a challenge is always satisfying, and combining this with the decades challenge was terrific. I also enjoyed reading along with the Literary Feline for Hound of the Baskervilles and Dorian Gray

Thanks Kathrin for putting this together. That's four classics off the list. I'm not sure which list exactly, but there must be one.

BOOK: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

I really wanted to like this book. I always loved The Importance of Being Ernest when I studied it in university, twice. It's on all the 'important' lists of books to read, including the top 50_books list. I saw it could be a book for the RIP so I was expecting eerie and creepy. In truth, I liked the story, it was the execution that made me fall asleep every time I picked it up.
It's a classic story, one that I knew the gist of - Dorian Gray doesn't age, the painting of him does all the aging. There were parts I liked, such as when the characters spoke to each other, except when they began rambling on about art and the role of the artist. Lord Harry spoke in that Victorian double speak or irony, like he got lost from the comedy of manners play, The Important of Being Ernest and wandered into this novel. I wasn't expecting his more humorous comments, so it was confusing me from the atmosphere I was expecting. Lord Harry says things like "To get back my youth, I would do anything in the world, except exercise, get up early or be respectable." He's full of witticisms like this.

There are a lot of comments about beauty and art and probably some social commentary, but somewhere around the middle I began to really scan, as I realized I might never finish it if I didn't change something. Wilde was certainly making some statements about the classics with many literary allusions, as the Reader's Supplement at the back of my edition attests. I wanted to finish it but it may be a book best analysed with a professor in an English class, not me reading it for fun. Part of the problem is that I knew what the story was, and it was good a good story, just that reading how Wilde wrote it wasn't worth it to me. And knowing how Wilde lived and died, it seemed rather autobiographical, with the decadent lifestyle that Dorian Gray was allowed to live. Most of the debauchery was only hinted at, but with hindsight, and knowledge of Oscar Wilde, it could be a different book written today.

With this, I've finished off the summer classic challenge and this gets me to 13 books in 13 decades, a respectable amount.

BOOK: O Pioneers! by Willa Cather

I was expecting Little House on the Prairie with this book but got a big ole soap opera. Well, as soap opera-y as you can get written in 1913. But there was a lot more character action than I expected.

Set in Nebraska, it wasn't an easy life, mostly because it seemed like immigrants landed there and expected to be able to be farmers with no expereince. Hello? Alexandra was the oldest in her family, and her Swedish father recognized that she was the smartest and on his death bed, had her brothers agree to listen to her. She was smart, and strong, but not all that good at her own emotional stuff. She built up the farm but never married. Lots of American dreams being realized here, including getting successful enough that the youngest can go to school and not have to be a farmer. When will parents realize that telling their kids they can't do something (farm) isn't any different from making them do it. No choice.

It seemed a little rushed, and the characters and actions could have been a lot more drawn out, but maybe shorter was better. I could see this being studied in American high schools, because a lot of emotions and motives could be studied: politics, family relations, role of women, jealousy, violence, gun control, the family farm.

The Nebraska wheat fields are beautifully described and the characters love of land comes through. The multicultural background of America - Swedes, Bohemians, French, is nicely described, and could explain the modern day 'midwestern' character, when you see the people and customs that built it.

Another one for the decades challenge (1910s) and the summer classic challenge.

BOOK: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

It is hard to read a most beloved book that has earned so much praise. There is such an expectation while you are reading, that the poor book doesn't stand a chance. However, Jane Eyre was a great book and I really enjoyed it. I think if I had read it earlier in my life, I would absolutely love it, because I certainly developed a huge crush on Mr Rochester, but I didn't devour it, my usual judge of books that go on my best list.

I'm not sure what I thought this book was about; I knew there was some crazy person in it, but I didn't realize how wonderful Mr Rochester was and how tremendous of a heroine Jane was. Her confidence in herself, and strength to do the right thing for her impressed me. What a survivor! And Mr Rochester, I loved how she called him that right to the end. The atmosphere was creepy and gothic, wonderfully moorish. There was a little too much of St John at the end of the book, I just wanted Jane! But that is the reflection of the religious themes in the book; I preferred the mystery and love story aspect.

So, I liked the book and the characters. It's not going to be one of my favorite books, but I can see why it is for many people. I'm glad I read it, and wish I'd read it years ago.

BOOK: The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle

Classics are classics for a reason. This was immensely readable, and a mystery I've heard about and never read. Sherlock Holmes is perfect - arrogant and confident and right. 'Elementary', Dr.Watson narrates, so we don't know anything that Watson doesn't and he doesn't know what Holmes is doing or thinking. An interesting perspective. My book from the library had what must be the smallest font legally allowed, and the smallest space between lines - everything was crammed into 128 pages. However, I persevered and the mystery and suspence had me turning the pages through squinting eyes and anxious nerves. I thought it might be more cliched, but no. Good writing, good plot, and good characters are why we call this book a classic.

This counts as my first classic for Kathrin's Summer Classic Challenge, and also an early entry for the 15 books/15 decades challenge (1900s).

CHALLENGE: Classics Challenge Kathrin

The Winter Classics Challenge got me started. There are so many classic books I have never read, that the chance to join another challenge and read a few more was too good to pass up. Kathrin missed the first and decided to host her own classic challenge, and it sounds perfect: read 3 - 5 books between July 1 and November 30. I'm in, definately. Additionally, I have some early decades for the 15books/15decades challenge (from 1890s - 1910s) that I want to read. They are classics. My book choices are:

• Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte I am possibly the last reader on earth who has not read this.
• The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde Along with Jane Eyre, this is on the list of top 20 50_books list. And I love Wilde's play 'The Importance of Being Earnest' (1890s)
• O'Pioneers! - Willa Cather (1910s)
• Hound of the Baskervilles - Arthur Conan Doyle (1900s) I always enjoy mysteries and Sherlock Holmes? A classic.

I am combining this challenge with the 15books/15decades challenge, and my own personal list of books I am trying to read: 50_books , from live journal, top 20 reads