A Paradise Lost Read-Along

Posted on January 3, 2014 by cleopatra

Carolyn at Rosemary and Reading Glasses is hosting a Paradise Lost Read-Along that will happen over the months of January and February. Since I have always wanted to read this poem but have been too scared to read it by myself AND because I have had a great start to my reading for 2014, I’m in!

Here’s the scoop:

January 1st will mark this blog’s one-year birthday, and what better way to celebrate than with an epic (literally) readalong? I’m hosting a Paradise Lost readalong from January 1 to March 1, and I hope you’ll come along to brighten up the winter doldrums. I’ll be tweeting with the tag #ReadPL if you want to follow along.

January 1: Introductory post

January 10: Books I & II reaction

January 20: Books III & IV reaction

January 30: Books V & VI reaction

February 10: Books VII & VIII reaction

February 20: Books IX & X reaction

March 1: Books XI & XII; Wrap-up

I’m so excited about this read-along that I’m not even feeling guilty in the least. Please join us if you can fit it in!

And I’m Off! – Beginning 2014

Posted on January 1, 2014 by cleopatra

A new year, new challenges and some resolutions! The beginning of the year started, not with reading, but ………… a “Polar Brrrr Swim”! Brrrr, is right! I didn’t join the swim (my husband did) but I did dip my foot in, just to get a taste of what I was missing. However, after the excitement of the morning, I have come home (well, to our temporary home —— we’re dog-sitting for a friend, but we do have a wonderful view) and have curled up in a comfy chair to start the momentous task of my January reads.

I started The Great Gatsby, which is the January read for my Dead Writers Society group on Goodreads, and also began the Children’s Literature Event, hosted by Amanda on Simpler Pastimes, with The Wizard of Oz. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe will count for that event too, and I also have plans to begin Daniel Deronda and Mrs. Dalloway. Marian at Tanglwood is hosting a Eugene Onegin read-along which I will participate in. As for books still in-progress from 2013, I am right on schedule with David Copperfield, The History of the Ancient World, Son Excellence Eugène Rougon and Once and Future King . War and Peace is still not finished but I am close. The depth and breadth of Tolstoy’s novels always entrance me and I don’t want to rush this one, though I know I should be done by now. Wharton’s, Tales of Men and Ghosts is left over from October 2013 —– even though I liked the stories I have read, I am not feeling the urge to pick it up, so it may take awhile for me to get through it. Add to the above, two other read-alongs, I’m considering: Maggie’s Wuthering Heights Read-Along and a Paradise Lost Read-Along hosted by Carolyn at Rosemary and Reading Glasses. I have never read Wuthering Heights and need an event like this to push me. Why this book has remainder on my TBR shelf for so long, I’m not quite sure. While I have loved most of the Brönte novels, this one has not had the appeal of the rest. Am I doing it an injustice? Perhaps I should find out! In the case of Paradise Lost, I have been wanting to read it for ages but the intimidation factor stopped me. This read-along is exactly what I need.

As everyone can see, I am completely overloaded for January and perhaps need professional help. Not to mention that I’m already failing in one of my new year reading resolutions. Ah yes, resolutions ……. Shall we talk about those? My reading resolutions for the year are:

a) to read less books. I have challenged myself to read 60 which is down from 68 in 2013 and 78 in 2012. The reason I have resolved to read less is because I want more time to sit with a book, to converse with it, to get to know it better. Yes, I am not off to a great start with this resolution. :-Z

b) to journal about some of the books I read. Following The Well-Educated Mind questions, I’d like to take the time to summarize chapters, note items of interest or annoyance, list characters, etc. I will get much more out of a book that way. Ruth of A Great Book Study is my example for this resolution so I just have to keep reading her blog for inspiration. Of course, I don’t want to journal every book. I think I managed to journal three books last year, so if I can improve on three, I will be happy.

c) expand my reading choices — I love reading old books! Period. But I do realize I need some reading choices to connect me to reality, so for this year I’d like to concentrate (a litttle) on reading books that pertain to present social, health and environment issues, such as The Omnivore’s Dilemma, The 100-Year Lie, The World Until Yesterday (I loved Collapse by the same author), and perhaps I can even throw a classic into this group …… Walden by Henry David Thoreau.

As you can see, I have a host of hopes, wishes, dreams and books on my plate for 2014, a smörgåsbord of reading and learning. Whether I realize all of my goals, remains to be seen, but the fun is in the trying! All best to everyone for 2014!

One Last Challenge – 2014 Around-the-World Challenge

Posted on December 30, 2013 by cleopatra

Okay, this is the last challenge …….. I promise! My Dead Writers Society Goodreads group has set up a 2014 Around-the-World Challenge, so I really must join this one. Really, I have no choice! I’m being held hostage and ……… oh,well, never mind ….. 😉 I know that I’m fooling no one, so I may as well quit while I’m ahead ……

The only stipulation for this challenge is that the authors have to be dead and the countries/areas read in the following order. The books I’m considering are in parentheses:

January: North America (If On a Winter Night A Traveler by Italo
Calvino)

February: South America (The Poems of Pablo Neruda)

March: Western Europe (Les Lettres du Moulin by Alphonse Daudet but
this will probably change)

April: Eastern Europe (a book by Isaac Bashevis Singer)

May: Northern Europe (The Saga of the Volsungs or Fear and Trembling
by Søren Kierkegaard)

June: North Africa (The Cairo Trilogy by Naguib Mahfouz)

July: Sub-Saharan Africa (Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton)

August: Middle East (The Epic of Gilgamesh or The Arabian Nights)

September: Russia, Mongolia (I was mulling over The Brothers
Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky but now
I highly doubt it)

October: China, Korea, Japan (The Story of Stone by Cao Xueqin)

November: India (The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye)

December: Australasia (I don’t know! Perhaps something from Katherine
Mansfield)

I know I will not make it through all twelve months; if I’m able to read four books, I will be pleased. But this challenge will force me to read books that I wouldn’t normally choose independently, so it has its benefits. Plus I probably can find a reading buddy or two within the group and what better reason to join than that!

52 Books In 52 Weeks Wrap-up 2013

Posted on December 29, 2013 by cleopatra

While I didn’t have a blog last year, I did particiapte in the 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge. Robin is the host and she encourages participants to answer questions at the end of the year, to review their reading experiences. I admit, I haven’t completed the questions previously but, with a new blog, this year I thought I’d give it a go!

1. How many book did you read this year?

I should end up with about 70 books read, which is 8 less than the
previous year.

2. Did you meet or beat your own personal goal?

My personal goal was 65 books, so I beat my challenge.

3. Favourite book of 2013?

Oh, this is a difficult question. I would say The Divine Comedy
because of the ambitiousness of Dante’s writing, the differences
between the three books and the opportunity he gives the reader
to intimately explore Heaven, Hell and Purgatory.

4. Least favourite book of 2013 and why?

I have no problem answering this! Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.
The whole structure of the story seemed not only forced but poorly
stitched together, and the storyline shallow. The main character’s
husband is a murderer for really no good reason, and the only emotion
the second Mrs. deWinter displays is joy that her husband doesn’t
love his first wife, the murdered Rebecca. I know that Rebecca
was supposed to be the force that dominates the story, I think we
are supposed to sympathize with Mrs. de Winter II and be chilled
by Mrs. Danvers but, honestly, I was ready to tear my hair out by
the end of the story. Never again unless by torture!

5. One book you thought you’d never read and was pleasantly surprised
that you liked it?

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton. I thought I would like it but I never
imagined that I would love it as much as I did. Wharton was a master of
character development when she created Lily Bart. The reader is
introduced to an innocent child, an accomplished flirt, a damaged
product of society, a redeemed angel, and each of these traits shone out
just as strongly as all the others. Just, WOW!

6. One book you thought you’d love but didn’t?

Walden Two. I expected a good utopian read. What I got was B.F.
Skinner’s philosophical treatise of the perfect society, but in a way
that was rambling and unappealing. I didn’t feel he really made an
attempt to engage with the reader.

Also, The Summer Book, by Tove Jansson. It was a story of a girl
who had lost her mother and was spending her time on an island off
Finland with her grandmother, and of their relationship together.
Jansson only mentions the mother’s death once and then doesn’t
explore this theme further, asking us to surmise the girl’s often
unpleasant behaviour is a result of this tragedy. Fine, but the
grandmother is a little off-colour too, as well as other characters in
this novel. I didn’t hate it and, in fact, some parts were amusing,
but it left me with no connection to the characters and a very uneasy
feeling.

7. One book that touched you — made you laugh, cry, sing or dance.

Oh, lots of these! First The House of Mirth …… my heart just ached for
Lily, but because I’ve mentioned this title already, I’ll pick another: All
Quiet on the Western Front. I found this book particularly poignant
because, while it was realistic, it wasn’t sensationalistic. I felt the author
intimately knew his characters and was able to communicate their
struggles with the reader. As enjoyable as a book on war can be.

8. Any new to you authors discovered and you can’t wait to read more of
their stories?

I enjoyed The Master and Margarita, so I’d like to read more of Mikhail
Bulgakov. Oh, and Emilé Zola, absolutely. I also enjoyed M.R. James’
Ghost Stories.

9. Name the longest book you read? The shortest?

If I finish in time, it would be War and Peace at 1392 pages. If not, my
next closest is Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens at 996 pages. The
shortest was Cautionary Tales for Children by Hilaire Belloc at 72 pages.

10. Name the most unputdownable book you read?

The Brain That Changes Itself was fascinating!

11. Book that had the greatest impact on you this year?

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton. I still think about it: Lily’s fate
and was it necessary?

12. What book would you recommend everybody read?

The Divine Comedy, The House of Mirth, Beowulf and Pride and
Prejudice.

13. Share your most favourite cover.

What a lovely cover! I speaks of adventure and makes you want to
pick up the book and read!

14. Do you have a character you fell in love with?

Lily Bart from The House of Mirth. A tragically loveable yet sometimes
unlikeable character! Also Rilla from Rilla of Ingleside, Miette from The
Fortune of the Rougons, Antonia from My Antonia …… the list could go
on!

15. What was your most favourite part of the challenge? Did you do any of
the mini-challenges?

I enjoy how this challenge gives me focus. I didn’t do any of the mini-
challenges but I’ll certainly be considering some for 2014!

My goals for 2014 are to read less books and to spend more time with the books I read. I want to take the time to read over passages that resonate with me, be able to ponder the thoughts the book has provoked, and leave time to journal. The beginning of the year is shaping up to be busy; I have probably too many books scheduled to read but I am feeling positive about starting the year off without many leftovers from 2013.

All the best to everyone for 2014!

Back to the Classics Challenge 2014

Posted on December 16, 2013 by cleopatra

Here it is! The challenge I have been waiting for! Back to the Classics Challenge 2014 is being hosted this year by Books and Chocolate. She has taken over for Sarah at Sarah Reads Too Much and has already done a wonderful job organizing this challenge.

The rules for this year are as follows, including a few changes:

This year there are six required categories and five optional categories.

1. 20th Century Classic The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton
2. 19th Century Classic David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
3. A Classic By A Woman Writer Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
4. A Classic In Translation Son Excellence, Eugène Rougon by Émile
Zola
5. A Wartime Classic War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
6. A Classic by an Author Who is New to You The Warden by Anthony Trollope

Optional:

1. An American Classic The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
2. A Classic Mystery/Suspense Thriller The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
3. A Classic Historical Fiction Book The Once And Future King by E.B. White
4. A Classic That Has Been Adapted into a T.V. or Movie Series Othello by William Shakespeare
5. Extra Fun Category – Write a Review of #4 Othello movie reviews

She also has made another rule: All classics must be published 50 years ago or earlier, so nothing before 1964 will be considered a classic.

Please check out her blog for information on prizes and additional explanations.

Even without a blog, I participated in this challenge every year. It is my easiest challenge and probably the most fun for me. So if this challenge sounds like fun to you too, pop over to Books and Chocolate to check it out. And good luck to everyone!

The Pre-Printing Press Challenge 2014

Posted on December 11, 2013 by cleopatra

I stumbled across The Pre-Printing Press Challenge at All Booked Up via Howling Frog Books (can you tell that I like her blog?). It’s rules are reasonably unstructured so I thought it might fit nicely into my year.

The rules of the Pre-Printing Press Challenge:

1. All books must have come out before 1440, when the printing
press was first invented.
2. Books chosen for this challenge can overlap with other
challenges.
3. Books can be translated into the language of your choice.
4. All the books you’ve chosen must be read by December 31,
2014.
5. You can read 1-3 books, 4-6 books, 7-9 books or 10 or more
books if you’re feeling particularly ambitious.
6. The choice of books is up to you. There are not set reading
lists, and you don’t have to set one when you join.
7. Post your blog address where you’ll be posting your
comments on your choice of books in the comments of
this post when you join, and tell me how many books
you’ve chosen. I’ll set up a link to participating blogs
from here.
8. Above all, have fun!!!

The challenge starts December 1, 2013.

So, remaining list-less (that’s me!) I will add my books to the list below as they are read:

1. The Apology (of Socrates) by Plato — December 12, 2013

2. The Odyssey by Homer — March 23, 2014

3. Oedipus Rex by Sophocles — May 25, 2014

4. Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles — June 24, 2014

5. Confessions by St. Augustine — June 30, 2014

6. The Book of Margery Kempe — August 1, 2014

7. The Epic of Gilgamesh — August 14, 2014

8. Defence Speeches by Cicero — August 20, 2014

9. The Sayings of the Desert Fathers — August 25, 2014

10. The Inferno by Dante Alighieri — October 15, 2014

11. The Vita Nuova by Dante Alighieri — October 25, 2014

12. Le Morte d’Arthur by Thomas Malory — December 6, 2014

I’m so glad that this challenge begins in December so I can get started right away!

2014 TBR Pile Challenge

Posted on December 9, 2013 by cleopatra

Straight from Roof Beam Reader and under the gentle influence of Jean at Howling Frog Books, I have decided to tackle the 2014 TBR Pile Challenge.

This challenge is somewhat different from my other TBR Challenge. The rules are:

The Goal: To finally read 12 books from your “to be read” pile (within 12 months).

Specifics:

1. Each of these 12 books must have been on your bookshelf or “To Be Read” list for AT LEAST one full year. This means the book cannot have a publication date of 1/1/2013 or later (any book published in the year 2012 or earlier qualifies, as long as it has been on your TBR pile – I WILL be checking publication dates). Caveat: Two (2) alternates are allowed, just in case one or two of the books end up in the “can’t get through” pile.

2. To be eligible, you must sign-up with Mr. Linky on Roof Beam Reader’s site – link to your list (so create it ahead of time!) and add updated links to each book’s review. Books must be read and must be reviewed (doesn’t have to be too fancy) in order to count as completed.

3. The link you post in the Mr. Linky must be to your “master list” (see Roof Beam Reader’s site). This is where you will keep track of your books completed, crossing them out and/or dating them as you go along, and updating the list with the links to each review (so there’s one easy, convenient way to find your list and all your reviews for the challenge). See THIS LINK for an idea of what I mean. Your complete and final list must be posted by January 15th, 2014.

4. Leave comments on Roof Beam Reader’s post as you go along, to update us on your status. Come back to the post if/when you complete this challenge and leave a comment indicating that you CONQUERED YOUR 2014 TBR LIST! Every person who successfully reads his/her 12 books and/or alternates (and who provides a working link to their list, which has links to the review locations) will be entered to win a $50 gift card from Amazon.com or The Book Depository!

5. Crossovers from other challenges are totally acceptable, as long as you have never read the book before and it was published before 2013!

*Note – You can read the books on your list in any order; they do not need to be read in the order you have them listed. As you complete a book – review it, and go back to your original list and turn that title into a link to the review – that will keep the comments section from getting ridiculously cluttered. For an example of what I mean,Click Here.

Monthly Check-Ins: On the 15th of each month, Roof Beam Reader is going to post a “TBR Pile Check-In.” This will allow participants to link-up their reviews from the past month and get some recognition for their progress. There will also be small mini-challenges and giveaways to go along with these posts (Such As: Read 6 books by the June Check-in and be entered to win a book of your choice!). This will help to keep us all on track and make the challenge a bit more engaging/interactive.

My original hesitation in joining this challenge, was due to the fact that I am terrified of making lists in case I don’t follow them. However, I have decided to really challenge myself in 2014 by participating in this challenge. My list is as follows:

1. ~~Defense Speeches by Cicero~~ August 20, 2014

2. ~~Le Morte d’Arthur by Thomas Mallory~~ December 6, 2014

3. ~~Frankenstein by Mary Shelley~~ April 4, 2014

4. ~~The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis~~ June 15, 2014

5. ~~The Epic of Gilgamesh~~ August 14, 2014

6. Stories from the East from Herodotus by Alfred J. Church

7. ~~The Sayings of the Desert Fathers~~ August 25, 2014

8. Tom Brown’s School Days by Thomas Hughes

9. Socrates by Paul Johnson

10. ~~Daniel Deronda by George Eliot~~ February 24, 2014

11. Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow by Jerome K. Jerome

12. ~~The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton~~ August 20, 2014

And my alternates:

1. Allegory of Love by C.S. Lewis

2. ~~Oedipus Rex/Oepidus at Colonus/Antigone by Sophocles~~ December 28, 2014

Yes, I am actually going to attempt to follow a list! Everyone wish me luck …….. I’ll need it!

Eugene Onegin Read-Along

Posted on December 8, 2013 by cleopatra

Marian at Tanglewood is having a Eugene Onegin Read-Along for 5 weeks beginning January 7, 2014. Pushkin was seen as setting the foundation for Russian literature so if you are looking for an introduction, this work is a wonderful place to start.

Here is the schedule:

Ch. 1 & 2 – January 7 to 16
Ch. 3 & 4 – January 16 to 25
Ch. 5 & 6 – January 25 – February 3
Ch. 7 & 8 – February 3 to 12

She has decided to allow 1 1/2 weeks per every two chapters, which seems like a decent balance between going at a regular clip and dragging on too long.

Please see the Tanglewood blog for further instructions and also a lovely calendar for a visual schedule of the read.

Since I just finished reading Eugene Onegin, I am very excited to be participating in the discussion of Pushkin’s “untranslatable” poem. Thanks for organizing the read, Marian!

The Arthurian Literature Reading Challenge 2014

Posted on November 29, 2013 by cleopatra

Jean over at Howling Frog Books has put together this great challenge for 2014: The Arthurian Literature Reading Challenge.

The rules are as follows:

1. The challenge runs from January 1, 2014 – December 31, 2014

2. Sign-ups are open until November 30, 2014.

3. To sign up, grab the button, write a post, and comment ON THE PAGE.
Include the link to your sign-up post for it to count. Keep track of your
reading and write a wrap-up post when you’re done, which you will submit
at the end of the year. She will follow your blog, and you follow hers, and
you can discuss as you read.

4. Books chosen for this challenge can overlap with other challenges.

5. Book can be translated into the language of your choice, though if you are
game for trying out some Middle English or Old French, go for it!

6. Arthurian “cousins” count. If you wish to read up on Tristan and Iseult or
Parzival, or go haring off after the Fisher King, feel free.

7. It is OK to read something pretty tangential that still deals with the
Arthurian tradition, such as Charles Williams’ War In Heaven. If you can
make a reasonable case for it, go ahead. Still, she’d like to keep the main
focus on the medieval works.

8. She has categorized works by date into Old (pre-1800), Modern (1800-
1950), and Recent (1950+). If you wish to read Recent works, that’s fine,
but you must read more Old and Modern works than Recent. No reading
all of Mary Stewart (great as she is) and nothing else! Don’t worry, quite
a few works are short and/or not difficult to read.

9. Levels will consist of:

Page: read 2 works, one of which may be Recent
Squire: read 3 – 4 works, one of which may be Recent and one must be
Old
Knight: read 5 – 6 works, two of which may be Recent and one must be
Old
Paladin: read more than 6 works, two of which may be Recent and two
must be Old, unless you include a non-fiction work (see Bonus)

Bonus achievement: read a non-fiction work analyzing Arthurian
literature

I am going to aim for Squire with 3 -4 works and hope to reach the level of Knight with 5 – 6 works. My list:

1. Once and Future King – T.H. White

2. The Way of King Arthur – Christopher Hibbert

Some of my choices I will take from the following books:

I’m really looking forward to this challenge and learning more about King Arthur and his knights!

The C.S. Lewis Project 2014

Posted on November 25, 2013 by cleopatra

The above poster was created by The Moonlight Reader

Another project/challenge for 2014 is The C.S. Lewis Project. This project was proposed by the wonderful moderators on my Goodreads book group, The Dead Writers Society .

C.S. Lewis is one of my favourite authors. I began by reading some books from his Narnia Chronicles when I was young and later, as an adult, I read many of his theological books. Not only is Lewis brilliant, but he is adept at communicating complex ideas and concepts in a way that is easily accessible to your average layperson …….. like me! While he has definite opinions, which he supports using common sense and reason, he also is very gracious towards the people and groups with whom he disagrees. The depth and variety of his subjects mean that each read through his books exposes layer upon layer of valuable insights that have just as much relevance today as when he wrote them.

The schedule for The C.S. Lewis Project 2014 will look like this:

Dec 29 – Jan 11: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Jan 12 – 25: Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia
Jan 26 – Feb 8: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Feb 9 – 22: The Silver Chair
Feb 23 – Mar 8: The Horse and His Boy
Mar 9 – 22: The Magician’s Nephew
Mar 23 – Apr 5: The Last Battle

April: Mere Christianity
May: The Screwtape Letters
June: The Great Divorce
July: Surprised by Joy
August: A Grief Observed

September: Out of the Silent Planet
October: Perelandra
November: That Hideous Strength

December: God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics

Extras: The Pilgrim’s Regress

A Preface to Paradis Lost

Dante’s Similes (Essay)

A Panegyric for Dorothy L. Sayers (Essay)

Hamlet: The Prince or the Poem? (Essay)

On Reading ‘The Faerie Queene (Essay)

Spenser’s Images of Life

Narnian Suite (Poetry)

Are you interested in participating? Then come on over to The Dead Writers Society and join us! We’d be glad to have you!

Update: 2015

I’ve enjoyed this project so much that I’ve decided to continue it indefinitely. In 2015, I’ll try to read some of the Lewis books I missed in 2014, and then concentrate more on his scholarly work and essays. Fun!