From my Classics Spin #4 post, the Spin number chosen was 10, so my classic to read is ……… BLEAK HOUSE!
The spin number worked in my favour as I am scheduled to read Bleak House after David Copperfield, so I won’t have to add any extra books to my ever-expanding pile. This is good.
However, I must admit that I am not going to start this read until I’ve finished David Copperfield, which won’t be until mid-January so I won’t technically complete the Spin as specified (finish date January 1st).
Perhaps next time I will get one of the books which make me tremble, such as Ulysses, Moby Dick or The Communist Manifesto, but for now I’m happy with such a convenient read.
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Bleak House and David Copperfield are on my TBR, and I am anxious to get to them someday. But I've got to finish Tale of Two Cities next month. I don't get to read as often as I like, so it takes forever to get to and get through a book. Ugh!
Oh, and don't tremble over Moby Dick or Manifesto. MD is a piece of cake, and Manifesto, I suppose if you get a good translation, it is not difficult. Just take lots of notes.
Ruth @ An Experiment With The Well-Educated Mind
I'm finding that David Copperfield has a different feel from earlier Dickens' novels and I'm really enjoying it, so I hold high expectations for Bleak House. I read Tale of Two Cities last year for the second time and liked it more than the first. Dickens' plays with lots of "light and dark" symbolism that I'd missed the first time round.
Ah, notes ……… I need to do this. I love reading your blog because it's an example of what I aspire to. My New Year's Resolution is to read less books to have time to take notes so I will read more deeply. With the look of my currently-reading shelf, I think it may be a gradual work-in-progress. :-Z Sigh!
I read Bleak House a couple months ago and I have to admit, I still feel sort of indifferent to it. I don't love Dickens as much as I wish I did. It's a great story, though. I'll be interested to see your thoughts on it!
That's too bad about Bleak House, but I know what you mean about Dickens. I wish I could like him more too. I find his characters are often more caricatures and don't necessarily act in a believable way. And his female characters can often be nauseating. One of the reasons I am enjoying DC is that I find the opposite; he has good believable characters, his female characters (so far) are strong and the story flows well.
I will let you know my reaction to Bleak House, when I am done, probably around the end of March *** grimace *** Unless the good fairy is kind and gives me lots of reading time in the next little while ……. miracles can happen …… 🙂
I enjoyed Bleak House far more than I thought I would (I'm not sure why I was wary of it in the first place).
It certainly doesn't live up to its title and the story is somehow lighter, more upbeat and positive than the other Dickens I've read in the past.
Good luck
So it's not as dark and depressing as it sounds. Now I'm very intrigued …..
I see from your blog that you spun The Brothers Karamazov. Wow! It's still on my list and I'm excited to read it but not until I have some time to devote so I can really give it a deep read.
BTW, I love your AusReading Challenge. Now I know where to go to find some good Australia authors!