It’s time for the Classics Club Spin #26. I did finish the last spin in an odd way, reading Cirtnecce’s pick of Tevye the Dairyman and Motl the Cantor’s Son, but at least it was on my Classics list, so I was able to tick that one off. Â Thus, with that success in mind, I’m joining once again!
With regard to reading, I have lots going on, such as trying to get through After Virtue by Alisdair MacIntyre, enjoying The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim, beginning the Chapter-A-Day read-along with Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz, attempting to join Fanda’s Zoladdiction by reading Le Rêve and pondering my next Agatha Christie after just finishing The Mysterious Mr. Quin.  Ah, books!  What is one more? 😉
- Go to your blog.
- Pick twenty books that you’ve got left to read from your Classics Club list.
- Post that list, numbered 1 – 20, on your blog by Sunday.
- Sunday morning, the Classics Club will announce a number from 1 – 20.  Go to the list of twenty books you posted and select the book that corresponds to the number they announce.
- The challenge is to read that book by May 31st 2021.
I used the random list organizer here to choose the 20 books from my master list. Here is my spin list:
- The Complete Fairy Tales (1691-97) – Charles Perrault
- Moll Flanders (1722) – Daniel Defoe
- Tom Sawyer (1876) – Mark Twain
- The Praise of Folly (1509) – Eramus
- The Enchanted April (1922) – Elizabeth von Arnim  ( * )
- Ivanhoe (1820) – Sir Walter Scott ( * )
- Mary Barton (1848) – Elizabeth Gaskell  ( * )
- On The Good Life (75 – 71 B.C.) – Marcus Tullius Cicero
- She Stoops to Conquer (1773) – Oliver Goldsmith
- The City of God (426) – Augustine  ( * )
- Revelations of Divine Love (1395) – Julian of Norwich  ( * )
- Works and Days (8th century) – Hesiod ( * )
- The Stranger (1942) – Albert Camus
- Second Thoughts of an Idle Fellow (1898) – Jerome K. Jerome ( * )
- The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791) – James Boswell  ( * )
- Tartuffe (1669) – Molière
- Huckleberry Finn (1884) – Mark Twain
- Bleak House (1852/53) – Charles Dickens  ( * )
- The Republic (380 B.C.) – Plato
- Gorgias (382 B.C.) – Plato
I’m really happy with this list.  It has a number of books that I’m planning to read this year in any case  ( * ).  And I’d be pleased to get a Twain whom I don’t think I’ve ever read, and also The Republic is another book that I need a huge shove to get back to.
I can’t wait for Sunday to see what the spin will bring me!
Photo #2 courtesy of Bessi on Pixabay
Photo #3 courtesy of Stanly8853 on Pixabay
Photo #4 courtesy of Kamboompics on Pixabay
elegant selection with a bit of everything… i admit to curiousity re the jJJ; i’ve have the first idly thought book on my shelf, feeling unloved and ignored as i haven’t gotten to it yet. soon, i hope!
Have you ever read Three Men in a Boat? That’s absolutely excellent. I’m slowly reading through Three Men on the Bummell (the sequel) but am not enjoying it nearly as much. I have read Idle Thought Of An Idle Fellow though, and it was very good. I hope you do get to read one of his works. Reading Jerome lightens your mood which I think is always valuable.
i’ve read the first two, yes, and agree about their qualities; the “Idle” one i haven’t gotten to yet…
You have compiled an interesting list, Cleo!
I have read both Twain’s, Ivanhoe, and Bleak House. Oh and Republic too (but not really impressed). Good luck with the spin! 🙂
I did enjoy what I did read of The Republic but it was taking oodles of brain power. I think everyone likes Bleak House. I hope I do too. I’m REALLY enjoying Nicholas Nickleby, so thanks for the push! Thanks for the wishes!
Great list! I absolutely love Bleak House so I hope you get that one — it’s really long, but so worth it! Also very curious about the JKJ, I love Three Men in a Boat. And I’m really interested in plays right now so I’d love to hear about She Stoops to Conquer. Good luck with the spin pick!
I’d certainly love to get Bleak House although I might wish for something shorter at the moment. I liked Jerome’s Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow but, as I mentioned to Mudpuddle, I am not really thrilled with Three Men on the Bummell. In any case, it’s probably hard to go wrong reading one of his. Thanks for the wishes, Karen!
I agree — you have a great list! I’ll be very interested to see what the spin bestows!
It was a relief to get such a list. Thanks, Janakay! I’m waiting with baited breath!
Lovely! Both the Twain books are very good (I have a Twain too!) and you have lots of great things on here…
Phew! Glad to know that about Twain. Yes! It unusual to have a list where you’d be entirely happy with any of the books!
I wish you Bleak House – it’s such a wonderful Dickens and deserves to be more widely loved 🙂
I’ve heard nothing but good things about Bleak House. It would be a welcome choice!
Plenty of good books in this list, especially Mary Barton which I think is highly underrated 🙂
I’ve been meaning to read Mary Barton for ages. I just love Gaskell’s writing.
But whew! Would that be all of City of God in a month?!
Both the Twains are fun, but I’ll second (third, fourth?) Bleak House. It’s a great read, one of the best Dickens.
I’ve actually read about 1/3 – 1/2 of City of God so I would just be finishing up. I am not starting over. I must say I haven’t enjoyed it as much as Confessions but it’s an entirely different work.
I would love to get Bleak House but I’m reading Nicholas Nickleby at the moment and I’m not sure about reading two Dickens at once. It might be a little much.
Well, that’s a little better, but I would still half of City of God is the toughest thing on that list!
The Confessions is pretty amazing. I’ve only dipped into City of God. It is not meant to be the Confessions, but, alas, it isn’t the Confessions… 😉
I enjoyed The Enchanted April, Ivanhoe and Bleak House, so I hope you get one of those. I’ve read the first Idle Fellow book and wasn’t aware that there was a second one! Good luck on Sunday.
I’m actually reading The Enchanted April right now so it would be funny if it was chosen. Hopefully the second Idle will be as good as the first one. Thanks for the wishes ….. you too!
I don’t often see Ivanhoe on these lists, which is curious because it used to be a pretty popular classic. I thought it was pretty enjoyable, though it’s been so long since I read it. 😀 Hope you get a good one!
Yes, I don’t know why Scott isn’t more popular, although I haven’t read any of his novels yet but I have heard a few good things about them. I’ve seen the A&E movie and loved it, so I’m definitely looking forward to the book.
Great list! Loved Bleak House and read The Stranger many years ago in college. Liked it. Good luck!
Another Bleak House vote! If the positive comments are anything to go by, I hope the spin gods have heard them. Thanks and you too!
Some nice books on your list. Camus and Dickens belong to my favourite authors. Good luck with the spin.
Thank you for visiting my list earlier.
I’m not too sure about Camus yet. I read The Plague and am interested to read another one by him. Thanks and you too!
I just got my first taste of Camus via The Stranger not long ago. It wasn’t very tasty. Worth reading though. Lots of “better” reads here though. Cheers.
I’m actually looking forward to reading his The Myth of Sisyphus more than The Stranger. However I do approach Camus with caution. I don’t mind bleak books but when they lack any sort of hope, I question their value.
Nice list! I finally read Tom Sawyer last summer and it was so charming – a perfect summer read. I kinda thought of him as a female Anne Shirley. Which reminds me, I want to reread Huckleberry Finn…
Mary Barton is good and the Perrault fairy tales are a nice quick read. Whatever you get, I hope you enjoy!
I’m so glad to hear so many positive comments on Twain. I might try to fit one of his in for the summer even if I don’t get him for the spin.
I’d be happy with Mary Barton. I haven’t read a Gaskell in awhile. Have a great spin as well, Amanda!
You are quite busy right now! Hopefully you will get something that is not overly daunting.
Hi Deb! I am busy but I’m determined to READ! I will be happy with whatever I get (famous last words, lol!)
Gorgias is short, so you might be able to fit it in even if you get something else! I have read it, but haven’t written about it… I’ll have to reread and review it sometime.
I still have to finish my short Hesiod book from last time. I’d like to get Gorgias and sure wish you’d reviewed it. But a short Plato would be welcome.
You do seem to have an awful lot of books going at once but what’s one more, I agree. I will second (or third or fourth) the Bleak House recommendation. It is really good. But yes, it is a brick.
I used to be able to read many books at one time but now it’s a struggle. It’s not ability that’s the issue but time. Sunday will tell. Will it be Bleak House??? Stay tuned!!