CLASSICS CLUB
Hello! I want to let you all know that I am starting a club named the Classics Club. If any of you have a desire to join, the basic rules that are directly from the website are:
The club basics (the short version):
– choose 50+ classics
– list them at your blog
– choose a reading completion goal date up to five years in the future and note that date on your classics list of 50+ titles
– e-mail the moderators of this blog (theclassicsclubblog@gmail.com) with your list link and information and it will be posted on the Members Page!
– write about each title on your list as you finish reading it, and link it to your main list
– when you’ve written about every single title, let us know!
For more information, feel free to visit their website at theclassicsclubblog.wordpress.com.
So, as said in the instructions, I primarily need to list my 50 classics.
Here they are in no specific order:
- 1. Vesaas, Tarjei: The Ice Palace
- 2. Orwell, George: Animal Farm
- 3. Burnett, Frances Hodgson: The Secret Garden
- 4. Twain, Mark: Pudd’nhead Wilson
- 5. Bradbury, Ray: Fahrenheit 451
- 6. Carroll, Lewis: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
- 7. Pyle, Howard: The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
- 8. Lee, Harper: To Kill a Mockingbird
- 9. Alighier, Dante: The Inferno
- 10. Kafka, Franz: The Metamorphosis
- 11. Jonson, Ben: The Alchemist
- 12. Stevenson, Robert Louis: Treasure Island
- 13. Fitzgerald, F. Scott: The Great Gatsby
- 14. Verne, Jules: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
- 15. Shakespeare, William: Romeo and Juliet
- 16. Orwell, George: 1984
- 17. Pamuk, Orhan: My Name is Red
- 18. Euripides: Medea
- 19. Stoker, Bram: Dracula
- 20. Hansberry, Lorraine: A Raisin in the Sun
- 21: Twain, Mark: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
- 22: Gibran, Kahlil: The Prophet
- 23: Albee, Edward: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
- 24: Anaya, Rudolfo: Bless Me, Ultima
- 25: Aristotle: Poetics
- 26. Montgomery, L.M.: Anne of Green Gables
- 27. Wilde, Oscar: The Picture of Dorian Gray
- 28. Brontë, Emily: Wuthering Heights
- 29. Smith, Betty: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
- 30. Hemingway, Ernest: The Sun Also Rises
- 31. Joyce, James: Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
- 32. Esquivel, Laura: Water for Chocolate
- 33. Henley, Beth: Crimes of the Heart
- 34. Frank, Anne: The Diary of Anne Frank
- 35. Jerome, Jerome K.: Three Men in a Boat
- 36. Verne, Jules: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
- 37. Eco, Umberto: The Name of the Rose
- 38. Doyle, Arthur Conan: The Adventures of Sherlock Holme
- 39. Austen, Jane: Persuasion
- 40. Shelley, Mary: Frankenstein
- 41. Anonymous: Tales from 1,001 Nights: Aladdin, Ali Baba and Other Favorites
- 42. Machiavelli, Niccolo: The Prince
- 43. Lucretius: The Nature of Things
- 44. Burnett, Frances Hodgson: The Little Princess
- 45. Foer, Jonathan Safran: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
- 46. Kipling, Rudyard: The Man Who Would Be King
- 47. Golding, William: Lord of the Flies
- 48. Pyle, Howard: The Story of King Arthur and His Knights
- 49. Verne, Jules: The Mysterious Island
- 50. Milton, John: Paradise Lost
Okay! Finally, 7 hours later, after extensive research, I have emerged with my list. Make sure to comment down below about anything you might want to tell me.
NOVELS & REVIEWS
FOLLOW ME THROUGH THE JOURNEY OF THE CLASSICS CLUB BELOW
book 1.
The Ice Palace by Tarjei Vesaas
1.1.17 - 1.5.17
“Promise in deepest snow from Siss to Unn: I promise to think about no one but you.” Though this book isn't a wild novella with twists and turns, Vesaas has done miracles with the plot line and writing. He has acute detail and beautiful descriptions for every aspect of the scenery. The story is a tale of Siss and Unn, two young girls of age eleven who feel a mysterious connection. From the moment the novel begins, Siss, the popular girl of her small school, is drawn to Unn, the only girl in the school who is not interested in socializing.
From that point on, Siss and Unn silently vow to meet. The two decide to meet at Unn's Aunt's house, where she is living, and the story unfolds. The following sentence might come as a spoiler, but the day after their meeting, Unn is too scared to go to school. She fears that she will see Siss. She cuts school and decides to venture off to a palace of ice that is in their town. She is drawn in and gets lost. Her non human-like nature inside the palace is interesting. She can't help but journey inside. After taking off all her sweaters to fit into the crevices, Unn is too weak to continue. The author suddenly alludes to her death. For the remainder of the book, you hear about the narrative of Unn, and her broken soul.
Words cannot begin to explain how captivated I was by this book. It is a gem in Norwegian history of literature, I recommend it. Though I do have to say, the book isn't for everyone. There were points in which I was disappointed with the speed of the novel. My favorite chapter was titled Promises, from which I quoted above. I think it is the key factor that turns Siss into a dynamic, rather than static, character. I also found it prolific that the book truly followed plot structure and in the end, everything is the same. Siss is with her friends again and, as mentioned in the last sentence in the book, the palace ceased to exist. I would definitely recommend that you re-read this novel if you have the chance, because the friend that recommended the book to me said that it changed her perspective. Please send me an email with your thoughts on the book. I would love to hear your perspective! May your future reading endeavors be prosperous.
From that point on, Siss and Unn silently vow to meet. The two decide to meet at Unn's Aunt's house, where she is living, and the story unfolds. The following sentence might come as a spoiler, but the day after their meeting, Unn is too scared to go to school. She fears that she will see Siss. She cuts school and decides to venture off to a palace of ice that is in their town. She is drawn in and gets lost. Her non human-like nature inside the palace is interesting. She can't help but journey inside. After taking off all her sweaters to fit into the crevices, Unn is too weak to continue. The author suddenly alludes to her death. For the remainder of the book, you hear about the narrative of Unn, and her broken soul.
Words cannot begin to explain how captivated I was by this book. It is a gem in Norwegian history of literature, I recommend it. Though I do have to say, the book isn't for everyone. There were points in which I was disappointed with the speed of the novel. My favorite chapter was titled Promises, from which I quoted above. I think it is the key factor that turns Siss into a dynamic, rather than static, character. I also found it prolific that the book truly followed plot structure and in the end, everything is the same. Siss is with her friends again and, as mentioned in the last sentence in the book, the palace ceased to exist. I would definitely recommend that you re-read this novel if you have the chance, because the friend that recommended the book to me said that it changed her perspective. Please send me an email with your thoughts on the book. I would love to hear your perspective! May your future reading endeavors be prosperous.
book 2.
Animal Farm by George Orwell
1.6.17 - 1.8.17
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” Animal Farm. I completed this book a few minutes ago, but I am truly taken aback. This novel is written in a childish fashion with simple sentences and, for my case, illustrations in between some of the pages, but it conveyed a strong message.
In my point of view, the book was a large scale biblical illusion. From the Sugarcandy Mountain, which symbolized animal heaven, to the Seven Commandments, this novel accurately targeted virtues and vices. In my opinion, the humans were sinners and the animals were sacred people, and Major, a character that barely appeared at the beginning of the book, was the omniscent presence. The animals were disciples of Major and they formed the commandments. The pigs took control and gradually became superior. They used manipulation to convince the other animals into doing anything they desired in what I thought represented greed. In the end, the pigs became just like the humans, or sinners.
The pig-human turning point, I believe, was when the pigs began to walk on two legs and carried whips. At this point, the true sense of how genius this book was came over me. The ending was no exception in the captivating nature of Orwell. This book is a direct metaphor towards Communism. I look forward to reading one of his dystopian books later in this challenge, 1984. Would I recommend this book? Absolutely. I think that everyone should read it. It teaches us how to control ourselves. It is also prevalent in current day society with governmental issues. Leave a comment down below so we can discuss this novel! May your future reading endeavors be prosperous.
In my point of view, the book was a large scale biblical illusion. From the Sugarcandy Mountain, which symbolized animal heaven, to the Seven Commandments, this novel accurately targeted virtues and vices. In my opinion, the humans were sinners and the animals were sacred people, and Major, a character that barely appeared at the beginning of the book, was the omniscent presence. The animals were disciples of Major and they formed the commandments. The pigs took control and gradually became superior. They used manipulation to convince the other animals into doing anything they desired in what I thought represented greed. In the end, the pigs became just like the humans, or sinners.
The pig-human turning point, I believe, was when the pigs began to walk on two legs and carried whips. At this point, the true sense of how genius this book was came over me. The ending was no exception in the captivating nature of Orwell. This book is a direct metaphor towards Communism. I look forward to reading one of his dystopian books later in this challenge, 1984. Would I recommend this book? Absolutely. I think that everyone should read it. It teaches us how to control ourselves. It is also prevalent in current day society with governmental issues. Leave a comment down below so we can discuss this novel! May your future reading endeavors be prosperous.
book 3.
The Secret Garden by Burnett Frances Hodgson
1.9.17 - 1.25.17
“It made her think that it was curious how much nicer a person looked when he smiled. She had not thought of it before.” As a woman who has always wanted to live in a mansion, have a time for tea, and live next to a mystical garden, I have to say that I am envious of the glorious descriptions that Hodgson includes in this book. Since school has begun again, I have had less time to read, but I was finally able to complete this incredible novel.
From the beginning, this book begins with a witty plot line as it describes Mary Lennox, a girl with a sour attitude that no one cares about. It then evolves into this incredible story that captures anyone's attention. Everyone forgets about the poor girl once a sickness strikes the palace in India where she lives, and she is shoved off to her uncle's mansion in England. She is rather bored with everything, being that she is one of the only ones there. This is, until she discovers that there is a secret garden that belonged to her uncle's dead wife. She finally finds a way in, and the story unfolds. This book is a tale with Dickon, Colin, Mary, Martha, and Ben and how they discover and unravel the mysteries of the secret garden.
Though this book had little to nothing in symbolism, I did very much enjoy it. It is a book I would recommend for young children who are beginning to venture into the genre of classic literature, though adult and child alike can appreciate the book for what it is worth. If you have not read it, I highly recommend you do. It is a dainty little story that is a cute read. As always, shoot me a comment down below for an intellectual discussion. May your future reading endeavors be prosperous.
From the beginning, this book begins with a witty plot line as it describes Mary Lennox, a girl with a sour attitude that no one cares about. It then evolves into this incredible story that captures anyone's attention. Everyone forgets about the poor girl once a sickness strikes the palace in India where she lives, and she is shoved off to her uncle's mansion in England. She is rather bored with everything, being that she is one of the only ones there. This is, until she discovers that there is a secret garden that belonged to her uncle's dead wife. She finally finds a way in, and the story unfolds. This book is a tale with Dickon, Colin, Mary, Martha, and Ben and how they discover and unravel the mysteries of the secret garden.
Though this book had little to nothing in symbolism, I did very much enjoy it. It is a book I would recommend for young children who are beginning to venture into the genre of classic literature, though adult and child alike can appreciate the book for what it is worth. If you have not read it, I highly recommend you do. It is a dainty little story that is a cute read. As always, shoot me a comment down below for an intellectual discussion. May your future reading endeavors be prosperous.
book 4.
Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain
1.12.17 - 1.30.17
“All say, ‘how hard it is that we have to die’ -- a strange complaint to come from the mouths of those who have had to live.” I have to say, this book wasn't my favorite. Before I go in and sprinkle distaste upon half of this book, I must tell you that pages 100-140 were the scene for an incredible murder-mystery tale. Though the other half was, in my opinion, not so spectacular. I found it rather dry at points and this may be my fault, but I had trouble understanding the language that the slaves used throughout the book. Especially when their dialogue would run on for pages and pages while they were talking or telling a story.
This tale begins with a woman named Roxanna, who is disappointed with her life as a slave. When she realizes that her son, that is 1/31 African-American, is easily disguised in with another child that she was raising who is fully white, she secretly switched the two. I did find this part rather interesting. The rest of the book is a rather uneventful plot that is centered around a set of ordinary occurrences. These centering about a pair of twins that move in, a gambling addiction that stunts the relationship of the main character and his desire for the will, and the switch at birth. Though, in true Twain fashion, the author finished up the book with a rather intriguing ending. I thought it was captivating and well-written.
If I had to compare the structure of this book, oddly enough, I would compare it to a cake. It was built nicely in the beginning, then it sat there for quite a while, but in the end, the book was magnificent. If you are in any way interested in the old South style, this book is a must. I would love to hear your thoughts on the book, and whether or not you agreed with my dislike for the middle section. Make sure to comment below. As always, may your future reading endeavors be prosperous.
This tale begins with a woman named Roxanna, who is disappointed with her life as a slave. When she realizes that her son, that is 1/31 African-American, is easily disguised in with another child that she was raising who is fully white, she secretly switched the two. I did find this part rather interesting. The rest of the book is a rather uneventful plot that is centered around a set of ordinary occurrences. These centering about a pair of twins that move in, a gambling addiction that stunts the relationship of the main character and his desire for the will, and the switch at birth. Though, in true Twain fashion, the author finished up the book with a rather intriguing ending. I thought it was captivating and well-written.
If I had to compare the structure of this book, oddly enough, I would compare it to a cake. It was built nicely in the beginning, then it sat there for quite a while, but in the end, the book was magnificent. If you are in any way interested in the old South style, this book is a must. I would love to hear your thoughts on the book, and whether or not you agreed with my dislike for the middle section. Make sure to comment below. As always, may your future reading endeavors be prosperous.
book 5.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
1.25.17 - 2.1.17
“We need not to be let alone. We need to be really bothered once in a while. How long is it since you were really bothered? About something important, about something real?” Words cannot describe this book. Fahrenheit 451 will always have a place in my heart. Repetition, imagery, realism. Ray Bradbury truly executed an incredible book with an incredible plot line. This book made me so emotional that I often times had to leave a public space to proceed with the novel. It had the perfect mix of drama in comparison to sequences that were more calm. Now that I have finished it, I am having trouble finding another book that can supply my hunger for literature since this book set the bar extraordinarily high.
From the moment you begin, every line sounds as though it belongs into this mass poem that is balanced and thought out to the last word. At the beginning, Montag, a fireman, is just as any other, a worker who's job is to burn all books. He then meets Clarisse, an outcast and a girl who has a wild vigor for knowledge. The two meet but, spoiler alert, Clarisse dies. This makes Montag question everything. After a traumatic experience where a woman with a library burns herself with her house, Montag gets fever and then reveals to his wife, whom I will describe in more detail later, that he has hidden a stash of books. From here, he continues questioning and memorizing. He finally meets Faber, an old professor who loves books and shares his ideas. Faber plants a microphone in Montag's ear and sends him to the fire station. At the fire station, he is drawn to another mission. Though, this one is unusual. He arrives at his house, after his wife and her friend call upon the firemen to report Montag's books. This scene got me, I was emotional and in a state of panic. Anyways, Montag not only burns his house, but he burns Beatty, the main fireman, and other fireman. He escapes as a fugitive and runs of to a rail track. At this point, the book get much calmer, and is resolved. He meets other historians, and discovers that all of them have memorized books and have a mutual love for books. The book finally ends, leaving readers with millions of questions, and millions of thoughts.
On a side note, I would like to touch on a few of the aspects of the novel. Primarily, I would like to talk about Montag's wife, Mildred. She is very relevant in reciprocating to people who, even to this day, you encounter in society. I believe that her cynical nature added to the book. She was obsessed with television and all of her actions were mindless. For me, though I hated her most of the time, I still had Montag's mindset, and I couldn't help but pity and love her, despite her personality. Montag is a dynamic character, and one of the instances that made me realize this was when he said at the beginning of the book that he wouldn't cry if his wife were to die, and this in itself made him cry. At the end of the book, he says that same thing, and he accepts it. With Bradbury, every line he writes, from anything as simple as Montag forgetting his hat, makes you detect a meaning behind it. I enjoyed the character Beatty because I thought that he was a representation of a greater evil, especially with his deception. I am a die-hard fan for the repetition that was used in this book. It added a level of enhancement and depth.
I could go on hours and hours analyzing every detail, but I want to leave it here. This book is beautiful. This is untouchable. You must, in all seriousness, read this. I cannot stress enough how incredible this is. This book is true art. Read it! Once you do, message me below. I could talk about this book for hours and hours. I am so content this I reached 5 books this month! May all your future reading endeavors be prosperous.
From the moment you begin, every line sounds as though it belongs into this mass poem that is balanced and thought out to the last word. At the beginning, Montag, a fireman, is just as any other, a worker who's job is to burn all books. He then meets Clarisse, an outcast and a girl who has a wild vigor for knowledge. The two meet but, spoiler alert, Clarisse dies. This makes Montag question everything. After a traumatic experience where a woman with a library burns herself with her house, Montag gets fever and then reveals to his wife, whom I will describe in more detail later, that he has hidden a stash of books. From here, he continues questioning and memorizing. He finally meets Faber, an old professor who loves books and shares his ideas. Faber plants a microphone in Montag's ear and sends him to the fire station. At the fire station, he is drawn to another mission. Though, this one is unusual. He arrives at his house, after his wife and her friend call upon the firemen to report Montag's books. This scene got me, I was emotional and in a state of panic. Anyways, Montag not only burns his house, but he burns Beatty, the main fireman, and other fireman. He escapes as a fugitive and runs of to a rail track. At this point, the book get much calmer, and is resolved. He meets other historians, and discovers that all of them have memorized books and have a mutual love for books. The book finally ends, leaving readers with millions of questions, and millions of thoughts.
On a side note, I would like to touch on a few of the aspects of the novel. Primarily, I would like to talk about Montag's wife, Mildred. She is very relevant in reciprocating to people who, even to this day, you encounter in society. I believe that her cynical nature added to the book. She was obsessed with television and all of her actions were mindless. For me, though I hated her most of the time, I still had Montag's mindset, and I couldn't help but pity and love her, despite her personality. Montag is a dynamic character, and one of the instances that made me realize this was when he said at the beginning of the book that he wouldn't cry if his wife were to die, and this in itself made him cry. At the end of the book, he says that same thing, and he accepts it. With Bradbury, every line he writes, from anything as simple as Montag forgetting his hat, makes you detect a meaning behind it. I enjoyed the character Beatty because I thought that he was a representation of a greater evil, especially with his deception. I am a die-hard fan for the repetition that was used in this book. It added a level of enhancement and depth.
I could go on hours and hours analyzing every detail, but I want to leave it here. This book is beautiful. This is untouchable. You must, in all seriousness, read this. I cannot stress enough how incredible this is. This book is true art. Read it! Once you do, message me below. I could talk about this book for hours and hours. I am so content this I reached 5 books this month! May all your future reading endeavors be prosperous.
book 6.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
2.1.17 - 2.5.17
“It’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.” Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, more like Alice's Uneventful Occurrences in a More Than Spontaneous Alternate Universe. I found this book disappointing. Disney's adaptations of this book are spectacular, and my hopes were high. When I picked up the book, I thought I had known what I was signing up for, but I hadn't.
This book made me feel gross while reading it. The characters are all depicted as ugly and have irritable and horrendous personalities, that I'm surprised even Alice dealt with. I found every single person in this book people of a true universe that I am glad I don't live in. Carroll even describes all of them as ugly. I couldn't get past the fact that the plot had no real substance and you couldn't sympathize with any of the characters. The book ended up being a huge dream, which I thought was interesting and, I enjoyed the last paragraph of the novel.
I apologize for being so harsh towards this book, and I do understand the effort that goes behind creating one, as I have made one before. I understand that a large amount of people enjoy this book, but I couldn't enjoy it. I still will continue to consider it a different book that the movie adaptation since I am going to Disney World in a few weeks, and was hoping this would spark excitement toward the trip. I will be reading the Merry Adventures of Robin Hood to get myself into the Disney mood. May all your future reading endeavors be prosperous.
This book made me feel gross while reading it. The characters are all depicted as ugly and have irritable and horrendous personalities, that I'm surprised even Alice dealt with. I found every single person in this book people of a true universe that I am glad I don't live in. Carroll even describes all of them as ugly. I couldn't get past the fact that the plot had no real substance and you couldn't sympathize with any of the characters. The book ended up being a huge dream, which I thought was interesting and, I enjoyed the last paragraph of the novel.
I apologize for being so harsh towards this book, and I do understand the effort that goes behind creating one, as I have made one before. I understand that a large amount of people enjoy this book, but I couldn't enjoy it. I still will continue to consider it a different book that the movie adaptation since I am going to Disney World in a few weeks, and was hoping this would spark excitement toward the trip. I will be reading the Merry Adventures of Robin Hood to get myself into the Disney mood. May all your future reading endeavors be prosperous.
book 7.
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle
2.6.17 - Still Reading
Getting into the Disney mood!
book 8.
The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King
2.14.17 - Still Reading
Just finished this one and life to too hectic for me to write a review! I will update as soon as I can.