Monday, 4 August 2014

Classics Club Spin #7

It's time for another spin!  I still have my first spin book (from spin #4) to finish, Bleak House, but other than that I've completed spins for Oedipus at Colonus, The Seven Storey Mountain, and even someone else's spin book, The Odyssey.  So I'm not doing too badly.



The usual rules state:
  1. Go to your blog.
  2. Pick twenty books that you've got left to read from your Classics Club list.
  3. Post that list, numbered 1 - 20, on your blog by next Monday.
  4. Monday morning, we'll announce a number from 1 - 20.  Go to the list of twenty books you posted and select the book that corresponds to the number we announce.
  5. The challenge is to read that book by October 6th.
I used the random list organizer here to choose the 20 books from my master list.  So my list ended up looking like this:

  1. O Pioneers! (1913) - Willa Cather
  2. The Rule of Saint Benedict (529)? - Saint Benedict
  3. Ethan Fromme (1911) - Edith Wharton
  4. She Stoops to Conquer (1773) - Oliver Goldsmith
  5. Animal Farm (1945) - George Orwell
  6. Atlas Shrugged (1957) - Ayn Rand
  7. Defense Speeches (80 - 63 B.C.) - Marcus Tullius Cicero
  8. We (1921) - Yevgeny Zamyatin
  9. A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous Fourteenth Century (1978) - Barbara Tuchman
  10. Erewhon (1872) - Samuel Butler
  11. 1984 (1949) - George Orwell
  12. Tartuffe (1669) - Molière
  13. Doctor Thorne (1858) - Anthony Trollope
  14. On the Social Contract (1762) - Jean-Jacques Rousseau
  15. Hamlet (1603 - 1604) - William Shakespeare
  16. Swann's Way (1913) - Marcel Proust
  17. The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) - Oscar Wilde
  18. The Prince (1513) - Niccolo Machiavelli
  19. The Stranger (1942) - Albert Camus
  20. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889) - Mark Twain

Five Books I'm Hesitant to Read

1.  Swann's Way - Marcel Proust
2.  Atlas Shrugged – Ayn Rand
3.  A Distant Mirror – Barbara Tuchman
4.  On the Social Contract – Jean-Jacques Rousseau
5.  A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court – Mark Twain

Five Books I Can't Wait to Read

1.  Defence Speeches - Cicero
2.  We – Yevgeny Zamyatin
3.  The Stranger – Albert Camus
4.  She Stoops to Conquer – Oliver Goldsmith
5.  Hamlet - William Shakespeare

With regard to Swann's Way, I'm only hesitant because of the length; I really have no desire to read Ayn Rand;  A Distant Mirror I'd love to read but I'm just finishing up her The Guns of August and I'd like a breather in between.

Cicero, of course, is awesome; We is supposed to be weird and I'd love a weird book to read; I am so excited to start reading some Camus ---- he sounds like an interesting fellow; and I loved Goldsmith's novel, The Vicar of Wakefield, so I'd like to read something else by him.

How did you spin list go?  Any thrills or any books that you're dreading?



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29 comments:

  1. Marian4 August 2014 at 14:56

    Connecticut Yankee is a fun read (albeit strange). I've heard Camus is difficult, though as a fan of existentialist fiction, I'm especially looking forward to your thoughts on him. Good luck with the list!

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    1. Cleo4 August 2014 at 15:10

      Thanks for the tip on Connecticut Yankee, as I was wondering what to expect.

      This post was what inspired me to read more Camus: http://mlanders.com/2014/04/16/author-quotes-albert-camuss-athiest-perspective-on-christianity-part-i/ Camus seems more interesting than the suicidal, morose type of existentialist, and I'd love to read more of his ideas.

      Thanks for the wishes!

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  2. Anonymous4 August 2014 at 17:42

    Wharton, Cather, Twain, Shakespeare, Camus. Wonderful list! I have Cather and Trollope on my list as well, though different titles. Good luck with your spin!

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    1. Cleo4 August 2014 at 18:12

      Ooo, now I'm curious as to which Cather and Trollope. I do hope I get Shakespeare, as I really need to start reading some of his works for my challenge. I've been lazy because I love his plays and it isn't hard for me to start reading one, but I don't want to wait too long!

      Thanks! I'm off to check out your list!

      Delete
  3. Jean4 August 2014 at 20:57

    Wow, fun list! Can't wait to see what you get. I'm still putting mine together. Swann's Way is scary... but I've enjoyed some of the others there. :)

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    1. Cleo4 August 2014 at 22:40

      Yes, I hope I can escape getting Swann's Way. I want to read Thomas Mann's Buddenbrooks in September, and I think reading both at the same time will be near impossible.

      I can't wait to see your list. You always have something new and exciting to introduce me to!

      Delete
  4. Sam (Tiny Library)5 August 2014 at 05:43

    Hamlet is my favourite Shakespeare, I studied it for my English Lit A-Level and there's just so much in there. Hamlet himself is one of Shakespeare's great characters,
    Hope you get one of the books you are excited to try :)

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    1. Cleo5 August 2014 at 08:29

      Is Hamlet better than King Lear? So far, KL is my favourite but it would be interesting to compare it to Hamlet. Based on your recommendation, I think I'll read Hamlet in the fall even if it doesn't come up on my spin, because I really need to start concentrating on my Shakespeare challenge. Thanks, Sam!

      Delete
  5. Unknown5 August 2014 at 09:46

    I love how many plays you have on your list! I hope you get one of them; a play would be perfect for a Spin.

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    1. Cleo5 August 2014 at 09:54

      I'd certainly love to get one of them. I feel like I've been lacking plays this year, although I have been reading through Sophocles Theban Trilogy lately.

      Delete
  6. Unknown5 August 2014 at 10:52

    O Pioneers is on my list, too (although not the same number).

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    1. Cleo5 August 2014 at 12:02

      If you get it, I'll read along with you ---- it's not that long, after all!

      Delete
  7. Anonymous5 August 2014 at 11:24

    Joining my first spin....you've yet again inspired me! What do I have to loose? I hope I don't have to read Sopholces.....

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    1. Cleo5 August 2014 at 12:03

      Aw, Sophocles isn't that bad and, in fact, once you get reading, I think you'll like it.

      Good luck with your Spin!

      Delete
  8. Helen5 August 2014 at 13:15

    Great list! I haven't read many of those but I enjoyed both of the George Orwell books and I loved Doctor Thorne. Good luck on Monday.

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    1. Cleo5 August 2014 at 18:29

      Yes, I had many eclectic titles come up on my list, didn't I? I can't wait to start Doctor Thorne. I'm reading Barchester Towers right now, so even if I don't get it for my spin, I'll be reading it anyway.

      Thanks for stopping by, Helen! :-)

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  9. o6 August 2014 at 09:55

    I'm planning on reading Ayn Rand at some point: I'm yet to hear one good thing about it, though!

    Swann's Way is a lovely book (sadly it doesn't stay lovely!). I'll be interested to see what you make of it :)

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    1. Cleo8 August 2014 at 23:11

      Honestly Atlas Shrugged is the one book I hope I don't get. I've heard from people who have liked it, but, you're right, no one has given me any good reports that make me want to read it.

      I keep seeing Proust all over the place this week. I wonder if that's a "sign"? …… ;-)

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    2. o9 August 2014 at 05:35

      I think it's a sign, most definitely ;)

      Delete
  10. Brona8 August 2014 at 01:25

    We share quite a few authors this spin, but no direct matches this time around!

    Good luck with your spin - I hope it's kind to you :-)

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    1. Cleo8 August 2014 at 23:09

      We do indeed share some authors. And I see that you have Don Quixote on your list! Talk about a loooong book! I hope you have lots of reading time if it's chosen!

      Delete
  11. JoAnn9 August 2014 at 05:24

    I'd hesitate to read those books, too, but really liked 1 and 3 on your list. Good luck!

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    1. Cleo9 August 2014 at 08:11

      I'd love to get Wharton. Her The House of Mirth is probably in my top 5 all-time favourites!

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  12. Anonymous9 August 2014 at 10:30

    'm sorry for being so late at re-commenting!
    I was saying that I have The Prince in Folio edition,but after leafing through it,I don't think I'm ready yet.

    I also have The Stranger and I'm looking forward to reading it.I just must read Myth of Sisyphus first! The funny thing is that the former is in English while the latter in French.

    Also I absolutely adored Hamlet!! You can totally relate to him because he is no different from us.I plan on reading Proust one day,but I think it won't be any time soon; I want to read all books in the 'In Search of Lost Time' series consecutively.Heading to uni the next month,I don't think I'll read Proust's books at least in the next 3-4 years.But it is a definite must!

    As for Atlas Shrugged,I don't know what to expect from it.I don't think Ayn Rand is that enticing as an author,but then,the book wouldn't be a classic it wasn't any good!
    'We' from Zamyatin looks particularly interesting,maybe because the author is yet another Russian! :)

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    1. Cleo10 August 2014 at 09:47

      I'm so glad you tried your comment again!

      I'd love to get The Stranger so I'm keeping my fingers crossed! "We" is supposed to be completely weird and not typical Russian at all (or so I've heard) so that would be a fun read! You are at least the 2nd or 3rd person who has loved Hamlet, so I think I'll put him in my Shakespeare challenge pile even if I don't get him for the spin.

      I can't wait until tomorrow to see what I get!

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  13. Carol Apple10 August 2014 at 17:59

    Whew! Your list is at least as challenging as mine is. I recently read "The Guns of August" too (and wrote a review). I think there is good reason this August for lots of people to read that book. I love Barbara Tuchman and also have "A Distant Mirror" on my Master list. I need to add some Proust to my list but that would fall into my "dreading" category. I read (or rather listened to) "Hamlet" last fall as part of my son's senior year home school curriculum and it left me in awe even though I had read it in college (ages ago). It's so great to get to discuss books with people who share the interest! I don't get to interact with many true classics lovers in the rounds of my daily life (day job is in computer software world).

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    1. Cleo10 August 2014 at 19:49

      I'd had Tuchman on my "radar" for years and am so glad I read The Guns of August. I was planning on reading A Distant Mirror for my history challenge but we'll see how that goes. Proust is going to be an experiment for me.

      Yes, isn't it fun to find other classic lovers. Too bad there aren't more of them in real life, but the next best thing is the cyberworld. I hope you have a great spin!

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  14. Anonymous11 August 2014 at 05:24

    Swann's Way ... good one! I actually really liked that and would enjoy a reread. Very impressive list with some serious classics! I confess I funged a bit with classics that would make lively summer reading. ;) ;) Good luck with the spin. I hope you get one of your 5 "can't waits."

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    1. Cleo11 August 2014 at 08:19

      Oh, it's so helpful to know that you liked Swann's Way. It decreases the "dread" a little!

      Thanks for your wishes. I haven't looked at the spin number yet; the anticipation is fun to experience for awhile. Hmmm …… what number will it be ……???

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