November 18, 2018 has come and gone and I can't believe that my five year anniversary date with the Classics Club has come around so quickly! It seems like only a year or so ago I was compiling my list and wondering how I was going to read so many books. So how did I do with it? Well, here's what I accomplished ....
First of all, I went completely overboard and instead of choosing the recommended 50 books, I chose 170 books! Eh, not particularly my most wise decision, especially considering the content of some of them. Needless to say, I didn't finish my list but, on a brighter note I did manage to read 66 of them, which is better than 50. I also had a few of them (The Histories, Paradise Lost, Metamorphoses, Hamlet and History of the Peloponnesian War come quickly to mind) where I posted by chapter/book/act, so that was a big task in itself and expanded my reading time. I've also started Bleak House, City of God, Crime and Punishment and Dead Souls from my original list, I just didn't finish in time. :-(
So here is my first Classics Club list, which I will call complete!
My list:
Ancients (5000 B.C. - A.D. 400): (9 books read)
The Odyssey - Homer (end of the 8th century B.C.) March 23, 2014
The Histories (450 - 420 B.C.) - Herodotus (because I love my Greeks!) April 17, 2017
The History of the Pelopponesian War (431 B.C.) - Thucydides (a very
interesting war. I can't wait to get Thucydides viewpoint) June 15, 2017
Oedipus Rex (429 B.C.) - Sophocles (Sophocles is one of my favourite
Greek playwrights) May 25, 2014
Oedipus at Colonus (406 B.C.) - Sophocles June 24, 2014
Antigone (441 B.C.) - Sophocles December 28, 2014
Apology (after 399 B.C.) - Plato December 12, 2013
Defense Speeches (80 - 63 B.C.) - Marcus Tullius Cicero (I've started this
and love it!) August 20, 2014
Metamorphoses (8) - Ovid (I will finish this!) March 31, 2016
Medieval/Early Renaissance (400 - 1600 A.D.): (6 books read)
The Rule of Saint Benedict (529)? - Saint Benedict December 2, 2015
Ancients (5000 B.C. - A.D. 400): (9 books read)
interesting war. I can't wait to get Thucydides viewpoint) June 15, 2017
Greek playwrights) May 25, 2014
and love it!) August 20, 2014
Medieval/Early Renaissance (400 - 1600 A.D.): (6 books read)
Late Renaissance/Early Modern (1600 - 1850 A.D.): (17 books read)
Modern (1850 - Present): (34 books read)
Barchestershire Chronicles) April 8, 2014
series) April 23, 2014
first time I read this was in high-school, I need to do a re-read to
confirm that I despise it) January 2, 2014
Mrs. Dalloway (1925) - Virginia Woolf January 13, 2014
The Pilgrim's Regress (1933) - C.S. Lewis (I think this is a more simpler
Lewis) {No - this was incredibly complex!} November 30, 2013
Out of the Silent Planet (1938) - C.S. Lewis (love his Space Trilogy - a re-
Seven Story Mountain (1948) - Thomas Merton (looking forward to it) March 15, 2014
East of Eden (1952) - John Steinbeck (I hated Mice & Men but I will attempt
to keep an open mind with this one) February 17, 2015
To Kill A Mockingbird (1960) - Harper Lee April 5, 2016
confirm that I despise it) January 2, 2014
Lewis) {No - this was incredibly complex!} November 30, 2013
i'm impressed; they're almost all heavy classics: probably more than i've read my whole life! i read more than that, but my list would include a lot sci fi, mysteries, bios, and the like... i'm all over the map, without a shred of discipline, as you can tell by my blog... anyway, congratulations!
ReplyDeleteMore than you've read in your life? That surprises me but is also encouraging. I've had such a bad reading year that it's nice to feel that I accomplished something. Discipline has its place, right? ;-)
Deleteabsolutely... and one of these days, i'm going to... etc. etc. fat chance, as they say...
DeleteBravo! 66 classics in 5 years is a tremendous achievement. And you did what I had to do when I realised I wasn’t going to read the 150 books on my original list either!! I simply stopped where I was & said ‘done’ then created list 2 from the leftovers. I think that means we’re optimistic, but willing to be flexible & face reality when we overreach 😉
ReplyDeleteThank you, Brona. I'm glad to hear someone else had to condense their list. My enthusiasm turned out to be more than my abilities. I'm looking forward to compiling the next list!
DeleteCongratulations!! Well done you. I'll be interested to see your next list!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jean! The next list is already in the works!
DeleteCongratulations! Well done. I found Pilgrim's Regress really complex, but it has gotten better for me.
ReplyDeleteHey, thanks for taking time in your busy life to stop by! I can't believe Lewis wrote the Pilgrim's Regress in three weeks. The complexity blew my mind. I still haven't read The Pilgrim's Progress. Perhaps a title for my next list!
DeleteWell done! There are some tough ones on here. I'll have a look at your posts on Metamorphoses when I get to that one -- probably 2019.
ReplyDeleteI believe Metamorphoses made book of the year for me. It was somewhat icky but Ovid really crafts some wonderful tales. Good luck with it and enjoy!
DeleteI'm looking forward to it. Also -- I can't believe I forgot The Canterbury Tales on my list! I'll see if I can fit it in somewhere.
DeleteWell done, Cleo! You have read great pieces there!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm glad you decided to do a second round.
Thanks, Fanda! I'm very excited to start on the second list. Glad to see you're posting a bit more lately. I've missed your reviews!
DeleteI join the chorus....'Well done!"
ReplyDelete2019 is just around the corner and let the reading games begin!
Thank you, Nancy! I've been inspired seeing all the reading you've done this year. I will aspire to be you in this area. Great job!
DeleteAn exciting moment! Good for you!!!
ReplyDeleteI admire your Ancients list...and look at all that Shakespeare! Thanks for reading along in the biographies, too!
I do plan to get back to the histories but I've fallen off whereas you've done an exemplary job of keeping up. Oh for more reading time! At least I'm enjoying life, reading or no. But it would be better with more reading. I'll try in 2019!
DeleteWell done! :D I can't wait to see your next list :)
ReplyDeleteThank you! All your consistent reading keeps me inspired! Next list is up-and-coming!
DeleteWay to go, Cleo!! There are some long ones on there... War and Peace AND Brothers K. :) Looking forward to seeing your new list!
ReplyDeleteYes, I just have to keep telling myself ..... long books and long posts. Then I'll feel much better! :-)
DeleteWell done! That's a great list & very brain heavy. I've read 69 & will try to finish two more by the end of the year & then make a new list. Quite a few of mine were not heavy reads & a couple were children's classics - the only reason I managed to read 69!
ReplyDeleteIt was brain heavy and post heavy so I feel okay with getting through less than planned. Children's classics are great! I'll have to plan for more of them in 2019!
DeleteCongratulations! Well done!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Faith! You seem to have had a good reading year. Hope you have an even better one in 2019!
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