Reading
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TTT August 30: Required Readings That Inspired My Love of Books
I decided I needed to get back into doing these! Link here.
My mom started our homeschooling with 5 in a Row, which I believe is based on the Charlotte Mason method. In middle and high school some of our history was the Beautiful Feet curriculum which is also I believe based on the Charlotte Mason method. So we had a rich experience with good books starting with wonderful illustrated classics. Either these books were part of the school program (either read to us or assigned to us) or they came from learning about the author from a different book we were assigned. I’ve included some of the stand-outs in the kids (so many other great ones though).
- Miss Rumphius
- Lentil
- Blueberries for Sal
- A New Coat for Anna
- Calico Bush
- Mara, Daughter of the Nile
- The Eagle of the Ninth (first Sutcliff, feel in love with these novels and Roman Britain)
- Warrior Scarlet (first books I remember crying over, granted I think I was already emotional at the time but still)
- Black Ships Before Troy (Sutcliff’s writing with Alan Lee’s Illustration, y’all!)
- The Wanderings of Odysseus (same as above)
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What I Watched May, June, and July 2022
May
Rewatched both Princess Diaries. Always a comfort duo.Breakfast Club. So, maybe this was ground breaking at the time (?), but I was bored and unimpressed.Miss Congeniality. Hilarious, also, wow Benjamin Bratt was super attractive, I was trying find other things he was in near that age that I’d be interested in watching.Only You. Young Robert Downey Jr. and Marisa Tomei. Cute and funny. I’m not sure I’d even heard of this before I found it from someone’s Insta story (I think).June
If I watched anything I didn’t document it.July
Top Gun, original, I enjoyed it.. Now, I need to watch the new one.Rewatched The Magic of Ordinary Days. Super sweet, sometimes a little to raw real, and awkward.Persuasion 2022 (wrote about that in detail here).Rewatched Love Comes Softly. First time I’ve seen it since I watched it over 15 years ago. Raw emotion that it’s hard to watch.Tombstone. Cheesy, Kurt Russell’s character irritated me. Also, didn’t scare me that much (except for the dark, rainy night part, anything predatory like that scares me). I didn’t feel much at most of the deaths.Juno. This popped up free on Youtube, I already knew the story, I didn’t know how cute and funny it was. Also, because I knew the story I skipped through almost everything with Mark in it. -
Random Fun Stuff: Book Harry and Ginny vs Movie, Romantic Tropes, The Longest Novels in the World, Etc.
10 TROPES We Hate About Rom Coms. This channel is just so good. I just love their breakdowns of various tropes, relationships, character development, etc. in entertainment.
So here is another. Relationship Therapist Ranks Disney Romances. I so appreciate the breakdown of Tangled, love, love that movie, and this makes me love it more.
A huge round of applause for this influencer acting out how awful movie Harry and Ginny were compared to the book. She does more book to movie differences, too.
The Five Stages of Gender Reveal Parties. I’m crying. The headline.
The Longest Novel Ever Written.
Ancient Roman Bust Found at Goodwill. Absolutely wild.
16 Personalities Confessing Their Love.
For when you need the warm fuzzies, Top 5 Katniss and Peeta Moments. Those moments in Catching Fire always get me (they missed a few). They didn’t top those in the last (of course Peeta got wrecked by the author, so that kind of wrecked that).
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Classic Club 10 Year Celebration Questionnaire Answers
See post on Classic Club here.
When did you join the Classics Club?
Looking through my old posts, it looks like I’ve been part of it since the first year, 2012 (I was not quite 22 at the time of my first post). I didn’t finish my first list, I forgot about it/fell off from it, and since I moved my blog, when the new moderators cleaned up their links, my old ones were removed since I didn’t update the links. Classic procrastinator.
What is the best classic book you’ve read for the club so far? Why?
I don’t think I have my old list saved any where (stupid, I need to remember to preserve this one in a post), so I’m going by the reviews I did manage on my blog. I started the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries and fell head over heels for him. I don’t care for all of the novels, but the ones I do are now on my comfort reads list.
I see that I tried Jeeves and Wooster again (I didn’t get it when I tried for our church bookclub), and this time it stuck. Definitely another comfort read for me.
What is the first classic you ever read?
I can’t remember, I know my dad read Narnia to us when small. I know I loved Little Women as a tween and teen. And then later more of Alcott and LM Montgomery. My first “grown up” classics that I can recall was Pride and Prejudice at around 14 or 15, I believe (my mom borrowed after we watched the 95 version with friends, both the film and the book were a touch beyond my total comprehension at the time, but that started my JA novel/movie obsession of the time). I think I’d skimmed the Bronte novels, but I didn’t read the two most famous in their entirety until I was 19 I believe.
Which classic book inspired you the most?
I feel like the introduction to Jane Austen as well the homeschool classics blogging world as a teen as well as few years later as being part of a church book club got me more into the classics; my reading/focus ability crashed and burned due to some OCD or some mental break as a teen, all this slowly helped me back.
What is the most challenging one you’ve ever read, or tried to read?
Lis Mis was challenging in it’s length and tediousness. Same for Brothers Karamazov. Also, the philosophy of the latter was beyond me.
Favorite movie adaptation of a classic? Least favorite?
2022 gave me an easy least favorite, Persuasion. Favorite is harder. I’ve many Jane Austen adaptations, and some are more accurate than others, but in the last several years Emma 2009 has become a comfort movie for my sisters and me. I think that Emma herself is one of the least accurate, but the overall movie is peaceful (excluding Box Hill) and hilarious and the scenery is beautiful, the music is wonderful, and I just love the costumes.
I grew up (at least teens I think) with the 1994 Little Women, so although the Laurie Jo plot still infuriates me to this day, nostalgia, you know?
A childhood favorite was the 80’s made for tv Heidi. I watched that obsessively, and in my tiny heart crushed on Peter, envied Klara her boots, and called milkmaid braids Heidi braids until I learned as an adult they were already named milkmaid braids.
I’m sure there are more (like I said, favorites are harder), but this is off the top of my head.
Which classic character most reminds you of yourself?
Marianne Dashwood.
Has there been a classic title you expected to dislike and ended up loving? Respecting? Appreciating?
Middlemarch was a dark house, and it was a slow start, but then I really got into it. I need to reread it. Talk of underwhelming adaptations and underappreciated classics.
Also, after a couple other Russian tries, I was pleasantly surprised to find when starting Anna Karenina (I’d skimmed as a teen and maybe early twenties, not ready for it then, so I did know a lot of the story), that I enjoy it.
Classic/s you are DEFINITELY GOING TO MAKE HAPPEN next year?
Well, hopefully most of the ones on the list I don’t get to this year, since my end date is next September. I’m currently almost done with Anna Karenina, about to start Count of Monte Cristo, and hopefully will start War and Peace after that.
Favorite memory with a classic and/or your favorite memory with The Classics Club?
I love rewarding myself with film adaptations after finishing a novel. I did read a lot (but very repetitively) as a child, but I struggled as a teen, and I’m not naturally drawn to super long novels, so finishing a novel that is a bit harder to get through and then getting to watch a film is fun.
I also of course love learning about new favorites to add to my comfort reads.
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What I Read the 1st 5 Months of 2022
I’ve not done well on reading this year, I’ve had a lot going on, and while I certainly had time still, I had a lot of misses, and I just wasn’t finding it easy to get into reading when nothing was inspiring and was too overwhelmed to try to find more options. I’m getting out of it, I decided to reread Jeeves and Wooster, and I also decided I was going to have to drive to the city for books since the library here isn’t enough, and the Kindle from the city library doesn’t have enough options.
I read 4 books in Jan, 7 in Feb, 2 in March, 2 in April, and 1 in May.
The Christmas Box. Eh.
An Irish Country Doctor. Not worth continuing.
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. Eh. Decided not to read the Moonstone. That’s a large book for “eh.” I do want to watch the movie though.
The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald. Cute and funny. Might try and read more of the series.
“Things got mighty dull after The Great Brain decided to give up his crooked ways and to walk the straight and narrow. So dull Papa didn’t even bother to come upstairs and see if Tom was in bed the night the schoolhouse burned down. So dull there is no more to tell.”The Wintringham Mystery by Anthony Berkeley. Decent. I need to see if I can find more of this author on Thriftbooks or a similar site since this is all the library had.
PG Wodehouse. Mike and Psmith and Jill the Reckless I enjoyed. Love Among the Chickens and Psmith in the City were meh.
Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin Abbot. Defies rating. Defies sense. I don’t know how my sister found this or what possessed the author to write it. If you read, don’t look up anything, any blurb, anything.
Hunter’s Green and Woman without a Past by Phyllis A Whitney. Eh.
Kingfisher by Patricia McKillip. I enjoyed, but my library didn’t have a lot of options on Libby.
Geekerella by Ashley Poston. Cute, nothing to write home about.
Nonfiction
Taste: My Life Through Food. I found this interesting. His tone started jarring on me. And it did seem that all Italian cooking involved Italian herbs, tomatoes, and pasta.
How Not to Die Alone by Logan Ury. I think I’m going to try and buy this. Or at least reread.
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Classics Club Spin #30 Pick
So, mine is an anthology of British poetry. I would also like to see if I can finish Richard III and Anna Karenina and at least pick up The Idiot again.
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Classics Club Spin #30
So, I started but didn’t finish Richard III for the last spin, and I’m about 1/3 of the way through Anna Karenina, and I still haven’t picked up The Idiot again, but hey, let’s do another Classics Club spin anyway. I am going to add those on there as well, maybe it will force me to at least pick up the pace/finish them. I’ve divided up my list according to seasons (obviously involved some guessing, since I don’t know much about some of the books), and put spring and summer ones on this list.
- Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
- Through the Looking Glass
- Walden by Henry Thoreau
- An anthology of American poetry
- An anthology of British poetry
- Anthony Trollope novels
- Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
- Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
- House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
- The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens
- The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens
- Anna Karenina
- The Idiot
- Richard III
- A Good Man is Hard to Find or other Flannery O’Connor novel
- 20 Thousand Leagues Under the Sea or another novel by Jules Verne
- Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
- Grapes of Wrath and/or East of Eden and/or Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck
- O’ Pioneers and/or Shadows on the Rock by Willa Cather
- Treasure Island by Robert Lewis Stevenson
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Thomas Hardy and American Literature
I realized I dislike both Thomas Hardy novels and American classics for the same reason. Perfectly capable characters make mind bogglingly stupid choices over and over and over and over and over again and the record of the consequences is presented as a tragedy. No it ain’t, it’s a farce. -
April Showers
“Snow in April is abominable,” said Anne. “Like a slap in the face when you expected a kiss.”― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Ingleside -
My List for Classics Club Spin #29
I’m joining in the Classics Club spin #29, here. I’ve not done great on this list, and I’m reeaaaallly not doing great on reading period, so we’ll see.
- Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
- Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
- Cymbelline
- Henry VI, Part 1
- Henry VI, Part 2
- Henry VI, Part 3
- Henry VIII
- House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
- King John
- Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
- Richard III
- The Crucible by Arthur Miller
- The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis
- The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis
- The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
- The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens
- The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens
- The Scarlet Letter and/or The House with Seven Gables by Nathanial Hawthorne
- Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
- Walden by Henry Thoreau
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A Literary Christmas
I’m linking up here for A Literary Christmas. I think I’ll also make this list a page.
Whew, this list took well, hours I think, because I wanted to format it, so that if I went to the library, I could find books faster. I also wanted plenty to choose from this year and beyond. It is composed of books from a least four lists with books that became Hallmark movies and other similar books for adults, adult classics, children’s classics, and illustrated children’s books. Some of the latter (maybe the last three) categories, I’d like to buy. From the rest, I ordered some from two libraries, hoping some will come in in time and of those I will like some.
Snow Queen Andersen, Hans Christian
The Fir Tree Andersen, Hans Christian
The Little Match Girl Andersen, Hans Christian
The Steadfast Tin Soldier Andersen, Hans Christian
The Santa Suit Andrews, Mary Kay
Amazing Peace Angelou, Maya
The Christmas Train Baldacci, David
Madeline’s Christmas Bemelmans,Ludwig
The Berenstain Bears’ Christmas Tree Berenstain, Stan and Jan
The Children of Green Knowe Boston, Lucy
Gingerbread Baby Brett, Jan
Jan Brett’s Christmas Treasury Brett, Jan
The Wild Christmas Reindeer Brett, Jan
Christmas Day in the Morning Buck, Pearl
Snowmen at Christmas Buehner, Caralyn
Little Lord Fauntleroy Burnett, Frances Hodgson
Truman Capote Collection Capote, Truman
Dream Snow Carle, Eric
A Christmas by the Sea Carlson, Melody
The Christmas Cottage Chase, Samantha
Christmas Bells by Chiaverini, Jennifer
Hercule Poirot’s Christmas Christie, Agatha
Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus Church, Francis Pharcellus
The Christmas Dress Cole, Courtney
Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery Colgan, Jenny
Christmas at the Island Hotel Colgan, Jenny
The Christmas Bookshop Colgan, Jenny
The Dark is Rising Cooper, Susan
Miracle on 34th Street Davies, Valentine
The Christmas Book: An Early American Christmas DePaola, Tomie
Merry Christmas, Strega Nona DePaola, Tomie
The First Christmas DePaola, Tomie
The Legend of Old Befana DePaola, Tomie
The Legend of the Poinsettia DePaola, Tommu
A Christmas Carol/The Chimes/The Cricket on the Hearth Dickens, Charles
What Christmas is as We Grow Older Dickens, Charles
The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle Doyle, Arther Conan
Deck the Halls with Buddy Holly: And Other Misheard Christmas Lyrics Edwards, Gavin
A Winter Dream Evans, Richard Paul
Grace Evans, Richard Paul
The Christmas Box Trilogy (The Christmas Box, Timepiece, Letter) Evans, Richard Paul
The Christmas List Evans, Richard Paul
The Christmas Promise Evans, Richard Paul
The Gift Evans, Richard Paul
The Mistletoe Inn Evans, Richard Paul
The Mistletoe Promise Evans, Richard Paul
The Noel Diary Evans, Richard Paul
A Redbird Christmas Flagg, Fannie
Redbird Christmas Flagg, Fannie
Christmas Trees Frost, Robert
When Santa Fell to Earth Funke, Cornelia
Last Christmas in Paris Gaynor, Hazel and Heather Webb
I Saw Three Ships Goudge, Elizabeth
The Elves and the Shoemaker Grimm, Jacob, and Wilhelm Grimm
Skipping Christmas Grisham, John
A Lighthouse Christmas Hale, Jenny
We’ll Always Have Christmas Hale, Jenny
Comfort and Joy Hannah Kristin
A Cup of Christmas Tea Hegg, Tom
Winter in Paradise Hilderbrand, Elin
Winter Street Hilderbrand, Elin
Winter Stroll Hilderbrand, Elin
The Nutcracker Hoffman, ETA
Seven Days of Us Hornak, Francesca
Christmas at the Chalet Hughes, Anita
Christmas in London Hughes, Anita
Christmas in Vermont Hughes, Anita
Magical New York Christmas Hughes, Anita
A Prayer for Owen Meany Irving, John
The Snow Child Ivey, Eowyn
Moominland Midwinter Jansson, Tove
Shepherds Abiding Karon, Jan
The Little Drummer Boy Keats, Ezra Jack
A Dog Named Christmas Kincaid, Greg
The Bridge Kingsbury, Karen
The Battered Bastards of Bastogne: The 101st Airborne and the Battle of the Bulge Koskimaki, George
The Glorious Impossible L’Engle, Madeleine
Christmas in Noisy Village Lindgren, Astrid
The Crippled Lamb Lucado, Max
Alaskan Holiday: A Novel Macomber, Debbie
Dear Santa Macomber, Debbie
Jingle All the Way Macomber, Debbie
Merry and Bright Macomber, Debbie
Hiddensee Maguire, Gregory
Holly and Ivy Michaels, Fern
The Christmas Sisters Morgan, Sarah
The Christmas Escape Morgan, Sarah
Christmas Joy Naigle, Nancy
Dear Santa Naigle, Nancy
If You Take a Mouse to the Movies Numeroff, Laura Joffe
Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas O’Connor, Jane
Christmas in Camelot Osborne, Mary Pope
A Christmas Legacy Perry, Anne
A Christmas Resolution Perry, Anne
Winter Solstice Pilcher, Rosamunde
The Trees of the Dancing Goats Polacco, Patricia
Hogfather Pratchett, Terry
Christmas at Fairacre Read, Miss
The House Without a Christmas Tree Rock, Gail
Norman Rockwell’s Christmas book Rockwell, Norman
Christmas by the Book Ryan, Anne Marie
Holidays on Ice Sedaris, David
A Christmas Story Shepherd, Jean
Mr. Dickens and His Carol Silva, Samantha
The Man Who Invented Christmas Standiford, Les
Snowflakes and Cinnamon Swirls at The Winter Wonderland Swain, Heidi
An Irish Country Christmas Taylor, Patrick
The Littlest Angel Tazewell, Charles
A Very Nantucket Christmas Thayer, Nancy
Christmas at Holiday House Thayne, RaeAnne
Season of Wonder Thayne, RaeAnne
Sleigh Bells Ring Thayne, RaeAnne
The Dolls’ Christmas Tudor, Tash
Take Joy Tudor, Tasha
A Letter from Santa Claus Twain, Mark
The Greatest Gift Van Doren Stern, Philip
The Christmas Blessing VanLiere, Donna
The Christmas Hope VanLiere, Donna
The Christmas Shoes VanLiere, Donna
The Christmas Town VanLiere, Donna
It’s a Wonderful Christmas: The Best of the Holidays 1940-1965 Waggoner
A Treasury of Christmas Stories Webb, Garrison
Silent Night: The Story of the WWI Christmas Truce Weintraub, Stanley
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey Wojciechowski, Susan
The White Christmas Inn Wright, ColleenChristmas Storms and Sunshine Gaskell, Elizabeth
Christmas at Thompson Hall Trollope, Anthony
The Lazy Tour of Two Idle Apprentices Collins, Wilkie, and Charles Dickens -
My Classics Club Spin #12 is . . .
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. Awesome, one I really didn’t want . . .
I’m also going to see if I can read Cymbeline (my last spin pick), Dracula, The Moonstone, The Crucible and maybe Irish Faerie Tales and Turning of the Screw, since all these are very Autumnal and I’m quite behind on my Classics Club list. And I need to work on The Idiot (another spin pick).