2016 Challenge: Back to the Classics Challenge

The Back to the Classics Challenge is hosted by Karen at Books and Chocolate. I'm signing up for 2016, even though I didn't do so well when I tried this one in 2012.

This time I am only shooting for six books, with a stretch goal of nine. My problem isn't with reading "classics" because I read a lot of books published before 1966 that would qualify. Where I come up short is fitting the books I read to the categories. I read a lot of books by women and a lot of classic detective novels. But I don't read many translations or short story collections and I rarely re-read a book. I'll try.

CATEGORIES

1. A 19th Century Classic - any book published between 1800 and 1899.

2. A 20th Century Classic - any book published between 1900 and 1966. Just like last year, all books MUST have been published at least 50 years ago to qualify. The only exception is books written at least 50 years ago, but published later.

3. A classic by a woman author.

4. A classic in translation. Any book originally written published in a language other than your native language. Feel free to read the book in your language or the original language.

5. A classic by a non-white author. Can be African-American, Asian, Latino, Native American, etc.

6. An adventure classic - can be fiction or non-fiction. Children's classics like Treasure Island are acceptable in this category.

7. A fantasy, science fiction, or dystopian classic. Dystopian could include classics like 1984, and children's classics like The Hobbit are acceptable in this category also.

8. A classic detective novel. It must include a detective, amateur or professional. This list of books from the Golden Age of Detective Fiction is a great starting point if you're looking for ideas.

9. A classic which includes the name of a place in the title. It can be the name of a house, a town, a street, etc. Examples include Bleak House, Main Street, The Belly of Paris, or The Vicar of Wakefield.

10. A classic which has been banned or censored. If possible, please mention why this book was banned or censored in your review.

11. Re-read a classic you read in school (high school or college). If it's a book you loved, does it stand the test of time? If it's a book you disliked, is it any better a second time around?

12. A volume of classic short stories. This must be one complete volume, at least 8 short stories. It can be an anthology of stories by different authors, or all the stories can be by a single author. Children's stories are acceptable in this category also.

MY BOOK POSSIBILITIES AND THEIR CATEGORIES

Out of Africa by Isak Dineson (FINISHED; woman author)

Ape and Essence by Aldous Huxley (FINISHED; science fiction)

Merry Hall by Beverley Nichols (FINISHED; place name)

Orlando by Virginia Woolf (FINISHED; adventure - well, egghead adventure)

Death and the Joyful Woman by Ellis Peters (FINISHED; detective)

Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne (FINISHED; translation)

The Last Chronicle of Barset by Anthony Trollope (FINISHED; 19th Century)

Loitering with Intent by Muriel Spark (FINISHED; 20th Century)

The Company She Keeps by Mary McCarthy (FINISHED; short stories)


NOTE: Updated November 23, 2016.

Teaser Tuesday: The Lightening Round

She wondered again why she tolerated and actually paid money to be part of this perverse and artificial world. Then, she looked in the mirror and she realized why.

-- The Lighening Round by Bruce Stewart. This romantic comedy brings love to the gym, but can romance blossom between lovers at different levels of the ultimate fitness challenge?

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event.

2015 Challenge: My Wrap Up Post for the European Reading Challenge: COMPLETED!

TO POST YOUR 2015 WRAP UP, GO HERE

TO POST A 2015 REVIEW, GO HERE

TO SIGN UP FOR THE 2016 EUROPEAN READING CHALLENGE, GO HERE

This is my wrap-up post for the 2015 European Reading Challenge. 

BOOKS I READ

The Marseille Caper by Peter Mayle (France)

A Thousand Bells at Noon: A Roman's Guide to the Secrets and Pleasures of His Native City by Franco G. Romagnoli (Italy)

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding (United Kingdom)

The Charm School by Nelson DeMille (Russia)

The Dinner by Herman Koch (Holland)

Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi (Germany)

The Bat by Jo Nesbo (Norway)

Skios by Michael Frayn (Greece)

Happy New Year!

Book Beginning: The Lightening Round

HAPPY BOOK BEGINNING NEW YEAR!

THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON FRIDAYS FOR BOOK BEGINNING FUN!

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

EARLY BIRDS & SLOWPOKES: This weekly post goes up Thursday evening for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. But feel free to add a link all week.

FACEBOOK: Rose City Reader has a Facebook page where I post about new and favorite books, book events, and other bookish tidbits, as well as link to blog posts. I'd love a "Like" on the page! You can go to the page here to Like it. I am happy to Like you back if you have a blog or professional Facebook page, so please leave a comment with a link and I will find you.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, Google+, or other social media, please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I try to follow all Book  Beginnings participants on whatever interweb sites you are on, so please let me know if I have missed any and I will catch up.

TIE IN: The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice is a natural tie in with this event and there is a lot of cross over, so many people combine the two. The idea is to post a teaser from page 56 of the book you are reading and share a link to your post. Find details and the Linky for your Friday 56 post on Freda’s Voice.

YOUR BOOK BEGINNING



MY BOOK BEGINNING

"It'll never fit. . . " Hanna More's mind raced as she viewed the enormous challenge confronting her.

-- The Lighening Round by Bruce Stewart. This San Francisco-set Rom Com with a fitness challenge theme seemed like the perfect book to start off the New Year!

EDITOR'S DESCRIPTION:

In THE LIGHTENING ROUND, Hannah More, a sassy single mom with weight issues, reluctantly enters Ultimate Level, a San Francisco gym which groups its members based on their weight and fitness levels. Much to her shock, Hannah actually finds that this crazy "fitness experience" works well for her. That is, until she falls for another gym member who is on a different level. Ultimate Level's rigidly enforced policies only allow its members to communicate with members on different levels in person for 15 minutes every two weeks both inside and outside of the gym. Hannah will have to come up with some rather ingenious and comic schemes in order to land the romance of her dreams.