Classics Club Spin #30

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I’ve started our winter with a nasty cold that is lingering way too long for my liking! So I’ve been pretty quiet lately. Reading lots but not writing or blogging about it as much.

A new CC Spin is the perfect opportunity to get back into the swing of things.

Ohh, I hope Jean returns from her holiday in time or reads this while she is away, so that she doesn’t miss out on the latest CC Spin. Jean & I are the only ones left who have participated in ALL 30 spins! (UPDATE: She made it!)

What is a CC Spin?

Simply, on Sunday the 12th June, a random number between 1-20 will be drawn. Match the number to the book on your list, then read said book before the 7th August. Full details on how to play are here.

This spin I have tried to return to my old habit of my matching books to those on other lists. Up until Sunday, I am happy to switch books around in the list to create reading buddies. Let me know if we have a match.

My CC Spin #30:

  1. Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne Du Maurier
  2. Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë
  3. Peter Pan | J. M. Barrie
  4. Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  5. The Sign of the Four | Arthur Conan Doyle
  6. Sound and the Fury | William Faulkner
  7. Mary Barton | Elizabeth Gaskell
  8. Moll Flanders | Daniel Defoe
  9. Picture of Dorian Gray | Oscar Wilde
  10. The Female Quixote by Charlotte Lennox
  11. Brave New World | Aldous Huxley
  12. The Bell Jay | Sylvia Plath
  13. Beautiful and the Damned | F. Scott Fitzgerald
  14. The Betrothed | Alessandro Manzoni
  15. Passing | Netta Larsen
  16. Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  17. The Sound of Waves by Yukio Mishima
  18. It Can’t Happen Here | Sinclair Lewis
  19. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
  20. Pale Horse, Pale Rider | Katherine Porter
  • reading with Lisa @Bookshelf Fantasies
  • reading with Joel @I Would Rather Be Reading
  • reading with Kelly’s Thoughts & Ramblings
  • reading with Kelly’s Thoughts & Ramblings
  • reading with Robin @A Fondness for Reading
  • reading with Marianne @Let’s Read
  • reading with Yvonne @A Darn Good Read
  • reading with Margaret @Books Please
  • reading with Michelle @True Book Addict
  • reading with Jean @Howling Frog Books
  • reading with Laurie @Relevant Obscurity
  • reading with Kelly’s Thoughts & Ramblings
  • reading with Mary R @Bibliographic Manifestations
  • reading with @FanFiction
  • reading with Lisa @Bookshelf Fantasies
  • reading with The Chocolate Lady’s Book Reviews
  • reading with Lisa @Bookshelf Fantasies
  • reading with Emma @Words & Peace
  • reading with Joel @I Would Rather Be Reading
  • reading with Lisa @Bookshelf Fantasies

My Previous 29 Spin Results:

One book was a DNF as I lost it during a move.

Three were barely so-so reads and another couple were curiosities that didn’t really appeal to me but I could see their merits. The rest were delights. From the surprise packages to the known favourites.

I can’t wait to see what spin #30 brings me.

Click on each book cover to take you to my book response post.

Happy Spinning!

This post was written on the traditional land of the Wangal clan, one of the 29 clans of the Eora Nation within the Sydney basin. This Reading Life acknowledges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are our first storytellers, and the traditional custodians of the lands, seas, and skies on which we live and work.

38 thoughts on “Classics Club Spin #30

    1. It’s still a surprise for me too! Even though I am now the creator of the CC Spins for the club, I schedule several of them so far in advance, by the time they roll around, I’ve forgotten the details!!

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  1. I’d be interested to see what you thought of ‘Agnes Grey’ (which I’ve read) whilst I steel myself to read her other novel. Meanwhile, ‘Peter Pan’ and ‘A Little Princess’ are on my CC list too, and I’m sure I’ll get to ‘The Bell Jar’ eventually, perhaps after I resume and complete ‘It Can’t Happen Here’ which I stalled on in 2016 when real life seemed to overtake fiction in earnest. Anyway, good luck, whatever you get!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It Can’t Happen Here is the one I’m most nervous about – political thrillers are not my usual fare & it’s hard to think of it as dystopian or alternate history now that it was so close to being true.

      I really enjoyed Tenant/Wildfell (the story-telling and what Anne had to say about women’s position in society, not necessarily the choices she made on how to structure & plot her story though). I would like to get to Agnes one day, although I have heard contrary reports.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Well done to you and Jean for taking part in all 30 spins! I think I’ve only missed two or three myself. I read Moll Flanders just a few weeks ago and enjoyed it and I liked Frenchman’s Creek and The Picture of Dorian Gray too. Good luck!

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    1. Moll Flanders is one of the classics that has been on my shelves for a very long time, unread. One day the spin gods will make it happen!
      We saw a modern retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray at the theatre recently, now keen to read the original. Will probably read it regardless of the spin results later today.

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  3. I absolutely love the classics spin. Your list is very interesting. I have read # 2, 9, 11, 12 and 16. I think my favourite is “Agnes Grey” but they are all worth reading. Good luck with the draw.

    Here is my list.

    Liked by 1 person

        1. Oh, great. I must pay more attention to those, as well. I only checked which ones I had read already. This is a fantastic idea,
          So, now I hope we’ll get #6.

          Liked by 1 person

  4. Wow Brona! Congratulations. And I am now following Jean btw.
    Looking forward to the next number. I loved the covers of the previous titles and how they mostly were good titles.

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    1. So glad you have found Jean’s blog, I think you both will have a lot in common.

      The spins have been a great way over the years to read through my classics shelves, given my day job often veers me away from the older stories. I only include books I already own or have on my eReader, but it is a slow process.

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  5. Yay! I really appreciated your message; I’m not at all sure that I would have caught the Spin notice without it. My blog reader is stuffed with hundreds of posts. I love your matching-reads custom and your list is great — I am very fond of Agnes Grey and several other titles here, and I still have Can’t Happen Here and Bell Jar on my list…happy Spinning!

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    1. I’m just so happy you made it in time Jean – I didn’t want to be the last one standing – it’s much nicer being the two of us 🙂
      I was even able to include one of your books on my list, although The Female Quixote is one I’m very nervous about tackling!

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  6. Quite a feat for you and Jean. You must be in the OG class of the Classics Club!😊

    I would love to do a buddy-read Spin, so I hope it works out.

    Good luck to us all🤞

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    1. Thanks Laurie!

      I read A Brave New World back in my twenties, when Mr Books and I got together the first time around. He made me read ABNW and I made him read Pride & Prejudice properly (not the skim he did in highschool for his exams)! I’d like to see if it has aged as well as P&P and whether it bears repeat reads like P&P does.

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    1. I’ve been lucky with my spins, but then I guess, most of the books on my list are ones I really want to read for one reason or another, so unless they turn out to be not what I was expecting, then it’s usually okay, if not love 🙂

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  7. It would be lovely to buddy read Fitzgerald! I’m glad you decided to go back to identifying the matches in your list with other CC readers. It’s such a nice idea.

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    1. Thanks Mary, I enjoy reading everyone’s lists (taking notes for my wishlist!) & compiling my list as I go. The WP column block made it much easier to finally align the two sections in an aesthetically pleasing way.

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  8. I’m so impressed that you’ve done all 30!! I’m thrilled to be participating in my 2nd, and hope to keep going from here on out. So excited that we have so many books in common! Can’t wait to see what we end up reading this time.

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  9. I have read 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, 16… though a few a long time ago. Most recent was 15 which I highly recommend. BTW I think it’s Gaskell not ill.

    Hope you are feeling better now.

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    1. I recall your recent review of Passing and I’m very keen to get to my copy (which I’ve now had since I first read Brit Bennett’s book, The Vanishing Half a couple of years ago.

      Thanks for the Gaskell pick up, I noticed it this morning too – perhaps the ‘ill’ was my frame of mind kicking in!! Although starting to finally feel better this weekend – glad it’s a long one here!

      Hope you’re somewhere warm & cosy.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s great news Robin!
      I read the first Sherlock Holmes (A Study in Scarlett) two years ago for cc spin 24 and have been putting this one on my list ever since to prompt me to continue the series.
      I’m halfway through a couple of books, so probably won’t start it until next week or the week after. I’ll keep you posted.
      Are you on Twitter?

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  10. I bought a book of his stories when I visited 221 B Baker Street in London. I had read very few of his stories. Sometimes when you see so many films/tv-series of books you forget to read them. I always thought his stories were not so nice to read, but was pleasantly surprised. Became quite a fan, I must admit. Much more lively than I thought. Really like them, including your no 5. Hope you will like it.

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