It’s time for another Classics Club spin.
When I went to put this spin together during the week, I realised I had finished my CC List #2. How on earth did I miss that? Pure and simple – slackness! I’d forgotten to update my links for most of this year.
The good news is that I had a great deal of fun planning my brand new, shiny CC List #3 in preparation for participating in my 32nd CC Spin. Yes you read that correctly. I have participated in EVERY single Classics Club spin, along with Jean @Howling Frog.
What is a CC Spin?
- Simply pick twenty books that you’ve got left to read from your Classics Club List.
- Post that list, numbered 1-20, on your blog before Sunday, 11th December.
- A number from 1-20 will be announced.
- Read that book by 29th January, 2023.
For full details on how to play along, or to join the classics club, click here.
As many of you may already know, I like to buddy read with you whenever I can, so if one of our books match, I am happy to switch them around so our numbers match too.
An (A) in front of a title indicates an Australian classic.
My CC Spin #3:
- (A) 1788 | Watkin Tench
- Fahrenheit 451 | Ray Bradbury (reading with Tracy @Bitter Tea & Mystery)
- (A) Bush Studies | Barbara Baynton
- Picture of Dorian Gray | Oscar Wilde
- (A) Childhood at Brindibilla | Miles Franklin
- Adam Bede | George Eliot (reading with Sue @Me My Shelf & I)
- (A) A Difficult Young Man | Martin Boyd
- The Feast | Margaret Kennedy
- (A) A Fence Around the Cuckoo | Ruth Park
- Heart of Darkness | Joseph Conrad
- (A) Thirty Years in Australia | Ada Cambridge
- The Bell Jar | Sylvia Plath (reading with Kelly’s Thoughts and Ramblings)
- I Am a Cat | Soseki Natsume
- (A) The Three Miss Kings | Ada Cambridge
- (A) Intimate Strangers | Katharine Susannah Prichard (reading with Sue @Me My Shelf & I)
- Life and Fate | Vasily Grossman
- Night and Day | Virginia Woolf
- The Solitary Summer | Elizabeth von Armin
- Silas Marner | George Eliot (reading with Fancied Freedom)
- Pale Horse, Pale Rider | Katherine Porter (reading with Lisa @Bookshelf Fantasies)
My Previous 31 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 #32 brings me.
Click on each book cover to take you to my book response post.
Happy Spinning!
Later:
Adam Bede it is! And a buddy read with Sue @Me My Shelf & I. Perfect. I haven’t read any George Eliot for nearly two decades, therefore delighted to be given a gentle push into priortising it over my summer holiday break.
| 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. |
bronasbooks.com 
I am super impressed that you’ve participated in every single spin… and how fun that you’ve shown us all your winners!
I’d be quite happy if we both get to read Sylvia Plath. ☺️
LikeLike
I’ve just finished a fiction book about Sylvia Plath, so would be very happy to have a good excuse to read The Bell Jar next.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You have lots of books on your list that I’m not familiar with. I will keep an eye on your reviews to get ideas for my next CC list. Of course, I have a long way to go on this one!
LikeLike
A large number of the books on my list are Australian, so not necessarily widely known beyond our shores. I hope I can tempt more people to read them though 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, if we can get them. I’ve had a couple of Australian books on some of the prize project lists I’m reading that I had a hard time getting. I had to wait a while before they were available. If they’re on the big prize lists, they usually show up, but not necessarily for the Walter Scott prize.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have read I have read 3, 4, 7, 9, 10, 12, 18 of these and could recommend them all. of those I haven’t my two picks would be two Aussies, 11 and 14. I need to get more Aussie classics into my reading group.
LikeLike
I’m very keen to read more books by Cambridge – I really enjoyed Sisters a few years ago.
LikeLike
I’ve read two of hers, Sisters and A woman’s friendship, and feel the same.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve read a half-dozen off your list, all of which I liked, but I really loved Silas Marner.
Happy spinning!
LikeLike
I will be reading both Eliot’s next year at some point with Nick’s chapter-a-day readalong for 2023. I’d love to reread Middlemarch too but just don’t think I will be able to manage it with all the reading I need to do for work.
LikeLike
I’ve read a good few of these…
Every time you do one of these posts I think, I should do this… and then I never get round to making a list!
LikeLike
You are very welcome to join in any time Lisa!
Even though reading classics is a little indulgent given my day job, I like how the CC spins help me to read a handful of older books from my TBR shelves each year.
LikeLike
I don’t think it’s indulgent. A knowledge of the classics IMO enriches everything we read today….
LikeLike
I agree and we’re actually encouraged to read widely, as well as what we like to read. However most of our customers want to know about the new releases, so I do spend most of reading time in that space.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So many good ones. The Picture of Dorian Gray was such a fun read!
LikeLiked by 1 person
We saw the play last year and I’ve been promising myself to read it ever since, so it would be nice to get it in a spin.
LikeLike
Very interesting choices! I’d love you to get Solitary Summer. I’m composing a list of the next von Arnims to buy (& read) after The Enchanted April.
And kudos to you & Jean to have been participating in all 32 CC Spin! 👌🏼
LikeLike
Thanks Fanda.
I’m very keen to read more EvA’s too – will try to read them in chronological order, but some or not as easy to get copies of as others, so it may just be read as i find them. There’s a wonderful bio about EvA too – The Countess of Kirribilli – which I can highly recommend as well.
LikeLike
Am tickled by your discovery you had finished your second list without realising it. I’ve read a couple from your list -Dorian Grey was a struggle to finish and I’m not convinced I really understood.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I saw the play last year & not really sure I understood it all either. Was hoping the book would help!
LikeLike
Fantastic, you have participated in all the spins. I have not been a member that long. To face facts, I must admit I fail more than succeed in reading the chosen book. But, I hope it will improve. I actually added all classics I have read before this spin and am now on over 200 books. Very few with the spin obviously. I just thought it would be a good thing to track the classics.
There are many books on you list I don’t know about. Fahrenheit 451: I have seen the film, but should read the book. One more for the list.
Picture of Dorian Gray: great book which I have actually re-read not long ago.
Heart of Darkness: A dark book, but Conrad is great. I loved his Lord Jim.
The Bell Jar : should go on my list.
Night and Day: VW is great most of the time. Reading Mrs Dalloway, but don’t like it. Maybe this one is better. On the list…
The Solitary Summer: Love Elizabeth Arnim so this one will also go on the list.
Good luck with the spin. I have updated mine in my post yesterday. Better late than never.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had to read Fahrenheit 451 in school, and it blew my mind! Not an easy read, but fascinating! I don’t know almost any of the other books on your list.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Bradbury, Conrad and Wilde titles are the only ones I’ve read, but whatever you get – whether as a solitary or a buddy read – I hope it’s just what you hoped for!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congratulations on finishing your list! Your new one has some great books on it and a bunch I don’t know and plan to check out. I love that about CC, I discover books I didn’t even know about before!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good luck! I don’t know anything about Adam Bede, so I look forward to your reaction!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me to. I am not able to get through anything by Eliot. I am readin one of her novellas now, so will see if this will make me change my mind.
LikeLike
Nice list. I’ve read five of the books on your list. And I love George Eliot though I haven’t read Adam Bede. Enjoy.
Thank you for visiting my list.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think this is one I haven’t read, but maybe that’s Silas Marner. Oh dear, time to brush up on my Eliot. She’s so good, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it! Good luck!
LikeLike
Thanks Jean. Planning on reading both Eliot’s next year.
LikeLike
I haven’t read Adam Bede but love the George Eliot’s I’ve read, looking forward to your review!
LikeLiked by 1 person