I mentioned the other day that I want to read more classics next year. To that end, I’m joining the Back to the Classics Challenge, hosted by Karen at Books and Chocolate.

Here’s how it works:

The challenge will be exactly the same as last year, 12 classic books, but with slightly different categories. You do not have to read 12 books to participate in this.
Complete six categories, and you get one entry in the drawing at the end of the year
Complete nine categories, and you get two entries in the drawing
Complete all twelve categories, and you get three entries in the drawing

Here are the categories for the 2017 Back to the Classics Challenge. Some of my tentative selections are in parenthesis.

1. A 19th Century Classic (The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde)

2. A 20th Century Classic (Orlando by Virginia Woolf)

3. A classic by a woman author (something by Agatha Christie)

4. A classic in translation (Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne)

5. A classic published before 1800 (Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe)

6. An romance classic (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen – Amber’s going to read it for school, so I might as well join)

7. A Gothic or horror classic (The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins)

8. A classic with a number in the title (The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas)

9. A classic about an animal or which includes the name of an animal in the title. It can be an actual animal or a metaphor, or just the name (Lord of the Flies by William Golding)

10. A classic set in a place you’d like to visit. It can be real or imaginary. (Death in Venice by Thomas Mann)

11. An award-winning classic. It could be the Newbery award, the Prix Goncourt, the Pulitzer Prize, the James Tait Award, etc. Any award, just mention in your blog post what award your choice received. (The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton – Pulitzer)

12. A Russian Classic. 2017 will be the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution, so read a classic by any Russian author. (something by Alexander Pushkin)

And now, the rest of the rules:
All books must be read in 2017. Books started before January 1, 2017 do not qualify. All reviews must be linked to this challenge by December 31, 2017.
You must also post a wrap-up review and link it to the challenge no later than December 31, 2017. Please include links within your final wrap-up to that I can easily confirm all your categories. Also, it is OK to rearrange books to fit different categories in your wrap-up post.
All books must have been written at least 50 years ago; therefore, books must have been written by 1967 to qualify for this challenge. The ONLY exceptions are books published posthumously.
E-books and audiobooks are eligible! You may also count books that you read for other challenges.
Books may NOT cross over within this challenge. You must read a different book for EACH category, or it doesn’t count.
Children’s classics are acceptable, but please, no more than 3 total for the challenge.

I don’t think I’ll be able to read 12, but I’m sure I can do six.

4 Comments

  • That’s a great list. I have a list as well, though I’m afraid I’ll only get to the 6 that’s required to complete the challenge. I have a lot going on this year.

    I’ve read a few on your list: Pride and Prejudice, Three Musketeers, and Around the World in 80 days. They’re all good books.

    • I figure I’ll only get around to six too, but you never know. I’ve read P&P before, but thought it would be nice to read along with Amber. I had good intentions of reading Dracula with her earlier this year, but it didn’t happen.

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