Russian Literature 2014 hosted by O at Behold the Stars
After reading and loving Anna Karenina this year I was really excited to see O's challenge for 2014. I was completely shocked by AK, mostly by how much I enjoyed it and how I had unfairly pegged it as intimidating when actually it was relatively easy and wholly enjoyable.
I'm only going to go for level one which is 1-3 books - I don't want to go too far and freak myself out. Some of the big name Russian authors still do scare me half to death. I've got a little list together of some that I would like to read and will pick and chose from there. Still, you never know, I may get caught up in the Russian Lit and head for level two!- We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
- One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
- Cancer Ward by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
- The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy
- The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
- Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov
Just look at all those Russian authors with their beards!TBR Pile Challenge 2014 hosted by Adam at Roof Beam Reader
Reading Adam's reviews of books read during this challenge for 2013 made me realise that I can conquer my pile too if I actually make the effort to do so. What better way to make the effort than by joining in on the challenge next year. I am going to have to seriously consider my twelve reads and will post my list in due course (after serious consideration, VERY serious consideration). I'm hoping to finally get around to one or two (or twelve, even) books that have been languishing on my shelves for longer than should be legal (or than I can admit to).
TBR pile, let's be 'aving you.Classics Club Twelve Months of Classic Literature
I was really excited to see this announced some time ago. I am really looking forward to matching books on my list to the monthly themes set out by the club. I won't be participating in every month but there are particular months (January, March, June and November) that I will definitely be enjoying.
Jazz Age in January hosted by Leah at Books Speak Volumes
It's not much of a secret that I love novels of the Jazz Age and the Jazz Age in general. I just can't help myself. I am going to thoroughly enjoy settling into the 20s during January and will hopefully get to one or two books I've had on my pile for a few months, some of which are on my CC list. I will also hope to get around to reading one of the relatively recent non-fiction releases that I have been eyeing up for some time. I'm hoping to read some (or all) of the following:
- The Beautiful and the Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Z by Therese Anne Fowler
- Call me Zelda by Erika Robuck
- Careless People: Murder, Mayhem and the Invention of The Great Gatsby by Sarah Churchwell
This event starts on January 1st - I will attempt to start then but I feel I may be suffering from a slight hangover on that day so the 2nd may be more realistic.
Anyone else as excited as I am for 2014?! What challenges are you participating in this year? Do you find them helpful for focusing your reading?
Jazz Age January? How did I not know this existed? I am most definitely signing up!
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the Classics Club challenge too, I'm going to try and fit in my reading with it as much as possible.
I am doing the TBR Pile challenge, the Classics Club, and also Around the World in 12 Books, hosted by Giraffe Days. I have also lined up a few books for Jazz Age January, and since I have read ahead a bit, I am surprised that I feel tempted to give Hemingway a second chance. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat choices! I think I have five picked out - let me see the notebook... I also have TBR Pile Challenge and Russian Literature Challenge. Of course I will also continue with Classics Club - this year I read almost 20 books out of my list! I also consider Chunkster Challenge (because I tend to read big books anyway), Foodies Reading Challenge (because I want to read more food related non-fiction) and Eclectic Reader Challenge - just for fun!
ReplyDeleteI am glad to see we have some things in common in Russian Lit challenge - maybe we can read some of these at the same time :) I have read Cancer Ward some 3-4 years back, I did like it, although as one can expect, it's not te happiest of the books.
Thanks for featuring Jazz Age January! Looks like you've got some great books lined up. I'll be reading The Beautiful and Damned and Careless People too! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI should really take a stab at the Russian Lit challenge but I'm skeered!!!! Oh my. Don't think I can do it!
ReplyDeleteI am such a challenge junkie and probably signed up for too many...I wish I had you restraint! Good luck Happy New year :)
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