As part of my reading life, I have a goal of reading 50 classics in 5 years (well, a little under 4 years at this point), and the challenge is always which one to pick up next!
I have a couple of reviews that I need to finish writing up from books I read this summer, and then I need to choose some fall reading. To that end, the Classics Club has helpfully launched another Spin, which is where the reader lists 20 books on their TBR (to be read) list, they pick a number and the corresponding book is the one to pick up next.
I’m currently listening to Great Expectations on Audible (I have 16 hours and 25 minutes remaining, so that should keep my ears busy), so I won’t include that in my spin possibility list. But for a physical book to read next, here’s my list:
- Acehbe, Chinua: Things Fall Apart
- Bronte, Charlotte: Villette
- Camus, Alber: The Stranger
- Collins, Wilkie: The Woman in White
- Du Maurier, Daphne: The House on the Strand
- Du Maurier, Daphne: My Cousin Rachel
- Eliot, George: The Mill on the Floss
- Hemingway, Ernest: A Moveable Feast
- le Carre, John: The Spy Who Came In From the Cold
- L’Engle, Madeleine: Many Waters
- L’Engle, Madeleine: An Acceptable Time
- Marquez, Gabriel Garcia: Love in the Time of Cholera
- Orwell, George: Animal Farm
- Sayers, Dorothy: Gaudy Night
- Shakespeare, William: Richard II
- Sophocles: Antigone
- Trollope, Anthony: Barchester Towers
- Undset, Sigrid: Kristin Lavransdatter
- Waugh, Evelyn: Brideshead Revisited
- Wilde, Oscar: The Picture of Dorian Gray
I’ll update this post next Monday with the winner.
Update: The winner is #5, The House on the Strand, by Daphne du Maurier. Excellent! I feel like du Maurier is an author best read in the fall or winter due to her atmospheric novels, so I’m looking forward to reading this one.
Austin Fey 
I also have Kristin Lavransdotter, although only the first part, on my list but not on the same number so we won’t both read it at this time. Perhaps 14 would be a better number, Gaudy Night is great and it would mean that I get to read A Midsummer Night’s dream which I’d like.
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Number 14 would be great, or 5 or 6 since du Maurier writes such atmospheric creepy stories.
I see you have Anna Karenina on your list — bold choice! I have that on my classics list but didn’t include it for the spin because I’m not quite up for it yet!
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I did start Anna Karenina once and liked it but somehow got distracted and never finished. It would be challenging to read it in one month but I fear Heimskringla more…
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This is a great list! Good luck
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Thank you!
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Woot, this is a great list. Dorian Gray would be perfect for October!
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Thanks—I tried to pick a few that feel appropriate for fall!
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You have several books on your list that I have loved including Moveable Feast, Things Fall Apart, Brideshead Revisited, and Animal Farm. I think I liked the simplicity of Animal Farm the best. Good luck!
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Thanks! I’m looking forward to reading these classics I missed reading earlier.
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I’m in the middle of Bleak House on audio, so I know what you mean about keeping your ears busy. The Spy Who Came In From the Cold is on my list this time around too.
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I absolutely loved Daphne du Maurier’s The House on the Strand and My Cousin Rachel, so I hope you get one of them in the Spin. 🙂
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I’ve loved other duMaurier books so I’m looking forward to hopefully reading one of those soon!
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So many good ones. Top fall recommendations are Things Fall Apart, Animal Farm, Rhe Picture of Dorian Gray.
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The House on the Strand was the winner this time, but I think I probably will have enough time to tackle some other fall favorites so I’ll keep those in mind, Andrea.
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I haven’t read that one so I will be looking forward to your review!
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