I mean, I didn't particularly expect a book dealing with colonialism and race in the Victorian era to be a fun read, per se, but I didn't expect it to be so utterly dreadful, either.
literature
Jude the Obscure
Jude the Obscure is similar to several other books on the list in that it was originally published as a serial; was later revised several times in the process of putting it into book-form; is making un-subtle points about society at the time of writing; and is definitely, absolutely, in no way about the author himself, why would you ever say such a thing?
The Picture of Dorian Gray
I'm on a bit of a tear this year with the Classic Books Reading List of Doom, which feels really good. I was stuck on Karamazov for so long it seemed like I'd never get any further, but once I got past the eponymous Brothers, I hit a little stretch of reasonably short and readable … Continue reading The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Brothers Karamazov
One of my goals for that trashfire of a just-completed year, 2020, was to finally, finally, finish The Brothers Karamazov, which I had been reading to a greater and lesser extent since 2018. Dear reader, I finished. I had expected, having taken a little bit to get stuck into Anna Karenina, that TBK would take … Continue reading The Brothers Karamazov
Call of the Wild
Progress has been slow on the Classics Book Reading Project front, for all the usual reasons, which can be largely summed up as "life"- I've read a few more than indicated here, because I just haven't blogged about them, but I'm definitely still behind where I "should" be according to our five year plan. But! … Continue reading Call of the Wild
Robinson Crusoe
The fourth book on mine and Stephanie's Book List O' Doom (yes, I'm writing about them all out of order, apologies to the reader) was Robinson Crusoe. This was one of those books about which I felt I knew a fair amount going in (though, in retrospect I was conflating it a bit with The … Continue reading Robinson Crusoe
Wuthering Heights
So, Wuthering Heights has been the most recent book on mine and Stephanie's Book List O' Doom, and it's only the second one I had been actually excited to read, as opposed to indifferent (Robinson Crusoe, Frankenstein, Paradise Lost) or dreading (Pilgrim's Progress). I read Jane Eyre a million years ago and really loved it, … Continue reading Wuthering Heights
Pilgrim’s Progress
Since I know there are those of you out there waiting with bated breath for the latest news on Stephanie's and my ongoing Book Project of Doom, I figured I'd better give an update: Pilgrim's Progress puts me to sleep. I know, isn't this just riveting? This project is absolutely spellbinding in its fast-paced action and … Continue reading Pilgrim’s Progress
Don Quixote, Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha
So, as you may (or likely may not) remember, back at the beginning of September, my dear friend and partner in over-ambition, Stephanie Whiteside, and I started a new project, specifically one where we were going to read All The Books. Well, it's been a month, and I am here to report that I am … Continue reading Don Quixote, Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha
DIY Lit Camp
So, because I needed another project, my usual partner-in-harebrainedness Stephanie Whiteside and I decided that we are going to read our way through the classics.
Well. Some of them, anyway. 102 of them, to be exact.
Idlewilde 