So it’s been a year since I joined the Classics Club. I had decided early on that I didn’t want to join the Classics Club since I had so much going on already and a lot of commitments, both connected to which books I wanted to read and the rest of life.
But people kept on writing about the Classics Club and they seemed to enjoy themselves so much that I started to feel left out. I also love making to-do lists (although not necessary doing what they say) so the whole idea of making a list of books I wanted to read, was very appealing to me.
So yeah, I caved and I joined and I made a list of 50 books that I want to read before September 2017.
And now, a year has gone by and where has it left me. I have read 8 books so far which is not quite as much as I would have liked to. But it has been wonderful books – see the list below.
Richard Adams: Watership Down. (5 stars)
Jane Austen: Northanger Abbey (4 stars)
Wilkie Collins: The Moonstone (4 stars)
Alexander Dumas: The Count of Monte Cristo (5 stars)
F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby. (5 stars)
Victor Hugo: Les Misérables. (5 stars)
Toni Morrison: Beloved (5 stars)
Virginia Woolf: Orlando (5 stars)
So yeah, it has been amazing books. Only two of them got below 5 stars – and I’m thinking now that I might have been a bit harsh because I remember them both very fondly. It has just been such amazing reads so I’m really looking forth to the next 42 books on my list. I’ll try to get a lot read during this next year so I’ll be on target with my reading of this list.
So while that has been good, what hasn’t been as good is my general participation level in the club. I have participated in one of the monthly memes, just one. And that is a bit shabby. I’ve never really explored all the wonderful reviews I know has been written for the club by it’s members – and I hope to explore that more during the next year too.
So what I can conclude after this my first year is, that I have read some wonderful books but if I’m not participating more in the various club activities, I could just as well have made a list completely on my own and not be in a club. And that’s a shame. So my goal for the next year is to read many, many more wonderful books from my list and to try and be an active member of the club.
Oh and I promise I’ll write the last reviews soon – it’s a bit shameful that I have only written 4 reviews out of 8 when I loved all the books and really want to convince everyone else to read them!!
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The Literary Bunny 
You either chose that list extremely well or have just been plain lucky with the first ones you read. I’d like to think it was the former.
I just saw you liked Northanger Abbey better than Mansfield Park. I loved Mansfield Park, I think it’s a five star read for me although it’s far from a perfect novel.
Well, I’m still unsure about how much of Mansfield Park was spoiled for me by the introduction and the notes revealing key plot parts as well as the ending. I did really feel for Fanny in the beginning of the book…
I loved every single one of the books on your list, makes me want to pick up Orlando again! SD
I want to read Orlando again too. I’m working on the review right now and I just want to read it again because it was good and clever and wonderful.