Friday, December 3, 2010

Victorian Literature Challenge 2011

Okay this is IT! Two Challenges is ALL I can think about (plus my own short story writing challenge, but that ends Feb. 14th) at the moment. I'm normally not really a joiner of things, but these two topics sound just about perfect: Vintage Mystery Challenge and now, the Victorian Literature Challenge. PLUS I have all year to fulfill them, so very little pressure is involved. I'm not one for reading under extreme pressure, but even I can handle an all-year gig. Well, two all-year gigs.

The originator of the Victorian Lit Challenge is Bethany at her blog, Words, Words, Words. Please check out her blog for all the pertinent details

I first heard about the Challenge through the blog, Coffee and a Book Chick, so check in there as well, if you'd like to know more and would like to sign up. I'm not clear how to do the 'signing up' part on my own blog, so sign in over there and it will all even out - we're all in this together.

The categories for the Challenge are:
Sense and Sensibility - 1-4 books
Great Expectations - 5-9 books
Hard Times - 10-14 books
Desperate Remedies - 15 + books

I'm going for Sense and Sensibility - 1-4 books, though knowing me, I'll probably read more.
Queen Victoria reigned from 1837 - 1901, so there's PLENTY to choose from, book-wise. You can also choose a book not written during those years if the author is considered 'Victorian' in tone. (I'm assuming that means I can include Anne Perry's books if I like.)

The Challenge is not restricted to novels, you can also choose a book of poetry or short stories.
What about plays?

Read more about all this at the links I've provided above.
This promises to be a Great Challenge.
Thanks to Bethany for thinking of it.
  • A few of the books I'm thinking about for the Challenge:
  • The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
  • Can You Forgive Her? by Anthony Trollope
  • Dracula by Bram Stoker
  • Kim by Rudyard Kipling
  • Any new Charlotte and Thomas Pitts or William Monk book by Anne Perry
  • Middlemarch by George Eliot
...and the rest we'll see.

Hopefully the pressure won't get to me. Ha!
Note: The first two paintings at the top of this post are by the French artist, J.J.J. Tissot.

4 comments:

  1. +JMJ+

    I'm going to read Dracula for this challenge, too! =D

    Hmmmm. I had completely forgotten about Rudyard Kipling! And this is (though I could be mistaken!) the first list I've come across that includes him. Good choice!

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  2. Enbrethiliel: Thanks for dropping by. This promises to be a good challenge! Kipling jumped to my mind because lately his name seems to be popping up all over (or so it seems) and I realized I'd never read any of his books. I've had DRACULA sitting here (the book, not the Count - ha!) for ages, so onto my list he goes!
    2011 is going to be another good reading year.

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  3. I'm seeing more and more people choosing Trollope for their challenge. I've never even considered reading any of his books but I'm thinking that I should. I'm excited about Middlemarch too!

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  4. Hi Bethany and welcome! I had a friend who loved Trollope and was always trying to get me into the fold. I think, finally, I'm going to take the plunge. It's going to be a great challenge.

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