Classics Club Spin #32

What is the spin?

It’s easy. At your blog, before next Sunday 11th Decmber, 2022, create a post that lists twenty books of your choice that remain “to be read” on your Classics Club list.

This is your Spin List.  On December 11th a number will be draw and you match it up to the book on your list. Read all the information here at The Classics

My List

I change my list up so that the books are doable for the time period. I can’t always do a huge book–even on audio right now. I’ve read through many, many of the best known “classics” already so I’m stretching a little on what I call a “classic.” My list, my choices, lol.

 

1. A Son at the Front by Edith Wharton
2. Miss Buncle’s Book by DE Stevenson
3. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (Serial Reader) 
4. 42nd Parallel by John Dos Passos
5. Vera by Elizabeth Von Arnim
6. Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell
7. Mornings in Mexico by DH Lawrence
8. The Glass Blowers by Daphne Du Maurier
9. House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
10. Lost Horizon by James Hilton
11. Portrait of a Marriage by Vita Sackville West
12. Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (Serial Reader)
13. Light Years by Elizabeth Jane Howard
14. Sea of Grass by Conrad Richter
15. Miss Ranskill Comes Home by Barbara Euphan Todd
16. O! Pioneers by Willa Cather (Serial Reader)
17. Whose Body? by Dorothy Sayers
18. Burmese Days by George Orwell
19. Mariana by Monica Dickens
20. Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay

Are you participating in this Spin? Leave me a link to your post or just leave a comment.

Classics Club Spin #31 List

Sunday, September 18, is the next Spin day! Get your list ready and check in on Sunday to see which number is drawn. By Sunday, create a post that lists twenty books of your choice that remain “to be read” on your Classics Club list. On that day the Classics Club will post a number from 1 through 20. The challenge is to read whatever book falls under that number on your Spin List by October 30, 2022.

I’m sticking close to the list from the last spin–changing the order and, obviously, adding a book to replace Pastoral by Nevil Shute (which I need to finish) which was last spin’s winner and a couple of others–it’s Fall so I’m ditching a summer book. Also dropping one that just doesn’t appeal at the moment.

1. A Son at the Front by Edith Wharton
2. The Squire by Enid Bagnold
3. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (Serial Reader) 
4. The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery
   
5. Vera by Elizabeth Von Arnim
6. Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell
7. Mornings in Mexico by DH Lawrence
8. The Glass Blowers by Daphne Du Maurier
9. Business As Usual by Jane Oliver
10. Lost Horizon by James Hilton
11. Portrait of a Marriage by Vita Sackville West
12. Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (Serial Reader)
13. Light Years by Elizabeth Jane Howard
14. Sea of Grass by Conrad Richter
15. Miss Ranskill Comes Home by Barbara Euphan Todd
16. O! Pioneers by Willa Cather (Serial Reader)
17. Working by Studs Terkel
18. Burmese Days by George Orwell
19. Mariana by Monica Dickens
20. Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay

 

Classics Club Spin #28 Result is….Number 12!!!! Faces of War!

I’m sooooooooooooo excited! One of the new-to-this-spin titles added to my classics list WON!! Woot! Go, Martha!!Martha Gellhorn’s (sometime Mrs. Ernest Hemingway) collection of war-reporting columns/stories/essays, The Face of War, is the winner. I found an e-book copy at my library, so I’m all set!

My List

1. Miss Ranskill Comes Home by Barbara Euphan Todd
2. Finishing School by Muriel Spark
3. Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne
4. A Far Country by Neville Shute
5. Mornings in Mexico by DH Lawrence
6. Portrait of a Marriage by Vita Sackville West
7. Burmese Days by George Orwell
8. Son at the Front by Edith Wharton
9. Loving Spirit by Daphne DuMaurier
10. Mariana by Monica Dickens
11. My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin
12. The Face of War by Martha Gelhorn THE WINNER!!!
13. The Headmistress by Angela Thirkell
14.  We Fed Them Cactus by Fabiola Cabeza de Baca
15. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
16. Less Than Angels by Barbara Pym
17. Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne Du Maurier
18. Sea of Grass by Conrad Richter
19. Lost Horizon by James Hilton
20. The Way Things Are by E.M. Delafield

“The Face of War is a classic of frontline journalism by “the premier war correspondent of the twentieth century” (Ward Just, The New York Times Magazine).

Whether in Java, Finland, the Middle East, or Vietnam, she used the same vigorous approach. “I wrote very fast, as I had to,” she says, “afraid that I would forget the exact sound, smell, words, gestures, which were special to this moment and this place.” As Merle Rubin noted in his review of this volume for The Christian ScienceMonitor, “Martha Gellhorn’s courageous, independent-minded reportage breaks through geopolitical abstractions and ideological propaganda to take the reader straight to the scene of the event.” (Amazon).

Tune in

Classics Club Spin #28 List

On Sunday 17th, October, we’ll post a number from 1 through 20. The challenge is to read whatever book falls under that number on your Spin List by the 12th December, 2021. That’s an eight week reading window for this spin. You may like to stack your list with books that you know are do-able for you within that time frame.

New to Classics Club and its fun spins? Read all about it here on the Classics Club blog.

My List

1. Miss Ranskill Comes Home by Barbara Euphan Todd
2. Finishing School by Muriel Spark
3. Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne
4. A Far Country by Neville Shute
5. Mornings in Mexico by DH Lawrence
6. Portrait of a Marriage by Vita Sackville West
7. Burmese Days by George Orwell
8. Son at the Front by Edith Wharton
9. Loving Spirit by Daphne DuMaurier
10. Mariana by Monica Dickens
11. My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin
12. The Face of War by Martha Gelhorn
13. The Headmistress by Angela Thirkell
14.  We Fed Them Cactus by Fabiola Cabeza de Baca
15. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
16. Less Than Angels by Barbara Pym
17. Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne Du Maurier
18. Sea of Grass by Conrad Richter
19. Lost Horizon by James Hilton
20. The Way Things Are by E.M. Delafield

Tune in on Sunday to find out which number is drawn!

Classics Club Spin #27 Review: Making of a Marchioness by Frances Hodgson Burnett

My Interest

I love participating in the Classics Club Spins! It’s such a fun way to read through classics you might never try.

 

The Story

Impoverished gentlewoman, Emily Fox-Seton, supports herself being useful to busy ladies. She’s the Victoria equivalent of Door Dash, Stitch Fix, Amazon and more rolled into one. She does errands to keep herself barely above penury. She fears the Work House and lies awake at night fretting that genteel ladies will no longer need her to walk a hundred miles to pick up fish and save their dinner parties from the shame of no fish course!

But, being “the right sort,” only down-on-her-luck financially, she is at least in the company of people who think nothing of hosting a house party for 20 for at least a month. Sadly, the poor thing doesn’t ride–not to the hounds or just in the home park.Nonetheless, her circumstances have the advantage of putting her in the path of well-off men, some of whom are single. Now, she’s a bit past her sell-by date in Victorian terms, but still within her childbearing years albeit at an age where a husband could only likely expect about 10 children instead of 18.

After saving the above-mentioned-dinner-party, she is rescued by the Marquess of Walderhurst–an eligible, older widower with no heir. She is a lovely, quiet, sensible thing and James Walderhurst sees her potential. He has a money-grubbing distant relative as his heir presumptive, so why not take a chance on this little chit who colors so prettily when he speaks to her. Better still, his sister likes Emily, too.

My Thoughts

This was a delightful story. Could you see the plot a mile off? Of course! Was the putative “Cousin Matthew” [Downton Abbey] hatching schemes at a rate that would have made Miss O’Brien need a cuppa and a fag out back with Thomas? [Downton, again]. Oh, yes! But this story is Victorian and we know it ends on a happy note–it must, it simply had to hadn’t it? (Yes, sadly, there are racist comments about an Indian servant. Be aware.)

I listened to the excellent audio book from Persephone Books which is only $4.99 on Audible (linked)

The Making of a Marchioness by Frances Hogsdon-Burnett

My Verdict

4 Stars

To learn more about The Classics Club and their “Spins” read this post.

For my past Spin book reviews click the title to go to my review:

Wide Saragaso Sea

Tortilla Flat

Excellent Women

Groves of Academe

Classics Club Spin #27–REVISED

I’m LATE for another Classics Club Spin. By tomorrow, Sunday July 18, 2021, create a post that lists twenty books of your choice that remain “to be read” on your Classics Club list. This is your Spin List. You have to read one of these twenty books by the end of the spin period. Tomorrow, Sunday July 18th, the Classics Club will post a number from 1 through 20. The challenge is to read whatever book falls under that number on your Spin List by August 22, 2021. #ccspin 

Note: I revised this after realizing I’d given away one book and forgot some recent Kindle purchases. She what happens when you are running late?

My List

1. Loving Spirit by Daphne DuMaurier
2. Finishing School by Muriel Spark
3. Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
4. A Far Country by Neville Shute
5. Mornings in Mexico by DH Lawrence
6. Making of a Marchioness by Frances Hodgson-Burnett
7. Son at the Front by Edith Wharton
8. Portrait of a Marriage by Vita Sackville West
9. The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery
10. Miss Ranskill Comes Home by Barbara Euphan Todd
11. The Headmistress by Angela Thirkell
12. Lost Horizon by James Hilton
13. O, Pioneers by Willa Cather
14. Less Than Angels by Barbara Pym
15. Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne DuMaurier
16. Burmese Days by George Orwell
17. Working by Studs Terkel
18. Sea of Grass by Conrad Richter
19. Three Summers by Margarita Liberaki
20. I, Claudius by  Robert Graves

You can see some of my former Spin Book Review posts here. The Spin Lists posts are linked within the review post:

Spin 26 Review: Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

Spin 25 Review: Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck

Spin 24 I DNF-ed Imperial Woman by Pearl S. Buck so no review. *(The link is to Amazon).

Spin 23 Review: Groves of Academe by Mary McCarthy

Spin 22 Review: Excellent Women by Barbara Pym

Classics Club Spin #26

It’s time for another Classics Club Spin. Before next Sunday 18th April, 2021, create a post that lists twenty books of your choice that remain “to be read” on your Classics Club list. This is your Spin List. You have to read one of these twenty books by the end of the spin period. On Sunday 18th April the Classics Club will post a number from 1 through 20. The challenge is to read whatever book falls under that number on your Spin List by 31st May, 2021. #ccspin 

1. Loving Spirit by Daphne Du Maurier
2. Finishing School by Muriel Spark
3. Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
4. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
5. Mornings in Mexico by DH Lawrence
6. Death in the Afternoon by Ernest Hemingway
7. Son at the Front by Edith Wharton
8. Portrait of a Marriage by Vita Sackville West
9. The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery
10. Miss Ranskill Comes Home by Barbara Euphan Todd
11. The Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
12. Lost Horizon by James Hilton
13. Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay
14. Less Than Angels by Barbara Pym
15. Jamacia Inn by Daphnew Du Maurier
16. Burmese Days by George Orwell
17. Working by Studs Terkel
18. Sea of Grass by Conrad Richter
19. Bostonians by Henry James
20. I, Claudius by  Robert Graves

My Classics Club Spin #25 Result Is…

14 was the lucky number this time!

My List For Spin #25

1. Loving Spirit by Daphne Du Maurier
2. Finishing School by Muriel Spark
3. Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
4. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
5. Mornings in Mexico by DH Lawrence
6. Death in the Afternoon by Ernest Hemingway
7. South Riding by Winifred Holtby
8. Son at the Front by Edith Wharton
9. Portrait of a Marriage by Vita Sackville West
10. The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery
11. Miss Ranskill Comes Home by Barbara Euphan Todd
12. The Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
13. Lost Horizon by James Hilton

14. Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck

15. Passing by Nella Larsen
16. Burmese Days by George Orwell
17. Working by Studs Terkel
18. Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym
19. Bostonians by Henry James
20. I, Claudius by  Robert Graves

Are you playing along with The Classics Club spins? What’s your book this time? Leave me a comment or link to your post.

Classics Club Spin #25

It’s time for a new Spin! (Actually, I’m a few weeks late to the party). The Classics Club does these fun events to get us all ready those classics that have been on our TBR’s, shelves and Kindles just begging to be read! These are a lot of fun, but owning to being back in school at my ancient age and other things in family life, I have not yet finished my book for Spin #24, Imperial Woman by Pearl S. Buck. Since I’ll be on a break from classes most of the time, MAYBE I’ll finish it and the new book? If not, I’ll shoot for finishing the new book. I’ve tweaked my list a bit–I have so many on mine, that I put ones I thought I’d actually be able to read during the time period. With the holidays in the middle I didn’t want a long slog through something I wasn’t enjoying.

The rules for Spin #25:

* List any twenty books you have left to read from your Classics Club list.
* Number them from 1 to 20.
* On Sunday 22nd November the Classics Club will announce a number.
* This is the book you need to read by 30th January 2021.

My List

1. Loving Spirit by Daphne Du Maurier
2. Finishing School by Muriel Spark
3. Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
4. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
5. Mornings in Mexico by DH Lawrence
6. Death in the Afternoon by Ernest Hemingway
7. South Riding by Winifred Holtby
8. Son at the Front by Edith Wharton
9. Portrait of a Marriage by Vita Sackville West
10. The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery
11. Miss Ranskill Comes Home by Barbara Euphan Todd
12. The Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
13. Lost Horizon by James Hilton
14. Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck
15. Passing by Nella Larsen
16. Burmese Days by George Orwell
17. Working by Studs Terkel
18. Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym
19. Bostonians by Henry James
20. I, Claudius by  Robert Graves

Spin #24’s List--book is still in progress

Previous Spin Lists and their Corresponding Book Reviews

Review: Groves of Academe by Mary McCarthy

Classics Club Spin #23 

Combined Classics Club Spin #22 and the Review of Excellent Women by Barbara Pym

Classics Club Spin #24

What is the spin?

It’s easy. At your blog, before next Sunday 9th August 2020, create a post that lists twenty books of your choice that remain “to be read” on your Classics Club list.

This is your Spin List. You have to read one of these twenty books by the end of the spin period. On Sunday 9th August, the Classics Club will post a number from 1 through 20. The challenge is to read whatever book falls under that number on your Spin List by 30th September, 2020.

 

 Spin List #24

1. Loving Spirit by Daphne Du Maurier
2. Loitering With Intent by Muriel Spark
3. Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
4. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
5. Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man by Siegfried Sassoon
6. Kangaroo by DH Lawrence
7. South Riding by Winifred Holtby
8. Shirley by Charlotte Brontë
9. Portrait of a Marriage by Vita Sackville West
10. The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery
11. Miss Ranskill Comes Home by Barbara Euphan Todd
12. The Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
13. Lost Horizon by James Hilton
14. Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz
15. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres
16. Burmese Days by George Orwell
17. House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
18. Imperial Women by Pearl S. Buck
19. Bostonians by Henry James
20. I, Claudius by  Robert Graves

 

 

Previous Spin Lists and their Corresponding Book Reviews

 

 

Review: Groves of Academe by Mary McCarthy

Classics Club Spin #23 

 

 

 

Combined Classics Club Spin #22 and the Review of Excellent Women by Barbara Pym