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TSS: Classics & Banned Books Week

tssbadge1I mentioned on twitter while I was finishing my dissertation that I really missed reading classics while doing my MA, especially while on the dissertation.  This was the first year of my reading life in which I wasn’t required by school to read actual literature.  We read bits and pieces of medieval literature, but I don’t actually like most of that, although I do find it interesting.  I actually miss my English major; not really the bit that required me to write papers, but the six to ten books of thought-provoking literature assigned for every class and the space in which to discuss them.  As expected, I am back to it, now that I have nothing better to do.  I’m working my way through Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell, a surprisingly easy and pleasant read, I checked The Warden by Anthony Trollope out from the library, and I’m thinking about reading Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence since this is Banned Books Week.  I signed up for the challenge a while ago, but the library didn’t have either of the two on my mental list (Brave New World and A Clockwork Orange) so I suppose I will have to resort to the one I own!

This has also been review book catch-up week.  I have been neglecting a whole lot of review copies, mostly because they seemed like they were going to be slow and/or heavy and I didn’t think my mind would be up to it.  As a result, I’m reading them all now, so expect to see a deluge of requested reviews popping up over the next couple of weeks.  I’m attempting to try to finish and review all the ones I have before my parents get here on the 15th with my next batch!  Right now I’m reading The Fire, which I got from LibraryThing last summer.  I know, a VERY long time ago, but since I really disliked The Eight, I haven’t felt like reading it.  Now that I know it’s basically a bunch of confusing puzzles, it’s flowing better because I don’t try to figure anything out and let the characters do it for me.  I’m also reading a novella every day from the anthology On The Prowl. I won Hunting Ground a week or two ago and while it hasn’t come yet, I want to be up to date with Anna and Charles from Patricia Briggs’ Alpha and Omega series before it does, so I’ve read the story here and will be reading Cry Wolf sometime this week.  So far the rest of the anthology is hit and miss, but since I bought it, I’m going to read all of it.

I’m afraid I don’t have anything more interesting to report!  I meant to go see the Staffordshire Hoard today, but when we got to Birmingham the line was so long we weren’t sure we’d get in before the museum closed.  Keith marvelled that so many people were interested in seeing Anglo-Saxon gold; I was thrilled even if it meant I couldn’t go yet.  We’re going to get out earlier next weekend.  So, expect a recounting of the treasure, with pictures if I’m allowed to take them, sometime in the next couple of weeks. I also went to one of my new libraries and am going to the other one tomorrow, so a Library Loot post will be coming soon!

What are you reading today?

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9 comments to TSS: Classics & Banned Books Week

  • I bet it feels good to be able to spend more time reading what you want–not that weren’t before, but you know what I mean–the books you avoided while working on your degree. If I’d looked farther ahead in my reading, I might have planned something for Banned Book Week, but it has snuck up on me and so it will pass as it always does, without much attention from me other than in reading other people’s blog posts about it. I look forward to reading about your visit to see the Staffordshire Hoard. Have a great week, Meghan.
    .-= Literary Feline´s last blog ..Sunday Salon: A Reading Retrospective (September 2004) =-.

  • Well you have a very busy week ahead of you! I’ve never read any Gaskell, so would Cranford be a good place for me to start? There are a few other classic authors I have never read, so I’m hoping to start the new year on a classics tear.
    Tried to read Lady Chatterley’s Lover when I was very young and couldn’t get through it. Now that I’m older I re-try that.
    Just read about that hoard and it’s truly astonishing. These pieces are just beautiful and breathtaking. Cross my fingers for pics :) Have a great Sunday.
    .-= jennygirl´s last blog ..Review: Nefertiti by Michelle Moran =-.

  • Squeeee! How exciting! I hope they let you take pictures of the Staffordshire Hoard. Even if they don’t, I’m looking forward to a post about it. How cool that you get to see it!

    I also didn’t really like The Eight. I think I got to about page 150 before I decided I wasn’t getting enough info to keep me reading. I also like to figure out puzzles the while I’m reading novels like that. And speaking of, right now I’m reading The Lost Symbol. I’m on page 100 and so far an hour has passed in the course of the story. *sigh*
    .-= heidenkind´s last blog ..TSS: The Reader Returneth =-.

  • To answer your question, I am reading The Wildest Heart, for Sourcebooks, which is a brick that could be converted into a weapon..
    I hope you meet your reading review goals, I am never good on delivering but good on talking about them!
    .-= Marie Burton´s last blog ..The Sunday Salon~ Updates and Stuff & Winner! =-.

  • Charlaine Harris is amazing. I love pretty much everything by her, including the story in “On the Prowl.” I have to admit that I don’t really read the other stories in the anthology- I tried Karen Chance way back when, but couldn’t get into her books. Eileen Wilks I really liked for awhile, but I think I stopped at her third book when she changed her focus onto different characters. And I’ve never read anything by Sunny. I’m interested in knowing what you think!
    .-= Kathleen´s last blog ..Quick Review: “Alexander & Alestria” by Shan Sa =-.

  • Eva

    I just read Lady Chatterley’s Lover for Banned Books Week! :) I think you’ll find The Warden to be similar to Cranford. :) There’s more of a plot in The Warden, but it’s still a quiet, slim novel. I enjoyed it, because I enjoy Trollope, but the next book in the Chronicles of Barsetshire series was much better! (And features several of the same characters.)
    .-= Eva´s last blog ..Sunday Salon: the Two-for-One =-.

  • I was an English major in college as well and I feel much the same way you do. I definitely DON’t miss all the papers, but reading such great literature and then having meaningful discussions on it is something that I may have taken for granted at the time.
    .-= Stephanie´s last blog ..The Sunday Salon =-.

  • I am curious to read your review on the Gaskell. The only one I tried ( Wives and Daughters) didn’t really do much for me, but I have heard differing reports on some of the others. I am also missing some of the English classes I used to take. I am thinking of auditing a few literature classes at the community college this winter. Like you, I miss the required reading.
    .-= zibilee´s last blog ..Moonlight in Odessa by Janet Skeslien Charles – 352 pgs =-.

  • Brave New World and A Clockwork Orange are pretty good choices for Banned Books week. Pity the library didn’t have it.

    I did once start on Lady Chatterley’s Lover, but I found it really dense, and could just not get into it. I also don’t think it is particularly scandalous anymore.
    .-= Nish´s last blog ..The Wishbones – A Book Review =-.