I would have put you at the same age as me! We didn't read any classics in school either, we did Macbeth and more modern classics. I didn't enjoy English Literature, mainly because I don't like being told what to read 😂 I read Frankenstein for the first time last year and loved it. The Picture of Dorian Gray I read a few years ago and loved. With Sherlock, I am not sure how much it matters if you read them in order, I think I have read them fairly randomly over the years but I can't remember which I have read. I think there are only about four novels and then loads of short stories. I want to read Dracula and also try some Thomas Hardy, I think I may try Tess of the D'Ubervilles. That cover for Cranford is fab!

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Aw thanks Jennifer 😍 I had thought about doing English Literature A-level as an adult but I would wan tot choose my own books and not be told what to read so I ditched the idea. I have just started reading Dorian Gray. I am looking forward to Frankenstein. I think I need to wait until I am in the right frame of mind for a Hardy but definitely want to try at least one.

This is an interesting project. I might copy your idea.☺️ I would recommend to start with Far from the madding crowd by Thomas Hardy. I haven't read any book by Alexander Dumas but I heard that the best way to start with is The count of Montecristo. Yes is a tome😂 but everyone that has read it say is a page turner. I have read the majority of the classics on your list my favourites being Jane Eyre and north and south. I love the BBC adaptation of North and South, however it's not as faithfully to the book as I would have loved. Looking forward to see what are the others books on your list ☺️

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Charmaine - yes, go for it and do something similar if you feel inspired 😍 Thank you for suggesting Far From the Madding Crowd. It's now on the list. I will add The Count of Monte Cristo to my chunky list for the future. I am going to build myself up to the chunksters 😂 I think I will enjoy both Jane Eyre and North & South. Planning my next video with modern classics. I hope you are keeping well 😀

A fun fact, I started reading The Three Musketeers by Dumas and about 4 hours later I was about half finished ... I mean what a page turner!!!! It is unbelievably wonderful. Forget that it is a chunker and remember that you have a minimum of 4 characters that you have to learn about so give yourself a little time. Now, crack open a cold bottle of water and jump in....you are gonna LOVE it !!!

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Lee for such a wonderful and enthusiastic comment. It's so nice to hear from someone who enjoyed the book so much. The premise of the book does appeal to me most out of Dumas' books. I've added it to my list 😃 I probably won't get to it before I'm 50 because I'm trying to read the classics on my shelves first. You're enthusiasm has sold this book to me - much appreciated 😃

Well I would not have guessed that you were that close to 50, I was thinking early 40s, even late 30s! For Sherlock Holmes, none of the books reference other books really, they're all self-contained mysteries. However, it's hard to say that you can read them out of order because there's the pre-'trying to kill off Sherlock' era and post-'trying to kill off Sherlock' era and Hound of the Baskervilles is a weird in-between chronology-wise. I'd say honestly the best place to start is The Hound of the Baskervilles. It's almost unanimously agreed upon to be the best Sherlock book & you don't have to worry about the chronology of it. The only thing you'd be missing not reading A Study in Scarlet first is Sherlock and Watson's initial meeting, so it depends on how important reading their initial meeting first is to you.... did that sentence make sense? You may also want to start with a short story collection. My opinion is that, other than Hound of the Baskervilles, the short story collections are generally better than the novels. If you decided to read them, the only short story collection I would read out of publication order would be The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes. The publication order is Adventures of SH, Memoirs of SH, Return of SH, His Last Bow, and Casebook. I would just switch Casebook and His Last Bow because His Last Bow was obviously supposed to be the ending, and it would be a good ending, too. And I think someone else already said it, but what we've come to know as Little Women is generally Little Women and Good Wives put together. If you're familiar with any adaptations, a certain death happens in Good Wives, not Little Women by itself.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you 😀 I really appreciate all this great advice. I am going to start with A Study in Scarlet. Depending on that I may skip to Hound of the Baskervilles. I think I have some of the short stories so I will definitely give those a go too. Yes I am familiar with film adaptions of Little Women. So I will plan to read both of those books. Much appreciated.

I'm going to be 48 in November, and I feel I should do something of this sort myself. Though I'd better start it soon if I am... I'm also a bit of a late bloomer with books too cos I spent most of my life focused on films, so I'm way behind on classics than some people half my age. Like you, I've often gone for film/TV versions of books rather than the books themselves, which is something I really need to rectify. Your list has quite a few titles that would be on mine. Wuthering Heights is the only Bronte book I've read and I really should do the others. Same with Gaskell and Dickens. I have read Frankenstein which is great. As for Sherlock Holmes, I think publication order of the books is probably the best idea, but Hound of the Baskervilles was set before Doyle's attempt to end the character in 1893, you can probably read that at any point. Lady Audley is GREAT. One of the first and best examples of the Victorian "sensation novel". Wordsworth editions have improved a lot since I first discovered them circa the late 90s. Of Hardy I've only read Mayor of Casterbridge, which is very good but kind of soul-crushing. I gather he's not the lightest writer. For Dumas, I haven't read any of his stuff but I think Count of Monte Cristo *might* be a better starting point (I gather the Penguin edition is the one to get cos it's a new translation and most other editions use the original 1840s translation that is apparently quite lacking. Massively long too, but the whole Musketeers/D'Artagnan saga actually runs to several volumes, so Monte Cristo might be an easier start. I don't know.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Since starting to read more classics I've realised how much more there is to the books compared to the screen adaptions. Also some screen adaptions are very different from the novels. I do enjoy a good film though. I am really enjoying getting into classics at the age I am now. I think you discover them in a different way when you are a bit older. I think I will try Sherlock Holmes in order. I am looking forward to reading Lady Audley's Secret. It's been recommended I start with Far From The Madding Crowd for Hardy as it's the least bleak. Thank you for the suggestion about the Penguin edition of the Count of Monte Cristo. I might give it a go at some point but I don't expect to get to it before I am 50. If you do decide to do something similar, I'd be interested to know which books you choose and how you find them 😀

I’m hosting a readalong of tenant of wildfell hall in October if you want to join us. You know I love my classics and you have listed so many great ones. I also love Wordsworth classics editions too 😊

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Brilliant. That sounds like a possibility for Wildfell Hall. I am not sure I will be able to get through it in a month with my slow reading approach to classics (snail pace) but I would like to join you if I can. The Wordsworth classic editions are brilliant and so much more affordable.

I really enjoyed this video! You have so many of my favorites on this list and a few I need to read myself. I had never heard of Lady Audley’s Secret! Thanks! ❤️I have also have Tenant of Wildfell Hall and Carmilla on my TBR.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. I am so pleased you enjoyed it. Lady Audley's Secret is described as a sensation novel. It sounds intriguing. I am interested to hear how you find Tenant of Wildfell Hall and Carmilla when your read them 😀

I know this is an older video, but I just found your channel. I really like your classic selection of books for 50 books before 50. Which Thomas Hardy book did you decide to start with?

Yes, I could see that audiobooks of classics would be difficult - because sentences are so long - can be 7 lines long! And classics with audio and book sounds great. If it's any comfort on feeling missed out on classics at school - my school firmly chose older books, with good teachers - but a good friend was put off Jane Austen's "Emma" for life after studying it - and I studied George Eliot's "Middlemarch" - widely regarded as possibly the best Victorian novel - but when people mention it, I wince. 50 before 50 is a Grrrreat project. The books you've got lined up sound great. Booktuber Steve Donoghue does videos of "starter kits" for when you want to dive into a particular area or era - he spent a lifetime recommending books in a bricks and mortar bookshop, so he's good to getting ideas for key books to tap into, in any genre or style. All the best with your venture!

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Heather 😀 Yes it does seem that reading a classic at school can just put people off it. I do think I will appreciate these books in a different way coming to them as an adult with some life experience. I am so pleased you think this is a great project. I keep creating challenges for myself but I have no idea how I will find the time to read all the books 😂 Thank you for the tip re Steve's channel - I will check that out. Much appreciated 🙂

Hi Debra! Some great books on your list! I love, love North and South. It’s not perfect, but it makes my heart sing. I’m also a huge Dickens fan. I think you have quite an adventure ahead of you.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Hello 😀 I am really looking forward to North and South. I have just finished reading Cranford. It was such a lovely read. Glad to hear you love Dickens. I have just finished reading Great Expectations, which I really enjoyed and now deciding which Dickens to try next.

I love this idea! I've only got 17 months before I'm 50 so not sure if get through 50 depending on what I choose, but the idea of a short list to get through it books I've wanted to read for years but haven't got to, sounds like a great idea.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Hello 😀 the 50 books will be a mix of classics, modern classics and some other reads. I don't expect to have read them all by 50 but I have a great list of books to pick from. If you do decide to do something similar, I'd be really interested to know which books you choose for your list.

Jane Eyre (first read when I was 12!), North and South, and Pride and Prejudice (Austen) are my favorite classics. I'd recommend the audiobooks read by Juliet Stevenson for these. Little Dorrit, Bleak Housd and David Copperfield are my favorite Dickens and I'd recommend the audiobooks by Simon Vance for Dickens. Once you've read the Brontes you MUST go to Haworth! I agree with you that it is very hard to comprehend a classic on audiobook when it's new to you. I usually read the text version first and then use audiobook for a comfort re-read, and to get the emotional and dramatic feel of the text and dialogue.. Both Austen and Dickens (once you know the plots and characters) work so well as audiobooks, because they were written to be read aloud. Oh! and my all-time favorite classic film adaptation is the mini-series of North and South with Richard Armitage.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for the lovely comment with all these great suggestions Kathleen 😀 I have visited the Bronte Parsonage in the past and I will definitely be going back in future. Haworth is a lovely place for a day out and it's not far from where I live. I've recently read Cranford which I really enjoyed. I bought second hand copies on DVD of the tv series adaption. It's a combination of three of Gaskell's books but I remember enjoying the tv series years ago. I am looking forward to reading North and South. I really enjoyed Great Expectations as well. I try to watch a screen adaption after reading each of my classics, even those where I have already seen films in the past. I really enjoy reading a classic book and listening along with a good version on audiobook to create atmosphere.

@kathleencraine7335

2 жыл бұрын

@@bookinwithdebra Oh, I loved that Cranford series when it was on here in the U.S.! I've been trying to find a used DVD copy, but no luck so far. Have you been to Gaskell's house in Manchester? My son & his family live in Sheffield, and the next time we visit (post-pandemic, probably) I definitely want to go there.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

@@kathleencraine7335 I haven't been to Gaskell's House yet but it's on my long term list of things to do. I lived in Sheffield for 8yrs. Left about 14yrs ago. It's changed so much in the city centre. We visit family occasionally. I am quite new to Gaskell but I think she might be one of my favourite classic authors in future. The DVDs are not expensive in the UK on eBay so your son could get you them ready for your next visit 😀

@kathleencraine7335

Жыл бұрын

@@bookinwithdebra Hope you get there. My son lives in NetherEdge and teaches French at King Ecgbert. They moved there from Milan area in 2016 (the week of Brexit!). They like Sheffield; his wife is from Milan and the kids speak Italian & English.

I’ve enjoyed more classics as I’ve got older than when I was younger. I did read classics but they were always hit and miss for me. I do love a classic in an audiobook when you get a great narrator. Just finished North and South and I loved it. Same as Cranford - very cosy but also dramatic. I’ve never read Frankenstein either. Last Audley’s Secret always crops up for Victober! I’m intrigued by it. Hardy is an author I want to get to revisit as I had a bad experience reading his work during my A-Levels. Such a great challenge to get to these before you’re fifty!

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

A good audiobook narrator is so important. While reading Great Expectations, I listened at the same time to Matt Lucas narrate the audiobook. He was excellent. Quite a few people have said they were actually put of certain classic books because of reading them at school. It's making me actually feel happy to be coming to all these wonderful classic books at my age with some life experience 😀 So many people love Hardy so definitely worth trying another of his books. I am reading Cranford in July. I don't think I will get to all of them by 50 but I have loads of great books to pick from.

I love this type of challenge, but at the same time I know I would utterly fail if I tried myself. So here's to your good luck at doing well! That is odd about being near Brontes, but not having studied! Would makes for perfect read + field trip

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. I don't think I will get to all of them by 50 but I have loads of great books to pick from. I know right! Read a Bronte and visit the Parsonage. I am going to read each of the sisters works mentioned in this video, then I will visit the Parsonage again. I'll make my own field trip but might skip the packed lunch and go to a nice cafe instead 😀

Hi Debra, I’m new to your channel and subscribed. I’ve never heard of listening to an audio while reading until I joined the community. I tried audiobooks by themselves and so far can’t get into them, but this way sounds interesting. Nice to Meet you. Aloha

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Hey Marilyn - thank you so much for subscribing. I am a very big listener of audiobooks. I love reading paper books on their own too. The pairing an audiobook while reading the book worked really well for me with Great Expectations. The narrator really brought the characters to life. It's hasn't worked with my current classic The Picture of Dorian Gray. So I am just reading the physical copy. I think it all depends on the book and the narrator.

I had read Tess by Hardy a long time ago and found it extremely depressing. For Victober I was very nervous to read the group read Thomas Hardy's "Mayor of Casterbridge", but I found Mayor a much easier read.

@bookinwithdebra

Жыл бұрын

Hi Sue - sorry for the delayed reply. I'm glad you managed to read a Hardy that was an easier read. I'll put on my list for a future possibility. Thank you

@ba-gg6jo

Жыл бұрын

If you thought Tess was depressing do not read Jude, the Obscure. Far from the Madding Crowd is well worth trying. Enjoy your reading.

That is ambitious for 50 books!!! I guess you have a focus set out then--but hope there's more room for historical fiction, too! 🥰

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Oh yes lots of room for historical fiction. It's my favourite genre. The 50 books are not all classics, I am just challenging myself to read some.

@MargaretPinard

2 жыл бұрын

@@bookinwithdebra Ah, yes, much more manageable! ;D

Also, I love Thomas Hardy. My favourite is Return of the Native but I’d recommend starting with Far from the Madding Crowd.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the recommendation. A few people have also suggested Far from the Madding Crowd as the best place to start. It seems there is a clear consensus so that is the one I will try first. Much appreciated

My first visit to your channel. I hope you made more progress since this video. Classics vs Modern Classics. There is no set definition, so I am glad you made your definition; we can work within those bounds. Suggestion: You read 3 shorter works by Gaskell, then went on to bigger works. This is a good way to introduce yourself to the authors and classics. Cranford - the cover is appropriate. Frankenstein is not a horror book. Don't go into the book with that expectation or you will be disappointed. Sherlock Holmes. Surely you have watched movies and/or TV shows. If so, no spoilers from what you already know and you can read in any order. Two types - singular novels, or collection of short cases/investigations. The collections you can read in any order (even within the book itself), but I'd suggest reading the novels in sequence. They are very easy to read. Alexander Dumas was half Black. The Count of Monte Cristo is 1000+ pages, but reads like a 200 pager. Really really easy to read. Three Musketeers is good, but The Count is better. 50 before 50 in 3 years means 17 books a year, or slightly more than 1.25 per month. Some of them you can blow through in a week (some, like Cranford, in a single day). You can do it!

@bookinwithdebra

Жыл бұрын

Hello 😀 - thank you for visiting and commenting. I've read and really enjoyed Cranford. I will be starting Frankenstein this month. I would be less inclined to read it if it was a horror. I am planning to listen to Sherlock Holmes books in sequence as read by Stephen Fry. Thanks for the encouragement. Not all of the 50 books I was planning to read are classics. But there are so many classics I want to read now I will continue to make my way through them for many years to come, Alexander Dumas is an author I hope to get to one day.

Ooh, good point. Dumas would be a marvelous inclusion into the classics list.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

I was going to go for The Three Musketeers but others have suggested The Count of Monte Cristo as a better option. I don't expect to get to it before I am 50 because I am trying to read the books I own first.

We are very similar in age and experience. I loved this video and I think I’m going to do this too. I have read some of these - love the Wordsworth classics. Jane eyre is one of my favourites but it was ruined for me for years after doing it at school

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

I'm so glad you liked this video. I'm so happy that this has inspired you to do something similar. I would be really interested to hear which books are on your list. Yes, bad school experiences can have a lasting legacy. I'm looking forward to getting back to Jane Eyre.

Love the idea of this challenge! I really love listening to classics as opposed to reading them. I've tried to read Frankenstein twice and DNFd it both times, it really didn't work for me. I've only read a couple Sherlock Holmes short stories so far, but I really gotta read the books!! I feel like I like the concept of Dorian Grey more than the actual book. There was too much philosophizing in it. But I LOVE the 1945 film with Angela Lansbury, and featuring a painting by my favorite artist, Ivan Albright!

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

I'm so glad you like this challenge. I keep creating all these challenges for myself. No idea how I will find the time to do all the actual reading 😂 I am experimenting with audiobooks with classics. The narrator makes a huge difference. I am doing Sherlock Holmes on audio because Stephen Fry is a great narrator. I've just started reading Dorian Gray. It's to early to say yet but don't think it will be a favourite. Made a note of the film though because I want to watch a good film adaption after reading each classic. Thank you so much 😀

Love this idea! I think I'm going to do a 40 books before 40 for myself. I found an article from Book Riot super helpful for finding classics by authors of color, it's handily organized by year. I won't link it because spam, but it's called 100 MUST-READ CLASSICS BY PEOPLE OF COLOR.

@bookinwithdebra

Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much 💛 Looking forward to seeing which books you choose for your 40 List. Thanks for the tip. Quite a few of the classics on the list fit more for my modern classics list. I've kept a link for future reference because it has quite a few books that I've not heard off. I'll be interested to see if they are available at my library in future. Thank you

I haven’t read any Hardy either but I know loads of people praise Tess but obv thats very hard hitting. Wonderful Adventures of Mary Seacole’s autobiography is a quite short classic that I would recommend. She was British/Jamaican nurse from the 1800’s ❤️ Great list, I hope you enjoy everything you get to 📚

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

I think I am going to try Far From The Madding Crowd as my first Hardy. It seems the best place for newbies and a more gentle lead in 😀 Oh yes Mary Seacole - I have her autobiography on my wishlist after watching a documentary about her life. Thank you so much for reminding me.

@ant7936

Жыл бұрын

Try The Woodlanders. Lovely story.

@bookinwithdebra

Жыл бұрын

@@ant7936 thanks for the suggestion. Much appreciated

I would've never thought you are 47! you look way younger! and good luck with reading all of these books 😊

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much Rana. I don't think I will get to them all by the time I am 50 but I have lots to chose from. I hope you are keeping well 😀

I also have watched and enjoyed adaptions of classics and yet have not picked up the books. Frankenstein is one I really want to read this year. I'll probably pick it up in the autumn.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

It's good to know I'm not alone 😊 My understanding of Frankenstein the novel, it that it is very different from most of the film adaptions so I think it will be a really interesting one to read. I hope you enjoy it. Looking forward to hearing what you think.

@RKStumblingbear

2 жыл бұрын

@@bookinwithdebra Same.

My, my! You have some very new, shiny books there! I wonder how you're getting on, four months on? I'm going to resist the temptation to recommend anyone. I'm also a late starter. I didn't read in my early life. Recently, I've decided to stop reading modern pop novels and start reading the _Great Books List_ (Search! ). This includes Ancient Classics as well as recent (19th C) and some science, plays and philosophy. (Funnily enough, I'm reading Great Expectations today!) Sherlock Holmes is fun reading and each story is separate, although they were obviously written in an order. Don't forget the Russian, American and French contemporaries of 19th C. They are wonderful writers! (Steinbeck is excellent too, as you mentioned. Again, I've just re- read three of his. And Hardy is probably my favourite, although sometimes depressing! _Madding Crowd_ and _Woodlanders_ are beautiful stories). As for "diversity", see if you can actually find any non European writers! There are also many useful commentaries on YT (kzread.info/dash/bejne/iaWDrZWpaMi2orQ.html) As for Audio, I don't use it, but I might listen in a car/bus _after I'd read the book_ . One important point; go to charity shops for cheap paperback books and MARK them, copiously, as you read. Then, in a year or so read them AGAIN. And AGAIN! Your thoughts/ progress?

@bookinwithdebra

Жыл бұрын

Hello - sorry for the delayed reply. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a detailed comment. Your Great Books List reading sounds really interesting. I hope it's still going well and you are enjoying it. I enjoyed Great Expectations and I am still contemplating which Dickens to read next. Most of my books are second hand from charity shops. I'm usually lucky to find copies that are in very good condition. I have bought some Wordsworth classics new. They are a very similar price new as to what I can buy them in my local charity shops. I intend to keep most of them so I do mark them as I read. It's good to know that Hardy is your favourite. My progress has not been as I hoped. I have been dealing with some health issues. It has really affected my reading for a few months now. I am hoping to get back to my usual reading soon. However, that means I still have lots of great books yet to read. Thank you for all your suggestions

@ant7936

Жыл бұрын

@@bookinwithdebra Just on Dickens; I think I may be a convert! I read Bleak House, which was hard work, but rewarding. I'm almost finished the short, Hard Times, which is really good. And in December, I'll read Christmas Carol again, before tackling another volume! Hope your health picks up.

@bookinwithdebra

Жыл бұрын

@@ant7936 That's great that you are enjoying Dickens so much. I read A Christmas Carol last year for the first time. I really enjoyed it. It's definitely one I will keep revisiting. I have a copy of Hard Times to read but I'm also drawn to Little Dorrit and have a copy of that too. I hope you continue to enjoy your reading.

Going by the titles you mentioned, it appears you're going to have a lot of reading pleasure before you arrive at the half-century mark. Personally i think 'Return Of the Native' is Hardy's masterpiece but probably one of the lighter novels (if any of his works can really be called light!) would be a better starting point. I see others have suggested 'Far From The Madding Crowd' and I'd agree that this would be a great initial approach to Hardy's works. I've always had a soft spot for 'Cranford' and must have read it three or four times in the last fifty-odd years; I hope you enjoy it as much as you enjoyed the TV serialisation. I recently finished 'Great Expectations' and it was my first Dickens would you believe - for some reason I'd always had the impression that he just wasn't for me. However, it turned out to be 'a right riveting read' and I shall definitely be returning to him again; I'll be interested to hear your own reaction to it once you completed the work. Although matters have thankfully improved in recent decades, it's a sad fact that there is almost a complete lack of writings by authors of colour pre-WW1. The only black writer of this period that I've heard mentioned with any regularity is Frederick Douglass, and most of his work consists of autobiographies. However, he did publish 'The Heroic Slave' - a short story/novella - in 1852 and you might be able to find this through your library. Another interesting video, thanks for sharing it with us all. All the best, Brian.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much Brian. Yes I am really looking forward to all of these books. I don't think I'll get them all done by the 50 mark but lots to choose from. I appreciate the suggestion of Far From The Madding Crowd as my first Hardy. There seems to be a consensus that it's a good one to start with. So pleased to hear you enjoyed Cranford and you have now enjoyed your first Dickens. Do you know which Dickens you would like to try next? I am working on my wrap up for May to include Great Expectations. Yes I have heard of Frederick Douglass. I've now checked my library and they have Narrative of the life of frederick douglass, an american slave by the author. So it's now added to my massive library wishlist. Thank you so much for the suggestion.

Hello. This is the 1st time I have watched your channel. It was recommended by another booktuber that I follow. I'm too old to do 50 by 50 but I'm glad to see you have included The Tennant of Wildfell Hall which I read earlier this year. Also don't be afraid of the Three Musketeers - it is wonderful and a pretty easy read. Can I also suggest The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins which is a favourite classic of mine. Happy reading. Trev in Tasmania x

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Trevor - thank you for visiting my channel 😀 It's great to connect with people across the world about all things books and reading. Thank you for the encouragement about the Three Musketeers and for the suggestion of The Woman in White. I have added to to my list. Much appreciated

This is a great challenge. It never dawned on me to use audiobooks with classics. I have really just started getting into audiobooks this year. As for Sherlock Holmes I suggest checking out Claudia from Spinster’s Library on KZread if you haven’t already. She did a great video on a great approach to reading Sherlock Holmes. She is one of my favorites on KZread. I grew up in a place where classics weren’t taught until late in high school and it was in a way that seem inaccessible to my classmates if that made sense. So I am taking upon myself to dip around classics from around the world. I just finished the Diary of Lady Murasaki and plan to read her book The Tale of Genji which came out in the 11th century. I think I am in a better space to read classics to be honest. 😂 I can’t wait to see more about your journey.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Hello 😃 From my experience so far I think the audiobook with classic book is dependent on narrator and the type of classic. It worked really well for me in reading and listening to Great Expectations. I am now reading The Picture of Dorian Gray and I found the narration with that was more distracting. I am now just reading the book. But there is a lot of philosophising in this one so that might be why. So many people have responded saying they've been put of certain classics by reading them at school. It's actually making me feel happy that I am coming to all these amazing books as an adult with some more life experience. Once I have read the classics on my shelves I would like to try more diverse classics from around the world. You're books sound really interesting. I am also trying read a book from every country in the world - it's a long challenge 😂

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip about Sherlock Holmes and Claudia's channel. I do know her channel but haven't seen those videos so I will have a look. Much appreciated 😃

Good eclectic choices. As to Thomas Hardy, I would suggest "Tess of the d'Urbervilles", quite hefty at nearly 500 pages but well worth trying. I am afraid I enjoy Russian literature both classic and modern. I would always include "War and Peace", but Gogol's "Dead Souls" is also a fine book with dark humour. As with all Russian classics it is worth acquainting oneself with a little background history so you can really enjoy the writing and the ideas, symbolism and sometime critique they contain. Good luck to you and all the readers that visit your page.

@bookinwithdebra

Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I really agree with you that it is worth acquainting oneself with a little background history so you can really enjoy the writing and the ideas, symbolism and sometime critique they contain. I would like to try some Russian classics in future but with the background work, it will probably be a future project of its own. I appreciate your Hardy suggestion - thank you. Wishing you all the best.

I love seeing the classics that others haven't read! Every person seems to have a unique list of have read and haven't read classics since there are just so many in existence! For Sherlock Holmes, I don't think you have to read them in order! I read Adventures of before A Study in Scarlet, for instance. The latter is quite fun in the sense that you see Watson's initial skepticism toward Holmes :)

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

There are so many I haven't read yet but that means I have some great ones to choose from 😀 I think I might listen to the Sherlock Holmes collection in order on audiobook because Stephen Fry is such a great narrator.

@leandrathetbrzero

2 жыл бұрын

@@bookinwithdebra I have been thinking lately that audiobooks are a great way to consume classics! So that sounds like a good idea :)

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

@@leandrathetbrzero I think audiobook works really well with some classics. It depends on how accessible the language is.

Heidi by Johanna Spyri; Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain; The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne; Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

@bookinwithdebra

11 ай бұрын

Hello - thanks for commenting. Heidi was my favourite book as a child 🙂I plan to re-read it as an adult at some point. Thank you so much for the other suggestions.

In the US, Little Women and Good Wives are almost always packaged together under one title, Little Women. So I feel like you should definitely read both; otherwise, it would seem to me that you are only getting half of the story. I think most of the films and TV adaptations also include the events from Good Wives.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for that information Elizabeth. That's really helpful. I will plan to read both. I have seem some of the film adaptions in the past so I might be familiar with Good Wives as well. Much appreciated 🙂

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for the suggestion. I will definitely try Wilkie Collins in the future 😃

I've read all the books on your list except the Dickens (just never liked him), some good choices! I would add in Anna Karenina by Tolstoy, and some Thomas Hardy.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Natalie - I've heard a few people who love classics say they don't like Dickens. I can see he had a tendency to 'over write' at times. The size of Anna Karenina intimidates me a bit. But following your suggestion, I am adding it to my chunky list for the future. I am going to build myself up to the chunksters 😂 Is there a Hardy you have enjoyed the most that you would recommend as a starting place? Are you still Reading Around the World and doing your recipes? I hope you are keeping well 😀

@nataliemanuel5203

2 жыл бұрын

@@bookinwithdebra It's chunky but worth it! For Hardy I would read Tess of the D'urbervilles or Jude the Obscure, but only if you can handle unhappy books. He really tried to write Tess well, as a woman - and subtitled the book "A Pure Woman" even though at the time she would have been looked down upon. And Yep, slowly getting around the world! Just finally read a Murakami.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

@@nataliemanuel5203 thank you so much for the suggestion re Hardy. I really appreciate it. I am also slowly hopping around the world with my reading 😊

Thoroughly enjoyed this video. It does infuriate me when students are put off classic (or any) literature at school.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much Louise. I don't think the books that were chosen for us in English literature were the best options. I am making up for it now though 😀 I am pleased to say that I left school in the late 80's so I hope teachers have more accountability now. He was an awful teacher - more of an egotistical bully than a a teacher 😐

I’m 37 and I’ll start reading these

@bookinwithdebra

Жыл бұрын

I am so sorry for the delayed reply. I have only now returned to my channel after taking a break I hope you are enjoying reading some classics. I am making slow progress through my list.

Nice choices! I gave up on Dickens but read most of the others and think you will have a great time! No you do not really read the Sherlock Holmes in order BUT many of them do refer to previous cases so ideally in order is best. Hounds I think is fine to read first except I loved it most and read it last so I kinda biased to that. My favorite Hardy so far is The Mayor of Casterbridge but it is one of his chunkier ones so second would be Far From the Madding Crowd. I do want to read three Musketeers! Fun list!

@MarilynMayaMendoza

2 жыл бұрын

I gave up on Charles dickens as well. Aloha

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for the advice 😀 I think I might listen to the Sherlock Holmes collection in order on audiobook because Stephen Fry is such a great narrator. I think I am most looking forward to The Hounds of the Baskervilles. There is a real consensus that Far From the Madding Crowd would be the best starting place. So that is also now on my list.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

It's seems like people either really love Dickens or they are just not taken with him. I've now read Great Expectations and I did enjoy it. But I wonder if I may have peaked too soon. Some over writing and felt like some filler chapters. I will try another one of his books shorter before I give Little Dorrit a go.

Glad to hear you're not gonna neglect Carmilla when you read Dracula! While the beginning of Dracula is spellbinding, I preferred Carmilla overall. Oh, and though I don't have experience of this myself, I've heard that the one issue with Wordsworth Classics is that their translations are apparently not very good. So maybe when it comes to affordable classics translated from another language, stick with Penguin or Oxford? Anyway, great list of picks, and I'm curious to see how you'll react to some of these! Any plans to read older classics like The Odyssey or Canterbury Tales?

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Hello Deep in the Reads 😀 yes I had heard other people say they prefer Carmilla so I am keen to read it first, especially as it was published first. Thank you so much for the tip about Wordsworth Classics and their translations apparently not very good. I will definitely keep that in mind when I come to read translated work and opt for a different publisher. I am open to reading older classics as well but I don't envisage getting to any of these before I am 50. I am mainly trying to read the classics I already own first so I can make space for more books in future 😀

@Deep_in_the_Reads

2 жыл бұрын

@@bookinwithdebra You're welcome :D There are definitely some good picks among what you've listed, so good luck with them :) I've got a list of my own classics I'm hoping to get to before I hit 30, haha

@bookinwithdebra

Жыл бұрын

@@Deep_in_the_Reads - I hope you are making good progress with your list and you are enjoying what you are reading.b

@Deep_in_the_Reads

Жыл бұрын

@@bookinwithdebra Oh, thanks! I haven't been reading nearly as much as I've liked but I have gotten a few books out of the way that I'd been meaning to get to for ages! Canterbury Tales, Stone Butch Blues and A Distant Mirror among others. I made video reviews of them too :) Reading Livy now but man he's a challenge! Hope you've managed to knock a few books off your list too.

I watched this some time ago and I’m sure I made a comment but it’s not here! So here is my comment Debra! Also, as said in the group chat, I think you’ll really enjoy North and South when you get to it. And I’m editing my comment now because I’ve just seen my other comment - 😂

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Jack for the comments 😂 I am reading Cranford at the moment. I enjoy Gaskell's writing style. North and South - I will definitely be reading it at some point.

@spreadbookjoy

2 жыл бұрын

@@bookinwithdebra double comments can’t hurt! 😂 I really enjoyed Cranford, even though I’m not normally a fan of episodic fiction like that - usually prefer a more coherent narrative, but Cranford was just delightful and surprisingly emotional. Look forward to your thoughts on it.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

@@spreadbookjoy I am enjoying Cranford so much more than I expected. I might have bought the TV series adaptions second hand on DVD because I enjoyed watching them years ago 😂 I know it's actually an adaption of 3 of Gaskell's books but it will be nice to snuggle up and watch them later this year.

@spreadbookjoy

2 жыл бұрын

@@bookinwithdebra I need to watch the adaptations too - totally missed out on them when they were on!

Firstly, you are NOT 47! I thought you were early 30s. Dumas is very very easy to read, doesn't feel anywhere near as long as he actually is, but, you need to read The Count of Monte Cristo, it's just a better book. 3 Musketeers is seriously misrepresented. Hardy is wonderful, one of my absolute favourite authors. Tess is where I'd recommend starting, but there's good arguments for Jude (it's a love it or hate it intro), Far From The Madding Crowd (easing you into the misery) and Return of the Native (Most Typical, but maybe not his best). The Tennent of Wildfell Hall is better than Agnes Gray. Charlotte and Emily are much better than Anne too. You can just read Hound of the Baskervilles, but there are some books you need to read later than others to avoid spoilers. Very confident you'll like North and South, there's a lot in that and I think it's often interesting to see what people enjoyed from that novel, multiple reasons you could love it. Have you considered George Eliot? Middlemarch is quite possibly the best book ever written, I say that in an attempt to be objective, subjectively I find it hard to pick between it and The Count of Monte Cristo. I think it's very hard to be diverse and read classics, especially old classics. There's a reason the black classics are often 100 years younger than the white classics. I try to counter that by just reading more Black contemporary or backlist novels. Sorry for the very long post, great video.

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Aw thanks for declaring I am NOT 47 😂 If only you had the power to make it so 😊 I'd quite like to be in my early 30's again. Thanks for all the advice and your recommendations. I will add The Count of Monte Cristo to my longer term reading list. Appreciate you suggesting Tess as a place to start with Hardy. I think I need to wait until I am in the right frame of mind for a Hardy but definitely want to try at least one. Far From the Madding Crowd might be another option for me to limit the misery. Glad to hear Wildfell Hall is better than Agnes Gray. As a Northerner in the UK, I think I will like and appreciate North & South. I had not considered George Elliot. Adding Middelmarch to my chunky list for the future. I am going to build myself up to the chunksters 😂 I agree finding diversity in classics is not easy. I am aiming to balance it with a more diverse list of modern classics. Thank you so much for such a useful response to my video. Really helpful. It's much appreciated 😀

Great challenge

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much 😀

Heavens. You must live clean indeed (you do not look 2-ish years from 50).

@bookinwithdebra

2 жыл бұрын

Definitely not enough clean living. I might not look it but I really feel my age at the moment. It's a bit of family trait on the female line of my family to look younger than we are - it's one of the few good traits I've inherited 😂