I shouldn’t really be taking part in the latest Classics Club Spin as I still haven’t managed to finish my book from Spin #19, which was Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens. I did start to read it, but the time just wasn’t right and I got distracted by other books. I will go back to it eventually, but for now I’m going to put it aside and let the Spin choose a different classic for me to read.
If you’re not sure what a Classics Spin is, here’s a reminder:
The rules for Spin #20:
* List any twenty books you have left to read from your Classics Club list.
* Number them from 1 to 20.
* On Monday 22nd April the Classics Club will announce a number.
* This is the book you need to read by 31st May.
And here is my list:
1. Jane and Prudence by Barbara Pym
2. Claudius the God by Robert Graves
3. Moonfleet by John Meade Falkner
4. The Black Sheep by Honoré de Balzac
5. La Reine Margot by Alexandre Dumas
6. Two on a Tower by Thomas Hardy
7. Castle Dor by Daphne du Maurier
8. In a Dark Wood Wandering by Hella S Haasse
9. I Will Repay by Baroness Emmuska Orczy
10. Fire From Heaven by Mary Renault
11. The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson
12. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham
13. The White Guard by Mikhail Bulgakov
14. Goodbye Mr Chips by James Hilton
15. The Cloister and the Hearth by Charles Reade
16. Germinal by Emile Zola
17. The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni
18. The Long Ships by Frans G Bengtsson
19. The Scottish Chiefs by Jane Porter
20. High Rising by Angela Thirkell
Have you read any of the books on my list? Which numbers should I be hoping for on Monday?
She Reads Novels 
I could not get going with Dombey and Son’s either; not sure why but I agree with you, that book needs to be revisited at some point! its a great list and while I have only read one of them, I really did enjoy High Rising! Happy Spinning!
I’m glad I’m not the only one who has struggled with Dombey and Son! I will go back to it soon and try to finish it, though. I’m pleased you enjoyed High Rising. 🙂
What is it about Dombey and Son? It’s the only Dickens I have never been able to get through. As for #20, definitely The Crysalids. It is one of the great science fiction books of all times.
I’ve enjoyed most of the Dickens books I’ve read, so I’m hoping that I’ve just been in the wrong mood for Dombey and Son and will give it another try at a later date. The Crysalids is one of the books I would be particularly happy to get in this spin.
Dombey and Son was a tough read for me too, not my favorite Dickens. But I’ve read and loved Jane & Prudence and High Rising; also Germinal is wonderful, though in a very different way — it’s not a light read but I could not put it down. It made me a huge fan of Zola.
I’ve only read two of Zola’s books but I do want to read more and would love to get Germinal in the spin. Jane and Prudence or High Rising would be nice too – I need something a bit easier to read than Dombey and Son this time, I think!
You have two of my favourites here – Germinal and Dombey and Son.
my list includes The Black Sheep too
Here’s my list https://bookertalk.com/2019/04/16/classics-club-spin20/
I would love to get Germinal – it’s time I read some more Zola.
I’d be thrilled if you joined the Zola fan club
Helen, I haven’t read any of these, but I did watch a TV adaptation of Moonfleet which was good fun. 🙂
That’s good to know! I have never seen it and knew nothing about the book when I added it to my list, but I thought it sounded entertaining.
I’ve only read the Pym and the Bulgakov, both of which I’d recommend. Good luck with whatever you draw! 😀
Thanks! I would love to get the Bulgakov as I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read by him so far.
I can’t say I’m very very familiar with most of these, other than they’re titles I’ve heard of. I’ve read and reviewed ‘Moonfleet’ (apparently John Meade Falkner was inspired to write it after reading ‘Treasure Island’, and I can see some similarities). I stalled on ‘Castle Dor’, probably the bit by Quiller-Couch before the du Maurier continuation.
And I supposedly read ‘The Black Arrow’ as a teenager, but I can’t recall any details other than it was, um, medieval and involved bows and arrows.
I read a lot of the well known classics when I first started participating in the Classics Club, so my lists are a bit more obscure now. I don’t know much about most of these books myself, but I’m hoping they will be good! Moonfleet and The Black Arrow sound as though they should be entertaining anyway.
I managed to make it through Dombey and Son but it was by sheer effort of will! You have such a great list! I think I’d love to get any of the choices. I hope that you have an excellent spin!
I will finish Dombey and Son eventually! I do usually enjoy Dickens and don’t know why I’ve struggled so much with that one. And thanks – I can’t wait to see which book I get on Monday. 🙂
Good list. I have read some of them. My latest classic was As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner, his third novel, read for a reading group. I am looking forward to seeing what all you Classics Club bloggers get from the spin next week!
I’ve never read anything by William Faulkner…maybe if I make another Classics Club list in the future I’ll think about including him. I can’t wait to see what I and everyone else get in the spin on Monday!
You should have put Dombey and Sons back on there. You might have got it again! You’ve got lots of good books on there. I don’t know if you’ve read any of them before, or not, but I hope you get #5, 18, or 19. I think I have Fire From Heaven on my list, too, which I am posting tomorrow.
I did think about putting Dombey and Son back on the list, but I decided I would rather have a break from it for a while! 5, 18 and 19 would all be entertaining reads, I think. I haven’t read any of them before.
I’m rooting for either the Pym or the Hardy…mostly because those are the only two books on your list that I’ve read. 😀
I would love either of those – the Pym because I think it would be a nice, relaxing read after struggling with Dombey and Son, and the Hardy because I usually love his books and have wanted to read Two on a Tower for such a long time!
I went through a John Wyndham phase in my late 20’s. The Chrysalids was one of the stand out titles.
Happy spinning 🙂
Thanks! I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read by John Wyndham so far, so I would love to get The Chrysalids.
I loved The White Guard when I read it a couple of years ago, so I’m hoping you get that. Or The Chrysalids… can’t go wrong with a bit of Wyndham. Good luck!
Thank you! I’ve enjoyed other books by both Bulgakov and Wyndham, so I would be happy to get either of those.
Either numbers 1 or 20 would be worthwhile and fun reads. And nothing like Dombey and Sons. Have read and highly recommend both.
I would love to get 1 or 20. I’m hoping for something a bit lighter in this spin and either of those books would be perfect.
I’ve had The Cloister and the Hearth on my TBR stacks for too long. Other than that, and High Rising, the rest are all unknowns or unread. I love seeing which books the spinners end up with!
The Cloister and the Hearth has been on my TBR for a long time too. I would love it to be chosen in the spin so I will be motivated to finally pick it up and start reading!
Jane and Prudence, what a perfect Spring read! Hope you get something fun, good luck!
Thank you! I think Jane and Prudence would be a great spring read too. I would like to get that one.
I’ve read two – Claudius the God, Castle Dor, The Chrysalids and High Rising. Of those I think I enjoyed The Chrysalids and Claudius the God the most – and I loved the TV adaptation years ago with Derek Jacobi as Claudius .
I enjoyed I, Claudius so I’m looking forward to reading Claudius the God. I would be happy to get The Chrysalids too as I love John Wyndham’s books.
I loved Moonfleet.
I’ve read a few of John Wyndham’s novels, but not The Chrysalids.
Dombey and Son is on my list. Reading the comments about this book, I’m now hoping that the spin result is any other number than six. I had enough trouble with Barnaby Rudge, which I had to set aside. One day I’ll get back to it. I hope your preferred numbers come up in this spin!
I’m not really sure why I’ve been struggling with Dombey and Son, as I do usually like Dickens. I probably just haven’t been in the right mood, so there’s a chance you will have better luck with it than I did. Moonfleet is one of the books I’m particularly hoping for, so I’m pleased to hear you loved it!
Plenty on your list that are new to me, Helen. The Scottish Chiefs and The Long Ships sound intriguing. And Wyndham, du Maurier and Thirkell are always good value. Happy spinning!
I don’t know much about either The Scottish Chiefs or The Long Ships, except that they have both been recommended to me a few times recently. I’m hoping they’ll be good! I would be happy with almost any of the books on my list this time, though.
I’m the same. It’s nice to be waiting for the spin number to be announced without hoping secretly that certain numbers won’t come up!