Brand New Year: How’s Your Challenge Coming Along?

It's a brand new year. Yes, I'm one of those odd people who like to set goals for the year and plan my year out. So far, I have penciled in twenty-five classics that I hope to read in 2022. Last year I read twenty. How about you? How are your Classic Club reads coming? …

Classic Author Focus: Katherine Mansfield

Katherine Mansfield Katherine Mansfield was a New Zealand author who was considered a master of the short story form and one of the most influential and important Modernist authors. Her works explored anxiety, existentialism, and sexuality, and eventually developed a New Zealand identity. Mansfield was born in Thornton near Wellington to a socially prominent family. …

Did You Finish Your Spin?

Today's the Day! On the 17th October we announced the latest Classic Club Spin, challenging you to read book 12 on your CC Spin #28 list by 12th December 2021. Did you read your book? Did you write about it, or not? What's Next? In the comments below, tell us what book you read, and what you thought …

Classic Author Focus: Nikos Kazantzakis

Nikos Kazantzakis Nikos Kazantzakis was a Greek writer who was born in Heraklion, Crete, when it was claimed by the Ottoman Empire. At the time, Crete was revolting against the Ottomans, so Kazantzakis's parents had to flee with him for a while to the island of Naxos. Not much information is available about his younger …

Did You Dare?

During OCTOBER we dared you to Get Your Goth On! Did you read a SCARY book, a classic author you've been putting off reading forever or did you tackle a truly FRIGHTENING genre? BRAVO if you did. Tell us about it. Share your thoughts, describe the thrills and spills, how did you overcome your FEAR? …

Classic Author Focus: Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley It should be obvious why I picked Mary Shelley for my focus post this month, as her most famous work is the Gothic horror novel, Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus, so, totally appropriate for October. Mary Shelley was an English novelist who had a rather exciting life for an early 19th century woman …

CC Spin #28

Hello, Clubbers! It's time for another Classics Club Spin!What is the spin? It's easy. At your blog, before next Sunday 17th October, 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 …

Classic Author Focus: Miles Franklin

Miles Franklin Miles Franklin was an Australian writer and feminist who was determined to develop a uniquely Australian form of literature and whose success is measured by the Stella prize for the best Australian literature by a woman, established by her estate and named in her honor. (Her full name was Stella Maria Sarah Miles …

Time to Get Your Goth On!

BOO! Welcome to Club Dare 2.0. It's very easy. During OCTOBER we DARE you to face your fears and get your Goth on! Simply read a CLASSIC book from your #CClist that you classify as thrilling, a mystery, or Gothic. It could even be a book or author that SCARES you (because of its length, its …

Classic Author Focus: Sir Walter Scott

Sir Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish novelist, playwright, translator, historian, and poet but also an advocate, judge, and legal administrator. He is primarily known for being the inventor of historical fiction and one of its greatest practitioners. When only a few years old, Scott survived a bout of polio that left him …

Did You Finish Your Spin?

Today's the Day! On the 18th July we announced the latest Classic Club Spin, challenging you to read book 6 on your CC Spin #27 list by 22nd August 2021. Did you read your book? Did you write about it, or not? What's Next? In the comments below, tell us what book you read, and what you thought …

Monthly Meme: What’s Your Favorite Classic Book? Why?

(Starting in August 2021 (as well as August 2015 through December 2016 and again in early 2018), we decided to start recycling some of the questions from the club’s first three years, to give those who weren’t members yet an opportunity to answer live, & to allow those who have already answered — or who lacked …

Classic Author Focus: Nellie Campobello

Nellie Campobello Nellie Campobello was a Mexican writer, ballet dancer, and choreographer. Her best known work is Carthucho, the only work by a woman novelist to document the Mexican Revolution. She was also a founder of the Mexico City Ballet and a director of the Mexican National School of Dance. The biographical articles I could …

Your Lucky Spin Number Is…

If you joined the game last week, find number 6 on your CC Spin #27 List! That's the CLASSIC you are challenged to read by 22nd August, 2021.  We know it can be hard to stay on track and enthused about your Spin Book for the whole journey. We plan to provide support and encouragement to …

CC Spin #27

Hello, Clubbers! It's time for another Classics Club Spin!What is the spin? It's easy. At your blog, before next Sunday 18th JULY, 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 …

Classic Author Focus: Isak Dinesen

Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen) Isak Dinesen is the nom de plume of Danish writer Karen Blixen. She is best known for her memoir Out of Africa, about the years when she farmed a coffee plantation in Kenya, but she was mostly a short story writer and poet. Although Dinesen's family was among the Danish upper …