I've already read two Victorian novels so far this summer . . . how many more can I finish? Allie from A Literary Odyssey is hosting another Victorian Celebration this summer, so signing up was a no-brainer for me. Here are just a few of the Victorian novels on my TBR shelves:
Red Pottage by Mary Chomoldely
No Name by Wilkie Collins
The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens
The Semi-Attached Couple and The Semi-Detached House by Emily Eden
Sylvia's Lovers by Elizabeth Gaskell
New Grub Street by George Gissing
A Pair of Blue Eyes by Thomas Hardy
Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy
Three Men on the Bummel by Jerome K. Jerome
The Water-Babies by Charles Kingsley
At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald
Deerbrook by Harriet Martineau
. . . plus about a fifteen books by Anthony Trollope. Seriously.
Right now, I'm leaning toward Thomas Hardy since I loved Far From the Madding Crowd; also, Return of the Native is on my Classics Club list, though I don't own a copy, so I've been putting it off. Allie is also allowing books from non-British authors, so I may read some Zola or Victor Hugo, which also counts for Paris in July.
Anyone else signing up for the Victorian Celebration? What are you planning to read? Have you read any of the books on my list?
I can't wait to check out the blog that is hosting! I'm attempting Bleak House this year and Ruth by Gaskell...and a few others...not sure how I'm going to do! I was working on Women in White by Collins, but set it aside. Sigh. So many books, so little time. :)
ReplyDeleteBleak House is WONDERFUL!!! By far my favorite by Dickens. And the BBC TV adaptation from 2005 is also brilliant, Gillian Anderson is so great as Lady Dedlock.
DeleteI've signed up! I linked my post about three memoirs that have a connection to the Victorians (Period Piece, Three Houses, and My Grandmothers and I), even though that was not strictly according to the rules -- but I found them a fascinating window on the era. I hope reading Henry james and Louisa May Alcott will be acceptable. I'm also looking at Hardy but not sure I'll get to him in the time allotted. Your list looks wonderful, enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI think Henry James and LMA are both fine, they still fit within the period. And HJ could count as either American or British -- he was born in America but moved to England and became a British citizen. I still have Portrait of a Lady on the TBR list as well. Maybe next year!
DeleteI started reading Trollope this year and he is my new favorite author; I have read the first 4 in his Chronicles of Barsetshire. They are delights. I did read a Jerome K. Jerome and a George MacDonald but not the ones you list. Enjoy your reading
ReplyDeleteI love Trollope! I've read the Barsetshires and now I'm working my way through the Pallisers. I read Phineas Finn and Eustace Diamonds this year, so hopefully will finish the series by the end of the year. Did you read Three Men in a Boat? One of my favorites!
DeleteThat is an impressively deep set of Victorians on your shelves. I have only read four, plus whatever overlap there might be in the Trollope. Mary Chomoldely! If I had to pick one for you, it would be that one, because it is the one about which I know the least, so I would enjoy reading about it.
ReplyDeleteSince Wuthering Expectations is a permanent ongoing Victorian Literature Celebration (e.g., next week, a Trollope novel), I do not sign up for this kind of challenge, but I encourage as many people as possible to do so. I want to read those posts.
Yes, I've already read most of Dickens and a heckuva lot of Trollope, so I have to dig deeper. I've only read three by Hardy so hope to read more of him this year, also some of the more obscure and back-list Victorians.
DeleteA great list! I've done one post for A Victorian Celebration on Miss Mackenzie, my very first Anthony Trollope read. My next Victorian novel will be Daniel Deronda.
ReplyDeleteI still haven't finished Daniel Deronda -- I started it a few years ago and got stuck about halfway through. I loved Middlemarch so I should really give it another go. I hope you liked Trollope, he's one of my very favorite Victorian authors.
DeleteI was going to say Mary Mary Chomoldely as well, because Red Pottage is such fun - as are Emily Eden's two books. You can really see Austen's influence in The Semi-Attached Couple. I'll look forward to seeing what you choose!
ReplyDeleteI will probably choose one of the shorter Hardys just because I've also tackled The Count of Monte Cristo for Paris in July, though it can theoretically count for the Victorian Celebration as well. After 1200 pages of Dumas, I'll probably want something fairly short.
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ReplyDeleteMuch as I would like to do this, I am really focusing on the Italian reading this summer. So far this year, I've read 3 Victorian novels--David Copperfield, Dombey and Son, and Framley Parsonage.
ReplyDeleteI do like Hardy, and think you would like Return of the Native--some interesting characters there. I also liked Sylvia's Lovers--especially the setting! I've been wanting to read No Name myself.
So many wonderful books to choose from! Enjoy the celebration.
I've just started A Pair of Blue Eyes - love it so far!
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