Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Back to the Classics Challenge 2021

It's back! For the eighth year, I'm hosting the Back to the Classics Challenge, a year-long challenge in which participants are encouraged to finally read the classics they've always meant to read -- or just recently discovered. At the end of the year, one lucky winner will receive a prize $30 (US) in books from the bookstore of their choice. The rules and prize are the same as last year, only the categories have changed. This year, I've tried to come up with some fun categories -- I think we could all use as many fun and relaxing reads as possible!

If you're new to the challenge, here's how it works:
  • Complete six categories, and you'll get one entry in the drawing; 
  • Complete nine categories, and you'll get two entries in the drawing; 
  • Complete all twelve categories, and you'll get three entries in the drawing

Without further ado, here are the categories for 2021: 

1. A 19th century classic: any book first published from 1800 to 1899

2. A 20th century classic: any book first published from 1900 to 1971. All books must have been published at least 50 years ago; the only exceptions are books which were written by 1971 and posthumously published.

3. A classic by a woman author.

4. A classic in translation, meaning any book first published in a language that is not your primary language. You may read it in translation or in its original language, if you prefer. 

5. A classic by BIPOC author; that is, a non-white author.

6. A classic by a new-to-you author, i.e., an author whose work you have never read.

7. New-to-you classic by a favorite author -- a new book by an author whose works you have already read. 

8. A classic about an animal, or with an animal in the title. The animal can be real or metaphorical. (i.e., To Kill a Mockingbird).

9. A children's classic. 

10. A humorous or satirical classic.

11. A travel or adventure classic (fiction or non-fiction). It can be a travelogue or a classic in which the main character travels or has an adventure. 

12. A classic play. This is a work that was originally written for the stage. Plays will only count in this category.

So -- I hope everyone likes the categories, I tried to make them fun and as light as possible for next year. And of course, you do NOT have to read 12 books to qualify for the drawing! The rest of the rules also remain the same.

THE RULES: 
  • All books must have been written at least 50 years ago to qualify; therefore, books must have been published no later than 1971 for this challenge. The only exceptions to this rule are books which published posthumously but written before 1971. Recent translations of classic novels are acceptable. 
  • All books must be read during read from January 1 through December 31, 2021. Books started before January 1 do not qualify. All reviews must be linked to this challenge by 11:59 p.m. on January 1, 2022. I will post links the first week of January for each category, which will be featured on a sidebar of this blog for convenience through the entire year. (The link for the final wrap-up will be posted towards the end of the year, to avoid confusion). 
  • The deadline to sign up for the challenge is March 31, 2021. After that, I'll close the link and you'll have to wait until next year's challenge. Please include a link to your actual sign-up post, not your blog URL/home page. Make sure you sign up in the   below, not the comments section. If I do not see your name in the sign-ups, you are not eligible. If you've made a mistake with your link, just add a new one and let me know in the comments. It's no trouble for me to delete an incorrect link. 
  • Books may NOT cross over within this challenge -- that is, you may not count the same book multiple times within this challenge. You MUST read a different book for each category in this challenge, or it doesn't count. 
  • Participants must post a wrap-up and link it to the challenge, and it must include links to all the books they've read for this challenge, specifying which books for each challengeIf I cannot confirm which books you've read for each challenge, I will not enter your name into the drawing. It is fine to rearrange books for the challenge, since many books can fit multiple categories -- just let me know in the final wrap-up! 
  • The wrap-up post MUST include contact information so that I can contact the winner privately before announcing the winner on this blog. If your blog doesn't have a link, or if you have a Goodreads account, let me know in the comments of wrap-up post. If I cannot contact you, I cannot award you the prize!
  • The winner will be announced on this blog the first week of January, 2021. All qualifying participants will receive one or more entries, depending upon the number of categories they complete as stated above. One winner will be randomly selected from all qualifying entries. I will contact the winner privately and award the prize before posting on the blog. 
  • The winner will receive a gift certificate in the amount of $30 (US) from Amazon.com (US) OR $30 in books from The Book Depository. Winners must live in a country that receives shipment from one of these online retailers. To check if your country receives deliveries from The Book Depository, click here

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: 


Can I read e-books and audiobooks for the challenge! 
Absolutely! E-books and audiobooks are real books and are therefore acceptable.

Can I count this book toward another challenge? 
Yes, definitely! As long as it's for another blogger's challenge, that's fine. You just can't count one book for two categories in this challenge. 

Can I read more than one book by the same author! 
Of course -- as many as you like by the same author, but again, only one category per book. 

Can I read more than one book for each category? 
Well, yes and no. Many books can fit more than one category, so for example if you wanted to read only books by women authors, or books in translation, that would work, as long as they fit the criteria for that category, i.e., 20th century or humor/satire. But if you want three entries in the final drawing, you have to have one book for each category, not just repeat categories. Of course, you are NOT required to completed all 12 to qualify -- you just get less entries. 

Are children's books okay? 
Children's classics are acceptable, but no more than three total for the challenge! And please, no picture books.

What about short stories and poetry? 
Single short stories and short poetry collections do not count, but you may use full-length narrative poems (like The Odyssey) and short story collections such as The Canterbury Tales, as long as you read the entire book.

Can I change the books from my original list on my sign-up post? What if a book counts for two different categories -- can I change it later? Yes! And you do NOT have to list all the books you intend to read in your sign-up post, but it's really fun if you do! You may certainly rearrange or change the books for this challenge, as long as you indicate it on your final wrap-up post. 

Do I need to read the books in order? 
Not at all! Books may be read in any order. 

What if I don't have a blog? 
If you do NOT have a blog and wish to enter, you need to link to individual reviews on a publicly accessible site like Goodreads. You can specify which categories in the comments section of the link to the Final Wrap-Up Post, or within each review. Do not simply link to your Goodreads account.

Is there a hashtag for social media?
Yes! If you'd like to talk about the Back to the Classics Challenge on Twitter, Instagram, or other Social Media, the hashtag is #BacktotheClassics2021

So what are you waiting for? Sign up in the Linky below! I'll be posting my tentative list of reads for the 2021 challenge in the next few days. I can't wait to see what everyone else will be reading!

137 comments:

  1. Oh good! I hope I do better than I did this year. (I'm at 4. Lol)

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    1. If you can finish 2 more you can still qualify for the drawing! Last year I didn't even finish my own challenge! But I'm nearly done with my final book for 2020.

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    2. I am excited for this years! I could not figure out how to comment, but I cannot wait this is perfect because I want to read more classics!

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  2. Thank you for hosting again! I'm so excited to participate for another year. I have finished 11 out of 12 for 2020, and will definitely finish. Love the categories for 2021!
    (I don't have a blog, so I will post reviews on Goodreads and link to the reviews in my final wrap-up post)

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    1. I'm nearly done with my final book. I'm glad you like the categories!

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  3. Yay!! I too have been reading less this year - mostly I used read on my commute and that hasn't happened since April.

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    1. I used to read every day on my break when I was working, plus audio on my commute! Not working now but I don't seem to get much more reading done. But I've been walking my dog more than an hour a day and I nearly always have an audiobook going.

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    2. I should give audiobooks a try. I wonder how people don't just space out and miss half the book. I guess if the person reading, as well as the story, is interesting enough it could work.

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    3. Here is the plan as of the first day of 2021.

      19th century classic: Silas Marner - George Eliot
      20th century classic: The Fatal Eggs - Mikhail Bulgakov
      By a woman author: The Wreath (Kristin Lavransdatter #1) - Sigred Undset
      In translation: One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
      By BIPOC author: Native Son - Richard Wright
      By a new-to-you author: The Awakening - Kate Chopin
      New-to-you classic by a favorite author: The Wings of the Dove - Henry James; Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
      About an animal or with an animal in the title: To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
      Children's classic: The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
      Humorous or satirical classic: Thank You, Jeeves - P.G. Wodehouse
      Travel or adventure classic: A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy - Laurence Sterne
      Classic play: The Glass Menagerie - Tennessee Williams; Romeo & Juliet - William Shakespeare

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  4. I'm back after skipping a year--I just wasn't sure I'd be able to get my classics in the right categories in 2020. But I'm ready to go again!

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  5. Thanks for hosting another great challenge! :)

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    1. Thanks! I'm excited about the categories for next year!

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  6. I'm so tempted by this. Since I finished my classics club list, I've neglected the classics I still have on my bookshelves. so this would give me a way to finally get to them. Is there a cut off date for signing up??

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  7. Wonderful! Thank you Karen for already making 2021 better :D.

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    1. Thanks! I tried to pick categories that would have fun books for people to read.

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  8. This is my first year. I have goodreads but have not posted reviews. Will start with the books for this challenge to link at the end of the year if that works!

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  9. I've been AWOL for a few years....but I am
    "back to the classics' in 2021.
    Thanks for hosting once again!
    Question: is there a hashtag to be used for
    this challenge?

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  10. Will try this tempting challenge, although I promised myself I would not join any challenges. Being of a weak mind, I slightly adapted my view to join challenges that goes with my main aim this year: to lower the number of unread books on my shelves. I managed to find 7 of the 12 from my shelves, so very pleased with that. Can't promise to read them all though. Looking forward exchanging views on Classics.

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  11. just joined as this looks a really intresting challange fornext year.

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  12. This will be my first time joining this challenge, I think! Looking forward to it.

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  13. Sounds fun! Just FYI: I just started a new reading challenge central blog - readyforareadingchallenge.blogspot.com. I listed this challenge on it to help spread the word!

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    1. Thank you! And I'll look for that challenge -- you can overlap books from this challenge for any other if you like.

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  14. i enetered the wrong url when i registered first so did it again sorry Mark @ Nottsreader

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    1. No worries, I can delete the first one. Thanks for letting me know.

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  15. So exciting! I have almost finished the 2020 challenge, 1 and a half books to go... I'll be signing up for 2021 once I have published my last 2 reviews and the 2020 wrap-up, but I have already got a pretty good idea what books will be on my list :-)

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    1. It's always fun to pick the books for the next list! I never stick with it exactly but it's fun to imagine.

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  16. I'm planning to read at least 6 books for this challenge.
    https://impressionsininkblog.wordpress.com/2020/12/05/reading-challenge-in-2021/
    I don't know what the first book will be. Currently, I'm trying to finish Bleak House before the end of this month and year.

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  17. Thank you for hosting again! Looking forward to some classic reading in 2021!

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  18. YEA! I'm looking forward to this challenge :)

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  19. I'm excited! This is my first reading challenge and I'm stepping out of my normal genres and going to read books that have been in my list a long long time!!!

    I created a blog this morning and I've picked out all my books/play!
    Here's my list:

    http://wix.to/pMBuDHQ?ref=2_cl

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  20. Question: Is there a hashtag for this challenge?

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  21. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  22. I just signed up,and I'm looking forward to this challenge again! Thank you for hosting.

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  23. I am interested in signing up for the challenge...how do I sign up?

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  24. Hi! Just joined in! I haven't blogged in YEARS so I'm excited to get back to reading and blogging!

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  25. I should have typed in Katrina @Pining for the West - oh well. I'm looking forward to this.

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  26. OK, I think I did it correctly this time. If possible can you please remove my original entry (C.M., 22nd entry)? Thank you and I look forward to this!

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  27. Hi Karen,
    Thank you so much for this exciting challenge. This is quite exciting because we can read one book per month and add a lot of classics to our shelves. I have entered and here is my tentative list.
    1. A 19th century classic: any book first published from 1800 to 1899

    Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë  (1847)

    2. A 20th century classic: any book first published from 1900 to 1971.

    Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1954)

    3. A classic by a woman author.

    A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (1943)

    4. A classic in translation, meaning any book first published in a language that is not your primary language. You may read it in translation or in its original language, if you prefer. 

    The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (1846)

    5. A classic by BIPOC author; that is, a non-white author.

    The Discovery of India by Jawaharalal Nehru (1946)

    6. A classic by a new-to-you author, i.e., an author whose work you have never read.

    Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers (1930)

    7. New-to-you classic by a favorite author -- a new book by an author whose works you have already read. 

    My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier (1951)

    8. A classic about an animal, or with an animal in the title. The animal can be real or metaphorical. (i.e., To Kill a Mockingbird). 

    Animal Farm by George Orwell (1945)  

    9. A children's classic. 

    Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (1877)

    10. A humorous or satirical classic.

    Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961)

    11. A travel or adventure classic (fiction or non-fiction). It can be a travelogue or a classic in which the main character travels or has an adventure.

    The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (1937)

    12. A classic play. Plays will only count in this category.

    The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (1895)

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  28. Just realized the first one just linked my profile. The second entry is the specific shelf. Sorry! First time doing challenges and getting used to the way things work.

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  29. What a great idea. I've joined for the first time, hopefully not the last.

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  30. Yay! Thanks for hosting the challenge again -- I'm officially signing up this year :) @laurenducommun

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  31. Thanks for running this yet again! I skipped last year and ended up really missing it...glad to be back!

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  32. Hello! I found your blog off of another blogger I follow, and just signed up for this challenge! Looking forward to this, thank you for offering it!

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  33. After taking a break for one year, I'm back and looking forward to reading some classics in 2021! Thanks for running the challenge once more!
    I've put down some of my first ideas: https://allthingsimind.wordpress.com/2020/12/17/back-to-the-classics-challenge-2021/

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  34. Just added my link! So excited for 2021!! :)

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  35. So glad you are hosting this again! Now I need to get my list together and post it so that I can officially sign up. Oh, and thanks for dropping the Abandoned Classic category - I tend to finish classics that I start and only really give up the ship if something is definitely not working for my with the book, so I found that category very tough.

    I will be scouring your posts to get ideas for the "new to me" category as you often read classics by authors I am not familiar with!

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  36. Hello. Thanks for hosting. I have never done a reading challenge before so I have tried to set up a blog to take part - and of course I posted the wrong link. Please could you update it for me? Thanks. https://readingnotskiing.blogspot.com/2020/12/back-to-classics-2021-reading-challenge.html

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  37. I'm excited to be able to participate in this challenge for the first time ever. Thank you so much for organizing this!

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  38. I have signed up. Because of another hcallenge I am doing I may not get the whole way but lets see

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  39. done! Hopefully did it correctly lol.

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    1. btw lol it does not say who I am: Phoebe @PhoebesRandoms

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  40. Thank you for hosting again! I missed this year, but I'm back on the bandwagon for next. :)

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  41. Thanks for hosting this each year! I was inspired to create a Nonfiction Reading Challenge this year that I based on your Back to the Classics. (I hope you don't mind!)

    https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1139880-annual-nonfiction-reading-challenge

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    1. That's awesome! I love nonfiction, I have sent in a request to join. I have sooo many nonfiction books I want to read!

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  42. Here I go again.
    19th Century: Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson
    20th Century: Died in the Wool by Ngaio Marsh
    By a Woman Author: Owls Do Cry by Janet Frame
    Classic in Translation: Australian Legendary Tales collected & Translated by K. Langloh Parker
    Classic by a Person of Colour: Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
    Classic by an Author New to You: Such is Life by Tom Collins
    New to You Classic by a Favourite Author: Kangaroo by D H Lawrence
    Classic About an Animal: White Fang by Jack London
    Children's Classic: The Cay by Theodore Taylor
    Humorous or Satirical Classic: Main Street by Sinclair Lewis
    Travel of Adventure Classic: Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck
    Classic Play: The Deep Blue Sea by Terrence Rattigan

    I can't wait to get started. Thank you for hosting this again.

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  43. Now comes the hardest part of the challenge: Waiting until January 1 to get started! Good thing I have a couple of reviews from 2020 to finish writing.

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  44. Thank you for hosting again! I look forward to my 4th year reading through this challenge!

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  45. Yay, it's back!!!

    Have you thought about sharing this challenge on The Storygraph? That's where I track most of my challenges now.

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  46. I'm looking forward to this. I had the same idea for #7 as Karthika. I love Daphne DuMaurier and want to read more of her books. Thanks, Nina

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  47. So excited for this challenge!!! I've wanted to catch up reading some classics

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  48. Sorry, my comment was the one above

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  49. I am planning to give it a try! I have a lot of classics on my shelves I've either not gotten around to, or last read as a child. Not sure what I'll read exactly, I have to go through my shelves and pull out some relevant candidates.

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  50. Perhaps I’m really dense, but I’m not sure how this challenge works. How do I participate? I signed up and I am #88, but what do I have to do when I finish a book? And are there suggestions for some of the categories? Thank you and I’m super excited to do this one!

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  51. This challenge is always fun! I actually read all 12 categories in 2020, so let's see if I can do it 2 years in a row. Thanks for hosting!

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  52. Woo hoo! I'm excited for this year!

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  53. Looking forward to this -- combined with a Christmas present from a friend: 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: a Life-Changing List by James Mustich. She has challenged me to see how many each of us can read this coming year, So I have quite a list from which to choose.

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  54. This is perfect i am meaning to read more classic this year so when i saw this challenge on instagram i had to join! i need to see if i can all the classics i had in mine in the categorie. But i want to reead dracula, frankenstein, mr jackel and hyde, alice true the looking glass and narnia. I will try and fit classics in to the challenges now:)

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  55. quick question for the play do we need to see the play ? or can we read a classic book that is made into a play ?

    i think i found books for the rest of the challenge.

    1. A 19th century classic: any book first published from 1800 to 1899 --> Dracula bij bram stoker
    2. A 20th century classic: any book first published from 1900 to 1971. --> The handsmade tale by margeret atwood
    3. A classic by a woman author. --> Frankenstein by Mary shelley
    4. A classic in translation,--> the picture of dorian gray by oscar wilde
    5. A classic by BIPOC author; that is, a non-white author. --> The Conjure-Man Dies: A Mystery Tale of Dark Harlem by Rudolph Fisher
    6. A classic by a new-to-you author, i.e., an author whose work you have never read. --> Emma by Jane Austen
    7. New-to-you classic by a favorite author -- a new book by an author whose works you have already read. --> Alice true the looking glass by Lewis Caroll
    8. A classic about an animal, or with an animal in the title. --> The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, #1)
    9. A children's classic. --> prince caspian Narnia 2 C.S Lewis
    10. A humorous or satirical classic. --> The Princess Bride by William Goldman
    11. A travel or adventure classic (fiction or non-fiction).-->A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle


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    1. I think we have quite the same taste. Dracula is great. Did not like sooo much The Handmade's Tale, but it has its points. Love Frankenstein and The Picture of Dorian Gray. Oscar Wilde is always good. Emma is not my favourite Austen, but it catches up from the middle of the book. Love Narnia. Read A Study in Scarlet and like Doyle very much. Maybe not his best mystery but quite famous I think.

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    2. I believe The Handmaid's Tale was published in 1985, may want to double check that one!

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    3. Yes, Handmaid's Tale is from the 80s, so not eligible. Also The Princess Bride is from 1973, so not quite old enough to make the cutoff. But I can imagine there will be a lot of publishing tie-ins in two years when it is 50 years old!

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    4. And regarding the question about the play, you should read the play, and it should be a work that was originally written as a play. If you want to watch a stage adaptation also, that's up to you but it's a great idea! Lots of plays available online for streaming and on DVD.

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  56. First timer and looking forward to it!

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  57. Super pleased to be in for another year of reading classics! Thank you Karen for doing this. :D

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  58. My first time. I had a goal in 2020 to read 6 classics and read a lot more than that. Hope I can keep it up! 😊

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  59. My first time. I had a goal in 2020 to read 6 classics and read a lot more than that. Hope I can keep it up! 😊

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  60. This will be my first time! Happy to find this challenge, I love the classics! My goal is one a month! Happy New Year!!

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  61. Signing up with a vague list that I'll link everything to at the end of the year. Thanks for continuing!

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  62. I am so excited to discover some more classics!

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  63. Hi I am Isabel *#65, this is my first time in this challenge but I am very excited. I linked my youtube channel because there is where I will upload my review and I will have a playlist named #Backtoclassics2021. If that is against the rules I can link my goodreads because I also plan on writing the review there but my youtube is my preferred method, is that okay?
    I will be talking about this challenge in my upcoming video and I will link your blog if that is okay with you.
    Thank you, and so looking forward that I am already half way into my first book
    -Isabel

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    1. Thanks for signing up! You are welcome to link to this in your video notes but you still have to have some kind of written review posted and link that up, I will be posting the link-up pages soon.

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  64. I've followed this for years, but thought I would play along for the first time this year. I am hoping to read mostly off my own shelves, so we'll see how it plays out for filling in the categories, but the library will hopefully help out when necessary.

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  65. First-time participant. I need to get more classics on my "read" shelf (how have I not read the Bronte sisters?!) and I need some inspiration, and this fantastic reading challenge should definitely help. Thanks for putting this together, Karen K!
    Here's my hope for 2021:
    1. A 19th century classic: Wuthering Heights
    2. A 20th century classic: House of Mirth
    3. A classic by a woman author: Jane Eyre
    4. A classic in translation: Snow Country (Japanese book, reading the translation)
    5. A classic by BIPOC author: Go Tell It On The Mountain
    6. A classic by a new-to-you author: Warlock, by Oakley Hall
    7. New-to-you classic by a favorite author: Tender is the Night
    8. A classic about an animal, or with an animal in the title: Song of the Lark
    9. A children's classic: Wizard of Oz
    10. A humorous or satirical classic: Three Men in a Boat
    11. A travel or adventure classic: Typee (also am considering Captain Blood)
    12. A classic play: Importance of Being Earnest

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    1. The Brontës are great. The two you have chosen are the very best. I always prefer Wuthering Heights. Another good Brontë book is The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë. So much ahead of its time as regards the theme.
      I also have Three Men in a Boat and The Importance of Being Earnest on my list.

      Good luck and enjoy!

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    2. Thanks, Lisbeth! I will add the third sister to my list as well! Good luck with your challenge.

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  66. I said I needed to do a classics challenge this year! Should we use a specific hashtag when posting or will #BacktotheClassicsChallenge or #BacktotheClassicsChallenge2021 do?

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    1. The hashtag is #BacktotheClassics2021. I will update this in the blog post above.

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  67. I'm setting the bar high for myself this year! Here's to a renaissance in reading!

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  68. Excited to stumble across this reading challenge. I do not have a blog so I am using my goodreads account. Excited to join the group.

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  69. I missed the deadline in 2020 so am excited to sign up again in 2021!

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  70. I took a break from this last year, so I'm excited to dig in again.

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  71. I'm really excited for this challenge! Thank you so much for hosting this.

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  72. Signed up and trying again this year. I will be successful one of these years. :-)

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  73. For the last category (a play), would Tales From Shakespeare by Charles Lamb (1807) count? The plays are retold for younger readers

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    1. I looked at them on Gutenberg and I'm going to have to say no, because they're no longer in play format -- they've been turned into stories. But if you can find them in one volume, you could count it in the Children's Classic category.

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    2. Ok, thanks! Good to know. I wasn't too familiar with the format since I do not have the book. I will try to think of a different option. Thanks for replying!

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    3. Some plays are not too long. I have reviewed 25 in the meantime and there are a few that are readable. I'm not a huge fan of plays mayself. Maybe read one where you watched the play before?

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  74. I'm excited for the challenge and know it will help me read a bit more widely . . . whether I complete the challenge or not! Thanks for hosting.

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  75. I'm sorry, I fudged my sign-up! The url should end in .com, not .org.

    I'll be reporting from here: https://glauke.wordpress.com/

    (Finishing my first entry tonight, posting about it in a few days)

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    1. It's no problem, just sign up again with the correct web address. I can delete an earlier sign up if it's incorrect.

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    2. it swears my entry has been submitted, so I'll trust it for now...

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  76. Excited for the challenge!! Gives me a chance to read a lot of classics on my TBR shelf!

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  77. Looking forward to this! I've read my first, Can you forgive her? by Anthony Trollope, which is my 19th century classic.

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  78. Hi Karen! I'm back for the third time. Thanks so much for hosting this again, it's definitely one of my reading highlights!

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  79. I'm excited to be doing this challenge once again. Thanks for hosting it...and for all the fun categories! :D

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  80. I'm a little late signing up, but this is one of my favorite challenges, so didn't want to miss it. Thanks so much for doing the hosting!

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  81. A month late but I only just realised this was a thing! looking forward to reading some more classics :)

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  82. Wrote out my list of books I'm planning on tackling for these already, can't wait to get started!

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  83. Thank you for this nice challenge! I don't have a blog, so I entered with my challenge-specific Goodreads-shelf.

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  84. My first ever Classics Challenge! *Already Completed

    19th century classic: Persuasion by Jane Austen
    20th century classic: Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger
    By a woman author: The Awakening by Kate Chopin
    In translation: The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
    *By BIPOC author: Quicksand by Nella Larsen
    By a new-to-you author: The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
    *New-to-you classic by a favorite author: The Old Man and the Sea and Green Hills of Africa by Ernest Hemingway
    *About an animal or with an animal in the title: Black Beauty by Anne Sewell
    *Children's classic: The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
    Humorous or satirical classic: Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
    *Travel or adventure classic: The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
    *Classic play: The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

    https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/35356479?shelf=books-chocolate-challenge&sort=date_added&order=d

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    1. Ami, wow! I'm so impressed! Can you choose a favorite? Tell me, please, how did you like "Old Man and the Sea"? It's the favorite of a friend of mine, but I feel it's a bit daunting.

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  85. I'm very late to the party, but still in time. I'm going to be focusing on books by and about (but mostly by) Native Americans. I've had quite a time tracking down some of the books, but I'm excited to get started at last.

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  86. I’m in. Thank you for hosting! I’m looking forward to this.

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  87. I have just signed up on a very slow borrowed computer; when my new laptop arrives I will be blogging again but for now i want to use a GoodReads shelf as my link, if that's ok.

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  88. How's everyone doing? I already have some catching up to do. I want to challenge myself to read things I've always thought I should read, but I'm finding it hard to force myself to do so. There are so many books that I want to read. I think that moving forward, I will look for classics in genres that I'm already partial to.

    On a scale from 1-10, how lazy does that sound?

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    1. Not lazy at all, there's nothing wrong with reading things you think you'll like. Life is short and you don't have force yourself to read something you aren't enjoying. Sometimes I'm surprised and really enjoy things I wasn't expecting to like, and sometimes I really think I'll love something and it's just not for me.

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  89. Darn, I just found this so I guess it's too late to sign up for it. Maybe I'll just do it on my own; seems like a fun challenge. I do have a question: Does a graphic novel adaptation count?

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    1. I'm going to have to say graphic novels don't count towards the prize. Nothing against graphic novels, but you're not going to get all the content and nuances from reading an actual classic book. Feel free to read along and join us next year, I'll post the signups for the 2022 challenge around December.

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  90. Hi, I just found your website and wanted to be a part of this classic challenge. If there's a spot fill me in please.

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    1. Sorry, sign-ups for this challenged closed on March 31. But you can sign up for the next challenge in December!

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  91. Will there be a challenge for 2022?

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  92. Karen - Will you be hosting another Back to the Classics Challenge in 2022? If so, do you know when you'll post the new categories? If not, is someone else hosting the challenge instead?

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  93. When does next year's challenge come out?

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  94. Will you be doing another challenge this year?

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