read The Old Curiosity Shop many years ago, and enjoyed it. It wasn't one of the ones we dissected at school - I do agree with some people that doing them at school did work some of them to death. I still approach Nicholas Nickelby with something of a shudder, which is a shame!

Bugbear is a great word!

Glad you're enjoying the book, gives me hope for Frankenstein.

I'll join in with this, but haven't decided what to start with yet.

Are we going to include modern "classics"? Hemingway, Graham Greene etc? Or keep to 19th century works?

I definitely think we should include modern classics...

I've got The Woman in White on my TBR ... suspect I'm going to need a nudge (or a big kick up the backside) to get started on it.

Ooh, The Woman in White is a fantastic book! Its a really great mystery story, so you shouldn't need too many nudges or kicks to get into it... I loved it!

count:

I definitely think we should include modern classics...

Good - in that case can I be allowed my current read?  Snow Falling on Cedars (you did say you studied it for A' Level Alice - Does that make it a modern classic?)

heidijane:

Ooh, The Woman in White is a fantastic book! Its a really great mystery story, so you shouldn't need too many nudges or kicks to get into it... I loved it!

I know, I know, it's just so big and the writing is tiny, but I'm determined to read it this winter.

Denise4891:

it's just so big and the writing is tiny

Gulp. I mean, good luck....

I started Tom Jones by Henry Fielding today! I've always wanted to read it and I'm enjoying it already...I've only read the first few chapters but it's very amusing.

Think I might join in on this its a long time since I read a classic and I haven't read that many of them. Have to think what to start with, In fact I think I only have one on my tbr pile so it will have to be that, think its Emma.

windysisters:

count:

I definitely think we should include modern classics...

Good - in that case can I be allowed my current read?  Snow Falling on Cedars (you did say you studied it for A' Level Alice - Does that make it a modern classic?)

As has already been said, the definition of a classic is a very tricky thing: I could (and did) write an essay on it... (don't worry, I will spare you!)

I really like Dingsy's definition in the other thread, but according to that, I'm not sure it is - however, I for one am going to interpret the term very loosely!

I too am all in favour of a loose definition. I primarily thought this was a good idea, as we're never short of ideas/suggestions for modern novels, but I'm keen to look beyond recent releases, and pick up on things that I may have missed in the past-and there are plenty of them!

I think this is a really good idea. It is so easy to just read current books, but there are so many classics- modern and otherwise out there. I think that most people do get put off having studied some at school, but there are some fantastic reads too.

I have kind of already decided to read one book per month from the 1001 books to read before you die list. So far I have read 27, so at the rate of 12 per year it will take me another 81 years (!) and I don't think I'll be around that long, but I am sure that there are quite a few that I won't bother with along the way.