Saturday, May 4, 2019

Flying Through the Classics



I finished the last six books from my Classics Club list this week. I feel delighted. There are no books as wonderful as books that are considered classics. I encourage all readers to create a Classics Club list of fifty classics to try to read in five years. It has been a wonderful adventure.

It will be so much fun to plan and start my second list.

Here is my completed first Classics Club list.

Click the links below for my complete reviews.










I'm off in search of the America I know and love. I know it is out there somewhere. 

I'm currently reading three nonfiction books about alienation and vitality and renewal:


Alienated America: Why Some Places Thrive While Others Collapse by Timothy P. Carney
Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt by Arthur C. Brooks
Our Towns: A 100,000 Journey Into the Heart of America by James M. and Deborah Fallows







Louise at A Strong Belief in Wicker posted her thoughts about a list from The Times in the UK, 100 21st Century Novels to Love. Of course I had to see how many I'd read (30) and make a nice copy of the list to update now and then for myself.

I wrote this week about my favorite book quotes: Beautiful Quotes I Want to Know By Heart

Wendy at Falconer's Library challenged us to post the names of three recently published books you wish you could send back in time to your 15-year-old self in her post, What Books Do You Need?

The Bout of Books Read-a-thon is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01 am Monday, May 13th and runs through Sunday, May 19th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, Twitter chats, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. I plan to join in. For all Bout of Books 25 information and updates, visit the Bout of Books blog.










Last Friday-Saturday-Sunday, I put in a total of 22.5 hours of volunteer time for our Texas Master Naturalist group, including 13 hours of face painting


Where am I today? I was supposed to be in the wilds of Midlothian, Texas, hunting for fossils with a group from the Houston Gem and Mineral Society. But the outing got cancelled because of bad weather. Darn!








How did your week go?

Did you finish any good books?

Have you run across anything book-ish that you would like to share with us?

Link up here and/or at the Sunday Salon page on Facebook each weekend (Saturday-Sunday-Monday) and let us know what you have been up to. Visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there.

Other places where you may like to link up are below. Click on the picture to visit the site.


My linkup for Sunday Salon is below. If you wish to also post a link at Facebook, you can also do that. 

48 comments:

  1. I used to read a lot of books since I started to read, but now with blogging I have less time but I don't miss it because I have devored such a lot of books of all kind.

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  2. Congratulations on finishing your classics list!

    Alientated America sounds like the kind of book I love.

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    1. Alienated America relies on data to explain many of the current trends here in the States. I've been concerned for many years about the feelings of isolation Americans have been reporting. Reading Bowling Alone by Robert D. Putnam first set me on this path.

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  3. I'm so impressed that you read all those classics in such a short time! For me, those books are very slow reads. Have a great weekend!

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    1. They were mostly children's classics, so I was able to read them very quickly.

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  4. I couldn't resist checking out your classics list. Congrats on its completion! I have read thirteen of these, but there's lots that I hadn't even heard of!

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    1. I read a lot of children's classics that may not be well known. I also like to read books that are not well known.

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  5. Nice job reading all those classics!! I'm impressed. Sorry your outing was cancelled due to the weather. I have a friend who lives in the Hill Country and it sounds like they had a huge storm come through last night!

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    1. Yes, the fossil hunting expedition will be rescheduled for July. I hope we can go then.

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  6. Sign Off looks adorable. I am running ever behind on my 2019 TBR pile.

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  7. Congratulations on reaching your classics reading goal! I love all those painted faces. :-) What fun! I am sorry though your fun in Midlothian, Texas was cancelled due to the weather. Hopefully it can be rescheduled. The little one is at a sleepover tonight with her Girl Scouts troop and I am up later than I have been in a long while! My husband and I are enjoying our time alone. I hope you have a great week, Deb!

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  8. You love an America than is alienating? ;-) Just kidding. I know what you're saying. One of my favoirite books about traveling across America is Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck. Somehow I missed Wendy's post from last week so I'll have to bookmark it to go back later. That is a great question and I just saw your answer (looking at Wendy's blog now), which also is a great answer. (Obviously) I can't speak for your entire life (er...only you can :) ) but from what I've seen on your blog, it loooks like since 18, you do enjoy life more and inspire others to enjoy more. Thank you for that and revitalizing The Sunday Salon.

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    1. These three books are meant to be read together. I am enjoying them so much!

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  9. Glad to hear about the volunteering. I wish I could do some volunteering with my writing somehow. Like take a young writer under my wing or introduce young readers to books.

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    1. I bet there are lots of places that would love to have a writer volunteer.

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  10. You did very well with reading classics. I really need to get into reading them. I hope you have a great week!

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    1. The Classics Club is a great way to get into reading them.

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  11. I received the same children's books, and I adore No One Hugs A Cactus! Have a great week.

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  12. Congratulations on finishing your Classics Club list! That's quite an accomplishment. I had a feeling you'd be able to finish up those six books last week ;-) Alienated America sounds like a book I'd enjoy.

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    1. I definitely think you'd like Alienated America. I'm all pumped after reading some of these three to do a big America-is-Greater-than-You-Think post.

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  13. I love seeing all the painted faces! Congrats on completing your Classics challenge too!

    Have a great week!

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    1. The painting was crazy fun! Donna, the person who organized the face painting this year, reminded me that even if we weren't the best face painters, hey, the price was right...free!

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  14. You are a face painting queen, in addition to so many other great things! I am super impressed with everyone who does the Classics Club. I love the idea of reading classics, and when I was younger, I read a bunch of them, but now it feels too much like homework, and I can't get motivated.

    But five years...surely I could read fifty in five years...

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    1. Ohhhh, they allow re-reads! I'm in! Off to work on my list. I turn 50 this summer and had some thought of re-reading an old favorite each month, so that would be a good launch.

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    2. You absolutely could read fifty in five years. And if you don't---hey, you extend your deadline. And if you don't like a classic you have on your list, cross it off and replace it with another classic. You define what a classic is.

      It's a very open-ended way to read the best books.

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  15. Ooh, and I just checked out the list of 21st century novels, and I've only read nine. And most importantly, thanks for boosting my blog!

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  16. Congratulations on finishing those Classic titles. Your non fiction selections look interesting.

    Have a great reading week.

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    1. I'm learning so much about America from my nonfiction reads.

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  17. You did awesome to finish the classics. And I see some cute children's books there too. I always enjoy them:)

    My Sunday Post

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  18. I like the idea of the Classics Club. There are so many I'd like to read 'one day' but I've nothing giving me the push to pick them up and actually read them! 5 years to complete the list... That seems achievable!

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    1. I love making lists, and the Classics Club is a fun (and achievable) goal. You might like to go ahead and start making a list for the future.

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  19. Congrats on finishing your list!
    And your face paintings are awesome.

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  20. Love the lists and that 21st century one especially. I've read quite a few & sadly, have some that I still have not read! As for the classics, I re-read some every year or so like Jane Eyre, but really haven't dug much deeper. It's a good reminder.

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  21. I am not a big fan of "classics" but Children's Classics may work for me. I once had a plan to read all the Newberys but didn't quite make it through them all. I should see where I left off and try again. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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  22. Congratulations finishing your (first) Classics Club list!So many titles I haven't read. And, like, 4+ years ahead of schedule. I should join, I really should. I'm just crap at keeping to lists...

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    1. I encourage you to give it a try, if you want. It's up to you to put the books on your list that you want to read. You can edit your list at any time, too.

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  23. Exciting that you are off on more new books! Have a great week!

    Anne - Books of My Heart

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  24. My library request for Nobody Hugs a Cactus just came in. Looking forward to picking it up tomorrow.

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  25. I enjoyed reading your review of Nelly Takes New York -- I'm adding it to my list. My daughter has been asking about taking a trip there, so this might be useful in our home. Thanks for all the shares, Deb!

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    1. Look for that one before you and your daughter visit New York. It's perfect for starting conversations about the city.

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  26. Gosh, you did a lot this week! The Age of Innocence is one of my favorites.

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