Completed – see end of post.
Following on from my decision to take part in more reading challenges in an attempt to reduce my tbr list I’ll also be taking part in the Victorian Literature Challenge in 2011. This is hosted by Bethany at words, words, words.
Bethany writes: Queen Victoria reigned from 1837-1901. If your book wasn’t published during those particular years, but is by an author considered ‘Victorian’ then go for it. We’re here for reading, not historical facts! Also, this can include works by authors from other countries, so long as they are from this period.
Choose from one of four levels:
Sense and Sensibility: 1-4 books.
Great Expectations: 5-9 books.
Hard Times: 10-14 books.
Desperate Remedies: 15+ books.
Again, I’m choosing my books from my tbr list. All these were written in the Victorian period. I’m aiming for the Sense and Sensibility level and if I complete that I’ll go for the next level and so on.
- An Autobiography by Anthony Trollope
- Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope
- Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
- The Coral Island by R M Ballantyne
- David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
- East Lynne by Mrs Henry Wood
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
- Lorna Doone by R D Blackmore
- Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell
- The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
- News from Nowhere by William Morris
- The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens
- Scenes of Clerical Life by George Eliot
- Sylvia’s Lovers by Elizabeth Gaskell
- The Tower of London by W H Ainsworth
That’s a lot of books, but I’ll be happy if I read just four of them during the year.
Update:
- one book read (not from the list above) – The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
BooksPlease 
Good luck with the challenge, sounds a great one. They knew how to write novels in the nineteenth century.
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Phew! Sounds a very good reading challenge – look forward to the reviews.
Thanks so much
Denise ABC Team
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I probably should have some of these on my own TBR but I don’t so I shall have to content myself with your reviews while I concentrate on getting my own TBR collections under control.
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Margaret – What an interesting challenge! And you’ve got a nice selection of books to meet it, too. I”ll look forward to reading what you think of them :-).
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A noble endeavor. Or should I say, endeavour!
ROG, ABC Wednesday team
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Yay for joining it! That’s some list you have there. Black Beauty is a good one! Hope you enjoy, whatever you choose! :)
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+JMJ+
Good luck with the challenge! =) I’ve joined, too, and have been making the rounds to read other participants’ lists. Yours is the first one I don’t have a single title in common with! =P
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I do love book challenges. Did you ever do the Global Reading Challenge? I di it last year and discovered some new writers. I’ll need to look into this one€”always liked Trollope
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I didn’t take part in the Global Reading Challenge this year – but I’ve joined it for next year.
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Of these I have only read two, and heartily recommend The Mill on the Floss! I shall join in, as I intend to read Great Expectations over Christmas.
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I’m trying to steer clear of challenges next year, but I’m weakening and this one is terribly tempting. I’ll second Simon’s recommendation of The Mill on the Floss, and maybe join you in Scenes from a Clerical Life.
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The reason I don’t join challenges is that I’d take that list and promise myself to read all of them and then stress out if I didn’t. I’m a mood reader; would love to read some of these if I’m in that mood, if not, then I’ll read something I am in the mood for. I remember loving Black Beauty as a child and in fact I recently gave it away for the Boys and Girls Clubs.
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‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ is amazing, and ‘Lorna Doone’ is good too. And I’ve heard very good things about ‘Mary Barton.’ Looks like you have an enjoyable year of reading ahead!
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