On the same vein of itching to join The Classics Club, I have been an appreciator from afar of “Back to the Classics” reading challenge, which this year, has a new hostess: Books and Chocolate! Whilst I know most are going to have cross-relating books per each challenge they commit to completing, I wanted to take a different track and pick out books that would be insular to each individual challenge! Therefore, the books you will see as my selections here will not be cross-referenced nor cross-applied to my tCC list!

Rules Specific to this Challenge: {taken from the official blurb!}

• All books must be read in 2014.  Books started prior to January 1, 2014 are not eligible.  Reviews must be linked by December 31, 2014.
• E-books and audiobooks are eligible! Books can count for other challenges you may be working on. However, books may NOT crossover categories within this challenge.You may NOT count the same book twice for different categories in this challenge.
• If you do not have a blog, you may link your review from Goodreads or other publicly accessible online format.
• Please sign up for the challenge using the linky below BEFORE MARCH 1, 2014.  Please link to your sign-up announcement post (if possible/applicable).
• You do not have to list your books prior to starting the challenge, but it is more fun that way. :) You can always change your list at any time. You can read the books in any order (including mixing in the optional categories at any time).
• You can decide to attempt the optional categories at any point (you can also bow out of the optional categories at any point as well).
• Please identify the categories you’ve read in your wrap-up post so that I can easily add up your entries for the prize drawing! Adding links within the post would also be greatly appreciated.
• Main Stipulation: *ALL* stories read are only considered a ‘classic’ if published prior to 1964!

Required:

1. A 20th Century Classic
2. A 19th Century Classic
3. A Classic by a Woman Author
4. A Classic in TranslationIf English is not your primary language, then books originally published in English are acceptable.  You could also read the book in its original language if you are willing and able to do so.
5. A Classic About War2014 will be the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I.  Any book relating to a war is fine — WWI, WWII, the French Revolution, the War of the Worlds — your choice.
6. A Classic by an Author Who Is New To You This can be any author whose works you have not read before.  It doesn’t necessarily have to be an author you’ve never heard of.

Optional Categories:

1. An American Classic
2. A Classic Mystery, Suspense or Thriller 
3. A Historical Fiction Classic. This is any classic set at least 50 years before the time when it was written. For example, Margaret Mitchell published Gone with the Wind 70 years after the end of the Civil War; therefore, it is considered a historical novel. A Tale of Two Cities and The Scarlet Letter are also historical novels. However, older classicsset during the period in which they were writtenare not considered historical; for example, the novels of Jane Austen.
4. A Classic That’s Been Adapted Into a Movie or TV Series.  Any period, any genre!  This is practically a free choice category.  However, it’s a separate category than the required categories.
5. Extra Fun Category:  Write a Review of the Movie or TV Series adapted from Optional Category #4.  This should be some kind of posting reviewing the book read for the previous optional category above.  It can be any adaptation — does not have to be adapted before 1964.  For example, if you chose Pride and Prejudice as your the optional classic above,you could review any adaptation — 1940, 1980, 1995, 2005, etc. These two optional categories go together, but this must be a separate blog posting — no fair just mentioning it in the book review!

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.

Related Articles:

1000 Books Everyone Must Read – (theguardian.com)

100 Best Novels – (modernlibrary.com)