For May the hosts of The Classics Club have asked members to “Tell us about the classic book(s) you’re reading this month. You can post about what you’re looking forward to reading in May, or post thoughts-in-progress on your current read(s).”
And as usual I have to pick a point of contention, mostly just because I’m a pain in the ass, but think about the wording of the question. It really only works if you answer the meme early in the month or if you predominately read classics. By time this posts I will have finished, and hopefully posted about one classic +and have finished reading two (Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Gertrude Stein’s The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, which isn’t even part of my Classics Club list) and will hopefully be part of the way through a third, The Canterbury Tales among other books I’ve read this month.
As I’m writing this I’m thoroughly enjoying Stein’s work even if I am a bit oblivious to the amazing style the cover mentions since I haven’t read her works before. She wrote the book as if she were her long time companion Alice B. Toklas, but the narrative seems to cover her (Stein’s) life told through Toklas’ eyes. It’s kind of trippy if you think to long about it and when you add in that it’s a veritable whose who of people in Paris during the early 1900s and it’s like WHOA.
When I’m done with Stein I plan on moving right into Chaucer’s work which I’m excited about. In high school we read a couple of them and had to memorize the prologue in Middle English, but I don’t really remember any of the stories and can only do the first 10 lines or so of the prologue. What I remember most was my scheme to have people accidentally read me by writing and then publishing under my first and middle name which would be filed right next to Chaucer…oh the schemes of a bored high school student.
Don’t be a grump. Haha! It’s not easy coming up with a billion different, universal questions about classic books or the club. So there.
😀
Haahaa I know, and I definitely don’t envy you all. That’s why I pointed out it’s mostly just me being a pain in the ass.
Hee! I know.
Oh I read the Tales years ago. I can’t remember it at all. I need to pick up a copy. the other day I was in a bookstore and I thought about it for a second. then i remembered high school and put it back. Might need more time to enjoy it. Why did high school have to ruin some books.
It really did – although I’m finding going back that the books are really good. At the time I had to read them I was either too young or just not interested.
I’m dipping into the Tales also – not making that much progress so far. Am just at the prologue where the characters are being introduced. We did two of the tales at school – the Pardoner’s Tale I can remember but there was one other about a cockerel called Chantecleer I think. So clearly didnt make that much of an impression on me
That’s about what I remember. I only remember having to memorize the Prologue in Middle English (of which I remember probably 15 lines) and then I vaguely remember discussing 1-2 of the tales and that’s it. I’m really looking forward to actually reading a couple of them.