Hello, lovelies! This was originally scheduled for January 24th, but my 2019 In Review blog post is taking longer than I thought, which is why I moved it to today. I’m not going to rewrite the intro, so enjoy what’s written below.
Hey, guys! It’s still December as I write this. I can’t believe I’m scheduling a post over a month in advance. What is happening to me? I am so bad at doing nothing, but at least writing is fun and a “productive” way to spend my winter break.
Anyway, more than half my editorial calendar for January is book related, so I’m sorry if that bores you. There are just a bunch of time-sensitive blog posts that I have to write this month that are about books. If nothing changes, this should be the last book-related blog post for a bit, so you’ll get back a mix of college and travel blog posts in the coming weeks.
One goal I want to start setting each year is to read one classic per month. I started doing this last year and it was a lot of fun to read the source material of so many Disney films and literary references. I grew up reading classics and I still enjoy reading them to this day. Sure, there are duds here and there, but I always find a good one in the pile.
Like last year, I won’t follow this list perfectly, but it helped me to have a TBR list of ideas for classics to read next. I’m sure I’ll read other classics I haven’t even thought of by the end of this year. I explained how I got into classics in this post, so you can read that first if you want.
Related – 12 Classic Books Worth Reading In 2019
January // Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
Generations of readers young and old, male and female, have fallen in love with the March sisters of Louisa May Alcott’s most popular and enduring novel, Little Women. Here are talented tomboy and author-to-be Jo, tragically frail Beth, beautiful Meg, and romantic, spoiled Amy, united in their devotion to each other and their struggles to survive in New England during the Civil War.
Why I Chose This Book
I’ve been wanting to read this book for a long time, and now that the movie is out, I have an excuse to pick it up sooner. I didn’t have time to read it last year, so I’d like to finish it before watching the movie.
February // A Farewell To Arms by Ernest Hemingway
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
A Farewell to Arms is the unforgettable story of an American ambulance driver on the Italian front and his passion for a beautiful English nurse. Set against the looming horrors of the battlefield – the weary, demoralized men marching in the rain during the German attack on Caporetto; the profound struggle between loyalty and desertion—this gripping, semiautobiographical work captures the harsh realities of war and the pain of lovers caught in its inexorable sweep. Ernest Hemingway famously said that he rewrote his ending to A Farewell to Arms thirty-nine times to get the words right.
Why I Chose This Book
I remember when my family went to Key West in 2013, my dad took us to visit Ernest Hemingway’s house because he loved his books as a kid. I have never read an Ernest Hemingway novel, so I asked my dad to name his favorite and added it to my classics TBR for this year. The premise seems super interesting and I’m excited to get my hands on it.
March // Dune by Frank Herbert
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, heir to a noble family tasked with ruling an inhospitable world where the only thing of value is the “spice” melange, a drug capable of extending life and enhancing consciousness. Coveted across the known universe, melange is a prize worth killing for…
When House Atreides is betrayed, the destruction of Paul’s family will set the boy on a journey toward a destiny greater than he could ever have imagined. And as he evolves into the mysterious man known as Muad’Dib, he will bring to fruition humankind’s most ancient and unattainable dream.
A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism and politics, Dune won the first Nebula Award, shared the Hugo Award, and formed the basis of what is undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction.
Why I Chose This Book
This is a classic sci-fi book from the 1960s. I’ve been meaning to read it for years, but it’s kind of intimidating. It’s a very big story and I’m ready to finally read it.
April // Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
The compelling story of two outsiders striving to find their place in an unforgiving world. Drifters in search of work, George and his simple-minded friend Lennie have nothing in the world except each other and a dream–a dream that one day they will have some land of their own. Eventually, they find work on a ranch in California’s Salinas Valley, but their hopes are doomed as Lennie, struggling against extreme cruelty, misunderstanding and feelings of jealousy, becomes a victim of his own strength. Tackling universal themes such as the friendship of a shared vision, and giving voice to America’s lonely and dispossessed, Of Mice and Men has proved one of Steinbeck’s most popular works, achieving success as a novel, a Broadway play, and three acclaimed films.
Why I Chose This Book
My friend Cindy let me borrow it in high school and I never read it. The other 11th-grade literature class read this while we read Fahrenheit 451 (I think).
May //The Little Mermaid & Other Fairytales by Hans Christian Anderson
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
Nearly two hundred years after its publication in 1837, Hans Christian Andersen’s timeless fairytales continue to inspire young imaginations. This beautiful unabridged edition brings together many of the Danish writer’s favorite stories that have become literary classics, including “The Little Mermaid”, “Thumbelina”, “The Snow Queen”, “The Princess and the Pea”, “The Ugly Duckling”, “The Emperor’s New Clothes”, and more.
The thirteen stories in The Little Mermaid and Other Fairy Tales are illustrated with specially commissioned artwork and ten exclusive interactive features including:
A dial with six mermaids
A Duckling transforming into a swan
Mattresses that pull away to reveal a pea
The Snow Queen’s palace
Gorgeously designed, this keepsake illustrated edition—the fourth book in Harper Design’s series of reimagined children’s classics—will be treasured by readers of all ages for generations to come.
Why I Chose This Book
I have a goal of finishing all the unread books on my shelf in 2020, and this is part of that goal. I bought a beautiful collection of Hans Christian Anderson short stories a little over a year ago and have yet to finish it. It has the original stories with the most beautiful illustrations. I’ll link the version I own, but I found it second hand on Book Outlet.
June // The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
This extraordinary historical novel, set in Medieval Paris under the twin towers of its greatest structure and supreme symbol, the cathedral of Notre-Dame, is the haunting drama of Quasimodo, the hunchback; Esmeralda, the gypsy dancer; and Claude Frollo, the priest tortured by the specter of his own damnation. Shaped by a profound sense of tragic irony, it is a work that gives full play to Victor Hugo’s brilliant historical imagination and his remarkable powers of description.
Why I Chose This Book
I picked this book because I really love the movie. I read the abridged version of it as a kid, but I’d like to try the original this year.
July // The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
Why I Chose This Book
H.G. Wells is a very famous classic sci-fi author, though I think this is classified as horror. He wrote other books such as War of the Worlds and The Time Machine, as well. I just decided to start off with this one.
August // I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
Through six turbulent months of 1934, 17-year-old Cassandra Mortmain keeps a journal, filling three notebooks with sharply funny yet poignant entries about her home, a ruined Suffolk castle, and her eccentric and penniless family. By the time the last diary shuts, there have been great changes in the Mortmain household, not the least of which is that Cassandra is deeply, hopelessly, in love.
Why I Chose This Book
I had never heard of this classic before, but a booktuber I follow talked about it and it piqued my interest. It was written by the same author who wrote 101 Dalmations.
September // Emma by Jane Austen
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
Why I Chose This Book
I would like to get through all of Jane Austen’s books eventually. I read Pride & Prejudice in 2019 and decided to read Emma this year. I almost went for Sense & Sensibility, but the premise for this classic seemed more fun even though it’s not considered one of Austen’s best.
October // The Count Of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
In 1815 Edmond Dantès, a young and successful merchant sailor who has just recently been granted the succession of his erstwhile captain Leclère returns to Marseille to marry his Catalan fiancée Mercédès. Thrown in prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantès is confined to the grim fortress of If. There he learns of a great hoard of treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo and he becomes determined not only to escape but also to unearth the treasure and use it to plot the destruction of the three men responsible for his incarceration.
Why I Chose This Book
This book seems hella interesting, but I’m definitely reading the abridged version. I feel like I’d burn out reading a 1,200+ page classic. If I really love it, I’ll consider reading the full version someday, but I’m making do with the abridged version for now.
November // Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
The novel begins in Monte Carlo, where our heroine is swept off her feet by the dashing widower Maxim de Winter and his sudden proposal of marriage. Orphaned and working as a lady’s maid, she can barely believe her luck. It is only when they arrive at his massive country estate that she realizes how large a shadow his late wife will cast over their lives–presenting her with a lingering evil that threatens to destroy their marriage from beyond the grave.
Why I Chose This Book
I’ve been getting into thrillers recently and I’ve heard this classic reads like a domestic thriller. That’s why I picked it.
December // The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
An adventure story for children, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a fun-filled book that shows life along the Mississippi River in the 1840s. Written by Mark Twain, the book shows masterfully-done satire, racism, childhood, and the importance of loyalty and courage- no matter the cost.
Why I Chose This Book
I read this book for a lit class either in middle or high school, and the only thing I remember about it is that I liked Huck Finn better. I would like to reread that classic, as well eventually, but Tom Sawyer is the first one in the lineup. I’m excited about it. It’s basically a new-read because I genuinely can’t remember the plot.
Well, that’s my classics list for 2020. I probably won’t follow it like I didn’t last year, but it’s still a fun list for inspiration. This is the last bookish blog post this month, but I hope you enjoyed!
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Are there any classics on your radar this year? Do you have any recommendations for me?
Hi Trisha!
Great post, I must say! I too have read Little Women and I absolutely loved it. If you enjoyed it as well, I recommend you read North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. It is almost like a mixture of Louisa May Alcott and Jane Austen. It is my favorite and I’m sure you’d enjoy it!
– Taylor
I’ll definitely check it out! Thanks for commenting ?