The Classics Club Spin

Well The Classics Club Spin number has been announced and it’s 10 – so that means that I will be reading The Talsiman by Sir Walter Scott before January 1st.

I had been hoping for A Tramp Abroad by Mark Twain which was number 9 but I plan to read that one soon anyway. The only thing that worries me is that I have a vague memory of trying to read The Talisman when I was about 12 or 13 and giving up on it, and I was very loathe to give up on books even way back then.

On the other hand Christy @ A Good Stopping Point commented that she found The Talisman to be a fun read, so I live in hope!

17 thoughts on “The Classics Club Spin

  1. Katrina,
    I’ll be so interested to hear what you think about The Talisman, though I’m eager someday to learn what you think about Ivanhoe, because a number of women I know were partial to it. I should just give it a go sometime, but something inside me wants to hear a woman over 40 tell me that they liked it.

    I also need to tell you that I lost your comment on the Jacqueline Kennedy interviews, though I did manage to write a lengthy response. I apologize most sincerely for losing the comment. Confession: I think it was the glass of wine I had before dinner, maybe. oops.

    • Judith,
      No worries I expected you to delete it anyway as most of it wasn’t related to your post, I’ve replied anyway. I hope that was a good glass of wine! We should do an Ivanhoe readalong sometime then.

      • Katrina,
        You know, that sounds like a fabulous plan!! An Ivanhoe Readalong. Might be an adventurous sort of fun for all. What do you think?

        Judith

        • Hi, Katrina,
          Do you have any interest in doing an Ivanhoe Readalong sometime this winter? I’m really, really game for it because I’ve always thought I’d probably like it and I should give it a go.

          Anytime is fine with me, though I know you’re busy reading The Talisman in December. Is that right?

          Judith

          • Judith,
            That’s a plan then, sometime early in the New Year we’ll do an Ivanhoe readalong. I have to read The Talisman as you say and at the moment I’m reading Trollope’s He Knew He Was Right, another chunkster.

          • Katrina, (tongue in cheek)
            I know you’re going to love Ivanhoe! It’s a romance! How many exclamation points can I include in this email to thrill you to the max! I’m so looking forward! Must order a really fun copy, maybe with N.C. Wyeth illustrations! Cool!

            Judith!

          • Judith,
            Arrgh – romance, it could be even worse than I feared!! I could be giving myself lots of ‘Brownie points’ when I get through Ivanhoe!

          • Dearest Katrina,
            You know when I start in this manner that I’ve got rather startling news about Ivanhoe. Yes, a copy has been delivered to my house. It is a tiny mass-market paperback with 500 pages. Tiny font, very little spacing between the lines, but I’m determined to read it. With you, of course. We will pull (yank?) each other along, with whomever else we can persuade to join us. It will be fun!!

            Do you prefer a January or a February read? Do you have a copy? I would imagine in Scotland that you might have excellent hard-bound copies available from the library.

            I think I might want to spread the reading of it over the course of a month.

            The back cover of my Signet Classic, which is a division of Penguins, etc., says that Sir Walter Scott was “the father of the historical novel” and that he “invented a literary form that has remained popular” ever since.

            Just sayin’,
            Judith

          • Judith,
            How about starting near the beginning of January and attempting a chunk each week and commenting about each bit? It might end up being a sort of support group. My copy is ancient, very small font too and I think it might even have been packed away already! I’ll read it on my Kindle anyway but will need to leaf through an actual book too. I doubt if my library has any of Scott’s books on their shelves!

          • Hi, Katrina,
            Yes a chunk or smidgin or bunch per week starting in early January sounds perfect to me.

            What shall we call it? The Ivanhoe Challenge is fine but sounds a bit ordinary. I wish I had a word for “challenge” that would pertain to Ivanhoe’s quest. The Ivanhoe Quest? I don’t think the name’s important for us, but I was trying to think of a mission title that might intrigue or lure a reader into this insane endeavor.

            What are your thoughts so far of The Talisman? I suppose I’m a bit curious.

            I’m on my Thanksgiving holiday as of late today. How lovely to have time and sit and read.

            My best to you,
            Judith

          • Judith,
            You’re rushing ahead of me, I haven’t even started The Talisman yet! I’ve just finished reading Trollope’s He Knew He Was Right, a huge chunkster. I wasn’t going to do anything as organised as calling it anything but I think you’re right. I’ll try to do a button too, maybe making it a photo of the Scott monument in Edinburgh. I suspect it might just be me, you, Peggy Ann and maybe Joan Kyler participating – how many more mad things can there be in this bookish world of ours?!
            Have a great Thanksgiving tomorrow.

    • Christy,
      Thanks for that very enjoyable link, I’m sure I’ll get to the end of The Talisman now and am hopeful that I’ll enjoy it too. Now I just have to decide whether to read it on my Kindle or struggle with the wee print in my ancient copy of the book.

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