Janet's Reading Through The Decades Challenge

[Janet]

Thought I'd get the ball rolling!

I'm not 100% sure what other people are planning to do, so I may adapt it, but for now I'm planning to read one book from each decade of the 1900s - not in any particular order - and I may even throw the 1800s in for good measure, if it doesn't prove too tricky! :D

1990s - 1997 - Moab is my Washpot (non-fiction) - 9/10
1990s children's book

1980s
1980s children's book

1970s
1970s children's book

1960s
1960s children's book

1950s
1950s children's book

1940s
1940s children's book

1930s
1930s children's book

1920s - 1929 - All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque - 8/10
1920s children's book

1910s
1910s children's book

1900s - 1908 - A Room With A View by E M Forster - 4/10
1900s children's book


Note - date of finished books in colour - currently reading in black.

[Janet]

Okay, I'm embarking on the 1900s (not that I'm doing them in decade order - it just happens to be the first one towards the top of my 'to read' pile.

1908 - Room With A View - E M Forster

[Janet]

I don't want to seem like a failure at the first hurdle, but I'm not sure I can continue with A Room With A View. :roll: It's so slow and I still have 150 pages to go! Oh dear.

Has anyone read this?

[frankie]

Janet, I can't blame you at all. I read A Room with a View maybe a year ago, I bought it because it was cheap and it was a classic and it sounded interesting and I thought I'd enjoy it. But it was so booooring, I really had to struggle to finish it. If I were you I'd bin it and choose something else, there must be loads of better reads written in the 1900s! :)

[Janet]

Thanks Frankie. :)

I used to always struggle on to the end, but I've decided life's too short, so I think that I'm going to do as you suggest and look for something else!

[Kell]

I think A Room With a View is one of those "love it or hate it" books. I adored it, but I listened to a very good audio book version which really made it come alive for me. :)

[Janet]

I think A Room With a View is one of those "love it or hate it" books. I adored it, but I listened to a very good audio book version which really made it come alive for me. :)
I'm sure that would help. Visually I can see it perfectly, but I'm finding the dialogue a bit flat.

I've read on a bit and I think part 2 is a definite improvement on part 1, so I think I will persevere after all. :)

[Janet]

I finally finished it! :smile2:

I have to say that although part 2 was decidedly more interesting than part 1, I still didn't feel any empathy with the characters at all, and the whole thing was a huge disappointment to me, I'm afraid! Still, that's one decade down!

I've decided that when I get to the end of this challenge (whenever that might be) I might go back and read a children's novel from each decade for comparison! :)

[Janet]

1929 - All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

In the trenches, one by one the boys begin to fall...

In 1914 a room full of German schoolboys, fresh-faced and idealistic, are goaded by their chauvinistic schoolmaster to troop off to the 'glorious war'. With the fire and patriotism of youth they sign up. Their disenchantment begins during the brutal basic training and then, as they board the train to the front, they see the terrible injuries suffered on the front line - their first glimpse of the reality of war.

Having read many books about WW1 for A Level English, I thought it would be good to see one written from the other side. :)

[Severnlad]

1929 - All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

A great book that I read many years ago but I think it is about time I read it once more.

[Janet]

I'm not reading it very quickly (due to other stuff going on, nothing to do with the book) but I'm really enjoying it so far. :)

[kb.marsh]

1929 - All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

I love this book!!

[Janet]

Finished All Quiet... yesterday. What a great book. :)

Two decades down, eight to go!

[Jo-Bridge]

Hi Janet

Great idea for a challange. Have you any idea what you will read for the 1930s? They Shoot Horses Dont they by Horace McCoy is a great depression era book- lots of atmosphere! Theres great noirish detective fiction too such as James Cain!

[Janet]

Thanks for your suggestion. :) Sorry for the late reply - I think I must have accidentally marked the forum as read as I've only just seen this.

I have Orwell's Coming Up For Air and Down and Out in Paris and London on my 'to read' pile already, both of which are from the 30s, so I'll probably go with one of those, but I've added your suggestion to my Amazon Wishlist as I like the sound of it too.

Thanks again. :D

[Jo-Bridge]

I will be interested to hear what you think of them-I've never read any orwell.

[Janet]

I've read Animal Farm, 1984 and The Road to Wigan Pier, Jo-Bridge and I enjoyed them all. I will post a review when I get round to the others on my 'to read' pile. :)

I've decided to amend this challenge slightly so that I read one book per decade of a children's novel as well as an adult one. :D

[nursenblack]

I've decided to amend this challenge slightly so that I read one book per decade of a children's novel as well as an adult one. :D

That sounds like such a good idea!! Maybe I'll undertake a challenge like that someday... It would be such a education to know some of the great (not as recognizable by the mainstream) children books.

[Janet]

1997 - Moab is my Washpot by Stephen Fry (non-fiction) - 9/10

[Chimera]

Nice challenge! I'm curious, have you chosen any children books yet?

[Janet]

Not yet - I'm going to try to do the adult one first.

But any suggestions are welcome. :)

[Chimera]

I've been trying to come up with some ideas for you but it's not as easy as I first thought :blush: Mainly, I'm not sure what you're looking for: any children's books written in that period? Lesser known books? Books which really show the period? For instance you have the Famous five series which spreads through the 40's, 50,s and 60's but they seem so obvious, and still widely read, that they might not be very interesting for a challenge...

How do you choose the books you read for the adult part of your challenge?