2025 Reading Goals & Plans | 50 Books to Read & The 18th-Century Novel Project

[@denisadellinger]

Oh Girrl!... I love your list. i have read some of the books on the list and I want to read all your list. But it's a three year project for me. You will love the Female Quixote, You will laugh your head off when you read it. The protagonist is a young girl who only has read the French romances. She takes them to heart and actually believes the world functions as in these stories. Lots of stories and characters that I really would like to read the originals. Because they are referred to many times. You will love The Return of the Native. I read the Warden. You really should read these stories in order. Church politics are all throughout. And the story of the "old folks home" and the scandal that was printed up in the London Newspaper detailing all the ins and outs of the poor warden who never did anything wrong during his tenure, reminds me of today's scandals being talked about to death. Very modern themes. I have read some eighteenth-century novels but mostly regency. I even ordered a book that talks about women's novels of the regency period, I wanted to gather authors who I want to read. I think reading a book from each decade is a smart way to tackle your project. I am so happy you are graduating this May. I'd love to read your dissertation. Its your baby. A mighty big baby at that. Whenever I do a big project like that, I think that everything just fell out of me and my whole self is in it. I used to do all these teaching projects for school. I did several big units for elementary school. I stayed up all night making learning centers for prek. I've written upteen research papers. So I know your frustrations and the hours you will never get back. So bathe in self-congratulations. You deserve it.

[@josmith5992]

That’s a great list you have there Elizabeth. I read quite a few eighteenth century novels at college, Robinson, Gulliver, Tom Jones and Tristan - yes very male! I’d be interested in checking out some of your eighteenth century novels but this year I’m trying to read off my own shelves and I don’t own any of them 😬. Really liked The Essex Serpent and can’t praise Wolf Hall enough! I might reread Our Mutual Friend this year as I remember loving it but apparently only gave it four stars 🤔

[@Maeve_Ever_Books]

Congrats on 1,000 subscribers!! Loved hearing about your 2025 plans!!

[@lkitten]

Good luck on your 18 century journey! I'm doing a read through the decades and am going to pick up The Italian as well.

[@marielevinska7329]

I do love Gulliver’s Travels, hope you’ll enjoy that one! I will also add praise for Romantic Outlaws which I finally read this year and loved. I hope to read more from Wollstonecraft this year as well I read her Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden last year and absolutely loved it.

[@Victoria_C_33]

Romantic Outlaws is excellent! One of my favorite books of 2024. I would highly recommend it.

[@Bryndisdaugtherofgunnar]

Excellent list! I really loved To the Lighthouse when I read it in September, it was my first Virginia Woolf. I also hope you enjoy Wolf Hall. I read the trilogy a few years ago but I'm thinking it is due a reread. I'm also in my last year of a PhD, but completely burnt out so my reading goals for 2025 will be a lack of reading goals. Crawling to the finish line 😼

[@michaelupsher4011]

Great list! I think that the only ones that I have read are Robinson Crusoe, The Italian, Sylvia's Lovers, To the Lighthouse, and the Wolf Hall trilogy. Like you, I have read Barchester Towers, but nothing else from that series! This year, I'll definitely be reading Our Mutual Friend at last.

[@clarepotter7584]

Oh, an interesting list. I've read Burney's 'Evelina' and either 'Camilla' or 'Cecilia' I have a feeling there was a lottery in the plot of the one I read! Otherwise I've read 'Gulliver's Travels' which wasn't really for me, I was a teenager and the satire perhaps didn't work for me.