Reading Classics in 2025: A Challenge to Push My Limits 📚

[@Panagiotireads]

Thanks for sharing! Definitely adding all of these to my list. I just finished reading this phenomenal collection of fairy tales entitled ‘Sillies, Fancies and Trifles’ - it was just brilliant and perfect for the season. I think you would really love it. Keep up the great vids :)

[@bradykelso8682]

New Grub Street is amazing. Great list. All the best in your reading for 2025!

[@bridgetvollmer6337]

You have chosen to great classics! I also want to read more classics this year. I'm doing a year long read a long of War and Peace. Supposed to be reading a chapter a day, but I'm enjoying it so much, that I'm a little ahead. Good luck!

[@jacksontalley]

@@bridgetvollmer6337 oh wow! Does War and peace shake out that way - 365 chapters? I’d love to read War and Peace but it’s a scary one!

[@bridgetvollmer6337]

@@jacksontalley That's my understanding, there are 15 volumes in the book with multiple chapters. The chapters are pretty short, so it's a very doable read.

[@MyMessyBookshelf]

Very intriguing list! The House of Mirth was the first Edith Wharton I read and I loved it. It did not end up how I predicted at all! Also really enjoyed Brave New World and 1984.

[@jacksontalley]

@@MyMessyBookshelf I loved the Age of Innocence so I think The House of Mirth will be great! Brave New World is next though! 😎

[@MyMessyBookshelf]

@ Ha! That’s funny because The Age of Innocence is on my list for 2025. Hope you enjoy!

[@CandySoulAndSoil]

Exciting reading to look forward too. Love your choices

[@jacksontalley]

@@CandySoulAndSoil I’m ready to challenge myself this year!

[@CandySoulAndSoil]

@ well I’ve found your channel now so looking forward to watching and hearing about your journey. Happy reading lovely ☺️

[@kjova251]

I've been trying to read more classics as well. Plus I completely agree about Anne Bronte, love her but she seems to be forgotten

[@bradykelso8682]

To the Lighthouse is stunning!

[@jacksontalley]

@@bradykelso8682 I really want try it again! I wasn’t ready for it the first time (I it was back in 2009). I think I’m way more prepared.

[@BlueJay-s6w]

"The Old Man and the Sea" involves much Christological and sacramental imagery. With my students, I delved into the theological subtext a lot, and it's amazing what Hemingway does with that (benefit of teaching at a Christian school, you can discuss the theological depths of literature freely). Like many modernist writers (including Fitzgerald and Cather), Hemingway wrestled with the Catholic sacramental worldview quite extensively (note also the communion and baptism imagery in "The Sun Also Rises," the protagonist's patriarchal name Jacob, the allusions to the "Song of Roland," the Biblical title of the book, etc., etc.). There is a lot of excellent secondary literature out there on Hemingway's spiritual quest and what form it takes in his novels, e.g. Matthew Nickel's book-length "Hemingway's Dark Night." Ultimately, Hemingway is an agnostic existentialist, but he explores Christianity in a gripping, thoughtful and non-didactic manner that I find extremely enriching, once you delve into that aspect of his work. I enjoy following your channel and it's great to see someone appreciate the classics. Don't read too much (let me be a bit avuncular here): for us literary types, reading too much can be a temptation (maybe not for you).

[@jacksontalley]

@@BlueJay-s6w there’s so much to unpack! I will say though, I didn’t like it as much as the other Hemingway works I’ve read, especially For Whom the Bells Tolls but I liked it nonetheless.

[@karenwetherald6086]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh I love reading Classics. There is a booktuber, who is doing a new event in March called "March on the Moors" and she is having a read along of Agnes Grey. Melinda @ A Web Of Stories. My main goal for this year is to read most of Virginia Woolfs books, and the huge biography of her life

[@jacksontalley]

@@karenwetherald6086 I’m determined to read Virginia Woolf this year! But likely only one to start. I’ll check out March on the moors too! Sounds fun 😎

[@jillwhitneybirk]

I read The Odd Women by George Gissing last year and I really liked it! So if New Grub Street doesn’t work out, you could try that one. I just started Anna Karenina and so far it’s great! Reads easily. Thanks for sharing your list! Lots of good ones.

[@jacksontalley]

@@jillwhitneybirk I think George Gissing will be a hit for me so I’ll add The Odd Women to the most and what a title 🤣

[@cassandrenadler]

Good luck with your challenge! 🍀😊 For Brave new world, I really recommend reading after “Brave new world revisited”. Huxley wrote this essay 20 years later and I really find that it deepens the lecture (and it’s about 150 pages). I loved Anna K. but it is not like Madame Bovary. Emma and Anna come from two very different social classes and the class aspect is not really discussed with Tolstoy (but both books talk about adultery). Both great classics anyway 😊

[@jacksontalley]

@@cassandrenadler I was reading about Brave New World revisited today actually! It sounds very interesting. I also read about Island, the utopian counterpart - have you read that one? I’m looking forward to diving into Brave New World this weekend.

[@cassandrenadler]

@@jacksontalley no I haven’t but it sounds really interesting as it is his last novel I believe… but I heard that the structure and ideas were slightly messy… maybe this year?! 😅 Anyway, looking forward to your review of brave new world 😊

[@glauer42]

I read Old Man and the Sea and Brave New World forever ago in high school. Both good. I read Winter of Our Discontent last year...really good! Will probably read East of Eden, plus re-read Brave New World, this year.

[@jacksontalley]

@@glauer42 I’m about 75% through The Winter of our Discontent. I like it (even though I think I can predict the ending assuming he doesn’t throw a huge curveball at me). Have you read East of Eden? It was good!

[@glauer42]

@@jacksontalley Nope, so that's why I'll likely read East of Eden this year 🙂I have read Grapes of Wrath, The Pearl, and the Red Pony short stories (the latter two I read in school, and did a re-read a year or two ago)

[@michaeldornan7737]

There is an audio book of Brave New World narrated by Michael York, which is excellent (narration and book).

[@jacksontalley]

@@michaeldornan7737 I just started Brave New World today! So far, so good.

[@SWBlueAllTheWay]

I've read both Brave New World and 1984, I didn't find Brave New World more difficult to read than 1984.

[@jacksontalley]

@@SWBlueAllTheWay good to know! I can’t remember where I heard it was harder. I just picked it up from the library… very excited to dive in 😎