Reading in July
by Charlotte Reads Classics
We’re fully into summer reading now, and I’m not quite sure what direction to go in. June has been a challenging month for me, where I tackled a couple of books I never thought I’d read. The benefit of challenging books are that (for me anyway) they inspire me to read so much more. The slight downside of reading something difficult that I wouldn’t usually is that it makes me absolutely crave reading every kind of what I would consider my usual books. I’m being pulled in a million directions.
Firstly, I still want to read through my list of war books. I think finishing the WWI books would be a good place to get to, and then I can have a break before starting the WWII books. This means reading:
- John Boyne, The Absolutist
- H. G. Wells, Mr Britling Sees It Through
My second option is to go with some American books inspired by my last two books – Mrs Bridge and Revolutionary Road (post to follow in the next few days):
- F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby (love this book but haven’t read it for many years) but I also have Tender is the Night, The Diamond as Big as the Ritz and The Tycoon on my Classics Club list.
- Amor Towles, The Rules of Civility
- Lucy Moore, Anything Goes (non fiction about the Jazz Age)
Or do I break with my twentieth century reads and go back to the Victorians for more Dickens (I’m currently reading A Tale of Two Cities), or indulge in a little Shakespeare? Make a start with Anthony Trollope? Try another Charlotte Brontë? Plus sometimes I think I should just dedicate a month to Clarissa.
Too many books. My favourite time.
Charlotte Reads Classics 
Tender is the Night is on my July reading list. Loved it in high school, but that was so many years ago I barely remember it! Finished Rules of Civility last week and loved it – easily a 5 star read for me and one of my favorites so far this year. Dedicating a month to Clarissa is a very good idea. Will try to do that in August, but I’m thinking it may be more likely to happen in September. I did not read a single page during the entire month of June… will definitely read at least a little bit in July.
I haven’t read any for two months (oops) so I think trying to read it alongside other books isn’t working very well for me! Once I’m inspired I think I’ll just have to sit and read it and nothing else… September might be a good month to pick.
I’m contemplating Dickens too…Hard Times. If you decide on Dickens, we could egg each other on
Yes! I’m leaning that way but haven’t totally decided yet.
It’s always nice when you have plenty of choices to read… I’m on Dickens now, and will be followed by Robert L. Stevenson and Alexandre Dumas. But between them, I will insert some short stories from Victorian authors.
Oh those sound like good choices! Which Dickens are you reading?
I realize I’m very partial, but I say go with the Victorians. I’d love to hear your thoughts on Dickens/Bronte/Trollope/etc. during the Victorian Summer event! 🙂
Thanks 🙂 I think the Victorian Summer event is influencing my desire for some 19th century classics so maybe I should just succumb!
I know how you feel my tbr shelf is physically and electronically chock-a-block 😀
I’m torn between being happy I have so many books ready and waiting and being stressed that I need to read faster!
Can you send some of that challenging-books-inspire-you-to-read-more greatness my way? I love challenging books but at the same time it puts me off reading somewhat, I spend a lot longer over a single book in that case.
I’d say mix it up if you can’t decide, start with one WWII and then move on to an American book and so forth. Or if you like reading more than one book at once have one from each list on the go.
I think whilst I’m reading a challenging book it becomes a bit of a slog, so I start thinking about all the books I’d like to read as a reward for when I’ve finished… so by the time I finish the tricky book I’ve got excited about reading so many different books that I can’t decide!
I’m definitely a one book at a time gal, but maybe I should mix up the themes a little bit to get the best of everything – good thinking!
Isn’t it wonderful that there are so many reading choices out there, books to fit every mood and every season? I am planning to read The Great Gatsby sometime in the fall. I want to read it before the new film comes out in December. And I’ve always wanted to try The Rules of Civility – it sounds bonkers good!
Yes and the two seem like they’ll go together well. I love that there is a book for every mood – that’s why I can’t believe it when people say there are no books they want to read!