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Monday, February 2, 2026

Classics Club Spin #43

It is time for the 43rd edition of the Classics Club Spin – List 20 books from my Classics Club “to be read” list by Sunday, February 8, 2026; the mods will then pick a random number, and I have until March 29 to read the corresponding book. (I’m not quite clear on the penalty for not completing it on time; I’ve never tested those waters.)

 

My spin list:

 

1. Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens

2. The Magus by John Fowles

3. The Long Winter (Little House #6) by Laura Ingalls Wilder

4. Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad

5. A Spy In The House Of Love by Anais Nin

6. The Ballad of the Sad Café by Carson McCullers

7. Grendel by John Gardner

8. Things Fall Apart  by Chinua Achebe

9. Scoop by Evelyn Waugh

10. Cool Hand Luke by Don Pearce

11. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

12. The Silver Sword (Escape from Warsaw) by Ian Serraillier

13. Post Office by Charles Bukowski

14. The Mask of Dimitrios by Eric Ambler

15. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

16. Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu

17. The Ascent of Rum Doodle by W. E. Bowman

18. Kim by Rudyard Kipling

19. Casino Royale by Ian Fleming

20. The Deerslayer by James Fenimore Cooper

 

I’m probably hoping for Lord Jim, but The Ascent of Rum Doodle would be fun too. I haven’t read McCullers in a while so Sad Café would be my third choice. I’m hoping for something NOT terribly long, so hoping against Dickens or Fowles, but I’ll take what I get. Cheers!

 

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12 comments:

  1. Stephen @ Reading FreelyFebruary 3, 2026 at 10:32 AM

    ...I had no idea that Cool Hand Luke was a novel!

    ReplyDelete
  2. reeseFebruary 3, 2026 at 10:09 PM

    I didn't know that about Cool Hand Luke either

    Kim is awfully great and a pretty easy read.

    ReplyDelete
  3. BronaFebruary 4, 2026 at 1:48 AM

    The Silver Sword was one of my childhood favourites - I leant it to my uncle who was a school teacher. He then read it aloud to every single one of his Yr 6 classes until he retired.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JosephFebruary 4, 2026 at 7:05 PM

      I take that as a pretty impressive recommendation :)

      Delete
  4. Marianne February 4, 2026 at 5:47 AM

    Always great to see other classic lists. You wrote that you'd like to get #4 or 17. I have read Rum Doodle (together with six others from your list). Nice one.
    I always check which ones I would get then. That would be William, an Englishman, or Invincible Louisa for me.

    Let's see what it will be. Good luck!

    Here is my list:
    https://momobookblog.blogspot.com/2026/02/the-classics-club-classics-spin-43.html

    ReplyDelete
  5. Emma at Words And Peace / France Book ToursFebruary 4, 2026 at 8:12 AM

    Yes 6 is good and short. I loved 4.
    My list: https://wordsandpeace.com/2026/02/04/the-classics-club-the-classics-spin-43/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JosephFebruary 4, 2026 at 7:15 PM

      Well that sounds hopeful for either of them.

      Delete
  6. KarenFebruary 4, 2026 at 4:13 PM

    This looks like a great list! I've read two of them. Things Fall Apart and Anne of Green Gables. Both very good! Good luck with the spin! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JosephFebruary 4, 2026 at 7:17 PM

      I've not read Achebe, nor many African authors, so even if we don't get #8, I'm looking forward to that one, whenever I get around to it.

      Delete