1% Well Read

I've been feeling pretty confident lately that there would be no more challenges in the near future that would tempt me.  And there have been loads of new ones to choose from.  I've stumbled across one, though, that I really like the sound of.  It's the 1% Well Read Challenge that I first discovered here.  It's based on the book 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die, and the idea is to read ten books from this list in the next ten months.  What I like about it is that it incorporates many books that I already want to read (more classics especially).  Surely I can read one a month?  I'm not going to officially join, but I thought it would be fun to make my list and see how many I can read during the next year (well, ten months to be exact).  I had a hard time narrowing it down to ten, so I've added a few alternates.  I've managed to include a few from the Modern Library list, one Virago, a Jane Austen novel and one or two other books that keep popping up on my "I want to read" lists. 

1. The Female Quixote, Charlotte Lennox - "The Female Quixote, a vivacious and ironical novel parodying the style of Cervantes, portrays Arabella, the beautiful daughter of a marquis, whose passion for reading romances colors her approach to her own life and causes many comical and melodramatic misunderstandings among her relatives and admirers.
2. Evelina, Frances Burney - "Frances Burney's first and most enduringly popular novel is a vivid, satirical, and seductive account of the pleasures and dangers of fashionable life in late eighteenth-century London. As she describes her heroine's entry into society, womanhood and, inevitably, love, Burney exposes the vulnerability of female innocence in an image-conscious and often cruel world where social snobbery and sexual aggression are played out in the public arenas of pleasure-gardens, theatre visits, and balls."
3. Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen - "Its two heroines—so utterly unlike each other–both undergo the most violent passions when they are separated from the men they love. What differentiates them, and gives this extraordinary book its complexity and brilliance, is the way each expresses her suffering: Marianne–young, impetuous, ardent–falls into paroxysms of grief when she is rejected by the dashing John Willoughby; while her sister, Elinor—wiser, more sensible, more self-controlled—masks her despair when it appears that Edward Ferrars is to marry the mean-spirited and cunning Lucy Steele. All, of course, ends happily—but not until Elinor’s “sense” and Marianne’s “sensibility” have equally worked to reveal the profound emotional life that runs beneath the surface of Austen’s immaculate and irresistible art."
4. Far from the Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy - "Hardy's passionate tale of the beautiful, headstrong farmer Bathsheba Everdene and her three suitors, firmly established the thirty-four-year-old writer as a popular novelist.  Introducing the fictional name of "Wessex" to describe Hardy's legendary countryside, this early masterpiece draws a vivid picture of rural life in southwest England."
5. A Passage to India, E.M. Forster - "Arguably Forster's greatest novel, A Passage to India limns a troubling portrait of colonialism at its worst, and is remarkable for the complexity of its characters. Here the personal becomes the political and in the breach between Aziz and his English 'friends,' Forster foreshadows the eventual end of the Raj."
6. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley - "The astonishing novel Brave New World, originally published in 1932, presents Aldous Huxley's vision of the future -- of a world utterly transformed. Through the most efficient scientific and psychological engineering, people are genetically designed to be passive and therefore consistently useful to the ruling class. This powerful work of speculative fiction sheds a blazing critical light on the present and is considered to be Huxley's most enduring masterpiece."
7. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh - "One of Waugh's most famous books, Brideshead Revisited tells the story of the difficult loves of insular Englishman Charles Ryder, and his peculiarly intense relationship with the wealthy but dysfunctional family that inhabited Brideshead. Taking place in the years after World War II, Brideshead Revisited shows us a part of upper-class English culture that has been disappearing steadily.
8. House in Paris, Elizabeth Bowen - "This 1935 novel is considered among Bowen's best. Eleven-year-old Henrietta is visiting the Fisher family in Paris. The character of the city, however, has nothing on the characters inside the residence, including Leopold, a child; his unusual mother; a dead father who has as much presence as any of the living; and an old man dying in bed. There's something dark about the goings-on here, which Henrietta learns firsthand." (I thought I owned this already, but apparently not--I'll have to check the library for a copy...or buy one...).
9. The Go-Between, L.P. Hartley - "Summering with a fellow schoolboy on a great English estate, Leo, the hero of L. P. Hartley's finest novel, encounters a world of unimagined luxury. But when his friend's beautiful older sister enlists him as the unwitting messenger in her illicit love affair, the aftershocks will be felt for years. The inspiration for the brilliant Joseph Losey/Harold Pinter film starring Julie Christie and Alan Bates, The Go-Between is a masterpiece—a richly layered, spellbinding story about past and present, naiveté and knowledge, and the mysteries of the human heart."
10. The Birds Fall Down, Rebecca West - "Through a vivid canvas layered with intrigue, conspiracy and murder, Rebecca West has created a story that is at once a family saga, a political thriller, a philosophical drama and a historical novel."

And a few alternates:

• The Rainbow, D.H. Lawrence - I started reading this last fall, but I quickly became bogged down.  I would really like to read it, though. 
• A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute - I've had a copy of this book for ages and ages.  It sounds so good, but I think the WWII aspect has put me off reading it.  Can it possibly be OOP here in the US, or is Amazon just giving me weird results?
• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick - I've wondered about this author for a long time now.  Another author on my very, very long list I'd like to try.  He was also recommended when I was looking for ideas of dystopian literature.

I know that most of these are pretty famous novels, so the blurbs (I grabbed them from Amazon) are almost more for me than anything else--to help me decide which to start with!

Comments

[Ashleigh]

Yay! I love to see people working throught "THE LIST". Loved The Female Quixote, had mixed feelings about Sense and Sensibility, A Passage to India was great, Brave New World was very 1984 only Orwell did it better and Brideshead Revisted is Waugh all over and I like that! I've been wanting to read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep ever since I saw the title. It's not one you easily forget and it sounds catchy.

[Melanie]

I've been eyeing this challenge as well, but feel very over-challenged lately. But I love your idea of making a list and seeing how it goes, even if not officially joined up. I may have to do the same thing! There are so many on the list that I'd like to read anyhow (including The Go-Between, which has been on my TBR list for at least 10 years now...pathetic!)

[Eva]

I like your choices! :) I'm reading Evelina too (diff challenge though), so I'll be glad of the company! And I'm planning on rereading S&S, though it's been awhile, so it'll almost be like reading it new...it's one of my least favourite Austens, though...

[BooksPlease]

I saw this challenge too and was tempted enough to copy the list. Some are on my tbr list anyway so maybe I'll get to them sometime. I like your idea of not joining officially and may give it a go, without any time limit.

[litlove]

I'm sworn off challenges but I agree this is a really good one. That's a fabulous collection of books you've got there, Danielle (and the picture is gorgeous). If you haven't read Sense and Sensibility you should start there. You'll love it.

[Dorothy W.]

Great list of books! I particularly like the first three -- The Female Quixote is lots of fun, Evelina is good too, and Sense and Sensibility is marvelous. I'm sure you'll enjoy this challenge!

[Lezlie]

Nice list! I'm pretty overchallenged myself, but I have no self-control. I joined. :-)

Have a great day!
Lezlie

[tara]

I read A Town Like Alice with my bookclub. I wasn't sure if I'd like it but I really did, actually our entire group did which is rare for us. I'd recommend it!

[Lisa]

Brideshead Revisited and Far From the Maddening Crowd have both been on my tbr list for quite a while, as well. I'll be anxious to hear what you think about them. I've also looked at this challenge and been tempted, but I am sooo bad at challenges. I think I might do as you did and just do it unofficially if at all.

[Matt]

What a fabulous reading list! I loved The Go-Between. A beautifully written novel that explores naiveté and knowledge, and the mysteries of the human heart. It becomes a favorite since I read it last year. Francine prose's Reading Like a Writer recommends The Birds Fall Down. Prose quotes the most gripping and detailed opening sentence from this Rebecca West classics which I have yet had luck to find.

I'll check out House in Paris and Evelina--both sound very appealing. And classics can rarely go wrong for me! :)

[Stefanie]

What a fun idea for a challenge. I love the list you put together too. Brave New World is a good one. And it's hard to fail with Jane Austen.

[iliana]

There are so many good challenges that are popping up all over aren't there? I really want to do this one...
All of your choices sound great. Have fun!

[Danielle]

Ashleigh--I'm excited about reading these books, but now I'm not sure which one to start with. I'm think the Austen. I saw the film adaptation of it ages ago--I didn't like it, but I watched it again maybe a year ago and it grew on me. Now I'm curiously to see what I'll think of the book.
Melanie--I have so many books that I've wanted to read for a long time! :) I like just reading on my own (rather than joining the challenge), then if I don't complete it, I don't have to mention it again or feel guilty! :)
Eva--I think I will start with S&S first. I am looking forward to reading Evelina--I was looking at it and had forgotten that it is actually an epistolary novel, which should be fun.
BooksPlease--It worked out for me as I could overlap books with other reading goals that I already set for myself. There are so many classics that I really want to read, so this won't feel a chore.
Litlove--I don't blame you for swearing off challenges--especially with all your research. I think I will start with S&S. I am in the mood for Austen with all this talk about the book.
Dorothy--I've wanted to read The Female Quixote since you recommended it. Plus it seems fitting to read it this summer after I read DQ last summer!
Lezlie--Do you have your list up--I'm curious what books others are reading! This is a challenge I am looking forward to!
Tara--It sounds so good, though the death march sounds like it could be painful to read about, which is what has put me off picking up the book. It's quite a recommendation when everyone in a book group likes a book!
Lisa--I'm not good at finishing challenges either. But I am very good at making lists! :) I've been thinking of reading most of these books for ages, so I really need to get to it.
Matt--Have you read anything by Bowen? She's really very good, and she wrote loads of short stories, too. I borrowed the West book, but I'd like to own a copy--not sure it's in print (I don't think it is here, but maybe in the UK?). I found the Prose book on a remaindered table at the bookstore, so will have to check out what she says about it.
Stefanie--I think even a 'not favorite' Jane Austen still has to be pretty darn good. And I've wanted to read Brave New World for several years--how do these books get away from me?
Iliana--When I was going through my bloglines posts over the weekend I was amazed at all the new challenges. Some people are so good at joining and managing them! I know better than to get involved with too many (I get way too distracted), but I just couldn't pass up this one.

[Jaimie]

I checked out that list some time ago and wish they would expand it to include any of the author's works. Some particular books I am not interested in but I definitely would by in another by the same author.

[Danielle]

Jaimie--I know what you mean. The Modern Library list is the same way--I can count several of the authors listed, but I've read other books by them! Given a choice I would choose a different book by Elizabeth Bowen, but she's good, so I'm willing to give a different book a try.

[Matt]

I read Bowen's Death of the Heart for the Outmoded Author Challenge and plan to look up her other works. I believe The Birds Fall Down is available under NYRB series but have no luck of finding a copy. It's been on my list for quite a while now.

[Simon T]

Fun challenge - with a great title!
The Female Quixote is one I intended to read a while ago, and will eagerly await your verdict..

[Danielle]

Matt--I've read Death of the Heart as well and one or two others. She's written quite a lot I think. If you have problems finding the West, I think there are lots of used copies out there. I checked mine out from the library, but I ended up ordering a used copy so I would have it on hand.
Simon--I love the sound of this book and have heard from at least two other bloggers that it is a good read. I hope I get to all the books on my list, but I especially hope to read this one since I read Don Quixote last year!