26 Questions in 2026

1. When did you join The Classic Club? How many titles have you read for the club so far?

I joined in 2024 and here’s my first list.

2. What classic are you planning to read next? Why? Is there a book first published in 1926 that you plan to read this year?

I’m currently reading Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. I follow Closely Reading on Substack and this is the current book being read over five weeks. I don’t have anything published in 1926 on my list.

3. Best book you’ve read so far with the club? Why?

I’ve enjoyed all the books I’ve read so far. It’s not many, which is why I’m planning to read more from my list this year. If I had to choose it would be The Christmas Party by Georgette Heyer possibly because a) It’s the most recent and b) it took me back to those romance books by Heyer in my youth and I was so pleasantly surprised and pleased that she also wrote crime fiction.

4. Classic author who has the most works on your club list? Or, classic author you’ve read the most works by?

Jane Austen (6) and Agatha Christie/Mary Westmacott (6) closely followed by Virginia Woolf (5) – all on my current list. I should vary my next list a bit more perhaps!

5. If you could explore one author’s literary career from first publication to last — meaning you have never read this author and want to explore him or her by reading what s/he wrote in order of publication — who would you explore? Obviously this should be an author you haven’t yet read, since you can’t do this experiment on an author you’re already familiar with.  Or, which author’s work you are familiar with might it have been fun to approach this way?

I’ve read A Christmas Carol by Dickens pretty much every year for years but haven’t read many of his other books (or at least not for decades!) so perhaps it might be an idea to consider reading these in order one day!

6. First classic you ever read?

I can’t really remember, it’s likely to have been I am David or a Georgette Heyer (as I read several of her romance novels in my youth) but I doubt I thought of them as classics at the time. It could easily have been Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.

7. Favorite children’s classic?

I am David, Anne of Green Gables or Little Women

8. Which classic is your most memorable classic to date? Why?

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë. I have this on my current list because it made such a big impression the first time I read it (many years ago) and if asked would say this is my favourite of all the Brontë books I’ve read. So felt it would be interesting to see if I felt the same about it now.

9. Least favorite classic? Why?

I’m not sure about this but I do find that I try and avoid the longer tomes!

10. Favourite movie or TV adaption of a classic?

The 1946 version of Great Expectations is really good. I enjoyed the TV 2007 series of Cranford (I was sure it was a BBC production but it seems to be available on Channel 4 for catchup – https://www.channel4.com/programmes/cranford ). I do, of course, love watching A Christmas Carol. I think I’ve seen most if not all of the film versions, yes, even The Muppets version – I love them all!

11. Favorite biography about a classic author you’ve read, or the biography on a classic author you most want to read, if any?

I do have Virginia Woolf by Hermione Lee on my bookshelf awaiting my attention.

12. Favourite classic author in translation? Do you have a favorite classics translator? What do you look for in a classic translations?

Not sure how many translated classics I’ve read – George Simenon, Alexander Solzhenitsyn certainly but no particular favourite. No favourite translator.

13. Do you have a favorite classic poet/poem, playwright/play? Why do you love it?

I rarely read plays although I love The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. Regards poetry I enjoy Emily Dickinson, Wendy Cope, Christina Rossetti, Elizabeth Jennings, Wilfred Owens, more recently Rebecca Swift and many, many others.

14. Which classic character most reminds you of yourself? Which classic character do you most wish you could be like?

Not the way my brain thinks. 😵‍💫

15. What is the oldest classic you have read or plan to read? Why?

I have Homer’s The Odyssey on my list c8th century. I think it will be an interesting and, hopefully, enjoyable book to read.

16. If a sudden announcement was made that 500 more pages had been discovered after the original “THE END” on a classic title you read and loved, which title would you be happiest to see continued?

Really?

17. Favorite edition (or series) of a classic you own, or wished you owned, if any?

I have my maternal grandmothers copy of Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, published by Walter Scott 1884.

It’s illustrated, gold page edges and has a beautiful cover.

18. Do you reread classics? Why, or why not?

Yes – an old favourite like A Christmas Carol. I also intend rereading some classics that I read when young – so long ago it will be like reading anew.

19. Has there been a classic title you simply could not finish?

I may have put one or two aside, in days gone by, when I’ve picked up a book but not been able to get into it at that moment, but expect to go back to.

20. Has there been a classic title you expected to dislike and ended up loving?

Not so far.

21. List five fellow Classic Clubbers whose blogs you frequent. What makes you love their blogs?

a) FF – FictionFan’s blog is an excellent read, full of humour and straightforward comments which I love and appreciate along with the fact that it is a great resource https://fictionfanblog.wordpress.com/2026/01/20/the-classics-club-questionnaire/ 

b) Jacqui at JacquiWine’s Journal is well worth checking out for classic read ideas https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2015/12/15/my-reading-list-for-the-classics-club/ 

c)Kaggsy at Kaggsy’s Bookish Rambings is simply a wonderful blog and who along with Simon* runs Read the Year Club which is enjoyable to take part in and is a great resource for classic books to read. https://kaggsysbookishramblings.wordpress.com

c2) Simon* at Stuck in a Book worth checking out: https://www.stuckinabook.com

d) Helen at She Reads Novels is on her third Classic Club list! Do check it out: https://shereadsnovels.com/the-classics-club/

e) Last but not least The Classic Club itself. As a ‘newbie’ to the Club I find it invaluable as a resource and the folk who run, maintain and manage it are very helpful, kind and knowledgeable. It’s a must read: https://theclassicsclubblog.wordpress.com

22. If you’ve ever participated in a readalong on a classic, tell us about the experience? If you’ve participated in more than one, what’s the very best experience? the best title you’ve completed? a fond memory? a good friend made?

I haven’t until a substack I follow (Reading Closely) began a 6 week reading closely of Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë this year – I’m just reading along slowly it’s been an interesting activity and for me it may be a good way to tackle some of the longer classics.

23. If you could appeal for a readalong with others for any classic title, which title would you name? Why?

As above, reading slowly is what appeals to me. Breaking down a longer classic (over 400 pp) into readable chunks with some thinking time in between. The longest book on my list is The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins | 1859 | 720pp but that might be too much at the moment so perhaps something like Orlando by Virginia Woolf | 1928 | 416 pp.

24. What are you favourite bits about being a part of The Classics Club?

I’m reading from my first list and joined in the hope that giving myself this challenge might motivate me to read classic books more consistently, I enjoy reading what other members say in their reviews and occasionally taking part in spins and The Years Club.

25. What would like to see more of (or less of) on The Classics Club?

I like it as it is, being new to the Club I suppose I’m concentrating on finding time with the books on my list.

26. a) Question you wish was on this questionnaire? (Ask and answer it!) – not at this time.
b) How easy do you find it to keep up to date with Club and members’ activity? Answer: Easy when I use a specific link from The Classic Club blog (a thanks to the moderator who has been doing a sterling job on sorting out all those broken links and other issues) or I’m following individual members on social media such as X, Instagram, Threads or Bluesky, or better still subscribed to their blog.