Victober

For a couple of years I have joined in with a Good Reads Group Challenge - to read Victorian literature during the month of October. It is timed just right, as by then I have finished with reading Booker books and it is a chance to inspire me to read some of the classics that I enjoy but often need a nudge to get them from the shelf. I don't take it very seriously, but it is nice to be in contact with a other people who are also reading Victoriana.

There are challenges, but really the idea is to read and discuss some classic books. This year I have chosen three books, which I already had although I haven't read them - Woman in White, Dombey and Son, Wives and Daughters. We are reading The Mayor of Casterbridge as a group read - two chapters a day. I have read this several times, but it is interesting reading it again in this fashion and joining in with the conversation around it. 

It was suggested that we read some Victorian poetry, so I decided this was the time to read Fiona Sampson's biography of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and read some of her poetry alongside. Then some Victorian short stories. I found this volume of Oscar Wilde short stories and am looking forward to reading a few. I have come across several of them, often in picture book format, e.g. The Selfish Giant, but there are ones I did not know about.

Of course this is extremely ambitious, I will not get through the whole lot but I will have a go and am taking the pile with me when we go away on Friday. I won't then be concerned if it rains . . . as it undoubtedly will!!