Reading Classic Books Challenge

The Broken Spine

How many times have you said that you need to read more classic books? If at any point you’ve made this claim, then this challenge is for you.

Welcome to the inaugural Reading Classic Books! I am super excited about this challenge and hope you’ll join me throughout the year in reading more classics.

I want this challenge to be fun and stress free. There are 12 challenge prompts but don’t feel like you have to do them all. Do as many as you want. The goal is simple – read more classic books.

How to join:

The challenge runs from January 1 thru December 31, 2020

Create a sign up post and leave the link in the link up below. If you don’t have a blog no worries. You can Tweet that you’ll be participating, do an Instagram post or if you have Goodreads create a Reading Classic Books shelf and link to that shelf

Don’t forget to put a link to this post, if you’re signing up via blog, Twitter or Instagram.

On the 1st of the month, a link up will post where you will leave the link to your Review and there will be a link to the giveaway (hosted by Rafflecopter)

The Rules:

1) ALL books must have been first published 50 years ago or earlier
2) Books must be read between January 1st and December 31st
3) Books may be used for up to two prompts

Giveaway:

There will be three book Giveaways valued up to $20 (USD) . **Giveaway is open to anyone The Book Depository ships to. How to enter will be posted with each giveaway.

Giveaway Entry Period Winner Announced
January 1 – April 30 May 8
May 1 – August 31 August 7
September 1 – December 31 January 8, 2021

The Challenge Prompts:

1) Read a classic over 500 pages
2) Read a classic by a POC and/or with a POC as the main character
3) Read a classic that takes place in a country other than where you live
4) Read a classic in translation
5) Read a classic by a new to you author
6) Read a book of poetry
7) Read a classic written between 1800-1860
8) Read a classic written by an LGBT author and/or with an LGBT main character
9) Read a classic written by a woman
10) Read a classic novella
11) Read a classic nonfiction
12) Read a classic that has been banned or censored

FYI: If you’re participating in The Classics Club you can still do this challenge. I’m using the creation of this challenge and the prompts to choose books from my Classics Club list.

Make sure to follow Reading Classic Books on the following platforms because that’s where you’ll find group updates.

  • You can also request a Buddy Read on Goodreads for that special book you want to read and enjoy with someone
  • There will be some fun instagram challenges

Goodreads @ Reading Classic Books
Twitter @Read_Classics
Use: #readclassicbooks2020
Instagram @Reading Classic Books
Use: #readclassicbooks2020

I hope you’ll join me in reading more classics in 2020!

50 thoughts on “Reading Classic Books Challenge”

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  5. Carol January 30, 2020 / 5:51 am

    Hi Erica, I just signed up for your challenge. Thanks for hosting it. 🙂

    Like

    Reply
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  9. Reese Warner January 3, 2020 / 4:33 pm

    I’d been planning on this since I’d seen it, but I just now got around to creating my signup post. Thanks for hosting!

    Like

    Reply
  10. Jillian January 3, 2020 / 12:18 pm

    I joined at my blog & made a shelf at Goodreads but I’m scared because I’m terrible at reading challenges. *becomes jello*

    Like

    Reply
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  12. elflocks January 1, 2020 / 2:17 am

    This challenge looks like a lot of fun! I can use the push to get myself reading some of the classics I’ve been woefully neglecting! Thank you!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • The Broken Spine December 31, 2019 / 11:56 pm

      Glad to have you! I hop on you can read some of those neglected classics.

      Like

      Reply
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  15. amanda December 31, 2019 / 2:47 pm

    Hi Erica, I saw this challenge via Brona and Jean (Howling Frog Books), and thought it was just the sort of low-stress commitment I’m willing to make this year. Hopefully this will help me to remember to read from my Classics Club list a bit more! Thanks for hosting and I’m happy to have found your blog! (Hopefully I’m not double-commenting; I got an error message the first time.)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • The Broken Spine December 31, 2019 / 2:53 pm

      Hi Amanda, welcome! I’m excited you’re joining in and I hope you able to read some of those classic club books on your list with this challenge.

      Like

      Reply
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  18. Gilion Dumas December 28, 2019 / 3:41 pm

    I’m very excited about this! I added my link to my sign up post. This will help me work through several of the books on my Classics Club list! Thank you for hosting!

    Like

    Reply
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  21. tracybham December 24, 2019 / 4:53 pm

    I am very glad that you are doing this challenge. I need this motivation to work on my Classics Club List. I will be doing a post and signing up soon. Is there a deadline for signing up?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • The Broken Spine December 28, 2019 / 4:05 pm

      Sorry Tracy for the late reply. There is no deadline to sign up. I look forward to seeing what books you read. Happy reading.

      Like

      Reply
      • tracybham December 29, 2019 / 6:18 pm

        Thanks, Erica. I thought I might have to wait until January to sign up, but I just did my post today and added my link.

        Liked by 1 person

  22. Jorie December 24, 2019 / 5:47 am

    Hallo, Hallo,..

    I was so disappointed I missed the Classics Spin as I had intended to join that before the close of the year as I want to focus on my tCC List in 2020, too! I redid mine in 2018 but the past two years have been a bit unfavourable towards reading/listening to Classics. Thus, part of my readerly goals in New Year is to once again reaffirm my love of Classics and work on my tCC List! (its linked in my top menu – under Self Directed Reading Challenges.

    I’ll be adding this lovely challenge to my 2020 reading challenges page after Christmas!!

    More from me after the holidays!! Thanks for hosting!!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
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  26. Laurie @ RelevantObscurity December 17, 2019 / 7:07 pm

    I love this and it will help me with all the classics I want to read!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  27. Al @ mounttoberead December 17, 2019 / 5:22 pm

    I was going to do Back to the Classics again, but so far there’s no news as to whether that one is coming back or not. Even offered to host it. But that sounds like a lot of work for a pregnant lady also doing too many other things. So maybe I’ll join this one instead.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • The Broken Spine December 17, 2019 / 11:23 pm

      Yes, please do join in! I would love to have you. The good thing with mine is that you don’t have to do all 12 prompts to be entered into the giveaways.

      Yeah, I offered to host it too, but never heard anything.

      Like

      Reply
      • Al @ mounttoberead December 18, 2019 / 9:54 pm

        You convinced me. Going to be super casual about it, but excited to have somewhere to motivate me to read more classics!

        Liked by 1 person

      • The Broken Spine December 18, 2019 / 10:17 pm

        Awesome! Glad to have you! I look forward to seeing what books you read for what categories.

        Like

  28. Brona December 17, 2019 / 3:55 am

    What a fabulous challenge Erica – congrats on getting it up and running. At this time of the year, I’m too exhausted to do anything more than the basics!
    Could I join in with a mini-challenge – perhaps just 3 or 4 of the 12 prompts – instead?
    I need to read so many new releases for work, that 3 or 4 classics is about all I can manage.

    Like

    Reply
    • The Broken Spine December 17, 2019 / 4:53 am

      Thanks! It took a while to put it together and now that it’s up, I’m still in the process of revamping based on questions and suggestions.

      Anyway, you can absolutely join in with a mini challenge!

      I thought I put in the description that you can do as many or as few of the prompts as you want and they can overlap prompts. I don’t want people to feel like they have to do all 12.

      That’s why I structured the giveaways the way I did. So even if you read 1 classic every four months your have a chance to win.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  29. Jean @ Howling Frog December 16, 2019 / 8:10 pm

    I might! I’m still pondering coming back from my break, and whether I should take on challenges at all, but this is right up my alley, so….

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • The Broken Spine December 16, 2019 / 11:53 pm

      I hope all is well and you do come back from your break. If you do we’ll be here. I won’t close the sign ups anytime soon.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  30. Fanda Classiclit December 16, 2019 / 4:00 am

    Hi Erica, I’m in!
    As I’m working on my Classics Club list, I’ll combine it with your challenge.
    Thanks for hosting it! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
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  32. bookishluna December 15, 2019 / 11:58 am

    Wow, you did such a wonderful job setting all of this up! I give you a ton of credit. I don’t think I will be able to join in because I am focusing on non-fiction next year, but if I wasn’t already I would be joining in.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • The Broken Spine December 15, 2019 / 1:13 pm

      Thanks Luna! Well, there is a nonfiction prompt, so you can join and read a classic nonfiction.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      • bookishluna December 15, 2019 / 3:46 pm

        You are very welcome! I will see how my year plays out and see what can fit as soon as I get through the next week and a half. 😂

        Liked by 1 person

      • The Broken Spine December 15, 2019 / 6:36 pm

        No worries. Join in IF you have a classic nonfiction. Don’t stress yourself. I’ll probably do it again in 2021.

        Liked by 1 person

  33. Laila@BigReadingLife December 14, 2019 / 3:20 pm

    Good luck! I’m already doing the Classics Club so I’m not joining in, but I think this is a great idea for those wanting a push to read the classics.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • The Broken Spine December 14, 2019 / 4:36 pm

      Understood, but you can still join in. I’m still doing the classics club. I’m just going to use the prompts to choose books from my already existing list. Hopefully it’ll help me get through the list faster. We shall see.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

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