Big Book Challenge 2019

I'm trying to get out my final videos of 2019, so bare with me ;-D

This is the first of my reading challenges for 2019.  There are only two rules for the Big Book Challenge:

• must come off my TBR shelves
• must be over 1000 pages (although anything over 980 will be considered)

That's it!  They can be of any genre, hardcover or paperback, and published last year, or 300 years ago.

This challenge started in, I want to say 2015 (?), and I found this to be a great way to get those hefty tomes I kept overlooking, or ignoring, off my overflowing TBR pile.  This year I chose two translated classics - a complete coincidence I assure you ;-D

Let me know in the comments if you have read either of these books as I think I'll need the encouragement.  I'd also love to hear what your reading goals are for 2019.

Thanks for watching, and until I see you next time,

 

Bookmail - Les Mystères de Paris

Bonjour, mes amours!  Yes, I have acquired some more translated French literature.  Why do I keep doing this to myself?  They have all been massive chunkers, but oh well, at least I have a few options for my Big Book challenge for 2019 ;-D

Today Les Mystères de Paris by Eugène Sue arrived, and I swear I thought it was a multi-book package when my post lady, Rosie, handed it to me.  She even felt up the package asking if it was more than one book.  I had ordered this a couple of weeks ago, and wasn't expecting it quite so soon.  As you know AbeBooks can be a little on the slow side when it comes to estimating the arrival date of the parcels.

Les Mystères de Paris was first published between 1842-1843 as a serialized novel - think Dickens - and inspired a whole new genre of mystery, the city mystery.  Novels in this genre include
Les Mystères de Marseille by Emile Zola, The Mysteries of London by George W. M. Reynolds,
Les Mystères de Londres by Paul Feval, Les Mystères de Lyon by Jean de la Hire, there are many more, but you get the drift.  It also, according to WIKIPEDIA, inspired Alexandre Dumas (at the prompting by his publishers) to write his masterpiece of revenge, The Count of Monte Cristo.

Anyway, I am in no rush to tackle this just yet.  I might wait until there is a readalong, perhaps?  But until then, this book will now go onto my ever increasing Classics TBR bookcase.

Thanks for watching, let me know in the comments if you have read Les Mystères de Paris, and if you have, what did you think of it - no spoilers please ;-D.

And until next time,

August Book Haul, Part One

It's been a few weeks since I've felt like filming, or editing, a video.  However I have bought so many books during August that I really needed to get my butt in gear and film something, so welcome to the first of three book haul videos!

Today's video is just the new books I bought.  These either came from Book Depository, Booktopia, or from my local shopping centre.

Let me know in the comments if you have read any of these, and what you thought of them.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on these classics.  And until next time,