Classic Club--my first!

From Goodreads:

In the village of King's Abbot, a widow's sudden suicide sparks rumors that she murdered her first husband, was being blackmailed, and was carrying on a secret affair with the wealthy Roger Ackroyd. The following evening, Ackroyd is murdered in his locked study--but not before receiving a letter identifying the widow's blackmailer. King's Abbot is crawling with suspects, including a nervous butler, Ackroyd's wayward stepson, and his sister-in-law, Mrs. Cecil Ackroyd, who has taken up residence in the victim's home. It's now up to the famous detective Hercule Poirot, who has retired to King's Abbot to garden, to solve the case of who killed Roger Ackroyd--a task in which he is aided by the village doctor and narrator, James Sheppard, and by Sheppard's ingenious sister, Caroline.The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is the book that made Agatha Christie a household name and launched her career as a perennial bestseller. Originally published in 1926, it is a landmark in the mystery genre. It was in the vanguard of a new class of popular detective fiction that ushered in the modern era of mystery novels.

From Me:

Great book! A classic mystery--a whodunit -- everyone should read it.

I started out with an easy book, I understand that, but I have to read Dr. Zhivago for my Classic's spin very soon, so, Agatha Christie was okay to begin with. 

And now I feel bad that I said it was an 'easy' one to begin with... this book was:

1.  Really good.  Do you remember (or have you seen on Facebook) that cat who is watching a horror movie?  Well, that's how this book is--I'm sure my face looked exactly like that cat's...eyes large, eyes small, furrowed brow, pursed lips, shock and awe.  That pretty much describes your facial expressions upon reading this.

2. Christie really is the master of "who-dun-it" and this one was her most controversial book when it was first published, as well as being featured on the 1001 books you should read before you die!  Two great reasons one should read it.

3.  If I hadn't chosen  a list of classic mysteries  (yes, thinking they might be an easier read than some more traditional classics) I would have never read Agatha Christie.

And now, I can't wait to get back to her!

And the winner is..

The  Spin landed on.....

Which is.....

So I guess I'll be reading this soon!

Classic Club Spin #14

I just joined the Classics Club--so actually this is my first Classics spin.

I have to list 20 of my 50 classics that I want to read in the next 5 years, then on Monday October 3rd, the spin number will be announced and I have 2 months to read the classic that corresponds to the number on my list.

So here goes (I had no rhyme or reason for picking these):

1. Dr. Zhivago by Boris Pasternak

2. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark

3. The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain

4. The Stars my Destination by Alfred Bester

5. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

6. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

7. The Hound of the Baskervilles  by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

8.  Stoner by John Williams

9. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

10.  Beast in View by Margaret Millar

11. I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino

12. Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers

13. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

14. The Death of the Heart by Elizabeth Bown

15. The Call of the Wild by Jack London

16. It's Like This, Cat by Emily Neville

17. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

18. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

19.  Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

20.  The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco

I'm excited to see how this will work out for me.  My first spin will be my first classic.

Sunday Post and the Classics Club

This is my Sunday Post #9

The Sunday Post is a meme hosted by Kimba at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

I am not consistent.

My last Sunday Post was on April 17th..

That's EXACTLY  how I began my last "Sunday Post", except for the date of course.

At least I am consistent on my non-consistencies.

Before I get started,  I am going to do this....

I am joining the Classics Club!

I've given this a lot of thought and read thru the 'very relaxed' rules a few times and decided to join---with my own spin put in.

The rules  (check out the Classics Club Blog here for everything you've ever wanted to know about it)  say I have to list 50 classics that I will read in the next 5 years.

Let me do that now....

Random Classics that I want to read:

1. Slaughter House Five by Kurt Vonnegut

2. The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

3. Maggie: a Girl of the Streets by Stephen Crane

4.  Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

5. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

6. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

7. The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales by Edgar Allen Poe

8. Stoner by John Williams

9. From Here to Eternity by James Jones

10. The Call of the Wild by Jack London

11. Dr. Zhivago by Boris Pasternak

11.  Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

12. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

13. A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

14. The Hound of the Baskervilles  by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

15. Petyon Place by Grace Metalious

16. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

17.  Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving

18. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark

19. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

20.  The Death of the Heart by Elizabeth Bown

Classic Mysteries that I want to read:

21. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

22. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco

23. Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers

24. The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler

25. The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett

26.  Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

27. An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by PD James

28. The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain

29. Beast in View by Margaret Millar

30. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

Classic Science Fiction that I want to read:

31. Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne

32. Dune by Frank Herbert

33. Logan's Run by William F. Nolan & George Clayton Johnson

34. Enders Game by Orson Scott Card

35. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

36. The Robber Bride by Margarett Atwood

37. The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury

38. The Stars my Destination by Alfred Bester

39. The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick

40. Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

Classic Children's Fiction that I want to read:

(Newbery Award Winners from 1964 thru 1974)

41,  Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
42. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien
43. Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars
44.  Sounder by William H. Armstrong
45. The High King by Lloyd Alexander
46.  From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
47. Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt
48. I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino
49.  Shadow of a Bull by Maia Wojciechowska
50. It's Like This, Cat by Emily Neville

*****

My spin being the themes.

Also, this list is subject to change, as the rules state that this is a 'living' list.

My goal date is: December 31st, 2021

(yes that is 5 years 3 months---it was bugging me to end in the middle of a year--even tho I am starting in the middle. Go figure?)

Okay, now on to the rest of my Sunday Post:

On the blog this past week:  (it was a really busy posting week for me)

Monday-- Elizabeth is Missing.

Wednesday -- Friday Friend Recipe #103 - Lemon Lush

Wednesday -- Outdoor Wednesday

Wednesday --  Cookbook Countdown #94 -- The Fannie Farmer Baking Book

Wednesday -- Food n Flix: Frida -- Fruity Slaw

Friday --   Book Blogger Hop and Fabulous Friday

Saturday --  The Wednesday Wars

Saturday --  Saturday Snapshot

Saturday -- What should I read next? (from my TBR List)

Sunday (this morning) -- Sunday Soup! Chicken and Kielbasa Soup

So, sometimes I'm a bit obsessive---but I had to get all those things done! Right?

Off the blog?

Walking-- I haven't done any lately and that makes me sad.

TV-- Well, all the new fall shows have begun, but I've been too busy writing blog posts.  Actually We are watching the latest "Walking Dead" season to come out on Netflix, as well as their new original series "Stranger Things".  And Football and the Seattle Seahawks of course.

Music -- Nada

Letters -- Nada lately and I have a whole stack to answer.

In the Kitchen -- oh my gosh I've done lots of cooking lately.  I don't know why, maybe the change in the weather.

But cooking lots and not walking is a dangerous combination!

The Handyman told me this morning that eating at the Stone-house (our house) is like going to a wedding.  I was like "what?"  He said, 'yep, you can't have any fun (or eat) until all the pictures are taken. 

It's not THAT bad. Really.

I still have coffee every Tuesday morning at 6am with my friend Debbie.  Have been doing it for 15 years or so.  Yesterday we snuck in an extra coffee date as her daughter was visiting from Kentucky and it was nice to see her and catch up.

Had dinner with our Friday Night Friends on Saturday!  Kind of discombobulating.

And today I am defrosting the freezer and guess what I found?  Christmas Cookies from last year.  Tossed them of course, but please remind me to not make so many this year.  Oh well, wait a minute---I will have grandkids here this year.

How much holiday baking do you do?

Do you make any fun stuff for Halloween?  Cookies? Caramel apples?  Do you read any good spooky books?

Have a good week!  Happy Reading--Cooking--blogging!!