Why it’s on the list: I’ve never been a fan of the classics. I did some at school but never really enjoyed them. I also had lots of them sent to me by my great uncle, which I never read. When I was compiling this list someone suggested I read War and Peace, or The Oddessey, so I thought I’d go a step further and read five of the classics. I love reading but this will really take me out of my comfort zone!

How/when I’ll judge this task to be completed: When I have read and reviewed five books considered to be classics.

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1. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. Huge book about a missing diamond – widely acknowledged to be the first detective book, though I’d disagree as its not really of that genre. A long read but very enjoyable. Full review here

2. The Diary of a Nobody by George and Weedon Smith. Enjoyable enough with some genuinely funny moments but I felt it didn’t real go anywhere. Review here

3. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving. Short but boring! Review here

4. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Obviously knew the story but had amost been scared of reading Dickens .. But actually found this immensely readable and will attempt more Dickens in future! Review here

5. The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald – read because it was short but I actually loved this book abut American high society in the jazz age – once I realised that I was meant to find all the characters so disagreeable! Review here

Conclusion – I put off completing this challenge because of my reluctance to read “the classics” – in fact, the final three books were read in the last two weeks of the challenge. However, I’ve discovered some really good books and authors here and have decided to add this one to my next list to do it all over again – with different books, of course!