Great thread idea, fills me with inspiration. I went through a phase of alternating ‘my’ choices – autobiographies, thrillers, etc., with classics, and if I’m honest found it very hit and miss.
Steinbeck was great – Cannery Row probably edges Mice and Men for me.
Moby Dick – was an absolute trudge but I finished it
Mockingbird – brilliant; even better my eldest daughter read it at the same time as me so we could discuss it.
The Time Machine – dragged a bit for me but good ending
War of the Worlds – and genuinely hadn’t seen film / radio play, etc. so didn’t know the ending – thought the ending was ‘Oh, is that it?’
Hemingway – Death in the Afternoon; fascinating if not really a novel
Frankenstein – great
Really haven’t read much Dickens, sounds like I should try. Read a few classics at school obviously; 1984 is next one cued up for me given we seem to almost be back there! but also Lord of the Flies, 39 Steps, etc.
And I do like a good Holmes story, but they’re short stories rather than novels in the true sense.