Reading Daydreams and Nightmares

From the host site:
"You asked for it.... so here you go! I am now formally announcing the Back to the Classics Challenge 2013!! This is the third year in a row for this challenge, and I hope that you are ready!


I am making a few small changes this year, including requiring less categories to complete. Wait, did I say *requiring*? Yes, I did. This year will feature 6 required categories that all participants must complete. Then, I will have additional categories that those super-motivated participants can choose to complete if they'd like.

All books must be read in 2013. Books started prior to January 1, 2013 are not eligible.

E-books and audio books are eligible!

Books can count for other challenges you may be working on.

You do not have to list your books prior to starting the challenge, but it is more fun that way :) You can always change your list at any time. You can read the books in any order (including mixing in the optional categories at any time)

You can decide to attempt the optional categories at any point (you can also bow out of the optional categories at any point as well).



THE CATEGORIES:


The Required Categories:
A 19th Century Classic
A 20th Century Classic
A Pre-18th or 18th Century Classic
A Classic that relates to the African-American Experience - This can be an African-American author, or a book relating to slavery, civil rights, or African-American culture.
A Classic Adventure
A Classic that prominently features an Animal - This can feature animal characters or animals in the title (real or imagined)

Optional Categories:

A. Re-read a Classic
B. A Russian Classic
C. A Classic Non-Fiction title
D. A Classic Children's/Young Adult title
E. Classic Short Stories - collection must include at least 3 short stories by the same author, or at least 3 stories collected together by genre, time period, etc.

As in years past, I just want to take a moment and let you know that especially for the purposes of this challenge, I do not subscribe to any set definition of a Classic. I think that anyone looking to participate in this challenge already has their own personal definition that works best for them. If you are choosing to include a title that you feel may be questionably described as a Classic, please just explain your position in your review."


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I have several classics on my shelves. This might motivate me to read a few.
I hope to do the required categories and the first 4 of the optional categories for a total of 10 books. Some heavy reading on my list but will give it a good shot.

The books I plan on reading are:

Required Categories:
1. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
2. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
3. Don Quixote by Miquel de Cervantes
4. Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
5. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawles
6. Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson


Optional Categories:
1. Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
2. The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
3. Origin of the Species by Charles Darwin
4. Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame