I plan to read the following:

1. Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens;
2. North and South by Mrs. Gaskell--she's not one of my favorites, but I thought she deserved another try;
3. Uncle Silas, by J. Sheridan LeFanu;
4. Barchester Towers, by Trollope;
5. The Way of All Flesh, by Samuel Butler.

Bookmarks and spectacles at the ready!

So Many Books

The dilemma for me is to choose which books to read for this challenge. My first thought is to read through Mrs. Oliphant's Carlingford Chronicles:

• The Rector and the Doctor's Family
• Salem Chapel
• The Perpetual Curate
• Miss Marjoribanks
• Phoebe Junior

This would be my tribute to Margaret Oliphant who, in my opinion, is often sadly neglected. But then there are so many other wonderful Victorian era books to choose from, so I'm still thinking.

My list - for starters

I am coming into this challenge at a low level, only three books, as I want to make sure that I can accept the challenge and not fail as I have done in the past. As I love all things Victorian, literature, history etc this is going to be fun and I am looking forward to it.

The books I intend to read are:

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall - Anne Bronte. I have not read this for a long time and am looking forward to seeing if my ideas have changed. I feel that Anne was the Bronte sister who everyone overlooks, quite wrongly.

Anthony Trollope - Have a shelf of his waiting to be read. I love AT and think that I will probably have a crack at either The Bertrams or Mr Scarborough's Family.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - the De Willoughby Claim. I discovered FHB's adult novels some years ago and this one is still waiting my attention. Wonderful writer and this will a great read.

April's Reading List

I'm choosing a drink at Whitechapel:

1. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (social novel early Victorian era)
2. Fingersmith by Sarah Walters (London 1862)
3. The Sealed Letter by Emma Donoghue (England 1864 - based on a notorious divorce case)

Kris' Reading List

Hi everyone, I'm Kris and I'll just be having a drink at Whitechapel :)

• A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
• North & South - Elizabeth Gaskell
• Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

I'll be putting my reviews on my new book blog and update on here as well.

Laurie's Reading List

I'm going to be taking A Walk in Hyde Park (I always did love London's parks) with the following books:

Red Pottage by Mary Cholmondeley
My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

I need to read more Victorian literature, so I'm looking forward to this.

Fleur's Reading List

I’m opting for a tour of the British museum with:

• Little Dorritt, by Charles Dickens
• Belinda, by Rhoda Broughton
• The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
• Miss Cayley’s Adventures, by Grant Allen
• Cranford, by Elizabeth Gaskell

Time Librarian's "Great Expectations"

Hi all. I'll be joining in for my first reading challenge online. Scanning my shelves at home already threw up several candidates, so a preliminary list might be something like ....
Prelude : A Christmas Carol / Charles Dickens (I need something to read between now and New Year)
1. Nicholas Nickleby / Charles Dickens
2. The Moonstone or The Woman in White / Wilkie Collins
3. Farriers Lane / Anne Perry (murder mystery set in Victorian England)
4. One of the Sherlock Holmes books / Arthur Conan Doyle
5. Vanity Fair / Thackeray
6. A good biography of Victoria - any recommendations?

There are so many other candidates - we shall be amused for some time.
Warren

Laura's Reading List

Laura's (retroredux's) list. I'm going for a tour of Buckingham Palace:)

My Choices-in no particular order:
1-Some Danger Involved-Will Thomas
2-Mesmerized-Candace Camp
3-The Companion-Ann Granger
4-Splendid You-Lynn Bailey
5-Those Who Hunt The Night-Barbara Hambly
6-The Treasure-Suzanne Robinson

Alternates (in case any of the above 6 are too bad to finish)-I'm not a "must finish book no matter how much I hate it kinda girl"-if it doesn't grab me I stop and move on to another book:):

Death At Bishop's Keep-Robin Paige
Albert's Victoria-Tyler Whittle
The Blazing Tree-Mary Jo Adamson
White Lace-Caroline Bourne

Jenny's Reading List

I would like to take a tour of the British Museum.
This is my list in no particular order:

• The Luxe - Anna Godbersen
• Silent in the Grave - Deanna Raybourn
• A Poisoned Season - Tasha Alexander
• Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• Portrait of a Lady - Henry James

Jeanette's Reading List

I'll just be taking a drink at Whitechaple. Here is my list:

• Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens
• Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
• Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy
  

Alessandra's Reading List

I'm going for a walk in Hyde Park, with four books. Here's my list:

• A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
• Rumours by Anna Godbersen
• Affinity by Sarah Waters
• The Spiritualist by Megan Chance

Can't wait to start!

Ana O.'s Reading List

I'm going for a Visit to Buckingham Palace too! :-)

- Silent in the Grave, Deanna Raybourn
- And Only to Deceive, Tasha Alexander
- Victoria, Evelyn Anthony
- Bleak House, Charles Dickens
- Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë
- The Face of a Stranger, Anne Perry

Lynda's Reading List

I'm going for the Buckingham Palace level.

I'll be reading
1- Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
2 - Little Dorrit by Dickens
3 - A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens
4 - Armadale by Wilkie Collins
5 - Romola by George Eliot
6 - Gothic Tales by Elizabeth Gaskell

Thanks for letting me join in the fun!

AnaT.'s Reading List

Here's my reading list also for the A Visit to Buckingham Palace reading level:

Deanna Raybourn - Silent in The Sanctuary
Lisa Kleypas - A Wallflower Christmas
Anne Perry - A Dangerous Mourning
Charlotte Bronte - Jane Eyre
Tasha Alexander - A Poisoned Season
Wilkie Collins - The Woman in White

Alex's Reading List

I'll choose A visit to Buckingham Palace (6 books) and here's my list:

A Poisoned Season by Tasha Alexander
Murder in Nob Hill by Shirley Tallman
Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn
Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell
The Curse of Pharaohs by Elizabeth Peters

I'm eagerly waiting for 2009!:)

Welcome to the Victorian Challenge !

The Victorian Era is one of my favorite historical times and I noticed that I'm reading less and less about it. I can blame my huge TBR but the truth is that I'm always postponing some books I meant to read and they stay in the shelf gathering dust. So there, I decided to join a Victorian Challenge...and found none. So this is the first time I organize a challenge. Any mistakes, please, forgive me in advance. :)

Victorian Challenge Rules:

1. The challenge starts the 1st January 2009 and ends the 30th June 2009.

2. This challenge is open to everyone who wishes to participate.

3. You can choose the number of books you want to read by selecting one of the reading levels proposed (see below).

4. Send your email adress to oriana.groups at gmail dot com and I'll add you to this blog.

5. You can share your reviews or make a small update of your readings in this blog. It's entirely up to you.

Books allowed (and suggestions):

• books wrote during the Victorian Era (authors like Elizabeth Gaskell, Lewis Carroll, Sheridan Le Fanu, George Eliott, Charles Dickens, William Thackeray, the Brontë Sisters, Arthur Conan Doyle...)
  
• books set during that period ( Kept by J. D. Taylor, Fingersmith by Sarah Waters, The Last Waltz by Tasha Alexander, Silent Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn, The Glass of Time by Michael Cox, The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber,...)
  
• books about that period or biographies (The Victorian House by Judith Flandres, The Victorian by N. H. Wilson, Victorian People and Ideas by Richard D. Altick, Queen Victoria by Elizabeth Longford, Dickens: A Biography by Fred Kaplan,...)
  

Reading Levels:

• A drink at Whitechapel: 3 books
  
• A walk in Hyde Park: 4 books
  
• A tour of the British Museum: 5 books
  
• A visit to Buckingham Palace: 6 books