Back to Classics Challenge

Hosted by Karen over at Books and Chocolate, the Back to the Classics Challenge really has me excited. Not only do I love challenges and classics, but I also love lists. :) Plus, I'm already part of a Classics Challenge, and I clearly need a kick in the pants to get going on reading more classics - which used to be the primary genre I read (before my brain went to mush).

As to the challenge itself: By reading and posting about a minimum of six classic books, one lucky winner will receive a $30 gift from Amazon.com or The Book Depository! If there is a category you don't like (or more than one), you can just skip it, and still qualify for the drawing! 

• Complete six categories and you get one entry.
• Complete nine categories, and you get two entries.
• Complete all twelve categories, and your name is entered into the drawing three times!

The Categories, plus my tentative selections:

1. 19th century: Germinal by Emile Zola

2. 20th century: The Collector by John Fowles

3. By a woman author: Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth

4. In translation: One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch by Alexandr Solzhenitsyn

5. A chunkster (500+ pages): The Ambassadors by Henry James

6. A novella (-250 pages): Silas Marner by George Eliot

7. With a person's name in the title: Daniel Deronda by George Eliot

8. Humorous or satirical: Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift

9. A forgotten classic: The Nowlans by John Banim

10. Nonfiction: TBD - I haven't included nonfiction in my classics list up to this point, so I have to head to the shelves to see what I have and do some listing.

11. Children's book: TBD - Same reason as #10

12. Play: The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

And now for the rest of the rules:  

• All books must be read in 2015.  Books started prior to January 1, 2015, are not eligible.  Reviews must be linked by December 31, 2015. 

• All books must have been published at least 50 years ago; therefore, 1965 is the cutoff date.  The only exception is books published posthumously, but written before 1965. 

• E-books and audiobooks are eligible!  Books may also count for other challenges you may be working on.  

• Books may NOT cross over categories within this challenge.  You may NOT count the same book twice for different categories in this challenge.  One book per category -- otherwise, they won't count.  

• If you do not have a blog, you may link your review from Goodreads or other publicy accessible online format.  

• Please sign up for the challenge using the linky below BEFORE MARCH 31, 2015.  If possible, please link to your sign-up announcement post, if possible or applicable.

• You do NOT have to list your books prior to starting the challenge, but it's more fun if you do!  You can always change your list at any time.  Books may be read in any order.

• Please identify the categories you've read in your wrap-up post so that I can easily add up your entries for the prize drawing!  Adding links within the post would be greatly appreciated. 

• The prize will be awarded the first week of January, 2016.  All qualifying participants will receive one or more entries, based on the categories completed.  One winner will be randomly drawn from qualifying entries.  The winner will receive a $30 (US) gift card from Amazon.com or The Book Depository, as long as they live in a country that can receive shipment.  See here for list of countries. 

In an ideal world, I will read one of these a month, but heavens knows my life is not that scheduled. I would like to ask though - where do you guys think I should start? Are any of the books listed up there a "must read right now" type of book? Or do you have a better choice for any of the categories (from my list of classics I have on the shelves).