I read fifteen classics last year, most of which were rereads. My favorite reread was Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen. For the purposes of this list I am not counting books by Agatha Christie, Georgette Heyer, poetry collections, or other mysteries.
Favorite New Reads:
Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon. This was a sensation novel, and it is still very suspenseful. I could not put it down. A man's search for his friend ends up leading him to Lady Audley, the new wife of a close friend, Sir Roger Audley. But what does she have to do with his friend George? And what is Lady Audley's secret? I loved it and am looking forward to more by Mary Elizabeth Braddon during next Victober, if not earlier.
The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde. A brash American family moves into a haunted castle in Victorian England. The ghost puts on his best performances for them, but the Otis family is unmoved. What's a poor ghost to do? This is short and very funny.
The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope. I love reading Anthony Trollope and this novel was no exception. The mysterious Augustus Melmotte arrives in London, rich but with no obvious background explaining his wealth. He brings his wife and daughter Marie with him. He is soon involved with many financial schemes. In the meantime, Marie falls in love with Sir Felix Carbury, a lazy and dissolute man in search of a rich bride. Other love stories arise as well. It is a lovely look at London society in the 1870's and its weaknesses, filled with memorable characters.
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