National Novel Reading Month

John Wiswell has been discussing National Novel Reading Month over on his blog. January is the designated month, with the intention being that participants will finally dust over one of those classic novels they’ve had lurking on their shelves, and delve into literature the way it used to be. I suppose the definition of ‘classic’ is possibly somewhat flexible, but no, I don’t think Bridget Jones’ Diary or The Da Vinci Code count. I have to confess a particular fondness for Wilkie Collins having read The Moonstone a couple of years ago, and having just finished Sarah Waters’ The Little Stranger, I began his short story collection, The Haunted Hotel & Other Stories, just before Christmas. I’m probably two thirds of the way through the eponymous story, and I’m thoroughly enjoying it. Sadly, it doesn’t count as a classic novel, so I’ll just have to hope that I get it finished before long, so I can break open the ‘proper’ classic I shall be reading in January.

So what will that be? Well, I’ve had the intention to read it for some time, but providing I’ve finished reading the Collins collection, then I’m going to give The Time Machine a whirl. I’ve read War of the Worlds (naturally also by HG Wells – give yourself a slap if you didn’t know that) and I enjoyed it, and I felt like it’s about time I read some of his other work. After all, it’s a science fiction classic, and I’ve seen various film adaptations, but I’ve never read the source work. I might not write sci fi but I certainly enjoy reading it, and I find it somewhat remiss of me not to have read it! If I finish it in time, then I’ll finally get around to Jane Eyre. I’ve meant to read it for some time but I’ve always found something else I’d rather read, but after the many glowing reviews given it by my mother, I feel I should probably read it sooner rather than later.

What about you? Will you be joining in?