Classics in 2012!!!

Over at Book Scorpion's Lair, Jedediah points out a nifty-sounding thing called the "Classics Challenge", which I will sign up for in 2012. Huzzah!

Here's how it works:

Read seven works of Classic Literature in 2012
Only three of the seven may be re-reads

Instead of writing a review as you finish each book (of course, you can do that too), visit November's Autumn on the 4th of each month from January 2012 - December 2012.

You will find a prompt, it will be general enough that no matter which Classic you're reading or how far into it, you will be able to answer. There will be a form for everyone to link to their post. I encourage everyone to read what other participants have posted.

So, the next step is to pick out my seven books. Which ones? After some thought, I've arrived at the list below. I think I may be taking a more liberal definition of "classic literature" than some others, but here are my chosen books:

Spoon River Anthology, by Edgar Lee Masters
The Arabian Nights, adapted by Jack Zipes from the Richard Burton translation
Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo
Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad
The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas
Watchmen, by Alan Moore and (re-read)
Dracula, by Bram Stoker

So, I only have one re-read listed. I think that everything here qualifies as "classic literature", in some way or other, even Watchmen, which is indisputably a classic of comics (or graphic novels, or 'sequential art', or whatever you want to call it). I also have different genres represented, and there is a classic work of poetry in the Spoon River Anthology. I also have mixed up my lengths of books, with three legit doorstops (Arabian Nights, Count of Monte Cristo, and Les Miserables) mixed with shorter works. Variety rules!

I will be reading these books concurrently with other stuff – my usual genre reading, nonfiction stuff, and whatever else trips my trigger as the year goes on. But there's the plan for 2012. Now, to track down my copies of all these books! I'm not sure that I own Spoon River Anthology or Heart of Darkness. It'll take some digging into the archives to find them, if I do....