This is one of the challenges that I am looking forward to: the Really Old Classics Challenge.

I have never really read that many of the classic works of literature and I thought that this just might be the challenge to get me started.

The rules are:

To join the Really Old Challenge, commit to read at least one work written before 1600 A.D. between November 2009 and February 28, 2010.

Optional “Classicist” certification: Become a “classicist” by reading four works written before 1600 A.D. between November 2009 and February 28, 2010.

Extra credit: For a little extra fun, also read a retelling of a classic work. It could be a retelling of the work you read for the first part of the challenge or it could a retelling of any other classic work.

I have no desire to go a little crazy at the moment so, I choose the first piece: I will read one work written before 1600 A.D. between now and the end of February 2010.

My choice is: Dante’s The Divine Comedy.

My reason is that, first of all, I am only passingly familiar with the story.  I don’t know it, but I feel like I should.  I know of the references to Dante’s seven circles of Hell, but I don’t truly understand the meaning behind it.

I also own the book Which gives me a checkmark on my To-Be-Read list, one down in the 2010 100+ Reading List, one down in the TBR challenge (if I want to include it which I don’t think I’m going to)…

I am also going to keep an eye on the blog for this challenge itself as it seems to have a great number of people who are more familiar with the classics than I and, hopefully, after I begin the work, if I get stuck or need some help, I can go to them for help.

I have only a couple hundred more pages in “Under the Dome” by Stephen King to finish and then I will be picking this book up.  Oh! And, to help me when I get stuck, beside the blog, I will also be using “Beowulf on the Beach” and “Book Smart: Your Essential Reading List for Becoming a Literary Genius in 365 Days.”

Related posts:

1. 2010 Reading Resolutions Challenge
2. Next for Quirk Classics: Android Karenina! (June 2010)
3. 5 Book Challenges That I’m Preparing For 2010
4. Writing and Re-writing: Resolutions
5. Day One: “Introduction” (100 Theme Challenge)

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