The 12 Month Classics Challenge

As evidenced by 2015's long list of reading challenges, I love a good reading challenge! Even more I love hosting a good reading challenge. Okay... maybe not even more but it's still lots of fun!

I'm a member of the Classics Club, and if you're not you should be! I've always been a classics reader but the Classics Club has really challenged me to read classics I maybe would have never picked up. So for 2016 I am going to host the 12 Month Classics Challenge. When I first thought of it I thought of it in relation to Classics Club members but really anyone can join! If you've always wanted to try some classics but have never gotten around to it try this challenge out and maybe it will be the inspiration you need! So from classics lovers to classics haters (that covers everyone right?) this challenge is for you! ;)
How the challenge works is every month you read a classic corresponding to the month's theme. Now I'm a flexible person and if for some reason you're just feeling the need to read that particular classic in a different month than the theme is, feel free to. I'm not going to haunt you for the rest of your life or anything like that. ;) Additionally, if you feel this is the year to read War and Peace or some other ridiculously long classic but you know you aren't going to finish it in a month I understand too! You don't have to finish the book in a month! The ultimate goal is to read 12 classics (or more if you like) in 2016. If you read five one month and then read none the next, again, I'm not going to haunt you for the rest of your life. If you read War and Peace all year long I will just be very impressed and won't mind that you didn't read eleven others. ;)
So do you get my drift? Flexibility!!!!
Also any form of book is acceptable including real books, audiobooks and ebooks. Additionally, re-reads are acceptable as well.
I would encourage everyone to write a review of their books and I'll have a link up where you can link your reviews but if you don't have a blog or goodreads account you can always just comment a few thoughts. :)
Now when it comes to defining a Classic that gets a little tricky. As you can see below I have a month for reading a modern classic so please use that month to designate your modern classics. Besides that, try to keep the classics to a restriction of being written fifty years ago or more. It's not an entirely hard and fast rule just more of a preference.
Okay, so here are the themes for each month. :)

January- A classic you've always wanted to read- Start the year off with a bang!
February- A classic you've always dreaded reading- Get that book out of the way... and who knows! You may end up loving it!
March- A classic you've been recommended- We all have those
April- A classic you've seen the movie/miniseries/TV show of- If you're like me you've probably seen quite a few film versions before being able to read the book. It's time for that book to get read!
May- An American classic
June- A British classic
July- A European classic (non-British)
August- A modern classic- Up to your interpretation
September- A children's classic
October- A classic by a female author
November- A classic by a male author
December- A classic written under a pseudonym- If you don't know which books were written under pseudonyms here's a few names to help you out. Jane Austen wrote her books under a pseudonym (by a lady) as did the Bronte sisters (published their books under male pseudonyms), George Elliot (real name Mary Ann Evans) and Agatha Christie also wrote a few books under the Pseudonym Mary Westmacott.  Men who also have written under Pseudonyms are Mark Twain (real name Samuel L. Clemens) and Lewis Carroll (real name Charles Lutwidge Dodgson). I'm sure there's more out there but there's a few to start you out.

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