Announcing the 2019 Chapter-a-Day Read-Along

This is the official sign-up post for the 2019 Chapter-a-Day Read-along. The Les Misérables Chapter-a-Day Read-along was so much fun in 2018 that I’m happy to host another one for 2019. The thing is, there aren’t too many books that have exactly 365 chapters. In fact, I know of only two: Les Misérables and War and Peace. I took a poll among my readers, and the vast majority of responders were not interested in reading War and Peace next year. So, rather than focus on one book in 2019, I’ve selected four books whose chapters add up to 365. By joining me in reading one a chapter a day in 2019, you will finish four great works of literature. But if you can only join in for some of the books, that’s fine, too. As with the 2018 challenge, read what you can when you can. The beauty of a chapter-a-day read-along is that if you miss a few days it’s relatively easy to catch up.

How to Participate in the 2019 Chapter-a-Day Read-along

• Get a copy of each of the four books listed below.
• If you have your own blog, write a welcome post explaining why you are joining the read-along and what you hope to gain from it. Leave a link to your post in the comments section at the end of this post. If you don’t have a blog, you can leave your information in the comments section below as well.
• Download the daily schedule: Nick’s Chapter a Day Reading Schedule 2019
• Commit to reading a chapter a day. If you get behind or race ahead, no worries. Life happens.
• If you feel like it, post a line a day from the current chapter on social media, using the hashtags listed below. I’ll be posting to Twitter and Facebook each day and I would love to read your thoughts, too. When you post, I would ask that you please respect the reading experience of those who may not know the full story. In other words, no spoilers!
• You will find official 2019 read-along graphics at the bottom of this post. Feel free to use them on your website if you wish.
• And be sure to subscribe to this blog to receive any read-along updates.

The goal of these chapter-a-day read-alongs is to encourage people to read books they might not otherwise read because of their length or age. With that in mind, I chose four classic novels that I think you’re really going to enjoy. Two of the novels are favorites of mine, and two of them are books I haven’t yet read by authors I like. So, without further ado, here’s what’s on tap for 2019:

Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

We will begin the year in Spain reading Don Quixote, my favorite novel of all time, and perhaps the greatest novel ever written. I’ve read it three times in my life, and I look forward to reading it many more times, starting in 2019. To find out why I love the novel so much, you can read a review I wrote for my junior high students many years ago. The first time I read Don Quixote was in 1991 when my oldest son was born. It was a Signet Classic edition translated by Walter Starkie. The Edith Grossman translation of Don Quixote was the first book I read when I decided to begin a reading log as a New Year’s resolution in January of 2003. In 2007 I listened to the Grossman translation as an audiobook narrated by the phenomenal George Guidall. I enjoyed both the Grossman and the Starkie translations, and will probably be reading the Grossman translation on Kindle. I may also occasionally dip into some translations I have by Tobias Smollett, Burton Raffel, and John Ormsby. The John Ormsby translation is available on Project Gutenberg and as an audiobook on Librivox in two parts (Part I, Part II). Hashtag: #quixotereadalong

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

After we finish Don Quixote in early May, we will move to France for The Count of Monte Cristo, another of my favorites. I have yet to read an Alexandre Dumas novel that I did not like, and I think this will make a great summer read. This will be my first time reading the unabridged version. I’ve seen the movie with Jim Caviezel several times, and I last read the abridged version from Bantam five years ago. I’m really looking forward to reading the complete story. I’ll be reading the Penguin Classics Kindle Edition translated by Robin Buss. I’ve heard that this is the best English translation out there. Whichever version you read, be sure to get an unabridged version that has 117 chapters. The novel is also available on Project Gutenberg and as an audiobook on Librivox. Hashtag: #montecristoreadalong

Lilith by George MacDonald

Next it’s on to Scotland with Lilith by George MacDonald. This may be the least-known of the four selections, but don’t let that put you off. George MacDonald was a prime influence on C.S. Lewis, and this novel is a dark Victorian-era fantasy featuring a haunted library, Adam and Eve, and more. Poet W.H. Auden said called Lilith “equal if not superior to the best of Poe.” It seems like the perfect autumn story, and we’ll be starting it around the beginning of September. I’ve enjoyed several of MacDonald’s short stories and from the bit I’ve sampled, Lilith looks very promising. It may be a bit difficult to find a paper copy, but it is readily available at Project Gutenberg and as an audiobook at Librivox. I’ll be reading the Kindle edition published by Open Road. Hashtag: #lilithreadalong

The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens

We end our read-along in England with The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens. This is the second book that’s new to me, and I’m really looking forward to it. I haven’t read a Dickens novel in about eight years, and this story of Little Nell really caught the hearts of the public when it was first published.  I’ve placed it at the end of the year because Dickens just seems better to me in the late fall and winter. I’ll be reading the very reasonably priced Kindle edition by Open Road. It, too, is available from Project Gutenberg and there are several audiobook versions at Librivox. Hashtag: #curiosityshopreadalong

The 2019 Chapter-a-Day Reading Schedule

Here is the broad outline of the year:

• Don Quixote: January 1 to May 8 (126 chapters plus 2 prologues = 128 days)
• The Count of Monte Cristo: May 9 to September 2 (117 chapters = 117 days)
• Lilith: September 3 to October 19 (47 chapters = 47 days)
• The Old Curiosity Shop: October 20 to December 31 (73 chapters = 73 days)

So, 128+117+47+73 = 365 days. You can download a pdf of the entire year’s schedule in detail here: Nick’s Chapter a Day Reading Schedule 2019.

Of course, I hope you read all four books with me, but you’re welcome to participate as much or as little as you like. I won’t be able to write much about the read-along until after May, but I will write when I can, and I will continue to post a line a day on social media. I’ll be using the various hashtags to tag my posts on Twitter and Facebook.

Stay tuned for my introductory post for Don Quixote in a few days, and leave a comment to let me know if you’re participating.

Here are a few graphics you can use for your website if you choose: