Classic books are so slow.

I'm trying to read Emma by Jane Austen.  I've had the book on my shelf for a couple of years now (David and I stocked up on classics once when Barnes and Noble was having a really good sale) and recently discovered it was available for free Kindle download on Amazon. Since I'm really enjoying e-reading out of sheer convenience (my iPhone is always with me, therefore so is my current book) I'm giving it another go. 

I had to go back and start taking notes on the characters involved in this book.  So far I have 19 and I'm only on chapter three!  (Okay, so that actually counts houses, too, because the houses are all named and I can't keep straight who lives where.  So I'm considering the houses to be characters in my reference list.)  It's embarrassing to admit that I can't keep this story straight in my head and have to take notes to get through it, but I blame it on the older style of writing.  This is supposed to be a classic though, right?  It's supposed to be one of those books every woman should read.  I think I'd prefer a dumbed down version of it, though. Or maybe if I could tell yet what the plot is going to be about that would help.  It just feels like it's taking forever to get off the ground.  I'm reading out of curiosity at this point, wondering where the heck this is leading, rather than interest.  And also because I'm invested with my half a page of notes on who the characters are!

But I've decided that I'm going to make myself read a classic book between each contemporary book (or, ah, perhaps contemporary series).  I'm taking suggestions on the classics that just have to be read...  I've already downloaded Wuthering Heights for eighty cents from Amazon and that one will probably be next.  I'm also taking suggestions on contemporary books I should read.  I'm really happy to be reading regularly again and actually finishing books.  I went through a spell (that lasted a couple of years) where I didn't finish the books I started.  But reading the Twilight series and then the True Blood series has kickstarted my reading drive and I'm craving it once again.  And please don't take that to mean that I only want to read vampire novels, because I'm really open to pretty much whatever.  I read those because they were suggestions from a friend, not because I went out in search of vampires.  ;)

Also, an update on my being sick...  I had a chest xray on Monday, and found out today that it was clear.  I have stopped taking the cough syrup because I simply couldn't focus or function on it, and I went through a couple of pretty miserable days of withdrawals.  That's some strong stuff!  My chest is hurting again and I'm still coughing/congested but I'm NOT going back on the cough syrup.  I've switched to Mucinex D and we'll see what happens.  The doctor's office says since the xray was clear I should use Ibuprofen for the pain and just wait for it to "resolve on its own."  That's helpful... 

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