Book a Week in 3011 - Week forty

[Robin M]

Good morning Dolls! Today is the start of week 40 in our quest to read 52 books in 52 weeks. Welcome to everyone who is just joining in, welcome back to our regulars and to all who are following our progress. Mr. Linky is all set up on the 52 books blog to link to your reviews. The link is in my signature.

52 Books Blog - spooktacular october: Join me in reading Dracula and be sure to check out other stories by Bram Stoker.

 

What are you reading this week?

 

 

 

Link to week 39

[Robin M]

I'm still working on An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears. About 2/3rds of the way through - very long, very wordy. 4 sections, different narrators in each section. Interesting but.... Of course, had to stop all to read J.D. Robb's latest In Death book New York to Dallas. Also just discovered Nalini Singh guild hunter series. Finished Angel's Blood, currently reading Archangel's Kiss.

[eaglei]

This week I finished two books:

 

#60 - Angels in the ER: Inspiring True Stories from an Emergency Room Doctor, by Robert D. Lesslie, MD. As I wrote last week, this wasn't exactly what I had anticipated - a collection of unexplained - "supernatural" if you will - happenings in the medical world. Au contraire, the angels in the ER were the other doctors, interns, nurses, etc., and sometimes the patients themselves. Good reading if you enjoy medical stories with not a lot of detail. I am ambivalent. It wasn't a waste of time but definitely wouldn't make my top twenty - or fifty . . .

 

#61 - The Mercy (The Rose Trilogy, volume 3), by Beverly Lewis. I always enjoy her books! :001_smile:

 

Currently reading:

 

#62 - Gone for18 Minutes: To Heaven, To Hell, and Back, by Teresa G. Simmons. While I understand the necessity for the build-up while getting to the *good part*, I am getting a bit impatient. As with the first book I listed today, if I attempt to write about this, I will enter the state of tergiversation, so I will refrain. Since this book is quick reading, I hope to finish it today so I can move on to:

 

#63 - Garden Spells, by Sarah Addison Allen. As a direct result of this thread, I signed this book out of the library this week, along with her second novel. I noted the third resting on the shelf, and the current one available on the "new acquisitions" shelf. :D

 

Off to other things now! I will check back later to see what you ladies (and gents?) are reading so I can once again lengthen my "wanna read" list! :)

Edited October 2, 2011 by eaglei

[Negin]

I finished two books. I really enjoyed both. Immensely. :D

 

 

The Tower, the Zoo, and The Tortoise - very sweet, some sad stuff, deals with it all so well

 

Confessions of a Prairie B**ch - If you love the Little House on the Prairie DVD/TV series, this book is great. I never, ever thought I could like her. You should see me yelling at the TV screen every time we watch the show! This book is such fun, even though it deals with some very difficult stuff. Love her writing style. I haven't enjoyed a book this much in quite a while. Someone here mentioned it. I don't remember whom. Thank you so much. I just love that cover. :). I really like Alison Arngrim.

 

I just started Middlesex. So far, so good.

 

Edited October 2, 2011 by Negin in Grenada

[Ali in OR]

I read some kid lit and I'm counting it because I'm having great difficulty getting anything read these days. I was ahead on the whole book-a-week thing for some time and now I'll have to get reading again or fall behind. I read Barbara Cohen's Seven Daughters and Seven Sons which my dd read for history a few weeks back. It is based on an old Iraqi folktale. One man has seven daughters (not a good fate) and his brother has seven sons (good). One of the daughters pretends to be a man so she can go into business and make enough money for her sisters to marry. In the process she falls in love with a prince (will they get together at the end???) and gets revenge on her seven male cousins who thought they were better than her. Dd and I both enjoyed it.

 

I tried to read The Island of Lost Maps because it sounded so interesting when folks mentioned it here a few weeks ago, but I don't seem to have enough brain cells left to give it the attention it deserves. I'm pretty wiped out with home schooling and kid activities and need to stick with easier reading for now. I have Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy on hold at the library because I thought I would read that first before seeing the Colin Firth film when it comes out. Hope it's easy reading.

[eaglei]

I finished two books. I really enjoyed both. Immensely. :D

 

Confessions of a Prairie B**ch[/url][/b] - If you love the Little House on the Prairie DVD/TV series, this book is great. I never, ever thought I could like her. You should see me yelling at the TV screen every time we watch the show! This book is such fun, even though it deals with some very difficult stuff. Love her writing style. I haven't enjoyed a book this much in quite a while. Someone here mentioned it. I don't remember whom. Thank you so much. I just love that cover. :). I really like Alison Arngrim.

 

Negin - I am so glad to read this good report! I have debated whether to request it at the library or not - simply because Melissa Gilbert's book was WAY TMI! I'll add this to my list of "wanna reads"!

[Negin]

Melissa Gilbert's book was WAY TMI!

Was it really? Guess I should read this one also. :D I haven't read hers yet - thought it might be a bit boring. One I will most definitely not read is Melissa Sue Andersons's. There are lots and lots of 1 Star Reviews on amazon. Once I read those reviews, I understood why. ;)

[Stacia]

52 Books Blog - spooktacular october: Join me in reading Dracula and be sure to check out other stories by Bram Stoker.

 

Hoping to get started on some of my spooky reading this week. :D

 

Garden Spells, by Sarah Addison Allen. As a direct result of this thread, I signed this book out of the library this week

 

That's why I read it too, lol. This thread always makes my 'to-read' list longer!

 

The Tower, the Zoo, and The Tortoise

...

Confessions of a Prairie B**ch

...

I just started Middlesex. So far, so good.

 

Glad you enjoyed The Tower, .... Confessions looks fun & interesting (though I've maybe seen the tv show once).

 

Oooohhh, I love Middlesex. Thought it was a great book! Fabulous narrator.

 

I have Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy on hold at the library because I thought I would read that first before seeing the Colin Firth film when it comes out.

 

I want to read that too (before the movie). Saw the movie preview when dh & I were at the movies on Friday night. It looks very good!!

 

I'm currently working on Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco. I think it's fascinating & oddly humorous. Loving it so far....

 

From the opionionless.com site (which gave the book 4 stars):

"Meta might not be exactly the best word to use when describing what Miguel Syjuco’s debut novel is like, but it’s pretty **** near close. Life imitates art imitates life imitating art and a fictionalized version of the author plays the role of protagonist in this tale that’s a mash up of historical fiction (tracing the history of the Philippines from the 1800s forward), murder mystery (or is it suicide?), love story (woo!), family bonds (or lack thereof), and commentary on the political, social, and economic climate of the Philippines (interesting, but possibly boring if you’re not in the right state of mind).

The novel won the Man Asian award in 2008 while still in manuscript form, and it took an additional two years for it to finally make it to finished product. Was it worth the wait? Overall I think so.

The facts are these: the world famous, Philippines born writer Crispin Salvador, living abroad in New York, drowns under mysterious circumstances. His young protégé, author Miguel Syjuco starring as the fictional protagonist Miguel Syjuco, is trying to piece together exactly what happened to Salvador and the manuscript of his mysterious final novel. Titled The Bridges Ablaze, the novel is rumored to be the crowning achievement of his literary life…if it in fact exists. Supposedly the text exposes the corruption at the heart of several powerful Filipino families and could do major damage if it ever sees the light of day. To solve Salvador’s murder and locate his missing book Syjuco will need to return to the Philippines, a country he left behind for his own fairly complicated reasons years ago.

The novel itself is told through a technique known as literary bricolage which includes excerpts of interviews with Salvador from various papers, jokes he told, poetry he wrote, essays he published, portions of the biography of Salvador that Sujuco is attempting to write, and first person narrative from Sujuco himself.

At times the novel is a major head trip and it’s hard to separate fact from fiction. Even when you put the book down for a moment to visit Sujuco’s website, the confusion continues. Check out the eerie response Sujuco supposedly wrote to the person running this “fan site.†Is this whole thing real or just another ploy? You be the judge:

http://www.miguelsyjuco.com/

Overall Ilustrado pleases, though it may leave more than a few folks baffled and or frustrated with the history lesson it presents when it comes to life in the Philippines and the resolution it presents with regards to Salvador’s lost novel and murder. Ilustrado is smart, sophisticated, fun novel, which delivers some heavy words of wisdom throughout, but especially within the last fifty pages or so.

If you’re the type of reader who loves feeling off balance and dares the author to challenge you, then you’re in for a treat when it comes to Ilustrado. If you’re interested about life in the Philippines the novel is worthwhile. If neither of these things is true then you might want to take a pass on this one because it could leave you feeling very frustrated and lost."

[prairiegirl]

I don't have anything interesting to add as I am still reading the fourth Harry Potter book. But I did want to say that I, too, found Melissa Gilbert's book TMI. I really don't care who she slept with and how drunk she was at the time. I am so tired of these kinds of memoirs. I have heard many people recommend Nellie's book so I think I will put a hold on it at my library.

[Rosie_0801]

I'm reading a book about the Mayan Prophecy 2012. It is not the most scholarly of works :lol: but it's fun anyway.

 

Rosie

[Negin]

But I did want to say that I, too, found Melissa Gilbert's book TMI. I really don't care who she slept with and how drunk she was at the time. I am so tired of these kinds of memoirs. I have heard many people recommend Nellie's book so I think I will put a hold on it at my library.

I don't think you'd like it ... ;) Nellie's memoir is definitely TMI, but she writes with humor and is very real. Nonetheless, you could give it a try - and follow my 10% Rule - read the first 10% and see if you like it or not. :)

[-M-]

I'd like to second the recommendation of Confessions of a Prairie B**ch (Alison Arngrim). I read it earlier this summer and found Arngrim's voice assured, distinctive, and thoroughly engaging.

 

Right now, I'm reading The Sibling Effect (Jeffrey Kluger) on the Kindle; and this past week, I finished Books 93 and 94. (My "reading life review" entry for September can be found here.)

 

■ Barns of Illinois (Larry and Alaina Kanfer)

Non-fiction. Gorgeous photos and engaging text from a husband-and-wife team. Published by the University of Illinois Press in 2009.

 

■ Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making It Work (Tim Gunn)

Non-fiction. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: The Misses and I absolutely and completely ❤ Tim Gunn. As you might imagine, then, passing this little gem back and forth, reading aloud bits in our best "That's a lot of look!" voices, and marking our favorite passages with Post-Its have been a real source of delight for us. No, the writing isn't perfect, but Gunn is such a genuine personality that the reader simply appreciates his anecdotes and related suggestions as wisdom from an experienced and generous teacher. You'll find excerpts here and here. Don't miss the related videos in the sidebar of that first link. With any luck, I'll offer a chapbook entry on this book. Until then? Highly recommended.

[nd293]

This week I finished:

 

34. The Botany of Desire – Michael Pollan

35. Long Time Dead – Tony Black

 

The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World (recommended here by Kleine Hexe, I think) is not-to-be-missed. It's definitely in my Top 5 for the year. I moved slowly through the first two section, but found the second two quicker to read.

 

Working in his garden one day, Michael Pollan hit pay dirt in the form of an idea: do plants, he wondered, use humans as much as we use them? While the question is not entirely original, the way Pollan examines this complex coevolution by looking at the natural world from the perspective of plants is unique. The result is a fascinating and engaging look at the true nature of domestication.

 

In making his point, Pollan focuses on the relationship between humans and four specific plants: apples, tulips, marijuana, and potatoes. He uses the history of John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed) to illustrate how both the apple's sweetness and its role in the production of alcoholic cider made it appealing to settlers moving west, thus greatly expanding the plant's range. He also explains how human manipulation of the plant has weakened it, so that "modern apples require more pesticide than any other food crop." The tulipomania of 17th-century Holland is a backdrop for his examination of the role the tulip's beauty played in wildly influencing human behavior to both the benefit and detriment of the plant (the markings that made the tulip so attractive to the Dutch were actually caused by a virus). His excellent discussion of the potato combines a history of the plant with a prime example of how biotechnology is changing our relationship to nature. As part of his research, Pollan visited the Monsanto company headquarters and planted some of their NewLeaf brand potatoes in his garden--seeds that had been genetically engineered to produce their own insecticide. Though they worked as advertised, he made some startling discoveries, primarily that the NewLeaf plants themselves are registered as a pesticide by the EPA and that federal law prohibits anyone from reaping more than one crop per seed packet. And in a interesting aside, he explains how a global desire for consistently perfect French fries contributes to both damaging monoculture and the genetic engineering necessary to support it. Pollan has read widely on the subject and elegantly combines literary, historical, philosophical, and scientific references with engaging anecdotes, giving readers much to ponder while weeding their gardens. --Shawn Carkonen --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

 

 

Long Time Dead is the 4th in a series of "Tartan Noir" crime novels. I started with the 3rd in the series, and then read the 1st and 2nd. I was ambivalent about the book - perhaps a case of two much of a good thing. The books are very gritty with a protaganist with a somewhat nihilistic take on life. Reading the first book I felt sympathy for the protaganist, but by the 4th book it felt like more-of-the-same, and all a bit formulaic. I'm glad I came across the series, though, Loss was definitlely worth reading, and this book offered some resolution for the protaganist, which was a relief after three books of misery!

 

This week I have two books from the Canongate Myths series: Dream Angus by Alexander McCall Smith, and The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman. Although I know of both authors, I haven't read anything by either.

[dangermom]

I read The Scorch Trials, the second volume in a YA dystopian trilogy (pretty good stuff), and Persepolis, a two-volume memoir in graphic novel form. The author is Iranian and it's really interesting and well-done.

 

I've been reading two giant heavy books, Albion and Vanity Fair, and I'm so close to done!

[prairiegirl]

I don't think you'd like it ... ;) Nellie's memoir is definitely TMI, but she writes with humor and is very real. Nonetheless, you could give it a try - and follow my 10% Rule - read the first 10% and see if you like it or not. :)

 

Negin, I will still get the book and enforce the 10% rule. Thanks. :001_smile:

[JennW in SoCal]

Hi all!

 

I don't have any new reading to report as I haven't finished Brief History of Time, but I do have a very fun link for those of you who like sci-fi or fantasy. This flow chart is a guide to navigating the top 100 sci-fi and fantasy books as voted on by NPR listeners over the summer. Just click anywhere on the chart and it goes close up for you.

 

NPR Top 100 Flow Chart

 

Don't know if it qualifies as spooky, but on my list this month is Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's Frankenstein. I just saw an article (pausing to search for link...found it! All hail the Google!) that some intrepid scientists have proved that she probably did indeed see the full moon through her shutters the night that the inspiration for the story came to her. Be sure to scroll all the way to the end. Frankenstein Moon

[nd293]

This flow chart is a guide to navigating the top 100 sci-fi and fantasy books as voted on by NPR listeners over the summer. Just click anywhere on the chart and it goes close up for you.

 

NPR Top 100 Flow Chart

 

 

Oh! Thanks for that - I am one of the minority (it seems) who never stray into sci-fi or fantasy territory. The flow chart actually has some good pointers for the likes of me - there are a few books on it that I've considered at various times. I probably have enough books on reserve at the library to see me through to 52 books and December 31st, but will bookmark this for next year's challenge. I'd like to try to cover more genres next year, even if only as a challenge.

[Negin]

Glad you enjoyed The Tower

Stacia, I think you recommended it/first mentioned it. If so, thank you. Loved it. :)

 

Confessions looks fun & interesting (though I've maybe seen the tv show once).

Maybe you won't enjoy it as much as I did. I grew up watching the show in Iran, in Wales, wherever we lived. We have almost all the DVDs and love watching them. It's dh (and mine also) favorite TV show of all time. It was funny watching it in Iran, dubbed and speaking Farsi. :D

 

Oooohhh, I love Middlesex. Thought it was a great book! Fabulous narrator.

I think you're the first one who recommended this to me about 2 years ago. I still have your list of book recommendations. :)

 

I'm reading a book about the Mayan Prophecy 2012. It is not the most scholarly of works :lol: but it's fun anyway.

Rosie

Rosie, I found this on pinterest :D.

 

 

I'd like to second the recommendation of Confessions of a Prairie B**ch (Alison Arngrim). I read it earlier this summer and found Arngrim's voice assured, distinctive, and thoroughly engaging.

So it was probably you who mentioned it here. Thank you. :D

 

■ Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making It Work (Tim Gunn)

Dd and I love Tim Gunn. I have been thinking of this one. Need to get his other book also. Thank you.

From pinterest:

 

 

Negin, I will still get the book and enforce the 10% rule. Thanks.

And if you do, I'd love to hear which one you end up liking more - Laura's or Nellie's. I haven't read Laura's yet and am not sure if I will.

 

Quick question: Is Botany of Desire fiction or non? Guess I should look it up myself. Lazy me. Is it an easy read? I keep hearing it mentioned. Wondering if I'll like it or not.

[Rosie_0801]

Good cartoon :D

[nd293]

Quick question: Is Botany of Desire fiction or non? Guess I should look it up myself. Lazy me. Is it an easy read? I keep hearing it mentioned. Wondering if I'll like it or not.

 

It's non-fiction. It's not a difficult read, but I found that it read slower than fiction (for want of a better way of putting it). It's both interesting and entertaining - I think you'd enjoy it. It's in four parts, looking at four different plants, and the human desire they satisfy, and looking at the way our relationship to the particular plant has evolved in a particular context, and how the reciprocal relationship has affected plant and people. The story meanders gracefully through history, mythology, science, botany, personal anecdote, and the author's own garden. The plants are apples, tulips, marijuana and potatoes. It's hard to do the book justice as it is so varied!

[Negin]

It's non-fiction. It's not a difficult read, but I found that it read slower than fiction (for want of a better way of putting it). It's both interesting and entertaining - I think you'd enjoy it.

Thank you so much for the really helpful review. Have added it to my wish list. I'm very, very slow these days with non-fiction, but I'll get there eventually. :D

[Medieval Mom]

I finished Protecting the Gift, which was a surprisingly good read. It reassured my reliance on intuition to make decisions; but I also learned some frightening (and very un-PC) facts. Yikes!

 

Feeling in a slump and needing some positive thought therapy, I set aside LOTR for a moment for Pollyanna. Excellent read. I cried and cried through the last pages.

 

It was a good week for finishing books! I also finished Parents and Children, the second CM volume. It was not as engaging or helpful (for me) as the first in the series. A collection of essays and such, the book spoke of inherited morality, "therapy" for moral ills, Darwinism (which she accepts as fact ;) ), and other Victorian child-rearing/philosophical notes, as well as book reviews. A hodge-podge indeed! I hope to get more out of the third volume, School Education.

 

Getting our affairs in order, I began to read Your Life, Your Legacy: Fundamentals of Effective Estate Planning. I friend, who thought it helpful, leant it to me.

 

I'm in the mood to read Sherlock Holmes, having just finished watching every last episode in Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Granada Television Series. I LOVE Jeremy Brett's excellent portrayal of the great sleuth, and would love to re-read Doyle's work with the new images in my mind from the film series. (It's been 20 years since I last read Sherlock Holmes!) But I don't know whether I'll indulge myself, or finish LOTR first... Ah, decisions, decisions...:lol:

[Heather in Neverland]

I am reading the first book in the Game of Thrones series.

[Stacia]

■ Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making It Work (Tim Gunn)

...

Highly recommended.

 

Will have to find that one! Thanks for the rec.

 

The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World (recommended here by Kleine Hexe, I think) is not-to-be-missed. It's definitely in my Top 5 for the year. I moved slowly through the first two section, but found the second two quicker to read.

 

Another one I want to read....

 

Persepolis, a two-volume memoir in graphic novel form. The author is Iranian and it's really interesting and well-done.

 

Negin, did you see that one? I've never really read graphic novels, I guess. But, one I've seen that's getting a lot of buzz & raves is Habibi. Has anyone seen/read that one?

 

NPR Top 100 Flow Chart

Frankenstein Moon

 

Awesome links. Thanks! The flow chart is too funny. Love the comments in it. :lol:

 

Rosie, I found this on pinterest :D.

 

That's too funny.

[laughing lioness]

and Persepolis, a two-volume memoir in graphic novel form. The author is Iranian and it's really interesting and well-done.

 

QUOTE]

 

There's also a film aboutPersepolis. My older kids and I watched it over Xmas break last year. It's pretty dark and intense!

 

I'm continueing with L'Engle- The Circle of Quiet (Crosswicks Journal) and Erma Bombeck. Her writing style is intriguing, very abrubt with many vss.'

[K in MI]

Haven't posted in a loooooong time!

 

I've read:

 

 

#40: The Final Hour (Klavan)

#39: The BS of A (Sack)

#38: No Biking in the House Without a Helmet (Greene)

 

I'll need to pick up the pace now.

[Storm Bay]

Negin - I am so glad to read this good report! I have debated whether to request it at the library or not - simply because Melissa Gilbert's book was WAY TMI! I'll add this to my list of "wanna reads"!

 

I put it on hold after reading your first post on this. I'm not sure how much of it I'll read, but it will depend on how funny I think it is. Humour is so subjective! I tried Mennonite in a Little Black Dress and didn't care for it at all, even though someone on this board loved it (that might have been on this book a week thread in 2010.) I thought I'd like it because my dad's family are also Russian Mennoites (not sure why she said Ukranian; they did live there, but they all spoke German & Russian as far as I know, and some lived in South Russia), but I found it rude overall. I did like the part about knowing how to make soup, although I got my knack from my mother who is totally of Icelandic stock (no pun intended, but I did choose to leave it there ;)).

[Mom-ninja.]

Subbing as I have to run. I'll be back. :D

[laughing lioness]

I tried Mennonite in a Little Black Dress and didn't care for it at all, even though someone on this board loved it (that might have been on this book a week thread in 2010.) I thought I'd like it QUOTE]

 

I thought the author was a terrific word crafter but crude and rude, not to mention disrespectful. Here's my review.

[Guest]

I am finishing Lawhead's King Raven trilogy by reading Tuck.

 

I am also listening to Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson/David Oliver Relin. Did someone here recommend that book? I'm listening to it a mere 20 minutes a day while I'm walking; I'm tempted to just pick up the book as I feel it's going to take forever to get through, though.

 

I saw Negin's The Tower, The Zoo, and the Tortoise last week and requested it from the library; I think it's come in. That one looked fun.

 

I love reading this thread each week.

[Imprimis]

I read Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind and am now reading How to Live, a biography of Michel de Montaigne, by Sarah Bakewell.

[Negin]

There's also a film aboutPersepolis. My older kids and I watched it over Xmas break last year. It's pretty dark and intense!

Yes. I haven't read the book, but we saw the movie also. We have family members who went through very similar stuff, if not, worse.

[Mom-ninja.]

Thank you so much for the really helpful review. Have added it to my wish list. I'm very, very slow these days with non-fiction, but I'll get there eventually. :D

 

Negin, you will like the book.

 

 

I'll have to check out the sci-fi link. My dad loves sci-fi and it's his birthday.

 

I put the Gunn book on my list. :001_smile:

[NanceXToo]

Can't believe we've made it to 40 weeks! Doing this challenge with my daughter (who just turned 11), we've read:

 

1. The Phantom Tollbooth (Norton Juster)

2. Skellig (David Almond)

3. Ida B and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World (Katherine Hannigan)

4. The Gawgon and the Boy (Lloyd Alexander)

5. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (J.K. Rowling)

6. The Girl With the Silver Eyes (Willo Davis Roberts)

7. Tuck Everlasting (Natalie Babbitt)

8. Sounder (William H. Armstrong)

9. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Roald Dahl)

10. Treasure Island (adapted, Illustrated Classics Edition)

11. All-Of-A-Kind Family (Sydney Taylor)

12. The Midwife's Apprentice (Karen Cushman)

13. Surviving the Applewhites (Stephanie S. Tolan)

14. The People in Pineapple Place (Anne Lindbergh)

15. The Prisoner of Pineapple Place (Anne Lindberg)

16. By the Shores of Silver Lake (Laura Ingalls Wilder)

17. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (J.K. Rowling) (audiobook)

18. The Safe Zone, A Kid's Guide To Personal Safety (Donna Chaiet and Francine Russell)

19. Harriet Tubman, Call To Freedom (Judy Carlson)

20. The Long Winter (Laura Ingalls Wilder)

21. The Return of the Indian (Lynne Reid Banks)

22. The Secret of the Indian (Lynne Reid Banks)

23. Robinson Crusoe (Retold, Scholastic Books Edition)

24. Ben and Me (Robert Lawson)

25. Bridge To Terabithia (Katherine Paterson)

26. Frindle (Andrew Clements)

27. James and the Giant Peach (Roald Dahl)

28. In Search of a Homeland: The Story of the Aeneid (Penelope Lively)

29. Stargirl (Jerry Spinelli)

30. The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor (retold by John Yeoman)

31. Shiloh (Phyllis Reynolds Naylor)

32. Mr. Popper's Penguins (Richard and Florence Atwater)

33. 2000 Leagues Under the Sea (Retold by Diane Flynn Grund)

34. Little Town on the Prairie (Laura Ingalls Wilder)

35. These Happy Golden Years (Laura Ingalls Wilder)

36. Maniac Magee (Jerry Spinelli)

37. The First Four Years (Laura Ingalls Wilder)

38. The Inheritors (William Golding)

39. The Apprenticeship of Lucas Whitaker (Cynthia DeFelice)

40. The Egypt Game (Zilpha Keatley Snyder)

[NanceXToo]

As for me, I have not read 40 books on my own as of yet, but that's okay, I meant for this challenge to be done with my daughter, and we are keeping up with that.

 

On my own this year, I've read:

 

1. Flowers for Algernon (Daniel Keyes)

2. The Virgin's Lover (Philippa Gregory)

3. The Year of the Flood (Margaret Atwood)

4. Mary, Blood Mary (Carolyn Meyer)

5. Beware, Princess Elizabeth (Carolyn Meyer)

6. Doomed Queen Anne (Carolyn Meyer)

7. Zipporah, Wife of Moses (Marek Halter)

8. At First Sight (Nicholas Sparks)

9. Unwind (Neal Shusterman)

10. Lover Unleashed (J.R. Ward) (Black Dagger Brotherhood series)

11. Free-Range Kids, How To Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children (Without Going Nuts With Worry) (Lenore Skenazy)

12. The Fifth Sacred Thing (Starhawk)

13. The Law of Nines (Terry Goodkind)

14. Running With Scissors (Augusten Burroughs)

15. A Game of Thrones (George R.R. Martin)

16. A Clash of Kings (George R.R. Martin)

17. Hit List (Laurel K. Hamilton) (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series)

18. The Help (Kathryn Stockett)

19. Blessings (Anna Quindlen)

20. A Storm of Swords (George R.R. Martin)

21. A Feast For Crows (George R.R. Martin)

22. Darkfever (Karen Marie Moning)

23. Bloodfever (Karen Marie Moning)

24. Faefever (Karen Marie Moning)

25. A Dance With Dragons (George R.R. Martin) (Currently Reading)

 

Started but gave up on: Nights of Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks and Deconstructing Penguins. Next up (when they come in from ILL: Dreamfever and Shadowfever, both by Karen Marie Moning- a fun, urban, paranormal fantasy series).

[Lizzie in Ma]

Oh my it's Tuesday and I haven't checked in!

I keep avoiding my "school books" in favor of fun ones so I am still reading Rumsfeld and Strachan but...

 

Sandman Slim, Richard Kadrey was an odd book but I found myself quite enjoying it. It was a recommendation on MobileRead for Dresden Files fans. Looking forward to the next two in the series.

 

I am, at present, howling my way through Bill Bryson's, I'm a Stranger Here Myself.

 

I almost peed my pants reading through his description of ice skating. Every time I pick one up I am reminded of why he is one of my all time most beloved writers.

[eaglei]

I tried Mennonite in a Little Black Dress and didn't care for it at all, even though someone on this board loved it (that might have been on this book a week thread in 2010.)

 

:iagree:

 

Waste of time reading it. She has real writing ability but buries it under much crudity, and terrible disrespect for her parents and their Mennonite way of life and beliefs.

[nd293]

Can't believe we've made it to 40 weeks! Doing this challenge with my daughter (who just turned 11)

 

When you say doing the challenge with her, do you mean reading aloud, or is this her personal list?

 

Dd-11-in-under-3-weeks-as-I-am-constantly-reminded is keen to join us next year, but I am not sure if 52 books is realistic. She reads a lot, but I don't really track what she reads. I might get her to have a trial run over the next month or so. I think we'll have to cut down further on TV time if she's to make one-a-week. I've been meaning to, anyway...

[Mom-ninja.]

I created a page on Goodreads for my boys to log their books. It makes it fun for them to want to complete books. It'll also be a great way for me to keep track of their books for their portfolios.

 

 

I finished Bitter is the New Black last night. At first I didn't like it because I didn't relate at all to her attitude. I kept going and I'm glad I did. It's a fun read. I'll read her again.

[laughing lioness]

I am finishing Lawhead's King Raven trilogy by reading Tuck.

 

.

 

I'm quote challenged! I LOVED the King Raven trilogy!!

 

Negin- Oh my!

 

Just wanted to say I am LOVING L'Engle's Circle of Quiet. There are 4 books in the series- The Crosswicks Journal- it's very autobio with her musings on writing, philosophy, theology and science. I feel so nourished reading it.

[Guest]

I'm quote challenged! I LOVED the King Raven trilogy!!

 

 

 

I know you do! You were the one who got me hooked on them! :)

[laughing lioness]

I know you do! You were the one who got me hooked on them! :)

 

do you like them?

[Stacia]

Ah, I really liked this blog post by Jonathan Carroll (a favorite author of mine).... It starts out with...

"Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.

...."

:001_smile:

[Stacia]

I finished Ilustrado tonight. It won the 2008 Man Asia Literary Prize; I think the book is a worthy recipient.

 

Wow. Great story. I loved the intertwined viewpoints, the variety of voices. It's hard to pinpoint a genre, or style, or even an ultimate resolution to the story. There are as many questions as answers, I think. It feels both real & surreal at the same time; I sometimes felt an effect not unlike standing in a hall of mirrors, wondering which one thing was real, what was a reflection, what was a reflection many times over? Overall, an enthralling way to present a narrative (though it had a few weaknesses in parts). I need to ponder this one a bit longer & let it all sink in....

 

Not sure it's everyone's cup of tea, but it was definitely mine!

[Negin]

Negin, you will like the book.

Thank you. I love it when people tell me something definitive like that. Added it to my wish list. :)

 

I haven't read it, but I recall my book club ladies giving it rave reviews.

I'm liking Middlesex more and more. Not sure if you'd like it. I'm only about a third of the way through.

 

I'm kind of behind again because my sister's wedding was on Sunday.

Looks great. :D

 

I finished Bitter is the New Black last night. At first I didn't like it because I didn't relate at all to her attitude. I kept going and I'm glad I did. It's a fun read. I'll read her again.

Looks good. Added to my wish list. Again, do you think I'd like it? :D

 

Ah, I really liked this blog post by Jonathan Carroll (a favorite author of mine).... It starts out with...

 

 

"Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.

 

 

...."

:001_smile:

:iagree: :iagree: :iagree:

[NanceXToo]

When you say doing the challenge with her, do you mean reading aloud, or is this her personal list?

 

Dd-11-in-under-3-weeks-as-I-am-constantly-reminded is keen to join us next year, but I am not sure if 52 books is realistic. She reads a lot, but I don't really track what she reads. I might get her to have a trial run over the next month or so. I think we'll have to cut down further on TV time if she's to make one-a-week. I've been meaning to, anyway...

 

In my case, I mean reading aloud. She and I read aloud to each other. Sometimes I read to her, sometimes she reads to me, sometimes we take turns. But I mean we read the books aloud, together.

 

My daughter does also read on her own but I haven't counted those, I'm only listing the ones we've read together. I'm not sure if she'd be able to read a book a week every single week on her own for a year, truth be told! But I thought doing it together would be a nice way for us to spend time together and enjoy reading together and son on. :)

[Stacia]

In my case, I mean reading aloud. She and I read aloud to each other. Sometimes I read to her, sometimes she reads to me, sometimes we take turns. But I mean we read the books aloud, together.

You & your dd are awesome to have done all these read-alouds so far this year! :001_smile:

 

On a separate note, I read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson today. (The edition I linked is one from this year & is a lovely, crisp little edition of the story.) I had never read it & I must say that I *absolutely* loved it (I'm a big fan of books that explore the duality of man's good/evil nature); it has immediately joined my list of 'favorite' books. It's a perfect short story. The story is somewhat different than what I expected (based on the lore of "Jekyll/Hyde" that I knew going in) & I *so* wish I had no prior knowledge of the idea of Jekyll/Hyde; what a treat it must have been for the original readers of this story to be fully surprised at the revelations as they happened. Even so, it was still fabulous & wonderfully told. I enjoyed every sentence of this tense, tight tale. The writing & vocabulary are just spot-on, imo. A great read & a classic that everyone should experience, especially in October. :001_smile:

 

Books read as of July 2011:

32. The Reluctant Entertainer

33. A Curable Romantic

34. A Reliable Wife

35. Living the Simple Life

36. The Music of Chance

37. The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise

38. Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui

39. The Book of Jhereg

40. The Lost Symbol

41. Storm Front

42. The Clutter Cure

43. Simplicity Parenting

44. Madame Tussaud

45. The Map of Time

46. The Somnambulist

47. The Island of Lost Maps

48. The Adventurer's Handbook

49. Garden Spells

50. Dracula The Un-Dead

51. The Gold Bug

52. The Rule of Four

53. Ilustrado

54. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

 

Stacia's Challenge/2011 Goodreads

Edited September 12, 2014 by Stacia

[Guest]

do you like them?

 

I do like them!!! :)

[nd293]

But I thought doing it together would be a nice way for us to spend time together and enjoy reading together and son on. :)

 

That's lovely :). I haven't read regularly to dd since she was about 7yrs, I guess. I always feel bad about it, but from that time there has been little chance that ds4 would give us the quiet time to read, which pushes reading time to around 8pm when I've put him to bed, and then I just can't face it... My Mom reads to dd via Skype on a regular basis, though (Mom is in South Africa, we are in Australia), which kind of lets me off the hook. Maybe I will aim for 1 book a month with dd next year.

[Storm Bay]

I tried Mennonite in a Little Black Dress and didn't care for it at all, even though someone on this board loved it (that might have been on this book a week thread in 2010.) I thought I'd like it QUOTE]

 

I thought the author was a terrific word crafter but crude and rude, not to mention disrespectful. Here's my review.

Your review is spot on! Too bad that I put it on hold before you read it. I think I had it reserved and put it on suspension for a few months because I had so many other things on hold, and you must have read it in between.

 

I read Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind and am now reading How to Live, a biography of Michel de Montaigne, by Sarah Bakewell.

 

Did you like Gone With the Wind? I loved it when I read it growing up, but couldn't stand it as an adult due to Scarlett.

 

 

 

I'm liking Middlesex more and more. Not sure if you'd like it. I'm only about a third of the way through.

 

 

I read a fair bit of that book a number of years ago but didn't like it and didn't read it all. There was a book I ddid like around that same time in my life was Bel Canto by Ann Patchett annpatchett.com/belcanto.html .