Book a Week in 2012

[Robin M]

Good Morning, dear hearts! Today is the start of week 47 in our quest to read 52 books in 52 weeks. Welcome back to all our readers, welcome to all those who are just joining in and to all who are following our progress. Mr. Linky is all set up on the 52 Books blog to link to your reviews.

 

52 Books blog - Michel De Montaigne: Highlighting Montaigne's Essays which is # 3 in SWB's WEM list of autobiographical books to read.

 

Publisher Weekly 5 Books inspired by Beethoven's fifth

 

 

For those already planning for 2013, yes we will be continuing with Book a Week in 2013. So start thinking of your goals and pressing the envelope, stepping out of your comfort zones. Such as reading more non fiction if you usually read fiction (like me) or reading more fiction if you generally only read fiction.

 

What are you reading this week?

 

 

 

Link to week 46

[Robin M]

Nm

[Maus]

Completed:

Book #59 - "Freeing Your Child From Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder" by Tamar E. Chansky, Ph.D. Very informative. Great background reading on the disorder.

Book #58 - "What to Do When Your Brain Gets Stuck: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming OCD" by Dawn Huebner, Ph.D. Ok, it's a kid's book and it's short, but I've read it twice, so I think it should count. (Once to preview and a second time with my son.) It seems very well suited to his age and understanding, and I'm going to buy a copy so he can actually write in it.

 

Book #57 - "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Book #56 - "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte.

Book #55 - "America: The Story of Us, Book 3 - A House Divided Cannot Stand" by Kevin Baker.

Book #54 - "America: The Story of Us, Book 2 - Creating the West" by Kevin Baker.

Book #53 - "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens.

Book #52 - "America: The Story of Us, Book 1 - The World Comes to America" by Kevin Baker, et. al.

Book #51 - "The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains" by Nicholas Carr.

Book #50 - "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen.

Book #49 - "Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift.

Book #48 - "No Regrets: How Homeschooling Earned me a Master's Degree at Age Sixteen" by Alexandra Swann.

Book #47 - "What to Read When" by Pam Allyn.

Book #46 - "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Salt Lake City" by Greg Witt.

Book #45 - "Freeing Your Child From Anxiety" by Tamar Chansky.

Book #44 - "A Nation Rising" by Kenneth C. Davis.

Book #43 - "The Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan.

Book #42 - "The School for the Insanely Gifted" by Dan Elish.

Book #41 - "The Eye of the Sun - Part One of Blackwood: Legends of the Forest" by Les Moyes.

Book #40 - "The Fallacy Detective" by Nathaniel Bluedorn and Hans Bluedorn.

Book #39 - "Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes. Translated by John Ormsby.

Book #38 - "Organizing Solutions for People with Attention Deficit Disorder" by Susan C. Pinsky.

Book #37 - "Growing Up: A Classic American Childhood" by Marilyn vos Savant.

Book #36 -"A Young People's History of the United States" by Howard Zinn.

Book #35 - "Organizing the Disorganized Child: Simple Strategies to Succeed in School" by Martin L. Kutscher & Marcella Moran.

Book #34 - "Turn Right at Machu Picchu" by Mark Adams.

Book #33 - "The Lightening Thief" by Rick Riordan.

Book #32 - "Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, And the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero" by Michael Hingson.

Book #31 - "America's Hidden History" by Kenneth C. Davis.

Book #30 - "The Diamond of Darkhold†by Jeanne DuPrau.

Book #29 - "The People of Sparks†by Jeanne DuPrau.

Book #28 - "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins.

Book #27 - "Well-Educated Mind" by Susan Wise Bauer.

Book #26 - "The Prophet of Yonwood" by Jeanne Duprau.

Book #25 - "City of Ember" by Jeanne Duprau.

Book #24 - "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch.

Book #23 - "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson.

Book #22 - "Deconstructing Penguins" by Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone.

Book #21 - "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli.

Book #20 - "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins.

Book #19 - "Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.

Book #18 - "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer.

Book #17 - "Frozen Assets: Cook for a Day, Eat for a Month" by Deborah Taylor-Hough.

Book #16 - "Miserly Moms: Living Well on Less in a Tough Economy" by Jonni McCoy.

Book #15 - "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D.

Book #14 - "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" by Susan Cain.

Book #13 - "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett.

Book #12 - "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D.

Book #11 - "Extraordinary, Ordinary People" by Condoleezza Rice.

Book #10 - "The Pig in the Pantry" by Rose Godfrey.

Book #9 - "The Virgin in the Ice" by Ellis Peters.

Book #8 - "The Leper of St. Giles" by Ellis Peters.

Book #7 - "St. Peter's Fair" by Ellis Peters.

Book #6 - "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" by Amy Chua.

Book #5 - "Monk's Hood" by Ellis Peters.

Book #4 - "Flash and Bones" by Kathy Reichs.

Book #3 - "Spider Bones" by Kathy Reichs.

Book #2 - "One Corpse Too Many" by Ellis Peters.

Book #1 - "A Morbid Taste for Bones" by Ellis Peters.

[ariasmommy]

Two more completed last week:

 

#51 The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis - A re-read, listened to an audiobook version this time.

 

#52 An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood by Jimmy Carter - After reading about President Carter with the kids, I thought I'd try one of his own books. It was interesting, although not exactly a page-turner (took me awhile to get through). It was quite amazing to read about all the work he had to do on the farm, and how, as a young boy, he would walk three miles to town to sell boiled peanuts.

[Paisley Hedgehog]

.

[rwjx2khsmj]

I finished two books this week, The Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle and Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed. Depending on your taste, both books were engaging and worth reading.

 

Currently I'm reading Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe.

[ladydusk]

Two more completed last week:

 

#51 #52

 

 

:hurray: :hurray: Huzzah!

[ladydusk]

Two more completed last week:

 

#51 #52

 

 

:hurray: :hurray: Huzzah!

[Ali in OR]

Currently reading and enjoying the second book in the Kristen Lavransdatter trilogy. Also just picked up The Casual Vacancy at the library. Sorry if this post is a repeat--struggling with the new board's responsiveness.

[eaglei]

I haven't posted in a couple weeks, and my reading time has also been severely hampered. :glare:

 

Here is what I read:

 

#60 - Surprised by Oxford: A Memoir, by Carolyn Weber. To those who recommended this book - a very hearty Thank You! This will definitely be one of my favorites this year. I loved her style of writing and I loved her story of spiritual pursuit. I laughed; I cried; I was challenged. Worth every single moment spent reading it! :)

 

#61 - A Nickel's Worth of Skim Milk: A Boy's View of the Great Depression, by Robert J. Hastings. Reminiscences of his boyhood years, best summed up perhaps in this quote: "What a youngster's feet touch as he jumps out of bed - cold linoleum or warm carpeting - does not necessarily make his destiny. What counts is the kind of person who walks across these floors. . . . Because what we are and who we are is far more than what we eat or where we live or what we wear."

 

Currently reading:

 

#62 - The Marked Bible, by Charles L. Taylor. Sounded good and started out good. Quickly morphed into a "discussion" on Sunday-Sabbath vs. Saturday-Sabbath. False advertising on the back jacket! :glare: I will probably finish reading this though, simply because it is quick reading and I want to add to my list of books read this year! :)

[ladydusk]

I haven't posted in a couple weeks, and my reading time has also been severely hampered. :glare:

 

Here is what I read:

 

#60 - Surprised by Oxford: A Memoir, by Carolyn Weber. To those who recommended this book - a very hearty Thank You! This will definitely be one of my favorites this year. I loved her style of writing and I loved her story of spiritual pursuit. I laughed; I cried; I was challenged. Worth every single moment spent reading it! :)

 

 

 

Yay! I absolutely loved this book!

[eaglei]

nm

[eaglei]

nm

[eaglei]

nm

[Jane in NC]

Finished #51, one of those wonderfully dreary Scandinavian mysteries, Roseanna, by the husband and wife writing team of Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo. #52 shall be another by the pair, Murder at the Savoy, initially published in 1971.

 

Perhaps I should read some of Montaigne's essays. Thanks for the suggestion, Robin.

 

Dystopian novels have been popular with many readers in this loop. They are not my cuppa but nonetheless I decided to give a listen to a dramatization of Nevil Shute's novel On the Beach which BBC radio 4 did in two installments. How depressing!

[eaglei]

Sorry my post keeps repeating . . . Each time I tried to post, I got an error message that the system timed out and my post was not accepted, then the screen shut down . . . Imagine my surprise to see FOUR listings of the same post! I am sorry . . .

[Stacia]

Still working on (& almost finished with) In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson. I'm reading this one for my book club.

 

I think it may take me a bit to get used to posting on these new forums!!!

--------------------------

My Goodreads Page

Completed the Europa Challenge Cappuccino Level (at least 6 Europa books: #s 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 19, & 21 on my list).

Completed Robin's Read a Russian Author in April Challenge (#24 & #26 on my list).

Completed Rosie's Local Reading Challenge (#56 on my list).

Completed Banned/Challenged Books Week Challenge (#62 on my list).

 

My rating system:

5 = Love; 4 = Pretty awesome; 3 = Decently good; 2 = Ok; 1 = Don't bother (I shouldn't have any 1s on my list as I would ditch them before finishing)...

 

2012 Books Read:

Books I read January-June 2012

37. Clutter Busting Your Life by Brooks Palmer (3 stars)

38. The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje (5 stars)

39. The Colors of Infamy by Albert Cossery (3 stars)

40. Osa and Martin: For the Love of Adventure by Kelly Enright (3 stars)

 

41. Hexed by Kevin Hearne (4 stars)

42. Soulless by Gail Carriger (3 stars)

43. The Hoarder in You by Dr. Robin Zasio (3 stars)

44. What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty (2 stars)

45. The Rook by Daniel O'Malley (4 stars)

46. The Nazi Séance by Arthur J. Magida (2 stars)

47. Phoenix Rising by Pip Ballentine & Tee Morris (3 stars)

48. Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi (5 stars)

49. Thud! by Terry Pratchett (3 stars)

50. Wide Open by Nicola Barker (3 stars)

 

51. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez (4 stars)

52. The Merciful Women by Federico Andahazi (3 stars)

53. The Vampyre by John William Polidori (3 stars)

54. Living in a Nutshell by Janet Lee (3 stars)

55. Dracula by Bram Stoker (4 stars)

56. Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay (3 stars)

57. Visit Sunny Chernobyl by Andrew Blackwell (4 stars)

58. John Dies at the End by David Wong (4 stars)

59. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (4 stars)

60. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan (3 stars)

 

61. To Hellholes and Back: Bribes, Lies, & the Art of Extreme Tourism by Chuck Thompson (3 stars)

62. Revolutionary Voices: A Multicultural Queer Youth Anthology, ed. by Amy Sonnie (3 stars)

63. The Extra Large Medium by Helen Slavin (2 stars)

[luvnlattes]

Still working on (& almost finished with) In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson. I'm reading this one for my book club.

 

I read this last year. I'll be interested to hear what you thought of it.

[Robin M]

Waving and bumping. Sorry about the title - forgot to add the week and couldn't link the old thread so folks could find the new thread this morning. Growing pains!

[dangermom]

I got a lot of books finished this week! A startling proportion of them were about war, oppression, and misery. I had the trenches in WWI, North Korean prison camps, and Elie Wiesel. But I also read some happier things: an English comedy of manners and a YA fantasy. Here's the link to the blog instead of 6 different links.

 

I almost took home In the Garden of Beasts from work this week, but my student assistant saw it and was taken with it, so I made him take it instead. My pile is quite big enough and I'll get to it sometime.

 

I'm thinking about challenges and reading for next year. I definitely want to concentrate on my classics list, and I'm thinking a chunkster challenge would be good for me. I need a fun, eclectic one too...

[Night Elf]

I feel disappointed in myself when I see this thread pop up each week. I was swimming along fine for quite a while and then got tired of reading for a bit. I was ahead of the 52 book game so thought i would be okay. Then I started reading, but I was rereading some of the books that I read earlier in the year and I didn't want to count those a second time. And so then I just stopped posting. And I've become one of those who start out but don't finish the year with the rest of you! :)

 

Currently I'm reading a series of books by Fred Saberhagen written in response to Dracula by Bram Stoker. Saberhagen's Dracula is a very sympathetic character, having gotten a bad rap in Stoker's version. Apparently Saberhagen wrote 10 of them. I've read the first 3 and have just ordered the other 7 through PaperbackSwap. I hope I actually get them. Five of them have had no response yet.

 

Maybe I should make a library run just to browse. It would be nice to finish out the year with you ladies.

[Negin]

I finished Night Corridor and give it about 2 or 2.5 stars.

 

 

MY RATING SYSTEM

5 Stars

Fantastic, couldn't put it down

4 Stars

Really Good

3 Stars

Enjoyable

2 Stars

Just Okay – nothing to write home about

1 Star

Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

[Heather in Neverland]

This week...

 

Started Reading:

Days of Blood and Starlight

 

Still reading:

Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose

 

Completed:

39. Daughter of Smoke and Bone

38. The Hole in our Holiness

37. Romeo and Juliet

36. The Night Circus

35. Alone With God

34. What Angel's Fear: A Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery

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

32. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

31. Frankenstein

30. The Lotus and the Cross

29. Desiring God

28. Blood Feud: The Hatfields and the McCoys

27. Among the Gods

26. The Deadliest Monster

25. Faith of My Fathers

24. A Good American

23. They Say/I Say:The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing

22. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

21. Insurgent

20. Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints

19. The Strength of His Hands

18. The Meaning of Marriage

17. Funny in Farsi

16. The Constantine Codex

15. What the Dog Saw

14. What is the Mission of the Church?: Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission

13. Gods and Kings

12. A Skeleton in God's Closet

11. My Hands Came Away Red

10. The Omnivore's Dilemma

9. Dead Heat

8. Redeeming Love

7. Family Driven Faith: What it Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk with God

6. Organized Simplicity

5. Year of Wonders

4. The Holiness of God

3. The Paris Wife

2. The Peach Keeper

1. Relic

[Paisley Hedgehog]

. 

 

[-M-]

Recently completed:

 

#128 Bedbugs (Ben H. Winters; fiction) Began as one sort of novel and gradually became an quick, entertaining horror story.

 

Complete list of books read in 2012 can be found here.

 

In progress:

 

â–  Dracula (Bram Stoker; fiction) Still; with the Misses. We'll finish it over the holiday. Did anyone else somehow miss this book, read it in adulthood, and realize, "Hey! This is a good book!"?

 

â–  Moby-Dick (Herman Melville; fiction) As I mentioned, the Misses and I are doing the Moby-Dick Big Read, a chapter a day, so we'll be on this into 2013. We're also enjoying Matt Kish's wonderful art book, Moby-Dick in Pictures: One Drawing for Every Page.

 

â–  And too many others, including Shine (Lauren Myracle), the ever in progress Quiet (Susan Cain), The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Agatha Christie; a reread), and Marbles: Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me (Ellen Forney).

[NanceXToo]

I haven't posted in a few weeks, but here's my list!

 

COMPLETE

 

1. Envy, by J.R. Ward (Fallen Angels series)

 

2. Kiss of the Highlander, by Karen Marie Moning (Highlander series)

 

3. The Ramayana, A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic, by R.K. Narayan (with my daughter for school reading)

 

4. Dark Highlander, by Karen Marie Moning (Highlander series)

 

5. The Immortal Highlander, by Karen Marie Moning (Highlander series)

 

6. Spell of the Highlander, by Karen Marie Moning (Highlander series)

 

7. 11/22/63, by Stephen King

 

8. The Traveler, by John Twelve Hawks (Fourth Realm Trilogy, Book 1)

 

9. Into the Dreaming, by Karen Marie Moning (Highlander series)

 

10. A Judgement In Stone, by Ruth Rendel

 

11. The Dark River, by John Twelve Hawks (Fourth Realm Trilogy, Book 2)

 

12. The Golden City, by John Twelve Hawks (Fourth Realm Trilogy, Book 3)

 

13. Forbidden Pleasure, by Lora Leigh

 

14. Relic, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

 

15. House Rules, by Jodi Picoult

 

16. Midwives, by Chris Bohjalian

 

17. Wind Through the Keyhole, by Stephen King

 

18. The High Flyer, by Susan Howatch.

 

19. Daughter of the Blood, by Anne Bishop (The Black Jewels Trilogy, Book 1)

 

20. Heir to the Shadows, by Anne Bishop (The Black Jewels Trilogy, Book 2)

 

21. The Host, by Stephenie Meyer

 

22. Queen of the Darkness, by Anne Bishop (The Black Jewels Trilogy, Book 3)

 

23. The Invisible Ring, by Anne Bishop (The Black Jewels series)

 

24. Fifty Shades of Grey, by E.L. James

 

25. Fifty Shades Darker, by E.L. James

 

26. Fifty Shades Freed, by E.L. James

 

27. Dreams Made Flesh, by Anne Bishop (The Black Jewels series)

 

28. Tangled Webs, by Anne Bishop (The Black Jewels series)

 

29. Goodnight Nobody, by Jennifer Weiner

 

30. Kiss the Dead, by Laurell K. Hamilton (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series)

 

31. The Shadow Queen, by Anne Bishop (The Black Jewels series)

 

32. The Read-Aloud Handbook, by Jim Trelease

 

33. Ahab's Wife, by Sena Jeter Naslund

 

34. Shalador's Queen, by Anne Bishop (The Black Jewels series)

 

35. Sebastian, by Anne Bishop (Ephemera, Book 1)

 

36. The Devil Wears Prada, by Lauren Weisberger

 

37. The Good Sister, by Drusilla Campbell

 

38. The Lost Boy, by David Pelzer

 

39. Little Children, by Tom Perotta

 

40. Her Fearful Symmetry, by Audrey Niffenegger

 

41. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy

 

42. Impact, by Douglas Preston

 

43. House of Stairs, by William Sleator

 

44. The War After Armageddon, by Ralph Peters

 

45. The Casual Vacancy, by J.K. Rowling

 

46. Into the Forest, by Jean Hegland

 

47. Belladonna, by Anne Bishop (Ephemera, Book 2)

 

48. Rapture, by J.R. Ward (Fallen Angels series)

 

49. Iced, by Karen Marie Moning

 

50. Smiles To Go, by Jerry Spinelli (aloud with my daughter)

 

CURRENT

 

51. The Neverending Story, by Michael Ende, translated by Ralph Manheim, aloud to my son.

 

52. Micro, by Michael Crichton and Richard Preston

[Lady Florida.]

I finished:

 

Fade Away - Harlen Coben.

Dunaway's Crossing - Nancy Brandon - Historical fiction/romance during the 1918 flu epidemic

 

I'm at #51 for the year now.

 

 

Recently completed:

 

 

 

In progress:

 

â–  Dracula (Bram Stoker; fiction) Still; with the Misses. We'll finish it over the holiday. Did anyone else somehow miss this book, read it in adulthood, and realize, "Hey! This is a good book!"?

 

 

 

Yes, me!

 

Goodreads list of books read in 2012

[Just Robyn]

I haven't finished any books since I last posted. I started Catch-22. I'm already past wherever I left off last time I started it, so hopefully I'll finish it this time.

 

Is the Niffenegger book a new one by her? Will have to look up that one. Sounds kind of neat. I've read two of her other books (Time Traveler & Fearful Symmetry) & had both likes & dislikes w/ both books.

 

I checked amazon, and it says 2005. I got it out of the graphic novel section at the library, though it's not quite a graphic novel - sort of like The Night Bookmobile in that aspect. In the case of Three Incestuous Sisters I thought the pictures were more a part of the storytelling than in The Night Bookmobile.

[dangermom]

 

â–  Dracula (Bram Stoker; fiction) Still; with the Misses. We'll finish it over the holiday. Did anyone else somehow miss this book, read it in adulthood, and realize, "Hey! This is a good book!"?

 

Me! I read it this summer and enjoyed it far more than I expected to. :)

[Stacia]

I checked amazon, and it says 2005. I got it out of the graphic novel section at the library, though it's not quite a graphic novel - sort of like The Night Bookmobile in that aspect. In the case of Three Incestuous Sisters I thought the pictures were more a part of the storytelling than in The Night Bookmobile.

 

Ah! Thanks for the follow-up. :001_smile:

 

For those already planning for 2013, yes we will be continuing with Book a Week in 2013. So start thinking of your goals and pressing the envelope, stepping out of your comfort zones. Such as reading more non fiction if you usually read fiction (like me) or reading more fiction if you generally only read fiction.

 

Thanks for braving the new boards, Robin, & getting the weekly book thread up & running again so quickly! :hurray:

 

I will have to think about some 2013 challenges for myself. One could probably be to read the books that I actually have on my shelf (vs. letting all the cool library books I pick up cut in line). :laugh:

 

I read this last year. I'll be interested to hear what you thought of it.

 

I finished In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson. I both liked it & didn't like it (which is how I also felt about his book The Devil in the White City).

 

What I liked: Learning details about people & events I didn't know that much about; more knowledge about history, esp. a closer look at Berlin & some of the people there, what the city was like, etc....

 

What I didn't like: The subtitle indicates that the book is about a family, but the book really focused on Dodd & his dd; his wife & ds were mentioned but often missing from the narrative. I don't know if that's because there was less documentation on them or just because the author felt they were less interesting to the story. Also, there were some things he mentioned that seemed relevant to the story (using a local Jewish doctor's home for their residence/office, while the dr. & his family resided upstairs) -- what happened to the family? Did the next ambassador continue to live in that location or not? Sometimes it seemed like a mish-mash of assorted facts, letters, and so on, but not necessarily connected or flowing together very well. Also, he did a year or so in depth, then had a couple of jumps in time to give short descriptions of later events. It made things feel very uneven, I think. Etc....

 

I'm thinking a chunkster challenge would be good for me. I need a fun, eclectic one too...

 

What is a chunkster challenge?

 

Currently I'm reading a series of books by Fred Saberhagen written in response to Dracula by Bram Stoker. Saberhagen's Dracula is a very sympathetic character, having gotten a bad rap in Stoker's version. Apparently Saberhagen wrote 10 of them.

 

Maybe I should make a library run just to browse. It would be nice to finish out the year with you ladies.

 

Those sound neat. Definitely jump back in the challenge.

 

â–  Dracula (Bram Stoker; fiction) Still; with the Misses. We'll finish it over the holiday. Did anyone else somehow miss this book, read it in adulthood, and realize, "Hey! This is a good book!"?

 

Me!

 

I have now started Bright Lights, No City: An African Adventure on Bad Roads with a Brother and a Very Weird Business Plan by Max Alexander.

 

Book description from amazon:

 

"

The hilarious story of two brothers, a truckload of batteries, and a brilliant plan to bring light--and new business opportunities--to Ghana

 

At age 47, Whit Alexander, the American co-founder of the Cranium board game, decided to start a new business selling affordable goods and services to low-income villagers in Ghana, West Africa. His brother Max, a journalist, came along to tell the story. Neither of them could have anticipated just how much of an adventure they’d find there.

 

In Ghana, Whit's initial goal is to market a high quality rechargeable AA battery that off-grid villagers could use to power their flashlights and radios, as well as to charge their cell phones. If successful, he planned to grow a larger for-profit business based on those batteries--creating a trusted African brand that would provide life-enhancing products, services, and jobs, without relying on charity.

 

Ghana, however, presents extraordinary challenges, and the brothers wage daily battles against deadly insects, insane driving conditions, unspeakable food, voodoo priests, corrupt officials, counterfeiters, and ethnic rivalries on their way to success. From signing up customers who earn a few dollars a month at most to training employees with no Western-style work experience, the brothers quickly learn that starting a business in Africa requires single-minded focus, a sense of humor, and a lot of patience.

 

Along the way, Whit and Max relive their own childhood, bickering across the African bush and learning a great deal about Africans as well as themselves. Irreverent, hilarious, and ultimately inspiring,

Bright Lights, No City

challenges accepted notions of charity, shows the power of broadening your horizons, and suggests that there is hope and opportunity in Africa."

[Mothersweets]

Stacia - the Bright Lights, No City book sounds really good. I'll be sure to look for it at my library next time I go.

 

I haven't posted in a while but have been reading about 2 books a week so I will reach the 52 book mark...well, maybe I already did?! I'll have to go back and check.

 

I just finished The Surgeon's Mate by Patrick O'Brian. I have fallen in love with Capt. Aubrey and Dr. Maturin - I'd sail with them any day!

[dangermom]

 

What is a chunkster challenge?

Chunksters are books over 500 pages. I need a challenge that requires me to read one a month! One usually pops up. There are always the standbys: TBR piles, chunksters, and the sorts of things that people always need to read. I'm thinking I also need one to whittle down my Amazon wishlist--the library list is over 100 books long!

[Robin M]

I am glad to hear that you are planning to keep 52 in 52 going next year, Robin!! Did you want us to start working on our wrap-up lists? It is going to take me a long time and a lot of forum space to type out everything I read this year :coolgleamA:

 

Go ahead and get started. I'll probably be posting the call for wraps up mid december.

 

 

Sorry my post keeps repeating . . . Each time I tried to post, I got an error message that the system timed out and my post was not accepted, then the screen shut down . . . Imagine my surprise to see FOUR listings of the same post! I am sorry . . .

 

No problem. Alot of people were double posting all over the forums.

 

I'm thinking about challenges and reading for next year. I definitely want to concentrate on my classics list, and I'm thinking a chunkster challenge would be good for me. I need a fun, eclectic one too...

 

I managed to finish about 3 chunksters this year and have a few left on my nightstand. Maybe will make a chunkster mini challenge part of 2013 challenge.

 

I feel disappointed in myself when I see this thread pop up each week. I was swimming along fine for quite a while and then got tired of reading for a bit. I was ahead of the 52 book game so thought i would be okay. Then I started reading, but I was rereading some of the books that I read earlier in the year and I didn't want to count those a second time. And so then I just stopped posting. And I've become one of those who start out but don't finish the year with the rest of you! :) Maybe I should make a library run just to browse. It would be nice to finish out the year with you ladies.

 

I go through periods of non reading myself - yes gasp me so no worries. Stay around, talk books, maybe something will strike your fancy. And no matter how much you have ended up reading, stick around and celebrate with us at the end of the year. There are no failures in this group.

 

 

The 2013 Challenges have already started showing up in my Google feed, but I am *determined* not to make any final decisions until after Christmas! Maybe. I think. :tongue_smilie:

 

For those of you who read blogs, do you like it when someone posts individually about each challenge they sign up for, or do you prefer one great big post for the year? Ditto for yearly wrap-ups: do you like individual wrap-up posts for each challenge, or one big summary? I am about to complete my first year of blogging and am trying to figure out the best way to handle these things without making myself a nuisance. (not that I have a great big following or anything, but still .... LOL)

 

I try to do a one post wrap up rather than a several posts. Plus I have a link to the page showing all the books I've read. Makes it easier for folks to read without having to go through a bunch of different posts.

 

 

â–  Dracula (Bram Stoker; fiction) Still; with the Misses. We'll finish it over the holiday. Did anyone else somehow miss this book, read it in adulthood, and realize, "Hey! This is a good book!"?

 

Heck yes. I read it last year and enjoyed it.

 

Thanks for braving the new boards, Robin, & getting the weekly book thread up & running again so quickly! :hurray:

 

I will have to think about some 2013 challenges for myself. One could probably be to read the books that I actually have on my shelf (vs. letting all the cool library books I pick up cut in line). :laugh:

 

Me too. I think my books started having babies because my stack hasn't been getting any smaller. I think for every book read I may have picked up 5. Shall we say buying ban starting Jan 2013.... :laugh:

 

 

 

 

Let's keep swimming, swimming, swimming. (dori from finding nemo)

[Just Robyn]

Chunksters are books over 500 pages. I need a challenge that requires me to read one a month! One usually pops up. There are always the standbys: TBR piles, chunksters, and the sorts of things that people always need to read. I'm thinking I also need one to whittle down my Amazon wishlist--the library list is over 100 books long!

 

Ooh. I like that idea.

[Stacia]

I am just jumping into this group now, and will be up for challenging myself to read a book a week in 2013!

 

...

 

I also read Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple. An irreverent, creative, sometimes funny, quick read.

 

Saw this post on the other thread, so I copied & pasted some of it here.

 

Always nice to see new people joining the book discussions. I am waiting on Where'd You Go, Bernadette from my library. Looks like a fun book....

[laughing lioness]

I finished The Harbinger this week. Interesting and thought provoking. I don't know enough about the financial stuff to make an informed thought on my own about it, but the author cited and footnoted throughout. Also Girls on the Edge by Leonard Sax. Very sobering look at the challenges girls are facing today- oy vey.

[Robin M]

I finally read Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and found it to be entertaining and enchanting; thoroughly enjoyed it. Then picked up book # 1 in Kay Hooper's paranormal mystery Shadows Trilogy - Stealing Shadows in the Bishop Trilogies. I had read her Blood Trilogy which was quite spooky good so started slowly working my way through her books. Started reading Cara Black's Murder in the Palais Royal this morning. I had gone through a pretty big dry spell but getting back into it. I think my tbr pile has been having babies because no matter how much I read, the pile just does not get smaller. Think another buying ban will be in order come January.

[VeganCupcake]

I haven't posted in a while, but this week, I finished Life and Death are Wearing Me Out by Mo Yan, this year's Nobel Literature Prize winner. I really enjoyed it. That's book 74 for me.

 

I would love a chunkster challenge.

[Stacia]

I haven't posted in a while, but this week, I finished Life and Death are Wearing Me Out by Mo Yan, this year's Nobel Literature Prize winner. I really enjoyed it.

 

Yet another one I have on request at the library -- requested & then suspended so it doesn't come in for a few more weeks.... :ph34r:

[Jane in NC]

Mind if I go off topic? This post is intended for Stacia and others who are interested in film and food.

 

I spent last night in France--or so it seemed. We went to see the French comedic film hit, The Intouchables. Delightful! The movie also inspired us to have dinner in a little French bistro beforehand. Why had I not been there before? They had a section of the menu dedicated to moules (mussels) with various sauces. I had Moules Provencal, served of course with pommes frites and washed down with a glass of wine.

 

My mini vacation was pure delight. I think I may need to do this more often...

[Jane in NC]

OK--I think I figured out how to multiquote in the new format.

 

Thanks for braving the new boards, Robin, & getting the weekly book thread up & running again so quickly! :hurray:

 

Indeed. Thank you Robin.

I have now started

Bright Lights, No City: An African Adventure on Bad Roads with a Brother and a Very Weird Business Plan

by Max Alexander.

 

I look forward to hearing your report on this one.

Chunksters are books over 500 pages. I need a challenge that requires me to read one a month! One usually pops up. There are always the standbys: TBR piles, chunksters, and the sorts of things that people always need to read. I'm thinking I also need one to whittle down my Amazon wishlist--the library list is over 100 books long!

 

My nightstand overfloweth...and includes a number of chunksters. I'm in!

[Pawz4me]

I'm coming in late to this thread (having just joined the forum a few months ago), but I always keep a list of the books I've read. I'm currently reading my 53rd book for this year, and it's Elizabeth Street, which is very good.

 

My book count tends to not be too high because my preferred read is what you all are calling "chunksters," although in my world a 500 page book wouldn't quality. I don't consider a book particularly long unless it's over 1,000 pages.

[Lady Florida.]

 

Thanks for braving the new boards, Robin, & getting the weekly book thread up & running again so quickly! :hurray:

 

 

Yes, thank you Robin. This is one of the first threads I went looking for when the board came back.

[Kim in Appalachia]

I finished Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman. Loved it. Knew I would. :001_smile: This week I'm starting Alphabet of Thorne.

[Pink and Green Mom]

Still working on (& almost finished with) In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson. I'm reading this one for my book club.

 

 

 

 

I've got this on my list at the library.

 

I cannot remember the last time I posted in the thread but lately I am currently reading The Narcissist's Daughter, by Craig Holden. It was slow going in the beginning but I'm about two-thirds through the book and am enjoying it. I also started The Happiness Project but cannot get into it (this is my second attempt).

 

ETA: I forgot about Object of Beauty, by Steve Martin. I read it for bookgroup. When 16 out of 16 women say a book stinks, you know it is pretty bad. And it was.

[aggieamy]

The boards might look different but if there's a Book a Week thread then I know it's home. Robin - Thanks for taking the time to make this threads. It is so appreciated!

 

I'm coming in late to this thread (having just joined the forum a few months ago), but I always keep a list of the books I've read. I'm currently reading my 53rd book for this year, and it's Elizabeth Street, which is very good.

 

My book count tends to not be too high because my preferred read is what you all are calling "chunksters," although in my world a 500 page book wouldn't quality. I don't consider a book particularly long unless it's over 1,000 pages.

 

 

Welcome! My DH is a long book reader too so I'll love hearing your suggestions to add to his to-read list.

 

I have not had a very productive reading week (or two - I didn't finish anything last week either). Yesterday I managed to finally finish two book though. One was for book club and since we were meeting last night that motivated me to finish it.

 

Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Marukami - This was for book club and my first book by this author. The story was slowly plodding along and was fairly interesting then BAM! Something magical and weird happens. Then the story just kind of ends abruptly. I was really confused when I got to the last page. A few other people in my book club had read other books by him and say that adding magic in and then just ending the story is his style. I'm undecided if I liked it or not. Good writing but strange plot.

 

Sense and Sensibility by Nancy Butler and Jane Austen - This was recommended here on another thread. It's a graphic novel of Jane Austen's book. I'm not much of a graphic novel fan but I liked this. I feel like it lacked a lot of the details the book had and I had to read the wikipedia article to figure out things I must have missed in the story. I had not read the original book. I would highly recommend this for a fan of Jane Austen particularly if you've already read the book.

 

In progress:

 

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (read aloud)

Charles Dickens Christmas Stories by Charles Dickens (ladies book club)

The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller (recommended here)

Emma by Nancy Butler and Jane Austen

England, Our Englandby Alan Titchmarsh

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams

 

2012 finished books:

 

118. Sense and Sensibility by Nancy Butler and Jane Austen (***)

117. Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Marukami (***)

116. Paddle to the Sea by Holling C. Holling - read aloud (*****)

115. Seven Percent Solution Being a Reprint from the Files of John Watson by Nicholas Meyer (***)

114. Face by Sherman Alexie (****)

113. Tom's Midnight Garden by Phillipa Pearce (****)

112. Village School by Miss Read (**)

111. White Stallion of Lipizza by Marguerite Henry - read aloud (****)

110. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton (*****)

109. Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach (**)

108. Mrs. Sharp's Traditions: Reviving Victorian Family Celebrations of Comfort & Joy by Sarah Breathnach (****)

107. Beauty by Robin McKinley (*****)

106. Time and Again by Jack Finney (****)

105. The First 20 Minutes: Surprising Science Reveals How We Can: Exercise Better, Train Smarter, Live Longer by Gretchen Reynolds (**)

104. Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright (***)

103. Carry on, My Bowditch by Jean Lee Lantham - read aloud (*****)

102. Outlining Your Novel by KM Weiland (****)

101. Living in a Nutshell - Posh and Portable Decorating Ideas for Living in Small Spaces by Janet Lee (***)

100. Very Good, Jeeves by PD Wodehouse (*****)

99. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot (*****)

98. How to Get Your Child to Love Reading by Esme Codell (****)

97. Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen (***)

96. The Cat Who Played Brahms by Lillian Jackson Braun (****)

95. Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman (**)

94. Surviving Hitler by Andrea Warren (****)

93. The Lady in the Lake by Raymond Chandler (***)

92. Playful Learning by Mariah Bruehl (***)

91. The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern by Lillian Jackson Braun - audiobook (****)

90. The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie (***)

89. Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman - YA (****)

88. The Mirror Cracked Side to Side by Agatha Christie (***)

87. The Princess Bride by William Goldman (*****)

86. Crocodiles on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters (***)

86. The Tattooed Potato and Other Clues by Ellen Raskin - YA (***)

84. Supermarket by Satoshi Azuchi (**)

83. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto (*****)

82. Stein on Writing by Sol Stein (****)

81. Order from Chaos by Liz Davenport (**)

Books 41 - 80

Books 1 - 40

 

Amy's Rating System:

 

***** - Fantastic, couldn't put it down

**** - Very good

*** - Enjoyable but nothing special

** - Not recommended

* - Horrible

[luvnlattes]

I finished In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson. I both liked it & didn't like it (which is how I also felt about his book The Devil in the White City).

 

What I liked: Learning details about people & events I didn't know that much about; more knowledge about history, esp. a closer look at Berlin & some of the people there, what the city was like, etc....

 

What I didn't like: The subtitle indicates that the book is about a family, but the book really focused on Dodd & his dd; his wife & ds were mentioned but often missing from the narrative. I don't know if that's because there was less documentation on them or just because the author felt they were less interesting to the story. Also, there were some things he mentioned that seemed relevant to the story (using a local Jewish doctor's home for their residence/office, while the dr. & his family resided upstairs) -- what happened to the family? Did the next ambassador continue to live in that location or not? Sometimes it seemed like a mish-mash of assorted facts, letters, and so on, but not necessarily connected or flowing together very well. Also, he did a year or so in depth, then had a couple of jumps in time to give short descriptions of later events. It made things feel very uneven, I think. Etc....

 

I agree with your dislikes, especially the bolded. I had high hopes for this book, and while I learned a few things, I was disappointed overall. Part of it may have had to do with the fact that I didn't really care for Dodd and I got tired of his daughter.

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I wondered if you may have taken away some other things that I hadn't thought about.

[Stacia]

Chunksters are books over 500 pages. I need a challenge that requires me to read one a month! One usually pops up. There are always the standbys: TBR piles, chunksters, and the sorts of things that people always need to read. I'm thinking I also need one to whittle down my Amazon wishlist--the library list is over 100 books long!

 

I have a couple of those around too. May have to join the chunkster challenge! (I'm giggling at the term.) :smilielol5:

 

I finally read Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and found it to be entertaining and enchanting; thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

:thumbup1:

 

Mind if I go off topic? This post is intended for Stacia and others who are interested in film and food.

 

I spent last night in France--or so it seemed. We went to see the French comedic film hit, The Intouchables. Delightful! The movie also inspired us to have dinner in a little French bistro beforehand. Why had I not been there before? They had a section of the menu dedicated to moules (mussels) with various sauces. I had Moules Provencal, served of course with pommes frites and washed down with a glass of wine.

 

My mini vacation was pure delight. I think I may need to do this more often...

 

Sounds like a fabulous evening, Jane!!! Loved the movie & the restaurant sounds delightful too. My ds would have loved to have been there for a traditional meal of mussels & fries too. :thumbup1:

 

I finished Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman. Loved it.

 

:thumbup: I loved that book too.

 

I also started The Happiness Project but cannot get into it (this is my second attempt).

 

ETA: I forgot about Object of Beauty, by Steve Martin. I read it for bookgroup. When 16 out of 16 women say a book stinks, you know it is pretty bad. And it was.

 

I agree about The Happiness Project. I did manage to get through the whole thing, but it wasn't a hit w/ me & I felt it was misnamed... probably because extreme list-making is not my idea of happiness. ;)

 

Haven't read the Steve Martin book, but I don't think I'll be adding it to my list, lol. I read a different one of his (Shop Gal or something like that) years ago & didn't care for it. Love him as an actor, think his parody songs are funny, but not a fan of his books....

 

I'm coming in late to this thread (having just joined the forum a few months ago), but I always keep a list of the books I've read. I'm currently reading my 53rd book for this year

 

:hurray:

 

Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Marukami

 

One of his books is the chunkster I have sitting here -- 1Q84. I really need/want to read it!!!

 

I agree with your dislikes, especially the bolded. I had high hopes for this book, and while I learned a few things, I was disappointed overall. Part of it may have had to do with the fact that I didn't really care for Dodd and I got tired of his daughter.

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I wondered if you may have taken away some other things that I hadn't thought about.

 

Yeah, I agree w/ you -- it was ok, but nothing fabulous or particularly enlightening. I'll be curious to hear what the others in my book club think of this book too.

[aggieamy]

 

I agree about The Happiness Project. I did manage to get through the whole thing, but it wasn't a hit w/ me & I felt it was misnamed... probably because extreme list-making is not my idea of happiness. ;)

 

 

Making epic lists is my idea of happiness. Guess I need to check that book out. :)

 

 

One of his books is the chunkster I have sitting here -- 1Q84. I really need/want to read it!!!

 

 

My book club people recommended that book and Norwegian Wood as books of his that they've really liked.

[Stacia]

Making epic lists is my idea of happiness. Guess I need to check that book out. :)

 

My book club people recommended that book and Norwegian Wood as books of his that they've really liked.

 

:smilielol5: about the list-making.

 

Haven't read Norwegian Wood, but loved his book Kafka on the Shore.