Book a Week in 2012 - Week 48

[Robin M]

Good Morning, dolls! Today is the start of week 48 in our quest to read 52 books in 52 weeks. So happy to see all my book friends who have decided to stick through all the changes. 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 - more author birthdays: Did you know Louisa May Alcott and C.S. Lewis share the same birthday?

 

Brain storm: a mini challenge reading C.S. Lewis'sworks for 2013 and/or a readalong of one of his books? Let me know if there are any of readalongs you all would like to do next year - books that you've been thinking about reading, but don't want to read alone.

 

 

Publisher Weekly's best books for the weekof November 26, 2012

 

What are you reading this week?

 

 

 

 

 

Link to week 47

 

 

Note - If the font is showing up too too big on your screens let me know and I will make it smaller.

[Robin M]

I'm reading a book that is all of these:

LITERARY WORKS TIE IN (my term--it ties in real books to the plot)

MYSTERY

ALTERNATIVEHISTORY

SCI FI

 

It's called The Eyre Affair by Jaspar Fforde, http://www.amazon.co...l/dp/0142001805 and I haven't decided how I'd rate it yet. At first I kept thinking I'd quit every night and then went back to it the next day. I rewatched my Jane Eyre movie last night http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1229822/ (mil gave this to me) to refesh my memory, although naturally things are always left out of movies. I did reread that novel sometime in the past 2 or 3 years.

 

I hope those apparently missing are still here, and if they've changed their names, please let us know so we know who we're communicating with :).

 

 

 

Loved this book. It is definitely different and intriguing. Will be reading One of my Thursdays is Missing soon.

[Angel]

Robin - you and I were posting at the same time! I just copied and pasted my last reply over here...

 

I'm getting ready to begin a 14 book "Chunkster Challenge" :w00t: Robert Jordan's final book releases just after the New Year. I always reread the books before reading the newest. I don't think there is a one under 500 pages and many are 800-900. My Book a Week numbers will be small next year (well, like I'm keeping up this year anyway :glare: ) as I enjoy time with my old friends and finally get to the end of their story!!

 

I haven't had much reading time, but I'm over half-way through "All Roads Lead to Austen." I'm not sure how I'm feeling about it. I guess we'll see when I get to the end.

 

It's good to be back to this thread. The boards are not "comfy" yet.

[Giraffe]

Just checking in to say that I didn't even try this challenge this year as I just had too much happening, but I will rejoin y'all in 2013 as something more than a jealous lurker. Congrats on making it this far!

[Lady Florida.]

I finished Yellow Crocus. There were some romanticized parts, but other parts were honest and real. It was a lovely story and had me choked up in more than a few passages.

 

No fiction is really grabbing me right now. I started and stopped Death Comes to Pemberley, Just One Look, and A Body in the Bathhouse. The only book that's holding my interest is Mark Twain's Life on the Mississippi.

[Jane in NC]

I did it! I made it to 52 by finishing another Martin Beck mystery, Murder at the Savoy, penned by the Swedish writing team of Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo, My ignorance of Swedish geography is appalling.

 

Last week's discussion of the TBR challenge led me to my dusty stack where I discovered two Susan Howatch novels that I forgot I owned. I am now reading The Waiting Sands to which Ladydusk has given a thumbs up. Bound in a single volume is a second novel, The Devil on Lammas Night.

 

Sending best wishes to all of my fellow readers.

 

Jane

[laughing lioness]

Ds 18 and I started listening to Christ the Lord, the Road to Cana by Anne Rice on the road yesterday. It's interesting- I don't agree with some points doctrinally (like how she is defining Jesus's "family"- bros and sisters) but it's an intersting look at Jesus as a man- and I love her descriptions. I've never read anything by her before and she has a beautiful way with words.

I'm past 52, counting read alouds and YA. I figured they count as I'm actually reading them, right? and a well written YA or kids books is definitly worth it's weight.

I usually read something by Lewis every year. He is definitely one of my favorite authors.

[Negin]

I finished Yellow Crocus. There were some romanticized parts, but other parts were honest and real. It was a lovely story and had me choked up in more than a few passages.

My thoughts exactly.

 

I finished The Elegance of the Hedgehog and loved it - 5 Stars.

 

I'm now re-reading Rebecca after more than 30 years.

 

 

 

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.

[Just Robyn]

For this week I read Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor. Set in post-apocalyptic Africa, there were things about this fantasy that made me cringe, like rape, 11-year-old girls getting circumcised, discrimination and hate in general. On the bright side (Yes, there is one!), I found that having characters that have really suffered gave me more to care about and root for.

 

Take this character, "I am a child conceived due to rape, I am feared and hated because of my skin color/hair/eyes, my biological father wants to kill me, and I opted into circumcision when I was 11 to save my mother more shame. I have discovered I have magical powers." (Really? Awesome! Go kick some @ss!)

 

and compare it to "I live in the city near my boyfriend and I have a steady, dependable job. I am moderate in personality, and I'm pretty, but I don't spend too much time on clothes and make-up. I have discovered I have magical powers." (Oh, really? Huh. Must be nice, I guess. Whatever.)

 

Before this book, Okorafor wrote YA novels, and I think it shows in the simple vocabulary and sentences. That makes it a fast read, but it wasn't quite the prose I was hoping for.

[Lady Florida.]

I did it! I made it to 52

 

:hurray:

:party:

Congratulations!

[Stacia]

Still working on Bright Lights, No City: An African Adventure on Bad Roads with a Brother and a Very Weird Business Plan by Max Alexander. It's kind of a weird/interesting mix of travel anecdotes, along w/ business analysis style writing. I'm loving the cultural info & feeling 'meh' on the business info (just because reading business books is not my idea of fun, lol).

 

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

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)

64. In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson (3 stars)

[Zebra]

This past week I read a novel called Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada.

 

Hans Fallada was mentioned in In the Garden of Beasts. He was a German author who lived through WWII. He was put in an insane asylum at some point by the Nazi's, and when he got out wrote this novel in 24 days. He died before it could be published. It was based on the true story of a couple who decides that they are going to do something, even if it's just a small thing, to protest the war. They decide to write inflammatory postcards and leave them around Germany. It was kind of an interesting book. I did find myself wanting to know what was going to happen next. I couldn't tell if it was because it was translated from German, but it read like it was written feverishly, in 24 days.

 

This week I am reading Unbroken.

[Stacia]

Let me know if there are any of readalongs you all would like to do next year - books that you've been thinking about reading, but don't want to read alone.

I really want to read Hopscotch by Julio Cortazar & think it would be a great 'discussion' novel. Here's a description of it: http://kpjayan.blogs...o-cortazar.html

 

Anyone up for that one? (Maybe it could count as a chunkster too, since it weighs in at 500+ pages.)

 

Loved this book. It is definitely different and intriguing.

Totally agree. I need to read the rest of the series.

 

I'm getting ready to begin a 14 book "Chunkster Challenge" http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/w00t.gif Robert Jordan's final book releases just after the New Year.

 

...

 

It's good to be back to this thread. The boards are not "comfy" yet.

Wow, impressive challenge! And, I agree about the boards not being "comfy" yet. Still getting used to things....

 

Just checking in to say that I didn't even try this challenge this year as I just had too much happening, but I will rejoin y'all in 2013 as something more than a jealous lurker. Congrats on making it this far!

Yay. Looking forward to seeing you on the 2013 threads.

 

On a separate note... Ahhh.... Lisbeth. One of the great modern characters! http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/thumbup1.gif

[dangermom]

 

I'm getting ready to begin a 14 book "Chunkster Challenge" :w00t:

have you got a link to the host? I'm looking out for a chunkster challenge!

[Melinda in VT]

I haven't been keeping very close track of my reading lately, and I haven't posted to these threads in a while, so I was happily surprised to find that I finished my 50th book today!

 

Read this week: Turn of Mind and The God We Never Knew.

 

Turn of Mind was our book club's pick, and I was worried I would have trouble finishing it before our meeting on Dec 1. Hah! I found it almost impossible to put down and finished it in less than 36 hours. That's with out-of-state company and Thanksgiving dinner. It's written from the perspective of a woman with Alzheimer's. Absolutely fascinating.

 

The God We Never Knew is by Marcus Borg, and I found this as illuminating as his other books.

[aggieamy]

Finished this week:

 

The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller (recommended here) - I liked it. It was directed more towards teachers than parents but I feel like I still gained valuable information from it.

 

Emma by Nancy Butler and Jane Austen - Myk second Jane Austen graphic novel. Really enjoyed it. The illustrations were pretty and I thought the story was easy to follow along with. I've also read Emma before so that probably helped me follow along.

 

Arsnic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring - The first play I've read in long time. Not as easy to read as a novel (obviously) but once I picked it up I couldn't put it down. Now I want to see it on stage.

 

England, Our Englandby Alan Titchmarsh - This book was a bit strange. Not bad, just not what I was expecting. Lots of lists and poems. I'm a huge Anglophile and I found it boring.

 

In progress:

 

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

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

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams

 

2012 finished books:

 

122. Arsnic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring

121. The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller (recommended here)

120. Emma by Nancy Butler and Jane Austen

119. England, Our Englandby Alan Titchmarsh

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

[aggieamy]

 

Brain storm: a mini challenge reading C.S. Lewis'sworks for 2013 and/or a readalong of one of his books? Let me know if there are any of readalongs you all would like to do next year - books that you've been thinking about reading, but don't want to read alone.

 

 

 

I'd love to do a read along with CS Lewis. I find his books are great to be able to discuss as you read them.

 

Group brainstorms for 2013:

 

Read along a play

Chunkster Challenge - everyone picks a book that's 500+ pages

Dusty book challenge - everyone picks a book they've had sitting on their shelf a long time or a book they want to read but have been putting off (I've got lots of these!)

Out of your comfort zone challenge - pick a book in a genre you never read

Let a friend pick challenge - we let a friend on the thread pick our next book based on some of our favorite books

Book vs movie challenge - read the book and then watch the movie

NY Time top 100 challenge - pick a book on the NY Times list

 

Personal challenges:

 

I'm going to limit the number of books I read in 2013. I'm a fast reader and can fly through books but I don't enjoy them as much as I think I should when I do that. Rather than making a high goal for myself I'm going to aim for a book-a-week plus what is required for book club plus a few read alouds with DD and that's it! No more than 70 books. And I'm going to try and get through some books that have been on my to-read list for a long time.

 

I did it!

 

WooHoo! Good work Jane!

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

I finished The Elegance of the Hedgehog and loved it - 5 Stars.

 

I'm now re-reading Rebecca after more than 30 years.

 

 

 

I love your name! Glad to see you here.

 

I've had Rebecca on my to-read list forever and just haven't done it. Might force myself to read it in 2013.

[Storm Bay]

I read this last year. Actually, it might have been my first book of 2012. I was SO looking forward to this book, however, I felt it fell short. Great premise but I didn't like the execution.

Loved this book. It is definitely different and intriguing. Will be reading One of my Thursdays is Missing soon.

So, two entirely different feelings about this book :). I'm going to try and finish this one, because if I like it, I'll read the next one. I like the premise,but am not yet sure about the execution; sometimes books I don't like a lot at first become books I really enjoy.

Robin - you and I were posting at the same time! I just copied and pasted my last reply over here... I'm getting ready to begin a 14 book "Chunkster Challenge" :w00t: Robert Jordan's final book releases just after the New Year. I always reread the books before reading the newest. I don't think there is a one under 500 pages and many are 800-900. My Book a Week numbers will be small next year (well, like I'm keeping up this year anyway :glare: ) as I enjoy time with my old friends and finally get to the end of their story!! I haven't had much reading time, but I'm over half-way through "All Roads Lead to Austen." I'm not sure how I'm feeling about it. I guess we'll see when I get to the end. It's good to be back to this thread. The boards are not "comfy" yet.

I'd love to do a read along with CS Lewis. I find his books are great to be able to discuss as you read them. Group brainstorms for 2013: Read along a play Chunkster Challenge - everyone picks a book that's 500+ pages Dusty book challenge - everyone picks a book they've had sitting on their shelf a long time or a book they want to read but have been putting off (I've got lots of these!) Out of your comfort zone challenge - pick a book in a genre you never read Let a friend pick challenge - we let a friend on the thread pick our next book based on some of our favorite books Book vs movie challenge - read the book and then watch the movie NY Time top 100 challenge - pick a book on the NY Times list

:eek: It's hard to edit my quotes ! So I bolded the two challenges I'm most interested in so far (but some of the others look interesting as well and perhaps we can have challenges we don't all join) and want to add a couple more ideas.Canadian Novel challenge.

 

Read at least one Canadian literary or classic novel or some very Canadian novel, and it has to be written by a Canadian born and raised author, not an expat from another country living there :). Canada has and has had many of great novelists, particularly literary ones, but how many of us have read any of them (or any beyond Margaret Atwood, whose writing I'm not fond of)?

 

Foreign novel by an author from a country we've never read a novel from before (at least not that we can remember.) This year some of us read Icelandic mysteries, Japanese novels, Russian novels, etc, although many of us have done this in the past from these countries. It might be tough to find them, but surely they must exist. Finding one could be part of the challenge if no one suggests one from a country we haven't read from (not about, of course) befre.

[dangermom]

I've just started some really loooong books so you might not hear from me for a while after this...but I'm really enjoying The Good Soldier Svejk and Quo Vadis. Last week's books:

 

Night, by Elie Wiesel -- what do you say about one of the most famous Holocaust memoirs?

 

The Republic, by Plato -- Plato was a dummy. That's what I say.

 

Reflections, by Diana Wynne Jones -- This is a book of essays and speeches and whatnot from the last 30 years. It was great! Because DWJ is my favorite writer, and she had a lot of cool stuff to say.

 

Jane and the Canterbury Tale, by Stephanie Barron -- a Jane Austen murder mystery. It was OK. Meh.

 

 

Challenges! I love your ideas, aggieamy. Would totally join up with some of those. I'm looking for: a chunkster, a TBR (dusty book), and maybe a wishlist one. I have 100 books on my library wishlist on Amazon, I think I should try to whittle that down...

Also I would always participate in a C. S. Lewis readalong!

[-M-]

Recently completed

 

#130 Dracula (Bram Stoker; fiction)

#129 Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me (Ellen Forney; graphic memoir)

 

Complete list here.

 

Currently reading

 

â–  Moby Dick (Herman Melville; fiction)

â–  The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Agatha Christie; fiction)

■ The Misanthrope (Molière; play)

â–  Kill Shakespeare, Vol. 2 (Conor McCreery; graphic fiction)

â–  And others.

 

Progress on goals

 

If I've counted properly, I've completed 46 non-fiction titles to date, which puts my goal of 52 non-fiction titles in 2012 in reach (especially if I finally finish Quiet (Cain) -- heh, heh, heh).

[-M-]

Group brainstorms for 2013:

 

Read along a play

Chunkster Challenge - everyone picks a book that's 500+ pages

Dusty book challenge - everyone picks a book they've had sitting on their shelf a long time or a book they want to read but have been putting off (I've got lots of these!)

Out of your comfort zone challenge - pick a book in a genre you never read

Let a friend pick challenge - we let a friend on the thread pick our next book based on some of our favorite books

Book vs movie challenge - read the book and then watch the movie

NY Time top 100 challenge - pick a book on the NY Times list

 

 

Chunkster and Dusty -- I think I will get these accomplished in 2013 with the unabridged Les Miserables (Victor Hugo) and Winter's Tale (Mark Helprin). They are 1,488 and 768 pages, respectively, and I have owned both for a looooong time.

 

I pulled the latter off the shelf this week because the second of two book bloggers I have "known" for all of the nine years I've kept Mental multivitamin has recently posted commonplace book entries from Helprin's novel -- the entries served as reminders that I have always meant to read this book. As for the Les Mis, well, we introduced the Misses to our favorite musical this holiday via the twenty-fifth anniversary production playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago. My dusty Signet edition of the novel landed on the nightstand shortly after we returned home.

[-M-]

I finished The Elegance of the Hedgehog and loved it - 5 Stars.

 

 

I loved it, too.

 

From p. 53

 

I have read so many books.

 

 

 

And yet, like most autodidacts, I am never quite sure of what I have gained from them. There are days when I feel I have been able to grasp all there is to know in one single gaze, as if invisible branches suddenly spring out of nowhere, weaving together all the disparate strands of my reading -- and then suddenly the meaning escapes, the essence evaporates, and no matter how often I reread the same lines, they seem to flee ever further with each subsequent reading, and I see myself as some mad old fool who thinks her stomach is full because she's been attentively reading the menu. Apparently this combination of ability and blindness is a symptom exclusive to the autodidact. Deprived of the steady guiding hand that any good education provides, the autodidact possesses nonetheless the gift of freedom and conciseness of thought; where official discourse would put up barriers and prohibit adventure.

 

[-M-]

So, remember when I mentioned this book:

 

 

From Ideal Bookshelf:

The books that we choose to keep and display—let alone read—can say a lot about who we are and how we see ourselves. In My Ideal Bookshelf, one hundred leading cultural figures, including writers Chuck Klosterman, Jennifer Egan, and Michael Chabon, musicians Patti Smith and Thurston Moore, chefs and food writers Alice Waters and Mark Bittman, and fashion designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte, reveal the books that matter to them most—books that reflect their obsessions and ambitions and in many cases helped them find their way in the world.

Original paintings by artist Jane Mount showcase the selections, with colorful, hand-lettered book spines and occasional objets d’art from the contributors’ personal bookshelves. The paintings are accompanied by first-person commentary drawn from interviews with editor Thessaly La Force, which touch on everything from the choice of books to becoming a writer to surprising sources of inspiration. This exquisite collection provides rare insight into the creative process and artistic development of today’s most intriguing writers, innovators, and visionaries.

If you're a reader, you will love this book -- your wish list will grow, as will your TBR pile. You will engage in a conversation with each contributor -- even if just to exclaim inwardly, Oh! I have that, too! or to furrow your brow, Really? And you will labor over your own "ideal bookshelf."

 

For that last bit, I began a separate thread.

 

Well, I finally got around to assembling my own shelf:

 

[-M-]

So happy to see all my book friends who have decided to stick through all the changes.

 

So happy to see *you* and this feature, Robin. And happy belated birthday!

[prairiegirl]

I read 3 books this week but I am still not close to 52. sigh Oh well!

 

I read: 'Picnic at Hanging Rock' by Joan Lindsay. I read this due to all the chatter here. I did not understand this book. I have way more questions than I have answers. I am left utterly confused.

 

'Not in the Flesh' by Ruth Rendell. I am in the mood for fluff books right now. Hence, this mystery. I really enjoyed it, though.

 

'Death on the Nile' by Agatha Christie. I am reading this with my kids. We loved this book! We are eager to start another Christie book.

 

I am now reading 'Socrates Cafe' by Christopher Philips. This is a filler until I get to the library tomorrow to pick up 3 books that are waiting for me. One of those books is 'Gone Girl' by Gillian Flynn.

[Stacia]

Hans Fallada was mentioned in In the Garden of Beasts. He was a German author who lived through WWII. He was put in an insane asylum at some point by the Nazi's, and when he got out wrote this novel in 24 days. He died before it could be published. It was based on the true story of a couple who decides that they are going to do something, even if it's just a small thing, to protest the war. They decide to write inflammatory postcards and leave them around Germany. It was kind of an interesting book. I did find myself wanting to know what was going to happen next. I couldn't tell if it was because it was translated from German, but it read like it was written feverishly, in 24 days.

 

That sounds interesting, esp. since I also recently finished In the Garden of Beasts. I'll have to pass on this title to others in my book club (which is why we read In the Garden of Beasts).

 

Dusty book challenge - everyone picks a book they've had sitting on their shelf a long time or a book they want to read but have been putting off (I've got lots of these!)

Out of your comfort zone challenge - pick a book in a genre you never read

Let a friend pick challenge - we let a friend on the thread pick our next book based on some of our favorite books

Book vs movie challenge - read the book and then watch the movie

 

I like all of these challenge ideas!

 

Foreign novel by an author from a country we've never read a novel from before (at least not that we can remember.)

 

Love this idea.

 

Recently completed

 

#130 Dracula (Bram Stoker; fiction)

 

So, did you enjoy it when it was all said & done?

 

Well, I finally got around to assembling my own shelf:

 

 

 

Hey, what titles are on your shelf? I can see some of them, but not all of them! :bigear: (Yeah, I know it looks weird to say I can't see them & then put the big ears guy, lol.)

[ariasmommy]

Group brainstorms for 2013:

Read along a play

Chunkster Challenge - everyone picks a book that's 500+ pages

Dusty book challenge - everyone picks a book they've had sitting on their shelf a long time or a book they want to read but have been putting off (I've got lots of these!)

Out of your comfort zone challenge - pick a book in a genre you never read

Let a friend pick challenge - we let a friend on the thread pick our next book based on some of our favorite books

Book vs movie challenge - read the book and then watch the movie

NY Time top 100 challenge - pick a book on the NY Times list

 

Canadian Novel challenge.

Read at least one Canadian literary or classic novel or some very Canadian novel, and it has to be written by a Canadian born and raised author, not an expat from another country living there :). Canada has and has had many of great novelists, particularly literary ones, but how many of us have read any of them (or any beyond Margaret Atwood, whose writing I'm not fond of)?

Foreign novel by an author from a country we've never read a novel from before (at least not that we can remember.) This year some of us read Icelandic mysteries, Japanese novels, Russian novels, etc, although many of us have done this in the past from these countries. It might be tough to find them, but surely they must exist. Finding one could be part of the challenge if no one suggests one from a country we haven't read from (not about, of course) befre.

 

I'm liking a lot of these suggestions! The Canadian novel sounds great (I'm Canadian-born :D), though I don't think I'd be up to Margaret Atwood, either. I'm also interested in the C.S. Lewis read-along. I love Lewis' writing. :)

[eaglei]

I'd love to do a read along with CS Lewis. I find his books are great to be able to discuss as you read them.

 

Group brainstorms for 2013:

 

Read along a play

Chunkster Challenge - everyone picks a book that's 500+ pages

Dusty book challenge - everyone picks a book they've had sitting on their shelf a long time or a book they want to read but have been putting off (I've got lots of these!)

Out of your comfort zone challenge - pick a book in a genre you never read

Let a friend pick challenge - we let a friend on the thread pick our next book based on some of our favorite books

Book vs movie challenge - read the book and then watch the movie

NY Time top 100 challenge - pick a book on the NY Times list

 

Personal challenges:

 

I'm going to limit the number of books I read in 2013. I'm a fast reader and can fly through books but I don't enjoy them as much as I think I should when I do that. Rather than making a high goal for myself I'm going to aim for a book-a-week plus what is required for book club plus a few read alouds with DD and that's it! No more than 70 books. And I'm going to try and get through some books that have been on my to-read list for a long time.

 

I haven't been doing challenges because life has been challenging enough... :glare: However, I am pleased to say that I unknowingly did some of these challenges during this year! So far, of the 62 books I've completed, 18 of them qualify under the Dusty Book Challenge! I am quite pleased to realize this! Especially since the stack doesn't seem all that smaller... I've also read several Out of My Comfort Zone books, and also tried new-to-me authors. So, while I am not pleased with my overall total of books read-to-date, I am most pleased at the variety! Thanks, aggieamy, for posting this list of challenges - it makes me feel better about my reading this year!

 

Now, onto what I've read this week...

 

I finished:

 

#62 - The Marked Bible, by Charles L. Taylor. Disappointed. Not the story the back cover suggests, but rather the premise for setting up a "discussion" on Sunday-Sabbath vs. Saturday-Sabbath. Sorry I spent time on it...

 

Currently reading:

 

#63 - A Rich Man's Secret, by Ken Roberts. A novel. Not the most gripping; however, since I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders, any encouragement, even in novel form, is helpful... :unsure:

 

A book from that Dusty Challenge Stack is probably up next - haven't decided which one yet!

[Robin M]

Taking a 5 minute break from putting up Christmas lights and you guys are smoking with the challenge ideas. I'm liking all the suggestions.

 

Like Stacia's Hopscotch and Mental Multivitamin's "Winter's Tale" They both look intriguing and added them to my amazon wishlist for the moment. I have some birthday money to spend. :hurray:

 

More later. :cheers2:

[Mom-ninja.]

I haven't figured out the "subscribed thread" feature like we used to have. I've started a bunch of books without finishing others so I have a lot going at the same time. I seem to always fall into that trap.

 

A reading challenge for me would be to start and finish one book before starting another. :D

[Paisley Hedgehog]

.

[Lady Florida.]

Canada has and has had many of great novelists, particularly literary ones, but how many of us have read any of them (or any beyond Margaret Atwood, whose writing I'm not fond of)?

 

 

I'm not Canadian, but both The Handmaid's Tale and Oryx and Crake were page-turners for me.

[VeganCupcake]

Group brainstorms for 2013:

Read along a play Chunkster Challenge - everyone picks a book that's 500+ pages

Dusty book challenge - everyone picks a book they've had sitting on their shelf a long time or a book they want to read but have been putting off (I've got lots of these!)

Out of your comfort zone challenge - pick a book in a genre you never read

Let a friend pick challenge - we let a friend on the thread pick our next book based on some of our favorite books

Book vs movie challenge - read the book and then watch the movie

NY Time top 100 challenge - pick a book on the NY Times list

Canadian Novel challenge. Read at least one Canadian literary or classic novel or some very Canadian novel, and it has to be written by a Canadian born and raised author, not an expat from another country living there :). Canada has and has had many of great novelists, particularly literary ones, but how many of us have read any of them (or any beyond Margaret Atwood, whose writing I'm not fond of)? Foreign novel by an author from a country we've never read a novel from before (at least not that we can remember.) This year some of us read Icelandic mysteries, Japanese novels, Russian novels, etc, although many of us have done this in the past from these countries. It might be tough to find them, but surely they must exist. Finding one could be part of the challenge if no one suggests one from a country we haven't read from (not about, of course) befre.

 

I like all of these. :)

 

Stacia, I'm also reading Bright Lights, No City, and really enjoying it. I know virtually nothing about business, but I'm very interested in the entrepreneurial vs. foreign aid issues that he brings up.

 

I have totally fallen off the Moby Dick Big Read wagon, but I'm going to try to get back on now. I think I have 40 days to catch up on. :ohmy:

[Violet Crown]

I did it! I made it to 52 by finishing another Martin Beck mystery, Murder at the Savoy,

 

Yay! Congratulations!

Remind me what the TBR challenge is?

[Violet Crown]

Okay, I'm tempted by a combo of the C. S. Lewis and Chunkster challenges - I might see if our library has a copy of Lewis' 700-page English Literature in the Sixteenth Century. I also like the Dusty Book Challenge. That would be a good one to start the year with, as everyone has some unread books to choose from.

 

Lisbeth, I'm ashamed to say I had to consult Wikipedia to discover the significance of your name. There goes my reading cred.

[dangermom]

Lewis' 700-page Poetry and Prose in the Sixteenth Century.

 

OK, I own that book. And I am a die-hard Lewis fan. But that book is really really hard to read. The volume excludes drama, and drama was about the only fun thing going on in the 16th century. Just so you know. :svengo:

[Robin M]

I haven't figured out the "subscribed thread" feature like we used to have. I've started a bunch of books without finishing others so I have a lot going at the same time. I seem to always fall into that trap.

 

A reading challenge for me would be to start and finish one book before starting another. :D

 

Go up to the top of the thread and across from the title is Follow this Topic. Click on it and it will give you the option to have instant notification, daily or weekly (I think) Then you should be able to find in your content under your profile.

[aggieamy]

So, two entirely different feelings about this book :). I'm going to try and finish this one, because if I like it, I'll read the next one. I like the premise,but am not yet sure about the execution; sometimes books I don't like a lot at first become books I really enjoy. :eek: It's hard to edit my quotes ! So I bolded the two challenges I'm most interested in so far (but some of the others look interesting as well and perhaps we can have challenges we don't all join) and want to add a couple more ideas.Canadian Novel challenge. Read at least one Canadian literary or classic novel or some very Canadian novel, and it has to be written by a Canadian born and raised author, not an expat from another country living there :). Canada has and has had many of great novelists, particularly literary ones, but how many of us have read any of them (or any beyond Margaret Atwood, whose writing I'm not fond of)? Foreign novel by an author from a country we've never read a novel from before (at least not that we can remember.) This year some of us read Icelandic mysteries, Japanese novels, Russian novels, etc, although many of us have done this in the past from these countries. It might be tough to find them, but surely they must exist. Finding one could be part of the challenge if no one suggests one from a country we haven't read from (not about, of course) befre.

 

I love this idea! I've read some Atwood (book club) but I can't think of any other Canadian authors I know. I'm in for this one for 2013.

 

I haven't been doing challenges because life has been challenging enough...

 

Hugs. Hope things calm down.

 

I read 3 books this week but I am still not close to 52. sigh Oh well! I read: 'Picnic at Hanging Rock' by Joan Lindsay. I read this due to all the chatter here. I did not understand this book. I have way more questions than I have answers. I am left utterly confused. 'Not in the Flesh' by Ruth Rendell. I am in the mood for fluff books right now. Hence, this mystery. I really enjoyed it, though. 'Death on the Nile' by Agatha Christie. I am reading this with my kids. We loved this book! We are eager to start another Christie book. I am now reading 'Socrates Cafe' by Christopher Philips. This is a filler until I get to the library tomorrow to pick up 3 books that are waiting for me. One of those books is 'Gone Girl' by Gillian Flynn.

 

What age did you start reading Christie books to your kids? I love her books and wonder if DD would like them also.

[Robin M]

So, remember when I mentioned this book:

 

 

 

Well, I finally got around to assembling my own shelf:

 

 

 

So cool and what an Interesting group of books. I figured out most of them. What is the one by Joyce Carol Oates?

[Robin M]

nm - sorry double post

[Robin M]

I'm getting ready to begin a 14 book "Chunkster Challenge" :w00t: Robert Jordan's final book releases just after the New Year. I always reread the books before reading the newest. I don't think there is a one under 500 pages and many are 800-900. My Book a Week numbers will be small next year (well, like I'm keeping up this year anyway :glare: ) as I enjoy time with my old friends and finally get to the end of their story!!

 

Seriously! You are going to read the whole wheel of time series? You are one awesome and adventuresome dudette. I read the first one but never got around to reading the others. Hmm! Okay - for December I'll read the 2nd book The Great Hunt. And it's all your fault that I also ordered Hopscotch, Winter's Tale, The Midnight Palaceand Forever Odd.

 

Are you game? Support Angel in her quest to read the series. During December read at least one book in the Wheel of Time series. And end the year with a chunkster. :hat:

[-M-]

So, did you enjoy it when it was all said & done?

 

Oh, yes! The Misses and I quite enjoyed it. With such a slow, methodical build, though, we were somewhat surprised by how hasty the resolution seemed.

 

Hey, what titles are on your shelf? I can see some of them, but not all of them! :bigear: (Yeah, I know it looks weird to say I can't see them & then put the big ears guy, lol.)

 

Here's a bigger / better image: link.

 

So cool and what an Interesting group of books. I figured out most of them. What is the one by Joyce Carol Oates?

 

(Woman) Writer: Occasions and Opportunities, a collection of essays published in 1988. Oates is partially responsible for my success in graduate school: One of two scholarly essays of mine to capture honors in my second year of study concerned JCO, and part of my oral defense concerned Oates and the Burkean pentad.

[Jane in NC]

Yay! Congratulations!

Remind me what the TBR challenge is?

 

TBR = To Be Read (which I believe is equivalent to the dusty book challenge)

[Violet Crown]

OK, I own that book. And I am a die-hard Lewis fan. But that book is really really hard to read. The volume excludes drama, and drama was about the only fun thing going on in the 16th century. Just so you know. :svengo:

But - Donne! Jonson! Sidney! Rabelais! Okay, so Rabelais wasn't English.

[laundrycrisis]

1. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children;

2. Celestially Auspicious Occasions

3. The Mysterious Benedict Society

4. The Invention of Hugo Cabret

5. The Picture of Dorian Gray

6. Wuhu Diary

7. The Secret Life of the Dyslexic Child

8. Kingdom of Children

9. Values: Lighting the Candle of Excellence : A Practical Guide for the Family by Marva Collins

10. Natural Medicine Guide to Bipolar Disorder, The: New Revised Edition by Stephanie Marohn

11. Ordinary Children, Extraordinary Teachers by Marva Collins

12. Marva Collins' Way

13. Parenting a Child With Asperger Syndrome: 200 Tips and Strategies by Brenda Boyd

14. Tales from Shakespeare by Tina Packer

15. Parenting Your Asperger Child: Individualized Solutions for Teaching Your Child Practical Skills by Alan T. Sohn

16. Hitchhiking through Asperger Syndrome by Lise Pyles

17. Be Different: Adventures of a Free-Range Aspergian (John Elder Robison)

18. Quirky, Yes---Hopeless, No (Cynthia La Brie Norall)

19. Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting

20. The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome by Tony Attwood

21. ADD/ADHD Drug Free: Natural Alternatives and Practical Exercises to Help Your Child Focus by Frank Jacobelli

22. Create Your Own Free-Form Quilts: A Stress-Free Journey to Original Design by Rayna Gillman

23. The Shut-Down Learner Helping Your Academically Discouraged Child by Richard Selznick, PhD

24. Pretending to be Normal: Living With Asperger's Syndrome by Liane Holliday Willey

25.Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies: The Groundbreaking Program for the 4-A Disorders by Kenneth Bock

26. Look me in the eye by John Elder Robison

27. Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs

28. Atypical - Life with Asperger's in 20 1/3 Chapters by Jesse Saperstein

29. Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet

30. The Fire Within by Chris D'Lacey

31. Slouching Toward Adulthood ... Observations from the Not-So-Empty Nest by Sally Koslow

32. Creating Innovators by Tony Wagner

33. Outliers

34. Shadow of Night

35. The Dyslexic Advantage

36. Asperger's From the Inside Out

37. College Prep Homeschooling

38. The Case Against Adolescence

39. Teach Your Children Well - Parenting for Authentic Success

40. The Parents We Mean to Be

41. Smart Moves

42. What Kids Need to Succeed

currently reading Quiet - The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking - I am starting to seriously doubt that I will make it to 52.

[Robin M]

Just checking in to say that I didn't even try this challenge this year as I just had too much happening, but I will rejoin y'all in 2013 as something more than a jealous lurker. Congrats on making it this far!

 

 

 

Happy to have you join in again!

[Robin M]

I did it! I made it to 52 by finishing another Martin Beck mystery, Murder at the Savoy, penned by the Swedish writing team of Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo, My ignorance of Swedish geography is appalling.

 

Last week's discussion of the TBR challenge led me to my dusty stack where I discovered two Susan Howatch novels that I forgot I owned. I am now reading The Waiting Sands to which Ladydusk has given a thumbs up. Bound in a single volume is a second novel, The Devil on Lammas Night.

 

Sending best wishes to all of my fellow readers.

 

Jane

 

 

Woot! :hurray:

[Robin M]

So, two entirely different feelings about this book :). I'm going to try and finish this one, because if I like it, I'll read the next one. I like the premise,but am not yet sure about the execution; sometimes books I don't like a lot at first become books I really enjoy. :eek: It's hard to edit my quotes ! So I bolded the two challenges I'm most interested in so far (but some of the others look interesting as well and perhaps we can have challenges we don't all join) and want to add a couple more ideas.Canadian Novel challenge.

 

Read at least one Canadian literary or classic novel or some very Canadian novel, and it has to be written by a Canadian born and raised author, not an expat from another country living there :). Canada has and has had many of great novelists, particularly literary ones, but how many of us have read any of them (or any beyond Margaret Atwood, whose writing I'm not fond of)?

 

Foreign novel by an author from a country we've never read a novel from before (at least not that we can remember.) This year some of us read Icelandic mysteries, Japanese novels, Russian novels, etc, although many of us have done this in the past from these countries. It might be tough to find them, but surely they must exist. Finding one could be part of the challenge if no one suggests one from a country we haven't read from (not about, of course) befre.

 

 

Sounds like an excellent idea. I have several sitting on my shelves still. Also here's a link to Canadian books and authors so folks can get an idea of what and who is out there.

[prairiegirl]

 

What age did you start reading Christie books to your kids? I love her books and wonder if DD would like them also.

 

 

We read our first Christie book last month with 'Murder on the Orient Express.' My youngest is 9(almost 10) and she is handling them fine but it is a read aloud so I edit some things out.

[Stacia]

I haven't been doing challenges because life has been challenging enough... http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/glare.gif However, I am pleased to say that I unknowingly did some of these challenges during this year! So far, of the 62 books I've completed, 18 of them qualify under the Dusty Book Challenge! I am quite pleased to realize this! Especially since the stack doesn't seem all that smaller... I've also read several Out of My Comfort Zone books, and also tried new-to-me authors. So, while I am not pleased with my overall total of books read-to-date, I am most pleased at the variety! Thanks, aggieamy, for posting this list of challenges - it makes me feel better about my reading this year!

Sorry that life has been challenging lately. Hoping things improve for you! http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/grouphug.gif

 

I should see how my reading this year stacks up against the challenges listed so far....

 

A reading challenge for me would be to start and finish one book before starting another. http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/biggrin.gif

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/laugh.gif (Me too sometimes!)

 

I like all of these. http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/smile.gif Stacia, I'm also reading Bright Lights, No City, and really enjoying it. I know virtually nothing about business, but I'm very interested in the entrepreneurial vs. foreign aid issues that he brings up.

Glad you are enjoying it. I'm liking it, but reading the part about battery 'personalities' & drain times transported me squarely back in my tech writing days of old (back in the age of dinosaur cellphones), lol!!!!

 

And it's all your fault that I also ordered Hopscotch

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/scared.gif Guess I'd definitely better put my hands on a copy, huh??!!??!!

 

Oh,Here's a bigger / better image: link.

Ah, thanks! Yep, I'd have to include Richard Scarry on my shelf too & I'm glad to see Slaughterhouse-Five on there!