Robin M Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Happy New Year, dearhearts. Welcome back to all our readers, 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. The link is below in my signature. 52 Books Blog- Cheers to a new reading year: The rules are very simple. Read 52 Books. ( Yes, you may set your own goal if you choose.) That's it. How you get there is up to you. Our book weeks will start on Sunday and all forms of books are acceptable including e-books, audiobooks, etc. Rereads are acceptable as long as they are read after January 1, 2014. We have several optional challenges which are listed on 52 Books blog to help stimulate your imagination and help you on your reading journeys. Beside the perpetual Well Educated Mind challenge, A to Z,Dusty/Chunky books, and another journey Around the World, new this year are the Literary Nobel Prize Winners and 52 BaWer's recommendations from 2013. I've also come up with some fun Monthly Themes and Readalongs. So be sure to check out the blog. Mrs. Santa was quite nice to me this past Christmas and gave me Nancy Pearl's Book Lust to Go, Tom Nissley's A Reader's Book of Days and Peter Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. I was completely blown away by 1001 books because I had seen the lists on line, but never the book itself. It is huge and besides the book descriptions, it is chalk full of pictures, artwork and posters for the majority of books. Absolutely beautiful and I'll try to share some pictures soon. I can already tell these books will be beneficial to all of us because they are already helped spark my imagination to help with weekly posts, plus making my already really long wish list even longer. Not to mention my teetering TBR stacks. To start off our journey, we are going to begin our Around the World tour in Japan. Join in on a readalong of Haruki Murakami's Wind Up Bird Chronicles or choose one of his other books if you've already read it. To make life interesting, I'm also starting a personal Centuries Challenge beginning with the 12th century (1101-1200). So - to make life fun for the month of January, go find some books written by Japanese authors, set in Japan and/or set in the 12th century. Although I went a little nuts and found books from several different centuries. *grin* And and let's not forget it's winter so throw a couple of winter reads in there as well.Currently in my backpack besides Murakami's Wind Up is his A Wild Sheep Chase, the first volume of The Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki (Waley Translation), Shinju (1st book in her Sano Ichiro series) by Laura Joh Rowland, Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn and the novella The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa. We are going with a short week one in order to avoid a short week 52 and no one having time to do wrapup's. It all works out in the end so don't panic over finishing a book this week. Share what book you are starting out the year with, reading plans for the year or new book finds. Link to 2013 Week 52 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 1, 2014 Author Share Posted January 1, 2014 I missed the virtual plane and am still in the Antarctic at the moment. Currently in the middle of Jules Verne's An Antarctic Mystery and Matt Reilly's Ice Station is waiting in my backpack. I should be winging off to Japan by the end of the week when hopefully everyone will be ready to start Wind Up Bird Chronicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I can't resist being first! :) I finished Imposter this morning by Davis Bunn. It was a pretty good thriller! http://www.davisbunn.com/book/imposter.htm I picked it for the cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaraby Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I'm starting out with Murakami's "Wind Up" with "On Chesil Beach" by Ian McEwan, "Letters from Home" by Kristina McMorris, "Following the Equator" by Mark Twain, and "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" Rebecca Skloot currently in various states of in progress. I'm also trying to decide whether I want to read Jennifer Chiaverini's quilt themed series. On my TBR stack I have Aldo Leopold's "Sand County Almanac," Eowyn Ivey's "Snow Child," and Zinn's "A People's History." The last one being my dusty, should get back to that addition. On my "requested and waiting for my turn at the library" list I have Khaled Hosseini's "And the Mountains Echoed," "The Violets of March" by Sarah Jio, and "Firefly Summer" by Maeve Binchy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I couldn't resist and started my first winter story yesterday. It is The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse. I loved it from the first page. It has some of the mysterious gothic feel of a DuMaurier and takes place in France about a decade after WWI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDays Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I am reading Little Women.... I started it last year and didn't make it very far, so starting over! I'm also working through The Skeptical Believer on my Kindle... It's a religion/philosophy non fiction. Will have to peruse the challenges on the blog.... I'm thinking Dusty Books is a good contender! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbeym Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Today I'll be finishing up Kathy Reich's Grave Secrets as my first 2014 book. I requested Wind Up Bird Chronicles from the library; hopefully it'll come in before I go back to work on Tuesday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-M- Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Carried this over from the other thread... I love your room every time you show it! Can I move in? :001_smile: Aw, you are sweet. That pic was taken shortly after we moved into the forever home three years. Here's a more recent pic, taken from a different angle. A sunken livingroom is so 1970s, I know, but I love how it delineated the room from the foyer and from the piano room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Ended 2013 by finishing John Williams' Stoner and Dara Horn's A Guide for the Perplexed. Stoner was for my book club. I had not heard of it before and was surprised to find out it was written in 1965. I had some difficulty keeping going in the middle--I wanted Stoner's life to be better and happier. He is stymied in his life as an associate professor by a department head who has it out for him, but can't get rid of him because he's tenured. So he keeps loading up his schedule with freshman comp courses. Finally Stoner takes one of the freshman courses and teaches what he wants to teach--his old senior seminar on medieval literature and the influences of the classical Latin era (or something like that). The students complain to the dept head and he relents and lets Stoner teach some of his specialties again. There's a line thrown in there that anyone doing any kind of classical education with their kids should love--something about how Stoner's freshman comp class that got a classical approach did much better than the rest of the school on their junior year tests! I enjoyed A Guide for the Perplexed as a novel--haven't read anything like that in awhile. I particularly liked the main storyline--I thought the flashbacks and the little bit of philosophy thrown in were not as strong. Some things are never really tied together--why keep mentioning asthma in multiple time periods without connecting them somehow? These aren't related people (which I thought was going to be the storyline at first), so why so much asthma? First up for 2014--I'm working on The Monuments Men and Sayers' The Nine Tailors. I'm supposed to be focusing on The Monuments Men since it is the next one due back at the library, but I keep getting sucked into The Nine Tailors. It will probably be the first one finished. Bad Monkeys is also out from the library, waiting for me to finish one of the others. We've been having a wonderful "read aloud" school year with The Red Badge of Courage, My Antonia, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn completed and about half way through All Quiet on the Western Front. Love history cycle year 4! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I couldn't resist and started my first winter story yesterday. It is The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse. I loved it from the first page. It has some of the mysterious gothic feel of a DuMaurier and takes place in France about a decade after WWI. I am in the middle of DuMaurier's Don't Look Now. She is one of my favorite authors. I'll add The Winter Ghosts to my possibilities list. (There goes my "read from my shelves" goal. I didn't even make it past Jan. 1. :rolleyes: ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 My new reading year began (old year ended) with a nod to the Victorians. The Lodger by Marie Belloc Lowndes is considered a classic tale of suspense. In fact, it served as the basis for one of Hitchcock's early films, a clear match for this master of psychological suspense. The Lodger was written in 1913 but reads very much like Jekyll and Hyde. By modern standards, the language may be stilted, the plot far from frightening. But I think the book captures a time very well, the time when Londoners were terrified by the Whitechapel murders, i.e. Jack the Ripper. I read the Academy of Chicago print version but The Lodger is available as a free book from Gutenberg and Kindle. Next up is Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Blithedale Romance, his fictionalized account of time spent at Brook Farm, a transcendental commune. One of my husband's aunts was a volunteer at Fruitlands, the commune founded by Branson Alcott (Louisa's father). Her fascination with both Transcendental idealism and the Shakers was fascinating in itself to me, the Midwestern pragmatist. Now I think it might be a good time to see what Hawthorne has to say about his communal experiment of the 1840's. These two are Dusty Books--a good start to the New Year! Sending everyone best wishes for a happy and healthy 2014! Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Since I didn't make the last weekly, round-up thread, I'll post here. Hopefully it's fine... I'll be joining these reading threads again for 2014. Still working on The Hobbit as a read-a-loud with DD9. How many books did you read and did you meet or beat your own personal goal? I read 29. Although I didn't read the full 52, I met my goal. I love reading these threads because I get many great suggestions to try. Thank you! What are your top 5 (or more) favorite stories? The Shoemaker's Wife (love the Italian-American culture, strong work ethic, strong leading lady) A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (again, I love the cultural melting pot, hardships of poverty, persevering in the end) Code Name Verity (great war story w/a twist, but I was a little unsatisfied with the end) A Lantern in Her Hand (quotable life truths from the standpoint of wife and mother) The Good Earth (culturally frustrating, didn't love the realities of China, good story non-the-less, page turner) I must like books that make me feel something/anything strongly;I like to laugh out loud, sob, feel angry at the characters, etc. 1. Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey, The Countess of Carnarvon2. Heart of Stone, Jill Marie Landis 3. Code Name Verity, Elizabeth Wein4. A Love Surrendered, Julie Lessman5. The Baker Street Letters, Micheal Robertson 6. Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery7. Anne of Avonlea, L.M. Montgomery8. Anne of the Island, L.M. Montgomery9. Confessions of a Prairie Bitch, Alison Arngrim10. All Things Hidden, Heather Gudenkauf 11. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Betty Smith 12. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Alexander McCall Smith 13. Tears of the Giraffe (No. 1 Ladies, #2), Alexander McCall Smith 14. The Lady of Bolton Hill, Elizabeth Camden 15. The Colonel's Lady, Laura Frantz 16. A Noble Groom, Jody Hedlund 17. Unending Devotion, Jody Hedlund 18. Against the Tide, Elizabeth Camden 19. Mrs. Mike, Benedict & Nancy Freedman 20. Frankie's Letter, Gordon-Smith, Dolores 21. Smokin' Seventeen, Janet Evanovich 22. Explosive Eighteen, Janet Evanovich 23. Heart of Glass - Jill Marie Landis 24. The Secret of the Nightingale Palace, Dana Sachs 25. The House Girl, Tara Conklin 26. A Good Man Is Hard To Find & Revelation, Flannery O'Connor (short stories) 27. The Good Earth, Pearl Buck 28. A Lantern in Her Hand, Bess Streeter Aldrich 29. The Shoemaker's Wife, Adriana Trigiani Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDays Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Okay, definitely the Dusty Books challenge! I'm going to limit the books I buy in January and February, and read what's on my kindle and shelves. Not saying I won't buy *any* new ones! And I do have a couple preorders that will release in the next couple months. I'll say in Jan/Feb, I'd like to read 10 books I own. My 2013 highlights: 60 books completed, no challenges. Favorites included 11/22/63, The Husbands Secret, Where'd You Go Bernadette, and These Things Hidden. And rereads of the first Harry Potter, Divergent, and The Handmaids Tale. :) Also... I saw the challenge for BaW favorites... Is there a list of those somewhere, or just done from browsing the threads? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in NY Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I am halfway through with Grapes of Wrath - picked up this week because it fulfills the Nobel winner challenge, the Dusty and Clunky for me, and because Diane Rehm will discuss it sometime in January in honor of the 75th anniversary of its publication. Next up: Wind Up Bird Chronicle, waiting for me on the library hold shelf. ETA: We read a book this year that might be a nice follow on to some of the books mentioned here ... http://www.amazon.com/When-Emperor-Divine-Julie-Otsuka/dp/0385721811... the story of a Japanese-American family surviving internment during WWII. Short, poetically written, and beautiful, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomOfOneFunOne Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 AMDG Hello, All! I'm so excited to join! I am reading my way through the Great Books and started in September (really maybe the beginning of October). I read The Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer, Agamemnon, Libation Bearers, and Eumenides by Aeschylus, Trojan Women adn Alcestis by Euripedes, Aesop's Fables, Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone by Sophocles, Hippolytus by Euripedes. Just want that on my permanent record, thankyouverymuch! I just started Histories by Herodotus and am about a third of the way into the first chapter/book/whatever. V.E.R.Y. Entertaining! I'm thinking about joining the reading around the world challenge but I also would like to have my own Virtues Challenge that I've been thinking about so . . . we'll see about that. I really love reading everyone's posts! and I really feel like an event Tee is in order. Maybe one for the original 52x52 challenge and one for each mini challenge. Ya'll need to get on that one! eta: And how did I forget Theogony by Hesiod and Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 1, 2014 Author Share Posted January 1, 2014 Okay, definitely the Dusty Books challenge! I'm going to limit the books I buy in January and February, and read what's on my kindle and shelves. Not saying I won't buy *any* new ones! And I do have a couple preorders that will release in the next couple months. I'll say in Jan/Feb, I'd like to read 10 books I own. My 2013 highlights: 60 books completed, no challenges. Favorites included 11/22/63, The Husbands Secret, Where'd You Go Bernadette, and These Things Hidden. And rereads of the first Harry Potter, Divergent, and The Handmaids Tale. :) Also... I saw the challenge for BaW favorites... Is there a list of those somewhere, or just done from browsing the threads? Here's the link to BaW Favorites. I'm sure there are more we could add, but those came up the most often last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDays Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Thanks, Robin! A few of those are on my list. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglei Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Starting the year with (and currently reading) Venetia by Georgette Heyer. At dh's request, am planning to follow with Four Blood Moons, a prophetic-type non-fiction book; and, because it was so highly recommended by a couple BaW-ers, Betty Smiths' A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Not planning to do any challenges, but will likely (hopefully) finish a few more Dusty Books. Also, I think I would like to read some books published in the year in which I was born. To that end, does anyone have a link to a site that shows the best sellers for each year, both fiction and non-fiction? I checked the New York Times site but found only fiction, and not in list form, but rather by week - I do NOT wish to click each weeks' link! I googled and did no better. I just want a nice, itemized list! I can't help but add how happy I am to see this thread for the new year! I eagerly check for it each Sunday and at times throughout the week. If for some reason I miss a Sunday, something just seems "off". Thanks again, Robin, for leading this thread so wonderfully! And thanks to everyone who posts - you seem like family! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyday Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I'm going to attempt this this year! First up is The Goldfinch, which I actually started on Monday. I have heard really good reviews on this book and I also heard where the book could be slow to get into. So far, at 300 pages in, I'm hooked, which is good because I have been in a reading slump lately and needed a good page turner. Next up will be some personal finance books. I don't think I will be able to do 52 books this year as I work full-time and am getting ready to start full-time college classes. I am hoping to read at least 30 books, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I didn't do too well with the reading challenge last year.... So, here's to 2014! I have about 250 pages to go in Anna Karenina and then I am going to be participating in the dusty books challenge. I have about 15 recently acquired, unread books in desperate need of attention, plus a whole shelf of ancient history/lit titles I need to get back to working through. I have several B&N giftcards that I will allow myself to use if necessary, but other than that I am not allowed to buy any more books until some significant headway has been made! Look forward to trying to keep up with you all this year. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welovetoread Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Happy New Year. Finished the 6th book in James Patterson's Womens Murder Club Series. I love those no brainer fluffy reads. Starting off the new year with The Lake by Banana Yoshimoto. I am afraid I won't have Wind up Bird when you all start reading it. Lots of holds on the library and the E book library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Elliot Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I'm joining in this year because my last great reading year was the year I participated in this thread, 2011. The past year was dismal -- only 18 books read and only a couple that were really great. I'm glad to be back here. This week I started Walker Percy's The Second Coming and Laurie Bestvater's The Living Page: Keeping Notebooks With Charlotte Mason. I'm also continuing to enjoy Amy Carmichael's Gold Cord: The Story of a Fellowship which I've been reading slowly over the past few months. We're ringing in the new year with sick children and grandchildren (stomach virus, yuck) so I'm not sure how much reading I'll be able to do this week. I'm also trying to savor the last few days we have with college students home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMom Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Hi Everyone! I didn't participate in the threads last year. We moved out of state and between selling our house, moving into a temporary town home, building a home 1000 miles away and moving that same 1000 miles, I couldn't keep up. ;) But, now, we've been here almost 6 months and I am in a good routine and have been reading a bunch. I love my new library system! I've been working on updating my Goodreads page. I got my 2013 count to 25. I know I read more books than that but those are the ones I can remember. ;) I've set a 60 book goal for 2014. I'm currently reading Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick. It's one man's story of the Cambodian genocide. Next up will be The Hill Bachelors by William Trevor. I've been finding interest in short stories lately and Trevor is supposed to be one of the best. Looking forward to updating my TBR list with all of the great things you all read! Happy New Reading Year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tullia Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I managed to work in a couple of short books this past week and finished 2013 with 43 books read. Since the first week of 2014 will be short, I'm going to begin with James Herriot's Every Living Thing. Then, it's on to Japan. I have a lot of books on the shelf which need attention, and am still in the mood to re-read old favorites, so I'll plan to do some more of that in 2014. I've bookmarked the BaW page to help me find new (to me) authors.--thank you Robin! And thank you, too, to each and every WTM'er who participates in the BaW challenge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 As eaglei said, :seeya: , :grouphug: , and Happy New Year to my BaW family! Robin, thank you bunches, as always. Everyone, so happy to see you back here for the new year! Ringing in my new year with The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. Because of very scarce reading time, I've been limping along through it for 2 weeks already and am barely at the 1/4-way mark. I need to get in gear, though, as it's due back at the library very soon & I can't renew (other holds on it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 To start off our journey, we are going to begin our Around the World tour in Japan. Join in on a readalong of Haruki Murakami's Wind Up Bird Chronicles or choose one of his other books if you've already read it. To make life interesting, I'm also starting a personal Centuries Challenge beginning with the 12th century (1101-1200). So - to make life fun for the month of January, go find some books written by Japanese authors, set in Japan and/or set in the 12th century. Although I went a little nuts and found books from several different centuries. *grin* And and let's not forget it's winter so throw a couple of winter reads in there as well. Currently in my backpack besides Murakami's Wind Up is his A Wild Sheep Chase, Am definitely planning to participate in the Murakami read-along (of course!!!) -- have requested it from the library but probably won't start it until I finish The Goldfinch. (Read A Wild Sheep Chase eons ago & remember loving it.) Guess I'm starting 2014 with some chunky books. Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn Hey, we have this one in our house! (Now I just need to go dig it out of dd's room -- it may be under a gazillion other books. If I don't report back to the thread in a timely manner, send a search party please! :laugh: Yes, her book piles are that bad.) Share what book you are starting out the year with, reading plans for the year or new book finds. One book I had forgotten to mention that I got for Christmas is Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made. So, I will be reading that at some point this year. Seriously, I'm still so bummed that I didn't grow up w/ these guys because I *totally* could & would have made this movie with them. I had the whole thing memorized, down to scene cuts & many minute details. Currently in the middle of Jules Verne's An Antarctic Mystery Are you feeling the Felix Unger-ishness in there? I can't resist being first! :) :lol: :hurray: Carried this over from the other thread... Aw, you are sweet. That pic was taken shortly after we moved into the forever home three years. Here's a more recent pic, taken from a different angle. A sunken livingroom is so 1970s, I know, but I love how it delineated the room from the foyer and from the piano room. Love, love, love it! Really gorgeous & inspiring -- just like you! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I don't think I posted here last night, I finished #52 at 9:30pm last night, so yay me! I was going to start the year off with Goldfinch, but am having second thoughts, mostly because if I want it on my new Kindle, I need to buy it; my library doesn't offer it on Overdrive. Instead, I borrowed A Clash of Kings, The Rule of Four, and Destiny of the Republic. I thought that was a nice round assortment. Then, this morning when I woke up I started reading Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts, and was surprised to be totally sucked into it. I have avoided it because I tend to avoid the Christian books that have a big hype, but a friend lent it to me, and I am in a place where I think I really need to read it, and it's hitting me kind of hard. In a good way. I had planned to do the Murakami read along, but might be getting cold feet. I tried 1Q84 last year and didn't get very far. I had contemplated trying out Norwegian Wood, but then I read it didn't have the fantasy/sci-fi elements, and I feel like I'd be missing something. I don't know, I'm learning that life is too short to read stuff that I don't like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tullia Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I had planned to do the Murakami read along, but might be getting cold feet. I tried 1Q84 last year and didn't get very far. I had contemplated trying out Norwegian Wood, but then I read it didn't have the fantasy/sci-fi elements, and I feel like I'd be missing something. I don't know, I'm learning that life is too short to read stuff that I don't like. Thanks for mentioning that aspect of Norwegian Wood. Wind Up Bird Chronicles may be hard to get at my library so I may have to go with a backup Murakami. After reading the pro and con reviews here, I'm not sure 1Q84 would be the best place (for me) to start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Thanks for mentioning that aspect of Norwegian Wood. Wind Up Bird Chronicles may be hard to get at my library so I may have to go with a backup Murakami. After reading the pro and con reviews here, I'm not sure 1Q84 would be the best place (for me) to start. You might like Kafka on the Shore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welovetoread Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 What is "your" general rule for getting through books? I started The Lake today and its AWFUL!!! I have lots of reading time today, but I cannot get into this book. I'm at 25%. I was going to slug through it, but then, Oh LOOK, a digital hold is available :P I hate not finishing books, but really, this author is horrible (in my opinion of course) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 What is "your" general rule for getting through books? I started The Lake today and its AWFUL!!! I have lots of reading time today, but I cannot get into this book. I'm at 25%. I was going to slug through it, but then, Oh LOOK, a digital hold is available :p I hate not finishing books, but really, this author is horrible (in my opinion of course) I hate not finishing books, too. With that said, today I decided to not finish one I was half-way through. Life it too short and there are too many good books waiting. Don't slug through a bad one for no reason other than to say you finished what you started. I think being able to put down a book you don't care for sometimes shows good judgement--not failure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyday Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I had planned to do the Murakami read along, but might be getting cold feet. I tried 1Q84 last year and didn't get very far. I had contemplated trying out Norwegian Wood, but then I read it didn't have the fantasy/sci-fi elements, and I feel like I'd be missing something. I don't know, I'm learning that life is too short to read stuff that I don't like. 1Q84 was my first (and so far only) Murakami book. I had such a hard time reading that book. I finished it because I hate not finishing a book but, the pace never picked up for me. I have since read on various sites not to start with this book as an intro to Murakami. Once I get through some of my TBR pile, I will try another Murakami book to see if I like him any better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Happy New Year! I'm about 1/3 of the way through The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, and while I haven't touched Louis L'Amour's memoir in a while, I haven't truly abandoned it. It's good; I just got caught up in other books. I've also got The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles and the third Harry Potter book here waiting for me. I haven't decided if I'll go along with the centuries challenge or not. My library doesn't have anything that would work, and I feel like I've done enough post-Christmas book buying and need to stop. I think I could borrow The Tale of Genji from the Zen Center's library. So, that's a maybe right now. Happy reading everyone, and it's exciting to start a new year of books with you all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoot Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 1. How many books did you read and did you meet or beat your own personal goal? I read 66 books in 2013. My goal was 52 books, so I achieved that. 2. What are your top 5 (or more) favorite stories? Top 5 least favorites? My five favorites of this year would be: Hannah's Dream Their Eyes Were Watching God A Long Walk to Freedom Wesley the Owl The Green Mile My five least favorites would be: The Great Gatsby Shakespeare: The World as a Stage Traveling With Pomegranates Gulliver's Travels The Greening 3. One book you thought you would never read and was pleasantly surprised you liked it? Fight Club 4. Most thrilling unputdownable book? The Green Mile 5. Did you come across a story that you enjoyed it so much, you turned around and read it again or plan on rereading it again in 2014? Beowulf. I read it once almost every year. 6. One book you thought you would love, but didn't? St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves 7. Which book or books had the greatest impact on you this year? Hannah's Dream Their Eyes Were Watching God The Green Mile 8. Do you have a favorite cover or quote from a story you'd like to share? I love the cover of Hannah's Dream. There were too many wonderful quotes to even consider picking a favorite. 9. What book would you recommend everyone read? Long Walk to Freedom 10. What was your most favorite part of the challenge? Did you do any of the mini challenges? I enjoyed sharing my reading loves with others who would understand as well as finding new books to put on my to-be-read list. I did not do any of the mini challenges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I have no qualms about ditching books I don't like. Sometimes that may be within just a few pages or sometimes many chapters into a book. I always have plenty I *do* want to read, so ditching ones I don't like is like separating the wheat from the chaff imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Yay, a new year! I'm just going to finish A Tale for the Time Being because it's a 2-weeker/New Book and I'm already getting harassing emails to remind me it needs to go back this week. Definitely not reading Murakami right now, so there, but I'm also staggering under an excessive Christmas and library pile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I'm going to try again this year. I'm starting with The Casual Vacancy, which I started last year. It was actually a Christmas present in 2012. Lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 One important thing the people here have taught me is to abandon a book that I am not enjoying. Personal goal for next year is to have no one * books in my goodreads list. Too many good books to read something that I dislike. I had a surprise this afternoon when my Wind Up Bird Chronicles became availiable at my elibrary. So I am now at two weeks and counting. :lol: Hope to start it tomorrow. I also checked out Robin's "Shinju" for the century challenge. Looking forward to Japan. I started reading "Outrageous Fortune: Growing up at Leeds Castle " by Anthony Russell today. So far I am somewhat riveted. As some here know I adore Leeds Castle, the history combined with the fact it is a pretty modern Castle thanks to Lady Baillee creates a pretty magical setting imo (plus dh took me there on our honeymoon ;) ) This book seems to be the story of one of her grandson's lives. I love reading about things like where she aquired the birds in the aviary, which they closed recently. :( I plan to take this one slowly and enjoy it. It was my planned first book of the year which somehow got derailed so now it can be slowed down. Like always I have few others in progress.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbeym Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Hmmm, do free e-books count as buying new books? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uff Da! Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I'm joining you all. I don't know how many books I'll read but I'm pulling from the Well Educated Mind list and will do some fun fluffy ones as well. I'm reading the Pilgrim's Progress currently and starting Don Quixote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Hmmm, do free e-books count as buying new books? Not even a husband could complain about the cost of a free e-book, so no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I am halfway through with Grapes of Wrath - picked up this week because it fulfills the Nobel winner challenge here and because Diane Rehm will discuss it sometime in January in honor of the 75th anniversary of its publication. Sounds like a great reason to add this to my tbr list for Jan. I am excited to be starting a new year with all you BaWers. My library pile consists of The Murakami book, The Nine Tailors, The Execution of Noa P. Singleton, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, The Little Way of Ruthie Leming and Going Clear - most are recommendations from this group. I will start with the Wind Up Bird Chronicles and go from there. I'm curious about The Nine Tailors by Dorothy Sayers since I've haven't read a lot of mysteries. BTW, Welcome to all our new members. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narrow Gate Academy Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I managed to read 39 books last year which is a new record for me. My first book for the year will be Homer's Odyssey. I have a deadline to finish it for discussion with the oldest next week, so hopefully I'll finish by Sunday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 2, 2014 Author Share Posted January 2, 2014 What is "your" general rule for getting through books? I started The Lake today and its AWFUL!!! I have lots of reading time today, but I cannot get into this book. I'm at 25%. I was going to slug through it, but then, Oh LOOK, a digital hold is available :p I hate not finishing books, but really, this author is horrible (in my opinion of course) Depending on the size of the book, I have a 50 or 100 page rule. If I'm not getting into it by then, it is time to shelve it. Also there are some books I will try again at a later time because I may have not been in the mood. If I try three times over a period of time and still can't get into it - its gone. I read 66 books in 2013. My goal was 52 books, so I achieved that. I enjoyed sharing my reading loves with others who would understand as well as finding new books to put on my to-be-read list. I did not do any of the mini challenges. Yeah! Awesome job! Hmmm, do free e-books count as buying new books? Hmm! Not really, but I'm going to try and avoid even free books for a while - too many on my physical and virtual shelves right now. I'm joining you all. I don't know how many books I'll read but I'm pulling from the Well Educated Mind list and will do some fun fluffy ones as well. I'm reading the Pilgrim's Progress currently and starting Don Quixote. Yeah! With our perpetual read of WEM, we have folks in all stages of the lists. Have fun reading Don Quixote. I really should read Pilgrim's Progress again. Thinking I'll keep that in mind for a summer reread. Okay I have to do it, I'm going to start adding to your wishlists and wants already. Check out 228 Reasons to Read Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror in January 2014. Lots of awesome authors and delicious covers. How can you not drool over this selection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbeym Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Hmmm, do free e-books count as buying new books? Not that I need even more unread books on my Kindle, but I just saw a friend post this on FB and had to share for those interested. Amazon: 4 FREE Highly Rated eBooks by Beth MooreUPDATE – You can also head on over to the Barnes and Noble site to download 8 FREE Nook Books by Beth Moore! (Thanks, Beth!) If you’re a fan of Beth Moore, here are 4 highly rated and FREE ebooks you can download on Amazon (valued at up to $22.99!): *To Live is Christ (regularly $19.99!) *When Godly People do Ungodly Things (regularly $19.99!) *Believing God (regularly $22.99!) *The Beloved Disciple (regularly $19.99!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlbuchina Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I couldn't resist and started my first winter story yesterday. It is The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse. I loved it from the first page. It has some of the mysterious gothic feel of a DuMaurier and takes place in France about a decade after WWI. Thanks for sharing this. I was wanting some winter reads, but wasn't sure what I wanted to read. This looks great! 52 Books Blog- Cheers to a new reading year: We have several optional challenges which are listed on 52 Books blog to help stimulate your imagination and help you on your reading journeys. Beside the perpetual Well Educated Mind challenge, A to Z,Dusty/Chunky books, and another journey Around the World, new this year are the Literary Nobel Prize Winners and 52 BaWer's recommendations from 2013. I've also come up with some fun Monthly Themes and Readalongs. So be sure to check out the blog. To start off our journey, we are going to begin our Around the World tour in Japan. Join in on a readalong of Haruki Murakami's Wind Up Bird Chronicles or choose one of his other books if you've already read it. To make life interesting, I'm also starting a personal Centuries Challenge beginning with the 12th century (1101-1200). So - to make life fun for the month of January, go find some books written by Japanese authors, set in Japan and/or set in the 12th century. Although I went a little nuts and found books from several different centuries. *grin* And and let's not forget it's winter so throw a couple of winter reads in there as well. Share what book you are starting out the year with, reading plans for the year or new book finds. I didn't do any of the challenges last year, but I am going to try my hand at a couple this year. I'm definitely joining in on the Around the World challenge, and will participate in several minis and read-a-longs. I'm starting the year reading The Last Unicorn, as it was what I was reading right before 2013 ended, along with One for the Money, and The Scottish Prisoner (yes, that one is still hanging around). I have If on a Lonely Night a Traveler and Wind Up Bird Chronicles loaded on my Kindle, and an audio version of The Winter Ghosts on my tablet ready to go. Many more are in the wings, on the shelves, listed on little scraps of paper, and added to my ever growing list on Goodreads. :thumbup1: Thanks for mentioning that aspect of Norwegian Wood. Wind Up Bird Chronicles may be hard to get at my library so I may have to go with a backup Murakami. After reading the pro and con reviews here, I'm not sure 1Q84 would be the best place (for me) to start. 1Q84 was the first I had heard of Murakami, and I'm sure my fellow BaWers got sick and tired of me complaining about it. :leaving: :lol: It may not have been the best to start with, so I guess I got thrown into the deep end. I'm going to join in reading Wind Up Bird Chronicles, and we'll see how it goes. If I don't like this one, I may just have to say he's an author I don't care for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 A bit ot, but here's part of the reason why my reading time has been limited lately. Ds got a new kitten right before Christmas :) : A flame point cutie! We adore him. He is just one of various reasons my weeks have been busy lately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 2, 2014 Author Share Posted January 2, 2014 1Q84 was the first I had heard of Murakami, and I'm sure my fellow BaWers got sick and tired of me complaining about it. :leaving: :lol: It may not have been the best to start with, so I guess I got thrown into the deep end. I'm going to join in reading Wind Up Bird Chronicles, and we'll see how it goes. If I don't like this one, I may just have to say he's an author I don't care for. I'm having short term memory loss because I don't remember any complaining. :huh: I sure hope you enjoy Wind Up. But if you don't, that's perfectly okay. A bit ot, but here's part of the reason why my reading time has been limited lately. Ds got a new kitten right before Christmas :) : A flame point cutie! We adore him. He is just one (of various) reasons my weeks have been busy lately. OH! He is so adorable and I love kitties which is why we have 4. They do take up a lot of time and first year with the Christmas tree. Oh I bet you had fun!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 OH! He is so adorable and I love kitties which is why we have 4. They do take up a lot of time and first year with the Christmas tree. Oh I bet you had fun!!!! I agree -- they're so fun. We have 4 also. :thumbup1: He was actually quite great with the tree. Really only played with that one ornament. Ds is beyond thrilled. (He has been wanting his 'own' cat for years now, but we already had too many -- up to 5 at one point -- & many of them were older &/or had health problems. Unfortunately, in 2013, we lost 3 of them. But, that also made it a time for us to consider granting ds' wish. I think we found the perfect kitty for him.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlbuchina Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I'm having short term memory loss because I don't remember any complaining. :huh: I sure hope you enjoy Wind Up. But if you don't, that's perfectly okay. You don't? Oh, good! We'll just pretend I didn't spend two months talking about how slow and wordy it was. :lol: You know, when I think about the story now, I really liked it. Go figure. LOL Stacia, the kitty is so cute! We have two ragdolls, and they are with us in the classroom all the time. They like to lay on the girls work. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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