Pam’s Comments (group member since Dec 07, 2021)

Pam’s comments from the On The Same Page group.

I’ve started The Sympathizer 3 times, in the past 5 years, and have never gotten past 20%. The beginning, during the fall of Saigon, is fascinating! I hope to finish it some day. I’ll be curious to see what you think. Maybe a great review will encourage me to pick it back up!

I loved All the Light We Cannot See, Strange Weather in Tokyo, and a Gentleman in Moscow! I had mixed feelings (and don’t recommend it) re: Murakami’s Killing Commendatore, in addition to it being way too long. You have several other books on your list that I’ve been meaning to read. I’m glad to know I’m not the only person on GR who hasn’t read The Book Thief! Enjoy the challenge!

I have several non-fictions ready to go for 2022! My goal is 7 (slightly more ambitious than 5 but not quite as ambitious as 10)!
Finished 4/7

1. Life in a Frozen World: Wildlife of Antarctica by Mary Batten
2. The Immortal Irishman: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became an American Hero by Timothy Egan
3. Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck
4. World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
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My Goal is 10 books longer than 500 pages each, read Jan 1-Dec 31, 2022.
Finished: 1/10

1. The Winners by Fredrik Backman 671 pp
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Bill wrote: "You've thought this out very well. Excellent selections."

Thanks Bill! I already had to delete one book since I started reading it this month! It never fails. I'm going to leave #18 open for a 2022 published book. I also want to try to find some other options for #25 - specifically authors form Scotland and Northern Ireland. All of the Irish authors I originally came up with are not from Northern Ireland. I've never really thought about the distinction before.

Bill wrote: "Practice makes perfect. :0) I love the writing of Ursula K LeGuin. She tells such excellent stories. I've read some Kingsley Amis. He's a unique writer. Back in university, I read Atlas Shrugged, W..."

Bill - I've read 2 Le Guin books and enjoyed both of them. I've also read Atlas Shrugged twice and The Fountainhead. I bought We the Living for my husband several years ago but I don't think he is going to read it so it's mine now. I have never read Kingsley Amis but read one book by his son Martin, which I wasn't impressed with. I don't know what to expect with Lucky Jim but I hope there is some humor in the book. I need a book set on a campus or with a teacher/professor as a main character for another challenge, so this seems like a good choice

Thank you everyone for your comments! I feel more confident this year that I will complete the challenge. I only picked books that I REALLY think I will read not books I think I should read. And, no theme but, rather, an assortment of genres. I don’t know why it is that I buy books and then don’t read them. Maybe I secretly like having a home library? One of my goals this year is to downsize my at-home library and not re-acquire more books. 📚 📚📚

Literally on my nightstand: The Leopard by Giuseppe di Lampedusa and The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living. Has anyone seen the 1963 movie The Leopard starring Burt Lancaster?

I have never completed this challenge but I'm going to keep trying! These are all books I own.
Finished: 1/12

1. Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver
2. The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
3. The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber
4. Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History by Erik Larson
5. The Knight of Maison-Rouge by Alexandre Dumas
6. Lenin's Kisses by Yan Lianke
7. Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
*8.The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper Read: Jan 2 (4 stars)
9. The Russian Debutante's Handbook by Gary Shteyngart
10. The Seine: The River that Made Paris by Elaine Sciolino (GR Giveaway win)
11. The Survivors by Jane Harper
12. The Trial by Franz Kafka

4 Alternates:
1. The Glass Bead Game by Hermann Hesse
2. Priestess of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
3. We the Living by Ayn Rand
4. The Winter Station by Jody Shields

Read 25/26 challenges.
I'm going into the year with a plan but I'm sure it will completely fall apart!
Finished: 23/25
✅: Finished
*- Currently reading

1. A book you received as a gift.
- Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser
- The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
- Penguin Island by Anatole France

✅2. A book that takes place in New York, New Mexico, New Jersey, New Hampshire.
- The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera - 4 stars
Set in 2 locations: New Mexico and outer space!

✅3. A book about: book clubs, book stores, libraries
- The Cat Who Saved Books by Sōsuke Natsukawa Fin: Feb 7 (4 stars)

✅4. A book from Moderator Recommends
- The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding: a Hercule Poirot Short Story by Agatha Christie

✅5. A new release
- The Magician by Colm Tóibín, pub Sept 2021 (that's a new release for me.)
Fin: March 31 (5 stars!)

✅6. A lesser known book written by any author.
- Maigret on the Riviera by Georges Simenon Fin: Feb (2 stars)

✅7. A book with a two word title.
-The Aviator by Eugene Vodolazkin Fin: Jan (3.5 stars)

✅8. A book with a different culture than yours.
- A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki Fin: 2/23 ( 5 stars!)

✅9. A book about someone who is dead.
-The Immortal Irishman: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became an American Hero by Timothy Egan Fin: Feb (5 stars)

✅10. A book from a genre you don’t usually read. (Humor)
-Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Fin: Jan (1 star)

✅11. Read two books by one author, name author.
- Daphne du Maurier: My Cousin Rachel & The Glass-Blowers

✅12. Book set in a fictional town.
- Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy Fin: Jan 9 (4 stars)

✅13. A light hearted or fun book.
- Nives by Sacha Naspini
(The subject matter wasn't light-hearted but I found myself laughing out loud at the dialogue.)

✅14. A book about betrayal.
- The Betrayers by David Bezmozgis Fin: April 4 stars

✅15. A book written by an author who uses initials for his/her name.
- VALIS by P.K. Dick

✅16. A book you own but haven’t read yet.
- The Trumpeter of Krakow by

✅17. A book from the bottom of your tbr list.
-The Metamorphosis by Franz kafka

✅18. A highly anticipated book.
- I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys Fin: March 16 (5 stars)

✅19. A book you picked up at the library.
- Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

✅20. A book you bought/borrowed w/o reading the inside blurb.
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

✅21. A book that starts with the letter W, X,Y, or Z*
-World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

✅22. A book from a series.
The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper Fin: Jan (4 stars)

23. A book with a number in the title.
- 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
- 23 Degrees South: A Tropical Tale of Changing Whether...

24. Read a book set in a state with a direction in its name: North, South, East, or West. (N.C, N.D, S.C, S.D, W.V)
- The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (WV)
- Evensong by Gail Godwin (NC)

✅25. A book written by someone from The U.K. (N. Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales)
-The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart Fin: Jan (4 stars)

✅26. A book with an Orange cover.
- Don't Look Now by Daphne du Maurier
Fin: March 16 (5 stars)

Hi everyone! I’m Pam from Albuquerque, New Mexico. My favorite genres are literary fiction, sci-fi, classics, historical fiction, and non-fiction.