Renee’s Comments (group member since Feb 03, 2014)

Renee’s comments from the The Reading Challenge Group group.

I’m so glad you said that, Sonya! I read Queen Lucia several years ago after a friend raved, but didn’t feel any compulsion to continue with the series. Unlike the Jeeves & Wooster stories, of which I cannot get enough. ;-)

Thanks, Guys! Since I’m doing mostly plays, it looks like a lot more. But I’ve discovered an appreciation for a few “new” authors so I’m very grateful for this challenge.

This is what I’ve covered so far this month...

Genre: Comedy & Tragedy

Comedy
The Inimitable Jeeves PGW
The Imaginary Invalid. Moliere
Pygmalion. Shaw
Thank You, Jeeves PGW
Candida. Shaw
The Code of the Woosters PGW


Tragedy/Drama
The Seagull. Chekhov
The Cherry Orchard. Chekhov
Miss Julie. Strindberg
La Dame aux Camélias. Dumas fils
An Enemy of the People. Ibsen
The Three Sisters. Chekhov

Good for you! It gives you a nice start to the challenge.

This is a great group for eclectic readers. We have lots going on with many challenges and a genre read each month. Have fun exploring and feel free to ask questions.

Okay, so the discovery of Jeeves and Wooster is every bit as addicting as I expected. Wow, these are good! And I love knowing which stories each episode references. Of course, this means I spent 2 hours gazing at a screen yesterday instead of going out into the gorgeous spring sunshine... but today is rainy so there will be less guilt if I binge!

I also listened to The Seagull by Chekhov and The Imaginary Invalid by Moliere. The latter is a comedy but since Moliere basically died on stage coughing up his lungs while playing the hypochondriac lead... the overall impression is mixed.

FINISHED! (Message 17)
Happily, I’d already read an H in A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership

Ready for a second helping!

Renee’s Alphabet Soup: FINISHED!


A- The Absentee**
B- Blood Rites**
C- Crooked House**
D- Death Masks**
E- Equal Rites**
F- Faking It**
G- The Grey Woman**
H- A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership**
I- I Capture the Castle**
J- Jar of Hearts**
K- The Kiss Quotient**
L- Love Among the Chickens**
M- The Murder at the Vicarage**
N- Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg**
O- Ordeal by Innocence**
P- Piccadilly Jim**
Q- The Quick and the Dead**
R- The Red Tent**
S- Something Fresh**
T- Turtles All the Way Down**
U- Undead and Unemployed**
V- Very Good, Jeeves!**
W- The Woman in Cabin 10**
X- 4.50 from Paddington**
Y- You Belong to Me**
Z- Zero Visibility**

My first comedy of May is The Inimitable Jeeves! Quite funny so far. All my time with Jeeves & Wooster this year has inspired me to track down the BBC series with Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. I watched the first last night and it was just brilliant. Such marvelous comic timing couched in perfect staging. I can feel an obsession coming on!

I read the Carol Burnett memoir. It was really cute especially if you loved the show.

Seems like Fantasy was a really popular genre. So many great reads!

I’m doing pretty well with my soup. I’ve git two letters left (message 17) H & Z. For H, I’ve planned The Hundred Days and am looking forward to spending time with Jack and Stephen again. For Z, I’m going to try Zero Visibility, which is part of the Romance Package from Audible.

Renee’s Featherweight Challenge 2... FINISHED!
Only books 280 or less pages count for this.

Level 1 Ruffled Feathers
1. The Quick and the Dead 208 pages
2. The Bad Beginning 176 pages
3. The Reptile Room 192 pages
4. The Wide Window 213 pages
5. The Miserable Mill 194 pages

Level 2 Flapping Wings
6. The A.B.C. Murders 236 pages
7. Very Good, Jeeves! 272 pages
8. The Austere Academy 221 pages
9. The Ersatz Elevator 259 pages
10. The Grey Woman 52 pages

Level 3 Taking Flight
11. Equal Rites 228 pages
12. Mort 243 pages
13. The Vile Village 272 pages
14. The Hostile Hospital 272 pages
15. Right Ho, Jeeves 272 pages

Renee’s Featherweight Challenge 2... FINISHED!
Only books 280 or less pages count for this.

Level 1 Ruffled Feathers
1. The Quick and the Dead 208 pages
2. The Bad Beginning 176 pages
3. The Reptile Room 192 pages
4. The Wide Window 213 pages
5. The Miserable Mill 194 pages

Level 2 Flapping Wings
6. The A.B.C. Murders 236 pages
7. Very Good, Jeeves! 272 pages
8. The Austere Academy 221 pages
9. The Ersatz Elevator 259 pages
10. The Grey Woman 52 pages

Level 3 Taking Flight
11. Equal Rites 228 pages
12. Mort 243 pages
13. The Vile Village 272 pages
14. The Hostile Hospital 272 pages
15. Right Ho, Jeeves 272 pages

We have several members who read in languages other than English. (Making me quite jealous) You aren’t limited by that here; just list whatever you read in whatever language is available to you.

Doing this challenge made me realize that I tend toward certain decades more than others.

Oooo! Good luck with that!

I’ve been working my way through the novels of PG Wodehouse, so I’ll focus on those in May. And the pickup some tragedy/drama with Chekhov or Ibsen. I haven’t read much of either and feel I’m lacking in that department.

I know! I always enjoy seeing the rainbow mapped out in books!

Feel free to backfill anything you’ve read in April. :)