Bob’s Comments (group member since Jun 22, 2011)

Bob’s comments from the Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) group.

I nominate Middlemarch by George Eliot, last read by the group in September 2020

Tick-tock, tick-tock the new year is about to start. Good luck everyone, I hope you all have a terrific reading year.

The Gentle Spirit by Fyodor Dostoevsky is our February 2024 Short Story/Novella Read.

This discussion will open on JFebruary 1

Beware Short Story Discussions will have Spoilers

These are the 14 titles randomly selected from our Master Short Story List. Please vote for the one that interests you the most. You can cast your vote by using the list number or the titles name. The top 7 will move forward to the poll on the 15th. A maximum of 7 titles will move to the poll. If there is a tie for 7th place only 6 titles will go to the poll.

Example: I vote for #__ -or- I vote for Story Title

266. The Garden of Forking Paths by Jorge Luis Borges
406. Sweat by Zora Neale Hurston
398. Letters from the Earth: Uncensored Writings by Mark Twain
197. The Beauties by Anton Chekhov
315. Tower of Babylon in Stories of Your Life and Others Ted Chiang
83. Memoirs of a Madman by Gustave Flaubert
296. Childhood by Tove Ditlevsen
141. The Blind Owl by Sadegh Hedayat
119. First Love by Ivan Turgenev
77. Diary of a Superfluous Man by Ivan Turgenev
157. Miss Brill and Other Stories: By Katherine Mansfield - Illustrated Title story by Katherine Mansfield
190. The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell
277. Why I Live at the P.O. and Other Stories title story by Eudora Welty
306. Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway

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Jupiter Five

Challenge #16 - A-Z Author Challenge

Considered successful using only 23 letters. There are 4 optional letters marked with an (*), you only need to use one.

A Dante Alighieri
B Terry Bisson
C Samuel Taylor Coleridge
D Fyodor Dostoevsky
E George Eliot
F Jeff Fields
G Elizabeth Gaskell.
H Robert A. Heinlein
I
J W.W. Jacobs
K C.M. Kornbluth
L Murray Leinster
M W. Somerset Maugham
N
O
P Howard Pyle
*Q
R Arundhati Roy
S Nevil Shute
T J.R.R. Tolkien
U John Updike
V Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
W Herman Wouk
*X
*Y
*Z Roger Zelazny

Challenge #15 - A-Z Title Challenge

Considered successful by using only 23 letters. There are 4 optional letters marked with an (*), you only need to use one.

A Arena
B The Bridge of San Luis Rey
C A Cry of Angels: A Novel
D The Divine Comedy
E Encounter in the Dawn
F The Fellowship of the Ring
G A Gentleman in Moscow
H Huddling Place
I Inheritance
J A Jury of Her Peers
K The Kanaka Surf
L Long Day's Journey into Night
M The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
N The Nine Billion Names of God
O On the Beach
P Pigs Is Pigs
*Q The Quest for Saint Aquin found in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One 1929-1964
R The Return of the King
S So Disdained
T The Two Towers
U The Ultimate Melody
V Venture to the Moon
W The Winds of War
*X
*Y
*Z Zero Hour

Challenge 14 - Rereading - Some do. Some don't

✔️= Completed

If I don't count kids' books, poetry, and short stories, I rarely reread. All of the books listed below are, at least for me, wonderful. That said I have only reread two, both will be reread this year.

My Want to reread list.
✔️1. The Razor's Edge
✔️2. On the Beach
3. Gone to Soldiers Plan to Read
✔️4. A Cry of Angels: A Novel
5. Watership Down Plan to Read
6. Lonesome Dove
7. The Power of One Currently Reading
8. Atlas Shrugged
9. Les Misérables
✔️10. A Christmas Carol

Unplanned but still a reread
✔️A Gentleman in Moscow, for Marian's Book Club

As of my 91st short story, 16 have been rereads. I won't feel bad if I don't complete this one.

Recently read books worthy of rereading.
The Yearling
Little Big Man
Lamb in His Bosom
Ruth
Tess of the D'Urbervilles
Paradise Lost

Challenge #13 - Travel the World One Continent at a Time

Select a book or an author from each of the seven world continents, *Antarctica is optional.

Africa
Asia - The God of Small Things
Australia - On the Beach
Europe - The Razor's Edge
North America - A Cry of Angels: A Novel
South America - The Bridge of San Luis Rey
*Antarctica ?

The Power of One Currently Reading
Train to Pakistan ?

Challenge #12 - Series Books – Start, Continue, Complete

I'm going to spend at least half of my reading time to catching up on books that in the past were almost exclusive.

My goal this year, to read at least 6, one every other month
8/6 Complete

Continuing ongoing series.
Vince Flynn
Mitch Rapp Series
✔️Transfer of Power
✔️The Third Option
✔️Separation of Power
✔️Executive Power

Martin Cruz Smith
Arkady Renko Series
✔️Polar Star

Clive Cussler
NUMA Files
✔️Lost City

Fargo Adventures
✔️The Tombs

Dirk Pitt Series
✔️Clive Cussler's The Devil's Sea

Other Possibilities (view spoiler)[
Nevada Barr
Anna Pigeon Series
Burn
Destroyer Angel
Boar Island

Stuart Woods
Stone Barrington Series
Carnal Curiosity
Paris Match
Insatiable Appetites
Naked Greed
Family Jewels
Quick & Dirty

Brad Meltzer
Culper Ring Series
The Fifth Assassin

Agatha Christie,
Hercule Poirot,
Death in the Clouds
Murder in Retrospect
Dead Man's Folly
Hallowe'en Party
Miss Marple
The Body in the Library
Tommy and Tuppence
N or M?
(hide spoiler)]

Start New Series ???
Orson Scott Card
Home Coming Saga
The Memory of Earth
The Call of Earth

Challenge #11 - Old and New Linked Categories

Select five categories of your choice or use some of these sample categories. Once you make your category selections, link the categories by finding and reading an Old School (1914 or older) and a New School book (1915-1999) that contains some part or is all about your selected categories. It will be more interesting and more varied if you come up with your own categories.

Samples Ideas:

Contains a Trial
Has a Murder
Contains Time Travel
Set in or has Winter involved
Coming of Age
Is About a Fallen Woman
Set on or has The Sea involved
Animals
School
Travel
Life Changing Action
Survival
A book that made you cry

Coming of Age
✔️Old - Men of Iron
✔️New -A Cry of Angels: A Novel

Set on or has The Sea involved
✔️Old - Two Years Before the Mast
✔️New - Captain Blood

An Error in Judgement - Paying the Ultimate Price
✔️Old - To Build a Fire
✔️New - For The Cold Equations

Challenge #10 - The Half a Millennium Challenge with a Sour Lemon Twist of Difficult

Select five books from five different centuries, using the same decade for each century you select. They do not have to be consecutive centuries but must be the same decade.

Challenge #9 – Fiction/Non-Fiction

Select five different subjects of interest to you and read a fiction book and a non-fiction book about that subject. Total number of books for this challenge is ten.

WWII/Naval
Fiction - The Winds of War
Non-Fiction - World War II at Sea: A Global History

Challenge #8 –Most Popular Goodreads Books Listed by Year

Locate and list 10 books that most interest you from the year of your choice. The challenge is to read five 5 books from that list. You can use the year of your birth, the birth year of a family member, or friend, or any random year you choose.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/popula...

10 Books of Interest for 1956
1. Train to Pakistan
2. The Death of Grass
3. The Chronicles of Narnia 1-7
4. The Seeds of Time
5. Seize the Day
6. The City and the Stars
✔️7. Long Day's Journey into Night
8. Double Star
9. Miracles on Maple Hill
10. The Witchcraft of Salem Village
11. Dead Man's Folly
12. Diamonds Are Forever
13. The Minority Report

2024 Books Read
1. Long Day's Journey into Night
2.
3.
4.
5.

Challenge #7 - Expand Your Horizon With New Authors

Seek out at least six (6) authors that you have never previously read, from any genre or era you want.

✔️6/6 Complete

1. A.E. van Vogt - The Weapon Shop
2. Terry Bisson - They are made out of meat
3. Lewis Padgett - Mimsy Were The Borogoves
4. James McBride - The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
5. Clifford D. Simak - Huddling Place
6. Dante Alighieri - The Divine Comedy
---------------
7. Fredric Brown - Arena
8. Richard Henry Dana Jr. - Two Years Before the Mast
9. Murray Leinster - First Contact
10. Howard Pyle - Men of Iron
11. Grace Paley - Wants
12. Cordwainer Smith - Scanners Live in Vain
--------------
13. Eugene O'Neill - Long Day's Journey into Night
14. Ellis Parker Butler - Pigs Is Pigs
15. Samuel Taylor Coleridge - Rime of the Ancient Mariner
16. Shelby Van Pelt - Remarkably Bright Creatures
17. Jun'ichirō Tanizaki - The Tattooer
18. C.M. Kornbluth - The Little Black Bag
----------
19. Richard Matheson - Born of Man and Woman
20. Henry Lawson - The Loaded Dog
21. Fritz Leiber - Coming Attraction
22. Anthony Boucher - The Quest for Saint Aquin
23. James Blish - Surface Tension
24. Jerome Bixby - It's a Good Life
--------------
25. Tom Godwin - For The Cold Equations
26. Graeme Simsion - The Rosie Project
27. Arundhati Roy - The God of Small Things
28. Marta Molnar - The Secret Life of Sunflowers
29. Rafael Sabatini - Captain Blood
30. Giovanni Boccaccio - The Decameron
-------------------
31.

Challenge 6 - Group Reads and/or Buddy Reads Challenge

The challenge is to read 12 total books/stories from this year's group poll winners or Buddy Reads, in any combination.

1. The Beauties - Short Story/Novella
2. The Gentle Spirit - Short Story/Novella
3. To Build a Fire - Short Story/Novella
4. Middlemarch - Old School
5. The Garden of Forking Paths - Short Story/Novella
6. The Eyes - Short Story/Novella
7. The God of Small Things - New School
8. What the Shepherd Saw - Short Story/Novella
9. The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress - New School
10. The Masque of the Red Death - Short Story/Novella
11. Big Two-Hearted River - Short Story/Novella
12. A Christmas Carol - Old School

Challenge #5 - Short Story Challenge
Read 24 short stories. This equates to only two per month for the year. Read them all at once or spread them out; it's up to you.

✔️24/24 Complete

1. The Bridge of San Luis Rey
2. The Weapon Shop
3. They are made out of meat
4. The Grey Woman
5. The Beauties Group Short Story Mar. '24
6. Mimsy Were The Borogoves
7. The Gentle Spirit Group Short Story Feb. '24
8. Huddling Place
9. Arena
10. *Harrison Bergeron
11. Cousin Phillis
12. Pigs Is Pigs
13. *A Horseman in the Sky
14. First Contact found in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One 1929-1964
15. The Kanaka Surf found in The House of Pride and Other Tales of Hawaii
16. That Only a Mother
17. *To Build a Fire Group Short Story Apr. '24
18. Wants
19. Scanners Live in Vain
20. Mars Is Heaven: Short story
21. An Heiress from Redhorse
22. Her Turn
23. The Mark on the Wall Group Short Story Nov. '22
24. The Signal-Man
---------------
25. *A Jury of Her Peers
26. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
27. The Tattooer - The Short Story Club
28. The Garden of Forking Paths
29. The Little Black Bag
About Time: 12 Short Stories 30-41
30. ✓The Third Level
31. ✓I Love Galesburg in the Springtime
32. ✓Such Interesting Neighbors
33. ✓The Coin Collector
34. ✓ Of Missing Persons
35. ✓ Lunch-Hour Magic
36. ✓Where the Cluetts Are
37. ✓The Face in the Photo
38. ✓I'm Scared
39. ✓Home Alone
40. ✓ Second Chance
41. ✓ Hey, Look at Me!
42. Born of Man and Woman found in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One 1929-1964
43. The Leopard Man's Story
44. *The Open Window
45. *The Story of an Hour
46. The Loaded Dog
47. A Psychological Shipwreck
48. Coming Attraction
--------------
49. The Quest for Saint Aquin found in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One 1929-1964
50. Surface Tension
51. *The Nine Billion Names of God
52. It's a Good Life
53. For The Cold Equations
54. A Rose for Ecclesiastes Title Story
55. *The Storm
56. The Last Night of the World
57. *The Monkey's Paw
58. The Decameron, 100 stories
59. *The Star
60. The Real Thing
61. The Eyes
62. Zero Hour
63. Travel By Wire!
64. How We Went to Mars
65. *The Rocking-Horse Winner
66. Retreat from Earth
67. Rescue Party
68. A Cold Greeting
69. Technical Error
70. The Lion of Comarre
71. *Desiree's Baby
72. Beyond the Bayou
-----------
73. At the 'Cadian Ball
74. A&P
75. *Annabelle Lee
76. The Sentinel
77. Chickamauga
78. The Touchstone
79. *The Raven
80. If I Forget Thee, Oh Earth . . .
81. All the Time in the World
82. *The Cask of Amontillado
83. What the Shepherd Saw
84. Death and the Senator
85, The Masque of the Red Death
86. The Gift
87. *The Garden Lodge
88. Hearts and Hands
89. The Swineherd
90. The Shadow
91. Big Two-Hearted River
92. *A Christmas Carol
93. Christmas at Thompson Hall

*Re-reads - read twice or more

Challenge #4 - Members Choice Challenge Choose one book per category/genre for a total of 12 books.

✔️12/12 Complete

1. 19th Century, Cousin Phillis
2. 20th Century, The Winds of War
3. 21st Century, A Gentleman in Moscow
4. A book originally written in a language other than your own, The Divine Comedy
5. An Author never read before, Eugene O'Neill - Long Day's Journey into Night
6. Diversity Classic, read a book from a religion, culture, country, or race different than yours. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
7. Science Fiction/Fantasy, The Lord of the Rings
8. Action/Adventure, The Tombs
9. Childrens/Young Adult, Men of Iron
10. Nonfiction Memoir/Biography, Two Years Before the Mast
11. Mystery/Thriller, The Third Twin
12. Horror or Humor, Horror-The Grey Woman, Humor-Pigs Is Pigs

Challenge #3 - Decade/Century/Millennium Challenge

Only one version of the challenge is required.

My Decade Challenge the 1930's
1930- Narcissus and Goldmund
or Vile Bodies
or As I Lay Dying
*1931-The Loving Spirit
1932- Ulysses
or Sunset Song
or Footsteps in the Dark
*1933-God's Little Acre
*1934- Roman Fever and Other Stories
*1935-Death in the Clouds
✔️*1936- A Gun for Sale
1937- To Have and Have Not
1938- Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
or Scoop
or Nausea
1939- Pale Horse, Pale Rider
or A Traveler in Time
or Tropic of Capricorn
* Books I Have

✔️Century Challenge
1910-1919 - Sons and Lovers
✔️1920-1929 - The Bridge of San Luis Rey
✔️1930-1939 - A Gun for Sale
✔️1940-1949 - The Razor's Edge
✔️1950-1959 - The Lord of the Rings
✔️1960-1969 - The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
✔️1970-1979 - The Winds of War
✔️1980-1989 - About Time: 12 Short Stories
✔️1990-1999 - The Third Twin
✔️2000-2009 - Lost City
✔️2010-2019 - A Gentleman in Moscow
✔️2020-Present - The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
* Books I Have

The Millennium Challenge:
✔️21st Century - 2016-A Gentleman in Moscow
✔️20th Century - 1954-The Lord of the Rings
✔️19th Century - 1871-Middlemarch
18th Century - 1759-The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia
17th Century - 1605- Don Quixote
16th Century - 1593- The Taming of the Shrew
15th Century - 1438 The Book of Margery Kempe by Margery Kempe
✔️14th Century - 1320 The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
13th Century - 1298 The Travels by Marco Polo
12th Century - 1150 The Life of Merlin by Geoffrey of Monmouth
* Books I Have