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

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

Challenge #3 - Expand Your Horizon with New Authors COMPLETED

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

1. Frank A. Worsley - Endurance: An Epic of Polar Adventure
2. John Christopher - The Death of Grass
3. Giovanni Papini - The Sick Gentleman's Last Visit
4. Percival Everett - James
5. Larry Watson - Montana 1948
6. Ira Levin - The Boys from Brazil

Additional New Authors
7. William Hope Hodgson - The Voice in the Night
8. Conrad Aiken - Silent Snow, Secret Snow
9. George Hitchcock - An Invitation to the Hunt
10. Grace Amundson - The Child Who Believed
11. Andrew Benedict - Wall-to-Wall Grave, The
12. Kristin Hannah - The Women
---------
13. Poul Anderson - Call Me Joe
14. John Collier - Witch's Money
15. Walter D. Edmonds - Drums Along the Mohawk
16. Clare Pooley - The Authenticity Project
17. John Le Carré - The Constant Gardener
18. Joan Lindsay - Picnic at Hanging Rock
--------------------
19. C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
20. Ashley Elston - First Lie Wins
21. Mark Bowden - Huế 1968: A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam

Challenge #2 - Members Choice Challenge COMPLETED
Choose one book per category/genre for a total of 9 books.

1. 19th Century or Older - The Time Machine
2. 20th Century - Roman Fever and Other Stories
3. 21st Century - Memorial Day
4. Nonfiction - Endurance: An Epic of Polar Adventure
5. An Author never read before - Larry Watson
6. Diversity, read a book from a religion, culture, country, or race different than yours - James
7. Members Choice Genre - Science Fiction/Dystopia The Death of Grass
8. Members Choice Genre - Literary Fiction/Historical Fiction Gilead
9. Members Choice Genre - Fiction/Mystery Lonely Road

Challenge #1 - Old & New TBR Challenge
✔️= Read

My Crustiest, Mustiest, Dustiest TBR Clean-up Challenge, all are physically on my shelf/reader

1914 and earlier
✔️1. Doctor Thorne - 1858
✔️2. Lord Jim - 1900
✔️3. Sons and Lovers - 1913
1915-2005
4.Ulysses - 1922 DNF
✔️5. The Death of Grass - 1956
✔️6. Blindness - 1995
Six Bookshelf Dust Collectors
✔️7. Something Wicked This Way Comes - 1962
✔️8. The Boys from Brazil - 1976
✔️9. Montana 1948 - 1993
✔️10. The Constant Gardener - 2001
11. Home - 2008
✔️12. The Martian - 2011
Alternates
✔️A-1. Red Planet - 1949
A-2. The Chosen - 1966
A-3. Lucifer's Hammer - 1977

Taste Testing, Rather Than Gorging
It doesn't matter if I finish any challenges this year, although I am sure I will finish several. I noticed that many members feel challenges restrict them from impulse reading. I am trying to combat that feeling. I have used a total of 89 titles to complete my planning. Sixty-eight of these books I own either physical paper ink or electronic. I have set these books along with a printout of my electronic choices in a separate area. It is my hope that as I need something to read, I will look through the collection and "impulsively" pick the one that most appeals to me at that given time. No thought will be given to any challenge it may work for. I'll handle that after reading it.

Note: In message #20, I have created a master list of all 89 books used, not counting the seven used in the Millennium challenge.

✔️= Challenges Completed

Challenge #1 - New & Old TBR
✔️Challenge #2 - Members Choice - Completed in February
✔️Challenge #3 - New Authors - Completed in February
✔️Challenge #4 - Short Story - Completed in February
✔️Challenge #5 - 10-Decade/10-Century/3/10-Millennium - Completed in April & June
✔️Challenge #6 - Group, Buddy & Moderators Run Amok Reads - Completed in May
✔️Challenge #7 - Series Books – Start, Continue, Complete - Completed in March
✔️Challenge #8 - Travel the World One Continent at a Time -Completed in June
✔️Challenge #9 – Rereading Some do Some don't - Completed in February
✔️Challenge #10 - Most Popular Goodreads Books Listed by Year - Completed in January
Challenge #11 - Future Classics
Challenge #12 - Fiction/Non-Fiction
Challenge #13 - Old and New Linked Categories
Challenge #14 - Bestselling Novels in the United States
✔️Challenge #15 - Award Winners - Completed in January
✔️Challenge #16 - A-Z Title - Completed in June
Challenge #17 - A-Z Author

These are the 10 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 5 will move forward to the poll on the 15th. A maximum of 5 titles will move to the poll.

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

5th 336. Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali by Djibril Tamsir Niane
2nd 125, Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau
4th 357. The Fatal Eggs by Mikhail Bulgakov
4th 446. A Fight with a Cannon by Victor Hugo
4th 400. Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl
4th 222. The Wendigo by Algernon Blackwood
4th 304. The Pigeon by Patrick Süskind
1st 57. The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder
4th 508. Break-Neck Hill by Esther Forbes
3rd 147. The Seagull by Anton Chekhov

Sue wrote: "The link for the Most Popular Goodread Books by year doesn't work.
I wonder if it's temporarily down or if they quit supporting it?"

Sue, I need more info. I just used it message #8 and checked 1950, it worked. I went to the 2025 challenge message #11 and checked 1970, it also worked.

Congratulations Lynn, Looks like great reading and tons of fun ahead for 2025!!

My three favorite books this year happen to be rereads. It shouldn't be odd since they were 5 star plus reads the first time I read them. They are still favorites and I can easily recommend them to anyone.

A Cry of Angels, my all-time favorite and this was my fourth reread.
On the Beach, Nevil Shute is my favorite author, and I have loved all the books of his I have read. A bucket list goal for me is to read all he ever published.
The Razor’s Edge, Larry Darrell is one of my all-time favorite characters.

My best first time read this year was The Winds of War. An excellent book that I wish I hadn't let sit on shelf for so long.

Kathleen, I thought about this very idea earlier this month when I started planning this year's buffet. Please add it to your personal buffet, I think it is an excellent idea and wish I had made note of it earlier before it slipped my mind. My only excuse is that my mind has aged to the point that it leaks more than it now holds.

Challenge #17 - A-Z Author Challenge
I find this to be a very difficult challenge, many others consider it one of their favorites. For those who really enjoy this challenge in its pure form use all 26 letters. For those of us who struggle, with this challenge consider it successful by using only 23 letters. There are 4 optional letters marked with an (*), you only need to use one.

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
*Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
*X
*Y
*Z

Challenge #16 - A-Z Title Challenge
I find this to be a very difficult challenge, many others consider it one of their favorites. For those who really enjoy this challenge in its pure form use all 26 letters. For those of us who struggle, with this challenge consider it successful by using only 23 letters. There are 4 optional letters marked with an (*), you only need to use one.

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
*Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
*X
*Y
*Z

Challenge #15 - Award Winners
From the below book prize lists, or a prize from your country or local region, seek out and read two award winning books. Please let the group know what prize list or lists you use, as well as the book information.

Nobel Prize in Literature - since 1901
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
Booker Prize - since 1969
https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booke...
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction - since 1918
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulitze...
Hugo Award - since 1953
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Aw...
Newberry Medal - since 1922
https://www.britannica.com/art/Newber...
European Union Prize for Literature - since 2009
https://www.euprizeliterature.eu/

Books Chosen
1.
2.

NOTE: I won't promise that these links will work for everyone. Given the prize names listed, plus you can select and use any other book award of interest, I don't think there is a serious problem for members to search out web sites if the links fail.

Challenge #14 - Publishers Weekly lists of Bestselling Novels in the United States

The below link provides a list of bestsellers from 1895-2023. Pick 10 years of interest. List the bestseller for each year selected. If you have read it, list the 2nd bestseller and so on. Ideas for picking years: birth years for family and friends, memorable events graduations, anniversaries, etc. or historic events.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publish....

NOTE: click on the link above then Look for the blueish info bar, just under it you will find a list of decades from 1890-2020. Click the decade needed and search individual years.

Example:
1899 - David Harum: A Story of American Life
1938 - The Yearling
1956 - Don't Go Near the Water
1975 - Ragtime
.
.
10.

The Bestseller Challenge from your list of 10 books pick two. One from a genre outside your comfort zone. You may surprise yourself and like it. If it ends as DNF no problem at least you tried. Book two should be a book you think has a chance at 4 or 5 stars.

Books Chosen
1.
2.

Challenge #13 - Old and New Linked Categories

Using the below categories or choices of your own, pick three subjects of interest. Link the chosen subjects to an old book 1914 or earlier to a newer book 1915 -present. Total number of books for this challenge is six.

Categories
Genres-Romance, Science Fiction, etc.
Contains a Trial
Has a Murder
Contains Time Travel
Coming of Age
An Error in Judgement - Paying the Ultimate Price
Set on or has The Sea involved
Animals
School
Travel
Life Changing Action
Survival
Friendship
Bravery/Courage
Generation Gap

Example:
Life Changing Action
Old - A Horseman in the Sky
New - A Separate Peace

Challenge #12– Fiction/Non-Fiction

Using the below categories or a selection of your own pick three subjects of interest and read a fiction book and a non-fiction book about that subject. Total number of books for this challenge is six.

Categories
Space Exploration
War
Sea Travels/Adventures
Family
Exploration
Animals
Historic Event
Natural Disaster
Survival
Death
Civilization
Justice
Religion/Faith
Slavery
Politics
Royality

Example:
Sea Travels/Adventures
Fiction - The Sea Wolf
Non-Fiction - Two Years Before the Mast: A Sailor's Life at Sea

Challenge #11 - Future Classics
A Quarter of the 21st Century has passed; did you read any potential classics? For discussion, and the benefit and curiosity of our members please list 5 books you have read over the last 25 years that you believe will still be actively read in 50-100+ years.

Examples
These Five Were Great, I Believe They Will Stand the Test of Time
2003 - The Kite Runner
2006 - The Road
2011 - 11/22/63
2016 - A Gentleman in Moscow
2021 - The Lost Apothecary

The Future Classic Challenge - List 3 unread books published between 2000-2024 that you feel have the potential to become a classic. The challenge, read 1 of your 3 selections. Then let us know if you think it has a chance at greatness, or will it pass into oblivion.

Examples
These Might have a Chance at Greatness?
1. 2008 - The Hunger Games
2. 2012 - A Man Called Ove
3. 2024 - The Women

Book Chosen
_____________________

Challenge #10 – 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 3 books from that list.

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

NOTE: click on the link above then change the date to the date you wish to search.

10 Books of Interest for 1929
1. A Farewell to Arms
2. Letters to a Young Poet
3. Passing
4. Look Homeward, Angel
5. Partners in Crime
6. Red Harvest
7. Laughing Boy: A Navajo Love Story
8. The Secret of the Caves
9. The Last September
10. The Blacker the Berry...

2023 Books Read
1.
2.
3.

Challenge #9 - Rereading - Some do Some don't

Some of us reread regularly, others reread rarely if ever. We have all read books that we found fantastic. We finish the last page, set it aside and think someday I would like to read this again. Let us know the titles of five or more books you found worthy of rereading. This year’s challenge is, reread two of your reread selections.

Books I'd Love to Reread
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Read Again in 2025
1.
2.

Challenge #8 - Travel the World One Continent at a Time

Select a book or an author from each of the seven world continents, *Antarctica is optional, and can be substituted for a country specific book. I understand that most around the world challenges are much longer in both time and number of books required. Our challenges run from January 1-December 31. So, this seems more doable.

Africa
Asia
Australia
Europe
North America
South America
*Antarctica, or a Country

*Read a book set in the country you'd most like to visit

Challenge #7- Series Books – Start, Continue, Complete

Many if not most of us read series books. Sometimes these books are neglected in favor of other reading. As much as I like reading several of the series I have on my shelf. I have at times left them untouched for as much as a year. This year’s series challenge is to break the neglect and bring series books back into our current annual reading.

Start
For those who have never read a series collection or have finished one and are stalling off on starting another. The challenge is to find an interesting series and read at least two books this year from the selected series. Some series are only three books in length, such as The Hunger Games #1, #2, #3

Continue
If you are currently reading a series and have stalled out and set it aside, here is your chance to get back to it.

Complete
If you are close to finishing a series, but have not been actively reading them, here is your chance to finish it. Set a goal to see it finished or make a big dent in it.

To help members find new reading, list a few series that you enjoy.

Example
Clive Cussler, Issac Bell, Oregon Files, NUMA Files
Nevada Barr, Anna Pigeon
Agatha Christie, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple


Each member is to decide what they wish to accomplish. For challenge purposes, read at least two books. That is only 1 every six months. This is doable

Examples for Stating Your Goal
I plan to read one book per month from my favorite series.
I plan to finish books 4, 5, and 6 of series _______
I plan to start series _______