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Fall 2012 Rws Completed Tasks - Fall 2012
Sounds good, thanks Elizabeth. I'm so close to the top of the leaderboard and all and I didn't want to screw anything up! :-)
Tobey wrote: "Sounds good, thanks Elizabeth. I'm so close to the top of the leaderboard and all and I didn't want to screw anything up! :-)"Those personal stats are important, though!
Congrats to everyone who has finished RwS and/or ABCs!I've finally made it and I loved my last book of the ABCs:15.10 10th Book K Barbara Kingsolver 2012
Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver
+45 Task
Task Total: 45
+200 Graduate Bonus
+200 Mega Finish
Points this Post: 445
Grand Total: 2000
Congrats, Karen! Such a nice even Grand Total you racked up there!
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Congrats, Karen! Such a nice even Grand Total you racked up there!"Thanks - I was pleased with that round number as well. I have a couple of audios I'm finishing up and hopefully one more book, so it won't stay even, though, darn it! I've really enjoyed the challenge, thanks!
20.6 DraculaThe King in Yellow and Other Horror Stories by Robert W. Chambers
Review
This is a collection of ten odd pieces of prose with each chapter prefaced with poetry. The King in Yellow is a book that is actually a play, “bound in snakeskin” and has been “denounced from pulpit and press” It is supposed to be so evil that if the book only happens to fall open, the reader cannot resist and after reading it will go insane, kill, commit suicide or be killed by some evil entity. The first story is based in the futuristic 1920’s, (the book was published in 1895) where electric lights are available for street lights and there are government sponsored “lethal chambers” for those who wish to do away with themselves in a pain-free manner. The story begins introducing us to this new world but shifts to the narrators own madness. The following three tales are also associated with this evil snake-bound book, none with repetitions other the names of the characters in the story. Then there is a weird prosy few pages where lines are repeated over and again. What does it mean? Maybe someone with more psychological insight than me knows. There is a story of the Siege of Paris of 1870, with all the horrors and chaos of war as seen through American ex-pats caught in the midst. There is a time travel story and two stories with the same setting of Paris at an art school/studio with one character, Foxhall Clifford appearing in both. Both stories are about American students, their bohemian life, loose women and greenhorn American boys fresh off the boat being introduced to this life. It is said Chambers was greatly influenced by Poe and Bierce and this book was his masterpiece, highly championed by H.P.Lovecraft. I’m not enough of a genius to think the same but later Chambers wrote prolific romance and historical fiction that Lovecraft despised. Maybe I’ll try one of those out to see if it is more to my level of understanding.
+20 pts - Task (#63 on list)
+15 pts - Combo (10.4 - yellow,20.3, 20.8 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_W... )
+10 pts - Review
+ 5 pts - Multiple
+10 pts - Oldies (1895)
Task total - 60 pts
Grand Total - 1690 Pts
20.7 Women of Achievement
The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
+20 task
+15 Combo 10.2 (Canadian Born author), 10.9 (book 2 of the MadAddam Trilogy, book 3 is not yet published), 20.8 (published 1961-2012)
grand total=420
The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
+20 task
+15 Combo 10.2 (Canadian Born author), 10.9 (book 2 of the MadAddam Trilogy, book 3 is not yet published), 20.8 (published 1961-2012)
grand total=420
Congratulations Deedee, Kate and Karen!
Congratulions to all challenge finishers and mega finishers!
20.8 vet's DayBleak House by Charles Dickens
Review
I finally got through this whopper! I tried earlier in another challenge to read it and kept getting mixed up and having to start over so that I missed the deadline and only really finished about a quarter of the book. I’m a Dickens fan but maybe because of the timing, I found it too difficult. However I took my time on this go ‘round and really enjoyed it. What can I say about a classic, I wonder. Again Dickens takes all these individual threads, weaves and loops them to create a tapestry of characters. As with all the situations and complications, he throws in spontaneous combustion of a character just for fun. Ha Ha Ha! Do you notice how many characters that live rather well and haven’t wanted for much can literally die of shame, heartbreak and disappointment? Yet the totally depraved and poverty stricken just keep appearing with only a death or two of natural causes if starvation and disease is a natural cause. It is well known that because of Dickens’ books that put a spotlight on the Great British Empire’s shame, the mistreatment and desperation of the poor which resulted in social change for the better. However although he again spotlights a terrible plague upon “civilized” nations which is the lawsuit, somehow that never resulted in any change I know of, down to the black robes and red tape, the only winners being the lawyers.
+20 pts - Task
+10 pts - Combo (10.3, 10.8 - Charles)
+10 pts - Review
+ 5 pts - Multiple
+15 pts - Oldies(1852)
+25 pts - Jumbo (1072 most pop)
Task total - 85 pts
Grand total - 1775 pts i think
Post 926Marie wrote: "10.5 - nternational Day for the Elderly
Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie
Hercule Poirot is more than 60
+10 Task
+10 Combo (20.7: several conversations between the female protagonists about t..."
Sorry, Cards on the Table is listed as YA at the BPL and has a Lexile of 630. It qualifies for the task, but does not earn any style points.
20.8 Veteran AuthorMonsieur Monde Vanishes by Georges Simenon
I've found a new author. Well, he's not so "new", since he started publishing in the early 1930s and has been dead for a dozen years, but I've never read him before. For those of you who are mystery lovers, perhaps you know him as the author of the 75 novels that comprise the Commissaire Maigret series. There are also another 150 (or so) novels, of which Monsieur Monde is one.
I was lulled into a sense of ease from the beginning, thinking this was a light novel of not much consequence. Apparently his prose will do that to you. Don't get me wrong - this is well-written with an interesting enough vocabulary and sentence structure. He's sort of matter of fact here, and I didn't feel my brain was going to be confronted.
The story continues, though, and the characterization becomes more complex, as does the story. We know Monsieur Monde runs off - I can read the title. Why is told in the early chapters. What happens to complete the characterization of Norbert Monde is thought provoking.
+20 Task
+ 5 Multiple
+10 Review
+ 5 Oldie (pub 1944)
Task Total = 40
Grand Total = 860
And that puts a wrap on it for me.
10.1 Square PegEats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss
Review: Ah, the illusive Square Peg, I think I've finally found you!
This short, cute book about punctuation is making me hesitant to write its review. After all, I'm typing this on an iPad, which does not always lend itself to grammatical accuracy. But, since Lynne Truss is not likely to read this, I'll soldier on.
I am definitely a grammar nerd, having grown up under the care of my mother, who taught me at the age of three to respond to anyone asking to speak to me on the phone with a polite "This is she." So this book is right up my alley. And I think that was its biggest weakness. In writing specifically to an audience of 'sticklers', (did I place that comma correctly?) Truss makes a lot of funny but snide remarks about the state of punctuation today, with its awful texting, emailing, and other emoticon-filled correspondence. Those pieces have likely ensured this book, which much of the time read like a biography of punctuation, will stay on the bookshelves of people who already know most of the basics. Even those people can probably stand to learn a thing or two; I know I did... ;)
+10 Task (NOT 10.2 - author born in England; NOT 10.3 - Garfunkel hasn't read it; NOT 10.4 - no color in title; NOT 10.5 - author born 1955 - not yet 60; NOT 10.6 - author has not held elected office; NOT 10.7 - no monsters; NOT 10.8 - 2003 publication, 10 words in title, 5 letters in Lynne; NOT 10.9 - not a continuation; NOT 10.10 - not a group read; NOT 20.1 - no awards; NOT 20.2 - not rural; NOT 20.3 - not essays - shelved 428; NOT 20.4 - she makes reference to wanting an anonymous person to be male and unmarried; NOT 20.5 - not science - grammar!; NOT 20.6 - not Gothic or a novel; NOT 20.7 - she's not a feminist author and it's not a novel; NOT 20.8 - first published book was in 1994 according to her website: http://www.lynnetruss.com/about.asp; NOT 20.9 - not a memoir; NOT 20.10 - author is still alive)
+10 Review
+100 RwS Finish
+200 Mega Finish
Task Total: 320
Grand Total: 1925
Please, if anyone notices I've missed something and this actually doesn't qualify, let me know! I have a plane trip tomorrow during which I can squeeze in a book that has already been claimed, but I wanted to be unique! I wouldn't want to come so close and not finish.
In Post 481 Christine wrote: "Task 20.9 Capote by Gerald Clarke
+20 task
+10 review
+10 Combo (10.2 born in the USA, 20.4 Capote was gay)
+5 Jumbo (most popular edition is 636 pages Capote)"
You claimed combo points for 10.2 USA in Post 222. You can claim combo points for the 10.2 tasks only once, so
-5 combo points here.
In Post 62 Deedee wrote: "Task 10.2 – an author born in one of countries hosting Oktoberfest festivities: Peter Carey was born in AustraliaThe Chemistry of Tears by Peter Carey
+10 Task
+05 Style:1. Combo (5 points): (20.8 "veteran" author)
+10 Style:3. Review (10 points):
"
+5 Combo 207A Bechdel
RwS10.7 Monsterfest IV - Tricked by Kevin Hearne
Oh Atticus, how I love thee, even in thine own stupidity! The Iron Druid Chronicles is quickly becoming one of my favorite series, and boy have I read a lot of series. Could it be because of the fantastic characters, which includes an Irish wolfhound named Oberon who has pun contests with his owner? Or could it be because of Hearne’s fantastic sense of humor and jokes woven so excellently into the storyline? It’s all that and a big bag of sausages (that would be +1 sausages for me, for those who have read this latest installment), I’m telling you. If you are looking for an entertaining paranormal fantasy series, seriously look no further than the Iron Druid Chronicles. I assure you you won’t be disappointed.
+10 Task (skinwalkers, vampires, et al)
+10 Review
+5 Multiple (4th time doing this task)
Task Total=25
Grand Total=330 pts
In Post 104 Eleanor wrote: " 10.2 Oktoberfest Animal's People By Indra Sinha
+ 10 task, author born in India
+ 10 combo (10.8 published 2007, 10.10 Liz M’s read) I’m assuming that his translation of The Love Teachings of Kam..."
+5 Combo 20.08 Veteran Author
In Post 141 Rebekah wrote: "10.7 MonsterfestShadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
+10 pts - Task
+10 pts - Review
+ 5 pts - Combo (author's first name has 7 letters)
+ 5 pts - Jumbo (584 pages)
"
-5 Combo 10.8B claimed in Post 42
RwS Task20.8 - Kate S’ Task – Veteran’s Day, November 11th:
The Game by A.S. Byatt
I was looking for another book that I could listen to on my phone for the Fall Challenge and I came across The Game by A. S. Byatt. I didn't realize it was her first book until I went to check on Fantastic Fiction for the Veteran's Day task. If you enjoy learning about the habits of animals as I do that was a big plus in this book for me as the habits of snakes were described in detail. Also, one of the main characters, Julia, is an author which is an interesting addition to the story. Mainly, though, the book was about games of many kinds, but especially the games played among the three main characters, Simon, Julia and Cassandra. Both sisters loved Simon when they were young and so his return to their estranged sisterhood sets the wheels moving towards a relentless conclusion. I enjoyed the book and plan to read Byatt's newer works soon.
+20 Task: Byatt has published from 1967 – 2009
+5 Combo: 20.7 Bechdel Test: Julia and her sister talk about family issues and the game they played as children.
+10 Review
+ 5 Oldies (1967)
Task Total: 40
Grand Total: 2040
In Post 366 Rebekah wrote: "20.5 Dr Jekyll and Mr HydeA Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
+20 pts - Task
+15 pts - Combo (10.3, Art Garfunkel's list,10.8- Stephen has 7 letters, 20.8 author has been writing books for over twenty years.This book was published in 1988 and he wrote more technical books for academia prior to that. I believe his last book was written in 2007?)
+10 pts - Review
"
-5 Combo 10.8B claimed in Post 42
In Post 729 Rebekah wrote: "20.6 DraculaCarnacki, The Ghost Finder by William Hope Hodgson (#86 on 100 Gothics List)
+20 pts - Task
+10 pts - Combo (10.8 William has 7 letters,20.3 - I read the orginal 6 story version. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnacki )
+10 pts - Review
+10 pts - Oldies (first pub together in 1913)"
-5 Combo 10.8B claimed in Post 42
In Post 834 Rebekah wrote: "20.1 FrankensteinIn the Woods by Tana French Won Edgar Allen Poe Best +20 pts - Task
+5 pts - Combo (10.8 pub in 2007)
+10 pts - Review"
-5 Combo 10.8C claimed in post 65
In Post 789 Rebekah wrote: "20.3 Edgar Allen PoeThe Pink Fairy Book by Andrew Lang
Review
+20 pts - Task
+15 combo (10.4 pink, 10.8 1897, 20.8 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Lang )
+10 pts - Review
+10 pts - Oldies (1897)"
-5 Combo 10.8C claimed in Post 65
RwS Tasks20.8 - Kate S’ Task – Veteran’s Day, November 11th:
The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian
The Armenian Genocide in 1915 sets the gruesome backdrop for Bohjalian's latest work written about his own heritage and a terrible period in Syria's history. There are two stories interwoven throughout. One takes place in the US and is autobiographical in that the character is an author of Armenian descent writing about her grandparents' experiences romance and history. The audio version of the book includes an interview with Bohjalian which added extra insight about the history as well. He purposely used the present story to break up the horrific events he was describing in the story of the past. Elizabeth, the American, and Armen, the Armenian who lost his wife and child to the genocide are the grandparents whose romance unfolds to a gripping and emotional conclusion that was foreshadowed in the description of the book as a "secret" and also in the telling of the story. Still, the impact as all was revealed was powerful. Highly recommended!
+20 Task: Chris Bohjalian has published from 1988–2012
+ 5 Combo: 20.7 Bechdel Test: Elizabeth and Navart talk about conditions in Syria, a place to live for Navart and the Armenian genocide.
+10 Review
Task Total: 35
Grand Total: 2075
20.4 In Honor of CarmillaThe Coming Storm by Paul Russell
Review:
Much more upbeat than I expected, this is a sensitive but not idealistic portrayal of a gay teacher-student relationship - a relationship that clearly breaks the law and moral boundaries too but shows that these things don't have to be as damaging as they often are.
The story focuses on two generations: the young teacher Tracy Parker (that's a man, weirdly for a British reader!) who falls in love with 15-year-old student Noah in the 1990s, and the 60-year-old headmaster who has turned his back on such relationships in the past in favour of a loving, compromising marriage where much remains unspoken.
I was a little afraid to read this book, expecting a lot of pain and angst, but it was actually fine and I appreciated all the different points of view. There is some graphic gay sex involving an under-age boy which could be an issue for some readers.
+20 Task (Author is gay, has been interviewed as a gay novelist http://paul-russell.org/Biography.php )
+ 5 Multiple (4th book for this task)
+10 Review
Task Total: 35 points
Grand Total: 1725
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "In Post 789 Rebekah wrote: "20.3 Edgar Allen PoeThe Pink Fairy Book by Andrew Lang
Review
+20 pts - Task
+15 combo (10.4 pink, 10.8 1897, 20.8 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Lang )
+10 pts -..."
Elizabeth, I got the published years from either Goodreads or Wikipedia. What were the correct years?
Rebekah wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "In Post 789 Rebekah wrote: "20.3 Edgar Allen PoeThe Pink Fairy Book by Andrew Lang
Review
+20 pts - Task
+15 combo (10.4 pink, 10.8 1897, 20.8 http://en.wikipedia.org/w..."
You may have had the correct years. The 10.8 tasks are one time only tasks, both as for using directly and for combos.
oh, drats! Missed the fine print again!
Know Your ABCs:15.6 - 6th book - letter P
Triskellion by Will Peterson
2008, Lexile 910
+20 Task
Grand Total: 1745
20.8 Veteran AuthorThe Passion by Jeanette Winterson
Review:
I kept running across recommendations for this book with comments about it being a good historic fiction with a feminist protagonist and that it is a literary romance. I am not sure what I expected but it is surprisingly good. It is about a young man, Henri, from rural France who joins Napoleon's army and ends up cooking Napoleon's chickens all the way to Moscow and a young Venetian daughter of a boatman, Villanelle who lives a life that reflects the vibrant, gambling life of her city.
Winterson writes beautifully of passion and the obsession that follows passion's death. She pulls your heart into the horror of war and the struggle for survival, the strength of friendships and the confusion of love.
A delightful read.
+20 Task (Winterson has published books from 1985 to 2012)
+5 Combo 20.4 Wikipedia article
+5 Multiple
+10 Review
Task total: 40
Grand Total: 810
20.8 - Veteran's DayThe Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
Review:
This is the second short story collection featuring Sherlock Holmes and Watson. Doyle’s creation are so widely known and loved that it turns out to be quite a difficult task to write an unique review. These stories certainly belong into the category of timeless classics. Even over 100 years later they are still very entertaining. While many modern mysteries rely mostly on suspense Doyle doesn’t need to refer to such “crude” methods. Without being too straining on the reader’s nerves he presents his cases and it is always a pleasure to experience how Sherlock Holmes goes about solving these cases. As an additional bonus: Very often these mysteries are really mysteries and one doesn’t guess the solution until it is revealed in the book (in contrast to many modern “mysteries”).
Highly recommended for everybody.
+ 20 Task
+ 10 Review
+ 10 Oldies
+ 5 Multiple
+ 5 Combo (20.3)
Task Total: 50
Grand Total: 1360
20.8 - Veteran's DayA Dangerous Fortune by Ken Follett
Review:
I am usually sceptical about books that are very very popular. While A Dangerous Fortune is not that well known Follett’s newer books belong in the category of books that are hyped up (which usually causes the instinct in me not to read the book). But I’ll give such books a chance when I get them free from the library or cheap from used-book sales. This was a used book I got cheap, so I decided to give Follett a try. After getting it it spent several weeks in my shelves until I discovered that it was perfect for filling a spot in the ABC challenge (but as I won’t be able to finish that, the book gets its place here).
A Dangerous Fortune is set in the second half of the 19th century in London and tells the story of the Pilaster family. They are a successful and popular banking family but events begin to unravel in a way that may destroy the family.
When I began the book I considered it an average work and wasn’t really eager to continue with it (I needed three weeks to finish it), but after I really got into it after having about a third of the book I began to thoroughly enjoy it. The characters are well developed and the story doesn’t linger on unimportant events. Follett paints a vivid image of the time, its society and social conventions. He shows how in that time people may rise or fall in society according to their behavior (especially marriage!) and that riches and fame aren’t guaranteed forever. The ending was wonderfully done.
It is really worth getting past the first pages to enjoy the rest of this story.
+ 20 Task (70's to present: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Foll...)
+ 5 Multiple
+ 5 Jumbo (576 pages)
+ 10 Review
Task Total: 40
Grand Total: 1400
20.7 - Women of Achievement Month (Bechdel Test)Die Rechenkünstlerin. by Helga Glaesener
At the beginning of the book Charlotta has a conversation with her best friend and neighbour about her friend's work as midwife.
Review:
I’ve listened to several audiobooks by Helga Glaesener before. All are narrated by the same person whose voice I at first really hated but by now seem to have been accustomed to (it didn’t get on my nerves nearly as much as I had expected).
The book tells the story of Charlotta, the daughter of the Heidelberg university porter. A friend of hers who had married and moved away a few years ago has died and Charlotta accompanies two students who are related to her friend to pay a mourning visit and pay their respect to the dead. There Charlotta notices two welts on her throat. According to the witnesses, the dead committed suicide by hanging herself, but that doesn’t explain that second horizontal welt. Charlotta gets suspicious but can do only little to investigate because it is not her duty and she has other things to do at home. Meanwhile life is beginning to get more complicated for Charlotta in more than just one respect.
This was probably the Glaesener story I enjoyed most so far. I liked Charlotta and the new guest living at her father’s house. All the little hints in the story tie together neatly at the end without giving away too much during the book (although I got suspicious half-way through).
+ 20 Task
+ 5 Multiple
+ 10 Review
Task Total: 35
Grand Total: 1435
20.2 – Wuthering HeightsThe Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
+20 task
+15 combo (20.8 - published between 36 and 67; 10.7 - trolls, goblins, wolves, dragon...; 10.5 - Gandalf and all the darves are more than 60)
+5 oldies (1937)
Task total = 40
Grand Total = 440
Number of books read: 17
Number of rws tasks completed: 16/20
Number of ABC’s tasks completed: 0/10
10.5 - ElderlyCrazy Horse (Penguin Lives Biographies by Larry McMurtry
(One of eight entries at BPL has this as YA, and there is no Lexile available, so no style points)
+10 task (McMurty was 63 when this non-fiction title was published)
Task total=10
Grand total=880
Know Your ABCs:15.7 - 7th book - letter Q
The Mao Case by Qiu Xiaolong
2009
+30 Task
Grand Total: 1775
That's my last post for this season! Thanks mods and everybody for another wonderful challenge!
Know Your ABC's - Round Two15.10 - 10th book - letter V (2003)
Shop Till You Drop by Elaine Viets
+45 Task
Task Total: 45
Grand Total: 680
Know Your ABC's - Round Two BonusGraduate bonus:
(A) 75 points if all 10 books are published within any 25-year period (1851-1875, 1932-1956, 1967-1991, etc.).
My reading list covers A.
A: All novels were written within a 25 year period - 1991-2012
** Please note that I did not repeat any publication year between my Round One and my Round Two
+75 Graduate bonus
Grand Total: 755
Thank you so much for the Fall Challenge. I have never read 20 books in three months before. I was really pushing myself to complete 'Know Your ABC's' twice.
Thank you for coming up with the sub-challenges. They are always my favourite!
message 1110: +5 Combo 207A Bechdel1825 + 05 = 1830
Task 20.7 Bechdel Test:
The work must (i) have at least 2 female characters who (ii) talk to each other about (iii) something other than a man/men
The hero’s wife and a matron employed by the British government discuss the logistics of moving children from London to the countryside during the 1940 London Blitz. (There’s a lot of reassurance that the children will be safe there.)
Bitter Seeds (Milkweed Triptych #1) (2010) by Ian Tregillis
+20 Task
+05 Style: 2. Multiple (5 points): Each time you repeat a task.
+10 Style:3. Review (10 points):
Task Total: 20 + 05 + 10 = 35
Grand Total: 1830 + 35 = 1865
Review: This novel is set in England, France and Germany during the early days of World War II. The twist: Germany’s pursuit of “supermen”, beginning in 1920, has produced a handful of successes. England belatedly plays catchup, using the manipulation of natural forces instead the manipulation of humans to gain wartime advantage. The emphasis in the first half is on the day-to-day struggles of the characters and on the puzzle of how the supernatural in THIS world works. I liked that part. The second half, spies + horror, wasn’t as interesting.
Overall, an original fantasy/ alternative history / horror novel. Recommended for fantasy / horror fans.
And, with this book, I’m finished with the Fall Challenge. Thanks to all the moderators and I'll see y'all in the winter challenge.
20.8 Veteran Author
by Mercedes Lackey. Her first book was published in 1987. Her most recent book is 2012.Also in the story "Dawn and Sorrows" Dawn and the female Herald have a conservation about traveling together. As well as the storyteller is talking to her student about how she first met Dawn. In the story "Darkwall's Lady", Lady Darkwall talks to Merris, her heir about inheriting the Keep and Merris's birthday.
Task +20
Style +25(Oldies 1987, Review, Multiple, Combo 20.7)
Review
I have not read this author in a long time. I have read some of her other short story anthologies and enjoyed them. I do have a minor problem. The title is called "Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar" however, there isn't a single story called "Crossroads". Aside from that I enjoyed most of the stories in this book. I especially liked "The Blue Coat", "Safe and Sound", "Dawn and Sorrows", and One Song, Two Voices" as well as Darkwall's Lady". I enjoyed coming back and reading this world again after a long break from it. Valsemar is the world I enjoy reading about most.
Total: 45
Grand Total: 255
Arow wrote: "Know Your ABC's - Round Two BonusGraduate bonus:
(A) 75 points if all 10 books are published within any 25-year period (1851-1875, 1932-1956, 1967-1991, etc.).
My reading list covers A.
A: All n..."
Double Finisher! Congratulations!
10.1 Square PegKidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
Review:
To prevent David Balfour from inheriting his uncle arranges for him being kidnapped and taken on a ship. This is where David’s adventures begin. He is supposed to be eventually sold into slavery, but the ship sinks. David only barely escapes drowning and now has to find his way home to try and get his rightful inheritance.
This was clearly written for a younger audience. The upside of the story is that it doesn’t linger on one event/sub-plot too long. Instead it has a fast-moving plot. It is also quite a short story (perfect to fill this gaping “square-peg hole” in the challenge on a last-minute basis).
However, this book just doesn’t manage to grasp me the way other books do. It is a nice, fast read but nothing more. The characters are developed OK, considering the length (or rather shortage) of the book. Curiously enough I felt that the secondary characters were better developed than the main character, who somehow remained flat to me.
I am really surprised that this was included in the canon. While it is not bad as such, it’s certainly not a book that would be my first choice for recommending.
+ 10 Task
+ 10 Review
+ 10 Oldies
Task Total: 30
+ 100 RwS Finish
Grand Total: 1565
Isabell wrote: "10.1 Square Peg+ 100 RwS Finish"
congratulations, Isabell!
10.8 Lucky Sevens - 7 letters in author's first nameSidetracked by Henning Mankell
+10 task
Task total 10
Grand Total 640
20.8 Veteran's DayThe Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
+ 20 Task
Low lexile score, so no style points;
Grand Total: 1585
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Isabell wrote: "10.1 Square Peg+ 100 RwS Finish"
congratulations, Isabell!"
Thanks, Elizabeth.
And congratulations to everybody else who finished part of the challenge and especially the mega finishers.
20.3 Edgar Allen PoeDress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
Review:
I listened to the audio edition narrated by the author, David Sedaris. It would be difficult to take this book if it was read by someone else. It is funny but would not seem so if he was not talking about his family whom he obviously loves. And he makes clear that he is describing them through his own OCD lens. For instance after describing his unemployed sister's dumpster diving and her irregular apartment, he realizes that he is not honoring her survival skills and artistic drive but trying to make her into someone she is not. Along with laughing about his family he is willing to laugh at himself.
+20 Task (BPL DD 814)
+10 Combo (10.8A, 20.4)
+10 Review
Task total: 40
Grand total: 850
Last book for Fall 2012 Challenge--I am not going to make my 26 books this time.
20.2 In honor of the brooding moors of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights: rural setting The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Review:
I've already read The Hobbit in German a couple years ago and wanted to finally read the English original before the movie comes out (and before the Fall challenge is over). The book - although Tolkien wrote it for his children - is by far more than "just" a children's book. It is in parts rather gruesome and violent, with really a lot of action and suspense. The best thing is, in my opinion, that Mr. Baggins is just such a lovely character: rather down to earth, but with a lot of courage and wits if needed. I'm still mixing up the dwarves, and don't have too detailed pictures of them in my head. They are just too many and the similar names aren't helping. However, I find all of them important an contributing to the story. I just love the book and feel very drawn to start with LOTR again soon.
+20 task (No. 12 on the list)
+10 review
+ 5 oldies (published 1937)
+ 5 combo (10.8 C: published 1937; haven't used it for combo points before)
task total: 40
Grand Total: 60
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Reading with Style
Books mentioned in this topic
Endgame (other topics)The Sirens of Titan (other topics)
Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis (other topics)
Lost Memory of Skin (other topics)
Round The Red Lamp (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (other topics)Timothy Egan (other topics)
Arthur Conan Doyle (other topics)
Jeanne DuPrau (other topics)
Joan Hess (other topics)
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I think Kate might have gotten interrupted while she was entering your score for 978. She will be doing some work on scores tonight. Go ahead and post your book now if you'd like, and we'll follow up.