OFFICIAL SPRING CHALLENGE - 2009 Showing 451-500 of 6,381

[Cynthia]

I'll allow TLTWATW for Christian Fiction.

[Cynthia]

Bonnie wrote: "Cynthia wrote: "any suggestions for a book in the state of Washington? or Portland area? "

I can't believe no one has said this yet: the Twilight series. It's set in Washington. I saw you already ..."
I absolutely love Portland, I lived there for four years!
I didn't know that twilight is set in Washington... makes it more alluring now!

[Jon]

are any in the series of lion witch and wardrobe acceptable? most seem to appear as having been listed on christian shelves - i was planning on reading Magicians nephew

[Shannon SA]

I’m a Newbie, here’s my choice (subject to change depending on accessibility of books). Looking forward to fitting in all this reading – have fun, everybody!
5 Points
1. Northern Lights – Phillip Pullman
2. 84 Charing Cross Road – Helene Hanff OR
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Pie Society – Mary Ann Shaffer OR
Ella Minnow Pea – Mark Dunn
3. To be decided
4. Murder on the Orient Express – Agatha Christie – audio book in car
5. Jonathan Living Seagull – Richard Bach (inspirational instead of Christian)
6. Little Women – Louisa May Alcott
7. To be decided
8. To be decided
9. I heard the owl call my name – Margaret Craven
10. Before the storm – Judith Lennox OR
The rain before it falls – Jonathan Coe OR
The rose of Sebastopol – Katherine McMahon
10 Points
1. That they may face the rising sun OR Amongst Women OR The Barracks by John McGahern
2. Pedro Paramo – Juan Rulfo
3. In Tasmania – Nicolas Shakespeare
4. A prayer for Owen Meany – John Irving (2 March)
5. The magician’s apprentice – Trudi Canavan OR
The magician’s nephew – C S Lewis
6. Star Gazing – Linda Gillard
7. The virgin in the garden (Book 1 of the Frederica Quartet) – A S Byatt OR
Frederica – Georgette Heyer
8. First Light – Geoffrey Wellum OR
All quiet on the Western Front – Erich Maria Remarque
9. I capture the castle – Dodie Smith (I’ll be starting with this one as it’s on my bookshelf)
10. Private Peaceful – Michael Morpugo
15 Points
1. Zorba the Greek – Nikos Kazantzakis (Aries)
2. Collected tales & poems – Edgar Allan Poe
3. Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
4. Dry store room no. 1 – Richard Fortey (London)
5. Ginger Pye – Eleanor Estes (Newbery Award 1952)
6. Seven years in Tibet – Heinrich Harrer OR
The three musketeers – Alexandre Dumas
7. How to be free – Tom Hodgkinson & The cruel sea – Nicholas Monsarrat
8. Second glance – Jodi Piccoult
9. The woman in black – Susan Hill
10. The fatal Englishman: 3 short lives – Sebastian Faulks AND
Four arrows & a magpie – N Scott Momaday AND
Five on a treasure island – Enid Blyton

[Ashley]

With the Narnia books, I know that The Last Battle (the final book) is supposed to have the most obvious/blantant Christian undertones to it. Would that one work also? I haven't read any of them in such a long time, I don't really remember, but I recall all of them having those undercurrents of religion to them.
Either way, thanks!

[Jenny]

are any in the series of lion witch and wardrobe acceptable? most seem to appear as having been listed on christian shelves - i was planning on reading Magicians nephew

I didn't know that they were christian books. I put the lion, the witch and the wardrobe under that one as the other options are: a book about sacrifice (that's the one I was fitting it under) and a book about something you would or are planning to give up.

[Jon]

yep C S lewis is a prominent Christian author - he wrote a lot of other Christian stuff - i had no idea till the film came out and they made a big fuss of the christian themes - Aslan = Jesus, sacrifice, blah blah. The golden compass series is seen as to a degree being the opposite ie from an atheist perspective and religion being aligned with dictatorship

[Cynthia]

I'll accept all of that series for the Christian Fiction task.

[Ashley]

If you know what to look for, every book in that series is an allegory of a religious theme. Some are more prominent than others.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is about the fight between Satan(the white witch) and Christ (Aslan), and the battle between good and evil. There are tons of symbols from the Bible, like the resurrection of the good and faithful people when Christ comes again (all the people the white witch turned to stone returning to life...) ETC. There are tons in that one. And Prince Caspian has a lot about believing in Christ, and having faith in him no matter what anyone else believes, etc.
If you know what you are looking for, everyone of those books has something there.
I haven't read all of them, and I thought now would be a good time to finish off the series, because it fits into several categories.
Thanks!

[Alice]

Rora wrote: "I wouldn't think of The Chronicles of Narnia as being Christian fiction. You can tell it more in some of his other works though such as The Screwtape Letters and The Space trilogy."

The Chronicles of Narnia is Christian Fiction. The entire series is an analogy of Christianity. C.S.Lewis was a Christian and wrote a lot of books, fiction and non-fiction, which are Christian. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has a very blatant Christian message. Aslan is meant to be Jesus. He sacrifices himself so that Peter (is that the right one or was it the other brother?) doesn't have die. He then comes back to life after he has died. It is an exact analogy of the story of Jesus and he wrote it to be so. There also other more subtle connections throughout the book which I won't go into!

[Jenny]

Wow I never knew all of that!!

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner)]

I would also say that The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe is Christian Fiction..i went to a Christian University and I'm pretty sure that it was characterized as such for the same reasons that Alice stated.

[Melissa]

I remember watching the old BBC version (or something like that) at church, so I'd definitely say the Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe is Christian Fiction.

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner)]

for all you Gemini's out there..i think that's the twin one..i thought of a good one..The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.

also..for Libras..the one i am going to use is Mercy by Jodi Picoult.

[Lindsey]

Ooh, speaking of CS Lewis, for all the Ares in the group, he wrote an amazing book called Till We Have Faces A Myth Retold and its a retelling of the Cupid/Psyche myth. It's a quick read but very good.

[Ashley]

For the one for Arbor Day, if we just check the book out from the library to read it, rather than buying it, does that count as saving a tree?

[Charity]

East of Eden by John Steinbeck also features twins.

[Fiona (Titch)]

Cynthia, can u go to page 7 on here and scroll down and check out my list for what I have down so far and tell me whether its ok, as I am away on 23rd - 27th March and 9th - 11th April.

Thanks xx

[Lindsey]

I have prob a stupid question. I'm in Korea and we're a day ahead. If I finished a book on the 1st my time, but the 28th your time, would it count?

[[deleted user]]

This is my first challenge, so this should be fun! If you guys have any recomendations I really need help for some more books. Cynthia can you check this out and see if these are all ok?

5 POINTS

1. Frankenstein-Mary Wollstonecraft Shelly
2. Not decided yet
3. My Sister's Keeper-Jodi Picoult
4. Not decided yet
5. A Shadow at Evening- Chris Wally
6. Not decided
7. Not decided
8. Not decided
9. Song of the Sparrow-Lisa Ann Sandell
10. Storm Theif-Chris Wooding

10 POINTS

1. Not decided
2. Not decided
3. Not decided
4. The Final Warning-James Patterson
5. Scholoarly Magicks-Caroline Stevemmer
6. New Moon-Stephenie Meyer
7. Not decided
8. Catch 22-Joseph Heller
9. Not decided
10. Life of Pi-Yann Martel

15 POINTS

1.The Lightning Theif-Rick Riordan
2.I'm Nobody Who Are You?-Emily Dickison
3. Not decided
4. Not decided
5. Not decided
6. Not decided
7. Not decided
8. Not decided
9. Code Orange-Caroline B. Cooney
10. Harry Potter books 3 through 5-J.K. Rowling

[Sara ♥]

Lindsey wrote: "I have prob a stupid question. I'm in Korea and we're a day ahead. If I finished a book on the 1st my time, but the 28th your time, would it count? "

You're in Korea??? My family's in Korea, and we lived over there in 2000-2001 also. I peeked at your profile and saw you're in the army. Which base are you stationed at? I'm trying to remember which one was army. Chinhae is navy. I think Osan is air force... There was one up near Seoul, I think...

[Jenny]

Yay it works! I thought you guys may like this. If you go to http://www.tickerfactory.com you can make a progress bar. You have to make it under fundraising so you can have a target to work towards but I thought this was really cool.


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[Lindsey]

Yep, I'm in Seoul. Yongsan Garrison is the name of the base.

[[deleted user]]

Jenny wrote: "Yay it works! I thought you guys may like this. If you go to http://www.tickerfactory.com you can make a progress bar. You have to make it under fundraising so you can have a target to work towards..."

What a cute idea! I added a ticker to the bottom of my list. :) Thanks for the idea!!

[Jon]

Thats so cute Jenny!.. Bunnies on your marks!


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[Mary Beth]

Thanks, Jenny! I just added one to my list as well.

[Jaime]

Cynthia-For the task that is read a past or present TNBBC read I was wondering if The Road would count...There is a thread in the monthly discussions folder and it is on the bookshelf but I dont now if it was actually selected or just started because a bunch of people were reading it...

[Jo]

Jenny has just told me about this group so I've just this minute joined. Will choose my books and post very soon. If I can't decide at this moment on every book is it ok to temporarily say 'not yet decided'? I can see that's what Caitlin has done. Love the progress bar, Jen!

[Sara ♥]

Jen's ticker is cute, but I like Jon's cute bunny rabbit.... I'll make one later.... ;)

[SusannaW]

I'm having real trouble finding interesting books - eg. the book prize author is a totally dire choice for 1966...????

And my mother's name is Mollie; which I think leaves me with Ulysses or Moll Flanders. There is no way I am reading James Joyce. I studied Portrait of an Artist for A'Level and lost the will to live.

I need help..!

[Charity]

List of Literary Awards/Prizes

The Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, and the Nobel Prize for Literature all go back quite a ways.

Mollie is the name of one of the horses in Animal Farm by George Orwell.

[Cynthia]

Ashley - no just checking out a book from the library will not count for the arbor day challenge.

Lindsy - as long as you start on your time and finish on your time - but don't post any points until March 1st EST (Eastern Standard Time - my time zone)

Jamie - If it is on the bookshelf - I'll accept it for that challenge

Susanna UK - Mollie Hunter, Mollie Hardwick, Mollie Molay, Mollie Sharkey-Wilmot.


Loving Mollie
Mollie Peer or, The Underground Adventure of the Moosepath League
Criminals
White Hot
Spellbound

Fiona - your list looks fine.

[SusannaW]

Thanks Charity - Animal Farm will be just fine! :))

[Lindsey]

That's what I figured, thanks Cynthia :)

[SusannaW]

For the one with 'woman' in the title - does it have to be a 'novel'? Would Murakami's short stories Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman be ok?

[Lindsey]

Susanna UK, what about any of the Harry Potter books? Molly Weasley is a character in those.

[Cynthia]

Collection of short stories is fine.

[Sara ♥]

How does my ticker look? :) It looks like 7 people will finish the winter challenge....


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[Jon]

rrrrrrrrrrrrRivett!

[Jon]

Susanna - admittedly not brillaint for 66 but found these for you - at least you could read one of the Dune books?

Frank Herbert
Daniel Keyes
Adam Hall
Lionel Davidson

[Angela]

[image error]

I like this idea!!

[Cynthia]

Margaret Atwood won the 1966 Governor General's Award
so you could read...
The Handmaid's Tale
Oryx and Crake etc.

[Beth F]

These tickers are ridiculously cute.

I have to have one too! :D


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[Jon]

Oh well done Cynthia - i think Ms Atwood probably beats my suggestions hands down (unless your a sci fi buff in which case Dunes good)

[Jon]

My Bunny is Champing at the bit lol

[Angela]

Now I know you said we could read a book with a three, four, and five in the title and that we can read a book with third, fourth, and fifth. Can we mix it up? For example can I read a three, a fourth, and a five or do they all have to match?

[Cynthia]

They all have to match which ever one you choose.

[Angela]

Thanks! I may have to go a different route now with that task

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

Susanna UK wrote: "I'm having real trouble finding interesting books - eg. the book prize author is a totally dire choice for 1966...????

I was also born in 1966, and I'm also a Susanna! *cue spooky music*

Nobel: Shmuel Yosef Agnon (who?) and Nelly Sachs (who? oh, a Swede)
National Book Award (fiction): Katherine Anne Porter
National Book Award (arts and letters): Janet Flanner
National Book Award (history/biography): Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.
Pulitzer (fiction): Katherine Anne Porter
Tony Award for Best New Play: Peter Weiss (for Marat/Sade, which is certainly an interesting play)
Hugo Award: Frank Herbert (Dune)

Those are the ones I've heard of, anyway.

Edit: Margaret Atwood? That's a good one, too. Loved The Handmaid's Tale.

[Victoria]

This is my first challenge I am really looking forward to this. I doubt I will come close to finishing this.

5 Points
1. Undead and Unemployed-Mary Janice Davidson or Neverwhere-Neil Gaiman
2.The Perks of Being a Wallflower-Stephen Chbosky
3.A Thousand Splendid Suns-Khaled Hosseini
4.Me Talk Pretty One Day-David Sedaris
5.The Shack or The Oath-Elie Wiesel
6.Girl,Interrupted-Susanna Kaysen
7. ???
8.When You Are Engulfed in Flames-David Sedaris
9.Lamb-Christopher Moore
10. ???

10 Points
1.If You Could See Me Now-Cecelia Ahern
2.Red Glass-Laura Resau
3.The Book Thief-Markus Zusak
4.The Boy in the Striped Pajamas-John Boyne or Seducing the Demon-Erica Jong or
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy-Douglas Adams
5.A Chalice of Wind-Cate Tiernan
6.Cage of Stars-Jaquelyn Mitchard
7.???
8.???
9.The Bell Jar-Sylvia Plath
10.The Historian-Elizabeth Kostova(Helene) or
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy-(Hollis)

15 Points
1.???(Cancer)
2.What My Mother Doesn't Know-Sonya Sones
3.Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
4.???
5.James Salter or Kazuo Ishiguro or Anne Tyler(1989)
6.The Stranger-Albert Camus
7.Driving with Dead People-Monica Holloway and
Red is for Remembrance-Laurie Faria Stolarz or
Woman in Red-Eileen Goudge or
Beneath a Blood Red Moon-Shannon Drake
8.Handle with Care-Jodi Picoult
9.White Oleander-Janet Fitch
10.Undead and Unappreciated, Undead and Unreturnable, Undead and Unpopular-
Mary Janice Davidson