The Next Best Book Club discussion
Cynthia's Seasonal Challenges
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OFFICIAL SPRING CHALLENGE - 2009
5 points1 Inkheart (Inkheart, Book 1) by Cornelia Funke
2 The Diary of a Young Girl – Anne Frank
4 Little Women - EBOOK (reading)
5 The Red Tent – Anita Diamant (ordered)
6 Mah, Adeline Yen Title Falling leaves return to their roots : the true story of an unwanted Chinese daughter
7 Barbara Trapido – Juggling - read then give to charity (on shelf)
8 Three bags full / Leonie Swan /
9 The One Flew over the cukoos nest – Kesey
10 The House of Thunder – Dean Kootz
5/50 points
10 points
4 SUE GRAFTON O is for Outlaw
5 Practical Magic – Alice Goffman
7 Walk Two Moons – Sharon Creech
8 Catch 22-Joseph Heller (on shelf)
9 Numer 1 on the list - I Capture the Castle – Dodie Smith
50/100 points
15 points
1 Riordan, Rick Title The lightning thief
3 The Audacity of Hope – Barack Obama (ordered)
One city / Alexander McCall Smith, Ian Rankin and Irvine Welsh READ
6 Love in the time of Cholera
7 : Alias Grace Mary Higgins Clark & No Place Like Home A Novel Margaret Atwood
Then read about him online. DONE
CARROT AND SWEET POTATO MASH
10 Stirling, Jessica - Sisters three (on shelf)
Caldwell, Ian – Rule of Four (on shelf)
Harris, Joanna – Five quarters of the orange(on shelf)
75/150 points
25 points
2 Louisa May Alcott: A Biography by Madeleine B. Stern
When Will There Be good news – Kate Atkinson
6 In The Footsteps of Robert Bruce – Alan Young & Michael J Stead 190 pages (on shelf)
On the Trail of William Wallace – David R. Ross 146 pages (reading)
7 Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice (on shelf)
Private peaceful – Michael Morpurgo
9 Waiting for Daisy : the true story of one couple's quest to have a baby / Peggy Orenstein (ordered)
125/200 points
Total 255 points
2. April is National Poetry Month – Read a book of poetry OR about a famous poet.One Hundred Favourite Humorous Poems – ClassicFM READ
New Total = 230 points
Elizabeth (NC) wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "15 Points5. Literary Prize Winner: Ender's Game by O..."
I love the Ender series too! My friend bought them for me on my 13th birthday, and I didn't really appreciate them until I'd read them many times. My favorites were the sequel Speaker for the Dead and the parallel novel Ender's Shadow.
Latest UpdateTHE TASKS
5 Points
1. Swallowing Darkness by Laurell K. Hamilton
2. Almost Like Being in Love by Steve Kluger
3.
4. Eiger Dreams by Jon Krakauer
5. The Gnostic Mystery by Randy Davila
6. A Lady’s Secret by Jo Beverley
7.
8. Jack with a Twist by Brenda Janowitz
9. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
10. The Feast of Roses by Indu Sundaresan
Category Total: 10 / 50
10 Points
1. P.S. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern
2. Gringos by Charles Portis
3. In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
4. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (March 4
5.
6. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
7. Getting Mother’s Body by Suzan-Lori Parks
8. A Very Long Engagement by Sebastien Japrisot
9.
10.
Category Total: 30 / 100
15 Points
1. Double Whammy by Carl Hiaasen (Pisces – Takes place at a bass-fishing tournament)
2.
3. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
4. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt (Savannah, GA)
5. Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson (Newbery Medal 1981)
6.
7. The Last TOWN on Earth by Thomas Mullen /
The CROWN Conspiracy by Michael J. Sullivan
8.
9. The Red Scarf by Kate Furnivall
10. The Horse and His Boy, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis (Books 3, 4, and 5 of The Chronicles of Narnia series)
Category Total: 45 / 150
25 Points
1.
2. The Ballad of Dorothy Wordsworth by Frances Wilson
3. From Eva: I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell by Tucker Max /
4. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
5. My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding edited by P.N. Elrod (Short Stories)
6. Warriors of God: Richard the Lionheart and Saladin in the Third Crusade by James Reston Jr.
7.
8. The Silver Chair / The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis
9. House of Cards: A Tale of Hubris and Wretched Excess on Wall Street by William D. Cohan
Category Total: 50 / 200
50 Points
1. TBD
Category Total: 0 / 50
Category Totals: 135 / 550
Goal: 135 / 250
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LEADERBOARD
LIZZI - 295
MEGHAN - 275
SANDY - 265
ASHLEY ID - 255
SHARON - 255
BEV - 240
BONNIE - 240
KRISTINA - 230
LEORA - 230
DONNA JO - 225
PERS - 225
KRISTEN IL - 215
BRIDGIT - 210
EVA - 210
FIONA (TITCH)- 210
BJ ROSE - 205
JOSIE - 205
KRISTENR - 200
RORA - 200
BETH MN - 185
CAIT - 180
LIZ BRKLYN - 180
JON - 175
KRITIKA - 165
SARA - 165
CATHEROO - 155
RORY - 155
SUZIER - 155
ALICE - 150
REBECCA J - 150
ROS - 150
ANGELA - 145
ANGIE - 145
EL - 145
APRIL - 140
ASHLEY AL - 140
JUDITH IA - 140
LOUISE - 140
COURTNEY - 135
KAREN - 135
LIZ VEGAS - 135
MAGGIE - 135
MARY BETH - 135
SUSAN - 135
FALLON - 130
SANDIE - 130
TINA - 130
ROSEANN - 125
STEPH - 125
STEPHANIE - 125
CASSIE - 120
NICOLE NC - 115
RENFREW - 115
JAMIE MN - 110
VICTORIA - 110
ELIZABETH NC - 105
ALISHA - 100
ANN FROM SC - 100
CAROL - 100
CYNTHIA (SCM) - 100
JEGKA - 100
JOY - 100
LILY - 100
LORI - 100
RHIANNON - 100
BECKY - 95
CYNTHIA - 90
LINDSEY - 90
LYNLEE4 - 90
SERA - 90
TRACY - 85
ELIZABETH (ALASKA) - 80
KATE - 80
JENNIFER IN - 75
JULIE UK - 75
KICKI - 75
MANDAY - 75
POTJY - 75
RYAN - 75
HEATHER KS - 70
MELODY - 70
NATALIA - 70
SUSANNA UK - 70
ABBIE - 65
KATHRYN - 65
SAI - 65
AMANDA - 60
BETH - 60
HAYES - 60
JEN B - 60
KELLY - 60
LAUREN - 60
AMY - 55
CYNDEE - 55
JENNY - 55
LINDA - 55
MEGAN - 55
ROBIN - 55
TRYPHENA - 55
SHANNON - 50
ALLISON - 45
ELIZ - 45
JEN - 45
JOANIE - 45
JOANNA - 45
SLAIMI - 45
WV HEATHER - 45
JAMIE WA - 40
JENNIFER MD - 40
JESSICA - 40
KIM - 40
MEL - 40
JEANE - 35
KATIE - 35
LIZ NY - 35
ALYSSA - 30
SHELLIE - 30
TOBIE - 30
ASHLEY UT - 25
DOROTHY - 25
JAIME 26 - 25
JESSICA SC - 25
JULIE (ID)'S - 25
KRISTI - 25
LACY - 25
LDB - 25
MELISSA - 25
RACHEL - 25
NICOLE CA - 20
VICKI - 20
CAITLIN - 15
JENNI - 15
LISA CO - 15
GREG - 10
JULIE TN - 10
MORGAN - 10
JAMIE 23 - 5
JUDITH NY - 5
MICHELLE - 5
SHELBY - 5
TERRI - 5
WOOT! 40 more points for me :-)15 pts
9. Read a book with a color in the title AND eat a meal that includes at least 2 foods that are that color (you don’t have to cook it yourself). - Anne of Green Gables and I grilled some zucchini and asparagus to go with my chicken the other night.
25 pts
1. KAREN’S TASK - As we are all totally completely addicted to GR (Goodreads), let's read…
- A book which title starts with the letter G AND
- A book which title starts with the letter R.
The Road and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
ROry said: pulled two books from Kristina's virtual bookshelf Hawkes Harbor by S.E. Hinton 3/22/09 I am listening to it on audio now and was quite surprised by a turn it took about half way through
Read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close for 15.3. 5 Points
1.
2. Ella Minnow Pea A Novel in Letters
3.
4.
5. The Shack
6.
7.
8.
9. Down the Rabbit Hole An Echo Falls Mystery
10.
Total: 20
10 Points
1.
2. Rain of Gold
3.
4. Until I Find You A Novel - John Irving (March 2nd)
5.
6. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things
7. Postmortem - Patricia Cornwell
8. Outlander - Diana Gabaldon
9. The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde
10. The Virgin Suicides - Jeffrey Eugenides
Total: 30 points
15 Points
1.
2.
3.
4.
5. The Witches of Eastwick - John Updike (National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction - 1981)
6. Ines of My Soul A Novel - Isabel Allende
7.
8.
9.
10. Three Cups of Tea One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time; The Rule of Four; Slaughterhouse-Five
Total: 60 Points
25 Points
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Shadows Of A Princess An Intimate Account by Her Private Secretary
8.
9.
Total: 125 points
Grand Total
275 points, 18 Tasks
Terri wrote: "ROry said: pulled two books from Kristina's virtual bookshelf Hawkes Harbor by S.E. Hinton 3/22/09 I am listening to it on audio now and was quite surprised by a turn it took about half way t..."
I liked this book a lot- it was awhile ago when I read it so it's slowly coming back to me right now but I only picked it up because Hinton wrote it and was pleasantly surprised with it.
I've seen like three of four people I think who have used my shelf for the 3rd 25 point task. Do I post that much that I'm the first person behind so many people? LOL
I just finished the Rhyming Books Task by reading Shoe Addicts Anonymous & Two for the Dough - both really good books. So that brings me up to 100 points - yeah! ! ! ! [image error]
Next I'm starting the 3/4/5 challenge - I plan to continue with the Stephanie Plum books - Three To Get Deadly, Four to Score, and High Five.
♡ Eva ♡ wrote: "I've seen like three of four people I think who have used my shelf for the 3rd 25 point task. Do I post that much that I'm the first person behind so many people? LOL"You're my person for this task too, I just haven't got around to picking up the books. :)
Jeez, I guess I post a lot more than I thought! LOL I hope you find some good books that you want to read. I'm pretty obsessive so there are a good amount to pick from. I just don't have the hundred lists like some people although I'd love to go through and make a YA list, a memoir list, etc. I just don't even want to think about trying that with over 2,000 books. Maybe someday!
5.2 Epistolary: We Need To Talk About Kevin :: Lionel Shriver
5. 8. For April Fools Day: Bet Me: Jennifer Crusie (3/28)
10.3 For ANZAC Day – Wings Above the Diamantina (Inspector Bonaparte): Arthur Upfield
15.2. National Poetry Month – A Light in the Attic: Shel Silverstein
15. 5. THE LONG MARCH by WILLIAM STYRON (3/27) (1968)
25.4 ROS’ TASK - Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden
25.5 BONNIE’S TASK - PMP Exam Cram 2 :: David Francis, Greg Horine
100 points/7 tasks
25.1 KAREN’S TASK - - A book which title starts with the letter G AND - A book which title starts with the letter R.
Restless – William Boyd READ and The Gargoyle – Andrew Davidson READ
TOTAL
255
♡ Eva ♡ wrote: "I've seen like three of four people I think who have used my shelf for the 3rd 25 point task. Do I post that much that I'm the first person behind so many people? LOL"did anyone get me? what are you reading from my choices?
I got you Jon-I have done 1/2 the teask so far. raec 'Brideshead Revisited'-not really getting why you had that at 5 stars...??? And will read "God of Small Things' this week,
Completed Tasks5 POINT TASKS
1.
6.
10 POINT TASKS
10.
15 POINT TASKS
2.
5.
7.
8.
25 POINT TASKS
4.
8.
TOTAL= 130 points
Completed a 25-point task:9. SARA'S TASK - Read a book that has a title of 12 or more words.
I read Rats Observations on the History and Habitat of the City's Most Unwanted Inhabitants by Robert Sullivan
I definitely would not have thought to pick this one up if a friend hadn't recommended it - and I enjoyed it! As it turns out, rats are fascinating creatures - not that I want to cuddle up to one anytime soon - and he ties his study in with really interesting historical info about New York.
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Completed another 25 point task! Me and You Too: Catalyst - Bob Harvey - for a book outside my normal genre. I don't know if anyone has seen this book before, but its really unique. Not so much in plotlines/story as in its typography. It is advertised as teh first "Full-Color" novel. Each page is like a magazine, with a backgroud, words are different colors and fonts that "match" what their meaning is. For example the word "upside-down" is acutally printed upside-down and words like descending, actually seem to be falling off the line. It was a little hard to read becuase of this, but it did make it more interesting. I have definitely never read anything like it. The story was just average though...Anyway, that puts my point total at 210
Finished another one -- two, actually -- 25 point task #1 (G & R books)... G is for Gumshoe and Rest and Be Thankful. Both re-reads -- but well worth it!Here's my current list... (I finally figured out how to do this, I think!)
5 points:
1. A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle
2. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society (I just finished this, but I can't wait to read it again!)
3. The Enchanted Castle, E. Nesbit
4.
5. The Redemption, M. L. Tyndall
6. Myself When Young, Daphne DuMaurier
7. Gone for Soldiers (book on CD), Jeff Shaara
8.
9. Lamb in Love, Carrie Brown
10. The Bean Trees, Barbara Kingsolver
10 points:
1. Nights of Rain and Stars, Maeve Binchy
2. Under the Volcano, Malcolm Lowry
3. The Australian Stories, T. James Pierce
4. Moon Tiger, Penelope Lively
5. Inkheart, Cornelia Funke
6. The Wind on the Moon, Eric Linklater
7. Sufficient Grace, Darnell Arnoult (a gift from my mom)
8.
9. The Double Bind (#14 on the TNBBC list), Chris Bohjalian
10. The Screwtape Letters (Susan's list, joined 1/29/09), C. S. Lewis
15 points:
1. Museum Pieces, Elizabeth Tallent (set in New Mexico -- I'm a Scorpio)
2.
3.
4. The Blessing Way, Tony Hillerman
5. Epitaph for a Spy, Eric Ambler (winner of the Edgar award in... drumroll please... 1964)
6.
7. The DAY I Ate Whatever I Wanted, Elizabeth Berg; I Am the CLAY, Chaim Potok
8. The Sunday Philosophy Club, Alexander McCall Smith (listening to a lecture given at our local library)
9. either The Golden Bowl, Henry James (if I'm up to Henry James) or The Golden Thread, N. McLeod (that way I don't have to come up with a new meal idea!)
10. The Third Angel, Alice Hoffman; The Fourth Angel, Suzanne Chazin; The Fifth Angel, Tim Green (I'll let you know if I find any unifying themes!)
25 points:
1.
2. My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John Adams
3.
4. Winnie-the-Pooh, A. A. Milne
5. Road from Coorain, Jill Ker Conway (I don't read many memoirs/biographies)
6.
7.
8. Summer of My German Soldier, Bette Greene; I Capture the Castle, Dodie Smith
9.
I got you Jon, and I chose Bridget Jones' Diary and The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency from your shelves! (They both looked fun)Today I finished reading General Winston's Daughter by Sharon Shinn, for task 5.6.
New total: 205 points
Josie wrote: "I got you Jon, and I chose Bridget Jones' Diary and The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency from your shelves! (They both looked fun)Today I finished reading [b:General Winston's Daughter|97966|General ..."
hurrah - both good choices! though be warned youll be setting yourself up for having to read a whole series for ladies detective. - just let it unfold on you, its a very slow lilting african pace of a book, v cute
25 points8. CASSIE'S TASK
The Graveyard Book and Coraline
I enjoyed both of them.
New total: 225 points
5 POINTS1. Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter Witch by Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman
2. Hołd dla katalonii i inne teksty o hiszpańskiej wojnie domowej by George Orwell
3. The Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving
5. The Name of The Rose by Umberto Eco
6.
7. God Bless You Mr. Rosewater by Kurt Vonnegut
8. Fritz the Cat by Robert Crumb
9. Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story by Leonie Swann
10 POINTS
1. Ulysses by James Joyce
3.
4. Neuromancer by William Gibson (March 17, 1948)
5. Arabia Magica. Wiedza tajemna u Arabów przed islamem by Marek M. Dziekan
6.
7.
8. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
9. The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (pos: 18, year: 1983)
10. Allah's Mountains: The Battle for Chechnya New Edition by Sebastian Smith
15 POINTS
1.
2.
3. Dracula by Bram Stoker
4.
5. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
7.
9. The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas
nothing fancy, just ice-cream with blackcurrants and a bowl of blackberries
10. Equal Rites Discworld Book 3 by Terry Pratchett
Mort Discworld Book 4 by Terry Pratchett
Sourcery Discworld Book 5 by Terry Pratchett
25 POINTS
1.
2.
3. From Cynthia's shelves:
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
4. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
5. Kordian by Juliusz Słowacki
6.
7. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (from "Conspiracy Theory")
8.
9.
Total: 45
Elizabeth (NC) wrote: "Orson Scott Card is one of my favorites. I didn't discover him until I was an adult--he's my husbands favorite author. I recommend Ender's Shadow--which basically tells the same story, but from Bean's point of view. It makes an interesting companion."I've read Ender's Shadow and really liked it. Some of the sequels and parallel books I like to pretend don't exist (I've read nearly all of them), but Ender's Shadow was one I thought was really well done.
Jegka wrote: "5.2 Epistolary: We Need To Talk About Kevin :: Lionel Shriver
This was such a sad book!
recently completed in BoldFive Point Tasks
1. Science Fiction/Fantasy Novel: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
2 Letters: Paper Darts by Virginia Woolf
3. Spring Cleaning: Girl with a Pearl Earring
5. Christian: The Magician's Nephew
6. Women's History: Smart Blonde
7. Arbor Day: Fugitive Pieces A Novel will bookmooch it
10. Book with Flower: The Name of the Rose
10 Point Tasks
2. Mexican Theme: The Crystal Frontier
3. ANZAC Day: Rabbit Proof Fence
4. Author B'Day in May: Heat and Dust
5. Book with Magic: The Mistress of Spices
7. Mother's Day: Moominvalley in November
8. Armed Forces Day: The Ghost Road
10. Five Stars: Of Human Bondage
15 Points
3. TNBBC Group Read:The Witch of Portobello
4. Spring Visit: Possession A Romance
5. Award Winning Author: Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally (won Miles Franklin Award for Australian Literature in 1968)
6. Translated Book: Our Lady Of The Flowers
7. Rhyming Books: The Remains of the Day / The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
8. Get to Know the Author: The Blind Assassin
9. Book with Colour Title: White Teeth
10. 3-4-5: Three Continents , Four Queens The Provencal Sisters Who Ruled Europe, Slaughterhouse-Five
25 Points
1. G/R The Godfather/The Road Home
3. Jamie's Shelves: Interpreter of Maladies and I Capture the Castle
5. Off Genre - True Crime Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
7. Book referenced in movie Mrs. Dalloway (ref The Hours)
9. Saras Title Sisters to the King The Tumultuous Lives of Henry VIII's Sisters - Margaret of Scotland and Mary of France
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Judith wrote: "I seem to remember that some of you have read A Great and Terrible Beauty... would you recommend it? I admit I'm having a lot of fun with YA books as an alternative from my usual heavy law reading..."It is on my list as one of the best YA trilogies,with the first in the trilogy being my favorite. I remember that I bought it randomly at the bookstore one day,finished it that afternoon, and had to go BACK to the bookstore that night because I couldn't wait to get the next one, Rebel Angels. LOL. Needless to say, I highly recommend the whole trilogy.
Jon wrote: "Josie wrote: "I got you Jon, and I chose Bridget Jones' Diary and The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency from your shelves! (They both looked fun)Today I finished reading [b:General Winston's Daughter|..."
And Josie, if you ahve planned out what to read and the ladies'detective book has at the end a part aboutt he second book:don't read it...I did and couldn't wait to read the second one!!!
Jon - ah well, I thought that might be the case, so I managed to incorporate the first five books in the series into the challenge!
Jon wrote: "Josie wrote: "I got you Jon, and I chose Bridget Jones' Diary and The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency from your shelves! (They both looked fun)Today I finished reading [b:General Winston's Daughter|..."
I will be reading the third and fourth books of the #1 Detective Agency series, both of which are on Jenny's list. By the way, HBO is having a series based upon these books that I believe starts tonight at 8 PM EST. Anthony Mingella (sp?) created it before he died last year. Jill Scott plays the lead.
i know this is a difficult question but a bit ago someone mentioned a book she ahd read for the task of reading a book by someone born in the spring months. I thought it was very interesting and thought about reading the same book or one by that author........but can't remember which author it was...anyone? :-)
Bonnie wrote: "Elizabeth (NC) wrote: "Orson Scott Card is one of my favorites. I didn't discover him until I was an adult--he's my husbands favorite author. I recommend Ender's Shadow--which basically tells the s..."Elizabeth & Bonnie, I agree about Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow being the best of the lot. My Third Thursday book group read Ender's Game a few years ago and even the non science fiction readers really enjoyed it.
Jeane wrote: "i know this is a difficult question but a bit ago someone mentioned a book she ahd read for the task of reading a book by someone born in the spring months. I thought it was very interesting and th..."Did you look through the previous posts? If it was awhile ago it would probably be too hard but if it was in the last few days you might be able to find it fairly easily.
Terri wrote: "Jegka wrote: "5.2 Epistolary: We Need To Talk About Kevin :: Lionel Shriver
This was such a sad book!"
I started reading this a few months ago and couldn't get into it at all. I'm hoping I'll get more into it the next time around because I really wanted it for awhile before I actually bought it and am still looking forward to reading it.
Donna Jo wrote: "Elizabeth & Bonnie, I agree about Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow being the best of the lot. My Third Thursday book group read Ender's Game a few years ago and even the non science fiction readers really enjoyed it."I'm glad everyone liked it! And it seems like it would be a really great book group book. There is so much to discuss. And lots of interesting opinions could come out of it.
Sera wrote: "Jon wrote: "Josie wrote: "I got you Jon, and I chose Bridget Jones' Diary and The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency from your shelves! (They both looked fun)Today I finished reading [b:General Winsto..."
yeah ive seen it - its really good :)
Josie wrote: "Jon - ah well, I thought that might be the case, so I managed to incorporate the first five books in the series into the challenge!"damn him - i went in a bookshop recently and noticed hes churned out another and i thought i completed the set during the winter challenge! im not getting sucked into any more series lol
Jeane wrote: "Jon wrote: "Josie wrote: "I got you Jon, and I chose Bridget Jones' Diary and The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency from your shelves! (They both looked fun)Today I finished reading [b:General Winsto..."
yes a dastardly cunning ploy to put the first chapter of the next book in the end of the last one!
I've now completed: 25 pts, task 1. Read two books which titles starts with the letters G AND R. (Ignore A OR THE at the start)I read Goldfinger by Ian Fleming and A Room with a View by E. M. Forster
I now have 165 pts. Thanks! (",)
25 Points6. British Monarchy: Brief Lives of the English Monarchs by Carolly Erickson.
This book gives thumbnail sketches of the kings and queens of England, from William the Conqueror to the current Elizabeth II. If you're looking for a book to teach you about English history through the lives of the monarchs, you should look elsewhere. Although the important events of each reign are mentioned, this book is really about the monarchs themselves. What Erickson does best is make them all human. Whether they've been vilified (i.e., King John of Robin Hood fame and Richard II) or lionized (Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria), kings and queens tend to seem larger-than-life. But Erickson gives insights into both there talents and their flaws. It's really their flaws that make them more interesting; and also make you wonder how the country wasn't run into the ground with some of the people who were in charge of it.
Another interesting aspect is how each royal line has it's own strengths and flaws that seem to haunt each generation. The Plantagenet's weren't deemed successful if they weren't skilled at war, the Tudors generally had brilliant minds, the Stuarts were rather conceited and ineffective and the Hanovers were usually rather horrid parents that tended to hate their heirs (and, sadly, were rarely as smart as the Tudors).
Each monarch gets about 10-15 pages, which makes it a good book to pick up at bedtime and read a few chapters. It's too confusing if you try to read it straight through; it really is better to read about a couple monarchs and then come back to it later and read about the next couple.
I have a decent background in English history, which certainly helps me to keep track of what is happening. You probably want at least a grasp of the basic history of England before you attempt this. I found it fascinating and it inspired me to learn more, especially about monarchs I hadn't thought about much.
Total Points: 265
Also, despite what it says on GoodReads and Amazon, my copy of the book has 434 pages. I don't know why it's different than what Amazon says it has.
I just finished The Sorrow of War for A book that has been translated from it's original language. It was translated to English from Vietnamese. War is one genre that I have almost never read, but this was required for a class I am taking. I will admit I was a bit surprised to find that it is really good. The Sorrow of War is a fictional account of the Vietnam War. I will definitely be recommending it to friends and family.That brings my new total to 75 points. I am eagerly waiting for the end of my class in a couple of weeks so that I can devote more time to personal reading!
5 POINTS7. For Arbor Day --- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (ebook)
15 POINTS
10. March, April, and May are the 3rd, 4th, and 5th months of the year --- Miss Julia Throws a Wedding, Miss Julia Hits the Road and Miss Julia Meets Her Match by Ann B. Ross
25 POINTS
5. BONNIE’S TASK - Read a book outside your normal genre --- The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren (nonfiction, self help)
Total Points: 175
Tasks Completed: 14
Just finished challenge 10.3 - Read an ARC copy of Flanagan's book due out in August and loved it so much I couldn't put it down! 5 point challenge
1. Bones of Faerie
2.
3.
4. The Wright 3
5.
6. Drums, Girls, And Dangerous Pie
7. Artemis Fowl The Time Paradox
8.
9. May Bird and the Ever After Book One
10. Storm Glass
10 point challenge
1.
2.
3.
4.
5. Wondrous Strange
6.
7. Wintersmith A Discworld Novel
8. Slaughterhouse-Five
9. I Capture the Castle #1
10.The Restaurant at the End of the Universe - 5 stars from Mary
15 point task
1.
2.
3. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
4.
5.
6.
7. True Blood and The New Policeman
8. I'll pick later
9.
10.
25 points
1. Gregor the Overlander or Green Jasper and Raven by Allison van Diepen
2. Wagner by Michael Tanner
3. Must Love Black by Kelly McClymer and The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett
4. Good Omens The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett
5. Outliers
6. The Decline and Fall of the House of Windsor
7. Gulliver's Travels (from Pagemaster)
8.
9.
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I just finished 15.4-Places you've been for spring break. I read "Lost in the Forest" by Sue Miller. It takes place in the Napa valley, that I visited several years ago.That brings my total to 150.
Ok, I've finished the Earth Day task for 10 points - I read A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. What a great book - informative and moving, I shed tears![image error]
Total points: 165
Just completed The Secret History by Donna Tartt, who certainly, in her own words, "has a modern day grasp of catastrophe"...held my attention, but I harbor no fondness for the characters, except perhaps Georges Laforgue. ☆☆☆
Just finished Skinny Dip for the Spring Break task. Up to 150 pts now.5 POINTS
1.
2.
3. Spring Cleaning – Leni: The Life and Work of Leni Riefenstahl, Steven Bach
4. Planes, Trains and Automobiles audiobook – Ragtime, E.L. Doctorow
5.
6. Women’s History Month – The Lady and the Unicorn, Tracy Chevalier
7. Arbor Day “recycle book” – In the Heart of the Sea, Nathaniel Philbrick
8. Humorous Novel – Three Bags Full, Leonie Swan
9. Spring Animals in title – Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal, Christopher Moore
10. April Showers Bring May Flowers – The Enchantment of Lily Dahl: A Novel, Siri Hustvedt
10 POINTS
1. Set in Ireland – Round Ireland With a Fridge, Tony Hawks
2. Cinco De Mayo -- Set in Mexico, The Falling Woman, Pat Murphey
3. Australian Author –I Am the Messenger, Markus Zusak or The People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks
4. Author Birthday – Cider House Rules, John Irving (March 3)
5.
6. Sun in Title – Mistress of the Sun, Sandra Gulland
7.
8. Memorial and Armed forces day – Band of Brothers, Stephen Ambrose
9. TNBBC Top Books list –I Capture the Castle, Dodie Smith
10. TNBBC Member 5 star book – Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
15 POINTS
1. SAGITARIUS: The archer – read a book about an athlete or sports. Shanks for Nothing, Rick Reiley
2. April is National Poetry Month – Read a book of poetry OR about a famous poet. Wintering: A Novel of Sylvia Plath, Kate Moses
3. TNBBC Group Read – A Great and Terrible Beauty, Libba Bray
4.
5. Major Literary Prize, 1981 – John Updike, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, Witches of Eastwick
6. Translation – Suite Francaise, Irene Nemirovsky
7. Two books with rhyming titles – Widow of the South, Robert Hicks and Smart Mouth, Erin McCarthy
8. Author Interview – You Suck, Christopher Moore
9. Book with color/meal – Green Grass Grace: A Novel, Shawn McBride
10. 3, 4, 5 series or titles – Kim Harrison
Every Which Way But Dead
A Fistful of Charms
For a Few Demons More
25 POINT
1.
2.Diarist – Boswell's London Journal, 1762-1763
3.Jen’s List –The Virgin Suicides and Ferris Beach
4. Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery
5.
6. Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Life, Alison Weir or Nell Gwyn: Mistress to a King, Charles Beauclerk
7.
8.
9. Book with 12 or more words in the title – The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America, Erik Larson
Total Points: 150/575
Tasks Completed: 9
Books Read: 12
Total Pages Read: 4818
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I know there has been a lot of discussion about this book, so I'll keep it short--I wish I had read it before the movie and before I knew all the hype. I think I would have found it an enjoyable book, but I had a hard time getting past the thought of all the young girls reading about Bella saying I can give everything up because you are my whole life. I can see why people like it--it's a great story, but I don't know if I'll read the others or not.