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Cynthia's Seasonal Challenges
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OFFICIAL SPRING CHALLENGE - 2009
Another update - Katherine Neville's "The Fire" for 10 points (#4). She was born April 4th, and even uses this date in her novels. I'm also using Neville's "The Eight" for 10 points (#9) - it's #109 on the list, and I was born in 1980.To date: 140
Goal: 300
Finsihed The Queen's Fool A Novelfor book of Becky's list but still need to read the second one tog et 25 points, so no changes for me.
Finished the abor day task for 5 pts, posted Burnt Offering, by Laurell K. Hamilton on paperback swap.Also finished the non-fiction British monarchy task for 25 pts. Will post review in another post.
That brings to me 265 points.
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.
7.
8.
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 – Three Bags Full, Leonie Swan
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.
5.
6. Sun in Title – Mistress of the Sun, Sandra Gulland
7.
8. Memorial and Armed forces day – Band of Brothers, Stephen Ambrose
9.
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.
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 – Bitten,….Ten Big Ones, Janet Evanovich
8.
9. Book with color/meal – Blue Moon, Laurell K. Hamilton
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 – The World of Louisa May Alcott, William Anderson
3.Jen’s List –
4. Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery
5.
6.
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: 265/575
Tasks Completed: 18
Books Read: 21
Total Pages Read: 8176
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Two Stars, Nell Gwyn: Mistress to a King, by Charles BeauclerkI read this for the TNBBC Spring Challenge, the task was to read a non-fiction book of at least 400 pages relating in some way to the British Monarchy, past or present. I decided to stay away from the Tudors, since I’ve read so much about them and ended up finding this book.
I thought I would really enjoy this book about Nell Gwyn, her relationship with Charles II and her life. There were definitely parts that I really enjoyed, but overall I found it overly wordy and long-winded.
Beauclerk, who is a direct descendent of Nell’s, seemed to go off on tangents that didn’t have anything to do with Nell. I mean, I understand that some asides into the politics of the period and the workings of the theater are important, but I felt there were great chunks of the book that I could have done without. It just seemed to go on and on!
However, I did enjoy the book when Beauclerk was actually focusing only on Nell and her life. The descriptions of her early life in the theater and her small beginnings as an Orange Girl were very interesting and painted a scene I could actually see. I also really enjoyed the 10th chapter, A Chargeable Lady that had detailed Nell’s extravagant life, the crazy amounts of shoes and gloves she ordered for herself and her sons, the huge silver bed she had created specifically for her and the large amounts food and alcohol she ordered for parties, that was really interesting to read. I thought it gave you a taste of how the wealthy really lived in the late 1600s. I also thought Charles II was such an interesting person. He definitely pushed the boundaries for normal kings, going into private houses for dinners and parties and laughing off anything overly fussy.
Also, who doesn’t love the fairytale rags-to-riches stories? That Nell started out selling oranges at the theater and eventually became a lover and, I believe, a great friend to the King. It’s pretty amazing that she was able to do that, evidently, staying pretty true to who she was. It seems like she was a quite a character, very clever and very funny.
This was definitely a step out of the norm for me, which is why this challenge has been so fun. It was an interesting read and I think people who love history would get a kick out of this.
I just realized that the book I got at the library about Edward VI for Jon's task is 16 pages shy of the 400 page mark.I'm guessing that it's not going to get me the points, can I reread a book on Queen Victoria (in addition to this library book) to push me over?
I wasn't sure if the task required that it be one book over 400 pages, or just over 400 pages altogether (even if it's multiple books.)
Thanks!
I just finished the 10 pt task to read a 5 star book from someone who joined around the same time. I picked The Book Thief off Shiela's shelves. I really, really liked this book! I have tried to read this book so many times. I've checked it out from the library at least 4 times in the last year and a half, and when I found I could make it work for this challenge, I read it, and Wow! I wish that I had read it sooner! I loved it. It made me cry! I love the emphasis placed on words, and their importance. And, I love the focus on books! Wow. So good! I definitely recommend this book to just about everyone!
Total: 310
In regards to the 50 pt task - I read Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich yesterday to replace Plum Spooky which I had read before April 15th!
Finished The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros for Task 10.2. It was just ok, not really my thing. Total Points: 280
Completed Tasks5 POINT TASKS (15)
1.
3.
6.
10 POINT TASKS (30)
4.
6.
10.
15 POINT TASKS (90)
2.
3.
6.
5.
7.
8.
25 POINT TASKS (50)
4.
8.
TOTAL= 185 points
rebecca j wrote: "In regards to the 50 pt task - I read Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich yesterday to replace Plum Spooky which I had read before April 15th!"Congrats on being the first to finish this taskKristenR wrote: "I just realized that the book I got at the library about Edward VI for Jon's task is 16 pages shy of the 400 page mark.
I'm guessing that it's not going to get me the points, can I reread a book o..."Jon did say multiple books could be used that would add up to at least 400 pages - but you also have to review each one
Victoria wrote: "Cynthia-- Would you accept 2BR02B for the arbor day task?
Thanks"I assume you have a kindle and plan to read it as an e-book on that - in that case yes it's fine.
5 points:
1.Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card (sci-fi)
4. Xenocide by Orson Scott Card (plane from NY, NY - Wichita, KS and back)
7.A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs (e-book, Project Gutenburg)
10 points:
7.The Pact by Jodi Picoult (recommended and given by my mother)
Total: 25 points
Cynthia - sorry to be annoying, but you still have my points at 320....I've since completed a 15 point task (message 4633), so I should be at 335, unless there was a problem with the book I read for it?Thanks :)
Five Point Tasks 1.Science Fiction Novel: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
3. Spring Cleaning: Off Season
4. Commute???
5. For Easter/Lent: Persuasion
7. Arbor Day: Love the One You're With(swapping it on paperbackswap)
9. Spring Animal Title: To Kill a Mockingbird
10. Book with Rain related word: The House of Thunder
Category Totals:
10 Point Tasks
1. Irish Author:PS, I Love You
3. ANZAC Day: The Book Thief
5. Book about Magic: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
6. Earth Day: The Pillars of the Earth
8. Armed Forces Day: Cold Mountain
9. TNBBC Top Books List: The Secret History
10. Five Stars Member's List: The Time Traveler's Wife
Category Totals:
15 Points
1. SCORPIO: The Road
3. TNBBC Unread Group Read: Water for Elephants
4. Location You've Been (CT): Swapping Lives
5. Award Winning Author:Beloved (Pulitzer in 1988)
6. Translated Book: Love in the Time of Cholera
7. Rhyming Novels: Can You Keep a Secret? & True to Form
9. Book with Color Title: Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood
10. 3-4-5: All That Remains, Cruel and Unusual, & The Body Farm
Category Totals:
25 Points
1. Karen's Task: Girl in Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood AND Rebecca
2. El's Task: Alice's Adventures: Lewis Carroll in Popular Culture-Will Brooker
3. Angela's Task: The Historian AND Blue Diary
6. Jon's Task: The Six Wives of Henry VIII
7. Darla's Task: Emma by Jane Austen
50 Points
1. Sandy's Task: Blaze A Novel AND Salem's Lot
Last night, I finished The Kindness of Strangers by Katrina Kittle for the Mother's Day task. I loved this book. Although, I do have to say that it was a definite tearjerker. I've heard a lot of people say that they couldn't get through it because of the subject matter (it's about sexual abuse) and while it was hard for me to read (I just couldn't believe what the boy in the novel went through), I would understand why it would be even harder for those with kids. Anyway, like I said, great book.
That brings my total points to 175.
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3. Spring Cleaning: Follow these directions to find your book for this task...
The best one out of all 5 IMO.
Two updates in one day, as I'm discovering that some stuff I read before I entered the challenge will fit the categories. I'm taking 10 points for the ANZAC Day item (#3) with Geraldine Brooks's "People of the Book," and I finished Lisa Lutz's "Revenge of the Spellmans" today for the 5 point April Fool's item (#8).Total to Date: 155
Goal: 300
5 Points1.Read a fantasy novel-Undead and Unemployed
4.Planes, Trains, and Automobiles-Me Talk Pretty One Day
7.For Arbor Day- 2BR02B
8.For April Fool's Day- Undead and Unworthy
10 Points
5.Read a book about magic-White Is for Magic
10.Members of TNBBC have great taste in books- **Joanne** Sloppy Firsts A Novel
15 Points
2.Read a book of poetry-What My Mother Doesn't Know
7.Rhyming titles- Red Is for Remembrance and Dead Witch Walking
8.Get to know the author-Silver Is For Secrets
10.Read the 3rd, 4th, and 5th book in a series-Undead and Unappreciated, Undead and Unreturnable, and Undead and Unpopular
25 Points
3.Angela's Task: Read 2 books that are on the shelves of the person below your first post- **Jamie**
The Eyre Affair and Lost in a Good Book
5.Bonnie's Task: Read a book outside your normal genre-Watchmen
7.Cassie's Task: Read 2 YA novels- Hunted andBlue Is For Nightmares
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Josie wrote: "Cynthia - sorry to be annoying, but you still have my points at 320....I've since completed a 15 point task (message 4633), so I should be at 335, unless there was a problem with the book I read fo..."-Fixed it - I was having some issues with my computer the other day and must have missed it - everyone else check your points make sure I got it right - let me know if I missed something.
I completed 5 point task number 8 the April Fools Day task. I read Dirty Jokes and Beer by Drew Carey.This brings me to 265 points.
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I completed Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on audiobook today for Task 5.7 As usual, I am re-reading the Harry Potter books. I love rereading them and enjoy them every time!!
New Point Total = 170
Completed 15.6 (Read a book that's been translated): Suite Francias-beautiful book, 5 stars
QUESTION: Hi Cynthia... Would Tuesdays with Morrie count for this task?
2. Read an epistolary novel OR a non-fiction collection of letters/journal etc.
Tuesdays with Morrie An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson
If yes, 155 + 5 = 160
If no, I don't know where I'll put it... I'll figure something out.
Thanks in advance. H
2. Read an epistolary novel OR a non-fiction collection of letters/journal etc.
Tuesdays with Morrie An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson
If yes, 155 + 5 = 160
If no, I don't know where I'll put it... I'll figure something out.
Thanks in advance. H
Tasks completed1. It’s Written In the Stars… - ARIES: Made me think of Ares the Greek God of War – Read a book about the Gods, Greek Mythology, Greece etc.
Riordan, Rick Title The lightning thief READ
NEW TOTAL = 385 points
5 points
2 The Diary of a Young Girl – Anne Frank (on shelf)
4 Little Women - EBOOK (reading)
6 Mah, Adeline Yen Title Falling leaves return to their roots : the true story of an unwanted Chinese daughter (on shelf)
7 Barbara Trapido – Juggling - read then give to charity (on shelf)
9 The One Flew over the cukoos nest – Kesey (on shelf)
10 The House of Thunder – Dean Kootz
20/50 points
10 points
2 Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel READ
3 Author Grenville, Kate Title The Secret river READ
4 SUE GRAFTON P is for Peril (on shelf)
5 Practical Magic – Alice Goffman
7 Walk Two Moons – Sharon Creech
8 TBD
10 Bridget Jones Diary – Helen Fielding READ
60/100 points
15 points
2 On Hundred Favourite Humorous Poems - Classic FM READ
3 The Audacity of Hope – Barack Obama (on shelf)
One city / Alexander McCall Smith, Ian Rankin and Irvine Welsh READ
7 : Alias Grace Mary Higgins Clark & No Place Like Home A Novel Margaret Atwood
Then read about him online. DONE
9 A CLOCKWORK ORANGE READ
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)
105/150 points
25 points
2 Wordsworth, Dorothy Title Dorothy Wordsworth's illustrated Lakeland journals READ
3 The Cellist of Sarajevo – Steven Galloway READ
When Will There Be good news – Kate Atkinson READ
4 Animal Farm – George Orwell READ
5 Young Adult – Angus, Thongs and perfect snogging READ
6 In The Footsteps of Robert Bruce – Alan Young & Michael J Stead 190 pages READ
On the Trail of William Wallace – David R. Ross 146 pages READ
Mary Queen of Scots – Jayne Elizabeth Lewis (on shelf)
8 The growing pains of Adrian Mole – Sue Townsend READ
Private peaceful – Michael Morpurgo READ
9 Waiting for Daisy : the true story of one couple's quest to have a baby / Peggy Orenstein READ
200/225 points
50 POINT TASK
Meg Cabot
Jenny Carroll
0/50
Total 385 points
I've just read The Suspicions of Mr Whicher or The Murder at Road Hill House for 25 points. It was really dry and I struggled to finish it but got there in the end!5 POINTS
1. A Neil Gaiman book
2. Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass Destruction by Sue Townsend
3. Half of Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
4. ?
5. The Shack by William P. Young
6. The Girls by Lori Lansons
8. The Difficult Second Book by Chris Moyles
9. ?
10. ?
10 POINTS
2. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
4. Mr Pip by Lloyd Jones (Born 23rd March)
5. Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold
6. East of the Sun by Julia Gregson
8. The Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davies
10. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson (One of Meg's 5 star rated books).
15 POINTS
2. Shakespeare by Bill Bryson
3. Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruen
5. The Sea by John Banville (won the Guardian Prize in 1981 for Kepler
6. Shape of Water by Andrea Camillia (translated from Italian into English
7. The Girl who was going to die by Glyn Maxwell and The End of Mr Y by Scarlett Thompson
9. The White Tiger by Aravind Acliga
10. ?
25 POINTS
2. ?
3. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger (from Angela's bookshelves)
5. The Face by Dean Koontz (Horror)
6. ?
7. ?
8. Eragon by Christopher Paolini and Artemis Fowl and the Time Deception by Eoin Colfer
50 POINTS
1. Rape: A Love Story by Joyce Carol Oates and Take Me Take Me With You by Lauren Kelly
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Goal: 390 Points / 32 books---Stats---
Earned Points: 195 of 390
Books Read: 18 of 32
Total Pages Read: 7850
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5 POINT TASKS
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (SF)
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Labyrinth by Kate Mosse (audiobook)
5. Read a Christian Fiction novel.
Showdown by Ted Dekker
6. Read a novel with woman, lady, etc in the title.
Lady Susan, The Watsons, Sanditon by Jane Austen
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (Sent to Kandice.)
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
9. Read a book with a spring animal in the title.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy
10 POINT TASKS
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides /Born: March 8, 1960
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susana Clarke
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
7. Read a book recommended by/given to you by your mother.
The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst
Othello by William Shakespeare
9. Read a book from the TNBBC Top Book list.
I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith (#1 - I was born in 1982)
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (Thanks Heather from page 39!)
15 POINT TASKS
1. LIBRA: Read a book about a lawyer, the law, a judge etc.
The Last Juror by John Grisham
Inferno by Dante Alighieri
3. Read a past OR present TNBBC group read that you haven’t read before.
Neverwhere: A Novel by Neil Gaiman
6. Read a book that was has been translated from its original language.
The Plague by Albert Camus
Duma Key by Stephen King
9. Read a book with a color in the title AND eat a meal that includes at least 2 foods of that color.
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
(Planned foods: Garlic and Feta cheese mashed potatoes and vanilla ice-cream)
25 POINT TASKS
The Green Mile (Complete Serial Novel) by Stephen King
4. Ros's Task: Read a book from the Big Reads List.
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
(Non-fictional memoir -- I normally read fiction: fantasy, horror, classics, etc.)
Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier (Referenced in "The English Patient".)
8. Cassie's Task: Read two YA novels.
Blue Is For Nightmares & White Is for Magic by Laurie Faria Stolarz
50 POINT TASK
1. Sandy's Task: Read two books by an author writing under two different names.
The Long Walk by Richard Bachman and Lisey's Story by Stephen King
Joanna wrote: "It has been awhile since I've posted so I've a few things to report.Finished task 25.1, Karen's Task and read a book beginning with a G and one beginning with an R
Karen's Task [b:The Restaurant..."
I just picked up Gregor and the prophecy of Bane (or it might be one of the others in the series). Is it good?
Five Point Tasks2 Letters: Paper Darts by Virginia Woolf
3. Spring Cleaning: Girl with a Pearl Earring
6. Women's History: Smart Blonde
7. Arbor Day: Colony will bookmooch it
10 Point Tasks
2. Mexican Theme: The Crystal Frontier
3. ANZAC Day: Rabbit Proof Fence
4. Author B'Day Heat and Dust or prodigal summer
5. Book with Magic: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
7. Mother's Day: Moominvalley in November
8. Armed Forces Day: The Ghost Road
10. Five Stars: The Picture of Dorian Gray(Brandon)
15 Points
3. TNBBC Group Read:Extremely Loud or Shadow of wind
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 Mistress of Spices, GR author Q&A
9. Book with Colour Title: A Patch of Blue
10. 3-4-5: The Horse and His Boy,Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
25 Points
1. G/R The Godfather/The Road Home
3. Jamie's Shelves: Interpreter of Maladies and
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 Crazy Title : The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Stories, Robert Louis Stevenson
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I've got less than one hundred pages left with Henry and his six wives - I snuck in some work on Rubyfruit Jungle and The Bell Jar to break up the royals - AND we have six new baby chicks just hatched in our kitchen (maybe seven, but I opened the incubator not realizing...not good...keep the fingers crossed - or in my case the eyes - I haven't read this much since law school ! )Happy Monday Everybody - Pulitzer Fiction 2009 Winner announced today at 3:00 eastern U.S. time !!
5 POINT TASKS1. Prey by Michael Crichton
2. Carrie by Stephen King
3.
4.
5. Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery by Joanne Fluke
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
10 POINT TASKS
1. P.S. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern
2. The Wild Girl by Jim Fergus
3. The book Theif by Markus Zusak
4.
5. Harry Potter and The Sorcer's Stone by: J.K. Rowling
6.
7.
8. The Sum of All Fears by Tom Clancy
9. The Scarlet Letter -Nathaniel Hawthorn
10. Ella Enchanted Gail Carson Levine
15 POINT TASKS
1.
2. Inferno by Dante Alighieri
3. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
4. BEYOND THE MELTING POT By Nathan Glazer and Daniel P. Moynihan
5. Lost Highway: Journeys and Arrivals of American Musicians by Peter Guralnick
6. 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
7.
8. Jake Riley : Irreparably Damaged by Rebecca Fjelland Davis
9. Devil in a Blue Dress (Easy Rawlins Mysteries) by Walter Mosley
10.
25 POINT TASKS
1. Grafitti Girl and Romone and Juliette
2. John Adams by David McCullough
3.
4.
5.
6. The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown
7.
8.
9. Wicked The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
50 POINT TASK
270/525
Just finished task #4 - 25 pts. Read The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien previous pts. 200 + 25 = 225
Completed 10.8 bringing me to 275. 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.
7.
8.
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 – Three Bags Full, Leonie Swan
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.
5.
6. Sun in Title – Mistress of the Sun, Sandra Gulland
7.
8.
9.
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.
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 – Bitten,….Ten Big Ones, Janet Evanovich
8.
9. Book with color/meal – Blue Moon, Laurell K. Hamilton
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 – The World of Louisa May Alcott, William Anderson
3.Jen’s List –
4. Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery
5.
6.
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: 275/575
Tasks Completed: 19
Books Read: 22
Total Pages Read: 8361
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Finished for 5 points:1. Read a Science Fiction OR Fantasy Novel.
I read Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein.
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Steph wrote: "Finished for 5 points:1. Read a Science Fiction OR Fantasy Novel.
I read [b:Stranger in a Strange Land|350|Stranger in a Strange Land|Robert A. Heinlein|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1156......"
What did you think? It was hard to read at first I thought, but I loved it
Terri wrote: "Steph wrote: "Finished for 5 points:1. Read a Science Fiction OR Fantasy Novel.
I read [b:Stranger in a Strange Land|350|Stranger in a Strange Land|Robert A. Heinlein|http://photo.goodreads.co..."
I had a hard time getting into it at first, but once I started reading it for the philosophy rather than the plot, I did much better. I don't think sci fi will ever be my favorite genre, but I did enjoy this one.
Here's an update since I last posted on April 7th. I've read a few books but only really finished two tasks (10.1 and 15.4) which are bolded below. I'll post the other books when I've completed the entire challenge. New total at the bottom.5 Point Tasks
1. Every Witch Way But Dead - Kim Harrison
2. Up the Down Staircase - Bel Kaufman
3. TBD
4.
5. The Negotiator - Dee Henderson
6. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - Alexander Smith McCall
7. TBD
8. My Booky Wook - Russell Brand
9. Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd
10. Silent Thunder - Iris Johansen
10 Point Tasks
1.
2. Like Water for Chocolate - Laura Esquivel
3. Stanley & Sophie - Kate Jennings
4. Light Before Day - Christopher Rice
5. TBD
6. Lunar Park - Bret Easton Ellis
7. Nancy Bush - Candy Apple Red
8. TBD
9. Fair & Tender Ladies - Lee Smith
10. Last Known Victim - Erica Spindler
15 Point Tasks
1. Sagitarius - Playing for Pizza - John Grisham
2. TBD
3. The Abstinence Teacher - Tom Perrotta
4.
5. TBD
6. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
7. Handle with Care - Jodi Picoult and Dare to Die - Carolyn Hart
8.
9. Red - Erica Spindler
10. Third Degree - Greg Iles, Fourth Watcher - Timothy Hallinan and Perfect Fifths - Megan McCafferty
25 point Tasks
1.
2. TBD
3. The Swan Maiden - Heather Tomlinson and The Beach House - James Patterson
4. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
5. TBD
6. TBD
7. TBD
8. Wintergirls - Laurie Halse and The Truth About Forever - Sarah Dessen
9.
50 point Task: TBD
Total Points: 95
completed a very intense 25 pointer:Darla's Task: book seen or referenced in movie 'On Golden Pond':
I listened to this, which allowed me to 'read' it for more extended periods of time, and I think that helped me stay in the mood of the story more. I had seen a movie version years ago, but had never read the novel - so glad I did now.
25 points added to previous 400 = 425 points as of 4.20.09
Irish Author Roddy Doyle
Paddy Clarke HA HA HA (Excellent recommendation from Barbara at Putterham Library)
10 points
I am repeating the Doyle book because my total and yours differ!!
Get to Know the author
Kellerman True Detectives
Interview was on Audible
15 points
TOTAL 240
Just finished The Street Lawyer by John Grisham for task 15.1 (I am a Libra) so my new points total is 175. Like someone else had mentioned, I stopped reading Grisham because his books were all so dependable. But it's been a while since I read anything by him, and I have to say I really enjoyed this book.
15 POINTS8. Get To Know The Author - Read a book by an author AND then either attend a reading by that author OR read/listen to an interview with that author.
Veil of Lies - Jeri Westerson. I really enjoyed the book and the interview. She wanted to write historical fiction but her agent wanted to write a medieval mystery and she fought it a lot. And then she figured out how to do it her way. And it worked...
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Amy wrote: "Happy Monday Everybody - Pulitzer Fiction 2009 Winner announced today at 3:00 eastern U.S. time !!"If anyone is curious, the 2009 Pulitzer Prize winner for Fiction is Olive Kitteridge: A Novel in Stories by Elizabeth Strout. :-)
Just finished two 25 point tasks-Read a book outside of your usual genre: Case Histories by Kate Atkinson which is categorized as a mystery,
-Read a book from the BBC list of Big Reads-Watership Down by Richard Adams
Total as of 4/20/09-115 points-Finally broke 100!
Charity wrote: "Amy wrote: "Happy Monday Everybody - Pulitzer Fiction 2009 Winner announced today at 3:00 eastern U.S. time !!"If anyone is curious, the 2009 Pulitzer Prize winner for Fiction is Olive Kitteridge..."
Fabulous, thanks for posting. I have read only one Elizabeth Strout, which I liked. And just yesterday, I put Olive Kitteridge on my Wish List. Perhaps I'll have to move it up a notch or two.
UPDATED PROGRESS…
5 POINTS (7/10)
1. THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY (ADAMS)
2. GRIFFIN AND SABINE, SABINE’S NOTEBOOK, THE GOLDEN MEAN (NICK BANTOCK)
3. THE ALCHEMIST (COELHO)
4. THE LADY AND THE UNICORN (CHEVALIER) - IN THE CAR
7. THE BONESETTER'S DAUGHTER (TAN)
9. LITTLE BIRDS (ANAIS NIN)
10. OLIVE KITTERIDGE (ELIZABETH STROUT) - OLIVE TREE
10 POINTS (1/10)
6. UNACCUSTOMED EARTH (JHUMPA LAHIRI)
15 POINTS (5/10)
1. THE LAST LECTURE (RANDY PAUSCH - CANCER)
3. THE BRIEF WONDROUS LIFE OF OSCAR WAO (JUNOT DIAZ)
4. THE MYSTIC ARTS OF ERASING ALL SIGNS OF DEATH (CHARLIE HUSTON - LOS ANGELES COUNTY, LOOOVED THE FABRIC DISTRICT)
8. AN EXACT REPLICA OF A FIGMENT OF MY IMAGINATION. SEE: INTERVIEW WITH ELIZABETH MCCRACKEN (AUTHOR) AND ANN PATCHETT AT WWW.BLACKBIRD, ARCHIVES, FALL 2005, VOL. 4, #2
10. THE WOMEN'S MURDER CLUB BOOKS 3/4/5 (JAMES PATTERSON)
25 POINT TASKS (6/10)
2. A MIDWIFE’S TALE: THE LIFE OF MARTHA BALLARD BASED ON HER DIARY, 1785-1812 (ULRICH)
4. THE SECRET HISTORY (DONNA TARTT)
5. WESLEY THE OWL (STACEY O'BRIEN) - A BIOLOGIST'S MEMOIR - GENRE VIRGIN READ FOR ME
7. RUBYFRUIT JUNGLE (RITA MAE BROWN) - MENTIONED IN THE OPENING SCENE OF EDUCATING RITA
8. SPEAK (ANDERSON) & CORALINE (GAIMAN)
9. SAME KIND OF DIFFERENT AS ME: A MODERN-DAY SLAVE, AN INTERNATIONAL ART DEALER, AND THE UNLIKELY WOMAN WHO BOUND THEM TOGETHER. (HALL & MOORE)
This is the first time I've done a Challenge, and I have enjoyed it so much. I'm only sorry I had to read so fast, because of other committments in May.THE TASKS
5 POINTS
1. Read a Fantasy Novel.
Winter Rose by Patricia A. McKillip Read 3/2/09
2. Read an epistolary novel
From A to X by John Berger Read 3/28
3. Spring Cleaning:Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford Read 3/4
4. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles An American Wife by Curtis Sitterfield Read 3/1
5. For Easter/Lent/Passover…- Read a Christian Fiction novel
Highland Lass by Michael Phillips and Judith Pella Read 4/1
6. In Honor Of Women’s History Month…
Emily Post: Daughter of the Gilded Age by Laura Claridge. Read 3/8
7. For Arbor Day - By reading a book and “recycling” it - giving it away to someone else like a friend or through an online book swap/trading site or by donating it to a local library or charity.
A Veiled Decetion by Annette Blair Read 3/4 donated to my sister
8. For April Fools Day…- A biography/autobiography/memoir of a comedian.
It's Good to be King: The Seriously Funny Life of Mel Brooks by James Robert Parish Read 3/24
9. Read a book with one of the following Spring animals in the title…- A term for a baby animal Chicks in Chainmail Read 4/3
10. April Showers Bring May Flowers…
- Read a book with the name of A TYPE of tree or flower in the title.
Belladonna by Karen Moline Read 3/4
10 POINTS
1. For St. Patrick’s Day – Read a book by an Irish author
Tara Road by Maeve Binchy Read 3/29
2. For Cinco De Mayo – Read a book set in Mexico.
On Mexican Time by Tony Cohan Read 4/2
3. For ANZAC Day – Read a book by an Australian author.
The Broken Shore by Peter Temple Read 3/9
4. Read a book by an author who was born in March, April, or May.
Changelings by Anne McCaffrey Read 3/26
5. March 24 is Harry Houdini’s Birthday – Read a book about magic, a magician etc.
Mairelon the Magician by Patrica B. Wrede Read 4/3
6. In honor of Earth Day (April 22)
Jade Star by Catherine Coulter Read 4/2/09
7. In Honor of Mother’s Day…
- Read a book where the main character shares the same FIRST name as your mother OR…
The Montesi Scandal: The Death of Wilma Montesi and the Birth of the Paparazzi in Fellini's Rome by Karen Pinkus Read 3/28 (my mother's name was Wilma)
8. In Honor of Memorial and Armed Forces Day
Now the Drums of War by Robert Roper Read 3/5
9. Read a book from the TNBBC Top Books list…
Birth year 1942, book #12 The Gawgon and the Boy by Lloyd Alexander Read 3/25
10. Members of the TNBBC have great tastes in books -
Tammy gave 5 stars to Something Blue by Emily Griffin
15 POINTS
1. It’s Written In the StarsGemini
The Secret Heiress by Judith Gould Read 3/25
2. April is National Poetry Month
Byron by Benita Eisler Read 3/12
3. Read a past OR present TNBBC group read that you haven’t read before
The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama Read 4/16/09
4. Read a novel that takes place in a location you plan to visit during this challenge
Going to Austin TX in April so I read The Borderland: A novel of Texas Read 3/27
5. Read a book written by an author who won a major literary prize
1942 Pulitzer Prize In This Our Life by Ellen Glasgow Read 3/30
6. Read a book that was has been translated from its original language
From French to English The Book of Time by Guillaume Prevost Read 3/10
7. In honor of both Dr. Seuss’ birthday (March 2) and Mother Goose Day (May 1)
So Dear to Wicked Men by Takis and Judy Iakovou Read 3/30
The Woman from the Glen by Chloe Gartner Read 3/24
8. Get To Know The Author - Read a book by an author AND then either attend a reading by that author
Eyes on the Horizon: Serving of the Front LInes of National Security by Richard B. Myers
Author visit sponsored by Rainy Day Books and Plaza Library Kansas City 4/6/09
9. Read a book with a color in the title AND eat a meal that includes at least 2 foods that are that color
The Red Queen by Margaret Drabble Read 4/11
Ate Red Hot Salad, pickled beets, and Red Velvet Cake
10. Read the third, fourth and fifth books of one series OR
Book 3 Hangman's Root by Susan Wittig Albert Read 3/30
Book 4 Rosemary Remembered by Susan Wittig Albert Read 3/31
Book 5 Rueful Death by Susan Wittig Albert Read 3/31
25 POINT TASKS
1. KAREN’S TASK
Golden Surrender by Heather Graham Read 3/23
The Runelords by David Farland Read 3/22
2. EL’s TASK
Samuel Pepys Diary by Samuel Pepys Read 5/4
3. ANGELA’S TASK
The first person posting after my first post was Rora. (Thanks Rora, for reading the kind of books I like.)
I chose
Year of the Unicorn by Andre Norton
Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones
4. ROS’ TASK
Night Watch by Terry Pratchett Read 3/21
5. BONNIE’S TASK
Love Letters and Two other Plays by Gurney Read 4/5
6. JON’S TASK
The Oxford Illustrated History of the British Monarchy by John Cannon and Ralph Griffiths Read 4/6
7. DARLA'S TASK
Movie: Dan in Real Life Book: A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories by Flannery O'Connor Read 4/10
8. CASSIE'S TASK
Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen by Dyan Sheldon
The Realms of the Gods by Tamora Pierce
9. SARA'S TASK
What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew From Fox Hunting to Whist: The Facts of Life in Nineteenth Century England by Daniel Pool Read 3/17
SANDY'S 50 POINT MIDWAY TASK
Wait Until Midnight by Amanda Quick Read 4/19
Crystal Flame by Jayne Ann Krentz Read 4/20
WAIT, Donna Jo, are you done with the challenge? OMG, that is incredible... only half-way done and you're finished! Way to go!
Way to go, Donna!
Holy Bookworms!! Good work!!
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5 pts
1. Deeper - Roderick Gordon
7. Shimmer - Eric Barnes (gave to friend)
10 pts
8. The Silent Man - Alex Berenson
15 pts
4. Paper Towns - John Green (Florida)
8. Handle with Care - Jodi Picoult (reading at Borders)
25 pts
5. Unconditional Parenting - Alfie Kohn (parenting/self-help book)
8. Gathering Blue/Messenger - Lois Lowry
9. Traffic - Why We Drive The Way We Do (and What It Says About Us) - Tom Vanderbilt
I have a bunch of books in my to-read pile that should work for the challenge but for now, my point total is 125--long way to go.