Gill's 2014 Challenge

[Gill]

I've not got very far with planning my 2014 Challenge but I am going to start with what I have already decided.

For 2014 I am not going to distinguish between audio books, large print books and kindle books. I have now reached the stage where I can regard them all as reading.

For the last few years I have read about 70 books a year, so I'll be working on that sort of number for 2014. I'm going to use this post for thoughts about the challenge and the next post to plan it out.

[Gill]

Gill's 2014 Challenge

Continue with the Zola Rougon-Maquart cycle readalong
1 The Sin of Father Mouret Read January
2 His Excellency (Son Excellence Eugène Rougon) Read March
3L'Assommoir (The Dram Shop) Read May
4 A Love Episode Read July
5 Nana Read September
6 Pot Luck Read November

Read 5 books from the Guardian 100 best books list
1 Robinson Crusoe Read January
2 Nightmare Abbey Read January
3 The Good Soldier Read July
4 New Grub Street Read October
5

Read 5 works of fiction by authors I haven't read before
1Enemy of the Good, The by Michael Arditti Read January
2The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt Read January
3 The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Read January
4 Miss Phryne Fisher Investigates by Kerry Greenwood Read January
5 Nightmare Abbey by Thomas Love Peacock Read January
Extra!
6 Mahabharata: The Greatest Spiritual Epic of All Time Read January
7 Winter Study by Nevada Barr Read February
8 The Mambo Kings Play Songs Of Love by Oscar Hijuelos Read February
9 Beware of Pity by Stefan Zweig Read February
10 The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion Read February
11 The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Read February
12 Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor by R.D. Blackmore Read March
13 They Were Counted by Miklós Bánffy Read March
14 Independent People by Halldór Laxness Read April
15 The Forty Days of Musa Dagh by Franz Werfel Read April
16 Ihimaera: His Best Stories by Witi Ihimaera Read May
17 Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham Read May
18 I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes Read June
19 The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford Read July
20 Pereira Maintains by Antonio Tabucchi Read July
21 A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki Read July
22 The Colony of Unrequited Dreams by Wayne Johnston Read August
23 Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson Read August
24 Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry Read August
25 Journey by Moonlight by Antal Szerb Read August
26 The Informers by Juan Gabriel Vásquez Read August
27 The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth Read September
28 The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker Read September
29 New Grub Street by George Gissing Read October
30 Ulysses by James Joyce Read October
31 Quarantine by Jim Crace Read December
32 A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny Read December

Take part in 3 group reads of books I didn't vote for
1The Problems of Philosophy Read February
2 The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Read February for March Discussion
3 Meditations on First Philosophy by René Descartes Read May

Read 3 more books by Graham Greene
1 The Third Man Read March
2 Our Man in Havana Read November
3
Read 4 chunky(!) books
1 Mahabharata - The Greatest Spiritual Epic of All Time by Krishna Dharma Read January
2 The Goldfinch Read January
3 The Count of Monte Cristo Read January
4 The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope Read February
5 They Were Counted byMiklós Bánffy Read March
6 The Forty Days of Musa Dagh by Franz Werfel Read April
7 Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens Read April
8 Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham Read May
9 I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes Read June
10The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky Read June
11 Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry Read August
12 Ulysses by James Joyce Read October
13 War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy Read October
14 Black Lamb and Grey Falcon by Rebecca West Read November

Read some of the non-fiction books I have on my Kindle
1 Ammonites and Leaping Fish: A Life in Time by Penelope Lively Read February
2 One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson Read February
3 The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857 by William Dalrymple Read March
4 Catherine of Aragon: Henry's Spanish Queen by Giles Tremlett Read May
Toward the Setting Sun: Columbus, Cabot, Vespucci, and the Race for America by David Boyle Read December

[Leslie]

I like your categories - especially the group reads :) Both that and the authors will be good for "stretching" your reading (well, it would for me so I assume it will for you too!). Happy to hear that audiobooks are working out well for you...

[Katy]

Gill: I love the "books I didn't vote for" category!

[[deleted user]]

I think 'The books I didn't vote for' is a great category as well, Gill. I've found some brilliant books by reading group winners than I wasn't interested in originally

[Gill]

A couple more categories added!

btw Does anyone know why, when I try to add a book, it comes right at the end and not where I'm trying to put it?

[Jenny]

Great challenge Gill, and I will happily join you on at least one Graham Greene!

About the add-function: it drives me mad as well, but there's nothing to be done about it I suppose.

[[deleted user]]

I just scroll to the end and then copy and paste the link. It's a total pain but the only way I've found to make it even remotely work

[Leslie]

Gill wrote: "A couple more categories added!

btw Does anyone know why, when I try to add a book, it comes right at the end and not where I'm trying to put it?"

I don't know why but that is the way it always works for me too. I just cut and paste it to where I want it (but this is one reason I often just give titles in italics instead using the link!).

[Leslie]

Jenny wrote: "Great challenge Gill, and I will happily join you on at least one Graham Greene!

About the add-function: it drives me mad as well, but there's nothing to be done about it I suppose."

I really want to read Graham Greene's The Third Man next year (hint, hint)...

[Amber]

Good luck with your challenges gill. :-)

[Gill]

Thanks all!
Glad it's not just my lack of technical skills. I'll try the cut and paste.

Looking forward to joining with some of you for Graham Greene!

[LauraT]

I liked the "Take part in 3 group reads of books I didn't vote for" cathegory!

[Gill]

LauraT wrote: "I liked the "Take part in 3 group reads of books I didn't vote for" cathegory!"
Yes, a few people said about this. I know my reaction is
'Oh, I didn't vote for that. I don't fancy it, so I'll read the book I voted for instead.' I think I should try a few books that are outside my comfort zone!

[LauraT]

I'll try to do the same!

[Jenny]

Leslie wrote: "I really want to read Graham Greene's The Third Man next year (hint, hint)... "

Hint taken! Count me in :)

[Gill]

Jenny wrote: "Leslie wrote: "I really want to read Graham Greene's The Third Man next year (hint, hint)... "

Hint taken! Count me in :)"

Any ideas when? I think I'd like to get Robinson Crusoe out of the way first!

[Leslie]

Gill wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Leslie wrote: "I really want to read Graham Greene's The Third Man next year (hint, hint)... "

Hint taken! Count me in :)"

Any ideas when? I think I'd like to get Robinson Crusoe o..."

March would be good, or later in the year, but I think it will be a fast read so I can fit it in whenever works for you.

[Gill]

Ok March is fine with me. Does it suit you, Jenny? Then I'll look for two more books by Greene that I've not read for later in the year.

[Jenny]

Yes, March is fine, I've already noted it down! :)

[Alannah]

Good Luck with your challenges Gill.

[Gill]

January

Continue with the Zola Rougon-Maquart cycle readalong
The Sin of Father Mouret

Read 5 books from the Guardian 100 best books list
Robinson Crusoe




Read 5 works of fiction by authors I haven't read before
The Enemy Of The Good


Take part in 3 group reads of books I didn't vote for
?


Read 4 chunky(!) books
Mahabharata: The Greatest Spiritual Epic of All Time

[Jenny]

Gill, I am really looking forward to hear your thoughts on Mahabharata and The Enemy of God. Haven't heard of either of them before, but both sound really interesting.

[Gill]

Edited list in message 2

[Gill]

Edited list in message 2 to include January books. I've now completed one section of my challenge.

[Bionic Jean]

This looks really impressive Gill! Does it include all your books?

I'm not querying the amount, you understand - you read a lot more than I do, for instance! But I'm wondering if you ever feel the need to read anything "lighter"?

[Gill]

The Count of Monte Cristo was a rollicking good story, even though it was long. So that was a surprisingly light read.

[Bionic Jean]

Right, I don't know that one :)

[Leslie]

Gill wrote: "The Count of Monte Cristo was a rollicking good story, even though it was long. So that was a surprisingly light read."

Hahaha! I just asked you about this in your 2014 reads thread. Glad you liked it, as it is a favorite of mine :)

Jean, I would definitely recommend it if you had any fondness for The Three Musketeers...

[Bionic Jean]

Thank you :) Is there a translator who is better than any other for The Count of Monte Cristo ? Or am I on the wrong thread again for that? LOL

[Pink]

It seems like we've all done well for reading new authors in January. I have the Goldfinch on my kindle, which I'm hoping to tackle sometime this year, but it looks huge. Dumas is on my TBR as well, but he'll have to wait a while longer!

[Gill]

Jean wrote: "Thank you :) Is there a translator who is better than any other for The Count of Monte Cristo ? Or am I on the wrong thread again for that? LOL"

Jean, I used the Oxford Classics kindle version. I liked it because it had some(but not too many) explanatory notes that were hyperlinked (I think that's what it's called).

[Gill]

Gill's 2014 Challenge
Plans for February
Continue with the Zola Rougon-Maquart cycle readalong
None this month Phew!

Read 5 books from the Guardian 100 best books list


Read 5 works of fiction by authors I haven't read before
Nevada Barr
Oscar Hijuelos
Stefan Zweig

Take part in 3 group reads of books I didn't vote for
The Problems of Philosophy


Read 3 more books by Graham Greene

Read 4 chunky(!) books
1 The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope(though I've had a peek at the first few pages, and I wasn't gripped!)

[LauraT]

Gill wrote: "Read 4 chunky(!) books
1 The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope(though I've had a peek at the first few pages, and I wasn't gripped!) "

Not one of my favourite Trollope either ...

[Bionic Jean]

Thanks Gill! There were 6 versions on Kindle alone!

I want to read The Way We Live Now mainly because of the marvellous dramatisation on TV a few years ago with David Suchet as Melmott. So I am surprised it's not a favourite.

[Leslie]

Jean wrote: "Thanks Gill! There were 6 versions on Kindle alone!

I want to read The Way We Live Now mainly because of the marvellous dramatisation on TV a few years ago with David Suchet as Melm..."

I read this last year with Jenny -- I liked it but not as much as the Barchester series. I would say it was on par with the Palliser books though.

[Bionic Jean]

Oh good, I'm glad you like it Leslie. I'll look forward to it then :)

[Gill]

I've decided I need to add a non-fiction section to my challenge:
Read some of the non-fiction books I have on my kindle (from amongst these)
The Cathars: The Most Successful Heresay of the Middle Ages

Catherine of Aragon: The Spanish Queen of Henry VIII

Heaven's Command: An Imperial Progress

The Last Crusade: The Epic Voyages of Vasco da Gama

The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857

Nine Lives

Nothing: From absolute zero to cosmic oblivion ? amazing insights into nothingness

One Summer: America, 1927

The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism

Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan

Toward the Setting Sun: Columbus, Cabot, Vespucci, and the Race for America

[Leslie]

Quite a diversity of titles there Gill!

[Pink]

Glad to see a non-fiction section, with lots of interesting books :)

[Gill]

Edited list in Message 2 to include my February books. I'm pleased with how my challenge is going.

Now (well in the next couple of days) I need to sort out my plans for March.

[Gill]

Gill's 2014 Challenge
Plans for March
Continue with the Zola Rougon-Maquart cycle readalong
His Excellency (Son Excellence Eugène Rougon)


Read 5 books from the Guardian 100 best books list


Read 5 works of fiction by authors I haven't read before
Louis L'Amour

Take part in 3 group reads of books I didn't vote for

Read 3 more books by Graham Greene
The Third Man

Read 4 chunky(!) books
Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor


Read some of the non-fiction books I have on my Kindle
The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857

[Jenny]

The Last Mughal sounds really interesting Gill, I'll keep a close eye on your rating!

[Gill]

Jenny wrote: "The Last Mughal sounds really interesting Gill, I'll keep a close eye on your rating!"

Yes, I'm looking forward to it. I've read another book by William Dalrymple called City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi. That was very good. I have two other books by him on my Kindle also.

[Gill]

I've just updated Message 2 to include my March reads. I'm pleased with how this challenge is going.

I'm already getting some ideas for my 2015 challenge! (I may start posting them here to help me remember them!)

Now to sort out which of my April reads fit in with my challenge.

[Gill]

Plans for April

Fiction by authors I haven't read before
Halldór Laxness

Chunky books
Our Mutual Friend

[Gill]

Rather early!, but I'm jotting this down before I forget.

For 2015:

*Read several Graham Greene books (maybe alternate months)

*Have a break from 'chunky' books (unless there's something that really grabs my attention)

*My main challenge will be - read books (fiction and non-fiction) that relate to the main present-day countries that were part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. If I've got it right, that's Austria, Hungary, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, also I think parts of what was Yugoslavia. (My first job is to clarify which countries it involves!)

[Gill]

I've just updated Message 2 to include my April reads. Now sort out how my May reads fit into my challenge.

[Gill]

plans for May
Rougon-Maquart cycle
L'Assomoir

chunky books
Of human bondage

non-fiction books that I've got on my kindle

Catherine of Aragon by Giles Tremlett

fiction by authors I haven't read before
Witi Ihimaera

[Alice]

Gill,

I'm about to start Of Human Bondage :-)