The String Theory Challenge - 2014

[mim]

Ohhh, this is a really good one! I'm going to tenatively set my goal at 8, and see how it goes. :)

[Adriana]

Good luck Mim!

I think Poison is going to be my first string theory book and since it's so much about poisons and poison making I want to read another book about poison. (Lots of poison in just one sentence!)

1/20

[Theresa~OctoberLace]

Adriana, must the books we choose be finished in order? I generally have books on my Kindle and iPod, plus a dead tree in the wings. If I'm enjoying a long book in the car for my work commute, I may choose a shorter one for a quick Saturday or Sunday read.

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley is a wonderful book telling the tale of King Arthur, and Camelot from the viewpoint of some very strong women. Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage: Stories is excellent collection of nine short stories about women, written by Alice Munro, a Canadian author who won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Moving from the Northern to Southern Hemisphere, we find Red April by Peruvian author Santiago Roncagliolo, honored with the Premio Alfaguara de Novela, a very prestigious Spanish language prize in literature.

While I have them linked, I started The Mists of Avalon at Midnight on New Year's Eve and am halfway through the 51 hour audiobook. In between, I've read two of the nine stories in Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage: Stories on my Kindle. Today I decided to listen to Red April to make progress on another challenge and should finish it before the day is over.

So...can I use these three and then have the next book on this challenge linked from Red April?

[Theresa~OctoberLace]

I just edited message #7 to reflect my first finish,
Red April by Santiago Roncagliolo

[An]

Adriana wrote: "Did you get to read Het Gym An?"

Yes, I have now finished Het gym (2/10)

So my string so far is:

1) Quesadillas: a book with a 13 year old Mexican protagonist
2) Het gym: a book with a 13 year old Surinamian/Dutch protagonist.

[Adriana]

Theresa~OctoberLace wrote: "Adriana, must the books we choose be finished in order? I generally have books on my Kindle and iPod, plus a dead tree in the wings. If I'm enjoying a long book in the car for my work commute, I ..."

Hmm... well the idea is to read a book and find something you like about that particular book that you would like to explore more. As long as you are reading all those books (which it seems you are) because you see a link between them all then you are good. It's okay if you don't finish them in order as long as all of the above.

So yes (:

[Adriana]

An wrote: "Adriana wrote: "Did you get to read Het Gym An?"

Yes, I have now finished Het gym (2/10)

So my string so far is:

1) Quesadillas: a book with a 13 year old Mexican..."

Thanks An. Sorry about that.

[Alessia]

Theresa~OctoberLace wrote: "I just edited message #7 to reflect my first finish,
Red April by Santiago Roncagliolo"

Oooh I really like your choice Theresa!! Sounds very interesting. I think I've just found my South American book for the around the world challenge.

[Kathy]

The String Theory Challenge - Jan 1 - Dec 31, 2014
---------------
1. Assassin's Creed: Black Flag(1/5/14)
Male protagonist is caught between two secret orders the Templars & Assassin's in search of the legend "The Observatory" that is told to hold the secrets of power.

2.Inferno 1/22/14
Male Protagonist who solves the mystery of a new scientific wonder that could either destroy/or help mankind.

3.The Blood Gospel 4/24/14
Female Protagonist who tries to solve the mystery of the Blood Gospel. A Gospel that was written by Christ in his own blood.

4.

[Chelsea]

Completed 1/15

1. Jesus Land by Julia Scheeres Completed 1/5 ****

The main character (and her adopted brother) both are incarcerated at several points in the memoir. This made me interested in:

2. Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman

[Jenn]

Sounds interesting. Count me in for 5 to start.

[Theresa~OctoberLace]

I just edited message #7 to reflect my 2nd finish,
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent 1/5/14

I highly recommend this book, especially the audio version read by Morven Christie. A 5 star read for me.

This week I'll be finishing The Mists of Avalon and Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage: Stories, which I set aside to fit in two books over the weekend.

[Alessia]

Can I use as first book for the challenge a book that I started last year and that I'm going to finish in january? Or do only books started in 2014 count?

[Adriana]

Welcome Jennifer!

Alessia, that's fine as long as you complete it this year.

[Lynn]

Just finished my first book in the string....Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers. This was an amazing nonfiction book that touched on so many subjects covered in mysteries I've read over the years. I was intrigued by the section covering the history of anatomy schools and chose my next book in the string as The Anatomist's Apprentice. I'm 1/12 on the challenge.

[Deedee]

Hi all - I will do this one after all! It is like a 6 degrees of separation, except with books. I'll keep this post for the overall list, and do a new post as I finish the next one. (It helps that I've already figured out the first 2 books :0))

[Liz]

I am down for 5 books. If I decide that I'm having too much fun, can I increase it? LOL!

[Adriana]

Lynn wrote: "Just finished my first book in the string....Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers. This was an amazing nonfiction book that touched on so many subjects covered in mysteries I've..."

Really cool connection. Should be interesting.

[Adriana]

I've added you DeeDee. Good luck!

Liz, of course! And you are already on here.

[An]

Hi, I finished book #3. It goes like this:

1) Quesadillas: a book with a 13 year old Mexican protagonist
2) Het gym: a book with a 13 year old Surinamian/Dutch protagonist.
3) The Black Lake: Continuing the theme of Dutch colonisation, this time in Indonesia. This book also has two children as protagonists.

For my 4th book in this string, I'm going to look for a book about the Japanese occupation of the area in WWII, which ended Dutch rule there.

[Alison]

Adriana- I changed what books I would like to read for this challenge. Is that a problem? I haven't started any of them yet. Oh and Peter Pan WILL be started tonight! I got my other books read and I located it! :) Ill do my best to have the first 3 chapters read tonight and I'll message you.

[Adriana]

An wrote: "Hi, I finished book #3. It goes like this:

1) Quesadillas: a book with a 13 year old Mexican protagonist
2) Het gym: a book with a 13 year old Surinamian/Dutch prot..."

Cool, link. Will update you!

[Adriana]

Alison wrote: "Adriana- I changed what books I would like to read for this challenge. Is that a problem? I haven't started any of them yet. Oh and Peter Pan WILL be started tonight! I got my other books read and ..."

No problem at all.
Sweet! ^__^

[Tricia]

Hi! I'd like to sign up for this challenge. It sounds fun! I think I'll try 10 books.

[Adriana]

Good luck Tricia!

[Theresa~OctoberLace]

I just finished listening to The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, narrated by Davina Porter. Loved it!

This was the 1st book I started in 2014, but the 3rd finished. I took time to read 2 smaller linked books last weekend. FYI, I'll finish the second book started, Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage: Stories, this weekend.

[Alison]

i finished my first book for this chalenge, Journal of a Civil War Nurse. It was only 15 pages but im still counting it! Not great but not terrible. Next book up sometime for this challenge is Panic.

[Monta]

Love this idea!!! I'll try for 5 and maybe more. We will see where this challenge will take me.

[Adriana]

Updated you Theresa and Alison. Happy to have you Monta (:

[Claire]

Okay, after thinking about this one, I think I'll try it for 10 books. Not sure what I'll start with yet, but I'm about to finish two books this weekend, and maybe I'll begin this challenge with the next one I start.

[Adriana]

Good luck Claire!

[Jenna]

Do I have the basis of the challenge correct? I really want to read more fiction from other countries. As in, a really good story but containing quite a lot of cultural knowledge and information - be it modern day or historical. I have read a few already over the years, but this seems a good way to link it all together and keep it going. I'm most interested in Middle Eastern and Central/South American culture.

This year, I have read "Persepolis 2" this month (I read the first before Christmas), plus the group read "And the Mountains echoed" also ties in with this! So, not a bad start already! Any ideas or suggestions much appreciated.

Am I getting the idea???
If not, please correct me.
If so, sign me up for 13. :)

[Adriana]

So you would have Persepolis 2 (a middle eastern setting) You decide you wanted to read more from that setting so you read And The Mountains Echoed. The next books would have to be something different. You have to have different aspects of books being connected so maybe you like And The Mountains Echoed so you want to read another book by him...

Hopefully I didn't just confuse you.. You seem to have the right idea to me (:

[Audrey]

Sign me up for 5 please.

[Audrey]

I just finished And the Mountains Echoed and am looking for a book to read for this challenge that details the relationship between a brother and sister. Any suggestions?

[Jodi]

Audrey wrote: "I just finished And the Mountains Echoed and am looking for a book to read for this challenge that details the relationship between a brother and sister. Any suggestions?"


I read it years ago. It might be between two sisters who have to take care of their father who has Parkinson's disease

[Theresa~OctoberLace]

I've now finished 5 books for this challenge:

✔ 1.The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley is a wonderful book telling the tale of King Arthur, and Camelot from the viewpoint of some very strong women. Finished 1/10/14

✔ 2.Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage: Stories is excellent collection of nine short stories about women, written by Alice Munro, a Canadian author who won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Finished 1/12/14

✔ 3. Moving from the Northern to Southern Hemisphere, we find Red April by Peruvian author Santiago Roncagliolo, honored with the Premio Alfaguara de Novela, a very prestigious Spanish language prize in literature. Finished 1/5/14

✔ 4. After the Peruvian work of historical fiction/crime/mystery, Red April, we chose another work of the same genre group set in Iceland, Burial Rites by the Australian Goodreads Author Hannah Kent. Finished 1/5/14

✔ 5. Moving from one Goodreads Author to another, we next read Oryx and Crake, a science fiction fantasy by Margaret Atwood. Finished 1/11/14

[Lynn]

Theresa....I like the way you're showing your string. I'm going to rip off your style if you don't mind.

Just finished #2 of 12 for the String Challenge.

✔ 1. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers was a fascinating nonfiction book that covered the history of anatomy schools among other things. Finished 01/07/14.

✔ 2. The Anatomist's Apprentice was a pretty disappointing book. The science seemed too cutting edge for the infancy of forensics. The story featured a romance plus a mystery plus some truly gruesome autopsies plus technical jargon....all set in Georgian Era Britain. Since there were a couple of comical resurrection men in the book and I'll use them to connect to my next book. Finished 01/13/14.

3. The Necromancer

[Theresa~OctoberLace]

Lynn, you're welcome to use the same style. If you want the ✔, type in & #10004, but eliminate the space between the & and #.

[Lynn]

Theresa~OctoberLace wrote: "Lynn, you're welcome to use the same style. If you want the ✔, type in & #10004, but eliminate the space between the & and #."

✔ cool! Thank you so much Theresa ;D

[Adriana]

Welcome to the challenge Audrey!

Updated everyone (:

[Chelsea]

Completed 2/15

1. Jesus Land by Julia Scheeres Completed 1/5 ****

The main character (and her adopted brother) both are incarcerated at several points in the memoir. This made me interested in:

2. Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman Completed 1/12 ****

Piper wants nothing more than to be at home. This next author wrote a book about the things in his home, room by room:

3.At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson

[Adriana]

Updated you Chelsea (:

[Sara]

I want to join. I will read 10.

[Adriana]

Awesome! I've added you Sara.

[Theresa~OctoberLace]

I just finiahed another science fiction fantasy set mostly in New Orleans and Paris, Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice. Finished 1/15/14

[Adriana]

Updated you Theresa.

[✿Claire✿]

I've finished my first book which had a section on the evolution of humans. I've got another book on my shelf which I've never got far with about the evolution of humans, and once I've finally read it, I can watch the series to go with it!!

[Claire]

I think I have a few of my books figured out for getting started. I'm not sure where these will take me beyond #4, but I guess that's the fun of the challenge!

1. Crystal Ships by Richard Sharp has a character who works as a flamenco dancer. (currently reading)
2. Bird with the Heart of a Mountain by Barbara Mariconda is about a sixteen-year-old flamenco dancer during the Spanish Civil War.
3. For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway, set in the Spanish Civil War.
4. Nostalgia by Dennis McFarland is set in the American Civil War.

[Lynn]

Challenge Complete: 12 of 12 for the String Challenge.

✔ 1. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers covered the history of anatomy schools among other things. Finished 01/07/14.

✔ 2. The Anatomist's Apprentice had a couple of comical "resurrection men" supplying Oxford's anatomy professor. Finished 01/13/14.

✔ 3. The Necromancer connects with a couple of minor characters who were comical resurrected henchmen (Denzil and Dennis the dead locomotive engineers). This was such a fun book. The main character has the use of a dark carnival to tempt 100 souls to sign themselves over to the devil....all in his effort to regain his own soul. Finished 01/18/14.

✔ 4. Something Wicked This Way Comes is the ultimate dark carnival story with an evil merry-go-round that could change your age forwards or backwards. Finished 01/23/14.

✔ 5. Carousel is set in German-occupied Paris during WWII. A series of murders is solved by a French police detective and a Gestapo officer. Finished 02/10/14.

✔ 6. Dirty Snow is a noir thriller set in German-occupied Brussels during WWII. Georges Simenon wrote this to one-up The Stranger by his rival Albert Camus. Finished 02/12/14.

✔ 7. The Stranger was inspired by The Postman Always Rings Twice below. Finished 02/21/14.

✔ 8. The Postman Always Rings Twice inspired The Stranger . It was banned for violence and frank sexuality. Finished 02/22/14.

✔ 9. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is listed often as a banned book. Finished 03/09/14.

✔ 10. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian continues a theme of banned books. Much of the book takes place on a Spokane Reservation in the western U.S. West. Finished 03/20/14.

✔ 11. Bury my heart at Wounded Knee is a nonfiction reporting of the persecution of Native Americans in the U.S. West and the creation of reservations. There is no way to describe what happened except to call it genocide. Finished 03/29/14.

12. First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers is a memoir by a survivor of the Khmer Rouge genocide. Finished 04/13/14.

Edited 04/13/14.