The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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FALL CHALLENGE 2009
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FALL CHALLENGE 2009 COMPLETED TASKS
5.7 (Thanksgiving - What makes you thankful)Travels With Lizbeth: Three Years on the Road and on the Streets
by Lars Eighner
This memoir of a homeless man and his dog, Lizbeth, is totally engaging and powerful. Portions of the book were written while he was living on the streets and off of the food provided by dumpsters.
The book reminds me how much I appreciate the fact that I've never been without a home no matter how uncertain life has, sometimes, been. I'm thankful for my cat, Oscar, who always calms and grounds me. Finally, I'm thankful for all writers, like Mr. Eighner, that encourage me see things in a new way.
He gave me new insights into the indignities, bureaucracies,
and stereotypes the homeless have to endure/fight just to obtain basic human necessities.
+ 5 points
Total 25
I have just come back from a few days away at the Cheltenham Literary Festival. I had a great time, saw some great authors which has made me like them even more and I also read quite a bit so here's my updates:10.7 Song flung up to heaven by Maya Angelou If I had to be any other person than myself it would be Maya Angelou. Since I first read I know why a caged bird sings when I was 17 I have admired her as a great person. Someone who is a hero for black african-american women (i'm not black, african, american or african-american but I am a woman!) or any of those things. I have chosen her as my hero for this task because of the amazing things she's done in her life.
10.4 The Forest of Pygmies by Isabel Allende Allende is chilean.
10.5 The Witch's Trinity by Erika Mailman this book is set in Germany.
So that is an extra 30 points to add to my total.
Previous reads
5.2 Apple a day - Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller
5.4 Adoption - Digging to America by Anne Tyler
10.1 Buddy Holly's lifetime - Scoop by Evelyn Waugh
10.10 The Cat's Meow - Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Marukami
15.3 Addition - Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Torday (Alice Gould) Muliplication - Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer (10x27=270, 276 pages)
20.3 Group Read - Shutter Island by Dennis LeHane
25.5 Fortune in the title - Fortune's Rocks by Anita Shreve
25.8 Nouns - person The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, thing Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, place Brick Lane by Monica Ali
30.1 current job and dream job - The History Man by Malcolm Bradbury(I work in a University) and The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (I would love to own a bookshop).
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Finally completed one of my multi-tasks.15 points
15.8. Geography Lessons - Read Two Books That Take Place Countries That Correspond To Your Initials.
K - Kenya
G - Greece
Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy -- audiobook 9.5 hours (10.8.09). My first Binchy novel, though I had heard of her, I honestly didn't know what to expect. It takes place on a small Greek island called Aghia Anna and was a very nice story. It made me want to go to Greece so much more from the descriptions. I would also read another Binchy novel, that's how much I enjoyed the writing style.
Mark of the Lion by Suzanne Arruda -- 340 pp (10.18.09). This mystery novel was not like any other I've come across. An ambulance driver during WWI, Jade del Cameron promises a dying soldier that she'll track down his brother. She travels to Kenya to do this. Although a little bit predictable, it was still nice seeing such a very strong woman as a "sleuth."
Tasks Completed: 32/45
Partially Completed Tasks: 1
Points Earned: 455/690
Total Books: 39
Total Pages Read: 8,194
Total Hours listened: 56.25 (approx.)
Finished 2 more tasks. Back to School Murder for task 5.2 Apple task. This book has a sinister looking apple on the cover. This book was ok. Not great but was a quick read.
The Bonesetter's Daughterby Amy Tan for 5.1 Children are our future. I thought that this book was a little wordy but in the end gave it 4 stars.
This will bring my total to 260 points.
Finished 25.1 Rhyme Time by reading the novel Rampart Street by David Fulmer. It was an ok read. Didn't love it but didn't hate it either.
for the poetry portion I read A Heart Full of Love by Javan.Rhymed - Heart and Rampart
This brings my total to 285 points.
I have completed two more tasks!Task 20.3 - Group Read
I read Shutter Island. I gave it three stars.
Task 25.1 - Nicole OH's Rhyme Time
For poetry, I read Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, Illustrated Edition. It is 56 pages of fun, cat-related poetry.
Rhyming with the work "book" is "look". I read Just One Look (383 pages). It is an enjoyable mystery.
That should give me 110 points!
I finished 25.4 by reading City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau and watching the movie. I read the book to my kids and then we watched the movie together. I definitely liked the book better and so did my kids. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone, but there was extra stuff added in the movie that I thought was unnecessary and some of my kids' favorite parts in the book were changed in the movie.That brings my total to 215 points.
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Finished task 15.6 Art History - Girl With a Pearl Earring, Tracy Chevalier and also took a series of photographs this week at the beach for my art project. I loved this book! The story was so rich and real. I especially loved seeing Vermeer in this light, after admiring so many of his paintings on my last trip to Europe.This brings me up to:
105/690 points
Tasks Completed: 8
Tasks In Progress: 6
Books Read: 12 (+3 children’s books)
Pages Read: 3,106
5.7 Giving Thanks - I am most thankful for my family, so I chose Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris, a humorous account of his childhood family's life.Total Points: 690/690
Books Read: 62 (+ 8 Berenstain Bears books)
Tasks Completed: 45/45
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Finished25 point
7. Cindy's task
1 word title: LifeguardBy James Patterson and Andrew Gross
2 word title: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
3 word title: Water, Stone, Heart A Novel by Will North
L wrote: "Finished25 point
7. Cindy's task
1 word title: LifeguardBy James Patterson and Andrew Gross
2 word title: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
3 word title: [book..."
I just noticed my three word title had "a novel" tacked on to the title making it more than three words so I suppose I will have to find another one to finish this one. Judgement call? Please let me know.
I'm pretty sure in the questions folder it was said that "A Novel" did not count as part of the words. So you should be okay.Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong :0)
Hello all! Several of the multi-book tasks I'm partially finished; I'll wait until I'm completely finished to post on those.One task that I have completed is 15.4 • Read A Science Fiction Novel And Watch A Film Related To Science Or Scientific Discovery.
(Science) viewed “Mythbusters” 2 hours on Oct. 7, 2009 (this was two episodes: one from last year, and the seventh season opening)
(Science Fiction) Steal Across the Sky by Nancy Kress
130 + 15 = 145
I finished task 10.2 by reading Complicity, by Iain Banks, in which the main character is a journalist addicted to various substances.
The following tasks have been completed. Task 10.6- The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter Task 20.2 ABC Challenge A- The Alchemist by Pablo Coelho B- Beloved by Toni Morrison C- Change of Heart by Jodi Picault
10 Point Tasks9. Summer Has Gone With The Wind- On November 5, 2009, The Actress Vivien Leigh, Who Portrayed Scarlett O'Hara In The Film Adaptation Of GWTW, Would Have Been 96 Years Old - In Honor Of Her Most Famous Role - Read A Novel Set During The U.S. Civil War.
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
I'm being very slow this month - partly because I've taken up patchwork again. So, appropriately, here's my creative arts contribution:15.6 Creative Minds – The Quilter's Apprentice by Jennifer Chiaverini
Total: 175/690 points
14/59 books
10/45 tasks
5513 pages
And the patchwork side of the task can be seen here: Plush
Finished 20.2: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst
Everyman by Philip Roth
Total Points: 220
Finished Task 25.5 — Janice — Fortune Telling: The Fortunes of Indigo Skye by Deb Caletti (10/19/09)It was a cute little book about an 18-year-old waitress who just graduated from high school that gets a 2.5 million dollar tip... and the journey that takes her on. I've been meaning to read Deb Caletti's books for quite some time, and I'm glad I finally did.
CURRENT STATS
Tasks Completed: 23/45
Tasks Partially Completed: 5
Books Read: 35/62
Pages Read: 12,436
Points Earned: 330/690
Nicki wrote: "I'm being very slow this month - partly because I've take up patchwork again. So, appropriately, here's my creative arts contribution:15.6 Creative Minds – [book:The Quilter's Apprentice|148874..."
Wow! Nice!
Finished:20.3 The Shadow of the Wind
Total Points 575/690
Total Books 54/62
Total Tasks Completed 38/45
Total Pages 17149
15.10 Teacher-Student RelationsStudent-The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Teacher-Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Total Points = 130
Completed: task 5.10, a book where at least one character travels back in time.Read: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Total Points = 165
I finished 10.7 by reading Let's Roll Ordinary People Extraordinary Courage by Lisa Beamer.That brings my total to 225 points.
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15.9: Home Safe by Elizabeth Berg
Homework Assignment:
1) What does home mean to Helen? What does home mean to you? What qualities do you associate with home? Are they similar or dissimilar to those you believe Helen associates with home?
2) Write an essay analyzing the changes in Helen throughout the novel. What parts of Helen's path to refinding herself do you relate to most?
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Homework Assignment:
1) What does home mean to Helen? What does home mean to you? What qualities do you associate with home? Are they similar or dissimilar to those you believe Helen associates with home?
2) Write an essay analyzing the changes in Helen throughout the novel. What parts of Helen's path to refinding herself do you relate to most?
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Diane wrote: "Nicki wrote: "I'm being very slow this month - partly because I've take up patchwork again. So, appropriately, here's my creative arts contribution:15.6 Creative Minds – [book:The Quilter's App..."
Thanks Diane - it's such fun! I suppose I really need to get some ebooks so I can read and quilt at the same time :)
25.5 Janice's Task: Fortune/Prophecy -- Fushigi Yugi by Yuu Watase (the re-release consisting of 3 graphic novels into one) 600 pagesTotal Points: 190
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?ke...
Deirdre wrote: "Completed: task 5.10, a book where at least one character travels back in time.Read: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Total Points = 165"
I didn't think of this book for that, but it makes sense! Maybe I will use it for this task!!!
Mod
I Can See Clearly Now A Novel by Brendan Halpin
I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti by Giulia Melucci and
Murder of a Pink Elephant by Denise Swanson
I Can See Clearly Now- This book fit the first parameter of the task- a sense- vision- in the title- “see” was okayed in post 19 of the task help thread. The title of the book comes from the 70’s song by Johnny Nash. There was no real connection to vision, but some of the characters gained insight. It is the story of 4 young songwriters writing songs to be used for children’s educational cartoons (very thinly veiled Schoolhouse Rock) They explored sex, drugs, friendship, artistic expression vs. commerce, and the meaning of their lives while trying to rhyme eleven.
I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti chronicled the author’s failed relationships and how she used food and cooking to seduce, sustain, and recover from the miserable men in her life. Recipes were used cleverly throughout the book, (F-you cake, no nookie gnocchi, etc.) and her narrative often ran through the cooking directions. She thought she loved a man because she was in a relationship, but she was never in a relationship because she loved the man. She defined love as someone, anyone, paying attention to her. The book was meant to be fun-the back cover said “deliciously hilarious”, but it was so sad watching her spend 20 years flailing after men that couldn’t/wouldn’t love her.
My keepsake is a small, ceramic pink elephant. It is the first thing that I ever bought on my own on a first grade field trip. I remember clutching the $2 in my hands and having the power and freedom to choose. I think I have always kept it with me to remind me of that, so I read a book with “pink elephant” in the title.
+50
total 690
Thanks, Cynthia, this was so much fun! 62 books, 18511 pages. I have never counted pages before
Dlmrose wrote: "My keepsake is a small, ceramic pink elephant. It is the first thing that I ever bought on my own on a first grade field trip. I remember clutching the $2 in my hands and having the power and freedom to choose. I think I have always kept it with me to remind me of that, so I read a book with “pink elephant” in the title."I like that. Nice memory.
Dlmrose wrote: "I finished 50.1, Sense, Emotion, Memory withI Can See Clearly Now A Novel by Brendan Halpin
I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti by Giulia Melucci and
[book:Murder o..."
Congrats, Donna!
Sorry to do this, but could I switch a book I already used to another task? I had gotten 5 points for reading A Touch of Dead (for task 5.6). Could you possibly subtract those points from my score so I can use it for the midway task instead? I just read this one and forgot to check if the midway task had been posted yet, like a fool!If not, I totally understand! Thanks!
I completed Nicole Oh's Task 25.1 (Rhyme) by reading A Light in the Attic and Night Watch - which were quite different from one another! I enjoyed both. The pacing of Night Watch confused me a little - I think in part because the story is told in three parts which felt like separate books - the first two being far more exciting and engaging for me than the final part. Total Points: 400
I've just finished- 10.2 Undressing Emmanuelle by Sylvia Kristel. She had addictions to drugs and alcohol and was 6 months from dying from liver failure at one point.
20.2(c) Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night by Mark Hadden
(d) Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
(e) Evernight- Claudia Gray
15 POINT TASKS1. Brush Up On Your Grammar-
• Prepositions - Read 2 Books That Contain The Same Preposition In Their Titles. Ex. A Lesson Before Dying & I Heard That Song Before
After You by Julie Buxbaum-9/18 (326 pgs)
After the Leaves Fall by Nicole Baart-10/19 (337 pgs)
New Total: 250
Finished:PJREADS Task:
I. Just Listen
II. Tessa in Love CosmoGirl/Piccadilly Love Stories
III. One of my friends gave me a (very pretty) empty notebook. When I found it again recently, I found that it was empty, except for the mock-up of a letter I was planning to send to Darren Shan (Which I will never send, because it seems incredibly childish now >w<) Anyway, that's why I chose to read
Hell's Heroes
25.7 Cindy's Task
I. Wintersmith
II. Going Postal
III. Before I Die
Points: 95
Books Read: 9
Read Little Women for task 5.9. I originally read it when I was a little girl and had completely forgotten how beautiful it is.Total points: 115
Well, life got a little messy for me the last couple of weeks, but I finally finished the last task!50.1--
A HEALING TOUCH ed. by Richard Russo
The word touch in this book was used mainly in the figurative sense. From people's deaths changing the way a loved one looked at life, to how they viewed their own deaths. This book had everything from sudden accidental death to the prolonged death that is cancer or althimer's. I am dealing with one of these problems right now, but I don't know if I would recommend it for someone who is not dealing with loss.
THE EMOTIONAL LIVES OF ANIMALS-A LEADING SCIENTIST EXPLORES ANIMAL JOY, SORROW AND EMPATHY--AND WHY THEY MATTER by Marc Bekoff
I have always loved books about how animals feel. I just shake my head at anyone who says animals don't have souls, because they obviously have never had a relationship with one. This book was different as it delved into the emotions of wild as well as domestic. One of the stories that stayed with me was a slight blurb about a group of wild lions in Ethiopia who "rescued" a 12 year old girl from a gang who had kidnapped her. They then circled and guarded her until authorities came, and then walked quietly back into the wild. There was also the stories of the social structures of wolf packs where they look out for those who are either young or ailing. The part that really got to me was the section that discussed what we do to animals in every day life that may be cruel without our knowledge such as leaving a single dog alone who longs for a pack. I would definately recommend this to any animal lover.
and
THE COMPANY OF CATS by Marian Babson
I had actually read this charming cat mystery before, but with the challenge it worked to be read again.
My keepsake is a candle with a group of cats circled around the light which remind me of my cat Bootsie who had just recently passed at 17 years of age. She had seen me through quite a bit of challenges and I was still in mourning. Unfortunately, the candle was pretty expensive and we really couldn't afford it at the time. We went on to dinner and my husband excused himself for a few minutes only to return with the candle in a bag. To this day whe I am feeling low I light the votive in the center and watch the light flicker with the psudo "Bootsies". Also--the cats pictured on the cover of the novel look just like my BootDoot.
I hope this link works, if it doesn't just enter the URL--
http://www.jdbgrphx.com/brozbooks/cat...
This brings me to the finish line and 690 points!
Congrats to Dlmrose and Roseann for having completed the challenge! I just completed another task. And what a wonderful book it was.
5 points
5.1. Our Children Are Our Future (Reads) - Funnily The First Letters Of The Fall Months Spell Out The Word Son (September, October, November) - So Read A Book That Has The Word Son(s), Daughter(s) (Because They're Just As Important), Kid(s), Child, or Children In The Title.
The Musician's Daughter by Susanne Dunlap -- 322 pp (10.19.09). A beautifully written book with a very strong female character who is the daughter of a musician to Haydn, and is instrumental (pun intended :) ) in uncovering the mystery behind the murder of her violinist father. If you enjoy historical fiction and music, this was definitely a great mix of the two.
Tasks Completed: 33/45
Partially Completed Tasks: 2
Points Earned: 460/690
Total Books: 40
Total Pages Read: 8,516
Total Hours listened: 56.25 (approx.)
Roseann wrote: "Well, life got a little messy for me the last couple of weeks, but I finally finished the last task!50.1--
A HEALING TOUCH ed. by Richard Russo
The word touch in this book was used mainly..."
Three cheers for Roseann!
(I added the Bekoff book to my TBR list, too.)
Recently Finished Tasks:15.10 (Teacher/Student) Anne of Avonlea - L.M. Montgomery / Anne of the Island - L.M. Montgomery
25.6 (Dead Presidents - 510 pages) Franklin and Winston - Jon Meacham*
*Franklin and Winston dealt with FDR's relationship with Churchill during the second half of FDR's presidency. The main accomplishment discussed was FDR's "handling" of Churchill--i.e., keeping the relationship between the US and England cordial, while attempting to appease a pre-12/7 America that was largely isolationist. FDR created a few policies, notably the Lend-Lease bill, to keep England supplied with war machines to keep from being completely annihilated. After Pearl Harbor, FDR stepped strongly into both Pacific and European fronts, assuring that the US would be the driving force behind the US/UK alliance. When talks expanded to FDR, Churchill, and Stalin, FDR was the glue that kept talks going (and going amicably) for as long as they did. The two biggest failings that Meacham discusses are FDR's reluctance to enter the war because of his own political precariousness (real or perceived) as well as the way he was prone to patronizing Churchill, who arguable bore the brunt of the pain of the war.
Total Points - 360
Congratulations to Dlmrose and Roseann on finishing this challenge so quickly. You guys are awesome!!
Great job Dlmrose and Roseann!!!
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The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Tempt Me at Twilight (other topics)Patterns in the Sand (other topics)
The Shadow of the Wind (other topics)
My Grandfather's Son (other topics)
Soul of a Dog: Reflections on the Spirits of the Animals of Bedlam Farm (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Lisa Kleypas (other topics)Sally Goldenbaum (other topics)
Clarence Thomas (other topics)
Audrey Niffenegger (other topics)
Neil Gaiman (other topics)
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Task 20.1 (Julie KS's task).
I read The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis.
Total Points: 75
Tasks Completed: 5
Books Read: 12
Tasks In Progress: 4