2025 Reading Challenge discussion
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Kiwi’s 2016 challenges and book log
What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions:The nerd in me was attracted to this book. As expected, I had no interest in some questions, other “what ifs” were intriguing. It was a fun way to learn some surprising facts in the explanations to some bizarre questions. Good mental stretching in between fiction reads. 2.5 stars
with this book, I have completed my first bingo.
Just started Candide and Julius Caesar
Finished Candide and the Cliffs Notes for it, enjoyed both of them.I'm continuing Julius Caesar, which I'm planning to use for February's History theme group challenge
and I've started What Alice Forgot, for my personal Monthly theme (Romance / Chic lit).
Updated the stats and this is the summary for January:# Books read: 23
# Pages read: 7,727
Average Rating: 3.09
Best book of the month: Shutter Island
Best yield/payoff book: The Goldfinch (6 challenges)
First February read is What Alice Forgot a 3 stars:
A good novel from Moriarty but not the great read I was hoping for.
The main issue I have with this story is credibility. The blasé attitude to a serious condition like amnesia seemed unlikely (view spoiler). Alice’s children did not seem believable kids, to me they seemed much older than their age, for instance Madison resembled an early teen rather than a typical 9 y.o.
For me it was an enjoyable read, however Big Little Lies remains my favourite.
Still continuing Julius Caesar and I've also started This Dark Road to Mercy.
This Dark Road to Mercy, 3 stars and Julius Caesarby Philip Freeman, 5 bright stars:I approached this book with a bit of apprehension. Last year I loved Alexander the Great by the same author, will this book be able to draw me in and involve me at the same level? I shouldn’t have worried. I was captivated by Caesar’s story as much as I was by Alexander’s.
Caesar is obviously one of the most famous figures of all times, but even if you know your history well and know what’s going to happen, Freeman makes it so fresh. In the pages of this book, you feel the tension in the senate during Catilina conspiracy, Caesar’s leadership and bravery during the conquest of Gaul takes your breath away (view spoiler), and you marvel at the engineering skills of Roman military (view spoiler).
The book provides many examples of Caesar’s talents as astute politician, populist strategist, military genius, brave soldier, natural born leader but also as a merciless enemy (view spoiler) and a person with double standards (view spoiler).
Freeman gives the social, political and economic contexts to Caesar’s decisions and explains well the reasons behind his innovative reforms such as the granting of citizenship to worthy (and wealthy) provincials, the instalment of senators and government officials from the military, sons of former slaves and even foreigners, and even the adoption of the solar calendar and leap year that are still in use today.
There are only few authors able to make non-fiction books into genuine page turners, while there are many who will prefer the easier genre of historical fiction or, worse, resort to historical fantasy to entice the readers.
Philip Freeman is a magnificent History teller and now one of my favourite authors. A must read for all Ancient Rome enthusiasts. Highly recommended. 4.5 stars
True Grit, 3 starsI'm continuing Uprooted, unfortunately, I'm not loving it as much as my friends have.
I have started Men Explain Things to Me and Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table for Bookriot Read Harder challenge.
Thank you Kadijah Michelle, I hope you'll like Middlesex :)
Men Explain Things to Me, 3 stars.I'm enjoying Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table, but I encountered my first DNF of the year: Leviathan Wakes, this is a huge disappointment as I was really loving it, but I couldn't force myself to finish it after the book took a 180 degree change of direction, my review.
Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table, 4 stars:I like reading challenges because, every now and then, you get lucky and you stumble on something you would never read otherwise. This book is the perfect example, if you, like me, thought that food memoirs would be boring and uninspiring, try this book. It’s a delicious memoirs sprinkled with exquisite travel memories and a handful of recipes. What an unexpected delight! Recommended.
Currently reading: Euphoria and Black Ships
Euphoria, 4 stars. Quite an interesting story of three English anthropologists working in Papua new Guinea, and it'is (loosely) based on a true story. It is also a love triangle and very well written. Black ships is not as good unfortunately, I'm continuing for the moment.
Black Ships, 2 stars:The story is a variation of Virgil’s Aeneid, the journey of the displaced people of Troy in search of new lands to settle in and the founding of the city that will become Rome.
Let’s start with the positives:
• The author magically captured the atmosphere of ancient worlds
• The descriptions of the landscapes in this journey across the Mediterranean and Egypt are exotic and very evocative.
What I didn’t like:
• The stories is not quite faithful to traditional mythology. The author use well-known names but changed the myths. In my opinion, it would have been better to choose different character names, because famous names carry with them an expectation from the reader. For me it was hard to ignore the fact that Phytia is the traditional name for Apollo’s priestess and not Demeter’s, Iphigenia’s story has now changed, Aeneas’ travels a different route, etc.
• I much preferred Virgil’s version of the tragic love story between Aeneas and Dido, queen of Carthage. Graham’s version with an Egypt princess lacks emotional depth. It also did not make sense (view spoiler)
• I didn’t feel a connection with the protagonist who remains aloof most of the time, but I suppose that distance and remoteness comes with the job of a seer.
Currently reading: Naked in Death and Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened
Naked in Death, 3 starsI liked the gutsy protagonist and the near future setting, not so much the cliché romance and rough sex scenes.
Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened, 4 stars
This was very funny, LOL moments are interleaved with some sobering chapters describing what it means to live with depression. The goose story is hilarious!
Currently reading:Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation, this book is fascinating so far. It is much more about science than self help.
Smaller and Smaller Circles, for Bookriot challenge, the author is from the Philippines, it's a murder mystery investigation involving Catholic priests. Definitely not a run-of-the-mill book :D
LOL, good advice :Dso, will Eve and Roarke continue their relationship in the following books? I'm sort of hoping that they'd split up, I found Eve's character much more interesting on her own...
Good to know, JuliaOrlando Smaller and Smaller Circles, 2 stars
I really wanted to like this book. I did liked the priests in the role of investigators and forensic, the setting in Manila’s slums was interesting, but the characters proved to be too black and white (e.g. the high ranks of police and church) and there was not enough suspense for a true thriller.
JuliaOrlando wrote: "Kiwi wrote: "Naked in Death, 3 starsI liked the gutsy protagonist and the near future setting, not so much the cliché romance and rough sex scenes...."
I love this series... I enjoy..."
Yes, that's how I get through the books. Skim the sex scenes. Just hate them and I think if you cut and pasted all of the sex scenes into one document, they'd all seem remarkably the same.
Bella wrote: "Yes, that's how I get through the books. Skim the sex scenes. Just hate them and I think if you cut ....":P
um......I think sex is a participant's game, not an observer's really......*visions of ludicrousity*
Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation by Daniel J. SiegelThis book is much more about neurology than your typical self-help book. I enjoyed immensely the first part, which presents the advancement in neuroscience and theory of the mind. The second part focuses on a number of psychotherapy study cases and the use of mindfulness in their treatment to leverage neuroplasticity. I felt that this second part, while interesting, was not very helpful in practice. 3.5 stars
That sounds extremely interesting - one of my incarnations was as a neuro nurse, so right up my alley!
I found it extremely interesting, I feel I learned a lot. The book's name is a bit misleading, not a self help book per se, the name is also a bit new age I think.
This is a science book that explains how some conditions, like OCD, and patterns of behavior have a reasonable explanation and how some patients found mindful techniques helpful. The mindfulness practices are mentioned but not explained in great detail, but those can be easily found in other books like Jon Kabat-Zinn's.
I hope you'll find it interesting too, Deborah
I will read it - mindfulness practice is useful to anyone so it's not exactly rocket science, I think. I really hate psych medication but worse is our general mindset towards those with mental health problems. I am sure I will find it interesting !
Legionary, a disappointing 2 stars:It often felt like a screenplay for an action movie, lots of stunts and YA characters, dialogue and humor. It may be a good adventure story, but I was expecting something better, given that the author obviously researched the topic (as proven by the excellent historical notes on the period and the imperial Roman army structure).
on the up side, the non fiction companion book Goths, and it turned out better than expected, 4 stars.
I have just read Hero of Rome and was pleasantly surprised. I hadn't read the chap before and he writes quite vigorously so it rocks along nicely :)
Thank you Deborah, I have The Eagle and the Raven earmarked for later in the year, about the Boudica rebellion, she is a very interesting character, looking forward to learning more :)Legionary had lot of action, but somehow it didn't engage me, I don't know why... at the moment I'm reading a number of non-fiction books which I'm enjoying very much, maybe it's a phase
That's propably true - who said only adolescents get to have phases? It's not plenty of action I meant really, it was the engagingness. I hope you like The Eagle and the Raven I have read it soooo many times! It is about Boudicca as well but the first half is about Caradoc/Caractacus and the first rebellion against Rome. You must have great self discipline to have it earmarked for later in the year!
I have phases for sure, sometimes I like light and fluffy, sometimes something substantial. I like to follow my curiosity as I read, for instance I might read a book and its setting is in a time period or different culture and I want to learn more about it, so the “planned reads” get pushed back a little. At the end of last year, I had a Celtic phase and I read a bit about Boudica’s story, so I put the Raven and the Eagle on my Famous people challenge for this year. I'm a completionist, if it's on a list (so I won't forget) I will get to it, in time.
If I look back at my reading list, I realise I’m jumping genres and book styles a lot, seems a bit crazy, I must be an adolescent at heart :P
I do the completionist thing too, I am working on books series' that I started 6 years ago or more because I can't leave them hanging, also I am forcing myself to read series' that I have gotten tired of but can't stop because I need to know how they end.
no, it's the way your cognition works. I call it 'the magpie learner brain' and I have one myself. There is a pattern discernible to the self but it can look a bit crazy to linear thinkers who see it as unsettling. Basically, your brain is very busy and has several streams going at once and you like to learn. What you choose comes down to whatever catches your eye at any moment, even if you have to delay gratification by putting it on a list. You probably don't need a list but it's reassuring 'just in case' you forget. Some, or none, of that may strike a chord for you - it's certainly how I am and you've made comments - and have a reading pattern - that suggest you tick in a similar way. :D
Alicia - lucky me - I don't feel compelled to complete anything unless I want to!
This discussion very interesting Alicia wrote: "I do the completionist thing too, I am working on books series' that I started 6 years ago or more because I can't leave them hanging, also I am forcing myself to read series' that I have gotten ti..."
Yes, I sympathize with you Alicia.
However, I recently have learned to let it go when I feel that reading is no longer fun, that applies to a single book (i.e. abandon a book after having given it a fair chance) and series
Deborah wrote: "no, it's the way your cognition works. I call it 'the magpie learner brain' and I have one myself. There is a pattern discernible to the self but it can look a bit crazy to linear thinkers who see ..."
Deborah, I can certainly recognise myself with your diagnosis, "magpie learner brain" I like it!
Ah.....nice to be on the ball! :)I think the mode of cognition a person uses is greatly underrecognised and provides some very helpful clues to the personality. People tend to assume that 'thinking' is a process common to all and similar in all - it isn't! Linear thinkers tend to be completers and are more prone to seeing in black and white, for example. None of this is scientific, just the product of my busy brain gulping down input and organising it in ways that make sense to moi!
The Theory of Cognitive Modes (new, apparently!) identifies Perceiver (seeks meaning), Stimulator, Mover and Adaptor as the types of cognition and any one person can have some/all in different percentage but should have a dominant mode. Well, I've been talking about cognition as a factor for 30+ years so I'd like to know who picked MY brain????? It's an interesting theory, anyway, not sure I agree with the categories etc but at least they are talking about HOW people think.
I'm sure you can see how important it is in determining how we interact with the world, which determines, really, what happens to us. You can look at a simple explanation of the theory here: www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-theo...
Of course I just did the test - am mainly a mover. However, the test is prejudiced by my interest in art and 20 questions is not enough to make it valid, no matter what they say (shoddy scholarship - tut!) And they don't even MENTION magpies!
I'm not saying the books aren't enjoyable, I just think the series has gone on a little long and is rather repetitive in its content but there is only 4 books left I think so that's not so bad. I have 38 books on a list that I started when I lived with my mom, it used to be over 100 books but I read a lot and got it down over the last couple of years, my goal this year is to finish all those and then start on something new.
Really interesting Deborah, thank you for the link. I took the test and I was surprised by the result (Stimulator), as I do like to make deatiled plans but I am also known for carrying them through even when things go askew. I agree that 20 questions are probably insufficient, but fun activity to do.Would you recommend any books on the theory of Cognitive Modes?
Alicia, congratulations on your reading progress, looks like your goal is not far off, good luck!
thanks, I thought I would have a problem completing my goal at first but then I started reading and I was like, ok I can do this and maybe even exceed expectations.
Alas, Babylon, a pleasant surprise, 4 starsAlthough written at the time of the cold war (first published in 1959) the message in this book is still relevant today. A small Florida community will face the consequences of a nuclear war and try to meet their physical needs as well as their emotional ones. Very well written, interesting and well-rounded characters, a sense of place.
This novel is well above the plethora of average post-apocalyptic books written in the last decade (no need for zombies to deliver a frightening, riveting but poignant story). I’m surprised this book is not better known, I wish I came across it sooner. Well worth a read.
Stai zitta e va' in cucina: Breve storia del maschilismo in politica da Togliatti a Grillo, another 4 stars:It’s easy to think that, in Italy, the struggle for gender equality (I don’t like to use the word feminism because it has a us vs. them connotation) belongs to the past, to the older generations of my grandmother who worked in the fields or my mother’s working in a factory. When you read this book you realise that things haven’t changed that much.
Some examples stunned me, is it possible that famous figures from politics, judiciary, journalism etc. really said that? What hit me most was the book reminded that I too was guilty of becoming farsighted, when I found the jokes on Ms Rosy Bindi funny, when you are up close you don’t notice. It is only with distance, space and in time that you realise how things really were, and how poisonous the jokes were.
The author’s factual examples prove that, even today, gender equality is only superficial, in reality it’s still a long way away. Thankfully, the book ends on a positive note: there are signs of optimism from the new generations . This books should be mandatory in schools.
Currently reading: Life in a Medieval City and The Book of My Lives. I'll probably start a fiction book too
My Name Is Lucy Barton:Mmmhh, short but hard to rate. There is no doubt that Elizabeth Strout can write well, but I was expecting and wanted more. I much preferred her Olive Kitteridge. 2.5 stars
The Book of My Lives, solid 3 starsLife in a Medieval City, 4 stars and
for my Take a chance challenge: Garden Spells, 3 stars:
Better than expected, light chick-lit reading, admittedly predictable and requiring suspension of disbelief, it was fun and I liked it. Evanelle was great!
Kiwi wrote: "The Book of My Lives, solid 3 starsLife in a Medieval City, 4 stars and
for my Take a chance challenge: Garden Spells, 3 stars:
Better than expecte..."
Have you read any other Gies books? I have a few of them on my shelf for whenever my next medieval phase hits.
Bella, it was my first book by her, I have Life in a Medieval Castle by her husband and I'm sure I had Life in a Medieval Village if I can find it.Have you read any of their books, would you you recommend any?
Kiwi wrote: "Bella, it was my first book by her, I have Life in a Medieval Castle by her husband and I'm sure I had Life in a Medieval Village if I can find it.Have you read any of..."
No, haven't read any, but I found the "Life in a Medieval" series cheap in a used bookstore so I bought them.
Since you read a lot of history books, do you know of any non-fiction books about the Lollards or John Wycliffe? (That aren't out of print and hundreds of dollars. It seems like "obscure" non-fiction books get scarce quickly.)
Bella wrote: "Since you read a lot of history books, do you know of any non-fiction books about the Lollards or John Wycliffe?..."I'm afraid I personally haven't come across anything specific, Bella.
I have checked my books and Ages of Faith comes recommended but it deals of religions in general, John Wycliffe is only mentioned.
There is another one: A History of Medieval Heresy and Inquisition that has a chapter on it (" Wyclif, the Word of God, and Inquisition in England") about 30 pages long.
Searching in the bibliographies, I have found Lollards and Their Influence in Late Medieval England is available at Amazon in reprint for $45. However I don't have this so I don't know how good it is for your purposes.
I'm more of a Cathar girl myself :D
Thanks, Kiwi! Wow, the Cathars took heresy to a whole other level than the Lollards. I'm not up to spending $45 on a book, but thanks for telling me about it. I added it to my wishlist so I can be on the lookout for a cheap(er) copy. I did buy A History of Medieval Heresy, though. I'm fascinated by the various heresies in the Middle Ages. Especially when you look at works like Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich, which was very "odd" in tone for a saint. And you wonder at how things become cannon and others heresy.
Finally I read The Prophet, 4 stars.The Seventh Bride, 2 stars:
I chose this book because the fairy tale of Bluebeard gave me the creeps as a child. This YA retelling is nothing like it, I expected something dark and suspenseful, the beginning was interesting enough and the characters of Rhea and the hedgehog quite cute but the ending felt confused. Overall, for me this book didn’t deliver.
with this book, I also finished my second challenge: Full House Reading Challenge
2025 Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Lewis Man (other topics)Jungle of Stone: The True Story of Two Men, Their Extraordinary Journey, and the Discovery of the Lost Civilization of the Maya (other topics)
Rain Dogs (other topics)
Rubbernecker (other topics)
Shutter Island (other topics)
More...
I'm still reading American Gods, which is a very weird book even for Gaiman standards and What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions.
In the meantime I'm planning February reads, my monthly theme is chick-lit / romance, not my favorite, we'll see