2016 November Reading Challenge

[Elizabeth]

In honor of Veteran's Day, this month's challenge is to read a book that relates to veterans and/or the military. You could read a memoir or a biography like The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History, you could read a romantic suspense like Over the Edge where the main characters are in the military, you can even read Poetry of the First World War: An Anthology. Tell us in the comments how it relates to the military. I hope everyone has a wonderful Veteran's Day.

[Becky]

I'm considering Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield or rereading a favorite Catch-22.

[Debbie]

This is a perfect for me. I've been reading Carl Sandberg's biography of Lincoln for most of the year. It's 6 volumes long and I'm on volume 4 and have reached the part about the Gettysburg address. Finishing volume 4 will meet this challenge perfectly.

If you are a fan of fiction about the Civil War, I'd suggest The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. It covers the Battle of Gettysburg and is really good. It also won a Pulitzer prize, which I learned after I read it. It's not terribly long and is a fairly easy read.

[Donna]

Becky wrote: "I'm considering Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield or rereading a favorite Catch-22."

Becky, I loved Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield. I'm so not a crier, but there were 3 times in this book that practically had me reduced to a blubbering mess.

[Debbie]

Hmmm. This is posted for you all to have a good chuckle. As I look at the things I'm currently reading, we start off with Carl Sandberg's Lincoln: The War Years. Civil War. Then there is Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising series -- war against "the dark side". That series is interspersing my reading of the Harry Potter series -- war against Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters. My heavens, I've surrounded myself with war, real and imagined. Thank heaven I'm reading Sue Grafton's C is for Corpse. It's only about murder.

[Audrey]

I recommend Red Platoon: A True Story of American Valor -- the author is my cousin's best friend, so I saw him around when he was a little kid. Amazing true story.

[Becky]

Donna wrote: "Becky wrote: "I'm considering Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield or rereading a favorite Catch-22."

Becky, I lo..."

Oh good to hear! I can't wait to read it! Thanks for sharing.

[Carolyn]

I actually just finished The Boy Who Dared. About WWII, Hitlers youth, and how Hitler came to power. On a sci-fi note I am reading landfall about a group of Marines checking out new planets for displaced humans to live on .

[Elizabeth]

Just a head's up, the library is closed on Friday, November 11, for Veteran's Day. So, if you need to run in to grab something to tide you over the weekend, you'll want to come in on Thursday.

[Carolyn]

I will see how far I get, but I am working on Ron Chernow's "Alexander Hamilton" which seems to fit this month's challenge. I am up to 1775, just after the beginning of the war.

[Debbie]

Carolyn wrote: "I will see how far I get, but I am working on Ron Chernow's "Alexander Hamilton" which seems to fit this month's challenge. I am up to 1775, just after the beginning of the war."

I've heard some really incredible things about it. It's on my list for "someday" but not on my list for "soon".

[Jackie]

I am listening to "The War that Saved My Life". Probably a 4-6 grade book, but a great read so far.

Finished. A solid 5 rating. :)

[Audrey]

Carolyn wrote: "I actually just finished The Boy Who Dared. About WWII, Hitlers youth, and how Hitler came to power. On a sci-fi note I am reading landfall about a group of Marines checking out new planets for dis..."

Who wrote that one? Landfall, I mean. Sounds promising.

[Elizabeth]

Is it by Jerry Aubin?

[Linda]

I finished reading The Magic of Ordinary Days It takes place during WWII.

[Tiffinie]

I'm reading Ashley's war and loving it.

[Elizabeth]

We're halfway through the month. Don't forget to let us know what you've read so you can be entered into the drawing.

[Teresa]

I read two Civil War nurses journals, one from the north and one from the south. From a battlefield nurse's pov, there was very little difference between the two. Boys and men in filthy makeshift hospitals, piles of sawed off limbs, writing letters to soldiers loved ones, it was all horrendous. Interspersed were heroic deeds and grateful soldiers.

[Debbie]

I have finished v.4 of Carl Sandberg's Abraham Lincoln. This volume dealt with several battles of the Civil War, including Gettysburg. HOORAY! Only 2 volumes left to finish! I count each volume as a separate book because they are all in the 600-700 page range and each could, if desired, stand on its own.

[Casandria]

I read Stubby the War Dog: The True Story of World War I's Bravest Dog from the Beehive long list. It did a great job of showing how helpful dogs can be in battle. I also happened to be on book 6 of the Bloody Jack series: My Bonny Light Horseman: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, in Love and War. In this book, she gets involved in the Napoleonic Wars, even leading the charge against the Prussians in an epic battle. Although it was entertaining and often funny (as the Bloody Jack books all are), it didn't shy away from the tragedy of war.

[Carolyn]

Little chance "Alexander Hamilton" will be finished by the end of the month, but I did finish "Home and Away" by Dean Hughes. One of the characters was a soldier during World War II.

[Tiffinie]

I finished Ashley's war and I'm now reading the human body by Paulo Giordano.

[Elizabeth]

For those of you who are planning on picking up your book to read over the Thanksgiving break, we close EARLY on Wednesday, November 23. We close at 6:00pm.

Thanks!

I hope you have some time to read during Thanksgiving. :D

[Elizabeth]

Casandria! I love the Bloody Jack books!!!

[Jackie]

I finished "GIRL AT WAR". Heart breaking, but well written.

[Laura]

I read WORDS IN THE DUST by Trent Reedy. I gave it 4 stars and would highly recommend it.

[Brianon]

I read my way through the bedwyn series by Mary Balogh this month. several of the books take place at the battlefield of Waterloo!

[Alyson]

I read Civil Rights Childhood--about a different sort of war.

[Becky]

I read Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield, which was terrific. I also read a fiction book, in this category, Everyone Brave is Forgiven, which I also really enjoyed.

[Elizabeth]

Brianon wrote: "I read my way through the bedwyn series by Mary Balogh this month. several of the books take place at the battlefield of Waterloo!"

Brianon, I love those books. But my favorite one is the last one, but you totally need to read the others ones to get the emotional payoff.

[Elizabeth]

Last day everyone! Tell us what book you read to complete the challenge.

[Lisa]

does anyone know the book club theme is for December?

[Elizabeth]

Donna is our prize drawing winner for November’s reading challenge. She read Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon.

[Donna]

Thanks Elizabeth... But I didn't read that one last month...I was just letting her know that I had read that one in the past. I didn't participate in November. Please choose another winner. Sorry for the confusion.

[Elizabeth]

thanks donna! I'll pick another winner next Tuesday you guys. that's when I'll be back in the office

[Elizabeth]

Carolyn wrote: "Little chance "Alexander Hamilton" will be finished by the end of the month, but I did finish "Home and Away" by Dean Hughes. One of the characters was a soldier during World War II."

Since Donna had just been recommending a title, we have a new winner. Carolyn won. She read Home and Away by Dean Hughes.

Thanks everyone!

[Carolyn]

Yay.

[Debbie]

Carolyn wrote: "Yay."

Hooray Carolyn!