Group Challenge 2017

[Trelawn]

I have two possibilities. My Life in Letter: PG Wodehouse or Out of Africa by Karen Blixen

[Maria Hill]

I have a few to choose from on my TBR : Twelve Years a Slave , Call the Midwife, A Dublin Girl: Growing up in the 1930s and Night . My TBR is very large and growing.

[Paul]

I'll stick with my original choice Maus. A retelling of the author and his fathers experience of the holocaust told in a graphic novel form with cats and mice

[Margo]

Biography is probably my weakest genre but I think I may have found a couple I'll enjoy; Boy: Tales of Childhood and The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid.

[Trelawn]

I have the Bill Bryson one too. Decisions decisions

[Paul]

Margo , I loved Boy and Going Solo. Dahl has a fun view of the world

[Margo]

Paul wrote: "Margo , I loved Boy and Going Solo. Dahl has a fun view of the world"

I think it was you recommended it for a challenge in your group, but I never did get around to it :-)

[Susan]

I am reading Gloria Steinem's My Life on the Road. It's my in person book club's non fiction read next month so it works out well.

[Bookworm with Kids]

I have the Bill Bryson one as well but I think I will read Hitler's Pope.

[Susan]

Hitler's Pope: The Secret History of Pius XII sounds really interesting but I am not sure I have the stomach for the hypocrisy of it all. It's available here in the U.S. on Kindle, Cphe. Hold on, it'll get to you.

[Colleen]

I think I will read Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood

[Thomas, Moderator]

Colleen wrote: "I think I will read Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood"

Both my wife and I read this and enjoyed it.

[Colleen]

Thomas wrote: "Colleen wrote: "I think I will read Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood"

Both my wife and I read this and enjoyed it."

I'm am not a big fan of memoirs but I do like watching him on TV. I read your review and I'm glad I did so I'm prepared that its not going to be comedy and thanks for the warning to cat lovers .I have 3 . I do think I will like it

[Thomas, Moderator]

Parts of it are hilarious. I am allergic to cats, so we don't have any, but Liz loves them.

[Colleen]

It sounds like a good mix for me . That's too bad that you are allergic to cats they are a lot of fun

[Bookworm with Kids]

Cphe wrote: "B with K,

That looks really interesting unfortunately not available for kindle but I'll grab it when available."

Thanks for the link, Susan, I was on my phone and don't have the ability to put in links from there. I understand your comment about the hypocrisy. It's not a story that I am very familiar with and I am interested to see how the author handles what is a large stain on the papacy. The silence of the Pope with regard to what was happening in Germany regarding the Jews and other marginalised groups is a huge mystery to me.

[Bookworm with Kids]

Susan wrote: "Hitler's Pope: The Secret History of Pius XII sounds really interesting but I am not sure I have the stomach for the hypocrisy of it all. It's available here in the U.S. on Kindle, Cph..."
See my above comment to Cphe, I thought I was hitting the reply button to your comment instead of Cphe's!!

[Margo]

I finished Rebel of the Sands at the weekend. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. Great mythology. I'll definitely add that to the list of series I intend to follow ;-/

[Maria Hill]

Will have to pick it up some time. The third book is due out in 2018. Is it going to be a trilogy?

[Margo]

Maria wrote: "Will have to pick it up some time. The third book is due out in 2018. Is it going to be a trilogy?"

Yes, the publishing rights were sold as a trilogy. I've just realised that that this is the general thread - I'll repost on the fantasy thread.

[Andy]

not sure what biography I'll read come May 8th
reading the beautiful My Family and Other Animals at the moment

really makes me want to travel to Corfu... 1930's Corfu

[Margo]

Andy wrote: "not sure what biography I'll read come May 8th
reading the beautiful My Family and Other Animals at the moment

really makes me want to travel to Corfu... 1930's Corfu"

Maybe a Steven Hawking or Albert Einstein book could help you with that Andy ;-P

[Andy]

thanks Margo :)

[Susan]

Andy wrote: "not sure what biography I'll read come May 8th
reading the beautiful My Family and Other Animals at the moment

really makes me want to travel to Corfu... 1930's Corfu"

I've been watching this on PBS and r4eally enjoying it. I can't wait to see what you think of the book.

[Myra]

I just started reading "A Beautiful Mind" for my Biography pick. I never saw the movie.

[Susan]

Good choice and the movie is excellent.

[Paul]

Good movie , hope the book works as well

[Myra]

Thanks Susan and Paul.
The bit that I read so far tells me that I am going to enjoy the book.

[Andy]

just finished My Family and Other Animals
5 star for me
anyone undecided for biography, I can recommend it

My childhood in Corfu shaped my life. If I had the craft of Merlin, I would give every child the gift of my childhood.

will just have to experience it vicariously.

[Margo]

I'm reading a strange one at the moment, it's my live bookclub choice, Ham on Rye. It's a fictional biography. I'm not going to use for this challenge as I want to read my choices but I wonder would people see it as qualifying? Most biographies are semi fictional anyway - few people can resist spicing up a story ;-)

[Lorraine]

I'm reading Agent Zigzag: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal which is good but I'm usually very slow at reading non-fiction. I'm hoping to read Ross Macdonald. It's a biography of one of my favourite crime writers.

[Margo]

Paul, when does the Biography section start, or has it already?

[Paul]

Starts tomorrow Margo :-)

[Margo]

Great stuff

[Lorraine]

I picked up The Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and Peoples Temple by Jeff Guinn. I only know the vaguest details about what went on in his cult but it sounds like an interesting story.

Borrowbox from the library is great. You end up trying random books.

[Paul]

Technically time to announce. I was still thinking on the choices to try keep a balance so similar genres arent to close.

So after much thinking the next round will be Crime / Thriller.

[Colleen]

Paul wrote: "Technically time to announce. I was still thinking on the choices to try keep a balance so similar genres arent to close.

So after much thinking the next round will be Crime / Thriller."

What date does this start ? I haven't read the current genre yet lol

[Lorraine]

Is it the next genre already? I'm only on chapter 22 out of 52. My biography is over 500 pages and I'm reading it slowly.

[Paul]

I'm giving 4 weeks notice on the start of the next one so you are grand :-)

[Colleen]

Ok good ;) thanks Paul

[Paul]

Start date for Genre 5 , Crime / Thriller will be 19th June :-)

[Maria Hill]

phew, I haven't even started my book yet.

[Myra]

I just finished my biography book today, just in time for the next genre announcement. I have 3 Mystery/Thriller books in my kindle and audible libraries to choose from: Death in Holy Orders, PD James (kindle), Kingdom Come, Jane Jensen (audible) and The Fifth Gospel, Ian Caldwell (also audible).

[Myra]

Paul wrote: "Start date for Genre 5 , Crime / Thriller will be 19th June :-)"

Hmm, maybe I should read another biography if I have 4 weeks to go.

[Kara]

I have two that I will be reading first one is new to my collection of books thanks to "book of the month" The name is Woman No. 17 by Edan Lepucki and another one is called Tampa by Alissa Nutting. I can't wait to start this genre! I'm almost done with my autobiography I'll probably end up giving it a 3 or 4 stars.

[Maria Hill]

I will almost certainly be reading - I have been looking forward to it for a while - with a tag line like - "The most terrifying thriller you'll read this year" - How can I resist? At 768 pages it's long enough so I am not sure whether I will get a second one read for this round.

[Colleen]

Maria that looks very interesting!

[Margo]

Some interesting choices! As this is one of favorite genres I am borrowing books from my mum for this one and they are most certainly ones that I would not normally read.

Killing Floor and Odds Against. Wish me luck :-/

[Maria Hill]

Colleen wrote: "Maria that looks very interesting!"

Amalia Gavea from this Group and a GR Friend added it to her TBR a couple of months ago and I could not resist it. It will be my first Nordic Thriller.

[Paul]

I'm copying Margo and reading Lee Child as well.
I want to see why Susan hates Tom Cruise in the films so much :-)
This really isnt a genre I read at all