You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
Challenges: Year Long Main 2021
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TJ's 2017 All About Me Challenge
Thank you, TJ. I must have been having a bad day when I wrote that. I have been off work for one week now of my eight week sabbatical. Doing laundry, shopping and getting ready to pack up and leave on my road trip with my sister is ahead for the next few days. Won't be much time for reading. I'm very excited! ^_^
Part 2, 5/12. Question 34. One of my favourite animals (non-domestic) is the elephant. (On the other end of the size spectrum, the honey bee is another favorite.)
I read The Elephant Whisperer
, which has an elephant in the title as well as on the cover, both of which qualify it for this task. It was very interesting to hear about running an African animal preserve that was home to this small group of "difficult" elephants. The author's storytelling improved, I thought, as he went along. A couple of events made me very sad and angry, one of which was within in the control of the author. However, he was a true conservationist and bad ass. The world is poorer from his death in 2012. His legacy continues with Thula Thula and the larger Royal Zulu Biosphere.
Part 2, 6/12Question 1. For this challenge task, I read
Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia by Janet Wallach. The author and I share the same first name, and so fits the criteria for this task. This is a well-researched book about Gertrude Bell, an amazing woman often regarded as "the female Lawrence of Arabia." Her fascinating and influential life is covered from almost start to finish. She was very learned and politically astute in many ways. She was a linguist, a scholar, a mountaineer, a desert explorer, an archaeologist, and a British State Official in Iraq. Sometimes the detailed writing bordered on too much information, but overall this rated a solid 3.5 stars for me.
Part 2, 7/12For Question 43 I said that the time period i'd most like to travel to is any time in the future so I could see how things turn out. For this challenge task, I read Cinder by Marissa Meyer Cinder, which is set in the future, tho exactly when isn't specified. I enjoyed this book, but didn't think the futuristic world imagined here was all that I would hope if i were able to travel to the future. I'd like to see that we had progressed beyond so much socio-economic stratification and that we lived more communally with large communal farms and gardens throughout our neighborhoods : )
Part 2, 8/12Question 37. I went with William Shakespeare as my all time favorite author. "Romeo and Juliet" was the earliest real literature that I read, and it captivated me from start to finish. I've read and seen plays/movie/opera/dance productions based on many of Shakespeare's plays, but The Tempest was really unknown to me. Never read it before or seen a production of it so I decided to check it out. I can't say I loved it upon first reading here, but I do still feel open to coming to know it better and possibly growing to love it with time. Will be picking up DVD library copy tomorrow. May not watch it until next week. Have my young nephew visiting this week, and it's not age appropriate.
Part 2, 9/12Question 23. Day-to-day i prefer a shower tho i do also love a good soak occasionally in a nice, hot tub. Shower is in the title of the book I read for this challenge, A Shower Of Summer Days, thus meeting the criteria for this challenge task. I liked this book by author May Sarton very much.
Part 2, 10/12Question 32. My writing ability is a feature I've often been complimented on over the years. For this challenge task, I read M Train, which features Patti Smith, author of this amazing memoir on its cover. She sits pensively at a little coffee shop table -- her table. Its the table from the coffee shop she liked to frequent in the West Village until its close in 2013. There she would drink cup upon cup of black coffee and write in her notebook. In the cover photo, her trusty, vintage Polaroid camera is next to the ubiquitous cup of coffee. It's where she likes it, which is always close at hand, ready to capture significant moments, whether spontaneous or deliberately pursued.
You do read interesting and arresting book titles, TJ. I always look forward to looking them up and seeing the author biographies on GR and checking out their list of books.
I think Smith's book, Just Kids, is one of the oldest on my TBR list.
I really liked that book a lot too, Cherie. But liked this one even more. Very poetic so not everybody's cup of tea I suppose.
Part 2, 11/12Question 47. For this task, I read
The True Story of Hansel and Gretel. It occupied position number 66 on my tbr list when I did the gophering for this task, and 66 corresponds to my height in inches.
When I joined this group, The True Story of Hansel and Gretel was the group read. It was on the weight of that book that I joined, and I still haven't read it. LOL!
Part 2, 12/12Question 16. Vanilla bean ice cream is my favorite ice cream flavor.
The book cover In the Woods is white with dark threads running through it. It reminds me of what the ice cream mixture looks like in the pot when I'm making a batch at home from scratch, which I've done twice in the past two weeks. The white is like the milk and sugar mixture and the black threads are like the vanilla bean stems. Didn't love the book. It was okay. Too long in my opinion.
I posted about completing part 2. Realized I missed reporting a book I completed for task 22. So I'm posting it now as my first book for part 3.
Part 3, 1/26Question 22. I've had various accidents of one sort or another over the years. I read Accidents Waiting to Happen for this task. It meets the requirement of having the word accident in the title.
Congratulations on finishing Part 2, TJ!Happy accident on your first part three book. ^-^ hehehe
Thanks, Cherie. Funny that it was an accident : )
Part 3, 2/26Question 9. My relationship status is married. 21 years in November. I read Married to Bhutan for this task. It fulfills requirement of having "married" in the title and marriage is a big part of the story.
Additional note: I really enjoyed this read. Rated it a solid 4 out of 5 stars.
Part 3, 3/26Question 18. My favorite season is autumn. For this task, I needed to read a book set in this season, and so I read A Walk in the Rain, which was set mostly in October and November. I liked the story tho it was too light-weight in terms of deeper development. I wished the author had dug deeper. It was like she was checking off boxes. Too perfunctory tho not without skill.
Part 3, 4/26Question 45. I read The Ace of Lightning
for this task. I prefer black olives but love green also. Especially love unpitted olives stuffed with garlic, pimiento, or jalapeno. The cover is mostly black with lighter area in center like hole where pit was removed and big chunk of pickled garlic was stuffed inside. There's also a streak of green and streak of red like for my alternate fav stuffings of green jalapeno and red pimiento pepper.
Note: Post edited to include title and cover links.
Hahaha! I think you were so excited to write your post, you forgot to link your book. I don't see a title or cover. :)Forgive me if there is a cover showing. My iPod and the app doesn't always open the link nicely. Sometimes I can find a little box and make it open, but not here.
Hmm... i was just, um, seeing if anyone would notice. Yeah, that's it, and you did! ; )Actually, I did mean to post the title. The book, the very, very strange but very amazing book, is .
I promise to update my post or repost with title and cover link!!
Too funny! The title doesn't seem to have posted. I vow that I typed it in!! Tried to post it in italics. No doubt I messed up the proper syntax code. The book title is.... drum roll...
The Ace.of Lightning.
Got out of bed and went to office to add cover link. Otherwise, I won't be able to get back to sleep!The Ace of Lightning
It was published in March of this year. I seem to be only the fourth person to have rated/reviewed this book. My spouse found it, and suggested I should check it out. Not sure how/why he decided to read it. I'm curious. It was pretty amazing, tho very, very strange. Experimental for sure!
LOL! The things we do for our challenges. :)
Part 3, 5/26Question 5. For this task, I read The Wizard of OZ: A Steampunk Adventure, a book with the same title as my favorite movie, The Wizard of Oz.
My rating: 4 stars
LOL! Steampunk Oz. I can almost see it. I will have to add that one.
"Read" this one on Audible. Pleasantly surprised. Interested in continuing this series. I think you might like it.
Part 3, 6/26Question 33. Alien, ghost, neither? I answered alien. Tho other days I might have said ghost or neither.
I read The Draco Tavern by Larry Niven. Chock full of aliens. Many interesting ideas tho the writing was too telegraphic.
Note: Post edited to add book link.
Part 3, 7/26Question 19. Computer desktop picture of my dog.
I read Orchid Beach
for this task. The one year anniversary of Sheeba's passing is coming up in a few days. Sheeba loved the beach as does Daisy, the dog featured in Orchid Beach. They also share similar coat colors and markings tho my girl had long hair with a coat more like a golden than a dobie.
This first in series book by Stuart Woods had some weaknesses, but it kept me reading, and I liked the protagonist and other key characters. I'd be willing to readin in this series to see how it develops.
This sounds like it was a good tribute to Sheeba.
Yes, worked out pretty well. I wanted a book that helped me thru this time without being too emotionally taxing. Hoping next books in this series will develop the Daisy character even more.
I'm glad the book helped you through this sad anniversary. I'm going to need something upbeat and happy to read when my Diesel's anniversary comes up in a couple of months. His picture showed up on my facebook memories this week and made me cry.
Thanks, KimeyD, anniversaries are tough. Lots of things still make me cry about Sheeba. Miss her so much. For this task, i opted for something i knew wouldn't make me too sad. I'm looking forward to reading more in this series to see where it goes.
Part 3, 8/26Question 44. I said I prefer shoes over barefeet unless surface is cold, hot, muddy, sharp, etc, and then I prefer shoes. As a compromise answer, I went with
A Crooked Kind of Perfect. This represents how I actually spend a lot of time at home - wearing socks - I almost always wear them when sleeping, even in the summer, and I often wear them around the house - sans shoes, of course.
Part 3, 9/26. Question 26. I read Rules of the Road because I prefer a car over a truck. Has car on cover. 
To earn the third and final badge, I need to read 17 more books in the next 5 months. Thus far, I've read 33 books in I can do this, but need to stay focused. More difficult as the year winds down. Next 3 months - Aug, Sept, Oct - are crucial.
Part 3, 10/26. Question 40. Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea. The avocado is one of my very favorite fruits. Green and black predominant on the book's cover, corresponding to the exterior color of unripe and ripe avocado, respectively. 
Part 3, 11/26. Question 11. The Devotion of Suspect X. This story centers around certain pivotal dates in March, the month when I was born. Good story premise, but timing seemed slightly off, but otherwise I really liked this one.
Tejas Janet wrote: "To earn the third and final badge, I need to read 17 more books in the next 5 months. Thus far, I've read 33 books in 8 months7 months, that is. I can do this, but need to stay focused. More diff..."
Good luck with the challenge. I think I'll be able to complete Part 2 but not Part 3 unfortunately.
Thanks, Sarah : ) Not sure I'm going to make it, but I'm still trying. Good luck with completing part 2!
Part 3, 12/26. Question 27. Glory over Everything: Beyond The Kitchen House. The little tattoo I have is similar (in some respects) to the sun on the book cover.
Part 3, 13/26. Question 46. A River Sutra. The book's title, cover, and organizing theme are all water/river related. Its spiritual aspect and emphasis on connectedness to the natural world appeals strongly to my Piscean temperament. 
Part 3, 14/26. Question 21. Escape. This book in position number 40 corresponded to the number of candles i had on my last birthday cake.
Part 3, 15/26. Question 31. The Last Kingdom. I picked Ragnar Lothbrok as a person I'd really like to meet. I'm just really curious about what he would have really been like. Of course I've only learned later that he was a fictional character whereas I'd thought he was an historical figure of epic proportions. Oh well. Just as well because he's a dangerous character, that one!
If there were a book list for Fictional Characters I Would Like to Meet, would you vote for it?
I would, Cherie. Ragnar is a composite figure based on various historical persons. Tho he's given more guts and glory than he earned in his own right, he is exemplary of the world view and values of those Norsemen, the Danes, in that time period. Within his own time frame and value system, he's brave, loyal, generous, wise, etc. Plus of course, he's strong and very good looking : )
Also, I really like that book list idea, Cherie!
Did you enjoy the book TJ? I thought it was a good story and I will be definitely reading the rest of the series.
You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
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I can't ever imagine anyone saying that about you, Cherie. You are a good-hearted person for sure.