You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
Challenges: Year Long Main 2021
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Suzanne's 2017 "Me" challenge
1. My Name is Suzanne - Holding On to the Air by Suzanne Farrell2. Baseball - One Shot at Forever: A Small Town, an Unlikely Coach, and a Magical Baseball Season by Chris Ballard. Book about baseball.
3. Green eyes - The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan. Green cover.
4. Broken bone - yes. Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table by Ruth Reichl. Title has "bone" in it.
5. Favorite movie - Pride & Prejudice. Emma by Jane Austen. Same author,
6. Favorite book - The Grapes of Wrath. Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck. Same author.
7. Number 8. Three Sisters, Three Queens by Philippa Gregory. #8 in the Plantagenet/Tudor series.
8. Christmas. Raising the Barre: Big Dreams, False Starts, & My Midlife Quest to Dance The Nutcracker by Lauren Kessler. About dancing in the Nutcracker - a Christmas holiday favorite!
9. Married. The Master's Muse. Novel about Tanny LeClerc, George Balanchine's wife.
10. Right handed. The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe. Book has "right" in the title.
11. October. Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam. The movie "October Sky" was based on this book.
12. I have a dog. White Dog Fell from the Sky by Eleanor Morse. Book has "dog" in the title.
13. Indian Food. Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri. Many of the stories in this book are set in India.
14. I use my kitchen daily. The Kitchen Boy : A Novel of the Last Tsar by Robert Alexander. Book has "kitchen" in the title.
15. Shoe size 6. Random book selected: The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman.
16. Chocolate. A Month of Italy: Rediscovering the Art of Vacation by Chris Brady. Because I had the very best Chocolate/Hazelnut Gelato during a trip to Italy!
17. USA. Black River by S.M. Hulse. Book set in the US.
18. Spring. Bat Boy: Coming of Age with the New York Yankees by Matthew Mcgough. Set in the springtime.
19. My son is my current desktop picture. No Way Home: A Dancer's Journey from the Streets of Havana to the Stages of the World by Carlos Acosta. Because my son is a ballet dancer, as is Carlos Acosta.
20. Car. Driving Hungry: A Memoir by Layne Mosler. Most of the book takes place in a cab.
21. 51. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie by Hunter S. Thompson. It's #51 on my TBR shelf and it's been there a long time. Maybe this challenge will push me to read it!
22. No. Pompeii by Robert Harris. Many accidents will happen in this book!
23. I have a rain shower head that I love. Monique and the Mango Rains: Two Years with a Midwife in Mali by Kris Holloway.
24. Scotland. Call the Nurse: True Stories of a Country Nurse on a Scottish Isle by Mary J. McLeod. Book set in Scotland.
25. Historical Fiction. The House Girl by Tara Conklin.
26. Car. Little Failure by Gary Shteyngart. Book has a car on the cover.
27. No tattoo. The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron. A butterfly would make a pretty tattoo.
28. Contemporary. Life of Pi by Yann Martel. Book published in 2006.
29. Rose. Rose of Sarajevo by Ayse Kulin. Book has "rose" in the title.
30. Yes, I've been to Italy three times. Mona Lisa: A Life Discovered. Set in Italy.
31. Elvis Costello. Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink by Elvis Costello. If I can't meet the man, I can read his autobiography!
32. My skin. A Different Sky by Meira Chand. The woman on the cover has beautiful ivory skin.
33. Neither. Monstrous Regiment. Book has vampires and frankenstein monsters called "igors" as characters.
34. Elephants. Don't Look Behind You! A Safari Guide's Encounters with Ravenous Lions, Stampeding Elephants, and Lovesick Rhinos by Peter Allison. Elephant on the cover.
35. Beach. On Folly Beach by Karen White. Book has "beach" in the title.
36. I'd lose my sense of touch. The Touch by Colleen McCullough. Book has "touch" in the title.
37. Favorite author is David Liss. The Day of Atonement by David Liss. Looking forward to reading another one by this great author!
38. Water. The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea by Sebastian Unger. Takes place on the ocean.
39. Opal. The Color Of Lightning. I believe the cover of this book reflects the blues of an Australian opal.
40. Pineapple. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Book is yellow like the flesh of a pineapple.
41. Pro-life. The Midwife of Hope River by Patricia Harman. The book is about a woman who helps deliver babies.
42. Space. Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13 by Jim Lovell. Book set it space.
43. 18th Century. Vivaldi's Virgins by Barbara Quick. Book set in 18th century.
44. Shoes. Learning to Bow: Inside the Heart of Japan by Bruce Feiler. The people on the cover are all wearing shoes.
45. Green olives. Is This Tomorrow by Caroline Leavitt. Cover is green.
46. Libra. Arc of Justice: A Saga of Race, Civil Rights, and Murder in the Jazz Age by Kevin G. Boyle. Libra is depicted as scales, which is representative of justice.
47. 62 inches. For the King's Favor by Elizabeth Chadwick. This is #62 on my TBR list.
48. I miss by best friend Roberta, who died of cancer six years ago. Final Harvest by Wayne Weible. This book is about a the Marian apparitions at Medjugorie, a place we always talked about visiting together.
49. My hobby is reading! Ruined By Reading: A Life in Books by Lynn Sharon Schwartz. A book about reading.
50. Russian. Dancer by Colum McCann. The book is about the great Russian dancer, Rudolf Nureyev, who spoke Russian, of course.
1/12 One Shot at Forever: A Small Town, an Unlikely Coach, and a Magical Baseball Season by Chris Ballard - completed 01/22/17What is your favorite sport? Baseball
It's a book about a baseball team.
2/12 Little Failure by Gary Shteyngart - completed 01/25/17
Do you prefer a car or a truck? Car
The book has a car on the cover
3/12 Life of Pi by Yann Martel - completed 01/27/17
Do you prefer Classic or Contemporary? Contemporary
The book was published in 2006
I've completed my first book of the challenge and it was great! One Shot at Forever: A Small Town, an Unlikely Coach, and a Magical Baseball Season reminded me of one of those great sports movies where the underdog comes out on top. Love it!
Suzanne wrote: "I've completed my first book of the challenge and it was great! One Shot at Forever: A Small Town, an Unlikely Coach, and a Magical Baseball Season reminded me of one of those great..."What task did you complete the book for and how does the book fit the task?
It's #2 on the list - what is your favorite sport. I love baseball and this book is about a baseball team.
I've completed my next two books:2/12 is Little Failure by Gary Shteyngart. The question (#26) is did I prefer a car or a truck. Definitely a car. This book has a car on the cover. The best part about this book was that it completed this item for the challenge. I didn't care for it at all!
3/12 is Life of Pi by Yann Martel. The question (#28) is do I prefer Classic or Contemporary. Definitely contemporary. At least with most things in life. I like modern furnishings, clothing, and conveniences! This book is modern fiction - it was published in 2006. And I really enjoyed this book!
We all come across books like your 2nd Suzanne. Hopefully it was short and all upcoming challenge reads will be better!
Peggy wrote: "We all come across books like your 2nd Suzanne. Hopefully it was short and all upcoming challenge reads will be better!" I've gotten in the habit of thoroughly researching a book (and it's ratings) before I decide to read it. Unfortunately, Little Failure had a bunch of five star ratings...and a bunch of one star ratings. Sometimes you just have to take a chance!
Each book is to be reported in it's own message. So two messages for book 2 and 3.
Janice wrote: "Each book is to be reported in it's own message. So two messages for book 2 and 3."Sorry - I didn't realize.
2/12 is Little Failure by Gary Shteyngart. The question (#26) is did I prefer a car or a truck. Definitely a car. This book has a car on the cover. The best part about this book was that it completed this item for the challenge. I didn't care for it at all!
3/12 is Life of Pi by Yann Martel. The question (#28) is do I prefer Classic or Contemporary. Definitely contemporary. At least with most things in life. I like modern furnishings, clothing, and conveniences! This book is modern fiction - it was published in 2006. And I really enjoyed this book!
Thanks Suzanne. This is a new way of reporting for the annual challenges and lots of people missed it.
4/12 is Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett. The question (#33) is would I rather encounter a ghost, alien or neither. Definitely neither! I'd be terrified! The book I chose is a satirical piece of fantasy/science fiction where a group of newly enlisted soldiers are made of up vampires, "igors" and humans - and they are all females disguising themselves as young men! It was an interesting (and amusing) first foray into the literature of Terry Pratchett.
Glad you enjoyed the Discworld story. Only 40 more to go and you will have killed off the whole series, like Dawn. I am breaking it down into smaller sub-series, but I intend to read them all one day.
It only took me like 10 years to get through them all, it's totally doable. :)
LOL! I don't think I'll be tackling this series - it was an interesting read, but a little out of my preferred genres. Guess how I got this book? It was a Book of the Month Club selection that I forgot to say "no" to, so it was sent to me. AND...it sat on my shelf ever since. It's my goal to read and clear out all those books that I've had on my shelf forever. Forcing my self to read those books is actually great - I've found some real gems that way!
5/12 is The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan. The question (#3) is "What color are your eyes?" My eyes are green and the cover of this novel is mostly green. There's something wonderful about these Chinese sagas where the women suffer so much. My heart just bleeds for them. Needless to say I'm a fan of Amy Tan and of this book!
I'm a huge fan of Amy Tan's as well.
I read her early books but could not get into one that I tried and I have not wanted to try another. I think she is not for everyone.
Cherie wrote: "I read her early books but could not get into one that I tried and I have not wanted to try another. I think she is not for everyone."The only Amy Tan book I've read but did not like was Saving Fish from Drowning. I'm planning to read The Joy Luck Club for the Geocache Challenge, and I loved the movie, so I know I'll enjoy the book!
Suzanne wrote: "Cherie wrote: "I read her early books but could not get into one that I tried and I have not wanted to try another. I think she is not for everyone."The only Amy Tan book I've read but did not li..."
It was a wet fish, all right. I didn't like it either.
Valley of Amazement was good. I gave it 4 stars, but it wasn't as good as her first few books.
I agree, Janice. I still have fond memories of reading The Kitchen God's Wife. Nobody does Chinese mothers like Amy Tan - she had me laughing so much that one!
I think The Joy Luck Club was the very first book for me. I loved it. I am adding The Kitchen God's Wife to my list. I think it was the Fish book that I did not like too much either.
I'm glad you are going to give her another try, Cherie!
6/12 is Call the Nurse: True Stories of a Country Nurse on a Scottish Isle by Mary J. MacLeod. The question (#24) is name a place I'd like to visit. I've always been fascinated with Scotland - highlands, heather, castles, history and that amazing accent. This book is a memoir about a woman who takes a job as a district nurse on a remote Scottish island. I enjoyed her stories, but even more so, I enjoyed getting a feel of what it would be like to travel to such a place.
7/12 is Emma by Jane Austen. The question (#5) is what is my favorite movie. Hands down, it's Pride & Prejudice starring Keira Knightley. What could be better than a great adaptation of a Jane Austen novel? I could watch this one over and over. In keeping with the Jane Austen connection, I read Emma, another wonderful Austen novel, which also had many terrific film adaptations. I enjoyed watching the 2009 BBC production as I read the book!
Suzanne - P&P with Keira Knightley is one of my all time favorite movies too! I am not sure if I have seen the Emma movie. I probably have, but it is just not as profoundly implanted into my memory. I know that I have read the book too, but I could not tell you anything about it. I get a "blank page" when I try to call it up.
I love Jane Austen adaptations too. Have you seen the Kate Beckinsale version from 1996?? It's my favourite of the Emma movies. And have you guys watched the movie version of The Joy Luck Club??
I don't think I've seen the Kate Beckinsale version, but I will have to check it out. I love period pieces - and you can't go wrong with Austen!I absolutely love the movie The Joy Luck Club - I've seen it many times and never seem to tire of it. Again - Amy Tan does such a great job with the Chinese mother thing, and the stories are so tragic. I love the whole Waverly/piano/her mother scenes.
Cherie wrote: "Suzanne - P&P with Keira Knightley is one of my all time favorite movies too! I am not sure if I have seen the Emma movie. I probably have, but it is just not as profoundly implanted into my memory..."And I especially love Donald Sutherland playing her father. He's just wonderful in that role!
I agree about Donald Sutherland, Suzanne. I have not seen The Joy Luck Club movie. I am not sure if I even knew that there was one. TJLC was the first Amy Tan book I read. I think it came in a Reader's Digest Condensed book the first time I saw it, but maybe not. I just looked and it was not published until 1989, so I must have read the original. I was reading Readers Digest Condensed books in the late 60s.
You should track down the movie Cherie, it's really good. I've watched it a few times too.
Sorry to barge in, but just saw the comments about Saving Fish. SO glad people are there with me... urgh.
Rusalka wrote: "Sorry to barge in, but just saw the comments about Saving Fish. SO glad people are there with me... urgh."I'm with you, Rusalka. I can't even believe it was an Amy Tan novel. She's so much better than that!
8/12 is The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea by Sebastian Junger. The question (#38) is do you prefer tea, coffee, or water? I prefer water (although I do love coffee, but I drink far more water!) The book I chose takes place on the sea.I had already seen the movie, but the book adds quite a lot that the movie doesn't include. It's a work of non-fiction and I enjoyed how the author researched information about the boats, storms, fishing industry, and the rescue teams. I had no idea that the Air National Guard was part of the rescue for ships caught in these storms. Those guys are awfully brave.
9/12 The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron The question (#27) is do you have a tattoo? No. Despite the popularity, I've never even thought twice about it. I'm not fond of needles and would rather spend my money on other things - like books!But...if I were to get one, the butterfly on the cover of this book would make a pretty tattoo.
10/12 Driving Hungry: A Memoir by Layne Mosler. The question (#20) is what is your preferred mode of transport? Definitely a car. I love to travel - that is I like being at different locations around the world and experiencing the different foods, the history, culture and the people, but I hate the traveling part. Flying always makes me nervous, but I endure it because I want to see all these wonderful places. But it would be even better if they were all just a short car ride away!This book features lots of car rides because the author uses taxis to find out about great places to eat during her travels.
11/12 Dancer by Colum McCann. The question (# 50) is what language would you like to learn to speak? I would like to speak Russian. I have always had a penchant for different languages, and have taken classes in Spanish, French and German. Quite a few years back, I bought the language CDs for Russian and wish I could take some classes. Maybe someday.Anyway, the book is about the life of Russian-born dancer, Rudolf Nureyev, who, of course, spoke Russian.
12/12 The House Girl by Tara Conklin, The question (#25) is what is your favorite genre? Hands down, my favorite genre is historical fiction. I enjoy reading history books also, but historical fiction enables you to experience the people and live the stories. Unfortunately, The House Girl, was not a great choice. It was okay, but there are many, many examples of really good historical fiction out there.
Don't forget to pop over to the reporting thread so that I can give you a badge. :)
Janice wrote: "Don't forget to pop over to the reporting thread so that I can give you a badge. :)"Thanks, Janice. It didn't even notice that I finished the challenge!
Laughing at myself. I've actually read 2 more for this challenge that I forgot about! On to part 2:)
Part 2, 1/12 Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table by Ruth Reichl. The question (#4) Have you ever broken a bone? Yes. When I was 8 months pregnant with my first child, I slipped down some stairs and broke a bone in my foot. Getting around on crutches was no picnic while being that pregnant! And we lived in a second floor apartment with no elevator. I used to go up and down the stairs on my bum because it was easier than the crutches! Anyway, this book fits the challenge as it has bone in the title. It was a wonderful memoir about food and cooking. The author is a food critic. I enjoyed it so much, I may compile a list of "foodie" books for my own personal book challenge at a later date!
Part 2, 2/12 Black River by S.M. Hulse. The question (#17) What is the country of your birth? I was born in the USA - North Dakota to be exact. This book takes place in Montana, a state directly adjacent and to the west of North Dakota. I really loved this book. A book about a prison guard billed as a Western is not my usual fare, but it was amazing. I highly recommend it.
Part 2, 3/12 No Way Home: A Dancer's Journey from the Streets of Havana to the Stages of the World by Carlos Acosta. The question (#19) What is your current desk top picture? I have a photo of my son (who is a ballet dancer) on my desktop. While he's no Carlos Acosta, I will claim the connection to the book!For some reason, I am inept at posting pictures. Follow the link to see a photo of my son in the Nutcracker: https://www.goodreads.com/photo/user/...
What a great picture of your son, Suzanne!
You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
Books mentioned in this topic
The Ice Queen (other topics)Mona Lisa: A Life Discovered (other topics)
Mona Lisa: A Life Discovered (other topics)
The Colour Of Lightning (other topics)
The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar (other topics)
More...
2. What is your favourite sport? Baseball
3. What colour are your eyes? Green
4. Have you ever had a broken bone? Yes
5. What is your favourite movie? Pride & Prejudice
6. What is your favourite book? The Grapes of Wrath
7. Pick a number between 1 and 10. 8
8. What is your favourite holiday? Christmas
9. What is your relationship status? Married
10. Are you right or left handed? Right
11. What is your birthday month? October
12. Do you have a pet? What is it? Don’t have a pet? Adopt a pet that someone in your immediate circle has (mother, brother, sister, friend, etc.) Yes - dog
13. What is your favourite type of food? (Chinese, Italian, Mexican, etc) Indian
14. What is something you use daily? (brush, computer, car, get creative) Kitchen
15. What is your shoe size? (No halves; roll up to next number) 6
16. What is your favourite Ice cream flavour? Chocolate
17. What is your country of birth? USA
18. What is your favourite season? Spring
19. What is your current desk top picture? My son
20. What is your preferred mode of transport? Car
21. How many candles were on your last birthday cake? 51
22. Have you been in an accident? No
23. Do you prefer a shower or bath? Shower
24. Name a place you’d like to visit. Scotland
25. What is your favourite genre? Historical Fiction
26. Do you prefer a car or truck? Car
27. Do you have a tattoo? No
28. Do you prefer Classic or Contemporary? Contemporary
29. What is your favourite flower? Rose
30. Have you been to Europe? Where? (If you live in Europe, specify country other than your own.) Yes - Italy
31. If you could meet anyone famous, infamous, notorious, who would it be? Elvis Costello
32. What is the feature on you are most often complimented? Skin
33. Would you rather encounter a ghost, an alien, or neither? Neither
34. What is your favourite animal (other than domestic pets)? Elephant
35. What type of holiday do you prefer? (Beach, Mountain, Camping, exotic, etc) Beach
36. If you had to lose one of the 5 senses, which would you prefer it to be? Touch
37. Who is your favourite author? David Liss
38. Do you prefer tea, coffee, or water? Water
39. What is your birthstone using the US 2016 listing: Opal (https://www.americangemsociety.org/en...)
40. What is your favourite fruit? Pineapple
41. Issue you are passionate about (abortion, euthanasia, animal rights… etc) Pro-Life
42. Would you rather explore in space or undersea? Space
43. To what time period would you like to time travel? 18th Century
44. Do you prefer shoes or barefeet? Shoes
45. Do you prefer green or black olives? Neither? Green
46. What is your Zodiac sign? Libra
47. What is your height in inches? 62 inches
48. Who is someone you miss? Roberta
49. What is your hobby? Reading
50. What language would you like to learn to speak? Russian