Magic Square - 2018

[Paul]

Launch Date 29th December

[Pat]

Omg. Yippee

[Jason]

haha here is challenge 1. Ignore my comment on challenge 2. :-)

[Paul]

Pay attention at the back

[Jason]

Sorry boss man.

[Joanne]

I can't wait. I always love these challenges.

[Paul]

Challenge is now live:

https://www.goodreads.com/challenges/...

[Pat]

Thanks Paul. Both excellent

[Jason]

Nice one. Finished my first book for this just now.

[Sam]

Paul, this one is great :) It fits many of my tbr books and also leaves some room for new finds. I'm in!

[Karen]

OOH this looks like fun!! Now to trawl the bookshelves finding books that fit the topics!

[Andrea]

New to the group, and would love to give this challenge a try.

[Paul]

Welcome to Book Vipers Andrea.

[Pat]

Welcome Andrea. Paul’s challenges are notoriously wonderful. This year is no exception.

[Annie]

Having failed dismally at last year’s challenges - life! - I’m back to try again (fingers crossed).

[Danielle]

Saw this in the Guardian and thought it might give some inspiration:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...

[Pat]

Thanks Danielle

[Andrea]

Thank you, Paul and Pat!

[Jazzy]

I'm going for GOLD and ticking all 25 little boxes.

The hardest part will be finding someone to lend me a book - but I realise aha! I can borrow a book from the library! Although, I cannot think of anything more boring in the whole world than to read a book about money. Although watching televised golf must surely run a close second.

READ SO FAR....
A book from a small publisher World in a Jug - Roland Gant
A debut book Atomic Candy - Phyllis Burke
True or fictional crime The Spy Who Came in from the Cold John le Carré
Free choice Home School - Charles Webb
A book over 500 pages Arabian Nights Entertainments - Milo Winter
A book with an animal in the title Cat's Cradle - Kurt Vonnegut
Book Vipers monthly read - Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman
A book of poems The Collected Poems - Langston Hughes
A book under 100 pages - It's Easy to Bluff Blues Guitar - Joe Bennett
A book about books - The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe

CURRENTLY READING:
A classic Bonjour Tristesse - Françoise Sagan
Free choice The Easter Parade - Richard Yates
Free Choice The Ice Storm - Rick Moody

TO READ...(with tentative titles - subject to change!)
A book set in another country The Train - Georges Simenon
Non-fiction book The Life of a Song: The fascinating stories behind 50 of the world’s best-loved songs - David Cheal
A book you have borrowed
A translated book Chéri - Colette
A banned book Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
A book with a food in the title Gumshoe - Neville Smith
Second book in a series Gypsy Boy On The Run - Mikey Walsh
A shortlisted book Moon Tiger - Penelope Lively
Science fiction or fact Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams - Philip K. Dick
An award winner The Elegance of the Hedgehog - Muriel Barbery
A biography It's A Dodger's Life - Jack Wild
A book about money A Year at the Star and Sixpence - Holly Hepburn

[Paul]

Michael Lewis has written some good book about Money Jazzy

[Jason]

I was going to read this one Freaks I've Met Do you think that counts?

[Jazzy]

Well thanks Paul, I haven't seen any of his books about and I found another one about two sisters trying to manage the debts of a dilapidated pub and get it up and running again. Go for it Jason!

[Paul]

Jason wrote: "I was going to read this one Freaks I've Met Do you think that counts?"

Don't see why not Jason

[Jazzy]

I hope I can borrow a book from the library. My wallet/library card/driver's licence/etc is in Nigeria by mistake. Perhaps I should mention, I gave away a rucksack to my friend, the wallet was in it, that rucksack was sent to a girl in Nigeria. Neither I, nor my friend (who used the rucksack for a couple of weeks before posting it), nor the delivery man nor the customs was able to find a wallet. The girl had the rucksack for over a week before she found it. Meanwhile I'm having people help me search the snowy carpark of the pub and ringing that pub over and over. We had performed our Christmas programme and after the gig gone out in the snow and I got a lift home. I made that poor man who drove me home go out in the cold and look in his car for my wallet.

[Jason]

Haha what an adventure your wallet is having.

[Jazzy]

Jason wrote: "Haha what an adventure your wallet is having."

Oh yes! I've never been to Nigeria. But my son found a story to top it. This guy's wallet was discovered to be even further away.
https://www.betootaadvocate.com/human...

....of course that may or may not be true :)

[Jason]

Half way on this series so far. most of the tough slots sorted.

[Pat]

I’m doing well too Jason. Just need someone to post on book lists and I can check where I’m at.

[Paul]

I have 14 read so far, and haven't been anywhere near my free choices yet

[Sam]

I have a hard time finding "A Book with a Food in the Title" that appeals to me. Somehow only crime novels set in rural areas and romantic comedies seem to fit this task, and I'm no fan of either. Recommendations are welcome!

[Jason]

I am reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn you could have that for berry.

Check out this list.

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/5...

[Jazzy]

I've only had two books to finish for ages but lost my reading momentum. :(

[Paul]

Oh no Jazzy. Anything we can help with?

[Pat]

Sam...Chocolat? Lovely book.

[Jazzy]

Paul wrote, "Oh no Jazzy. Anything we can help with?"

If you can think of anything it would be appreciated. I just feel so ...sad? I still play guitar every day but I was reading 3 books a week and now I'm lucky to read 10 pages a week.

[Paul]

Reading slumps are horrible. Prehaps re read an old favourite. Or find a new book by a treasured author

[Jazzy]

Thanks Paul, I'll try.

I love Tove Jansson so I'm trying to read her book Sculptor's Daughter.

[Pat]

I've got 3 left. One is in library, awaiting collection. One I've ordered from library. Then there is War and peace!

[Jazzy]

Magic Square done!
Next week - Holiday in Gdansk!

[Jason]

well done Jazzy

[Paul]

Excellent. Well done Jazzy. I have read 16 so far

[Jazzy]

Jason wrote: "well done Jazzy" Thank you Jason! Now to finish the Where in the world (I call it - on the literary road) challenge

And Pat I Love War and Peace! I hope you have the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation!

[Jazzy]

Many thanks Paul! You've read so many other books this year so far as well, you'll have them down in no time!

[Pat]

I’ll look for it Jason. I read Anna Karenina years ago and found it quick to read as gripping. Hope war and peace is same. Thanks.

[Sam]

Pat wrote: "Sam...Chocolat? Lovely book."

Thanks, Pat. That's the only one I could think of ... but I've already read it! I might reread it though, I can barely remember it. Must be 16 years since I read it.

[Sam]

Jason wrote: "I am reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn you could have that for berry.

Check out this list.

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/5..."

Excellent book and ne of my favourites! The list is really helpful, thank you!

[Jason]

Only got 5 more to go on this challenge. wooo

[Paul]

Excellent Jason. Should have another finished this week

[Pat]

2 left. Just ordered one from library. Then War and Peace. The last! Lots of books to read before that one. The moral? Don’t leave me with newspaper review section in an evening when I also have internet to order from library. Otherwise would have finished by now.

[Jazzy]

Pat wrote: "2 left. Just ordered one from library. Then War and Peace. The last! Lots of books to read before that one. The moral? Don’t leave me with newspaper review section in an evening when I also have in..."

You should read War and Peace whilst reading other book, the chapters are short and there's plenty of stopping places. I hope you love it as much as I did!