Around the Year in 52 Books discussion
2020 Plans
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Robin's Yahtzee Challenge Round 1 and 2
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X1. A book with a title that doesn't contain the letters A, T or Y - She Would Be King - Aug 22 - 3*
X2. A book by an author whose last name is one syllable - The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells - Mar 18 - 3*
X3. A book that you are prompted to read because of something you read in 2019 - Hall of Mirrors - Aug 13 - 3*
X4. A book set in a place or time that you wouldn't want to live - Fata Morgana (WWII)- Jun 21 - 4*
X5. The first book in a series that you have not started - Blind Justice - Sep 12 - 4*
X6. A book with a mode of transportation on the cover - The Bonjour Effect: The Secret Codes of French Conversation - Revealed
(bicycle) - Jul 18 - 4*X7. A book set in the southern hemisphere - Cloudstreet - Sep 1 - 3*
X 8. A book with a two-word title where the first word is "The" - Les Fourmis (The Ants) - Sep 30 - 3*
X9. A book that can be read in a day - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two - Jun 30 - 4*
X10. A book that is between 400-600 pages - Web of Eyes - Aug 1 - 3*
X11. A book originally published in a year that is a prime number - Astrophysics for People in a Hurry - pub. 2017 - Jul 19 - 3*
X12. A book that is a collaboration between 2 or more people - #NeverAgain: A New Generation Draws the Lineby David Hogg and Lauren Hogg - Jul 21 - 4*
X13. A prompt from a previous Around the Year in 52 Books challenge (Link) - From 2016 - The next book in a series you have been reading - Plan for the Worst - Sep 12 - 4*
X14. A book by an author on the Abe List of 100 Essential Female Writers (link) - Sula - Jul 6 - 3*
X15. A book set in a global city - Away in a Manger - New York - Jul 21 - 3*
X16. A book set in a rural or sparsely populated area - That Old Ace in the Hole - Aug 7 - 4.5*
X17. A book with a neurodiverse character - Be Frank With Me - Aug 17 - 3*
X18. A book by an author you've only read once before - The Last Man - Sep 8 - 2*
X19. A fantasy book - Age of Empyre - Jun 24 - 4*
X20. The 20th book [on your TBR, in a series, by an author, on a list, etc.] - Dear Mrs. Bird - Oct 3 - 4*
X21. A book related to Maximilian Hell, the noted astronomer and Jesuit Priest who was born in 1720 - Foundation- Oct 6 - 3*
X22. A book with the major theme of survival - In the Distance - Jul 12 - 5*
X23. A book featuring an LGBTQIA+ character or by an LGBTQIA+ author - Band Sinister - Jun 30 - 3*
X24. A book with an emotion in the title - Paris in Love - Aug 8 - 3*
X25. A book related to the arts - Heidi's Guide to Four Letter Words - Jan 16 - 4*
X26. A book from the 2019 Goodreads Choice Awards - This Tender Land - Aug 25 - 5*
X27. A history or historical fiction - The Other Alcott - Apr 17 - 4*
X28. A book by an Australian, Canadian or New Zealand author - The Glass Hotel - Sep 24 - 4*
X29. An underrated book, a hidden gem or a lesser known book - Black No More - Sep 15 - 4*
X30. A book from the New York Times '100 Notable Books' list for any year - How to Be an Antiracist - Jul 27 - 4*
X31. A book inspired by a leading news story - White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America - Sep 30 - 4*
X32. A book related to the 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Japan - The Great Passage - Jul 21 - 3*
X33. A book about a non-traditional family It Started With a Scandal - Jul 9 (19th-century heroine has child out of wedlock) - 3*
X34. A book from a genre or sub genre that starts with a letter in your name - Zona Gale - Biography - 3*
X35. A book with a geometric pattern or element on the cover - Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows - May 24 - 3*
X36. A book from your TBR/wishlist that you don't recognize, recall putting there, or put there on a whim - Romancing the Vote: - Feminist Activism in American Fiction, 1870-1920- Aug 22 - 4*
X37. Two books that are related to each other as a pair of binary opposites: Book #1 - Of Mutts and Men - Jul 16 - 4*
X38. Two books that are related to each other as a pair of binary opposites: Book #2 - The Island of Sea Women - 4* - Jul 19
(not only men vs women, but first book is about lack of water in Southwest US and second book is about women who spend days in the ocean)
X39. A book by an author whose real name(s) you're not quite sure how to pronounce - The Water Dancer - Sep 22 - 4*
X40. A book with a place name in the title - The Hanover Square Affair - Aug 19 - 3*
X41. A mystery - A Quiet Life In The Country- Apr 24 - 3*
X42. A book that was nominated for one of the ‘10 Most Coveted Literary Prizes in the World’ (link) - On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous - Sep 13 - 3*
X43. A book related to one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse -
The Surgeon's Lady (war) -Jul 26 - 4*
X44. A book related to witches - Howl's Moving Castle - Jul 9 - 4*
X45. A book by the same author who wrote one of your best reads in 2019 or 2018 - Who Speaks for the Damned - Jul 23 - 4*
X46. A book about an event or era in history taken from the Billy Joel song "We Didn't Start the Fire" - Hidden Figures - May 17 -4*
X47. A classic book you've always meant to read - Evelina - Jul 10 - 3*
X48. A book published in 2020 - Free Thinker: Sex, Suffrage, and the Extraordinary Life of Helen Hamilton Gardener - Jul 17 - 4*
X49. A book that fits a prompt from the list of suggestions that didn't win (link) - A debut novel by a person of color - Such a Fun Age - Aug 7 - 4*
X50. A book with a silhouette on the cover - Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men - Sep 28
X51. A book with an "-ing" word in the title - Passing - Sep 18 - 3*
X 52. A book related to time - The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle- Aug 31 - 4*
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I'm debating about doing another round of ATY too, Robin. This is tempting...
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X1. A book with a title that doesn't contain the letters A, T or Y - Silk - Apr 20 3 *
I read this during a Readathon as it is very short with lots of white space, maybe 1.5 hours of reading even though over 100 pages. It is more a fable than an actual novel. The theme is the nature of love but I didn't find it involving because the characters were so vague.
X2. A book by an author whose last name is one syllable - The Substitution Order (author is Martin Clark) - Jan 24 4 *
This was a good legal thriller, which is the one kind of thriller I enjoy. The narrator is definitely flawed, even unreliable, which adds to the suspense, as you don't really know what is going on.
X3. A book that you are prompted to read because of something you read in 2019 - The Bluest Eye 3*
I finally read The Song of Solomon in 2019 and was blown away - Mar 10 (unfortunately, not blown away by this one). It's very poetic and a powerful statement but not that involving as an actual story.
X4. A book set in a place or time that you wouldn't want to live - Murder on Black Swan Lane - Mar 17 4 *
This is the first of a series with an independent woman artist and an aristocratic man turned amateur detective in the Regency era. I enjoy that period and I liked this debut, so I'll probably continue the series.
X5. The first book in a series that you have not started - Little Girl Gone - Jan 8 3* - I read this for a library book group that reads mysteries. I liked the Minneapolis setting, since I used to live there, but I never like when there are chapters from the POV of an evil character, which happened here. Also many elements were unbelievable, as to how an amateur ends up in the middle of a police investigation grappling with a criminal. I don't plan to read any more of this series.
X6. A book with a mode of transportation on the cover - News of the World - Jan 28 (there is a wagon in the corner) 4 *
This is a quiet book in a way, although there are several intense action scenes. It really evokes the period after the Civil War in the West and the whole issue of children kidnapped by Indian tribes, then recovered. Apparently many of them preferred the tribal life. This book questions who was really civilized. The main character is an interesting hero of mature years.
X7. A book set in the southern hemisphere - The Lost Man - Apr 10 4*
Just as in The Dry, Harper does an excellent job of evoking a sense of place. The brutality and expanse of the Outback is a major part of the book. She also keeps you guessing as to what really happened.
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Another short book I read for the Readathon. It's the story of the Odyssey from the point of view of Penelope, the wife left behind. It has a lot of dark humor, and I'm sure Atwood really enjoyed writing it.
X9. A book that can be read in a day - Why Is Nothing Ever Simple? - Jan 19 4*
This was a "between the numbers" entry in the St. Mary's time travel series. I am addicted to this series on audio, where it is always terrific. The shorter ones tend to be more humorous, which I prefer. Some of the regular books have some grim interludes.
X10. A book that is between 400-600 pages - Sous les vents de Neptune - Jan 5 4*
A friend who also speaks French lent me this police detective novel and it is excellent. The main character is complex and there are interesting side characters as well. A lot of the book takes place in Quebec, where some French police have gone for training, and there were some amusing scenes about the differences in language and culture between the 2 groups. I especially liked that because I worked with people in Quebec in my job. This isn't the first in the series, but I hope to read them all eventually.
X11. A book originally published in a year that is a prime number - Sing, Unburied, Sing - published 2017 - Jan 11 4*
This book is reminiscent of Toni Morrison in having a sort of magical realism alongside the gritty reality of black experience in America. Some readers were put off by that, but I didn't find that a problem. I'm glad I read it but I can't exactly say I enjoyed it.
X12. A book that is a collaboration between 2 or more people - The Murmur of Bees (author and translator) - May 15 3* - This was a disappointment to me. It seemed to take forever to tell any one incident. The few times something dramatic actually happened, it was either heavily foreshadowed, or just told to you outright. Then it went back and filled in all the details of the event, when you already knew how it would end. I also didn't realize there would be a long section on the 1918 flu epidemic, and I was listening to this audiobook right in the middle of the shutdown. I gave 3 stars because the language and characters are well done, but personally my experience was 2 stars.
X13. A prompt from a previous Around the Year in 52 Books - From 2019 #10, A book featuring a historical character - The Black Tulip - Feb 21 3* - I read this with a classics group. I have read a fair amount of Dumas and this is one of his shorter ones. He tends to have melodramatic characters and plot, sort of operatic. People fall in love or become evil on a dime, and they are either very good or very bad. However there is a historical leader who appears and who actually does get seen in a different light as the book progresses.
X14. A book by an author on the Abe List of 100 Essential Female Writers - A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer - Apr 20 3* I love Heyer but this was one of her less entertaining books. It has an interesting take on how a marriage not initially based on love can develop better than one filled with infatuation. But I missed the humor that Heyer usually supplies.
X15. A book set in a global city - Bryant & May - Wild Chamber -takes place in London - Feb 17 4* - This is a wonderful series about 2 detectives in present day London who are around 80 years old. They also have a quirky team of sidekicks and they rarely do anything by the book. There is a lot of history of London as well.
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This is a short entry in the Walt Longmire detective series by Craig Johnson, set in Wyoming. I experienced the first one as an audiobook narrated by the great George Guidall and I won't do the series any other way. This one is a Christmas story about an unusual assignment.
X17. A book with a neurodiverse character - The Ponder Heart - Feb 27 3* - This is another short book I picked up for the Readathon. The main character, Uncle Ponder, is a very strange fellow. Today we would probably put him somewhere on the autism spectrum. But his many good qualities shine through.
X18. A book by an author you've only read once before - Kingdom of the Blind - Mar 5 4* - This was a selection of my library mystery book group. I had read the very first book of this series and then didn't go on, but I really liked this one, the depth of the characters and complexity of the story, so I need to read the whol
19. A fantasy book = Age of Empyre
X 20. The 20th book [on your TBR, in a series, by an author, on a list, etc.] - Scandalous Secrets - May 4 (20th book on one of my shelves) 3* - I was in the mood for something light and this is a Regency romance. It was predictable and not particularly humorous, so it ended up seeming like a drag to read. The heroine doesn't want the hero to know about her secret past and vice versa.
X21. A book related to Maximilian Hell, the noted astronomer and Jesuit Priest who was born in 1720 -The Lost Art of Scripture: Rescuing the Sacred Texts on history of religions, including Christianity - Apr 17 4* - Karen Armstrong is an expert on history of religion and has written several books on the subject. The main point of this one is that ancient peoples were perhaps more sophisticated than we are in being able to appreciate scriptures without arguing if they are literally true or not. It's like if you asked, "Is music true?" They were meant as an access and often were linked to music, dance, and other arts.
22. A book with the major theme of survival - Virgil Wander -
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X24. A book with an emotion in the title - The Viscount Who Loved Me - Feb 26 4* - This is a more typical Regency, with a lot of humor. There is an extended family who return in the series. One of the most fun parts is their killer game of croquet, where they will go to any lengths to win. This is another type of fantasy, an early 19th century where people bathe, and men dote on their independent wives and nurture their children, and even the servants are happy. I just pretend everything is taking place on some distant planet called The Regency and I don't worry about historical accuracy.
X25. A book related to the arts - The Authenticity Project - Mar 22 4* - This at first seemed to be typical chick lit about a group of people becoming friends, but the story takes a couple of unexpected twists that give it more depth. A main character is an artist, there is an art class, and there is also a book at the heart of the story. But I had no idea beforehand that this novel would qualify under this category.
X26. A book from the 2019 Goodreads Choice Awards - The Overdue Life of Amy Byler- May 6 3 * - This was pretty predictable chick lit. Small town librarian gets to go to NYC, where she meets a fabulous guy, gets to wear great clothes, etc. She has quirky friends and smart-mouthed kids. Everything wraps up a bit too neatly.
X27. A history or historical fiction - The Observations - Apr 4 4* This was rather Gothic story. A young woman enters a household as a servant, and her mistress makes some very unusual demands. There are other odd goings-on. I liked the spunky heroine and the Victorian setting.
X28. A book by an Australian, Canadian or New Zealand author - My Brilliant Career - Jan 5 4* - Miles Franklin is a woman and this novel was largely autobiographical. It seems very modern for being about 100 years old. The heroine refuses to live in the ways her parents require. It also shows the struggle to survive in hostile farming country in Australia.
X29. An underrated book, a hidden gem or a lesser known book - Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - Feb 29 4* - Another short book I picked up for a Readathon. The narrator is an unabashed golddigger, not educated but terrifically smart in getting what she wants from men. I found it a hoot.
30. A book from the New York Times '100 Notable Books' list for any year - The Dutch House
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X32. A book related to the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan - Convenience Store Woman 4* - The heroine of this short book seems to be somewhat autistic. She has trouble fitting into society’s expectations until she finds a home in the regimented world of the convenience store. It’s an unusual book but I liked it quite a lot.
X33. A book about a non-traditional family - The Magic City - Mar 8 - 4 * - This is a children’s book by the wonderful E. Nesbit. She was a precursor of J. K. Rowling. A boy builds a city out of books, toys and knickknacks, then finds himself transported within it. It fits this category because he lives with his adult sister.
X34. A genre or sub genre that starts with a letter in your name - Romance - An Arrangement of Sorts - Jan 3 - 4*
A cute Regency romance without a lot of angst. It has an enemies to lovers theme and a fake marriage theme, a couple of my favorites, and a lot of humor.
X35. A book with a geometric pattern or element on the cover - The Chequer Board The Chequer Board by Nevil Shute ] - Apr 6 - 3* Nevil Shute is the only writer who can have a WWII airman captured by the enemy, a black soldier accused of assaulting a white woman, and a young man manipulated by his cheating wife, and give them all happy endings. I like his view of most people being basically decent. I rated this book lower than others by him because the various stories don’t hang together all that well.
X36. A book from your TBR/wishlist that you don't recognize, recall putting there, or put there on a whim - Charles Jessold, Considered As A Murderer - May 18 4* - I have no idea where or when I bought this. I assume it was from blurbs on the back saying it was a smart and original story. It is about musicians in England from the 1920's - 1940's. It seems at first to be a straightforward story about a brilliant but flawed musician, told by his friend. But halfway through, everything shifts and it becomes a whole different story.
X37. Two books that are related to each other as a pair of binary opposites: Book #1 - The British Museum Is Falling Down - Feb 24 4* - I love David Lodge, who mostly writes academic satires. This book focuses on the problems of young people in England in the 1950's who are Catholic and try to abide by the church's teaching on birth control, while trying to deal with the small children they already have and hold down jobs.
X38. Two books that are related to each other as a pair of binary opposites: Book #2 - Lessons in French - Apr 21 3* - The story of a young, naive American girl hired as an assistant to a famous photographer in Europe around the time of the fall of the Berlin wall. I love anything set in Paris, where this is, but I got annoyed with how gullible the heroine was for most of the book.
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X40. A book with a place name in the title - Cannery Row - Mar 21 4* - This is another one I picked up because it was short. I had no idea it would be so funny. A group of misfits ekes out subsistence by working as little as possible. Yet they have some great strengths and a strong sense of community.
X41. A mystery - The Case of the Reincarnated Client - Apr 1 4* I enjoy this humorous series on audio. The main characters is a detective in India and the culture is a big part of the series. His "mummy" features prominently and often ends up solving the case.
X42. A book that was nominated for one of the ‘10 Most Coveted Literary Prizes in the World’ (link) - American Gods - winner of Hugo and other awards - Jan 31 5* An amazing book, with a lot of different aspects. It draws from world mythology and has a lot of dark humor. I loved all the scenes set in weird Midwest locales that I have visited. And yes, House on the Rock, is that strange, in fact it is stranger than he describes.
X43. A book related to one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse - Age of Death - Feb 18 3* - This is part of a series by a wonderful fantasy writer, Michael J. Sullivan. I only gave it 3 stars because it is really just a setup for the next and final book of the series. One good thing about his world is that someone who seems small and unimportant or not very nice can turn out to save the day.
44. A book related to witches - The Witches Are Coming 4* - This is a collection of essays addressing the Me Too movement and women’s place in pop culture. It is sharp but also humorous. Some essays I skimmed because they focused on ‘90’s culture.
X45. A book by the same author who wrote one of your best reads in 2019 or 2018 - Strange Tide - Jan 18 4* This is another in the Bryant & May series I am working through and enjoying.
X46. A book about an event or era in history taken from the Billy Joel song "We Didn't Start the Fire" - Une vie - autobiography of French political figure in that era - Jan 6 4* - Simone Veil was part of French government from the 1960's - 2000's and worked with many world leaders. She also was the main force to get birth control and abortion legalized in France.
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X48. A book published in 2020 - In Our Prime: How Older Women Are Reinventing the Road Ahead - Apr 25 4* - This author writes a lot about popular culture, for instance, Where the Girls Are: Growing Up Female with the Mass Media is excellent. For this new book, she looks at older women in media and the news, and points out how many issues of society, such as health care and Social Security, disproportionately affect older women.
X49. A book that fits a prompt from the list of suggestions that didn't win - I chose: A book originally written in a language other than English or your mother tongue - L'Éducation sentimentale - May 8 4* I read this for an in-person French speaking group I am in. Parts of it are a struggle because he talks a lot about the politics and activities of the time - 1840's in France. Also the main character is a real jerk. But as the book progressed, I felt it got deeper.
X50. A book with a silhouette on the cover - Not Just Jane: Rediscovering Seven Amazing Women Writers Who Transformed British Literature Not Just Jane Rediscovering Seven Amazing Women Writers Who Transformed British Literature by Shelley DeWees - Feb 22 4* - I am interested in literature and in women's history. This book is about unknown women writers. Most of their lives were even more dramatic than their fictions. I hope to track down a couple fo their books.
X51. A book with an "-ing" word in the title - No Stopping Us Now: A History of Older Women in America - Apr 17 4* - I read this as a pari with #48. Gail Colins is a snarky and smart columnist and she brings this to her survey of older women in American history, very readable.
X52. A book related to time - Here and Now and Then - May 12 3*
I love time travel stories in general. This one was fine but nothing special. I read it on a tablet and so far, I have never gotten very engaged in anything I've read that way. I don't know if it's just a coincidence, that I have books there that I got because they were cheap, or if something in the e-reading puts me off.
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This is my favorite book of the year so far. I heard it as an audiobook and the narrator was terrific. Some people thought the Minnesota accent was over the top, but as someone who lived there for 25 years, I found it very relatable. This is a very funny book in parts, also touching and thought-provoking. Lots of quirky characters and events in a small town, some Midwest magical realism.
Relating it to survival may seem like a stretch. But in the very first scene, the main character drives off a cliff into a lake during bad weather. He is rescued and the story relates to how this survival changed him. In addition, a surprising number of characters in this small community have brushes with death. There is even a Death figure that appears from time to time. And there is an ongoing concern about the survival of the town movie theater, and the town itself. This book reminded me of 2 other midwest authors I like, who also write about small town people - Jon Hassler and David Rhodes.
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X20. The 20th book on a list or shelf - Scandalous Secrets - 3* A forgettable Regency romance. Main characters refuse to confide in each other, which causes conflict. A short book but kind of a slog to get through because of how predictable it was.
X30. The Dutch House - 4* - Jun 18 - A family saga which was made more compelling because I listened to the audio by Tom Hanks. Not really a page turner but he made me care about the characters.
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X25. A book related to the arts - Heidi's Guide to Four Letter Words - Jan 16 - A fun romp. Kindergarten teacher Heidi is a Lutheran Minnesota girl who is too shy to talk to the cute guy next door. Then she gets a job for a publishing company, who happens to publish erotic romances. How will she learn to cope in this new environment - and how will she keep her mother and the neighbors from finding out?
X35. A book with a geometric pattern or element on the cover - Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows - May 24 - I didn't set out to read 2 books on a similar theme but this has quite a bit in common with the previous one. A young British woman of Indian descent sets out to teach English to widows and finds they are more interested in romance and sex. Although there is humor and romance, this book also addresses some serious social issues.
X27. A history or historical fiction - The Other Alcott - Apr 17
This is based on the actual life of May Alcott, Louisa's youngest sister and the model for Amy. She actually was an accomplished artist who studied in Europe. Louisa and the rest of the family feature as well. I thought it was pretty well done in keeping historical facts right but adding imagination.
X41. A mystery - A Quiet Life In The Country- Apr 24
This is a cozy, where a noblewoman and her maid/friend move to the country and get involved solving a mystery. She is very unconventional. It was entertaining but not enough to make me continue the series.
X43. A book related to one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse - Fata Morgana - Jun 28 - I read this because I saw that it had time travel, which is something I always enjoy. It turned out to be largely the story of an American bomber crew in WWII. I had some interest in this because my father-in-law was on such a crew, but ordinarily I wouldn't read military stories. It's a recent book but I thought the author did a great job of capturing the speech and behavior of young American men in the 1940's. They were the greatest generation guys who could fix anything and joke around in the face of death. In the middle of the book they go through some kind of vortex to a different world, and it's fascinating how they interpret and cope with it.
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X14. A book by an author on the Abe List of 100 Essential Female Writers (link) - Sula - Jul 6 - As with all of Toni Morrison, this is not quite linear and not quite real but very powerful. A story of a neighborhood in the early-mid 20th century and its character, especially 2 women friends.
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X6. A book with a mode of transportation on the cover - The Bonjour Effect (bicycle on cover). - 4* This husband and wife team have written an earlier book about French culture and society. As a former French major and teacher, I always enjoy reading about France. This is very easy to read, with lots of anecdotes, rather than being scholarly, which is fine.
X10. A book that is between 400-600 pages - Web of Eyes -3*. A decent fantasy but nothing exceptional. Some of it is just setup for future volumes. I wasn't interested enough to continue.
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X11. A book originally published in a year that is a prime number - Astrophysics for People in a Hurry - pub. 2017 - Jul 19 - 3* - This was an audiobook read by Neil de Grasse Tyson, who is delightful. But I needed more of a "for dummies" version. He uses many terms without defining them. Also the book is basically a collection of essays on different subjects rather than an instructional book that builds on concepts.
X12. A book that is a collaboration between 2 or more people - #NeverAgain: A New Generation Draws the Line by David Hogg and Lauren Hogg - Jul 21 - 4* - This was surprisingly entertaining. I figured it would be about the day of the Parkland shooting and the campaign started afterwards and it was. But David also talks about what an awful kid he was, his somewhat unusual family, and how he basically reinvented himself for success in life and relating to other people. This put him in place to be a natural leader when a crisis struck.
X14. A book by an author on the Abe List of 100 Essential Female Writers (link) - Sula - Jul 6 - 3* - This is typical of Toni Morrison in having more to it than just the plot or specific characters. It was worth reading but not really enjoyable.
X15. A book set in a global city - Away in a Manger - New York - Jul 21 - 3* - This is a short mystery in the Molly Maguire series by Rhys Bowen, a sort of Christmas special. I enjoy the series in general even though sometimes the solution rests on coincidence. The supporting characters in the series are fun. I also liked that there was a scene on a Manhattan slum street by the waterfront that was actually the same intersection of the West Village where my brother now lives and apartments sell for up to 1 million dollars!
X16. A book set in a rural or sparsely populated area - That Old Ace in the Hole - Aug 7 - 4.5* - I love how Annie Proulx writes. She has the most unusual metaphors and similes. This book started out slowly as it seemed to be a collection of anecdotes about local characters and their history in the panhandle of Oklahoma/Texas. But it all comes together in the end. It has a social action message without being heavy-handed about it.
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22. A book with the major theme of survival - In the Distance - Jul 12 - 5* - This is one of my favorite books all year, read on a whim from the recommendation of a GR friend. Very original in style and story! The hero is leaving Sweden for America with his older brother in the 19th century. They get separated and he ends up on a boat to San Francisco instead of New York. When he understands what has happened, he decides he can just walk East. It turns out to be a lot more complicated.
X23. A book featuring an LGBTQIA+ character or by an LGBTQIA+ author - Band Sinister - Jun 30 - 3* -This book was amusing in turning the usual heterosexual tropes of Regency romance to be a male/male romance. I keep being struck by the fact that most of the gay romances are written by women or non-gendered people and I wonder if they are a fantasy of how a gay relationship can be. Of course, traditional romances are a fantasy too!
X24. A book with an emotion in the title - Paris in Love - Aug 8 - 3* - I mentioned above that I enjoy anything about Paris or France and I have read many of Eloisa James' romances. This is basically her blog/memoir of a year in Paris with her family. It was a fast read and entertaining but not very memorable.
X25. A book related to the arts - Heidi's Guide to Four Letter Words - Jan 16 - 4* - This was a hoot. Shy kindergarten teacher Heidi takes a job at a publisher - sounds great, since she loves to read. It turns out the publisher does audiobooks of erotica. She has to learn how to cope and also how to keep this from her mother. It is set in Minnesota, where I lived for many years, and I enjoyed the references to "hot dish" and the accent.
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Around the Year in 52 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America (other topics)Dear Mrs. Bird (other topics)
Les Fourmis (other topics)
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men (other topics)
The Glass Hotel (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
E. Nesbit (other topics)Jon Hassler (other topics)
David Rhodes (other topics)
X1. A book with a title that doesn't contain the letters A, T or Y - Silk - Apr 20 3 *
X2. A book by an author whose last name is one syllable - The Substitution Order (author is Martin Clark) - Jan 24 4 *
X3. A book that you are prompted to read because of something you read in 2019 - The Bluest Eye 3*
X4. A book set in a place or time that you wouldn't want to live - Murder on Black Swan Lane - Mar 17 4 *
X5. The first book in a series that you have not started - Little Girl Gone - Jan 8 3*
X6. A book with a mode of transportation on the cover - News of the World - Jan 28 (there is a wagon in the corner) 4 *
X7. A book set in the southern hemisphere - The Lost Man - Apr 10 4*
X8. A book with a two-word title where the first word is "The" - The Penelopiad - Feb 26 4*
X9. A book that can be read in a day - Why Is Nothing Ever Simple? - Jan 19 4*
X10. A book that is between 400-600 pages Sous les vents de Neptune - 4*
X11. A book originally published in a year that is a prime number - Sing, Unburied, Sing - published 2017 - Jan 11 4*
X12. A book that is a collaboration between 2 or more people - The Murmur of Bees (author and translator) - May 15 3*
X13. A prompt from a previous Around the Year in 52 Books challenge (Link) The Black Tulip - From 2019 - A book with a historical character - 3*
X14. A book by an author on the Abe List of 100 Essential Female Writers - A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer - Apr 20 3*
X15. A book set in a global city - Bryant & May - Wild Chamber -takes place in London - Feb 17 4*
X16. A book set in a rural or sparsely populated area - Spirit of Steamboat - Feb 28 4*
X17. A book with a neurodiverse character - The Ponder Heart - Feb 27 3* -
X18. A book by an author you've only read once before - Kingdom of the Blind - Mar 5 4* -
X 19. A fantasy book - The Priory of the Orange Tree - Jun 18 4*
X 20. The 20th book [on your TBR, in a series, by an author, on a list, etc.] - Scandalous Secrets - May 4 (20th book on one of my shelves) 3*
X21. A book related to Maximilian Hell, the noted astronomer and Jesuit Priest who was born in 1720 -The Lost Art of Scripture: Rescuing the Sacred Texts on history of religions, including Christianity - Apr 17 4*
X22. A book with the major theme of survival - Virgil Wander - Jun 2 5*
X23. A book featuring an LGBTQIA+ character or by an LGBTQIA+ author - An Unseen Attraction - Feb 1 3*
X24. A book with an emotion in the title - The Viscount Who Loved Me - Feb 26 4*
X25. A book related to the arts - The Authenticity Project - Mar 22 4*
X26. A book from the 2019 Goodreads Choice Awards - The Overdue Life of Amy Byler- May 6 3 *
X27. A history or historical fiction - The Observations - Apr 4 4*
X28. A book by an Australian, Canadian or New Zealand author - My Brilliant Career - Jan 5 4*
X29. An underrated book, a hidden gem or a lesser known book - Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - Feb 29 4*
X 30. A book from the New York Times '100 Notable Books' list for any year - The Dutch House - Jun 18 4*
X31. A book inspired by a leading news story - How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character - Apr 29 4*
X32. A book related to the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan - Convenience Store Woman 4*
X33. A book about a non-traditional family - The Magic City - Mar 8 - 4 *
X34. A genre or sub genre that starts with a letter in your name - Romance - An Arrangement of Sorts - Jan 3 - 4*
X35. A book with a geometric pattern or element on the cover - The Chequer Board
X36. A book from your TBR/wishlist that you don't recognize, recall putting there, or put there on a whim - Charles Jessold, Considered As A Murderer - May 18 4*
X37. Two books that are related to each other as a pair of binary opposites: Book #1 - The British Museum Is Falling Down - Feb 24 4*
X38. Two books that are related to each other as a pair of binary opposites: Book #2 - Lessons in French - Apr 21 3*
X39. A book by an author whose real name(s) you're not quite sure how to pronounce - Purple Hibiscus - Mar 7 4*
X40. A book with a place name in the title - Cannery Row - Mar 21 4*
X41. A mystery - The Case of the Reincarnated Client - Apr 1 4*
X42. A book that was nominated for one of the ‘10 Most Coveted Literary Prizes in the World’ (link) - American Gods - winner of Hugo and other awards - Jan 31 5*
X43. A book related to one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse - Age of Death - Feb 18 3*
X44. A book related to witches - The Witches Are Coming - Jun 6 4*
X45. A book by the same author who wrote one of your best reads in 2019 or 2018 - Strange Tide - Jan 18 4*
X46. A book about an event or era in history taken from the Billy Joel song "We Didn't Start the Fire" - Une vie - autobiography of French political figure in that era - Jan 6 4*
X47. A classic book you've always meant to read - Lorna Doone - May 10 4*
X48. A book published in 2020 - In Our Prime: How Older Women Are Reinventing the Road Ahead - Apr 25 4*
X49. A book that fits a prompt from the list of suggestions that didn't win - I chose: A book originally written in a language other than English or your mother tongue - L'Éducation sentimentale - May 8 4*
X50. A book with a silhouette on the cover - Not Just Jane: Rediscovering Seven Amazing Women Writers Who Transformed British Literature
X51. A book with an "-ing" word in the title - No Stopping Us Now: A History of Older Women in America - Apr 17 4*
X52. A book related to time - Here and Now and Then - May 12 3*