Shaina's Scrumptious Buffet 2021

[Shaina]

📌 Indicates Completed Challenge

Challenge #1 - New & Old TBR
📌Challenge #3 - Second Place or Worse
📌Challenge #4 - Members Choice Classic/Genre Challenge
📌Challenge #5 - Decade & Century Challenge
📌Challenge #6 - Short Story Challenge
📌Challenge #7 - 2020 Group Reads Challenge
📌Challenge #8 - Expand Your Horizon With New Authors

[Shaina]

Completed Challenge #1 - Old & New TBR Challenge

1899 and earlier/Old School
✅1. The Time Machine Read 3rd Feb ⭐⭐⭐
✅2. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Read 6th April ⭐⭐⭐
✅3. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea Read 14th Feb ⭐⭐⭐

1900-1999/New School
✅1. Like Water for Chocolate Read 14th Dec ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅2. My Cousin Rachel Read 26th Sept ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅3. We Have Always Lived in the Castle Read 21st May ⭐⭐⭐⭐

My Wild Card Six
✅1. Mansfield Park Read 2nd Apr ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. The Scapegoat
✅3. Thérèse Raquin Read 28th Dec ⭐⭐⭐
4. The Secret Agent
✅5. The Third Man Read 5th Nov ⭐⭐⭐
✅6. The Looking Glass War Read 20th Jan ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Alternates:
✅Alternate 1 - Cranford Read 8th Feb ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅Alternate 2 - Azadi: Freedom. Fascism. Fiction. Read 31st Mar ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Shaina]

Challenge #2 – Does a Century Make a Difference?

Select 10 books from any single year of interest, then select 10 more from 100 years earlier, for a total of 20 books. The challenge is to successfully read 10 of the 20 books selected, five from your year of choice and five from 100 years earlier.

[Shaina]

Completed Challenge #3 - Second Place or Worse

New School:
✅1. The Midwich Cuckoos Read 8th May ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅2. Whose Body? Re-read 21st June ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Old School:
✅3. Eugénie Grandet Read 11th Jan ⭐⭐⭐
✅4. The Warden Read 27th Feb ⭐⭐⭐

Short Story/Novella:
✅5. To Build a Fire Read 16th Mar ⭐⭐⭐
✅6. The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas Read 6th Jan ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Quarterly Long Read
✅7. The Decameron Read 17th Sept ⭐⭐

[Shaina]

Completed Challenge #4 - Members Choice Classic/Genre Challenge

✅1. 18th Century or older - Evelina Read 7th April ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅2. 19th Century - The Woman in White - Read 20th June ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅3. 20th Century - Anne of Avonlea Read 25th March ⭐⭐⭐
✅4. Current or Past Group Read - Emma Read 10th June ⭐⭐⭐
✅5. An Author not read before - Emmuska Orczy - Lady Molly Of Scotland Yard Read 20th April ⭐⭐⭐
✅6. Diversity Classic, read a book from any religion, culture, country, or race different than yours - The Housekeeper and the Professor Read 8th May ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅7. Science Fiction - 1984 Read 2nd Feb ⭐⭐
✅8. Romance - Wuthering Heights Read 14th Mar ⭐⭐⭐
✅9. Historical fiction - The Scarlet Pimpernel Read 2nd Nov ⭐⭐⭐
✅10. Nonfiction - Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Read 22nd Jan ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅11. Mystery/Crime - The Big Sleep Read 15th Mar ⭐⭐⭐
✅12. Horror or Humor - My Man Jeeves Read 8th May ⭐⭐⭐

[Shaina]

Completed Challenge #5 - Decade Challenge

The Decade Challenge: Read 10 books from any 10 consecutive years (1 book per year). The authors can only be used once in the challenge.

✅1930 - Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie
✅1931 - The Crime at the Noah’s Ark by Molly Thynne
✅1932 - Case for Mr. Fortune by H.C. Bailey
✅1933 - Jumping Jenny by Anthony Berkeley
✅1934 - Crossword Mystery by E.R. Punshon
✅1935 - The Cornish Coast Murder by John Bude
✅1936 - A Shilling for Candles by Josephine Tey
✅1937 - Mystery in White by J. Jefferson Farjeon
✅1938 - Excellent Intentions by Richard Hull
✅1939 - Stop Press by Michael Innes

Completed Challenge #5 - Century Challenge

The Century Challenge: Read 10 books from any 10 consecutive decades (1 book per decade). Authors can only be used once in the challenge.

✅1900 - 1909 - The Hollow Needle; Further Adventures of Arsène Lupin by Maurice Leblanc
✅1910 - 1919 - A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
✅1920 - 1929 - Metropolis by Thea von Harbou
✅1930 - 1939 - All Passion Spent by Vita Sackville-West
✅1940 - 1949 - Arabella by Georgette Heyer
✅1950 - 1959 - The Kraken Wakes by John Wyndham
✅1960 - 1969 - Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
✅1970 - 1979 - The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth
✅1980 - 1989 - The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum
✅1990 - 1999 - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

[Shaina]

Completed Challenge #6 - Short Story Challenge

✅1. The Old Nurse's Story by Elizabeth Gaskell - Read 1st Jan ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅2. The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin - Read 6th Jan ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅3. The Garden Party and Other Stories by Katherine Mansfield - Read 25th Jan ⭐⭐
✅4. The Man With Two Left Feet and Other Stories by P.G. Wodehouse - Read 1st Feb ⭐⭐⭐
✅5. The Overcoat by Nikolai Gogol - Read 11th Feb ⭐⭐⭐
✅6. The Captain's Daughter by Alexander Pushkin - Read 27th Feb ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅7. Second Variety by Philip K. Dick - Read 19th Mar ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅8. The Lady or the Tiger? by Frank R. Stockton - Read 8th April ⭐⭐⭐
✅9. Zero Hour by Ray Bradbury - Read 16th April ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅10. The Thing on the Doorstep by H.P. Lovecraft - Read 16th April ⭐⭐⭐
✅11. Gooseberries by Anton Chekhov - Read 18th April ⭐⭐
✅12. The Monster Maker by Ray Bradbury - Read 19th April ⭐⭐
✅13. Morgue Ship by Ray Bradbury - Read 19th April ⭐⭐⭐
✅14. Lazarus Come Forth by Ray Bradbury - Read 19th April ⭐⭐
✅15. Asleep in Armageddon by Ray Bradbury - Read 17th April ⭐⭐⭐
✅16. The Creatures That Time Forgot by Ray Bradbury - Read 17th April ⭐⭐⭐
✅17. Lorelei of the Red Mist by Ray Bradbury & Leigh Brackett - Read 18th April ⭐⭐⭐
✅18. Rocket Summer January 1999/2030 by Ray Bradbury - Read 16th April ⭐⭐⭐
✅19. The Nameless City by H.P. Lovecraft - Read 16th April ⭐⭐
✅20. The Festival by H.P. Lovecraft - Read 16th April ⭐⭐
✅21. The Kiss by Anton Chekhov - Read 28th April ⭐⭐
✅22. Babette’s Feast by Isak Dinesen - Read 26th May ⭐⭐⭐
✅23. Anthem by Ayn Rand - Read 24th June ⭐⭐⭐
✅24. The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant - Read 12th July ⭐⭐⭐

[Shaina]

Challenge #7 - 2021 Group Reads Challenge

The challenge is to read 12 of this year's group selections.

✅1. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett - Read 14th Feb ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅2. Songs of Innocence and of Experience by William Blake Read 27th Feb ⭐⭐
✅3. A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams Read 10th Mar ⭐⭐⭐
✅4. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Read 24th Jan ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅5. Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev Read 29th April ⭐⭐⭐
✅6. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy Read 25th May ⭐⭐⭐
✅7. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Read 21st April ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅8. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie Read 16th June ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅9. Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti Read 8th Aug ⭐⭐
✅10. Shirley by Charlotte Brontë Read 23rd Aug ⭐⭐
✅11. The Gold Bug by Edgar Allan Poe Read 23rd Sept ⭐⭐⭐
✅12. The Last Question by Isaac Asimov Read 3rd Oct ⭐⭐⭐

[Shaina]

Completed Challenge #8 - Expand Your Horizon With New Authors

✅1. C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅2. The Cheltenham Square Murder by John Bude⭐⭐⭐
✅3. Erin Morgenstern - The Night Circus ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✅4. Maurice Leblanc - Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Thief ⭐⭐⭐
✅5. Richard Osman - The Thursday Murder Club ⭐⭐⭐
✅6. Georgette Heyer - The Grand Sophy ⭐⭐⭐

[Philina]

Great books you‘ve got there!
The Princess of Mars is quite fun. Very tropy, but very entertaining. They‘ve got it in the serial reader app as well as on LibriVox. The LibriVox narrator does a really good job and reads the story as dar as copyright laws allow it.

[Shaina]

Thanks, Philina. How do you use LibriVox? The website or does it have an app too? I used to have the podcast on my iPod.

[Laurie]

Shaina, Librivox has an app which was really handy for me to knock out some classics this year.

[Cynda]

Shaina, it looks as though several of us--including you and me--are thinking of reading The Garden Party and Other Stories. Might be good groupthink. Enjoy!

[Kathleen]

Shaina, you have three of my top favorites to look forward to in these challenges: Dandelion Wine, Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre. I hope you enjoy them, and all the other good stuff too!

[Philina]

Shaina, you can find the iOS App here:

https://apps.apple.com/de/app/h%C3%B6...

I really like it. You can download and change the speed of narration.

[Terris]

Laurie wrote: "Shaina, Librivox has an app which was really handy for me to knock out some classics this year."

Shaina, I also highly recommend the LibriVox app. You sometimes have to watch the readers, but a lot of them are very good. It's free, you should give it a try!

[Shaina]

Laurie, thank you for suggesting Librivox.

[Shaina]

@Cynda, I agree. Let's try that and see how it goes.

[Shaina]

Thank you for the encouragement, Kathleen. I have picked up Dandelion wine through conversation on this group. I hope I'm able to successfully read Wuthering Heights this time. Time will tell about Jane Eyre.

[Shaina]

Philina, thanks for the link. I didn't know about the download and change of speed. I think this will help. Many thanks again.

[Shaina]

Terris, that's a very handy tip. I would have end up giving up on the whole thing had I come across a dud narrator. Now I know to look around before I settle with one.

[Shaina]

I would be happy to receive recommendations for any narrators (or particular books by certain narrators) on Librivox that anybody has personally liked. It will really help me with audiobooks (I'm on my first audiobook ever)

[Laurie]

Matt wrote: "Elizabeth Klett is my favorite narrator on Librivox. She’s read a lot of books on there. Some of my favorites she read are Edith Wharton novels."

Agreed. She is good. I've listened to Lady Audley's Secret, Jane Eyre, and a few lesser known classics.

[Sue]

Great lists Shaina. You have some of my all time favoites like Doctor Zhivago, My Cousin Rachel and The Woman in White

[Terris]

Shaina wrote: "Terris, that's a very handy tip. I would have end up giving up on the whole thing had I come across a dud narrator. Now I know to look around before I settle with one."

Yes! Because the reader makes so much difference! There is sometimes more than one choice on LibriVox with different readers on each. I usually do Volunteer Readers as a last resort if there's so other choice. Some are good -- but some are just horrible readers and don't even pronounce the words correctly!!! Also, they often change the reader every chapter. It's kind of jarring to hear a different voice from chapter to chapter. So watch for that.
BUT, as others have said Elizabeth Klett is very good!; Helen Taylor is amazing on "Vanity Fair"!; Ruth Golding is good; and my all time favorite is Mil Nicholson!!! She does all the different voices in a story so wonderfully, however -- I think she mostly reads Dickens, so there's that.
There are also some very good male readers, but I haven't found any that stood out one way or the other. Just try listening to a little bit of the book before you choose, and then you can save it to your Favorites List for future listening! I hope you enjoy the app. It has been very helpful to me :)

[Philina]

Elizabeth Klett is indeed amazing! As us Mark Nelson who narrates the Barsoom series (Princess of Mars etc.).

[Philina]

I usually prefer one barrator for the whole book (except it’s letters like with Evelina or there are different point of views). Some books split the chapters between volunteers for no reason at all and that mightily confuses me.

[Shaina]

Thank you, Matt, Laurie, Terris, and Philina. I'm making note of all the narrators and titles.

[Shaina]

Philina wrote: "Elizabeth Klett is indeed amazing! As us Mark Nelson who narrates the Barsoom series (Princess of Mars etc.)."

I will listen to this one for sure. Thank you, Philina.

[Shaina]

Terris wrote: "Shaina wrote: "Terris, that's a very handy tip. I would have end up giving up on the whole thing had I come across a dud narrator. Now I know to look around before I settle with one."

Yes! Because..."

I guess now I know why I was put off by the audiobooks I tried early on. Thank you, Terris. I think I will try the Dickens and start saving my favourites.

[Shaina]

Laurie wrote: "Matt wrote: "Elizabeth Klett is my favorite narrator on Librivox. She’s read a lot of books on there. Some of my favorites she read are Edith Wharton novels."

Agreed. She is good. I've listened to..."

I'm going to try Jane Eyre. Thanks, Laurie!

[Shaina]

Matt wrote: "Elizabeth Klett is my favorite narrator on Librivox. She’s read a lot of books on there. Some of my favorites she read are Edith Wharton novels."

I have read only one Wharton (Summer) and loved it. Maybe, I can hear a whole other bunch on LibriVox. Thanks, Matt.

[Shaina]

Sue wrote: "Great lists Shaina. You have some of my all time favoites like Doctor Zhivago, My Cousin Rachel and The Woman in White"

Yay! Thanks, Sue. I'll let you know what I think. I'm on a Daphne du Maurier spree starting with The Birds last month.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Your selections are terrific, enjoy your challenge. I usually use audio to listen to plays and poetry after I have read them. It helps me since neither genre is my favorite. Good luck.

[Shaina]

Bob wrote: "Your selections are terrific, enjoy your challenge. I usually use audio to listen to plays and poetry after I have read them. It helps me since neither genre is my favorite. Good luck."

Thank you, Bob! I am trying to start listening to audiobooks as they seem quite convenient while doing chores ;)

It also seems like a different medium and I'm quite enjoying Anthony Heald narrating Moby Dick.

[Shaina]

Bob wrote: "Your selections are terrific, enjoy your challenge. I usually use audio to listen to plays and poetry after I have read them. It helps me since neither genre is my favorite. Good luck."

Are plays easier to listen to? I might give poetry a try on audio as I don't enjoy reading them.

[Philina]

I also struggle with poetry and plays.
Yes, audiobooks do help (with plays at least, I‘ve never tried poetry) I think. Especially when you have different narrators for different characters.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Shaina, I think listening to or watching a play and to some degree poems, helps. Especially for me with something written by Shakespeare. I read the play then I will listen to it as I read it again. I have even watch YouTube versions, it helps me.

I have only listened to a few poems and most of those were by Poe, The Raven comes to mind.

[Shaina]

Opened the Buffet and scarfing down as much as I can :0

[Shaina]

Shaina wrote: "Challenge #8 - Expand Your Horizon With New Authors

I have successfully read 6 new authors for this challenge. Being new to classics certainly has advantages :)

[Natalia]

Thanks for the tip! I tied audiobooks a couple of times and though it was not for me, I might give then another chance :). It would be super convenient to get into it.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Shaina wrote: "Shaina wrote: "Challenge #8 - Expand Your Horizon With New Authors

I have successfully read 6 new authors for this challenge. Being new to classics certainly has advantages :)"

Excellent, and only one 3 star in the bunch.

[Shaina]

Bob wrote: "Shaina wrote: "Shaina wrote: "Challenge #8 - Expand Your Horizon With New Authors

I have successfully read 6 new authors for this challenge. Being new to classics certainly has advantages :)"

Excellent, and only one 3 star in the bunch."

Yes, I must agree it is a most excellent feeling so far. This year has been good reading so far.

[Shaina]

I just finished Mansfield Park and rated it ⭐⭐⭐⭐. I really enjoyed it. I'm glad I did because after Sense and Sensibility I was a little afraid of not enjoying this as I did Austen's other books. Phew!

I now have only one full-length novel Emma by Austen ( will start that next month most likely)

[Lynn, New School Classics]

Shaina wrote: "I would be happy to receive recommendations for any narrators (or particular books by certain narrators) on Librivox that anybody has personally liked. It will really help me with audiobooks (I'm o..."

I particularly love the narrator on the youtube channel "Horror Babble". He has read the Chuthlu Mythos series by H. P. Lovecraft and so many others. I recently listened to (while also reading along with a paper copy) The Sandman by E.T.A. Hoffmann and The Scarlet Plague by Jack London on this channel. The narration and also the writing were excellent on both.

If you have an audible membership and you like John Le Carre novels., Micheal Jayston seems to be doing a reading series of the spy novels. I have read three Smiley Spy Novels while listening to him. Jayston's voice is now THE voice for Le Carre for me.

Finally, I got a copy of the audiobook for The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories from my library (online) narrated by Stacy Keach the actor.. He was so very good.

[Lynn, New School Classics]

Shaina wrote: "I just finished Mansfield Park and rated it ⭐⭐⭐⭐. I really enjoyed it. I'm glad I did because after Sense and Sensibility I was a little afraid of not enjoying this as I did Austen's other books. P..."


I am so glad you liked Mansfield Park, because it is actually my favorite of all Jane Austen's novels.

[Shaina]

Lynn wrote: "Shaina wrote: "I would be happy to receive recommendations for any narrators (or particular books by certain narrators) on Librivox that anybody has personally liked. It will really help me with au..."

Thank you, Lynn! This is really helpful. Heading to listen to horror babble :)

[Shaina]

Lynn wrote: "Shaina wrote: "I just finished Mansfield Park and rated it ⭐⭐⭐⭐. I really enjoyed it. I'm glad I did because after Sense and Sensibility I was a little afraid of not enjoying this as I did Austen's..."

I'm glad this book is on your favourite list. I have rarely heard anyone speak of this one. I really would place this as my second favourite by Austen (P&P being the first). I look forward to Emma.

[Shaina]

Just finished Evelina. What an amazing experience this book was. It so reminded me of Jane Austen's writing. I read the book in one sitting. A 5 star read.

[Shaina]

I just finished The Tenant of Wildfell Hall ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. I really think Anne was the best writer of the three sisters. I loved this book more than Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. I think it also touched me more than the other two because it seemed more real to me. I now look forward to Agnes Grey.