Laurie's 2021 Challenge Buffet

[Laurie]

Challenge #1 - New & Old TBR
Challenge #2 - Does a Century Make a Difference?
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
Challenge #9 - A-Z Author Challenge
Challenge #10 - A-Z Title Challenge

For now, I will only attempt challenge #1 and #8. I may add others later in the year.

[Laurie]

Challenge #1 Old & New TBR challenge CHALLENGE COMPLETED

12/12 complete

Old School - 1899 or earlier
The Odyssey by Homer 5/15/21 ★★★★★
The Warden by Anthony Trollope 2/6/21 ★★★★
Shirley by Charlotte Brontë 7/25/21 ★★★½
The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot 4/23/21 ★★★½

New School - 1900-1999
When Rain Clouds Gather by Bessie Head 3/15/21 ★★★
Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar
A Grain of Wheat by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o 1/22/21 ★★★ My review
The Wall by Marlen Haushofer 1/7/21 ★★★★★
Possession by A.S. Byatt DNF

21st Century Wildcards
Augustown by Kei Miller 2/9/21 ★★★★
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk 8/13/21 ★★½
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout 6/29/21 ★★★★★

Alternates
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri 8/31/21 ★★★½
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra 1/31/21 ★★★★★ My review

[Laurie]

Challenge #8 Expand Your Horizon with New Authors CHALLENGE COMPLETED

6/6

1. Marlen Haushofer - The Wall
2. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o - A Grain of Wheat
3. Anthony Marra - A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
4. Anthony Trollope - The Warden
5. Kei Miller - Augustown
6. Bessie Head - When Rain Clouds Gather

[Sue]

I love your restraint Laurie. I already feel like I bit off more than I can chew. A lot of yours are on my TBR but I probably won't get to them in 2021

[Laurie]

Sue wrote: "I love your restraint Laurie. I already feel like I bit off more than I can chew. A lot of yours are on my TBR but I probably won't get to them in 2021"

I always do too many challenges and feel overloaded, so I was determined I would not start the year that way. I can always add more later.

[Kathleen]

I admire your plan, and am so excited to see two on your list that I loved: Memoirs of Hadrian and Augustown. I hope you enjoy them!

[Brina]

I’ll read When Rain Clouds Gather with you. With all the books some of you have that I’ll end up reading I might be able to do one challenge.

[Laurie]

Kathleen wrote: "I admire your plan, and am so excited to see two on your list that I loved: Memoirs of Hadrian and Augustown. I hope you enjoy them!"

Thanks, Kathleen. I hope so too.

[Laurie]

Brina wrote: "I’ll read When Rain Clouds Gather with you. With all the books some of you have that I’ll end up reading I might be able to do one challenge."

I would love to read it with you. I have no plans for when, so whatever works for you.

[Brina]

Feb is African American history month. March is international women’s month. Right now March is less crowded for me so take your pick.

[Laurie]

Brina wrote: "Feb is African American history month. March is international women’s month. Right now March is less crowded for me so take your pick."

March works for me.

[Brina]

Yay. I’ll write it down on my calendar.

[Carolien]

Brina wrote: "I’ll read When Rain Clouds Gather with you. With all the books some of you have that I’ll end up reading I might be able to do one challenge."

I'll join the two of you for this one if possible. It's been on my TBR for years. March works for me.

You have some lovely choices, Laurie. Enjoy!

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Laurie, Your old school challenge looks great, enjoy!

[Irphen]

Good luck with your challenge!

[Laurie]

Bob wrote: "Laurie, Your old school challenge looks great, enjoy!"

Thanks, Bob. It is a bit of a catch up on our group bookshelf.

[Laurie]

Carolien wrote: "Brina wrote: "I’ll read When Rain Clouds Gather with you. With all the books some of you have that I’ll end up reading I might be able to do one challenge."

I'll join the two of you f..."

That sounds great. I'll ask Pink to set up a buddy read thread for us.

[Laurie]

Irphen wrote: "Good luck with your challenge!"

Thanks, Irphen.

[Laurie]

I finished my first book of the year and the first to count toward my two challenges. The Wall by Marlen Haushofer was a 5 star book for me. It is an unusual dystopian novel. A nameless woman wakes up one morning and she may be the only person left alive in the world with access to the outside world blocked off by an invisible wall. She is left alone with only a dog but soon acquires a cow and a cat. The rest of the story relates her taking care of herself and the animals in an isolated mountain cabin. It is a tale of alienation, self-discovery, fortitude, and love. It wouldn't be a book for everyone but I loved it.

[Luke]

Laurie wrote: "I finished my first book of the year and the first to count toward my two challenges. The Wall by Marlen Haushofer was a 5 star book for me. It is an unusual dystopian..."

Glad to hear that you loved this, Laurie. It was a five star read for me as well.

[Kathleen]

Congrats on a great start, Laurie. I've been anxious to get to The Wall--appreciate your description, and am glad you enjoyed it!

[Shaina]

Laurie, I'm so glad you started with a 5-star read. The book sounds interesting and has joined my TBR. Congrats, on getting the first book in.

[Laurie]

Thanks, Aubrey, Kathleen, and Shaina.

[Laurie]

I finished the 2nd books of my Old & New challenge which also fits for the new to me author challenge. I read A Grain of Wheat by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o which is a Kenyan classic well worth reading. My review is linked in the challenge list above.

[Laurie]

I've read one of the alternates on my Old and New Challenge. I gave 5 stars to A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra. It is one of the books that had been on my GR tbr the longest which is something I am trying to tackle this year. My review is linked in the challenge list above.

[Laurie]

I finished another book for my Old & New challenge and the new author challenge. The Warden was a 4 star book for me. I can't believe I have taken so long to read a Trollope novel but I will definitely continue on with the Barchester series.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

I also took a long time to get to Trollope. My first was just a few months ago. I too will be reading more.

[Laurie]

Bob wrote: "I also took a long time to get to Trollope. My first was just a few months ago. I too will be reading more."

How surprising that several in our group have never read Trollope before. He was so prolific. At least we have found his work enjoyable and many more books to choose from.

[Laurie]

I have completed another book for my two challenges. Augustown is unusual and sad but a powerful story which I gave 4 stars.

[Laurie]

I finished another book for my old and new challenge. The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot was a 3.5 star book for me. I was happy to get through this as it was my third attempt at reading it.

[Liesl]

Laurie wrote: "I finished another book for my old and new challenge. The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot was a 3.5 star book for me. I was happy to get through this as it was my third..."

Congrats on getting through this. I started it last year and only made it about 1/3 of the way through before putting it down for something else. Maybe I'll try again next year.

[Laurie]

Liesl wrote: "Laurie wrote: "I finished another book for my old and new challenge. The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot was a 3.5 star book for me. I was happy to get through this as ..."

Thanks, Liesel. I'm not sure why it took 3 tries for me since slow books don't usually bother me. Maybe you can finish the next time you pick it up.

[Laurie]

I've finished another for my Old and New challenge. I slowly read The Odyssey by Homer over the past 6 weeks. I was enthralled by parts of it and my eyes glazed over in boredom in others, but I am thrilled to have read the original classic references I have heard of for years. I gave it 5 stars because I enjoyed it overall and it is definitely worth reading all these centuries later.

[Lynn]

Wow, The Mill on the Floss and The Odyssey are both major works. It must feel gratifying. Congratulations

[Sue]

Laurie wrote: "I've finished another for my Old and New challenge. I slowly read The Odyssey by Homer over the past 6 weeks. I was enthralled by parts of it and my eyes glazed over in bor..."

I had the same experience with The Odyssey Laurie. I read it in a verse translation and struggled with it, but luckily I had seen a play and then had the group discussion. I rated it 5 stars too. Congratulations on another one down!

[Laurie]

Lynn wrote: "Wow, The Mill on the Floss and The Odyssey are both major works. It must feel gratifying. Congratulations"

Thanks, Lynn. It does feel good whenever I read one of the big classics. I put them on my challenge to give me that extra incentive to finally read them.

Sue wrote: "Laurie wrote: "I've finished another for my Old and New challenge. I slowly read The Odyssey by Homer over the past 6 weeks. I was enthralled by parts of it and my eyes gla..."

Thanks, Sue. I thought the translation was quite readable but epic poetry isn't my thing.

[Sara, New School Classics]

Nice that you hung in there and finished it, Laurie. I will drop a contemporary book much more easily than a classic like The Odyssey. As you say, it is worth the effort.

[Laurie]

Sara wrote: "Nice that you hung in there and finished it, Laurie. I will drop a contemporary book much more easily than a classic like The Odyssey. As you say, it is worth the effort."

Sara, I am much more likely to stick with a classic than a contemporary book as well. I feel like classics have stood the test of time for some reason. I just bailed on one of my contemporary Old and New challenge books. I dnfed Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead. I have read one other book by Olga Tokarczuk and I struggled to finish it. After struggling with this one too, I realize her style of writing is not for me.

[Sara, New School Classics]

I have had similar experiences. Sometimes it is true that a writer's style is just not for you and best to move on to someone with whom you can feel satisfied. Learning to DNF was difficult for me, but I have it down to an art now.

[Marilyn]

I hunted and hunted for House of Day, House of Night. After finally locating a copy, I was disappointed when I had to DNF. Oh well.

[Laurie]

Marilyn wrote: "I hunted and hunted for House of Day, House of Night. After finally locating a copy, I was disappointed when I had to DNF. Oh well."

It is disappointing to try books by acclaimed authors and not feel like finishing. But every author isn't for every reader.

[Laurie]

I am 3/4 of the way through my Old and New challenge. I finished Olive Kitteridge and I absolutely loved it. I gave it 5 stars and it is a new favorite which is quite a surprise because I have read two other books by Elizabeth Strout and I was not impressed by either book.

[Laurie]

I finished Shirley by Charlotte Brontë for my Old and New challenge and I gave it 3.5 stars. I've now read all the Bronte sisters novels and this is one of my least favorites although parts of it were really good.

[Laurie]

I did something I absolutely thought I wouldn't do and finished a book I had previously dnfed. In May I abandoned Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead and thought I was done for good with it, but I decided to give it another shot. I wanted to complete one of my translated books on my Old & New challenge this month and this was the shorter of the two plus I didn't need to start from the beginning. It continued to be very odd but it got slightly better in the 2nd half and I rated it 2 ½ stars. I am done with Olga Tokarczuk after reading two of her books.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Glad you checked one of your challenge, sorry it was a struggle.

[Laurie]

Bob wrote: "Glad you checked one of your challenge, sorry it was a struggle."

Thanks, Bob. I am not doing bingo this year, but I am unofficially keeping track so this book would count for the book by a Nobel winner. I am only 5 books from a blackout, so I may eventually post a bingo challenge.

[Lynn]

Laurie wrote: "I am 3/4 of the way through my Old and New challenge. I finished Olive Kitteridge and I absolutely loved it. I gave it 5 stars and it is a new favorite which is quite a surprise beca..."

I have heard so many good things about this book. I bought it on Kindle, but it was pushed to the back burner. I am glad you found one you liked so much.

[Laurie]

Lynn wrote: "Laurie wrote: "I am 3/4 of the way through my Old and New challenge. I finished Olive Kitteridge and I absolutely loved it. I gave it 5 stars and it is a new favorite which is quite ..."

I doubt if everyone loves it like I did, but I hope you enjoy it when you read it.

[Laurie]

My Old and New Challenge is finished. I read one of my alternates Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri to complete the challenge. I tried to read Possession but it takes a level of concentration that I just don't have right now. I still have Memoirs of Hadrian left and I may get to it, but I read 12 of the books so I accomplished that goal.

[Lynn]

Laurie wrote: "My Old and New Challenge is finished. I read one of my alternates Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri to complete the challenge. I tried to read [book:Possession|4121..."

Congratulations Laurie!