Pam's 1st Annual Reading Challenge 2022

[Pam]

I have never completed this challenge but I'm going to keep trying! These are all books I own.
Finished: 1/12

1. Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver
2. The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
3. The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber
4. Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History by Erik Larson
5. The Knight of Maison-Rouge by Alexandre Dumas
6. Lenin's Kisses by Yan Lianke
7. Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
*8.The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper Read: Jan 2 (4 stars)
9. The Russian Debutante's Handbook by Gary Shteyngart
10. The Seine: The River that Made Paris by Elaine Sciolino (GR Giveaway win)
11. The Survivors by Jane Harper
12. The Trial by Franz Kafka

4 Alternates:
1. The Glass Bead Game by Hermann Hesse
2. Priestess of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
3. We the Living by Ayn Rand
4. The Winter Station by Jody Shields

[Bill, Moderator]

Practice makes perfect. :0) I love the writing of Ursula K LeGuin. She tells such excellent stories. I've read some Kingsley Amis. He's a unique writer. Back in university, I read Atlas Shrugged, We the Living and subscribed to the Ayn Rand newsletter. I kind of liked some of her ideas at the time. I hope you enjoy all of your selections.

[Vikki, Moderator]

Haven't read any of your books, hope you will enjoy your challenge

[Ioana]

I've only read Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History and it was very good. Erik Larson never disappoints. Happy reading!

[Alondra, Moderator Schmoderator]

As long as you read something; it's all good!

Good luck and I hope you enjoy what you read

[Pam]

Thank you everyone for your comments! I feel more confident this year that I will complete the challenge. I only picked books that I REALLY think I will read not books I think I should read. And, no theme but, rather, an assortment of genres. I don’t know why it is that I buy books and then don’t read them. Maybe I secretly like having a home library? One of my goals this year is to downsize my at-home library and not re-acquire more books. 📚 📚📚

[Pam]

Bill wrote: "Practice makes perfect. :0) I love the writing of Ursula K LeGuin. She tells such excellent stories. I've read some Kingsley Amis. He's a unique writer. Back in university, I read Atlas Shrugged, W..."

Bill - I've read 2 Le Guin books and enjoyed both of them. I've also read Atlas Shrugged twice and The Fountainhead. I bought We the Living for my husband several years ago but I don't think he is going to read it so it's mine now. I have never read Kingsley Amis but read one book by his son Martin, which I wasn't impressed with. I don't know what to expect with Lucky Jim but I hope there is some humor in the book. I need a book set on a campus or with a teacher/professor as a main character for another challenge, so this seems like a good choice

[Amy]

Selecting books that you own is a great idea! While hopefully enjoying them, you'll clear out some room for new ones!

[Bill, Moderator]

Pam wrote: "Bill wrote: "Practice makes perfect. :0) I love the writing of Ursula K LeGuin. She tells such excellent stories. I've read some Kingsley Amis. He's a unique writer. Back in university, I read Atla..."

Who is John Galt, my main takeaway from Atlas Shrugged. The Left Hand of Darkness is one of my favorite LeGuin stories. I've read two or three times.

[Faouzia]

I have the Knight of Maison-rouge in my library as well. I still didn’t read it although i love Dumas. Maybe I’ll follow suit and read it this year. I’ll be looking forward to see what you think of it.
I hope you enjoy your selection.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

I also like the idea of having an in-home library - just think, whatever happens, we won't be without something to read, things are bad enough without running out of books

[Zora]

Roadside Picnic is one of my favorite SF books. Though it has flaws (I think I rated it 4 stars), the central idea is so, so excellent. And it was convincing to me regarding how aliens might see us if they stopped by. I confess the political satire is beyond me, but it works just fine without grasping that part.

[Lea]

Everything Ioana said - I've only read Isaac's Storm, but I love Erik Larson.

I also struggle reading books I buy. Once I buy them, the "urgency" to read them is lessened, I feel like I should focus on my library books that have deadlines. :-)

[Alondra, Moderator Schmoderator]

Pam wrote: "Thank you everyone for your comments! I feel more confident this year that I will complete the challenge. I only picked books that I REALLY think I will read not books I think I should read. And, n..."

Good luck trying to avoid purchasing books. It takes a while to stop.... I have put myself on moratorium from purchasing since about 2015. I can only purchase once a quarter, and only 5 books. I won't part with any of them though.

I have Roadside Picnic and I really want to read that on day 1 of the challenge. It looks really interesting.

[Pam]

Alondra wrote: "I have Roadside Picnic and I really want to read that on day 1 of the challenge. It looks really interesting"

Yes, I agree Alondra that it looks interesting! (It's actually on my 12+4 list for 2021.) So much so that I started it last night! I substituted it with The Dark is Rising. I also changed out another book (The Dispossessed) for The Book of Strange New Things, which was on a 12+4 list from a prior year. I did keep the substitutions in the SF/F genres.

[Pam]

Zora wrote: "Roadside Picnic is one of my favorite SF books. Though it has flaws (I think I rated it 4 stars), the central idea is so, so excellent. And it was convincing to me regarding how aliens might see us..."

I'm glad to hear that Zora! I meant to read it earlier this year but read 2 other books by the Strugatsky brothers instead. Last night, I tried to watch the Russian movie The Stalker, which is based on the book, but it was so slow and boring that I turned it off and started reading the book!

[Denise]

I haven't read any of your selections. Wish you the best of luck on your challenge.

[Alondra, Moderator Schmoderator]

Pam wrote: "Alondra wrote: "I have Roadside Picnic and I really want to read that on day 1 of the challenge. It looks really interesting"

Yes, I agree Alondra that it looks interesting! (It's actually on my 1..."

How are you liking Roadside Picnic!!?? 📚👀

[John]

Alondra wrote: "Pam wrote: "Thank you everyone for your comments! I feel more confident this year that I will complete the challenge. I only picked books that I REALLY think I will read not books I think I should ..."

My credit card had a 20% off any Kindle book purchase this month. I used it the other day, and that's it! I'm going to start a purchase consideration list next year, but only after I've read some TBR first.

[Pam]

Alondra wrote: "Pam wrote: "Alondra wrote: "I have Roadside Picnic and I really want to read that on day 1 of the challenge. It looks really interesting"

Yes, I agree Alondra that it looks interesting! (It's actu..."

Alondra - I liked Roadside Picnic but I didn't love it. I like books that presents a different perspective, which this one does, but I had such high expectations for this one that I felt a little disappointed. I'll have to skim through it in December for our SF book club meeting since I read it a year in advance! I'm very interested how the other members will feel about it. I tried watching the Russian movie Stalkers which is based on the book. It was so slow, long, and boring that I couldn't finish watching it!