Trim Challenge 2022 – Community and Announcement Thread

[Jen K]

I was doing so well until I hit August. I've read 9 of the 12 but am quite determined to read the last 3 in the next week.

[Joanne]

Everyone have a happy holiday week-end!

[Theresa]

2022 FINISHED!

Actually I read 15 of the books listed in my Unofficial Trim 2022 list which had a choice for some numbers. No DNF.
Interestingly, where I only read one of the 2 choices, each of the unread books is a perfect fit for a Popsugar 2023 prompt!

My read list and ratings:

The Making of a Marchioness, Part I and II 5 stars
The Martian 5 stars
Our Spoons Came from Woolworths 5 stars
Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy 5 stars
Lab Girl 5 stars
The Death of Mrs. Westaway 4 stars
The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne 4 stars
Summer at the Garden Café by Felicity Hayes-McCoy 4 stars
Grand Hotel 4 stars
Paris by the Book 3 stars
The Masterpiece 3 stars
The Paris Architect 3 stars
Leavin' Trunk Blues 3 stars
The Wedding Girl 3 stars
The Bar Harbor Retirement Home for Famous Writers 2 stars

Overall a stellar reading year, and even my sole 2 star read was ok, not a disaster. For 2023 I think I only traded out a couple and have no alternates since the alternates I had remaining have been moved to the Popsugar challenge.

[Hannah]

I finished my #24 for November, and I'm still working on finishing the other 3 I have left over:

The Tuscan Child by Rhys Bowen – 3 Stars

This was a quick, enjoyable read. Though the plot was somewhat predictable, and it was obvious early on who had been behind some of the things that happened during the WW2 timeline, the story was strong and the characters were relatable. I really enjoyed the description of Tuscany – both the food and the landscapes – and the novel gave a good idea of what life could have been like in a small Tuscan village during WW2. Whilst I prefer the series Bowen writes, I would definitely read other standalone books by her.

[Amy]

Hannah - just left you a note on the Rose Code. It was spontaneous, but a genuine offer.

[Joy D]

Finished my #17 for December. This completes my PBT Trim Challenge for the year.

Fire and Brimstone: The North Butte Mining Disaster of 1917 by Michael Punke - 4* - My Review

True story of the worst hard rock mining tragedy in US history that occurred on June 7, 1917, when a worker at the Granite Mountain copper mine accidentally started a fire that rapidly spread into a fiery inferno, trapping 400 miners underground and killing 168. The narrative follows the history of copper mining, the Copper Kings, the people involved in the tragedy, the company’s responses, and a detailed analysis of what happened.

The first half describes the causes of the disaster and rescue efforts. It highlights the heroic actions of two men - Manus Duggan and James Moore. They each saved lives by leading a group of men to build a bulkhead in two different places, which enabled them to escape the toxic gases produced by the fire. This section delves into the lives of the men and their family members. It is based on interviews of descendants and contemporaneous news accounts.

The second half covers the miners seeking safer conditions and better pay via unions, and the resistance to their demands by the company. It covers labor history and the associated violence. It speaks of politicians, corruption, and legal battles. It is an engrossing book filled with tragedy, heroism, and the struggles of workers for improved conditions. The author provides many detailed footnotes. He ties the Butte mining disaster to the bigger picture of politics, labor, and legislation on local, state, and national levels.

PBT Comments: This book provides an excellent example of leadership by those not in official leadership positions.

[Joy D]

As mentioned in the above post, I completed the 2022 PBT Trim. Here are my books read. I selected all non-fiction this year, and they provided some excellent reads:

✅5. Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell - 10/24/22 - 4* - My Review - selected for October

✅7. The People of the Abyss by Jack London - 7/22/22 - 4* - My Review - selected for July

✅8. The Shadow King: The Bizarre Afterlife of King Tut's Mummy by Jo Marchant - 6/8/22 - 4* - My Review - selected for June

✅9. Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions by Johann Hari - 5/20/22 - 2* - My Review - selected for May

✅10. Pandora's Lab: Seven Stories of Science Gone Wrong by Paul A. Offit - 1/5/22 - 4* - My Review - selected for January

✅11. The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell - 3/29/22 - 4* - My Review - selected for March

✅15. Memoirs of an Addicted Brain: A Neuroscientist Examines his Former Life on Drugs by Marc Lewis - 8/11/22 - 4* - My Review - selected for August

✅17. Fire and Brimstone: The North Butte Mining Disaster of 1917 by Michael Punke - 12/28/22 - 4* - My Review - selected for December

✅18. When Books Went to War: The Stories That Helped Us Win World War II by Molly Guptill Manning - 2/14/22 - 4* - My Review - selected for February

✅20. 438 Days: An Extraordinary True Story of Survival at Sea by Jonathan Franklin - 4/17/22 - 4* - My Review - selected for April

✅22. Fermat's Enigma by Simon Singh - 9/25/22 - 4* - My Review - selected for Sept

✅24. Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen - 11/14/22 - 3* - My Review - selected for November

[Hannah]

Finished my #15 for August

Sugar Run by Mesha Maren – 4 Stars (Rounded up)

Moving back and forwards in time, this novel follows Jodi upon her release from prison in 2007 as she fights to regain land she lost due to unpaid taxes whilst in prison, as well as the events that lead her to commit murder at the age of 17 in 1989. Well-written, it is hard to believe that this is a debut-novel. This book covers a lot of ground – possibly too much – including the effects of fracking and the use and abuse of alcohol and drugs on an impoverished community in West Virginia. The book was well set up, but I was disappointed in the ending, as we didn’t see whether Jodi is successful in her quest to save “her” land, or whether she finds herself back in prison for violating the terms of her release. Maren has recently released another book, and I hope to get to that one soon.

[Jen K]

Need to catch up on reviews but officially finished all 12 of my Trim picks for this year. I appreciate this challenge!