John's 2022 100 Challenge

[madrano]

Good tip, Rachel.

[John]

Translated book (72)

Winter in Sokcho by Elisa Shua Dusapin (from French) - not sure I understood the ending, but as a novella the sense of place was outstanding.

[Alias Reader]

John wrote: "Translated book (72)
, but as a novella the sense of place was outstanding."

High praise for a debut novel. Thanks for sharing this new to me title.

[madrano]

I ran for this one immediately. There is a short waitlist. Thanks, John.

[John]

Book about nature (18)

Where the Wild Winds Are: Walking Europe's Winds from the Pennines to Provence by Nick Hunt, likely five stars when I write the review!

[Alias Reader]

John wrote: "Book about nature (18)

Where the Wild Winds Are: Walking Europe's Winds from the Pennines to Provence by Nick Hunt, likely five stars when I write the review!"

Excellent. It's such a wonderful feeling when you come upon a 5 star book. Well done !

I have to say, I am not a fan of windy blustery days when I walk. Are you, John?

[madrano]

Sounds good, John. The unique approach, winds, is a clever one, imo.

[John]

Alias Reader wrote: "John wrote: "Book about nature (18)

Where the Wild Winds Are: Walking Europe's Winds from the Pennines to Provence by Nick Hunt, likely five stars when I write the..."

I've grown to appreciate windy days over blazing heat here in FL during summer.

[Alias Reader]

John wrote: "
I've grown to appreciate windy days over blazing heat here in FL during summer.."

That I can certainly agree with. Summer is my least favorite season. I just don't do well in heat/sun.

[John]

Book featuring animals (2) and school setting (69)

Two Owls At Eton by Jonathan Franklin

Not bad for the price, but I preferred one I read a couple of years ago that would've qualified here: The Penguin Lessons

[madrano]

Well done. Thanks for the Penguin title, too.

[Alias Reader]

Thanks for the titles, John. I already have #2 animal
Remarkably Bright Creatures (octopus)

That said I still put the two titles on my TBR list as I do enjoy nonfiction animal stories.

[Julie]

John wrote: "Book featuring animals (2) and school setting (69)

Two Owls At Eton by Jonathan Franklin

Not bad for the price, but I preferred one I read a couple of years ago th..."
The Penguin Lessons was very interesting!

[John]

Debut author (45)

Not exactly recent, but Saturday Night at the Greyhound was the first published book by John Hampson, back in the 1930's by Leonard and Virginia Woolf no less. Found it grim and dated, but I suppose I can see why it was popular back then.

[Alias Reader]

Interesting choice, to go back in time for an author's debut novel. Nicely done on this task.

[madrano]

Smart idea, John.

[John]

Book from your TBR list (89)

Stranger Here: How Weight-Loss Surgery Transformed My Body and Messed with My Head by Jen Larsen - sad to say the story was pretty much lost on me as I couldn't identify with her experience. Details to follow in review ...

[madrano]

On one hand, it’s disappointing. On the other hand, one more selection off your challenge list!

[John]

I have another 10 books left for this challenge, a couple of which I'll be finishing soon. A couple might easily take me into December, but most are do-able in a week or so.

[madrano]

Terrific, John. I’m still not sure i’ll achieve my goal.

[John]

A book you already own (12)

I've just finished Rifling Through My Drawers by Clarissa Dickson Wright, which I started on my European trip earlier this month. Honestly, I found it more a sequel/addendum/update to her memoir Spilling the Beans, so start there, not here.

[madrano]

Thanks for the comments and tip, John. Continued success on this reading challenge.

[Alias Reader]

John wrote: "A book you already own (12)

I've just finished Rifling Through My Drawers by Clarissa Dickson Wright, which I started on my European trip earlier this month. Honestly..."

The name didn't click until I checked out the book link. She is from the cooking show Two Fat Ladies ! I used to enjoy watching that show. They were characters, for sure.

One of the reviews noted it's written in journal form. So it will also fit prompt 52- book written in letters or diary- epistolary if you still need to check that one off.

[John]

Honestly, it's not written in that format to qualify as such.

[Alias Reader]

John wrote: "Honestly, it's not written in that format to qualify as such."

I thought that would be an odd format for the book.

[madrano]

I wondered about that when i read a GR review mentioning it covered a calendar year of her life.

[John]

It's divided into 12 months of chapters, nothing epistolary.

[madrano]

Thanks, John.

[John]

Pulitzer winner (48), epistolary format (52), and historical fiction (57)

The Late George Apley by John P. Marquand

Probably a four-star review, at times I had my doubts about the story, but now that it's over, I found Apley a very sympathetic character.

[Alias Reader]

John wrote: "Pulitzer winner (48) and epistolary format (52)

The Late George Apley by John P. Marquand

Probably a four-star review, at times I had my doubts about the story, but ..."

Well done on two categories, John !

I'm also very happy to read that, "A modern classic restored to print -- the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel"

I'm often dismayed to find many older Pulitzer books out of print.

[madrano]

How we love those double-category books! I appreciate your comments because i’ve been thinking about reading more earlier Pulitzer winning books next year. This sounds like a good one.

[John]

I will say that though it's an upper-class story, Apley means well; for one thing, his family has generous provisions for servants, and charities, unlike the Wharton novels of gambling obscene amounts of money.

[madrano]

That is different! It’s weird but i didn’t even recall Wharton characters & their gambling. Yet, i remember many characters doing same in British classics. Wording, maybe?

[John]

Gambling is how Lily Bart gets into trouble in Wharton's The House of Mirth.

[madrano]

I’d forgotten that! And that was a vital downfall. Honestly, i just so wrapped up in where Wharton was taking Lily that I missed the significance of her gambling. Thanks, John.

[John]

Presidential bio (40)

I finished The President and the Assassin: McKinley, Terror, and Empire at the Dawn of the American Century yesterday. To be completely honest, I'd classify it as a history book, with biographical elements (of both men). The research is very well presented!

[Alias Reader]

I have it on my TBR. Thanks for bringing the title to my attention.

McKinley and Teddy R. were a question on Jeopardy yesterday.

Congrats on getting another prompt, John !

[madrano]

John, i kinda feel the same way about those sorts of books—they are more history than bio. As much as i valued Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln—Doris Kearns Goodwin for all i learned about Lincoln (not to mention mini-bios of several from his cabinet), i decided to read a standard bio of him, as well, A. Lincoln-Ronald C. White Jr.. Same with the excellent Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President—Candice Millard. In that case i so fell in love with James Garfield, i was eager for a dedicated bio of him, opting for The Garfield Orbit—Margaret Leech. I liked him less after that one. :-)

[John]

Adventure/Espionage (85)

Think Fast, Mr. Moto by John P. Marquand - okay as a stand-alone, but not interested in the rest of the series.

[Alias Reader]

Well done on the challenge, John.

[John]

Can't believe the challenge is winding down!

[Alias Reader]

John wrote: "Can't believe the challenge is winding down!"

Seriously, where did the year go ?

I hope to read Tobacco Road by Erskine Caldwell which will knock off some hard prompts for me.

[madrano]

Well done, John.

Alias, enjoy!

[John]

Travel (34)

Not Cool: Europe by Train in a Heatwave

I had been meaning to read this one during my travels this year, but as they're over I decided to use it for this category anyway. Exceeded expectations, but doesn't make me want to read more of his work.

[madrano]

The idea sounds awful to me, having spent a torrid couple of weeks in Paris in ‘17. The sites were crowded and not well cooled— i recall tourist hovering over the floor cooling vents at the Louvre. Still, it was neat to see very, very warm Parisians along the Seine, trying to catch breezes. Honestly, it was so miserable that if we never return, i’ll be fine.

One European heatwave was enough for me. Reading about one is beyond my tolerance, i believe. And yet, there is a whisper of appeal.

Well used for the Challenge, John.

[Alias Reader]

Well done on another prompt, John !

I absolutely hate crowds and heat.

[John]

It was unpleasant much of the time, though his time in the Alps was cooler. The title is as much a catchy hook than unrelenting oppression.

[madrano]

Catchy it is. I can appreciate the clever idea of that title. I read some GR reviews and many were sold on it.

[John]

Just finished Inspector Imanishi Investigates by Seichō Matsumoto towards the following categories:

Recommend by another member (81)
Author of at least four books (82)
Features a detective (100)

I purchased this one bearing in mind that Madrano seemed to like it. I'd certainly call it a classic of the postwar era, variety of characters, awesome plotting. Seems it's a stand-alone though I'd love more Imanishi!

[Alias Reader]

Once again you nailed it with a triple play, John. Well done.