DAVE’S SEVEN BUFFET CHALLENGES 2023

[Dave]

I will challenge myself with Bob’s Buffet #1,#2,#3,#4,#7,#9,#11.

[Dave]

Challenge #1

My fabulous 12 + 3 Old & New Classic Challenge

1899 and earlier/Old School
1. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Anonymous (FINISHED 01/08/23)
2. Macbeth Shakespeare (FINISHED 01/09/23)
3. The Merchant of Venice Shakespeare (FINISHED 02/24//23)

1900-1999/New School
4. Under Western Eyes Joseph Conrad (FINISHED 06/23/23)
5. Islands in the Stream Ernest Hemingway (FINISHED 04/11/23)
6. Acastos Iris Murdoch (FINISHED 01/11/23)

My Wild Card Six
7. Orlando Virginia Woolf (FINIISHED 04/29/23)
8. The Books of Jacob Olga Tokarczuk (FINISHED 05/30/23)
9. Oliver Twist Charles Dickens (FINISHED 05/27/23)
10. Down and Out in Paris and London George Orwell (FINISHED 01/28/23)
11. Beowulf Anonymous (FINISHED 01/15/23)
12. The Swiss Family Robinson Johann David Wyss (FINISHED 01/29/23)

Alternates
A-1. Howards End E.M. Forester (FINISHED 02/27/23)
A-2. Emma Jane Austin (FINISHED 06/23/23)
A-3. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Anne Brontë (FINISHED 06/24/23)

[Dave]

Challenge #2 - Second Place or Worse
1. New School - A Town Like Alice (July 2019) Neville Shute (FINISHED 02/19/2023)
2. Old School - The Country of the Pointed Firs and Other Stories Sarah Orne Jewett (February 2019) (FINISHED 08/05/23)
3. Short Story/Novella - The Ballad of the Sad Café and Other Stories (February 2020) (FINISHED 09/10/23)
4. Quarterly Long Read - The Red and the Black (2017 4th Quarter) Stendhal (FINISHED 08/17/23)

[Greg]

Dave wrote: "Challenge #1

My fabulous 12 + 3 Old & New Classic Challenge

1899 and earlier/Old School
1. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
2. Macbeth

So many great choices Dave!

As far as Gawain, I really liked the poet Simon Armitage's newer acclaimed translation Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A New Verse Translation.

Like Seamus Heaney's translation of Beowulf, it's beautifully done and a great read as well.

[Dave]

Challenge #3 - Decade & Century Challenges

Decade
1950 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe C.S. Lewis (FINISHED 06/09/23)
1951 Tempest-Tost by Robertson Davies (FINISHED 04/15/23)
1952 The Courage to Be Paul Tillich (FINISHED 02/17/23)
1953 Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury (FINISHED 04/27/23)
1954 Go Tell It on the Mountain James Baldwin (FINISHED 07/22/23)
1955 The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit Sloan Wilson (FINISHED 09/23/23)
1956 Peyton Place Grace Metalious (FINISHED 05/27/23)
1957 On the Road Jack Kerouac (FINISHED 03/13/23)
1958 Dr Zhivago Boris Pasternak (FINISHED 07/23/23)
1959 Lolita Vladimir Nabokov (FINISHED 08/14/23)

Century
1850 Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) Harriet Beecher Stowe FINISHED 07/01/23)
1860 Great Expectations Charles Dickens (FINISHED 04/02/23)
1870 Devils Fyodor Dostoevsky (FINISHED (05/29/23)
1880 The Death of Ivan Il'ich (illustrated) Leo Tolstoy (FINISHED 04/29/23)
1890 Jude the Obscure (1895) Thomas Hardy (FINISHED 05/28/23)
1900 The Golden Bowl (1904) Henry James (FINISHED 0622/23)
1910 Oh Pioneers!(1913) Willa Cather (FINISHED 07/15/23)
1920 The Bridge of San Luis Rey (1927) Thornton Wilder (FINISHED 03/12/23)
1930 Tobacco Road (1932) Erskin Caldwell (FINISHED 02/22/23)
1940 A Tree Grows in Brooklyn & Maggie-Now (FINISHED 07/25/23)

[Dave]

Challenge #4 - Members Choice Challenge

1. 19th Century - Germinal Émile Zola (FINISHED 06/28/23)
2. 20th Century - Beloved Toni Morrison (FINISHED 08/10/23)
3. A book is originally written in a language other than your own - Thousand Cranes Yasunari Kawabata (FINISHED (09/05/23)
4. Current or Past Group Read - Waiting for Godot (June 2018) Samuel Beckett (FINISHED 01/28/23)
5. An Author not read before - Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe Fannie Flagg (FINISHED 07/23/23)
6. Diversity Classic, read a book from a religion, culture, country, or race different than yours - The Satanic Verses Salman Rushdie (FINISHED 04/22/23)
7. Science Fiction/Fantasy Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Bladerunner) Philip K Dick (FINISHED 07/21/23)
8. Action/Adventure - The Cruel Sea Nicholas Monsarrat (FINISHED 02/18/23)
9. Childrens/Young Adult -The Wind in the Willows Kenneth Grahame (FINISHED 06/11/23)
10. Nonfiction - Sicily: Three Thousand Years of Human History Sandra Benjamin (FINISHED 02/18/2023)
11. Mystery/Thriller Death on the Nile Agatha Christi (FINISHED 08/15/23)
12. Horror or Humor Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade Patrick Dennis (FINISHED 05/23/23)

[Dave]

Challenge #7 - Expand Your Horizon With New Authors

1. The Periodic Table Primo Levi (FINISHED 5/22/23)
2. Whiskey When We're Dry John Larison (FINISHED 03/05/23)
3. A Fine Balance Sarah Thankham Mathews (FINISHED 07/01/23)
5. Last Bus to Wisdom Ivan Doig (FINISHED 05/26/23)
6. The Time Traveler's Wife Audrey Nifenegger (FINISHED 04/24/23)

[Dave]

#9 – Fiction/Non-Fiction

1. Third Reich - The Third Reich Robert Bolaño (FINISHED 06/20/23)/The Third Reich in Power Richard J Evans (FINISHED 05/27/23)
2. Fishing - A River Runs Through It and Other Stories Norman Maclean (FINISHED 01/17/23)How to Think Like a Fish: And Other Lessons from a Lifetime in Angling Jeremy Wade (FINISHED 07/21/23)
3. Cairo - The Last Watchman of Old Cairo Michael David Lukas (FINISHED (08/23/23)/Midnight in Cairo: The Divas of Egypt's Roaring '20s Raphael Cormack (FINISHED 07/22/23/)
4. Quantum Mechanics - For Every Action: The Quantum Mechanic Series Book 1 Jason Faris (FINISHED (09/11/23) /Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime” Sean Carroll (FINISHED 01/22/23)
5. Food - The Food of the Gods H.G. Wells/FINISHED 09/10/23) Taste: My Life through Food Stanley Tucci (FINISHED 08/18/23)

[Dave]

Challenge #11 - Old and New Linked Categories

1. Daring Enterprise - The Adventures of Roderick Random Tobias Smolett (FINISHED 08/16/23)/Undaunted Courage: The Pioneering First Mission to Exploration of America's Wild Frontier Stephen Ambroise (FINISHED 07/30/23)
2. Crime Pursued by Vengence -Moby-Dick or, the Whale by Herman Melville (FINISHED 05/28/23)/ The Godfather Mario Puzo (FINISHED 09/29/23)
3. Mental Illness - King Lear Shakespeare (FINISHED 09/19/23) / Mrs. Dalloway Virginia Woolf (FINISHED 08/09/23)
4. Enemies in Love - Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare (FINISHED 08/06/23)/ The Tiger at Midnight Swati Teerdhala (FINISHED 08/16/23)
5. Enmity of kin - As You Like It Shakespeare (FINISHED 08/30/23)/ The Things We Cannot Say Kelly Rimmer (FINISHED 07/26/23)

[Dave]

Dave wrote: "Greg wrote: "Dave wrote: "Challenge #1

My fabulous 12 + 3 Old & New Classic Challenge

1899 and earlier/Old School
1. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
2. Macbeth

Thanks Greg! It is very helpful to have reliable translation recommendations,

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Some marvelous books in your planning, Dave. Good luck!

[Dave]

Sara wrote: "Some marvelous books in your planning, Dave. Good luck!"

Thanks Sara.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Wow, some really great selections, enjoy!

[Dave]

Bob wrote: "Wow, some really great selections, enjoy!"

Thanks Bob, as I mentioned, the challenges you build are a favorite part of Goodreads. I might have to make some adjustments on 2,3,4,7,9 and 11. I didn’t make sure all my selections are available in Audiobook. But challenge #1 is good to go.

[Dave]

i have finished 12 of my Challenge books.

[Wobbley]

Dave wrote: "i have finished 12 of my Challenge books."

That's such great progress!

What did you think of the Stendhal? I've never read anything by him and I'm curious about that one.

[Dave]

Hi Wobbley, I haven’t yet reread Stendahl for this challenge. I read The Charterhouse of Parma more than 50 years ago when I was in college. I finished it so my impression is that I found it worthwhile. Among the many things that I put in my challenges are authors and books that I read long ago and want to get a new perspective in my retirement.

[Wobbley]

Oh, sorry! I was skimming, and I must have seen the date above it (for The Ballad of the Sad Cafe) and associated it somehow with the Stendahl. Oops! Well, I hope you'll enjoy it in any case.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

I also read The Red and The Black this year. I thought it was really good. I hope to try Charterhouse of Parma, someday???

[Wobbley]

Thanks Bob, that's good to hear!

[Dave]

I finished one of four of #7 challenge.

[Dave]

A good reading month. I finished 8 challenge books in April.

[Wobbley]

Fantastic!

[Lynn, New School Classics]

Dave wrote: "Hi Wobbley, I haven’t yet reread Stendahl for this challenge. I read The Charterhouse of Parma more than 50 years ago when I was in college. I finished it so my impression is that I found it worthw..."

Exactly Dave, I have also been looking at books with my older eyes. It is a very rich experience to do that.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

I keep moving The Charterhouse of Parma around on my lists but never seem to get to it. Really, really need to correct that. I love rereading the books from my youth and they are often like a new experience when it has been so long.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

You have read some top tier classics. I read The Red and the Black earlier this year and hope to get to Charterhouse someday. Congrats on your progress.

[Dave]

Dave wrote: "Challenge #3 - Decade & Century Challenges

Decade
1950 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe C.S. Lewis
1951 Tempest-Tost by Robertson Davies (FINISHED 04/15/23)
1952 [b..."

[Dave]

In May I finished eight of my challenge books. The books marked with an “*” indicate the books I am reading for June.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

Eight is terrific! I didn't even finish eight books this month. You are are a reading machine, Dave.

[Dave]

Thanks Sara. Being retired and dedicated to reading gives me lots of time.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Eight is a great month. I hope June is just as good. Of your “*” for June I remember “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall” well. For me Anne Bronte was a better writer than her sisters.

[Kathleen]

So many good ones lined up for June, Dave. I'll be especially curious what you think of The Golden Bowl. Enjoy!

[Wobbley]

Wow, your June looks like it will be amazing (and very ambitious)! Of the ones you've earmarked, I have a special fondness for The Wind in the Willows, and I'm most curious myself about the Zola. Enjoy!

[Dave]

I have completed another 10 books among the seven challenges that I took up at the beginning of the year. This month I completed challenge #1 and #7. An asterix indicates those books that I am reading in July.

[Terris]

Wow! You're moving right along, Dave. Great job!

[Wobbley]

Very impressive, Dave! Especially finishing Challenge #1 -- I find that one really hard.

[Dave]

Terris wrote: "Wow! You're moving right along, Dave. Great job!"

Thanks Terris.

[Dave]

Wobbley wrote: "Very impressive, Dave! Especially finishing Challenge #1 -- I find that one really hard."

Thanks Wobbly.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Terrific, congrats!!

[Dave]

Bob wrote: "Terrific, congrats!!"

Thanks Bob.

[Dave]

I have finished another 10 of my challenge books. That was marked with an Asterix are those that are on my reading plan for August.

[Wobbley]

10 books in a month -- that's so impressive! What did you think of Doctor Zhivago? I remember really enjoying that one.

[Dave]

Hi Wobbly, I thought Dr. Zhivago was surprisingly poetic, but on reflection I realized that was because the title character was a doctor and a poet. I enjoyed it very much.

[Wobbley]

I'm so glad to hear it! I've known some people who didn't like it at all, but for me it only took about 15 or 20 pages to realize I was in a good literary place.

Well done on all your progress!

[Dave]

I have finished another eleven books in these challenges in August. I have 5 relatively short books left and expect to finish all my Baker’s Dozen challenges next month.

[Wobbley]

Amazing progress!

[Lynn, New School Classics]

Dave wrote: "Hi Wobbly, I thought Dr. Zhivago was surprisingly poetic, but on reflection I realized that was because the title character was a doctor and a poet. I enjoyed it very much."

I cannot add up all the times I've put Dr. Zhivago on a list of to-read books, yet I have not read it!! Sigh. I'm glad you liked it.

[Terris]

Lynn wrote: "Dave wrote: "Hi Wobbly, I thought Dr. Zhivago was surprisingly poetic, but on reflection I realized that was because the title character was a doctor and a poet. I enjoyed it very much."

I cannot ..."

Lynn, I read it a few years ago and, I don't usually do this but it helped me -- watch the movie first! It really helps to keep the names straight, and you also have a face for each person. AND you get to see all the beautiful scenery ;)

[Lynn, New School Classics]

Terris wrote: "Lynn wrote: "Dave wrote: "Hi Wobbly, I thought Dr. Zhivago was surprisingly poetic, but on reflection I realized that was because the title character was a doctor and a poet. I enjoyed it very much..."

This was my grandmother's favorite movie. She had the soundtrack on an album and a nice quality turntable to play it. I have seen it multiple times. Perhaps it is a bit too familiar, and I get lost thinking about her. Then I just don't read the book LOL!

[Dave]

One of my long term reading goals is to read books of my favorite movies. I have seen Dr Zhivago multiple times - it is a great movie.