DAVE’S SEVEN BUFFET CHALLENGES 2023

[Dave]

Dave wrote: "Challenge #11 - Old and New Linked Categories

1. Daring Enterprise - The Adventures of Roderick Random Tobias Smolett (FINISHED 08/16/23)/[book:Undaunted Courage: The Pioneering Firs..."

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Fantastic, I can’t imagine finishing all thirteen. I set my sights on eight and have finished seven. Not a prayer for the remaining five, except trying for a respectful showing.

[Dave]

Thanks Bob, I only signed up to challenge myself for seven of your Baker’s Dozen. Your annual challenges have become the cornerstone of my yearly reading. You always help me dig in and find books I would have chosen in no other way.

[Dave]

Today I finished the last of my challenge books and have completed all seven of the challenges out of Bob’s Baker’s dozen that I challenged myself for this year.

By coincidence, today I have also completed my annual challenge to read 175 books this year.

[Wobbley]

Amazing! Well done, Dave. Which books were the most successful for you?

[Sara, New School Classics]

My goodness this is a red-letter day for you Dave! Congratulations. Now three months to see how many books you add to that 175 number.

[Dave]

I’m not sure how to answer your question Wobbley. I read so many different genres, across so much so many cultures and time periods, I don’t think I can find a consistent way to measure a book as successful.

At the most basic, if I finish a book, it’s successful. There are books that I decide that I just don’t want to continue and set aside. Those don’t even show up here. Sometimes it’s the book and sometimes it’s the reader of the audiobook that motivate me to move on.

Of the seven Baker’s Dozen challenges that I took on, I think I enjoyed the third challenge and the seventh challenge the best because they helped me find books that I may not otherwise have found.

[Dave]

Sara wrote: "My goodness this is a red-letter day for you Dave! Congratulations. Now three months to see how many books you add to that 175 number."

Thank you Sara. My goal last year was 175 and I think I got to 209.

[Wobbley]

Dave wrote: "I’m not sure how to answer your question Wobbley. I read so many different genres, across so much so many cultures and time periods, I don’t think I can find a consistent way to measure a book as successful"

Well, it sounds like you read a bunch of books you felt were worth reading, so that's the important thing!

[Dave]

Wobbley wrote: "Dave wrote: "I’m not sure how to answer your question Wobbley. I read so many different genres, across so much so many cultures and time periods, I don’t think I can find a consistent way to measur..."

I spend a lot of time “window shopping” online for audiobooks. I have hundreds of books on my wish list and hundreds of audiobooks in my library unread. I add books to the wishlist much faster than I will ever actually read. I select the books I am going to read the next month, but change out the selections right up to starting each book. I always listen to the audio sample. The readers voice has to match the material according to my own experience.

In this way I avoid the crisis of “what am I going to read next”.

[Laurie]

Great job finishing all of your challenges so early in the year. You read some amazing books. Congratulations, Dave!

[Carolien]

Congratulations on finishing all your challenges, Dave!

[Dave]

Carolien wrote: "Congratulations on finishing all your challenges, Dave!"

Laurie wrote: "Great job finishing all of your challenges so early in the year. You read some amazing books. Congratulations, Dave!"

Thank you Laurie and Caro.ien.

[Kathleen]

Congratulations, Dave! The century challenge and new authors are two of my favorites too. Finding new authors to love is the best!

[Dave]

Kathleen wrote: "Congratulations, Dave! The century challenge and new authors are two of my favorites too. Finding new authors to love is the best!"

Thank you Kathleen.