Anniversary List 2021: A book related to a codeword from the NATO Phonetic Alphabet

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

As a throwback to 2021, here is one of our most engaging prompts that we've seen to date - Related to a Codeword in the NATO alphabet!

A - Alpha
B - Bravo
C - Charlie
D - Delta
E - Echo
F - Foxtrot
G - Golf
H - Hotel
I - India
J - Juliet
K - Kilo
L - Lima
M - Mike
N - November
O - Oscar
P - Papa
Q - Quebec
R - Romeo
S - Sierra
T - Tango
U - Uniform
V - Victor
W - Whisky
X - X-ray
Y - Yankee
Z - Zulu

Many members attempted this as a side challenge that year. If you're interested, you can check out what they read here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

ATY Listopia: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

What are you reading for this prompt, and how does it fit?

[dalex]

Lima is the Roman goddess of doorways so I am reading a book with "doorways" in the title (and a door on the cover) - Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All by Laura Ruby.

This is such a fun prompt!

[Dubhease]

I'm thinking of The Lonely Hearts Hotel. It has hotel in the title and it's set in Montreal, thereby fulfilling two code words

[Pam]

Lots of options but my first choice is November Road by Lou Berney. If I’m super ambitious, I will read Les Misérablesby Victor Hugo.

[Charlsa]

This is another book I put on a prompt every year then change it. We'll see if it sticks this year. It uses a form of hotel.

Ritz and Escoffier: The Hotelier, The Chef, and the Rise of the Leisure Class by Luke Barr.

[LeahS]

I am reading The Echo Chamber and Zero K for Kilo.

[Marie]

I went with an obvious choice - Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland, Hotel in the title and content.

[Kathy]

I've gone with 3 men's names, lol!

Keeper of Enchanted Rooms - Charlie N. Holmberg
Mike and Psmith - P.G. Wodehouse
De Profundis - Oscar Wilde

[Book Concierge]

First one I thought of ... I've already read ...

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega

[John]

One that would work with this prompt:

-Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by by Charlie N. Holmberg

[Rachael]

The Hotel Nantucket

[Donna]

I’ve just started City of Destruction which is set in India so ties in very nicely with I = India

[J]

I read A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain for this prompt.

It jumped out at me when I was reading over the list of words in the NATO alphabet as a book I'd always meant to have read.

It was a very big influence on modern media, and I was surprised at how old the term 'hang out' was.

[Denise]

I am A Match Made for Thanksgiving. It takes place in November

[NancyJ]

Dubhease wrote: "I'm thinking of The Lonely Hearts Hotel. It has hotel in the title and it's set in Montreal, thereby fulfilling two code words"

Oh, it took me a minute to figure out the second code word. I forgot that Montreal is in Quebec. I have Last Night in Montreal by Emily St John Mandel, and The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny.

[Bea]

I am filling this one with a book I own: Up in the Old Hotel. However, it is a very BIG book...over 700 pages...and so might be one I substitute a shorter book for before the end of the year.

[Phil]

I read Echo Lake by Joan Sauers for this topic (Read Feb 11th; 4*)

[♞ Pat]

I think I'm going to tackle The Echo of Old Books when I finally get to this prompt. It'll still be a while.

[Joy D]

For this prompt, I read:
Delta-v by Daniel Suarez - 4.5* - My Review

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

Charlie is one of the main characters in Slow Burn Summer

[Robin H-R]

I Read:
The Wettest County in the World: A Novel Based on a True Story by Matt Bondurant

Code Word: Whiskey

REJECT: A book involving mountains

Finished: 04/08/2025
Rating: 4 stars

From Goodreads:
*The inspiration for the major motion picture Lawless* Based on the true story of Matt Bondurant’s grandfather and two granduncles, The Wettest County in the World is a gripping and gritty tale of bootlegging, brotherhood, and murder.

[Sherri]

I read Floating Hotel

[Pam]

Even though it’s spelled differently, I’m going to read Moominpappa’s Memoirs by Tove Jansson.

[Dixie]

Sherri wrote: "I read Floating Hotel"

That's one of my picks, too, along with A Symphony of Echoes.

[Severina]

I read Leader of the Pack by David Rosenfelt for Lima (a climactic event takes place in Peru.)

[NancyJ]

I read A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway. He was known by the nickname “Papa”

[Pearl]

I read The Echo of Old Books

[LeahS]

I read The Illuminated by Anindita Ghose for India (set in India, first published there, and by an Indian author, bonus I in title), and No Echo.

Both were books that had a lot of good points, but didn't quite work for me. In the first, the story of a mother and daughter dealing with the loss of a husband and father was very well done. However, there was also a second story of them being threatened by an organisation with a fundamentalist attitude to women which promised well, but didn't deliver for me (view spoiler)[ I thought they were given a 'get out of jail free card' in the end (hide spoiler)]

There was a good murder mystery in the second book, but the police force investigating it seemed so odd, and there was a jerkiness about the whole book - not sure if it was the translation or the original. I came in mid-series, so I might try the first to see if that makes it easier.

In 2021, I used 'Papa' from Fruit of the Drunken Tree

[Samantha]

I read The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love by India Holton. I was looking for more fantasy and this was heavy on the romance and pretty writing and light on the fantasy. That said I can see why people like it, it was easy to read and the romance was very sweet.

In 2021 I read The Sun Down Motel motel relating to hotel. I thought it was interesting and I really enjoyed Simone St. James's writing style.

[Anne]

I will be reading Echoes and Shadows by Judy Gardiner. It relates to the letter E Echo.

[Tracy]

At first I was going to read a book using "hotel", as I worked in the B2B Hotel world. I became less enthused when the company I contracted with closed due to the owner's death and his son's not wanting to take on "the family business". I tried still to read The Dream Hotel, but found it was too dark for our current moment in history. I may go back to it some day.

I ended up reading A Fatal Grace (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #2) by Louise Penny (set in Quebec). I very much enjoyed it, and plan on continuing on with the series, even though I don't read many series, and I generally don't read a lot of mysteries.

Just by chance, yesterday I came across the video that explained how this "NATO Phonetic Alphabet" came to be. If you are at all interested, here is a link: https://youtu.be/UAT-eOzeY4M