Pam's 2025 US and UK authors 12+4 challenge

[Pam]

I'm creating a 2nd 12+4 challenge to capture US and UK authors that I want to read. I tend to forget about them because I focus so much on translated books. These are all books I own except for two. I am continuing with my goal of reading books I own despite being a huge library patron. It's a difficult balance.

✔️- Finished
* - Currently reading

Completed: 4/12

1. Playground by Richard Powers (Hoopla)
2. Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser
3. November Road by Lou Berney
✔️4. Time Out of Joint by Philip K. Dick
5. The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers
6. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
7. Desolation Mountain by William Kent Krueger
8. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
9. The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
✔️10. Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park (Libby)
11. Coal Black Horse by Robert Olmstead
✔️12. Shōgun, Part One by James Clavell

+4
13. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
14. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
15.The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan
✔️16. A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher

[Lea]

Oh, I love your list. I really loved Gilead, The Age of Innocence, The Pillars of the Earth, and the Magician's Nephew. You have so many other books on the list, that I want to read too!

[Pam]

Lea wrote: "Oh, I love your list. I really loved Gilead, The Age of Innocence, The Pillars of the Earth, and the Magician's Nephew. You have so many other books on the list, that I want to read too!"

Thanks! I hope I love them also! I have so many, it was hard to choose.

[Bill, Moderator]

Interesting mix, Pam. Philip K. Dick is one of the more unique authors I've ever read. I read the Narnia books in university, loved it so much. Enjoy your 2025 reading.

[Alondra, Moderator Schmoderator]

Another great list, Pam. I kept waffling about adding The Invisible Man; but decided to wait on it. I may just read it regardless.

Good luck and happy reading. 📚

[Mary]

Coal Black Horse looks like it will be very good. I would love to hear what you think about it. Invisible Man is such an important book. Great list! Happy Reading!

[Pam]

Thank you Bill, Alondra, and Mary!

Bill - I really like Philip K. Dick’s books, with one exception which was too weird even for me. I haven’t read one in a few years and the one I chose is the one I meant to read in 2024. Where did the year go??

[Pam]

I think I’m going to switch out The Wooden Sea with something else since it’s #3 in a series that I haven’t read! I’m considering these American authors: William Kent Krueger, Thomas Pynchon, Anthony Doerr, Shirley Jackson, Don Delillo, Michael Chabon, or Ernest Hemingway. Decisions, decisions…. I’m leaning towards Krueger since I’ve heard good things about his books and I’ve been wanting to read one.

[Pam]

I decided to add Desolation Mountain by William Kent Krueger. That was my first thought so I'm sticking with it.

[Jackie]

Lots of good books here! Enjoy.

[Pam]

Jackie wrote: "Lots of good books here! Enjoy."

Thank you Jackie!

Alondra wrote: "Another great list, Pam. I kept waffling about adding The Invisible Man; but decided to wait on it. I may just read it regardless. "

Thanks Alondra. I have also been waffling on Invisible Man also for several years. Like Mary commented, I think it is an important book and I want to at least give it a try.

[Pam]

One last change on the 31st! I received The Backyard Bird Chronicles for Christmas and really want to read it soon! So, I'm substituting it for The Magician's Nephew, which I'm not sure how it wound up on my list anyways.

I'm ready for 2025 reading to start!

[Alondra, Moderator Schmoderator]

Just checking in on you, Pam. How is your challenge going, or not going??

[Pam]

Alondra wrote: "Just checking in on you, Pam. How is your challenge going, or not going??"

Hello Moderator Schmoderator! Not going great but the 2 books I finished recently, Shogun and Same Bed Different Dreams, were both 5 star reads, so I'm thrilled with that! They were very different writing styles but both were full of interesting history/culture re: Asian cultures (Japan and Korea). Shogun was an easy read while Same Bed was much more difficult because of the unusual structure (it's been compared to Thomas Pynchon's style). I thought it was brilliant, but some readers had other feelings. (It was a book club read that I had suggested. Only 5 people showed up for the meeting with 4 of us finishing it.) I'm hopeful to read a couple more from my list, maybe the shorter ones. Where does the year go and why do I waste so much time watching TV??

For 2026, I plan to take unread books from both of my lists and create 1 list!

[Bill, Moderator]

Pam wrote: "Alondra wrote: "Just checking in on you, Pam. How is your challenge going, or not going??"

Hello Moderator Schmoderator! Not going great but the 2 books I finished recently, Shogun and Same Bed Di..."

Shogun was an excellent book and the follow-ons were also excellent.

[Lillie]

Pam wrote: "For 2026, I plan to take unread books from both of my lists and create 1 list!"

That's a great idea! I wonder if I should go and take a peek at my past challenges and put the ones I didn't finish on next year's challenge.

[Pam]

I’ve just started A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World. So far, I like it! It’s totally different from anything I’ve read this year. Sometimes, it’s hard for my brain to do that switch!

I just finished A Confederacy of Dunces, which I thought was great (4.75 stars). Readers seem to love it or hate it but I’m surprisingly in the love category. I did a combo of audio and print. The audiobook narration is excellent and adds to the humor!

[Alondra, Moderator Schmoderator]

Pam wrote: "Alondra wrote: "Just checking in on you, Pam. How is your challenge going, or not going??"

Hello Moderator Schmoderator! Not going great but the 2 books I finished recently, Shogun and Same Bed Di..."

I hear you. What I've been reading has been great; but I am distracted by life and "outside"....

Just glad that you're reading.

[Pam]

I finished A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World and thought it was great - 5+ stars! Being a dystopian novel, I didn't expect to like it this much, but I did! It's a story that will stay with me for a while.

For this challenge, I only expect to read 1 or 2 more books, maybe I Capture the Castle, Time out of Joint, or The Backyard Bird Chronicles.

[Pam]

I'm about 1/2 way through Time Out of Joint and really enjoying it! I haven't read a PKD book in several years, so it feels good to get back into his weirdness and escape from the craziness that we are living through right now.

[Bill, Moderator]

Pam wrote: "I'm about 1/2 way through Time Out of Joint and really enjoying it! I haven't read a PKD book in several years, so it feels good to get back into his weirdness and escape from the cra..."

I just read my old review and I guess I enjoyed it. Can't remember how it ended mind you. Dick is one of the unique Sci Fi author's indeed.

[Pam]

Bill wrote: "Pam wrote: "I just read my old review and I guess I enjoyed it. Can't remember how it ended mind you. Dick is one of the unique Sci Fi author's indeed..."

I just finished it. I gave it 4 stars but I'm a little confused on one aspect of the ending. I'm going to reread the last chapter tomorrow. He certainly has some unusual ideas but that is what I like about him!

[Bill, Moderator]

Pam wrote: "Bill wrote: "Pam wrote: "I just read my old review and I guess I enjoyed it. Can't remember how it ended mind you. Dick is one of the unique Sci Fi author's indeed..."

I just finished it. I gave i..."

I agree. You might like to check out Philip K. Dick: The Last Interview and Other Conversations. It was kind of interesting.

[Alondra, Moderator Schmoderator]

Pam wrote: "For this challenge, I only expect to read 1 or 2 more books, maybe I Capture the Castle, Time out of Joint, or The Backyard Bird Chronicles. ..."

..and THAT is fine. Just glad you joined the challenge and glad that you are reading. ☺️

[Pam]

Bill wrote: " I agree. You might like to check out Philip K. Dick: The Last Interview and Other Conversations. It was kind of interesting."

Thanks, Bill, for the suggestion! I will check it out. I read a graphic novel about his life and that was really interesting, also.

[Pam]

Alondra wrote: "Pam wrote: "For this challenge, I only expect to read 1 or 2 more books, maybe I Capture the Castle, Time out of Joint, or The Backyard Bird Chronicles. ..."

..and THAT is fine. Just glad you join..."

Thank you Alondra! I can't even predict what I am going to read for the upcoming month, let alone the year! I don't know why it is so hard! But, I do manage to read a few on my list every year. I will definitely add some of the unread ones to next year's list.

[Alondra, Moderator Schmoderator]

Pam wrote: "Thank you Alondra! I can't even predict what I am going to read for the upcoming month, let alone the year! I don't know why it is so hard! But, I do manage to read a few on my list every year. I will definitely add some of the unread ones to next year's lis..."

You're so welcome! The challenge is hard, because we're asking readers to stick to a plan. Reading is finicky and many times based on mood. It is really hard sticking to the list, when there are millions of books out there.