Lorraine Second Try at Buffet

[Lorraine]

Challenge #1 - New & Old TBR
Challenge #2 - Members Choice
Challenge #3 - New Authors
Challenge #4 - Short Story
Challenge #5 - Decade/Century
Challenge #6 - Group Reads, Buddy Reads, Moderators Run Amok
Challenge #7 - Series Books – Start, Continue, Complete
Challenge #8 - Travel the World One Book at a Time
Challenge #9 – Rereading - Some do. Some don't.
Challenge #10 - Most Popular Goodreads Books Listed by Year
Challenge #11 - Future Classics
Challenge #12 - Fiction/Non-Fiction
Challenge #13 - Old and New Linked Categories
Challenge #14 - Genre Locked? Neglecting Your Favorite Author?
Challenge #15 - Award Winners
Challenge #16 - Terry's Book Chain
Challenge #17 - The Year You Were Born and 100 Years Earlier
Challenge #18 - A-Z Author
Challenge #19 - A-Z Title
Challenge #20 - No Challenge Here. A Place to List Your 2026 Impulse Reads

[Lorraine]

Challenge #1 - New & Old TBR
0/12

1914 and earlier
1. The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1851. 314 pages
2. Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell, 1853 257 pages
3. O Pioneers! by Willa Cather,
1913. 159 pages

1915-2006/New School
4. La Grosse Femme d'à côté est enceinte by Michel Tremblay, 1978. 288 pages
5. Cannery Row by John Steinbeck, 1943. 181 pages
6. Vol de nuit by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, 1931. 188 pages

Six Bookshelf Dust Collectors
7. The Bell by Iris Murdoch,1958. 296 pages
8. The Call of the Wild by Jack London, 1903. 172 pages
9. Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner, 1936. 316 pages
10. Le Premier Jardin by Anne Hébert, 1988. 255 pages
11. La ville et les chiens by Mario Vargas Llosa,1962. 544 pages
12. Les Racines du cielby Romain Gary,1956. 578 pages

Alternates
A-1. The Warden by Anthony Trollope,1855. 336 pages
A-2. Notes from Underground by Dostoîevski, 1864. 136 pages
A-3 Rashômon et autres contes by Ryunosuke Akutagawa, 1915. 135 pages

I own 9 of these books.

[Lorraine]

Challenge #2 - Members Choice
0/9

1. 18th Century or Older : Contes de pluie et de neige by Ueda Akinari, 1776. 228 pages
2. 19th Century or Older: Notes from Underground by Dostoîevski, 1864. 136 pages
3. 20th Century: Vol de Nuit by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, 1931. 188 pages
4. 21st Century: Le Serment des Barbares by Boualem Sansal, 2001. 460 pages
5. A book of interest from another diner's buffet
Sara: One Foot in Eden by Ron Rash, 2002
Pamela: Sanctuary by William Faulkner, 1931
Teri-K: Katherine by Anya Seton, 1954
Bob: The Big Rock Candy Mountain by Wallace Stegner, 1943
6. Members choice genre: Biography Baldwin: A love story by Nicholas Boggs, 2025. 720 pages
7. Members choice genre: Thriller The Whisperers byJohn Connolly, 2010. 409 pages
8. Members choice genre: Sci-fi L'autre côté du rêve by Ursula K. Le Guin, 1971. 234 pages
9. Members choice genre: Fiction Le dernier Samouraï by Helen De Witt, 2000. 616 pages

I own 4 of these books.

[Lorraine]

Challenge #3 - New Authors
Seek out at least four (4) authors that you have never previously read, from any genre or era you want.

1.
2.
3.
4.

[Lorraine]

Challenge #4 - Short Story
Read 16 short stories.

[Lorraine]

Challenge #5 - Decade/Century

Century Challenge
1900-1909 Le Mystère de la chambre jaune by Gaston Leroux-1907
1910-1919 O Pioneers! by Willa Cather-1913
1920-1929 La grande peur dans la montagne by Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz 1925
1930-1939 Vol de nuitby Antoine de Saint-Exupéry-1931
1940-1949 Cannery Row by John Steinbeck 1943
1950-1959 The Bellby Iris Murdoch
1960-1969 La ville et les chiens by Mario Vargas Llosa
1970-1979 La Grosse Femme d'à côté est enceinte by Michel Tremblay 1978
1980-1989 Le Premier Jardin by Anne Hébert-1988
1990-1999 Le Dieu des petits riens by Arundhati Roy 1997

[Lorraine]

Challenge #6 - Group Reads, Buddy Reads, Moderators Run Amok
The challenge is to read 10 total books/stories from this year's selected group reads. Your reads can come from this year's poll winners, the Buddy Read Requests, or the new Moderators Run Amok! There should be plenty of choices.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

[Lorraine]

Challenge #7 - Series Books – Start, Continue, Complete

Start:
I am starting the Chronicles of Barsetshire in January. I hope to read the series in 2026.
1. The Warden

Continue:
I've started to reread the Charlie Parker series by John Connolly. I hope to continue in 2026
1. The Whisperers

Complete:
I want to complete the Emigrants series by Vilhelm Moberg.
1.
I also want to finish The Great Plains Trilogy by Willa Cather and the Sun and Salvation series by William Faulkner

[Lorraine]

Challenge #8 - Travel the World One Book at a Time
Select 5 books, by 5 different authors, from 5 different countries, other than your own.

Book Title - Author/Country - Book Setting
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

[Lorraine]

Challenge #9 – Rereading - Some do. Some don't
Some of us reread regularly, others reread rarely, if ever. We have all read books that we found fantastic. We finish the last page, set it aside and think someday I would like to read this again. Let us know the titles of five or more books you found worthy of rereading. This year’s challenge is, reread two of your selections.

Books I'd Love to Reread
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Read Again in 2026
1.
2.

[Lorraine]

Challenge #10 - Most Popular Goodreads Books Listed by Year
Locate and list 10 books that most interest you from the year of your choice. The challenge is to read 2 books from that list.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/popula...

NOTE: click on the link above then change the date to the date you wish to search.

10 Books of Interest for
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

2026 Books Read
1.
2.

[Lorraine]

Challenge #11 - Future Classics
A Quarter of the 21st Century has passed; did you read any potential classics? For discussion, and the benefit and curiosity of our members please list 5 books you have read over the last 25 years that you believe will still be actively read in 50-100+ years.

Examples
These Five Were Great, I Believe They Will Stand the Test of Time
1. 2003 - The Kite Runner
2. 2006 - The Road
3. 2011 - 11/22/63
4. 2016 - A Gentleman in Moscow
5. 2021 -

The Future Classic Challenge - List 3 unread books published between 2000-2025 that you feel have the potential to become a classic.

The challenge, read 1 of your 3 selections. Then let us know if you think it has a chance at greatness, or will it pass into oblivion.

Examples
These Might have a Chance at Greatness?
1.
2.
3.

Book Chosen for Challenge
1, 2, or 3
_____________________

[Lorraine]

Challenge #12 - Fiction/Non-Fiction
Using the below categories or a selection of your own pick two subjects of interest and read a fiction book and a non-fiction book about that subject. Total number of books for this challenge is four.

Categories
Space Exploration
War
Sea Travels/Adventures
Family
Exploration
Animals
Historic Event
Natural Disaster
Survival
Death
Civilization
Justice
Religion/Faith
Slavery
Politics
Royality

Example:
Sea Travels/Adventures
Fiction - The Sea Wolf
Non-Fiction - Two Years Before the Mast: A Sailor's Life at Sea

World War II - Europe: The Beginning of the End
Fiction - The Steel Wave
Non-Fiction - Normandy '44: D-Day and the Epic 77-Day Battle for France

[Lorraine]

Challenge #13 - Old and New Linked Categories
Using the below categories or choices of your own, pick two subjects of interest. Link the chosen subjects to an old book 1914 or earlier to a newer book 1915 -present. Total number of books for this challenge is four.

Categories
Contains a Trial
Has a Murder
Contains Time Travel
Coming of Age
An Error in Judgement - Paying the Ultimate Price
Set on or has The Sea involved
Animals
School
Travel
Life Changing Action
Survival
Friendship
Bravery/Courage
Generation Gap

Example:
Life Changing Action
Old - A Horseman in the Sky
New - A Separate Peace

Generation Gap-Mother and Children
Old - Sons and Lovers
New - Peyton Place

[Lorraine]

Challenge #14 - Genre Locked? Neglecting Your Favorite Author?
Part A - Are you stuck in a Genre Rut? Reading to many romance novels or God forbid to many classics? Break out of that rut by picking a couple of different genres, any two genres will do.

Genre Selected - Book Chosen
1. Biography: Baldwin: A Love Story by Nicholas Boggs or John Adams by David McCullough
2. Short Stories :

Part B - Who have you been neglecting the most? Has your favorite author slipped away from you because life is hectic or other books get in the way? Think about your favorite author or authors, who haven't you read in a while?

Neglected Author - Book Chosen
1. Ernest Hemingway
Other Neglected Authors - Book Chosen - Not a requirement
2. Iris Murdoch
3. Christian Bobin
4. William Faulkner
5. Nathaniel Hawthorne
6. Willa Cather

[Lorraine]

Challenge #15 - Award Winners
From the below book prize lists, or a prize from your country or local region, seek out and read two award winning books. Please let the group know what prize list or lists you use, as well as the book information.

Nobel Prize in Literature - since 1901
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
Booker Prize - since 1969
https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booke...
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction - since 1918
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulitze...
Hugo Award - since 1953
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Aw...
Newberry Medal - since 1922
https://www.britannica.com/art/Newber...
European Union Prize for Literature - since 2009
https://www.euprizeliterature.eu/

Books Chosen
1.
2.

[Lorraine]

Challenge #16 - Terry's Book Chain
This challenge comes from Terry. At first look it seems easy, on further thought it looks kind of difficult. One thing for sure is that it looks like a ton of fun. The idea is to start with a book you want to read, then take one word from that title, and find another book you want to read with that word in the title. Repeat the process until you have the total required to make your chain. The idea is to take yourself on a somewhat random journey through the year. Terry's example has 12 books needed to complete the challenge. Since overeating at the buffet can be a problem for some, for our challenge the total needed is 6 books.

Terry's Example:
1. The English Patient
2. The Silent Patient
3. These Silent Woods
4. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
5. A Walk to Remember
6. Elephants Can Remember
7. The Elephant Whisperer
8. The Horse Whisperer
9. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
10. The Fox Wife
11. The Time Traveler's Wife
12. If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler

There is no restriction on book types, age, or genres. So as to not add undo pressure it seems fair to allow a "mulligan". If one of your selections turns out to be a dud and you DNF it, simply select another one that will fit your need. If the replacement proves to difficult by needing to match the top link to the next link, simply skip the DNF'ed book and move to the next link. If this happens, add an additional link to the bottom of the chain to keep a total of six.

Don't get bogged down with suffixes, wood, woods, wooden, woodland, etc. all work.

Possible book chain:
1. Le Dieu des petits rien Le Dieu des petits riens
2. La route des petits matins La route des petits matins
3. Tous les matins du monde Tous les matins du monde
4. Lettres pour un monde sauvage
5. La Belle sauvage La Belle Sauvage
6. Les belles endormies Les Belles Endormies

[Lorraine]

Challenge #17 - The Year You Were Born and 100 Years Earlier

1960
1- Butcher's Crossing
2. Country Girls
3. The Leopard
4. The Violent Bear It Away
5. After the Banquet
6. La promesse de l'aube
7. Dix heures et demie du soir en été
8. The Flanders Road
9. Life and Fate

1860
1. The Mill on the Floss
2. First Love
3. The Trail of the Serpent
4. Castle Richmond
5. The Black City
6.Framley Parsonage
7. The Marble Faun
8. Le Lis et le Lion
9. Le Temps Des Secrets

1960
1-
2-
1860
1-
2-

[Lorraine]

Challenge #18 - A-Z Author
I find this to be a very difficult challenge. Many others consider it one of their favorites. For those who really enjoy this challenge in its pure form use all 26 letters. For those of us who struggle, with this challenge consider it successful by using only 23 letters. There are 4 optional letters marked with an (*), you only need to use one.

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
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*Q
R
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*X
*Y
*Z

[Lorraine]

Challenge #19 - A-Z Title
I find this to be a very difficult challenge. Many others consider it one of their favorites. For those who really enjoy this challenge in its pure form use all 26 letters. For those of us who struggle, with this challenge consider it successful by using only 23 letters. There are 4 optional letters marked with an (*), you only need to use one.

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
*Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
*X
*Y
*Z

[Lorraine]

Challenge #20 - No Challenge Here. A Place to List Your 2026 Impulse Reads
Use this thread any way you wish.

We encourage December pre-planning. Most people enjoy the planning, and all members benefit from members' plans by learning about books they may have been unaware of before December's buffet planning. The only buffet challenge that can't be pre-planned is Group Reads. They will occur throughout the year. The other issue is that life will get in the way of even the best laid plans. Unplanned books are going to come our way, and we are going to read them. That is one of the reasons these challenges are for fun, and there is no requirement to finish them.

Take me as an example. Last December, I sorted through 89 books to plan and create my buffet. Sixty-nine of these were books that I own, while the other 21 would have to be secured if I needed them. I only planned a few short stories reads and no group reads.

In addition to the books, I planned last December to read in 2025. I, on impulse, came across 26 novels and 108 short stories. None of these were planned or thought about last December.

Now you have a place to record them.

[Wobbley]

Well done already having a plan for your New & Old TBR! Enjoy your planning. :)