Shawn H's 2026 Buffet Challenge

[Shawn]

Challenge #1 - New & Old TBR
Challenge #2 - Members Choice
Challenge #3 - New Authors
Challenge #5 - Decade/Century
Challenge #6 - Group Reads, Buddy Reads, Moderators Run Amok
Challenge #7 - Series Books – Start, Continue, Complete
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

[Shawn]

Challenge #1 - New & Old TBR

1914 and earlier

1.
2.
3.

1915-2006/New School

4. Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis (1946)
5. The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner (1976)
6.

Six Bookshelf Dust Collectors

7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Alternates

A1.
A2.
A3.

[Shawn]

Challenge #2 - Members Choice


1. 18th Century or Older -
2. 19th Century -
3. 20th Century -
4. 21st Century -
5. A book of interest from another diner's buffet -
6. Science Fiction -
7. History -
8. Biography -
9. Sports -

[Shawn]

Challenge #3 - New Authors

1. Wallace Stegner
2. Nikos Kazantzakis
3.
4.

[Shawn]

Challenge #5 - Decade/Century

The Century Challenge: Read 10 books from any 10 consecutive decades (1 book per decade).

1900-1909:
1910-1919:
1920-1929:
1930-1939:
1940-1949:
1950-1959:
1960-1969:
1970-1979: The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner (1976)
1980-1989: The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett (1986)
1990-1999: The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje (1992)

[Shawn]

Challenge #6 - Group Reads, Buddy Reads, Moderators Run Amok

1. Zorba the Greek (Jan Group)
2. The English Patient (March Buddy)
3. Our Mutual Friend (April Buddy)
4. I Sing the Body Electric! & Other Stories (March Buddy)
5. The Spectator Bird (May Buddy)
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

[Shawn]

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

[Shawn]

Challenge #9 – Rereading - Some do. Some don't.

[Shawn]

Challenge #10 - Most Popular Goodreads Books Listed by Year

1965:

1. Stoner by John Williams
2. The Magus by John Fowles
3. God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
4. Dr. Bloodmoney by Philip K. Dick

[Shawn]

Challenge #11 - Future Classics

[Shawn]

Challenge #12 - Fiction/Non-Fiction

[Shawn]

Challenge #13 - Old and New Linked Categories

[Shawn]

Challenge #14 - Genre Locked? Neglecting Your Favorite Author?

[Shawn]

Challenge #15 - Award Winners

Hugo Award - since 1953

Books Chosen

1. The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (1960)
2. A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr. (1961)

[Shawn]

Challenge #16 - Terry's Book Chain

[Shawn]

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

1984:

1. Thinner by Richard Bachman
2. Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins

1884:

1. I Say No by Wilkie Collins
2. Ramona by Beverly Cleary

[Shawn]

Challenge #18 - A-Z Author

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

[Shawn]

Challenge #19 - A-Z Title

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

[Wobbley]

You're planning on doing so many of the challenges! Enjoy. :)

[Shawn]

As I wrap up this year, I have high hopes for next year. I didn't get through as much of the 2025 challenge as I would have liked, but I enjoyed trying. I know I will be lucky to get through 1/4 of this challenge. I may try a different approach this time - focus on specific tasks within the challenge. Let's be honest - I will end up all over the place like I always do.