Randi's 2010 Challenge

[Catamorandi]

Here are my lists for the challenge:

Asterisks mean they are not on my shelves.

Authors

A - Aravind Adiga - The White Tiger
B - Annie Barrows & Mary Ann Shaffer - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society# - 2009
C - Tom Chiarell - Writing Dialogue
D - Paula Danziger - P.S. Longer Letter Later*# - 2009
E - Tilden Edwards - Sabbath Time*
F - Helen Fielding - Brigit Jones's Diary
G - Neil Gaiman - Coraline*# - 2009
H - Kristen Hannah - Firefly Lane
I - Lee Iacocca - Iacocca: An Autobiography*
J - Bill Jaaska - Gambit Classic, Vol. 1*
K - Stephen King - On Writing
L - Steig Larssen - The Girl Who Played with Fire
M - Margaret Moran - Rituals of the Season
N - Audrey Niffenegger - The Time Traveller's Wife
O - Joyce Carol Oates - We Were the Mulvaneys
P - Jodi Picoult - Change of Heart
Q - Xiaolong Qui - Red Mandarin Dress*
R - Nora Roberts - Genuine Lies
S - Diane Setterfield - The Thirteenth Tale
T - Anne Tyler - The Accidental Tourist
U - Peter A. Ubel - Free Market Madness*
V - Vendela Vida - let the northern lights erase your name# - 2009
W - Rebecca Wells - The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
X - Malcolm X - Autobiography*
Y - Christopher Yost - X-Men Emperor Vulcan*
Z - Marcus Zusak - I Am the Messenger*

Books

A - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass
B - Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking - Malcolm Gladwell*#
C - Cat on a Scent - Rita Mae and Sneaky Pie Brown
D - The DaVinci Code - Dan Brown
E - Eats, Shoots & Leaves - Lynne Truss
F - Fallen - David Maine*# - 2009
G - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Steig Larssen
H - How to Write a Damn Good Novel - James N. Frey
I - I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Maya Angelou
J - Julie & Julia - Julie Powell
K - The Kite Runner - Khaled Housseini
L - Life of Pi - Yann Martel
M - The Magic of Thinking Big - David J. Schwartz, Ph.D.
N - No One to Trust - Iris Johanssen
O - On Beauty - Zadie Smith
P - P Is for Peril - Sue Grafton*
Q - Q Is for Quarry - Sue Grafton*
R - Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier
S - The Secret Life of Bees*# - 2010
T - To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee# - 2009
U - U.S. Constitution for Dummies*
V - The Vagabond - ?*
W - Wicked - Gregory Maguire
X - Xanadu - ?*
Y - Your Best Life Now - Joel Osteen
Z - Zacharia - ?*

# means have been read

I started this challenge in 2009, so I specified the year I read it. The only one I have read in 2010 on the list is The Secret of Bees. I have also read The Graveyard Book in 2010. I am now reading Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking.

2010 list so far:

The Secret Life of Bees
The Graveyard Book

[Catamorandi]

The Secret Life of Bees - 3/5

It was interesting on many accounts, but I thought the story line was a little weak.

The Graveyard Book - 5/5

I liked this book very much. I thought it was kind of graphic for the kids it was intended for, though.

[Catamorandi]

I finally finished Blink. It was hard going for a while there. It started out as very interesting, but it ended up totally boriing. It seemed like he was going over the same thing multiple times when he didn't have to.



My list for 2010 now is:

1. The Secret Life of Bees - 3/5
2. The Graveyard Book - 5/5
3. Blink - 2/5

[Catamorandi]

I will be updating my lists on the original post, so remember to look at it off and on if you want to find out my progress.

[Catamorandi]

I am seriously thinking of making the books that are not on my A-Z challenge all classics, as I am very much lacking in that area.

[Karol]

Catamorandi, I really like how you've organized your plan for the year. Interesting that you want to focus on classics - I think that really helps expand our minds! I'm a little light in that area, too, however. I tend to read more cozy mysteries and biographies than anything . . .

[Catamorandi]

#4. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass 5/5

It is a very enjoyable read. It is very creative and fanciful. I do, however, think that Lewis Carroll was on drugs when he was writing it. It sounds like it is coming from a drug-induced fog. I really enjoyed all of the characters. They were all so silly. I can see what someone in another group I am in said it was for kids and adults, and each will get something different out of it. I agree with that wholeheartly.

[Catamorandi]

Thanks, Kay. Maybe we could read a couple together?

[Catamorandi]

I am dropping out of all of my challenges. I have found that having to read certain books in a certain amount of time is taking the pleasure out of my reading, and I want to enjoy my reading.

[Andrea, Moderator]

Catamorandi, I can understand how you feel! I used to put a lot of stress on myself to read two books a week and then i relized that I was reading two fast and not enjoying the reading because I was so focused on a goal that I had in my mind. I also stopped planning on what I was going to read and just reading what I felt like at the moment I picked up a book. Don't worry about reaching the 75, in the end the people who reach it and the people who don't are still here because they like to read and enjoy sharing with each other and getting good recommendations from friends.

[Karol]

Catamorandi wrote: "I am dropping out of all of my challenges. I have found that having to read certain books in a certain amount of time is taking the pleasure out of my reading, and I want to enjoy my reading."

Randi, would love to read a couple of classics with you . . . and I understand about the challenge thing. I'll send you an email.