Ian's A- Z Challenge 2011

[Ian, Moderator]

Keep losing track of where I've posted my updates, so it's time for my own thread.

[Ian, Moderator]

A - Case Histories by Kate Atkinson - currently reading
B - The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
C - Heart of Darkness by Jospeh Conrad
D - Room by Emma Donoghue
E -
F - The Blasphemer by Nigel Farndale
G -
H -
I -
J -
K -
L - Sister by Rosamund Lupton
M - The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
N - The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo
O - 30 Minute Meals - Jamie Oliver - currently reading
P -
Q -
R - 44 Years withe the Same Bird - Brian Reade
S -
T - Trespass by Rose Tremain
U -
V -
W -
X -
Y -
Z -

[Timothy]

Hi Ian,
fair enough not getting 'The Day the Ravens Died' which I wrote under the name Timothy Pilgrim to fill the 'P' spot, but it is available as an ebook, if not on amazon, which it should be, it certainly is on the 'Authors OnLine' site in a format a kindle can handle.
All the best Paul Rix [oldgeezer]

[Ian, Moderator]

Bugger....just about to start another M

[Liz, Moderator]

Ian wrote: "Bugger....just about to start another M"

Tell me about it! This challenge took me well over a year to complete, due to my repeating certain letters again and again and again.....

[Ian, Moderator]

I think I'll be the same. Looking at all the books I've already got on my kindle, the authors all begin with letters I've done before. I wouldn't mind but the M I've just started is a 690 page tome.

[Abi]

I'm exactly the same. I keep repeating letters without realising, and once I've started a book I can't just give up on it when I do!

[Ian, Moderator]

Abi wrote: "I'm exactly the same. I keep repeating letters without realising, and once I've started a book I can't just give up on it when I do!"

I think I may have to forward plan my A - Z a bit better

[Helen]

At least we're all in the same boat!

[Nick 2E0NAQ]

I'm read my Z but will have to look-out for a Author for my A though. :)

[Ian, Moderator]

There's a spring sale on at Amazon for kindle books - going to see if there are any cheapies I fancy that correspond to my A - Z spaces.

[Ian, Moderator]

Planned reads already on my kindle before I go cheapie shopping

E - The Communist Manifesto - by Karl Marx and Freidrich Engels
G - The Confession by John Grisham
I - The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
K - The Lacuna - Barbara Kingsolver
P - The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
S - Dry Season by Dan Smith

[Ian, Moderator]

And cheapie shopping produces 2 more

W - Tamburlaine Must Die - Louise Welsh
Z - The Warsaw Anagrams - Richard Zimler

That'll keep me occupied for a while

[[deleted user]]

I'm the same keeping reading lot's of letter's!

[Helen]

I've just started another C. Some interesting books there Ian, I'm thinking of getting the Sleepy Hollow book.

[Helen]

I just noticed you have 30 minute meals, I've eaten the pasta page 45 (I think) for dinner, yum.

[Lynne - The Book Squirrel]

I have read Sleepy Hollow and have Lacuna and The Bell Jar on my bookcase and Dry Season is great! Enjoy!

[Ian, Moderator]

Helen wrote: "I just noticed you have 30 minute meals, I've eaten the pasta page 45 (I think) for dinner, yum."

Not tried that one yet.....just made and eaten the Brocccoli Orechiette this evening. Not that gpod....but the Vegetable Rogan Josh is brilliant if you like veg curries

[Ian, Moderator]

Helen wrote: "I've just started another C. Some interesting books there Ian, I'm thinking of getting the Sleepy Hollow book."

Sleepy Hollow is free on kindle

[Ian, Moderator]

Lynne - The Book Squirrel wrote: "I have read Sleepy Hollow and have Lacuna and The Bell Jar on my bookcase and Dry Season is great! Enjoy!"

Lynne and Helen - The Bell Jar will probably be my next read when I've finished my Vietnam war epic. Have wanted to read it for ages.

[Lynne - The Book Squirrel]

Yes I have had it on my bookcase for ages, maybe we should do a buddy read and compare notes?

[Ian, Moderator]

Lynne - The Book Squirrel wrote: "Yes I have had it on my bookcase for ages, maybe we should do a buddy read and compare notes?"

Sound good Lynne although you'll have to wait for slowcoach me as you'll no doubt read it in a night!!! I'll let you know when I'm starting it.

[Lynne - The Book Squirrel]

Ok Ian I promise to only read it on my non nightshift days how's that? I can start whenever you like just say the word. It's nice to be able to read with others and get views and feedback on the story.

[Helen]

I do like curry and will check it out. I downloaded Sleepy Hollowm thanks.

[Ian, Moderator]

Helen wrote: "I do like curry and will check it out. I downloaded Sleepy Hollowm thanks."

It freezes really well so worth making as per JO quantities

[Helen]

Thanks for that, useful to know as I live alone.

[Ian, Moderator]

Helen wrote: "Thanks for that, useful to know as I live alone."

Me too

[Helen]

Well, when I say alone I'm not including the 4 cats, yes 4. I'm working on my mad cat lady reputation!

[Ian, Moderator]

Helen wrote: "Well, when I say alone I'm not including the 4 cats, yes 4. I'm working on my mad cat lady reputation!"

You should read my letter A Helen - there's a "mad cat lady" in that

[Helen]

Thanks Ian!

[Timothy]

Hi fellow moggy lovers, I'm down to three now, Zebadee and Asbo, two handsome ginger and white 'boys' till they went to the vets! and Twinkle Toes, with the middle toe on each foot white, the rest of her is black or ginger depending on the angle you're looking at her from. The boss[Babs] calls her 'Bushey' as her face looks like a bush baby when her pupils enlarge so her eyes look black!
All the best Paul Rix [oldgeezer]

[Ian, Moderator]

And V is going to be by Abraham Verghese - I don't think there are any moggies involved

[Helen]

My four are Zak and Ziggy, black twins although Ziggy has really long fir. Their sister from the next litter (sister-in-law kept guilt tripping me), Izzy, she's a tubby cat or tabby as she spells it. They are all 5 and then Twiglet, who is tortoishell and 19.

[Ian, Moderator]

Zak and Ziggy should form a band and play "Cool for Cats" by Squeeze with Izzy on bass - the bass player always used to be the portly one

[Ian, Moderator]

An update as I'm lost again

A - Case Histories by Kate Atkinson - read
B - The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown - read
C - Heart of Darkness by Jospeh Conrad - read
D - Room by Emma Donoghue - read
E - The Communist Manifesto - by Karl Marx and Freidrich Engels
F - The Blasphemer by Nigel Farndale - read
G - The Confession by John Grisham
H -
I - The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
J - The Ninth Life of Louis Drax - Liz Jensen
K - The Lacuna - Barbara Kingsolver
L - Sister by Rosamund Lupton - read
M - The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli - read
N - The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo - read
O - 30 Minute Meals - Jamie Oliver - currently reading
P - The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath - read
Q -
R - 44 Years withe the Same Bird - Brian Reade - read
S - Dry Season by Dan Smith
T - Trespass by Rose Tremain - read
U -
V - Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
W - Tamburlaine Must Die - Louise Welsh
X -
Y -
Z - The Warsaw Anagrams - Richard Zimler

[Lynne - The Book Squirrel]

That's some list Ian - I have The Lucuna too on my bookcase been there for ages along with Poisonwood Bible. Maybe another buddy read?

[Ian, Moderator]

Lynne - The Book Squirrel wrote: "That's some list Ian - I have The Lucuna too on my bookcase been there for ages along with Poisonwood Bible. Maybe another buddy read?"

That would be great Lynne - but later in the year maybe as it's not wagging its tail and begging me to read it yet...unlike some others that are jumping up and licking my face for attention - lol

[Lynne - The Book Squirrel]

Know what you mean Ian some books just don't jump out the shelf and say 'Read me, read me!'

But let me know when you want to read it and I'm all yours!

[Em]

I'm like you Lynne, both the Kingsolver books on the shelf waiting to see the light of day!

[Ian, Moderator]

I have started both my E and my Z in a dual pronged attack - will be reading them in my EZ chair - ouch!!

[Helen]

droll.

[Em]

Every Liverpudlian I've ever met (virtually or otherwise)is a frustrated comedian! Why is this?

[Nick 2E0NAQ]

Please dont laugh him or you will just egg him on.
hehe!

[Ian, Moderator]

Em wrote: "Every Liverpudlian I've ever met (virtually or otherwise)is a frustrated comedian! Why is this?"

Rideo ergo sum

[Timothy]

Hi Ian,
It's 50 years since I did any latin, I get the 'therefore I am' bit but 'Rideo'?
all the best Paul Rix [oldgeezer]

[Ian, Moderator]

"I laugh therefore I am"......30 years since I did any, so I expect to be corrected if Stephen Fry or someone equally erudite is already in/joins our gang....couldn't think of the Latin for "sarcastic ergo sum" so settled for what I could vaguely remember from my amo, amas, amat struggles of yesteryear

[Ian, Moderator]

Nick wrote: "Please dont laugh him or you will just egg him on.
hehe!"

Lynne - give cheeky Nick a slap from me when you see him - lol

[Ian, Moderator]

And my X will be:

by Qiu Xiaolong - thanks to Joe Law for steering me in this direction

Just H, Q, U & Y to pick now....and then read 'em all

[Ian, Moderator]

And Q will be by Daniel Quinn. Dystopian to boot so could kill two birds and read for this month's genre challenge

[Timothy]

Thanks Ian, 'amo' etc was about my limit, at least I knew when to duck when a piece of chalk, or in extreme cases a board rubber would be winged in my direction because I'd forgotten how to conjucate a verb.! R.I.P. Mr. Bibby, our latin teacher.
All the best Paul Rix [old geezer]