Ellie's A-Z challenge

[Ellie]

I like a challenge. Plan will be to try and complete within a year (started Nov 30th 2011). Going to probably tie this into trying the Around the World in 80s books challenge as well...

A: Jenn Ashworth :: A Kind of Intimacy
B: Darcey Bonnette :: Rivals in the Tudor Court
C: Agatha Christie :: The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding
D: Louise Douglas :: The Love of My Life
E: Jeffrey Eugenides :: The Marriage Plot
F: Rosie Fiore :: Babies in Waiting
G: Laurie Graham :: The Unfortunates
H: Alice Hoffman :: Blue Diary
I: Mick Inkpen :: Kipper
J: Michael A Johnson :: A 1980s Childhood - From He-Man to Shell Suits
K: Linsay Kelk :: I heart Vegas
L: Asa Larsson :: The Savage Altar
M: Nancy Mitford :: The Pursuit of Love
N: Camilla Noli :: The Mothers Tale
O: Frances Osbourne :: The Bolter
P: Brady Purdy :: Vengeance is Mine
Q: Anna Quindlen :: One True Thing
R: Michael Rosen :: We're Going on a Bear Hunt
S: CJ Sansom :: Shardlake series
T: Carol Topolski :: Monster Love
U: Lisa Unger :: Blackout
V: Delphine de Vigan :: No and Me
W: Jennifer Weiner :: Best Friends Forever
X: Gao Xiaolu :: The Concise Chinese English Dictionary for Lovers
Y: Richard Yates :: Revolutionary Road
Z: Howard Zinn :: People's History of the United States

As you can see I haven't thought this through much as yet! Edit: Slowly getting there, although it doesn't help that I keep reading authors with the same first letter of their surname...

[Ellie]

Currently reading The Bolter: Edwardian Heartbreak and High Society Scandal in Kenya. My life is dull compared to the morphine / cocaine parties, and I don't greet my guests nude or bathe in champagne. Oh the life of the rich in the 1920 / 1930s!

I am actually a bit obssessed by 1920s / 1930s at the moment. Sadly this book flits between England and Kenya so I can't have it as Round the World in 80 books book. But I have another between the wars scandal I'm thinking of reading for Kenya.

[Em]

I counted it for Around the World challenge, alot of it is set in Kenya after all... you're clearly far more exacting in criteria than I am!

[Ellie]

Em wrote: "I counted it for Around the World challenge, alot of it is set in Kenya after all... you're clearly far more exacting in criteria than I am!"

Lol! I am thinking The Temptress instead...when I get it!

[Ellie]

Very much enjoyed Nancy Mitford's In the Pursuit of Love. Have also got her Love in a Cold Climate out from the library so will read that at some point.

Next read is an autobiog by her sister Diana Mitford Moseley (she of meeting Hitler fame) so shall see how that goes.

In parallel (sort of) I am also dipping into Juliet Nicolson book The Perfect Summer: Dancing into Shadow in 1911. This is a very readable non-fiction account of life before WW1 and the excesses of between the wars.

You can tell I am on a sort of theme at the moment...I do do this so it will be interesting to see how it changes over the course of these 26 books...

[Ellie]

Hmmm reading The Paris Wifeisn't helping as I already have M...

[Ellie]

First book read of the New Year. Evelyn Waugh's A Handful of Dust.

[Liz, Your Friendly Moderator]

Ellie wrote: "First book read of the New Year. Evelyn Waugh's A Handful of Dust."

I liked that one - it's my favourite Evelyn Waugh novel. Sad and funny - I felt so sorry for Toby Last. And what a strange twist it takes in the last third!

[Ellie]

To be honest I liked the last third the least. I preferred the fluffiness of the affair than Toby's travels overseas.

[Ellie]

Updates July 2012. Am getting there. I've read a few books from the same authors so have been a little slow to build up the list.

[Ellie]

Looks like I've got all the difficult letters left!!!

[Ian, Former Moderator]

They are the most fun Ellie.

[Ellie]

Hoping to get back to this. Had to take a bit of a break with my baby daughter but I'm beginning to get back to reading again so there's a chance I might complete this year :)

[Ellie]

Early August 2012 I read Louise Douglas' The Love of My Life which tells the tale of a grieving widow falling for the dead man's brother and the effect it has on the family.

[Ellie]

Sometime since August 2012 I read Michael A Johnson's A 1980s Childhood: From He-Man to Shell Suits which was an easy, enjoyable enough reflection on growing up in the 1980s (like I did).

[Ian, Former Moderator]

Shell suits Ellie?

[Nikks]

Here we go again with the shell suit discussion ! Lol

[Nikks]

Ellie - that is a fantastic book title - almost makes me want to read it.

[Ellie]

Nikks wrote: "Ellie - that is a fantastic book title - almost makes me want to read it."

Just seen you comment - it was a freebie on Kindle when I got it. It's a very easy non fiction read. So much rings true from my earlier year.

[Ellie]

Ian wrote: "Shell suits Ellie?"

Yeh I had a white, pink and green one. Got it at George Henry Lees when it was still there in Liverpool.

[Ian, Former Moderator]

Nice.....a posh, non scally shelly!!!! GHL still there Ellie even if changed name to corporate John Lewis and moved to the new Liverpool 1 shopping complex. Doubt they still stock shellies though......try one of the retro shops up Bold St lol.

[Ellie]

Yeh have been to JL at Liverpool One. I don't miss my shellsuit TBH. I even wore it with perm, big glasses and a hooded top. Ultimate in cool...allegedly! ;-)

[Ian, Former Moderator]

I feel most unScouselike as I never had one.....was living in that there London at the time. Had the curly hair and muzzy tho' and was sadly addicted to Brookie.

[Ellie]

Ian wrote: "I feel most unScouselike as I never had one.....was living in that there London at the time. Had the curly hair and muzzy tho' and was sadly addicted to Brookie."

yeh used to watch Brookie too. They were the days...

[Ellie]

Just realised I have one to add to the list - No and Me by author Delphine de Vigan. That's V done (I hope).


And Anna Quindlen's One True Thing

[Ellie]

Since my degree days I've been dipping into Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States: 1492 to Present - it's taken a while but it's finally read.

And from the serious to the ridiculous. Small child = access to children's books so two current favs (for me really :)) are Mick Inkpen's Kipper and Michael Rosen's We're Going on a Bear Hunt

[Ian, Former Moderator]

A veritable surge Ellie. Just 2 to go.

[Ellie]

And the 2 which are the most difficult...

[Sue]

Ellie wrote: "And the 2 which are the most difficult..."

lol
saving the best 2?

[Ellie]

Sue wrote: "Ellie wrote: "And the 2 which are the most difficult..."

lol
saving the best 2?"

Yeh...something like that :)

[Ian, Former Moderator]

by Chika Unigwe was a good one for me last year.

[Ellie]

Ian wrote: " by Chika Unigwe was a good one for me last year."

Thanks for that recommendation Ian. That looks like something I'd enjoy.

[Ellie]

Plan to finish this year, 2 years after i started! currently reading Black Out by Lisa Unger and going to the library today to get The Concise Chinese English Dictionary for Lovers by Xialou

[Ellie]

finished Black Out but need a computer to access this properly to update my list.

[Ian, Former Moderator]

One left Ellie......I've also just bought a Xialou to maybe finish this year.

[Ellie]

DONE!!! A-Z completed!

Gonna have another go.

[Andrew]

Well done Ellie, its addictive isn't it!

[Andrew]

P.s ive just recommended 'farmer duck' on the what reading now thread if your daughter likes animals and great illustrations.

[Ellie]

Thanks. I've heard of Farmer Duck but we've not read it yet. Add it to the books to try list :-)

[Bill]

Well done, Ellie!

[Kate, Your Friendly Moderator]

Brilliant, well done Ellie. I ordered your J book You also have a couple of one-word titles on the list which I may have to investigate...

[Ian, Former Moderator]

Well done Ellie.

[Ellie]

Thanks all! Glad to be of assistance Kate - Kipper will be a quick read :-)