Pop Sugar's Annual Ultimate Reading Challenge discussion

I'm not really sure I understand what this entails, when I search lists on goodreads even memoirs are on the lists and to me that is something else. Based on a true story is not as true to me.

I used a book that was historical fiction. There are many out there that surround stories of events that happened, but are not really a true blow by blow of the event.

i had a hard time with this too. i'm currently reading In The Heart of the Sea for this (but it reads more like non-fiction so i might categorize it as that instead).

before i found it though, i was thinking of delving into something based on true crime, like the Black Dahlia. but - now that i think about it - even something based on Jack the Ripper or the Titanic or something large like that could work.

There's a list here on Goodreads of books based on true stories.

Here's a list

http://www.paperbackswap.com/True-Sto...

Thanks :)

I'm going to shamelessly plug the book I read for this category because it was so so good. Gary D. Schmidt's Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy. I actually didn't know this was based on a true story until I hit the author's note at the end but it's basically a fictionalization of a specific historical event.

If you're still looking for something for this category, do consider this one. (It is Middle Grade which means it's technically written for 8-12 year-olds but guys, it's so good.)

I think you could also consider something true crime, like In Cold Blood. What do the rest of you think?

I was probably gonna do a true crime book, mostly cause I've got one in my stack of "books I own and haven't yet read." What else could Lizzie Bright count for, Caitlin?

Caitlin wrote: "I'm going to shamelessly plug the book I read for this category because it was so so good. Gary D. Schmidt's Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy. I actually didn't know this was ba..."

I second this shameless plug. It was soooooooooooooooo good!

Nicole wrote: "I was probably gonna do a true crime book, mostly cause I've got one in my stack of "books I own and haven't yet read." What else could Lizzie Bright count for, Caitlin?"

Well, Bonnie and I both officially recommend it (recommended by a friend?)

If you haven't read Gary D. Schmidt before it could be book by an author you've never read.

It made me cry so it could be a tear-jerker but honestly I liked Okay for Now a little bit more and it would also qualify for all of those areas. It's up to you.

Caitlin wrote: "Nicole wrote: "I was probably gonna do a true crime book, mostly cause I've got one in my stack of "books I own and haven't yet read." What else could Lizzie Bright count for, Caitlin?"

Well, Bonn..."

Okay for Now was probably my favorite Gary D. Schmidt book. I used it for my tear-jerker because I cried big ugly tears in that book.

Wonderful! Thanks. :)

In cold blood is one of my favorite books, but I wanted to give a new a try - I've been meaning to read Ann Rule's The Stranger Beside Me for probably 10 years, so I figured this was the perfect time to dive in. I'm about 100 pages in, it's good, but a little slow moving so it'll probably take me a little longer to read, but I'm glad to be checking it off my to-read list

I used Bastard Out of Carolina for this one.

So I know this has been asked, but I'm just not sure. I just got this book Crooked, which I haven't read yet but in summary is about Richard Nixon and a fictional story surrounding the nonfictional watergate scandal - is that something you'd categorize here? Just wanted some opinions, even though I'll probably just do what I feel when the time comes haha

Crystal wrote: "So I know this has been asked, but I'm just not sure. I just got this book Crooked, which I haven't read yet but in summary is about Richard Nixon and a fictional story surrounding the nonfictional..."

Sounds based on a true story to me!

Loving Frank - excellent and highly recommended! Based on the true story of architect Frank Lloyd Wright's mistress Mamah and the romantic and ultimately very tragic events of their life together.

The Paris Wife - the fictionalized version of the true story of Ernest Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley, in Paris. The same author just released a new book about the Happy Valley set in Nairobi called Circling the Sun

Pearl of China - the fictionalized telling of the author Pearl S. Buck (The Good Earth) growing up in China.

Beautiful Ruins - I think that this one takes a lot more liberties with the true story, but it's set around the filming of "Cleopatra" with Liz Taylor and a lot of the story is about a drunk and hilarious Richard Burton.