Challenge: 50 Books discussion

Since I'm getting a late start in 2013, my goal is to read at least 5 books each month, one from each of the following categories, to reach 50 or more books:

PD-personal development
BioH-biography, memoirs, history
Nov-mystery, crime, romance
Adv-adventure, fantasy, sci-fi
Cl-classics
B/O-bonus/other books from these categories or other genres

March 2013 - I didn't start my goal until mid-month, so I didn't hit all my categories! Eeek!


PD- 1) Fierce Conversations, Susan Scott
BioH-
Nov- 2) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Steig Larsson
Adv- 3) The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien
Cl-

Also counting January 2013: 4) The First Man in Rome, Colleen McCullough

Hi, Jessi. Welcome to the group!

I love your categories :) I'm looking forward to seeing your lists! Will you update monthly (a "Here are the categories I hit this month" post, like you have for March), or as you finish each book?

Hi Tiffany! Thanks for the note!

I'm not sure, have been thinking about this too. Was going to post my planned list at beginning of month, but knowing I might change my mind mid-month, thought I'd wait to post what I actually read, maybe as the month goes along.

Have any suggestions?

April 2013 - In progress....


PD- The Element, Ken Robinson
BioH-
Nov-
Adv- LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring, JRR Tolkien
Cl-
B/O- Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters, Barack Obama

In progress:
Nov- The Girl Who Played with Fire (Larsson)
Cl- Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Other Novels (Twain)

On library hold:
BioH- Mark Twain autobiography
Nov- The Fault in our Stars (Green)

Jessi wrote: "Was going to post my planned list at beginning of month, but knowing I might change my mind mid-month, thought I'd wait to post what I actually read, maybe as the month goes along.

Have any suggestions? "

hmm... Well, if it were *me*, I'd feel like I'd let people down if I posted that I was starting a book and then decided not to read or finish it :) However, being on the other side, I wouldn't at all feel like you'd let us down if you changed your mind... So I guess I don't know :) Of course, you can also change your mind mid-year: if you start by posting each month what you plan to read, but then decide later that you don't like that, you can just change to what you did read each month.

Also, your "library hold" category made me giggle. I sit and watch my library account like a hawk, waiting to see if I'm next on the list for any books I've requested. Now I can do that for your account, too :)

So, I figured I'd post my finished reads next to the categories, and keep works in progress and planned reads for the remainder of the month just below. Will move them up once complete. And yes, I'll always stand my a woman's prerogative to change her mind ;)

:)

Sounds like you've got a great plan!

April 2013 - In progress....


PD- The Element, Ken Robinson
BioH-
Nov-
Adv- LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring, JRR Tolkien
Cl- Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Other Novels (Twain)
B/O- Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters, Barack Obama

In progress:
Nov- The Girl Who Played with Fire (Larsson)

On library hold:
BioH- Mark Twain autobiography
Nov- The Fault in our Stars (Green)

APRIL 2013


PD- 5) The Element, Ken Robinson

BioH- 6) Autobiography of Mark Twain, Vol. 1

Nov- 7) The Fault in our Stars, John Green

Adv- 8) LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring, JRR Tolkien

Cl- 9) Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Other Novels, Mark Twain

B/O-
10) Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters, Barack Obama

11) The Girl Who Played with Fire, Steig Larsson

12) Ready Player One, Ernest Cline

MAY 2013


PD- 13) Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert

BioH- 14) The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris, David McCullough

Nov- 15) A Small Hotel, Robert Olen Butler

Adv- 16) Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore, Robin Sloan

Cl- 17) The Scarlet Pimpernel, Baroness Emusska Orczy

B/O-
18) The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald

19) The Turtle Girl from East PukaPuka, Cole Alpaugh

20) The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Steig Larsson

June 2013


Only got in 4 categories this month. Woops! Going to start with a PD in July, maybe two!

PD-

BioH- 21) American Rebel: The Life of Clint Eastwood, Marc Eliot

Nov- 22) From Notting Hill with Love...Actually, Ali McNamara

Adv- 23) The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown

Cl- 24) The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett

B/O-

July 2013


PD- 25) Improve Your Memory Now, Gary Small

BioH- 26) The Meditations, Marcus Aurelius

Nov- 27) Winter's Bone, Daniel Woodrell

Adv- 28) LOTR: The Two Towers, JRR Tolkien

Cl- 29) A Little Princess, Frances Hodgson Burnett

B/O-
30) Being Positive and Staying Positive, Pauline Rowson

31) The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins

32) City of Bones, Cassandra Clare

August 2013


PD - 33) Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking, Susan Cain

BioH - 34) The Devil in the White City, Erik Larson

Nov - 35) The Silver Linings Playbook, Matthew Quick

Adv - 36) Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins

Cl - 37) And Then There Were None, Agatha Christie

B/O -
38)Divergent, Veronica Roth

39) The Spectacular Now, Tim Tharp

40) Eleanor and Park, Rainbow Rowell

September 2013


Two long books had me bogged down the first half of the month. Only got in four categories, plus a bonus adventure ;) Woops!

PD- 41) The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World, Marti Olsen Laney

BioH-

Nov- 42) Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell

Adv- 43) The Host, Stephenie Meyer

Cl- 44) Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen

B/O-
45) Cinder, Marissa Meyer

October 2013

I'll be ditching the 5 Categories this month, and reading several Classic Gothic/Horror stories -- getting into the Halloween mood!

Jessi wrote: "October 2013

I'll be ditching the 5 Categories this month, and reading several Classic Gothic/Horror stories -- getting into the Halloween mood!"

Yay, spooky! :)

October 2013 -- Classic Gothic Horror!!


46) Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Lewis Stephenson

47) Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

48) The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde

49) The Turn of the Screw, Henry James

50!!!) Dracula, Bram Stoker

This month was so fun! Have never been interested in horror, at least not modern horror. But these classic Gothic tales were tremendous. So well written and thoroughly enjoyable! Frankenstein and Dracula were my favorites, of course.

Congratulations on hitting 50! And what a great spooky-theme for October! :)

Thank you Tiffany!

November 2013 - Stories of Family


51) Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

52) Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan

December 2013 - Holiday Stories (mostly)


53) The Gift of the Magi, O. Henry

54) The Christmas Train, David Baldacci

55) The Christmas Angel, Abbie Farwell Brown

56) A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens (Read two versions on audiobook; one a Librivox dramatic reading narrated by Elizabeth Klett, and one read by Tim Curry on Audible.)

57) The Cricket on the Hearth, Charles Dickens

58) The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, James Thurber

58 Books in 2013 -- Hurray!!!

Walter Mitty is a book? ugh... Guess I will add that one to my never ending list.

Alison, It's more of a short story. I got a freebie audiobook version read by Ben Stiller on Audible ;)

Jessi wrote: "58 Books in 2013 -- Hurray!!!"

Yay! Good job! :)

Thanks Tiff!