2025 Reading Challenge discussion
ARCHIVE 2017
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Pam's shooting for 156 in 2017.
1/156 - "How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life" by the Dalai Lama XIV.
Not a Buddhist but I find Buddhist psychology helpful in dealing with 2016, and probably dealing with 2017 as well. Lol.
Not a Buddhist but I find Buddhist psychology helpful in dealing with 2016, and probably dealing with 2017 as well. Lol.
2/156 - "Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name" by Vendela Vida.
Initially hated the main character and therefore thought I was going to hate the book. But the writing and the setting saved the book from that character and I ended up liking it.
Read for the January Myths Challenge
Initially hated the main character and therefore thought I was going to hate the book. But the writing and the setting saved the book from that character and I ended up liking it.
Read for the January Myths Challenge
3/156 - "The Yosemite" by John Muir.
Now I'm curious about how much the Yosemite has changed since Muir wrote this book.
Now I'm curious about how much the Yosemite has changed since Muir wrote this book.
4/156 - "10-Minute Digital Declutter: The Simple Habit to Eliminate Overwhelm from Technology, Social Media, and Online Distractions by S.J. Scott.
Basic but good ideas on how to cut down on your digital clutter.
Basic but good ideas on how to cut down on your digital clutter.
6/156 - "The Secret River by Kate Grenville
Read for the January Myths challenge. Interesting premise & setting but didn't quite enjoy it personally.
Read for the January Myths challenge. Interesting premise & setting but didn't quite enjoy it personally.
8/156 - "Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis
Wrapped that book up during my lunch break. Read for the January Myths challenge.
Wrapped that book up during my lunch break. Read for the January Myths challenge.
9/156 - "One Wild Bird at a Time: Portraits of Individual Lives by Bernd Heinrich.
Some interesting tidbits on specific species but otherwise, just ok.
Some interesting tidbits on specific species but otherwise, just ok.
Since I'm a schoolteacher, for my challenges I do count some of the more advanced picture books I encounter and juvenile literature that deal with sensitive subjects, unique approaches, or popular YA titles. This way, I keep up with what youth are attracted to reading.....
Gloria wrote: "Since I'm a schoolteacher, for my challenges I do count some of the more advanced picture books I encounter and juvenile literature that deal with sensitive subjects, unique approaches, or popular ..."
I usually just stick with picture books because of time constraints. Most of time I observe the chatter to see what is popular.
I usually just stick with picture books because of time constraints. Most of time I observe the chatter to see what is popular.
10/156 - "The Pearl by John Steinbeck.
Just as depressing as any Steinbeck but beautiful writing overall. 2nd time reading it and it gets better each time.
Just as depressing as any Steinbeck but beautiful writing overall. 2nd time reading it and it gets better each time.
11/156 - "Absolute Solitude: Selected Poems" by Dulce María Loynaz.
Absolutely a gorgeous collection of poems by this almost forgotten Cuban poet.
Absolutely a gorgeous collection of poems by this almost forgotten Cuban poet.
12/156 - "The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro.
Would have liked the book except for the fact that the narrator had one of my biggest pet peeves: going on and on and on about things I'm not very interested in hearing about.
Would have liked the book except for the fact that the narrator had one of my biggest pet peeves: going on and on and on about things I'm not very interested in hearing about.
13/156 - Writer with a Day Job: Inspiration & Exercises to Help You Craft a Writing Life Alongside Your Career by Áine Greaney
One of these days I'll fit these tips into my life lol.
One of these days I'll fit these tips into my life lol.
14/156 - A User's Guide to Thought and Meaning by Ray S. Jackendoff
O_O Headache from all the mental gymnastics.
O_O Headache from all the mental gymnastics.
15/156 - All Souls' Rising by Madison Smartt Bell.
Long, complicated, gory, need working knowledge of French and/or Creole but this first in a fictional trilogy about Toussaint Louventure & the Haitian Revolution is still a good read.
Long, complicated, gory, need working knowledge of French and/or Creole but this first in a fictional trilogy about Toussaint Louventure & the Haitian Revolution is still a good read.
16/156 - The Golden Country by Shūsaku Endō
A dramatic companion piece to Endo's novel "Silence", recently made into a film by Martin Scorcese. I have "Silence" on hold at the library but saw this and couldn't wait. I enjoyed it, a lot of soul pondering going on.
A dramatic companion piece to Endo's novel "Silence", recently made into a film by Martin Scorcese. I have "Silence" on hold at the library but saw this and couldn't wait. I enjoyed it, a lot of soul pondering going on.
20/156 - Sea Cows, Shamans, and Scurvy: Alaska's First Naturalist: Georg Wilhelm Steller by Ann Arnold
24/156 - The Call of the Wild and White Fang by Jack London
25/156 - Plot & Structure: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot That Grips Readers from Start to Finish by James Scott Bell
25/156 - Plot & Structure: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot That Grips Readers from Start to Finish by James Scott Bell
32/156 - Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens by Steve Olson
33/156 - A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen
33/156 - A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen
36/156 - Beartown by Fredrik Backman (release date in the US: 4/27/17)
!!!!!!!
My review is here...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
!!!!!!!
My review is here...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
40/156 - A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories by Flannery O'Connor
41/156 - Mischling by Affinity Konar
41/156 - Mischling by Affinity Konar
42/156 - Everything That Rises Must Converge: Stories by Flannery O'Connor
43/156 - Above the Waterfall by Ron Rash
43/156 - Above the Waterfall by Ron Rash
45/156 - Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor
Been on a Flannery O'Connor kick. One more on my list to read by her...
Been on a Flannery O'Connor kick. One more on my list to read by her...
47/156 - Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting Dynamic Characters and Effective Viewpoints by Nancy Kress
48/156 - The Underdogs: A Novel of the Mexican Revolution by Mariano Azuela
49/156 - Villette by Charlotte Brontë
49/156 - Villette by Charlotte Brontë
Kinda got bogged down with job searching...
50/156 - Academic Librarianship by Camila A. Alire (trying to decide if I want to make the career switch to here - maybe as support staff for me)
51/156 - Four Great Plays: Ghosts; The Wild Duck; An Enemy of the People; A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen (Love his plays!)
52/156 - House of Earth by Woody Guthrie (Not questioning his songwriting abilities but man this was a trainwreck)
50/156 - Academic Librarianship by Camila A. Alire (trying to decide if I want to make the career switch to here - maybe as support staff for me)
51/156 - Four Great Plays: Ghosts; The Wild Duck; An Enemy of the People; A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen (Love his plays!)
52/156 - House of Earth by Woody Guthrie (Not questioning his songwriting abilities but man this was a trainwreck)
2025 Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Deal of a Lifetime (other topics)Much Ado About Nothing (other topics)
Romeo and Juliet (other topics)
The Way of Chuang Tzu (other topics)
Walden and Civil Disobedience (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Fredrik Backman (other topics)Thomas Merton (other topics)
William Shakespeare (other topics)
Henry David Thoreau (other topics)
Henning Mankell (other topics)
More...
Posted this in my intro but will post it here as well:
{This year I have "read" 315 books, but more than half of them were children's picture books & cookbooks I read for the nature of my work. I won't count those in my official numbers here but may note them anyways for anyone curious.
Also, because of my job (I'm a bookseller) I'm graced with the ability to get advanced copies of selected books 1-6 months ahead of release. If I read them I'll make a note of their release date.}