The Reading Challenge Group discussion

Goal for this year is 12 books.

Read This Year



12/12

Past Challenges: 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014

I haven't decided how many or how few books I'll read in 2018. I wanted to keep the format that I used last year and the year before. So post #1 will require some editing. I have always been a little annoyed at myself for rambling on so much about my plans for the year in post one, when I use post one for the reading checklist. The rambling nonsense is extra fluff I don't want in the first post.

I think I will tentatively start it off at 12 books. That is an easy one book a month, or not so easy sometimes.

CaptKirk42 Classic Whovian wrote: "I haven't decided how many or how few books I'll read in 2018. I wanted to keep the format that I used last year and the year before. So post #1 will require some editing. I have always been a litt..."

Lol, I love all the "ramblings" about people's plans for the year :)
So I'm glad you reserved post #1 for you reading checklist and started your ramblings in #2!
Wishing you the best of luck with your (initial) goal of 12 books and happy reading!!

I love that you link your past challenges. What a great idea. Good luck in 2018.

Roseanne wrote: "I love that you link your past challenges. What a great idea. Good luck in 2018."

Thank you,
I try to make things easy for myself and for those who are following me. It is a quick reference and answers that big question of "hey how did I do last year?"

I love reading the ramblings!!!! lol

For my first book of 2018 I read a quick read:
Doctor Who: Now We Are Six Hundred: A Collection of Time Lord Verse

A fun read for Doctor Who fans, and I would think also fans of the original Winnie The Pooh book(s) that this pays homage to, parodies a bit. It has been ages since I've read the original Winnie the Pooh books especially Now We Are Six. I would love to find a decent copy to compare to/with. I do have some of those philosophy books based on Winnie the Pooh (The Tao of Pooh, The Te of Piglet, and Pooh and the Philosophers: In Which It Is Shown That All of Western Philosophy Is Merely a Preamble to Winnie-the-Pooh ) plus I have The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh, but sadly I don't think I have a copy of Now We Are Six around anymore. Our family copy which was probably older than me, might have been given to my nephew when he was a kid (he is 30 now) Who knows what happened to all that stuff my mom gave him from my brother's and my childhoods. I like to think some of it is still with him or at his mom's. Anyway I will make a mental note to look for a copy of that original book.

1/12 - 8%

Good luck Captain! I'm going for 60 this year but not sure if I will come close...presently reading Alexander Hamilton

Just finished reading book 2. I am now two books ahead of my 12 book callenge.

Finished: Doctor Who: Engines of War


A fun read for Doctor Who fans that enjoy the "War Doctor" and thurst for more about the Time War. OH and since it is about the Time War there are Daleks and some of them get blowed up real good, (subtle TV reference there)

Daleks EXTERMINATE! I have only recently started watching Dr.Who, but it's a fun show! Good luck with your reading, and great start!

Jenny wrote: "Daleks EXTERMINATE! I have only recently started watching Dr.Who, but it's a fun show! Good luck with your reading, and great start!"

Thanks. Glad you like Doctor Who. I've been a "Whovian" since around early 1981 (maybe late 1980). Almost any Dalek episode is a good one, and ones with The Cybermen. I know many new watchers only stick with the current running (2005-present) but the Original Classics (1963-1988, 1996 movie) are worth checking out. Getting through the current or "New Who" is an achievable goal. Starting from the start of Christopher Eccleston's Season 1. (Series 1 as they say in the UK) and going in chronological order helps one from getting too confused.

Thanks for the tip! I may start getting the seasons from the libary so I can follow it better!

Finished: A Million Ways to Die in the West

Yesterday I finished:
Doctor Who: Shada

End of Feb finished
Hollywood Haunted: A Ghostly Tour of Filmland


This book is like those television shows about hauntings it lists a bunch of sightings and stories covering so much stuff it barely touches some of the stories and only highlights each story. Each story is more of a teaser than an actual in-depth adventure.

Finished reading:
The Science of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy


I enjoyed this book even though most of the "science" goes over my head. I am not a mathematical or science oriented person I'm an artistic type. Like other books of this style the author takes some of the big tech type ideas from a sci-fi book or series, in this case Douglas Adams' "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" book series and explains the real science or physics if the ideas are even possible and sometimes even when they aren't.

There were a few times when the author seemed to get away from the topic some and explains something somewhat related, but doesn't actually answer whatever the first question was.

Even though the book is over 10 years old now (published in 2005) some of the information is still valid. One has to remember when the author refers to upcoming schedules or estimates when specific projects are supposed to be completed, in some cases they now have been completed.

Finished reading:
Afterlife: Uncovering the Secrets of Life After Death


Fascinating topic. This book goes into great detail about what goes on in the 'afterlife" and the soul's preparation for reincarnation. For many religious people although they believe in the immortal soul they don't believe in reincarnation. Well this book backs up reincarnation and firmly believes in the reincarnation process. So very religious people and atheists who don't believe in anything after life will not like this book. There are some references to Near-Death Experiences (NDE) in this book that reinforces some of what goes on with those in support of life continuing after "death" to be a REAL thing.

Finished reading:
The Boy Who Knew Too Much: An Astounding True Story of a Young Boy's Past-Life Memories


Fun read. A story about reincarnation, 3 year old Christian Haupt starts telling his parents he had lived a previous life as a "tall" baseball player. With a little questioning and researching the author, his mother Cathy Byrd, learns that Christian believes he had not only lived before but was the famous baseball player Lou Gehrig. I think the most interesting part of the book is actually the researching that leads Cathy to discovering the identity of the "tall" baseball player and comparing the things Christian was "remembering" to actual facts that are known about Gehrig and his family.

Finished reading:
Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back


Interesting as it is about a kids experience of visiting heaven as told by his pastor father. In some ways it reads like a typical near death experience from the Christian point of view. The boy in this book Colton Burpo had an emergency appendectomy at age 3 after his appendix had burst, but was never clinically dead when he had his visions of heaven. Like many of these "I saw Heaven" books this one has had it's share of cynical "this is a load of junk" criticisms. I enjoyed the book and enjoy similar books about visions of heaven, and near death experiences (although this book is not about an NDE). Some I have a tendency to believe some of the story and they will give me hope at times when I need hope, but this one doesn't really ring the same way. Since it is told with a Christian slant from the beginning, by a church pastor, whose wife is also involved with Church things I can see where much of the unbelieving cynicism comes from.

I understand that a movie had been made based on this book, but leaves a lot of the visions of Heaven out and is less descriptive than the book. I'd like to see the movie sometime.

Wow I am a bit behind. My book number ten I finished back in August on the 13th it was:
Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife

Finished reading:
The Librarians and the Pot of Gold

Book number 11 of 12 in my yearly goal. I am "up to date" at my goal 92% complete.

This book was FANTASTIC. I think the best of the 3 book series. Another fine book by Greg Cox. Every book I have read that he has authored I have thoroughly enjoyed. His descriptions of the scenes and action is vivid and the personalities of the characters pop into life.

Finished reading the last book of my 12 book challenge. GOAL ACHIEVED!
The Map of Heaven: How Science, Religion, and Ordinary People Are Proving the Afterlife


This is sort of a "sequel" to Mr. Alexander's Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife it makes more sense if you have read the previous book to get his references to the first book and to his personal experiences. This book is a follow up that includes other people's NDE (Near Death Experiences), paranormal/psychic experiences and reactions to his previous book. It also expands some of the author's views and opinions of the afterlife phenomenon many have experienced. I found that the first book was more exciting and interesting. This one to me just felt like a victory lap after winning a race.

A recap of the books I read this year. I reached the 12 for 12 goal. Of those 12:

* 6 were paranormal death/after-death related - 1 was about ghosts and hauntings the other 5 after-death experiences and NDEs
* 1 was comedy western
* 1 was science semi-sci-fi
* 4 were Sci-Fi - 3 were Doctor Who, 1 The Librarians