The Reading Challenge Group discussion

Last year I didn't have any goal set and didn't read any full books. I still read everyday but it was mostly internet reading with a little magazine article reading. I didn't like the idea of having a blank year without any books read.

For this year I think I'll go with a very small goal of 6 books. I have plenty of books around my apartment that I haven't read. It is a matter of having the motivation to sit down (or lie down) to read.

Read This Year: 6


2023 Goal: 6
COMPLETED

Past Challenges:
2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014
Challenges Before Group: 2013 | 2012 | 2011

I hope you reach your goal, but especially that you enjoy what you're reading.

Read book #1 OK it was a baby step because it was a kids book not a challenge, but a book is a book, even a comic book would count according to some. The book was part of the Who, What, Where series of kids books by WHOHQ.

Who Was Muhammad Ali?


This was a fun little book, a biography of Boxing legend Muhammad Ali.

Book # 2 took way way too long to read. I amost abandoned it after the first month or two. I had many gaps when I didn't read it because I wasn't getting into it.

The book:
Chronicles From The Future: The amazing story of Paul Amadeus Dienach


The concept of this book is fascinating. A man of Swiss-Austrian descent falls into a coma in 1922. While in a year long coma he "awakens" thousands of years in the future in the body of another man in the year 3906. The story is told in the form of a diary from his point of view. Upon returning to his own time, waking up from his coma he is still deathly ill and has very little time left. So he writes down everything he could remember from his "time travel" into the far distant future. This book is the story and it reads like some kind of travel brochure more than a time travel story. It has far too much detail about the philosophy and cultural details of the distant future and it's society than I care for.

Currently Reading:
Between a Heart and a Rock Place: A Memoir


I'm a little more than halfway into this book (66% at time of this post). I'm a big lifetime fan of Pat Benatar and her music so getting this one and reading it was a no brainer. I am surprised that I waited so long to actaully start reading it (19 Dec 2023). I added it here on Goodreads on 20 Dec 2011 it was first published in 2010. Wow I forgot it was THAT old. I thought it was only about 6 years old not 13. Time flies and all that. I am totally enjoying it, even though as a fan I knew most of the info already. Just not some of the minor details. Of course there are a handful of things that weren't made public until they were included in this book.

Last night (Friday 22 Dec 2023) Finished reading
Between a Heart and a Rock Place: A Memoir


It is a fantastic autobiography. Pat tells things as they are and doesn't hold back or pull any of her punches, She fought long and hard to achieve all that she has done. As expected she is a really down to Earth person, I have said before that I am a long time fan of her music. This book solidifies my fandom and increases all the respect that I have had for her and her husband/musical partner Neil Geraldo, She is very genuine and one of the real good guys.

Did a quick read:

Planet of the Apes: The Original Topps Trading Card Series

This is a handy reference guide to the Topps trading card sets of "Planet of the Apes" movies and television show. It is a quick read because the only real "reading" is an introductory chapter about the history of the card sets that are cataloged in this book.

Finished book #5. One book to go with slightly less than 3 days left in the year.


And Another Thing...
The "final" book in one of my favorite series. "And Another Thing" is the 6th book of the "Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" series and the only one not written by the original author Douglas Adams. It is written by Eoin Colfer of Atremis Fowl fame. I was a bit hesitant to read this one because of that fact. I was even hesitant to even get a copy however many years ago I picked it up. I am glad I finally got around to reading it. Colfer did a good job of keeping the oddness and quirky story telling style of the series.

You did it!

YES finished final book 6 before the year ended with almost 2 full days to go. I finished reading it shortly after midnight Friday going into Saturday 29 Dec to 30 Dec.


As Puck Would Have It
As with all the books in the Charmed series this one was a quick and smooth read. A big reason I chose a Charmed book to read in the final days for this year's challenge. In this one The Holliwell Sisters are met with a challenge from the "mythical" character of Puck/ Robin Goodfellow from Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". I enjoyed it just as much as I have the other books in this series, even though the Charmed Series (both the TV series and the books) is geared to a tween to 20something girls market. Sometimes a bit embarrassing for a middle aged guy who was around 30something when the show was airing. Most of the books in this series I get a strong "this would have made a great episode" vibe, I didn't get that vibe with this one. I still liked it though even with it's strong animals rights and cruelty to animals activism sub theme in the story.