On The Same Page discussion

I'm creating a 2nd 12+4 challenge to capture US and UK authors that I want to read. I tend to forget about them because I focus so much on translated books. These are all books I own except for two. I am continuing with my goal of reading books I own despite being a huge library patron. It's a difficult balance.

✔️- Finished
* - Currently reading

Completed: 2/12

1. Playground by Richard Powers (Hoopla)
2. Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser
3. November Road by Lou Berney
4. Time Out of Joint by Philip K. Dick
5. The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers
6. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
7. Desolation Mountain by William Kent Krueger
8. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
9. The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
✔️10. Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park (Libby)
11. Coal Black Horse by Robert Olmstead
✔️12. Shōgun, Part One by James Clavell

+4
13. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
14. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
15.The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan
16. A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher

Oh, I love your list. I really loved Gilead, The Age of Innocence, The Pillars of the Earth, and the Magician's Nephew. You have so many other books on the list, that I want to read too!

Lea wrote: "Oh, I love your list. I really loved Gilead, The Age of Innocence, The Pillars of the Earth, and the Magician's Nephew. You have so many other books on the list, that I want to read too!"

Thanks! I hope I love them also! I have so many, it was hard to choose.

Interesting mix, Pam. Philip K. Dick is one of the more unique authors I've ever read. I read the Narnia books in university, loved it so much. Enjoy your 2025 reading.

Another great list, Pam. I kept waffling about adding The Invisible Man; but decided to wait on it. I may just read it regardless.

Good luck and happy reading. 📚

Coal Black Horse looks like it will be very good. I would love to hear what you think about it. Invisible Man is such an important book. Great list! Happy Reading!

Thank you Bill, Alondra, and Mary!

Bill - I really like Philip K. Dick’s books, with one exception which was too weird even for me. I haven’t read one in a few years and the one I chose is the one I meant to read in 2024. Where did the year go??

I think I’m going to switch out The Wooden Sea with something else since it’s #3 in a series that I haven’t read! I’m considering these American authors: William Kent Krueger, Thomas Pynchon, Anthony Doerr, Shirley Jackson, Don Delillo, Michael Chabon, or Ernest Hemingway. Decisions, decisions…. I’m leaning towards Krueger since I’ve heard good things about his books and I’ve been wanting to read one.

I decided to add Desolation Mountain by William Kent Krueger. That was my first thought so I'm sticking with it.

Lots of good books here! Enjoy.

Jackie wrote: "Lots of good books here! Enjoy."

Thank you Jackie!

Alondra wrote: "Another great list, Pam. I kept waffling about adding The Invisible Man; but decided to wait on it. I may just read it regardless. "

Thanks Alondra. I have also been waffling on Invisible Man also for several years. Like Mary commented, I think it is an important book and I want to at least give it a try.

One last change on the 31st! I received The Backyard Bird Chronicles for Christmas and really want to read it soon! So, I'm substituting it for The Magician's Nephew, which I'm not sure how it wound up on my list anyways.

I'm ready for 2025 reading to start!

Just checking in on you, Pam. How is your challenge going, or not going??

Alondra wrote: "Just checking in on you, Pam. How is your challenge going, or not going??"

Hello Moderator Schmoderator! Not going great but the 2 books I finished recently, Shogun and Same Bed Different Dreams, were both 5 star reads, so I'm thrilled with that! They were very different writing styles but both were full of interesting history/culture re: Asian cultures (Japan and Korea). Shogun was an easy read while Same Bed was much more difficult because of the unusual structure (it's been compared to Thomas Pynchon's style). I thought it was brilliant, but some readers had other feelings. (It was a book club read that I had suggested. Only 5 people showed up for the meeting with 4 of us finishing it.) I'm hopeful to read a couple more from my list, maybe the shorter ones. Where does the year go and why do I waste so much time watching TV??

For 2026, I plan to take unread books from both of my lists and create 1 list!

Pam wrote: "Alondra wrote: "Just checking in on you, Pam. How is your challenge going, or not going??"

Hello Moderator Schmoderator! Not going great but the 2 books I finished recently, Shogun and Same Bed Di..."

Shogun was an excellent book and the follow-ons were also excellent.

Pam wrote: "For 2026, I plan to take unread books from both of my lists and create 1 list!"

That's a great idea! I wonder if I should go and take a peek at my past challenges and put the ones I didn't finish on next year's challenge.