The Complete Idiots Guide to the Ultimate Reading List discussion

I was wandering if it would be okay to set up a personal folder to track my progress of reading through the books listed in The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Ultimate Reading List?

I would list the books as I read them, as well as set up a ticker for visual reference.

If it is okay, should I just set it up here, or should it be set up in another section?

The Complete Idiots Guide to the Ultimate Reading List



Found another list to start...goodness knows I needed to add another one.





1. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote==06/21/09***
2. It Had to Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips==07/02/09****
3. The Unsung Hero by Suzanne Brockmann==08/07/09****
4.One for the Money by Janet Evanovich==08/22/09****
5. Dark Lover by J.R. Ward==10/28/09*****
6. Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie==11/16/09****
7. Sybil by Flora Rheta Schreiber==01/13/10*****
8. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold==03/13/10***
9. Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton05/22/10***
10. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova==06/19/10***
11. Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning==07/20/10***
12. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón==07/28/10*****
13. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield==08/01/10*****
14. Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale==08/26/10**
15. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden==09/07/10****
16. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde==09/23/10***
17. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon==10/02/10***
18. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood==10/04/10****
19. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd==10/12/10***
20. A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux==11/25/10****
21. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell==11.29.10*****
22. You Slay Me by Katie MacAlister==01/25/11****
23. Slightly Married/Mary Balogh02.19.11****
24.Possession by A.S. Byatt==03.11.11****
25. Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow==03.23.11***
26. Interview With the Vampire/Anne Rice==03.30.11***
27. Cold Sassy Tree/Olive Ann Burns==04.17.11****
28. Miss Wonderful/Loretta Chase==04.19.11***
29. The Cove/Catherine Coulter==04.21.11*
30. Water for Elephants/Sara Gruen==05.03.11****
31. Mr. Perfect/Linda Howard==05.12.11****
32. Atonement/Ian McEwan05.12.11***
33. The Color Purple/Alice Walker==06.08.11***
34. Maisie Dobbs/Jacqueline Winspear==11.25.11***

I love your ticker idea. I'll have to see if I can figure out how to make mine as well :D

Trisha wrote: "I love your ticker idea. I'll have to see if I can figure out how to make mine as well :D"

Hi Trish, just go to www.tickerfactory.com to create your ticker. After you have created it, copy the html code (the one that starts with "a") and paste it in your comment box. To update it, you just click on your ticker and change your current points.

Let me know if you need help.

wow,thank you! I'll have to get that done in a few days :D I just hope my total doesn't shock me in a bad way!

I finished The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde a few days ago. It was okay. I'm not sure I will finish out the series. We'll see.

Next up for me is The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood.

southpaw285 wrote: "I finished The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde a few days ago. It was okay. I'm not sure I will finish out the series. We'll see.

Next up for me is [book:The Handmaid'..."

The Jasper Fforde books require a lot of familiarity with classical literature and a love for/high tolerance of puns. I love them, the I know other people who hate them with a passion.

I will be interested in your take on The Handmaid's Tale.

Hi Gini,

I'm just now getting around to reading alot of the classics. Maybe that is the problem. I'm definitely a series driven reader, so I know I will at least be reading the next book. Not sure when though.

I absolutely loved Jane Eyre, and I did enjoy the puns in The Eyre Affair.

I finished The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood this morning. Wow! What a scary story. I enjoyed the book tremendously. The thing that was so scary for me is how realistic the book is.

Imagine a world where women have absolutely no rights. They aren't allowed an education, not allowed to read, not allowed to own or manage their own business.

Imagine a world where a man makes every single decision for you. You, as a woman, are not allowed to decide anything.

It sends chills down my spine to even think about what life would be like for me in a world where I had no choice.

This is my first Margaret Atwood book. She has a very distinct style of writing.

I'm not sure what I will read next. I just know it has to be something lighter.

I'm thankful to be a woman. I'm thankful to be able to read. As simple as it may sound, I'm thankful to have the freedom to choose what I read next.

4 Stars

I started The Secret Life of Bees this morning...my next adventure on the list.

(such a GREAT book, IMHO) :) I hope you enjoy it!

southpaw285 wrote: "I finished The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood this morning. Wow! What a scary story. I enjoyed the book tremendously. The thing that was so scary for me is how re..."

I loved The Handmaid's Tale, but just completed The Robber Bride, also by Atwood, and absolutely hated it! I will have to seriously consider whether I will be picking up another one of her books or not.

@Tera, thanks for letting me know. I may stay clear of Robber's Bride for awhile. However, do you know anything about Alias Grace?

@ Trisha, I did enjoy The Secret Life of Bees. How are you doing on your list?

I am doing really good! But I need to get my ticker going. I just feel funny because I will have so many updates right off the bat, but I'll try to get it on here ;)

SOooooo....are you taking a break or what are you on to next? I love reading your updates :)

Lol, Trisha, I've kinda fallen "off track" since about the middle of October. I'm not sure what's up next. I started a new challenge (which I absolutely love) over at the Seasonal Book Challenge Group. That's what has taken up alot of my time lately. My goal though is to try to work books from the four lists I'm working on into this gigantic challenge. This is my first one, so I'm a little rusty right now.

Thanks for your kind words on updates. Up next it will be Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller.

What are you currently reading, and what is next? I can't wait for you to put up your ticker. Will you do updates as well? I hope so. I'd would enjoy reading them.

Wow! Four lists! Here I thought trying to do this book AND 1001 was overwhelming! I'm sure it's hard to keep you with your never-ending "to read" book list :)

You know, the fun of my 2 lists has been finding the books that are on BOTH lists. I just love checking it off in both places!

I can't wait for a ticker! My husband and I are doing to work on it, hopefully, tomorrow night (late my time) so <> hopefully no later than Thursday, I'll have a ticker. Then I'll have to do a big update with all the books I've read. That should be nice, to update it all!

Ooooh, that books sounds good! I haven't heard of it, I'll have to check that out!

Up next for me...I'm not quite sure. I think when I get my ticker on here, I'll update with my "to read" book. :) I can't wait!

Happy reading! I hope the new book is good!

So, where is everyone posting their tickers? I think this is a good idea! I haven't read from this list in a while and would like to return to it.

I put my ticker just as a conversation (just like Southpaw did) and I update it with each book I read.
(I have multiple tickers going now with my groups!) :) It's been a fun addition to keep track of your progress. Sometimes you can really feel like you aren't getting anywhere in the Idiot's guide (at least I do!) so the ticker is a great way to keep track!

So, did u just start your own thread?

I did. ;) Not that I think anyone else wants to follow it, but it sure makes it easier for me to find the list and update it.

Oh my....how far behind I am. Oh well, that's the great thing about reading off a list or two (or three or four).

I never got around to Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood, but I will soon I hope.

Sometimes you read a book and don't even realize it's on your list. This happened with You Slay Me by Katie MacAlister, which I did manage to read in January. I really enjoyed it too. Has anyone else read it?

I have The Color Purple up next. It is also part of the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list.

And the climb continues...

I finished The Cove by Catherine Coulter, and it had the worst dialogue I believe I've ever read. In fact, it took every ounce of will power I had to finish the book.

1 Star

30. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen




Yesterday I finished my 30th book from the list - Water for Elephants. While this was not a book I would have personally chosen on my own to read, I enjoyed it tremendously and am very glad I read it.

It is a great historical fiction book about circus life during the Great Depression. Full of life lessions, hardship, and passion, I found it to be a very fascinating read - so much so that I would really like to read a non-fiction book or maybe a biography pertaining to the circus life. If anyone has suggestions, please let me know.

The only draw back for me was the ending.

4 Stars

southpaw285 wrote: "Yesterday I finished my 30th book from the list - Water for Elephants. ... The only draw back for me was the ending."

Really?! I absolutely loved the ending. In fact, I immediately thrust it into the hands of my husband, saying "You must read. She totally sticks the ending."

I'm just surprised at anyone not liking it!

I loved this book! Can't wait to see the movie!

Susan wrote: "I loved this book! Can't wait to see the movie!"

Hi Susan,

Do you know when it will be out? I want to see it too.

southpaw285 wrote: "Susan wrote: "I loved this book! Can't wait to see the movie!"

Hi Susan,

Do you know when it will be out? I want to see it too."

It's out now, and is pretty good. I felt like the directing was a bit static and the framing could have been punched up a little, but the sets and costumes are gorgeous.

I will put that on my "to do" list. I really want to see it.