Challenge: 50 Books discussion

Hey all! This is my second go-round with Danine's inspirational "50 books" group. I didn't quite make it to 50 last year. (Okay, I only made it to 30. But, hey! That's 30. Right?!?)

Anyhow, here's the list of what I read in 2008. I have every intention of turning the heat up this year and actually making it to 50. I've already finished one, so I'm off to a good start!

2008 List:

1. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
2. The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
3. The Omnivore's Dilemma by Micahel Pollen
4. Operating Instructions by Anne Lammott
5. If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino
6. The Second Mrs. Gioconda by E.L. Kongingsburg
7. Dream from my Father: a Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama
8. For Colored Girls who have Considered Suicide when the Rainbow is Enuf by Ntozake Shange
9. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
10. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russel
11. Foundations of Library and Information Science by Richard E. Rubin
12. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
13. The Secret Gospel of Mary Magdalene by Michele Roberts
14. And Other Stories by Georgi Gospodinov
15. Beyond the Blues: A Guide to Understanding and Treating Prenatal and Postpartum Depression by Bennett and Indman
16. The Postpartum Husband: Practical Solutions for Living with Postpartum Depression by Karen Kleiman
17. Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughn
18. The Blue Jay's Dance: A Birth Year by Louise Erdrich
19. Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett
20. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
21. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
22. For One More Day by Mitch Albom
23. Oranges are not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson
24.A New Earth: Awakening to your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle
25.Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
26.The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory
27. Griffin & Sabine: an Extraordinary Correspondence by Nick Bantok
28.Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
29.Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
30.The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The first book in my 2009 list! I am really working toward a book a week. Any support or suggestions would be gratefully received. :)

1.) New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

2.) A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

So, I'm already way behind, but I have a plan, so I'm still confident. I can't remember if I read this one as a kid. I thought it was decent. I'm about to teach it to my 6th grade language arts classes, so I hope it goes well. Has anyone out there taught it before?

I would be happy to give you some suggestions :)

My first is that you should finish the Twilight series! Here are some more:

The Host - Stephenie Meyer
Inkheart - Cornelia Funke
Inkspell - Cornelia Funke
Fall on Your Knees - Anne Marie Macdonald
She's Come Undone - Wally Lamb
Prozac Nation - Elizabeth Wurtzel
Alias Grace - Margaret Atwood
Stargirl - Jerry Spinell

I hope you can read some of these :) I enjoyed them all.

Good luck on a book a week! Thankfully I wasn't working before so I got a good head start and am on my 18th book, but a book a week is a great goal!

Thanks for the suggestions. Fall on your Knees is our current book club pick.

My goal is also a book each week. With work and a newborn, it's hard to find time to read as much as I would like, but I'm trying.

3.) Blue by Joyce Moyer Hostetter

Great YA novel. Hard to take at times, but definitely worth the read.

I, too, am having trouble getting reading in with a full time job and a toddler. Still, I'm a teacher, so I'm geared up for vacation time. I'm at least determined to read more than last year...

4.) Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer

5.) The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
6.) Fables: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham

I slowed down to a book a week as well. Sometimes I finish 2 or 3 in a week but usually only if they are shorter genre type books that are easy reads. This year I've read a couple of long books already (over 700 pages) and then they take me at least a week to finish (one "2666" took me 3 weeks because it wasn't that good, but I hate to start a book and not finish). Keep up the good work and Happy Reading.

How did you like The Good Earth. It's on my TBR list.

I thought that The Good Earth was pretty good. Definitely worth the read. I'm certainly not reading book a week. I just don't seem to hae thetime. But, I'm plugging along as best I can. A 50 book miracle could be in the works. We'll see. Good luck with your reading goals!

I have a couple of fast read for you:

The first is "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows" It is one of my Saturday afternoon books, if you scrap out a few minutes a day you can finish it in a day or two, maybe thee.

Another book that you might enjoy is Neil Gaimen's new book, The Graveyard Book. It is a middle school book, but it is very good.

My next Saturday afternoon book is The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. I have a busy busy weekend so I won't get to it until next Saturday. Maybe you can read it first and let me know what you think.

Good Luck! C

Thanks for the suggestions! I was planning to read The Graveyard Book. Glad to hear you recommend it. As you can see (below), I am in the Saturday afternoon market.

7. The World's Shortest Stories of Love and Death by Steve Moss

Eh.

8. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer

I am going to cheat and cheat hard. I had a rough year (personally) and a slow start (bookwise), so I'm starting over. I guess I'm not going to ask permission. There is no way I'm going to make 50 or even 30. So, now that I feel it is possible to push forward, I am starting anew. July to July. I ask for your support in this endeavor.

Here are my first two books:

1.) Blue Eyes, Black Hair by Marguerite Duras
2.) Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Right now, I'm reading So Long, See You Tomorrow by William Maxwell

Again, I'm glad to be part of this group. Thanks, Danine.

3.) So Long, See you Tomorrow by William Maxwell

4.) The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

I have been away from Goodreads. But, I'm back! Would like to read 50 books this year starting now! (August 24, 2010) Just finished:

1.) The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

This was a really interesting nonfiction book about the life of Henrietta Lacks (the woman who "donated" the Hela cells), bioethics, and civil equity. I definitely recommend it.

2.) The Patience Stone by Atiq Rahimi

3.) Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck

Emily, you're too hard on yourself! Sit back and enjoy the read . . .

I liked The Gargoyle
The Little Stranger
Gods Behaving Badly