50 Book Challenge in 2013. Who's with me?

[CardiffUniversityNetballTeam]

Tidying up after Christmas it has come to my attention that I have nearly 100(!!) paperbacks in stacks down the side of my bed waiting to be read.
I am going to challenge myself to try and read at least 50 of them this year. That's nearly one a week so I am going to have to really apply myself and stop faffing around and doing other things when I could be enjoying a good book.
I wondered if anyone else would like to join me? We can post what we are reading and then post when we have finished each book and what's next.
I know I would love to hear what others are reading and enjoying (or not enjoying) so I can go out and buy more books in a few months time!
My first book of the year is President Down by Terence Strong about spies and terrorists which my dad lent me about a year ago! I'm only about 20 pages in, but so far so good.

Does anyone else do audio books?

I'm horribly addicted. I download them onto my iOS and listen on and off all day while I'm doing other stuff.

You also experience the book in a different way when it's being read to you by a really skilled reader.

I'm halfway through the audio version (unabridged) Any Human Heart by William Boyd. Loving it.

Also just finished reading Flight of The Maidens - Jane Gardam. Recommend. Jane Gardam is a genius.

Last weeks audio was The Green Mile by Stephen King, and before that a Minette Walters and both mahoosive audio books of The Killing.

So I have finished Assegai by Wilbur Smith. It is set in Africa just before the outbreak of the First World War and is part of a loosely connected series about two families of white settlers. Smith writes about Africa so beautifully, his love for his homeland shines through so clearly in all of his books.

Book number nine is The Time Travellers Guide to The Middle Ages by Ian Mortimer. I have been looking forward to reading this for ages!

OOh it's ages since I read any Jane Gardam, I've got Old Filth somewhere, I must dig it out.

Jane Gardam's Bilgewater was a really formative book for me growing up.

I haven't really tried audio, except for some children's ones with DD. It seems to require a different type of concentration. Still, I plan to start listening if my eyesight eventually gives up .

I am simultaneously reading Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones and Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings. Will probably finish both tonight so am counting them as 24 and 25.

I listen to audio books too Shagmund. I started listening to them this year. I listened to an unabridged version of Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell a couple of weeks ago, and Animal Farm last week. I've got Nineteen Eighty Four on my i-pod atm but haven't had time this week to start listening to it :(.

Audio books are helping to keep me motivated on my hour long walk after dropping the children off at school.

1. Casino Royale - Ian Fleming

it was good but not brilliant, and quite markedly misogynist which was probably normal at the time it was written. It was interesting to see that it has absolutely nothing in common with the film starring Craig Daniel, except (1) names of principal characters, and (2) type of torture endured by James Bond.

Now I'm reading Quantity Theory Of Insanity by Will Self. So far, I'm interested.

Oh shrinkingnora Diana Wynne Jones is another of my favourite authors - enjoy!

Finished No 22 Bedlam by Christopher Brookmyre. Big disappointment. I've read all his previous novels and loved most of them, this is by far the worst thing he has written. I kept going, thinking it has to improve but it didn't.

No 23 is The Portugese Escape by Ann Bridge, which I am enjoying so far.

11. From Hell - Alan Moore & Eddie Campbell.

Just finished. An absolutely amazing, horrible, compelling, thought-provoking and powerful book.

MrsMaryCooper - I love Christopher Brookmyre and was planning on getting Bedlam. Is it really that bad? I might have to reread 'All fun and games...' soon.

Tumbletumble - she's fab, isn't she? I'm really enjoying Howl and will read the sequel too!

Coming very late to this thread but my to-be-read pile badly needs reading - it is taking over my room at the moment!

Book 1 - Who moved my Cheese?, non-fiction, can?t remember who wrote it but not a great read
Book 2 - Death comes to Pemberley ? PD James
Book 3 - Vow of Silence ? Veronica Black
Book 4 - The Shape of Water ? Andrea Camillera
Book 5 - The Fairy Godmother (500 Kingdoms)? Mercedes Lackey
Book 6 - The Mystery of a Butcher?s Shop ? Gladys Mitchell
Book 7 - The Moving Toyshop ? Edmund Crispin
Book 8 - The Long Earth ? Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter
Book 9 - The Big Flatline ? Jeff Rubin, non-fiction, economics in a zero-growth global economy
Book 10 - The Cat Who Tailed a Thief ? Lilian Jackson Braun
Book 11 - One Good Knight (500 Kingdoms) ? Mercedes Lackey
Book 12- Fortune?s Fool (500 Kingdoms)- Mercedes Lackey
Book 13 - The Snow Queen (500 Kingdoms) - Mercedes Lackey
Book 14 - The Sleeping Beauty (500 Kingdoms) - Mercedes Lackey
Book 15 ? Grimm Fairy Tales ? Philip Pullman

I am currently dipping into The World's Wife by Carol Ann Duffy and Claire Tomalin's biography of Dickens. Not sure what fiction to read next there are so many good ideas on this thread :)

nora I normally love Christopher Brookmyre too, I really enjoyed his last two Where the Bodies and Buried and When the Devil Drives but really Bedlam was terrible.

Get it from the library if you must, but I bought it and I feel most put out!

11. Thursday's in the Park by Hilary Boyd
12. George's Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl

Both good reads :)

Only read four books so far. No good reason, I need to put away this iPad and my iPhone more. Still confident I can do this.

Book 9 The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Penman. Took me 3 weeks but wow! I loved every word. Amazing experience.

Finished book 16 The Truce by Primo Levi. Another very good book.

Galaxymum. I loved that book too! Lovely experience!

Ps I don't know if your name reflects an interest, but I am hoping to see the comet this week, and I'm sure the Plantagenets would have come up with an indication of beneficial omen!

About 2/3 of the way through book 12, Room by Emma Donoghue (book club book, not normally the kind of thing I'd choose). Getting a bit bored with it tbh but will push on and get it read!

I enjoyed Room but found the first half better than the second, sorry Meg!

Finished book 8 last night, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. I loved this book - my favourite so far this year.

26. Queen of Sorcery - David Eddings
27. Magician's Gambit - David Eddings
28. Fen - Freya North (spent the whole book thinking what a bitch she was)
29. Castle of Wizardry - David Eddings
30. Enchanters' End Game - David Eddings

31 will be Capital by John Lanchester.

Ah I used to love those Eddings books when I was a fantasy-obsessed teen! Do they stand the test of time?

I reread them every year occassionally. I still love them. They're my comfort books. I've got a horrible throat infection and need something soothing!