50 Book Challenge 2016 Part One

[southeastdweller]

Thread one of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2016, though reading fifty isn't mandatory. Any type of book can count, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

Who's in for this year?

[TitsTingle]

I'm in. Join every year then forget to post by February.

My first book this year is How to be brave and I'm gripped. I think it's the authors first novel but it's so so good.

Basic plot is a little girl is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and deals with all the traumas of been unexpectedly ill and learning how to cope. It intertwines with a story of the girls great grandfather who became shipwrecked during the war.

I probably haven't sold it well but it's well worth a read.

[CoteDAzur]

Dark Eden's sequel Mother Of Eden is £1.29 on the Kindle.

[SatsukiKusakabe]

I actually like all the Levin stuff if you persevere through the agricultural methods etc there is a lot of beautiful contemplation of the human condition, religion and philosophy that when I put it down I felt like I looked at everything differently for a while after. It's why it so often ends up on top of books you must read list, the Anna/Vronsky stuff is secondary really, it was a revelation to read it and discover it was really all about Levin for me - I had no idea.

Is the film the Audrey Hepburn one? Think I've partially seen that. I'm looking forward to the bbc one, going to be well behind on reading, but going to look at it as two different things.

[Quogwinkle]

Elle - some of us are also on Goodreads, but not all. I joined it because there was a group of Mnetters who set up a group on there too, but I'm not part of it any more (used to be a moderator of it but it was taking up way too much valuable reading time :o) but I still use it to track my reading and have quite a few friends there who also recommend books to me. Reading habits can get seriously out of hand when you belong to both!

[SkibadeeDoodle]

I'm in, although have a cracking hangover today, so am just about able to lie on the sofa watching The Sound of Music ...don't think there'll be any reading today.

Plan to start tomorrow with The Waves by Virginia Woolf, which has been sitting on my bedside table for months. Awaiting my Amazon delivery of of The Book of Night Women by Marlon James, which I'll read next. Absolutely loved his History of Seven Killings.

I'm hoping to read one novel a week - a mixture of classics I missed and newer fiction - plus a non-fiction book a month.

Looking forward to it after a slow reading reading year in 2015!

[Kofa]

ElleSarcasmo we also have a long commute so I picked up an FM transmitter in Argos which you can use to listen to your digital audio books in the car.

[slightlyglitterpaned]

Am in. I tend to read quite fast, but non-fiction is my Achilles heel, and I think it's because I've lost my ability to concentrate. So, having just discovered I have over 40 non-fiction books on my Kindle that I haven't read (ironically including The Marshmallow Test), am going to set myself a target of 25 non-fiction out of the 50.

Not sure whether to exclude biographies from that, as they "feel" like fiction to me IYSWIM?

[CoteDAzur]

"It's why it so often ends up on top of books you must read list, the Anna/Vronsky stuff is secondary really, it was a revelation to read it and discover it was really all about Levin"

^ This. Hardworking, moral, and intellectual Levin and Kitty are the real protagonists in Anna Karenina. Their lives, morals, and struggles are the real point of the book. Anna and Count Whatshisname are only there to provide contrast with their pointless, selfish, unproductive existence.

[whitewineandchocolate]

Happy New Year to you all, thanks Southeast for the lovely new thread. Welcome to all the new members.

I've started with Shopping, Seduction and Mr Selfridge (recommended by Remus I think?) and am thoroughly enjoying it so far.

Like Southeast and Quog I'm determined not to be put off by long books, just need to concentrate a bit more!

[AnneEtAramis]

I am in. I have been here in previous years as AnneWentworth/QueenAnne and due to boring log in issues seem to currently flit between AnneEtAramis and anneyaramis.

I only managed 25 this year but I was also writing a dissertation so the first half of the year was busy with that.

Each month I am hoping to read:

• Book club read
  
• Writer from my calendar (different writer each month - see Oscar Wilde post if you might have some suggestions)
  
• unread bookshelf book
  

For Jan I have:
The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde
The Pursuit of Love, Nancy Mitford
Captains of the Sands, Jorge Amado
The Last Kingdom, Bernard Cornwell

Off to read the entire thread.

[wannanewone]

May I join you? Hoping to make it to 50 books, but main aim is to read more.

Currently reading Fallada, Alone in Berlin. A door stop, but gripping. And reading in German as live in Austria and need to improve my German.

Off I go back to it!

[LucytheAustralopithecus]

Hello, another person signing up. I would be very happy if I got to 50: I'm yet another person whose love of reading was dented by doing an English degree, but more than a decade after I finished I think that excuse is running thin.

Lovely to hear what people are reading. I have quite a pile of non-fiction and some
Interesting fiction I was given for Christmas. I wanted to give myself an easy win to start off so my first book is girl on a train as I'm told it's a compelling and easy read.

[awcws3192]

I'd like to join too! I'm hoping I can get to 50 this year.

I'm currently reading
After me comes the flood, Sarah Perry

[Sonnet]

SouthEast also got Wolf Hall planned for this year if you fancy a reading buddy
Crimson Petal and White also on my kindle. Also planing for 2016 to be the year of the longer book

[SatsukiKusakabe]

I'm really surprised by all the ex-English lit students saying it put them off reading. That's my background too and I was relieved to get back to my own choices after and read whatever I wanted, but it didn't knock my love of the game so to speak.

However, two small children did what an English degree couldn't, so still trying to claw back my reading habits

[BlairAtholl]

Finally stops lurking to say count me in. Am determined to make time to read more books this year. Starting gently so first up is Brooklyn by Colm Toibin loved the film and got the book for Christmas.
Looking forward to getting ideas from all of you over the year.

[TheWoodenSpoonOfMischief]

I'm in. I'm aiming for 24 books.
My first book is The Tea Planters Wife by Dinah Jefferies (sp?)
I started it about three weeks ago but have only had two short sessions of reading it so far.
I'm hoping this thread will get me focused on prioritising reading sometimes as I really miss it.

[SheGotAllDaMoves]

Have made a start on the first book of the year; The Children of Men by Pd James.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

I'm an English grad. Have never been put off reading, even when I was working full time with two small children. Reading and breathing go pretty much hand in hand for me, I think. I'm impossible to be around if I haven't got a book or four on the go!

[RainbowBlue]

I'm in! Also on goodreads and didn't complete my 50 books last year so going to try harder this time around. First up is The Little Coffee Shop is Kabul

[SatsukiKusakabe]

And yes, couldn't agree more re: Anna K, cote

[SatsukiKusakabe]

It's was always the same for me, remus but I've hit a patch of sleep deprivation and pain problems after each child where I've not been myself for a good few months. My dh always feels relieved when he sees me back with a book as he knows it means my general mental health is looking up

Having dabbled on this thread last year, I'm inclined to think it's read first, breathe second with you, though

[Greymalkin]

I'm signing in too and have just created a Goodreads account as well.

I'm starting the year by carrying over The Other Queen (Philippa Gregory) which I'm about half way through. Enjoying it so far.

[Chillywhippet]

Would love to join you. My aim will be to read. At all .

Obstacles are getting distracted by Internet, being knackered and the fact I need reading glasses and a light to read a book but not the iPad

First goal is to finally finish The Book Thief. Have "been reading" this book for so long. Anybody else struggle with it?

DD bought me The Lady in the Van for Christmas wich is thin so that should get me off to a good start for January.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Satsuki