50 Book Challenge 2016 Part Seven

[southeastdweller]

Welcome to the final thread 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, please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read, and to anyone who hasn't posted, feel free to de-lurk and share with us what you've read so far this year.

The first thread of 2016 is here, second thread here, third thread here, fourth thread here, fifth thread here and sixth thread here.

I''m always here! I think Cote and I will still be on here when we're 105 and capable of reading nothing but cornflake packets and the instructions for our zimmer frames.

My Grandma was a great reader. She died aged 92 (several years ago) and her eyesight wasn't too good by then, but she still loved a good audio book.

Hi have been lurking for a while, just wondered if there was going to be a 50 books for 2017 challenge?

My last five reads have been The Help, Yellow Crocus, Secret Life of Bees, The New Woman and One plus One. Have actually loved them all. I tend to get most of my books from library but choose them from Amazon reviews, often based on 'other people that have bought this...' Once I find an author, I am often inclined to read their back catalogue!

I can't read anything to heavy or I forget the plot, it needs to be something easily picked up and put down frequently.

Yes there'll be a new challenge, on Sunday

Hello, new 50 Book friends! 2016 was my first year posting, sporadic as I have been. I really like reading about everyone's book choices, even though I get the sense that my sensibilities differ a bit from others (generally speaking, of course).

49. Swing Time by Zadie Smith. Two young brown girls meet in a North London dance class; Tracey has innate talent, the unnamed narrator does not. Through shifting timelines and settings, Smith lays out how these women end up where they are in their early 30s, how they become people. Talent, luck, drive, race, class, and gender are major themes of the novel, as are dance, appropriation, and time.

I LOVE this novel. Zadie Smith is such a fine thinker and writer, and this novels showcases her beautifully. And, it's often funny; when the narrator loses her virginity during her Goth years, she and the boy didn't kiss, because that seemed wrong for Goths. . I plan to reread this novel in 2017 to really examine its structure and prose. Definitely one of my top books for 2016 (perhaps my top piece of fiction).

I joined at the very end of the 2015 threads, and have really enjoyed reading everyone's choices this year. I've had lots of good recommendations that I'd have not have found otherwise (and have also abandoned fewer books - in a few cases finishing with grim determination so I can then slate them on here ).

Haha Sadik, same here.

I made this with one book to spare!!! Definitely going to do it again in 2017.

I've been on this thread since the beginning of 2013!

Hello all - I haven't updated for ages! I'm another who lost their reading 'mojo' part way through the year so not as many read this year. Final few for the year:

51. The Man in the Moss - Phil Rickman - well, all a bit woo, a small village up in the Peak District, rather cut off, and having it's 'own ways' - a bog man was found, then evil starts to try to get into the village. It's far too long, but there's a good story in there if you can stick with the slow plodding pace.

52. Career of Evil - Robert Galbraith (JK Rowling) - A Cormoran Strike book - someone sends Strike's assistant a severed leg. Strike has a list of 3 people he thinks it could have been. Very well written detective mystery.

53. The Gun Seller - Hugh Laurie - written in the mid-90s, 'boys own' adventure of an ex-army man who gets himself mixed up in a spy plot. All very jolly and a bit smug.

54. Hercule Poirot's Christmas - Agatha Christie - A return to her old style - a proper 'bloody' murder on Christmas Eve of a hideous old man, his family all hate him and are there for Christmas.

Hopefully next year will be better!

The Essex Serpent is 99p on Kindle. Just bought. Has anybody read it?

11.22.63 - Stephen King

Finally finished book 58 of the year! Longest book at the end. Well worth reading and my first ever King book. If anyone can recommend the ones I must read although if they're that long it may have to be one a year! Now to read something lighter before the end of the year

I was tempted by it, Remus, but it was available here in hardback only and was rather expensive. I'm looking forward to your review!

Geek - I''ll be sure to let you all know what I think of it!

Matilda - you will get as many different recs for which King to read next, as there are King readers on here! For what it's worth, I'd say:
The Green Mile
Bag of Bones
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Cujo
Misery

None of these are typical 'horror' books.

I nearly bought it for 99p Remus, then read the reviews and came to the conclusion it probably wasn't my sort of thing. Slightly regretting it, but I've already got a few things to read.

Currently working my way rather slowly through Creating Freedom by Raoul Martinez on audio and a bit disappointed so far (picked it up from the Guardian page where publishers list their favourite and 'most under-rated' books they've brought out in the year, which is generally a good source).
Much more pleased with my Verso bargain Four Futures as a real book - suspect that's more likely to get finished this year!

Hi sonnet I remember you, and your short and sweet posting name, welcome back.

Hello to new joiners and hello again to the recently mojo-less

I've really enjoyed all the conversations and reviews over the year and looking forward to doing it all again with you all in 2017.

I've not had much time to read at all but still chugging pleasantly through Alexander Hamilton's life and hope to finish All the light by the 31st. This may involve me ignoring my inlaws , but it's possible.

I nearly bought the Essex Serpent but decided against it, interested to hear thoughts. Is it 99p just for today?

I have bought Roger Moore's memoir in the sale.

Looking forward to reading Swing Time in the New Year after your review vanderly

Have heard mixed reviews about The Essex Serpent but thought it was worth a shot for 99p! Gothic, Victorian, sea serpents and surgeons all sound like my sort of things.

I got The Essex Serpent and am looking forward to it being one of my early reads of 2017. It's been on my watch list since one of you guys reviewed it favourably earlier this year. Without that, like so many other great reads I've picked up this year, I would probably never have heard of it. I am so glad I joined this thread, it's provided so much inspiration, not to mention interesting debate

As this is my first year, can I clarify what the rules are for carry overs? Unlike Matilda I am definitely NOT going to finish 11.22.63 this year. Can I count it against my 2017 tally when I finish (in about March by this rate)?

I thought it sounded good too, but if I get anything else I'll never get through the luminaries!

74. Taken at the Flood Agatha Christie. I do love an Agatha Christie at Christmas and this is quite a good one- a Poirot.

I struggled to keep up with the first couple of threads Sonnet, but I kept going and I'm so glad I did (and thank you to the regulars for having me!).

Thank you for the recommendations Remus. Shall check them out at the local library next time I'm in!

Museum Yes you can carry books over to add to your 2017 total - it doesn't matter how much you've already read and at what point you finish it next year.

Tarahumara - I've been on 50-Book threads since 2013, too

Thank you southeast - didn't want to play fast and loose with the 50 book rules!

Satsuki - I really enjoyed Roger Moore's memoir.

Another one for bargain books - Palgrave have a discount code at the moment - HLDY16EP - that gives £30 off any order, regardless of size. Orders under £30 are therefore free. . . Apparantly this code works with physical books too, but my moral qualms only let me 'buy' two ebooks (!)

I now have Nudge Theory in Action and Economics for the Curious: Inside the Minds of 12 Laureates on my to-read list for next year.