50 Book Challenge 2018 Part One

[southeastdweller]

Welcome to the first thread of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2018, 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.

Who's in for this year?

toomuch I really enjoyed that a history of britian book. I listened to it on audio book, read by Jenni Murray. I found her choices intresting.

@BadBuddha: if your library uses Overdrive, reading on the Kindle might be possible soon! See help.overdrive.com/customer/portal/articles/1481599 - this post from Overdrive in October last year explains how to download library books to Kindles - US libraries only “currently” alas.

1. Our Man in Havana - Graham Greene

I really loved this novel set in a run-down Cuba just prior to the Castro years. 'Our Man' is a hapless Englishman and a rather unsuccessful vacuum cleaner salesman who lives in Havana with his daughter. He is rather absurdly recruited by the British Secret Service, but things don't turn out quite the way they are expected to. Excellent writing here and a good ending. A 20th century classic.

Dammit ToomuchSplother I haven’t read The Battle For Christabel and now I’ve broken my resolution not to buy any new books.

Remus Interesting I also bought & quickly skimmed through Quiet London yesterday (but decided not to count it on my book list). Enjoyed it.

Right. Book number 1 for 2018 is Jacqueline du Pre's biography by Carol Easton.

The story of cellist Jacqueline du Pre is probably well known to most of you--she was an amazing English cellist who tragically became ill with a very bad case of multiple sclerosis, quickly ended up not being able to play the cello, and died at age 42. This is a fascinating read, has lots of information for classical music enthusiasts (in terms of Du Pre's trailblazing but short career) & a well written description of her short and rather tragic life. It is in fact quite a distressing read but very interesting if you enjoy biographies & listen to classical music.

1. The Dark Flood Rises - Margaret Drabble

This book is mainly about ageing and death, and does not come to any uplifting conclusions, but I found it remarkably un-depressing, if that is a word, despite having elderly parents and plunging ahead into middle age myself. It's quite recent, and deals with contemporary affairs like the refugee crisis and climate change as side issues to the main themes. I haven't read any Margaret Drabble since the 1980s, but may now go back and read some of her other later stuff, as I enjoyed this one.

One thing I found irritating was her habit of attaching long strings of adjectives to almost every noun - I'm not sure if that has always been an element of her style, but it was a bit jarring.

I had resolved not to buy any books in January, given my huge backlog of unread books at home, but that resolution lasted all of three days: I did a shift in a charity bookshop today, so had to buy one book (old, illustrated edition of Evelyn Waugh's The Loved One - I may be embarking on a rather morbid death-themed reading spree), and then found myself accidentally in Waterstones...

Whippet I love Our Man In Havana
Reread it twice last year it's so ridiculous and laugh out loud funny at points too

Here is the link for the Postman's Park book Remus

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00TNT9V0Y/_encoding=UTF8?psc=0&coliid=I26203M06UYVXN&tag=mumsnetforum-21&colid=11UIK3LRC4DCE

Okay so here I go. Not back to work till Monday so have some time:

1) The Power- Naomi Anderson. Loved it. Super original and page-turning, definitely going to explore her other books.
2) The Underground Railroad-Colson Whitehead.
This was exceptional. I can't believe how good and emotional it was, I want everyone to read this!

So a great start to 2018. Liane Moriarty up next

Finished 3. Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe. Found Defoe a surprisingly modern writer even though at times I was Puzzled by the Random capitals in the Text. Fancy some thing light and fluffy now after all that vice so reading Marilyn Edwards and The cats of moon cottage

Sorry Best but actually not sorry. Hope you enjoy it.

I've just added The Postman's Park book to my wishlist as well as several other books. I love this thread but it's going to cost me a fortune.

I've hit a reading slump already. I'm embarrassed that it's hit so soon, and though I've looked at a little of I Contain Multitudes, I'm not really in the mood to read. I'm hoping that something light will get me back on form tomorrow.

*The City and The City by China Mieville which was a popular book on this thread last year"

Erm... not for everybody it wasn't!*

Ooh I remember that thread Cote
I was one who enjoyed The City and The City although I found that while the descriptions of the city, its history and the whole world of breach and studied ignoring were really enjoyable, it did fall apart a bit when people started having long conversations. I may have skipped all the conversationey bits near the end I would still recommend though if you're looking for something different.

Finished 1. The Human Stain by Philip Roth I really enjoyed it in the end , although I had to push in through some very long, wordy sections which were exceptionallly well written but hard going at times but the last third was superb. It's about the disgrace of a classics professor in New England in the 90s but is really a state of the nation narrative.
I googled and found out it is the 3rd book in of a trilogy it all 3 stand alone.
whippet I think this is part of the trilogy you are reading ? I'm guessing you're a fan as you want to read more. Me too but will wait until I find one secondhand.
Days without End by Sabastian Barry next. I have high hopes as it appeared in several favouraite books of the year lists.

@Frogletmamma - seriously - how can you have already read 3 books in 4 days, one of them a long Defoe?
I just don't get it. I am reading whenever I can - on the loo, in the bath, before bed etc and still not finished one book.
Are you still on Christmas holidays and spending all day on a chaise longue?
Do you speed read or skip massive chunks?
I have to admit envy here - I'd love to be able to read that quickly.

whippet and lastqueen I loved Our Man in Havana too. So funny.

Sounds like a great thread - used to always have a book on the go but got out of the habit in recent years what with kids/ work/ life ....and distracted internet browsing. So here goes. Book no. 1 will be Behind her Eyes, Sarah Pinborough ( nothing too challenging at this stage! )

GingerClementine. I've read 7 books in 3 days. I don't have children and I'm off sick, but some of us are just very fast readers. I don't skip chunks but I do speed read. I can if I have enough free time read 3 or sometimes 4 average length books in a day.

The thing is though that isn't an achievement for me. I'm so used to it that it doesn't require much effort, unless I hate the book, or I'm in a reading slump(like now) and then a full chapter really is an achievement.

I'm much more proud of the 1 book I read in April than the over 30 that I read last January, because it took a ton of effort to read that 1 book as my mental health was so poor, and the last thing I felt like doing was reading. There's really no merit in reading faster, so no one should feel bad about being slower than some.

I'm very curious to know what you think of DWE when you complete it, Cromwell44. I've had that on my wishlist for some time now.

I loved Days Without End. One of my top books from last year

Joining a bit late - and hoping that's ok. The thread was brilliant for me last year and I continued to read comments all year though got a bit discouraged when it was clear I wasn't going to hit my 50. Read loads of stuff I wouldn't have picked up without seeing it here first - Into Thin Air, The North Water, Red Rising, a Kent Haruf trilogy, The Light between Oceans, Bitch in a Bonnet, Playing to the Gallery, My Antonia, Carol, A Place called Winter, In the Heart of the Sea - and more. I think I hit about 35 before real life kicked in and I changed jobs, moved house and got married

Back again and aiming to stay on track with a steady start to the year!

The World's Wife Carole Ann Duffy. A collection of poetry where male figures from mythology or history are presented to us by the much lesser known women in their lives giving us a fresh and different perspective on their stories. This is well known here I think and I love it - I revisit often and find myself laughing and (almost) crying, shocked and sympathising. CAD has a strong Catholic background I recognise and can really relate to and I can often see it coming through especially in the familiar bible stories she chooses to tell. She describes it as 'part of her DNA'. One I return to when I need to fix my mojo....

Burial Rites Hannah Kent. Also reviewed and generally liked here I think. Its based on actual events and set in Iceland in the early 1800s. A convicted murderess is sent to live with a local officer, his wife and daughters while waiting for her death penalty to be arranged and carried out. She is allowed to choose a young priest as her confessor and he becomes the one who understands her, drawing out her story and picking through the details of stories others tell about her for the truth. The landscape is moody and gloomy and has a life and a character of its own. Its strong, powerful and challenging to simply survive against the odds. Im enjoying it but haven't quite finished yet.

Going for a change of tempo next I think. Stet by Diana Athill - any views on this one?

Welcome to the thread, GettingThereNow. You can join at any time.

Burial Rites was one of my favourite books of last year.

I might have to see if I can get a copy soon then, Toomuchsplother.

I want to read Days Without End - not too expensive on the Kindle right now but not sure since I’ve got a few to read on there already understatement

Hi gettingthere people were joining in December last year so don’t worry about that. It’s a moveable feast. I also want to read Burial Rites but missed it when it was reduced on Kindle so waiting for it to come down again.

Hello to joyless too - nice to have so many new joiners, but good to see familiar faces - names? - as well.