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50 Book Challenge 2018 Part Four

998 replies

southeastdweller · 12/03/2018 08:37

Welcome to the fourth 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, it’s not too late to join, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

The first thread of the year is here, the second one here and the third one here.

How're you getting on so far?

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6
Sadik · 15/04/2018 13:51

28 The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair by Joel Dicker

Harry Quebert is a struggling writer & becomes obsessed with a 15 year old girl who then disappears. Thirty plus years later, after he has become successful & celebrated, her body is dug up from his backyard, & he is the only suspect for her murder.

I would say that this is a decent twisty thriller, but wouldn't win any literary prizes - except that it did win literary prizes. I'm not entirely sure why, it was definitely a page-turner for me, but most of the events are wildly implausible, all the women are caricatures, and all the men behave appallingly.

Piggywaspushed · 15/04/2018 15:07

Anyone else read The Grapes Of Wrath? I am finding it very hard going...

whippetwoman · 15/04/2018 15:20

I have read Grapes of Wrath and I found it moving but that was a long time ago so I'm due a re-read. However, I have never read East of Eden and the copy on my TBR gives me reproachful stares on a daily basis.

Sadik, I've got Harry Quebert on my Kindle unread for some time now. Should I give it a go?

BestIsWest · 15/04/2018 15:22

I read Grapes Of Wrath as a teenager and was devastated by it. Made me very angry. I read it again and still think it’s a fantastic if hard to read book.

BestIsWest · 15/04/2018 15:23

I read it again last year

Piggywaspushed · 15/04/2018 15:28

Hmmm... I think it just belongs in my 'too much dialogue' category. I had the same issue with And Their Eyes Were Watching God. I switch off. And I love Of Mice and Men.

I'll keep going...

CheerfulMuddler · 15/04/2018 15:49

Read it as a teenager and seem to remember liking it but not loving it.

  1. This is Going to Hurt Adam Kay Diary of a junior doctor. I liked this. Bobs along, a mixture of you'll-never-believe-what-that-patient-just-did comedy anecdotes, and a real rage about the hours, pay, rota fuck-ups and lack of support junior doctors are expected to put up with. It's genuinely alarming how broken the system seems to be - one newly-qualified doctor with a bleeper expected to deal with all emergencies across all wards on night shift? I would have liked a bit more of the human stories - I have a friend who's an obstetrician, and she talks more about the parents giving birth to children who are about to be taken away from them, the parents who bring eight family members along - including small children - to witness the birth and so on. And although there's a LOT of bodily fluids, he tends to concentrate on the funny or triumphant stories rather than the sad ones, which I suppose is understandable. Still. I raced through this, and I'm glad I read it. It's one of those books that will stay with you every time you're admitted to hospital.
PepeLePew · 15/04/2018 15:51

I have just finished The Grapes of Wrath. It's a slow burn but - I think - worth persevering. So sad and so moving. The chapters that are more general in their focus, rather than the ones about the Joads, I found a bit disruptive at the start but after a while I enjoyed the rhythm of them. It's a wonderful book but I think does take a while to get into.

Piggywaspushed · 15/04/2018 15:52

There was a good article in the ST today by a A and E nurse which had that more human angle muddler (interestingly, she says doctors are able to turn off emotion easier than nurses) . She was called Christie something and has a book out soon. Will try to find a link. Looks worth a read. Bit gruelling.

Sadik · 15/04/2018 17:03

whippetwoman I wouldn't push Harry Quebert to the top of a tbr list, but it'd be the ideal book for a long train journey or similar I'd say.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 15/04/2018 17:20

Marking place, so I remember how much of this I've caught up with!

Currently reading another Ngaio Marsh, which I'm enjoying, and Being Mortal which is horribly depressing.

Toomuchsplother · 15/04/2018 17:31

Terrible insomnia last night caused by sciatica, husband on a overnight flight over Russia airspace (1am paranoia is an evil thing!) DS1 stressing about GCSE's and new job starting tomorrow, plus farting dog!! Upshot is I reread 64. Lincoln in the Bardo- George Saunders. Read and loved this last year. Has recently come in for a lot of stick on a Facebook book page I frequent so thought I would refresh myself to see if I was being unreasonable in my devotion. Up shot is I am not and I loved it even more this time. The portrayal of a father's grief for his son is some of the most beautiful I have ever read. Forgot how much humour was there too. Not to mention bodily functions!

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 15/04/2018 17:56

And giant members, iirc.

Toomuchsplother · 15/04/2018 18:01

Remus you are correct. Wink

Original poster
southeastdweller · 15/04/2018 19:17

Toomuch I'm reading Lincoln in the Bardo currently and it's leaving me cold. Unfortunately I'm at the point now where it would be silly to give up.

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Toomuchsplother · 15/04/2018 19:32

Southeast it is definitely a marmite book.

CheerfulMuddler · 15/04/2018 20:00

Ooh piggy, that nurse book is written by a former Costa winner! That bodes well. Will keep it in mind next time I want to be depressed about the NHS. (May need to wait a bit).

Tanaqui · 15/04/2018 20:17

I have missed a bit as I went away (ad my flight home was cancelled so I got two gorgeous extra days, which was fab for me!), so this may be a bit late, but Piggy, I loved Alastair MacLean, Desmond Bagley, Dick Francis at about 13, and they all have male protagonists - the love for Guns of Navarone reminding me (although I seem to recall my favourite MacLean was Goodbye California

  1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. Read this because I mostly enjoyed Commonwealth (although I remember it by the lovely gin and oranges party, and not the really sad bit later on), and I just saw a broadcast of a Bel Canto opera (L'Elisir D'Amore, really enjoyed it!). I also really enjoyed this - can't think how to review without giving spoilers, but would really recommend if you enjoyed Commonwealth - I think it this significantly better!

I also thought of the vegetable when I read the marrow title, glad I want the only one!

Piggywaspushed · 15/04/2018 20:18

Thanks tanaqui : those may be good shouts!

Tanaqui · 15/04/2018 20:18

OFGS sorry re typos, (and, reminded, close bracket, wasn't!)

Tanaqui · 15/04/2018 20:21

Oh good - the Francis is probably the easiest to start with, although maybe not the first couple which might feel quite dated.

Sadik, I felt exactly the same as you about the Quebert, and I can barely remember it now, which is one of the ways I decide if a book was any good or not!

Sadik · 15/04/2018 20:45

I re-read a Desmond Bagley (Running Blind) last year Tanaqui and thought it stood up pretty well. (Also used to love Maclean and Dick Francis.)

AliasGrape · 16/04/2018 08:30
  1. Money for Nothing - PG Wodehouse - far from my favourite of his but amusing nonetheless. I liked Pat.
MuseumOfHam · 16/04/2018 09:17

  1. The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross Fun concept of a secret civil service department staffed with geeks fighting supernatural forces of evil. Unfortunately it was very poorly done. Didn't bother looking up what the special in jokes for geeks were, because I just wasn't moved to care by the silly plotting, and characterisation that showed no-one (especially women, surprise surprise) in a favourable light.

  2. The Play of Death by Oliver Pötzsch Book 6 in the hangman 's daughter series, in 1670s Bavaria, this time based around the Oberammergau passion play. Neither the best or the worst in this series, but enjoyed the ongoing character development. Not the place to start it you haven't read any of these before. I see book 7 is out in English soon, and am pleased to see it will have a different translator, as this series has suffered throughout from clunky translation.