50 Book Challenge 2018 Part Five

[southeastdweller]

Welcome to the fifth 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, the third one here and the fourth one here.

How're you getting on so far?

Interesting list of books written by women in the last 100 years from the Hay festival. I’ve read 32 plus a few I failed to finish (Notes on a Scandal, The God of Small Things) List

I’ve read 25 of the books on that Hay Festival list you linked, Best.

I was surprised to see The Gruffalo on there though! I must have read it to the DC about 100 times by now, and while it’s a great story for reading to toddlers, it’s ... well, a great book for toddlers. Not one I’d recommend to an adult!

I reckon I’d be heading towards 500 books this year already if I was including the likes of The Gruffalo on my list

22. Eliza by Barry Pain – short, rather sweet book from 1900 featuring stories from the life of a senior clerk and his wife Eliza - having the cash for cake ‘in the house in case a friend dropped in’ is the pinnacle of their desires. I thought this was a great comfort read and a gentle comedy - similar to The Diary of a Nobody.

23 Gigli by Irmgard Keun – set in 1931 – and published the same year – the novel centres on Gigli a young office worker in Cologne. Gigli has a rigid plan for her life, she works hard, saves her money and dreams of travel, she has no time for anything else and certainly not for politics. Gigli’s commitment to being an independent woman veers off-track after a shocking revelation by her parents and it’s then derailed by first love. Her lover, Martin, is a rootless, spendthrift writer and as their affair progresses Gigli begins to confront the economic and social realities of life in Weimar Germany. The story is told in fresh, vivid, economical, yet poetic, prose.
There are times when I felt the style faltered, particularly as Gigli’s circumstances intensify her internal conflict, but it’s still an impressive first novel. Keun has been compared to Jean Rhys but I thought her style was more direct and her heroine more resilient than any of Rhys’s desperate women. Gigli was an enormous hit on publication, although Keun’s work was later banned as ‘degenerate’ by the Nazis. Keun has recently been championed by Ali Smith and, from reading this, I can see why. Although I didn’t think that Gigli was always successful it had some wonderful passages and I definitely want to read more of Keun’s novels: Child of all Nations - which is supposed to be a be a stronger novel - is quite cheap on Kindle at the moment.

Posting in two parts as seem to be having some 'newbie' posting problems!

shakeitoff is the Belle Savauge not meant to be YA like the others then? I was thinking of buying it for a pre teen who loves the others. Is it aimed at adults?

I’ve read 21 from Best’s list (and one of them’s The Gruffalo).

Oh, and I’m a good solid chunk into This Thing of Darkness and very much enjoying it.

Best interesting list! I have read 35 I think . Some DNF s for me too - The Secret History and Poisonwood Bible. Many I haven't heard of.

satsuki I wouldn't even class La Belle as YA to be honest. Reading Age must be around 12 and then random swear words and violence thrown in.

I can't process in my head someone DNFing God Of Small Things.. I adore it.

That said, I should know better since about 4 of my soon to sit their exam A Level class haven't either but they are morons unlike people on this thread

I have read 23 on the list : quite a few DNFs. Could not get on with Brick Lane, Caged Bird or Small Island.

I have read many of the poems within Standing Female Nude but didn't count it.

But there are 4 books on there that I can't see what they are and that is with my glasses on!!

I feel there are oversights - no Kate Atkinson, for example, and the Mantel is a strange choice.

Went back and recounted because I hadn't spotted The Gruffalo row and the last row! So, it's now 26.

I've read 19 on that list and I agree no Kate Atkinson is an oversight. Also, where is The Goldfinch? Lullaby was only published a few months ago so I'm dubious about it being there.

The Goldfinch is also Donna Tartt though.

I hated it , but surprised The Miniaturist isn't there and Beryl Bainbridge has been forgotten about these days, sadly.

Also think Kate Summerscale could be there.

Agree about Lullaby.

I've read 24 from that list but tbh it seems like a very odd list indeed for books by women from the whole of the last century. But I suppose if it's what people nominated....

Oh dear, I’ve only read 12 from the Hay list . I’ve never even heard of lots of them!

I haven’t read the Gruffalo but did count the Jacqueline Wilson. But yes, I haven’t heard of a lot of those books.

There was also no Ruth Rendell who I adored.

I agree that it seems like a strange list Terpsichore.
75. Bluebird, Bluebird - Atticus Locke I really enjoyed this. And it was a book club book! For those of you who have had to put up with my whining and eye rolling about past book club books, you will understand how rare this is!! This book is a murder mystery set against the background of racial tension in a small Texas town. It is a well told story, beautifully paced and ultimately believable. It had similarities with The Dry but was far superior in the skill of it's delivery. I would say this is actually one of my standouts of this year and will definitely look out for others by this author.

Thanks piggy

Agree about Lullaby too. I’d read all or some of 30 odd.

I finished God of Small Things but didn’t enjoy it that much. The prose was cloying for me and...other things I can’t remember offhand.

Good list for some ideas though. Cracking on with The Gruffalo now!

Ooh, that’s interesting about the Atticus Locke book, toomuch. I’ve looked and been tempted before but never plunged - maybe I will now!

I think Small Things stuck out at the time it was written as being refreshing in style. It's in my top 7 of all time definitely. I love Beloved too on that list. None of the others really excited me.

38. Rules of the Game by James Frey

YA. Third Endgame novel. Endgame is in the final phase and 7 players remain.
One has Earth Key and Sky Key, and seeks Sun Key to win and ensure the survival of his line of humanity as all the others perish.
One plays for death.
The remaining 5 seek to stop Endgame and save Earth from the powerful alien Makers.

An entertaining read with lots of fast paced action.

I've read 30 from that list, plus a few DNFs, so it's evidently not very literary ;-)

Your a level class should be grateful piggy, they could be reading Joseph Conrad

Oh God, yes. The horror! That reminds me of first year uni.

Small Things isn't even very long!