50 Book Challenge 2019 Part Two

[southeastdweller]

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

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2019, 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.

What are you reading?

Another Headlong fan here. I’ve also just finished Milkman and loved it. Weirdly reminded me of The Siege of Krishnapur (one of my favourite books ever) and I couldn’t quite work out why, but I think it might be something to do with a novel that feels as though it delivers you an insight into a period and place without having to recount historical events exactly. Also (sorry for spoilers but most people on the thread seem to have read it!) quite surprised and pleased to feel uplifted by the ending of Milkman after she created such a narrow and bleak atmosphere throughout.

I actually really enjoy the way Sally Rooney writes. I think she captures perfectly the poignancy and pain of being in your twenties and trying to work out who you are and what you want. But I wasn't blown away by her. I think she is massively overhyped.

indigo yes I agree, and with southeast - she did capture a lot of things well. But Marianne was not a real woman and whilst the family and situation were well drawn I didn’t feel she was. Connell wasn’t “likeable” but felt like a good character nonetheless.

grim I loved Milkman and yes it was properly uplifting. I have Krishnapur on my Kindle waiting so interested to get on to that.

I read and loved Krishanpur and Troubles when I was late teens, just started The Singapore Grip which is the third in the trilogy

11. Mr Wrong by Elizabeth Jane Howard

A collection of short stories and I really enjoyed them. She writes beautifully. Definitely going to read more of her novels now - still not really sure why I haven’t read them before given how much I love The Cazalet Chronicles!

8.) How to Behave Badly in Renaissance Britain, Ruth Goodman -- A social history in the vein of Time Traveller's Guide,, although this has a narrower focus: it's a practical guide on the many and varied ways of subverting society and giving offence in Renaissance Britain. From swearing to violence to dealing with various bodily functions are all touched upon. There isn't as much detail here as there is in the Time Traveller's Guide Books, but I think the author does a better job of bringing the people of the time to life, and like everything she does it's eminently practical and sensible. Entertaining, informative, and just puerile enough for my tastes.

9.) Blood Cruise, by Mats Strandberg -- I am, and always will be, a sucker for horror and mystery novels/films set on cruise ships. A 24 hour booze cruise between Sweden and Finland is beset by vampires. A bit overlong and repetitive, which is quite slow to get going, but fairly quick and pacy to read despite the size of it. Lots of descriptions of blood and biting, but I think this will ultimately prove fairly forgettable.

I agree with Southeast about Conversations with Friends - I felt she really captured something there. I wasn't as keen on Normal People, but I do really rate her.

Meanwhile, I have finished book 9. the first of Knausgaard's epic 6 book autobiographical/auto fiction saga cycle - My Struggle: A Death in the Family. This one was nearly 500 pages, the next one is over 600 but I intend to read them all this year. I totally loved it, which surprised me, as it's so overtly 'male' and so self-indulgent and detailed. Oh god is it detailed. However, I thought it was amazing because the extreme detail makes you feel as if you are actually there and experiencing how it feels to be a teenage boy/young adult in Norway in the 1980s. It made me feel rather dazed because I got so caught up in it. There's no way I am recommending this though! I told my mum I was reading it and she was
Also, Norwegians seem to drink A LOT of coffee. Can anyone confirm this?

BOOK 4 THE HEART'S INVISIBLE FURIES. what can i say, an amazing book, beautifully written and such humour! Loved it!
BOOK 5 CARRIE'S WAR by Nina Bawden, really enjoyed it
bOOK 6 is going to beTHE DIARY OF A BOOKSELLER

whippet Having read Normal People I thought I’d definitely read whatever she does next but didn’t feel like going and reading her past one. I have the first Knausgaard still waiting for the right moment, enjoyed your review.

11. The crimes of Grindelwald by JK Rowling

Read this in about an hour. Saw the film in December and I'm a big HP fan so enjoyed disappearing back into the world for a short time.

My list:

1. The Girls by Emma Cline
2. Coming Home by Rosamund Pilcher - again. I used to have a love hate relationship with it but actually it does have a few really good moments and is very atmospheric and a massive wish fulfilment joy. The worst thing about it is the letters - she uses them to give all the background exposition about the war which wouldn't work as dialogue - fair enough, but literally every letter sounds exactly the same, it's impossible to work out which character is supposed to be writing each one.

Hi! I've posted on this board but never on the book challenge threads.
I've read 7 books so far this year. I'm still a student, doing English at university, and have really been trying to read ahead in 2 of them because one of my teachers uses PDF's and hasn't uploaded them. One of the courses I'm taking is children's literature. So this year I have read:
the Sofia Kahn series by Ayisha Malik (before I got back to school). Both very well-written, but really didn't care for any of the men Sofia expressed an interest in.
The Moment She Left by Susan Lewis, sequel to Behind Closed Doors which I have read earlier. Great book, also read befrom returning to school. Great book.
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit. I had had to read this one for school a long time ago, too. Pretty good book.
Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan. Loved this book when I'd read it earlier, and loved it again.
Holes by Louis Sachar. Not bad, but didn't really get the appeal and why it's so famous.
A Streetcar named Desire by Tencessee Wiliams. Well-written, characters were meh.
Currently reading The Giver by Lois Lowry. I had read it much earlier and really liked it, and am liking it again.

6. Turning the Tide on Plastic - Lucy Siegle
This is a call to action on the mountains of plastic waste we are producing. It starts of which facts about plastic, the history of it and how it’s ended up in the oceans, on land and in our bodies. Some of this detail was quite horrifying.

The second part of the book focuses on practical actions individuals can take. Some of it was common sense but there were some ideas which I haven’t tried and which I’ll aim to implement this year. With a young child, I’m very aware of the stream of plastic tat that enters the house and I’d like to reduce it as much as possible.

Have been doing a bit of reading this week.

1. Clock Dance by Anne Tyler. The story of a woman’s life and what happens when she goes to look after her son’s ex girlfriend and daughter when the ex is shot. I really enjoyed this, particularly the first part that is three perfectly crafted short stories about the main character. I’ve only recently discovered her but I think she’s great. She isn’t a showy author, but is stealthily quite brilliant I think. I have only read three of her books so I have loads more to enjoy!
2. A single man by Christopher Isherwood. It’s the day in the life of a middle aged gay man whose partner has died. It was a film with Colin Firth. Loved it. Very moving. Really just wonderful from start to finish. No wasted unnecessary words. Only 150 pages but I took several days to read it as I just wanted to enjoy the language. A 1960s novel but has aged well.
3. The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler. Read this very quickly. All about our vaginas (kept wanting to change it to vulva in true MN style). Humorous and serious. I didn’t really enjoy it as I feel I know all this stuff! I wish I’d read it 20 years ago where it would have done me some good. It had extra bits in, including some dodgy poetry that I didn’t like at all.

Now reading We are all completely beside ourselves and I’m loving it.

Everything Under is on Kindle Daily Deals today for £1.99. One of my stand outs of the year so far. Also the new book from Emma Healy author of Elizabeth is missing , Whistle in the Dark .

1. This is Going to Hurt - Adam Kay. Read by almost everyone on MN it seems, I too wanted to get on the love train but I wasn't keen at all. He didn't come across well - cocky, generally lacking in empathy and self-absorbed. I thought the (mostly unfunny) humour was forced and this made me question whether how much of this book was fabricated and exaggerated. On that point, I also wondered how he found the time and energy to write such lucid and detailed diary entries when he's always complaining about how tired and busy he is. I also thought some of the book was downright boring.

ChrissieFL I can recommend the following EJH books from my bookshelf although it's a few years since I read them

Book 3: Roar by Cecilia Ahern - I really enjoyed this book of short stories about women who were seeking empowerment. I found the stories quirky and entertaining although one or two were downright bizarre. The format also appealed to me, I never read short stories but I liked being able to read a couple of stories each night so I'm planning to seek out more. Any recommendations gratefully received.

I started The Heart's Invisible Furies last night and was instantly hooked.

I enjoyed the short story collection Reader I Married Him edited by Tracy Chevalier Wearenot. Loosely inspired by Jane Eyre and as always with these things a mixed bag but some real stand outs and no absolute duds.

I’m waiting for The Heart’s Invisible Furies to come down in price on Kindle. Really want to read that one.

Thanks Sonnet I’ll look those up!

I think something is going to have to give this year- I can barely keep up with this thread and I’ve only just read my second book! (I went back to work full time last summer!).

I also LOVED Dick Francis and found Felix, sadly, to be a disappointment.

2. The Mother Daughter Book Club by Heather Frederick. Very contrived American children’s book loosely linked to Little Women, picked it up in my classroom!

3. Not sure I can really count these, but My Naughty Little Sister’s Friends and When My Naughtly Little Sister Was Good by Dorothy Edwards. I absolutely love these books, they read aloud beautifully, are utterly charming and Shirley Hughes’ illustrations are perfect. If you have 6-8 year old children and you haven’t reads these to them please give it a go (My naughty Little Sister is the first one).

Nuffaluff completely agree with your description of Anne Tyler as 'stealthily quite brilliant'. She is my comfort read of choice. Have read quite a few of hers and they never let me down. She portrays complicated family dynamics perfectly, with just the right mix of humour and compassion.

I'm struggling,too tanaqui, don't worry

I am reading David Didau's new education swagger doorstop and Michelle Obama, so heavy I can't lift it to a comofrtable angle to read it! I may be some time!

southeast I feel the same about Adam Kay having read and reveiwed it last year. I also don't warm to him in telly appearances. I wonder whether he has another book in him now he has left the NHS?