50 Book Challenge 2020 Part Three

[southeastdweller]

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

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2020, though reading fifty isn't mandatory. Any type of book can count, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

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

What are you reading?

Bought Bookworm

I have to social distance for at least 2 weeks and I'm nearly done with Mantel

Expecting to read loads

Me too eine but I can't focus on reading.

Same here Piggy, have given up on a few books recently as I just couldn’t get into them and those I am sticking with are taking longer than normal to read as I can’t seem to concentrate. It’s also partly because I’m not commuting now so I’ve lost that reading time - as I’m at home instead there’s always other things that need doing instead!

Me too. But I really want to try as I think it will be good for mental health to focus on something outside of my phone.

I've just done a library run as they are having a meeting whether/when to close it this afternoon. It was eerily quiet with only 3 in creeping round the stacks trying to avoid one another. All the usual activities are cancelled.

I've managed 50% of TMATL as I can't seem to sit still with a book. Audio seems ok for now, but I've been pausing and rewinding a lot more than usual.

Thank you, I've just got Bookworm too.

We are on the point of self-isolation for 3 months, here! There are 3 of us in the house who are classed as vulnerable, so I'm expecting to do a LOT of reading.

I might have to nip out today and panic-buy loo rolls first though

I have at least in these trying times got at least 100 unread books!

I've also ordered some jigsaws

I'm also finding it hard to concentrate on reading. I'm thinking of starting self-isolation in the next day or so (I'm immunocompromised) and hope that, once my initial feeling of panic has died down, I'll be able to get lots of reading done.

Our médiathèque had to shut down before I could get to it which kind of made me panicky in itself - until I realised that I have a gazillion unread paper books and kindle books to be getting on with!! Could have done with picking up a few films / series though!

Unfortunately I haven't been able to read at all since Thursday as I'm horribly busy getting to grips with new fangled technology and trying to teach classes of up to 30 students remotely. All fun and games!! Stay safe everyone

I popped into our library today, and the librarian hadn’t heard anything about any planned closures as yet. They have cancelled all the groups they usually host.
I do have piles of unread books lurking around the house though, so I won’t run out of reading material anytime soon if the library does close or we have to self-isolate.

I’m also finding it hard to concentrate on reading right now, i need to put down my phone and stop reading updates about Coronavirus. DH works in a hospital, which is another worry at the minute.

Hope everyone stays safe.

I have plenty of books to read or reread. I’m more worried about DS2 (9) who gets through a couple or more a week which is fine when he can get some from school but we will run low soon at that rate - I did an emergency charity shop trip at the beginning of last Christmas hols.

Fingers crossed for everyone particularly vulnerable
Tanaqui, I have read Carry On and its sequel. Not perfect, but if you like the idea of a slash Harry Potter...
Meanwhile, I have been doing the opposite of comfort reading, which I find can be curiously soothing: I read Bloodlands by Timothy Snyder while DF was dying, and I found a certain consolation in the fact that he was a Jewish man dying in his own home, surrounded by his family, of natural causes.
24. Cries Unheard by Gitta Sereny
The case of Mary Bell, at the heart of which are lengthy extracts from unsparing interviews between Bell and Sereny. A compelling study of how an abused child might become a killer, but its publication must have caused pain to the two victims’ families, and outed Bell to her teenage daughter and local community.

Can anybody think of any lovely, classic children's books which I might not yet have read? I think it's about all I've got the headspace for.

Have you read all the E. Nesbit, Remus?

Btw, Nottingham libraries are open tomorrow (Wednesday) and Thursday for people to get books out before they close.

Satsuki I've also just finished reading The Hobbit to my son and I completely agree with your review.

I did a bit of panic buying for the DC today

Have you read Martin Pippin in the Daisy Field Remus? Gorgeous if you haven't (Elsie Piddock Skips in her Sleep always makes me cry a little bit).

My other favourite children's series that seems relatively unknown here is the Edward Eager Half Magic series - which riffs on lots of E Nesbit's books and is very funny. I don't think they're on kindle, though.

The Anne Shirley ( Green Gables) books Remus ?

I love them

Thanks, Sadik. Not come across any of those.

Have read pretty much everything by E Nesbit, I think. Thanks, Plornish.

Plornish I thought Bloodlands was an excellent but harrowing read. It certainly gave me a much better understanding of Ukraine and how the legacy of famine may have impacted Ukrainian involvement in the Holocaust.

I remember there was a huge spat between Snyder and Richard J. Evans another historian who covers that era about the conclusions, but not enough of an expert to judge. But you might be interested in the discussion if you haven’t come across it already:

Evans’s review

www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v32/n21/richard-j.-evans/who-remembers-the-poles

When historians fall out

www.newstatesman.com/blogs/cultural-capital/2010/11/snyder-book-evans-review

I’ve been rereading a lot of children’s books too Remus have four Lorna Hill’s ballet books on my pile, two were presents, and two charity shop finds. Also, second Anne Shirley, have a complete set of Anne of Green Gable’s books on my pile too, I snapped them up in a sale a while ago. Generally avoiding heavy, downbeat literature at the moment. My DH is in a vulnerable group so looking at a lot of time cut off from the world. Although still trying to work out the logistics, if we isolate together might be problems getting supplies but if we’re apart in the house not sure how we’ll cope. We’re separate in the house at the moment as I’ve got some kind of virus and it feels really weird. And yes, my concentration is shot to hell.

Must admit that, Green Gables didn't do an awful lot for me. I think I've only read the first one. Do I want to read more?

I liked the early Green Gables books but the later ones when Anne was married to the immensely irritating Gilbert and was pretty insufferable herself were not for me.

Mmm - probably not for me then. Too many insufferable people on the news, without having them in my books as well!

I love that lots of us are thinking of reading opportunities this will bring in amongst the more real challenges. I went to pick up my copy of TMATL and apparently I have it til the 30/06 as they will probably close. Gives me time to audio the other two which is a nice thing in amidst the job threats etc.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie have you read Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising series?