50 Book Challenge 2020 Part Four

[southeastdweller]

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

What are you reading?

@Piggywaspushed get well soon.

Sorry, Piggy. Had missed that you're not well. Hope you feel better very soon.

Loving the threads at the moment. Very impressed with the amount most people are reading even if you say your concentration is poor! Mine's appalling despite much simpler situation than most.

15. Trust Exercise by Susan Choi One of those books that now I've finished reading it, I'm going to have to google to find out what happened. This is largely because of the concentration issue but also because of the 'experimental form'. It's about events in a performing arts high school and the subsequent fallout over years. 3 sections, each shorter than the last, looking at similar events from different perspectives, different time periods and points if view, but changing all the characters' names except two each time. I'm certain this sounded like a terrific idea to the author but the fact is that I mainly hold on to my views of book characters via their names - I think many authors overestimate their abilities to actually write memorable, distinct characters - so I only had the haziest idea of what was happening. That said, the first section in particular was amazing, gripping, erotic and emotional, which made me particularly cross to lose sight of all those characters with nothing even slightly progressed, never mind resolved.

In the end I think I will like it more as I think about it (and perhaps if Google can help me understand it).

Most of my reading was done before mid-February when things got interesting round here. I'm just starting to feel a bit more myself, hence the little joke in my list of books read so far this year. The good days are getting more frequent than the bad days.

Sorry for your loss, noodle and feel better soon piggy.

Not bringing list over as it would involve laborious typing on phone. Update:

31. High and Low: How I Hiked Away from Depression across Scotland, by Keith Foskett
    This won"t win any literary awards, but I'm missing walking - I had plans for Easter - so it scratches the itch to read about it. Walking is usually described as raising someone"s mood, and the twist with this one is what happens when the magic stops working - your failsafe joy stops bringing you joy. It won't be for everyone, but interested me sufficiently.

32. The Written Word: How Literature Shaped History, by Martin Puchner.
    The author is an academic and there is a textbook flavour to this overview of world literature in history. I was half expecting to be set an essay at the end. He tries to jazz it up by visiting some of the places mentioned, but this is a total waste of air miles - he has no gift for evoking place. Still, I enjoyed finding out more about The Tale of Genji and Anna Akhmatova's ordeals in Soviet Russia, so it didn't feel like a wasted effort.

Currently on 33. A Murder is Announced, by Agatha Christie. Perhaps contraversialy, I prefer Marple to Poirot. There are loads I haven't read. I am enjoying the evocation of the post WWII world. Poor central European refugee who saw at least one relative killed in front of her but who is otherwise dismissed as a liar.

So sorry to hear of your loss noodlezoodle. My mother died late last year and I found comfort in familiar authors but couldn’t face tackling anything unknown.

Hope you feel better soon piggy - and anyone else who is unwell.

I am on a roll at the moment and raced through:

18. A Symphony of Echoes - Jodi Tyler

Second in The Chronicles of St Mary’s and, for me, as readable as the first. Fast-paced and very entertaining with travel to the court of Mary Queen of Scots, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and Jack the Ripper’s Whitechapel.

I am going to force myself to eke these out and read something different next.

for Noodle and Piggy

Thank you all, this thread is the loveliest place. I'm sorry for your loss @bettybattenburg, it's hard isn't it?

Some great suggestions here and old favourites sound good - might start with I Capture The Castle and perhaps a bit of Jilly Cooper and Barbara Trapido.

Remus, 84 Charing Cross Road is one of my all time favourites so that's definitely going on the list and I've been eyeing up Miss Pettigrew so I might grab that.

southeast, excellent idea about Inside Vogue, thank you - and I can probably cope better with the diary format than with anything more demanding. (Won't be starting Ducks, Newburyport any time soon). I didn't know she had a new one on the way so I'll definitely go for that when it's out.

Get well soon Piggy.

Thanks noodle : sorry to hear your news.

[Flowers] to noodle and Piggy and thanks to Southeast for the new thread.

On book 2 of Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache series. A nice relief from real life.

for those who are grieving or ill.

Afternoon all. Sending warm wishes, particularly to all those struggling at the moment. I have been reading really slowly this year due to work pressures, and have been working and sorting out home learning through lockdown, so I probably won't pick up the pace too much any time soon. I am still very much enjoying all the book chat however!

1. March Violets by Philip Kerr
2. Ring The Hill by Tom Cox
3. The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin
4. The Lost Man by Jane Harper
5. Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood.
6. Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver

7. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

1. The Secret Barrister - Stories of the Law and How It's Broken

Noodle - Miss Pettigrew is just lovely. The film is very good too, apart from Shirley Henderson's stupid voice.

I haven't done any reading today, but I have watched Donny Osmond in Joseph on Youtube. High culture indeed!

@TimeforaGandT I'm the same with the St Mary's books really love them after discovering them earlier this year but realise I need to pace myself so I don't run out. Might have to read the next one soon though.

I can't remember who said but apparently there's a really good St Mary's Facebook group (I don't have Facebook but might have to use my husbands account to check it out)

Remus, I am being like you and re-reading The Stand. Well, kind of skimming at the moment as the first 25% makes for very uncomfortable reading right now and I’d forgotten some of the really gruesome stuff. But you are not wrong about the Lincoln Tunnel. (Though I don’t know why he didn’t try a bridge first...or look for a boat).
Am looking forward to getting to the rebuilding of civilisation (and the endless committee meetings ).

Oh @noodlezoodle I’m so sorry for your loss.

@southeastdweller thank you for this thread. I doubt not I will make it to the 100 books I’d hoped with life so very busy all of a sudden but I’m still loving reading when I can.

1. One day in the life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
2. Bookwormby Lucy Mangan.
3. Educated by Tara Westover. Bestselling memoir of a wo
4. The Nickel Boys by Colson
5. Finding Jenifer Jones by Anne Cassidy

6. The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer. 7. Me by Elton John.

1. Black Car Burning by Helen Mort.
2. The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein.

10. Conviction by Denise Mina. 11. In The Woods by Tana French. 12. when the wind Blows by Raymond Briggs. 13. Girl, women, other by Bernadine Evaristo. 14. Glass Town by Isabel Greenberg. 15. Dominicana by Angie Cruz. 16. Wolf hall by 17. Blue Monday by Nicci French

I’ve a few books on the go at the moment including Adults by Emma Jane Unsworth which I’m enjoying - very Brigitte Jones esque (which I’ve also got to listen to as a comfort book).

noodlezoodle I'm so sorry to hear about your mother.

I Capture the Castle or Barbara Trapido sound perfect. Can I also recommend Foster by Clare Keegan. Don't be put off by the trashy cover - I have read it many times and I get something new every time. (An Irish connection is helpful, but not necessary to appreciate it.)

Remus I haven't seen the film (or read the book) of Miss Pettigrew but I loved Shirley Henderson reading Goblin Market*!

Sorry, I don't know what happened with my attempt at bold there.

- I like everything about her apart from her voice, which drives me to distraction.

It’s great isn’t it MamaNewtNewt to discover something you really enjoy and then find out there are multiple books.

I am not on Facebook or anything except this thread so I may have to give that a miss.

About to go to bed to read and will have to be firm in my resolve to read something else rather than the next St Mary’s book (which is already on my Kindle!).

noodlezoodle sorry for your loss

Pepe - glad you enjoyed the Lincoln Tunnel. 😁

Thanks for the new thread southeast

My list so far:

1. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
2. Death is a Welcome Guest by Louise Welsh
3. Bird Box by Josh Malerman
4. Stranger With My Face by Lois Duncan
5. Calmer, Easier, Happier Homework by Noel Janis-Norton
6. Skeletons by Jane Fallon
7. The Wolf Gift by Anne Rice
8. Red: A Natural History of the Redhead by Jacky Colliss Harvey
9. The Neutronium Alchemist by Peter F Hamilton

10. The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley 11. 99 Red Balloons by Elisabeth Carpenter 12. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini 13. Female Chauvinist Pigs by Ariel Levy 14. The Scent of Shadows by Vicki Pettersson 15. The Silver Dream story by Neil Gaiman & Micheal Reaves, written by Michael Reaves & Mallory Reaves 16. By Light Alone by Adam Roberts 17. The Treatment by C L Taylor 18. Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor 19. The Escape by C L Taylor 20. The Chalk Man by C J Tudor 21. No Dominion by Louise Welsh 22. How to Lose Weight Without Being Miserable by Richard Templar 23. The Fire Sermon by Francesca Haig 24. Chimera by Mira Grant 25. God Bless the NHS by Roger Taylor 26. Bring Me Back by B A Paris

My reading has pretty much ground to a halt this month. I’m finding it difficult to settle on a book and have been flitting between several and not getting very far.
And the enforced home schooling has confirmed that I’m not cut out to be a teacher. But at least the DC are reading their books.

Afternoon everyone, no progress from me, I'm place marking.

Also wanted to give condolences to Noodle and Betty , and get well vibes to Piggy. I am also self isolating as of today - household all rather under the weather.