50 Book Challenge 2020 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 2020, 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?

Cote I saw that yesterday and was hoping you wouldn't notice so we could have some fun when it was released.

The Other Bennet Sister came free in the library app yesterday, so I'm happily immersed again - nice to have a book that I'll make time to pick up, rather than just sitting there for when I'm bored.

I've also been going through this FT readers picks of 2020 books so far comments thread & have added lots of books to my wishlist off the back of it, including Kings of Shanghai and a couple of books about modern Russia.

Give it a chance Cote, maybe it’ll turn out to be a really good book, written in a convincingly plausible way, that you’ll love

17. Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
Queenie is a 25 year old black woman living in South London. She is struggling to break through in her journalism career, and her love life is increasingly chaotic following the break up of a long term relationship, which leaves her on the edge of a mental health crisis.

More fun I've made it sound, but not lightweight, commenting on the fetishization of black women, negative effects of gentrification, and everyday racism. A decent read.

On the subject of podcasts, Shedunnit is worth a listen if you're interested in golden age detective fiction and finding out some of the real-life cases that inspired authors. Much of the information will be well-known to any 'tec fic aficionado, but I've enjoyed finding out about the Florence Maybrick case, Dorothy L. Sayers' Mutual Admiration Society, and how to adapt these books for TV - Caroline Crampton (the host) sometimes has some interesting guest interviews.

Dropped off the thread since lockdown began but here's my list so far.

1. Stiff The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers: Mary Roach
2. Circe: Madeline Miller

3. The Girl with all the Gifts: M. R. Carey

1. Odd Girl Out: Laura James
2. Their Skeletons Speak: Sally M Walker and Douglas W Owsley
3. The Royal Art of Poison: Eleanor Herman
4. The Boy on the Bridge: M R Carey
5. Rivers of London: Ben Aaronovitch

9. The Handmaid's Tale: Margaret Atwood 10. The Vagina Bible: Dr Jen Gunter 11. Hormonal: Eleanor Morgan 12. Bosh! How To Live Vegan: Henry Firth and Ian Theasby 13. Ready Player One: Ernest Cline 14. I Am Legend: Richard Matheson 15. Oryx and Crake: Margaret Atwood 16. Women and Girls with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Sarah Hendrickx 17. The Year of the Flood: Margaret Atwood 18. The Hot Zone: Richard Preston 19. MaddAddam: Margaret Atwood 20. Station Eleven: Emily St John Mandel 21. The Extinction Trials: S. M. Wilson 22. The Extinction Trials Exile: S. M. Wilson 23. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine: Gail Honeyman 24. The Extinction Trials Rebel: S. M. Wilson 25. A Discovery of Witches: Deborah Harkness 26. The Testaments: Margaret Atwood 27. Shadow of Night: Deborah Harkness 28. The Tyrannosaur Chronicles: David Hone 29. World War Z: Max Brooks 30. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: Suzanne Collins 31. Five Hundred Miles from You: Jenny Colgan 32. The Book of Life: Deborah Harkness 33. The Passage: Justin Cronin

Starred are the ones I have loved. Im currently reading The End of the World Running Club but im not sure what to make of it yet.

I am reading How We Disappeared by Jing Jing Lee. It was longlisted for the Women's Prize. Given you are all so disappointed by A Thousand Ships, it seems a shame this did not make the shortlist. I am halfway through but it is beautifully written .

80. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

Survivors of a terrible atrocity, mother and son cross Mexico on the run; in pursuit of an escape via the American Dream.

Absolutely fucking gripping from Page One the constant tension and anxiety and threat never abates and the whole thing has a cinematic quality.

Some controversy surrounded the book in that it was critically very well received, but written by a white American is not an authentic voice from the affected community, and people would do well spending book money on those voices

I didn't really know much about the book or the controversy before I bought it, it just kept showing up on my Amazon and Audible screens.

What I do know is that this is the best book I have read so far this year. It is brilliant and will probably be high in my overall Top Reads 2020.

Highly Recommend

Thanks Satsuki and Boiledegg for the You're Booked and Sue MacGregor GR podcast recommendations . Will definitely be seeking them out.

Eine I agree with everything you say about Amercan Dirt .. half way through at the moment and I'm totally gripped.

highlandcoo and I’ve been listening to a Good Read the last few nights, enjoying looking through old episodes, thanks.

Piggy I'm still cross that A Thousand Ships made the shortlist, there were several others with a much higher quality of writing. I struggled to get my personal shortlist down to 6 as it was a strong field but ATS was firmly in my bottom 3. A few authors this year should feel very robbed.

I have another of Jing Jing Lee's books in my TBR, but I've got a few library holds that have all become available at once.

130. Clock Dance - Anne Tyler A woman with grown children jumps at the chance to look after her 'sort of' granddaughter. Her life has had several defining moments where her path has been chosen by others, but now has the opportunity to make her own choices and see life differently.

Typical Anne Tyler, not much goes on but the observations about people and life are spot on.

131.Brit(ish) - Afua Hirsch
On Race, Identity and Belonging. A look at race from the perspective of a successful middle class mixed race woman and how she and others struggle to find their sense of place in modern Britain.

This was really interesting. I watched her deliver a lecture at the Hay Festival and she isn't afraid to make people feel uncomfortable and challenge norms, but does it very politely. I don't think she is as hard hitting as Reni Eddo Lodge but it was a fascinating look at race issues in the UK and discusses things that are very relevant to recent events. She's a barrister and journalist so the writing is outstanding.

132. If I Had Your Face - Frances Cha Set in modern day Seoul and the competitive world of Room Salons where beautiful women entertain weathly businessmen. It looks at Korean culture and the struggles of women to conform to impossible standards set down for them by society. Multiple POV from four very different women whose lives cross paths.

It's a culture that I know nothing about so I found this quite interesting.

133. These Women - Ivy Pochoda A serial killer in LA has resumed after a 15 year break. Five women are entangled with the case as a female detective starts to piece together the information that connects them all to the killer in different ways.

I really liked this. It's obvious who the killer is, but this isn't written as a whodunit, more the relationships between people that go on around the case as events unfold. This is really well written and I'll be looking out for more by this author.

Great reviews, everyone. More books added to the list!

My two latest reads:

29. A Study in Scarlett by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Sherlock Holmes entertainingly read by Stephen Fry. Very good.

30. Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday.

Split in 3 parts. The first is about the relationship between a famous award-winning older writer and a twenty-something editor (based loosely on the writer’s own previous relationship Philip Roth apparently), the second part is about the life of an American with Iraqi heritage and the third is a pretend Desert Island Discs with above older author. Hmm. I liked the writing, quite engaging. But I’m not convinced about the connection between the first and second story despite subsequently reading reviews and, therefore, it was rather like reading short stories rather than a novel. Overall a 3 out of 5 kind of book.

Eine and Highlandcoo good to hear you both rate American Dirt. I ordered this from the library, was on the waiting list for ages, finally reached first position...then lockdown happened.

What an absolute bummer, do you have an electronic option with your library service?

Eine I can't really do electronic, I'm too old fashioned and I reckon it can't be too much longer before they re-open...?

Such difficulties with same objects going in and out of different houses 🤔

I hope so though my city library is the loveliest

I guess books could be quarantined for 72 hours before being re-shelved?

Yes but would it be at a risk to the librarians themselves? And many libraries are very short staffed now

I did wonder whether libraries may be able to open if you order and collect with books quarantined before and after, but the whole thing’s a minefield isn’t it. It’s the thing I miss most, going for a browse, and I’m quite a happy Kindle reader.

Before lockdown my library was due to have building work that would see it closing for at least 14 weeks (listed building) so I fear mine will be even longer. The one in the next village is nice, but nothing beats having a library a few doors down to visit on a whim.

Mine uses self service machines and with a screen at the desk, I think it could operate safely for book loans only. Even limited opening hours or just one day a week would be a godsend.

Thankfully I am a member of several libraries for digital offerings so I am not limited, but I really miss wandering round and choosing actual books.

Libraries in France have reopened. At ours you drop your returns back into boxes that then get put aside for 72 hours before the librarians touch them. We are asked to put anything we touch but don't take out in baskets at the end of the shelves and these items also get put aside for 72 hours. For the first 10 days we had to book a slot at the library so that they could control the flow of people but now they just count people in and out to make sure they don't exceed a certain number (I have no idea what that number is). At the moment you can't reserve anything (aargh) and it's not possible to request transfers from other libraries in the same group yet. Oh and we're all masked and have to use antibacterial gel on the way in.

This is just a shout out to @southeastdweller to let you know the thread is nearly full!

Thanks Tara.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/what_were_reading/3944074-50-Book-Challenge-2020-Part-Six?watched=1

Thanks nowanearlynicemum that’s interesting