50 Books Challenge 2023 Part Two

[Southeastdweller]

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

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2023, 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?

I don’t think this blogger would like us very much…www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/lifestyle-trends/new-year-2023-resolution-books-goals-are-for-football-not-reading-9642971.html. I imagine he also says that reading is not a real hobby.

I can’t read the link you’ve posted as you need to log in. I’m guessing that the gist of it is that having a reading goal is pointless? Horses for courses isn’t it.

Oh that’s annoying I do not have an account on moneycontrol- i just saw it on Twitter. “When taken too far, however, goals feed into a utilitarian attitude of reading as simply a means of instruction or attainment. At a paradoxical extreme, this results in a frame of mind akin to that of Sam Bankman-Fried, the so-called crypto king.

“I would never read a book,” he said in a recent interview before his cryptocurrency exchange went bankrupt. He went on: “I don’t want to say no book is ever worth reading, but I actually do believe something pretty close to that. I think, if you wrote a book, you f**ked up, and it should have been a six-paragraph blog post.”

That’s quite useful to know, @Palegreenstars, as it confirms that my previous opinion of Sam Bankman-Fried was entirely correct.

Thanks for the new thread. Here is my list so far;

1. Act of Oblivion - Robert Harris

Good and thorough, but not much character development

1. Melmoth - Sarah Perry

Should have been right up my street as I love a bit of gothic. Couldn't really engage though

1. The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho

Paterson Joseph Based on a real historical figure, who came to England as a slave but ended up working for the royal family. Loved this - great central character and very funny, as well as making serious points about slavery

Why do they never let you put 1. ??

@ICrunchCrispsNotNumbers

LA LA LA LA LIVE FOR TODAY

Love the credits

6. Healthiest You Ever by Meera Lester, Murdoc Khaleghi, Susan Reynolds & Brett Aved

Contains 365 tips about improving fitness, diet etc etc. One I picked up from the library earlier this month from their New Year New You display.
Theres some useful tips in there, but this doesn’t really stand out from other books in this genre.

Best credits in living memory, IMO! Who's your favourite dancer? Mine's the uncle. IIRC, he does some John Travolta pointing at one stage.

1. Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith

This is, in my opinion, the best novel I've read in a long time (and the best in this series so far). It sets the bar high for crime thrillers, most of which don't bear comparison.

It is intelligently and intricately plotted, with the storylines all reaching satisfactory conclusions.

I didn't mind that it was over 1000 pages long. That gave it time for the stories to unfold carefully and without hurry.

I also liked the times spent with Strike's and Robin's families.

One tiny gripe, though, as with earlier books in the series, there is a tendency to over emphasise a health issue with Strike. In the past it was his prosthetic leg causing him pain. This time it was his smoking. So. Many. Cigarettes.

And, it's probably just me, but I'd prefer it if Robin and Strike were not to get together as a couple. It feels wrong to alter that relationship.

Ah, just looked at the Pachinko credits on Youtube - brilliant! Up there with the credits to Succession and the first series of Narcos.

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit wow. You've read that many books already this year ?
I wish I was as dedicated.

I am definitely not even the most hardcore member of the group @America12

I'm tailing off a bit now the new year has settled in and things are busier. The cold weather helps keep my numbers up though

@DameHelena

Young Sunja really goes for it

I've got flu at the moment, so I'm reading a lot. I think I'm up to ten on my Goodreads challenge.

Oh and @America12 my general reading pattern is that I read from 9pm to 11.30pm because that's when I have time but I can knock an undemanding 350 pager in 2 days usually

Yep

1. Monster Love by Carol Topolski -The book details the aftermath of the death of a four year old, abused and neglected by her parents, told from multiple perspectives (e.g. neighbour, social worker, juror, the parents). It started off strong, but then took a paranormal turn and ended oddly. The 'twist' felt cheap, and somewhat legitimised the parents' delusions of their 'special, perfect bond' that drove them to feel threatened by and ultimately kill their daughter in the first place. Which felt a bit grubby. Not sure the author knew the author knew how to finish the story tbh.

1. Kneller's Happy Campers by Etgar Keret - This was a strange little book, and I'm not sure I would have finished it if it hadn't been a novella. Set in an afterlife that caters exclusively to people who've committed suicide, the protagonist Mordy learns that his girlfriend up in the world of the living has killed herself and sets off on a quest to find her. It's billed as a dark comedy, and is certainly an interesting concept, but felt it lacked something.

Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding

A reread, but it’s a long time since I read it last. I still really enjoyed it but there are parts that haven’t aged well! There’s lots of smoking in offices and a smoking carriage on the train, and a whole bit about how nobody can programme the video. Not to mention the fat shaming. I can’t believe this is over 25 years old now.

Echoing everyone’s thoughts from the previous thread on book 6, House of Glass by Hadley Freeman. I was 50 pages into a book I was really enjoying when this arrived yesterday and thought I’d read the first couple of pages but couldn’t put it down. Her research into her family was fascinating and I loved her writing. Will definitely look out for more written by her.

If not anything else @TattiePants this book thread will affect your bank account

We’re trying to reduce our spending this year after a very expensive 2022. Obviously books don’t count!

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit me too!

Comment I had today from our movers who were packing - there are a lot of books here not sure we have enough boxes! Oops😳That was after charity shopping at least 3 bags worth!

Hoping my reading will increase once we move as will have at least a 30 min commute on train/bus so will have more reading time!

I've just finished The Whistler by John Grisham. I enjoyed it. About to start Never by Ken Follett. Hoping I get into it quickly!