Post by janetandjohn on Dec 21, 2016 14:29:43 GMT
For 2016 I challenged myself to read (or despatch from the premises), at least 15 of the oldest books on the shelves and three non-fiction. In the event, it was a good year, because I did a grand total of 36! Some I read, some went to charity shops, some went to friends. You can read all about how I did on the last Special Challenge Thread.
In 2017, my challenge takes on a different slant, one reason being the loss of the Big Challenge - dropped because of not enough interest. Another reason is that I am going to do Wendy's 40 book challenge. So if you want to join me again this year, this is my challenge:
I will read 3 or more books that were first published more than 50 years ago, 4 non fiction, and read or remove 30 books from the earliest 50 on my TBR. Want to join me? You can copy my challenge, or you can decide for yourself what yours will be; and, here's the joy, anything you read that fits in the 40 book challenge serves two purposes!!
3 or more books first published more than 50 years ago
The Red Box - Rex Stout (1937) READ - loved it!
The Franchise Affair - Josephine Tey (1948) READ and enjoyed
Fer-de-Lance - Rex Stout (1934) READ and enjoyed
Sweet Thursday - John Steinbeck ((1954) READ and loved
The League of Frightened Men - Rex Stout (1935) READ and enjoyed
The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne (1850) READ but glad it was shortish as it was very wordy
The Rubber Band - Rex Stout (1936) READ and enjoyed
Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck(1937) READ and appreciated
4 Non-Fiction
A Florence Diary - Diana Athill READ and enjoyed
Robbing the Bees - Holley Bishop REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
Diary of a Vampire in Pyjamas - Mathias Malzieu READ and worth it
Colour Bar - Susan Williams - REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
The Secret Rooms - Catherine Bailey EXCELLENT!
A Thousand Days in Venice - Marlena de Blasi READ and enjoyed
A House Unlocked - Penelope Lively READ and enjoyed
30 or more earliest acquisitions on my TBR list
1. Dirt Music - Tim Winton READ - loved it!
2. Beautiful Bodies - Laura Shaine-Cunningham REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
3. The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kinsolver BRILLIANT read
4. The Pirate's Daughter - Margaret Cezair-Thompson READ and enjoyed, but about 100 pages too long.
5. A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini REMOVED UNREAD Charity shop
6. The Blood of Flowers - Anita Amirrezvani REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
7. Little Gods - Anna Richards READ and enjoyed
8. Homestead - Rosina Lippi REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
9. Duende - Jason Webster REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
10. Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston READ but cannot make up mind if I liked it or not
11. Mr Cassini - Lloyd Jones - REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
12. Ghosting - John Preston - REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
13. After Moses - Karen Mockler - BRILLIANT read
14. Beloved Stranger - Clare Boylan ANOTHER BRILLIANT READ
15. Morgan's Passing - Anne Tyler - REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
16. The Weight of the Sun - Andrew Humphries - REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
17. Niagara Falls All Over Again - Elizabeth McCracken BRILLIANT READ
18. The Last Warner Woman - Kei Miller REMOVED UNREAD - charity shop
19. Guernica - Dave Boling READ and glad I did. Harrowing though.
20. Tortoise by Candlelight - Nina Bawden READ but would not recommend
21. The Blessing - Nancy Mitford READ and what fun!
UPDATE: Just the 21 of my oldest swaps then? The rest I have managed and am pleased about! But I may not have time to fit in another 9 before year-end.
In 2017, my challenge takes on a different slant, one reason being the loss of the Big Challenge - dropped because of not enough interest. Another reason is that I am going to do Wendy's 40 book challenge. So if you want to join me again this year, this is my challenge:
I will read 3 or more books that were first published more than 50 years ago, 4 non fiction, and read or remove 30 books from the earliest 50 on my TBR. Want to join me? You can copy my challenge, or you can decide for yourself what yours will be; and, here's the joy, anything you read that fits in the 40 book challenge serves two purposes!!
3 or more books first published more than 50 years ago
The Red Box - Rex Stout (1937) READ - loved it!
The Franchise Affair - Josephine Tey (1948) READ and enjoyed
Fer-de-Lance - Rex Stout (1934) READ and enjoyed
Sweet Thursday - John Steinbeck ((1954) READ and loved
The League of Frightened Men - Rex Stout (1935) READ and enjoyed
The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne (1850) READ but glad it was shortish as it was very wordy
The Rubber Band - Rex Stout (1936) READ and enjoyed
Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck(1937) READ and appreciated
4 Non-Fiction
A Florence Diary - Diana Athill READ and enjoyed
Robbing the Bees - Holley Bishop REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
Diary of a Vampire in Pyjamas - Mathias Malzieu READ and worth it
Colour Bar - Susan Williams - REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
The Secret Rooms - Catherine Bailey EXCELLENT!
A Thousand Days in Venice - Marlena de Blasi READ and enjoyed
A House Unlocked - Penelope Lively READ and enjoyed
30 or more earliest acquisitions on my TBR list
1. Dirt Music - Tim Winton READ - loved it!
2. Beautiful Bodies - Laura Shaine-Cunningham REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
3. The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kinsolver BRILLIANT read
4. The Pirate's Daughter - Margaret Cezair-Thompson READ and enjoyed, but about 100 pages too long.
5. A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini REMOVED UNREAD Charity shop
6. The Blood of Flowers - Anita Amirrezvani REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
7. Little Gods - Anna Richards READ and enjoyed
8. Homestead - Rosina Lippi REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
9. Duende - Jason Webster REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
10. Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston READ but cannot make up mind if I liked it or not
11. Mr Cassini - Lloyd Jones - REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
12. Ghosting - John Preston - REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
13. After Moses - Karen Mockler - BRILLIANT read
14. Beloved Stranger - Clare Boylan ANOTHER BRILLIANT READ
15. Morgan's Passing - Anne Tyler - REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
16. The Weight of the Sun - Andrew Humphries - REMOVED UNREAD charity shop
17. Niagara Falls All Over Again - Elizabeth McCracken BRILLIANT READ
18. The Last Warner Woman - Kei Miller REMOVED UNREAD - charity shop
19. Guernica - Dave Boling READ and glad I did. Harrowing though.
20. Tortoise by Candlelight - Nina Bawden READ but would not recommend
21. The Blessing - Nancy Mitford READ and what fun!
UPDATE: Just the 21 of my oldest swaps then? The rest I have managed and am pleased about! But I may not have time to fit in another 9 before year-end.