Reading challenge 2021

[mrs. magoo]

17/24 - You should have known by Jean Hanff Korelitz

This was the book that the Undoing was based on. I have to say that I enjoyed both but the series takes some serious liberties with the book. I felt the book was much more realistic but would not have been an exciting as the series. I picked it up out of my neighbors recycling bin as I thought it looked interesting. As I began to read I was like wait a minute this seems really familiar. Then I read the back of the book and I was like oh yeah the Undoing. It was a good read and I would recommend it.

 

[JayMass]

I recently finished 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle as well. I agree with your description, although I thought it ran a bit too long.

Yes, I agree about the length. The story could have been told in fewer pages!

 

[willowsnn3]

#36 The Awakening by Nora Roberts
In the realm of Talamh, a teenage warrior named Keegan emerges from a lake holding a sword—representing both power and the terrifying responsibility to protect the Fey. In another realm known as Philadelphia, a young woman has just discovered she possesses a treasure of her own…

First of a new trilogy by Nora Roberts. That I will not be reading. Had to muddle through this one & kept asking myself why???
Altho I probably would have enjoyed it if I were mayby 12-13 years old....

 

[PollyannaMom]

Through the language Glass - Guy Deutscher

Explores whether the language we grow up speaking actually influences the way we think.

This had some interesting bits, and a few really good quotes, but I thought it was a little longer than it needed to be to make it's point.

15/21

 

[JayMass]

46. Fall of Giants by Ken Follett simply outstanding!

Follett is an author I've seen on the spines of many books but have never given him a try. I think I'll add him to my list!

#35 Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay
“They found the bodies on a Tuesday.”

After a late night of partying, NYU student Matt Pine returns to his dorm room to devastating news: nearly his entire family—his mom, his dad, his little brother and sister—have been found dead from an apparent gas leak while vacationing in Mexico. The local police claim it was an accident, but the FBI and State Department seem far less certain—and they won’t tell Matt why.

The tragedy makes headlines everywhere because this isn’t the first time the Pine family has been thrust into the media spotlight. Matt’s older brother, Danny—currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his teenage girlfriend Charlotte—was the subject of a viral true crime documentary suggesting that Danny was wrongfully convicted. Though the country has rallied behind Danny, Matt holds a secret about his brother that he’s never told anyone: the night Charlotte was killed Matt saw something that makes him believe his brother is guilty of the crime.

This one sounds really good! I'm adding it to my list!

14/15 Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult -- This is about a school shooting, and switches between different POVs, including the POV of the shooter. Oh my goodness. Wow. A difficult read, but a very, VERY good read. She was able to make you understand every side, even if you don't agree with it. Just exquisite as far as the writing, format, and grappling with the topic is concerned.

I'm am consistently amazed at how well Jodi Picoult writes about such difficult topics. She is definitely becoming one of my favorite authors.

Also, this forum counts as me "sharing a book I've read," right? That's one of the activities for my libraries' summer reading program. I'd already completed the requirments to get my prize, and I'm not going to get any bonus prizes, (I don't think?) but still want to mark off as many activities as I can. Just want to get an outside opinion to make sure I'm good with counting this as "sharing a book."

I think I've read three or four Jodi Picoult books. I am not sold on her, though. This one was good but I also read it right after "The Hour I First Believed" by Wally Lamb which was partially about Columbine and I really, really liked it.

And YES, this does count as "sharing a book!!"

Through the language Glass - Guy Deutscher

Explores whether the language we grow up speaking actually influences the way we think.

This sounds incredibly interesting! It's getting added to the list!

 

[JayMass]

I'll be interested to hear your reaction to "A Gentleman..."I read it on the recommendation of my Physical Therapist, who'd loved it. But I was meh! about it.

28/50-A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. Absolutely loved this. A man is sentenced to house arrest in a grand hotel in Moscow for life. Over the years the man meets interesting people all in the shadow of the Bolshevik Revolution and the rise of the Communist dictatorship in the USSR. I love books that span many years and you see the characters grow up and experience life at different stages. I also love historical fiction and this was a beautiful marriage of the two. Towles is an elegant writer and I highly recommend this novel.

 

[JayMass]

A question for the group:

Can I count books that I've read for a class I'm taking for my total? They are textbooks and not something I would necessarily choose to read if I was not taking a class.

 

[PollyannaMom]

A question for the group:

Can I count books that I've read for a class I'm taking for my total? They are textbooks and not something I would necessarily choose to read if I was not taking a class.

I would say everything counts!

 

[Allison Joy]

A question for the group:

Can I count books that I've read for a class I'm taking for my total? They are textbooks and not something I would necessarily choose to read if I was not taking a class.

I say count it however you want! This is to keep yourself accountable, and nothing else. I mean.... textbooks are long and tedious. I'd say count each CHAPTER of a text book as a book if you want! Kind of like how I think you could count each book of the Bible separately, if you wanted to. No one on here is going to say, "Hey, you HAD to read that. It doesn't count!" And if they do, ignore them. This is a fun thread, there are no "prizes," so count your reading however you want.

 

[JayMass]

I say count it however you want! This is to keep yourself accountable, and nothing else. I mean.... textbooks are long and tedious. I'd say count each CHAPTER of a text book as a book if you want! Kind of like how I think you could count each book of the Bible separately, if you wanted to. No one on here is going to say, "Hey, you HAD to read that. It doesn't count!" And if they do, ignore them. This is a fun thread, there are no "prizes," so count your reading however you want.

Thanks. So here's a better question, would YOU count it? I guess I feel like I'm cheating. And I agree about the Bible, I mean they are called "books!"

 

[Allison Joy]

Thanks. So here's a better question, would YOU count it? I guess I feel like I'm cheating. And I agree about the Bible, I mean they are called "books!"

Well, I'm no "authority" on this thread (I don't think anyone is, really!) and I don't think there's any "official" answer but.... since you asked, here's how I'd look at it. You don't typically read an entire textbook, cover to cover. I think I personally would divide it up into smaller parts, whether that's units, or chapters, or every three chapters, or whatever the reading assignment is for that week in your class, or.... whatever you decide! And skimming/scanning of texts books totally counts to me too! But like I said, this is just a way we keep track of our own reading. So you get to keep track of it however you want. Someone else please chime in so I don't feel like I'm giving an "official" answer. Ha!

 

[Wendy1985]

Text books count sorry I missed the post asking and like others said count chapters if you want

 

[OKW8297]

48. 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand. I loved it.

 

[drwitz]

OK, so I am technically cheating (a little bit). I am posting these three now but I am not quite yet done with the third... But based on how it is going so far, here is another fantastic set of books to read.

32., 33. and 34. The Three-Body Program, The Dark Forest, and Death's End (the Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy) written in Chinese (Mandarin) by Cixin Liu, translated into English by Ken Liu (books 1 and 3) and Joel Martinsen (book 2)

Wow. Where do I begin? First of all, this is an amazing trilogy in any language telling the story of humanity's first encounter with alien life, and the story of how we as a species prepare for the upcoming conflict that is promised with that species. The scale and scope of these novels is breathtaking, extending over hundreds of years with a number of characters (but not so many that the reader gets lost).

But wait, there's more. The story sensibility is really fantastic. I understood that I was reading a narrative arc that was not American-centric... and I loved that. The lead characters are mostly Chinese, the locations (while worldwide - and really universe-wide) are centrally Chinese. The aesthetic and moral center of the novels are Chinese. What a fantastic exposure and deep embedding into a culture I admittedly don't know.

Ray Bradbury once said that "Science fiction is the most important literature in the history of the world, because it's the history of ideas, the history of our civilization birthing itself." Yup. That is very true and in a world where we need to live and act more globally, I am so happy I found this trilogy to help begin to better acquaint myself with the ideas and knowledge needed to build for the future.

And did I say that this is just an amazing story? Just read these. Trust me,

Well, I finished the Cixin Liu series (see the post quoted above) and it was WONDERFUL. And I immediately requested all of his other work (so those will be coming in a future post). But for now, something completely different.

35. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

So this is a very densely packed but short book. Lots to process and think about here. Eckhart essentially argues that the past and the future are essentially figments of our imagination and the only real time is now. He also makes the point that we are not our feelings and our thoughts. Instead we are essentially timeless and our mission is to focus on the power of now. The book is really deep and interesting (and very Zen in its approach). Worth a re-read eventually as well. Very spiritual without being preachy.

36. Nightmare scenario: inside the Trump administration's response to the pandemic that changed history by Yasmeen Abutaleb and Damian Paletta
37. "Frankly, we did win this election": the inside story of how Trump lost by Michael C. Bender

My policy in these posts is to list books that I read that are overtly political but not to review them publicly. These are both written post election and transition and are part of a group of books that have been published since Trump left office. If you want my candid opinion on them, feel free to connect through the message feature, but note that I do not want to have a political debate (which is why I am not offering a review).

Moving on to some Tarot books, some more history books, and more sci-fi! Will I ever get back to my Stephen King re-read?

 

[mrs. magoo]

18/24 - Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by JD Vance

I thought this was a very thought provoking book. I know that it has been dismissed or seen as playbook for the election of the former President (I am not getting political here I promise) but I found so many of the themes to be true. I see poverty and the effects of poverty on my inner city school students everyday. Much of what Vance says I see the ACEs that he talks about are a daily part of many of my students experience. I strive every day to be a trusted person in their lives. Even when I want to yell and scream I stop myself and try to be a positive person to them.

 

[OKW8297]

49. The Sixth Wedding by Elin Hilderbrand A continuation of 28 Summers. I hare to see this story end. It’s a novella but I figure my 1000 page books balance it out.

 

[Tiggerish]

Miracle at the Higher Grounds Cafe by Max Lucado with Candace Lee and Eric Newman. Christian fiction about an angel disguised as a coffee shop worker where the shop has an internet connection that lets you ask God one question.

Treasure on Lilac Lane by Donna Alward. Romantic fiction. Two childhood friends reunite as adults.


63-64 of 104

 

[luvmarypoppins]

I read Miracle at the Higher Grounds Cafe and really enjoyed it.

 

[KevM]

It's the end of another month, so time for the monthly wrap up. This month I read 7 books, bringing my total for the year to 62. The books this month were:

56) Dear Bob & Sue by Matt & Karen Smith – Nonfiction/Travel. The year they turned 50, Matt & Karen Smith quick their jobs and spent the year traveling to all 58 U.S. National Parks. The book is written as a series of e-mails to their friends Bob & Sue. It was ok. I think I was expecting something a bit more informative but it real is just a series of e-mails that one would send to a friend. 3/5.

57) Out and Back: A Runner's Story of Survival Against All Odds by Hilary Allen – Nonfiction/Memoir. Hilary Allen is a world class ultramarathoner, In 2017, while competing in the Tromso SkyRace in Norway she fell 150 feet off a ridge. This is her memoir of her recovery from that fall and coming back to ultrarunning. 4/5

58) Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century edited by Alice Wong – Nonfiction/Essays/Disability. A great collection of diverse perspectives on being disabled. If you are at all interested in learning about this it is a must read. 5/5

59) A Farewell to Gabo and Mercedes: A Son's Memoir of Gabriel García Márquez and Mercedes Barcha by Rodrigo Garcia – Nonfiction/Memoir. Gabriel García Márquez is one of the most significant writers of the 20th Century, dying. In this memoir his son takes us through the last few months of his life before his death in 2014 and his mothers death in 2020. 4.5/5

60) Cyborg Detective by Jillian Weise – Poetry. In this her third poetry collection; Weise, who is an amputee, takes aim at both the ableism in writing (eraser and fetishization) as well as the fact that disabled writters should be free to be more than their disability. 4.25/5

61) Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha - Nonfiction/Essays/Disability. In a series of essays Piepzna-Samarasinha explores the politics and realities of disability justice. They center it on the lives of sick and disabled queer, trans, Black and brown people. If you are at all interested in learning about this it is a must read. 5/5

62) Broken Places & Outer Spaces: Finding Creativity in the Unexpected by Nnedi Okorafor – Nonfiction/Memoir. At the age of 19 Nnedi Okorafor went into routine surgery to straighten her back from the scoliosis she had all her life. However, the surgery left her paralyzed from the waist down. This memoir follows her journey back to being able to walk again with a cane. While going on that journey she found the writing that would lead her to become a successful Science-Fiction and Fantasy writer. 4.25/5

 

[Allison Joy]

57) Out and Back: A Runner's Story of Survival Against All Odds by Hilary Allen – Nonfiction/Memoir. Hilary Allen is a world class ultramarathoner, In 2017, while competing in the Tromso SkyRace in Norway she fell 150 feet off a ridge. This is her memoir of her recovery from that fall and coming back to ultrarunning. 4/5

58) Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century edited by Alice Wong – Nonfiction/Essays/Disability. A great collection of diverse perspectives on being disabled. If you are at all interested in learning about this it is a must read. 5/5

61) Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha - Nonfiction/Essays/Disability. In a series of essays Piepzna-Samarasinha explores the politics and realities of disability justice. They center it on the lives of sick and disabled queer, trans, Black and brown people. If you are at all interested in learning about this it is a must read. 5/5

62) Broken Places & Outer Spaces: Finding Creativity in the Unexpected by Nnedi Okorafor – Nonfiction/Memoir. At the age of 19 Nnedi Okorafor went into routine surgery to straighten her back from the scoliosis she had all her life. However, the surgery left her paralyzed from the waist down. This memoir follows her journey back to being able to walk again with a cane. While going on that journey she found the writing that would lead her to become a successful Science-Fiction and Fantasy writer. 4.25/5

Oh, these ALL sound amazing. I work for Vocational Rehabilitation for my state, plus have had some physical struggles/limitations of my own. I think I may have to put every one of these on my "to read" list. Thank you for the suggestions!