# 2015 Book Reading Challenge!



## Northerner

Right folks, how about it? You can post your choices in this thread and let us know if you complete them! They don't have to be done in this order, just tick off the category  I am going to donate 50p to charity for each book read to The Book Bus, so if you could also add contributions that would be great 

Here's the Challenge (52 books in total, you can read more!).


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## Andy HB

Ok, I'll kick this off.

I nominate .....
1984 - George Orwell (a book with a number in the title)

Andy 

p.s. I was going to choose the Bible (A book that scares you), but I find it hard to get beyond all the "begats" at the start.


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## Northerner

My first book is 'The Martian' by Andy Weir, in the category 'A book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit'. Always been fascinated by Mars! 

Andy, I read 1984 back in school in the 1970s, terrific book - enjoy!


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## Andy HB

Northerner said:


> My first book is 'The Martian' by Andy Weir, in the category 'A book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit'. Always been fascinated by Mars!
> 
> Andy, I read 1984 back in school in the 1970s, terrific book - enjoy!



I have read 1984 before, but a long, long time ago! I am due a refresher read, I think!

Your book looks interesting. I'm going to read that too (but it doesn't count for this charity purpose!)

Oh, by the way, as an added incentive for people, I too will donate 50p for each book marked off the list to a charity of my choice (Child's Play Charity. This charity works by improving the lives of sick children via the donation of toys, books and games to hospitals worldwide).

Andy


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## Northerner

If you like hard SF then The Martian is excellent, entirely believable and a very compelling read - hard to put down!


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## robert@fm

For "A book by a female author" and "A mystery or thriller", I would recommend _The Cuckoo's Calling_ or _The Silkworm_, by J. K Rowling writing as "Robert Galbraith".

Mind you, I may be biased because I'm the founder of the J. K. Rowling Adult fiction Wiki.


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## robert@fm

"A book with magic", "A book with a one-word title", "A book with nonhuman creatures" (dwarfs and trolls), "A funny book", "A book based on or turned into a TV show" (it was made into a 2-part TV special), and possibly "A book set in another country" (if another _world_ counts as such) — _Hogfather_, Terry Pratchett's spin on the Christmas tradition.  And yes, I recently read it.


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## trophywench

Well any of the Discworld  would cover a number of categories, as would any Harry Potter book !

I read the Hogfather when it came out, don't regard either of those authors as being any change or challenge for me, so I need to find others.  Will have to be downloadable to my Kindle though, preferably free.


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## Bessiemay

robert@fm said:


> For "A book by a female author" and "A mystery or thriller", I would recommend _The Cuckoo's Calling_ or _The Silkworm_, by J. K Rowling writing as "Robert Galbraith".
> 
> Mind you, I may be biased because I'm the founder of the J. K. Rowling Adult fiction Wiki.


I've got the cuckoos calling on my kindle all ready to read but it keeps getting pushed back by other books. I will read it soon.


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## Andy HB

Oh come on Robert! Simply listing books doesn't cut the mustard! You gotta read 'em in 2015! 

Think of the kiddies!! 

Andy


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## Northerner

Finished The Martian! Absolutely brilliant! Thoroughly recommended


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## Bloden

Where's the "A book by a male author" option?


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## Northerner

Bloden said:


> Where's the "A book by a male author" option?



Yes, very true!  Actually, I'm unlikely to follow all the suggestions, but just try to read some things I wouldn't normally. It only says one non-fiction book, but most of the books I read are non-fiction - I'm not giving them up for a year!


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## Andy HB

Can I just check, because I may have misunderstood.

Are you donating 50p for books that anyone has read (one from each category), or just the ones that you have read?

For my part, I will donate 50p for one book selected from each category by anyone.

Andy


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## Northerner

I'm making a personal donation of 50p for each book I read under the challenge Andy, can't afford to donate for everyone! 

I've just started my second book - The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. It's a book I've intended to read for ages, and it's looking good already


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## Andy HB

Northerner said:


> I'm making a personal donation of 50p for each book I read under the challenge Andy, can't afford to donate for everyone!
> 
> I've just started my second book - The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. It's a book I've intended to read for ages, and it's looking good already



Good to check!

Anyway, just want to re-iterate that I am donating based on everyone's selection (including my own). But only one book per category.

So, when anyone completes a book just mention it in this thread and I'll tally up the proceeds (for me only).

Andy


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## Northerner

Andy HB said:


> Good to check!
> 
> Anyway, just want to re-iterate that I am donating based on everyone's selection (including my own). But only one book per category.
> 
> So, when anyone completes a book just mention it in this thread and I'll tally up the proceeds (for me only).
> 
> Andy



A good slant on it Andy  My current book, The Handmaid's Tale, is under the category 'book by a female author'


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## Bloden

Northerner said:


> A good slant on it Andy  My current book, The Handmaid's Tale, is under the category 'book by a female author'



Great choice! Margaret Atwood is extremely talented. I got hubby the Oryx and Crake trilogy for Xmas. Wow, what an imagination. Scary tho, cos you feel it could actually happen.


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## Northerner

Bloden said:


> Great choice! Margaret Atwood is extremely talented. I got hubby the Oryx and Crake trilogy for Xmas. Wow, what an imagination. Scary tho, cos you feel it could actually happen.



I'm really enjoying it  Are you going to take up the challenge, Bloden?


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## runner

Northerner said:


> I'm making a personal donation of 50p for each book I read under the challenge Andy, can't afford to donate for everyone!
> 
> I've just started my second book - The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. It's a book I've intended to read for ages, and it's looking good already



I've read this one.  Hope it's not prophetic!  It was made into a film too.  If you like it, you will probably like her 'The Blind Assasin' too.


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## runner

I'm just reading the last of my Christmas stories: Christmas in The Snow by Karen Swan.  If you're looking for books set in a different country and with a bit of magic, the Chocolat series by Joanne Harris is brilliant - set in France.  The 3rd book Peaches for Monsieur le Curé is very topical and poignant at the moment.  chocolate was also a film.

Just a thought - for those who are not yet aware, the book Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke (history and more magic) is being serialised on the TV!  Gutted I missed Neil Gaiman's Good Omens on the radio over Christmas!


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## Bloden

runner said:


> I've read this one.  Hope it's not prophetic!  It was made into a film too.  If you like it, you will probably like her 'The Blind Assasin' too.



I try to read everything she writes. The Blind Assassin was brilliant. I don't know how she switches genre so successfully. My fave writer, ever! 

Thanks for the recommendations, Runner. I didn't realise Chocolat was part of a series. I really enjoyed the film.


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## Bloden

Northerner said:


> I'm really enjoying it  Are you going to take up the challenge, Bloden?



I'm a pretty fussy reader, to be honest, but I'll give it a go.


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## Northerner

Bloden said:


> I'm a pretty fussy reader, to be honest, but I'll give it a go.



You don't need to stick to the categories in the list, I think it will be good if it just gets us reading new things and recommending things to others. I have always read a lot, but most of my books are non-fiction, or science-fiction, plus quite a few classics. I rarely read books out of my 'comfort zone'. I suppose The Martian was an easy first choice for me because it's a very 'factual' science-fiction story, but The Handmaid's Tale is something very new. I suppose it falls into the 1984/Brave New World/We category - all of which I have read and enjoyed in the past.

I'm totally gripped by The Handmaid's tale though - currently on page 180, with 120 to go!


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## MacG3

Currently on the second book in the game of thrones series, they are good but seem a bit hard going at time. If I hadn't enjoyed the TV series so much then I probably wouldn't have persisted.


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## Northerner

MacG3 said:


> Currently on the second book in the game of thrones series, they are good but seem a bit hard going at time. If I hadn't enjoyed the TV series so much then I probably wouldn't have persisted.



I know nothing at all about Game of Thrones, apart from the fact that it seems to have been very popular on TV. I don't have Sky, so that (like 'Breaking Bad' also) has completely passed me by!


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## Mark T

I have to get around to reading some more of the ebooks I got from Book View Cafe just before new year - and just before the new EU VAT rules on digital goods came into effect and put prices up.

Book View Cafe is a co-op of authors where they sell the books directly rather then having their publisher take a huge margin.


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## runner

Bloden said:


> I try to read everything she writes. The Blind Assassin was brilliant. I don't know how she switches genre so successfully. My fave writer, ever!
> 
> Thanks for the recommendations, Runner. I didn't realise Chocolat was part of a series. I really enjoyed the film.



The second book is called 'The Lollipop shoes.'


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## Northerner

Finished The Handmaid's Tale! Terrific book, could hardly put it down, so well-written, will have to look out for those other recommendations, thank you 

Now to seek out my next book!


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## Bloden

Northerner said:


> Finished The Handmaid's Tale! Terrific book, could hardly put it down, so well-written, will have to look out for those other recommendations, thank you
> 
> Now to seek out my next book!



Just read everything by Margaret Atwood!

You read quickly!


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## Northerner

Bloden said:


> Just read everything by Margaret Atwood!
> 
> You read quickly!



She's certainly on my radar now!  However, for my next book, I have chosen 'The Ch'i-lin Purse', which is a short collection of ancient Chinese stories and therefore under the category of 'a book of short stories'


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## Vicsetter

Just waiting for my birthday to bring me a Kindle as I am getting tired of recycling books for charity (that is the same books as the choice in the village is a bit small).
I have just bought David Mitchell's 'Thinking about it only makes it worse' and the 'Girl with the Dragon Tattoo', neither my usual reading topics.

Does 'The life of Pi' count as a book with a number in it.  I'm not intending to read it (the wife has) but have the 3D version of the film on my wish list (the 2D version was spectacular).

I've spent the last couple of months setting up my home cinema with a 3D projector and 120" screen so I only manage a little bit of reading of an evening.


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## Northerner

I wondered why you'd been quiet Vic!


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## Vicsetter

Northerner said:


> I wondered why you'd been quiet Vic!



Some of it is due to the storm on Thursday,  Cell phones got no signal, my satellite connection has gone and the guest house has lost a whole load of tiles from the roof.  Last night was woken up at least 4 times with snow avalanches falling off the roof.

Some of it is due to the missus going down with a chesty cough and cold over Xmas, (I seem to have got it now).
Some of it is due to a dodgy left knee, that is either been sprained slipping on an icy pavement or by crawling about in the attic laying speaker cables.

In the meantime I'm just about to finish Cat and Mouse (Alex Cross). I've watched the Dark Knight trilogy, part 1 of the Hobbit (in 3D), Prometheus (3D) and I'm just about to start season 3 of True Blood (the wife got me the 7 season box set on Amazon special offer, worked out at less than £1 per dvd).
Maybe someone could compile a 2015 Film viewing challenge!


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## runner

Vicsetter said:


> Just waiting for my birthday to bring me a Kindle as I am getting tired of recycling books for charity (that is the same books as the choice in the village is a bit small).
> I have just bought David Mitchell's 'Thinking about it only makes it worse' and the 'Girl with the Dragon Tattoo', neither my usual reading topics.
> 
> Does 'The life of Pi' count as a book with a number in it.  I'm not intending to read it (the wife has) but have the 3D version of the film on my wish list (the 2D version was spectacular).
> 
> I've spent the last couple of months setting up my home cinema with a 3D projector and 120" screen so I only manage a little bit of reading of an evening.



My daughter gave me the book to read - great and surprising!  Haven't seen the film yet.


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## Northerner

Bloden said:


> Just read everything by Margaret Atwood!


Oh dear! I've just ordered the MaddAddam Trilogy by M.A.  I'm hooked!


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## Bloden

Northerner said:


> Oh dear! I've just ordered the MaddAddam Trilogy by M.A.  I'm hooked!



There's no going back now...enjoy!


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## runner

Let me know what they're like Alan, haven't read those, although got a pile of books waiting to read from stalls at fairs and shows last year.  finding my current book a bit boring at the mo as  one of the main characters works in high finance - a world away from my interest or experience, but that didn't seem what the main story is about, so hoping it will move on soon.


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## Bloden

runner said:


> Let me know what they're like Alan, haven't read those, although got a pile of books waiting to read from stalls at fairs and shows last year.  finding my current book a bit boring at the mo as  one of the main characters works in high finance - a world away from my interest or experience, but that didn't seem what the main story is about, so hoping it will move on soon.



I'm about to start no.3. Can't wait...the first two are brilliant.


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## Northerner

Bloden said:


> I'm about to start no.3. Can't wait...the first two are brilliant.



That's what I like to hear!


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## KookyCat

Right well, I don't know how I missed this thread but I did, so I'm currently doing the book set in another country, "The Guest Cat" by Takashi Hiraide.  It's beautifully written but my much shorter journey to work and back means I only get a few pages in at a time.

Another Atwood fan, although I have never been able to get through The Blind Assassin for some reason so maybe that's another one for the list.  Although I haven't been able to finish The Quarry either but that's because it upsets me that Iain Banks will never write another so maybe I'll try and be brave and do it because I was enjoying it.  In fact I'm normally an avid reader but have really struggled with reading anything since my Dad died so I'm trying to get back into the swing, I love books and I miss it.


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## KookyCat

Oh if anyone needs a classic romance try "on Chesil Beach" by Ian McEwan, one of the most beautiful collection of words ever strung together in my humble opinion although lots of people hate it.....


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## Bloden

This is a great thread - keep recommending books everyone.


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## PhilT

You're reading these books too fast Alan, try reading War and Peace. That'll slow you down!


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## Northerner

PhilT said:


> You're reading these books too fast Alan, try reading War and Peace. That'll slow you down!



Read it - I did a Russian degree!  Tolstoy not my favourite, give me Dostoevsky or Gogol any day


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## runner

KookyCat said:


> Right well, I don't know how I missed this thread but I did, so I'm currently doing the book set in another country, "The Guest Cat" by Takashi Hiraide.  It's beautifully written but my much shorter journey to work and back means I only get a few pages in at a time.
> 
> Another Atwood fan, although I have never been able to get through The Blind Assassin for some reason so maybe that's another one for the list.  Although I haven't been able to finish The Quarry either but that's because it upsets me that Iain Banks will never write another so maybe I'll try and be brave and do it because I was enjoying it.  In fact I'm normally an avid reader but have really struggled with reading anything since my Dad died so I'm trying to get back into the swing, I love books and I miss it.



I think its the concentration thing when you're grieving - I found I'd get to the end of a page not knowing what I'd just read!  Maybe try some 'easy reading' or short stories, or maybe listening to some?  I guess like music, reading can be therapeutic too - both me and my daughter cried our eyes out when we read (individually) the last section of 'The Amber Spyglass) - the last of Philip Pullman's 'His Dark Materials' trilogy - all of which I highly recommend!


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## Copepod

Northerner said:


> Read it - I did a Russian degree!  Tolstoy not my favourite, give me Dostoevsky or Gogol any day



Anyone who can't face reading War & Peace could try listening - 10 x 1 hour episodes http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04wz7q2/episodes/player Only available for next 15 - 18 days depending on episode.


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## Copepod

Having recently seen "The Theory of Everything", which I enjoyed, not just because I know the city of Cambridge [and some Cambridge based scientists & medics] pretty well, after living there for several periods from a couple of months to 13 years and having seen Stephen Hawking trundling along the road parallel with The Backs, I will try to find a copy of "Travelling to Infinity: My life with Stephen" by Jane Wilde Hawking.


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## Bloden

Started The Goldfinch last night (hubby's got Madam Adam) by Donna Tartt. So far, brilliant! And I'm only a few pages in. If you haven't read her first novel The Secret History you're in for a treat...it's excellent.


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## runner

Some of you might be interested in volunteering for World Book Night http://www.worldbooknight.org  "an annual celebration of reading and books that takes place on 23 April. It sees passionate volunteers give out hundreds of thousands of books in their communities to share their love of reading with people who don’t read regularly or own books. World Book Night is run by The Reading Agency, a national charity that inspires people to become confident and enthusiastic readers to help give them an equal chance in life."  I did it a couple of years ago, collecting 20 copies of 'The Island' by Victoria Hislop, and giving them out to people in my previous singing group, at my Social Club and even to my son's friends.  I was surprised by the number of people who hadn't read since leaving school, don't read or who 'don't have time to read,' but I managed to persuade some to take a copy for holiday reading and got some good feedback.


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## Bloden

Sounds like a great way of recycling books as well as encouraging people to sit down and relax with a good read, Runner.


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## Andy HB

I switched round what I was reading and read The Martian first (see Northerner's read earlier).

I thoroughly enjoyed it! Just disappointed that I finished it so quickly. 

Talking of Mars, apparently they've just found Beagle 2. It had landed ok, but just didn't unfurl properly. Hence no radio contact, because its radio antenna remained covered.


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## Northerner

Andy HB said:


> I switched round what I was reading and read The Martian first (see Northerner's read earlier).
> 
> I thoroughly enjoyed it! Just disappointed that I finished it so quickly.
> 
> Talking of Mars, apparently they've just found Beagle 2. It had landed ok, but just didn't unfurl properly. Hence no radio contact, because its radio antenna remained covered.



Isn't it a great book Andy?  Interesting about Beagle 2, I really felt fr Colin Pillinger when it failed.

Ooh! Look what the postie just brought me!


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## Northerner

Well, I have finished my next book: Oryx and Crake, by Margaret Atwood  Blimey! Talk about dystopia  Brilliant! As this is the first book in the trilogy I have chosen, I can't wait to read the next two. I have the third in the trilogy already (see 'Maddadam' in picture above), but unfortunately the second book still hasn't arrived even though they claim to have sent it out nearly two weeks ago. I'm guessing they lied and didn't send it when they said, looking at some of their feedback. I have to wait until Wednesday and if it hasn't arrived then I can claim my money back and buy it elsewhere - very annoying though!

How is everyone else going?


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## Andy HB

1984 has been finished and I am now thoroughly depressed! 

I find it quite disturbing just how many parallels there are with the current world that we live in now!

Don't know my next book yet but will try and prise 1Q84 by Murakami off the wife.

Andy


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## KookyCat

I'm a few pages off the end of the Guest Cat, nicely written but not really my kind of read, but I've put my donation in the pot and extended my reading choices. Not sure what's next yet.

BTW the Oryx and Crake trilogy is being made into a series by HBO which is rather exciting.  I've read the first and the year of the floods (is that what it's called) but didn't realise there was a third until this thread so that's on my list now . Andy 1984 is very depressing isn't it, but it almost makes it on to my top ten reads of all time, you'd probably enjoy Oryx and Crake, it's a similar theme.


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## KookyCat

Andy HB said:


> 1984 has been finished and I am now thoroughly depressed!
> 
> I find it quite disturbing just how many parallels there are with the current world that we live in now!
> 
> Don't know my next book yet but will try and prise 1Q84 by Murakami off the wife.
> 
> Andy



I've got "after the quake" and "IQ84" on my pile to read, keep picking them up but can't decide which one to go for, so usually go for neither


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## Andy HB

I have now started 1Q84. I am selecting it under "book that was originally written in another language" category.

Andy 

p.s. Yes, whilst 1984 is a depressing book, it is superbly written and the concepts involved are beautifully thought through. I can't fault the logic in how that dystopian world sustains itself!


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## Northerner

KookyCat said:


> BTW the Oryx and Crake trilogy is being made into a series by HBO which is rather exciting.  I've read the first and the year of the floods (is that what it's called) but didn't realise there was a third until this thread so that's on my list now . Andy 1984 is very depressing isn't it, but it almost makes it on to my top ten reads of all time, you'd probably enjoy Oryx and Crake, it's a similar theme.



Ooh! Very exciting! Maddadam came out in 2013. Actually, looking at the dates of the three books I would be in the awful position of having to wait 6 years for 'Year of the Flood', then another 4 for 'Maddadam' 

Another good dystopian novel is 'We' by Yevgeny Zamyatin. Written in 1921, it precedes 'Brave New World' by ten years


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## Northerner

OK, I have finished my 'Book with a one word title' - 'Surfacing' by Margaret Atwood  Yes, I am a bit obsessive when I find a new author I love!  Very different from the others I have read so far, but intriguing and superbly written.

You must tell me about this 'IQ84', it sounds very interesting


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## KookyCat

Well predictably I couldn't decide between IQ and after the quake so I've gone for "The Children Act" by Ian McEwan as a book published this year which isn't strictly true but it was in the last twelve months!  Need to get my kindle charged so I can see my book reserve list there's about 100 titles waiting for me to pull out of this reading lull


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## Northerner

KookyCat said:


> Well predictably I couldn't decide between IQ and after the quake so I've gone for "The Children Act" by Ian McEwan as a book published this year which isn't strictly true but it was in the last twelve months!  Need to get my kindle charged so I can see my book reserve list there's about 100 titles waiting for me to pull out of this reading lull



Haha! I can so relate to that!


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## Andy HB

Well, my running total is £6 (12 categories ticked off)

Published this year
Number in Title
Non-human characters
Female author
One-word title
Short stories
Set in a different country
Pullitzer Prize winner
Set somewhere you wanted to visit
Trilogy
Originally written in a different language
Set during Christmas

Any more for any more? 

Andy 

p.s. I've selected categories where they weren't specifically mentioned. Also, let me know if I have missed any category (highly possible!)


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## Northerner

Impressive Andy - is that 12 books, or are you counting more than one category per book? I'm currently reading 'Lady Oracle' by (you've guessed it!) Margaret Atwood, most enjoyable  Haven't decided what category it falls into yet, though!


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## BobbieH

I am a bit confused. Do we have to read 52 books? Thats one a week!!!!!!!!!!!
Do we let you know what we read? Sorry to be stupid


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## Northerner

BobbieH said:


> I am a bit confused. Do we have to read 52 books? Thats one a week!!!!!!!!!!!
> Do we let you know what we read? Sorry to be stupid



The idea is to get people reading, and in categories they might not normally consider. Just read as much as you like/are able, and let us know what you are reading, and what category they represent  Other people's recommendations are very interesting and could put others onto unfamiliar authors


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## BobbieH

Ok Last night I started reading "The Son" but Jo Nesbro. This is his new book and I have read all his others so I suppose it is under the Category of Book by a favourite author which I havent read yet


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## BobbieH

It could also be in the category. A book originally written in a different language. That might be cheating though.


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## Northerner

BobbieH said:


> Ok Last night I started reading "The Son" but Jo Nesbro. This is his new book and I have read all his others so I suppose it is under the Category of Book by a favourite author which I havent read yet



Ooh, hadn't heard of him, I will look him up


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## Northerner

OK, I have just finished 'Lady Oracle' by Margaret Atwood - I'm placing it under the category of 'A book with a love triangle', which it nearly fits  

Year of the Flood hasn't arrived so I'm going to claim my money back tomorrow and re-order it from somewhere else - might have to fill in with 'The Edible Woman' until then


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## Andy HB

Northerner said:


> Impressive Andy - is that 12 books, or are you counting more than one category per book? I'm currently reading 'Lady Oracle' by (you've guessed it!) Margaret Atwood, most enjoyable  Haven't decided what category it falls into yet, though!



I think that I have confused you. I am counting books read by everyone, but only one book per category. At the moment I have only read 1984 and have now started 1Q84. I read The Martian too, but haven't counted that one yet! It doesn't matter really, I  will probably just make up a number at the end and donate that anyway!


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## Northerner

Andy HB said:


> I think that I have confused you. I am counting books read by everyone, but only one book per category. At the moment I have only read 1984 and have now started 1Q84. I read The Martian too, but haven't counted that one yet! It doesn't matter really, I  will probably just make up a number at the end and donate that anyway!



Ah, I understand


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## Northerner

Got all my reading matter sorted now for the next couple of months!


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## runner

Northerner said:


> Got all my reading matter sorted now for the next couple of months!



Blimey, I didn't know Margaret had written so many.  I bought Year of the Flood some while ago, but didn't feel like reading it at the time - you've inspired me to have another go.  I'll have a sort through my books soon as I don't keep them all now unless I think I'll read them again, if friends or family don;t want to read them, anyone is welcome to them for the postage.


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## Northerner

runner said:


> Blimey, I didn't know Margaret had written so many.  I bought Year of the Flood some while ago, but didn't feel like reading it at the time - you've inspired me to have another go.  I'll have a sort through my books soon as I don't keep them all now unless I think I'll read them again, if friends or family don;t want to read them, anyone is welcome to them for the postage.



Have you read 'Oryx and Crake'? That precedes 'The Year of the Flood' in the 'Maddadam' trilogy  She's written 14 novels, and 8 books of short stories 

I've just been refunded for the 'Year of the Flood' book I bought but never turned up. Bonus is that the replacement copy I bought from another supplier was £4 cheaper!


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## runner

Northerner said:


> Have you read 'Oryx and Crake'? That precedes 'The Year of the Flood' in the 'Maddadam' trilogy  She's written 14 novels, and 8 books of short stories



Ah, no, didn't realise it was part of a trilogy - will read those first then.  I've only read Handmaid's Tale, Cat's Eye and Alias Grace


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## Mark T

So far this year, I've read:

Rocket boy and Geek Girls - a book of short stories (possibly also includes a book by an author(s) I've never read before)

Dark Magicks by Katherine Kerr - a book by a female author, a book with magic, a book you can finish in a day

Cold Steel by Kate Elliot -  a book by a female author, a book with magic, a trilogy

Although, if you want to consider all the books I've read to my little boy this year, then that list is much much longer...


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## runner

Mark T said:


> So far this year, I've read:
> 
> Rocket boy and Geek Girls - a book of short stories (possibly also includes a book by an author(s) I've never read before)
> 
> Dark Magicks by Katherine Kerr - a book by a female author, a book with magic, a book you can finish in a day
> 
> Cold Steel by Kate Elliot -  a book by a female author, a book with magic, a trilogy
> 
> Although, if you want to consider all the books I've read to my little boy this year, then that list is much much longer...



Hi Mark, are they magic as in Fantasy?


----------



## katie

'A book you can read In a day'? I'm going to have to choose a picture book for that one


----------



## Northerner

katie said:


> 'A book you can read In a day'? I'm going to have to choose a picture book for that one



You could double that up with a graphic novel!  I've gone for 'The Best of Wonder Warthog' by Gilbert Shelton for my graphic novel


----------



## Mark T

katie said:


> 'A book you can read In a day'? I'm going to have to choose a picture book for that one


I can recommend any number of Dr Seuss books


----------



## Mark T

runner said:


> Hi Mark, are they magic as in Fantasy?


Yes, fantasy.

The Kerr book is Arthurian legend.  The Elliot book is set in an alternative earth/europe somewhere around the medieval period.


----------



## katie

Northerner said:


> You could double that up with a graphic novel!  I've gone for 'The Best of Wonder Warthog' by Gilbert Shelton for my graphic novel



Good plan!



Mark T said:


> I can recommend any number of Dr Seuss books



Ooh i've got a few of those on my bookshelf, not sure ive actually read them myself, i expect they were read to me


----------



## runner

Mark T said:


> Yes, fantasy.
> 
> The Kerr book is Arthurian legend.  The Elliot book is set in an alternative earth/europe somewhere around the medieval period.



OOO my list is growing!  Have you read Mary Stewarts Merlin/Arthur books?


----------



## runner

runner said:


> Ah, no, didn't realise it was part of a trilogy - will read those first then.  I've only read Handmaid's Tale, Cat's Eye and Alias Grace



And the Blind Assasin!


----------



## Mark T

runner said:


> OOO my list is growing!  Have you read Mary Stewarts Merlin/Arthur books?


Nope, not read those.  To be honest if it (the Kerr, arthurian book) hadn't of been written by one of my favorite authors I probably wouldn't of picked it up.

Our bookcase upstairs features predominately the following authors:
Katherine Kerr
Kate Elliot
Trudy Canavan
Brandon Sanderson
Ann McCaffery
Steven Erikson
Anne Bishop
Michelle West
Raymond Feist
David Eddings


----------



## runner

Mark T said:


> Nope, not read those.  To be honest if it (the Kerr, arthurian book) hadn't of been written by one of my favorite authors I probably wouldn't of picked it up.
> 
> Our bookcase upstairs features predominately the following authors:
> Katherine Kerr
> Kate Elliot
> Trudy Canavan
> Brandon Sanderson
> Ann McCaffery
> Steven Erikson
> Anne Bishop
> Michelle West
> Raymond Feist
> David Eddings



I like Ann McCaffery's Dragon books!  Haven't read any of the others.


----------



## RachelT

Finished "The Perks of being a Wallflower" (book set in a high school) and working my way through "The Tribes of Britain" by David Miles- Book my Mum enjoyed.


----------



## RachelT

Mark T said:


> Nope, not read those.  To be honest if it (the Kerr, arthurian book) hadn't of been written by one of my favorite authors I probably wouldn't of picked it up.
> 
> Our bookcase upstairs features predominately the following authors:
> Katherine Kerr
> Kate Elliot
> Trudy Canavan
> Brandon Sanderson
> Ann McCaffery
> Steven Erikson
> Anne Bishop
> Michelle West
> Raymond Feist
> David Eddings



You need to read George RR Martin! Soooo much better than the Tv Series.


----------



## Northerner

RachelT said:


> You need to read George RR Martin! Soooo much better than the Tv Series.



I haven't read anything by him, or seen any of the episodes, as I don't have Sky - so I haven't any idea what it is all about! 

I've just finished 'The Edible Woman' by (you've guessed it) Margaret Atwood. It is in the category of 'A popular author's first book'. Found it a bit weird, but am getting used to her style, as no doubt she was when she wrote it! 

Next on my list is 'Slaughterhouse 5' by Kurt Vonnegut. It is in the category of 'A book with a number in the title' - taking a short break from Atwood.


----------



## Mark T

runner said:


> I like Ann McCaffery's Dragon books!  Haven't read any of the others.


As well as the dragon series, we also have Ann McCaffery's Crystal Singer series, the Tower and the Hive series, Talent series and a few standalone books.  All of which are worth a read if you come across them - although all of them more Sci-Fi then Fantasy.


----------



## Northerner

My favourite fantasy series was the Eternal Champion books of Michael Moorcock - Elric of Melniboné and all his other guises


----------



## Northerner

Finished 'Slaughterhouse 5' by Kurt Vonnegut - my book with a number in the title  Good book, although it took me a little while to get into it as so different to the other books I've read recently. Next book on my list is 'Herland' by Charlotte Gilman


----------



## KookyCat

Northerner said:


> Finished 'Slaughterhouse 5' by Kurt Vonnegut - my book with a number in the title  Good book, although it took me a little while to get into it as so different to the other books I've read recently. Next book on my list is 'Herland' by Charlotte Gilman



Slaughterhouse 5 was one of my favourites back in the day, very odd but enjoyable.  I've stalled slightly but picking my next one now!


----------



## Northerner

KookyCat said:


> Slaughterhouse 5 was one of my favourites back in the day, very odd but enjoyable.  I've stalled slightly but picking my next one now!



It's been on my radar for donkey's years, so pleased I finally got round to it!


----------



## Northerner

Finished 'Herland' by Charlotte Gilman  It's only a short book, and I'm putting it under the category of 'A book set in a different country' - written in 1915, it's about a country cut off from the world where there is an all-female utopia. Three lads discover it, and it contrasts their expectations of women in the America of the day, with their completely different experiences in Herland. Highly recommended!  Rally brings home to you the dreadful attitudes to women and the arrogance of men at the time (which I know, still persists, unfortunately).

Now to pick the next one...I'm going for 'War with the Newts' by Karel Capek - it's under the category 'A book with nonhuman characters


----------



## runner

Finished 'Christmas In The Snow' by Karen Swan.  Bit boring at first because it was hard to relate to the main character, but when the background story came to the fore, presenting a few twists in the plot it was quite enjoyable!  So, you guessed it - a book set during Christmas.


----------



## Northerner

runner said:


> Finished 'Christmas In The Snow' by Karen Swan.  Bit boring at first because it was hard to relate to the main character, but when the background story came to the fore, presenting a few twists in the plot it was quite enjoyable!  So, you guessed it - a book set during Christmas.



I find it hard sometimes sticking with a book that doesn't grab me in the first couple of chapters. Current book 'War with the Newts' has got me gripped immediately!


----------



## Northerner

Finished 'War with the Newts' by Karel Capek  What a terrific book, wow! Now right up there with my all-time greats, really enjoyed it and could hardly put it down - highly recommended! That was my 'book with nonhuman characters' 

Next on my list is 'The Silver Sword' by Ian Serraillier, which falls in the category 'a book from your childhood'. When I was about 9 or 10 I used to read this book to the class at junior school. Miss Robson (my favourite ever teacher!) used to ask the class if they wanted her to read it or me, and the class would choose me! It's a fond memory, and makes me realise how much I loved reading even back then  It's about children in Warsaw during WWII escaping from the Nazis and going in search of their family.

What is everyone else reading at the moment?


----------



## Northerner

OK, two more to knock of the list! 'The Silver Sword' by Ian Serraillier is a book from my childhood. It's the story of a young family crossing from Poland to Switzerland during WWII. Although written for children, it doesn't pull any punches and is a gripping story throughout, with a very emotional climax - well worth a read! 

The other book is 'Wide Sargasso Sea' by Jean Rhys. This is my 'book you can finish in a day', and is the back story for Jane Eyre about the woman in the attic and how she came to be there. A little difficult on places, but definitely worth a read, and might prompt me to re-read Jane Eyre with fresh eyes 

Next on my list is 'The Blind Assassin' by Margaret Atwood. This will be my 'book with more than 500 pages', so I'm expecting it to take me a bit longer to read than the last two! 

Happy reading everyone!


----------



## banjo

I get through at least 1 book a week - but mainly in the SF catagory so ill likely as not fail the challenge lol


----------



## Northerner

banjo said:


> I get through at least 1 book a week - but mainly in the SF catagory so ill likely as not fail the challenge lol



I don't know, quite a few of mine have been SF - which is also what I would normally read  Do you have a favourite SF author? I'm a big fan of Larry Niven, also Ben Bova, Arthur C Clarke


----------



## banjo

My favorite authors are anyone who writes space opera type books lol, but id guess if i had to choose a few Azimov , Niven ,Heinlien would be a start, after a long 40 year gap or so it seems there a few new authors writing space opera again so im poking around the edges of Amazon.
At 1 point i had over 5000 sf books on shelves - but i have relegated them to boxs now, cant throw them away and i suspect they would have little resale value at the minute, as i tend to use my kindle a lot. My ereader needs a good sort out as well seems to be running slow with over 600 books on it lol, wouldnt want to be caught out.
Discovered 2 book packs Stars and empire and  Stars and empire 2 on amamzon 10 books in each for 99p each which have new authors in. I can say there are some good new reads in them, worth picking up if u have an ereader. Might not help you with the book challenge though.


----------



## Northerner

banjo said:


> My favorite authors are anyone who writes space opera type books lol, but id guess if i had to choose a few Azimov , Niven ,Heinlien would be a start, after a long 40 year gap or so it seems there a few new authors writing space opera again so im poking around the edges of Amazon.
> At 1 point i had over 5000 sf books on shelves - but i have relegated them to boxs now, cant throw them away and i suspect they would have little resale value at the minute, as i tend to use my kindle a lot. My ereader needs a good sort out as well seems to be running slow with over 600 books on it lol, wouldnt want to be caught out.
> Discovered 2 book packs Stars and empire and  Stars and empire 2 on amamzon 10 books in each for 99p each which have new authors in. I can say there are some good new reads in them, worth picking up if u have an ereader. Might not help you with the book challenge though.



Haha, sounds a bit like me  I still regret giving away a load of Ben Bovas to charity - I would probably never read them again, but I really don't like giving them away, and as you say they're not worth selling. I've got a kindle, but I have found that I still much prefer real books, I tend to get them s/h when possible. I use my Kindle for the 99p bargains 

I'm not such a fan of space opera, more hard SF - never that keen on Niven's collaborations with Pournelle, you can definitely see who's contributing what to those books. Thought his collaborations with Barnes were much better, but best of all Niven on his own. Same for Arthur C., never that keen on his collaborations. 

You'd enjoy 'War with the Newts', I think - not space, but definitely SF! Also the Atwood books Oryx and Crake and The Handmaid's Tale - future/dystopian societies rather than space opera though.


----------



## banjo

Hey didnt say i wouldnt read non space opera lol - think i have read most pre 1980s sf my most authors lol and then a fair bit more after lol


----------



## KookyCat

Have to ask, what is space opera?  

Can't do much in the Scifi realm myself mostly because it has the same effect as fantasy on me, namely irritate the pants off me with all the funny words   I tried Iain Banks' Scifi because I love him, but no I was angry two minutes later, don't get me started on Lord of the Rings or Terry Pratchett and the fantasy arena.  Yet love Asimov and Margaret Atwood's more off piste offerings and George Orwell, and I could quite easily become a Star Trek fan if pushed.  Just can't stand the odd words.  

Oh has anyone tried the Thursday Next books by Jasper Fforde?  They're brilliant if you like books, and a bit of parallel universe type stuff, there are some of those "words" but I managed to overlook that . Essentially a librarian discovers a parallel universe, a sort of book world, with characters from novels. Think the first one is called "The Eyre Affair" if I remember correctly.


----------



## banjo

space opera is - well i guess if it film would be Star wars - good verses evil in space with spaceships etc.
Sounds like Jasper Fforde books are sci fi lol - i will read anything - well within reason
50 shades of grey???? hmmm no thanks and barbara cartland might be too much for me as well lol


----------



## KookyCat

Oh I see, i thought maybe they were like mini serialised books like a soap opera, my mind was spinning 

Jasper is a bit SciFi as is Margaret Atwood and some of the Iain Banks none SciFi are quite SciFi too.  I like a bit of space and parallel worlds/dire future prediction I just can't cope with too many made up words, my brain gets annoyed with all the newness bless it   I only managed to get through the Lord of the rings film by watching it in four parts, with a cheat list about fairies, pixies, goblins and who was who, and live commentary explaining what on earth was going on, and that's no exaggeration.  It became a mission of sheer determination 

Loved Complicity and The Bridge by Iain Banks and they definitely border on the science fiction.


----------



## runner

Northerner said:


> What is everyone else reading at the moment?



I've not long started Every Woman for Herself  by Trisha Ashley.  So far I would describe it as an easy-reading book with humour.  She wrote my favourite Christmas book The 12 Days of Christmas - I actually re-read it every year!)  So thought I'd give some of her non-Christmas books a read.  It takes me a while to get through a book, mainly because I can't crochet and read at the same time in the evenings!  However, I'm giving up commission work, so hope to increase my consumption later in the year.

I've read a lot of Arthur C Clarke, the Lord of the Rings books, the Dune books, a couple of terry Pratchet's.  Big fan of Neil Gaiman, - might give one of his graphic novels a try.


----------



## runner

banjo said:


> space opera is - well i guess if it film would be Star wars - good verses evil in space with spaceships etc.
> Sounds like Jasper Fforde books are sci fi lol - i will read anything - well within reason
> 50 shades of grey???? hmmm no thanks and barbara cartland might be too much for me as well lol



Ha ha, ditto!


----------



## runner

KookyCat said:


> I like a bit of space and parallel worlds/dire future prediction I just can't cope with too many made up words, my brain gets annoyed with all the newness bless it



You might like Neverwhere http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neverwhere

As it says - first a  TV series (loved it!), then written as a book by Neil Gaiman.


----------



## Northerner

I only ever got 5 pages into LOTR, found it awful  One series of books I would highly recommend is the Gormenghast trilogy by Mervyn Peake - absolutely amazing books, it feels like you are reading an incredibly rich painting, superb!


----------



## banjo

anyone read the wheel of time books ? not certain of author off hand


----------



## KookyCat

Adding those potentials to the list...just need to actually get into reading some


----------



## runner

Northerner said:


> I only ever got 5 pages into LOTR, found it awful  One series of books I would highly recommend is the Gormenghast trilogy by Mervyn Peake - absolutely amazing books, it feels like you are reading an incredibly rich painting, superb!



That's really funny because I had the same problem with the Gormenghast books!  I gave them to my daughter to read when the TV series came out (I enjoyed that)  and intend to give them another go.  I think what got me into LOTR was hearing it on the radio.  Not ones I'd rad again though - prefer just to watch the films.


----------



## Northerner

runner said:


> That's really funny because I had the same problem with the Gormenghast books!  I gave them to my daughter to read when the TV series came out (I enjoyed that)  and intend to give them another go.  I think what got me into LOTR was hearing it on the radio.  Not ones I'd rad again though - prefer just to watch the films.



I think it's all about building an atmosphere with Gormenghast, it's not an action-packed book, but astonishingly good at conjuring up Gothic at it's finest  I know a lot of people slammed the tv series, but I was actually really impressed, because I thought it would be impossible to film!


----------



## Northerner

Oh brilliant! I've just read that 'The Martian' by Andy Weir is being made into a film this year!  Due for release on November 25th and directed by Ridley Scott. Starring Matt Damon - sounds perfect fr the role!


----------



## Andy HB

Northerner said:


> Oh brilliant! I've just read that 'The Martian' by Andy Weir is being made into a film this year!  Due for release on November 25th and directed by Ridley Scott. Starring Matt Damon - sounds perfect fr the role!



I did wonder about that. Has the potential to be a really good movie (even if I do know how it ends, unlike when I was reading the book).

I also wonder why they have never filmed Anne McAffrey's Pern books (I'm sure that she was quite keen on the idea). They'd make some wonderful films too I think.


----------



## runner

Andy HB said:


> I did wonder about that. Has the potential to be a really good movie (even if I do know how it ends, unlike when I was reading the book).
> 
> I also wonder why they have never filmed Anne McAffrey's Pern books (I'm sure that she was quite keen on the idea). They'd make some wonderful films too I think.



Me too Andy particularly as anything containing dragons seems to be popular.  I shall certainly watch the Martian and hope that one day they will make a series of films of the Dune books - wasn't so keen on the last Dune film.  The problems with films and TV series is that they might well change the ending, as I believe they've done with 'The Casual Vacancy'.


----------



## Andy HB

runner said:


> Me too Andy particularly as anything containing dragons seems to be popular.  I shall certainly watch the Martian and hope that one day they will make a series of films of the Dune books - wasn't so keen on the last Dune film.  The problems with films and TV series is that they might well change the ending, as I believe they've done with 'The Casual Vacancy'.



American TV did a very creditable Dune series (may have been a Sci Fi channel production). It was very true to the books and I found the characters were very well portrayed. It covers the original Dune trilogy (Dune, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune) and stars William Hurt, James McAvoy, Alice Krige, Steven Berkoff and Susan Sarandon along with a load of very good Czech actors.


----------



## runner

Andy HB said:


> American TV did a very creditable Dune series (may have been a Sci Fi channel production). It was very true to the books and I found the characters were very well portrayed. It covers the original Dune trilogy (Dune, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune) and stars William Hurt, James McAvoy, Alice Krige, Steven Berkoff and Susan Sarandon along with a load of very good Czech actors.



Would this be it?   

Haven't watched it all yet as son borrowed it for a while, so think I'll go back to the beginning again.


----------



## Andy HB

Yep, that's the one. There is also a second series which covers "The Children of Dune". But, if I remember correctly, there is some overlap of "Dune Messiah" between the first and second series.


----------



## Northerner

I have finished 'The Blind Assassin' by Margaret Atwood, in the category 'a book with more than 500 pages' (it has 640 ). Brilliant! Thanks to runner and Bloden who recommended it!  

Haven't decided yet what is next on my list!


----------



## Northerner

I decided to go for 'Never Let Me Go' by Kazuo Ishiguro, as 'a book that became a movie'. I was about a page in when I realised I had actually seen the film once ages ago on telly - I'm constantly amazed at the human brain's ability to make connections with faint memories, truly remarkable and, I think, what sets us apart from machines that they keep telling us are 'intelligent'


----------



## runner

Northerner said:


> I decided to go for 'Never Let Me Go' by Kazuo Ishiguro, as 'a book that became a movie'. I was about a page in when I realised I had actually seen the film once ages ago on telly - I'm constantly amazed at the human brain's ability to make connections with faint memories, truly remarkable and, I think, what sets us apart from machines that they keep telling us are 'intelligent'



I've read (and seen) The Remains of the Day by him - great book and film, but none others - be interested in how you find it for future reference - my booklist to read is getting longer and longer


----------



## runner

Just finished  Every Woman for Herself by Trisha Ashley.  I found it very funny, easy reading.  So, a funny book, or one by a female author.  It seems that many modern authors use Jane Austin's P&P formula for the love plot, and there were a couple of references to her in this one!


----------



## Northerner

runner said:


> Just finished  Every Woman for Herself by Trisha Ashley.  I found it very funny, easy reading.  So, a funny book, or one by a female author.  It seems that many modern authors use Jane Austin's P&P formula for the love plot, and there were a couple of references to her in this one!



I've just ordered 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance-now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem!'   Hopefully will be a laugh!


----------



## runner

Northerner said:


> I've just ordered 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance-now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem!'   Hopefully will be a laugh!



Ha ha sounds like an interesting combination


----------



## Bloden

runner said:


> I've read (and seen) The Remains of the Day by him - great book and film, but none others - be interested in how you find it for future reference - my booklist to read is getting longer and longer



Oh what an excellent, and very sad, book. You guys are reading machines! I'm ashamed to say I'm still reading The Goldfinch.


----------



## runner

Bloden said:


> Oh what an excellent, and very sad, book. You guys are reading machines! I'm ashamed to say I'm still reading The Goldfinch.



Ah Bloden, I've had about 55 years of practice - been reading since about the age of 5!  Reading is immense.  i learnt all my grammar from reading rather than school. (Or should that be learned!! LOL)


----------



## robert@fm

In view of this thread, I'm surprised nobody has done the "guess the novel from the review" quiz.


----------



## Robin

I did it! i thought the reviews were hilarious. I wasn't so good at guessing what they referred to though.


----------



## Northerner

Just watched the DVD of 'The Handmaid's Tale'  Very faithful to the book and well-cast, I thought, excellent 

Sad to think though that Natasha Richardson died far too young


----------



## runner

Northerner said:


> Just watched the DVD of 'The Handmaid's Tale'  Very faithful to the book and well-cast, I thought, excellent
> 
> Sad to think though that Natasha Richardson died far too young



I've only seen it once, a long while ago, but yeas agree


----------



## Northerner

runner said:


> I've only seen it once, a long while ago, but yeas agree



That having been said, there is definitely so much more to the book


----------



## Northerner

How about this? I was just looking through my Kindle to see what I had on it, and I see that I bought 'The Martian' by Andy Weir over TWO YEARS ago, but had never got round to reading it!  Then I've only gone and bought it again for this reading challenge, in paperback form!  Still, originally it was only 77p and I think I paid about £3.50 for the PB, so not a huge fortune lost. But I'm always mad with myself for buying things and forgetting about them, then buying them again! Feeling suitably embarrassed, although possibly not alone? Anyone else done/does this?


----------



## Robin

oh yes. the senior moment. i did it the other way round, I downloaded a Lord Peter Wimsey spin off by Jill Paton Walsh, because I'd borrowed the book from my sister first time round, and I wanted to reread it. then I discovered the paperback on my bookshelves and remembered my sister had said she didn't want it back!


----------



## Northerner

Robin said:


> oh yes. the senior moment. i did it the other way round, I downloaded a Lord Peter Wimsey spin off by Jill Paton Walsh, because I'd borrowed the book from my sister first time round, and I wanted to reread it. then I discovered the paperback on my bookshelves and remembered my sister had said she didn't want it back!



Hehe! Good one  I once bought a book on sale in hardback, then discovered I already had the paperback on my shelf! I think the most annoying thing about The Martian is that I could have really enjoyed reading it two years ago! I really have to curb my habit for buying books because they interest me and are cheap, then moving on to something else for the same reason.

I also have another book problem - when I lend a book out it really annoys me if it isn't returned, even if I've read it and am unlikely to re-read it - is that bad? I know I can be very possessive about my books.


----------



## Robin

Even worse, is when its returned looking as if its been dropped in the bath.


----------



## Northerner

Robin said:


> Even worse, is when its returned looking as if its been dropped in the bath.



{{{{SHUDDER!!!}}}} 

I have just finished 'Never Let Me Go' by Kazuo Ishiguro - another excellent book, hard to put down! Originally, this was going to be my 'book that got made into a movie', but I am going to be a bit cheeky and treat it as my 'book set in a high school'. Stretching the category a bit, but if you've read it I think you'll know what I mean, and if you haven't read it - read it!  Actually, I can't really imagine finding a book that I would enjoy in the more conventional 'high school' genre.

Next book on my list is 'a book with a colour in the title', namely 'Yellow Blue Tibia' by Adam Roberts (two colours for the price of one!)


----------



## runner

Oh dear - as you say senior moments creeping in LOL.  Don't think I've bought the same book twice except when I've ordered one lately from a certain online company which went straight to the one-click buy and somehow I ended up ordering 2 copies of the same book on two occasions without realising it.  Needless to say I've turned off the one-click ordering and always check my 'basket' now.  

I used to be quite possessive about books too but have relaxed a bit now and tend to pass them on if I don't think I'll read them again (except some of the childhood books - still got Mary Poppins and the sequels, Grimms fairtyales etc.).  My need for space and de-cluttering is greater than my need for a library these days!


----------



## Northerner

Another one finished!  'Yellow Blue Tibia', by Adam Roberts, my 'book with a colour in the title'. Another highly recommended book, SF set in the Soviet Union, chiefly in the mid-1980s. Some very interesting twists, tense moments and excellent characters. I particularly liked the character Saltykov, some very funny passages with him involved 

I was in the USSR in the late '70s/early '80s, so it contained a lot of nostalgia for me - the only thing I am annoyed with myself for is not understanding what the title was all about until page 289, a real 'Doh!' moment!

Next, I', going for 'The Little Stranger' by Sarah Waters - I'll decide what category it falls into when I've finished it!


----------



## KookyCat

I've just preordered the "new" Harper Lee book for release in July, just need to get myself back into the reading, just can't get into the routine of it, but very very excited and it fills the category of a book by an author I love but haven't read


----------



## Northerner

KookyCat said:


> I've just preordered the "new" Harper Lee book for release in July, just need to get myself back into the reading, just can't get into the routine of it, but very very excited and it fills the category of a book by an author I love but haven't read



That's on my list too!  I need to buy TKAM as well though, as I haven't read it since I was 15


----------



## KookyCat

I've got my old copy ready to roll, but I have to steel myself for the emotional trauma first, it took me years to get over it the first time.  Dead excited for July now though


----------



## Northerner

As it is ‪#‎worldbookday‬ I thought I would post an update on my 2015 Reading Challenge progress. Doing quite well so far, and every book has been excellent - no duds! Also, I have developed a love of all things Margaret Atwood, so expect a few more of hers to crop up as the year progresses 

01. The Blind Assassin, Margaret Atwood - A book with more than 500 pages
02. Slaughterhouse 5, Kurt Vonnegut - A book with a number in the title
03. War with the Newts, Karel Capek - A book with nonhuman characters
04. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood - A book by a female author
05. Surfacing, Margaret Atwood - A book with a one-word title
06. Herland, Charlotte Gilman - A book set in a different country
07. The Edible Woman, Margaret Atwood - A popular author's first book
08. Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys - A book you can finish in a day
09. The Martian, Andy Weir - A book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit
10. Oryx and Crake, Margaret Atwood - A trilogy (2 books remaining)
11. The Silver Sword, Ian Serraillier - A book from your childhood
12. Lady Oracle, Margaret Atwood - A book with a love triangle
13. Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro - A book set in high school
14. Yellow Blue Tibia, Adam Roberts - A book with a colour in the title


----------



## Annette

I have just finished reading a book that was so good, I thought I ought to share (it being World Book Day and all). I started it last night, and finished it at about midnight (couldn't put it down!)
A House to Let by Wilkie Collins, Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell and Adelaide Anne Procter. I got it free on my Kindle from Amazon. Its a not quite mystery story that I really enjoyed. (Don't know what category it would fit, could be quite a few!)


----------



## Northerner

Annette Anderson said:


> I have just finished reading a book that was so good, I thought I ought to share (it being World Book Day and all). I started it last night, and finished it at about midnight (couldn't put it down!)
> A House to Let by Wilkie Collins, Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell and Adelaide Anne Procter. I got it free on my Kindle from Amazon. Its a not quite mystery story that I really enjoyed. (Don't know what category it would fit, could be quite a few!)



Ooh! Free as well!  Downloaded. Mrs Gaskell is one of my favourites, I'd recommend Mary Barton


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## Northerner

*Book lover's Cake!*

I want one!


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## runner

That's Amazing!  Love it!


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## KookyCat

That's like my ideal house, and just like a library I used to work in, I loved that place so calm and zen


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## Northerner

I have just finished 'The Little Stranger' by Sarah Waters. I think I will make it my 'book by an author I've never read before'. It's well written and an easy read, atmospheric - but not really my kind of thing, I don't think. I didn't have a lot of sympathy for the narrator/main character and found it a little predictable - possibly more so after reading the far more unpredictable 'Yellow Blue Tibia'. Might have to try some others of hers before I make a true judgement 

Next I am going for 'Breakfast At Tiffany's' by Truman Capote, my 'book that came out the year I was born'. It's only short, and I'm sure I will not be able to read a single line without contemplating the astonishing beauty of Audrey Hepburn


----------



## Northerner

Finished 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'  The film is surprisingly faithful to the book, so I could picture Audrey in every scene  I hadn't realised that Margaret Thatcher is a character in the book - not _the_ MT, I presume, given that the character is a 6ft, drug-taking New York model! 

What to read next? I've made the mistake of buying lots of the books I intend to read, and now I have too much choice over what I should pick!


----------



## runner

Northerner said:


> Finished 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'  The film is surprisingly faithful to the book, so I could picture Audrey in every scene  I hadn't realised that Margaret Thatcher is a character in the book - not _the_ MT, I presume, given that the character is a 6ft, drug-taking New York model!
> 
> What to read next? I've made the mistake of buying lots of the books I intend to read, and now I have too much choice over what I should pick!



Ha ha, sounds more like Edina from Ab Fab!  Didn't realise the film was from a book, although they after are.  Glad you enjoyed the book.  Great film and Audrey's great too.


----------



## Northerner

runner said:


> Ha ha, sounds more like Edina from Ab Fab!  Didn't realise the film was from a book, although they after are.  Glad you enjoyed the book.  Great film and Audrey's great too.



I imagine Jennifer Saunders was influenced by the book to some degree  

I watched the flm of 'Never Let Me Go' last night - good film, although it does make some significant alterations to the story line. I think the book is a much richer experience than the film (as is often the case), but would still recommend the film


----------



## Northerner

OK, I have decided to go for 'Death and the Penguin' by Andrey Kurkov. It may become my 'funny book', and I was attracted by the introductory page:



> A Militia major is driving along when he sees a militiaman standing with a penguin. "Take him to the zoo!", he orders. Some time later the same major is driving along when he sees the militiaman still with the penguin. "What have you been doing?", he asks, "I said take him to the zoo!". "We've been to the zoo, Comrade Major," says the militiaman, "and the circus. And now we're going to the pictures."


----------



## Northerner

I have finished 'Death and the Penguin', which I will put in the category of 'a book that was originally written in a foreign language' (Russian). Enjoyed it, quirky and unusual, a good read - I have ordered the sequel! 

Now wondering what to go for next. There are some categories that I might find difficult to fill, I think. As far as I know there are no novels featuring my home town, and does any one know a book that will genuinely 'scare' me?


----------



## Annette

Eeny Meeny by Arlidge is set in Southampton. If you like crime/thrillers.


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## Northerner

Annette Anderson said:


> Eeny Meeny by Arlidge is set in Southampton. If you like crime/thrillers.



Isn't it funny, I hadn't considered Southampton as my home town - always think of it as Brighouse, where I was born! Thank you, I will take a look at it


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## Northerner

I have just finished 'The Quarry' by Iain Banks, my 'book recommended by a friend'. It's the first book I've read by Iain Banks, not entirely sure whether I liked it or not. Well-written, but I didn't like most of the characters (although that's probably how I was supposed to feel!).

Next on my list is 'Last and First Men', by Olaf Stapledon. It's a sci-fi classic that I have never got round to reading, so now seems like a good time! It will be my 'book with antonyms in the title'


----------



## Northerner

I have finished 'Last and First Men' by Olaf Stapledon, my 'book with antonyms in the title' (I hope last and first are antonyms! ). Interesting, if not a page-turner - an account of 2 billion years of human history! 

I am now embarking on 'The Casual Vacancy' by J K Rowling, my 'book based on or turned into a TV show'. No spoilers please - I have recorded the BBC series to watch after finishing the book! 

Can't believe it, but this will be the 20th book I have read this year!


----------



## runner

Northerner said:


> I have finished 'Last and First Men' by Olaf Stapledon, my 'book with antonyms in the title' (I hope last and first are antonyms! ). Interesting, if not a page-turner - an account of 2 billion years of human history!
> 
> I am now embarking on 'The Casual Vacancy' by J K Rowling, my 'book based on or turned into a TV show'. No spoilers please - I have recorded the BBC series to watch after finishing the book!
> 
> Can't believe it, but this will be the 20th book I have read this year!



All I will say is I kept thinking about it long after I'd finished it.  I've recorded the series too to watch at some point!


----------



## runner

I've finished Good Husband Material by Trisha Ashley - a book with more than 500 pages (just!).  Quite funny but preferred the previous one of hers I read.  I've had enough of the chick-lit for now and have started reading Joanne Harris' Runemarks - a book with non-human characters.  Erm,  I believe it's book number 3 this year - quite good going for me!


----------



## Northerner

runner said:


> All I will say is I kept thinking about it long after I'd finished it.  I've recorded the series too to watch at some point!



Yes, not quite the ending I had envisaged. I have watched the TV series, and whilst I thought it was good, I found the book far richer and more engaging. I suppose you are always a bit disappointed by some of the plot and character variations they introduce for the dramatised versions 



runner said:


> I've finished Good Husband Material by Trisha Ashley - a book with more than 500 pages (just!).  Quite funny but preferred the previous one of hers I read.  I've had enough of the chick-lit for now and have started reading Joanne Harris' Runemarks - a book with non-human characters.  Erm,  I believe it's book number 3 this year - quite good going for me!



I can't believe I've got through 20 now, so will be making a donation of £10 to the book charity (see my first post). I do get a bit obsessive with things! 

Now to select my next one...!


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## runner

Yes, not quite the ending I had envisaged. I have watched the TV series, and whilst I thought it was good, I found the book far richer and more engaging. I suppose you are always a bit disappointed by some of the plot and character variations they introduce for the dramatised versions 

Yes,  I'd read they'd changed the ending for the TV series, but didn't wan't to say until you'd read/seen it.  I won't say too much more in case anyone else wants to read it!


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## Northerner

This is an interesting idea: someone has written a book/blog about reading a book from every UN-recognised country - that's 196 books in all! What a great way to discover and understand better the rich culture of the world?  I'm tempted to buy the book, and might even do a blog about my 2015 challenge 

The blog is here:

http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/


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## Northerner

Started the next book on my list - 'Swiftly', by Adam Roberts. I'm putting it in as my 'book based entirely on its cover', although that isn't entirely accurate but it's the closest I could get. The cover isn't particularly striking, but the scene-setter on the back cover is what drew me in. I've already read 'Yellow Blue Tibia' by Adam Roberts, and found it very enjoyable, so I admit to being somewhat influenced by his appeal as an author.

Basically, it is a sort of steampunk novel, set in the 1840s and involving Babbage's difference Engine, Lilliputians and Brobdingnagians, and the French sacking of London!


----------



## Northerner

Well, I have to say that 'Swiftly' didn't disappoint! Superbly written, very unusual and original with some very surprising content!   Thoroughly recommended - Adam Roberts is now a firm favourite in my house!

I've now embarked on 'The Buried Giant' by Kazuo Ishiguro - my 'book published this year'. So far, excellent. I've sort of heard snippets of the Radio 4 serialisation when they had it as the 'Book at Bedtime' a few weeks ago, but not enough to know what was really going on as not listening closely.


----------



## Bloden

Well, I've been doing a lot of diabetes reading, so The Goldfinch is getting dusty next to my bed. 

I'm reading My Sweet Life: Successful Women with Diabetes. Basically, each chapter is one woman's account of her 'journey' (it's American!) with diabetes; and it's really helping me to change my attitude towards my diabetes. Just thought I'd mention it - it might help other people here too who are struggling with the emotional side of diabetes. There's a men's version too, so I'll be reading that next.. Must get back to reading fiction tho!


----------



## Northerner

Bloden said:


> Well, I've been doing a lot of diabetes reading, so The Goldfinch is getting dusty next to my bed.
> 
> I'm reading My Sweet Life: Successful Women with Diabetes. Basically, each chapter is one woman's account of her 'journey' (it's American!) with diabetes; and it's really helping me to change my attitude towards my diabetes. Just thought I'd mention it - it might help other people here too who are struggling with the emotional side of diabetes. There's a men's version too, so I'll be reading that next.. Must get back to reading fiction tho!



Before this 'challenge' nearly everything I read was non-fiction - it's really expanded my horizons quite unexpectedly!  I'll have a look for those books, always good to have things I might be able to recommend to other members


----------



## Bloden

Northerner said:


> Before this 'challenge' nearly everything I read was non-fiction - it's really expanded my horizons quite unexpectedly!  I'll have a look for those books, always good to have things I might be able to recommend to other members



Got them from amazon, btw.


----------



## Northerner

I have finished 'The Buried Giant' by Kazuo Ishiguro - my 'book published this year'  Really enjoyed it and would recommend it! Now moving on to...what, I'm not sure yet!


----------



## Northerner

I decided to go with 'Eeny Meeny' by M J Aldridge, as my 'book that takes place in your hometown'  - in my case, Southampton. This was recommended to me by Annette - thank you! 

I enjoyed the book - very much a 'page turner' and although it's a thick book I seemed to speed through it very quickly, probably because the chapters are short so there's quite a lot of blank space between them. Felt weird to read about references to places familiar to me! Not the kind of book I would normally pick, but pleased I did 

Now...what next?


----------



## Northerner

Two more to add to the list: 'The Snow', by Adam Roberts - a book you own but have never read, and 'I know why the caged bird sings', Maya Angelou - A book your mother loves  Maya Angelou was one of my Mum's favourite poets and people 

Next on my list is going to be a complete departure for me: 'Vixen in Velvet', by Loretta Chase  It's going to be my 'book at the bottom of your to-read list!


----------



## robert@fm

One recommendation (well, three recommendations) I have is Philip Pullman's classic "His Dark Materials" trilogy — "Northern Lights" (which was filmed as "The Golden Compass"), "The Subtle Knife" and "The Amber Spyglass". Amongst other things, it's a classic coming-of-age story, tracing the journey of the two protagonists from children to adults. They're next on my to-read list after I finish the last two Discworld novels.

Note that despite being fantastic, these are _not_ children's books; they are young-adult books. This is a common error which goes back at least to _Gulliver's Travels_, which if you read it carefully, has several elements which are blatantly unsuitable for children; for instance, the flying island of Laputa was so called because _la puta_ is a coarse Spanish phrase whose translation cannot be given on a family-friendly forum.

And speaking of translations, could someone please check the Semyon Borisovitch page to make sure the Russian is correct? (And perhaps take a moment to correct it if need be.)


----------



## Northerner

robert@fm said:


> ...And speaking of translations, could someone please check the Semyon Borisovitch page to make sure the Russian is correct? (And perhaps take a moment to correct it if need be.)



Thanks for the recommendation Robert. I do plan to read this trilogy at some point - my only experience so far being the Golden Compass film, which I really enjoyed. 

I checked the page, looks fine to me 

I'm currently about half way through 'Vixen in Velvet' - cliché after cliché, but amusing: "Her bosom rose and fell, the embroidery and lace like white-capped waves on a tumultuous sea..."


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## Northerner

Chalked a few more up since my last post here 

Vixen in Velvet, Loretta Chase - A book at the bottom of your to-read list
A Pale View of Hills, Kazuo Ishiguro - A popular author's first book
Salt, Adam Roberts -  A book with a one-word title
Jack Glass, Adam Roberts - A mystery or thriller

Really enjoying the Adam Roberts books I have read so far, have some more waiting on the shelf  I'm currently reading 'Year of the Flood' by Margaret Atwood, the second book in the Maddadam trilogy 

What's everyone else reading?


----------



## runner

robert@fm said:


> One recommendation (well, three recommendations) I have is Philip Pullman's classic "His Dark Materials" trilogy — "Northern Lights" (which was filmed as "The Golden Compass"), "The Subtle Knife" and "The Amber Spyglass". Amongst other things, it's a classic coming-of-age story, tracing the journey of the two protagonists from children to adults. They're next on my to-read list after I finish the last two Discworld novels.



I love the NOrthern Lights and might re-read at some point, but thought I would look at some more of Pullman's work after I've read my current book.


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## Northerner

runner said:


> I love the NOrthern Lights and might re-read at some point, but thought I would look at some more of Pullman's work after I've read my current book.



What are you reading at the moment? I'm reading 'The Year of the Flood' by Margaret Atwood. It's the second book in the 'Maddaddam' trilogy, and I would highly recommend reading the first book, 'Oryx and Crake' first. YOTF stands alone very well, but having read the previous book first I think really enhances it - things fit sooooo well together! Absolutely brilliant books!


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## runner

I started reading The Heaven of Mercury by Brad Watson, but decided to put aside and read The Brightest Star in the Sky  by Marian Keyes.  Both books picked up for 10p each from a stall at a fair last year and I've not read either author before.  The Keys book has a bit of 'magic' in it which I like.

Soooo looking forward to the Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrel series on TV.  Read the book, the first 1/3 or so was quite a slog, but worth it in the end.


----------



## Northerner

runner said:


> Soooo looking forward to the Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrel series on TV.  Read the book, the first 1/3 or so was quite a slog, but worth it in the end.



Did you watch it on Sunday? I'm recording it so I can watch it all together  I'm wondering if I should read the book first?

I'm up to 35 books on my challenge so far! Latest book was 'The Dragon with the Girl Tattoo' by Adam Roberts  I've really taken to Adam Roberts, have read 7 of his so far and have a few more on the shelf!

Here's my list of books read so far this year (some have been in the same category, haven't read all the categories yet, but not far off!):

01.  The Blind Assassin, Margaret Atwood - A book with more than 500 pages
02.  Slaughterhouse 5, Kurt Vonnegut - A book with a number in the title
03.  War with the Newts, Karel Capek - A book with nonhuman characters (1)
04.  The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood - A book by a female author
05.  Surfacing, Margaret Atwood - A book with a one-word title (1)
06.  Herland, Charlotte Gilman - A book set in a different country
07.  The Edible Woman, Margaret Atwood - A popular author's first book (1)
08.  Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys - A book you can finish in a day
09.  The Martian, Andy Weir - A book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit
10.  Oryx and Crake, Margaret Atwood - A trilogy (1)
11.  The Year of the Flood, Margaret Atwood - A trilogy (2)
12.  Lady Oracle, Margaret Atwood - A book with a love triangle
13.  Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro - A book set in high school
14.  Yellow Blue Tibia, Adam Roberts - A book with a colour in the title
15.  Death and the Penguin, Andrey Kurkov - A book that was originally written in a foreign language (Russian)
16. The Little Stranger, Sarah Waters - A book by an author you've never read before (1)
17.  Breakfast at Tiffany.s, Truman Capote - A book that came out the year you were born
18.  The Quarry, Iain Banks - A book a friend recommended
19.  Last and First Men, Olaf Stapledon - A book with antonyms in the title
20.  The Casual Vacancy, J K Rowling - A book based on or turned into a TV show
21.  Swiftly, Adam Roberts - A book based entirely on its cover
22.  The Buried Giant, Kazuo Ishiguro - A book published this year
23.  Eeny Meeny, M J Aldridge - A book that takes place in your hometown
24.  The Snow, Adam Roberts - A book you own but have never read
25.  I know why the caged bird sings, Maya Angelou - A book your mother loves
26.  Vixen in Velvet, Loretta Chase - A book at the bottom of your to-read list
27.  A Pale View of Hills, Kazuo Ishiguro - A popular author's first book (2)
28.  Salt, Adam Roberts -  A book with a one-word title (2)
29.  Jack Glass, Adam Roberts - A mystery or thriller
30.  The Silver Sword, Ian Serraillier - A book from your childhood
31.  The Fatal Eggs, Mikhail Bulgakov - A book with nonhuman characters (2)
32.  Splinter, Adam Roberts -  A book with a one-word title (3)
33.  Exit Ghost, Philip Roth - A book by an author you've never read before (2)
34.  The Cry of the Go-Away Bird, Andrea Eames - A book written by an author with your same initials
35.  The Dragon with the Girl Tattoo, Adam Roberts - A funny book


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## Northerner

Three more to add to the list:

36.  Light, M.John Harrison - A book with a one-word title (4)
37.  By Light Alone, Adam Roberts - A book from an author you love that you haven't read yet (1)
38.  The Adjacent, Christopher Priest - A book by an author you've never read before (3)

Just finished 'The Adjacent' - wow! Thoroughly gripped me all the way through - it's a sort of timeshift/SF genre, superbly written - I'm definitely a fan now of Christopher Priest


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## Tafty

Going to randomly pick a book from your list to check out.


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## Northerner

Tafty said:


> Going to randomly pick a book from your list to check out.



You shouldn't be disappointed - I don't think I have read a duff one so far! Some really have stood out though, so will be interested to know which you pick and what you think of it


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## Bloden

You seem to like Adam Roberts. Must check him out. Never heard of him - how would describe his writing style?


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## RachelT

*Update*

Here's my update, interesting that i've been reading totally different books to you Alan. I want to read The Buried Giant, and might use I know why the caged bird sings or Never let me go as a book that might make me cry.

Classic Romance: The Rosie Project: Graeme Simson
Book that became a movie: The Enigma- Alan Turing : Andrew Hodgen ( Became “The Imitation Game” ,  or so it says on the cover)
Book with a number in the title: Ready Player One: Ernest Cline
Book with Non-human characters: Raising Steam : Terry Pratchett
A funny book : Mad about the boy: Helen Fielding
By a female author: The Hand That First Held Mine: Maggie O’Farrell
A Mystery or Thriller:  The Silkworm : Robert Galbraith
With a one word title: Us: David Nicholls
Set in a foreign country: A Man without Breath: Phillip Kerr (Set in Germany and Poland, also in the past, which someone said “is a foreign country, they do things differently there.”)
A Non-fiction book: The Hollow Crown: Dan Jones (About the Wars of the Roses)
A Book by an author you love but haven’t read yet: Lamentation: CJ Samson
A book recommended by a friend: Elizabeth is Missing: Emma Healey (Recommended by Pat from Book Group)
A book based on a true story: The King’s Curse: Philippa Gregory 
A book your mum loves: The Tribes of Britain: David Miles (most of the books my mum loves were lent to her after I’d read them, and I wanted the majority of this challenge to be books I’d not read before. She read this one before me, even though it’s mine.)
A book chosen entirely by it’s cover: On A Steel Breeze : Alistair Reynolds (Based on the title alone, coz it’s a Pink Floyd lyric, and it’s on the cover, right?)
A book you can finish in a day: The Confession of Katherine Howard: Suzanna Dunn  (actually I finished it in a morning)
A Trilogy : 1Q84: Haruki Murakami
A book from your childhood: Charlotte Sometimes: Penelope Farmer
A Book set in the future: The Inverted World: Christopher Priest
A Book set in a High School: The Perks of Being a Wallflower: Stephen Chbosky
A Book with magic: Foxglove Summer: Ben Aaronovitch
A book by an author you’ve never read before: Delirium:  Lauren Oliver
By an author under the age of 30: Divergent: Veronica Roth


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## RachelT

I read The Adjacent (I think) last year, or most of it, I ran out of time on my library loan. It was really good. The Islanders is also very good by Priest, and The Inverted World is quite good.


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## Northerner

RachelT said:


> I read The Adjacent (I think) last year, or most of it, I ran out of time on my library loan. It was really good. The Islanders is also very good by Priest, and The Inverted World is quite good.



Wow, you're doing really well Rachel  I will have to try some of the ones you have chosen - any particular favourites that stand out? I seem to get waylaid with quite a few of my choices, after discovering that I really like the author and finding more bargains by them on amazon and abebooks! Adam Roberts and Margaret Atwood in particular, also Ishigro. I've just finished 'Penguin Lost', which is the sequel to 'Death and the Penguin' by Andrey Kurkov (originally in Russian) - couldn't leave the fate of Viktor and Misha unread! 

Similarly, I have ordered The Inverted World by Priest, finding it hard to resist ordering more as I found The Adjacent fascinating and so well-constructed 

Nearly all my books have been purchased s/h, with the notable exception of The Buried Giant, which you really must read!


----------



## Northerner

p.s. I've just started reading 'The Wood Beyond the World' by William Morris (A book more than 100 years old). Apparently it's the first 'fantasy' novel ever written


----------



## Robin

blimey, I've only read one book since Christmas. mind you, it was War and Peace!


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## Northerner

Robin said:


> blimey, I've only read one book since Christmas. mind you, it was War and Peace!



That actually counts as at least ten books!  When I was studying for my Russian degree it was on my reading list to be read in the original - I'd still be reading it now if I'd tried that!  What did you think of it? I'm not that keen on Tolstoy, too 'epic' and sprawling for me, I got lost in all the different characters. Much prefer Dostoevsky - or Gogol if you fancy something more humorous


----------



## Robin

Northerner said:


> That actually counts as at least ten books!  When I was studying for my Russian degree it was on my reading list to be read in the original - I'd still be reading it now if I'd tried that!  What did you think of it? I'm not that keen on Tolstoy, too 'epic' and sprawling for me, I got lost in all the different characters. Much prefer Dostoevsky - or Gogol if you fancy something more humorous


Yes, it is sprawling. I first attempted it when I was 15, but only got through it by skipping the battles and reading it for the plot and characters, which I still think are great. This time I was determined to read it properly. I got bogged down in Austerlitz for weeks, and Borodino wasn't much better. Some of his digressions, for example the description of the Wolf Hunt, are captivating and full of life, other bits, especially towards the end when he bangs on for chapters about his theory of history, are really hard going.
I had a Russian literature phase in my late teens (something to do with long school summer holidays after O and A levels) and read things like Anna Karenina and Crime and Punishment, but I remember not getting into The Idiot, maybe I should give that another try. Next winter perhaps.


----------



## Northerner

Robin said:


> Yes, it is sprawling. I first attempted it when I was 15, but only got through it by skipping the battles and reading it for the plot and characters, which I still think are great. This time I was determined to read it properly. I got bogged down in Austerlitz for weeks, and Borodino wasn't much better. Some of his digressions, for example the description of the Wolf Hunt, are captivating and full of life, other bits, especially towards the end when he bangs on for chapters about his theory of history, are really hard going.
> I had a Russian literature phase in my late teens (something to do with long school summer holidays after O and A levels) and read things like Anna Karenina and Crime and Punishment, but I remember not getting into The Idiot, maybe I should give that another try. Next winter perhaps.



Do try Gogol if you haven't read him - he was an author who wanted to be accepted as serious, but couldn't help himself producing comedy masterpieces! Dead Souls if probably his most famous work, but shorter works like The Nose and The Overcoat are worth a read.

I read all Dostoevsky's works at University - my tutor was a leading authority on him


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## KookyCat

I'm not doing too well with reading still, just can't get my mind to focus, definitely psychological because when I manage it I enjoy what I'm reading. I'm sort of wonder if I don't want to enjoy it...determined to get back to it though so trying "the assassination of Margaret Thatcher". By Hilary Mantel


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## Robin

Thank you, Northerner. Will definitely try some Gogol.

Kooky, after I'd finished raising children and caring for elderly parents, and I Finally had time to read again, I found I'd completely lost the ability to concentrate properly on a page of text, and I really had to persevere and retrain myself to do it. It did come back fairly quickly, but I remember thinking, am I past being able to tackle anything complicated?

I've now embarked on Wolf Hall, which I'm finding a highly engaging read. i do seem to be going for long books.


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## Bloden

I'm having a fictionless time of it too (I love reading!). The problem is I've been reading exclusively about diabetes while The Goldfinch gathers dust next to my bed. I'm getting the ferry to the UK in three weeks and I'm determined to spend the journey reading fiction! And I'll be picking thru the posted reading lists for ideas - watch out Oxfam bookshops, here I come!


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## Northerner

Just seen the film trailer for The Martian - the first book I read on this challenge! Looks brilliant, can't wait! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue4PCI0NamI


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## runner

Northerner said:


> p.s. I've just started reading 'The Wood Beyond the World' by William Morris (A book more than 100 years old). Apparently it's the first 'fantasy' novel ever written



Oooh  not heard of it, but sounds interesting.


----------



## KookyCat

Northerner said:


> Just seen the film trailer for The Martian - the first book I read on this challenge! Looks brilliant, can't wait!
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue4PCI0NamI



Looks good, very exciting, plus the lovely Jeff Daniels, what's not to love


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## Northerner

runner said:


> Oooh  not heard of it, but sounds interesting.



It was an interesting read, very Victorian in many ways, but also quite risqué as one might expect from a Pre-Raphaelite!  Worth a read, I enjoyed it!



KookyCat said:


> Looks good, very exciting, plus the lovely Jeff Daniels, what's not to love



On a 'further reading' theme, I'd recommend reading The Case for Mars by Robert Zubrin. It details the kind of technology that would get you to Mars and how humans might survive. I read this years ago, so the first person perspective of someone actually doing it, as in The Martian, was particularly fascinating


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## Northerner

Just finished reading 'The Shining' by Stephen King. My original idea was to read 'Doctor Sleep' by King, as my 'book that scares you', since that was recommended to me. However, when I discovered Doctor Sleep was the sequel to The Shining, thought I should read it first! I've read a few SK books before, and he is such a good writer. I'd seen the Jack Nicholson film years ago, but couldn't really remember much about it, so it didn't spoil the book. Yes, it is scary! 

Having read that though, I fancy a bit of a change before I move onto the sequel, not sure what yet


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## runner

Still reading the same book, but a friend has just given me 2 books of a trilogy she recommends to read (unfortunately the 3rd book is on her Kindle!)  A discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness.  They're both over 500 pages, so following my current one, I reckon that's me sorted into the new year!


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## Northerner

runner said:


> Still reading the same book, but a friend has just given me 2 books of a trilogy she recommends to read (unfortunately the 3rd book is on her Kindle!)  A discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness.  They're both over 500 pages, so following my current one, I reckon that's me sorted into the new year!



I've just embarked on a trilogy too - the 'Ibis' trilogy by Amitov Ghosh. I saw him being interviewed as he has just released the third in the trilogy and it was mentioned that it is based on the Opium Wars of the 19th century - something I have read about (with amazement, despair and shame at what the British Empire actually got up to ). 100 pages into the first book 'Sea of Poppies' - very good so far. Probably Kindle for third book when I get round to it as cheaper, although I prefer to own the real book! Might be worth looking second hand for the third in your trilogy, runner


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## runner

Northerner said:


> I've just embarked on a trilogy too - the 'Ibis' trilogy by Amitov Ghosh. I saw him being interviewed as he has just released the third in the trilogy and it was mentioned that it is based on the Opium Wars of the 19th century - something I have read about (with amazement, despair and shame at what the British Empire actually got up to ). 100 pages into the first book 'Sea of Poppies' - very good so far. Probably Kindle for third book when I get round to it as cheaper, although I prefer to own the real book! Might be worth looking second hand for the third in your trilogy, runner



Sounds really interesting.  I was going to say I tend to veer into escapism rather than anything verging on realism these days, but then I realised I had read The Casual Vacancy and Victoria Hislop's The Island within the past few years!  Hope you enjoy them.  Yes I will keep my eye out for the third - might even venture into the ebook realm!


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## Northerner

Northerner said:


> Just finished reading 'The Shining' by Stephen King. My original idea was to read 'Doctor Sleep' by King, as my 'book that scares you', since that was recommended to me. However, when I discovered Doctor Sleep was the sequel to The Shining, thought I should read it first! I've read a few SK books before, and he is such a good writer. I'd seen the Jack Nicholson film years ago, but couldn't really remember much about it, so it didn't spoil the book. Yes, it is scary! ...



I just watched the film of 'The Shining'. It's not a bad film, and Jack Nicholson is excellent (as is Shelley Duvall), but it really doesn't hold a candle to the book - I found it very 'sparse' in contrast, far richer detail in the book, with the film abandoning huge swathes of it.


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## runner

Finished Marian Keyes The Brightest Star in the Sky, which I picked up from a stall at a festival.  It is a book with over 500 pages.  Quite enjoyed it but found the going backwards and forward in time occasionally hard for my brain to cope with, reading in short bursts!

Have started A Discovery of Witches - so far so good.


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## Northerner

Quite a bit of catching up to do! I have completed the 'Ibis' trilogy by Amitav Ghosh (Sea of Poppies, River of Smoke, Flood of Fire) - absolutely brilliant from start to finish, one of the most meticulously researched and authentic works I have read in all my 56 years - definitely worth a look!  I was intrigued to discover that 'Sea of Poppies' didn't actually win the Man Booker prize in 2008 when it was on the shortlist, so I looked up what did: The White Tiger, by Aravind Adiga. Also on an Indian theme, but this time modern India. I have just finished it, and although it was good I really would not have put it ahead of Ghosh's book.

Along with a very short book 'The Dream of the Red Chamber' by Cao Xueqin, that brings me to a total of 46 books read so far this year. Now, what shall I read next?


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## Northerner

For some reason I was attracted to a book that I've had on my shelves since 2006 - The Forty Days of Musa Dagh by Franz Werfel. It's a fictional account of a true story, how 5,000 Armenians lay under siege on a mountain during the Ottoman Turk's genocide during the first world war. Spookily, this year is the 100th anniversary of the genocide, and the events described in the book took place in late July-early August of 1915.





Whilst it is a heavy subject, it is absolutely compelling reading full of extraordinary courage and unimaginable suffering. It's also heavy physically, running to 816 pages! 

Defnitely highly recommended, although it's a bit cruel to write a book that you can't put down and extend it to 816 pages! 

Anyone else doing any reading, or is it just me now?


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## Bloden

The Goldfinch is still gathering dust as I seem to have fallen out of love with reading. To get me back into it again, I'm reading Karl Ove Knausgaard - he's Norwegian and writes really well. He recently wrote about the island massacre on its anniversary in a Sunday magazine...he's clever as well as being able to express himself beautifully.

Happy reading!


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## Bloden

Northerner said:


> I just watched the film of 'The Shining'. It's not a bad film, and Jack Nicholson is excellent (as is Shelley Duvall), but it really doesn't hold a candle to the book - I found it very 'sparse' in contrast, far richer detail in the book, with the film abandoning huge swathes of it.



Can't even watch a clip!!


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## Northerner

Bloden said:


> The Goldfinch is still gathering dust as I seem to have fallen out of love with reading. To get me back into it again, I'm reading Karl Ove Knausgaard - he's Norwegian and writes really well. He recently wrote about the island massacre on its anniversary in a Sunday magazine...he's clever as well as being able to express himself beautifully.
> 
> Happy reading!



Hope it gets you back into the swing of reading again!  I'm really glad I started this challenge this year - I've always loved reading, but was being a bit narrow in my selections and idling many pointless hours in front of the telly instead if getting into a really good story. Now I have to keep deleting stuff I've recorded because I don't have time (or much inclination!) to watch it 

I've just finished The Forty Days of Musa Dagh - wow! What an amazing book! It shows how compelling it was when you consider it is 816 pages and it's taken me less than 4 days to read  Need a rest now before I decide what to pick up next - probably something a bit shorter and lighter!


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## robert@fm

Northerner said:


> Need a rest now before I decide what to pick up next - probably something a bit shorter and lighter!



Probably not _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_ then!


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## Northerner

robert@fm said:


> Probably not _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_ then!



That's 816 pages too!  No, I have gone for the relatively slim 'The Circle of Reason' by Amitav Ghosh, weighing in at a mere 423 pages


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## Northerner

Well, I went on to 'The Circle of Reason' - Amitav Ghosh's first book, and a very good read. Interesting to see elements that were clearly more fully-developed by the writing of the Ibis trilogy 

I'm having an 'India' theme this month and am currently reading 'The Siege of Krishnapur' by J G Farrell - it won the Booker prize for fiction in 1973. Enjoying it! 

Hoping to make my way through this little lot by the end of the month!


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## runner

Northerner said:


> Well, I went on to 'The Circle of Reason' - Amitav Ghosh's first book, and a very good read. Interesting to see elements that were clearly more fully-developed by the writing of the Ibis trilogy
> 
> I'm having an 'India' theme this month and am currently reading 'The Siege of Krishnapur' by J G Farrell - it won the Booker prize for fiction in 1973. Enjoying it!
> 
> Hoping to make my way through this little lot by the end of the month!



Good grief Alan, are you doing nothing but reading!  I'm so pleased that my son bought and read a book on holiday and has now bought the other 2 in the trilogy.  Don't think he's read anything since his teens!  Reading is magical if you find the right book.  I'm on my second of Deborah Harknes's  All Souls Trilogy.  My friend lent me the first 2 (hardbacks) and I've bought the 3rd on my iPad -it will be the first book I'll have read on a tablet - thought I'd give it a try, but just look at the beautiful artwork on the books in your pic - all part of the enjoyment of real books! (Sorry to go on, will stop now!)


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## Northerner

runner said:


> Good grief Alan, are you doing nothing but reading!  I'm so pleased that my son bought and read a book on holiday and has now bought the other 2 in the trilogy.  Don't think he's read anything since his teens!  Reading is magical if you find the right book.  I'm on my second of Deborah Harknes's  All Souls Trilogy.  My friend lent me the first 2 (hardbacks) and I've bought the 3rd on my iPad -it will be the first book I'll have read on a tablet - thought I'd give it a try, but just look at the beautiful artwork on the books in your pic - all part of the enjoyment of real books! (Sorry to go on, will stop now!)



I've always found the time to read, although this year, with this challenge, I have found myself watching far less TV, and what I watch tends to be recorded, so I have had got a lot more read! 

My sister has probably read less than a dozen books since she left school, isn't it odd how different we are? I think that, with a lot of people, they think they don't have time and it doesn't cross their minds, but they don't know what they are missing!

Hope you enjoy your ipad experience, I still find a real book preferable to a kindle though, it's the appearance, how it feels in your hand, the turning of the pages and looking ahead to see how many pages are left in the chapter to see whether you can 'just finish this one', moving the bookmark and replacing it when you finally have to put it down  Can't get that on a kindle!


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## runner

Northerner said:


> I've always found the time to read, although this year, with this challenge, I have found myself watching far less TV, and what I watch tends to be recorded, so I have had got a lot more read!
> 
> My sister has probably read less than a dozen books since she left school, isn't it odd how different we are? I think that, with a lot of people, they think they don't have time and it doesn't cross their minds, but they don't know what they are missing!
> 
> Hope you enjoy your ipad experience, I still find a real book preferable to a kindle though, it's the appearance, how it feels in your hand, the turning of the pages and looking ahead to see how many pages are left in the chapter to see whether you can 'just finish this one', moving the bookmark and replacing it when you finally have to put it down  Can't get that on a kindle!



Yes, I've watched less TV and tend to record or watch on iPlayer etc. more, and have stopped watching repeats unless I really want to see it, rather than 'there's nothing else on'.  Also not crocheting in the eves at the mo, so can read!  Even if it takes me months to read it in small bits, I've always got a book on the go!


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## Robin

I read War and Peace earlier this year, took me ages. I've just seen BBC are televising it in 6 episodes. War and Peace on Speed?


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## Northerner

Robin said:


> I read War and Peace earlier this year, took me ages. I've just seen BBC are televising it in 6 episodes. War and Peace on Speed?



Sounds like it will be massively diluted!  I have it on my list to read again. I read it when I was a student - should theoretically have been in the original Russian as part of my degree, but I reckon I would have had to devote the full four years of my course to it if I'd tried! I wasn't that keen back then, I kept getting lost in all the characters and just wanted to get on with reading more Dostoevsky at the time. A lot of Dostoevsky's works are very long, but somehow far more engaging for me  

Did you enjoy it? Any desire to read other Tolstoy works?


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## Robin

Northerner said:


> Sounds like it will be massively diluted!  I have it on my list to read again. I read it when I was a student - should theoretically have been in the original Russian as part of my degree, but I reckon I would have had to devote the full four years of my course to it if I'd tried! I wasn't that keen back then, I kept getting lost in all the characters and just wanted to get on with reading more Dostoevsky at the time. A lot of Dostoevsky's works are very long, but somehow far more engaging for me
> 
> Did you enjoy it? Any desire to read other Tolstoy works?


I read Anna Karenina in my teens, and whereas I've always wanted to read War and Peace again, to do it justice ( I skipped over the battles a bit quickly first time round) Anna would probably be lower down my list of rereads. I read Crime and Punishment also in my teens ( I had a Russian phase), I Ought to revisit it. The only reading I've been doing recently is the instructions on a paint tin. must get back to a proper book when I've finished the DIY.


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## Northerner

Well, I didn't quite make it through my 'India' month before getting distracted as usual! Having read 'The Glass Palace' by Amitav Ghosh, which is set for a large part in Burma, I became interested in learning more about the history of Burma - and who is the most famous Burmese person you've ever heard of? That's right, I have just finished 'The Lady and the Peacock, the life of Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma' by Peter Popham. What a truly remarkable, brave lady she is! Hard to imagine such a brutal regime, and the story is not yet over, of course  Do read it if you get the chance 

I'm now up to 51 books this year, but with probably twice that on my 'to read' list - now, what next? 

Here's the full list so far:

01.  The Blind Assassin, Margaret Atwood - A book with more than 500 pages
02.  Slaughterhouse 5, Kurt Vonnegut - A book with a number in the title
03.  War with the Newts, Karel Capek - A book with nonhuman characters (1)
04.  The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood - A book by a female author
05.  Surfacing, Margaret Atwood - A book with a one-word title (1)
06.  Herland, Charlotte Gilman - A book set in a different country
07.  The Edible Woman, Margaret Atwood - A popular author's first book (1)
08.  Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys - A book you can finish in a day
09.  The Martian, Andy Weir - A book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit
10.  Oryx and Crake, Margaret Atwood - A trilogy ('Maddaddam', 1)
11.  The Year of the Flood, Margaret Atwood - A trilogy ('Maddaddam', 2)
12.  Lady Oracle, Margaret Atwood - A book with a love triangle
13.  Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro - A book set in high school
14.  Yellow Blue Tibia, Adam Roberts - A book with a colour in the title
15.  Death and the Penguin, Andrey Kurkov - A book that was originally written in a foreign language (Russian)
16. The Little Stranger, Sarah Waters - A book by an author you've never read before (1)
17.  Breakfast at Tiffany.s, Truman Capote - A book that came out the year you were born
18.  The Quarry, Iain Banks - A book a friend recommended
19.  Last and First Men, Olaf Stapledon - A book with antonyms in the title
20.  The Casual Vacancy, J K Rowling - A book based on or turned into a TV show
21.  Swiftly, Adam Roberts - A book based entirely on its cover
22.  The Buried Giant, Kazuo Ishiguro - A book published this year
23.  Eeny Meeny, M J Aldridge - A book that takes place in your hometown
24.  The Snow, Adam Roberts - A book you own but have never read
25.  I know why the caged bird sings, Maya Angelou - A book your mother loves
26.  Vixen in Velvet, Loretta Chase - A book at the bottom of your to-read list
27.  A Pale View of Hills, Kazuo Ishiguro - A popular author's first book (2)
28.  Salt, Adam Roberts -  A book with a one-word title (2)
29.  Jack Glass, Adam Roberts - A mystery or thriller
30.  The Silver Sword, Ian Serraillier - A book from your childhood
31.  The Fatal Eggs, Mikhail Bulgakov - A book with nonhuman characters (2)
32.  Splinter, Adam Roberts -  A book with a one-word title (3)
33.  Exit Ghost, Philip Roth - A book by an author you've never read before (2)
34.  The Cry of the Go-Away Bird, Andrea Eames - A book written by an author with your same initials
35.  The Dragon with the Girl Tattoo, Adam Roberts - A funny book   
36.  Light, M.John Harrison - A book with a one-word title (4)
37.  By Light Alone, Adam Roberts - A book from an author you love that you haven't read yet (1)
38.  The Adjacent, Christopher Priest - A book by an author you've never read before (3)
39.  Penguin Lost, Andrey Kurkov - A book that was originally written in a foreign language (Russian) (2)
40.  The Wood Beyond the World, William Morris - A book more than 100 years old
41.  The Shining, Stephen King - A book that scares you
42.  Sea of Poppies, Amitav Ghosh - A  trilogy ('Ibis', 1)
43.  River of Smoke, Amitav Ghosh - A  trilogy ('Ibis', 2)
44   Flood of Fire, Amitav Ghosh - A  trilogy ('Ibis', 3)
45.  The Dream of the Red Chamber, Cao XueQin - A book you can finish in a day
46.  The White Tiger, Aravind Adiga - Man Booker prize-wiining book, 2008.
47.  The Forty Days of Musa Dagh, Franz Werfel - A book with more than 500 pages
48.  The Circle of Reason, Amitav Ghosh - A popular author's first book (3)
49.  The Siege of Krishnapur, J G Farrell - Booker Prize for Fiction, 1973
50.  The Glass Palace, Amitav Ghosh -  A book from an author you love that you haven't read yet (2)
51.  The Lady and the Peacock, the life of Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma, Peter Popham - A non-fiction book


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## robert@fm

Time for a final run-down?


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## Northerner

robert@fm said:


> Time for a final run-down?


Yes @robertfm  I managed 54 books in total, although there were some categories that I didn't use. I found it really worthwhile as it got me reading a lot of new authors and subjects I wouldn't have previously considered  I have a tendency to get sidetracked when I discover an author or subject I really enjoy, so I ended up buying a lot more books than I actually read - but I have decided that for 2016 I will now read those 'extras' rather than buying more. Most of the books I bought were second-hand, so it wasn't that costly an exercise - some were only £2 from Abe Books  In fact, I only splashed out twice on 'current' novels, paying full whack for new hardbacks (couldn't wait for paperback versions!).

The two new ones I bought were 'The Buried Giant' by Kazuo Ishiguro and 'Flood of Fire' by Amitav Ghosh - Buried Giant because I had heard a Radio 4 serialisation of it, and Flood of Fire to complete the Ibis Trilogy  

New favourite authors were Margaret Atwood, Amitav Ghosh, Adam Roberts, Andrei Kurkov and Kazuo Ishiguro. Ghosh, in particular, led me to an interest in India and the Far East - Burma from 'The Glass Palace', leading to an interest in Aung San Suu Kyi...I could go on! I've now got loads of books on the history of India as well as several novels concerned with Indian culture, particularly from Empire times. I don't think I read any real 'duds', maybe just a couple I didn't find very good or interesting, but loads of 'one-offs' that were real finds ('Herland' springs to mind, also 'The Wood Beyond the World').

So, here is the whole list! 

01.  The Blind Assassin, Margaret Atwood - A book with more than 500 pages
02.  Slaughterhouse 5, Kurt Vonnegut - A book with a number in the title
03.  War with the Newts, Karel Capek - A book with nonhuman characters (1)
04.  The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood - A book by a female author
05.  Surfacing, Margaret Atwood - A book with a one-word title (1)
06.  Herland, Charlotte Gilman - A book set in a different country
07.  The Edible Woman, Margaret Atwood - A popular author's first book (1)
08.  Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys - A book you can finish in a day
09.  The Martian, Andy Weir - A book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit
10.  Oryx and Crake, Margaret Atwood - A trilogy ('Maddaddam', 1)
11.  The Year of the Flood, Margaret Atwood - A trilogy ('Maddaddam', 2)
12.  Lady Oracle, Margaret Atwood - A book with a love triangle
13.  Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro - A book set in high school
14.  Yellow Blue Tibia, Adam Roberts - A book with a colour in the title
15.  Death and the Penguin, Andrey Kurkov - A book that was originally written in a foreign language (Russian)
16. The Little Stranger, Sarah Waters - A book by an author you've never read before (1)
17.  Breakfast at Tiffany.s, Truman Capote - A book that came out the year you were born
18.  The Quarry, Iain Banks - A book a friend recommended
19.  Last and First Men, Olaf Stapledon - A book with antonyms in the title
20.  The Casual Vacancy, J K Rowling - A book based on or turned into a TV show
21.  Swiftly, Adam Roberts - A book based entirely on its cover
22.  The Buried Giant, Kazuo Ishiguro - A book published this year
23.  Eeny Meeny, M J Aldridge - A book that takes place in your hometown
24.  The Snow, Adam Roberts - A book you own but have never read
25.  I know why the caged bird sings, Maya Angelou - A book your mother loves
26.  Vixen in Velvet, Loretta Chase - A book at the bottom of your to-read list
27.  A Pale View of Hills, Kazuo Ishiguro - A popular author's first book (2)
28.  Salt, Adam Roberts -  A book with a one-word title (2)
29.  Jack Glass, Adam Roberts - A mystery or thriller
30.  The Silver Sword, Ian Serraillier - A book from your childhood
31.  The Fatal Eggs, Mikhail Bulgakov - A book with nonhuman characters (2)
32.  Splinter, Adam Roberts -  A book with a one-word title (3)
33.  Exit Ghost, Philip Roth - A book by an author you've never read before (2)
34.  The Cry of the Go-Away Bird, Andrea Eames - A book written by an author with your same initials
35.  The Dragon with the Girl Tattoo, Adam Roberts - A funny book  
36.  Light, M.John Harrison - A book with a one-word title (4)
37.  By Light Alone, Adam Roberts - A book from an author you love that you haven't read yet (1)
38.  The Adjacent, Christopher Priest - A book by an author you've never read before (3)
39.  Penguin Lost, Andrey Kurkov - A book that was originally written in a foreign language (Russian) (2)
40.  The Wood Beyond the World, William Morris - A book more than 100 years old
41.  The Shining, Stephen King - A book that scares you
42.  Sea of Poppies, Amitav Ghosh - A  trilogy ('Ibis', 1)
43.  River of Smoke, Amitav Ghosh - A  trilogy ('Ibis', 2)
44   Flood of Fire, Amitav Ghosh - A  trilogy ('Ibis', 3)
45.  The Dream of the Red Chamber, Cao XueQin - A book you can finish in a day
46.  The White Tiger, Aravind Adiga - Man Booker prize-wiining book, 2008.
47.  The Forty Days of Musa Dagh, Franz Werfel - A book with more than 500 pages
48.  The Circle of Reason, Amitav Ghosh - A popular author's first book (3)
49.  The Siege of Krishnapur, J G Farrell - Booker Prize for Fiction, 1973
50.  The Glass Palace, Amitav Ghosh -  A book from an author you love that you haven't read yet (2)
51.  The Lady and the Peacock, the life of Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma, Peter Popham - A non-fiction book
52.  The Lowland, Jhumpa Lahiri - A Pulitzer Prize-winning book
53.  The Calcutta Chromosome, Amitav Ghosh - A book from an author you love that you haven't read yet (3)
54.  Nimrod's Shadow, Chris Paling -  A book by an author you've never read before (4)


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## runner

Bloomin 'eck Alan!  Can't recall all of what I've read through the year, but I've re-read my usual 12 Days of Christmas and a few other Christmassy books.  However, looking for something different after the current one - can anybody recommend something with a bit of magic/spiritualism in it like the Chocolat series etc?  BTW has anyone seen the Midnight's Children film - liked the book and wondered if the film was up to it?  Loved Philip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy and was wondering about trying some of his others - any recommendations?


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## RachelT

Runner, try The Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (a bit hard to get into but worth the effort) or The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson. Kate Mosse is also good for magic and mysticism, Labyrinth  and Sepulchre particularly. The Ruby in the Smoke by Phillip Pullman is good (although the TV adaptation is a must for any Doctor Who fan).


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## runner

Thanks Rachel T


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