You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
Challenges: Year Long Main 2021
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Thing Two's Tidy Tally 2013
Another Geraldine Brooks reader! I think Ms Brooks should be paying YLTO commission for the amount of reading her books will get this alphabet challenge!
Challenge Two - 26 books in alphabetical order by title 8,464 pagesA -
B -
C -
D -
E -
F -
G -
H -
I -
J -
K -
L -
M -
N -
O -
P -
Q -
R -
S -
T -
U -
V -
W -
X -
Y -
Z -
FINISHED 5/22/13
Janice wrote: "Ahhh - so you are doing the high octane level?"Or at least I'm making a list ... we'll see how far I actually get. It sure would be easier if we could throw in a few quick reads. I don't know if I have enough time to complete this challenge. I may have to quit work!
Challenge Three - 26 authors in alphabetical order by first name 8,038 pagesA -
B -
C -
D -
E -
F -
G -
H -
I -
J -
K -
L -
M -
N -
O -
P -
Q -
R -
S -
T -
U -
V -
W -
X -
Y -
Z -
FINISHED 7/19/13
Challenge 4 26 books alphabetically by country setting 8047 pages A - Argentina -
B - British Guiana -
C - Canada -
D - Dominican Republic -
E - England -
F - Finland -
G - Greece -
H - Hungary -
I - India -
J - Japan -
K - Kenya -
L - Lithuania -
M - Mexico -
N - Nigeria -
O - Oman -
P - Poland -
Q - Qatar -
R - Russia -
S - Senegal -
T - Turkey -
U - United States -
V - Vietnam -
W - Wales -
X - None
Y - Yemen -
Z - Zimbabwe -
FINISHED 9/30/13
Challenge 5 26 books alphabetically by author's origin 7,691 pages A - Australia -
B - Bermuda -
C - Canada -
D - Dominican Republic -
E - Egypt -
F - France -
G - Germany -
H - Hong Kong -
I - Ireland -
J - Japan -
K - Kenya -
L - Lebanon -
M - Malaysia -
N - Netherlands -
O - Oman -
P - Pakistan -
Q - Qatar -
R - Russia -
S - Sierre Leone -
T - Trinidad and Tobago -
U - United Kingdom -
V - Vietnam -
W - Wales -
X - None
Y - Yemen -
Z - Zimbabwe -
FINISHED 11/17/13
Judy wrote: "Thing Two, I don't know if you realized that you have To the Lighthouse on both your first and third lists? BTW, I didn't realize there were so many book awards out there until I read your list! ..."
Thanks, Judy! I meant to list Mrs. Dalloway that second time. And, as to the book awards, these are only the biggies. Everyone's got an award ... which is why I suggested it as a challenge. Still think a year long or half a year one would fit nicely. :)
Judy wrote: "I really can't wait to see what you think of My Name is Red."But you must! That's not until challenge 4 and I'm already one book behind as it is! Oh, the pressure!!!!!
Challenge 6 26 books alphabetically by main character 8401 pages A - Anna -
B - Bernadette -
C - Cessna -
D - Deliverance Dane -
E - Esther -
F - Fr. Flynn -
G - Gentry -
H - Husbands -
I - Ian -
J - Jannon -
K - Kay -
L - Laurie -
M - Mary Mallon -
N - Neil -
O - Ovid -
P - Philip -
Q - Quinton -
R - Reilly -
S - Skrimshander -
T - Tree -
U - Upland -
V - Vlasov -
W - Willard -
X - X -
Y - Y-12 -
Z - Zach -
FINISHED 12/31/13
Janice wrote: "I like that you've indicated the awards the books have won."Thanks! These are just my notes so I won't remove the book from the list at a later date. I've only included recent award winners, or those that are 50 years old.
Maybe I'll go back and list them all while I'm listening to March. The version I have won't copy to my ipad; I'm stuck sitting at the computer!
When you get to Shantaram, I'll do a buddy read with you. It's around 900 pages long. You might need someone to hold your hand. :)
Janice wrote: "When you get to Shantaram, I'll do a buddy read with you. It's around 900 pages long. You might need someone to hold your hand. :)"Most of those on the 6th list are here on my "real" shelves; yes, I know how thick Shantaram is. If I haven't replaced it, or gone all non-alphabetical on you, I'd be happy to do a buddy read.
Great lists Thing Two! Thinking about reading all those books makes me tired already. I'll be lucky to get through 2 rounds with all the group reads and challenges as well every month.
I have it on my Kindle app so I won't be getting carpal tunnel holding it. But it may take a long time to get that percentage number to show any progress!
It makes me feel so "un-read" when I see all of the lists with SO-MANY titles that I do not know and recognize. I am so in awe by the creative lists that all of you have been posting!
AmyK wrote: "Great lists Thing Two! Thinking about reading all those books makes me tired already. I'll be lucky to get through 2 rounds with all the group reads and challenges as well every month."I figure I'll try to substitute the group reads if they interest me, and fit in a challenge (or not!) as I see fit. I'm not very good with the challenge rules. Just ask Meanie 1 or Meanie 2. :)
Janice wrote: "I have it on my Kindle app so I won't be getting carpal tunnel holding it. But it may take a long time to get that percentage number to show any progress!"By the time I get to that one, I hope to have it lying face open in the sand.
Cherie wrote: "It makes me feel so "un-read" when I see all of the lists with SO-MANY titles that I do not know and recognize. I am so in awe by the creative lists that all of you have been posting!"I make it my aim to read all of the top award winners each year - or at least, that's been my aim of late. I went years and years with just reading whatever Oprah said I should read. Don't be in awe. I've got OCD when it comes to books and lists. It's a curse!!!
Wow, Thing Two, I am just speechless. So many lists and books! I am hoping to get through at least two lists and even that seems daunting.
Challenge 7 26 books in my favorite genre from 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die alphabetically in order - in any way I can find!A - Ackroyd - Hawksmoor by Peter Ackroyd
B - Beeblebrox -
C - Clockwork - A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
D - Disgrace - Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee
E - e.e. - The Enormous Room by E.E. Cummings
F - Faulkner - Go Down, Moses by William Faulkner Southern Lit Book Club
G - Gibson -
H - Hatter - Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll
I - Ian - Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev
J - Joseph -
K - Kingdom - The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
L - Loving - Loving by Henry Green
M - Mary - The Lambs of London by Peter Ackroyd
N - Northanger - Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
O - Okonkwo - Things Fall Apart byChinua Achebe
P - Plague - The Plague by Albert Camus Book Club
Q - Quiet - The Quiet American by Graham Greene
R - Road - On the Road by Jack Kerouac
S - Sally - Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
T - Trevor - Felicia's Journey by William Trevor
U - Uncle Tom - Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
V - Villians - The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
W - White - The Beautiful Room is Empty by Edmund White
X - Xley - The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard
Y - Year - The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis by José Saramago
Z - Znedna - The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera
Thing Two wrote: "I'm not very good with the challenge rules. Just ask Meanie 1 or Meanie 2. :) "Not at all. The best part about rules is to push them as far as you can. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But that's the fun ;)
Oh my, I'm impressed and depressed. I'll be happy if I get through two alphabets, let alone plan ahead :) I've read some of your books, some are on my tbr, and now others are being added. Great going with all the award winners!
jaxnsmom wrote: "Oh my, I'm impressed and depressed. I'll be happy if I get through two alphabets, let alone plan ahead :) I've read some of your books, some are on my tbr, and now others are being added. Great g..."You scared me, Jaxnsmom! I'm so used to finding this list on the last page, and suddenly it wasn't there! I was afraid I'd deleted it.
Don't be too impressed/depressed with me. I'm currently 10 books behind pace to finish this within a year. As I said earlier, I either need to start calling in sick to work more often, or I'll need to drop one of these lists.
And who in the heck has time for the monthly challenges when they exclude ABC books? Rusalka's such a meanie!!!
Back to the books ... :)
Rusalka wrote: "Rusalka's shooting herself in the foot too."Glad to see I'm not the only here suffering!
Thing Two wrote: "jaxnsmom wrote: "Oh my, I'm impressed and depressed. I'll be happy if I get through two alphabets, let alone plan ahead :) I've read some of your books, some are on my tbr, and now others are bei..."Sorry for the scare :)
You need something that will keep you out of work, but not hinder reading. Something a doctor would fill out FMLA paperwork for...hmmm, what body part can I spare for a month? LOL
Don't think I've mentioned, but I love your avatar!
Neenee wrote: "How come you're so fast?!!"Practice. I've been doing this my whole life. Plus, it does help immensely that my husband enjoys making dinner. He cooks; I read.
jaxnsmom wrote: "Thing Two wrote: "jaxnsmom wrote: "Oh my, I'm impressed and depressed. I'll be happy if I get through two alphabets, let alone plan ahead :) I've read some of your books, some are on my tbr, and ..."I'd say my eyes, but then I wouldn't be able to read!!!
Thanks for the avatar compliment. I had the opportunity to participate in a Broadway review in February. Here I'm dressed as a Beauty School Drop-out. Typecasting, perhaps?
Judy wrote: "Congrats, on the first challenge in the books. How did you like the Xinran?"Well written, but really, really sad. I guess I always assumed their daughters were given up for adoption; it never occurred to me they murder the new born girls.
You're reading her other one, right? I've got that on the third list, I believe. The next time I need an "x" author.
Wow! You're doing great completing 2 tasks of the high octane. I'm not sure I'm going to get low octane done.
Janice wrote: "Wow! You're doing great completing 2 tasks of the high octane. I'm not sure I'm going to get low octane done."Thanks, Janice. I'm sure you'll finish in time. You've got 26 weeks to go. :)
Wow - that's amazing!How did you like The Good Women of China: Hidden Voices? I'm thinking of reading it for my X book.
jaxnsmom wrote: "Wow - that's amazing!How did you like The Good Women of China: Hidden Voices? I'm thinking of reading it for my X book."
Very similar in style to her Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother: Stories of Loss and Love, and at least one of the stories was a repeat. I believe she wrote The Good Women first, once she was in London. The entire body of her work is harrowing.
Books mentioned in this topic
If the Sun Doesn't Kill You, the Washing Machine Will (other topics)If the Sun Doesn't Kill You, the Washing Machine Will (other topics)
The Lambs of London (other topics)
Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There (other topics)
Hawksmoor (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Douglas Adams (other topics)Lewis Carroll (other topics)
Peter Ackroyd (other topics)
Jack Kerouac (other topics)
E.E. Cummings (other topics)
More...





A -
Apuleius - The Golden Ass1/1/13 - 1/5/13B -
Geraldine Brooks - MarchPulitzer 2006 1/4/13 - 1/7/13C -
Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games1/5/13 - 1/8/13D -
Richard Dawkins - The God Delusion1/7/13 - 1/10/13E -
Nathan Englander - The Ministry of Special Cases1/10/13 - 1/14/13F -
William Faulkner - The ReiversSouthern Lit Book Club, Pulitzer Prize 1963 1/12/13 - 1/19/13G -
Goulston Mark - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder For Dummies® (For Dummies1/13/13 - 1/20/13H -
Gabrielle Hamilton - Blood, Bones, and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef1/18/13 - 1/21/13I -
Christopher Isherwood - Goodbye to Berlin1/20/13 - 1/26/13J -
Gish Jen - World and TownMassachusetts Book Award 2012 1/22/13 - 1/26/13K -
Rachel Kushner - Telex from Cuba1/26/13 - 1/29/13L -
James W Loewen - Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong1/30/13 - 2/5/13M -
N. Scott Momaday - House Made of DawnPulitzer Prize 1969, Rollins' Winter with Writers 2/2/13 - 2/7/13N -
Azar Nafisi - Reading Lolita in TehranRollins' Winter Writers Series 2/3/13 - 2/11/13O -
John O'Hara - Collected Stories of John O'Hara2/9/13 - 2/11/13P -
Marcel Proust - Swann's WayYear of Proust Book Club 2/9/13 - 2/16/13Q -
Anna Quindlen - Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake2/11/13 - 2/16/13R -
Karen Russell - St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by WolvesRollins' Winter with Writers 2/14/13 - 2/18/13S -
Karl Sabbagh - Remembering Our Childhood: How Memory Betrays Us2/16/13 - 2/22/13T -
Colm Tóibín - The MasterInt'l IMPAC Award 2006, 21st Century Book Club 2/22/13 - 3/3/13U -
Chika Unigwe - On Black Sisters Street: A Novel2/25/13 - 3/4/13V -
Jean Valentine - Door in the Mountain: New and Collected Poems, 1965-20032/26/13 - 3/5/13W -
Virginia Woolf - To the Lighthouse2/27/13 - 3/6/2013X -
Xinran - Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother: Stories of Loss and Love3/4/13 - 3/8/13Y -
Mo Yan - The Garlic Ballads3/7/13 - 3/10/13Z -
Howard Zinn - You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train: A Personal History of Our Times3/8/13 - 3/14/13FINISHED 3/14/13