The 52 Book Club: 2025 / 2026 Challenge discussion

A wise character: According to the Chinese zodiac, 2025 is the year of the snake. The snake is a symbol of wisdom and intuition. For this prompt, we’re looking for a character that reflects that — “a wise character.” (Cambridge dictionary defines wisdom as, “the ability to use your knowledge and experience to make good decisions and judgments.”)

Your wise character may be a primary or secondary character of any age. They may be described as wise, hold qualities or characteristics that you see as wise, or make a wise decision in the book. The character may gain wisdom over the course of the story.

Non-fiction examples for this prompt may include self-help books, memoirs or biographies about wise individuals, or historical reads that feature wise decisions.

As a creative twist, you might choose a character whose last name is Wise.

Website: https://www.the52book.club/lunar-new-...


Here is the link for our Goodreads List, feel free to add your suggestions to it!

I checked the list, and found a book that should arrive in the mail very soon - Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch.
I ordered it after reading a few crossover fanfics of Rivers of London/Good Omens.

I read A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving earlier this month. Owen definitely qualifies as a wise character; in fact, wise beyond his years.

After going through all the books on the LISTOPIA for this prompt I have decided to read ~
Circe by Madeline Miller

you could read Harry Potter Dumbledore is wise

I read Shot With Crimson, whose main character in the mystery series is Josephine Tey (fictionalized version of the real life mystery novelist.) The murders in the book relate to PTSD from the "great war" with which Miss Tey was very familiar.

I’m listening to audio books for this mini challenge. For wise character, I’m listening to The Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Milman. One of my favourite books / I’ve never listened to it on audiobook

I was reading James and was unsure of what prompt to use it for so decided to put it in as a wise character.

I read The Book of Charlie, a biography written by a journalist, about his neighbor who lived to 109 years old. I found some parts to be a bit boring, but it picked up at the end.

I read The Long Way Home by Louise Penny. Such a sad ending.

Book The Nom Wah Cookbook
Written and Told by Wilson Tang
An Audio-book that is an anthology of the traditional foods, memories, and stories of the Chinese American story, Chinatown New York City, and the food being sold at the restaurant Nom Wah.
A great read.

I’m hoping a wise character shows up in one of the books I plan to read in February. Failing that, my plan is to read Mort, by Terry Pratchett. Hogfather is the only other of the Death series I’ve completed but he does show up in every book, and seems wise. Or I could read another book with Granny Wetherwax, that’s a broad with some solid common sense on her side.

I'm not reading any fiction books at the moment, so I'm kind of switching it to a wise narrator.

That said, the author of my current read has been an educator for 20 years which I suppose would make her a wise person.

Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism

*****

I'll have to look for fiction books for this prompt.

I read Casino Royale by Ian Fleming

Chose "The Book of Sith" for this prompt. The book is annotated by (amongst others) one of the wisest fictional characters: Master Yoda. The others of the different 'Sith' texts consider themselves very wise, but they clearly lack in moral compass what they don't lack in ego.

I read Athena's Child by Hannah M. Lynn, 3 Stars

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine and the Foundations of a Movement by Angela Y. Davis

Why did I choose this book? I consider Angela Y. Davis a wise woman.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Completion Date: Feb 6, 2025

This book remains just as relevant (if not more so) today, as when it was first published in 2015. Reading it now, a decade later, I couldn't help but reflect on how much has changed, and troublingly, how much has stayed the same. The conversations Davis engages in about systemic oppression, global solidarity, and the intersections of race, capitalism, and state violence are ones we are still having - with an increasing sense of urgency.

Davis's book urges us to see struggles for justice as interconnected, not isolated events. And in doing so, she provides a framework for understanding how history repeats itself. Reading this book in 2025, it feels even more important to acknowledge that reality.

One of the questions that stayed with me throughout this read was the role of Obama's presidency in shaping our current political and social climate. This book was written in the wake of his administration, at a time when many saw his presidency (myself included) as proof of progress, even as police violence, mass incarceration, and racial injustice persisted. To be clear, I see Obama's presidency as an essential milestone, one that broke barriers and inspired millions. We absolutely need more Black leaders in the highest offices of government. Now, looking back, I find myself asking whether his presidency inadvertently triggered a backlash that had been brewing beneath the surface - a reactionary response by those who saw his leadership as a threat to a long-held racial hierarchy.





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I read A Man Called Ove for this prompt.

I read The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis.

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese and What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon

Sun Wukong, AKA the Monkey King, in Journey to the West has his silly and naughty moments, but for most of the four volumes, he's the only character to demonstrate consistent good sense. Any of the volumes will fulfill the prompt.

Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett

The Black Cauldron