You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

I am going to read The House of Mirth as a buddy read with Heather and my mom Linda.

I'll be doing the buddy read option for and

I know that I'm going to start of with Rebecca, but I'm not sure what else.

I will be reading as a Buddy Read for "The Buddy Buddy". I need to finish and for "The Godfather Badge". I would also like to shoot for "The Wilbur" by reading and or and or with something else lol

I'm hoping to do the time traveller, godfather, and buddy buddy. But I'm not revealing my books other than The Black Tulip. I probably won't manage them but that's my aim anyway!

I've lined up Northanger Abbey Agnes Grey and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes . Don't know how much I'll get through though.

I'm planning on the Time Traveler for sure as I own The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin for the 18th century, and plenty of choices for the 19th and early 20th. After that, we'll see.

I'm planning to read Fall of Giants by Ken Follett.

I started it in 2010, but I left it in page 200. Then I got amused by other readings and never continued. So now it's REALLY time to read the whole book :)

I have a few classics on my TBR shelf. I may read Out of Africa since it is also on my Around the World challenge. I haven't really perused my books yet. I'll have to take a look at the awards again.

Amber wrote: "And I'm realizing now that I don't have AS listed in my currently-reading list. I'll have to check my page number when I get home and throw it up there. I'm at about the halfway mark."

Thanks for the reminder. I wanted to finish for this challenge but didn't have it listed in my currently reading list. I have it listed now and I thought I was further along than 30% : ( LOL Oh well it will be nice to finish it in the challenge : )

Im thinking about going for the One for the Ages Badge with The Theban Plays: King Oedipus / Oedipus at Colonus / Antigone and the Godfather Badge with the Theban Plays (which I plan to start before the 5th) and two others I'm yet to decide upon...oh decisions decisions...

Judy wrote: "Ooo glad to see someone going for the One for the Ages badge. I'm getting excited now. It would be nice to give out at least one badge for each category!"

I figured it'll be a good way to motivate myself to read it! I know, I'm counting down the days myself :-)

Hmmm, if I want to go for the grandfather badge, I'm going to have to start reading some now. LOL! My husband has to go away for that weekend and he asked if I wanted to come. I said, "Nope, I have a prior engagement with some books."

Not sure what I'm going to read, maybe some Austin and some of the Eyres. Between print and ebooks, I have plenty on hand.

Judy wrote: "Now that is commitment to reading, Janice. I don't know if I would have said "No."! :-)
..."

I'd have to drag along with him while he looks at boring equipment for his business, and then to a sporting goods shop. There'd be no guarantee that I'd even get to a fabric shop, so I'd rather stay home and read.

I'm worried that I may not be able to read all the buddy reads I signed up for and if I can't handle the load I might have to drop War and Peace

Kimberly wrote: "I'm worried that I may not be able to read all the buddy reads I signed up for and if I can't handle the load I might have to drop War and Peace"

If I am not mistaken the Buddy Read for War and Peace is going to start in February with the TBR Toppler but will be spread out over several months so you can still do it even if you don't start it that week. I am not sure that I will be able to start it that week but will definitely start as soon as I can.

True...maybe my goal for this year is just intimidating me into worrying if I'll reach it.

Kimberly wrote: "True...maybe my goal for this year is just intimidating me into worrying if I'll reach it."

You will be fine : ) Just keep reading and enjoying yourself. You still have 11 more months on your goal for this year. You will make it!!!!

I'm going to read the . When do we start and when does it end? I've forgotten.

I'll be reading Jane Eyre for the Buddy Read.

Beverly wrote: "I'm going to read the . When do we start and when does it end? I've forgotten."

Feb 5 - 11

Amber wrote: "Kimberly wrote: "I'm worried that I may not be able to read all the buddy reads I signed up for and if I can't handle the load I might have to drop War and Peace"

To avoid overloading a..."

Thanks Amber : ) that helps

Kimberly wrote: "I'm worried that I may not be able to read all the buddy reads I signed up for and if I can't handle the load I might have to drop War and Peace"

Don't drop it! It took me 25 days to read, but it was lovely. I read it during ACT studying this April.

I'd join in more of the official buddy reads on the calendar, but I've read Jane Eyre and War and Peace both. XD

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I'm aiming for all the rewards except the "Heard-It-All" and the "Swap-erooski." I'm expecting: a) a spectacular fail, b) an amazing win.

The books:

-- reading for the Buddy-Buddy badge. It's from the 19th century, so it also counts for the Time-Traveler

Books for the Godfather badge:

To meet the requirements for the challenge, I'll be starting some of the books on February 1st and reading as quickly as possible until I have a couple pages left (25 or so?). I don't leave things unfinished for more than a month, and I imposed on myself to finish all my books at the end of December... so I really have nothing left unfinished otherwise. XD

We'll be in Bangkok and visiting everything madly for the first 4 days of the week, and I really want to actually finish -- I started it years ago and gave up on it, but I'll be starting it again just before the Toppler week starts.

Other books I'll be starting ahead of time are and .

I'll be reading these books for the Wilbur:

, , and (unabridged version, though it was adapted for children. If that doesn't count...) or .

The Time-Traveler
18th century:
19th century: or
20th century:

One For the Ages
GoodReads isn't very good at stating when epics were first written, so I'll be reading these ones:

, , or , in that order. I'll finish at least the Aeneid and The Odyssey, however.

I Can't Believe I Read the Whole Thing!

The books above that count for this challenge are:

The Odyssey
The Count of Monte Cristo
Ulysses

So, a recap:

1 The Black Tulip -- Buddy Buddy, 19th century
2 Little Men -- Wilbur
3 The Aeneid -- Godfather
4 Alice in Wonderland -- Wilbur
5 The Count of Monte Cristo -- Godfather
6 An Old-Fashioned Girl -- Wilbur
7 The Last of the Mohicans -- Time Traveler 18th century
8 The Absentee -- Time Traveler 19th century, if I have time.
9 Ulysses -- "Whole Thing", Time Traveler 20th century
10 The Odyssey -- One For the Ages, "whole thing"
11 The Republic -- One For the Ages
12 The Divine Comedy -- Godfather

Now... let's see how well I survive the week! I've told my brother to keep the computer away from me when I've finished writing my world and my morning pages, and so the only thing I'll be able to do is READ!

I can't WAIT.

Spied a mistake in the recap... and lost the entire reply. XD

Thank you! I think you mentioned the toppler, but never commented on the classics-loving. ^_^ I'm not sure if I love them because they're classics, or because I enjoy the look on peoples' faces when I tell them I read X book for fun, or if I just like the guarantee that reading one of them will be worthwhile-- even if I hate it, I can still say I read it, and say why I didn't like it.

So many people mention loving The Count of Monte Cristo, so I think I judged it too harshly when I set it down. Reading about what happened to Mercedes made me discontinue it-- I've always been a romantic. Lovely! If I don't read The Count of Monte Cristo, I can actually read An Old-Fashioned Girl, which I've been thinking on for a while now.

Thanks! I've got three days at the beach, at least, and eight hours in the bus, I think. So, God willing, I'll finish them all and have time to read some of the things I set for January.

Judy wrote: "I received two books from Cheryl recently and want to add them to what I read Toppler week so very badly! I am going to do my darnedest to get a Wilbur by reading [book:The Surprising Adventures of..."

Do it. what's a frozen meal or two in comparison with the books of Childhood?

Also... I think I read the Magical monarch of Mo... is there a story in there with people who are born a few feet off the ground, and then grow down? I remember the story, but I'm not sure if it's in this or in another of the books at home... and I'm not at home to check. ^_^

Judy wrote: "Maria, I haven't looked through it yet, but since it is Baum, you are probably right."

If you do, let me know? It was an interesting story. ^_^

A propos, I have to read The Wizard of Oz. XD

Wow, I'm so impressed with everyone's goals.

I just found out my husband is scheduled for a work trip the 6th thru 10th. I'll miss him, of course, but how perfect for this Toppler!

Judy wrote: "I received two books from Cheryl recently and want to add them to what I read Toppler week so very badly! I am going to do my darnedest to get a Wilbur by reading [book:The Surprising Adventures of..."

I have always been a big fan of the Oz books by L. Frank Baum, and it may be because of that that I could never get into the Magical Monarch of Mo. Of course, that was when I was about 12, and I have not tried again recently (like in the last 50 years).

Judy wrote: "Susan wrote: "Judy wrote: "I received two books from Cheryl recently and want to add them to what I read Toppler week so very badly! I am going to do my darnedest to get a Wilbur by reading [book:T..."

No, I'm not kidding. I always tend to look younger in line drawings, especially if some of the lines are left out. And, may I say that I think you are a very well-read cat.

Judy wrote: "any book started before Feb 5th will only qualify for the Godfather Award and not any other award."

That is VERY good to know! Now I have to read The Divine Comedy. XD

The awards look awesome.

Judy wrote: "For some reason, I think you are happy about this. :-) "

I think I am. I don't know why... but I think I'm glad I didn't find out later. XD though it should have been common sense.

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And I read Susan's post, but didn't even register the 'cat' part. *headdesk*

I have a well-read dog. She is in the avatar with me because we read together, and then she explains it to me.

Susan wrote: "I have a well-read dog. She is in the avatar with me because we read together, and then she explains it to me."

Love it!

I hadn't planned on doing this toppler and neither had my sister, Almeta. But we changed our minds! We are going to Buddy Read The Water Babies. I'm also planning on reading A Christmas Carol and The Moonstone.

I'm glad you two decided to join in, Debra & Almeta. Better stack up on the munchies! It's going to be a long haul. :)

Sorry, I decided to skip the Toppler this month. I've got way too many books waiting to be read, and I don't have any classics on hand. However - if I get my Nook before then, I can always grab Jane Eyre, which is free I think.

Me too Kim, I'm already far too committed. But I'll certainly be lurking about to cheer everyone on.

And no, I will not be persuaded to join in like the last time I said I would be the cheerleader! :)

Karendenice wrote: "I know that I'm going to start of with Rebecca, but I'm not sure what else."

I'm planning on reading Rebbeca also. Want to do a Buddy Read?

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "I just found out my husband is scheduled for a work trip the 6th thru 10th. I'll miss him, of course, but how perfect for this Toppler!"

Aw, that's too bad!☻

Debra and I are doing a buddy read of The Water Babies.

I am also reading Rebecca and hope that Karendenice and I can support each other through that one.

Have had Discourse on Method and the Meditations checked out from the library for a while, so now's the time!

Thanks for the welcome to the toppler!

I'm kinda jealous that some of you are reading Rebecca. I'd love to read that one again. I used to have a Du Maurier thing back in the day, and read all the ones my mom had in her library. Of course, I've since forgotten the plots of most of them.

It's nice to see that so many people will be participating and that there are so many buddy reads.

Debra wrote: "Thanks for the welcome to the toppler!

I'm kinda jealous that some of you are reading Rebecca. I'd love to read that one again. I used to have a Du Maurier thing back in the day, and read al..."

I was thinking along the same lines. Rebecca is my all time favorite. But I won't be rereading it for the toppler since I have far too many books earmarked for February. It's a short month too!

I have the same problem, Janice. Way too many books to finish by the end of Feb.

Thank goodness it's a Leap Year!

lol! I need that one extra day!

I'm super thrilled that it's leap year! February is always a crush for payroll. Most of my clients have the 25th as cutoff. That normally gives me 5 or 6 to get them all done. February normally gives me 3 days (and if the 25th falls on a weekend....) But this year, I get an extra day.

Who would have thought that something like one day would have me doing the snoopy happy dance?

Janice wrote: "I'm super thrilled that it's leap year! February is always a crush for payroll. Most of my clients have the 25th as cutoff. That normally gives me 5 or 6 to get them all done. February normally..." LOL! I used to love leap years when I worked in payroll - it was always a luxury after three years of manic February's!