I thought this would be a great way to branch out a bit on my reading. I seem to be reading a lot of the same books lately.

1. Historical Fiction
2. Science
3. Classics
4. Scotland (fiction & non-fiction)
5. Presidents (biographies and autobiographies)
6. Audiobooks
7. Fantasy
8. US History
9. Graphic Novels

I am very open for suggestions, especially for the Scotland, Science, and Presidents books.

Historical Fiction

1. The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber
2. The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran
3. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
4. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
5. Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier ***Finished 2/7/09***
6. Loving Frank by Nancy Horan ***Finished 4/15/09***
7. Lavinia by Ursula L. Le Guin ***Finished 5/20/09***
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Message edited by its author, May 20, 2009, 11:40am.

Science

1. People and the Sky by Anthony Aveni
2. The Superorganism by Bert Holldobler
3. Deadly Companions by Dorothy H. Crawford
4. Why Evolution is True by Jerry A. Coyne
5. Every Living Thing by Rob Dunn
6. The Lying Stones of Marrakech by Stephen Jay Gould ***Finished 3/2/09***
7. The 10,000 Year Explosion by Gregory Cochran ***Finished 5/18/09***
8. Day We Found the Universe by Marcia Bartusiak ***Finished 5/26/09***
9.

Message edited by its author, May 27, 2009, 10:54am.

Classics

1. Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
2. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
3. Dracula by Bram Stoker
4. Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
5. Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
6. The Italian by Ann Radcliffe
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Scotland (fiction and non-fiction)

1. The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett
2. The Scottish Nation by T.M. Devine
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Message edited by its author, Nov 26, 2008, 3:50pm.

U.S. Presidents

1. FDR by Jean Edward Smith
2. American Lion by Jon Meacham - about Andrew Jackson's presidency
3. Tried by War by James McPherson - about Abraham Lincoln's
Presidency
4. John Adams by David McCullough
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Message edited by its author, Dec 6, 2008, 12:39pm.

Audiobooks

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Fantasy

1. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss ***Finished 4/17/09***
2. Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
3. The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe
4. Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner ***Finished 4/27/09***
5. Mortal Coils by Eric Nylund ***Finished 5/15/09***
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Message edited by its author, May 15, 2009, 2:14pm.

US History

1. The Glorious Cause by Robert Middlekauff
2. Battle Cry of Freedom by James M. McPherson
3. Waking Giant by David S. Reynolds
4. The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell
5. The Summer of 1787 by David O. Stewart
6. Island World by Gary Y. Okihiro
7. The Delusion of Satan by Frances Hill ***Finished 1/20/09***
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Message edited by its author, Jan 20, 2009, 7:04pm.

Graphic Novels

1. Watchmen by Alan Moore
2. The United States Constitution by Jonathan Hennessey
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Message edited by its author, Dec 17, 2008, 12:18pm.

Watchmen is on the top of my Graphic Novels category as well. I'll be interested to know what else you select, and what you think of Watchmen.

I like your categories - especially your historical groups. Are presidents going to be nonfiction & biographies, or will they include fiction? Just US presidents, or other contries, too?

LisaMorr - I am looking forward to Watchmen. I will check out your list to see what other Graphic Novels you have picked.

sjmccreary - Thanks! Yes, presidents are going to be US presidents and biographies. I hadn't planned on including fiction. I am going to try to not overlap with US history, but read 9 separate works.

I love presidential biographies (not a fan of bio's in general, though). About 3 years ago I embarked on a 4-year project to read biographies of all our presidents in order. Turns out, it will take considerably longer since I lose interest if I read too many in too short a time. Plus I get off on tangents - I've also taken time to read about Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, just because they were all so interesting. I've only gotten up to Monroe. It's hard to find accessible books for some of the more obscure guys. I'm glad I saw your list, it has reminded me that it's time for another president - I think JQ Adams is next. I will be watching to see which ones you choose and what you think of them.

For your Scotland category - Dorothy Dunnett's Game of Kings which is the first book of the Lymond Chronicles. Dunnett also wrote King Hereafter a novel about Macbeth. I have just discovered her books and am a big fan.

sjmccreary - That is quite a goal to read a biography on all of the presidents. I don't think I could read more than 9 in one year; I too would loose interest if I just read those.

avatiakh - Thanks! That looks like a good book. I will add it to my list.

sjmmccreary & lavinient...my sister (cyderry) and I are planning to do a read the president's group in 2010 - after we complete the 999 challenge. I too got started on the same read the president's biographies and found exactly the same as you---I got to Madison, but then couldn't find good books to continue the path. In addition, side jaunts into general history of the era, and other interesting historical figures really side tracked me. I'd be interested in any suggestions you have and will certainly be watching your list grow in 999.

#17 It sounds like you had the exact same experiences I had. I think we're going to have to rely on Lavinient for good suggestions! I don't have a president category in my 999, but I do have historical, nonfiction, and civil war categories. I'll be able to find homes for any new presidential biographies I read in 2009. You can be sure I'll be watching here for L's progress. A president reading group sounds intriguing - don't forget to bring it up again next year.

Sorry about hijacking your thread, Lavinient.

If you're including historical fiction and including wives there's American Wife supposedly based on Laura Bush, and The Emancipator's Wife? Both of which I've been meaning to read..

David Mccullough has written about a lot of presidents, perhaps I'll read his book about Truman which is sitting on my shelf unread.

Thanks ShannonMDE. The Emancipator's Wife looks good. I might just add that to the historical fiction category.
I probably should add a David Mccullough book to my presidents list. I will have to go through his books and see which one I want to add.

I had a Scotland category for my 888 challenge. Alba gu Brath! :)
I'd originally planned a combo of non-fiction history/culture texts I own, along with some fiction by Scottish authors or stories set primarily in Scotland.
Sadly life interfered and I didn't realize that goal, instead I switched to some easier fiction reads.
What is your criteria for your Scotland category?

BritAnnia - I think I will probably read more history of Scotland than fiction, but I am including both in that category. So far I have one non-fiction and one fiction picked. I might have a look at your library and see if I have an interest in any of your books on Scotland.

Most of the non-fiction Scotland books I own I have not yet read. I'm hoping to read a couple this year for my non-fiction category, but I'm not listing them until I actually start... just in case I don't!
I look forard to seeing what books you read for your Scotland category and how you enjoyed them. It might encourage me to finally get busy with my own or an excuse to add more to my collection :-D

I am going to start this challenge a little early. I have two 12-hour train rides this week. I am taking along Pillars of the Earth and Island World (which I can't find the touchstone for but the author of the book is Gary Y. Okihiro).

I received the Scottish World: a journey into the Scottish diaspora for Christmas, a non-fiction about Scots all over the world. As for fiction, I recently read Writing in the Sand a ficiton book set in Scotland.

The Whiskey Rebels by David Liss would fit into your historical fiction category and, tangentially, to your interest in the Presidents. It takes place after the Revolutionary War and deals with the founding of the national bank and early taxation. It's also a rip roaring read that barrels along at a break-neck pace.

Thanks for the suggestions soffitta and RidgwayGirl!

I finally finished my first 999 Challenge book. I have been reading non-999 Challenge books. I finished The Delusion of Satan by Frances Hill. This books give an account of the Salem Witch Trials. Hill uses a lot of first person accounts, which helps bring these bizarre and unfortunate witchcraft trials more to life. It is so hard to imagine something like this actually happening. This was a great first book to get me started on my 999 Challenge.

Finished #2 - Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I liked the description of the city, Delft and Griet's interaction with the family she works for. I found Vermeer quite selfish and hoped her attraction to him did not end in tragedy. I was satisfied with the ending.

I'll have to hunt around for it later, but I have a short story anthology called Acid Plaid - I never read the whole thing, but I do remember the Irvine Welsh story being great. Since it's all new Scottish writers (well, was 11 years ago), it might be a good intro for your Scottish category and a good way to get some ideas!

Thanks for the suggestion stephmo!

Lying Stones of Marrakech by Stephen Jay Gould

I really enjoyed this collection of science essays by Gould. I especially enjoyed, "How the Vulva Stone Became a Brachiopod". It is amazing how things get their name when people aren't quite sure what it is or where it came from.

I am really slow going on this challenge. I have been reading other books that don't fit into my categories. I still have 8 months, though. I did finish Loving Frank for my Historical Fiction list. I only gave it two stars. I didn't like either of the two main characters, and the story just didn't interest me all that much.

Well, I can check off my first fantasy of the year. I just finished The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. I give it five stars - great characters and great world building. One of those books I couldn't put down.

I read another fantasy - Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner. It was a pretty good story about a post-apocalyptic world after a war with faeries. A young woman run's away from her father after she realizes she can do magic. People in her village that are discovered to have magic are feared and killed. She decides to go look for her mother who had recently left also.

I've had to get myself a copy of The Name of the Wind, there's been so many good reviews.

avatiakh - I hope you enjoy it!

I just finished Let the Right One In. It doesn't really fit any of my categories but I thought I would just mention it here. It is about a young troubled Swedish teen who finds out his newest friend and neighboor is a vampire. The story is from the point of view of many characters. This book is highly dark and disturbing, but I thought very beautifully written.

Just finished another fantasy, Mortal Coils by Eric Nylund. This one is about a brother and sister, twin teens, who live a very very sheltered life with their grandmother. On their 15th birthday they learn their mother was a goddess and their father was a fallen angel. Now they must go through three challenges to see which side of the family they belong to.

***edited to try to fix touchstones - but not happening.***

Message edited by its author, May 15, 2009, 2:22pm.

Finished two books from two different categories:

The 10,000 Year Explosion by Gregory Cochran -- science
Cochran looks at evolution the last 10,000 years through genetics.

Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin -- historical fiction
Lavinia is barely mention in the Aeneid at the end of the poem. Le Guin gives her a voice and a beautiful story.

The Day We Found the Universe by Marcia Bartusiak

I really enjoyed this history of astronomy discoveries during the 1910s-1920s. It is amazing how much was discovered during this time period and how these discoveries changed the field of astronomy.