HelenNZ back for 2013

My reading goal for this challenge



My restricted purchasing goal for this year!

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Hey Helen, welcome here!

Hi Helen -
Here to ROOT you on....

I found you Helen! and I'll be cheering you on too!

I love the start of the year when all books count. So first book ROOTed off the shelf is The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. A pleasant easy read as we had a new grand daughter born unexpectedly on New Years Eve, and the mind has been a bit distracted. I had never thought about the fact that traditionally flowers carried meaning when given. A nice little dictionary at the end of the book. Definitely a keeper!

I'm with you, Helen! January is the greatest month for this challenge!

And Congratulations on the granddaughter! They are the best!

Congratulations on your New Year's Eve granddaughter! :)

Congrats on baby grand girl!
I really liked The Language of Flowers :)

How nice, a little girl born! Congratulations.

Oops! A sale at the local bookshop. I went for 2 and came home with 3. My justifications - pay day tomorrow, first day I have had to myself and have to support the local bookshop...

Good thinking! 3 reasons, 3 books.

You are so noble...

At last 3rd book for this challenge. I purchased this book partially because of it's cover and really it bears little relation to the story and then I discover the same cover on 2 other books one of which I own and the other my copy has a different cover but I see through this site that others have this same one. Ah well, I did enjoy February by Lisa Moore but would have scored it higher if it had have been more sequential in the telling.

Okay, I too have decided to do both a title and author alphabet challenge to guide me in choosing which book next off the shelf. I did this in 2011, however I will use a wild card for any letters I don't have and choose a book from the letters in which I have the most authors or titles. This prevents me from going to the library or buying books secifically to fulfill the challenge which would defeat the purpose of reducing the book stacks. *Denotes wildcard.

Author Alphabet Challenge

A. Martin Amis, The Pregnant Widow
B. John Boyne, The Absolutist
C. Austin Clarke, The Polished Hoe
D. Vanessa Diffenbaugh, The Language of Flowers
E. Louise Erdrich, Tracks
F. Hans Fallada, Alone in Berlin
G. Maurice Gee, Loving Ways
H. Patrick Holland, The Mary Smokes Boys
I. Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day
J. Jill Jamieson, The Party at Sienna
K. Fiona Kidman, Paddy's Puzzle
L. Chang-rae Lee, Aloft
M. Rohinton Mistry, A Fine Balance
N. Irene Nemirovsky, Le Bal
O. Vincent O'Sullivan, Let the River Stand
P. Proulx Annie, Postcards
Q. Jhumpa Lahiri, the Namesake*
R. Monique Roffey, The White Woman on a Green Bicycle
S. Lionel Shriver, So Much for That
T. Colm Toibin, The Empty Family
U. Tess Urize Holthe, When the Elephants Dance
V. David Vann, Caribou Island
W. Tim Wilson, Their Faces Were Shining
X. Xinran, Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother
Y. Jacqueline Yallop, Obedience
Z. Shirley Hazzard, The Great Fire

Title Alphabet Challenge

A. According to Mary by Marianne Fredriksson
B.
C. The Cowboy Dog by Nigel Cox
D.
E. Emotionally Weird by Kate Atkinson
F. February by Lisa Moore
G. Gilead by Marilynne Robertson
H. Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
I. I for Isobel by Amy Witting
J.
K. The Kindness of Your Nature by Linda Olsson
L. The Legend of Colton H. Bryant by Alexandra Fuller
M. Mrs Kimble by Jennifer Haigh
N. No Highway by Nevil Shute
O. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
P. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Q. The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje*
R. Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier
S. The Swing Around by Barbara Anderson
T. True Stars by Fiona Kidman
U. Unless by Carol Shields
V. The Voluptuous Delights of Peanut Butter and Jam by Lauren Liebenberg
W.The Watch Tower by Elizabeth Harrower
X. Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver*
Y. When Gravity Snaps byOwen Marshall
Z. The Peacocks by Barbara Anderson*

I should do an alphabet thing sometime, but dang it, it makes me feel so restricted. Although, maybe I can just plug them in like you've done, and keep it in a secret spreadsheet unless it looks like I'll be successful...

Yes it can feel that way, but there are often nice surprises along the way and as I am also doing the 75 challenge overall it means I can treat myself by reading new books or those that don't fit the challenge. I have started with the letters that I only have one book that fits. Some letters I have as many as 40 to choose from so plenty of options to fit the mood.

5th book done and it was a NZ title for the month. I finished it with a tear in the eye. Fiona Kidman is a NZ writer who tackles the role of woman in NZ society during the 20th century.

That's #6 for the month. I am trying for one more to get a head start for the year!

Wow, good work Helen!

Yaya finished one more last night for this challenge which has put me well ahead of schedule. Might have to tackle one of my heavier tomes this month.

First book for February finished. I have startedThe Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro and like it immediately.

Second book for the month completed. I thought The Remains of the Day a stunning piece of writing, a deserved Booker winner, which left the meaning of the title to the last pages and gave me pause for thought!

The Remains of the Day is one of my favourite books of all time.

That's one I've been meaning to read for a long time, and it just never pops up. I'd pull it off the shelf & add it to my stack, but my stack is frighteningly tall already...

Oops! Took my daughter birthday shopping - bought her 5 books and myself 6! They were such good books and bargains. No willpower here with regard to discounted books. Not even 2 months of the year up yet and I have purchased half my annual quota!

LOL, what will you do in the remaining 10 months when you find bargains again, Helen?

Finally tackled a 465 pager. It was one I was looking forward to, but was somewhat disappointed in. The Pregnant Widow by Martin Amis. It convinced me of the adage that young men have but one thing on their minds... and believe more than 300 pages of this book seem focused on it. Rewarding myself with a much shorter NZ novel by one of our greatest writers Maurice Gee.

oh, too bad such a long book was disappointing.
Good luck with Gee ;-)

Feeling smug. Loved Maurice Gee's Loving Ways and have rooted out another in very quick time, Obedience byJacqueline Yallop, a very thought provoking novel set in a convent France, spanning 70 years.

Very pleased that I have read 7 off my shelves in both January and February. Although I am not quite keeping pace with my purchasing. I couldn't resist supporting The Women's Bookshop sale last night and 3 more are winging there way to me. But I couldn't resist Restoration by Rose Tremain for $12 and Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann for $16, then The Particular Sadness of the Lemon Cake slipped in for $10. Just as well I do the physical paying of the bills...

"Although I am not quite keeping pace with my purchasing."
oops! Was that the whole idea? I am failing on that score.

"But I couldn't resist..."
I can't either. My ratio is about 7 ROOTs : 16 new purchases. *sigh*

Looks like you got some good books though :-)

At last another book for this challenge. I chose The Swing Around as the author Barbara Anderson died last week and it felt appropriate to read one of her books to honour her.

The second book for this challenge this month. Linda Olsson's, The Kindness of your Nature. She is Swedish writer living in New Zealand. Her books are reflective and poignant - just beautiful.

A very poor reading month for this challenge, Mrs Kimble. Only one but moth-in-law in hospital after a fall and two sick grand daughters.

Helen, I hope your mother in law & grand daughters are doing better.

I always have the intention of reading a book by an author when they die, or when it's their birthday or death day, but then I look at the pile on my table and decide I'd better not pull something new off the shelf...

Thanks for your kind words Terri. Mother-in-law had a home visit from hospital and there is realisation that she is far from ready to come home and at 90 years old she might have to go to the local rest home for her own safety and wellbeing. One granddaughter much better and her baby sister slowly improving. Now both grandsons in Auckland sick. All daughters tired and feeling stressed. WINTER BLUES!

On a brighter note I have finally finished 2 books off my shelf for July. Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada and When Gravity Snaps by Owen Marshall.

Yay, finally moving on this challenge again which puts me back on track 37/50. In the past week I have finished The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje andAloft by Chang-rae Lee. I am currently reading So Much for That by Lionel Shriver. It occurs to me all three are narrated in a masculine voice. I will have to address this anomaly in my next choice.

I have finished a book of NZ short stories, which doesn't fit my alphabet challenge but counts towards my goal, Opportunity by Charlotte Grimshaw

Good for you, Helen!

I am off to a better start this month with two more books finished this weekend. So Much for That by Lionel Shriver, which despite it's serious topic was again very well written and Their Faces were Shining byTim Wilson, a NZ television journalist living in the USA.

Although a this book took longer to read, it was a wonderful journey. I just love tales from India and A Fine Balance will go on to my favourites list.

At last a Root for November and it was excellent, The White Woman on a Green Bicycle by Monique Roffey. I am starting to swap my pre-selected titles for the alphabet challenge for some shorter ones so I can achieve my goal and my current read is a pleasant surprise, The Legend of Colton H. Bryant by Alexandra Fuller, each short chapter finishing on a chuckle.