jlshall's 50 Book Challenge for 2013

Okay, I have to admit 2012 was not the greatest year for me, when it comes to reading (although it was absolutely fantastic in other ways!). I read only 33 books -- 35 if I count the two I'm still reading at the moment. But I'm hoping to do much better in 2013, so here we go again!

may all your wishes come true and a fantastic reading in 2013.

Wow, it's April already! Almost the middle of April! And so far (sad to say), I have completely neglected this thread. So in order to catch up, I'll just list the books I've read in 2013, and try to keep up from now on. The list:

1. The Lost Symbol. Dan Brown ✭✭✭✭
2. Cat on the Scent. Rita Mae Brown ✭✭✭✭
3. Darwin's Ghosts: The Secret History of Evolution. Rebecca Stott ✭✭✭✭
4. The Heat of the Sun. David Rain ✭✭✭1/2
5. Farewell, Dorothy Parker. Ellen Meister ✭✭✭
6. Cold Remains. Sally Spedding ✭1/2
7. The Happy Hollisters. Jerry West ✭✭✭✭
8. Half Magic. Edward Eager ✭✭✭✭
9. The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club. Duncan Whitehead ✭✭1/2

I know I'm way behind on my reading this year. If I'm going to make it to 50, I'll need to finish at least three or four more books this month; but I think that's doable.

I've been neglecting this thread. Shameful. But I have been reading. So here's an update:

10. Guilt, by Jonathan Kellerman ✭✭✭✭
11. Clea, by Lawrence Durrell ✭✭✭1/2
12. Seduction, by M.J. Rose ✭✭✭1/2
13. The Flamethrowers, by Rachel Kushner ✭
14. Fer-de-Lance, by Rex Stout ✭✭✭✭
15. & Sons: A Novel, by David Gilbert ✭✭✭1/2
16. A Fearful Madness, by Julius Falconer
17. Inferno, by Dan Brown ✭✭✭
18. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum ✭✭✭✭
19. Death By a HoneyBee, by Abigail Keam ✭✭

Again, it's been a long, long time since I checked in. Time for another update:

20. Is This Tomorrow, by Caroline Leavitt ✭✭✭1/2
21. A Fatal Likeness, by Lynn Shepherd ✭✭
22. Pretty Polly Flinders, by Mary Frances Blaisdell ✭✭✭
23. The Good Luck of Right Now, by Matthew Quick ✭✭✭1/2
24. The Book of Secrets, by Elizabeth Joy Arnold ✭✭✭
25. Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery, by Deborah and James Howe ✭✭✭✭
26. Night Film, by Marisha Pessl ✭✭✭✭
27. The Small Hand and Dolly, by Susan Hill ✭✭✭1/2
28. Ignorance, by Milan Kundera ✭✭✭
29. The Shooting Party, by Isabel Colegate ✭✭✭✭
30. The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, by H.P. Lovecraft ✭✭1/2
31. Time Will Tell, by Donald Greig (not rated)

At this rate, it's going to be really hard to make it to fifty books by year's end. But not entirely impossible. So I'll just keep working at it and see how close I can get.

32. Heroic Measures, by Jill Ciment ✭✭✭✭✭
33. Invisible Cities, by Italo Calvino ✭✭

I have two more books started, and I'll probably be able to finish those by the end of the month. More than that, I'm not sure about. So, since we're firmly established in the month of December now, I suppose it's time to admit to myself that fifty books is not gonna happen this year. Even if I read nothing but children's books, I don't think I could get through that many in one month. Should I try again in 2014?

34. Double Indemnity, by James M. Cain ✭✭✭✭

One from the long-time "must read" list. Wanted to read it because I absolutely love the old Fred MacMurray/Barbara Stanwyck/Edward G. Robinson film from 1944. Turns out, I love the book too! There are some differences along the way (including the ending), but the plot and the noir-ish atmosphere are the same. My first experience with James M. Cain - definitely won't be the last.

35. The Buddhist Catechism, by Henry Steel Olcott

Actually read this one several months ago, but forgot to list it here. Not much to say - if you want to find out about Buddhism, this is as good a place to start as any.

36. Evil Under the Sun, by Agatha Christie ✭✭✭✭

While on vacation on Smugglers' Island, Hercule Poirot stumbles upon a murder mystery that needs solving. Imagine that! Someone has done away with famous actress Arlena Stuart, and it seems every one of the other guests on the island had a motive for doing her in. One of the Belgian detective's better outings, even though it doesn't include Captain Hastings or (my favorite Christie character) Ariadne Oliver. I'd already seen the movie version, with Peter Ustinov as Poirot, so I knew whodunnit. Still loved this one.

37. The 13 Clocks, by James Thurber ✭✭✭✭

Wonderful little fairy tale by the great American humorist. It might not be, as Neil Gaiman says in his introduction, "the best book in the world" - but it's certainly one of the most enjoyable fantasies I've read. I'm not sure I would have appreciated it as much if I'd read it as a child, so I'm kind of glad I discovered it as an adult. Love the sardonic humor, and the way it slips in and out of poetry. A good book to end the year with, if I don't manage to finish any more!

38. Chéri, by Colette ✭✭

Colette's classic portrait of a fading love affair between a middle-aged woman and her much younger lover caused a huge stir when it was first published in 1920, and is still controversial today.

I've wanted to read this one since I was in my teens - back in the '60s it was still considered pretty steamy stuff. I imagine that's not the case today, although I have to confess I found it a teensy bit disturbing. It's not just that Chéri himself (Chéri is the male half of the duo) is so much younger than his lover/mentor, Léa - it's also that he's portrayed as cruel, self-involved, and more than a little...well, effeminate I guess is the best word. Which makes the whole situation very...OK, disturbing is all I can come up with.

Colette was certainly a wonderful writer, but I couldn't connect with much of anything in this tale. The people were extremely shallow and didn't really inspire empathy. I really wanted to like Léa, but she kept letting me down - at times I just wanted to grab her and shake her!

I read this in an edition that included the sequel, The Last of Chéri, but I don't think I'll be reading that one. I think I've had quite enough of Chéri.

Looks like that's it for 2013. Very unlikely that I'll get any time for reading this evening, so I'm thinking 38 is my number for this year. Not great, but still a few more than I read in 2012. I'm not sure whether I'll be doing a 50 Book Challenge for 2014 - maybe that's just not a realistic goal for me anymore. Anyway, for now I'm just counting down to Twenty-Fourteen. Happy New Year, everyone!

Congratulations on improving over the previous year. I always fall short of 50, but I like to keep track of my books for the year, so I keep signing up for the challenge. It's a nice way to share what we are reading with others too. Hope to see you next year!

And because I love a list: one list with all the books I read in 2013.

WHAT I READ IN 2013
1. The Lost Symbol, by Dan Brown ✭✭✭✭
2. Cat on the Scent, by Rita Mae Brown ✭✭✭✭
3. Darwin's Ghosts: The Secret History of Evolution, by Rebecca Stott ✭✭✭✭
4. The Heat of the Sun, by David Rain ✭✭✭1/2
5. Farewell, Dorothy Parker, by Ellen Meister ✭✭✭
6. Guilt, by Jonathan Kellerman ✭✭✭✭
7. Cold Remains, by Sally Spedding ✭1/2
8. The Happy Hollisters, by Jerry West ✭✭✭✭
9. Half Magic, by Edward Eager ✭✭✭✭
10. The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club, by Duncan Whitehead ✭✭1/2
11. Clea, by Lawrence Durrell ✭✭✭1/2
12. Seduction, by M.J. Rose ✭✭✭1/2
13. The Flamethrowers, by Rachel Kushner ✭
14. Fer-de-Lance, by Rex Stout ✭✭✭✭
15. & Sons: A Novel, by David Gilbert ✭✭✭1/2
16. A Fearful Madness, by Julius Falconer (not rated)
17. Inferno, by Dan Brown ✭✭✭
18. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum ✭✭✭✭
19. Death By a HoneyBee, by Abigail Keam ✭✭
20. Is This Tomorrow, by Caroline Leavitt ✭✭✭1/2
21. A Fatal Likeness, by Lynn Shepherd ✭✭
22. Pretty Polly Flinders, by Mary Frances Blaisdell ✭✭✭
23. The Good Luck of Right Now, by Matthew Quick ✭✭✭1/2
24. The Book of Secrets, by Elizabeth Joy Arnold ✭✭✭
25. Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery, by Deborah and James Howe ✭✭✭✭
26. The Buddhist Catechism, by Henry Steel Olcott
27. Night Film, by Marisha Pessl ✭✭✭✭
28. The Small Hand and Dolly, by Susan Hill ✭✭✭1/2
29. Ignorance, by Milan Kundera ✭✭✭
30. The Shooting Party, by Isabel Colegate ✭✭✭✭
31. The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, by H.P. Lovecraft ✭✭1/2
32. Time Will Tell, by Donald Greig (not rated)
33. Heroic Measures, by Jill Ciment ✭✭✭✭✭
34. Invisible Cities, by Italo Calvino ✭✭
35. Double Indemnity, by James M. Cain ✭✭✭✭
36. Evil Under the Sun, by Agatha Christie ✭✭✭✭
37. The 13 Clocks, by James Thurber ✭✭✭✭
38. Chéri, by Colette ✭✭