PawsforThought's Princess Bride Challenge of 2014

In 2013 my theme was 80's movies but I left out one of the greatest movies of the decade (of all time!): The Princess Bride. It is such a great film it deserves more than a mere category, it deserves its own challenge!

As 2013 was an abysmal year for my reading I am setting the bar VERY low for 2014. I will still have a monthly categories but I only need to read one (1!) book in each category. Besides this I will have to clean-slate months (june and december) where I can read whatever I like. Thus, reading a mere 10 books wil mean I've finished the challenge (but hopefully I'll read more than that).

Now to the actual categories.
There are always books whose state of unread-ness weighs heavy on my conscience. The last few years that has been especially true of Nordic books. So several of 2014's categories will reflect that.

And now, here are Westley and Buttercup.



Besides my own challenge I will be taking part in at least some of the CATs (I matched some of my categories up to fit with them). I will hopefully also join some of the group reads.

January

Rodents of Unusual Size? I don't think they exist.


Thor's hammer pendant

Nordic myths and legends.

Books read:
Beowulf

Possible reads:
Beowulf
The Kalevala
Voluspa (and the reset of the poetic Edda)
The prosaic Edda

February

You rush a miracle man, you get rotten miracles.

The Middle East and the Arab world.


Khamsa pendant

Books read:

Possible reads:
Arabian Nights/One Thousand and One Nights
The Epic of Gilgamesh

March

When I was your age, television was called books.


Friendship bracelet

Nordic children's classics.

Books read:
The Night Daddy by Maria Gripe
Tordyveln flyger i skymningen by Maria Gripe
Ture Sventon, privatdetektiv by Åke Holmberg
The Moomins and the Great Flood by Tove Jansson
The Emperor's New Clothes By Hans Christian Andersen
The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen

Possible reads:
Books by Astrid Lindgren
Books by Maria Gripe
Books by H. C. Andersen
The Moomin books
The Ture Sventon books

April

Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday. Mawage, that bwessed awangment, that dweam wifin a dweam...


Early Victorian brooch

Romanticism.

Books read:

Possible reads:
Ivanhoe
The Three Musketeers
Byron
Keats

May

I'll explain, and I'll use small words so that you'll be sure to understand, you warthog-faced buffoon.


Rune-inscripted ring

Nordic classics.

Books read:

Possible reads:
August Strindberg
Henrik Ibsen
Selma Lagerlöf

June

Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while.


Nautical bracelet

Clean-slate month. Read what ye will.

Books read:

July

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.


Pewter thread bracelet

Authors from northern Sweden.

Books read:

Possible reads:
Books by Sara Lidman
Books by P. O. Enqvist
Books by Lars Widding
Books by Torgny Lindgren
Books by Peter Englund

August

Why are you wearing a mask? Were you burned by acid or something like that?


Green Lantern ring

Comics and graphic novels.

Books read:

Possible reads:
The Sandman

September

What hideous sin have you committed lately?


Georg Jensen necklace

Modern Nordic novels.

Books read:

Possible reads:
Books by Sofi Oksanen
Books by Jonas Gardell

October

Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.


"Pink panther" diamond ring

Nordic crime novels.

Books read:

Possible reads:
Books by Stieg Larsson
Books by Maj Sjöwall/Per Wahlöö
Books by Arnaldur Indriðason

November

Inconceivable!


The One Ring

Fantasy novels.

Books read:

Possible reads:
A Song of Ice and Fire

December

As you wish.


Charm bracelet

Clean-slate month. Reading whatever.

Books read:

extra

Nice theme! The Princess Bride is one of my favorite movies too, and I'm thinking it's time to reread the novel. Best of luck with your challenge! You say you've set the bar low, but I see quite a few challenging selections there.

Is buttercup any less a Mary Sue in the book than she is in the movie? My only complaint with the movie is that she's never allow to really do anything.

Yay! I love the movie theme. I am only disappointed that I don't recognize one of the quotes.

The Princess Bride is a classic movie! Love your categories and I am very curious to see the various Nordic books you read to fill your Nordic themed categories!

Great quotes from an unforgettable movie. Super idea for your 2014 Challenge.

Love the theme, it's one of my favourite movies as well.
And the challenge seems like it should be possible. I think sometimes it's important to set achievable goals, rather than ones we'd like to meet but are too ambitious. Rather than the reach for the stars, reach the second floor.

16. I haven't read the book so can't say. But I think her being that way way part of the point, because that's how women are always portrayed in action and adventure movies.

17. Not one? A couple of them are a bit less know but some of them are iconic. Have you not seen the movie?

20. Right now I think I'll settle for getting out of the cellar... ;)

hah, this is great, love the theme and selected quotes!

Great movie, great quotes and I am very curious to learn more about Nordic literature. Read away!

Yay, "The Princess Bride"! Definitely one of the greatest movies of all time, no question.

>21 PawsforThought: I didn't phrase that properly. I was disappointed because I thought I had the entire movie memorized, but there was one quote I did not remember/recognize.

25. Ah, I see. An excuse for re-watching it! ;)

LOL - mawage....
I'll watch this every time it comes on TV.

Yaaaaay Princess Bride! My BF watches it fairly regularly. I like the scene with the poison cup.

28. Yeah, that's one of my favourite scenes. But I like every scene with Westley in it...

Princess Bride has so many quotes that are usable in real life - I think I use one at least once a week! Great theme!

Paws perfect theme for you! I know this is one of your all time favorites, if not THE favorite.

I think your goal is very realistic. Real life can get in the way and then if your goal is unattainable it can lead to disappointment. Reading should never be disappointing.

31. Yeah, that's what I felt. I KNOW I'll read ten books in a year, no matter what so I know I can reach that goal. And then every book beyond that will be a bonus.

Your challenge doesn't sound too bad. I'll try to stay awake. :)

*munches on the MLT*

Thanks everyone for your kind words. It feels so good to be gearing up for 2014.

31. It's not THE favourite but it's definitely got a permanent place at the top 5.

Oh, The Princess Bride. I will always be a little in love with Wesley.

>16 majkia: I don't think Buttercup can be considered a Mary Sue. Aren't Mary Sue's supposed to be perfect? And Buttercup is clearly an idiot.

35. Yes, Westley is definitely a dreamboat.

I think Buttercup is neither a Mary Sue nor an idiot. Very unfortunate and not always a genius, but still.

The Kalevala-- So what exactly is the sampo?

37. Haha! One of life's greatest mysteries.

Oh good you got the point of the question. I hope you pick that one to read. I seem to remember reading somewhere that Tolkien based elvish on Finnish.

Ha, I've read a Kalevala-for-kids once ages and ages ago so I have some clue what it's about. I'd love to read Kalevala, but then I'd love to read Beowolf and Voluspa (and the rest of the poetic Edda) but we'll see which one I get to first. Hopefully I'll be able to squeeze them all in.

Paws, this is an AMAZING theme!! Can't wait to follow along!!

I see you like romance books. Since I am not, I would have gone with, "Is this a kissing book?!" :p

41. I see you like romance books.
I definitely wouldn't say that. I like the romantic era and most of the literature that was written then, but I would never claim to like romance books/novels.

Oops, I misread!! Thought it said you stray to bodice-rippers! Sorry!

43. No problem. Bodice rippers? The stuff of my nightmares...

Found and starred. Good luck this coming year!

Oh, jeez, I just thought of a great new theme. I shall think and tinker and when it is perfect, I shall use it for the 2015 Challenge.
I shouldn't be planning that far ahead; there is something wrong with my head.

#44 by @PawsforThought>

Bodice rippers? The stuff of my nightmares...

I am oh so with you there!

>46 PawsforThought:: I have themes for at least the next three years :P I keep getting ideas!!

Okay, so I admit to making a quick lurking trip through your thread and find myself slowing down at the mention of "bodice ripper", not once, but a couple of times. Yes, this peaked my interest enough to go back and re-read the most recent posts. Throw in something eye catching and chances are you will find me re-reading posts. ;-)

By the way, I am - as always - grateful for any suggestions and tips other LT:ers might have. The Middle East and Graphic Novel categories in particular could use some more possibles.

The Sandman is a great pick. What kind of stuff do you like? Fantasy, super-hero-ish, horror, less easily defined...? I haven't added everything in yet, but feel free to browse my catalog with the "graphic novel" and "comic book" tags, I tend to have a bit of all sorts, lol.

51. I love Sandman. I'm partway through reading part two of The Absolute Sandman. So, so good. Part of why I like it is because it's filled with history and legends and myths - and I love that in comics/GNs. I loved Don Rosa's Scrooge McDuck adventures when I was a kid (still do!) for the same exact reason, though the style and tone is obviously miles apart.
I loved Persepolis and Fun House and I love Tintin.
Never really understood the whole superhero thing but am not above reading about them. I'd prefer a superhero who uses his brain to one who just happens to be super strong and fast.

I notised you have Palestine and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen listed - I've had my eye on both but never got around to it.

heh I'd not recommend either of those, actually. The first LoEG wasn't too bad but they just get worse as they go on. My interpretation of Moore is that he's a misogynistic ass who can't come up with an original character or premise to save his life. *ahem* And Palestine, well you can see from my succinct review what I thought of that. I was awfully disappointed.

I agree with you about superheroes, it's never been my cup, either. They're boring, and the women... oh god the women! But Hellboy borders on the superhero line, and it's fantastic. Characters with flaws and real struggles and that sort of thing, plus wittiness, lol. I'd definitely suggest checking out the first volume at least and seeing what you think. If it doesn't grab you, go ahead move along to something else. Do you like fairy tales? Fables is also pretty fun, it brings all the fairy tale/nursery rhyme characters into our world, sort of. Oh and if you like fairy tales Castle Waiting was also interesting. You might possibly enjoy Unknown Soldier, it's more modern history, in Uganda; I think it's amazing and incredibly informative about what's gone on over there. Cuba: My Revolution is nonfic: one woman's story of life in Cuba pre & post Castro revolution, being involved; really great, another eye-opener for what things were really like somewhere else. You might enjoy Mouse Guard and Mice Templar, not real history/legends, but done in the sort of legend stories kind of way, they're fun, Mouse Guard especially is really fabulous, the art alone is worth it. :)

I second Fables! It is by far my favorite series!!

You can't go wrong with Robert Kirkman. I'm sure you know about The Walking Dead. ;) I loathe superhero graphics, but I enjoy Invincible.

Others are Buffy Omnibus, Scott Pilgrim, Wanted, Kickass, and Chew...

I forgot to mention I loved Maus (who didn't?)!

53. Aw, sad to hear that about LoEG and Palestine. I was hoping Palestine would be another Persepolis. Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll definitely look into them, they all sound interesting, especially Mouse Guard/Templar and Fables.

54. I do know about The Walking Dead. I gave my brother the collected series for Christmas a few years ago. I've had my eye on the Scott Pilgrim books and almost bought them when I was in Stockholm this summer, but got two Calvin & Hobbes albums instead (not that I regret that).

I am very particular about drawing styles and it's kept me from reading quite a few things. It's just such an important part of a comic/GN that if I'm not comfortable with it, I can't enjoy reading it.

I can definitely understand your pickiness. Hope you check some of them out! :)

OMG, you have no idea how much I love C&H!! I so wish Watterson would come out of retirement!

56. I've only fairly recently discovered Calvin & Hobbes. I mean, I've always known about them and I've seen a few strips in the newspaper now and then but never actually read them. It wasn't until I saw a collection of the snowmen online that my attention was drawn. Love them now - so clever.

I found them in college about 15 years ago (Bill had already retired). Something about Calvin's ridiculous vocabulary, the snowmen, the Dad, the drawing, and C&H's relationship just left me floored.

Have you read The Calvin and Hobbes Tenth Anniversary? Love Watterson's commentary..

Ah Calvin & Hobbes is amazing, I've been loving it since childhood. Watterson managed to make it cute, hilarious, and poignant. :))

58. No, I haven't. I've got The Essential C&H and The Indispensible C&H but that's it so far. I will make further investments in time.

59. Yes, that's exactly what I love about it.

Has anyone read Habibi? It has possibly the most beautiful cover I've ever seen and it seems interesting.

Not yet, my library only has it in Dutch :(

62. Too bad. My library doesn't have it at all but I'm tempted to buy it.

I can understand a little bit of Dutch (well, Flemish, but you know...) but not enough to really follow along in a conversation and definitely not enough to read a book. I do own Wuthering Heights in Dutch/Flemish though and I have skimmed my favourite parts.

Yeah, I know a lot of random words, and most foods, and whatnot, lol, but I can't really read stuff yet. :|

64. I'm at a slightly unfair disadvantage. Swedish and Dutch/Flemish have in common that they are both basically a mixture of German and French with some English mixed in. Most Dutch/Flemish words are fairly similar to their Swedish counterparts.
That said, a lot makes no sense at all to me.

I haven't read Habibi, but Blankets, by the same author, was amazing.

66. I've seen a few reviews of Blankets that state that it's too religious, which makes me a bit apprehensive.

It's about a guy growing up in a fundamentalist household, so it's a theme, but it's more about surviving & his first love.

68. Ah, that's sounds better than I had imagined. Christian (or any religious) preaching is an absolute no-no for me.

I'm with you there, although I do often enjoy books about having grown up in a religious household.

Loving the Nordic themes! Plus the 1 book a month sounds a perfect goal to me :)

71. Yeah, I had a 5 books a month plus several year-long reads goal for this year and due to real life issues I barely read a page for months. I'm going to be kind to myself next year and celebrate every extra book as a personal victory.

Yikes! another extremely creative thread! Your love of the movie really shines through, now I want to see it again. Good luck!

Aw, you're too kind. :)

Making my thread a little prettier and adding pics with suitable jewellery for each category.

HAPPY WINTER SOLSTICE! (Or summer, if you're in the Southern hemisphere)

Today is the shortest day of the year and it's all upwards and onwards from here. Whohoo!

>76 PawsforThought: - A beautiful picture!

Hi PawsforThought, I can't say that I have heard of princess bride before but I'm looking forward your categories on nordic and middle east/arab literature :)

Yeah, it's nice to think about the days starting to get longer, but it took quite some time for them to get this dark and it'll be quite some time before darkness comes during or after evening, rather than before. It's dark before 4:30 now.

78. Never? Oh, jeez. Watch it now! It great. Incredibly silly and so much fun.

79. You've got it easy, then. Here the sun rises around 10.00 and sets around 14.30 (2.30 pm). But the knowledge that it's going in the right direction does help a lot. Even if it takes a month or so before you can really tell any difference, it still feels nice.

I'm always glad, this time of year, that we live as far south as we do!

I got an illustrated version of The Princess Bride for my daughter. She's never read it but enjoys the movie.

82. Oh, I'm so jealous! I've never read the book (didn't know there was one until a couple of years ago).

I still have not seen this movie, though many of the catch phrases are familiar to me. Didn't even know there was a book. Must remedy this...some day.

Nice theme, lovely categories, and one star left behind ;).

And I'm back from the holidays. I wasn't planning on staying off LT this long but it happened. I've had family, and then friends, over ever since the 20th and have been basking in getting to spend time with people I love. It's been great.
Hope you've all had a good time too and a good start to the new year. Here's to a new year! May it be full of great reads.

Merry Cristmas and Happy New Year, Paws!!

Glad you had such a great time with those you love!! ;)

Trying to keep up around here Paws. How are you?

I'm alright, thanks. January is always a tough month so I'm doing what I can to counteract.

I just finished reading my first book this year. It was a comic strip collection and isn't in any way connected to my January theme.
It was Nemi, volume 10 by Lise Myhre and I knew I'd love it as much as I love all the other Nemi albums. I got this one for Christmas from a friend who knows my taste and I've had a great time reading it.

Nemi is such a great character - always good for a laugh!

I love her - she's amazing. Also, extra points for being named after Inigo Montoya! ;)

Hey everyone!
I could use some help, if you don't mind (don't worry, I think it's the kind of help most people here on LT like doing).

Basically, I need some ideas on what books to buy. For myself. I never did get around to buying my thingaversary books and thought I'd do it now as I have to buy a book for a friend who has a birthday coming up and I might as well do it all at once.

So, any ideas?

What type of books are you looking for? Fiction or non-fiction? And what genre or topic? That would help narrow it down a bit.

Either fiction or non-fiction, I like both. I'm not hung up on genres but I stay away from romance novels and very blood-and-gore-filled murder mysteries.
I'm most likely going to buy Neil Gaiman American Gods as I've been fangirling over Gaiman for over a year and still haven't bought any of his books and I listened to him talk about AG in an interview last summer and I've been dying to read it since. I thought I'd get one or two more books beside that one.

I'm not a really big fan of Gaiman, but I've heard very good things about Good Omens, which was a Gaiman/Pratchett co-authorship. If anything is going to entice me to read another Gaiman, it's that book.

One of the best books I read last year was Mr. Churchill's Secretary by Susan Elia MacNeal, the first in a series of (currently) 3 books. If you're more into stand-alone books, I can also highly recommend The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C.W. Gortner. Both of those are historical novels.

The White House Chef series by Julie Hyzy are mysteries that are more cozy than blood-and-gore, although faster paced than many cozy mysteries. I love that series to bits. The first book is State of the Onion and subsequent books only get better.

Last, but not least, on the fiction front is Term Limits by Vince Flynn, a stand-alone, sort-of prequel to his Mitch Rapp series that has many different plotlines that come together beautifully. It's a thriller.

As for non-fiction. Well, I loved The Sleuth Book for Genealogists by Emily Anne Croom, but that's a bit specific and only applicable if you're actually doing genealogy yourself.

I'll stop now, because once I get talking about favorite books I have a hard time stopping. :D

Paws since you said you had never read The Princess Bride perhaps you should indulge yourself in your very own copy.

95. Don't stop on my account. Ramblings about books are always welcome on my thread.
I am in fact doing genealogy so I'll definitely check that book out. Sounds interesting. Thanks for all the tips.

94. Ah, there's an idea. Maybe, maybe.

95 > You'll probably regret giving me permission to ramble about books! But okay, here are some more favorites of mine:

Serving Up the Harvest by Andrea Chesman is a cookbook, gardening book and all around seasonal book in one. It's awesome and really helps you cook with the seasons without giving very elaborate recipes like many cookbooks do. A very everyday type of cookbook.

My Enemy's Cradle by Sara Young is historical fiction set in World War 2 and she tackles the nearly forgotten horrors of the Lebensborn clinics. Chilling, but a book I felt every woman should've read. There's nothing very explicit in there, but the undercurrent of horor you feel as a reader makes it all the more powerful.

For a more literary book, I loved The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht. Not a book I'd normally have picked up, were it not for rave reviews over on the Orange Read group, but I was very glad I did!

Far Afield by Susanna Kaysen is a book that defies description, as it's gripping while there's nothing really happening. It's more psychological, but not the 'tortured spirit' psychological novel that's dark and dreary. It was awesome, that's all I can say about it.

A fair bit darker and more representative of Eastern European literature (I've found) is The Use of Man by Aleksandar Tisma. Very powerful book, but not for the faint of heart. If you're looking for a lighter read but still Eastern European literature I'd go with The Three-Arched Bridge by Ismail Kadare, which is historical in setting but timeless in theme when it comes to Eastern Europe.

As for mysteries, which I love and read a lot of, I very much like A Plague on Both Your Houses, set in the time of the plague in Cambridge at a very young university. It's the first in a series.

Another historical mystery, also the first in a series and one of my all-time favorites, is The Killing Way by Tony Hays. It's a bit more graphic, set in Arthurian times (how the real Arthurian times would've been) but still not as graphical and dark as my mother likes her crime novels (for examplke Patricia Cornwell and Jonathan Kellerman).

For more straight-up historical novels, I like Elizabeth Chadwick. The first in her series about the Marshalls (chronologically) was brilliant and can be read as a stand-alone: A Place Beyond Courage. Kenn Follett is also a great writer, usually historical though some of his works are more recent (WW2 is a favorite setting). I can highly recommend The Eye of the Needle. Any writer that can have me (sometimes) root for the German spy while Great Britain's safety is at stake is a great writer.

La Desperada by Patricia Burroughs was also a great historical novel, although it might be a bit too romance-y for you. I don't remember much romance in it, but it's been a few years since I read it. Gods and Kings by Lynn Austin was a gripping novel bringing to life a Biblical story. It's Christian fiction, but not preachy. I also very much liked The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, which might be too recent to count as true historical fiction, but the time period feels historical to me.

I'll leave it at that for now. Plenty of great books mentioned already, I think ;).

Here's my two cents. I glanced at some of what you've read already and see that (like me) you're an Agatha Christie fan. Have you read Come, Tell Me How You Live, which is her account of traveling in the Middle East with her husband while he worked on digs?
And if you haven't read Ngaio Marsh, you'd most likely enjoy her as she also wrote mysteries in the golden age.
I also loved Malice Aforethought by Frances Iles. It's one of the best mysteries I've read and very funny.

I regret nothing! Thanks for all the tips. Most of these I'd never heard of before. Ken Follett is a big word-y for me (I didn't make it far into Fall of Giants) but that's the only one of the authors I've read before.

I'd like to recommend S. by J.J. Abrams and Doug Durst. It's one of a new generation of books to try and keep print books selling since it would be impossible (or at least not very satisfying) to read it on a ereader. It's not cheap but is really unique.

I am at a loss to offer any suggestions but very intrigued by the ones you have received so far!

I don't know if any of these are up your alley, but some favorites of mine that I'd not hesitate to recommend:
Creation by Gore Vidal, amazing historical fic about the Persian Empire, Darius and Xerxes and Buddha and Confucius, excellent read.
Evolution Man, Or, How I ate my father by Roy Lewis, okay it's not quite an all-time favorite but it was a favorite of 2013 that had me laughing out loud a lot, and also pausing to think.
Master of Petersburg by JM Coetzee, had really wonderful writing, a historical fic that I think captured the feel of the person he was writing about quite well.
The Eight by Katherine Neville, also historical fic (you know, I actually don't read all that many historical fic novels, but the ones I have read have been some real winners! haha) that covers two different timelines that intersect in a way, and it's also mystery and a bit suspense/thriller all mixed in.
I love anything Tom Robbins writes, but he tends to be one of those "love it or hate it" types. But my favorites of his have been Jitterbug Perfume, Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas, and Villa Incognito.
Thomas Keneally's Woman of the Inner Sea was really interesting, supposed to be a true story told to him, and his The People's Train was also really great, starting with some expats in Australia and moving on to the 1917 Russian Revolution from one (fictional) person's experiences.
Ursula K. Le Guin's Hainish Cycle series books are really great.

Umm I think that's enough... :P

PM, I think several of those are right up my alley! I've never really properly read magical realism so I have no idea what I'd think about those books but the first two (and in particular the Vidal book) see very interesting. And I love Ursula K Le Guin and have been recommended The Left Hand of Darkness - which I think is part of the Hainish Cycle - before so...

Ah, the pleasure of having to decided things like this.

Also, I only just realised that I've never graded any of the books in my LT library. I should probably do that.

Agatha Christie's Autobiography was also really good. And Ken Follett has some really big books, like Fall of Giants and Pillars of the Earth, but Eye of the Needle is a normal sized work and due to the type of story (more thriller than historical) it's not big word-y at all. It's a nice start into his work.

105. Ah, that sounds better, then. I think I'll probably borrow it from the library to read rather than buy it unread. That's the main reason I haven't been buying a lot of books lately - I don't like spending money on books unless I know I'll keep them.

106 > Same for me. I buy books from my favorite series that I really want to keep. And I buy books that I can't get through my library (including the interlibrary loan system). But if it's an author/series unknown to me I do search out many reviews and if possible try to read the first chapter online on a site like Amazon.

>106 PawsforThought: If I was splurging on special-occasion books, I would purchase a beloved Penguin classic, designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith:

I Love your categories and themes! Looking forward to seeing what books you read. Especially in the Nordic category

>104 by @PawsforThought, Yes, Left Hand is one of them and it's great, that's the first of hers I read. There's a short story she wrote also that complements it, Coming of Age in Karhide, you could look for that after reading it ...if you like it, that is :P It's apparently published in one of her short story collections: The Birthday of the World, but I read it in the Year's Best SF scifi collection.

The Vidal book is seriously amazing, I was a smidge worried because it's on the long side and so I wasn't sure if it'd really be so interesting and page-turner like the little blurbs claimed, you know, but I really really loved it and read it quickly, hard to put down! :))

Yes, you definitely should! Hahaha. I did check to see if we had anything in common to base any potential ideas off, but you don't have them rated so I hadn't a clue whether you loved or hated any! :P

109. Thank you! I'm quite excited to expand my knowledge of my own cultural heritage.

108 what a wonderful idea for Thingaversary! There is also the Penguin Threads collection http://www.us.penguingroup.com/pages/classics/penguinthreads.html

108. They are very pretty but I don't think I'd ever buy one as I prefer to have all books by the same author in as similar a binding as possible. And if they were similar to another author I'd get confused.

110. Done! Mostly, anyway. There are a fair few left that I haven't graded. There are different reasons for this.
1. I haven't finished them yet
2. I can't make up my mind about a grade
or
3. I can't remember what I thought about it

I have the vague impression that you like classics. Have you read anything by Anne Bronte? She's the sister who actually preferred men who weren't broody maniacs with extra wives. My favorite is The Tenant of Wildfell Hall because the woman is cranky and not always pleasant, the hero is lovely and the evil dude is, well, you can see why people are drawn to him. Agnes Grey is also good.

Have you read anything by Guy Gavriel Kay? He's a fantastic writer, writing historically based fantasy. Tigana is my favorite, but his first trilogy, beginning with The Summer Tree was what got me hooked. The Lions of Al-Rassan is also great.

114. I like some classics. I've been trying to squeeze in as many as I can because I like knowing what other people are talking about when referencing them and also because I believe they're classics for a reason.
I've read nothing by neither Anne Brontë nor Guy Gavriel Kay. I never knew much about Anne and since Charlotte scared me off with Jane Eyre I haven't dared to try her! (I'm a wimp.)
For some reason I put Kay aside as something I wouldn't like but your description of his writing is very intriguing. Historically based fantasy sounds right up my alley.

Haha I'm planning on reading Jane Eyre in the not so distant future :P

116. Best of luck to you. I hope you like it more than I did (not difficult). I really wanted to like it but found Jane incredibly boring and meek and Mr. Rochester without personality. And the twist at the end felt like it was taken from a magazine serial.

Yeah I have no idea, I don't think it's quite my taste, but I know practically nothing about it, so, we'll see! Haha.

Well, something books surprise us. You never know. I was very pleasantly surprised by books I read at uni and was sure I would dislike. Some I did, obviously, but several were really great - books I think back on still years later.

I'm really late to this discussion but I read American Gods last year and liked it a lot and would recommend it. I too heard him on the radio talking about how he wrote it and where some of his ideas come from. Very interesting!

Glad to hear it. And you're never really late to a discussion about Neil Gaiman - they don't really end.

Might want to wait until March like I am for American Gods. ;)
http://www.librarything.com/blogs/librarything/2014/01/the-february-and-march-gr...

I'm currently reading his Neverwhere, and loving it! So far, I think The Graveyard Book is holding on Tony favorite Gaiman spot..

122. I won't be reading American Gods now. I've been talking to Roberta about reading it in March (she's going to and I'm leaning towards it but we'll see how swamped I am). But I am going to buy it sometime next week as I need to get the book for my friend before his birthday (buying online) and I might as well combing shipping.

Don't let Jane Eyre scare you off the other Brontes. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is wonderful, and unfortunately doesn't seem that dated. I haven't read Kay either and meant to fix that last year. Oops. Didn't happen.

I love the quotes you used!!!

I know I'm a little behind, but I love your categories. Princess Bride is one of my favorite movies.

It was the Princess Bride that got me here :)
I finally saw the whole thing last year, and on the big screen too! It was a great watch, having only seen snippets of it, and resisting it for years on account of so many people raving about it. (I am perverse).

Great categories, and good luck.

Gaiman talk is a-buzz lately too, and i have committed (as much as I can) for American Gods in March. My first Gaiman! It feels like an auspicious occasion :)

I'm so glad The Princess Bride is drawing people in. It's such a great, fun movie. I love when movies don't take themselves seriously.

124. My first Brontë book was Wuthering Heights and I loved that one. Nice to have several people recommending Anne and her books, gives me a bit of an incentive.

The Princess Bride drew me in too! Love the film and the book, I can't remember how many times I have seen it. Your categories are great - give you lots of scope for choice.

Aaaand I've finished sprucing up the thread. Lots of lovely jewellery adorning my categories now.

Very pretty thread-jewelry! Am now wishing I had a huge bank-account. :)

130. Me too! Though luckily I have a friend who makes me pretty things whenever I ask. Not like the stuff above, but still. I've been trawling the interwebs to try and find a bracelet like in #7 but can't find one that's just what I want. Sigh.

As a stickler for correct grammar and punctuation (which I myself often fail at) I couldn't help but smile when I saw this article posted today by Buzzfeed.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/adamdavis/the-oxford-comma-is-extremely-important-and-ev...

Whoohoo! Love Oxford commas!

Oh wow, that explains it in a way I am sure to remember!

Hahaha. I've seen most of those before. I've never understood how anyone can possibly think it's "optional"!

133. I'm so glad to hear that!

134. Me either. When the usage of a punctuation mark changes the meaning of the sentence, it's not "optional".

Haha, I love the "JFK and Stalin" thing. Long live the Oxford Comma!

I'm at work and can't go look at it, but I hope it shows my favorite: "let's eat, Grandma." or Let's eat Grandma". I'll check this out later at home to see.

'Fraid not.
It does feature Obama and Castro getting married, Nelson Mandela collecting dildos, and the offspring of God and Ms. Trunchbull.

Great Buzzfeed article! The Obama-Castro one is a perfect example.

>138 dudes22: It doesn't have that because that isn't an Oxford comma. ;)

141. I had written that in my post but accidentally erased it. Grrr.

My thread is full of grammar lovers and punctuations nerds! I love it!

Cupcakes for everyone!

Ah, Buzzfeed loves me! Now there's an articles about commas!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/commas-are-the-most-important

(dudes22, there's a version of "Let's eat grandma" in there!)

OMG, I love that second buzzfeed so much I want to marry it!

Oh my, I didn't know it was called the Oxford comma, but they make a good case for it. So when is the Obama-Castro wedding going to take place?

Lol those were good, but I still love Uncle Jack best:

Ah, yes! Love that one!

OOPS! Bad assumption on my part. (And d*** work anyway for blocking certain sites). And I read Eats, Shoots & Leaves last year and I think that's where I read the "grandma" one.

148. I love Eats, Shoots & Leaves. Read is years ago after my then landlady (who was also a grammar nerd) recommended it to me. I have the Swedish version of it too.

>me too - I think right now it's in the hubby's pile. I don't remember the author calling those types of sequences a use of the Oxford comma, but I'm going to see if I can find the book and check it out.

150. It's often referred to as a serial comma. That might be the phrase Truss used. I can't remember.

@ 146 -- See, I think "helping Uncle Jack, off his horse" is wrong -- why is that comma there? Capitalizing "Uncle Jack," as is correct with proper nouns, would get rid of the inappropriate aspect of the phrase.

152. Yeah, I agree with you on that. The comma didn't sit right with me when I read it but I thought I might be over-sensitive after so many grammar posts and articles.
And the sentence would be much better (and without risk of misinterpretation) if it was just re-written ("helping Uncle Jack down from his horse").

I finished book #2 on Friday, just in time. I have now completed my January challenge. :)



Beowulf

I was a little apprehensive diving into this work - I usually am when it comes to very old works as they are often a little difficult to fully understand. I was surprised by this the same was I was surprised when I read The Odyssey: I found it really quite easy to read. Obviously, there are a lot of word and expressions that aren't used (or at least not in common use) today and that I needed to look up. All in all, an interesting read and it's great to gain a better understanding of the history of one's own country.

When something is that old, the enjoyment hinges on having a great translator. I had a lot of help with Beowulf as it was covered in a mythology class, but on my own I was surprised at how much I liked Medea and Oedipus Rex.

155. My translation is from the 50's and is apparently a very good one (true to the original yet easy to understand). I haven't read very many older works, only skimmed through a few as the thought of reading is often quite daunting. I know I read excerpts from Oedipus Rex in school but not the whole thing and I've never read Medea. Were they easy to read as well as being enjoyable?
I would love to read more old works but the fear of not understanding is quite big.

The version of Oedipus that I have is titled Oedipus the King and the translator is Bernard Knox. Not daunting at all, as the meaning is clear and it's a real page-turner. So much misery!

I have the follow up, Antigone, with Richard Emil Braun as translator, but didn't like it nearly as much. Whether that's the translation or the actual story, I don't know.

The Medea I liked so much was from the library and I remember it as having two male translators. I think it was this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Euripides-Medea-Hippolytus-Heracles-Bacchae/dp/158510048X/...

If you like stories of betrayal, revenge, murder and batsh*t crazy people, you'll love Medea.

I second Oedipus and Medea--Beowulf, on the other hand, terrifies me--I only remember reading excerpts in high school...

I (nearly) always like stories with batshit crazy people.

I wonder how the Swedish translations of those stories hold up.

I (nearly) always like stories with batshit crazy people.

Well... in that case, can I recommend The Last of The Crazy People by Timothy Findley for you? It was a 5 star read for me, just in case you think I am recommending it solely for the title. ;-)

>160 lkernagh:: I put that one on my TBR solely based on the title!

AUGH!! "Something bit me!!"

(Another bookbullet!!)

->159 PawsforThought:
I read most of the Greeks for littvet in Swedish and the translations we read were very decent indeed.

160. Yes. Yes, you can.

163. Ah, great to know. :) Thanks.

Help, please!

I was thinking of getting le Carré's Karla trilogy on audiobook as the The Honourable Schoolboy is very difficult to get hold of in my area (none of the libraries have it). I've come across three different version and I'm unsure of which to get. Does anyone have any experince in listening to le Carré audiobooks and have an opinion?
The different narrators are Frederick Davidson, Simon Russell Beale and Michael Jayston. Has anyone listened to any other works read by either one of them and what did you think of them?

I haven't listened to anything narrated by the three individuals you have named so I unable to offer any help. Are you able to listen to a sample of the audios to 'test' the voices?

Simon Russell Beale played Niels Bohr in a BBC radio adaptation of Copenhagen, by Michael Frayn, and I thought he was pretty good. The subject matter was a bit heavy going, but I had no objections to his voice. I also saw him in the National Theatre 50th anniversary show, reciting a monologue from Hamlet.

166. Yeah, I have listened to excerpts but I didn't think they were enough to go on.

167. That's great, thanks. :) (Also, I'm immensely jealous of you for seeing the National Theatre's 50th anniversary show.)

Ah, I've been wondering if I should read Beowulf. I'm one of the few English majors who haven't read it. My prof decided to skip it because her students usually didn't like it. Seamus Heaney did a translation though, and I'm curious about that. I love Heaney's poetry.

It was fantastic. I saw it live at the movie theatre in my town, and I came out of it with a huge theatre buzz and wanting to act in a play :D

It's available in the NT online shop: http://shop.nationaltheatre.org.uk/shopexd.asp?id=51203

169. I've heard a lot of good things about the Heaney translation. I thought about reading it but it felt weird to read something in English when it was about a Swedish/Danish person living in Sweden.

170. I love the National Theatre. I haven't been able to see any of their productions live but I've listened to every one of their podcasts. So wonderful.

The National Theatre anniversary was shown on our PBS station last week. I only caught the last half hour so I'm really hoping they play it again.

Further investigations revealed that the Simon Russell Beale version is actually a BBC audioplay. While I'm sure it's great (BBC tends t make great audioplays) it's not what I was looking for. Maybe some other time.
Looks like I'll be going with the Frederick Davidson narration. His voice is very "bored upperclass" which I think fits well.
I'll see if he's read the whole Karla trilogy or just The Honourable Schoolboy. I think I'd like to re-read (re-listen) to Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy before I head into THS. And while I'm at it, continue on with Smiley's People. Might as well do the whole thing. Also, I enjoy seeing my audiobook section of Itunes filling up after a purge late last year.

Getting started on my March reading with The Night Daddy by my childhood favourite Maria Gripe. I loved her work when I was a child and I hope that I'll still love then now that I'm (moderately) grown up. Going to borrow a few more childhood favourites from the library tomorrow - along with a couple of gems I never got around to reading.

>171 PawsforThought: the Heaney version is the only one I've read and I completely adored it. From the very first word (So!) it had me so wrapped up in the language that I started reading it aloud, it seems designed to be heard, not read.

175. Yeah, I think most of those types of stories are like that. "Better read aloud". Especially if they're written in verse, which I suppose most of them are. It's so much easier to find the right rythm when you read aloud (I found this especially true when reading Beowulf).

Howdy Paws!

Apparently, March 4th is National Grammar Day in the US. This is cause for celebrations, methinks.

>180 PawsforThought: Yes!

Thanks for those. I'm going to include them in my stack of Quotes of the Day.

Today the reference desk where I work received an email request from a girl looking for assistance with her bachelor thesis. Not a single sentence in her mail was grammatically correct. Sometimes you just want to sit down in a quiet corner and wail in despair.

How did I not know about National Grammar Day?! I must spread the word immediately.

183. There are days when I weep for humanity and literacy.

184. Yes, you must. Go now!

#3.



The Night Daddy by Maria Gripe (March theme: Nordic Children's Classics)

Maria Gripe is one of my all-time favourite authors and definitely one of my favourite children's authors. Her books are so special and she always manages to capture the feeling of being an outsider, being different or bullied. Often with a side helping of something mysterious or supernatural.

Julia's (though that's not her real name) mum works nights and doesn't like to leave Julia by herself so she hires a nighttime babysitter - a night daddy. Julia is not keen on the idea at first but she and the night daddy get along fabulously and eventually - due to Julia's insistence - start writing a book to prove the night daddy's existance as Julia's "friends" at school refuse to believe that she has a night daddy. Who ever heard of such a thing? Their book describe their first meeting, their bugneoning friendship, their philosophical wonderings.

I'm so glad I re-read this book. I first read it so long ago I couldn't remember a single thing about it. It's gem of a book and I can't wait to read (and re-read) more of Gripe's works.

That does sound good! I've never heard of Gripe but I'll be looking for her.

187. Her most famous books are probably The Glassblower's Children (which is CREEPY and scary and oh, so very good), Agnes Cecilia and the Hugo and Josephine books Hugo and Josephine in particular. The H&J books are great for discussions about bullying (I know my mum who is a teacher uses them in school to address issues like being different and not accepting bullying) and such, like many of Gripe's books.

I missed out a lot by not reading Gripe as a kid, but I'm slowly catching up. :) I've done Tordyveln flyger i skymningen and Agnes Cecilia so far.

189. I don't think I ever read Tordyveln flyger i skymningen as a kid but I listened to the radio drama (like pretty much every one of my generation). Never read Agnes Cecilia either, for some reason. I've borrowed both from the library, though, so I'm making up for it. I was a major fan of the Shadow series. Loved them so much. Also, the Tre trappor-trilogy.

Started Tordyveln last night. :)

Happy Pi Day everyone!



I'll be making my beloved pineapple pie later today, just like last year.

Happy Pi(e) day! We celebrated at work with a lovely raisin pie.

Raisin pie? I've never heard of that before!

I'll take a slice of lemon meringue or key lime :)

194. Mmmm, lemon meringue... I've never had key lime pie but it looks delicious.

#4.



Maria Gripe - Tordyveln flyger i skymningen (March theme: Nordic Children's Classics

Another book from my childhood favourite Maria Gripe. I was rather surprise to see that this one doesn't seem to have been translated into English, even though it's one of her most well-known and loved books. It was originally written as a radio drama, the script for which Gripe adjusted for a novel. I remember listening to the radio version when I was little and though I'd completely forgotten the plot I do remember (strongly) how thrilling it was.

If it ever does get translated into English, the title will most definitely have to be changed. The Swedish title is a favourite of mine because it is so very poetic-sounding. The English translation? Eh, not so much. Tordyveln flyger i skymningen directly translates to "The Earth-Boring Dung Beetle Flies at Dusk". Yeah, not so poetic.

The plot revolves around three kids living in the small town of Ringaryd who stumble upon a mystery involving star-crossed lovers, blue Pegeots, chess games, a magic plant and long-lost Egyptian statues. It's very exciting and engaging. And not all the mysteries are resolved. The main ones are, of course, but there are things left unanswered and though that might sometimes drive me a bit nuts, in this case it was rather fitting.

Actually reading the book as an adult, it's still great. I love this book. I'm so glad I read it and I recommended it to five of the kids I sometimes work with because I know they'll love it too. I'd recommend it to anyone.
It's really nice to see it hasn't aged much. It was written in the late 70's and the only thing that really gives that off is the lack of mobile phones and the use of a tape recorder and typewriter. The story itself isn't affected.

#5.



Ture Sventon, privatdetektiv - Åke Holmberg (March theme: Nordic Children's Classics)

This is the first time I've read one of the Ture Sventon books but, like most people in Sweden, I'm well acquainted with the main character, his closest companion and his arch nemesis. The books were adapted into a Christmas calendar TV show (Swedish tradition) some 25 years ago and is considered one of the greatest TV calendars ever.

Ture Sventon is a private detective (with a rather distinct and peculiar lisp - it only appears with certain words), according to himself the greatest in the country. Unfortunately he doesn't have many clients. None at all, actually. That is, until he is asked to help out with a ransom situation involving the terrible criminal Ville Vessla - who no one has ever managed to even lay their eyes on before. He obviously takes the case. With the help of many a semla (Shrove Tuesday bun, Sventon's favourites), a flying carpet bought from his friend Omar and a heap of very clever disguises he dives head first.

This book is a lot of fun. It's incredibly silly and the main character is a fool and the only reason he succeeds in anything is pure luck. But it's fun.
Also, it has one of my favourite fictional characters ever in it. Omar is a rather stereotypical "arab" but while he is pictured as way too polite and maybe a bit smarmy, he is always a good guy. (And he was cool in fezzes before the eleventh doctor was.)

The book has been translated to English with the title "Tam Sventon, Private Detective" but it doesn't show up on LT.

I've never heard of this author but your review has me putting it on my WL. That cover alone is pretty great too. Thanks for the review!
Btw, what's a tv calendar?

It's a children's TV show as a Christmas/Advent calendar. One episode (15-30 minutes long) every day from December 1st to December 24th.
They've been airing TV Christmas calendars in Sweden since 1960, different ones every year (except once, I think).
Sometimes they're based on books or other types of popular culture, sometimes they're specifically written. The most popular ones (many of which from "the Golden Age" during the early 90's) are considered TV classics. I think they're all available on DVD nowadays.

Here's the Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julkalendern

Yeah, the cover's pretty great. I think that's the original cover, or possibly from one of the earliest re-prints. It's certainly keeping with the time it was written (1948!)

The TV advent calendar is a really cool idea! And agreed, the cover is great. :)

A still from the Ture Sventon advent calendar:



(That's Ture Sventon on the left and Omar on the right.)

I loved the Ture Sventon-books when I was a kid. How can you not love someone who loves temlor so much?! :)

I don't actually like semlor but I do respect his love of them.

I do like them, but he makes them sound even better than they are.

Check out this if you don't believe me. Tam Sventon, Private Detective used copy $194.58. In the US, standard price for a book is between $25 for a hardback, $12 for a trade paperback and $7 or so for a mass market paperback. It sounds like lots of fun, but a wee bit hard to find this side of the pond.

What? That's insane! The Swedish edition is around $10-12 for a hardback.

I checked BookDepository, they're available for around $10 on AbeBooks.

I love Ture's suit in that still! Actually the whole outfit is perfect. :)

207. He always wears that suit! :)

I need help!

I can't decide which edition of American Gods I should buy. The original one of the 10th anniversary one. The 10th anniversary one does have the author's preferred text and that's a definite plus but the original edition has a gorgeous cover and I am very picky with covers.
I'm leaning towards the original (pretty) edition but will I be missing out by not getting the author's preferred text? Argh, this is so hard!

>209 PawsforThought: Is buying both an option? If so, I vote for that! :)

210. No, I'm only buying one. I'm not one for buying multiple copies even if the editions aren't identical. The only time I but two (or more) of the same book is if I'm buying t in different languages.

How much could Gaiman have changed it? And maybe his preferred text isn't better? Look at stories about Stranger in a Strange Land about that one. Apparently his editor had more sense about racist comments than Heinlein did, not that Gaiman would have that problem. He's more likely to go on about some esoteric folk belief at length. I'd go for the cover. Shallow of me, but yes, the pretty cover.

I'm going to have to check out Abe Books. I keep hearing good things about them. And as for Amazon, we all know it is a mixed blessing of the computer age.

I didn't find the Holmberg books in English on Abe Books or Book Depository. :( On Abe, none were in English. On Book Depository, they had them listed but marked unavailable, please put on your wish list. And their prices were between $1 to $3. They were old, so chances are stinky, but the $194 one is probably old and stinky too. Sigh! We need more books to be translated, and to stay in circulation. Now that we have e-books, that seems reasonable.

I've never tried Abe books myself but a lot of books that are no longer available on Book Depository can be found there. I've bought books off similar sites in Sweden and it's always been a good experience so I have no doubt it'd be any different with them.

I don't buy books straight from Amazon if I can help it. Book Depository is owned by Amazon nowadays but oh, well. They don't charge for shipping no matter where in the world you live and the delivery has always been fast - a blessing when I was at uni. Also, their customer service is great - the top boss himself emailed me when I had trouble with a lost delivery (and they sent a new books pronto, no charge, no discussion).

I think I'll go with the pretty edition. Like you said, how big of a difference can there really be?

Haha! I just did an interlibrary loan search on Ture Sventon, and didn't find an English one but I did find a Spanish one. That should work. :)

They have it in Spanish? Wow. Let me know what you think of it. I'd love to know what his lisping is like in Spanish.

Lisping? In Spanish, a lisp simply means you are from Barcelona. I've put a request in for it, which may mean it arrives next week or never knowing Interlibrary loan. But this is only coming from the next city over. It should be here pretty soon.

Yes, Ture Sventon has a very peculiar lisp that only shows up in some words (his own name being one of them - it's actually Sture Svensson but he can't say that so he changed it) so changes S to T. "Pistols" becomes "pittols" etc. It's a trademark of his.

Not to mess with you, but I would vote for the 10th Anniversary version of American Gods - it has enough extra to make a difference I felt, but then again, covers aren't really a big deal to me (unless we're talking movie tie-in versions - nobody likes those!).

219. I've decided to go with the original edition. I'm ridiculously picky (obsessed would be a fair way to describe it) with covers and the look of books.

And yes, movie tie in covers are of the devil and should never be allowed.

#6.



The Moomins and the Great Flood by Tove Jansson (March theme: Nordic Children's Classics)

I never read the Moomin books as a kid, nor did I have them read to me but merely growing up in this country means they've been a huge part of my childhood and are still part of my life today. My best friend LOVES the moomins and has moomin tea cups (I have a designated one for when I visit). The cultural heritage of the moomins in both Finland and Sweden is huge.

So I was a bit nervous diving into this the very first of the moomin books. Luckily, I needn't have worried. It's a lovely and whimsical little story of Moomin and his mother trying to find a new place to stay during winter (because moomins don't do well in the cold) and stumbling into one curious creature after another and happening upon the most incredible scenery (including a candy garden that could rival Willy Wonka's factory). One of the things I like the most is that you can sense the "Nordic melancholy" throughout the story, despite the quirkyness.

#7.


(This isn't the edition I read it in, but the text is the same, I checked.)

The Emperor's New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen (March theme: Nordic Children's Classics)

And old favourite. I read all of Andersen's most famous works, both as a child and as an adult while working with children, but it's mostly been adapted versions with simplified language and storylines. Therefore it's rather nice to get to the original text (well, it's translated but not otherwise tampered with).

I still love this story. You can feel the second-hand embarrassment from the start and you know how it'll end but you still turn the page excitedly to see what happens next.
It's a great way of weaving morale into children's books. You can tell that it's there buy it doesn't weigh heavily on the storyline. Just perfect.

#8.



The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen (March theme: Nordic Children's Classics)

One of the main reasons why I consider Andersen to be one of the greatest writers of all time - irregardless of genre.
This is both a great, and incredibly sad - which is standard fare with Andersen, tale dealing with a huge issue. Not only is it a good story in itself, it's also a really good way of introducing talks about bullying and people being different from others to children.