lbradf joining the group to see if I can do it

I doubt I will actually "read" 50 books this year. However, I listen to books all the time on CD and my mp3 player. Even though it feels a little like cheating, I'm going to include them on my list. I really like the idea of keeping track. Thanks for the encouragement.

Right now I'm reading Influencer and listening to The Black Ice and Gate House.

Lois

Welcome to 50 book challenge! I'm sure you can do it. I don't think listening to books is cheating at all. Besides it's your challenge; you can do what you want! See you 'round.

I also love listening to audio books - I'd go crazy in the car without them! (My list will also include a lot of them.) Do you have any recommendations for books that you thought worked particularly well in the audio format? It seems like some books are more enjoyable to read and others are just as enjoyable (if not more enjoyable) to listen to. I particularly like Kingsolver's Prodigal Summer, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, and Bill Bryon's A Walk in the Woods. However, I'm having a hard time getting into My Antonia. I'd love to hear what you think.

~Cheers and good luck in '09!
Corrina

First, George Guidall is my favorite reader. I like just about anything he reads. On the light side, I think he does a great job on the The Cat Who... books by Lilian Jackson Braun. Guidall's vocalizations of the cat sounds are excellent.

I remember I was touched by listening to Days of Grace by Arthur Ashe. I felt as though I was listening to Mr. Ashe telling his own story. Unfortunately, I don't recall who read it. Along those lines, I very much enjoyed listening to Jimmy Carter read his memoir An Hour Before Dawn. Knowing it was his own story doubled my enjoyment.

Lastly, I believe I enjoyed listening to these two classics even more than I would have enjoyed reading them: Three Musketeers and Crime and Punishment. Even time the reader pronounced their French and Russian names, I appreciated how much better than were doing it than I ever would!

Thanks for the encouragement.

1. Gate House by Nelson DeMille
2. The Black Ice by Michael Connelly

I finished listening to both of these books this week this to a two-day business trip. Generally, I found Gate House to be too long and a little annoying. If I hadn't listened to other DeMille books, I might have quit because it took so long to get to the climax and denouement. I was annoyed by the obvious foreshadowing of the resolution of the one of the story lines--how would they save the children's inheritance. I was also annoyed by what looked like it would be a subplot but wasn't really--the threat to the Iranian landlord. Regardless, I made it to the end.

I enjoyed The Black Ice much more. I only recently came upon Michael Connelly's books about Hollywood detective Harry Bosch. This is the third book I have listened to. I am always pleasantly surprised by Harry's humanity. He is a cop who has high standards for himself and who is willing to stretch the boundaries, but in the end he is not a cowboy or a rogue but rather an ethical man who cares about other people. Now I am listening to The Concrete Blonde, which I believe is the next book in the series.

Welcome and good luck on your challenge. I haven't listened to books even though I own a few. I so far prefer reading them. Maybe I should try listening to books that I find myself having trouble getting into or really finishing them.

You're on your way -- good luck with your challenge!

3. Influencer by Kerry Patterson, et al. I highly recommend this book. The stories of change are inspiring and illustrative. I also appreciate the summary at the end and the additional resources available on the web. This book clearly shows that if one is willing to do all of the work necessary, amazing change truly is possible.

4. Freakin' Fabulous by Clinton Kelly. Clinton Kelly is the male cohost of What Not to Wear on The Learning Channel. He is very funny in this book of "how to dress, speak, behave, eat, drink, enterain, decorate, and generally be better than everyone else." He makes his points with humor and common sense. I didn't expect to read the whole book--thought I'd look at the multitude of pictures and read some of the captions. However, I found it so entertaining I wound up reading pretty much every word!

5. The Concrete Blonde by Michael Connelly.
I celebrated MLK Day by listening to this next book in the Harry Bosch series. I was feeling all smug because I was sure I'd solved the mystery early--yeah, not so much!

6. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling. It's a clever premise that is well-done--made up ancient fairy tales commented on by a made up commentator (Dumbledore) translated by a made up translator (Hermione Grainger) with additional explanatory footnotes by the real-life "editor" J.K. Rowling. Quick, enjoyable read.

7. The Last Coyote by Michael Connelly. In message #5, I commented that I was surprised by Harry Bosch's humanity. Imagine my surprise when a new character in this book said that he didn't seem like other cops, like he still had his humanity left! I was so surprised when I heard her describe him just as I had a couple of weeks earlier. Seldom have I felt so in sync with an author's intention!

8. A Clue for the Puzzle Lady
9. At Risk

I admit I am astonished that it is just the end of January and I've listened to or read nine books already! It's fun keeping track of them. A Clue for the Puzzle Lady is the first book in a new series for me. Since I couldn't find them in audio format, these will be "dessert books" (a phrase borrowed from another LTer), books I allow myself to read every now and then when I've been particularly good.

10. The Front by Patricia Cornwall

I only have two good things to say about At Risk and The Front. First, they are short--only four CD's. Second, they didn't cost me anything since I got them from the library and I only listened to them while I was doing something else.

Hope that the next one will be better.
--BJ

11. Puzzled to Death by Parnell Hall. Another fun book in the series.

12. A Puzzle in a Pear Tree by Parnell Hall. This series entry was set at Christmas time--not surprising, given the title. Since we still have snow on the ground here, it was not too jarring. The puzzles in this book were a pleasant twist--they were acrostics rather than crossword puzzles. Another difference in this book is that the Puzzle Lady has only one drink in the course of the book. Maybe the wholesome atmosphere of small town Bakerhaven, CT is having a positive effect on her. Personally, I will be happy if this is a trend that continues in future books. I appreciate having a main character who is not goody two shoes, but I can also do without descriptions of her excessive drunkeness. I already have the next two books checked out from the library, so I will not have to delay in finding out whether Cora is truly sobering up.

13. The Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling. I read the whole book the day it was released. This ime, I listened to the book--completing my practice of both reading and listening to all of the Potter books. As I listened, I was reminded again of what an exciting book this is--adventure after adventure! The reader, Jim Dale, does an exceptional job with this series.

14. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. I ordered this book from the library after coming across it in other LT users' posts. It seems to give a most believable glimpse into how the world seems for a teenager with Asperger's Syndrome. Throughout I thought of another book with an Aspberger's protagonist--Look Me in the Eye by John Elder Robison, who was not diagnosed until he was in his 30's or 40's. The protagonist in Curious Incident is in special ed and has teachers who clearly understand his special needs and who have given him tools he uses to deal with the sensory overload caused by Asperger's. By contrast, in his book, Robison describes how different he felt and yet how he didn't really know that he was different--that his brain processed information and stimuli differently and it wasn't a matter of others doing a better job coping: they didn't have to cope. When a psychologist friend encourages him to get an evaluation for Asperger's, the resulting diagnosis helped him make sense of his life for the first time.

15. Trunk Music by Michael Connelly. This book reunites Detective Harry Bosch with his one true love, Eleanor Wisch. I started the next book, Angels Flight, right away because I was so curious to see how that relationship turns out. As I suspected, it's not going smoothly, making it hard for Harry to concentrate on his current case.

16. With this Puzzle, I Thee Kill by Parnell Hall. The short chapters really moved this book along.

The latest issue of the magazine Mental Floss profiled the "The 25 Most Powerful Books of the Past 25 Years." I was dismayed to find I had only read about three of them. I'm going over to the public library website now to request a couple of them.

That sounds like an interesting list - heading off to Google it.....

By the way....what were the three you had read?

The list is
1. And the Band Played On
2. Maus
3. Listening to Prozac
4. Thinking in Pictures
5. Nickel and Dimed (One I've read)
6. Into Thin Air (One I listened to)
7. The Satanic Verses
8. Middlesex
9. The Alchemist
10. The Easy Way to Stop Smoking
11. A Perfect Spy
12. What is the What
13. On Writing
14. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
15. The Known World
16. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (One I've read and listened to)
17. How Proust Can Change Your Life
18. The Bonfire of the Vanities
19. Infinite Jest
20. The Unbearable Lightness of Being
21. Beloved
22. The Handmaid's Tale
23. Freakonomics
24. Eats, Shoots and Leaves (Another I've read)
25. The Tipping Point (Yet another)

What do you know--I've actually read five of them--a fifth of the list. Of course, that does mean there are 20 I've yet to read. I'm getting started on it--I've requested Maus and Thinking in Pictures from the library.

Interesting list! I have only read 1 -- Beloved -- and it was terrific! Several others are on my tbr, so maybe there is hope for me. :) Have a great day and thanks for the list.
--BJ

17.And a Puzzle to Die On by Parnell Hall. This was my least favorite of the Puzzle Lady books. Cora was crabby and the murder mystery was too far-fetched.

18. Bretz's Flood; The Remarkable Story of a Rebel Geologist and the World's Greatest Flood by John Soennichsen. My husband and I both read this book and both very much enjoyed it. It is the story of J Harlen Bretz, a University of Chicago professor whose explorations, documentation, and conclusions about the creation of the channeled scablands topography of eastern Washington changed the geological world. The fact that his now universally accepted theory was so roundly rejected for so many years is an interesting story. Bretz's character and sense of humor, revealed through his own memoir and the words of those who knew him, make it even more interesting. Most interesting of all for us was the fact that he was describing the land where we live. We are just waiting better weather to take our own scablands field trip. I heartily recommend the book to anyone who lives in eastern Washington AND to anyone interested in geology.

That list is interesting--if you're going through, I'd really recommend What is the What and On Writing, though the latter probably isn't of much interest unless you're a writer or interested in the writing process--I do find it a really powerful book though. For my part, I'd have to say I'd avoid The Alchemist and The Known World. Thanks for the list though--I'm definately adding some to my to-be-found list...

Thanks for the recommendations. I'm a little surprised by your recommendation regarding The Alchemist. Paulo Coelho is one of my husband's favorite authors and he loved this book. Now I really have to check it out! I am reading Maus and Thinking in Pictures and enjoying both!

19. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
20. Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman

I found Into Thin Air by Krakauer to be more gripping, but Into the Wild was quite interesting as well. I appreciate his balanced look at McCandless, giving him credit where credit was due.

Maus is a book I would never have found or considered reading but for the Mental_Floss list I discussed above. Very good. I didn't realize that Maus II is really volume II, not a sequel. You need both books! I highly recommend it.

I read Bonfire of the Vanities 20? years ago. I cooked dinner reading! One book I really enjoyed

21. Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began by Art Spiegelman
22. Stalking the Puzzle Lady by Parnell Hall
23. You Have the Right to Remain Puzzled by Parnell Hal

I have to say, reading Maus I & II has whet my interest in looking at other graphic novels. It reminded me a little of the Classic Comics (or something like that) I read when I was a kid. I distinctly remember that that was how I learned the story of Joan of Arc, for example. With pictures, one can get the essence of the story without so many words!

I have only one more Puzzle lady to read and I will be caught up with the series. This series has certainly reminded me why I don't usually read fiction: I get started on a book and that is all I want to do--read, read, read!

24. Angel's Flight by Michael Connelly
25. The Sudoku Puzzle Murders by Parnell Hall

I continue to enjoy the Harry Bosch series very much. I had a nice long road trip this week and got in lots of listening time. I am also glad to be caught up with the Puzzle Lady series. I've been reading these books, as opposed to listening to them, and I've found it entirely too distracting!

26. The Big Skinny: How I Changed my Fattitude by Carol Lay

This is a graphic diet book I came across in the New Books section of the public library. Having just finished Maus, I had a new appreciation for books in graphic form, so I picked it up. It's a practical, no-nonsense approach to weight loss and maintenance--count calories and exercise. I have to say, Ms. Lay presents a pretty convincing, moderately inspiring rationale. The only gripe I had with the book is that she reveals that she is 52, my age, but her cartoon representation of herself looks a lot more like early twenties. She may be out of denial about weight, but I think there's definitely age denial!

That's funny!
--BJ

27. Damage Control by J. A. Jance
28. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

I enjoyed both of these books. What I particularly liked about Damage Control was that there were multiple cases being worked simultaneously--more like real life. I highly recommend the Highbridge Audio version of Water for Elephants. There were two readers--David LaDeau (sp) for Jacob at 23 and John Randolph Jones for Jacob at 90 (or 93). Having a truly older voice for old Jacob greatly enhanced the distinction between the two periods of his life. This book is definitely on my list of favorite audio books ever! (And it's all thanks to Library Thing as this is where I first learned of the book:)

29. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

This was an amazingly long book!! I forced myself to listen to the end because I had invested so much time and because someone had recommended the book to me. I am not a big fan of long books, to read or listen to, and with this book, I learned I am especially not a fan of long books about places and times about which I know very little--15th century eastern Europe, to be specific. Throw in that it is a vampire book and it was pretty much a mismatch from the beginning. Now on to David Baldacci and the latest Camel Club book. Whew!

30. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

I listened to this book based on the recommendations I saw here on LT. I HIGHLY recommend the audio book, which is read by Sherman Alexie himself. His delivery is excellent and immensely added to my enjoyment of the book. I live near Reardan, WA, where the protagonist (and the author) went to high school. Even so, I have never traveled from Reardan to Wellpinit on the Spokane Indian Reservation. I hope to remedy that before long.

Last Sunday my husband and I took our field trip. It's quite a dramatic route, with some very steep grades driving down to the river and then even higher on the other side climbing up to Wellpinit. Alexie is right--the "rez" is beautiful. However, the poverty on the rez that he wrote of is also very evident. Throughout the drive, I imagined a fourteen year old hitchhiking this route in winter cold and spring and fall heat. With that geographic understanding, I find the book even more inspiring!

31. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

Dang! This was another long book! I was listening to it on CD from the library and had to turn it in before I finished it. I put myself back in the queue to check it out again to listen to the last six CDs. I finally finished it last week. I read this book based on recommendations I saw her at LT, but I have to say it was not a favorite. It was not a particularly good match for my tastes, which I didn't discover until I'd already committed many hours to the book. Others hated the ending, but I was okay with it.

32. Cruel Intent by J.A. Jance

I loved the JP Beaumont series by J. A. Jance and have faithfully followed the Joanna Brady series, although I didn't love it as much. This is her latest series, the Ali Reynolds series, which I probably like least of all. To be fair, I am not particularly fond of the reader of this series, and that may be biasing me against the books. Ali's involvement in the cases stretches my credulity and she comes across a little goody goody for me. This book was no exception. I was glad to hear that Ali's blog was no longer going to be playing a major role. The endless quoting from the blog in the first two books was very tiresome to me.

33. City of Bones by Michael Connelly

I'm still loving Harry Bosch. This book is a turning point in the series, so now I am anxious to read the next book.

34. Stone Cold, Camel Club Series, Book 3 by David Baldacci
35. Fatally Flaky by Diane Mott Davidson

Quite a surprising ending to Stone Cold! I'm very curious to see what comes next, or even if there is a next!

I've mostly listened to Davidson's books. It was fun to actually read one for a change. If you like cooking or eating and rather bumbling heroines, I highly recommend this series, starting with Catering to Nobody.

Sounds like one for the old wishlist!
--BJ

If you liked Maus as a graphic novel, have you read Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi? I haven't read it (I plan to soon), but it's in the same league as Maus as in it tells a similar story, and I've heard comparisons between both. I'm a big fan of graphic novels, although I tend to read the fantastical/superhero types, but there are non-fictional/biographical graphic novels out there. Please keep us posted on your forays. =)

Thank you for the ideas. I looked for graphic novels at Barnes and Noble but all I could find were the "fantastical/superhero types." Clues on how to find graphic novels in other genres? The library keeps them behind the counter because they apparently have a tendency to disappear otherwise. That makes sense, but it is lousy for browsing! Thanks for anymore hints you can provide.

36. Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin

I checked out Thinking in Pictures from the library because it was on the Mental Floss list of 25 Most Influential Books of the Past 25 Years (post 23). I surprised myself by reading almost all of it. It has been my bathroom book so the progress has been slow. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it because I am not autistic, do not teach special ed, and have no relatives or acquaintances who are or have children who are autistic. Nonetheless, Grandin's ability to mix her personal experiences with the experiences of other autistics with research and medical findings somehow kept me interested. I've now had the book for two months and need to turn it in before I've quite finished it. I'm counting it anyway, though, since I read so much more of it than I thought I would!

37. Split Second by David Baldacci

I'll be quite surprised if this isn't made into a book. It is quite action packed with Secret Service agents, candidates, explosions, gun battles, and even a bit of literal cliff hanging. I also think it is likely that this will be the beginning of a new series for Baldacci.

I do not, however, recommend this audio recording with Scott Brick as the reader. Some of the voices were indistinguishable from one another and with insufficient pausing in the dialogue, it was sometimes difficult to track who speaking. On the other hand, Brick has an ironic tone in his delivery that is a good match for Baldacci.

38. The Big Dirt Nap by Rosemary Harris

I posted a review of this ER book on the book's main page. Suffice it to say here that I did not like the book much.Too many characters with too little character development.

39. Lost Light by Michael Connelly

This was the first Harry Bosch book after Harry retired from the LAPD. It has a surprise at the end that makes me most curious to continue on in the series. I missed the usual cast of supporting characters--his LAPD partners and his lieutenant. I hope Connelly brings some of them back or introduces some new, ongoing folks in the next book.

40. Hooked on Murder by Betty Hechtman
This is the first book in the series. I enjoyed it and will probably read the next book if it is available in the library. I found the book on the website
http://www.cozy-mystery.com after looking up the term "cozy mystery," which I had seen used here on LT and wanted to confirm if I understood the term. I've now bookmarked the website as a great resource for mystery series listed in order by author.

41. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

I listened to the audio version, read by Mr. Gladwell himself. He had excellent delivery. I found this book fascinating--so much so that I'm purchasing the book so my husband can read it too. As much as I enjoyed this book, I felt something was missing when it ended. I got to the end and thought, "So what?" Basically, the premise is that outliers' success was largely possibly because of early childhood, or even ancestral advantages over which they had no control. As I was reading, I guess I was hoping that at the end Gladwell would give some message of hope of how we can make up for the lack of advantages or how we can recognize that we have advantages we are not taking advantage of--something like that. As it was, I ended the book feeling, "Well, heck. Guess I missed it!"

I agree with you about Outliers - there could have been some real-life applications explored there. I think he missed an opportunity. Or maybe...the message was that you CAN'T do anything about it! (Other than practice something for 10,000 hours and hope it is an undiscovered niche down the road - ha!)

42. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

I downloaded and listened to this book based on the recommendations I read here on Library Thing. I really enjoyed it--both the book and the recording. They had four different readers, all of whom were excellent in their accents and vocalizations. With regard to the book itself, I had never read or heard a thing about the occupation of Guernsey before listening to the book, so it was all very enlightening to me. The book reminded me of old-fashioned love stories I read long ago such as Daddy Long Legs--polite, kind people unexpectedly finding love.

I am so glad you liked The Guernsey book! It's one of my all-time favorites. It's funny that you mention Daddy Long Legs - I don't know of too many other people who have read it. As I recall, it was classified in my library as Young Adult. I remember being surprised by that.

43. The Alchemist by Paul Coelho.

This was another of the books on the 25 most influential books of the past 25 years--post 23. It was on the list because of the way it was published--free on the web, which resulted in incredible increase in hardcopy sales and boom! it was a bestseller.

One of the reviews likened it to The Little Prince. I can see why, although I think I liked The Little Prince better.

44. The Poet by Michael Connelly

This was the first non-Harry Bosch book by Michael Connelly that I have read (listened to, actually). I read it because the next Harry Bosch book, The Narrows, includes the protagonist of The Poet, reporter Jack McEvoy.

Again, Connelly does an excellent job of creating characters with depth and humanity--no one is perfect or perfectly flawed. He also leaves open at least three different paths for subsequent books: McEvoy moves to LA, Bosch's hometown; antagonist's fate is unresolves; and love interest ends ambivalently. Can't wait until The Narrows gets checked back in, so I can check it out!

45. Murder in Miniature by Margaret Grace

I checked out this book and Hooked on Murder, post #40, at the same time. I almost wish that I hadn't read about what constitutes a "cozy mystery." As I read this book, it was as though I was clicking off the elements in my mind--female, amatuer detective with access to police information through a relative or close association--in this case a retired English teacher whose nephew is an aspiring homicide detective. I did not care for this book as much as I liked Hooked on Murder. It lacked the quirky characters I enjoy in cozies and it lacked the intrique I enjoy in non-cozies. First and only book I'll read in this series, I believe.

46. The Narrows by Michael Connelly

Two long road trips enabled me to listen to this book in record time. Of the three paths that were possible at the end of The Poet, Connelly picked up two of them--the antagonist and the love interest. We get to see another side of Bosch as he interacts with his daughter. At the end of the book, Bosch decides to return to the LAPD. I wonder if Connelly had that in mind all along, or if, he found that Bosch in retirement just wasn't at interesting. Regardless, I appreciate the twists and turns of the series.

47. Hour Game by David Baldacci

This is the second book in Baldacci's series about two former secret service agents who formed a private investigation agency. I liked this book quite a lot more than I liked the first book in the series. I was guessing about "who done it" for most of the book.

48. Winter Study by Nevada Barr

I can't remember them all, but it certainly seems to me that this latest entry in the Anna Pigeon series had the creepiest antagonist of any of them. This was quite an exciting story, which included two mysteries--the mystery of the strange wolf dna and behavior and the human mystery of was there a murder and if so, who is the murderer. As usual, Barbara Rosenblatt was superb in her narration.

49. Divine Justice by David Baldacci

This is the latest, and perhaps the last?, installment in the Camel Club series. All of the previous characters are back with the addition of a new villain or two. To not spoil the story, I'll just say that the degree of corruption and cooperation necessary to pull off the West Virginia part of the story strained my credulity. At the the of the book, Oliver's life seemed pretty much tidied up. I'll definitely be curious to read the next book in the series, if there is one.

Something different in this audio book--it came with sound effects. There were a couple of times I was glad I wasn't driving at the moment of the fictional explosion or bursts of gunshot and there were a couple of times when I was driving when I couldn't locate the source of the sound I was hearing and then realized it was the book. Made the book more interesting, that's for sure!

Wahoo! I made it to 50 before the end of August!

50. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
51. Fat, Broke, and Lonely No More by Victoria Moran

The Time Traveler's Wife was really different book. I only read it because of the chatter I saw on LT about it. Mostly I enjoyed it. I will say that I was not too happy about how the book ended. It seemed so abrupt to me. When the story carried on for awhile, I was misled regarding how long it was carry on. Thus, I was rather surprised when, boom, the book was done. (It's easier to be taken off guard that way when one is listening to a book rather than reading and one can see there is only one more page in the book.) I don't think I'll go out of my way to see the movie, but I'll watch it on DVD or HBO eventually.

Fat, Broke, and Lonely No More was also the result of LT chatter. Another reader wrote about reading Living a Charmed Life by Ms. Moran. I was intrigued by what she wrote and went looking for the book. Fat, Broke, and Lonely No More was the only book by Ms. Moran that our library had. The thing I liked best about the book is that every chapter offered several alternatives for action then gave one specific action that one could take that would get one started in that area. I'm cheap to my toes, but I really think I just might need to buy myself a couple of Ms. Moran's books.

I am having such a good time tracking and recording my books, I'm going to just keep on going!

52. A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel

I liked the book, but I did not enjoy quite as much as I expected based on what I had read in others' posts.

Congratulations on reaching 50! Happy reading for the rest of the year :)

53. The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
54. Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich

I actually read The Jane Austen Book Club, as opposed to listening to it, that is. I caught only a small part of the movie after reading about this book on LT. Based on what I saw and what I read, however, I think this might be one case where I liked the movie better than the book. I did not get the same warm feeling for the characters in the book as I got from the movie. I think to LOVE the book, I probably needed to LOVE (and have read) Austen herself more.

I have been listening to the Stephanie Plum books since Two for the Dough came out in audio. I went back and listened to One for the Money and have been waiting for the next book to come out ever since. The way the reader, Lorelei King, characterizes Lula and Grandma Mazur is the main reason I keep listening to the series. Like many series, the plots seem much the same, but I laugh aloud listening to their antics regardless.

I wasn't a big fan of The Jane Austen Book Club either and I do LOVE Austen. I had the same issue you did, no warm feeling for the characters. And I also felt like their interpretations of the books were not really the right ones. I couldn't help but feel like Karen Joy Fowler completely missed the mark with some of them. Of course, that probably just means that their interpretations were not MY interpretations, which doesn't make them wrong :)

I've read the book and seen the movie (of Book Club), and really, I preferred the movie too. I really like the movie, and actually, it did inspire me to read some Austen that I hadn't read before (which is most of them) so either way... :)

55. The Wholehearted Marriage by Drs. Greg Smalley and Shawn Stoever.

I got this through Early Reviewers. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I've read a lot of relationship books and some marriage books. What I really appreciated in this book was its encouraging tone. The authors shared from their own experiences and invited me to examine myself and to consider a variety of strategies and activities that might strengthen my marital engagement and enjoyment. It never felt preachy or impossible--even a little effort would be worth it.

56. Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein

This book was discussed in the 50 something group under books folks read that there folks wouldn't have let them read if they had known. I had never heard of it before, but the discussion piqued my interest. Other than being long, I quite enjoyed the book. I think the perspective of time has only made it a more interesting read.

57. The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell

I was led to this book via LT. I like history okay, but I don't often read history books. This was my bathroom book--read there entirely. I had never read Ms. Vowell before. I really appreciated her style, especially since so much of the book was direct quotations from Roger Williams, John Winthrop and others in New England in the 1600s. Her asides and commentary were welcome modern touches for me.

I'm glad that you liked Vowell - she's one of my favorite authors. (Did you happen to catch her on The Daily Show the other night?) I tried to listen to The Wordy Shipmates, and I think I would have been better off reading it. I kept getting lost. It was actually my least favorite of her books - I would definitely check out her other stuff, too!

58. Son: A Psychopath and His Victims by Jack Olsen

I picked up this book at a used book sale. It is the story of the Spokane South Hill Rapist, Kevin Coe. It is suspected he committed 40 or more sex crimes in Spokane in the span of about three years. I am glad I didn't read the book closer to the time it happened, 1978-1981. It was creepy enough thinking about all that happening where I lived 30 years later. Speaking of the book itself, the style reminded me of Ann Rule's style--very easy to read and drawing me in so that I finished the book in two days.

>73 lbradf: a fitting book to read with Halloween approaching :)

59. Fire and Ice by J. A. Jance

I believe I have listened to all of J. A. Jance's books without ever actually reading one. This book is the second time she brought together her two main protagonists in one book--J.P. Beaumont from Washington and Joanna Brady from Arizona. Recorded Books, the audio publisher, used two voices--a male for JP and a woman for Joanna. I don't really think that's necessary and when they were in dialogue, I found it distracting. Thank goodness, they weren't actually together in the story much. It was a good enough book, but nothing particularly outstanding about it--nothing new in their character development really and nothing too unusual about the murder mystery either.

60. Borderline by Nevada Barr

I listened to this on CD. Regarding that, let me say that Barbara Rosenblatt is my favorite female reader. Her vocalizations are excellent, but I think her singular talent is her timing. I'm sure I'd enjoy reading the Anna Pigeon books, but not as much as I enjoy hearing Ms. Rosenblatt read them to me! Regarding this particular book, all of the usual characteristics: National Park setting, Big Bend in Texas; violent, mysterious death; and interesting characters. However, it also had some differences. This is definitely a book series. Yet, most of the additions could pretty much stand on their own. If one had not read the previous book, Winter Study, one would certainly want to go back and read it to figure out what in the world happened to get Ranger Pigeon so whacked out. That leads to the second difference--Ranger Pigeon is not on duty in this book. She is on medical leave for PTSD and with her husband. I enjoyed seeing Anna's heart open through the course of the novel, making her an even more sympathetic heroine to me.

61. The Closers by Michael Connelly

I've had this book on my mp3 player for quite awhile. Books and books on CD that had to be returned to the library by the due date kept interrupting my listening. This is the first book since Harry Bosch has returned to the LAPD following his retirement. I was glad to see him back in the saddle. I also think having him in the Unsolved and Open unit is a good fit for him and his credo: If all victims don't count, no one counts.

62. The Dewey Decimal System of Love by Josephine Carr

I actually read this book. It was on an endpiece at the library labelled "From the Bottom Shelf." I was intrigued by the title and thought it might have some enjoyable literary references. In fact, I didn't care much for the book. I found the heroine decidedly unsympathetic. I wasn't all that taken with the writing style either. On the other hand, I am curious to do some searches in the library catalog to see if they have any of the books she references at the start of every chapter.

63. Dead Man's Puzzle by Parnell Hall

I found this series of books through LT. This is the latest offering. What made this case unique was that Sherry, the real puzzle solver, was out of town, so Cora had to use her own wits this time. As usual, it was a fun, quick romp of a book.

64. Body Movers by Stephanie Bond

This is book one of the series. It was aggravating to be listening to this book while also reading (not simulataneous :) The Dewey Decimal System of Love since I didn't find either heroine particularly attractive. In both books, however, the main character, in this case Carlotta Wren, gets her head screwed on a little straighter and is at least slightly more sympathetic. I think I will eventually read the next book in the series, just in case I like it better.

65. Annie Freeman's fabulous Traveling Funeral by Kris Radish

I REALLY wanted to like this book. I loved the title and I loved the idea--five women traveling across the country to spread the ashes of a beloved friend, with the trip planned and paid for by the friend, Annie G. Freeman. Unfortunately, I found the book had too much telling and not nearly enough talking. I would have much rather learned the lessons Ms. Radish was obviously trying to convey by hearing and seeing the women discover the truths instead of the long, eventually tedious, descriptions of what they were learning.

66. The Book that Changed My Life: 71 Remarkable Writers Celebrate the Books that Matter Most to Them by Roxanne J. Coady

This book caught my eye in the library as I was strolling toward the back to get a different book entirely. I wound up sitting and reading nearly every essay there in the library. I also wound up with a small sheet of paper with several more books and authors to research in the library catalog at a future date. In addition to the cited books, the editors listed their own recommendations. Thank goodness my page was already full before I got to that section!

67. God's Harvard by Hanna Rosin

This is another book that caught my eye on my last trip to the library. The book examines the life of students and faculty at Patrick Henry College, a small liberal arts college outside of Washington, DC. The college specifically recruits homeschooled evangelical Christians. I found Ms. Rosin's reporting to be balanced and respectful. I couldn't imagine myself doing well at PHC, but I do admire the commitment and Christian dedication of the students and faculty.

68. The Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose

This is the book I was looking for when I found God's Harvard. Of the two books, I liked this book more. I'm sure the difference is that TUD (as Kevin refers to the book on his blog), is more personal, less a journalistic endeavor than a personal growth/ exploration experience. His initial premise that a liberal, non-believer spending a semester at a Christian evangelical college (Liberty University) would be much like a semester abroad is right on. As a politically liberal evangelical Christian, I have frequently felt the divide in my own life. Of course, I was disappointed that Kevin did not make a personal commitment to Christ, but with his openness and continued connection with his Liberty friends outside of the LU confines, perhaps he'll eventually see his way to a saving faith that he can live with.

69. Words that Work by Frank Luntz

This is a book I listened to on my mp3 player. Even before finished it, I added it to my Christmas wish list to get in hard copy. The subtitle says it all--what people HEAR is most important. If you think your message is important enough to be said, it is important enough to make the effort to use words that make it more likely the hearer will receive the message you intend. We are often just so lazy in our speech.

70. The Happiness Makeover by M. J. Ryan

I really enjoyed this book and I'm really glad to have finished it. It went unfinished for years. I'm already a pretty happy person. Even so, the book gave useful advice for increasing my own happiness as well as ideas for what I can pass on to others. (This was also my first book completed in the Books Off the Shelf challenge. Yea!) http://www.librarything.com/groups/booksofftheshelfchal#forums

71. The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway

I sought out this book from the library because of the chatter about it on LibraryThing. It seemed that lots of people had read it and most said they loved it. I did not love The Cellist quite as much as I hoped I would. It's odd but I think I was influenced by the fact I knew the book was written by a creative writing professor from the University of British Columbia, not by someone who lived through the Siege of Sarajevo or reported on it. In fact, at the time of the siege, he was only 17. My "willing suspension of disbelief" would have been more intact if I hadn't read the author blurb on the dustjacket.

72. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I also found this book because of LT chatter. Unlike The Cellist of Sarajevo, however, I also quite loved this book. I downloaded it to my mp3 player from the library digital collection. I didn't realize until I started the book that it had three readers--one for Ms. Skeeter, one for Abilene, and one for Minnie. I especially liked the readers for Abilene and Minnie. (I'm sorry if I am spelling Abilene's name wrong. I'm going by how the reader pronounced it.) As I said in another post while I was in the middle of the book, the 1962-63 Mississippi culture described in this book is as foreign to me as if it were from another country. The fact that it IS part of MY country's history made the book all the more interesting for me.

73. Sellevision by Augusten Burroughs

I have read all of the author's memoirs, as well as his brother's, so I thought I'd check out his first novel. I saw that many other LT readers did not think much of it. However, I found it quite humorous. I think the key may have been that I listened to it. Verbally, the ironic and farsical nature came through as I imagine Burroughs intended. The reader was Robin Miles.

BTW, in going back to the library website to get the name of the reader, I see that Burroughs just published a Christmas memoir. I've placed a hold.

74. The Guinea Pig Diaries by A.J. Jacobs

I found out about this latest book by A.J. Jacobs through reading The Unlikely Disciple because its author, Kevin Roose, used to work for Jacobs. This book is a compilation of mostly (all?) essays previously published in Esquire magazine. Each describes an "experiment" that Jacobs conducted in trying to live his life according to a particular set of rules. At the end of each, he added a Coda to describe the aftermath of the experiment, months or years later. Even though I am not willing to plunge my life wholeheartedly into any of his experiments, they all made me think about my life in that particular aspect.

75. Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

I am so excited to be posting my 75th book! As you can tell by my name for this list -- "seeing if I can do it"--I was not at all confident I would make it to 50, let alone 75! The fact I made it to 75 tempts me to join the 75 book challenge for 2010. However, having created the Books off the Shelf challenge, http://www.librarything.com/groups/booksofftheshelfchal, I think my pace may slow down in 2010. Even with my low goal on that challenge, I won't get them read if I continue to listen to and read library books like I did this year. (The books on the shelf tend to not be fast reads.) So, I'll hang around here in the 50 book challenge.

Regarding Skipping Christmas--I did not care for it much. It was a gift, so I wanted to finish it. I just didn't find the Kranks to be nice enough people to really hope that they succeeded in their plan to skip Christmas.

Congratulations on making 75! And with time to spare, that is quite an accomplishment!

76. I'm Perfect; You're Doomed by Kyria Abrahams

I did not find this book nearly as "hysterical" as the cover promises, which was not surprising since that frequently happens. However, I didn't even find it as interesting or amusing as I'd hoped. I kept reading because I kept thinking there would come a point where she got medication, wise counsel or in some other way seemed to be heading toward a reasonably happy life. Didn't really happen. I felt like she either wrote the memoir too soon or at least ended the story too soon. I'm glad it's a library book.

Congrats on reaching 75! I'm due to read The Help next for my local book club, so I'm glad to hear that you liked it. See you 2010!

77. Foreskin's Lament by Shalom Auslander

If God is as vengeful as the author believes, I would certainly be doomed for having read his book. I believe God is far more merciful than vengeful. Thus, I believe He is saddened by the author's experience...and probably saddened that I spent much of my Christmas holiday reading this profane and blasphemous book.

I will definitely be looking for something more uplifting for my next book. The last two left me feeling sad for the authors.

I can't believe I read or listened to 77 books in 2009!! This challenge was so inspiring to me. I have not tracked my reading since grade school, so I don't know how many books I usually take in yearly. However, I am quite sure it was nowhere near 77. I know I will not finish another book in 2009, so I wanted to wish everyone a happy new year! My thread for next year will be "lbradf shoots for 53." (That's how old I'll be in 2010.)

Happy new year!!!

Lois

Great work Lois! A very satisfying outcome for the year!