mathgirl40's 1010 challenge

These will be my 2010 reading categories:

- Mystery / thriller
- Sci-fi / fantasy and other speculative fiction
- New Canadian books (published in 2009 or 2010)
- New young adult books (published in 2008 or later)
- Nonfiction
- Classic
- Recommended books
- Agatha Christie
- Unplanned (ARCs, spontaneous)
- Asian authors

I'm aiming for 10 books in each category.




Part 1 of the challenge is finished! Part 2 is here: http://www.librarything.com./topic/96481

Category 1: Mystery/Thriller

1. Fear the Worst by Linwood Barclay (17/10/09)
2. The Cart Before the Corpse by Carolyn McSparren (10/01/10)
3. Whose Body by Dorothy Sayers (20/01/10)
4. The Secret of the Haunted Mirror by M. V. Carey (13/02/10)
5. Death of a Charming Man by M. C. Beaton (19/03/10)
6. A Body Surrounded by Water by Eric Wright (30/03/10)
7. Clouds of Witness by Dorothy Sayers (12/04/10)
8. The Private Patient by P. D. James
9. Death of a Nag by M. C. Beaton
10. The Spider Bites by Medora Sale (03/06/10)

Candidates:
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Category 2: Sci-fi / fantasy and other speculative fiction

1. Flashforward by Robert Sawyer (26/10/09)
2. Serenity: Those Left Behind by Joss Whedon (2/11/09)
3. The Android's Dream by John Scalzi (08/02/10)
4. The Green Mile by Stephen King (02/03/10)
5. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (01/04/10)
6. WWW: Watch by Robert Sawyer (10/04/10)
7. The City and the City by China Mieville (21/04/10)
8. The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett
9. Mystery of Grace by Charles de Lint (28/05/10)
10. Wondrous Strange by Leslie Livingston (05/06/10)

Category 3: New Canadian books

1. Kanata by Don Gillmor (25/10/09)
2. The Wife's Tale by Lori Lansens (06/11/09)
3. The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny (03/12/09)
4. The Taken: A Hazel Micallef Mystery by Inger Ash Wolfe (16/12/09)
5. Old City Hall by Robert Rotenberg (09/03/10)
6. The Heart Specialist by Claire Holden Rothman (17/03/10)
7. Oonagh by Mary Tilberg
8. The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
9. The Secret Fiend by Shane Peacock (21/05/10)
10. Come, Thou Tortoise by Jessica Grant (05/06/10)

Candidates:
Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro
One Native Life by Richard Wagamese
The Golden Mean by Annabel Lyon
The Mistress of Nothing by Kate Pullinger

Category 4: New young-adult books

1. Vanishing Girl: The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His Third Case by Shane Peacock (30/10/09) reviewed
2. Word Nerd by Susin Nielsen (25/11/09) reviewed
3. Three Cups of Tea: The Young Reader's Edition by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (29/11/09)
4. Hate List by Jennifer Brown (24/01/10)
5. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson (13/02/10)
6. 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan (20/03/10)
7. 39 Clues: One False Note by Gordon Korman (03/04/10)
8. 39 Clues: The Sword Thief by Peter Lerangis
9. Would You? by Marthe Jocelyn (13/05/10)
10. 39 Clues: Beyond the Grave by Judy Blundell

Category 5: Nonfiction
1. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson (06/12/09)
2. The Silk Road Gourmet: Volume One by Laura Kelley (13/12/09)
3. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson (15/01/10)
4. What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Galdwell (31/01/10)
5. What is Stephen Harper Reading by Yann Martel (18/04/10)
6. The Sisters Who Would be Queen by Leanda De Lisle
7. Elizabeth: the Struggle for the Throne by David Starkey
8. In the Beginning ... was the Command-Line by Neil Stephenson
9. Say What? The Weird and Mysterious Journey of the English Language by Gena K. Gorrell (05/06/10)
10. Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson (13/06/10)

Candidates:
Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World by Margaret MacMillan
The Way We Are by Margaret Visser
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
This is Your Brain on Music by Daniel J. Levitin
The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction by Benjamin Walter

Category 6: Classic (including modern classics)
1. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
2. Decline of the English Murder and Other Essays by George Orwell (22/01/10)
3. Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy (22/02/10)
4. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (26/02/10)
5. Death in Venice by Thomas Mann (05/04/10)
6. Room with a View by E. M. Forster (16/04/10)
7. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner (17/05/10)
8. All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor (03/07/10)
9. As You Like It by William Shakespeare (16/07/10)
10. The Tempest by William Shakespeare (26/07/10)

Candidates:
A Tale of a Tub by Jonathan Swift
Howards End by E. M. Forster
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling

Category 7: Recommended books

1. Schooled by Gordon Korman (22/10/09)
2. The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman (31/10/09)
3. The Shadow in the North by Philip Pullman (7/11/09)
4. The Tiger in the Well by Philip Pullman (23/11/09)
5. I Want to Go Home by Gordon Korman (12/01/10)
6. Alone on a Wide Wide Sea by Michael Morpurgo (04/02/10)
7. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne (09/04/10)
8. The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene (06/06/10)
9. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (26/06/10)
10. The Boy Who Dared by Susan Bartoletti

Candidates:
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Coma by Robin Cook
Dave Cooks the Turkey by Stuart McLean

Category 8: Agatha Christie

1. The Big Four (13/11/09)
2. The Mystery of the Blue Train (10/12/09)
3. Murder on the Orient Express (17/12/09)
4. Murder on the Links (30/12/09)
5. The Man in the Brown Suit (04/03/10)
6. The ABC Murders(13/03/10)
7. And Then There Were None (26/03/10)
8. The Body in the Library (28/05/10)
9. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (01/06/10)
10. Three-Act Tragedy (31/07/10)

Candidates:
The Murder at the Vicarage
Peril at End House
Lord Edgware Dies
Why Didn't They Ask Evans?

Category 9: Unplanned (ARCs, giveaways, spontaneous, anything that doesn't fit into the other categories)

1. The Road Past Altamont by Gabrielle Roy (27/10/09)
2. We Are All Made of Glue by Marina Lewycka (21/12/09)
3. Generation X by Douglas Coupland (26/12/09)
4. The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs (03/01/10)
5. Nikolski by Nicholas Dickner (30/01/10)
6. The Postmistress by Sarah Blake (02/02/10)
7. Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald
8. The Tent by Margaret Atwood
9. The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton (13/05/10)
10. The War Memoirs of (HRH) Wallis Duchess of Windsor by Kate Auspitz (20/06/10)

Candidates:
The Tin Princess by Phillip Pullman

Category 10: Asian authors

1. Skim by Mariko Tamaki (1/11/09)
2. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami (22/11/09)
3. The Jade Peony by Wayson Choy (04/01/09)
4. Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh (11/03/10)
5. Half World by Hiromi Goto (10/04/10)
6. Thread of Sky by Deanna Fei (11/04/10)
7. The Surrendered by Chang-rae Lee (20/04/10)
8. Everything Asian by Sung J. Woo (06/06/10)
9. The Good Earth by Pearl Buck (11/07/10)
10. 7761636::Mountain Girl, River Girl by Ting-xing Ye

Candidates:
The Hundred Secret Senses by Amy Tan
Obasan by Joy Kogawa
The Housekeeper and the Professor: A Novel by Yoko Ogawa
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

Welcome!

You have some interesting categories. I'm doing an Asian Authors category, too, so I'll be interested to see what you choose for it.

I'm looking forward to seeing the books in your categories, especially the Canadian one.

Remusly, I've not picked any books for my Asian Authors category yet, but I'm looking around. Being a second-generation Chinese Canadian myself, I particularly like books about the immigrant experience. I recently read Short Girls by Vietnamese author Bich Minh Nguyen. I just looked at your list and the choices are intriguing. I'd like to read more from Japanese authors.

RidgewayGirl, I'm working through the Ontario Library Association's 2009 Evergreen list (http://accessola.com/forest09evergreen) right now. Most of the books in my Canadian category will probably come from their 2010 list, to be announced in April. I'll also check out the next CBC Canada Reads list (http://www.cbc.ca/canadareads), which will be announced in November.

Thanks for the links, mathgirl!

Always interested to see what people select in the Mystery category and I do want to read more Asian fiction so will be watching your picks in that one as well.

@15
I have read multiple Chinese authors, but very little Japanese and Vietnamese. I will definitely be checking back, even though I've already finished my list. At least I might find something for my TBR list, hahah.

I decided to remove my "Obscure Books" category, since most of the Canadian books I read (except for Margaret Atwood's and Alice Munro's) fall into that category anyhow. :-)

I added an "Agatha Christie" category. I'm planning to reread all her books in order of publication date. I figure this will take me several years. I'm currently reading The Mysterious Affair at Styles, her first novel, and I've got The Secret Adversary on hand to read next. I've added the following ones to my Category #8 list, omitting a few that I've read quite recently.

Oh I can tell I'm going to be borrowing some books from your list, starting with Red Mars. I've been dying to try this series for a while :)

Great list.

I'm reading all of Agatha Christie's books as well. I'm about a 1/4 of the way through.

Hi mathgirl, I will be especially watching your Agatha Christie, Fantasy and YA categories since I am also doing those. Hope you don't mind if I decide to poach a few titles!

I also have an Asian and a Classics category, so will be checking your list to see what you read. I tend to read more Chinese and Indian books, but am also trying to expand my reading.

BTW I recently read China Men about Chinese immigrants to the States, excellent.

I've adjusted my categories again, and it probably won't be the last time. I changed "Random Library Find" to "Recommended books" because so many of my friends and family are insisting I read their favourites, and I really should! This category can still include the librarians' recommendations I find on the "staff picks" shelf at the library.

Hi mathgirl!

I'm also doing the Agatha Christie category, and reading most of the same books as you are! Definitely keeping an eye on your list!

Oh, yes, and you can ask friends here to recommend books you want to read. I did that on the 999 and it worked very nicely with a title I couldn't fit anywhere else.

I decided to start on 10/10 but I'm having a slow start, as I have a few books that are not part of this challenge that I want to finish first.

However, I did begin one book on my Mystery/Thriller list: Linwood Barclay's Fear the Worst. I borrowed it in eAudiobook form from my library and am listening to it on my iPod Really good so far ... sufficiently creepy and scary!

OK, I'll ask: why not make those books part of the challenge?. BTW, love the ticker.

What did you think of Short Girls? I've seen it on the shelves at the bookshop, and I'd love to get an opinion before I bite the bullet and get it.

> 30: Unfortunately, the books I'm finishing up don't fall easily into the 10 categories I chose. I also wasn't sure if I wanted to count books that were mostly finished by the time 10/10 rolled around. Thanks for the comment about the ticker. I sure feel like that snail right now. :-)

>31 dreamlikecheese: I picked a butterfly, but the snail feels much more appropriate.

> 31: I enjoyed Short Girls. Didn't have the impact as some of Amy Tan's works, for example, but it was a good, entertaining read. I added a review for it, if you want to check it out, and there are a number of other reviews for it too. Most are a fair assessment, I think.

I decided to move the two novels in my Russian Authors category into Classics. I replaced Russian Authors with an "Unplanned" category, for books that don't fit into the other categories. This includes ARCs/giveaways that I might win over the next year and books that don't fit into the other categories.

I'm also reading Howards End. I have it in my New Author Male category. I hope it's good!

> 36: Howard's End is terrific. I read it a very long time ago, and I decided that I really must read it again for the 1010 challenge.

Finished three so far:

1. Fear the Worst by Linwood Barclay: a good thriller about a man whose daughter goes missing. I really enjoyed this one.

2. Schooled by Gordon Korman: a funny and insightful novel about how a sheltered teen from a commune deals with bullying. My 10-year-old loved this and had recommended it to me.

3. Kanata by Don Gillmor: a sweeping novel covering 200 years of Canada's history. I added a review here

Nice review of Kanata. I know only a little of Canadian history so you have intrigued me. Thanks!

I second clfisha's comment!

39 and 40: Thanks for your comments!

Finished another 4 since my last update.

4. Flashforward by Robert Sawyer: interesting concepts and exciting plot, despite a few flaws. Story is much better than the adaptation for the TV series, though I am enjoying the latter as well.

5. The Road Past Altamont by Gabrielle Roy: a classic CanLit selection. Not bad, but I'd recommend The Tin Flute for those new to Gabrielle Roy.

6. The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman: the first in his Sally Lockhart mystery series, set in Victorian England. Loved it, as did my 10-year-old.

7. Vanishing Girl by Shane Peacock: third book in this Boy Sherlock Holmes series. My 10-year-old and I adore this series. I've added a review.

You've really got my interest when you said Flashforward the book is better than the TV series. I love the series, so now I will have to hunt that book down and check it out.

43: To be fair, I've heard mixed opinions on whether the book or TV series is better. Having a science background, I liked the discussions about the scientific ideas, which are glossed over on the TV series. Also, I can relate more to physicists than FBI agents. :-)

I'd be interested in hearing what others think. I'm still enjoying the TV series, though, and I understand that Robert Sawyer was fully supportive of the production.

Flashforward sounds like a great premise. I haven't seen the TV series but think I'll give the book a try. I like what I think of as SF-lite; set on contemporary Earth with a bunch of scientists as the main characters is just my speed. (I'm a big John Wyndham fan.)

I see that my library has Flashforward so I will definitely be giving that a try. I see he has written quite a few books - have you read anything else by him?

46: The only other Sawyer I've read is WWW: Wake, the first of his new trilogy. I enjoyed it, but particularly because it is set in the city in which I live. :-)

Finished another three. Two were graphic novels, so very quick reads, and the third was my August ER win.

8. Skim by Mariko Tamaki: a graphic novel with beautiful artwork about the loneliness of being a teenager, touching on depression, suicide and homosexuality.

9. Serenity: Those Left Behind by Joss Whedon: a graphic novel based on the Firefly TV series. Nothing memorable about the plot, but I enjoyed the artwork, the introduction by actor Nathan Fillion and the history of the universe by Whedon.

10. The Wife's Tale by Lori Lansens: story about a morbidly obese woman who goes on a journey of self-discovery. I added a review here.

Hello Mathgirl40, I like your categories especially Agatha Christie and Asian Authors.

I like Joss Whedon and I saw the Serenity movie, but I have never been as interested in Firefly as I am in Buffy and Angel. Although, I do think Nathan Fillion is cute.

49: A friend of mine lent me Buffy series 1 after I told him I enjoyed Firefly, so I'm working through that now. Joss Whedon is great! Have you seen Nathan Fillion in Castle? I've just seen one episode, but I'll have to put this series on my to-watch list for later.

Yes I have. It's a fun show. I like the way his character relates to his little girl. Did you know that the book the character Richard Castle was writing on the show has been published? Can't remember the title, but I'm sure someone on LibraryThing has a copy.

11. Shadow in the North by Philip Pullman: the second book in the Sally Lockhart Victorian mystery series. Gripping plot, good character development, just as good as the first in the series!

12. The Big Four by Agatha Christie: a novel about Hercule Poirot's encounters with the criminal gang, The Big Four. Because the novel was formed from several short stories, it felt a big disjointed. However, it was a treat for me to listen to this on audiobook, read by Hugh Fraser, who plays Hastings in the TV series.

13. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami. Disturbing, surreal, humorous, beautiful. Not sure I have the words to summarize this book adequately in a sentence or two.

I liked the first half of Kafka on the Shore, the second not so much.

So what did you think of Firefly? Watched the series myself over the weekend for the first time and really liked it.

re Shadow in the North

I also enjoyed the Sally Lockhart series. My favorite was the 3rd book, The Tiger in the Well.

53: I loved Firefly. My initial reaction was, "Why on earth am I watching this violent show based on a ridiculous premise?" but I got totally hooked by the second episode.

54: I'm almost at the end of Tiger in the Well now, and I'm really enjoying it as well.

14. Tiger in the Well by Philip Pullman: the third book in the Sally Lockhart Victorian mystery series. This novel was longer and more complex than the first two, and just as enjoyable.

15. Word Nerd by Susin Nielsen: an excellent YA book about a 13-year-old nerd who discovers competitive Scrabble. I've added a review here.

16. The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny: a mystery featuring Detective Armand Gamache set in a small Quebec village. Though the resolution wasn't quite what I'd expected, there was much I loved about the book: great atmosphere, intriguing characters and an absorbing story.

17. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin: the true-life story of a mountaineer who builds schools, mainly benefiting girls, in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

18. Three Cups of Tea: the Young Readers Edition by Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin and Sarah Thomson: a simplified and condensed version of the original book for ages 8 and up.

My daughter and I are doing a parent/child group read with a few friends, and I decided to read both books. My review of the Young Readers Edition is here.

19. The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie: another good one from the Queen of Crime. I'd read this one ages ago, so a few scenes seemed familiar, but fortunately, I didn't remember how it ended.

I've already had to add a couple of your books to my list. You have a nice range of titles.

I too, loved Firefly/Serenity, it reminded me of early Buffy/Angel. I enjoyed it much more than the recent Dollhouse. And Nathan Fillion is a huge part of that, I think he does comedy well.

20. The Silk Road Gourmet by Laura Kelly: this was a cookbook I received through the Member Giveaway program. I really liked it, as it gave a good overview of cuisines that I wasn't familiar with. I wrote a review here.

21. The Taken by Inger Ash Wolfe: the second book in the series about Detective Inspector Hazel Micallef, by an unidentified Canadian literary author using a pseudonym. This book was great, both well-written and very suspenseful! An excellent depiction of small-town Ontario.

22. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie. I'm trying to read through all of Agatha Christie's works, and this one was a re-read for me. I usually enjoy reading her novels a second time, particularly if it's been a long time since the first reading, because the journey is half the fun, as they say. Unfortunately, knowing the ending ruined the pleasure of reading this particular novel, but it's definitely worth reading at least once.

#59 I read the first Inger Ash Wolfe book and loved it - glad to hear there's a new one out!

23. We Are All Made of Glue by Marina Lewycka. I got this as an ARC and posted a review here.

24. Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture by Douglas Coupland. This is one of the Canada Reads books. Very insightful and humorous. I enjoyed it, though some argue the book is dated.

25. Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie. This was one of Christie's earliest works. It's not her best, but it's a good entertaining read all the same.

26. The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. I don't usually go for this kind of chick-lit, but being a passionate life-long knitter, I couldn't resist picking it up.

27. The Jade Peony by Wayson Choy. This is another of the Canada Reads selections. As a Chinese-Canadian myself, I really enjoyed this story about Chinese immigrants living in Vancouver in the 30's and 40's.

28. The Cart Before the Corpse by Carolyn McSparren. Got this as part of the ER program but did not enjoy it as much as I'd hoped. My review is here.

29. I Want to Go Home by Gordon Korman. My 10-year-old and I read this for a mother-daughter book club. We both enjoyed it. It's a fun read by a well-loved Canadian author, set in an Ontario summer camp.

30. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. I've read several Bryson books and loved them all. This time he tackles the history of all the great scientific discoveries of recorded history. I have a background in mathematics and science myself, and I was impressed by how well he presented the concepts -- highly entertaining but with enough substance. I listened to the audiobook version, wonderfully read by Richard Matthews.

31. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. I finally finished this massive novel!! Of course, I started this way before I started my 1010 challenge, but I did read most of it in the past two months. It took a long time to get through, but it was worth every minute!

32. Whose Body by Dorothy Sayers. This is the first of the Lord Peter Wimsey series. Not bad, but not as good as some of the later novels.

33. The Decline of the English Murder and Other Essays by George Orwell. This is a slim volume of eight essays from Penguin's Great Ideas series. I'd read Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm, like everyone else, but I'd read very few of his essays. I highly recommend this collection and intend to read more of his writing. Orwell is observant and witty, and much of what he writes reflects his time but is still relevant today.

mathgirl, my favourite Dorothy L. Sayers is Murder Must Advertise, which is set, not surprisingly, in an advertising agency and features both Lord Peter and his sister. Have you read it?

The four volumes of Orwell's Collected Essays, Journalism and Letters are worth seeking out, not just for the essays but for the book reviews. Fascinating to read Orwell's reviews of his contemporaries, some of whom wrote classics and others who are forgotten.

64: I've not read Murder Must Advertise yet. Thanks for the recommendation. Also, Orwell's book reviews sound like they would be very interesting to read.

34. Hate List by Jennifer Brown. This is a YA novel about a teenage girl coping with the aftermath of a school shooting initiated by her boyfriend. Disturbing and uplifting at the same time. I couldn't put it down.

35. Nikolski by Nicolas Dickner. This was my fourth read from the Canada Reads list. I started this in the original French but gave up after a few chapters and read the English translation. I don't think it's a serious contender for the top spot, but it was an enjoyable read all the same.

36. What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell. This collection is a mixed bag of his essays -- some terrific and some mediocre, but all thought-provoking.

37. The Postmistress by Sarah Blake. I received this novel about the early years of WWII, as seen through the eyes of three American women, as an ARC, and I enjoyed it very much. My review is here.

38. Alone on a Wide Wide Sea by Michael Morpurgo. I read this book, a heartwarming story about an English orphan who gets transported to Australia, with my 10-year-old daughter for our parent-child book club. We both enjoyed it very much.

39. Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie Macdonald. This was my last of the Canada Reads books. Powerful and disturbing. Very impressive!

40. The Android's Dream by John Scalzi. A fun and entertaining sci-fi read. I plan to read more by Scalzi.

41. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson. A futuristic young-adult story about the issues surrounding biotechnology. I wasn't crazy about the writing style, but I was really hooked by the story and the ideas.

42. The Secret of the Haunted Mirror by M. V. Carey. I dug this old "Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators" novel out of my parents' basement. I loved this series as a child and still enjoy rereading the books, though they are hard to find.

43. Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy. I love Hardy's other novels, and this one did not disappoint. I still think Jude the Obscure is my favourite, though.

44. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. I read this for the first time in high school, about 25 years ago. I don't think I appreciated it sufficiently then. I was definitely worthwhile to reread it.

45. The Green Mile by Stephen King. I've never been a fan of the horror genre and had avoided King until now, but a friend recommended this one to me. I enjoyed it much more than I first thought I would.

46. The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie. A typical Christie. Not bad, but not one of my favourites, either.

47. Old City Hall by Robert Rotenberg. This is the first novel from Rotenberg, a former criminal lawyer, and it's a mystery set in the heart of Toronto. I loved this book! Good story with plenty of twists and turns and excellent character development.

48. Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh. This is a sweeping saga, the first of a planned trilogy, about the opium trade in the late 1800's and early 1900's. I listened to this on audiobook and got completely caught up in the story. Can't wait for the next book.

49. ABC Murders by Agatha Christie. I first read this years ago. Even though I had some recollection of the ending, the journey there was still enjoyable.

I've been doing well with the reading, but not so well with updating this thread. Finally, here is a list of the books I finished in the past month or so.

50. The Heart Specialist by Claire Holden Rothman. This is an engaging story inspired by the life of one of Canada's first women doctors. I've written a review here.

51. Death of a Charming Man by M. C. Beaton. This was my first Hamish Macbeth mystery. I loved the TV series and wanted to try the books it was based on. A fun and quick read.

52. 39 Clues: Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan. My 11-year-old daughter and I listened to this on audiobook and we're hooked on the series now.

53. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie: a re-read of one of my favorite Agatha Christie novels. Just as good the second time around.

54. A Body Surrounded by Water by Eric Salter. I read this as part of my cross-Canada challenge. The book, which is set in the province of Prince Edward Island, provides lots of local colour but as a mystery, it is not particularly memorable.

55. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. My first Stephenson novel, this was great fun to read -- over-the-top and densely packed with ideas. Whenever I mention Stephenson to any of my friends and co-workers (many of whom are geeky types like myself), they either have never read Stephenson or are rabid fans. I can see myself turning into one of the latter.

56. 39 Clues: One False Note by Gordon Korman. The second book in the 39 Clues series, this was enjoyable but not quite as gripping as the first one.

57. Death in Venice by Thomas Mann. Profound and rather disturbing. The first part was rather difficult to get through, but once I reached the half-way point, it was hard to put down. I think it's time for a re-read of Mann's The Magic Mountain.

58. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne. A powerful and moving book! My 15-year-old daughter had read this for her English class and had seen the film, and she recommended it to me. I listened to this on audiobook, and the download also included an interview with the author in which he addresses the controversy surrounding the novel.

59. WWW: Watch by Robert Sawyer. The second book in Sawyer's WWW trilogy about a teenage girl who discovers an emerging consciousness, Webmind. I've written a review here.

60. Half World by Hiromi Goto. A young-adult book set in a fantasy world with Asian themes. I loved the story as well as the illustrations by Jillian Tamaki.

61. Thread of Sky by Deanna Fei. Six Chinese-American women from three generations of the same family go on a tour of China, in the hopes of reconnecting and learning about their histories. I've written a review here.

62. Clouds of Witness by Dorothy Sayers. I enjoyed this novel, the second in the Lord Peter Wimsey series, much more than the first.

63. Room with a View by E. M. Forster. Forster has always been one of my favourite writers. Re-reading this classic reminds me of why I love his writing so much.

Looks like you've been reading some great books. I've also only recently read my first Neal Stephenson book, Snow Crash coincidentally enough, and can relate with your feelings. The only problem I have with him is that his books are so thick. This challenge is going to be difficult enough without littering it with chunksters along the way. Cryptonomicon (because I already own a copy) followed by his Baroque Cycle trilogy will probably be what I get to next.

I agree with AHS-Wolfy, you've been reading some great books. An interesting mix as well, from Hemingway, to Christie, to Stephenson!

I am one of those who hasn't read Neil Stephenson yet (much to the chagrin of my son-in-law) but I plan reading him one of these days.

70 and 71: I'm definitely going to read more Stephenson, but the size of each book is daunting! I'm waiting until I have a good long stretch of time before I attack the Baroque Cycle.

As for your comment about the mix of books, I really love classics and Canadian literature, but I find it difficult to read these all the time, so I alternate with mystery and sci-fi, my guilty pleasures. (Actually, there's not much guilt, as some of these are from excellent writers.) I'm also finding that my 11 and 15 year old daughters are introducing me to lots of books I might not have read otherwise.

64. Oonagh by Mary Tilberg -- This story is about an 18-year-old Irish immigrant who falls in love with a fugitive slave. I loved this novel, which explores racism in Canada in the early 1800's. I've written a review here.

65. What is Stephen Harper Reading? by Yann Martel -- This is a collection of Martel's blog posts, based on letters and books he sent to the prime minister of Canada. A few times, he comes across as whiny and pompous, but his comments on the books are insightful and he makes a strong argument for why we should all read widely.

66. The Surrendered by Chang-Rae Lee -- A powerful and moving novel that follows the lives of three survivors of the Korean War. I've written a review here.

67. The City and the City by China Mieville -- This is one of the best sci-fi/fantasy books I've read in a long time, though it is perhaps better classified as a police procedural. Dark and thought-provoking, this book has just won the Arthur C. Clarke award and has been nominated for the Hugo.

68. 39 Clues: The Sword Thief by Peter Lerangis -- The third book in the 39 Clues series, which my 11-year-old loves. We listened to this on audiobook and really enjoyed David Pittu's narration.

69. The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood -- I'd read this for the "Atwood in April" group read. I'm a big fan of Atwood, so I enjoyed this as I have most of her other works, but it's not her best. It did explain a lot of the fuzzy bits in Oryx and Crake.

70. The Tent by Margaret Atwood -- This was my second book for the "Atwood in April" group read. It is a collection of poetry and short pieces of writing. It seemed a mixed bag to me, with some really good pieces and some that seemed like ramblings.

71. The Private Patient by P.D. James -- Another terrific page-turner featuring Adam Dalgleish. This one is set in a cosmetic surgeon's private clinic outside London.

72. The Sisters Who Would be Queen by Leanda de Lisle -- This is a non-fiction work about the three Grey sisters, Jane, Katherine and Mary. Lady Jane Grey reigned in England for less than two weeks between the death of Edward VI and Mary I.

You have been reading some very interesting looking books.

73. Death of a Nag by M. C. Beaton -- One of the Hamish Macbeth mystery series. A light and enjoyable read.

74. Would You? by Marthe Jocelyn -- A young-adult novel about how a teenager copes in the days after an accident that puts her sister into a coma. I've posted a review here.

75. The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton -- A novel about the aftermath of a high-school scandal involving a teacher and a student. I've posted a review here.

76. The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett -- I'd read this with my 11-year-old for our parent-child book club. This sort of fantasy novel is not really my cup of tea, but there were funny moments. We listened to it on audiobook, which enhanced the experience.

77. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner -- Faulkner's stream-of-consciousness novel about a family's journey to bury their dead mother was profound and disturbing. It's not an easy book to get through, but if you like Faulkner's style, then I definitely recommend this.

You are cruising! Lots of good books on here.

I keep running into The Rehearsal, with the reviews being positive and have me intrigued. I have a copy on its way to me and will have to read it right away.

78. The Secret Fiend by Shane Peacock -- The fourth book in the excellent Boy Sherlock series. I've written a review here.

79. Beyond the Grave by Jude Watson -- Book 4 in the 39 Clues series. Not bad. Enjoyable as the others have been.

80. Mystery of Grace by Charles de Lint -- An urban fantasy, with elements of romance, afterlife and folklore. Some interesting ideas in an entertaining story.

81. The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie -- A Miss Marple mystery. Not Agatha Christie's best, but definitely worth reading.

82. Elizabeth: The Struggle for the Throne by David Starkey -- A well-written and thorough account of Queen Elizabeth I's youth and early years as queen.

83. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie -- A classic, well-known for its unexpected ending. I still enjoyed this book, even though it was a re-read and I knew what would happen at the end.

84. In the Beginning ... was the Command Line by Neal Stephenson -- Stephenson wrote this long essay on operating systems in 1999, so it's a bit dated but still a very worthwhile read. It provides an entertaining and not-overly-technical explanation of the differences between Windows, Mac and Unix/Linux.

I managed to go through a good number of books in the past weeks, mainly because I participated in Mother Reader's 48-hour Book Challenge. I wrote about the challenge on my blog (that I share with my 11-year-old daughter) if anyone is interested.

85. The Spider Bites by Medora Sale -- This mystery is from a new series intended for adult literacy students. I've added a review here.

86. Come, Thou Tortoise by Jessica Grant -- This is an offbeat, witty novel about a young woman who is dealing with the loss of her father. My review is here.

87. Say What? The Weird and Mysterious Journey of the English Language by Gena Gorrell -- This is a non-fiction book, for ages 12 and up, about the history of the English language. My review is here.

88. Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston -- A teen fantasy novel with elements of Shakespeare. The review is here.

89. Everything Asian by Sung J. Woo -- A novel about a 12-year-old Korean immigrant growing up in New Jersey. My review is here.

90. Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene -- A selection from our mother-daughter book club. I loved Nancy Drew when I was a kid and enjoy these novels when I'm feeling nostalgic, though now, from an adult's point-of-view, these mysteries seem rather mundane.

91. Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson -- This follow-up to Three Cups of Tea is even better than its predecessor. The two books are about the author's efforts to build schools, primarily for girls, in remote parts of central Asia, including Pakistan and Afghanistan. In this book, the writing is better and the flow has improved. It's not necessary to read the first book in order to enjoy the second, as the sequel summarizes the highlights of the first.

The Body in the Library was the first Agatha Christie I ever read. I still remember the experience. It's not my favorite now, but it is a stand out because it was the first.

Thank you for the reminder about Stones into Schools. I've been waiting for the paperback, so just checked and found it's available.

80: Death Comes as the End was my first Agatha Christie. It's not her best, but like you, I feel nostalgic about it. I remember finding it in my high-school library, and I've been reading and rereading Agatha Christies since.

81: Hope you like Stones into Schools as much as I did!

I'm getting close to the end! I've filled up most of my categories, so the ones labelled "Extra" below are ones that are not officially part of my 10 lists.

92. The War Memoirs of (HRH) Wallis Duchess of Windsor by Kate Auspitz -- A fictionalized account of the Duchess of Windsor's life during the war, in the form of a memoir. My review is here.

93. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel -- The Booker-prize-winning story about Thomas Cromwell. Wow! This was definitely one of the best books I've read in the past year.

Extra: Folly by Marthe Jocelyn -- A young-adult historical novel set in Victorian England. My review is here.

Extra: 39 Clues: The Black Circle by Patrick Carman -- Another enjoyable installment in the 39 Clues series.

94. All of a Kind Family by Sydney Taylor -- A classic story of an American Jewish family living in New York City during the early 20th century. This was a Bookcrossing catch (actually caught by my older daughter as she was trick-or-treating a couple of years ago).

Extra: 39 Clues: In Too Deep by Jude Watson -- And yet another 39 Clues book. The family listened to this on audiobook on Highway 401 between Montreal and Toronto.

95. The Boy Who Dared by Susan Bartoletti -- My 11-year-old chose this book as our Parent-Child bookclub selection for the fall. It's a moving and powerful novel about a teenager who dares to speak out against the Nazi regime.

Good to hear that you liked Wolf Hall--I have a copy, but it definitely looks like it will need commitment.

I added the War Memoirs of (HRH) Wallis Duchess of Windsor to our wish list, even though I am 'trying' to limit my reading into certain categories and this doesn't really fit, or maybe it does, I do have spies. . . before I read a review of this I had no idea that Edward was thought to have been a bad canidate for king and many were happy/relieved to see him go.

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

I hope you enjoy War Memoirs, DS. It was certainly a interesting take on the story.

Getting close! Just two more books to go.

96. The Good Earth by Pearl Buck. This classic story describes the life of a Chinese farmer and his love of the land. Very highly recommended!

Extra: The 39 Clues: The Viper's Nest by Peter Lerangis. Another enjoyable installment in the 39 clues series.

97. As You Like It by William Shakespeare.

Extra: The 39 Clues: The Emperor's Code by Gordon Korman. My daughter and I really enjoyed this one, which mostly takes place in China. As always, we loved David Pittu's narration on the audiobook.

98. Mountain Girl, River Girl by Ting-Xing Ye. This is a young-adult book about two girls who leave their homes to seek a new life in the cities. It's a brutal, honest account of the struggles that the very poor face in China, and some of the images are disturbing, but it's a good, easy-to-read story with strong characters.

Wow! two to go... THAT is impressive! You have made fantastic progress on this challenge, even with the extras!

You are so close! I just finished The Emperor's Code as well. Maybe a bit unbelievable, but I still really enjoy this series. I'm looking forward to the next one and can't wait for the series finale. I haven't tried the audio version. Maybe I will have to look for that.

cmbohn: I was able to get the first 6 books on e-audio from our library, and I bought the next two from iTunes. I've not read the books in print, so I can't compare, but my 11-year-old really loves David Pittu's narration. Also, the audiobooks have a few minutes of "bonus" material at the end that is fun to listen to. Glad you are enjoying the series too.

lkernagh: One reason I'm near the end was that I had an early start. I started on the October 10 date instead of January 1. Also, I found that, since I started listening to audiobooks, the number of books I go through has dramatically increased. I listen to audiobooks when I exercise and when I'm driving.

Two to go! You'll stick around or make yourself a new challenge, won't you?

RidgewayGirl, I'm already considering what I want to do for "part 2" of the challenge. I think I'll make it less strenuous, with maybe only a few books in each category. I've been so caught up in reading books that I've not read and commented on other people's threads as much as I would have liked. So, maybe in the second half of this year, I'll read less and go "visiting" more. :-)

Inching even closer ....

Extra: Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay. Even though Guy Gavriel Kay is known as a fantasy writer, this book, with a setting based on China during the Tang Dynasty reads more like a historical novel with just a small smattering of the fantastic. It's a terrific story, with likable, well-developed characters. Highly Recommended!

Extra: The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga. This novel about a taxi driver in India won the Man Booker prize in 2008. It was dark, somewhat disturbing, very thought-provoking and surprisingly funny.

99. The Tempest by William Shakespeare. I'd read this classic as part of my Grade 11 English class decades ago. I probably didn't appreciate it properly then. I've got tickets to see this at the Canadian Stratford Shakespeare Festival (with Christopher Plummer playing Prospero) and I can't wait!

I have The White Tiger on my TBR pile and keep meaning to pick it up.... whenever my holds from the library slow down that is!
The Tempest is one of my favorite Shakespearean plays, which was also part of my Grade 11 education... LOL... , along with The Taming of the Shrew.

I am curious to see what your 100th book will be!

Yeah, you can't go wrong with Guy Gavriel Kay.

I really enjoyed The White Tiger, but it wasn't universally loved.

94: My last book will be an Agatha Christie, as that is my last category to fill. Ironically, I thought I'd finish that category first, since I love her mysteries and they are such quick reads. This challenge has been terrific, as I've been reading much more widely than I usually tend to do.

95: Nice to see another Guy Gavriel Kay fan. I'd read Tigana many years ago and enjoyed it a lot. I don't really know why I've not read more of his books, but I definitely need to remedy that situation!

Congratulations ahead of time on finishing your challenge.

Tigana is my favorite, but the Fionavar trilogy is also excellent.

Wow, you've really done some great reading this year.

Finally, here (among the "extras") is number 100!!

Extra: Tales from Firozsha Baag by Rohinton Mistry -- This collection of short stories by the author of A Fine Balance was very enjoyable. Mistry describes episodes from the lives of mostly Parsi inhabitants of an apartment complex in Bombay/Mumbai.

Extra: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro -- I thought this disturbing futuristic novel was fantastic. I can't believe I'd waited this long to read something by Ishiguro!

100. Three-Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie -- Another entertaining mystery from Dame Agatha. Not memorable, but it was a fun read, and special because it was my final one of this challenge!

Extra: Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah -- These are memoirs describing the author's early life, as an unwanted child in a Chinese household. It was a very good story, written at a young-adult level. My 11-year-old enjoyed it too.

Extra: Sky Burial by Xinran -- This is a sad and compelling story about a woman's decades-long journey through Tibet to find out what had happened to her husband, who had supposedly died while serving in the Chinese military there. Previous to reading this book, I did not know much about Tibetan everyday life and rituals, and I found the book particularly rich in detail about these aspects.

Extra: Two Legends: Oedipus and Theseus by Andre Gide -- This is an interesting reworking of the well-known Greek legends by Nobel prize winner Andre Gide.

I am all done! I actually finished on July 31. However, I was on vacation, with slow, unreliable and expensive Internet connections. So finally, I am now updating all my lists, while feeling a bit woozy from the jet-lag. In all, between October 10, 2009 and July, 31, 2010, I finished the 100 books in my 10 categories plus 12 extra ones.

For me, highlights of this challenge were:
- Forcing myself to read more non-fiction and classics, genres I normally neglect, though I have good intentions of reading from them.
- Doing the Atwood in April challenge.
- Getting great recommendations from reading other people's threads.

Stay tuned for my next (less ambitious) 1010 challenge for the remainder of 2010!

Congratulations on completing your challenge! I've picked up some recommendations from your reading list, and I'll look forward to seeing what you choose for your next challenge.

Congratulations mathgirl. Pleased to see you're starting Challenge #2.

And here's the link to Part 2: http://www.librarything.com/topic/96481

Congratulations on finishing!

Congratulations, mathgirl!

I'm glad you're planning on hanging around.

Late: Congratulations on finishing!

Thanks, everyone, for the congratulations!