You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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Special Event - Speed Dating (Reporting Thread)
I've got my books ready to go!
1.
18 Billion by Jack GreshamDUD
Length of time on shelf: 3 pts. since November 2012
Bonus Points: 1 pt. – 1 cm
2.
Luther: Biography of a Reformer by Frederick NohlDUD
Length of time on shelf: 3 pts. since November, 2012
Bonus Points: 1 pt. - 1 cm
3.
The Marriage of the Sea: A Novel by Jane Alisonpotential STUD
Length of time on shelf: 3 pts. since November, 2011
4.
Portrait of the Mother as a Young Woman by Friedrich Christian DeliusSTUD and too short to simply abandon
Length of time on shelf: 3 pts. since February, 2012
Bonus points: 1/2 point for 1/2 cm
5.
The Blithedale Romance by Nathaniel Hawthornepotential STUD
Length of time on shelf: 3 pts. since October, 2012
6.
A Flower for My Mother by Clementine PaddlefordSTUD (I read it in one sitting)
Length of time on shelf: 2 pts. since May, 2014
Bonus points: 1/2 point for 1/2 cm
7.
Extravagance by Gary Kristpotential STUD
Length of time on shelf: 3 points since September, 2012
8.
The Irresistible Inheritance Of Wilberforce by Paul Torday potential STUD
Length of time on shelf: 2 points since October, 2013
9.T. S. Eliot, a Memoir by Robert Sencourt
DUD
Length of time on shelf: 2 points since May, 2014
Bonus points: 3 point for 3 cm
10.
The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate JacobsD-D-D-DUD
Length of time on shelf: 3 pts since November 2012
Bonus points: 2 points for 2 cm
Total pages: 500 - 5 pts.
Book destination: 0 pts.
Total: 40 points
Pragya wrote: "Wow! That's a massive bunch there."One a day ... one a day.
***Filling My Dance Card***
]
Wow! Amazing stack of books there, Almeta!
Almeta wrote: "***Filling My Dance Card***
..."You've got a few of my favorite books on your speed-reading shelf. I hope you aren't expecting duds from all of these.
Thing Two wrote: "You've got a few of my favorite books on your speed-reading shelf. I hope you aren't expecting duds from all of these. ..."No I don't expect all Duds, but I do expect to read the 50 and set aside to read another. I want to weed some of these out.☻
Confession time... All of the following books are books that are physically present in my house, which no other member of my family can claim responsibility for. Yep, it is my fault they are all here, and yet none of them are on my Goodreads TBR. Why? Why do I hesitate even to claim ownership?
Because...
secretly...
I really don't believe that I am ever going to want to read them.
Clearly, the spirit of this challenge speaks to my conscience. I promise myself not to add any DUDs to my TBR (points be danged) but if there are some STUDs in the mix I can at least do them the honor of an official place on my TBR.
Here we go:
The House Of Sight And Shadow
53p. DUD. Just... ewww.
This Present Darkness
51 p. DUD
This I Believe 2
52 p. A keeper, if not exactly a STUD.
The Italian Secretary: A Further Adventure of Sherlock Holmes
58 p. STUD - moving to TBR - 1 pt
Pop. 1280 (borrowed)
58 p. STUD - moving to TBR - 1 pt
Places Left Unfinished at the Time of Creation
14 p. DUUUD. Turns out to be a memoir, which is not my favorite genre, and I am just not interested in the author's family tree.
Absalom, Absalom!
58 p. Moving to TBR, but I can't say when I will be in the right frame of mind for this. 1 pt
The Case of the Hardboiled Dicks: A Mac Slade Murder Mystery
51 p. DUD Silly in a stale, pointless way. Not the good way.
The Voyage of the Narwhal
50 p. Maybe not a STUD, but interesting enough - moving to TBR - 1 pt
Gilead
50 p. - moving to TBR - 1 pt
The Secret Life Walter Winchell
54 p. DUD Something unpleasantly ironic about a book vilifying a man who supposedly spent his career ruining people
Blindness
55 p. DUD I don't like the style of run-on sentences/paragraphs enough to keep at it.
Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith
54 p. DUD More about the author's personal experience than I care to know
+ 5 pts for page count
+ 3 pts - the DUDs are going to the used book store with me this weekend
+ 14 pts shelf space... 14.5 centimeters in the bag to go away
Total of 27 pts
Almeta wrote: "***Filling My Dance Card***
][bookcover:The Hook|431642..."If you do not like Anna and the King of Siam, will you PLEASE sell it/send it to me???? I have been looking for it for a long time!
Melissa wrote: "Confession time... All of the following books are books that are physically present in my house, which no other member of my family can claim responsibility for. Yep, it is my fault they are all ..."
I hope you don't like The Italian Secretary 'cus I want it, but I do not think I can take up the Mycroft Holmes Mysteries. :)
I like your stack, Thing Two. I could do this with my print books that I don't even have on a shelf - just stacked everywhere. And I just committed to going to Powell's Books next weekend with my daughter.
Cherie wrote: "I like your stack, Thing Two. I could do this with my print books that I don't even have on a shelf - just stacked everywhere. And I just committed to going to Powell's Books next weekend with my..."I'm jealous! I used to travel to Portland for work and always scheduled an afternoon for Powell's. Now, all I can do is read their emails and follow them on Facebook. Unfortunately, Orlando has no more independent new-book stores, but we have an awesome library. :)
The place is really awsome. We love to go there and usually make a day of it. We still have a local Barnes and Noble store but all of the others have closed up, so we go to Powells for special book buying trips for ones we are especially looking for.
My "dates":I, Morgana = DUD
Length of time on Goodreads shelf: 2 pts. – before August 2014 (one month)
The Monster's Wife = DUD
Length of time on Goodreads shelf: 2 pts. – before August 2014 (one month)
Total Pages: 1pt
Overall Score: 5pts
post edited.... My dates:
1. A Rose By Any Other Name 1 pt,DUD
2. A Short History of the World 2 pts, DUD
3. Alice in Zombieland 2 pts, DUD
4. As I Lay Dying 2 pts, STUD
2 pts for page count
total 9 points for me. The duds are getting deleted from my Nook.
That's all I took time for. I failed!
Cherie, it is written by his attorney, and it is interesting. I did not know anything about Carson before starting this book other than he was shy, and the book is eye-opening. Johnny could be very generous and kind, but he could also be cruel and nasty, and he demanded complete loyalty. Reading only 50 pages gave me a small glimpse into his personality, and he seemed a lonely, sad person although he was a genius. I think you will like the book. (Now, things could change after the first 50 pages!)My tbr is so large that I am determined not to add any more books! Oh, not until tomorrow anyway. : )
My husband saw a book on the news and wanted to know if I had bought it yet. He said that he would read it if I bought it. He is not helping me stick to not buying any more books this month!
I decided not to list a whack of books ahead. I'm just going to treat each book as I pick it up as a possible STUD or DUD.1) The Ghosts of Belfast
= 3 pts (August 2012)
= STUD... well, it's not actually a stud, but I don't hate it enough to quit.
2) Cutting for Stone
= 3 pts (Sept 2011)
= STUD
3) TBA
Total pages = 100 (1 point)
Grand Total - 7 points
Connie wrote: "Cherie, it is written by his attorney, and it is interesting. I did not know anything about Carson before starting this book other than he was shy, and the book is eye-opening. Johnny could be very..."I have heard a lot of the same things about him, Connie. I may look for it at Powells tomorrow.
Cherie, The Hungry Tide is the best book I have read so far. I really didn't want to stop reading at page 50, but I have such a huge stack to get through...I'll just have to come back to it later.
Finally found a STUD on my list! Pop. 1280
Went a full chapter beyond page 50 without even realizing it.
Melissa wrote: "Finally found a STUD on my list! Pop. 1280
Went a full chapter beyond page 50 without even realizing it."
Reading Jim Thompson is always a trip! His work is unexpected and tail-spinning. Love to be stunned by him.☺
Almeta wrote: Reading Jim Thompson is always a trip! His..."
I'm glad to hear it. I've never read him before but you have just the right word for it - unexpected. I'm debating whether I should just finish it now or move on to my other speed dates. It's not a very long book, but I'm already trying to juggle another between my speed dates. I'm not a very good multi-tasker...
Melissa - try reading Faulkner with a reading aid (Cliff's, Sparknotes, etc.); you might enjoy him more. He is incredibly difficult, but incredibly worth the perseverance.
Oh, yes, Faulkner is definitely worth the work. It usually takes a little time to warm up to him, but he is amazing once you do. I am in awe of this genius!I agree with Thing Two. If this is your first Faulkner, or if you are having difficulty getting into his style, use a reading aid to help you get started.
Connie - I could not get the Carson book at Powel's. They were out of hardbacks and since the paperback is coming out in paperback next month, they will not re-order. I know it is available for Kindle, so I am sure I could get the ebook from Barnes & Noble. I will check. I got a couple of others I wanted and books for grand kids. Poorer but happy!
Connie wrote: "Oh, yes, Faulkner is definitely worth the work. It usually takes a little time to warm up to him, but he is amazing once you do. I am in awe of this genius!I agree with Thing Two. If this is your ..."
I had a mandatory dose of Faulkner in college as a lit major. I actually always enjoyed his short stories - it's for that reason that this book has stayed on my shelf for so long. My problem with Absalom may be just timing. These days, I don't always want to work so hard for a story, and I don't always have the time it takes to get into a challenging book enough to really enjoy it. Especially when odds are there's no happy ending to reward me. :)
I've made my first decision and updated my reporting msg (#20). While the book isn't a stud, it's not a dud. I don't hate it enough to abandon it. Is there a gluestick badge, Thing Two. I may be in the running. LOL!
Janice wrote: "I've made my first decision and updated my reporting msg (#20). While the book isn't a stud, it's not a dud. I don't hate it enough to abandon it. Is there a gluestick badge, Thing Two. I ma..."
I'll have to think on that one ...
I'm finding it something of a challenge to decide STUD or DUD on some of these books. Ordinarily if I start a book I do not abandon it unless it is truly awful, or so dull that I allow life to permanently get in the way of it. So I've picked up a couple now in which the book isn't really grabbing me, but if I were not 'speed dating' I probably would finish it even if I didn't end up thinking too much of it. Makes me feel a little stuck - I don't hate it, but I'm not excited about it either. Anyone else find themselves in such a quandary?
Melissa wrote: "I'm finding it something of a challenge to decide STUD or DUD on some of these books. Ordinarily if I start a book I do not abandon it unless it is truly awful, or so dull that I allow life to perm..."Yes. I'm labeling them "potential STUD". I've had three of those. I may not ultimately give them 4 or 5 stars, but I know I will finish them. I'm really trying to weed out the ones on my shelf that I'll give a 1 star. I've found two of those. I doubt I'll find any more, but who knows ...
Melissa wrote: "I'm finding it something of a challenge to decide STUD or DUD on some of these books. Ordinarily if I start a book I do not abandon it unless it is truly awful, or so dull that I allow life to perm..."Yes. I understand completely what you're saying.
I've tackled two books, both of them studs, and I can't stop reading. In fact, I finished reading the first one. Updated my grand total, msg 20.
Only three books left on my dating list, but they are going to have to wait. Going out of town this weekend (yay!) and hoping to have a more committed relationship to one or two books while I'm gone. Of course, now that I've found a few keepers, the hard part will be deciding which ones... such first world problems... :)
I'm going to try and play this weekend. I could have up at the snow. I didn't as I thought that would be taking too many books. I realised I took 4 books up there anyway... ooops.
Janice wrote: "I've tackled two books, both of them studs, and I can't stop reading. In fact, I finished reading the first one. Updated my grand total, msg 20."I am having this problem, too! However, I made myself stop reading several books and put them back on the shelf because I am hoping I can use them during the toppler. At least I know there are some lovely books there waiting for me!
I finally got started on As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner last night and this morning I realized that I was being stupid about the other books that I determined to keep. It is hard but definately a STUD. I realized the others are going to be DUDS after I woke up and reached for AILD to read one more section. I have a few more pages to get to the required 50. I have never read Faulkner and now I understand what you are all telling Melissa. I am glad I started with this one instead of Absalom, Absalom!. The characters are confusing, but I have the "big picture" in my head.
Cherie wrote: "I finally got started on As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner last night and this morning I realized that I was being stupid about the other books that I determined to keep..."It is interesting to compare books side by side like this. The great writing pops out immediately to me. The average stuff does too. Of course, I can tell pretty quickly if it is something worth keeping, and pushing 50 pages in to something has confirmed it every time. I've finished the two really-short books in this list, but the others I am saving for the next toppler or reading challenge, hoping they'll fit. Two duds, five studish books.
Dusting Off the Shelves... (At least 50 pages for each book)1. Johnny Carson by Henry Bushkin
=1 pt. (Sept., 2014)
=OK/maybe stud (will finish)
2. The Mercy of Thin Air by Ronlyn Domingue
=3 pts. (April 14, 2012)
= STUD
3. By Nightfall by Michael Cunningham
= 1 pt. (Sept., 2014)
= STUD
4. The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh
=2 pts. (August, 2014)
= STUD
5. Unravelling by Elizabeth Graver
= 2 pts. (August, 2014)
= STUD
6. A Spell of Winter by Helen Dunmore
=2 pts. (August, 2014)
= STUD
7. The Doing of the Thing: The Brief Brilliant Whitewater Career of Buzz Holmstrom by Vince Welch
= 1 pts. (Sept. 2014)
= DUD
8. The Glass Room by Simon Mawer
= 2 pts. (June, 2014)
= STUD
9. The Girl Who Fell From The Sky by Simon Mawer
= 2 pts. (Sept., 2013)
= STUD
10. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
= 2 pts. (June, 2014)
= STUD
11. Churchill by Paul Johnson
= 1 pt. (Sept., 2014)
= STUD
12. The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer 8. Lee
=3 pts. (April 16, 2012)
=Possible Stud
13. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
=3 pts. (June 7, 2012)
=STUD
14. Eventide by Kent Haruf
= 3 pts (April 14, 2012)
= STUD
15. A Writer's Diary by Virginia Woolf
=3 pts. (July, 2013)
= STUD
16. Here Is New York by E.B. White
=3 pts. (October 6, 2012)
= STUD
17. Jackson's Dilemma by Iris Murdoch
= 3 pts. (October 5, 2012)
= STUD
18. The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
= 3 pts. (June, 2012)
= STUD
19. When She Woke by Hillary Jordan
= 3 pts. (April, 2013)
= STUD
20. The Once and Future King by T.H. White
= 3 pts. (April 14, 2012)
= STUD
21. Eating Dirt: Deep Forests, Big Timber, and Life With the Tree-planting Tribe by Charlotte Gill
= 1 pt. (Sept., 2014)
= DUD
22. Staying True by Jenny Sanford
= 1 pt. (Sept., 2014)
= DUD
23. The Innocents by Francesca Segal
= 2 pts. (Sept. 8, 2013)
= STUD
24. The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
= 3 pts. (April 14, 2012)
= STUD
25. Dinner With Anna Karenina by Gloria Goldreich
= 3 pts. (December 6, 2012)
= STUD potential
26. The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham
= 2 pts. (August 20, 2014)
= STUD
27. This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
= 3 pts. (January, 2013)
= STUD
28. Dancer by Colum McCann
= 2 pts. (November, 2013)
= STUD
1400 pages = 5 pts.
Book destination= 3 pts. I dropped my books off at a used book store.
Total= 71 pts.
1. The Hot ZoneStud potential
2 pts - Jan 2014
2. Wuthering Heights
Dud
3 pts - 2012. had this for at least 7 years.
3. Republic of Women
Complete and utter crap.
3pts - 2012. I got this one before I moved out of home 10 years ago though.
4. 26a
Lasted 10 pages.
Not sure if I get points for this one.
5. The Travellers
Possible stud. Not ready to throw yet.
3 pts - 2012 (although owned lot longer again).
Pages read: 210pp - 2 pts
Destination for the get rid ofs: 3 pts. – I dropped my book(s) off at a used book store
Well, I will. When he starts buying again. I've got him to tell me when he has some room to start buying books again as my book
No. of cms: 3.2cms - 3pts
Total: 19pts
Well, I think I am going to have to put this challenge to bed. I'm afraid I won't get any farther before the challenge is up on Saturday. I've update my original post (#10) with what I think are my final counts. Sorry to disappoint but I don't think the photographic evidence is going to happen. Eight duds but 5 keepers - two of which I've already finished (yay)! And you have all convinced me not to write off Faulkner. Though I think he will end up being his own special challenge. Thanks so much Thing Two for helping me clear space off my shelf! Just in time for me to go get more books this weekend!
(Cherie, may I bequeath to you my copy of the Italian Secretary? PM me if still interested.)
Well, I have to say I pretty much failed at this one. (see message #5). Hoping there's a gluestick badge, lol. Anyway, I really liked this idea, I just didn't get to follow through on it like I wanted to. I did get one good read out of it, and one less off my tbr so I'm happy.
dud dud dud dud dud dud.I'll write my review later. Very glad I have read it though.
Edited to change the pointsI read or started the following:
From a Buick 8 (completed)
Welcome to My Country (completed)
Losing My Faculties: A Teacher's Story (still reading)
The Maze Runner (still reading)
Bedlam: London and Its Mad (still reading)
All of them are satisfying 3-star reads except Buick, which was a 4-star. So no duds.
My points:
Before August 2014 (one month): 5 x 2 = 10 points
Pages 200 - 299 pages (5 x 50 = 250) 2 points
Book Destination: I'm keeping them all, of course!
Grand total: 12 points
I just came to update a read and then saw it was 2am... ooops. No points for me.Clarifying though, cms of all books, or just what you're giving/throwing away?
Rusalka wrote: "I just came to update a read and then saw it was 2am... ooops. No points for me.Clarifying though, cms of all books, or just what you're giving/throwing away?"
Just the empty room on your shelf, so the ones you are giving or throwing away.
Noted. Sleeping. Report in morning.
Rusalka wrote: "Noted. Sleeping. Report in morning."Noted! Sleep well.
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You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
Books mentioned in this topic
Shades of Grey (other topics)Shades of Grey (other topics)
The Twelve (other topics)
The Friday Night Knitting Club (other topics)
Welcome to My Country: A Therapist's Memoir of Madness (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Kate Jacobs (other topics)Colum McCann (other topics)
F. Scott Fitzgerald (other topics)
W. Somerset Maugham (other topics)
Gloria Goldreich (other topics)
More...
Length of time the book(s) languished on your Goodreads shelf (count for each book):
5 pts. – before September 2010 (four years)
4 pts. – before September 2011 (three years)
3 pts. – before September 2013 (one year)
2 pts. – before August 2014 (one month)
1 pt. – I listed it on Goodreads just for this challenge.
Pages (total number of 50-page segments read for this challenge. Include of the books you liked and the ones you disliked):
5 pts. – 500 or more
4 pts. - 400 - 499 pages
3 pts. - 300 - 399 pages
2 pts. - 200 - 299 pages
1 pt. - 100 – 199 pages
Book Destination (or where are the duds going next?):
5 pts. – I donated my book(s) to a retirement home, nursing home, or someplace similar*
4 pts. – I sold my book(s) at a yard sale*
3 pts. – I dropped my book(s) off at a used book store*
2 pts. – I gave my book(s) to a friend or family member*
1 pt. – I threw my book(s) in the garbage (It was/They were really bad!)
0 pt. – I returned it to the library (We told you library books wouldn’t work!)
*10 point bonus for photographic evidence of any one option. You and your books must be in the photo, and the photo must be posted by end of challenge.
Bonus Points:
1 pt. – Pull out your measuring tape. You earn a point for every centimeter of actual space you cleared off of your book shelf. (E-books will not help you here. Sorry!)