Author Topic: 50 books  (Read 137829 times)

riverffashion

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #400 on: October 09, 2015, 07:59:03 PM »
51. Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson
Hav gotten into Zero Waste. is good to get Bea's background & detailed ideas. Recommend for sure.

EngineerMum

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #401 on: October 10, 2015, 12:50:56 AM »

  • Shades of Grey - Jasper Fforde
  • Slaughterhouse five - Kurt Vonnegut
  • Q&A - Vikas Swarup
  • Mrs Bradshaw's Handbook - Terry Pratchett
  • Unseen academicals - Terry Pratchett
  • Jingo - TP
  • Raising Steam - TP
  • Empire of the moghul - Alex Rutherford
  • A man is not a financial plan - Joyce.. something?. Not bad, a bit condescending - aimed at Australian / NZ women who might think the word budget is a bit scary and want to achieve financial independence.
  • The thousand dollar tan line - Rob Thomas
  • Northanger Abbey - Val McDermid - a Jane Austen project book which I enjoyed enough to go looking for all the others, and re-read JA's version as well.
  • Mr midshipman Hornblower
  • Lieutenant Hornblower
  • Hornblower and the hotspur- all C S Forester
  • Scarecrow - Matthew Riley
  • The well of lost plots - Jasper fforde
  • First among sequels - Jasper Fforde
  • one of our Thursdays is missing  - JF
  • The woman who died a lot - J F
  • HB & the Atropos
  • The Happy Return
  • A Ship of the Line
  • Flying Colours
  • The Commodore]
  • Lord HB
  • HB in the West Indes - all CS Forester
  • Dealing with difficult people - Brinkman and Kirschner
  • Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen
  • The misogyny factor - Anne Summers
  • The wife Drought - Annabel Crabbe -both excellent books, the misogyny factor was a bit more anger inducing, whereas I feel comfortable asking my OH to read the wife drought, as it's definitely about equality rather than feminism
  • Blink - Malcolm Gladwell - I have three more of his to follow, judging by how good the first was I'm looking forward to them
  • David and Goliath - Gladwell
  • How to fail at almost everything and still win big - Scott Adams
  • The nerdist way - Chris hardwick
  • Tipping point
  • Outliers - both M Gladwell. Enjoyed these less than the previous, Blink was my favourite I think, but I need to re-read them a bit further apart I think.
  • Urn Burial - forgotten the author, but a new series for me - the basis for the Phryne Fisher tv series which I love.
  • the Long Earth - Terry Pratchett and Stephen ??? darn, forgot his name. LOVED this, and can't wait to get back to the library to get the next one out.
  • The long War - TP and Stephen Baxter
  • The Long Mars - TP and Stephen Baxter
  • Murder in Mississippi - John Safran
  • finance book - Paul Clitheroe
  • What do we tell the children - some PhD, a guide to helping children deal with death. Turns out we did things pretty much they way he recommends, so that's good.
  • The great Zoo of China - Matthew Reilly. Love his books, easy and fun reads. (I only started it this morning) my first E-Book from my library, not a bad way to do it.
Highlighted 6 instead of 5, thse are the ones I've found myself recommending to people, of those, long earth was great sci fi, wife drought was exceptional non fiction.

riverffashion

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #402 on: October 11, 2015, 01:19:58 AM »
Okay. Top five so far, not in order:

1.Olivia Joules & the Overactive Imagination by Helen Fielding
2. Cause Celeb by Helen Fielding
3. Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson
4. The Life Changing Art of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
5. Everynight, Josephine! by Jacqueline Susann

sheepstache

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #403 on: October 11, 2015, 12:34:32 PM »
Ooh, good idea.

Top books so far:

Buried in the Sky: The Extraordinary Story of the Sherpa Climbers on K2's Deadliest Day by Peter Zuckerman and Amanda Padoan
The Martian, Andy Weir
McDonalds: Behind the Arches by John Love

The McDonalds one is the best thing I've read in awhile. It really went into nitty-gritty details in a way that was easy to understand. Not only did I understand McDonalds business better, I've felt like I've had a better tool kit to understand other business books.

I feel sort of weird that out of fifty books (counting ones I've finished this month), there are only three "really good" ones and that, unusually, serious novels aren't represented. I guess I haven't been having much luck with books this year.

riverffashion

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #404 on: October 11, 2015, 02:21:46 PM »
52. The Indigo Notebook byLaura Resau

Marus

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #405 on: October 12, 2015, 03:50:52 PM »
Top 5 so far (in no particular order):

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurty
The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie
Stilwell and the American Experience in China by Barbara Tuchman
The Good Gut by Justin Sonnenburg
Rubicon by Tom Holland

riverffashion

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #406 on: October 13, 2015, 10:02:27 AM »
53. My Secret compiled by Frank Warren

riverffashion

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #407 on: October 13, 2015, 10:50:53 AM »
I'm worried it can't live up to expectations fro the book.

This always happens to me. How I imagine it in my head is just so much better, IMO ;)
Me too. I'm refusing to watch Game of Thrones until the books are finished because even though I know it's supposed to be really excellent, I want to finish the books with the pictures in my head of the people and places the way I've been picturing them for years.

I would say a couple are as good. But NOT a usual occurrence as we all know:
Fear &Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
The Secret Garden (maybe)
A Little Princess

A thing that really weird me out though is when a movie is drastically different than the book, or major character or plot differences. I can think of a couple examples, but won't spoil. ;)

Practical Magic BTW is an okay books, the movie is garbage IMO :)

Also-
The Princess Bride book & movie excellent

Different-
The Beach has some odd differences

« Last Edit: October 13, 2015, 10:52:46 AM by riverffashion »

randommadness

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #408 on: October 15, 2015, 06:19:08 AM »

41. One Year After, Forstchen
42. The Rampant Storm, (book two of Starhold Series,) J. Alan Field
43. The Red Sea, Cycle of Galand Book 1 (follow on to Cycle of Arawn books), Edward W. Robertson

44. Day by Day Armageddon, J.L. Bourne (I actually own the actual book... but its 2500 miles away at my folks house... rebought on kindle)
45. Command Authority (Clancy)
46. Constitution: Book 1 of the Legacy Fleet Trilogy, Nick Webb
47. Beyond Exile: Day by Day Armageddon, J.L. Bourne
48. Day by Day Armageddon: Shattered Hourglass, J.L. Bourne (almost completed)

Looks like I'll crush the 50 books before 10 months is out. Feels good, man.


1. Firefight, Brandon Sanderson
2. Fluency, Jennifer Wells
3. Terms of Enlistment, Marko Kloos
4. Lines of Departure, Marko Kloos
5. The Martian, Andy Weir
6. Locked On, Tom Clancy, Mark Greaney
7. Threat Vector, Clancy/Greaney
8. Starhold, J. Alan Field
9. Support and Defend, Clancy/Greaney
10. Synchronicity War - Part 1
11. Synchronicity War - Part 2
12. Synchronicity War - Part 3
13. Synchronicity War - Part 4
14. Galactic Empire Wars: Destruction
15. Galactic Empire Wars: Emergence
16. Galactic Empire Wars: Rebellion
17. Prelude to Foundation, Asimov
18. Forward the Foundation, Asimov
19. Foundation, Asimov
20. Foundation and Empire, Asimov
21. Second Foundation, Asimov
22. Foundation's Edge, Asimov
23. Foundation and Earth, Asimov
24. Angles of Attack, Marko Kloos
25. Ready Player One, Ernest Cline
26. Time War: Invasion, Nick Thomas
27. Time War: Onslaught, Nick Thomas
28. The Blade Itself, Joe Abercrombie
29. Before They Are Hanged, Joe Abercrombie
30. Last Argument of Kings, Joe Abercrombie
31. Galactic Empire Wars: The Alliance
32. The Lost Starship (Lost Starship Series Book 1), Vaughn Heppner
33. The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. Claire North (Great book)
34. The Lost Command (Lost Starship Book 2), Heppner
35. The Lost Destroyer (Lost Starship Book 3), Heppner
36. The White Tree, Cycle of Arawn, by Roberson
37. The Great Rift, Cycle of Arawn, by Roberson
38. The Black Star, Cycle of Arawn, by Roberson
39. One Second After, William Forstchen
40. Seveneves, Neil Stephenson
41. One Year After, Forstchen
42. The Rampant Storm, (book two of Starhold Series,) J. Alan Field
43. The Red Sea, Cycle of Galand Book 1 (follow on to Cycle of Arawn books), Edward W. Robertson
44. Day by Day Armageddon, J.L. Bourne (I actually own the actual book... but its 2500 miles away at my folks house... rebought on kindle)
45. Command Authority (Clancy)
46. Constitution: Book 1 of the Legacy Fleet Trilogy, Nick Webb
47. Beyond Exile: Day by Day Armageddon, J.L. Bourne
48. Day by Day Armageddon: Shattered Hourglass, J.L. Bourne
49. Caves of Steel, Asimov
50. Red Rising, Pierce Brown (I'll finish this today or tomorrow but I was too excited to wait to post in the @ 50 books challenge haha)


This was a cool thing to do. I already read a lot but actually tracking it like this was a lot of fun. I had 7 re-reads, which were the Asimov books. I imagine I'll end up with 50 total NEW reads by the end of the year though.

The stand-alone books were awesome: the Martian (duh), Seveneves, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, and Ready Player One.

Pooperman

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #409 on: October 15, 2015, 06:27:12 AM »
1. Your Money of Your Life
2. The Millionaire Next Door
3-8. Codex Alera
9. The Magicians
10. The Way of Kings
11. What to Eat
12. The Eye of the World
13. The Great Hunt
14. Words of Radiance
15. Mistborn: The Final Empire
16. The Dark Rising
17. Mistborn: The Well of Ascension
18. Mistborn: The Hero of Ages
19. The Fires of Heaven
20. The Alloy of Law
21. Lord of Chaos
22. Crown of Swords
-------------------------
To be read:
23-28. (the rest of) The Wheel of Time

randommadness

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #410 on: October 15, 2015, 06:33:23 AM »
Enjoy Wheel of Time, it's a fantastic series.

And don't get too attached to The Stormlight Archive yet, Sanderson expects it to be a 10 book series. Don't think the next book comes out until 2017 so we're looking at like 2030 to see that wrapped up :lol:

Pooperman

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #411 on: October 15, 2015, 06:58:27 AM »
Enjoy Wheel of Time, it's a fantastic series.

And don't get too attached to The Stormlight Archive yet, Sanderson expects it to be a 10 book series. Don't think the next book comes out until 2017 so we're looking at like 2030 to see that wrapped up :lol:

Hopefully Sanderson won't pull a Jordan. Oh the irony if it happens though...

Moonwaves

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #412 on: October 15, 2015, 07:22:23 AM »
  • Moab is my Washpot - Stephen Fry
  • Bring on the Apocalypse - George Monbiot
  • We Need to Talk about Kevin - Lionel Shriver
  • My Berlin Kitchen - Luisa Weiss - was only a few chapters from the end and I lost it (left it on the train last weekend I think). Sooo frustrating - especially 'cos there were recipes at the end of each chapter and I really wanted to try some of them
  • The Name of the Rose - Umberto Eco - still in progress, this is on my kindle so it's now my book for when I'm out and about, since I cycle almost every day now, I have way less out and about time for reading
  • 'Tis - Frank McCourt
  • The Weathermonger - Peter Dickinson
  • Real Food has Curves - Mark Scarborough and Bruce Weinstein
  • Teacher Man - Frank McCourt
  • Opening Acts - Suki Cunningham
  • The life-changing magic of tidying up - Marie Kondo
  • Quiet - The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking - Susan Cain - finished - have marked multiple pages and will definitely be going back to read through this again more than once
  • Game for anything - Lyn Wood
  • Friday's Child - Georgette Heyer - I re-read several Georgette Heyer books every year when I just want something I don't have to think about, will make me smile and always has a happy ending. That's what I'm in the mood for at the moment, feel like my brain can't take in anything more new.
  • Sprig Muslin - Georgette Heyer
  • The Black Moth - Georgette Heyer
  • Sylvester - Georgette Heyer
  • These Old Shades - Georgette Heyer - think I'll re-read one more Heyer and then get back to some of my not-yet-read books. Okay, maybe two.
  • Venetia - Georgette Heyer
  • The Grand Sophy - Georgette Heyer
  • The Diamond Throne - David Eddings - more re-reading, the two Sparhawk trilogies
  • The Ruby Knight - David Eddings
  • The Saphhire Rose - David Eddings
  • Domes of Fire - David Eddings
  • The Shining Ones - David Eddings
  • The Hidden City - David Eddings
  • Olivia Joules and the overactive imagination - Helen Fielding
  • Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson
  • Well of Ascension - Brandon Sanderson
  • Hero of Ages - Brandon Sanderson
  • Becoming your real self - Eddie Murphy (an Irish psychologist, not the actor, in case anyone was wondering :) ) - in progress
  • Dune - Frank Herbert
  • Frugal Stuff that Works: Real Life advice from the ladies of our forum - Elaine Colliar
  • A Civil Contract - Georgette Heyer
  • Darkly Dreaming Dexter - Jeff Lindsay
  • Nice Work - David Lodge
  • Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe
  • Dearly Devoted Dexter - Jeff Lindsay
  • Dexter in the Dark - Jeff Lindsay
  • Dexter by Design - Jeff Lindsay
  • Dexter is Delicious
  • Double Dexter

riverffashion

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #413 on: October 18, 2015, 07:58:29 PM »
54. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

Kriegsspiel

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #414 on: October 19, 2015, 05:00:26 AM »
  • Learning To Breath Fire by Herz (3 Jan)
  • History of the Great American Fortunes by Myer (17 Jan)
  • Three Words of Development by Horowitz (22 Jan)
  • Billions and Billions by Sagan (4 Jan)
  • Without Fail by Child (6 Jan)
  • For Dummies: Home Improvement by Hamilton & Hamilton (24 Jan)
  • Getting Things Done by Allen (2 Feb)
  • At Home by Bryson (28 Jan)
  • Persuader by Child (31 Jan)
  • The Enemy by Child (4 Feb)
  • Station 11 by Emily St. John Mandel (7 Feb)
  • One Shot by Child (8 Feb)
  • The Hard Way by Child (13 Feb)
  • Compact Houses by Rowan (13 Feb)
  • Compact Cabins by Rowan (9 Feb)
  • How To Fail At Nearly Everything And Still Win Big by Scott Adams (14 Feb)
  • Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes (27 Feb)
  • Barbarians at the Gate: The fall of RFR Nabisco by Burrough & Helyar (22 Feb)
  • On The Beach by Shute (15 Feb)
  • The Good Life by Nearing (5 Mar)
  • Deflation by Farrell (1 Mar)
  • Tap Dancing To Work by Loomis (4 Mar)
  • Going Somewhere; A Bicycle Journey Across America by Benson (6 Mar)
  • Dirty Daddy by Bob Saget (6 Mar)
  • Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls by Sedaris (10 Mar)
  • The World Of Fire And Ice by George RR Martin (9 Mar)
  • Technology In The Ancient World by Hodges (17 Mar)
  • Home Sweet Anywhere by Martin (11 Mar)
  • When You Are Engulfed In Flames by Sedaris (18 Mar)
  • Dumb History by Green (10 Mar)
  • Tools For Survival by Rawles (22 Mar)
  • Bad Luck And Trouble by Child (22 Mar)
  • Nothing To Lose by Child (24 Mar)
  • Flashpoints by Friedman (27 Mar)
  • The Life And Times of The Thunderbolt Kid by Bryson (29 Mar)
  • Decision Points by George W Bush (3 Apr)
  • Snow Crash by Stephenson (9 Apr)
  • Diamond Age by Stephenson (17 Apr)
  • Homage To Catalonia by George Orwell (5 Apr)
  • The Better Angels Of Our Nature by Pinker (25 Apr)
  • Status Anxiety by de Botton (11 Apr)
  • 50 Years From Today by Way (18 Apr)
  • Gone Tomorrow by Child (28 Apr)
  • 61 Hours by Child (30 Apr)
  • Quiet: The Power Of Introverts In A World That Can’t Stop Talking by Cain (7 May)
  • The Affair by Child (2 May)
  • A Wanted Man by Child (8 May)
  • Never Go Back by Child (11 May)
  • Personal by Child (15 May)
  • A People’s History Of The United States by Zinn (30 May)
  • The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald (31 May)
  • What To Expect When No One’s Expecting by Last (1 June)
  • Sit Like A Buddha by Rinzler (4 June)
  • The Post American World by Zakaria (7 June)
  • Ready Player One by Cline (13 June)
  • Bobos In Paradise by Brooks (14 June)
  • The Antidote by Burkeman (17 June)
  • Sons Of Wichita by Schulman (19 June)
  • American Gods by Gaiman (26 June)
  • Coming Apart by Murray (8 July)
  • Contagion by Cook (13 July)
  • Unbroken by Hildenbrand (18 July)
  • Einstein by Isaacson (20 July)
  • Money Secrets of the Amish by Craker (21 July)
  • Liberty Defined by Ron Paul (27 July)
  • Practical Nomad by Hasbrouck (28 July)
  • Nightfall by Asimov (1 Aug)
  • The Windup Girl by Bacigalupi (4 Aug)
  • The Basic Political Writings by Jean-Jacques Rousseau (5 Aug)
  • The Education of a Coach by Halberstam (7 Aug)
  • The Book On Flipping Houses by J Scott (8 Aug)
  • Civilization: The West and the Rest by Ferguson (9 Aug)
  • 1066 by Paxton (12 Aug)
  • The Fourth Turning by Strauss & Howe (15 Aug)
  • The Twilight Warriors by Gandt (15 Aug)
  • Practical Permaculture by Bloom & Boehnlein (17 Aug)
  • The Great Degeneration by Ferguson (18 Aug)
  • The Woman Who Can’t Forget by Price & Davis (20 Aug)
  • Zoom by Carson & Vaitheeswaran (21 Aug)
  • Down And Out In Paris And London by Orwell (22 Aug)
  • The Big Three In Economics by Skousen (27 Aug)
  • The Gods Themselves by Asimov (29 Aug)
  • Sleeping With The Devil by Baer (30 Aug)
  • See No Evil by Baer (3 Sep)
  • Everything I Want To Do Is Illegal by Salatin (8 Sep)
  • The Heart And The Fist by Geittner (10 Sep)
  • Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Weatherford (12 Sep)
  • Divergent by Roth (14 Sep)
  • Salad Bar Beef by Salatin (17 Sep)
  • American Colossus by Brands (19 Sep)
  • Insurgent by Roth (21 Sep)
  • Zodiac by Graysmith (24 Sep)
  • Allegiant by Roth (25 Sep)
  • Neuromancer by Gibson (29 Sep)
  • DNA USA by Sykes (30 Sep)
  • The Postman by Brin (4 Oct)
  • Modern Scholar: The World of George Orwell by Sheldon (6 Oct)
  • Savage Continent: Europe In The Aftermath Of WWII by Lowe (13 Oct)
  • Notes From A Small Island by Bryson (14 Oct)
  • A Concise History of Byzantium by Treadgold (18 Oct)

31 fiction, 69 nonfiction

Top Fiction
Ready Player One
The Windup Girl
Matterhorn

Top Nonfiction
Savage Continent
Einstein
The Better Angels Of Our Nature
How To Fail At Nearly Everything And Still Win Big

sheepstache

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #415 on: October 19, 2015, 11:37:26 AM »
Top 5 so far (in no particular order):

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurty


There was a miniseries of this in the 90s that I thought was pretty well done. Or maybe it was just my obsession at the time with Tommy Lee Jones. Anyway, it's on netflix.

Marus

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #416 on: October 21, 2015, 09:44:25 AM »
Top 5 so far (in no particular order):

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurty


There was a miniseries of this in the 90s that I thought was pretty well done. Or maybe it was just my obsession at the time with Tommy Lee Jones. Anyway, it's on netflix.

I watched the first episode :) it was really good. 

The downside to trying to read 50 books is I rarely feel like watching movies or TV.  Which probably isn't a real downside, but I do feel like I'm missing out on good stuff sometimes.

Moonwaves

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #417 on: October 21, 2015, 10:20:57 AM »
  • Moab is my Washpot - Stephen Fry
  • Bring on the Apocalypse - George Monbiot
  • We Need to Talk about Kevin - Lionel Shriver
  • My Berlin Kitchen - Luisa Weiss - was only a few chapters from the end and I lost it (left it on the train last weekend I think). Sooo frustrating - especially 'cos there were recipes at the end of each chapter and I really wanted to try some of them
  • The Name of the Rose - Umberto Eco - still in progress, this is on my kindle so it's now my book for when I'm out and about, since I cycle almost every day now, I have way less out and about time for reading
  • 'Tis - Frank McCourt
  • The Weathermonger - Peter Dickinson
  • Real Food has Curves - Mark Scarborough and Bruce Weinstein
  • Teacher Man - Frank McCourt
  • Opening Acts - Suki Cunningham
  • The life-changing magic of tidying up - Marie Kondo
  • Quiet - The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking - Susan Cain - finished - have marked multiple pages and will definitely be going back to read through this again more than once
  • Game for anything - Lyn Wood
  • Friday's Child - Georgette Heyer - I re-read several Georgette Heyer books every year when I just want something I don't have to think about, will make me smile and always has a happy ending. That's what I'm in the mood for at the moment, feel like my brain can't take in anything more new.
  • Sprig Muslin - Georgette Heyer
  • The Black Moth - Georgette Heyer
  • Sylvester - Georgette Heyer
  • These Old Shades - Georgette Heyer - think I'll re-read one more Heyer and then get back to some of my not-yet-read books. Okay, maybe two.
  • Venetia - Georgette Heyer
  • The Grand Sophy - Georgette Heyer
  • The Diamond Throne - David Eddings - more re-reading, the two Sparhawk trilogies
  • The Ruby Knight - David Eddings
  • The Saphhire Rose - David Eddings
  • Domes of Fire - David Eddings
  • The Shining Ones - David Eddings
  • The Hidden City - David Eddings
  • Olivia Joules and the overactive imagination - Helen Fielding
  • Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson
  • Well of Ascension - Brandon Sanderson
  • Hero of Ages - Brandon Sanderson
  • Becoming your real self - Eddie Murphy (an Irish psychologist, not the actor, in case anyone was wondering :) ) - in progress
  • Dune - Frank Herbert
  • Frugal Stuff that Works: Real Life advice from the ladies of our forum - Elaine Colliar
  • A Civil Contract - Georgette Heyer
  • Darkly Dreaming Dexter - Jeff Lindsay
  • Nice Work - David Lodge
  • Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe
  • Dearly Devoted Dexter - Jeff Lindsay
  • Dexter in the Dark - Jeff Lindsay
  • Dexter by Design - Jeff Lindsay
  • Dexter is Delicious- Jeff Lindsay
  • Double Dexter- Jeff Lindsay
  • Heart of Gold - Ali Olson
  • Dexter's Final Cut - Jeff Lindsay
  • Dexter is Dead - Jeff Lindsay

I got Heart of Gold after meeting Ali (arebelspy's wife) last week and having some interesting conversations about the process of writing and how she got into it. All of which led to me reminiscing about the hundreds and hundreds of romance novels I read when I was a teenager and into my 20s. I had gotten to the stage where I had started to get rid of a lot of them and was just hanging on to my favourites but at some stage I seem to have lost a whole lot of books. Not just the romances but mostly them. I think it was during a move and suspect someone walked off with a box of my books when we were loading the van. Anyway, I've been half-inspired to think (again) about trying to write a book and earlier this week fell down a rabbbit hole when I found an online database of books and was able to find some of those favourites I remember. So I got onto BetterWorldBooks and ordered four or five. For research purposes of course. Funny to see that most of the ones I remember best were published around 1987. Since I mostly only shopped in the second-hand bookshop, if we assume most people held on to them for about a year or so, the timing fits perfectly for me to have been buying them in 1989 or so. Anyway, nothing at all to do with this challenge but it was such a great trip down memory lane for me I decided to share. :) 

Marus

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #418 on: October 22, 2015, 09:53:53 PM »
My books so far :)

1) On Bullshit by Harry G. Frankfurt
2) The Scar by China Mieville
3) The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
4) What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami
5) The World Until Yesterday by Jared Diamond
6) The World Without Us by Alan Weisman
7) The City & The City by China Mieville
8) Stilwell & The American Experience in China by Barbara Tuchman
9) Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown
10) Custer Died For Your Sins by Vine Deloria, Jr.
11) Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurty
12) The Journey of Crazy Horse by Joseph Marshall, III
13) The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie
14) A History of the Arab Peoples by Albert Hourani
15) No God But God by Reza Aslan
16) Alexander of Macedon by Peter Green
17) Rubicon by Tom Holland
18) World Without End by Ken Follett
19) The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
20) Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
21) The Iliad by Homer
22) Cicero by Anthony Everitt
23) Evernote Essentials by Brett Kelly
24) Augustus by Anthony Everitt
25) Eaarth by Bill McKibben
26) America Again by Stephen Colbert
27) Storm Front by Jim Butcher
28) Fool Moon by Jim Butcher
29) The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan
30) Food Rules by Michael Pollan
31) Notes From A Small Island by Bill Bryson
32) Deep Economy by McKibben
33) Streets of Laredo by Larry McMurty
34) The Good Gut by Justin Sonnenburg
35) Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer
36) Benjamin Franklin by Walter Isaacson
37) Dead Man's Walk by Larry McMurty
38) Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell

Goodreads says I'm two books behind schedule.  So overall, I'm in pretty good shape!  Especially now that it's getting colder out and I'm finding more time for my books :)

Books in progress:
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Comanche Moon by Larry McMurty
A History of Warfare by John Keegan
On Killing by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman (audiobook format)

riverffashion

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #419 on: October 23, 2015, 12:13:19 AM »
55.The Man Who Quit Money by Mark Sundeen.

This is a v. interesting book. I recommend.

Pooperman

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #420 on: October 23, 2015, 08:39:56 AM »
1. Your Money of Your Life
2. The Millionaire Next Door
3-8. Codex Alera
9. The Magicians
10. The Way of Kings
11. What to Eat
12. The Eye of the World
13. The Great Hunt
14. Words of Radiance
15. Mistborn: The Final Empire
16. The Dark Rising
17. Mistborn: The Well of Ascension
18. Mistborn: The Hero of Ages
19. The Fires of Heaven
20. The Alloy of Law
21. Lord of Chaos
22. Crown of Swords
23. A Path of Daggers
-------------------------
To be read:
24-28. (the rest of) The Wheel of Time

votu

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #421 on: October 24, 2015, 09:36:24 AM »
28. The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
29. The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils by Julia Lawless
30. The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
« Last Edit: October 24, 2015, 09:38:06 AM by votu »

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #422 on: October 26, 2015, 12:27:49 PM »
I'm still a little behind, but hoping to catch up. This is what I've read so far this year.

1. Death by Food Pyramid - Denise Minger
2. A Table by the Window - Hillary Manton Lodge
3. The Martian - Andy Weir (thanks, everyone, for this recommendation)
4. As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust: A Flavia de Luce Mystery - Alan Bradley (I love this series)
5. The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History - Elizabeth Kolbert
6. Eat that Frog: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time - Brian Tracy
7. Walking with the Great Apes: Sy Montgomery

Currently reading The Monopolists: Obsession, Fury, and the Scandal Behind America's Favorite Board Game - Mary Pilon

8. The Monopolists: Obsession, Fury, and the Scandal Behind America's Favorite Board Game - Mary Pilon
9. Kill Switch - Neil Baer & Jonathan Greene
10. Boy's Life - Robert McCammon
11. Bee Basics: An Introduction to our Native Bees - Beatrice Moisset & Stephen Buchman
12. The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins
13. Garden Spells - Sarah Addison Allen

I've stalled out on a few and never finished them... War of the Whales being a big one that I tried really hard to finish...

I'm still behind but....

14. On Immunity: An Inoculation - Eula Biss
15. The Meaning of Human Existence - E.O. Wilson
16. The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness - Sy Montgomery
17. The Darkest Evening of the Year - Dean Koontz
18. Horns - Joe Hill
19. Anna Dressed in Blood - Kendare Blake

20. The Sugar Queen - Sarah Addison Allen
21. From the Dust Returned - Ray Bradbury
22. Girl Waits with Gun - Amy Stewart
23. The End of Summer: Thirteen Tales of Halloween - J. Tonzelli
24. Pawpaw: In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit - Andrew Moore (currently reading)

riverffashion

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #423 on: October 26, 2015, 03:45:48 PM »
56. The (Un)domestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella

Moonwaves

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #424 on: October 27, 2015, 06:12:14 AM »
  • Moab is my Washpot - Stephen Fry
  • Bring on the Apocalypse - George Monbiot
  • We Need to Talk about Kevin - Lionel Shriver
  • My Berlin Kitchen - Luisa Weiss - was only a few chapters from the end and I lost it (left it on the train last weekend I think). Sooo frustrating - especially 'cos there were recipes at the end of each chapter and I really wanted to try some of them
  • The Name of the Rose - Umberto Eco - still in progress, this is on my kindle so it's now my book for when I'm out and about, since I cycle almost every day now, I have way less out and about time for reading
  • 'Tis - Frank McCourt
  • The Weathermonger - Peter Dickinson
  • Real Food has Curves - Mark Scarborough and Bruce Weinstein
  • Teacher Man - Frank McCourt
  • Opening Acts - Suki Cunningham
  • The life-changing magic of tidying up - Marie Kondo
  • Quiet - The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking - Susan Cain - finished - have marked multiple pages and will definitely be going back to read through this again more than once
  • Game for anything - Lyn Wood
  • Friday's Child - Georgette Heyer - I re-read several Georgette Heyer books every year when I just want something I don't have to think about, will make me smile and always has a happy ending. That's what I'm in the mood for at the moment, feel like my brain can't take in anything more new.
  • Sprig Muslin - Georgette Heyer
  • The Black Moth - Georgette Heyer
  • Sylvester - Georgette Heyer
  • These Old Shades - Georgette Heyer - think I'll re-read one more Heyer and then get back to some of my not-yet-read books. Okay, maybe two.
  • Venetia - Georgette Heyer
  • The Grand Sophy - Georgette Heyer
  • The Diamond Throne - David Eddings - more re-reading, the two Sparhawk trilogies
  • The Ruby Knight - David Eddings
  • The Saphhire Rose - David Eddings
  • Domes of Fire - David Eddings
  • The Shining Ones - David Eddings
  • The Hidden City - David Eddings
  • Olivia Joules and the overactive imagination - Helen Fielding
  • Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson
  • Well of Ascension - Brandon Sanderson
  • Hero of Ages - Brandon Sanderson
  • Becoming your real self - Eddie Murphy (an Irish psychologist, not the actor, in case anyone was wondering :) ) - in progress
  • Dune - Frank Herbert
  • Frugal Stuff that Works: Real Life advice from the ladies of our forum - Elaine Colliar
  • A Civil Contract - Georgette Heyer
  • Darkly Dreaming Dexter - Jeff Lindsay
  • Nice Work - David Lodge
  • Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe
  • Dearly Devoted Dexter - Jeff Lindsay
  • Dexter in the Dark - Jeff Lindsay
  • Dexter by Design - Jeff Lindsay
  • Dexter is Delicious- Jeff Lindsay
  • Double Dexter- Jeff Lindsay
  • Heart of Gold - Ali Olson
  • Dexter's Final Cut - Jeff Lindsay
  • Dexter is Dead - Jeff Lindsay
  • Sea Swept - Nora Roberts
  • Rising Tide - Nora Robers
  • Inner Harbor - Nora Robers

happypup

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #425 on: October 27, 2015, 08:39:40 AM »
35. The Year of the Flood, Margaret Atwood
36. MaddAddam, Margaret Atwood
37. Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel

Busy month-and-a-half = falling totally behind. Good thing the weather is getting perfect for cocooning up at home and reading!

Currently working on:
Death Comes to Pemberley
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying-Up

EngineerMum

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #426 on: October 29, 2015, 05:10:15 PM »
In case anyone needs more reading suggestions, a friend of mine found this: (sorry don't know how to embed the image)
http://static02.mediaite.com/themarysue/uploads//2011/09/Optimized-SFSignalNPR100Flowchart-1-1.jpg
Since following my natural preferences led me to my favourite book on the first attempt, I'm convinced of it's awesomeness.

Also: what's your favourite book, then?

Sorry, slow reply - the Jasper Fforde one, the Eyre Affair. If I'm totally pedantic it's my current favourite, not necessarily my all time favourite, but it was my introduction to Fforde, who is now my current favourite author, since I'm onto re-reads of pretty much all of Terry Pratchett's work.

EngineerMum

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #427 on: October 29, 2015, 05:23:26 PM »
  • Shades of Grey - Jasper Fforde
  • Slaughterhouse five - Kurt Vonnegut
  • Q&A - Vikas Swarup
  • Mrs Bradshaw's Handbook - Terry Pratchett
  • Unseen academicals - Terry Pratchett
  • Jingo - TP
  • Raising Steam - TP
  • Empire of the moghul - Alex Rutherford
  • A man is not a financial plan - Joyce.. something?. Not bad, a bit condescending - aimed at Australian / NZ women who might think the word budget is a bit scary and want to achieve financial independence.
  • The thousand dollar tan line - Rob Thomas
  • Northanger Abbey - Val McDermid - a Jane Austen project book which I enjoyed enough to go looking for all the others, and re-read JA's version as well.
  • Mr midshipman Hornblower
  • Lieutenant Hornblower
  • Hornblower and the hotspur- all C S Forester
  • Scarecrow - Matthew Riley
  • The well of lost plots - Jasper fforde
  • First among sequels - Jasper Fforde
  • one of our Thursdays is missing  - JF
  • The woman who died a lot - J F
  • HB & the Atropos
  • The Happy Return
  • A Ship of the Line
  • Flying Colours
  • The Commodore]
  • Lord HB
  • HB in the West Indes - all CS Forester
  • Dealing with difficult people - Brinkman and Kirschner
  • Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen
  • The misogyny factor - Anne Summers
  • The Wife Drought, Why women need wives and men need lives - Annabel Crabbe -both excellent books, the misogyny factor was a bit more anger inducing, whereas I feel comfortable asking my OH to read the wife drought, as it's definitely about equality rather than feminism
  • Blink - Malcolm Gladwell - I have three more of his to follow, judging by how good the first was I'm looking forward to them
  • David and Goliath - Gladwell
  • How to fail at almost everything and still win big - Scott Adams
  • The nerdist way - Chris hardwick
  • Tipping point
  • Outliers - both M Gladwell. Enjoyed these less than the previous, Blink was my favourite I think, but I need to re-read them a bit further apart I think.
  • Urn Burial - forgotten the author, but a new series for me - the basis for the Phryne Fisher tv series which I love.
  • The Long Earth - Terry Pratchett and Stephen ??? darn, forgot his name. LOVED this, and can't wait to get back to the library to get the next one out.
  • The Long War - TP and Stephen Baxter
  • The Long Mars - TP and Stephen Baxter
  • Murder in Mississippi - John Safran
  • finance book - Paul Clitheroe
  • What do we tell the children - some PhD, a guide to helping children deal with death. Turns out we did things pretty much they way he recommends, so that's good.
  • The great Zoo of China - Matthew Reilly. Love his books, easy and fun reads. (I only started it this morning) my first E-Book from my library, not a bad way to do it.
  • I, Superorganism - ... oops forgot the author. Really interesting book about our bacterial populations. Gotta love accessible summaries of cutting edge science
  • Something Rotten - Jasper Fforde
  • Tournament - Matthew Reilly
  • What the Dog Saw - Malcolm Gladwell, disappointing compared to his books (this one is a compilation of New Yorker articles)

I'm not adding the travel books I've been reading so it feels like I've missed something, but I don't think a Lonely Planet really counts as a "book I've read", since I rarely read more than two pages in order and I skip all the lists of hotels and restaurants. I also cheated a little with Superorganism as I had to return it to the library about 5/6ths read, but I got more out of it than many books so I'm claiming it anyway.

riverffashion

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #428 on: October 29, 2015, 06:45:06 PM »
57. Food Rules by Michael Pollan

happypup

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #429 on: October 30, 2015, 06:25:28 AM »
38. The Secret History of Wonder Woman, Jill Lepore
39. Death Comes to Pemberley, P.D. James

sheepstache

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #430 on: November 01, 2015, 03:17:36 PM »
48. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John Le Carre
49. Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power by Steve Coll
50. Purity by Jonathan Franzen

The ExxonMobil book was actually a pretty terrific book about the ins and outs at the higher levels of the oil industry.

Philociraptor

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #431 on: November 02, 2015, 07:21:35 AM »
Books read in 2015:
1. Think Like a Freak - Steven D. Levitt and Stephen K. Dubner
2. Why Bother With Bonds: A Guide to Build All-Weather Portfolio - Rick Van Ness
3. The Hitchhicker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
4. Consider the Lobster and Other Essays - David Foster Wallace
5. The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less - Barry Schwartz
6. A Dance with Dragons - George R. R. Martin (reread)
7. Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World - Jane McGonigal
8. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience - Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
9. The World of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Elio Garcia, Linda Antonsson
10. Divergent - Veronica Roth
11. Insurgent - Veronica Roth
12. Allegiant - Veronica Roth
13. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking - Malcolm Gladwell
14. In Defense of Food - Michael Pollan
15. The Martian - Andy Weir
16. Building Wealth One House at a Time - John W. Schaub
17. The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins
18. The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up - Marie Kondo
19 . The Authenticity Hoax - Andrew Potter
20. Modern Romance - Aziz Ansari
21. The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien (reread)

22. Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think - Brian Wansink
23. Mistborn: The Final Empire - Brandon Sanderson
24. Mistborn: The Well of Ascension - Brandon Sanderson
24. Mistborn: The Hero of Ages - Brandon Sanderson

Bolded top 3 non-fiction so far.

riverffashion

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #432 on: November 02, 2015, 08:48:50 AM »
58. Radical Homemakers by Shannon Hayes

Pooperman

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #433 on: November 02, 2015, 04:09:39 PM »
Books read in 2015:
1. Think Like a Freak - Steven D. Levitt and Stephen K. Dubner
2. Why Bother With Bonds: A Guide to Build All-Weather Portfolio - Rick Van Ness
3. The Hitchhicker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
4. Consider the Lobster and Other Essays - David Foster Wallace
5. The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less - Barry Schwartz
6. A Dance with Dragons - George R. R. Martin (reread)
7. Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World - Jane McGonigal
8. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience - Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
9. The World of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Elio Garcia, Linda Antonsson
10. Divergent - Veronica Roth
11. Insurgent - Veronica Roth
12. Allegiant - Veronica Roth
13. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking - Malcolm Gladwell
14. In Defense of Food - Michael Pollan
15. The Martian - Andy Weir
16. Building Wealth One House at a Time - John W. Schaub
17. The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins
18. The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up - Marie Kondo
19 . The Authenticity Hoax - Andrew Potter
20. Modern Romance - Aziz Ansari
21. The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien (reread)

22. Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think - Brian Wansink
23. Mistborn: The Final Empire - Brandon Sanderson
24. Mistborn: The Well of Ascension - Brandon Sanderson
24. Mistborn: The Hero of Ages - Brandon Sanderson

Bolded top 3 non-fiction so far.

Are you going to read the two new Mistborn novels? There's a standalone-ish one and then the start of the second trilogy (of which book 2 comes out in a couple months).

Philociraptor

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #434 on: November 02, 2015, 07:17:41 PM »
Are you going to read the two new Mistborn novels? There's a standalone-ish one and then the start of the second trilogy (of which book 2 comes out in a couple months).

Not this year, unless they go on sale for Kindle. I read the sample chapter for The Alloy of Law at the end of the original trilogy and was kinda meh on continuing the series, even though I really enjoyed the original three. I'm really hoping for an announcement from Patrick Rothfuss or George R.R. Martin for new book releases, but unlikely soon.

riverffashion

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #435 on: November 05, 2015, 08:08:53 PM »
59. Sweet Valley Confidential by Francine Pascal.
I was way into these books when I was a kid. Sometimes it's nice to read something and reminisce (although I hadn't read this particular book).

riverffashion

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #436 on: November 06, 2015, 10:40:24 PM »
60. Blood, Bones & Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton

riverffashion

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #437 on: November 07, 2015, 09:52:57 PM »
61. Shoplifter by Michael Cho

riverffashion

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #438 on: November 08, 2015, 09:29:22 PM »
62. In Clothes Called Fat
63. The Girl Who Owned a City

happypup

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #439 on: November 09, 2015, 06:23:14 AM »
40. Outlander, Diana Gabaldon
41. Lock In, John Scalzi

riverffashion

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #440 on: November 11, 2015, 08:11:25 PM »
64. Garbology: Our Dirty Love Affair with Trash by Edward Humes

This is an illuminating book. Tons of history and facts I knew nothing about. Out of sight, out of mind is a pretty good way to describe the extent of thoughts of a typical persons regarding human waste.
« Last Edit: November 12, 2015, 10:48:50 PM by riverffashion »

happypup

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #441 on: November 12, 2015, 05:59:49 AM »
42. And Then There Were None, Agatha Christie
43. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, John Boyne

Marus

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #442 on: November 12, 2015, 07:51:13 PM »
#42 Down

Just finished Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer.  Great book, but incredibly depressing.  It's a biography about Pat Tillman, and it gets into the massive coverup and spinjob that the army got involved in after he died.  Just horrific stuff.  Overall, his life was still very inspiring though.

riverffashion

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #443 on: November 13, 2015, 11:35:00 PM »
65. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

happypup

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #444 on: November 16, 2015, 05:34:23 AM »
44. The Slow Regard of Silent Things, Patrick Rothfuss

riverffashion

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #445 on: November 18, 2015, 07:48:06 PM »
66. 1984 by George Orwell (reread)

Carolina on My Mind

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #446 on: November 18, 2015, 09:23:41 PM »
I'm going to give this challenge a shot!  I spend too much time putzing around on the Internet.  Here's what I've read so far this year:

1. Middlemarch - George Eliot (I was halfway through it when 2015 rolled around, but it's so darn long that I'm counting it this year)
2. Gilead - Marilynne Robinson (reread)
3. Home - Marilynne Robinson
4. The Colour of Memory - Geoff Dyer
5. On Writing - Stephen King
6. Practical Demonkeeping - Christopher Moore


Update:

7. The Descendants – Kaui Hart Hemmings
8. The Red House – Mark Haddon
9. Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn (vastly exceeded my expectations)
10. My Brilliant Friend – Elena Ferrante
11. The Goldfinch – Donna Tartt
12. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up – Marie Kondo
13. Lila – Marilynne Robinson
14. The Secret History – Donna Tartt

Update:

15. The Search – Geoff Dyer
16. Little Tales of Misogyny – Patricia Highsmith
17. The Story of a New Name – Elena Ferrante
18. In Defense of Food – Michael Pollan
19. The Little Prince – Antoine de Saint-Exupery
20. Committed – Elizabeth Gilbert
21. The Happiness of Pursuit – Chris Guillebeau
22. Heat – Bill Buford
23. Amy and Isabelle – Elizabeth Strout
24. Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay – Elena Ferrante
25. The Omnivore’s Dilemma – Michael Pollan
26. All the Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr
27. Ghostwritten – David Mitchell (reread)
28. The Power of Habit – Charles Duhigg
29. The Buried Giant – Kazuo Ishiguro
30. The Martian – Andy Weir

Update:

31. Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen (possibly a reread, can't remember for sure)
32. Quiet – Susan Cain
33. Going Somewhere – Brian Benson
34. The Flamethrowers – Rachel Kushner
35. Master and Commander – Patrick O’Brian
36. Ruhlman’s Twenty – Michael Ruhlman
37. My Struggle, Book 1 – Karl Ove Knausgaard
38. The Wallcreeper – Nell Zink
39. Yes Please – Amy Poehler
40. Mislaid – Nell Zink

Update:

41. Cooked – Michael Pollan
42. Purity – Jonathan Franzen
43. The Story of the Lost Child – Elena Ferrante
44. Darkly Dreaming Dexter – Jeff Lindsay
45. Leap – Tess Vigeland
46. My Struggle, Book 2 – Karl Ove Knausgaard
47. Ordinary Love & Good Will – Jane Smiley (reread)
48. There Are Jews in My House – Lara Vapnyar
49. Manhood for Amateurs – Michael Chabon
50. Tenth of December – George Saunders

sheepstache

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #447 on: November 20, 2015, 08:56:42 AM »
@Carolina on my Mind

How did you feel about The Flamethrowers? I started it and couldn't keep going. Yet Jonathan Franzen heaped praises on Rachel Kushner. I'm wondering if that's just the wrong book for me or if the style changes a bit into the book.

Carolina on My Mind

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #448 on: November 20, 2015, 09:21:08 AM »
@Carolina on my Mind

How did you feel about The Flamethrowers? I started it and couldn't keep going. Yet Jonathan Franzen heaped praises on Rachel Kushner. I'm wondering if that's just the wrong book for me or if the style changes a bit into the book.

I had the exact same reaction as you -- I didn't bother finishing Flamethrowers.  I really liked the beginning -- the description of the salt flats and the land speed record trials -- but once the narrator got into the art scene in NYC, I found the writing flat and unconvincing ("Ooh, look how artsy I and all my friends are"), and although I kind of wanted to see how things turned out, the prose just irritated me too much.  I abandoned it a couple hundred pages in. 

Speaking of Franzen, I hated Purity.  Hated it.  The only other book on my list that I didn't finish:  I read a couple hundred pages and then just gave up.  (And this is from somebody who usually likes his stuff.)  He is also a big booster of Nell Zink, and I wasn't wild about her books either. 


riverffashion

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Re: 50 books
« Reply #449 on: November 21, 2015, 10:02:17 AM »
67. Looking for Alaska by John Green

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!