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Forgive me, 75 Books, for I have neglected you. Hit a bit of reader's block last year, fell behind, and only just managed to finish 2013 with 76 books. Bleh. But this year will be better--we're five days into the new year and I've already finished 5 (short) books, so I'm off to a good start, at least. And I promise not to get bored or frustrated and stop posting here, honest!

2014 Reading List, 1-10

1. Motherfucking Sharks by Brian Allen Carr
2. A Melon for Ecstasy by John Fortune and John Wells
3. The Finishing School by Muriel Spark
4. Bloodchild and Other Stories by Octavia E. Butler
5. They Shoot Horses, Don't They? by Horace McCoy

6. Answered Prayers: The Unfinished Novel by Truman Capote
7. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
8. Morphine by Mikhail Bulgakov
9. Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
10. Mrs Dalloway's Party: A Short Story Sequence by Virginia Woolf

Jacob wrote: "Forgive me, 75 Books, for I have neglected you. Hit a bit of reader's block last year, fell behind, and only just managed to finish 2013 with 76 books. Bleh. But this year will be better-- ..."

Jacob, it's really nice to see you back. I've been largely absent - one might say I've had a couple of years in h___. But having been there and back, I hope to have grown. Anyway - looking forward to your participation, and I'm really glad you choose to be here again this year.

Jacob, I know the feeling! I feel like I've hardly spent any time on here in the last few months. Good to see you back and reading!

Looks like you're off to a great start!

I've been wanting to read Mrs. Dalloway since I watched The Hours a few months ago.

Great start!

Thanks, all! Mrs. Dalloway was a third-time's-the-charm read; I tried it two years ago but made the mistake of starting it on my lunch break at work, and got barely a page or two in, then sampled it again last year but decided I wasn't in the mood, and finally managed to read the whole thing this year. It was a group read, although I didn't really participate in the discussions--I just thought it would be a good incentive to try reading the book again.

It also helped that I read Orlando and Jacob's Room in the meantime. The latter is written in a stream-of-consciousness narrative similar to Mrs D., so it helped get me in the mood. I'd recommend it.

Also, a tip--when you do read Mrs. Dalloway, make sure you don't have any distractions, because Woolf's writing style will suck you right in. I sped through the first fifty-odd pages in one sitting, then had to set the book down for a few days when I went to visit family, and when I started reading again I had to struggle a bit to get back into it. Still good, but I feel like I should read it again in a few weeks to see if I can pick up anything I missed. I'm going to count the reread as an extra book, of course. :)

Jacob looks like you are doing a good job making up for lost time!

Andrea wrote: "Jacob looks like you are doing a good job making up for lost time!"

I'm actually close to halfway done, but I haven't updated in a few weeks. Reading a lot of short books lately, and recently started re-reading the Animorphs books, a YA sci-fi series I last read way back in middle school. That series is 62 books long, and most of the books are only 150-175 pages each, so if I stick to my usual 75-90 regular books this year, I might manage to hit 150. Are there any prizes for doubling your goal?

2014 Reading List, 11-20

11. The Dead by James Joyce
12. The Girls of Slender Means by Muriel Spark
13. To Room Nineteen: Collected Stories Volume One by Doris Lessing
14. The Sunlight Dialogues by John Gardner
15. Animorphs: The Andalite Chronicles by K. A. Applegate

16. For Today I Am a Boy by Kim Fu
17. Other Voices, Other Rooms by Truman Capote
18. Madison Cooper by Marion Travis
19. Asylum Piece and Other Stories by Anna Kavan
20. Stingray (Dalkey Archive Library of Korean Literature #1) by Kim Joo-young

2014 Reading List, 21-30

21. The Voyage Out by Virginia Woolf
22. Animorphs #1: The Invasion by K. A. Applegate
23. The Martian by Andy Weir
24. Animorphs #2: The Visitor by K. A. Applegate
25. A Most Ambiguous Sunday, and Other Stories (Dalkey Archive Library of Korean Literature #5) by Jung Young Moon

26. The Long Song of Monkey by Michael S.A. Graziano
27. Animorphs #3: The Encounter by K. A. Applegate
28. The Scent of Pine by Lara Vapnyar
29. No One Writes Back (Dalkey Archive Library of Korean Literature #10) by Jang Eun-jin
30. Silk by Alessandro Baricco

2014 Reading List, 31-40


31. When Adam Opens His Eyes (Dalkey Archive Library of Korean Literature #3) by Jang Jung-il
32. Animorphs #4: The Message by K. A. Applegate
33. The Resurrection by John Gardner
34. At Least We Can Apologize (Dalkey Archive Library of Korean Literature #7) by Lee Ki-ho
35. Animorphs #5: The Predator by K. A. Applegate

36. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
37. Jacob's Room by Virginia Woolf
38. Animorphs #6: The Capture by K. A. Applegate
39. Animorphs #7: The Stranger by K. A. Applegate
40. Without Blood by Alessandro Baricco

2014 Reading List, 41-50

41. The Story of the Stone, Volume I: The Golden Days by Cao Xueqin
42. The Divine Farce by Michael S.A. Graziano
43. Animorphs: Megamorphs #1: The Andalite's Gift by K. A. Applegate
44. Animorphs #8: The Alien by K. A. Applegate
45. The Story of the Stone, Volume 2: The Crab-Flower Club by Cao Xueqin

46. Mathilda by Mary Shelley
47. Animorphs #9: The Secret by K. A. Applegate
48. Animorphs #10: The Android by K. A. Applegate
49. Animorphs #11: The Forgotten by K. A. Applegate
50. The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy

Yeah, I think I might make it to 150 this year.

Wow, you're cruising!

Jacob, you are making the rest of us look like giant slackers...hahaha

To be fair, the Animorphs books are very short, and only take an hour or two to read. Without them, I've only read 37 books, which is still pretty good, I guess.

Yes, that is still great! :)

2014 Reading List, 51-60

51. Tales of Belkin by Alexander Pushkin
52. On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan
53. The Story of the Stone, Volume 3: The Warning Voice by Cao Xueqin
54. The Pigeon by Patrick Süskind
55. The Story of the Stone, Volume 4: The Debt of Tears by Cao Xueqin and Gao E

56. Eight Mortal Ladies Possessed: A Book of Stories by Tennessee Williams
57. The Story of the Stone, Volume 5: The Dreamer Wakes by Cao Xueqin and Gao E
58. The Ponder Heart by Eudora Welty
59. Martha and Hanwell by Zadie Smith
60. Butterball by Guy de Maupassant

I slowed down a little with those last three. I think finishing The Story of the Stone exhausted me a little, but I should be able to hit 75 by the end of June. Then maybe I'll get to double my challenge goal before the year is over!

Jacob wrote: "I should be able to hit 75 by the end of June. Then maybe I'll get to double my challenge goal before the year is over! "

Jacob, very impressive. You've covered a lot of ground already this year.

2014 Reading List, 61-70

61. Animorphs #12: The Reaction by K. A. Applegate
62. Animorphs #13: The Change by K. A. Applegate
63. Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill
64. The Knightly Quest: A Novella and Four Short Stories by Tennessee Williams
65. Maître Mussard’s Bequest by Patrick Süskind

66. The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder
67. The Blind Contessa's New Machine by Carey Wallace
68. Shakespeare's Dog by Leon Rooke
69. Three Stories and a Reflection by Patrick Süskind
70. The Punk by Gideon Sams

2014 Reading List, 71-75

71. Mr. Summer's Story by Patrick Süskind
72. Old New York: Four Novellas by Edith Wharton
73. Gigi and The Cat by Colette
74. Animorphs #14: The Unknown by K. A. Applegate
75. Animorphs #15: The Escape by K. A. Applegate

Boom! Finished! And still another six months to go. Probably room for another 75 in there too, if I feel like it. We'll see...

Congratulations, Jacob! Very impressive finish.

Congrats and keep reading! :)

Congrats

Jacob, looks like you made up for last year and than some!

Started up a new discussion for my next 75 books here.

Congrats on finishing the challenge!!

Congrats, Jacob!