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Ok, I'm in. not sure how far I'll get, but task one is go:


And task 2 can b found here:
here

A - Half of a Yellow Sun, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - finished 06Jan
B - Never Hit a Jellyfish With a Spade: How to Survive Life's Smaller Challenges, Guy Browning - finished 09Jan
C - Cornwell Bernard, Gallows Thief - finished 12Jan
D - Boy and Going Solo, Roald Dahl finished 17Jan
E - The First Casualty, Ben Elton finished 23Jan
F - Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn finished 30Jan
G - I, Claudius, Robert Graves finished 17Feb
H - Map Of A Nation, Rachel Hewitt finished 5Mar
I - The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro finished 9Mar
J - The Children of Men, PD James finished 14Mar
K - English Passengers, Matthew Kneale finished 25Mar
L - The Gemini Contenders, Robert Ludlum finished 24Mar
Discarded (due to being naff) A Field Guide To The British (although my version is English, not British), Sarah Lyall
M - The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Deborah Moggach finished 25Mar
N - God's Secretaries: The Making of the King James Bible although the edition I have is just titled "Power and Glory", Adam Nicolson
O - (no cover - no picture)Not Forgotten, Neil Oliver finished 01Apr
P - State of Wonder, Ann Patchett, finished 11Apr
Q - Scandal, Amanda Quick, finished 22Apr
R - Old City Hall, Robert Rotenberg
S - The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective, Kate Summerscale 01May13
T - No Picnic, Julian Thompson
U - The Songs of the Kings: A Novel, Barry Unsworth
V - Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Jules Verne
W - The Map That Changed the World: William Smith and the Birth of Modern Geology, Simon Winchester
X - The Persian Expedition, Xenophon
Y - Daughter of the River: A Memoir. Hong Ying, Hong Ying
Z - The Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Whoop! Whoop! Finished!!

Yippie! :)

Helen felt she ought to - I did suggest an alphabet challenge - although it was nothing like as fiendish as the one Janice has posted!

I'm going with the "play it by ear" approach. None of this being organised and having spreadsheets on the go, if I'm more than 1 letter ahead, I'll be going nicely.
(says she with an idea for Q already stashed away...)

Helen wrote: (says she with an idea for Q already stashed away...) "

LOL!

LOL! It doesn't sound like she's sharing that "Q" option, does it?

Author Q shared - candyfloss, anyone?
Also discovered that:
a) there are a lot of books with authors whose names start with letters I already have ideas for and
b) too many books of 175 to 190 pages long. grrr.

What's up with all the short books? When I want them, I can never find them.

Just received a note that my book for A is sitting in the library ready for me. so that's A & B ready, C's on the shelf, just thinking about D.

I could read Boy: Tales of Childhood, for another group's Non-ficiton read in Jan/Feb, but it's only 176 pages. (grrr) There's an omnibus edition, which is Boy and Going Solo, and comes in at 393 pages. If I've read more than 200 pages, does it matter that it was, technically, in two different books?

All set - ready to go.

Helen wrote: "Just received a note that my book for A is sitting in the library ready for me. so that's A & B ready, C's on the shelf, just thinking about D.

I could read Boy: Tales of Childhood, for another g..."

I would think anthologies would be acceptable, as long as you read the whole book and not just portions of it.

Ta muchly - omnibus edition on library order. >:-)

Well that's nearly done. only T, U, X and Y remain with no real idea. Where I've got the author and (tbc) it's because I have more than one of their titles sitting on the shelf to read, so I'll pick when I get that far - might depend what I'm in the mood for. ought to have a browse of his shelves, see if I can't pick up something from there.

I'm so wanting to get started, A, B & C are all lined up, ready to go...

Ready, set.... Wait for it....
Just 11 days to GO!!

Just that annoying period called "Christmas" between now and then. Bah! Humbug!

I do love Christmas, but not until 23rd december - until then I do my Scrooge impression - it's getting pretty good >;-)

Helen, I wish I could see your Scrooge impression! LOL!

It's not a costume impersonation (!) - more a tone thing. Involves saying "far too early for Christmas *** - Bah! Humbug!"
Where *** = decorations, carols, trees, lights etc etc etc.

And it does start far too early - who puts their tree up in November?! Mine's gone up today, that's in plenty of time.

Actually, this year I'm really struggling to find any Christmas spirit, so having this epic starting in January is helping pull me through - although I am wanting to get on & read the books that are lined up on the shelf, waiting for 8 more days...

Helen wrote: "And it does start far too early - who puts their tree up in November?! Mine's gone up today, that's in plenty of time."

I know someone who had her tree up on Nov 11.

Bah! Humbug!!
>;-)
Happy Christmas all

And we're off!
Settling down with book 1 (as a break from Dostoevsky) as we speak.
Can I finish "B" before it's due back at the library - on Friday - maybe not!

The list looks good. Go Helen!

I think you will have A and B completed and documented by Friday. (and returned safe and sound to the library, too! ) ; )

I have scratched my eye with my contact lens, I guess, and I am having the Dickens of the time trying to read with the discomfort. None of my eyedrops are working...dang! I have just given up and spent my time cooking today instead.

I hope I get to start on my books tomorrow. Glad you are reading today, Helen! ; )

Connie wrote: "I think you will have A and B completed and documented by Friday. (and returned safe and sound to the library, too! ) ; )

I have scratched my eye with my contact lens, I guess, and I am having t..."

Agreed! Helen, you can do it. Phone in sick at work, and just read. :)

Connie, sorry about your eye. I hope it heals quickly.

Helen, the sick day might work...flu is going around where I am, and it is bad (or so I hear).

Maybe you just need a mental health day...one of those days just for you...you get to do whatever you want to help you feel more balanced and creative.

Janice, my eye is much better. Thanks. How are you?
Judy, I promise that I am going to try an audio this year. I have not tried one in years because I am not auditory. It usually drives me crazy if I cannot SEE what I am hearing. I understand that the tapes are much better now, so I am going to try it once more.
It would really give my eyes a break from all the reading and hand sewing.

Connie wrote: "Helen, the sick day might work...flu is going around where I am, and it is bad (or so I hear).

Maybe you just need a mental health day...one of those days just for you...you get to do whatever you..."

I'm starting to feel human again. The zombie is going away. Thanks for asking. :)

Glad you're feeling better Janice. I can't believe you're encouraging me to throw a sickie and read. *shocked face* that's just awful!

Although I have made one of my NY resolutions to actually stop and take lunch away from my desk. Too often I end up eating at my desk and working through it without actually stopping. So I now have my A book in my handbag. Less than half an hour (by the time I've faffed about & got sorted) but it's better to take a proper break - that's my theory any way.

Is there a place that you can sit and read that is away from your desk?

I think so... I work in 2 different offices and from home.
Home, yes, easy to find somewhere else.
Office 1 has a couple of small meeting rooms off it, one of which has a vaguely comfortable sofa in it - so that'll be lunch spot.
Office 2 is a much bigger site, so I could go to the canteen, but that can get quite noisy & crowded. I suspect finding a reading corner here will actually be more difficult. But it's an idea that's got to be worth a try.

Helen, I do hope you find the perfect place to read during your lunch and that you won't be disturbed. Maybe you can finish it today! : )

Janice, I am glad that you have chased the badies away. Nothing beats feeling well.: )

Judy, I have read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society; however, I loved it so very much that I gave it 5 stars, which means I would reread the book. So, I might get it on audio and try it out. It might even work out better the first time with a book I have read before. I'm going to check my library's audio books, and, hopefully, they will have it. : ) Thanks for the rec.

Helen wrote: "I think so... I work in 2 different offices and from home..."

I work from home too. Some days, I don't want to drag myself away from my desk for a lunch break. Others, I don't want to drag myself away from my book to go back to work. Long gone are the days I have a coffee break!

I remember when I was employed (instead of self-employed) and coffee breaks were "necessary". I wouldn't have missed one. Now, I rarely take one.

OK, that's A finished. Onto something altogether different, with B.

Good job in finishing your first book.

Doing great Helen. I have to read that book. Did you like it?

umm, not sure. I didn't feel the characters were very easy to understand and I'm not sure they really engaged me. It was interesting, but I wasn't moved by it.

I've read another of hers, Purple Hibiscus, which I enjoyed a lot more.

Uh oh, ok. Thanks.

You're selection for "B" is going to my TBR list. That just seems like a book I would enjoy.

I love Antonia Fraser! I have been reading her so many years and loving her! You have so many wonderful authors on your list! I look through it and say, "Oh, yes!"

B is taking the form of a series of very short (2 pages) essays all starting "How to ..." Some of them have certainly made me smile of chuckle.

That's gone in the handbag to read at lunch time. Anything I can pick up & put down quickly is a good lunchtime read book.

Thanks Connie - the tricky bit will be deciding which Antonia Fraser to read...

Have you read any of her fiction? I stumbled upon it accidentally when I had read everything else she had written (nonfiction). I like her fiction, too.

That's B finished. Quite amusing on a number of subjects.

On to C, where the decision is which Cornwell to read. Debating The Fort, which I haven't read or the first of the Saxon series, The Last Kingdom, because it's been ages since I read number 3 and I now have 4 and 5 awaiting attention.

Bernard Cornwell duly selected - Gallows Thief. one I don;t remember reading before, so we'll see how it goes.

Connie, no I don't think I have read her fiction. I've read The Lady Elizabeth, byAlison Weir, who is another historian who has allowed herself to wonder what might happen within the gaps of the historical record. Very convincing - keep meaning to try her other books like this.

Yes, Alison Weir is another excellent author of English historical works.

C finished. Not in Cornwell's usual style - not a battle in sight - but an ex-army man, so not a million miles distant. Pretty good, too. A bit detective with some physical action and emotional turmoil thrown in.

D to start, Roald Dahl's first two volumes of his autobiography, from childhood into young adulthood.

You're doing great, Helen. I haven't read anything of Cornwell's yet though I do have his The Winter King on my wishlist.

That one I have read, Janice. Most bizarrely, in a warm summer in Italy and aloud, to a friend who was struggling with sleeping. I sent her right off. The names I sort of made up pronunciations for...

I find him a bit patchy. Azincourt I simply adored. There's an American civil war series that I simply can't get into, while I have enjoyed the birth of England series and the Arthur series (of which Winter king is the first). not read any of the Sharpes, although did enjoy watching them on the TV and being mildly diverted by Sean Bean in various uniforms and states of undress.

Wasn't there a movie about Sharpes? I'm like you and would probably appreciate the Athur series better than Civil War stories. I love the Arthurian legend.

That's D finished.
I'm going to start E for my handbag book and F for home. F is somewhat larger than E!
E is Ben Elton's novel of the first world war - The First Casualty, as in the saying the first casualty of war is truth. I have read it before, but some time ago, so worth a revisit.

However, I need help on the F. I have 3 of Antonia Fraser's books to read & can't decide. so, do I want to read:
Mary Queen of Scots
The Wives of Henry VIII
Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King
Over to you...

Well, no one wants to read about cheese-eating, surrender monkeys.

And I always thought Mary Queen of Scots was evil, but I don't think she was. But do you want to read a whole book on one person? Or on 6 for variety? Or do you think that may be a bit skitish?

Helpful as usual I know.

Rusalka wrote: "Well, no one wants to read about cheese-eating, surrender monkeys."

That always makes me laugh! It's not fair to stereotype an entire nation quite so harshly you know. How is it in convict land?

But no, not terribly helpful!

Hey! I narrowed it down to two!

I stole some shoes, ate some Vegemite, all while riding a kangaroo.

It's actually ridiculously hot. Sydney was the hottest it has ever been since records started at 46.6 degrees (114F for our friends). It was only 42 (108) here. So I am doing the only respectable thing for an Aussie to do in this situation, drinking a lot of beer. Sometimes it's important to stick to stereotypes ;)

Helen wrote: "That's D finished.
I'm going to start E for my handbag book and F for home. F is somewhat larger than E!
E is Ben Elton's novel of the first world war - The First Casualty, as in the saying the fir..."

Do you want me to throw the titles in the fruit machine?