MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - The 2012 Annual Reading Challenge

orlok · 12-17-2011, 07:03 PM

My overall challenge for 2012 is to read 75 books. Although I exceeded 100 in 2011, it was at the cost of various diversions such as short stories and magazines, and a lot of radio shows. So I'm reducing the number to allow for these various peccadilloes.

Within the 75, I have named a number of books I want to read (for various reasons - see below), and on top of this I will be attempting to read at least 6 of the Mobileread Book Club challenges (including the Romance choice, just to force me to read from a genre wild horses would not normally drag me to, and the Classics, which are woefully missing from my named list). I also want to clear my bedside table draw of a few lingering dead tree books, which have been appended to my list below.

So in summary:
Read 6 from the MR Book Club choices (Achieved 6 of 6)
Read all of the 30 named books on my list (18 down, 12 to go)
Read 75 books in total (65 down, 10 to go)

11/22/63 - Stephen King (been listening to this since November 2011, and should finish it by the end of January, I hope). - Read
Black Rain - Masuji Ibuse (January 2012 MR Book Club choice). - Read
Transition - Iain M. Banks (first eBook I bought after acquiring my Kindle. Must get round to finally reading it).
Antigone - Sophocles (my first born was named after this Greek tragic heroine, so I ought to get round to reading the play). - Read.
Rain Fall - Barry Eisler (recommended by an MR member - can't remember who). - Read
Survival Of The Fittest - Jonathan Kellerman (I think I missed this one somehow, so need to catch up as I've read all the other Alex Delaware books). - Read
The New York Trilogy - Paul Auster (have wanted to read this for a while).
1Q84 (books I and II) - Haruki Murakami (2011 MR Book Choice that I haven't yet caught up on).
Shikasta - Doris Lessing (Desertblues has convinced me to give Lessing a try).
Rabbit, Run - John Updike (just feel like I should read an Updike, and the Rabbit series (#3) is in the 1001 must read books list).
In Cold Blood - Truman Capote (a classic of its genre). - Read
Heaven's Prisoners - James Lee Burke (will keep going with the Dave Robicheaux series, having started it in 2011).
Nightmare in Pink - John D. MacDonald (I enjoyed the first in the series, so will carry this on for a while and see where it goes).
Soft Target - Stephen Hunter (have read all the swagger books - no reason to stop now

) - Read
Swan Song - Robert R. McCammon (audiobook. I loved "Boys Life" and "Fevre Dream", and have promised myself that I would return to this author). Read/Listened to
The Five - Robert R. McCammon (audiobook). Read/Listened to
Blood Count - Robert Goddard (audiobook. I have read all of his books to date, apart from this one). - Read/listened to
Fool Moon - Jim Butcher (wasn't that impressed with the first in the Dresden series, but as people say it improves I'll give #2 & #3 a go, and then decide whether to complete the series). - Read
Grave Peril - Jim Butcher (I'll decide after this one whether to carry on with the series).
Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman (seems to be a popular choice with MR readers). - Read
Robert B. Parker's Lullaby - Ace Atkins (due for release in May 2012). - Read
The Cold Kiss - John Rector (recommended by an MR member - can't remember who).
Taken - Robert Crais (I'm a big fan of this series - due for release in January 2012). - Read
Terror's Reach - Tom Bale (apparently if you like the Jack Reacher books, you'll like this - suckered in by marketing once again). Read/Listened to
Artists in Crime - Ngaio Marsh (recommended by HarryT).
The Serialist - David Gordon (suggested by Dr. Drib).
The Book With No Name - Anonymous (DTB gift). - Read
Nine Dragons - Michael Connelly (DTB).
All the Pretty Horses - Cormac McCarthy (DTB which I've had for ever, and given my enjoyment of The Road and No Country for Old Men, one I really should read).
Viper - Michael Morley (my first eBook library loan - will have to bump it up the list to read within 21 days

) - Read

12-17-2011, 07:03 PM	#22
orlok Close to the Edit! Posts: 9,797 Karma: 267994408 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis, Amazon Fire 8", Kindle 6"	My 2012 challenge - read a list of nominated books My overall challenge for 2012 is to read 75 books. Although I exceeded 100 in 2011, it was at the cost of various diversions such as short stories and magazines, and a lot of radio shows. So I'm reducing the number to allow for these various peccadilloes. Within the 75, I have named a number of books I want to read (for various reasons - see below), and on top of this I will be attempting to read at least 6 of the Mobileread Book Club challenges (including the Romance choice, just to force me to read from a genre wild horses would not normally drag me to, and the Classics, which are woefully missing from my named list). I also want to clear my bedside table draw of a few lingering dead tree books, which have been appended to my list below. So in summary: Read 6 from the MR Book Club choices (Achieved 6 of 6) Read all of the 30 named books on my list (18 down, 12 to go) Read 75 books in total (65 down, 10 to go) 11/22/63 - Stephen King (been listening to this since November 2011, and should finish it by the end of January, I hope). - *Read* Black Rain - Masuji Ibuse (January 2012 MR Book Club choice). - *Read* Transition - Iain M. Banks (first eBook I bought after acquiring my Kindle. Must get round to finally reading it). Antigone - Sophocles (my first born was named after this Greek tragic heroine, so I ought to get round to reading the play). - Read. Rain Fall - Barry Eisler (recommended by an MR member - can't remember who). - *Read* Survival Of The Fittest - Jonathan Kellerman (I think I missed this one somehow, so need to catch up as I've read all the other Alex Delaware books). - *Read* The New York Trilogy - Paul Auster (have wanted to read this for a while). 1Q84 (books I and II) - Haruki Murakami (2011 MR Book Choice that I haven't yet caught up on). Shikasta - Doris Lessing (Desertblues has convinced me to give Lessing a try). Rabbit, Run - John Updike (just feel like I should read an Updike, and the Rabbit series (#3) is in the 1001 must read books list). In Cold Blood - Truman Capote (a classic of its genre). - *Read* Heaven's Prisoners - James Lee Burke (will keep going with the Dave Robicheaux series, having started it in 2011). Nightmare in Pink - John D. MacDonald (I enjoyed the first in the series, so will carry this on for a while and see where it goes). Soft Target - Stephen Hunter (have read all the swagger books - no reason to stop now ) - *Read* Swan Song - Robert R. McCammon (audiobook. I loved "Boys Life" and "Fevre Dream", and have promised myself that I would return to this author). *Read/Listened to* The Five - Robert R. McCammon (audiobook). *Read/Listened to* Blood Count - Robert Goddard (audiobook. I have read all of his books to date, apart from this one). - *Read/listened to* Fool Moon - Jim Butcher (wasn't that impressed with the first in the Dresden series, but as people say it improves I'll give #2 & #3 a go, and then decide whether to complete the series). - *Read* Grave Peril - Jim Butcher (I'll decide after this one whether to carry on with the series). Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman (seems to be a popular choice with MR readers). - *Read* Robert B. Parker's Lullaby - Ace Atkins (due for release in May 2012). - *Read* The Cold Kiss - John Rector (recommended by an MR member - can't remember who). Taken - Robert Crais (I'm a big fan of this series - due for release in January 2012). - *Read* Terror's Reach - Tom Bale (apparently if you like the Jack Reacher books, you'll like this - suckered in by marketing once again). *Read/Listened to* Artists in Crime - Ngaio Marsh (recommended by HarryT). The Serialist - David Gordon (suggested by Dr. Drib). The Book With No Name - Anonymous (DTB gift). - *Read* Nine Dragons - Michael Connelly (DTB). All the Pretty Horses - Cormac McCarthy (DTB which I've had for ever, and given my enjoyment of The Road and No Country for Old Men, one I really should read). Viper - Michael Morley (my first eBook library loan - will have to bump it up the list to read within 21 days ) - *Read* Last edited by orlok; 11-13-2012 at 12:38 PM.