The 2017 Annual Reading Challenge Discussion Thread

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by Hollow Man

Oh, I won't read someone I clearly dislike. But when it's an author I like, but a work by them I dislike, it becomes tough.

I just find myself skimming parts of Copperfield, especially all the law clerk type business. It just seems to be Dickens commenting on aspects of society at that time, and it's too tedious for me.

But I will finish it...oh I will!

-HM

It's Dumb Dora who drives me crazy in David Copperfield.

[Hollow Man]

Originally Posted by Catlady

It's Dumb Dora who drives me crazy in David Copperfield.

Agreed. Not sure what David sees in her.

I'm on chapter 39.

-HM

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Catlady

I hadn't read any Dickens since college until a year or so ago, when I listened to the audiobook versions of a half dozen or so books in succession, including David Copperfield. I felt very virtuous finally reading Dickens again, which helped sustain me through all the hours. And I do love all the quirky characters. I'm hoping to return to Dickens again this summer, again with audiobooks.

I think audiobooks are a fabulous way to consume the Victorian novelists. I've listened to several so far this year as part of one of my annual challenges and I'm enjoying the heck out of them. Like you, I hadn't really read them since my salad days; now they're going to go into my permanent repertory.

Dora is awful. David Copperfield isn't among my favorite Dickens and Dickens isn't among my favorite Victorian novelists.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by issybird

I think audiobooks are a fabulous way to consume the Victorian novelists. I've listened to several so far this year as part of one of my annual challenges and I'm enjoying the heck out of them. Like you, I hadn't really read them since my salad days; now they're going to go into my permanent repertory.

Dora is awful. David Copperfield isn't among my favorite Dickens and Dickens isn't among my favorite Victorian novelists.

I listened to Wilkie Collins's Woman in White earlier this year--that was fabulous, and more fun than Dickens.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Catlady

I listened to Wilkie Collins's Woman in White earlier this year--that was fabulous, and more fun than Dickens.

Who narrated it? I've got the version by Josephine Bailey and Simon Prebble in my Audible library. That's one I might get to this year. I've also got a copy of The Moonstone; that would be fun, too.

[Wearever]

Thought I would read more while on vacation , but didn't. For my challenge in April so far, I did read one Nonfiction\ historical fiction. Beneath a Starlit Sky, by Mark Sullivan. Also a fiction read, The River at Night, by Erica Ferencik. Both I thought were very good.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by issybird

Who narrated it? I've got the version by Josephine Bailey and Simon Prebble in my Audible library. That's one I might get to this year. I've also got a copy of The Moonstone; that would be fun, too.

I had several versions but went with this one since the structure of the novel seemed perfect for a multicast version.

I want to listen to The Moonstone this year too. My hope is to read more classics this year, but so far I haven't done too well with that goal.

[astrangerhere]

I usually try to get through about one Dickens a year. Librivox reader Mil Nicholson has helped with that immensely. She is a professional reader, but did a big spate of Dickens for Librivox. Highly recommend.

[bfisher]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

I usually try to get through about one Dickens a year. Librivox reader Mil Nicholson has helped with that immensely. She is a professional reader, but did a big spate of Dickens for Librivox. Highly recommend.

Thanks very much for the link. I see that she also recorded some of Trollope's Palliser novels.

[Dazrin]

I realized today that I have read books published in 101 different years since I started tracking in 2011. One of my on-going goals has been to read a book from every year since I was born and then moving backwards through the last 100 years. Only 1.5 books to go for the first part, I will finish this year, 24 for the 100 year goal.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

I realized today that I have read books published in 101 different years since I started tracking in 2011. One of my on-going goals has been to read a book from every year since I was born and then moving backwards through the last 100 years. Only 1.5 books to go for the first part, I will finish this year, 24 for the 100 year goal.

I am madly curious about your 101 years list, but I realize it would reveal your age!

[Dazrin]

It provides a range, but not quite enough to get the actual year.

I considered just posting the scatter plot (attached below) and letting you try to figure out which years are missing from that but that would be cruel. And the first version of the column chart I uploaded had the dates cut off for some reason so instead of "1985" it just read "1...", all the way across.

I don't normally focus on this unless I am near a milestone so I don't have a list of what books I "chose" for each year, just the publication dates that I include for all books I read. I will read something from 1978 this year and check that off though. (Any suggestions for 1978? Looking at The Stand by Stephen King but I haven't been in an SK mood for a while.)

Spoiler:

Years I have read, including my current book which I didn't include in my total earlier (so 102 years):
1870, 1872, 1876, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1890, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1898, 1900, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1908, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1915, 1917, 1919, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1927, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

I don't normally focus on this unless I am near a milestone so I don't have a list of what books I "chose" for each year, just the publication dates that I include for all books I read. I will read something from 1978 this year and check that off though. (Any suggestions for 1978? Looking at The Stand by Stephen King but I haven't been in an SK mood for a while.)

If you like thrillers, I suspect Ken Follett's Eye of the Needle holds up well. I think it's his best. If you like YA, The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin is a lot of fun.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by issybird

If you like thrillers, I suspect Ken Follett's The Eye of the Needle holds up well. I think it's his best. If you like YA, The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin is a lot of fun.

I'm surprised that you read a Ken Follett book. But I will retain your recommendation for myself.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

I don't normally focus on this unless I am near a milestone so I don't have a list of what books I "chose" for each year, just the publication dates that I include for all books I read. I will read something from 1978 this year and check that off though. (Any suggestions for 1978? Looking at The Stand by Stephen King but I haven't been in an SK mood for a while.)

Here's a quirky time-travel book from 1978 that I read years ago: The Mirror, by Marlys Millhiser. And it's currently only $1.99 at Amazon.