12 in 12 Category Challenge 1/3

As for the top books, I'd better start with the 1001 books. My top two were The Virgin Suicides and Foe, both were gripping and thought-provoking. My best discovery was John Irving and his book The World According to Garp, I can't wait to find more of his work. The best "why didn't I read that sooner?" was Jane Eyre and its well-written prequel, Wide Sargasso Sea. I love crime fiction, and the top spot has to go to Woman in White, I especially enjoyed the readalong on the 11 in 11 Challenge.

As for the rest, they are an eclectic mix. I found High Fidelity a real blast from the past, it certainly holds up to the rest of Nick Hornby's work. The quirky style of Toast made the book unputdownable, revealing, as it did, the family's history recipe by recipe. On the Beach was terribly sad, but I like books that make me take stock of the world around me. Estados Desunidos de Latinoamerica, given to me by my brother, not only was good for my Spanish, but as it was a collection of articles, written in managable chunks. A good insight into the Americas. People of the Book and Sweetness in the Belly were also very good, but I have to say that The World's Wife was an excellent find.

The bottom two were Killing Floor and The Body Artist, the former because it wasn't my cup of tea and the latter because it just didn't go anywhere.

Roll on Part 2!

2011 1001 Books - Final Analysis

I read a good mix of books in 2011, from chunky classics to short stories. 
Here are my top reads:

 And the bottom three:

 

 

 

 

 

52 x 1001 Books in 2011

I've now reached my target of 52 1001 books read this year.  My final baker's dozen were a mixed bunch, but at least I got some long-term TBR's read.  It's always tough to choose the my favourite out of 13 books which have made it on the 1001 list, but I'll have a go!  Good Soldier Schweik was very funny and subversive, I need to get my own copy of it, and a few more to give to as gifts.  Unless blew me away, it had so much more going on than just a narrative.  The Virgin Suicides was another that took me by surprise, I had seen the film, but the book makes it realer, more powerful.  The one I enjoyed least, pretty much down-right disliking it was On the Road, what a load of BLA BLA BLA. 

40. Billiards at Half-Past Nine
41. The Swimming Pool Library
42. Unless
43. On the Road
44. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (Penguin Modern Classics)
45. Good Soldier Schweik
46. Choke
47.  So Long a Letter (African Writers)
48. The Sea, The Sea (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics)
49. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (Coronet Books)
50. The Woman in White (Penguin Popular Classics)
51 Women in Love (Wordsworth Classics) 
52. The Virgin Suicides

12 in 12 Category Challenge

Here I am again!  Another year, another challenge, The 12 in 12 Category Challenge.   I have decided to take full advantage of the fact the group allows early birds, having started my own on the 29th of September.  I move around a lot, so wanted to start when I knew I had access to a lot of my TBR pile, I have a stack of over 60 books here with me in Spain (brought over by family, friends and myself) which is enough to be going with.  I have decided to read 12 books in 12 categories, keeping track of my progress here: Soffitta1's 12 in 12.  My categories will change, they always do (they already have!), but they will contain the usual suspects: 1001 books and Asian books.  I'm looking forward to seeing which books I read, concentrating on reducing the amount of books I have sitting in the U.K., where I have over 200 books cluttering up my parents' house. 

Here are my categories, as well as the first few books I've read:
 
Category 1: 1001 Books

This is a life time challenge, so will be part of every Librarything year challenge I do until I am at least 70.

 

Category 2: Films

1. Chocolat
2. On The Beach

 

Category 3: Asia

I have a huge amount of Asia-themed books on my TBR mountain.

Category 4: Spanish

I live in Spain and will be here until at least June next year, so seems apt.

1. Tintin Prisoners of the Sun (In Spanish)

 

Category 5: Crime

I enjoy mysteries, and again I have a stack at home.
1. The Last Testament

Currently reading: The Woman in White **1001 Book, ** Group Readalong

 

Category 6: Books in a Series

I have a few series sat at home TBR - Agatha Raisin, The Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Hamish McBeath, Rebus and seried by Jean Auel and Tom Rob Smith. The plan would be to get cracking on one or more of them.

Category 7: Road Trip

Inspired by one of Katrinat's categories last year. The idea is that each book comes from a country bordering the previous one, e.g. a book set in Spain followed by one set in Portugal.

TBR - provisional journey, depending on my mood, I will start this journey in Spain or Pakistan.

Spain - France - Germany - Austria - Hungary / Romania - Ukraine - Russia - Mongolia - China - Bhutan - India - Pakistan

Here's the map I'll update as I travel.
Road Trip 12 in12

Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com

Starting point: Spain ... Fighting in Spain
Over the Pyranees to the French capital, Paris... The Lollipop Shoes
Then across the border to Cold War Berlin ... The Spy who came in from the Cold

Category 8: Fforde Ffebruary

I was very excited to see Jasper Fforde suggested on the group reads thread, even more so to see a whole month dedicated to him! Well, I have 6 of his books on my TBR pile, so I plan to read Thursday Next books as well as books related to them. To start things off, I have never read Jane Eyre, so how can I read The Eyre Affair?

Category 9: World Book Night

I took part in WBN 2011, giving out copies of All Quiet on the Western Front, and have joined the group which is trying to read all of the WBN books by World Book Night 2012. I had already read some, so am just reading those I haven't already read. As I did well in the charity shops a couple of weekends ago, even finding a WBN copy of A Life Like Other People's, I thought I'd change this category. These add up to 8, but as the next WBN is in April, I'll add from the new selection later. Check out www.worldbooknight.org for more details.

Category 10: Historical

Another favourite, I read a lot of historical fiction.

 

Category 11: Africa
Books by African writers or set in Africa.



1. The View from Africa

 
Category 12: Women Writers


Inspired by Carol Shields' Unless, there are so many great female writers out there. These will be prize winning and/or 1001 books.

1. The Sea, the Sea **1001 Book

11 in 11 Step Challenge: Final Overview

66 books in 12 categories read between June and October 2011.

Well, I appear to have a three-way-tie for the top 1001, all good, but very different. Invisible Cities wins the prize for the mst beautifully written, Good Soldier Schweik for the best satire and Unless for being the most thought-provoking.

The best mystery goes to The Little Stranger, a book which combined all the classic ghost story elements. The funniest goes to The Diary of a Nobody and the most fun to Fantomas. The most romantic goes to Jamilia.

As for the other end of the scale, the most overhyped goes to On the Road, and for promise shown that ultimately led nowhere, the prize goes jointly to The Resurrectionist and The Swimming Pool Library.

I am happy though, I gave far more 4 and 4 1/2 star ratings than 2 1/2. I found some new authors, dusted off some long-term TBR's, and had great conversations with people about them.

All that's left now is to finish my reviews :S

11 in 11 Step Challenge: Final Quarter

The final quarter of my 11 in 11 Step Challenge brought a few surprises, I was at home, so ended up reading completely different books to what I had expected.  Reading a lot of long-term TBR books, I found some gems, but a few were mediocre. 

The top books would be, unsurprisingly, the two 1001 books, Choke and So Long a Letter.  The former about a sex addict and mental health was amusing and I read it rather quickly, the latter was a short, but interesting book, Mariama Ba had a great writing style, with her work offering insight into Senegalese culture.  Basta de Historias, a journalist journey around the world trying to find out why some countries out do others in education, looking at politics, culture and education systems.  As a teacher, I found it very thought-provoking.  I also thoroughly enjoyed The Gunpowder Gardens, a travalogue following tea through China and India., while the book was written 20 years ago, it was still worth a read.  Reading The Tales of Beedle the Bard was great fun, especially as I'd just seen the final Harry Potter film.

The two most disappointing books were Shanghai Baby and  Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence, the former because it just dragged and didn't ring true, the latter because I wanted to know more, this book is too short and leaves you with more questions than answers.

11x 1001 Books

10. Choke

11. So Long a Letter

10x Crime


Already Completed

9x Films



Books adapted for the big screen, small screen and stage.

7. Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence
8. The Tales of Beedle the Bard
9. Into the Wild

8x Spanish


From Spanish speaking world or in Spanish

7. Walking the Lions
8. Basta de Historias

7x British
Already Completed

6x Asian Books



I usually read a lot of books set in Asia or by Asian writers, hopefully some from my huge TBR pile.
4. Shanghai Baby
5.Chang
6.The Gunpowder Gardens

 

5x Food and Drink


3. The Secret Mandarin
4.Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 

5.Goodbye Tsugumi by Banana Yoshimoto

 

4x History


3. The Resurrectionist
4. The Queen of Subtleties

3x French
Already Completed

2x Short Stories

Already Completed

1x Tome
A big, fat, scary book.


1.  The Famished Road

11 in 11 Step Challenge Completed Category: 6 x Asian Books

I usually read a lot of books set in Asia or by Asian writers, hopefully some from my huge TBR pile.

1. Jamilia
2. The Swallows of Kabul
3. Lord Jim ** 1001 book
4. Shanghai Baby
5. Chang
6. The Gunpowder Gardens

One 1001 book, a true classic, Jim's tale was grand and exciting. Jamilia, a beautiful love story, and The Gunpowder Gardens were my favourites of the bunch, the latter because I drink a lot of tea and also because the author's travels mirrored some of my own in HK and China.

As for the duffer, that would be Shanghai Baby, it tried too hard to be shocking and just ended up like cheap imitation.

11 in 11 Step Challenge Category Completed: 11 x 1001 Books

11x 1001 Books


1. Agnes Grey ** Group Read
2. The Vicar of Wakefield
3. Three Lives
4. Half of a Yellow Sun
5. Invisible Cities
6. Billiards at Half-Past Nine
7. Unless
8. On the Road
9. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
10. Choke
11. So Long a Letter

Picking the best among 1001 books is rather a big ask, but I just loved Invisible Cities, gorgeous narrative, and also Unless, which I just connected with in a big way (so much so, it has inspired a category in my 12 in 12 Challenge!).

As for the worst, On the Road wins hands down, I really didn't like it, I reckon it's one of those Marmite books.

11 in 11 Step Challenge Completed Category: 8x Spanish

From Spanish speaking world or in Spanish

1. Dreaming in Cuban
2. Inkdeath (in Spanish)
3. Journey to the Alcarria **1001 Book
4. Bitter Grounds
5. The FARC ** Early Reviewer Programme
6. Still Love in Strange Places
7. Walking the Lions
8. Basta de Historias

Well, I bumped this category up to 8 books after my brother gave me a stack of books. Only one 1001 book, I must do better next year. I found the Early Reviewer copy of The FARC very interesting, a good introduction to the guerrillas. As for the best book, I really enjoyed Bitter Grounds, a good story with a well-constructed backdrop. The last book, Basta de Historias, was especially interesting as it dealt with education and how the state of one country's education system affects its economic wellbeing. I was also pleased to get a copy of Dreaming in Cuban, a long term wishlist book, and it was worth the wait.

11 in 11 Step Challenge Category Completed: 3x French

French Books

1. Suite Francaise **Group Read **1001 Book
2. Fantomas ** 1001 Book
3. The Immoralist **1001 Book

I think it is too hard to pick the best from these three, all good in different ways, but if I were forced to choose, it'd have to be Suite Francaise. Such great style, good plotlines.

11 in 11 Step Challenge Completed Category: 7x British

Books from the British Isles.

1. Where have all the Boys Gone
2. Dinner for Two
3. Web
4. The Irresistible Inheritance of Wilberforce
5. The Flood
6. The Swimming Pool Library ** 1001 book
7. Brazzaville Beach

Only one 1001 book, which wasn't my favourite of the group. I really enjoyed Brazzaville Beach, another good book from William Boyd and the cleverly crafted The Irresistible Inheritance of Wilberforce. The duffer of the bunch would have to be Where have all the Boys Gone, but to be fair it was what I expected of its fluffy cover.

11 in 11 Step Challenge Completed Category: 9x Films

Books adapted for the big screen, small screen and stage.

1. The Diary of a Nobody ** 1001 book
2. The Age of Innocence ** 1001 book
3. The House of Sand and Fog
4. The Rainbow ** 1001 book
5. Timeline
6. The Good Soldier Schweik ** 1001 book
7. Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence
8. The Tales of Beedle the Bard
9. Into the Wild

I was pleased to read 4 1001 books for this category, the best being The Good Soldier Schweik, highly subversive and amusing, the second would be Age of Innocence, beautifully written. As for the rest, I enjoyed the questions posed by Timeline, and re-entering the world of Harry Potter in Beedle the Bard. As for the worst, well, none were clunkers, I just wish that Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence had been fleshed out more, as I so wanted to know more about the story, as well as the author's own.

11 in 11 Step Challenge Completed Category: 10x Crime

Crime, mystery, thriller

1. The Trial **1001 Book
2. The Ministry of Fear
3. The Winter Ghosts
4. The Ghost
5. Restless
6. Bangkok 8
7. The Righteous Men
8. Thirty three Teeth
9. Disco for the Departed
10. The Little Stranger

A good selection of books in all, one 1001. I bumped up this category when my Mum came to visit bearing a stack of thrillers. The top reads would have to be The Ministry of Fear, my find for the challenge as well as Colin Cotterill's Laotian series, though I must say that I enjoyed most of the books. I felt that the weaker books were Bangkok 8 and The Winter Ghosts, both of which were ok, but could have been better.

11 in 11 Step Challenge 3/4 Done

The third quarter for my 11 in 11 Step Challenge has gone quickly as I am on holiday.  I cracked on with my 52x 1001 books in 2011, nearly completing the category.  I had a wee bit of a reshuffle after my Mum brought out another stack of books to Spain, and as I'm going back home for a few days, there will be more changes to come.  This will help with tackling my TBR pile.

Top 1001 books include The Rainbow, following three generations of the Brangwen family from Nottinghamshire, their lives and loves, moving from the 1840s into the 20th Century.  I have managed to get a copy of Women in Love through Bookmooch which continues the story.  I think my favourite, though, was Unless, which just blew me away.  I would also recommend One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich and the very funny The Good Soldier Schweik.

As for the rest, I read the thriller The Righteous Men, which was a thriller in the vein of The Da Vinci Code, though more readable.  The Little Stranger was up to Sarah Waters' high standards.  Bitter Grounds was a good read, one of a stack of Latin American books my brother has passed on to me since moving over there for work.  The history of El Salvador came alive with the story of three generations of women.  I also got some long term TBR books off my conscience, the best being Year of Wonders, about the Black Death, and Brazzaville Beach.

As for the other end of the scale, I found On the Road very disappointing, it just didn't live up to the hype for me.

11x 1001 Books


6. Billiards at Half-Past Nine
7. Unless
8. On the Road
9. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich



10x Crime COMPLETE


Crime, mystery, thriller
This has been bumped up due to Mum bringing me a stack of mysteries, and I've done some reshuffling of books.

1. The Trial **1001 Book
2. The Ministry of Fear
3. The Winter Ghosts
4. The Ghost
5. Restless
6. Bangkok 8
7. The Righteous Men
8. Thirty three Teeth
9. Disco for the Departed
10. The Little Stranger

9x Films



Books adapted for the big screen, small screen and stage.
3. The House of Sand and Fog
4. The Rainbow ** 1001 book
5. Timeline
6. The Good Soldier Schweik ** 1001 book

8x British

Books from the British Isles.
5. The Flood
6. The Swimming Pool Library ** 1001 book
7. Brazzaville Beach

7x Spanish


From Spanish speaking world or in Spanish

2. Muerte de Tinta
3. Journey to the Alcarria **1001 Book
4. Bitter Grounds
5. The FARC ** Early Reviewer Programme
6. Still Love in Strange Places

6x Asian Books



None in this quarter

5x Food 'n' Drink


None in this quarter.

4x History


1. Year of Wonders
2. The Alchemist's Daughter

3x French

French Books
COMPLETED

2x Short Stories


COMPLETED

1x Tome
A big, fat, scary book.


Still unread.