Wichita (KS) Library 2022 Reading Challenge Sign Up Post

Twelve categories, one year. I didn’t finish last year’s because I flaked out and missed the Kansas-specific categories. Oh well. And somehow, I’m now inspired to try for 2022. Woot!

The categories are:

1. A book by a debut author
2. A book with a cover you like
3. A book that intimidates you
4. A book about a culture or topic you’re unfamiliar with
5. A middle-grade or teen book
6. A book about mythology or folk tales
7. Reread a favorite book
8. A book set at sea or on a beach
9. An immigration story
10. A genre-blending book (fantasy/romance, historical mystery, etc.)
11. A book that deals with mental illness
12. A book by an author visiting Wichita or hosted remotely by a Wichita organization

 

• A tracking sheet to print is provided, and/or the library offers an app to help track and inspire and it is called Beanstack.

I will tracking my choices on my list in goodreads.

Copyright © 2007-2022. Care’s Books and Pie also known as and originally created as Care’s Online Book Club. All rights reserved. This post was originally posted by Care. It should not be reproduced without express written permission.

A Mercy

Thoughts by Toni Morrison, Random House Audio 2008, 6 hours 26 minutes

Narrated by the author.

Challenge: For the Tournament of Winners  : Tournament of Books

Genre: African-American Lit

Type/Source: Audiobook/Audible 

WHAT’s it ABOUT:  A stream of consciousness by many women and few peripheral characters and the lives they lead. The ‘main’ characters are all connected to Jacob, a Dutch self-made man in the style of the American continent in the 1700s. It explores all variations of “institutions” – slavery, indentured servitude, marriage, religion.

WHAT’s GOOD: It’s powerful, evocative, tragic. Eye-opening to a period of history. Morrison does make it very real, truly makes it come alive.

 What’s NOT so good:  I had first thought that Morrison was an excellent narrator but as I continued to come back to ‘the listen’, I decided she does have a staccato style that might be irritating. I really didn’t notice it through most of the narrative. However, in story — I got lost a lot. Characters would switch and it was very unsteadying, distracting. The characters blurred together. By the time my mind switched accordingly as to who was talking, I was switched to another. And I would get stuck on who the person was talking TO; mother to child, girl to twin, young woman to lover.

FINAL THOUGHTS:  I am very glad to have had this book be presented to me. I wish I had co-listened and read and fortunately, the library had an ebook I could borrow and it helped a lot. I could almost count this as two reads because I practically started at the beginning and scanned to the last part. Read that and then listened. Ended with Morrison’s interview which was very helpful to my appreciation. Recommended.

RATING:  Four slices

No pie mentions noted. Unless you consider this, ~10%:

D’Ortega’s wife was a chatterin magpie, asking pointless questions —

 

Copyright © 2007-2020. Care’s Books and Pie. All rights reserved. This post is an original post by Care from Care’s Online Book Club aka Care’s Books and Pie.  It should not be reproduced without express written permission.

Round Two of Classics Club 50 Challenge

I have decided to create my second #CC50 list on goodreads.

Book List 2

My idea for this list is to keep adding to it any book that fits the criteria and if by the date when 5 years is up (in Dec 2024, I’ll have read at least 50 of them.

Sound good?   

Starting with Villette by Brontë, my first book of the year. However, it’s looking like I will finish Treasure Island before that.

 

Help! My enthusiasm for Villette is waning! it’s so long. ugh. I better come across a pie reference soon…

Copyright © 2007-2020. Care’s Online Book Club. All rights reserved. This post is an original post by Care from Care’s Online Book Club aka Care’s Books and Pie.  It should not be reproduced without express written permission.

Signing up for the 2020 Back to the Classics Challenge

My selections here are mostly from my Classics Club 50 (<– Book List 1; I’m working on Book List 2) and are shown in RED.

Categories

1. 19th Century Classic. Any classic book originally published between 1800 and 1899.

2. 20th Century Classic. Any classic book originally published between 1900 and 1969.

 

3. Classic by a Woman Author.  

 

4. Classic in Translation. –  The Gateless Gate

5. Classic by a Person of Color. Any classic work by a non-white author. Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup

6. A Genre Classic. Any classic novel that falls into a genre category — fantasy, science fiction, Western, romance, crime, horror, etc. The Time Machine 

7. Classic with a Person’s Name in the Title. First name, last name or both. – The Picture of Dorian Gray

 

8. Classic with a Place in the Title. Any classic with the proper name of a place (real or ficitonal) – a country, region, city, town, village, street, building, etc. – Villette by Charlotte Brontë

9. Classic with Nature in the Title. A classic with any element of nature in the title (not including animals). Treasure Island

10. Classic About a Family. This classic should have multiple members of the same family as principal characters, either from the same generation or multiple different generations.  They Were Sisters by Dorothy Whipple.

11. Abandoned Classic. Choose a classic that you started and just never got around to finishing, whether you didn’t like it at or just didn’t get around to it. Now is the time to give it another try. Alice in Wonderland or Tom Sawyer or Cry the Beloved Country 

12. Classic Adaptation. Any classic that’s been adapted as a movie or TV series. If you like, you can watch the adaptation and include your thoughts in your book review. It’s not required but it’s always fun to compare.  SO MANY CHOICES!

THE RULES: 

• All books must have been written at least 50 years ago to qualify; therefore, books must have been published no later than 1969 for this challenge.

 

 

Copyright © 2007-2020. Care’s Online Book Club. All rights reserved. This post is an original post by Care from Care’s Online Book Club aka Care’s Books and Pie.  It should not be reproduced without express written permission.

I Completed NINE Categories of the Back to the Classics 2019

Updated 12/17/19 to provide link to 9th finished book!  Pls just DM-Tweet me?

I copied my sign up post to compare my plan (in red) to what happened (blue).

Categories Achieved in Green

 (if I get Candide read and reviewed as well as a review of The Ox-bow Incident, I just might get to say I completed 9…)

1. 19th Century Classic. Any classic book originally published between 1800 and 1899. – The House of the Seven Gables – Nat Hawthorne 1851 √  LINK to REV

2. 20th Century Classic. Any classic book originally published between 1900 and 1969. – The Ox-bow Incident by Walt VanTilberg Clark 1940 √ (Link to review)

 

3. Classic by a Woman Author.  NANCY MITFORD’s LOVE IN A COLD CLIMATE √ LINK to REV

 

4. Classic in Translation. CANDIDE – Voltaire  √ Finished!  YAY ME

5. Classic Comic Novel. Any comedy, satire, or humorous work. ?  A Handful of Dust by E Waugh √ LINK to REV

6. Classic Tragic Novel. Tragedies traditionally have a sad ending… Hardy: Jude the Obscure – Hardy: the Woodlanders√ LINK to REV

7. Very Long Classic. Any classic single work 500 pages or longer, not including introductions or end notes. – The Three Muskateers should work for this. X – didn’t get to this.

8. Classic Novella. Any work of narrative fiction shorter than 250 pages. – One Fine Day – Mollie Panter-Downes 179pp 1947 √ LINK TO REV

9. Classic From the Americas (includes the Caribbean). Includes classic set in either continent or the Caribbean, or by an author originally from one of those countries. – ? X – didn’t get to this.

10. Classic From Africa, Asia, or Oceania (includes Australia). Any classic set in one of those contents or islands, or by an author from these countries. – Doris Lessing’s The Golden Notebook? √ Link to review

11. Classic From a Place You’ve Lived. Read locally! Any classic set in a city, county, state or country in which you’ve lived, or by a local author. – The Age of Innocence / Wharton / Newport RI – Now in November 1934 by Josephine Johnson / Missouri √ LINK TO REV

12. Classic Play. Any play written or performed at least 50 years ago. Plays are eligible for this category only.  X X – didn’t get to this.

Maybe this year

I will read at least 6

and achieve this Challenge

for the first time!

YAY!  I have done 8 and if I hurry I can read Candide DONE! and count it for Translation and achieve 9. What a thrill. I’m so excited!!!

Copyright © 2007-2019. Care’s Online Book Club. All rights reserved. This post was originally posted by Care from Care’s Online Book Club.  It should not be reproduced without express written permission.

 

The Golden Notebook

Thoughts by Doris Lessing, Perennial Classics 1999 (orig 1962), 635 pages

Category  10. Classic From Africa, Asia, or Oceania (includes Australia). Any classic set in one of those contents or islands, or by an author from these countries.  Is one of my Classics Club 50, too.  AND What’s in a Name for the Precious Metal category…

I read this for a snail mail buddy read but it didn’t quite get traction. I don’t think my buddy finished it or maybe just didn’t say much about it. I don’t remember.

I read this at the end of May into June.

It is the longest book I read this year. It felt like it.

It is very odd. I don’t think I can give any kind of summary.

As Ruthiella has said and I paraphrase, “It is a slog at times; it is brilliant at times.”

It did have a lot of pie mentions.

The book cover above links to goodreads if you care to read the many varying reviews others have put there.

I gave it three slices of pie.

I really don’t remember all that much other than thinking the 1950s weren’t what we saw in TV sitcom reruns.

So how about some pie!

This is Crustless Cranberry Pie and I love this during the holidays – so festive and easy. And the grocers usually have cranberries in the produce section.

Varied from allrecipes.com:

1 cup all-purpose flour

not quite 1 cup white sugar (I usually try to use less than a recipe specifies)

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups cranberries – fresh, rinsed

1/2 cup walnuts – optional

1/2 cup melted butter

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp almond extract (I use 1/4 tsp because this stuff is strong!)

Preheat to 350 degrees

Grease a glass or ceramic pie pan.

Combine flour, sugar, salt.

Stir in cranberries and nuts, toss to coat.

Stir in butter, eggs, and almond extract.

Spread the batter into the pan.

Bake for 40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean.

Serve warm. or not. Great for breakfast the next day, too. No need to refrigerate.

 

Copyright © 2007-2019. Care’s Online Book Club. All rights reserved. This post was originally posted by Care from Care’s Online Book Club.  It should not be reproduced without express written permission.

Back to the Classics 2019 List Ideas

My selections here are mostly from my Classics Club 50 and are shown in RED.

Categories

1. 19th Century Classic. Any classic book originally published between 1800 and 1899. – The House of the Seven Gables – Nat Hawthorne 1851

2. 20th Century Classic. Any classic book originally published between 1900 and 1969. – The Ox-bow Incident by Walt VanTilberg Clark 1940

 

3. Classic by a Woman Author.  NANCY MITFORD’s LOVE IN A COLD CLIMATE

 

4. Classic in Translation. CANDIDE – Voltaire

5. Classic Comic Novel. Any comedy, satire, or humorous work. ?

6. Classic Tragic Novel. Tragedies traditionally have a sad ending… Hardy: Jude the Obscure

7. Very Long Classic. Any classic single work 500 pages or longer, not including introductions or end notes. – The Three Muskateers should work for this.

8. Classic Novella. Any work of narrative fiction shorter than 250 pages. – One Fine Day – Mollie Panter-Downes 179pp 1947

9. Classic From the Americas (includes the Caribbean). Includes classic set in either continent or the Caribbean, or by an author originally from one of those countries. – ?

10. Classic From Africa, Asia, or Oceania (includes Australia). Any classic set in one of those contents or islands, or by an author from these countries. – Doris Lessing’s The Golden Notebook?

11. Classic From a Place You’ve Lived. Read locally! Any classic set in a city, county, state or country in which you’ve lived, or by a local author. – The Age of Innocence / Wharton / Newport RI

12. Classic Play. Any play written or performed at least 50 years ago. Plays are eligible for this category only.  X

THE RULES: 

• All books must have been written at least 50 years ago to qualify; therefore, books must have been published no later than 1969 for this challenge.

 

Maybe this year I will read at least 6 and achieve this Challenge for the first time!

Copyright © 2007-2018. Care’s Online Book Club. All rights reserved. This post was originally posted by Care from Care’s Online Book Club.  It should not be reproduced without express written permission.

Twelve Blog Post Ideas in a Trove

Ms. Bookish has challenged us to create a list of blog post ideas for those times when the well might be dry. Personally, I don’t have this problem very often, if ever. I always feel free to open a blank post template and start typing just to see what happens. Random is my friend.

But, since she is offering PRIZES! I thought I would try to generate a bunch of ideas, for “just in case”.

Here’s her EXPLAIN the TREASURE TROVE Challenge post.

1) A post to explain how unhappy I am about WordPress changing their ADD-NEW-POST style. Grrrrrrr.

2) The Tournament of Books hosted by The Morning News.

3) Most recent pie thoughts/activities.

4) Any book connections – those times when one book reminds you or is linked in some way to a book you’ve read previously or one you hope to read someday.

5) A vocabulary post – words recently discovered or tripped over that needed defining.

6) Try (search for) that blog post generator idea!  How fun.

7) Create a list of books that I think everyone should read.

8) Summary recap of challenge progress.

9) Summary recap of monthly/quarterly/whatever time period for books read, etc.

10) Explore the meme and weekly post ideas that others do:  Top Ten Tuesday, Sunday Whatever It Is, Monday What Are you Reading, etc.

11) Re-present a post from the past that I am proud of and/or revisit a book and my review to see if I still remember the book.

12) DO a link-love link up post – which in my case would probably be a highlight of other bloggers who do this well.

OK – that took my less than 10 minutes!  Feel free to borrow if any inspire you.

Oh, Belle also asks about thoughts on the generation process. Well, for me, similar to how I write posts, I just open up a blank post and let the fingers start typing up the words. I edit as I go. I don’t track my ideas. I do sometimes create draft posts of ideas and often of book reviews while reading the book – I get it all set up so that when I’m ready, all I have to do is write my impressions and not do the ‘add book cover’/tags, etc.

Have a great day! – hopefully I will soon be posting reviews of Even If the Sky Falls Down and Dept. of Speculation.

Copyright © 2007-2015. Care’s Online Book Club. All rights reserved. This post was originally posted by Care from Care’s Online Book Club. It should not be reproduced without express written permission.

Most Wonderful Time of the Year

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

There’ll be challenges for reading
Cups of tea steaming
And reviewing out in the snow blogosphere
There’ll be scary political stories
And nonfiction tales of the glories of
Many good books – just come comment here!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…

FOR SIGNING UP FOR CHALLENGES.

I’m committing to  this and to Eva, of A Striped Armchair, who will be the professor as I work towards a Minor in World Citizenship…    Be watching her blog for all the details!     She’ll be announcing a blog devoted to the challenge soon and her original post announcing it is  ==> here. <==

Hour 19 Mini-Challenge!

WORD / SENTENCE Challenge! 

The prize for this challenge is from the Read-A-Thon prize box…  and it will be TWO BOOKS!    other than that, I think Hannah is in charge.   YOU HAVE TWO HOURS.     and I think Dewey is randomly picking from the entries.   

Leave a comment OR blog yourself (you’re all doing both anyway, right?!)  for one or both (or neither?) of the following:

        A – strangest new vocabulary word found during entire read-a-thon

        B – most interesting /  annoying / favorite RUN ON sentence encountered.

 

Have fun!   Look alive PEOPLE!