2009 Challenges - Quick Guide

I'm working on a new format for my Quick Guide for 2010. Hopefully, it will be a little more useful and easier to update than the 2009 Guide.

More to come. . . .


The format of this list is as follows:

Name of Challenge
End date
Number of books to be read
My book list

Winter Reading Challenge **Completed**
20 March 2009
Any number of books; reader's choice
My book list:

1. Drawers & Booths. Ara 13 [see review]
2. Cover Her Face. P.D. James [see review]
3. The Master. Colm Toibin [see review]
4. Rest in Pieces. Rita Mae Brown [review to come]
5. Hotel Du Lac. Anita Brookner [see review]
6. Solaris. Stanlislaw Lem [see review]
7. Index to Murder. Jo Dereske [review to come]
8. Land of Marvels. Berry Unsworth [review to come]
9. The Age of Innocence. Edith Wharton [see review]
10. The Great Victorian Collection. Brian Moore [see review]
11. Blasphemy. Douglas Preston [review to come]
12. Angels & Insects. A.S. Byatt [see review]
    

Book Awards II **Completed**
1 June 2009
10 books
My book list:

1. The Master. Colm Toibin [see review]
   
2. The Age of Innocence. Edith Wharton [see review]
   
3. The Great Victorian Collection. Brian Moore [see review]
   
4. Hotel Du Lac. Anita Brookner [see review]
5. The Way Through the Woods. Colin Dexter [see review]
   
6. The Optimist's Daughter. Eudora Welty [see review]
   
7. Ellen Foster. Kaye Gibbons [review to come]
   
8. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Robert C. O'Brien [see review]
9. To Dance with the White Dog. Terry Kay [see review]
   
10. Moon Tiger. Penelope Lively [review to come]
    

Spring Reading Thing 2009 **Completed**
20 June 2009
Any number of books
My book list:

1. The Private Patient. P.D. James [review to come]
2. Angels & Demons. Dan Brown [see review]
   
3. The Way Through the Woods. Colin Dexter [see review]
   
4. The Book of God and Physics. Enrique Joven [see review]
   
5. The Old Man and Me. Elaine Dundy [see review]
   
6. Brimstone. Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child [review to come]
   
7. The Optimist's Daughter. Eudora Welty [see review]
8. Ellen Foster. Kaye Gibbons [review to come]
   
9. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Robert C. O'Brien [see review]
10. To Dance with the White Dog. Terry Kay [see review]
11. The Unit. Ninni Holmqvist [see review]
    
12. Moon Tiger. Penelope Lively [review to come]
    
13. The Longshot. Katie Kitamura [see review]
14. The Valley of Fear. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle [see review]
    

Once Upon a Time III Challenge **Completed**
20 June 2009
Any number of books (Level: The Journey)
My book list (list may change):

1. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Robert C. O'Brien [see review]

Victorian Challenge **Completed**
30 June 2009
4 books
My book list (list may change):

1. The Master. Colm Toibin [see review]
   
2. Angels & Insects. A.S. Byatt [see review]
   
3. The Age of Innocence. Edith Wharton [see review]
   
4. The Valley of Fear. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle [see review]
   

What An Animal! Challenge **Completed**
30 June 2009
6 books
My book list:

1. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Mark Haddon [see review]
2. Wish You Were Here. Rita Mae Brown [see review]
3. Rest In Pieces. Rita Mae Brown [finished; review to come]
4. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Robert C. O'Brien [see review]
5. To Dance with the White Dog. Terry Kay [see review]
   
6. Moon Tiger. Penelope Lively [review to come]
   

Southern Reading Challenge 2009 **Completed**
15 August 2009
3 books
My book list (list may change):

1. The Optimist's Daughter. Eudora Welty [see review]
   
2. Ellen Foster. Kaye Gibbons [review to come]
   
3. To Dance with the White Dog. Terry Kay [see review]
   

Chunkster Challenge 2009 **Completed**
15 November 2009
2 books
My book list:

1. Angels & Demons. Dan Brown (572 pages) [see review]
   
2. Brimstone. Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child (500 pages) [review to come]
3. Dance of Death. Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child (451 pages) [reading now]
   
4. The Angel's Game. Carlos Ruiz-Zafon(470 pages) [review to come]
   

Books Into Movies Challenge **Completed**
31 December 2009
2 or more books
My book list:

1. The Age of Innocence. Edith Wharton [see review]
2. Solaris. Stanlislaw Lem [see review]
3. Cover Her Face. P.D. James [see review]
4. Hotel Du Lac. Anita Brookner [see review]
5. Angels & Insects. A.S. Byatt [see review]
6. Angels & Demons. Dan Brown [see review]
7. The Way Through the Woods. Colin Dexter [see review]
   

Lost In Translation Challenge
31 December 2009
6 books
My book list (list may change):

1. Solaris. Stanislaw Lem [see review]
2. The Book of God and Physics. Enrique Joven [see review]
   
3. The Unit. Ninni Holmqvist [see review]
   
4. The Angel's Game. Carlos Ruiz-Zafon [review to come]
5. Ignorance: A Novel. Milan Kundera
   
6. If on a winter's night a traveler. Italo Calvino
   
7. Something by Henning Mankell
   
8. Something by Georges Simenon
   
9. Something by Arturo Perez-Reverte
10. Something by Jose Saramago

Mystery Reader Cafe Challenge
Through 2009
4 books
My book list:

1. Murder, She Meowed. Rita Mae Brown
2. Santa Clawed. Rita Mae Brown
3. A Stitch in Time. Monica Ferris
4. Index to Murder. Jo Dereske [review to come]
   

Read Your Own Books (RYOB) Challenge
31 December 2009
Any number of books; reader's choice
My book list:

1. Drawers and Booths. Ara 13 [see review]
2. Cover Her Face. P.D. James [see review]
3. Solaris. Stanislaw Lem [see review]
   
4. The Master. Colm Toibin [see review]
5. Rest In Pieces. Rita Mae Brown [review to come]
6. Hotel Du Lac. Anita Brookner [see review]
   
7. Land of Marvels. Barry Unworth [review to come]
   
8. Index to Murder. Jo Dereske [review to come]
   
9. The Age of Innocence. Edith Wharton [see review]
   
10. The Great Victorian Collection. Brian Moore [see review]
    
11. Blasphemy. Douglas Preston [review to come]
12. The Private Patient. P.D. James [review to come]
    
13. Angels & Demons. Dan Brown [see review]
    
14. The Book of God and Physics. Enrique Joven [see review]
    
15. The Old Man and Me. Elaine Dundy [see review]
    
16. The Optimist's Daughter. Eudora Welty [see review]
    
17. Ellen Foster. Kaye Gibbons [review to come]
    
18. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Robert C. O'Brien [see review]
    
19. The Unit. Ninni Holmqvist [see review]
20. Moon Tiger. Penelope Lively [review to come]
    
21. The Longshot. Katie Kitamura [see review]
    
22. The Valley of Fear. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle [see review]
    
23. The Angel's Game. Carlos Ruiz Zafon [review to come]
    
24. Sacred Hearts. Sarah Dunant [review to come]
25. Fear the Worst. Linwood Barclay [see review]
26. Rabbit Is Rich. John Updike [review to come]
27. Victor Over Japan. Ellen Gilchrist [see review]
    
28. Dance of Death. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child [review to come]
    

Romance Reading Challenge
31 December 2009
5 books
My book list (list may change):

1. Northanger Abbey. Jane Austen
2. Daughter of the Stars. Phyllis A. Whitney
3. Mistress of Mellyn. Victoria Holt [reading now]
   
4. The Stormy Petrel. Mary Stewart
5. one other to be added

Suspense-Thriller Challenge 2008-2009
31 December 2009
12 books
My book list:

1. The Bookman's Wake. John Dunning [review to come]
   
2. Cover Her Face. P.D. James [see review]
   
3. Mrs. Malory and Death By Water. Hazel Holt [see review]
   
4. Mr. White's Confession. Robert Clark [see review]
   
5. Wish You Were Here. Rita Mae Brown [see review]
   
6. Blasphemy. Douglas Preston [review to come]
7. The Private Patient. P.D. James [review to come]
   
8. Angels & Demons. Dan Brown [see review]
9. The Way Through the Woods. Colin Dexter [see review]
   
10. Brimstone. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
11. Fear the Worst. Linwood Barclay
    

TBR Lite Challenge
31 December 2009
6 or more books
My book list:

1. The Master. Colm Toibin [see review]
2. Hotel Du Lac. Anita Brookner [see review]
   
3. Angels & Insects. A.S. Byatt [see review]
   
4. Cover Her Face. P.D. James [see review]
5. Solaris. Stanislaw Lem [see review]
   
6. Rest In Pieces. Rita Mae Brown [review to come]
   
7. The Age of Innocence. Edith Wharton [see review]
   
8. The Great Victorian Collection. Brian Moore [see review]
   
9. Blasphemy. Douglas Preston [review to come]
10. The Private Patient. P.D. James [review to come]
    
11. Angels & Demons. Dan Brown [see review]
12. The Way Through the Woods. Colin Dexter [see review]
    
13. The Optimist's Daughter. Eudora Welty [see review]
14. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Robert C. O'Brien [see review]
    
15. Moon Tiger. Penelope Lively [review to come]
    
16. Rabbit Is Rich. John Updike
17. Victory Over Japan. Ellen Gilchrist
    

2nds Challenge
31 December 2009
12 books
My book list (list may change):

1. Angels & Insects. A.S. Byatt [see review]
2. Angels & Demons. Dan Brown [see review]
3. The Optimist's Daughter. Eudora Welty [see review]
4. Moon Tiger. Penelope Lively [review to come]
5. The Angel's Game. Carlos Ruiz Zafon [review to come]
6. Dance of Death. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child [review to come]
7. Rabbit Is Rich. John Updike [see review]
8. Victory Over Japan. Ellen Gilchrist [see review]
   
9. The Woman in Black. Susan Hill [review to come]
   
10. The Lair of the White Worm. Bram Stoker (reading now)
    
11. Liberty or Pilgrims. Garrison Keillor
    
12. July and August. Nancy Clark
13. The Players Come Again. Amanda Cross
14. The Blue Flower. Penelope Fitzgerald
15. Here On Earth. Alice Hoffman
16. A Case of Curiosities. Allen Kurzweil
17. The Inn at Lake Devine. Elinor Lipman
18. Diana of the Crossways. George Meredith
19. Dangerous Laughter. Steven Millhauser
20. The House of Mirth. Edith Wharton
    

20 in 2009 Challenge
Throughout 2009
20 books
My book list:

1. Cover Her Face [see review]
2. Drawers & Booths [see review]
3. The Master. Colm Toibin [see review]
4. Rest In Pieces. Rita Mae Brown [review to come]
5. Solaris. Stanislaw Lem [see review]
   
6. Hotel Du Lac. Anita Brookner [see review]
7. Index to Murder. Jo Dereske [review to come]
8. Land of Marvels. Barry Unsworth [review to come]
9. The Age of Innocence. Edith Wharton [see review]
10. The Great Victorian Collection. Brian Moore [see review]
11. Blasphemy. Douglas Preston [review to come]
12. Angels & Insects. A.S. Byatt [see review]
    
13. The Private Patient. P.D. James [review to come]
    
14. Angels & Demons. Dan Brown [see review]
    
15. The Way Through the Woods. Colin Dexter [see review]
16. The Book of God and Physics. Enrique Joven [see review]
    
17. The Old Man and Me. Elaine Dundy [see review]
    
18. Brimstone. Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child [review to come]
19. The Optimist's Daughter. Eudora Welty [see review]
20. Ellen Foster. Kaye Gibbons [review to come]
21. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Robert C. O'Brien [see review]
22. To Dance with the White Dog. Terry Kay [see review]
23. The Unit. Ninni Holmqvist [see review]
    
24. Moon Tiger. Penelope Lively [review to come]
    
25. The Longshot. Katie Kitamura [see review]
    
26. The Valley of Fear. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle [see review]
    

The Guardian 1000 Novels Challenge
1 February 2010
10 books
My book list:

1. The Age of Innocence. Edith Wharton [see review]

The 1% Well-Read Challenge
31 March 2010
10-13 books
My book list (subject to change):

1. The Ambassadors. Henry James
2. An Artist of the Floating World. Kazuo Ishiguro
3. Atonement. Ian McEwan
4. The Black Dahlia. James Ellroy
5. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Philip K. Dick
6. The Double. Jose Saramago
7. Ignorance. Milan Kundera
8. The Moonstone. Wilkie Collins
9. Northanger Abbey. Jane Austen
10. Play It As It Lays. Joan Didion
11. The Reader. Bernhard Schlink
12. The Secret History. Donna Tartt
13. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. Haruki Murakami