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We've been a chatty bunch, time to start a new thread!

And, as it's the halfway mark for Spring, how is everyone doing?

With our game ending yesterday, I'll get back to Reading the Decades, and then see where I am.

so it's ended

Hisacro wrote: "so it's ended"

Hi Hisacro! We had a side game called Show Me the Styles, which ended yesterday. The Spring challenge is still in full participation mode through the end of May. You're welcome to post the books you've read since March 1 that fit the tasks. Feel free to ask any and all questions.

I'd say I am pretty well where I expected to be this season. I had no plans for any kind of 'finish' points, and that still is on track.... ha, ha. I'm keeping with my intent to read from my A-Z Classic author challenge list (so far 3/6), I've read a jumbo (one of my reading goals for 2018), and I've read a few of the books from my 'real life' TBR shelf!

Valerie wrote: "I've read a few of the books from my 'real life' TBR shelf! "

Very good! One gets satisfaction from what others would think an insignificant source, but most of us here know what a monumental effort that takes!

I'm doing fine. I'm more than halfway through the tasks and I don't have any really tough books that I have to read. I just have to make sure I don't keep repeating the same tasks, which is always a temptation :)

I'm doing well on most of my challenges...but awful on balancing male and female authors.... only about 10% have been women.
I got almost all my Not-a-Novel books read during the Styles challenge...so, I probably won't be posting too much else here during the Spring and concentrating on my SRC tasks

This is my first season participating in this challenge and I’m having so much fun. It’s really helped me escape the reading slump I was in earlier this year. I love reading the reviews in the completed tasks thread. I’ve already added several books that I’m really excited about to my TBR after seeing them reviewed here.

I started reading The Double yesterday. Fyodor Dostoyevsky was one of my favourite authors growing up and it’s been years since I read anything by him. I wouldn’t have thought of reading this if not for seeing it in task 20.1 so I’m very grateful to have been prompted to read it.

I’ve only completed eight tasks so far. I’d like to finish all 20 which I think I should be able to do. I’ve enjoyed writing a plan for reading the decades although I don’t think I will be able to read all ten books this season.

Thank you to the moderators and everyone else for making this such an interesting challenge to be part of. :-)

From a book I just started: My Life with Bob: Flawed Heroine Keeps Book of Books, Plot Ensues:

"This is every reader's catch-22: the more you read, the more you realize you haven't read: the more you yearn to read more, the more you understand that you have, in fact, read nothing."

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Valerie wrote: "I've read a few of the books from my 'real life' TBR shelf! "

Very good! One gets satisfaction from what others would think an insignificant source, but most of us here know what a..."

Thanks, Elizabeth! That is very true.... I'm sure my husband looks at all of my books and never sees a difference in numbers (well, except when they increase!).

Bryony wrote: "This is my first season participating in this challenge and I’m having so much fun. It’s really helped me escape the reading slump I was in earlier this year. I love reading the reviews in the comp..."

That's one of the things I enjoy, as well - reading the reviews. This group has been extremely helpful or detrimental (depending on how you look at it!) to my TBR list.

Ed wrote: "From a book I just started: My Life with Bob: Flawed Heroine Keeps Book of Books, Plot Ensues:

"This is every reader's catch-22: the more you read, the more you realize you haven't..."

Oh my goodness, do I ever agree with that statement!

Valerie wrote: "Ed wrote: "From a book I just started: My Life with Bob: Flawed Heroine Keeps Book of Books, Plot Ensues:

"This is every reader's catch-22: the more you read, the more you realize ..."

Yes...so true.

Lagullande asks: Are we still doing the countries group challenge? This books was set in Burundi, which I think was one of the outstanding countries.

Yes we are! We may have another task(s) relating to them. Thank you for Burundi!

I'm a little behind if I want a Mega-Finish -- Need 7 more for sub-challenge, 12 more for RWS, plus 3 RWS books that I'm still reading (so 12 + 3 = 15 for RWS finish, 15 + 7 = 22 for Mega-Finish). I could probably finish sub-challenge OR RWS challenge but not both.

I'm behind where I want to be for Spring and even though the next book isn't long, I keep finding other things to read. I was going to listen to it Saturday but forgot it when I left (sighs)

I'm on target for a mega-finish if I can find a book for 10.4. I would rather not be considered well-read than read some of those on the list!

I'm excited to get to more Reading the Decades books in the coming weeks, since I'm hoping to complete the sub-challenge.

I think one season I eventually want to aim for a RwS Finish or even a Mega Finish, but I don't think I'm there yet when it comes to being able to plan out my reading. I admire everyone who can plan out like that!

Show Me the Styles Team Game Final Results

Team A: 1380 (25 points)
Team B: 575 (15 points)
Team C: 1060 (20 points)

Congrats to Team A: Ed, Elizabeth, Katy and Louise Bro!

Well done by all participants. I will be awarding the additional points at the end of our season.

Congratulations Team A! Well played.

Wow! Team A are the rock stars of styles! Congrats, and well played.

Kate S wrote: "Show Me the Styles Team Game Final Results

Team A: 1380 (25 points)
Team B: 575 (20 points)
Team C: 1060 (15 points)

Congrats to Team A: Ed, Elizabeth, Katy and Louise Bro!

Except, obviously, those of us on Team B get the extra 15 pts not 20!
Well done by all par..."

Theater addict Ed came through with all of those old plays he read for 20.8!

Oh, wow! Congrats, Team A!!

Congratulations to all the teams!

Hmmmm... I'm listening to John Waters' Carsick.... and he mentions that although Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck is classified as non-fiction... that it has now been proven that Steinbeck did some major embellishments to the work...enough to make it fiction. I checked the Wikipedia article and indeed, the veracity of the book has been credibly challenged.
So...I'm trying to wrap my mind around that.... I always held up Steinbeck as an author with wholesome integrity. I had planned on Travels being my next read....and I will read it.... but under a cloud? Should I just start off thinking its fiction with glimmers of truth..or non-fiction with fictional portions. This somehow bothers me more than if I had heard of some author doing it. Any thoughts out there by those who have already read the book?

Ed wrote: "Hmmmm... I'm listening to John Waters' Carsick.... and he mentions that although Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck is classified ..."

This was on a list of recommended books sent to me to read the summer before high school 55 years ago! It was the first Steinbeck that I read. I remember loving it but I never reread it and have no idea as to its veracity! But I have wanted to do a similar road trip ever since.

Ed wrote: "Hmmmm... I'm listening to John Waters' Carsick.... and he mentions that although Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck is classified ..."

Well, I read it almost 5 years ago as non-fiction. However, (taking my hazy memory into account) I can see that there would be room for 'embellishments'. He is a writer after all; and I suspect the story was more important than the absolute facts (if he did fudge it).

In my mind your dilemma is similar to mine when I found out that often documentaries aren't the literal truth. I still enjoy them, and learn from them, but approach them with a more critical eye.

In a way it is similar to scientific bias, as well - researchers should be as objective as possible, but everyone is human and approaches the problem with their bias.

Valerie wrote: "Ed wrote: "Hmmmm... I'm listening to John Waters' Carsick.... and he mentions that although Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck is ..."

Yes...I think that is a good approach. I started the first few chapters...and the book is written well...as most everything is that I have ever read by Steinbeck... but I think the first episode of fighting to save his boat in the wake of a hurricane already would have made me a bit suspicious...even if John Waters hadn't warned me.

Ed wrote: "but I think the first episode of fighting to save his boat in the wake of a hurricane already would have made me a bit suspicious"

Travels is a later period, but we have The Western Flyer: Steinbeck's Boat, the Sea of Cortez, and the Saga of Pacific Fisheries. Where the trip rounded the peninsula at Cabo San Lucas, Steinbeck wrote: "The Western Flyer hunched into the great waves toward Cedros Island, the wind flew off the tops of the whitecaps, and the big guy wire, from bow to mast, took its vibration like the low pipe on a tremendous organ. It sang its deep note into the wind."

Might or might not have been a hurricane in those waters at that time (mid-April), but I'm guessing it felt like they escaped from one.

In Travels..... Steinbeck anchors the boat in the bay before the hurricane... but seeing that it is struggling DURING the hurricane...he, ignoring the pleadings of his wife, gets on board and helps to save her.

Ed wrote: "In Travels..... Steinbeck anchors the boat in the bay before the hurricane... but seeing that it is struggling DURING the hurricane...he, ignoring the pleadings of his wife, gets on board and helps..."

sounds typical of many boat owners

Ed wrote: "In Travels..... Steinbeck anchors the boat in the bay before the hurricane... but seeing that it is struggling DURING the hurricane...he, ignoring the pleadings of his wife, gets on board and helps to save her."

Does the "her" at the end there refer to the wife or the boat? I was thinking what a heroine his wife must have been, how unselfish of her to want to drown rather than have him risk his life for her ... then I realised it might be the boat he was saving :-o

Rosemary wrote: "Ed wrote: "In Travels..... Steinbeck anchors the boat in the bay before the hurricane... but seeing that it is struggling DURING the hurricane...he, ignoring the pleadings of his wife, gets on boar..."

LOL..... her refers to the boat. His wife was at the house on shore.

Boats/ships are always female. I don't know how/when/why that is.

Yes, but so are wives :)

I googled the question about the origin of the practice...and there is no clear answer--only speculation...BUT, I learned that the practice is diminishing AND discouraged...especially by maritime authorities.

Ed wrote: "I googled the question about the origin of the practice...and there is no clear answer--only speculation...BUT, I learned that the practice is diminishing AND discouraged...especially by maritime a..."

But maybe not by mariners/fishermen.

We were walking the docks one day several years ago, and saw the name of a small pleasure boat was named "After You." I could just hear the conversation:

"What are you going to name the boat, honey?"
"I'm going to name it after you."

Maybe she didn't speak to him for days.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Ed wrote: "I googled the question about the origin of the practice...and there is no clear answer--only speculation...BUT, I learned that the practice is diminishing AND discouraged...especially by..."

LOL


BTW, Steinbeck did name the boat after his wife.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Ed wrote: "I googled the question about the origin of the practice...and there is no clear answer--only speculation...BUT, I learned that the practice is diminishing AND discouraged...especially by..."

Ha, ha..... my friends named their boat after their dog, maybe that will/can be the new trend!

Valerie wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Ed wrote: "I googled the question about the origin of the practice...and there is no clear answer--only speculation...BUT, I learned that the practice is diminishing AND ..."

Well,,,, Steinbeck named the boat after his wife and the book has his dog's name in the title Travels with Charley: In Search of America

My father-in-law's boat was named after his only granddaughter.

When I was a little girl, my dad obtained a boat - a cabin cruiser. He named it after his three kids, Jochickabea (Retta Jo, "Chick", and Bea).

Hi folks...Amazon is offering 9 books to download to your Kindle FREE.... each of the books looks intriguing to me....check it out at

free for the next four days.

Ed, thank you so much for the heads up! The Great Passage and The Gray House have been on my TBR so it couldn't be more perfect!

Kazen wrote: "Ed, thank you so much for the heads up! The Great Passage and The Gray House have been on my TBR so it couldn't be more perfect!"

Great.... I downloaded all nine books.

We are in Kalispell, Montana because my brother-in-law had emergency surgery for colon cancer which went quite well, but he lives alone and is disabled so we are here with my sister-in-law visiting him and keeping track of his needs and progress. He lives in the small town of Troy (2 hours away) where my husband grew up, so once he is released we will take him home and get him settled. I brought lots of books!

Hope the recovery goes well with a good outcome.

Kalispell is a beautiful spot. I lived in Polson, at the other end of Flathead Lake, for a couple of years.

I’ve been through Polson and to the bison range and some other things around there. We drove from Troy to Missoula that way when we lived in Denver and drove up to Troy. Montana is really a beautiful state!