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Goal: 70 books for the year
81/70. Freedom Hospital: A Syrian Story by Hamid Sulaiman; translated by Francesca Barrie.
A graphic novel blending fact and fiction about the carnage and devastation during the Syrian civil war.

Goal: 12 books in translation
25/12. Freedom Hospital: A Syrian Story by Hamid Sulaiman; translated by Francesca Barrie.

My review: /review/show...

Goal: 70 books for the year
82/70. The Whispering Muse by the Icelandic author, ³§Âáó²Ô, translated by Victoria Cribb.
It is a curious blend of fiction with mythic elements. I thought it was quite good, but I didn't enjoy it as much as The Blue Fox.

Goal: 12 books in translation
26/12. The Whispering Muse by the Icelandic author, ³§Âáó²Ô, translated by Victoria Cribb.

My review: /review/show...

Goal: 70 books for the year
83/70. Painter to the King by Amy Sackville. A portrayal of the court of King Philip IV of Spain by focusing on the artist Diego Velázquez and his portraits of Philip and his family. The writing was very clever, but I think it was a little over the top. She seemed to favor style over substance.

Goal: 45 books by women authors
51/45. Painter to the King by Amy Sackville.

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Goal: 70 books for the year
84/70. The Poisonwood Bibleby Barbara Kingsolver. I thought it was fantastic up until the last 150 pages. But, on the whole, it was a great reading experience.

Goal: 45 books by women authors
52/45. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.

Goal: 5 Classics
14/5. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.

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Goal: 70 books for the year
85/70. I'jaam by Sinan Antoon, translated by Rebecca C. Johnson and Sinan Antoon.
The subject matter is difficult. It is about the experiences of a young Iraqi university student held in detention during the time of Saddam Hussein. It captures the fear and brutality of living under a totalitarian government.

Goal: 12 books in translation
27/12. I'jaam by Sinan Antoon, translated from the Arabic by Rebecca C. Johnson and Sinan Antoon.

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Goal: 70 books for the year
86/70. Bird Summons by Leila Aboulela. About three Muslim women living in Scotland who make a road trip to visit the grave of Lady Evelyn Cobbold, a Scottish convert to Islam and the first British woman to perform the pilgrimage to Mecca.
I didn't think the novel was as good as any of her other books. Her plunge into magical realism didn't work for me.

Goal: 45 books by women authors
53/45. Bird Summons by Leila Aboulela.

Goal: 12 books by African authors
14/12. Bird Summons by Leila Aboulela.

My review: /review/show...

Goal: 70 books for the year
87/70. Iceland's Bell by Halldór Laxness, translated from the Icelandic by Philip Roughton. I absolutely loved Laxness' Independent People and was really looking forward to this. But I found it to be a bit unwieldy and difficult to follow.

Goal: 12 books in translation
28/12. Iceland's Bell by Halldór Laxness, translated from the Icelandic by Philip Roughton.

My review: /review/show...

Goal: 70 books for the year
88/70. Burger's Daughter by Nadine Gordimer.
I found the style a bit confusing and didn't enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed her other novels.

Goal: 45 books by women authors
54/45. Burger's Daughter by Nadine Gordimer.

Goal: 12 books by African authors
15/12. Burger's Daughter by Nadine Gordimer.

My review: /review/show...

Goal: 70 books for the year
89/70. Mrs. Bridge by Evan S. Connell.
It is a poignant portrayal of an upper middle class woman in the 1930s who has internalized patriarchal socialization and can't figure out why she is unhappy. It is subtle, sad, funny, and really well-written. I loved it.

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Goal: 70 books for the year
90/70. Possessed by Memory: The Inward Light of Criticism by Harold Bloom.
A sort of literary memoir in which the famous literary critic discusses excerpts from some of his favorite poems and how they informed his life. It was his last book. He died in 2019.

Goal: 5 books of non-fiction
14/5. Possessed by Memory: The Inward Light of Criticism by Harold Bloom.

My review: /review/show...

Goal: 70 books for the year
91/70. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lola Shoneyin. Set in Nigeria. The plight of desperate, illiterate women is handled with sympathy. A quick and easy read.

Goal: 45 books by women authors
55/45. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lola Shoneyin.

Goal: 12 books by African authors
16/12. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lola Shoneyin.

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Goal: 70 books for the year
92/70. Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, translated from the Japanese by Jinny Tapley Takemori.
A delightful novella with an autistic Japanese heroine.

Goal: 45 books by women authors
56/45. Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, translated from the Japanese by Jinny Tapley Takemori.

Goal: 12 books in translation
29/12. Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, translated from the Japanese by Jinny Tapley Takemori.

My review: /review/show...

Goal: 70 books for the year
93/70. The Possessed: Adventures With Russian Books and the People Who Read Them by Elif Batuman.
I was excited to read it because I thought it would explore Russian authors, Russian books, and people who read them. Instead, it was more about Elif Batuman's experiences with grad school and travel. A bit disappointing.

Goal: 45 books by women authors
57/45. The Possessed: Adventures With Russian Books and the People Who Read Them by Elif Batuman.

Goal: 5 books of non-fiction
15/5. The Possessed: Adventures With Russian Books and the People Who Read Them by Elif Batuman.

My review: /review/show...

Goal: 70 books for the year
94/70. Impossible Owls: Essays by Brian Phillips.
An eclectic collection of engaging, well-written essays full of interesting nuggets of information.

Goal: 5 books of non-fiction
16/5. Impossible Owls: Essays by Brian Phillips.

My review: /review/show...

You did a great job with your challenges in 2020, Tamara!

Thanks, Leslie! I had a lot of fun with it.