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Excited about restarting the challenge. I finished 97 books in 2010. I'm sure I'll surpass that this year.

JANUARY 2011

1. Watership Down: Loved every moment of it (even the intermittent stories they tell each other). It was priceless when I read it as a teen and still during my middle years, it's a priceless epic. Highly recommended!

2. Genghis : Birth of an Empire: I was able to get caught up in all the raw drama of this fictionalized historical event and look forward to the rest of the trilogy.

3. The Time Quake: Quick wrap up of a great trilogy on time travel to the past with a well integrated early American history lesson.

4. Gulliver's Travels: Tiring account of his many trips over 16 years--many more than any movie or cartoon adaptation. The over the top narration of this audiobook added little to enhance this overworked and dated storyline.

5. Family Matters: Intriguing fictionalization of Parsee Indian life during the later half of last century with solid writing and well drawn characters. I look forward to a second reading. Highly recommended.

6. Eye of the Needle: It was ok. I listened to the audiobook and the narration was like listening to radio readings from the 1940s. The storyline was ok but overall I was disappointed.

7. Mudbound: This was one outstanding piece of literature on sharecropper life in 1940s Mississippi that I couldn't stop reading from the time I picked it up. Definitely worth rereading, but I'd like to hear the audiobook version of it as well.

I generally read non fiction, but do love historical novels if they are any good, so thanks for the mini review on "Mudbound".
Have you read "The Known World", by Edward P. Jones? If you have, I would be interested to know what you thought of it. _ Shell

Shell wrote: "I generally read non fiction, but do love historical novels if they are any good, so thanks for the mini review on "Mudbound".
Have you read "The Known World", by Edward P. Jones? If you have, I w..."

I have it, but have yet to read it. No reservations about it, just other books keep jumping ahead...

Well, let me know what you think when you do. : )

FEBRUARY 2011

8. : The story about a young girl's determined mission to avenge her father's murder and her mishaps along the way is sparsely written and straightforwardly told. It just didn't do anything for me.

9. : This was an intense and deftly written piece dealing with amnesia, compulsive travel and deep family secrets. Worth reading in one or two nights. I enjoyed it.

10. : At first I didn't know what to do with this one. A period piece of major importance during its time of origin, depicting an American society based on slavery ... and to think this was the way of life only 200 years ago.

11. : Decades have only changed my point of view of Henry as "my peer" when I originally read this, to one where he is now "the youth". The descriptive fighting scenes made this coming of age story set in the throes of the Civil War just bearable.

12. : It sure do get me to praying. I may sound tongue-in-cheek, but there are some powerful gems on prayers for those who walk by faith and not by sight. Read it.

I seem to be off to a slow start this year. Some of these books are quite long.

MARCH 2011

13. : A mixed bag of excellent readings (and a few uneven ones). The gospels are all handled quite well but the epistles are almost derailed by frequent songfests or miscast narrators. Still, it's a unique experience that's worth listening to if just for some powerful narrating of the New Testament.

14. : A young girl loses her innocence in a moment of recklessness and must come to terms with it. The story is told through poems. It's very smooth, engaging and unique to read and experience.

15. : A very impressive epic tome about Indian/Anglo twins who become doctors (as told by the eldest twin) and is set in India, Ethiopia and the U.S. Their story stayed with me for days afterwards. It was truly worthwhile reading and listening to this powerful tale. (I have both audio and ebooks).

16. : A solid 24 lecture series on how to get the most from reading novels by gettting the big picture first. Slow start but picked up steam. It's worth experiencing.

17. : Powerful fiction/non fiction piece on the plight of a middle Eastern family's survival during the New Orleans Katrina fiasco. Very revealing information.

18. : A raw and caustic taste of circus life in the early 1900s. Told through the eyes of a 90 something year old veterinarian and his 23 year young self. The old man's revelations make the story pop. Be forewarned however, this is NOT a family santitized Ringling Bros Barnum & Bailey extravaganza. This circus is a rough and raunchy precursor to all things sane. Put on your seatbelts.

APRIL 2011

19. A Fine Balance: This epic shows a fine balance of life for four people living in 1970s India under the rule of Indira Gandhi. The layered stories involve: love, fear, life, death, riches, poverty, brutality, survival and family. The storyline stayed me for days after the last word was heard. Highly recommended.

20. Everything That Rises Must Converge: O’Connor has a way with Southern Gothic unlike any other writer from her era. The short stories deal with the raw and gruesome elements in people and how play on one another. She takes the reader on a trip to hell each time and it’s no wonder because the main characters in each short story deserve nothing less.

21. The Hiding Place: I have a soft spot for stories dealing with the holocaust. This one focuses on the efforts of Dutch Christians to hide Jews from capture and to keep themselves alive in the efforts. Very touching.

22. All the Pretty Horses: The horses are pretty, but not the subject matter. McCarthy’s affinity for things southwestern and Mexican are well handled in this coming of age cowboy story that’s not really about cowboys. You do have to have a handle on your Spanish to follow along. The writing is deft and exemplary, the plot, raw and relentless. It’s a real good ride.

23. Atonement: The first half of the coming of age story of a devilishly precocious 13-year old writer is slow and plods along mercilessly, only to pick up steam more than half way through. In the end I was a little peeved because her statements call into question the entire story (can’t give it away), but Ewan’s writing is enchanting nevertheless. Maybe the movie handles the timing and varying writing styles better than the book does. Tread cautiously.

24. A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Ten of Flannery O’Connor’s best. Some of the more powerful include: A Good Man is Hard to Find, The Life You Save May Be Your Own, Artificial Nigger (daring, ain’t she?), The Displaced Person and my favorite, Good Country People. Her touch for Southern gothic is unnervingly accurate and at times I wondered how she could write so nonchalantly about ignorant back wood people, but I’m glad she did.

MAY 2011

25. Say You're One of Them: Five riveting tales (3 short stories, 2 novellas) revealing the trauma of being a child in different African countries. Although the stories are on heart wrenching unforgettable topics (from child prostitution to genocide), they are written in uneven sometimes disjointed styles. Still worth investigating, but be forewarned.

26. The Cypress House: An exciting mystery/suspense story set in the depression focusing on a man who sees death on the faces of its victims and the effects of this knowledge on his life.

27. Ender's Game: Sci-fi classic about the mankind’s deceptive use of children to fight a war that may lead to the genocide of an alien race, written in a style that only incorporates the thoughts of each of the characters. Very innovative.

28. Dizzy: A short children’s book on jazz great, Dizzy Gillespie. Short is good sometimes and this is brightly narrated by Kevin Free.

29. Kindred: Time traveling story by the inimitable Octavia Butler about the transfiguring effects of life as a slave for a 1970s educated black woman (who also happens to be married to a white man) in Maryland during the 1800s. Very interesting premise and powerfully narrated by Kim Staunton. Not to be missed.

30. Slumdog Millionaire: This is the book the movie was based upon (originally entitled Q&A). I loved the movie, but this is far better. ‘Nuf said.

31. The Last Lecture; An appropriate and touching gift for his children, but for everyone else the best nuggets are listed in the last quarter of the lecture.

JUNE 2011

32. Black Boy: The book starts off with bang and keeps the excitement high for some time. Originally released as two separate books. Part 1 is his coming of age story in the Jim Crow South. Part 2 takes us into his life in the north, and his dealings with the communist party. It's also where the book trails off with a disappointing burp to an otherwise powerful story.

33. Go the F**k to Sleep: This book is a prime example of why some people should not have children and should be miles away from any others. With a poem of this caliber I can understand how easily people can treat others with contempt, indifference and hatred ... and find it funny. Samuel L. Jackson read this phlegm (which I received free of charge) and tops it off by saying he would tell his daughter this when she was a child and she, knowing no better than what daddy tells her, would oblige him ... It left me feeling sick.

34. Plan B: A Nick Heller Story: Nice short story, but didn't really pick up steam until it reached the very end which proves how accustomed the author is to writing full fledged novels as opposed to short stories. He needs the time to develop steam before the engine takes off.

35. With Ossie and Ruby: In This Life Together: They share a unique story: a long last marriage together with successful careers and well nourished children within the entertainment industry. I listened to the audiobook that Ruby and Ossie read themselves, which at times was awkward and uneven, but evened out whenever they shared from their early days. Their message is one of overcoming-through-struggle. Good stuff.

36. Genghis: Lords of the Bow: A Novel: Took me a while to get through this one, but it is a powerful second entry into this triptych serialization of the life of Genghis Khan. Onto the final story!

37. Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else: Repetitive, like the practice of anything, but it makes its points. Towards the end, it borrows heavily from the “Outliers�. If you read the summaries at the end of each chapter, you pretty much have this book in a nutshell.

JULY 2011

Caught up on a lot of reading this month!

38. The Turnaround: Although the storyline has cable TV plot written all over it, I enjoyed the author's use of corny dialogue from the 70s and from his vivid character depictions. I’ve never read his work before, but it was believable. I can't say I'd recommend it though. You get the point almost at the beginning of the book.

39. Night: Powerful first hand account of the shocking invasion of the Holocaust upon the life of a child and his family. Due to its brief length and intensity, it makes a deep horrific impression on the reader. Read this!

40. Daughter of Destiny: Kathryn Kuhlman: Straightforward accounting of life as a conduit for God's healing through a ministry that had lasted for decades, but, not without it's fair share of drama, betrayal, intrigue and mudslinging. There will never be anyone quite like her.

41. Fahrenheit 451: Very much the classic and worth reading for any bookworm/bookaholic. Take about predictions: the decline of reading and glorification of aspects of war in our time...

42. Genghis: Bones of the Hills: A Novel: A biting, bitter, violent conclusion to this historically fictionalized accounting of Genghis Khan's rise and fall. What a powerful trilogy!

43. The Sound and the Fury: Haunting. It demands to be reread because so much is going on but is veiled to the casual reader/listener. (I won't wait a year to do it either.)

44. Dubliners: It didn't do much for me in the way of storytelling. The narrators were an uneven sort and the stories themselves, forgetable. I'd pass on this one.

45. Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War: I was curious and found myself thrown into the middle of their racially charged melees with each other and their assigned enemy with no where out, but through it. This is raw stuff, well written, but caustic Marine dialogue. After so many hours of all kinds of WTFs and GD this and that, I was stuck in a real shellshock experience. Took me a while, leaves a bad aftertaste... Enter at your own risk.

46. Beowulf: A New Verse Translation: This is known as a classic, but it left me wanting. A dull and droll war yawn.

47. Candide: This was written in the 18th Century? What a tour de force. I haven’t laughed this much in a while. Quick witted and blistering, this comedy of errors is fast paced and rich in plot and candide (optimism). Read it.

48. Their Eyes Were Watching God: Chocked full of passion and poetic license. Hurton broke the manual typewriter with this story and Ruby Dee fleshes out the character dialogue as only she knows how. Brilliant reading and touching story. Pushes the movie to the curb (of course).

49. Wise Blood: I liked this one better the second time around. I read it a year ago and didn’t get it. This time I got it and the insipid characters, although depressing, show the author’s command of characters and boy does she have a way of describing them. Deserves a reread.

AUGUST 2011

50. Fight Club: Disappointing and predictable plot. A step into the mental foray of discordant personalities, if you get where I'm going with this. I'm glad I didn't see the movie. I wouldn't after this.

51. Novels, 1930-1935 : As I Lay Dying / Sanctuary / Light in August / Pylon: This psycho drama depicts the Bundren family's loss of their mother and their ensuing trek to bury her where she wanted despite how difficult it becomes; told from many points of view it reads like a puzzle: worthwhile read. Faulkner at his best.

52. iPad Fully Loaded: Love working with my iPad. This lets me go full tilt and squeeze every other thing I didn't think I already knew about it.

53. In Cold Blood: A first for its time, I felt it overlong in its explanations and too detailed in its descriptions; still a worthwhile read for the uninitiated since Capote didn’t write much after this.

54.Convict Conditioning: How to Bust Free of All Weakness-Using the Lost Secrets of Supreme Survival Strength: I'm no convict, but this book on calisthenic conditioning is a must for a solid non-weight workout. Highly recommended.

SEPTEMBER 2011

55. Love, Anger, Madness: A Haitian Trilogy: This trilogy took quite a while to get through. It got better as it went along, but the writing was at times trite and hard to decipher, but the subject matter complex. All three stories stem from life in Haiti under a dictatorship.

56. Freehand Drawing: A Primer: I found this in the archives of my local library, but it incited me to return to drawing, so it was well worth reading (and rereading).

57. The Green Mile: Stephen King at his best. Not a horror but a psychodrama with the paranormal thrown in to boot. This was one of those cases where the movie matched the book point for point.

58. The Stranger: Wasn't particularly moved by this Camus' fictional storyline revolving a taste of existentialism. I suppose the pointlessness of this story was what he was trying to say in the first place. I'll pass.

59. My Reading Life: I was just curious what Conroy grew up reading which is interesting given his descriptively written plots. I like his writing and his favorite books are there for you to agree or disagree with. Proceed with caution.

60. Crazy for the Storm: Amazingly true survival story of an 11-year old from a plane crash in the mountains that I'm sure will stay with him the rest of his life, recounted years later as an adult. Well written.

61. Interpreter of Maladies: I love Lahiri's writing and every short story in this saga beams with vibrancy. She writes clearly and shares the lives of Indians both native and Americanized with a natural flair. Highly recommended.

62. The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration: Another power hitter, the author shares her accounting from interviews with 3 Black Americans who migrated from the South during the '20s through the 70s and how their lives fared afterwards. Powerful writing. Highly recommended.

63. The Joy Luck Club: I enjoyed this book as much as I did the movie. They were both just as touching.

OCTOBER 2011

64. Angela's Ashes: McCourt's memoir of his ordeal growing up poor in Ireland. Heart wrenching and emotionally draining, but worth every moment. His writing flows like water.

65. Lonesome Dove: This is the quintessential American Western epic. I loved every minute of it, even though initially I was hesitant to read it. The well written story line and well fleshed characters carry you right through to the end. Highly recommended.

66. Moloka'i: Fictionalized accounting of life in a leper colony in Hawaii islands. Very touching and emotionally effective. Highly recommended.

67. Gandhi: The True Man Behind Modern India: I learned a lot of new things about this icon, many quite disappointing. It brought a very human roundedness to the man behind the mask. Good reading.

NOVEMBER 2011

68. Life on the Color Line: The True Story of a White Boy Who Discovered He Was Black: An amazing memoir of a white boy who discovers, after his parents� marriage crumbles, that he’s not quite as white as he was led to believe during the Jim Crow era in America. Highly recommended.

69. The Prince of Tides: This book made me really appreciate Pat Conroy’s writing style. It’s a definite page turner because it’s so well written. Substantial plot line and characters with substance abound. Read it.

70. The Confident Creative: The premise is good so, in spite of the new age slant, this book provides a good incentive toward becoming more creative through the practice of drawing.

71. Parable of the Sower: A surprisingly interesting sci-fi account of future America after society as we know it has disintegrated and a few still try to hold onto some semblance of civility. Ms. Brown is one of only a few female sci-fi writers who is also African American.

72. Deliverance: It’s the survival of the fittest and their ability to forget horrific situations that deliver these guys from their humdrum lives to one of kill or be killed. Just as riveting as the movie. Two thumbs up.

73. A Thousand Lives: The Untold Story of Hope, Deception, and Survival at Jonestown: I wanted to know what happened from both sides. This books gives a fairly unbiased and yet powerful and sensitive accounting of life under a megalomaniac who uses religion as his manipulative weapon. Solid depiction of a heartbreaking calamity. Even more chilling for me is that I finished reading it on the anniversary of the massacre/suicide: November 18.

74. Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix: A solid biography filling in all the needed blanks of a rock icon who happens to also have been a black man. The accounting of his tortured childhood and dogged determination blazed the way for this phoenix to arrive the way he did and burn out. Good stuff.

75. Brother Ray: Ray Charles' Own Story: Most definitely life on his terms and an eye opener even though he was blind. A major talent but not a role model in the least. Two notes played throughout his life: playing music and getting laid. Nuf said.

76. The Kite Runner: Bittersweet coming of age story told in Iran and the USA was worth rereading if just for sake that it is well written. The movie deters from this ending which is far more realistic and bittersweet, but it is a page turner.

77. Chess for Success: Using an Old Game to Build New Strengths in Children and Teens: My love for chess extends to my sons as well. This books helps to ignite a fire in non chess players to want to play or at least investigate the game. Well written and many good pointers. A good read.