Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

20.5 They read:
East of Eden
by John Steinbeck

This is a stunning novel. Primarily taking place in the Salinas valley in California in the 1930s and 40s, it depicts the struggles with identity and the struggles with destiny of Adam Trask, his sons, the Hamilton family, and his friend/servant Lee. The novel is a complex and multi-layered exploration and retelling of the fall of Adam and Eve and the rivalry of Cain and Abel. The biblical stories and the relevant comparisons to their own lives are discussed by the characters. So, there is the layer of the Biblical stories (one included in it's entirety) and the preset-tense story as seen through the eyes of the various Hamiltons, Trasks, and others. The third layer is the seemingly objective, outside narrator that introduces the story as something in the past. This first person narration is present very infrequently, usually at the beginning or end of a section to comment on the story and relates events that are seemingly beyond the time-frame and focus of the main story (eventually revealed to be one of the Hamiltons). It is the astounding interplay of the different layers that lend this novel a to profoundly explore the nature of identity, familial inheritance, predestination, and free-will.

+20 task
+10 combo (10.2-Highly rated, 10.6-Meta-fiction)
+10 review
+5 oldies (pub. 1952)
+5 jumbo (601 pages)

Task Points: 50
Grand Total: 225 points

10.2 Highly-rated
Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
***

I am giving Gardens of the Moon three stars, but I plan on reading further in Steven Erikson's Malazan series. In some ways, this is the result of an average. The first half of the book might barely get a 2 out of me. Once I hit page 300, though, it picked up and started displaying the elements of epic fantasy I love. There is a moral ambiguity that makes this interesting. I enjoy books where it is hard, if not impossible, to point to anyone who is wholly good or wholly bad. Overall, if you can power through the first part and keep in mind that it takes a while for things to start connecting, this is a good book.

+10 Task
+10 Review
+5 Jumbo (666)

Task Total: 25


10.2 Highly-rated
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
****

I will take this moment to again thank my boyfriend for convincing me to read these books. I will even go so far as to forgive him for forgetting to warn me about the spiders, on the basis of believing that he actually did forget their existence.

At the beginning of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, we see Harry back home with the Dursleys, desperately waiting for his vacation to end so he can go back to Hogwart's. He's had a miserable summer and is despondent over the fact that none of his friends have written. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this turns out to be the result of shenanigans. Soon Harry is back with his friends and back at Hogwart's. Naturally, that does not mean all is well with his life. There is, of course, a mystery and dark deeds to unravel.

Another excellent book that I would have loved even more as a child.

+10 Task
+10 Review

Task Total: 20

Post Total: 45

Grand Total: 210

Liz M wrote: "Kate S wrote: "20.2 You Read
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
+20 Task
+5 Combo (10.2-Amy W)..."

+5 combo points for 10.10.

As of post 146, I have your grand total as 300 points."

Good catch! Thanks Liz!

no prob. Still have to write the reviews anyway. gald you liked the ticker. At least it helps me count the books even if it doesn't help me count points! (smile)

Liz M wrote: "20.5 They read:
East of Eden
by John Steinbeck

This is a stunning novel. Primarily taking place in the Salinas valley in California in the 1930s and 40s, it depicts the struggles wit..."

Good use of points!!!

Karen GHHS wrote: "RwS Tasks

10.7 � Rebekah’s Task � Muslim Mind Set

Palestine by Joe Sacco

I was so impressed with Palestine by Joe Sacco takes the reader to the Palestinian refugee c..."

Normally The Apprentice's Masterpiece: A Story of Medieval Spain wouldn't work for 10.7 - Muslim Mindset because of the criteria a)written by a Moslem author, b)set in Moslem country, c)Non-fiction book about Islam..........However, Spain was controlled by the Moslem Moors under a caliph from the 8th to late 15th century, the time frame the book was written so I would count it as a Moslem country during that time.
That being said, why didn't you take any combo points for that task? (like you need them-smile)

10.2 Highly Rated (Miss GP)
Lords and Ladies

This is book 14 of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and I believe the 4th one featuring the witches. Reading Pratchett always makes me feel like a kid again, except the I understand the humor now better than I would have 20 years ago.

I really do like the witches - there are three of them - as I can identify with two of them quite a bit, especially Magrat (minus the whole thinking I have magical powers thing!). In this book, there were a number of romances in the land of Lancre, complete with a bride who had pre-wedding jitters until she found her inner warrior.

My favor line in the book is on a card held by Esme that says, simply, I ATE'NT DEAD.

Task: 10
Review: 10
Combo: 5 (20.5)
Total: 25

Grand total: 25

10.4 Native Reading
Night Flying Woman: An Ojibway Narrative

Whenever I read a book by or about Native Americans I am overwhelmed by the need to go out into nature. I read this while up at my family's cabin over Labor Day weekend, a place with no tv, phone, or Internet, but endless trees and a flowing river.

It is hard not to appreciate the main character's love and respect for her family, which seems to include all aspects of nature. This is a poignant telling of one woman's adjustment to the new white settlers and their encroachment on her life. While she seemed to adjust well, it is also a heart-warming tale of how she was able to retain some very valuable aspects of her heritage.

Task: 10
Review: 10
Total: 20

Grand total: 45

10.6 Fall Freebies
Heartless

This is the fourth book in Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series. After reading the first book I could hardly wait for each subsequent book to arrive and made constant use of Amazon's pre-order option. Now that I have read this book, however, I feel much more patient. My inability to stop reading a series will keep me reading these, but they are starting to hit that point where it seems as though the author is less enthralled by her characters than previously, and starts to churn the book out to free up time to write about something new.

Don't get me wrong, it was still a highly enjoyable read, full of Victorian manners, headstrong characters, neat sciencey things, and a very well-dressed cast. It just also felt forced and a bit pretentious. I found myself missing some of the clumsiness and inexperience expressed by the characters in the first books.

Task: 10
Review: 10
Total: 20

Grand Total: 65

Rebekah wrote: "Karen GHHS wrote: "RwS Tasks

10.7 � Rebekah’s Task � Muslim Mind Set

Palestine by Joe Sacco

I was so impressed with Palestine by Joe Sacco takes the reader to ..."

I didn't take the Combo points for The Apprentice's Masterpiece because it's a YA book and has not been given a lexile score and, under the rules, a YA book has to have a 700+ lexile score to be awarded combo points. I wasn't absolutely sure it would fit your description of the Muslim Mind Set task,but it had so much about the religious divisions of the time, that it seemed to fit. Thanks for clarifying this in case someone else chooses to use it.

Liz M wrote: "In post 147, Karen GHHS wrote:
"Points This Post: 120
Grand Total: 420 ..."

Your previous Grand total was 380, so your grand total, as of post 147, should be 500."

Oops - sheesh, I keep messing up my totals--- thanks, Liz!

Paula wrote: "10.2 Highly Rated (Miss GP)
Lords and Ladies

This is book 14 of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and I believe the 4th one featuring the witches. Reading Pratchett always makes me f..."

You can buy a badge:

10.6 Fall Freebies
Master and Commander

I would just like to start by saying that I tried, I really tried, to like this book. A GR friend has given every book in the series 5 stars, but I couldn't justify more than 2 based on my impressions.

The characters are likable enough, but it seemed that the whole book was a series of naval battles, with a few society dinners mixed in to give the reader their land legs back. Perhaps what lost me was the naval language, which requires the use of a dictionary to get through. It is quite like its own language. I did leave the book, however, with sentimental thoughts for the Sophie.

Task: 10
Review: 10
Total: 20

Grand Total: 85

Denae wrote: "Paula wrote: "10.2 Highly Rated (Miss GP)
Lords and Ladies

This is book 14 of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and I believe the 4th one featuring the witches. Reading Pratchett alw..."

That is awesome! I want the one that says "Ook, " because really, sometimes that says it all!

Paula wrote: "Denae wrote: "Paula wrote: "10.2 Highly Rated (Miss GP)
Lords and Ladies

This is book 14 of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and I believe the 4th one featuring the witches. Reading..."

I've decided I need the Death with a kitten tshirt. There's an awesome Greebo one too.

10.7 Muslem Mind-set
Rubaiyat Of Omar Khayyam, And Salaman And Absal

A series of quatrains written by a Persian astronomer poet in the 12th century and resurrected by a 19th century English recluse - it is a great pairing and a book worth reading over and over. This was my first reading, and as it was a quick read, when I got to the end, I immediately flipped back to page 1 to start again.

The quatrains are best, in my opinion, read in order, to get a sense of the flow and feel. There are also numerous quatrains that can be read individually and still have much value. The general sense I had was to enjoy today, realize the positive it has to offer, stop to smell the roses, drink the wine, and enjoy the song, for tomorrow is not a guarantee.

Highly recommended.

Task: 10
Review: 10
Oldies: 25 (written in in the daly 12th century)
Translation: 10
Total: 55

Grand Total: 140

10.8 Seasons Change (#47 on the Literature of Social Change list)
The Handmaid's Tale

This is one of those books that you read in one big gulp then come up for air thinking, "None of that happened, right? Right?" along the lines of 1984, Atwood's book explores an alternative version of our world, with the feeling of some political Big Brother machine that has instituted a new social world order. Alarming in its possibility, devastating in its relegation of women into very specific and inflexible roles, it leaves the reader thankful that they don't live in such a world, and very motivated to make sure they never do.

Recommended to me by one of my grandmothers, this is a book that I would, in turn recommend to anyone, particularly those who seem at all complacent. Trust me, things may be bad, but hopefully they never get like this.

Task: 10
Review: 10
Combo: 10.2 (Rebekah and several others), 10.3, 15.4, 20.8: 20
Total: 40

Grand Total: 185

10.9 15th century
The Outlaw's Tale (set in 1434)

This is the third book in Margaret Frazer's Sister Frevisse mystery series. So far they are quick and enjoyable reads, and this one is no exception. It may seem odd that a nun is the primary "detective" who solves murders, but it works for me. Sister Frevisse is very human, is not overly "nunnish" and seems to have a good grasp on basic human behavior.

In this book, Sister F is tasked with procuring a pardon for her outlaw cousin and his band of men, who long to return to their respective lives and homes. Despite everything else going on, I was most fascinated by Master Naylor, who has not always appeared in the best light in these books. Here, his continued devotion and loyalty to the nuns was very heart-warming. He was like a mother hen who just wanted to gather all his chicks into safety.

Task: 10
Review: 10
Total: 20

Grand Total: 205

Edit: I need to correct some scoring - I incorrectly included a BtS task for combo points in message 168. As soon as I get to a computer that allows me to scroll in my posts (my tablet does not) I will correct it.

My correct grand total score, minus other potential errors, should be an even 200.

15.7 Foreign Languages
Njal's Saga

Ok, seriously, this was gruesome.

Task: 15
Age (prior to 1980): 5
Total: 20

15.8 Art
The Lady and the Unicorn

Task: 15

Grand Total : 235

Sorry for all the posts and the bombardment of scoring! I am still getting used to my tablet and was putting off adding these, but started to feel I was pushing my luck with the scorekeeper : D

Please let me know of any errors - I'll try to fix the one I found ASAP.

Task 20.5 - They read

A Shadow in Summer (Long Price Quartet #1) by Daniel Abraham
Review:
This is the first book of a 4-book fantasy series. Despite that, the novel is mostly complete in this one volume, with only one or two relatively minor loose threads hanging to be resolved in later volumes. It's set in a land very reminiscent of pre-industrial East Asia. Magic is rare and hard to access, more in the background, while the focus is on the main characters. There is a nice balance between the character - actions � emotions � interior life and the plot � trade � city customs � politics - conspiracies - somewhat magical happenings. I enjoyed this novel, and I’ve put the next one on my TBR list.

+ 20 Task
+ 05 Style: 1. Combo (5 points) also fits (10.2� Highly-rated - 5* by members: Luculus)
+ 10 Style: 2. Review (10 points):

Task Total: + 20 + 05 + 10 = 35

Grand Total: 215 + 35 = 250

Rebekah wrote: "Liz M wrote: "Rebekah wrote: "Liz M wrote: "Kazza wrote: "However... I'm not quite sure if I understand 'meta-reading' correctly so if you say it is then I'll accept ;)
10.7 --> India isn't on the..."

sorry, sorry, sorry, I think I'll just shut up now ;p

20.1 I read

Vow of Silence by Roxy Harte

This book is a somewhat disappointing conclusion to a series of BDSM erotica books that I found managed to be better than their genre implies. This book is about a secondary character from the earlier five books, rather than about the primary characters of the earlier series.

Written in first-person stream of consciousness, shifting between characters in different chapters, the author manages to give a great deal of information about what each character is thinking and how she or he experiences something. But even with this close up view, the characters were not believable to me and mostly unlikeable as well.

I wish I'd stopped after the fifth book, which I really enjoyed.

+20 Task
+5 Combo (20.5)
+10 Review

Task total: 35

Grand total: 185

20.6 Unreliable narration

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
This is my favorite kind of creepy--the scary parts are from human rather than the supernatural elements as well as from what is guessed at rather than spelled out. The unreliable narration really adds to the atmosphere. I was pulled in and read it one day. It is told first person by Mary Katherine “Merricat� Blackwood. From the outset, it is clear that Merricat is not quite right though much of what has happened is left to guess work. Even at the end, it is clearly Merricat’s interpretation of events that is being presented with the actuality very likely being different. However, Merricat is definitely not the only person with some issues.

+20 Task
+10 Review
+10 Combo (10.2 Highly rated, 20.10 Monster fest (#20 Best Gothic Books))
+5 (Oldies, Pub. 1962)

Task Total=45

15.9 Gym, Health

Ayurveda for Women: A Guide to Vitality and Health by Robert E. Svoboda
+15 task
+5 non-fiction

Task total=20

Grand total= 215

Paula, I know you don't have to write a review for this but just wondered how many stars you gave it. i found you other reviews insightful. I was also told to read Master and Commander. I'm not a big one for the private occupagages either..I'm thinking The Hunt for Red October. Have you ever read Two Years Before the Mast: A Sailor's Life at Sea? It's a classic I had heard Master and Commander favorably compared with.

I haven't read any of those except M&C, unfortunately. I generally like sailor and pirate books, but I think what lost me with M&C was simple terminology. Normally, I've found nautical terms sprinkled lightly in books, but this was a bit like having too much salt in the sauce. I read it as a warm-up to Moby-Dick or, The Whale, which is what I ended up with for task 10.1. Now, about 25% done with MD, I'm finding it very easy going and really funny (even the lengthy chapter about the different kinds of whales!).

Sorry, you just asked for stars, didn't you? *blush*
2, but I might change it to 3.

20.4 We Read

The Prestige by Christopher Priest

Written with a series of diary entries, mostly from the 2 main characters.

+20 Task
+5 Combo (10.2 Deedee and C.Nick both gave it 5 stars)
+5 Combo (20.1 Written in diary, stream of conscious format)

Task Total: 30
Grand Total: 70

I completed 10.2 Highly Rated by reading "Hard Eight" by Janet Evanovich. It was rated 5 stars off of Carey's and Deanna's list.

Task +10
Grand Total: 130

10.2 Highly-rated
The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy
****

The Death of Ivan Ilyich is very different from Anna Karenina, but every bit as beautiful in its own way. It begins with the death of the titular character and the reactions his acquaintances and family had, then jumps back to tell the story of his life from a combination of his point of view and that of an off-screen narrator. We see the way his attitudes, fears, and hopes change as he approaches the inevitable. We begin to see what was real and what was misconception among the thoughts of others presented at the beginning. Overall, Leo Tolstoy presents a disturbing picture of a dying man's thoughts while also preserving hope that all can be well at the end. Naturally, there is a fair amount of social commentary, but in the end this is a book about the lone universal human experience. My only regret is that I did not have the translation by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky.

+10 Task
+10 Review
+10 Translation (Russian)
+10 Oldies (1886)

Task Total: 40


10.1 List Lovers
The Holder of the World by Bharati Mukherjee
****

The Holder of the World is the first book by Bharati Mukherjee I have read, and I am looking forward to reading the others she has on the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list. The degree to which I enjoyed this book is made impressive by the fact that it is a loose re-telling of The Scarlet Letter, a book I utterly loathe. The Holder of the World is a story within a story; that of Beigh Masters and the novel she is writing about Hannah Easton, a 17th century American who ends up in India, the lover, or bibi, of an Indian Raja. The story is compelling and lush. It feels like a plausible recounting by someone who has spent years chasing the life of a person, stringing together their tale by hunting the artifacts they have left, while constantly growing more close to their subject.

+10 Task (book chosen using RNG based on a list previously randomly generated from the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list)
+5 Combo (10.3 Meta-fiction: narrator is writing a novel telling the story of the titular character)
+10 Review

Task Total: 25

Post Total: 65

Grand Total: 275

20.7 The War to End All Wars

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque 5 stars

The edition I read was one with a fine Introduction by one Harry Hansen, who apparently had also served in The War to End All Wars. In it, he quotes Remarque:

I was suffering from rather severe attacks of despondency. In an effort to overcome them I sought quite consciously for the cause of my depression. By this intentional analysis I came back to my life during the war. I was able to observe something quite similar in many friends and acquaintances. The shadow of the war hung over us even when we did not think about it. On the day this thought came to me I began to write without long reflection. This continued for six weeks, every evening after leaving my office. Then the book was done.

The book started to sell, and those who read it started disappearing. But somehow it continued to be published and sold in large numbers. Eventually, though Remarque had to leave the country for his own safety.

I was very moved reading this. My grandfather gave his life in WWI, his body never recovered. Not German, but I think the war - the killing and the comradeship - was the same for everyone.

I will never be a war protester, but I'm no hawk for having read this. Warfare has changed and now we have penicillin. Does that make it better?

+20 Task
+10 Combo (10.2; Dee-Dee; 10.8 Literature of Social Change)
+10 Review
+10 Translated
+10 Oldie (pub 1929)

Task Total = 60

Grand Total = 145

20.8 Liz's Task -- Opera Books

Mary Stuart by Friedrich von Schiller

I'd really like to see a production of this play, or even better, of the opera based on it. I enjoyed reading the portrayal of Elizabeth and Mary, though I don't know how historically accurate it is. According to Wikipedia, the meeting between Mary and Elizabeth so deliciously enacted in this play actually never occurred. I can definitely picture certain actresses really bringing life to the face-off between these characters. I see why the play won seven Tony awards in its most recent (2009) revival on Broadway.

Also, the wonders of the internet revealed this little gem of a story. During one production, an actor enacting a suicide in the play nearly killed himself when a stage knife hadn't been properly dulled. See

+20 Task
+10 LiT (German)
+10 Review
+15 Oldie (pub 1823)

Task total: 55

Grand Total = 240

For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway (10.1 List Lovers, 10.2 Highly Rated)
On 1001 books you must read before you die
+10 Task
+5 Combo
+5 Oldies
=20
A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie (20.3 S/he reads; A: Third-person objective, 10.2 Highly Rated)
+20 Task
+5 Combo
+5 Oldies
=30
Total = 50
Grand Total = 50

Task 15.9 Gym, Health
A Murderous Procession
The main character is a woman from Sicily who was trained to be a dr, then sent to England. As it was during the 12th century, she regularly battles against being thought of as a witch when she heals patients.

Task: 15

Grand Total: 250

Oops, just realized that I can't claim combo points on the list lovers task, so my total is 45 points, not 50.

Grand Total = 45

Caroline wrote: "For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway (10.1 List Lovers, 10.2 Highly Rated)"

Carolyn, glad to see you are participating again! The fall challenge is a little more challenging than the summer, as we are now keeping track of participants' points & updating the readerboard, so it's helpful to have differently structure posts. Please see Elizabeth (Alaska)'s post 184 or Erin's post 181 for the most helpful format for claiming a completed task.

So, are you claiming For Whom the Bell Tolls for 10.1 or 10.2?

And I assume you are claiming A Pocket Full of Rye for 20.3 & then combo points for 10.2?

Thanks!

15.5 History, Gov't, Philosophy, Religion
The Wives of Henry VIII

+15 Task

Grand Total = 265

10.2 Highly Rated
You Know When the Men Are Gone by Siobhan Fallon
Karen GHHS rated 5*
+10 Task

Still Life by Louise Penny
Miss GP rated 5*
+10 Task

20.1 I Read
Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer
+20 Task
+10 Combo (10.2-sara hood; 10.3)

20.5 They Read
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
+20 Task
+5 Combo (10.2-Clara Avin)
+5 Jumbo (545 pages)

The Keep by Jennifer Egan
+20 Task
+5 Combo (10.3)

Post Total: 105
Season Total: 405

Task15.4 � World Literature:
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

+15 Task
+10 Bonus points (A & B)

Task 10.2 � Highly Rated
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

2 stars:
Sorry, Kate Morton, but it was just too painful for me to enjoy.

I love the premise of the story, ie. the discovery of one's past. I love the setting up of the story, ie. a beloved granddaughter continuing her deceased grandmother's wish. I usually loved it when a story alternated between the present and the past but in this case, I knew the past was going to be painful but didn't really know how painful it was going to be until nearly 30% through and it was almost more than I could bear but I wanted to know the ending anyway. If it was a book, I would've just flipped to the last page *gasp* (normally this would be a sacrilige to me) but since I listening to the audio edition, I just 'skim listened' in-the-past part by speeding it up on the ipod.

The dread of what's to come was overshadowing my enjoyment of the book and hence, the 2 stars. It was beautifully written & narrated however due to my absolute lack of ability to like the story, I just can't give it more than 2 stars.

+10 Task
+10 Review

Total this post: 45 points
Total to date: 170 points

Task 15.7 � Foreign Languages
C) Read a non-fiction book, receive 5 bonus points.
I read a book that was translated from the Chinese:

Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother: Stories of Loss and Love by Xinran (translated from Chinese by Nicky Harman )
Xinran was a radio journalist in China. She moved to Great Britain in the 1997, when she was in her 40s. This book focuses on the fate of baby girls in China, including the effects of poverty, the one-child policy, infanticide and foreign adoption.

+ 15 Task
+ 05 A Non-fiction Book

Task Total: + 20

Task 20.4 - We read
The Journal of Professor Abraham Van Helsing by Allen C. Kupfer
The majority of this novel is the 1886 journal of Professor Abraham van Helsing. The first few pages are purported to be written by a character “Allen Kupfer�, wherein he describes how he obtained the journal. The journal is annotated by both “Allen Kupfer� AND by Allen’s grandfather, Daniel Kupfer. I believe this fits the definition of epistolary novel.

+ 20 Task

Task Total: +20

Task 20.1 - I read

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Review:
This was an entertaining and very original fantasy novel. The plot has been cleverly interlinked with creepy vintage photos of children in unusual and impossible positions. The cover is of a girl standing in the forest, her feet about 6 inches off the ground. See:

In the afterwards, the author states that “All the pictures in this book are authentic, vintage found photographs, and with the exception of a few that have undergone minimal postprocessing, they are unaltered.� All the photos are integral to the story (the cover photo included).

The story is told in first person by a teenaged boy from an upper middle class American family. When his beloved grandfather dies (chapter one), our teenaged boy is puzzled by several mysteries surrounding his death. The rest of the novel involves his search to solve those mysteries (and a few others that are added as the novel progresses). The ending left several issues unresolved; and, indeed, Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ states that the author has a sequel coming out in 2012. I’ve already added it to my TBR.

Recommended for fantasy fans who want to read something really different.

+ 20 Task
+ 05 Style: 1. Combo (5 points) (also fits10.2� Highly-rated - 5* by members: Christine)
+ 10 Style: 2. Review (10 points):

Task Total: + 20 + 05 + 10 = 35

Grand Total: 250 +2 0 + 20 + 35 = 325

In Message 191 ---
Kate S wrote: "10.2 Highly Rated
You Know When the Men Are Gone by Siobhan Fallon
Karen GHHS rated 5* .....

20.5 They Read
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
+20 Task
+5 Combo (10.2-Clara Avin)
+5 Jumbo (545 pages) ..."

The Forgotten Garden
+ 5 Combo Points for Sam's task, 20.10. It's #34 on the list of Best Gothic Books of All Time.

These points should also be added to Kazza's score as she's claimed points for this book in message #192.

(I was contemplating reading this book for Sam's Task. Now I'm not so sure given Kazza's review.)

RwS Tasks

I'm going to claim a few without reviews just to get caught up on my posting.

10.3 � Meta-reading

The Invisibles Vol. 1: Say You Want a Revolution by Grant Morrison

+10 Task
Task Points: 10

10.6 � Fall Freebies

By Royal Command by Charlie Higson

+10 Task
Task Points: 10

10.7 � Rebekah’s Task � Muslim Mind Set

Cairo by G. Willow Wilson Muslim Author

+10 Task
Task Points: 10

20.2 � You read

The Portrait by Iain Pears

+20 Task
Task Total: 20

Points This Post: 50
Grand Total: 550

10.8 Seasons Change

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift 1 star

I finished the damned thing! And that's just about the best I can say for it.

I'm not a reader who, having to have a book's meaning explained, thinks shes reading a good book. Perhaps Swift was readily understood in the early 18th Century when this was first published. Or perhaps I'm a bit thick-headed. I read this with a group, and even after we ploughed through some of the satire, it disgusted me. At first I only noticed that Swift didn't like women. (It turns out he didn't like anyone.)

In one part, people needed to be thwacked so they would realize the world was going on around them. Well, since Swift thinks women are witches, and I'm a woman, I'd really like to just pick up my broom and give him a good thwack.

+10 Task (Literature of Social Change)
+ 5 Combo (10.5, John Banville)
+10 Review
+20 Oldie (pub 1726)

Task Total = 45

Grand Total = 190

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "10.8 Seasons Change

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift 1 star

I finished the damned thing! And that's just about the best I can say for it.

I'm not a reader who, havi..."

I felt the same way when I finished this. You're not alone.

Krista wrote: "The Forgotten Garden
+ 5 Combo Points for Sam's task, 20.10. It's #34 on the list of Best Gothic Books of All Time. ..."

Thank you!

Liz M wrote: "Krista wrote: "The Forgotten Garden
+ 5 Combo Points for Sam's task, 20.10. It's #34 on the list of Best Gothic Books of All Time. ..."

Thank you!"

Sure! Thanks for keeping score!! I'm hoping that I'll actually get some points posted this weekend. I've been reading, just not posting points.

Task 20.10 Monsterfest A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Task points 20
+5 jumbo (592pp)
+10 combo (20.5 multiple narrators, 10.2 5* from Rachel)

Task total 35

Total points 230


Task 20.8 Opera The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

Task points 20
+10 Oldie (1898)
+20 Combo (10.2 5* from Rachel, 10.5 Dean Koontz, 20.6 Unreliable narrator, 20.10 Monsterfest)

Task total 50

Total points 280


Back to School
15.5 Religion The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins

Task points 15
+5 Non-fiction

Task total 20

Total points 300

10.5 Bedtime Stories
Neuromancer by William Gibson (recommend by Eoin Colfer)

This was a strange, hallucinogenic vision of the future as seen from the �80s. This was written to be somewhat disorienting and I think my reading it ~25 years after its publication furthered the effect. Some of his ideas were poorly and shallowly duplicated by movies like The Matrix, so this had a familiar feel. But, Gibson didn’t prophecy small things that are common here in 2011 like cellphones and wireless internet. So, it even though this is very futuristic story it has a vintage feel to it. I can see why this was recommended by a writer. Gibson created a very rich and complex reality just letting the story play itself out and language itself is very rich and textured.

+10 Task
+10 Review
+5 Combo (10.2 Highly Rated)
+5 Oldies (pub. 1984)

Task total=30
Grand total= 245