Bittersweet

Finished December 31
Bittersweet: lessons from my mother`s kitchen by Matt McAllester

This short memoir is written by the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist McAllester about his mother and his relationship with her. His early childhood was happy, full of delicious food, family togetherness and love. But when Matt was around the age of 10, his mother began to decline into mental illness and alcoholism. He felt that she was lost to him for two decades. Then, although her health was still bad, a connection was restored in the last few years before her sudden death.
Despite his experience as a war correspondent, Matt was stricken by her death, and used his journalistic skills to delve into her life, both the happy years and the illness that stole her from him. Part of him wanted to know whether things could have been different, but he also wanted to know more about her as a person and hold onto the happy memories.
By taking her cookbooks, he finds a connection that allows him to honour her memory and move forward with his own life.
An open and touching look at mental illness and the effect it has on those who love someone with it.

European Reading Challenge 2013

I`m signing up for the second time for the challenge. I`m joining at the Five Star level, but trying to see just how many countries I can cover. 

I thoroughly enjoyed it for 2012, and look forward to hunting down more for 2013.

Here is more information on this challenge:
The gist: The idea is to read books by European authors or books set in European countries (no matter where the author comes from). The books can be anything – novels, short stories, memoirs, travel guides, cookbooks, biography, poetry, or any other genre. You can participate at different levels, but each book must be by a different author and set in a different country – it's supposed to be a tour. (See note about the UK, below)

What counts as "Europe"? For this challenge, we will use the list of 50 sovereign states that fall (at least partially) within the geographic territory of the continent of Europe and/or enjoy membership in international European organizations such as the Council of Europe. This list includes the obvious (the UK, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy), the really huge Russia, the tiny Vatican City, and the mixed bag of Baltic, Balkan, and former Soviet states.

Note: Technically, the United Kingdom is one country that includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.  So one book from any one of these four should count as your one book for that one country. I'm not going to be a stickler about it because challenges should be about fun not about rules. However, when it comes to winning the Jet Setter prize, only one book from one of the UK countries will count.

Here is the list, in alphabetical order: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and Vatican City. 

LEVELS OF PARTICIPATION

Five Star (Deluxe Entourage): Read at least five books by different European authors or books set in different European countries.

Four Star (Honeymooner): Read four qualifying books.

Three Star (Business Traveler): Read three qualifying books.

Two Star (Adventurer): Read two qualifying books.

One Star (Pensione Weekender): Read just one qualifying book.

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Challenge Wrap-up for 2012

This year I did okay on most challenges, but only successfully completed 2.
Here is a summary:

The TBR Pile Book Challenge, I didn't finish, reading 1 in January, 1 in July, 2 in November, and 2 in December, reading only 6 of the 12. I did start one of the books The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, as bedside reading quite some time ago, but am still nowhere near finished it. I picked a whole different bunch of books for the TBR Pile Book Challenge for 2013.

The What's in a Name Challenge, I finished at the wire, taking my time trying to read a book to fit the last category. Here's my wrap-up post.

The European Reading Challenge, I did well on, already meeting the goal when I first heard about it in the spring. I ended up reading books from 14 European countries. Here is my wrap-up.

The Global Reading Challenge, I didn't finish, having trouble as usual with Africa and South America, and surprisingly North America. Here is my wrap-up on that challenge.

The Canadian Book Challenge runs from July to June, and I did great for the 2011-2012 challenge, reading 100 books. So far I am at 12 books for the 2012-2013 challenge.

The Chunkster Reading Challenge I tried for the highest level. The hardest part was, of course the 750+ page books. I read 5 books between 450 and 550 pages, 3 books between 550 and 750 pages, and only 1 book over 750 pages, when the goal was 3. So I only met the requirements of the Plump Primer level, not the Mor-bookly Obese level (8 books with 3 of them over 750) I was aiming for. Here`s my wrap-up post.

The War through the Generations Challenge was World War I for 2012, and I read 6 books, not the 11 I was aiming for. Here is my wrap-up post.

Finally, we have the 1001 Books to Read before you Die Challenge, where my goal was 6-10 books. I only read 3. Here's my wrap-up.

European Reading Challenge Wrap-Up

 I joined this challenge in April, but counted back to January for books that applied. 
 For this challenge, the host uses the list of 50 sovereign states that fall (at least partially) within the geographic territory of the continent of Europe and/or enjoy membership in international European organizations such as the Council of Europe. This list includes the obvious (the UK, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy), the really huge Russia, the tiny Vatican City, and the mixed bag of Baltic, Balkan, and former Soviet states.
I joined at the level of Five Star (to read at least 5 books by different European authors or books set in different European countries).

So here is my final count for the challenge:

1. A Dublin Student Doctor (Ireland)
2. The Midwife of Venice (Italy)
3. I am Half-Sick of Shadows (UK)
4. Trap for Cinderella (France)
5. Redbreast (Norway)
6. The Lucky Child (Greece)
7. An Altered Light (Denmark)
8. Amsterdam Stories (Netherlands)
9. Spies of Warsaw (Poland)
10. The Prisoner of Heaven (Spain)
11. The Expats (Luxembourg)
12. The Summer Book (Finland)
13. Watching the Dark (Estonia)
14. The Honey Locust (Bosnia)

Global Reading Challenge 2012

I entered this challenge again for 2012, and tried for the Expert level, which is 3 titles from different countries for each continent. Made it for 4, didn`t make it for 3.

I read the following, having trouble once again with Africa and South America.

Africa:
1. Chanda's Wars by Allan Stratton (fictional African country)
2.
3.

Europe:
1. A Dublin Student Doctor by Patrick Taylor (Ireland)
2. Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich (Italy)
3. Trap for Cinderella by Sebastien Japrisot (France)

Asia:
1. The Long March Home by Zoe S. Roy (China)
2. Equal of the Sun by Anita Amirrezvani (Iran)
3. The Taliban Cricket Club by Timeri N Murari (Afghanistan)

North America: (can do 3 US states, or include Central America)
1. Beautiful Lie the Dead by Barbara Fradkin (Canada)
2. Betrayal of Trust by J.A. Jance (United States)
3.

Australasia / Oceania (allowed to do different Australian states)
1. The Bungalow by Sarah Jio (Tahiti)
2. The Broken Shore by Peter Temple (Australia - Victoria)
3. Sarah Thornhill by Kate Grenville (Australia - NSW)

South America (can include Central America)
1. Blood of the Wicked by Leighton Gage (Brazil)
2. Perla by Carolina de Robertis (Argentina)
3.

Seventh Continent (can be Antarctica, space, the sea, supernatural, history, the future or whatever alternative setting you want)
1. Come Looking for Me by Cheryl Cooper (the sea)
2. Eyes Like Leaves by Charles de Lint (fictional world)
3. Something Red by Douglas Nicholas (historical fiction)

Chunkster Reading Challenge for 2013

I`m going to keep at this challenge as it motivates me to tackle those bigger books

A chunkster is 450 pages or more of ADULT literature, whether non-fiction or fiction. A chunkster should be a challenge.

Here are the rules:

No audio books. (There are exceptions to this rule.)

No e-books allowed. This was discussed in much detail in the 2011 challenge. The short version: a chunkster isn’t a challenge if you’re reading it on an e-reader. (There are exceptions to this rule.)

Essay, poetry, and short story collections will be allowed. Collections have to be read in their entirety to count. If you’ve needed a reason to finally pick up your copy of The Collected Works Of ____ now is the time.

Books may crossover with other challenges.

Anyone may join. (If you don’t have a blog, just leave a comment on this post with your challenge level and your progress throughout the challenge.) 

You don’t need to list your books ahead of time.

Once you’ve picked a level, that’s it. You’re committed to it!

I`m going for the highest level again (I just keep trying!) of Mor-book-ly Obese. Here are the levels offered. It is the 750 page ones that I need to seek out and tackle.

The Chubby Chunkster – this option is for the readers who want to dabble in large tomes, but really doesn't want to commit to much more than that. FOUR Chunksters is all you need to finish this challenge.

The Plump Primer - this option is for the slightly heavier reader who wants to commit to SIX Chunksters over the next twelve months. 

Do These Books Make my Butt Look Big? - this option is for the reader who can't resist bigger and bigger books and wants to commit to SIX Chunksters from the following categories: 2 books which are between 450 - 550 pages in length; 2 books which are 551 - 750 pages in length; 2 books which are GREATER than 750 pages in length (for ideas, please refer to the book suggestions page for some books which fit into these categories).

Mor-book-ly Obese - This is for the truly out of control chunkster. For this level of challenge you must commit to EIGHT or more Chunksters of which three tomes MUST be 750 pages or more. You know you want to.....go on and give in to your cravings.

Luckily I already have a couple of the long 750+ page ones on the shelf, and I`m moving them forward.

War Through The Generations Challenge for 2012: World War I

For 2012 the war for the War Through the Generations Challenge was World War I.

I set my goal for the Swim level which is 11 or more books. Here's what I read

The Englishman's Daughter by Ben Macintyre
Private Peaceful by Michael Morpugo
Promise Me This by Cathy Gohlke
Shot at Dawn by John Wilson
The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abé
The Wild Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

So, didn`t make the goal despite owning a lot of books that took place around this time period or covered the war in some way. Hopefully will do better in next year`s challenge.

Chunkster Reading Challenge 2012 Wrap-up

I committed to this challenge, choosing the level Mor-bookly Obese, which required me to read 8 chunksters (books over 450 pages), 3 of them more than 750 pages. No audiobooks or ebooks allowed.
I've done the numbers, but not got 3 over the 750 page mark.

Here's what I've read.
1. Lake on the Mountain by Jeffrey Round (479 pages)
2. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare (485 pages)
3. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare (541 pages)
4. Insurgent by Veronica Roth (525 pages)
5. Trust Your Eyes by Linwood Barclay (498 pages)
6. A Room Swept White by Sophie Hannah (593 pages)
7. Citadel by Kate Mosse (685 pages)
8. Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness (581 pages)
9. Darkmans by Nicola Barker (838 pages)

So only one over 750 pages, unfortunately. Better luck next year.

Silas Marner

Finished December 31
Silas Marner: the weaver of Raveloe by George Eliot

This is a classic that I missed, and I had it on my list for the TBR challenge this year. Carried it around in my purse for the last little while, reading in snatches. I think I have an older edition of this packed away, but got this one free at some point and it was handy.
So the book was first published in 1861, but is set in a time earlier in the 1800s. Silas has had a rude awakening about human nature and friendship and moved to Raveloe as a result. He leads a solitary life, concentrating on amassing money for money`s sake, spending little on himself and not interacting with his neighbours. When his fortune is stolen, he is devastated, and appeals to the community in a panic for help. It is this that first gets his neighbours taking an interest in him. When another set of circumstances lead to a small child being orphaned on Silas` doorstep, he finds himself compelled to take her in and make her a loving home. This move brings him further into the community and we see how it is this action that drives the community opinion of him.
The leading family in Raveloe is the Cass family, and while the oldest son Godfrey is a good-natured man, generally well-meaning, the second son Dunstan is one who would sell him own mother, if she wasn`t already dead. Dunstan has drawn Godfrey into an ill-conceived relationship and is now using that as a hold over him. But he is always on the lookout for opportunities for money, and this leads him to criminal actions and bad outcomes.
The action takes place in two time periods, one with the plot threads described above and another sixteen years later, when we see the results of these actions. There is definitely a morality tale aspect to the plot, but the characters are what really bring the book to life. I really enjoyed it.

1001 Books to Read Before You Die Challenge

This challenge came out of the book 1001 Books to Read Before You Die, with various updates.

I didn't do well last year, so set a lower target of 6-10 books for 2012, but didn't meet that either.
I read the following.

1. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

2. The Summer Book by Tove Jansson

3. Silas Marner by George Eliot

I have so many classics on my shelf, I shall have to do better next year.