Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion
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Bob's 2024 Buffet Challenge
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My Old & New Classic Challenge.
鉁旓笍12/12 Complete
Unread Group Old School I maybe writing a check I can't cash. Who ever thought of alternates is a genius.
鉁旓笍1. Middlemarch
鉁旓笍2. The Decameron
鉁旓笍3. The Divine Comedy
Unread Group New School
Was given a box set years ago
The Two Towers
The Return of the King
鉁旓笍4. The Lord of the Rings
鉁旓笍5. The Beautiful and Damned
6. Blindness
My Personal Bookshelf Dust Collectors
鉁旓笍7. So Disdained
鉁旓笍8. The Winds of War
鉁旓笍9. Polar Star
10. The House of Secrets
鉁旓笍11. The Third Twin
鉁旓笍12. The Chrysalids
Alternates
A-1. The Key to Rebecca
鉁旓笍础-2. The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
鉁旓笍础-3. Men of Iron
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New School
鉁旓笍1. A Cry of Angels: A Novel - August 2022
Old School
鉁旓笍1. Two Years Before the Mast: A Sailor's Life at Sea - March 2023
Short Story/Novella
鉁旓笍1. The Bridge of San Luis Rey - November 2023
鉁旓笍2. The Grey Woman - July 2023
Quarterly Long Read
鉁旓笍1. The Winds of War - 2022 4th Quarter
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Only one version of the challenge is required.
My Decade Challenge the 1930's
1930- Narcissus and Goldmund
or Vile Bodies
or As I Lay Dying
*1931-The Loving Spirit
1932- Ulysses
or Sunset Song
or Footsteps in the Dark
*1933-God's Little Acre
*1934- Roman Fever and Other Stories
*1935-Death in the Clouds
鉁旓笍*1936- A Gun for Sale
1937- To Have and Have Not
1938- Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
or Scoop
or Nausea
1939- Pale Horse, Pale Rider
or A Traveler in Time
or Tropic of Capricorn
* Books I Have
鉁旓笍Century Challenge
1910-1919 - Sons and Lovers
鉁旓笍1920-1929 - The Bridge of San Luis Rey
鉁旓笍1930-1939 - A Gun for Sale
鉁旓笍1940-1949 - The Razor's Edge
鉁旓笍1950-1959 - The Lord of the Rings
鉁旓笍1960-1969 - The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
鉁旓笍1970-1979 - The Winds of War
鉁旓笍1980-1989 - About Time: 12 Short Stories
鉁旓笍1990-1999 - The Third Twin
鉁旓笍2000-2009 - Lost City
鉁旓笍2010-2019 - A Gentleman in Moscow
鉁旓笍2020-Present - The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
* Books I Have
The Millennium Challenge:
鉁旓笍21st Century - 2016-A Gentleman in Moscow
鉁旓笍20th Century - 1954-The Lord of the Rings
鉁旓笍19th Century - 1871-Middlemarch
18th Century - 1759-The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia
17th Century - 1605- Don Quixote
16th Century - 1593- The Taming of the Shrew
15th Century - 1438 The Book of Margery Kempe by Margery Kempe
鉁旓笍14th Century - 1320 The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
13th Century - 1298 The Travels by Marco Polo
12th Century - 1150 The Life of Merlin by Geoffrey of Monmouth
* Books I Have
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鉁旓笍12/12 Complete
1. 19th Century, Cousin Phillis
2. 20th Century, The Winds of War
3. 21st Century, A Gentleman in Moscow
4. A book originally written in a language other than your own, The Divine Comedy
5. An Author never read before, Eugene O'Neill - Long Day's Journey into Night
6. Diversity Classic, read a book from a religion, culture, country, or race different than yours. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
7. Science Fiction/Fantasy, The Lord of the Rings
8. Action/Adventure, The Tombs
9. Childrens/Young Adult, Men of Iron
10. Nonfiction Memoir/Biography, Two Years Before the Mast
11. Mystery/Thriller, The Third Twin
12. Horror or Humor, Horror-The Grey Woman, Humor-Pigs Is Pigs
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Read 24 short stories. This equates to only two per month for the year. Read them all at once or spread them out; it's up to you.
鉁旓笍24/24 Complete
1. The Bridge of San Luis Rey
2. The Weapon Shop
3. They are made out of meat
4. The Grey Woman
5. The Beauties Group Short Story Mar. '24
6. Mimsy Were The Borogoves
7. The Gentle Spirit Group Short Story Feb. '24
8. Huddling Place
9. Arena
10. *Harrison Bergeron
11. Cousin Phillis
12. Pigs Is Pigs
13. *A Horseman in the Sky
14. First Contact found in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One 1929-1964
15. The Kanaka Surf found in The House of Pride and Other Tales of Hawaii
16. That Only a Mother
17. *To Build a Fire Group Short Story Apr. '24
18. Wants
19. Scanners Live in Vain
20. Mars Is Heaven: Short story
21. An Heiress from Redhorse
22. Her Turn
23. The Mark on the Wall Group Short Story Nov. '22
24. The Signal-Man
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25. *A Jury of Her Peers
26. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
27. The Tattooer - The Short Story Club
28. The Garden of Forking Paths
29. The Little Black Bag
About Time: 12 Short Stories 30-41
30. 鉁揟he Third Level
31. 鉁揑 Love Galesburg in the Springtime
32. 鉁揝uch Interesting Neighbors
33. 鉁揟he Coin Collector
34. 鉁 Of Missing Persons
35. 鉁 Lunch-Hour Magic
36. 鉁揥here the Cluetts Are
37. 鉁揟he Face in the Photo
38. 鉁揑'm Scared
39. 鉁揌ome Alone
40. 鉁 Second Chance
41. 鉁 Hey, Look at Me!
42. Born of Man and Woman found in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One 1929-1964
43. The Leopard Man's Story
44. *The Open Window
45. *The Story of an Hour
46. The Loaded Dog
47. A Psychological Shipwreck
48. Coming Attraction
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49. The Quest for Saint Aquin found in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One 1929-1964
50. Surface Tension
51. *The Nine Billion Names of God
52. It's a Good Life
53. For The Cold Equations
54. A Rose for Ecclesiastes Title Story
55. *The Storm
56. The Last Night of the World
57. *The Monkey's Paw
58. The Decameron, 100 stories
59. *The Star
60. The Real Thing
61. The Eyes
62. Zero Hour
63. Travel By Wire!
64. How We Went to Mars
65. *The Rocking-Horse Winner
66. Retreat from Earth
67. Rescue Party
68. A Cold Greeting
69. Technical Error
70. The Lion of Comarre
71. *Desiree's Baby
72. Beyond the Bayou
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73. At the 'Cadian Ball
74. A&P
75. *Annabelle Lee
76. The Sentinel
77. Chickamauga
78. The Touchstone
79. *The Raven
80. If I Forget Thee, Oh Earth . . .
81. All the Time in the World
82. *The Cask of Amontillado
83. What the Shepherd Saw
84. Death and the Senator
85, The Masque of the Red Death
86. The Gift
87. *The Garden Lodge
88. Hearts and Hands
89. The Swineherd
90. The Shadow
91. Big Two-Hearted River
92. *A Christmas Carol
93. Christmas at Thompson Hall
*Re-reads - read twice or more
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The challenge is to read 12 total books/stories from this year's group poll winners or Buddy Reads, in any combination.
1. The Beauties - Short Story/Novella
2. The Gentle Spirit - Short Story/Novella
3. To Build a Fire - Short Story/Novella
4. Middlemarch - Old School
5. The Garden of Forking Paths - Short Story/Novella
6. The Eyes - Short Story/Novella
7. The God of Small Things - New School
8. What the Shepherd Saw - Short Story/Novella
9. The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress - New School
10. The Masque of the Red Death - Short Story/Novella
11. Big Two-Hearted River - Short Story/Novella
12. A Christmas Carol - Old School
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Seek out at least six (6) authors that you have never previously read, from any genre or era you want.
鉁旓笍6/6 Complete
1. A.E. van Vogt - The Weapon Shop
2. Terry Bisson - They are made out of meat
3. Lewis Padgett - Mimsy Were The Borogoves
4. James McBride - The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
5. Clifford D. Simak - Huddling Place
6. Dante Alighieri - The Divine Comedy
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7. Fredric Brown - Arena
8. Richard Henry Dana Jr. - Two Years Before the Mast
9. Murray Leinster - First Contact
10. Howard Pyle - Men of Iron
11. Grace Paley - Wants
12. Cordwainer Smith - Scanners Live in Vain
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13. Eugene O'Neill - Long Day's Journey into Night
14. Ellis Parker Butler - Pigs Is Pigs
15. Samuel Taylor Coleridge - Rime of the Ancient Mariner
16. Shelby Van Pelt - Remarkably Bright Creatures
17. Jun'ichir艒 Tanizaki - The Tattooer
18. C.M. Kornbluth - The Little Black Bag
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19. Richard Matheson - Born of Man and Woman
20. Henry Lawson - The Loaded Dog
21. Fritz Leiber - Coming Attraction
22. Anthony Boucher - The Quest for Saint Aquin
23. James Blish - Surface Tension
24. Jerome Bixby - It's a Good Life
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25. Tom Godwin - For The Cold Equations
26. Graeme Simsion - The Rosie Project
27. Arundhati Roy - The God of Small Things
28. Marta Molnar - The Secret Life of Sunflowers
29. Rafael Sabatini - Captain Blood
30. Giovanni Boccaccio - The Decameron
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31.
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Locate and list 10 books that most interest you from the year of your choice. The challenge is to read five 5 books from that list. You can use the year of your birth, the birth year of a family member, or friend, or any random year you choose.
/book/popula...
10 Books of Interest for 1956
1. Train to Pakistan
2. The Death of Grass
3. The Chronicles of Narnia 1-7
4. The Seeds of Time
5. Seize the Day
6. The City and the Stars
鉁旓笍7. Long Day's Journey into Night
8. Double Star
9. Miracles on Maple Hill
10. The Witchcraft of Salem Village
11. Dead Man's Folly
12. Diamonds Are Forever
13. The Minority Report
2024 Books Read
1. Long Day's Journey into Night
2.
3.
4.
5.
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Select five different subjects of interest to you and read a fiction book and a non-fiction book about that subject. Total number of books for this challenge is ten.
WWII/Naval
Fiction - The Winds of War
Non-Fiction - World War II at Sea: A Global History
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Select five books from five different centuries, using the same decade for each century you select. They do not have to be consecutive centuries but must be the same decade.
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Select five categories of your choice or use some of these sample categories. Once you make your category selections, link the categories by finding and reading an Old School (1914 or older) and a New School book (1915-1999) that contains some part or is all about your selected categories. It will be more interesting and more varied if you come up with your own categories.
Samples Ideas:
Contains a Trial
Has a Murder
Contains Time Travel
Set in or has Winter involved
Coming of Age
Is About a Fallen Woman
Set on or has The Sea involved
Animals
School
Travel
Life Changing Action
Survival
A book that made you cry
Coming of Age
鉁旓笍Old - Men of Iron
鉁旓笍New -A Cry of Angels: A Novel
Set on or has The Sea involved
鉁旓笍Old - Two Years Before the Mast
鉁旓笍New - Captain Blood
An Error in Judgement - Paying the Ultimate Price
鉁旓笍Old - To Build a Fire
鉁旓笍New - For The Cold Equations
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I'm going to spend at least half of my reading time to catching up on books that in the past were almost exclusive.
My goal this year, to read at least 6, one every other month
8/6 Complete
Continuing ongoing series.
Vince Flynn
Mitch Rapp Series
鉁旓笍Transfer of Power
鉁旓笍The Third Option
鉁旓笍Separation of Power
鉁旓笍Executive Power
Martin Cruz Smith
Arkady Renko Series
鉁旓笍Polar Star
Clive Cussler
NUMA Files
鉁旓笍Lost City
Fargo Adventures
鉁旓笍The Tombs
Dirk Pitt Series
鉁旓笍Clive Cussler's The Devil's Sea
Other Possibilities (view spoiler)
Start New Series ???
Orson Scott Card
Home Coming Saga
The Memory of Earth
The Call of Earth
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Select a book or an author from each of the seven world continents, *Antarctica is optional.
Africa
Asia - The God of Small Things
Australia - On the Beach
Europe - The Razor's Edge
North America - A Cry of Angels: A Novel
South America - The Bridge of San Luis Rey
*Antarctica ?
The Power of One Currently Reading
Train to Pakistan ?
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鉁旓笍= Completed
If I don't count kids' books, poetry, and short stories, I rarely reread. All of the books listed below are, at least for me, wonderful. That said I have only reread two, both will be reread this year.
My Want to reread list.
鉁旓笍1. The Razor's Edge
鉁旓笍2. On the Beach
3. Gone to Soldiers Plan to Read
鉁旓笍4. A Cry of Angels: A Novel
5. Watership Down Plan to Read
6. Lonesome Dove
7. The Power of One Currently Reading
8. Atlas Shrugged
9. Les Mis茅rables
鉁旓笍10. A Christmas Carol
Unplanned but still a reread
鉁旓笍A Gentleman in Moscow, for Marian's Book Club
As of my 91st short story, 16 have been rereads. I won't feel bad if I don't complete this one.
Recently read books worthy of rereading.
The Yearling
Little Big Man
Lamb in His Bosom
Ruth
Tess of the D'Urbervilles
Paradise Lost
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Considered successful by using only 23 letters. There are 4 optional letters marked with an (*), you only need to use one.
A Arena
B The Bridge of San Luis Rey
C A Cry of Angels: A Novel
D The Divine Comedy
E Encounter in the Dawn
F The Fellowship of the Ring
G A Gentleman in Moscow
H Huddling Place
I Inheritance
J A Jury of Her Peers
K The Kanaka Surf
L Long Day's Journey into Night
M The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
N The Nine Billion Names of God
O On the Beach
P Pigs Is Pigs
*Q The Quest for Saint Aquin found in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One 1929-1964
R The Return of the King
S So Disdained
T The Two Towers
U The Ultimate Melody
V Venture to the Moon
W The Winds of War
*X
*Y
*Z Zero Hour
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Considered successful using only 23 letters. There are 4 optional letters marked with an (*), you only need to use one.
A Dante Alighieri
B Terry Bisson
C Samuel Taylor Coleridge
D Fyodor Dostoevsky
E George Eliot
F Jeff Fields
G Elizabeth Gaskell.
H Robert A. Heinlein
I
J W.W. Jacobs
K C.M. Kornbluth
L Murray Leinster
M W. Somerset Maugham
N
O
P Howard Pyle
*Q
R Arundhati Roy
S Nevil Shute
T J.R.R. Tolkien
U John Updike
V Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
W Herman Wouk
*X
*Y
*Z Roger Zelazny
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Enjoy, Bob! Looks like you have a lot to look forward to!! :)
Bob wrote: "Who ever thought of alternates is a genius."Ha! I think all of us who participate in the Old and New Challenge say a thank you to that genius at least once during the year!
I'm eying your 1930's decade challenge--looks great. Have fun, Bob!
You've done a lot of great planning, Bob! I love seeing Middlemarch on your Old and New. I don't think you'll regret it. It's hard to put down. That one is going on my re-read in the future list. Lonesome Dove and The Power of One are others I'd like to re-read also. Unfortunately with Lonesome Dove, I purchased (used) all the other books in the series so I have to get to those first!
What a great list! Do you plan to read The Hobbit along with the Lord of the Rings trilogy (or maybe you've already read that)? I'm reading the Hobbit first and would like to get to the trilogy afterward. I like the way you decided to focus on a few challenges, and set a few others up for fun with minimal expectation/pressure - I may borrow this approach for my own challenges. Here's wishing you a great reading year!
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I know about the mini-series, but I think that knowledge comes from the TV commercial promotions. I can't remember seeing it. Back in the early '80's my marriage was young, my oldest son was young, and my job was physically demanding and took up about 10-12 hours of my day. Not much time for watching TV. I have seen and greatly enjoyed the movie, The Caine Mutiny.
These were my first two experiences with Herman Wouk. When I came across the book, The Caine Mutiny, a New School group read, it was after I had gotten over my foolishness about not reading a book after I had seen the movie it was based on. Since I made that decision there has only been two times that I thought the movie beat the book. The book is almost always better than the movie.
After learning how good a writer Wouk was, I was open to reading more by him. Sometime later I came across two used paperbacks, The Winds of War and War and Remembrance. At the time I did not realize that it would take years before I would finally read The Winds of War. I decided to make it my first read of this new year.
Why did I wait so long? Stupid I guess, it is excellent. There have been a few attempts to make a group read but it has failed every time. I hope it makes the group bookshelf someday. In the meantime, I hope that some might give it a try based on my enthusiasm. It really is worth the time spent.
With the reading I already have planned for the rest of the year I doubt I will get to War and Remembrance before years end. Maybe I will repeat this year and make it my first read of 2025. If it is half as good as Winds, I'll start another year off right.
This is a great way to start the year!!
Woohoo, Bob! Great way to start off your reading year!
Fantastic! It's so true, how often we wait years to get to a book we end up loving!
That's a hefty tome to finish this early in the month, but it does sound pretty wonderful, Bob, and a great start to your reading year!
I鈥檓 so glad to hear you鈥檙e raving about this one, Bob. I own both as well as City Boy and This is My God. I am reading for my mood this year without planning but you鈥檝e really caused me to consider this seriously.
I read Winds of War many years ago 鈥 it was so good !
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Over the past few years, I have been neglecting my much-enjoyed Science Fiction/Fantasy Genre. I plan on correcting that bad habit. Over the years I have added quite a few sci-fi books and short stories to both my bookshelf and my Kindle. This year I have selected several short stories and novels to read hopefully I will correct this oversite.
In addition to the above book, which is very good, I am currently reading The Fellowship of the Ring. I plan to continue non-stop with volume 2 & 3.
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I have been thinking this is the year for a reread of that series.
Good luck on your challenge Bob, and I hope you enjoy the Lord of the Rings. It was nice to revisit the Hobbit last year for a group read.
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Review: /review/show...
I nominated this for the March read. I felt a little guilty reading this before the voting ended. While it is early in the voting. It looks like it will go down in flames again. My advice, if this one is of interest, don't wait.
I'm happy to hear you loved Winds of War, Bob since I have it waiting on Kindle. I kept hoping it would win as a group read too. It's easier to motivate for long books. I loved The Bridge of San Luis Rey too. Congratulations your great start!
I read Winds of War quite a while ago but remember having a great time. Great progress, Bob!
I am going to try to fit in a reread of the Lord of the Rings this year. I reread The Hobbit last year and was delighted to find that I still love it.
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There's nothing wrong with bragging about your reading -- well done!! What were the highlights for you?
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And congratulations on the retirement, not so sure about the bad weather.
Bob wrote: "I know it is wrong to brag and boast on oneself and I will have to buy a new hat to fit my swelled head, but I have had a great month. I usually read 4-6 books per month. This month I read 10, 7 no..."Bob, if you can't brag to us, who can you brag to??!! We love it! You've had a great month :)
And I want to say -- that Buffet challenge is the best!! I can get almost anything to fit in and that makes me feel like I'm really accomplishing something! I don't know who started it for sure, but I think you had a big hand in bringing the Buffet to us. Thank you to you and all the moderators who put all this together. I'm already excited to read, but these challenges and the camaraderie they inject into this group makes it all the better!
And good luck on finding a bigger hat size -- you're going to need it!! ;)
Fabulous progress, Bob!! Toot your horn as loudly as you can!! 馃帀
Congratulations on your retirement, Bob! Great progress on ticking off so many books also!
Ah, this is the life. Congrats to you on retirement, and on time well spent. It's not bragging--it's inspiration for the rest us!
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Wobbly, my reading was truly spectacular, more five star reads than three stars. As great as The Winds of War and The Lord of the Rings are I will give my highest recommendation to A Cry of Angels: A Novel. I first read it in 1977 and still consider it the best ever.
Catching up on Classics (and lots more!)
Books mentioned in this topic
Christmas at Thompson Hall (other topics)A Christmas Carol (other topics)
A Christmas Carol (other topics)
A Christmas Carol (other topics)
Big Two-Hearted River (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Giovanni Boccaccio (other topics)Rafael Sabatini (other topics)
Marta Molnar (other topics)
Arundhati Roy (other topics)
Arundhati Roy (other topics)
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I am planning a different type of meal this year. I am going to be mixing my personal old-style reading, action adventures and mystery thrillers, while still reading the classics I enjoy. I almost never reread. This year I plan to reread quite a few.
My Score Card, 鉁旓笍= Completed/As of June 30th
Challenges I intend to complete,-
鉁旓笍Challenge #1 - New & Old TBR
鉁旓笍Challenge #2 - Second Place or Worse
鉁旓笍Challenge #3 - Decade/
Century/Millennium鉁旓笍Challenge #4 - Members Choice
鉁旓笍Challenge #5 - Short Story
鉁旓笍Challenge #7 - Expand Your Horizon with New Authors
鉁旓笍Challenge #12 - Series Books 鈥 Start, Continue, Complete
鉁旓笍Challenge #14 - Rereading Some do Some don't
Challenges I plan to nibble and sample with a good chance for completion.
鉁旓笍Challenge #6 - Group Reads and/or Buddy Reads
1/5 Challenge #8 - Most Popular 老虎机稳赢方法 Books Listed by Year
6/10 Challenge #11 - Old and New Linked Categories
5/6 + 1 Challenge #13 - Travel the World One Continent at a Time.
Challenges I will keep record of but I'm sure most will not be completed
2/10 Challenge #9 鈥 Fiction/Non-Fiction
0/5 Challenge #10 - The Half a Millennium Challenge with a Sour Lemon Twist of Difficult
鉁旓笍24/26 Challenge #15 - A-Z Title Except X & Y
20/26 Challenge #16 - A-Z Author