'No More Buying Books Until I've Read the Ones I've Already Bought' Thread

Bubblesmum

carbootcrazy wrote: »

Your holiday destination sounds wonderful, Bubblesmum:j

Is the BBC top 100 list the same shortlist for the BBC Big Read that they ran in 2003 or have they published an updated one?

During the original one in 2003 I managed to read 80 out of the 100, some being rereads of long-forgotten childhood books. Was quite pleased with myself and found some unexpected delights among the 'new' ones. My favourite, which I'm ashamed to say I'd never heard of until the list came out:o, was John Irving's Prayer for Owen Meany.

The few I didn't get round to were some of the big Russian novels (lack of time)and the sci-fi/fantasy ones. Must try to put that right maybe, although fantasy doesn't appeal.

It's the 2003 Big Read list.... I'm most impressed 80.... We've got a lot on our shelves either I own but hasn't read or were bought by OH prior to marriage.

Great Expectations is on my in the next 5 reads list !

[Deleted User]

There were lots of books on that list that I would never have thought of reading normally but it was a bit of a challenge to myself to read as many as I could. There was quite a long time between the shortlist of 100 being announced and the final judging and some of the books were very short anyway so I wasn't reading 24/7:rotfl:. It was lovely to reread, as an adult, the old childhood favourites too:T

Just didn't get on with Katherine for some reason and never finished it:o. Found a few of them very over-rated but I was surprised that I found The Thorn Birds totally unputdownable. Never even started War and Peace and some other long ones as I ran out of time. I was trying to read them before the results programme and once that was over I just stopped reading anything on the list. I still have it so might get the last few from the library and give them a go.

I wish they'd do it again as I suspect there would be some very different books suggested nowadays.

[Deleted User]

Always on the lookout for inspiration on what to read next I see challenges on sites like Goodreads and just adapt them to my own needs. Don't usually follow them to the letter as I don't buy books unless for a few pence;) and can't always get them from the library.

Was interested in the Ultimate 2015 Reading Challenge which I saw first on Popsugar but is all over Goodreads. Is anyone here doing it? I was interested in one of the discussion threads on there where challengers had listed the books they'd read which fit the criteria. Some of the catagories had me flummoxed:o so it's a help, although a lot of the suggestions are American and a bit obscure so probably not available at my libraries:(.Certainly won't get them all read this year but will keep the checklist to dip into as and when. The challenge looks as if it's meant to be done in order, one book a week during 2015:eek:, but I'm just using it as 'to read when I get the time' list:rotfl: especially as I didn't start on my first one on the list until Easter.

Link to people's lists here:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/2140715-post-your-reading-lists

P.S. I'm thinking of cheating:rotfl: and counting any books I read from the start of the year that fit the challenge requirements even though they weren't read specifically for the challenge at the time (before I even knew about it ). After all, the only person I'm cheating is myself;)

Sundaysgirl

Hi all,

Finished Police by Jo Nesbo - really enjoyable and kept me gripped right through!

Next up is another Nelson DeMille - Word of Honour.

littleDOTS

Hi all, I love this challenge!


I have so many books in this house and often try to set myself a rule....until I see a nice book just sitting there..........for 50p...


I will join in with this too! This will take me ten years!!

blindtoast

carbootcrazy wrote: »

Just to let you know, blindtoast, that I've just collected my ordered copy of To Be A Cat. They didn't have it in at my nearest library but they said they'd get it and send it with the Mobile Library when it came to my village today. I love the library van and the staff on it, it's a godsend to avid readers like me who live so far from a library. Thankfully, although they've cut out some of the van's stopping points, the County Council has seen fit to keep letting it come to our village:j. Not sure how long it will last though as the users seem to get less all the time. Our rates are pretty high and we get so little for them, compared to urban dwellers, so the Mobile Library is a massive bonus when they are closing libraries all over the place.

The copy of the book they sent is brand new,I'm the first borrower, so another bonus IMO:rotfl:

I love the library. I'm lucky where I live that we have so many around. I've never been to a mobile one though - will have to find out where ours goes. Really hope you enjoy the book - I love it when a library book is brand new!

mrs-moneypenny wrote: »

I think I've spent most of the day redoing my goodreads books so sorry to anyone who is friends on there you are going to be getting a lot of updates from me.

Blind toast I hope you enjoy the first phone all from heaven, I thought it was really really good but then I think that about all of Mitch alboms books

Thanks Mrs Moneypenny - I'm looking forward to it. I loved 5 people you meet in heaven and really liked the time keeper too

blindtoast

carbootcrazy wrote: »

Always on the lookout for inspiration on what to read next I see challenges on sites like Goodreads and just adapt them to my own needs. Don't usually follow them to the letter as I don't buy books unless for a few pence;) and can't always get them from the library.

Was interested in the Ultimate 2015 Reading Challenge which I saw first on Popsugar but is all over Goodreads. Is anyone here doing it? I was interested in one of the discussion threads on there where challengers had listed the books they'd read which fit the criteria. Some of the catagories had me flummoxed:o so it's a help, although a lot of the suggestions are American and a bit obscure so probably not available at my libraries:(.Certainly won't get them all read this year but will keep the checklist to dip into as and when. The challenge looks as if it's meant to be done in order, one book a week during 2015:eek:, but I'm just using it as 'to read when I get the time' list:rotfl: especially as I didn't start on my first one on the list until Easter.

Link to people's lists here:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/2140715-post-your-reading-lists

P.S. I'm thinking of cheating:rotfl: and counting any books I read from the start of the year that fit the challenge requirements even though they weren't read specifically for the challenge at the time (before I even knew about it ). After all, the only person I'm cheating is myself;)

Thanks for the link to this Carbootcrazy - its a really interesting idea to have different categories to aim for. I'm not sure there have ever been many books that I've started and haven't finished though. "The end of Mr. Y" is one that springs to mind but that certainly wasn't this year!

[Deleted User]

blindtoast

Finished To Be A Cat last night. I absolutely loved it, thanks so much for the recommendation:T. Now I'm on a cat theme it's got me thinking about Jennie by Paul Gallico that I read as a young teenager and adored at the time. Am planning to see if I can get hold of it again to read as ' a book with non-human characters' for the Goodreads challenge, otherwise I'll count To Be A Cat for that one. Someone also mentioned a newer one,The Cat's Maw, by Brooke Burgess which has had very good reviews.

Goodreads are planning to run their own challenge next year along similar lines to the Popsugar one I linked to earlier but using their own criteria. I think it's been popular with members. They are currently canvassing for suggestions for the different catagories. I love the idea of that sort of challenge as it makes me read books in genres I might not otherwise choose. This year, for instance, one of the catagories is a graphic novel which is something I would never normally consider:o.

Like you, I don't leave many books unfinished but one example is James Joyce's Ulysses which I couldn't make any sense of at all. I think I attempted it at the wrong time of my life so may try again for the 'unfinished' category. Or I might use it for the 'book that scares you' slot. Apparently, it needn't be a 'scary' book as such but can be one that one is scared of reading for some other reason (difficult subject matter etc). I just found the bit of Ulysses that I managed to read totally impenetrable:eek:. It scares me that I'm so thick that I can't get to grips with something that's considered a classic, some even think it's a work of genius:rotfl:

[Deleted User]

Sorry to be monopolising the thread at the moment:o. This will be the last time for a while, I promise;)

Unlike many book-lovers I rarely keep books I read unless they are very special, were gifts or have some sort of sentimental connection. I give them away to friends or charity, and sell at car boot sales or on Amazon. I used to sell good condition paperbacks on GreenMetropolis because they were only going for 1p on Amazon and after Amazon's fees, even accounting for the £2.80 postage allowance I was running at a loss:eek:. I have a lot of debt and am doing all I can to become debt-free so anything I can make is a lifesaver. At least with GM there are no selling fees!

Haven't been on the GreenMetropolis website for ages since the last book I had on there sold months ago and tried to do so last night to list a few books only to see that it has closed down:eek:. Apparently they emailed members but I never received it possibly because I had no books listed at that time. I see some members have started up a similar site so may give it a go. Have any of you had any experience of using it please?

http://news.greenbook.club/2015/05/09/greenbook-club-launch/

kezbabybabe

Hmm, don't think I could manage a challenge similar to that, just reading my unreads is more than enough effort for me!

Though I'm currently stomping home with my Goodreads challenge of reading 52 books this year, being 10 books ahead of myself at this point.