State of the Blog: Part Three, the Challenges

This is my very last State of the Blog post.  I used these quarterly blog assessment posts to keep track of the progress I've made on my various lists -- Prize Winners and Must Reads, Favorite Authors, and Challenges.  They have been useful for me because they make me update my lists, but they are not interesting.

My final set of State of the Blog posts wrapped up my 2012 reading.  I'll think of some other way to stay organized and keep my lists updated. 

This third part deals with the challenges I joined in 2012.  Part One, here, addressed my lists of Prize Winners and Must Reads.  Part Two, here, looked at my Favorite Author lists.

Not all of my 2012 challenges are finished yet because a couple of them don't end until the end of this month.

First, the three challenges I am hosting here at Rose City Reader:
 

EUROPEAN READING CHALLENGE
(finished)

TO SIGN UP FOR THE 2013 EUROPEAN READING CHALLENGE, CLICK HERE OR ON THE BUTTON AT THE TOP OF THE RIGHT COLUMN

• High Stakes by Dick Francis (UK; reviewed here)
• Serenissima by Erica Jong (Italy; reviewed here) 
• People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (Bosnia; reviewed here)
• Vie De France: Sharing Food, Friendship and a Kitchen in the Loire Valley by James Haller (France; reviewed here)
  
• Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson (Norway; not reviewed) 

BATTLE OF THE PRIZES, AMERICAN VERSION

(finished)

• Tinkers by Paul Harding (Pulitzer; reviewed here)
• A Bell for Adano by John Hersey (Pulitzer; reviewed here) 
• The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner (National; reviewed here)
• Mr. Sammler's Planet by Saul Bellow (National; reviewed here)

BATTLE OF THE PRIZES, BRITISH VERSION 

(still going on)

This is one of the challenges that ends on January 31.  I have one book to go, and am about halfway through my second James Tait Black Memorial Prize winner, The Prestige by Christopher Priest.

• The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson (Booker; reviewed here); 
• Oscar and Lucindaby Peter Carey (Booker; reviewed here); and
• The Honourable Schoolboy by John le Carré (Black; reviewed here)

Second, the challenges I've joined:

AUDIO BOOK CHALLENGE

(finished)

• The Coffee Trader by David Liss   
• High Stakes by Dick Francis (reviewed here) 
• The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (reviewed here) 
• Dracula by Bram Stoker (reviewed here) 
• My Grandfather's Son by Clarence Thomas 
• Shroud for a Nightingale by P. D. James
• Blood Sport  by Dick Francis (reviewed here) 
• Mysteries of the Middle Ages: The Rise of Feminism, Science, and Art from the Cults of Catholic Europe by Thomas Cahill  (reviewed here)
• Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie  
• Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie 
• What's So Great About Christianity by Dinesh D'Souza 
• The Black Tower by P. D. James 
• Driving Force by Dick Francis 
• The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie  
• Tinkers by Paul Harding (reviewed here) 
• Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope (reviewed here) 
• Dressed for Death by Donna Leon  
• The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson (Booker winner; reviewed here)  
• Comfort Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table by Ruth Reichl (reviewed here)  
• Christine Falls by Benjamin Black
• Other People's Children by Joanne Trollope
  
• Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships by Daniel Goleman 
  
• Spies of the Balkans by Alan Furst 
• The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson 
• Trespass by Rose Tremain
• The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner (reviewed here) 
• Starvation Lake by Bryan Gruley 
• The Silver Swan by Ben Black 
• The Edge by Dick Francis 
• Writing Places: The Life Journey of a Writer and Teacher by Howard Zinsser 
• The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly 
• Brother and Sister by Joanna Trollope 
• Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil by Tom Mueller, reviewed here) 
  
• The Man with the Golden Arm by Nelson Algren (National winner; reviewed here)
  
• Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler
• Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883 by Simon Winchester 
• Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak (reviewed here) 
• Death of an Expert Witness by P. D. James 
• The Honourable Schoolboy by John Le Carré (reviewed here)
• A Personal Odyssey by Thomas Sowell 
• The Children of Men by P. D. James 
• About Face by Donna Leon
   

BACK TO THE CLASSICS and the CLASSICS CHALLENGES

(incomplete)

I finished six of the nine books for the Back to the Classics Challenge and didn't participate at all, other than as a reader of other people's posts, in the Classics Challenge.

• The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain (19th Century; reviewed here)
• Dracula by Bram Stoker (horror; reviewed here)
• A Bell for Adano by John Hersey (award winner -- Pulitzer; reviewed here)
• The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (re-read)
• Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak (romance; reviewed here)
• Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré (20th Century; reviewed here)

BIRTH YEAR READING CHALLENGE   
(finished, lamely)

• The Comedians by Graham Greene (reviewed here)

BOOKS PUBLISHED IN THE FIRST YEARS OF MY LIFE CHALLENGE

(incomplete)

I signed up to read three books and only read two. 

• The Comedians by Graham Green (reviewed here); and
• May We Borrow Your Husband by Graham Greene (reviewed here)

CHUNKSTER and TEA & BOOKS CHALLENGES

(still going on and incomplete)

The Chunkster Challenge doesn't end until the end of this month.  I will finish Personal History by Katharine Graham this week, so will complete this challenge. I fell short of finishing the Tea & Books Challenge by one book.

• World Without End by Ken Follett (1,024 pages); reviewed here; 
• The Gate House by Nelson DeMille (800 pages), reviewed here;  
• Witness by Whittaker Chambers (802 pages), reviewed here; 
• The Book and the Brotherhood by Iris Murdoch (624 pages), reviewed here; 
• Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey (511 pages), reviewed here;  
• Glittering Images by Susan Howatch (462 pages), reviewed here;

EASTERN EUROPE READING CHALLENGE

(incomplete)

I signed up to read four books and only read two.   

• People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (Bosnia; reviewed here); and
• Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak (Russia; reviewed here)

FOODIE'S READING CHALLENGE   
(finished)

• Comfort Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table by Ruth Reichl (reviewed here);
• Vie de France: Sharing Food, Friendship, and a Kitchen in the Loire Valley by James Haller (reviewed here);
• On the Town in New York: The Landmark History of Eating, Drinking, and Entertainments from the American Revolution to the Food Revolution by Michael and Ariane Batterberry (reviewed here);
• Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil by Tom Mueller (reviewed here);
• Monsieur Pamplemousse Investigates by Michael Bond (reviewed here)

GRAHAM GREENE READING CHALLENGE

(finished) 

• The Comedians by Graham Green (reviewed here); and  
• May We Borrow Your Husband by Graham Greene (reviewed here)

HENRY GREEN WEEK 
(finished)

•  Living (reviewed here)

I LOVE ITALY READING CHALLENGE
(finished) 

• Serenissima by Erica Jong (reviewed here) 
• The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain (reviewed here)
• A Bell for Adano by John Hersey (reviewed here) 
• Dressed for Death by Donna Leon (an extra; not reviewed) 

MEMORABLE MEMOIRS CHALLENGE   
(finished)

• My Grandfather's Son by Clarence Thomas 
• Comfort Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table by Ruth Reichl (reviewed here)
• Vie de France: Sharing Food, Friendship, and a Kitchen in the Loire Valley by James Haller (reviewed here)
• Greene on Capri: A Memoir by Shirley Hazzard  (reviewed here)
• Writing Places: The Life Journey of a Writer and Teacher by Howard Zinsser
• Witness by Whittaker Chambers (reviewed here) 
• A Personal Odyssey by Thomas Sowell
• Lift by Kelly Corrigan

MT. TBR, OFF THE SHELF, and the TBR PILE CHALLENGES
(finished, finished, and incomplete)

• The Mandelbaum Gate by Muriel Spark (reviewed here)
• Sacred Hunger by Barry Unsworth (reviewed here)
• A Case of Need by Michael Crichton
• Living by Henry Green (reviewed here)
• Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré (reviewed here)
• Mysteries of the Middle Ages: The Rise of Feminism, Science, and Art from the Cults of Catholic Europe. by Thomas Cahill (reviewed here)
• The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain (reviewed here)
• Serenissima by Erica Jong (reviewed here)
• People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (reviewed here)
• A Bell for Adano by John Hersey (reviewed here) 
• Murder in Belleville by Cara Black (reviewed here)
• World Without End by Ken Follett (reviewed here)   
• The World of Herb Caen by  Barnaby Conrad (reviewed here) 
• The Black Book by Ian Rankin (reviewed here) 
• A Month of Sundays by John Updike (reviewed here) 
• Vie de France by James Haller (reviewed here) 
• The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson (Booker winner; reviewed here)
• On the Town in New York: The Landmark History of Eating, Drinking, and Entertainments from the American Revolution to the Food Revolution by Michael and Ariane Batterberry (reviewed here) 
• A Time of Hope by C. P. Snow (reviewed here) 
• Home Truths by David Lodge (reviewed here) 
• Glittering Images by Susan Howatch (reviewed here) 
• Christine Falls by Benjamin Black  
  
• Trespass by Rose Tremain
• Greene on Capri: A Memoir by Shirley Hazzard 
• Paradise Postponed by John Mortimer, reviewed here; 
• The Gate House by Nelson DeMille, reviewed here; 
• Witness by Whittaker Chambers, reviewed here; 
• Mr. Sammler's Planet by Saul Bellow, reviewed here; 
• Swan Peak by James Lee Burke, reviewed here; 
• The Comedians by Graham Greene
• How To Read and Why by Harold Bloom, reviewed here; 
• Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley; 
• The Folks That Live on the Hill by Kingsley Amis; 
• Death at the Bar by Ngaio Marsh, reviewed here;  
• Venetian Mask by Mickey Friedman;  
• The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L. Sayers; 
• Monsieur Pamplemousse Investigates by Michael Bond, reviewed here;  
• Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler
• Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey, reviewed here;  
• The General's Daughter by Nelson DeMille; 
• Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak, reviewed here; 
• The Honourable Schoolboy by John  le Carré, reviewed here;  
• Death at the President's Lodging by Michael Innes; 
• May We Borrow Your Husband? by Graham Greene, reviewed here; 
• The Book and the Brotherhood by Iris Murdoch, reviewed here;  
• Lift by Kelly Corrigan;   
• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle; 
• Friends and Lovers by Helen MacInnes; and 
• See's Famous Old Time Candies: A Sweet Story by Margaret Moos Pick
   

NON-FICTION, NON-MEMOIRS CHALLENGE
(finished)

• Mysteries of the Middle Ages: The Rise of Feminism, Science, and Art from the Cults of Catholic Europe by Thomas Cahill  (reviewed here)
• The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain (reviewed here)
• What's So Great About Christianity by Dinesh D'Souza  
• The World of Herb Caen by  Barnaby Conrad (reviewed here)
• On the Town in New York: The Landmark History of Eating, Drinking, and Entertainments from the American Revolution to the Food Revolution by Michael and Ariane Batterberry, (reviewed here) 
• Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships by Daniel Goleman;
• Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil by Tom Mueller, (reviewed here);
• How To Read and Why by Harold Bloom (reviewed here);
• Evolutionaries: Transformational Leadership: The Missing Link in Your Organizational Chart, by business strategists Randy Harrington and Carmen E Voillequé (reviewed here) 
  
• Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life One Conversation at a Time by Susan Scott; 
• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni.

SOUTHERN LITERATURE READING CHALLENGE

 (incomplete)

• The General's Daughter by Nelson DeMille (not reviewed)

VENICE IN FEBRUARY CHALLENGE 
(finished)

• Serenissima by Erica Jong (reviewed here; and
• Dressed for Death by Donna Leon (third in her Commissario Guido Brunetti series)

VINTAGE MYSTERY CHALLENGE
(incomplete)

I signed up to read eight vintage mysteries by female authors and eight by male authors, but fell short in both categories. 

• Dracula by Bram Stoker (reviewed here);
• The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (reviewed here);
• Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie;
• The Rubber Band by Rex Stout (reviewed here);
• The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie;  
• Death at the Bar by Ngaio Marsh (reviewed here);
  
• The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L. Sayers; and
• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

WHAT'S IN A NAME CHALLENGE
(incomplete)

I fell one short because I didn't get to a book in the Creepy Crawly category. 

• People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (reviewed here);
• Home Truths by David Lodge (reviewed here);
• A Month of Sundays by John Updike (reviewed here);
• Mr. Sammler's Planet by Saul Bellow (reviewed here);
• Swan Peak by James Lee Burke (reviewed here);

State of the Blog: Part Two, the Authors

This is my last round of State of the Blog posts.  I've used these quarterly blog assessment posts to keep track of the progress I've made on my various lists -- Prize Winners and Must Reads, Favorite Authors, and Challenges.  They have been useful for me because they make me update my lists, but they are not particularly interesting posts.

This final set of State of the Blog posts will wrap up my 2012 reading.  Then I will think of some other way to stay organized and keep my lists updated. 

This second part looks at my Favorite Author lists.  Part One, here, addressed my lists of Prize Winners and Must Reads.  Part Three will deal with the challenges I joined in 2012.


I only listed a Favorite Author below if I read one of his or her books in 2012.

In 2012, I read the 25 books by my favorite authors. 

GENERAL FAVORITES

Kingsley Amis

• The Folks That Live on the Hill
  

Saul Bellow 

•  Mr. Sammler's Planet (National winner; reviewed here)

 Susan Howatch

• Glittering Images  (reviewed here)

David Lodge

• Home Truths (reviewed here) 

Iris Murdoch

• The Book & the Brotherhood by Iris Murdoch (reviewed here)

C. P. Snow

• A Time of Hope (reviewed here)

 Anne Tyler

•  Back When We Were Grownups

John Updike

• A Month of Sundays by John Updike (reviewed here)

Simon Winchester

• Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883 

P. G. Wodehouse

• The Pothunters (reviewed here)
• Ring for Jeeves

MYSTERY FAVORITES

Cara Black

• Murder in Belleville (reviewed here)

James Lee Burke

• Swan Peak (reviewed here)

Dick Francis

• High Stakes  (reviewed here)
• Blood Sport
• Driving Force 
• The Edge

P. D. James

• Shroud for a Nightingale 
• The Black Tower
• The Children of Men 

Donna Leon

• Dressed for Death 
• About Face  

Helen MacInnes

•  Friends and Lovers

Ian Rankin

• The Black Book

Dorothy L. Sayers 

• The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club (reviewed here)

State of the Blog: Part One, the Lists

One of my blog New Year's resolutions is to abandon a couple of my routine posts and concentrate more on reviews. The biggest "tradition" I am going to give up are these State of the Blog posts.  I've used these quarterly blog assessment posts to keep track of the progress I've made on my various lists -- Prize Winners and Must Reads, Favorite Authors, and Challenges.  They have been useful for me because they make me update my lists, but they are not particularly interesting posts.


So I am going to do one final set of State of the Blog posts to wrap up my 2012 reading.  Then I will think of some other way to stay organized and keep my lists updated. 

This first part addresses the book lists. Part Two, coming soon, will take a look at the author lists.  Part Three will deal with the challenges I joined in 2012.

My book lists are over in the right-side column. These are divided between Prize Winners and Must Reads and include lists of books I have read or intend to read for some reason or another. Also in the right-side column are lists of my favorite authors. I add to these lists of lists from time to time.

I only listed a list below if I read a book from it in 2012.


NOTE: If you are working on any of these lists, please leave a comment here or on the post for the list (click on the title below or in the right-hand column) and leave a link to any related post. I will add the links on the list post. 

THE PRIZE WINNERS

EDGAR AWARD

Books read in 2012: A Case of Need by Micheal Crichton (as Jeffery Hudson)

JAMES TAIT BLACK MEMORIAL PRIZE

Books read in 2012:  

• The Mandelbaum Gate by Muriel Spark (reviewed here; read for my 2011 Battle of the Prizes, British Version); and
• The Honourable Schoolboy by John le Carré (reviewed here; read for the 2012 Battle of the Prizes, British Version).

MAN BOOKER PRIZE

Books read in 2012 (both for the 2012 Battle of the Prizes, British Version):

• The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson (reviewed here); and
• Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey (reviewed here). 

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD

Books read in 2012: three (two for for the 2012 Battle of the Prizes, American Version):

• The Spectator Bird, by Wallace Stegner (reviewed here);
• Mr. Sammler's Planet by Saul Bellow (reviewed here); and
• The Man With the Golden Arm by Nelson Algren (reviewed here)

NOBEL LAUREATES

Books read in 2012: two

• Mr. Sammler's Planet by Saul Bellow (reviewed here); and
• Doctor Zhivagoby Boris Pasternak (reviewed here)

ORANGE PRIZE

Books read in 2012: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun

PULITZER PRIZE

Books read in 2012: two, both for for the 2012 Battle of the Prizes, American Version

• A Bell for Adano by John Hersey (reviewed here); and
• Tinkers by Paul Harding (reviewed here)

THE "MUST READS"

ANTHONY BURGESS

This list is from 99 Novels: The Best in English Since 1939 by Anthony Burgess, which I reviewed here. 

Books read in 2012: The Mandelbaum Gate by Muriel Spark (reviewed here; read for my 2011 Battle of the Prizes, British Version, challenge).

BOOK CLUB

Books read in 2012: four

• Tinkers by Paul Harding (Pulitzer winner; reviewed here);
• Half of a Yellow Sun; by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie;
• People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (reviewed here); and
• The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman 

COLLEGE BOARD

Books read in 2012: Doctor Zhivagoby Boris Pasternak (reviewed here)

EASTON PRESS

Books read in 2012: three

•  Dracula by Bram Stoker (reviewed here);
• The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Lewis Stevenson (reviewed here); and
  
• Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (not reviewed yet)

ERICA JONG

Books read in 2012: The Children of Men by P.D. James

FRENCH CONNECTION

Books read in 2012: three

• The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain (reviewed here);
• Murder in Belleville by Cara Black (reviewed here); and
• Vie De France: Sharing Food, Friendship and a Kitchen in the Lorie Valle by James Haller (reviewed here) 

NATIONAL REVIEW

Books read in 2012: Witness, Whittaker Chambers (reviewed here)

OBSERVER'S TOP 100

Books read in 2012: two

• Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré (reviewed here); and
• Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey (reviewed here). 

VENICE BOOKS

This is a new list that I just created in 2011. I made more progress in 2012 when I participated in the Venice in February Challenge.

Books read in 2012: four

• The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain (reviewed here);
• Serenissima by Erica Jong (reviewed here); 
• Dressed for Death by Donna Leon; and 
• About Face by Donna Leon.

WELL-STOCKED BOOKCASE

Books read in 2012: one, The Man With the Golden Arm by Nelson Algren (reviewed here)

State of the Blog: Part Three, the Challenges

This is the last of my three quarterly blog assessment posts.  The first part addressed my book lists. Part Two ran through my author lists.  This part deals with the challenges I joined this year.

Four times a year, I take a look at what books I've read to that point and see what kind of progress I've made on my books lists and reading projects.  I do it mostly to force myself to update my lists, not because these are particularly interesting posts.

The list of all the challenges I joined this year is here.  So far, I've completed 8 of the 24, made progress on most of them, and haven't started one.


First, the three challenges I am hosting here at Rose City Reader.  There is still time to sign up! Click on the title to go to the main challenge page.

EUROPEAN READING CHALLENGE
(finished)

• High Stakes by Dick Francis (UK; reviewed here)
• Serenissima by Erica Jong (Italy; reviewed here) 
• People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (Bosnia; reviewed here)
• Vie De France: Sharing Food, Friendship and a Kitchen in the Loire Valley by James Haller (France; reviewed here)
  
• Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson (Norway; not reviewed) 

BATTLE OF THE PRIZES, AMERICAN VERSION

(finished)

• Tinkers by Paul Harding (Pulitzer; reviewed here)
• A Bell for Adano by John Hersey (Pulitzer; reviewed here) 
• The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner (National; reviewed here)
• Mr. Sammler's Planet by Saul Bellow (National; reviewed here)

BATTLE OF THE PRIZES, BRITISH VERSION

• The Finkler Question, by Howard Jacobson (reviewed here)

  Second, the challenges I've joined:

AUDIO BOOK CHALLENGE

I've read a lot of book with my ears -- 35 out of my goal of 40 -- but haven't reviewed very many.

• The Coffee Trader by David Liss   
• High Stakes by Dick Francis (reviewed here) 
• The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (reviewed here) 
• Dracula by Bram Stoker (reviewed here) 
• My Grandfather's Son by Clarence Thomas 
• Shroud for a Nightingale by P. D. James
• Blood Sport  by Dick Francis (reviewed here) 
• Mysteries of the Middle Ages: The Rise of Feminism, Science, and Art from the Cults of Catholic Europe by Thomas Cahill  (reviewed here)
• Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie  
• Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie 
• What's So Great About Christianity by Dinesh D'Souza 
• The Black Tower by P. D. James 
• Driving Force by Dick Francis 
• The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie  
• Tinkers by Paul Harding (reviewed here) 
• Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope (reviewed here) 
• Dressed for Death by Donna Leon  
• The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson (Booker winner; reviewed here)  
• Comfort Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table by Ruth Reichl (reviewed here)  
• Christine Falls by Benjamin Black
• Other People's Children by Joanne Trollope
  
• Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships by Daniel Goleman 
  
• Spies of the Balkans by Alan Furst 
• The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson 
• Trespass by Rose Tremain
• The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner (reviewed here) 
• Starvation Lake by Bryan Gruley 
• The Silver Swan by Ben Black 
• The Edge by Dick Francis 
• Writing Places: The Life Journey of a Writer and Teacher by Howard Zinsser 
• The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly 
• Brother and Sister by Joanna Trollope 
• Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil by Tom Mueller, reviewed here) 
  
• The Man with the Golden Arm by Nelson Algren (National winner) 
• Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler
   

BACK TO THE CLASSICS and the CLASSICS CHALLENGES

• The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain (19th Century; reviewed here)
• Dracula by Bram Stoker (horror; reviewed here)
• A Bell for Adano by John Hersey (award winner -- Pulitzer; reviewed here)
• The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

BIRTH YEAR READING CHALLENGE   
(finished, lamely)

• The Comedians by Graham Greene (not reviewed yet)

BOOKS PUBLISHED IN THE FIRST YEARS OF MY LIFE CHALLENGE

• The Comedians by Graham Greene (not reviewed yet).

CHUNKSTER and TEA & BOOKS CHALLENGES

• World Without End by Ken Follett (1,024 pages); reviewed here; 
• Glittering Images by Susan Howatch (462 pages), reviewed here; 
• The Gate House by Nelson DeMille (800 pages), reviewed here;  
• Witness by Whittaker Chambers (802 pages), reviewed here; 

EASTERN EUROPE READING CHALLENGE

• People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (Bosnia; reviewed here) 

FOODIE'S READING CHALLENGE   
(finished)

• Comfort Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table by Ruth Reichl (reviewed here);
• Vie de France: Sharing Food, Friendship, and a Kitchen in the Loire Valley by James Haller (reviewed here);
• On the Town in New York: The Landmark History of Eating, Drinking, and Entertainments from the American Revolution to the Food Revolution by Michael and Ariane Batterberry (reviewed here);
• Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil by Tom Mueller (reviewed here);
• Monsieur Pamplemousse Investigates by Michael Bond (reviewed here)

GRAHAM GREENE READING CHALLENGE

• The Comedians (not reviewed yet)

HENRY GREEN WEEK 
(finished)

•  Living (reviewed here)

I LOVE ITALY READING CHALLENGE
(finished) 

• Serenissima by Erica Jong (reviewed here) 
• The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain (reviewed here)
• A Bell for Adano by John Hersey (reviewed here) 
• Dressed for Death by Donna Leon (an extra; not reviewed) 

MEMORABLE MEMOIRS CHALLENGE   
(finished)

• My Grandfather's Son by Clarence Thomas 
• Comfort Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table by Ruth Reichl (reviewed here)
• Vie de France: Sharing Food, Friendship, and a Kitchen in the Loire Valley by James Haller (reviewed here)
• Greene on Capri: A Memoir by Shirley Hazzard  (reviewed here)
• Writing Places: The Life Journey of a Writer and Teacher by Howard Zinsser
• Witness by Whittaker Chambers (reviewed here)

MT. TBR, OFF THE SHELF, and the TBR PILE CHALLENGES

• The Mandelbaum Gate by Muriel Spark (reviewed here)
• Sacred Hunger by Barry Unsworth (reviewed here)
• A Case of Need by Michael Crichton
• Living by Henry Green (reviewed here)
• Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré (reviewed here)
• Mysteries of the Middle Ages: The Rise of Feminism, Science, and Art from the Cults of Catholic Europe. by Thomas Cahill (reviewed here)
• The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain (reviewed here)
• Serenissima by Erica Jong (reviewed here)
• People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (reviewed here)
• A Bell for Adano by John Hersey (reviewed here) 
• Murder in Belleville by Cara Black (reviewed here)
• World Without End by Ken Follett (reviewed here)   
• The World of Herb Caen by  Barnaby Conrad (reviewed here) 
• The Black Book by Ian Rankin (reviewed here) 
• A Month of Sundays by John Updike (reviewed here) 
• Vie de France by James Haller (reviewed here) 
• The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson (Booker winner; reviewed here)
• On the Town in New York: The Landmark History of Eating, Drinking, and Entertainments from the American Revolution to the Food Revolution by Michael and Ariane Batterberry (reviewed here) 
• A Time of Hope by C. P. Snow (reviewed here) 
• Home Truths by David Lodge (reviewed here) 
• Glittering Images by Susan Howatch (reviewed here) 
• Christine Falls by Benjamin Black  
  
• Trespass by Rose Tremain
• Greene on Capri: A Memoir by Shirley Hazzard 
• Paradise Postponed by John Mortimer, reviewed here; 
• The Gate House by Nelson DeMille, reviewed here; 
• Witness by Whittaker Chambers, reviewed here; 
• Mr. Sammler's Planet by Saul Bellow, reviewed here; 
• Swan Peak by James Lee Burke, reviewed here; 
• The Comedians by Graham Greene
• How To Read and Why by Harold Bloom; 
• Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley; 
• The Folks That Live on the Hill by Kingsley Amis; 
• Death at the Bar by Ngaio Marsh, reviewed here;  
• Venetian Mask by Mickey Friedman;  
• The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L. Sayers; 
• Monsieur Pamplemousse Investigates by Michael Bond, reviewed here;  
• Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler

NON-FICTION, NON-MEMOIRS CHALLENGE

• Mysteries of the Middle Ages: The Rise of Feminism, Science, and Art from the Cults of Catholic Europe by Thomas Cahill  (reviewed here)
• The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain (19th Century; reviewed here)
• What's So Great About Christianity by Dinesh D'Souza  
• The World of Herb Caen by  Barnaby Conrad (reviewed here)
• On the Town in New York: The Landmark History of Eating, Drinking, and Entertainments from the American Revolution to the Food Revolution by Michael and Ariane Batterberry, (reviewed here) 
• 
  Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships by Daniel Goleman;
• Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil by Tom Mueller, (reviewed here)
• How To Read and Why by Harold Bloom

SOUTHERN LITERATURE READING CHALLENGE

None so far.  This is not looking good!

VENICE IN FEBRUARY CHALLENGE 
(finished)

• Serenissima by Erica Jong (reviewed here)

VINTAGE MYSTERY CHALLENGE

• Dracula by Bram Stoker (reviewed here);
• The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (reviewed here);
• Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie;
• The Rubber Band by Rex Stout (reviewed here);
• The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie;  
• Death at the Bar by Ngaio Marsh (reviewed here);
  
• The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L. Sayers

WHAT'S IN A NAME CHALLENGE

• People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (reviewed here);
• Home Truths by David Lodge (reviewed here);
• A Month of Sundays by John Updike (reviewed here);
• Mr. Sammler's Planet by Saul Bellow (reviewed here);
• Swan Peak by James Lee Burke (reviewed here);