complete the 999 challenge on librarything.com

Let’s skip the preamble and head straight for the lists, shall I? I think I shall:

Books Finished
1. Whale Song by Cheryl Kaye Tardif from Canadian Fiction
2. Skyscrapers of the Midwest by Joshua Cotter from Comics Trade Paperbacks
3. Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin from Science/Technology
4. Magical Thinking by Augusten Burroughs from Biography/Memoir
5. The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams from Favourite Re-Reads
6. Comic Books And Other Necessities of Life by Mark Evanier from Pop Cultural Studies

Books Started
1. A Brief History of Everything by Ken Wilber from Philosophy
2. The Birth of the Chess Queen by Marilyn Yalom from History

Books Still Working On
1. Legends of the Samurai by Hiroaki Sato
2. Watchmen by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons from Favourite Re-Reads

Favourite of the Month
It’s kind of a cheat, but I think my favourite was Hitchhiker’s Guide. It’s unfair to the other books, I know, since H2G2 was already a favourite of mine, but it’s still a great book. Favourite non-re-read? Either Thinking in Pictures (a little dry, but fascinating) or Comic Books… (Mark Evanier is a thoroughly engaging essayist).

Well, once again I didn’t make seven books, but I did get through two more than I did last month. SO CLOSE. I’m going to put that seven books goal down one more time. Third time’s the charm, right?

Oh, this is a sparse one – Midnight’s Children took up a lot of time, but it was definitely worth the time. I only managed 4 books in 3 categories. Oh – and 4 Bonus Tracks thanks to an Early Reviewer book and some Library Books that were due.

1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak from Authors I’ve Never Read Before
2. Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie from Booker Prize Winners
3. Junky by William S. Burroughs from The Beats
4. Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell from Authors I’ve Never Read Before

Bonus Tracks
1. Britten and Brulightly by Hannah Berry
2. Our Boys: A Perfect Season on the Plains with the Smith Center Redmen by Joe Drape
3. The Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose
4. Powers of Detection by Dana Stabenow

On the upside, this is one heck of a month to pick a favorite from my challenge books. These were all great reads for me. In the end, I have to be in awe of Rushdie even though I know he doesn’t appeal to everyone – it’s still phenomenal work. I still can’t believe everything that was woven together to make that story come together.

I remain optimistic on the challenge, even though it’s looking rough just from a thickness standpoint. At the same time, I just want to see how far I get (and I will finish them off in 2010 if I have to!).

I haven’t really been thinking about 43T since my brother’s wedding, but now I’m getting back into it. And part of that is, I suppose, examining my 999 challenge progress. Let’s find out together.

Books Finished
1. Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin from Biography/Memoir
2. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie from Mystery/Crime Fiction
3. Showcase Presents: House of Mystery, Vol. 1 by various writers & artists
4. The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie from Favourite Re-Reads

Books Started
1. Whale Song by Cheryl Kaye Tardif from Canadian Fiction
2. Watchmen by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons from Favourite Re-Reads

Books Still Working On
1. Legends of the Samurai by Hiroaki Sato

Favourite of the Month
It’s a tough choice, but I think that it’s The Gun Seller, which was even better the second time through. The first time I read it I thought the ending didn’t fit, but this time I thought it flowed a lot better, and was a lot more satisfying. Special mention to And Then There Were None, which was really fun to read, and a page-turner, but after the conclusion I thought it was a little empty. Definitely not a re-read, but still really fun.

I gave myself a mini challenge to get through four books on the list, and I only got through four. Which isn’t great. So I’m going to try it again. I want to try and have seven books in the Books Finished category at the end of October. I just hope the second time through I’m more successful.

I have no idea what kind of rebellion I was on, but I didn’t finish my August start – instead, I just did my own thing in September. I also found September to be one of my slower reading months in a long while. I don’t know if it was the change of the seasons, the ongoing job search or just a general need to slow down…but at least I did remain on the proper track for my Booker Prize Winners by completing two of those books this last month.

I completed 5 books in 3 categories last month with an additional 3 bonus tracks:

1. The Solitaire Mystery by Gaarder Jostein from page 14 of my Catalog
2. The Conservationist by Nadine Gordimer from Booker Prize Winners
3. Possession: A Romance by A. S. Byatt from Booker Prize Winners
4. Master Detective by John Reisinger from True Crime
5. Jack the Ripper by Rick Geary from True Crime

Bonus Tracks:
Big Fish by Daniel Wallace
Night’s Edge by Charlaine Harris
Astro City: The Dark Age Book One: Brothers and Other Strangers by Kurt Busiek

While I didn’t hate anything I read for the challenge, I must admit nothing was really a book I loved. If I had to pick a favorite, I’d go with The Solitaire Mystery because it had a great deal of the Gaardner whimsy and mostly because I really loved Sophie’s World.

Well, I have 28 books to go to finish the challenge – it’s entirely doable in 3 months…but those bonus tracks are all about the house. I will say that I’m starting The Book Thief today, so here’s to hoping October is a better reading month!

Well, August is long past, and as I write this, I honestly don’t know how well I did on my 999 Reading Challenge List. I’m kind of nervous to see, actually; I don’t think I did very well. But let’s find out.

Books Finished
1. The Life & Times of Scrooge McDuck by Don Rosa from Comics Trade Paperbacks
2. Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Omnibus: Volume 1 by Jack Kirby from Comics Trade Paperbacks
3. A Brief History of Infinity by Brian Clegg
4. A Crack In The Edge Of The World by Simon Winchester

Books Started
1. Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin from Biography/Memoir

Books Still Working On
1. Showcase Presents: House of Mystery, Vol. 1 by various writers & artists
2. Legends of the Samurai by Hiroaki Sato

Favourite of the Month
While the ideas in A Brief History of Infinity came close to blowing my mind all over my face at times, and Fourth World Omnibus had some unbelievable moments, I have to say that The Live & Times of Scrooge McDuck was ultimately the best read of the month. Adventure, beautiful art, and a very “human” story. Don’t let the Disney nature of it hold you back.

Well, that wasn’t as bad as I’d thought it would be. I mean, sure, I could have done more, but I finished up four books and started one more, and already in September I’ve started a few more as well. I’m going to read my ASS off in September and hopefully get through seven books from the list. That’s a really terrifying goal to set for myself, but there’s no point in going half-way on this one.

August Summary

Well, I didn’t meet my original goal – closing out three categories – but I did make a valiant effort. A case of Library Roulette gone wrong and a badly sprained ankle with a few pain killers worked against reading a new book every 2-3 days from my lists. But you know what? That’s okay. I do feel like I’m back on target for the challenge as a whole and I can make a lot more progress in September.

I finished 5 books in 3 categories – finishing 1 category and coming to within 1 book of finishing another.

1. The Virgin Suicides from Made into a Movie (finishing the category!)
2. Stardust from Page 14 of my Catalog
3. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time from Young Adult
4. The Subtle Knife from Page 14 of my Catalog
5. A Stranger in the Earth from Page 14 of my Catalog

Book in Progress:

The Solitaire Mystery from Page 14 of my Catalog

Bonus Tracks (where things went slightly off the rails):

1. A Year of Cats and Dogs – for EarlyReviewers
2. 30 Days of Night: Dark Days – Library wanted it back
3. Buddha, Volume 2: The Four Encounters – Library wanted it back
4. Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth – Library wanted it back
5. Not Buying It – and here’s where the Library Roulette really went off the rails…
6. Bloodsucking Fiends – where the Library wanted 20 cents…
7. Valiant – again, the Library asketh (and I oweth 30 cents!)

I have slowed down on the library reserves stuff, but things are looming. Yes, looming. In looking back at the month, I’m still sticking to The Virgin Suicides as my favorite. I have fallen hopelessly in literary love with Jeffrey Eugenides and I can’t wait for new stuff. I have his short story collection on my wish list, but it’s that new novel due in a “few years” that I really want.

(Yes, I know summary has an “a” in it. I’m trying for a pun.)

So I took a few books with me on vacation, and although I didn’t get as much reading in as I wanted to, I still did not too badly.

Books Finished
1. Monkey Business: The Lives & Legends of The Marx Brothers by Simon Louvish from Biography/Memoir
2. The Hunter by Richard Stark from Mystery/Crime Fiction
3. No Coins, Please by Gordon Korman from Favourite Re-Reads
4. Northlanders, Vol. 1: Sven The Returned by Brian Wood and David Gianfelice from Comics Trade Paperbacks

Books Started
1. Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Omnibus: Volume 1 by Jack Kirby from Comics Trade Paperbacks
2. The Life & Times of Scrooge McDuck by Don Rosa from Comics Trade Paperbacks

Books Still Working On
1. A Brief History of Infinity by Brian Clegg
2. A Crack In The Edge Of The World by Simon Winchester
3. Showcase Presents: House of Mystery, Vol. 1 by various writers & artists
4. Legends of the Samurai by Hiroaki Sato

Favourite of the Month
As good as The Hunter was – and it was very good – I still loved No Coins, Please more. For a book written for kids that I first read in Grade 5, it holds up really well.

I’m really close to finishing some of the “Still Working On” books, and should get through even more in August thanks to The Fringe and a slightly lax work schedule. My biggest problem, though, is that I’m going to be dropping one of the books from Philosophy. I tried reading it over the weekend, but I found out it wasn’t written by David Hume, but rather someone using the pen name of David Hume, and the book wasn’t what I was expecting, I didn’t like where it was going. So I dropped it, and now need to look for another Philosophy book. The hardest category I have just got harder…

Here was my category at the beginning:

1. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (Made into HBO’s True Blod)
2. Essential Fantastic Four, Vol. 1 by Stan Lee (Fantastic Four Movie)
3. From Hell by Alan Moore (From Hell – starring Johnny Depp!)
4. A History of Violence by John Wagner (A History of Violence – with Viggo “Hot Ranger Dude” Mortinson)
5. Belle de Jour (Showtime’s Secret Diary of a Call Girl)
6. The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides (The Virgin Suicides starring Kirstin Dunst)
7. Anonymous Rex by Eric Garcia (A SciFi Channel Movie!)
8. Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay (Showtime’s Dexter)
9. Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay (Showtime’s Dester)

No.7 was on another list at the time – TBR too long (I was going to double-dip a few books across categories at first and then decided I didn’t want to do that). I moved The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman into it’s place from my YA list so I could put another YA book on that list.

In terms of “best,” that’s always a loaded question with Made Into a Movie/TV Show. First, there are the questions of good adaptations -

From Hell & The Virgin Suicides had their stories largely held in place (there were still changes), but these were the strongest adaptations. There were huge portions you recognized right on screen.

Dexter, True Blood and A History of Violence, while adapted had major changes. At the same time, the adaptations have become very good things on their own. In the case of a History of Violence, a straight adaptation would have been impossible. At the same time, you recognize some scenes on screen, but you definitely know most of things are being constructed from whole cloth.

The Golden Compass had major elements, but also had major changes that I’d consider nearly unacceptable. In some cases, the changes were necessary (philosophy does not translate well), but in others it was just done to push a sequel forward. A sequel that was already written – so some studio guy had obviously put in his 2 cents. And didn’t worry he was changing a major plot element.

In the case of the Fantastic Four and Belle de Jour, I’ll tell you that there were characters that had the same name. Some events may have had some similarity to the film events. Outside of that, these are the ones where I wonder why they even bother with source material. Sure, with Fantastic Four, I realize they want the comic crowd (and that’s a whole different kind of hot mess), but with a book like Belle de Jour, I wonder what the point even is. Why not write a series about a hooker instead? I guess the “based on a true story” must help – even though it bares no resemblance.

As far as books go, Jeffrey Eugenides wins hands-down. He’s a new favorite. Beautiful book.

After getting the library books under control, I did much better. I even managed to get caught up on Early Reviewer books in there as well. It felt like a lazy reading month, but that was okay. I still did better this month on 999 books than last.

I read 6 books in 4 categories, which doesn’t quite catch me up to where I need to be for finishing at the end of the year (I should be at 47-48 books). Last month, I was behind 4 books as well – so either I made up ground by 1 book or I held steady. Of course, this is assuming I never break down and count bonus tracks towards completing the challenge.

1. Chained by Lauren Henderson from TBR Too Long
2. Fake: Forgery, Lies, & eBay by Kenneth Walton from True Crime
3. Forensic Detective by Robert Mann from True Crime
4. Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire from Page 14
5. From Hell by Alan Moore from Made into a Movie/TV Show
6. On Writing by Stephen King from TBR Too Long

Bonus Tracks:
1. Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry
2. David Boring by Daniel Clowes
3. Blankets by Craig Thompson
4. The Complete Crumb Comics, Vol. 15 by Robert Crumb

In the challenge, my favorite book was On Writing by Stephen King. As I’d said in my formal review, it pretty much is the “Eat Less, Exercise More” (Write A Lot and Read A Lot) advice of writing, but that’s what should be said. The rest is a very honest memoir of his time as a writer and what shaped him.

On the non-999 front, Blankets fully deserves all of the praise that Craig Thompson has gotten. A 600-page graphic novel describing a high-school romance could become sentimental crap in 3 pages, but he manages an amazing story.

I really tried to focus on reading books from my list this month, and I did make some progress. Well, at least more progress than last month. Let’s see how I did.

Books Finished
1. World War Hulk: Renegades (Incredible Hercules) by Greg Pak, Jeff Parker, Gary Frank, and Leonard Kirk from Comics Trade Paperbacks
2. The Pig That Wants To Be Eaten by Julian Baggini from Philosophy
3. The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived by Allan Lazar, Dan Karlan, and Jeremy Salter from Pop Cultural Studies
4. The Glass Key by Dashiell Hammett from Mystery/Crime Fiction

Books Started
1. Legends of the Samurai by Hiroaki Sato from History

Books Still Working On
1. Monkey Business: The Lives & Legends of The Marx Brothers by Simon Louvish
2. A Brief History of Infinity by Brian Clegg
3. A Crack In The Edge Of The World by Simon Winchester
4. Showcase Presents: House of Mystery, Vol. 1 by various writers & artists

Favourite of the Month
Definitely The Glass Key. Just a classic novel about crime, politics, and murder, and a bit of an interesting mystery too. I am having a really hard time putting my finger on whether my favourite classic crime writer is Hammett or Chandler. Then again, does it matter?

I read quite a few other books that weren’t on my list, but I think that the progress on this list went pretty well. I read bits and pieces of my “Still Working On” books, too, but not enough to finish them. My new goal for this week is to get the first three books off the “Still Working On” list as well as a few new ones to boot. Setting goals monthly seems to work for me. Plus I’ll be leaving on vacation at the end of the month, so I might have a bit more free time to read, too.