Janet

I must confess to a chuckle! I've just finished The War of the Worlds - I *really* enjoyed it!

I've just finished The War of the Worlds by H G Wells - what a cracking book - and I don't even "do" sci-fi!!

A great idea for a challenge! I've only read five of them... The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway Animal Farm by George Orwell I already have three challenges on the go (one nearly finished) and another one in mind, so I don’t think I’ll attempt this one, but I shall watch your progress with interest and look forward to seeing what you think of each book. Good luck.

Me too! I 'Wikied' Poe after reading some of his short stories a few years ago - a fascinating and somewhat sad life he led, and he was only young when he died (about 40 iirc?) - he did indeed marry his young cousin - just like Jerry Lee Lewis! I guess Poe's marriage must have been legal at that time? (maybe Wiki will answer that question?) but I believe that JLL's marriage was unlawful/illegal due to her young age?

Yes, it's sci-fi - not my normal genre either. I've not finished yet but what I have read so far is excellent! Wow - good luck!

Hurrah - glad it's inspired you - and glad you've enjoyed them. I've yet to read those titles. I'm reading War of the Worlds by H G Wells - it's fab!

Thanks. It was so good that I'd go and see it again!

I haven't seen the film (despite wanting to) but I understand that it's not very true to the book (or at least, they said the ending wasn't right) so it's put me off. I went to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel last night - what a fantastic film! We read the book on which it's based (These Foolish Things) for Book Club a few years ago. The film isn't the same story but it's definitely one of those cases where the film is better than the book! I really want to go and see it again!

Recently I've finished Awkward Situations for Men by Danny Wallace, Esio Trot and The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me, both by Roald Dahl and The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie.

Different strokes for different folks and all that. Wouldn't life be boring if we all liked the same things!

Thanks, bree. There were times when I wondered if I'd even get close! Thanks for pointing that out, frankie - luckily I'd forgotten to update 1910s non-fiction - phew! Yes, on the whole it's been a really enjoyable challenge. I've read books I would otherwise not have read, so that's good. I really struggled with A Room with a View - it was so slow! I have a DVD of the film (it came free with a newspaper) but I can't bring myself to watch it on the strength of the book!

Thanks, frankie. There have been times when I thought I'd never finish it! I got off to a pretty slow start with it, but have made more of an effort in the last couple of years. I have the missing book on my Kindle, so it's just a matter of time...!

Absolutely - I'm going to request that on my gravestone!

Good luck, Claire - I'm sure you'll do better than me. My resolution was to try to buy fewer books this year and I'm already on 17 - and that doesn't include all the Kindle books I've downloaded.

2010s non-fiction - Awkward Situations for Men by Danny Wallace I have read another Danny Wallace as part of this challenge (2000s non-fiction) - this is the only author I have duplicated, a fact I didn't realise until I came to record this one as I'd forgotten about Yes Man. I can also count the excellent Broadmoor Revealed... book as that was published in 2010 too so I'm not going to worry about it! 35 books read = 97.22% 35 books read 1 to go

LOL @ apples on polystyrene! I think, despite my reservations, I'll have to admit defeat and read this at some stage for the challenge. I'm not in any hurry to do so though!

Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift The ‘blurb’ Shipwrecked castaway Lemuel Gulliver's encounters with strange creatures in strange lands give him new, bitter insights into human behaviour. Swift's fantastic and subversive book remains supremely relevant in our own age of distortion, hypocrisy, and irony. The story opens with the protagonist detailing his life so far, and then begins to tell of his adventures. The book ends with him returning home where he declares the places he has discovered to be England’s colonies and he is left with a feeling of disillusionment for the human race from which he never really recovers. I must admit that this book wasn’t on my ‘radar’ and I don’t suppose I’d have read it if it wasn’t for reading T H White’s Mistress Masham’s Repose, which features the Lilliputians. This book has been popular from the time it was first published. I think that originally it was considered to be a children’s book but like Mistress Masham’s Repose, I can’t see it appealing to huge numbers of today’s children, but of course, I could be wrong. I enjoyed the first two sections but for me the book went downhill after then. I wouldn’t say I hated the last two sections but I was rather glad to get to the end of the book! I was amused that there was quite a lot of ‘toilet humour’ in the book, considering when it was first published. Overall quite an enjoyable read but it didn’t really live up to expectations. 3/5

too I'm not sure what you mean? The word too isn't in the filter?

I've had a look on Amazon.co.uk and abebooks.co.uk, both of which would have been the best bet, but it doesn't look like any are in print. Sorry.

I've acquired two new books this week - The Tiger's Wife by Téa Obreht which is my March Book Club book and The War of the Worlds by H G Wells which my Mum bought me today to cheer me up.

1- Who was your favourite character? John Howard – without a shadow of a doubt! What a wonderful man. He had such remarkable patience with all those children. Not rushing them but happy to walk at their pace, despite the necessity to get out of the country as quickly as possible. I warmed to him from the word go! An honourable mention goes to Rose too – whilst I’m certain Mr Howard would have managed without her, there is no doubt she took the load off him despite her young age. 2- Was there a particular part you enjoyed more than the rest? Gosh – I loved the whole thing so that’s a tricky question to answer! I think the ending was exciting. Despite the fact one knew that Howard had ‘lived to tell the tale’, with the book being told after the event, Shute still managed to keep up the ‘will they, won’t they’ tension of the story – remarkable – but I simply loved it from start to finish! 3- Was this the first book you've read in this genre/ by this author, has it encouraged you to read more? Yes, it’s the first book of Shute’s I’ve read. I’ve been meaning to read this for donkey’s years as it was on my parents’ bookshelf and I was really attracted to the cover… …in fact, my Mum’s writing inside the front cover (for I borrowed it from her) tells me she bought it in February 1977! I love the current, slightly art deco cover so I might treat myself to that as I’m positive I’ll read it again. Yes, it’s definitely encouraged me to read more but I need to research as I don’t really know what else he’s written (apart from the fact I know A Town Like Alice, which was made into a film, is one of his but I’ve never seen). 4- Were there any parts/ideas you struggled with? No, not that I can think of. 5- How well do you think the book fitted the theme of Masculinity? Do you know, I had totally forgotten that the theme was masculinity! Erm, well I suppose the parts in the Gentleman’s Club in London certainly did, as they were the domain of men only. Thinking about it, the book did fit the theme, albeit that maybe it turned on one’s head the way we think about masculinity in the time it was set. Certainly at this particular point in history (most) fathers were not as “hands on” as they are today, this journey and John Howard’s determination to save the children in his care was, to me, a truly remarkable characteristic of him - the urge to protect, whilst not being unique to men when it comes to children, is certainly a masculine characteristic. 6- The main character is elderly and the events stretched him to his limits. Why did he not refuse to help , or give up? . I know throughout the book he was referred to as elderly and that he had health problems, but it amused me that he was referred to this way – the narrator tells us he was ‘about seventy’. I do think that people, as well as living longer, are definitely ‘younger’ in outlook and I don’t consider 70 to be elderly. I was having this conversation with my Mum who is seventy-five but is fitter than me and has the most active social life of anyone I know! When my Gran was the same age she was a ‘little old woman’ but I definitely don’t think of people in their 70s in that way today – there is no doubt that people are different today from how they were in the 1940s. He didn’t refuse to help – and he didn’t give up - because he knew how desperate the situation was for that children and the instinct to protect kicked in. I think also the fact that he had lost his own son to this war meant that he wanted to prevent the childrens’ parents from going through the same anguish as he had. Also, I think it would take a very hard-hearted person to turn his back on those he found along the way (imagine leaving the orphan boy, Pierre, with the bodies of his dead parents and carrying on without them?!) and John Howard’s personality wouldn’t have allowed that. 7- Overall, was reading the book an enjoyable experience? Oh yes - a definite 5/5! I intend to re-read it at some point and I can’t recommend it highly enough!

I made kipper paté when I was about 13 years old. My Dad was really funny about it and couldn’t bring himself to try it! Mum and I loved it though! On that note, I’d like to say thank you to everyone who took part – I do appreciate you joining in and all the contributions you’ve made.

Although I can see why White used that effect, and whilst it didn't particularly bother me, I can see why you would find it irritating, Laura. I'm glad you enjoyed the book.

How weird that it’s following you. Perhaps it’s a sign?! although I’ve no idea of what! I have never read any Pratchett. I tried one once but I just couldn’t get into it. You, Frankie and Laura. It has been a very varied circle which I’m pleased about. I was a bit nervous of hosting one!