Janet's Reading Through The Decades Challenge **Completed**

[Janet]

1980s Non-fiction - 1986 - The Cherry Tree by Derek Tangye - 6/10

 

32 books read = 88.89%

 

32 books read 4 to go

[poppyshake]

4 to go well done Janet, you're doing marvellously .. what an achievement

[Janet]

Thanks, Poppy.

 

I need to find something for 1910s non-fiction, 1910s children's and for 1920s non-fiction. I have The Fry Chronicles for 2010s non-fiction.

[chaliepud]

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett was originally published in 1911 if you haven't used that already?

[chesilbeach]

Just been having a think about your 1910s children's book, and realised that Pollyanna (which I have on my wishlist as I love the film and want to see if the book is as charming) is from 1913.

[Janet]

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett was originally published in 1911 if you haven't used that already?

Aww, how kind. I have already read it but thanks for suggesting it. I loved it.

 

Just been having a think about your 1910s children's book, and realised that Pollyanna (which I have on my wishlist as I love the film and want to see if the book is as charming) is from 1913.

But I haven't read this. (I like both the Hayley Mills and the Amanda Burton film versions). I will check the online catalogue to see if my library have a copy - thanks.

[Janet]

The library don't have a copy (well, only one large print hardback) but I've just ordered a used copy from Amazon Marketplace for £1.10 delivered! Thanks again, Claire.

[Janet]

I have finished Pollyanna by Eleanor H Parker, which was first published in 1913. Thanks again to Claire for suggesting it.

 

33 books read = 91.67%

 

33 books read 3 to go

 

3 left!

 

2010s non-fiction - I have a choice of two on my 'to read' pile - Awkward Situations for Men by Danny Wallace and The Fry Chronicles by Stephen Fry. I'll probably go for the former - and 1910s and 1920s non-fiction - which I still have to source.

[frankie]

 

3 left!

I'll probably go for the former - and 1910s and 1920s non-fiction - which I still have to source.

 

Only 3 books to go, yay! Not long ways at all

 

1910s and 1920s non-fiction, that can be tricky. Or at least it would be for me, I'm awful at finding and coming up with stuff. I googled 'non-fiction', got the wiki page and then looked at their list of what kinds of genres are listed as non-fiction, and then went through some of them. There was nothing from 1910s or 1920s that I'd heard of before, other than 'Mein Kampf', and I'm pretty sure you wouldn't go for that

[Janet]

Yes, I might struggle with those. I shall persevere and hope something turns up!

[chesilbeach]

D.H.Lawrence wrote some travel books in the 1910's and 1920's - I started reading Sea and Sardinia which was 1921, and enjoyed it which is more than I can say for his novels, although I never actually finished it as it had to go back to the library, but I did intend to try and get it again at some point. H.G.Wells also wrote a lot of non-fiction, and I had a quick look on fantasticfiction and Amazon and I could see quite at least one from 1920, so that might be an option too.

[Janet]

Thanks, Clare.

 

I think, having read your post, that you might have recommended the Lawrence book before - but I foolishly didn't make a note of it (or maybe I did back in this thread). I will go and add it to my wishlist now. Thanks also for the tip about HG Wells - I'll check him out too.

[Janet]

D.H.Lawrence wrote some travel books in the 1910's and 1920's - I started reading Sea and Sardinia which was 1921, and enjoyed it which is more than I can say for his novels, although I never actually finished it as it had to go back to the library, but I did intend to try and get it again at some point.

I hope you see this, Claire! I've just looked on Amazon and they have this for the Kindle free of charge so I've just downloaded it! Thanks again.

 

I'm off to check H G Wells now...!

 

ETA Only one H G Wells free on the Kindle for that period, but I've just downloaded Jack London's The Cruise of the Snark, published in 1911!

[Janet]

Getting closer...

 

 

1911 non-fiction - The Cruise of the Snark - Jack London - 4/10

 

 

34 books read = 94.44%

 

34 books read 2 to go

[Janet]

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

[frankie]

1 to go, wohoo! Can you imagine you are one book away from finishing a reading challenge you set for yourself in 2008?? Pretty legendary!

[Janet]

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...!

[bree]

1 to go, wohoo! Can you imagine you are one book away from finishing a reading challenge you set for yourself in 2008?? Pretty legendary!

 

Wow! I agree. Good going Janet!

[frankie]

I wanted to see what was the average rating for the books you read for this challenge, and judging by that it was a pretty enjoyable challenge for you. And I see Tom's Midnight Garden is one of the books that got a 10/10 And there was even a book rated 4/10, and I couldn't help but giggle when I noticed which book it was: A Room with a View I'm with you on that, I found it totally overrated and a very boring read.

 

I also noticed that you had both 1920s and 1910s non-fiction unread, according to your first post, and I was wondering if you've just forgotten to update that list? The other possibility, I don't want to go there, us having just posted about how you only have 1 book left!

[Janet]

Wow! I agree. Good going Janet!

Thanks, bree. There were times when I wondered if I'd even get close!

 

I wanted to see what was the average rating for the books you read for this challenge, and judging by that it was a pretty enjoyable challenge for you. And I see Tom's Midnight Garden is one of the books that got a 10/10 And there was even a book rated 4/10, and I couldn't help but giggle when I noticed which book it was: A Room with a View I'm with you on that, I found it totally overrated and a very boring read.

 

I also noticed that you had both 1920s and 1910s non-fiction unread, according to your first post, and I was wondering if you've just forgotten to update that list? The other possibility, I don't want to go there, us having just posted about how you only have 1 book left!

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!

[chesilbeach]

Oh dear, what a shame neither of you enjoyed A Room With A View. It's one of my favourite films (top five definitely!) and I loved the book when I read it. Never mind, eh?

[Janet]

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

[Janet]

I have just finished my last book for this challenge! The Enormous Room by E E Cummings - 1920s non-fiction - published 1922

 

There seems to be some confusion over the classification of this book. Some sites classify it as non-fiction and some as 'autobiographical fiction'. However, whether it is embellished by E E Cummings or not, it is still based on real events and real people so I am classifying it as non-fiction.

 

It has taken my just 26 days shy of 4 years to finish this challenge - on the whole, I've enjoyed doing it!

 

 

 

2010s - Fiction - 2010 - Solomon's Oak by Jo-Ann Mapson - 6/10

............Non-fiction - 2010 - Awkward Situations for Men by Danny Wallace - 8/10

............Children's book - 2010 - Montacute House by Lucy Jago - 9-10

 

2000s - Fiction - 2009 - The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters - 8/10

............Non-Fiction - 2004 - Yes Man by Danny Wallace - 9/10

............Children's book - 2006 - Kiss of Death by Malcolm Rose - 9/10

 

1990s - Fiction - 1996 - The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks 7/10

............Non-fiction - 1997 - Moab is my Washpot by Stephen Fry - 9/10

............Children's book - 1995 - The Wreck of the Zanzibar by Michael Morpurgo - 8/10

 

1980s - Fiction - 1988 - The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho - 8/10

............Non-fiction - 1986 - The Cherry Tree by Derek Tangye - 6/10

............Children's book - 1983 - A Parcel of Patterns by Jill Paton Walsh - 9/10

 

1970s - Fiction - 1970 - Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach - 9/10

............Non-fiction - 1971 - 84 Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff - 7½/10

............Children's book - 1972 - Watership Down by Richard Adams - 9/10

 

1960s - Fiction - A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines - 8/10

............Non-fiction - 1969 - As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee - 8½/10

............Children's book - 1969 - Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer - 8/10

 

1950s - Fiction - 1951 The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham - 10/10

............Non-fiction - 1958 - A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush by Eric Newby - 7/10

............Children's book - 1958 - Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce - 10/10

 

1940s - Fiction - 1945 - Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh 9/10

............Non-fiction - 1949 - Delight by J B Priestley 6½/10

............Children's book - 1942 The Land of Far-Beyond by Enid Blyton - 7/10

 

1930s - Fiction - 1933 Love on the Dole by Walter Greenwood - 7½/10

............Non-fiction - 1933 - Down and Out in Paris and London - George Orwell 8/10

............Children's book - 1939 - A Traveller in Time - Alison Uttley 9/10

 

1920s - Fiction - 1929 - All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque - 8/10

............Non-fiction The Enormous Room - E E Cummings - 2/5

............Children's book - 1927 - The Midnight Folk by John Masefield - 7/10

 

1910s - Fiction - 1910 - The History of Mr Polly by H G Wells - 7/10

............Non-fiction The Cruise of the Snark - Jack London - 4/10

............Children's book - 1913 - Pollyanna by Eleanor H Parker - 8/10

 

1900s - Fiction - 1908 - A Room With A View by E M Forster - 4/10

............Non-fiction - 1908 - The Autobiography of a Super-tramp by W H Davies - 6/10

............Children's book - 1907 - The Enchanted Castle by E Nesbit - 7/10

 

___________________________

 

 

36 books read = 100%

 

[chesilbeach]

Congratulations Janet, it must be fantastic to finish it completely, well done!

Edited August 5, 2012 by chesilbeach

[Janet]

Thanks Claire.

 

I've enjoyed doing it, but I must say I'm glad to be at an end. I was considering another challenge but I think that for the moment I'll concentrate on my World Challenge - and trying to take a leaf out of your book and trying to reduce my 'to read' pile.