si: 2020 ROOT Challenge

Back for another year battling ROOTs.

Reached 20 books in 2019. Hoping to at least equal that in 2020.

2020 ROOTs Target -

Good luck!

Happy ROOTing, Si!

Have a great reading year!

>3 Jackie_K: >4 connie53: >5 rabbitprincess: thanks everybody and happy new year!

Best of luck!

Wishing you a happy year of ROOTing in 2020! :)

Good luck with your ROOTing!

Happy new year and happy reading, Si.

1. Oleander, Jacaranda: a Childhood Perceived by Penelope Lively
This is a memoir published in 1994 in which the writer Penelope Lively revisits her childhood memories of Egypt in the 1930-40's - where she was born and lived until moving to England in 1945.
So while being a a war-time memoir it also tries to piece together random images and feelings of a young girl into a larger chronology.

I read Lively's Perfect Happiness last year and, though it was dated, I thought her observations on life and relationships were acute and still relevant. I'll look out for this memoir.

2. Hopscotch, Blow-Up and Other Stories and We Love Glenda And Other Tales by Julio Cortazar

This took a while...

I enjoyed Cortazar's short stories very much, Hopscotch less so but I'm glad I stayed with it to the end.

If you haven't come across Hopscotch it's a novel which offers you two main ways of reading it. The first way is to simply read chapters 1 to 56. The second way involves starting on chapter 73 at the end of which you are directed to another chapter and so on. The second version is around 200 pages longer.

>13 si: That sounds like a strange concept for a novel. I'm curious!

>14 MissWatson: Hi Birgit. It's certainly different and parts are exceptionally well written.

It's not a book to pick-up lightly, but if you like experimental writers such as James Joyce, Calvino or Perec he's worth checking out.

I started with his short stories which are just as experimental, but with the bonus of being short!

3. Icebreaker by John Gardner

James Bond finds himself in Finland working with the KGB, CIA & Mossad to stop Aarne Tudeer, a self-appointed successor to Adolf Hilter.

While set in the 1980s, to distinguish it from Fleming's original stories, this thriller has a strong WWII flavour. The setting and the numerous set-pieces are well realised, but this is well worn territory.

4. Kindred Passions by Rosamond Smith

This psychological thriller had a uneasy reception on publication in 1987, being overshadowed by the author being unmasked as Joyce Carol Oates. I think it fair to say she was not happy with the disclosure; initially vowing not to use the name again - seven or eight books have appeared following a change of heart.

By the time the UK edition appeared in 1988 the title had changed from 'Lives of the Twins' to 'Kindred Passions' and a altered ending had been added. And the front cover had the helpful tagline ' Joyce Carol Oates writing as Rosamond Smith'.

I've had my copy since 1992, so one of my oldest unread ROOTs.

5. Jakob von Gunten by Robert Walser

This is a recent acquisition - last December. Just finished it late last night. Not completely sure how I feel about it.

Written as a journal by Jakob, who is in training to enter service at the Benjamenta Institute, we are privy to his every thought, opinion, day- dream; he's part Walter Mitty, part Billy Liar. Billy Liar in reverse perhaps as he wants to disappear into conformity rather than rebel.

Walser is highly regarded, unfortunately some of his writing, including novels, have been lost. Swiss-born he wrote in German, this translation dates from 1969. the book was first published in 1909.

I'm a little behind on my ROOTs goal! Hope to add another book before the end of April to catch up.

I'm currently reading an e-book with a similar premise. It's a choose-your-own adventure type, where you can pick where to go next based on what your character's choices are at various places in the story. I think the idea for this one is to be sort of like a computer game where your actions in any one place can lead to your being killed or finding the treasure or defeating the bad guy or whatever.

>19 LoraShouse: sounds interesting. I keep thinking I should check my local library's website as to e-books.

6. All The Sounds of Fear by Harlan Ellison

This is a collection of 8 science fiction short stories which I've owned since 1998.
The stories date from between 1957 to 1967; most were originally published in various SF magazines. This collection was 1st published in 1971.

7. Monty Python's Big Red Book

This is a mix of skits and illustrations gleaned from the television show Monty Python's Flying Circus. Short fun read.

Hi Si, I see you have been reading so I presume you are doing fine. Keep safe!

Hi Connie hope you're keeping well too.

Yes I'm fine. Just reading a lot.

8. Role of Honour by John Gardner

Going to be a couple of books behind schedule as we reach half-way!

Go get those ROOTs!

9. Passion Play by Jerzy Kosinski

Gave up on this after 60 pages. Don't like to DNF a book if possible but I could feel myself getting increasingly irritated as I went along.

10. Bullitt by Robert L Pike

Still have unread books bought back in the 80s!

11. Jar City by Arnaldur Indridason

Not reading a great deal at the moment; RL overwhelming everything.
Jar City I've owned for a few years. A crime novel with a dogged Icelandic detective. Strong plot if unremarkable prose.

>29 si: It's a pretty good series on the whole!

>30 rabbitprincess: Hi. I will read more. I have The Draining Lake & Silence of the Grave..... somewhere!

12. Dog Day Afternoon by Patrick Mann

This is a fictionalised version of the 1972 Brooklyn bank robbery, which went badly wrong and escalated into a hostage situation and a big media event.
Not for the faint-hearted, the opening chapters are filled with the main character's invective language about the people around him; its a tough read at times. It's partly there because of a big plot revelation, after which it is thankfully toned down for the rest of the book. but the degree to which the author successfully handles this is I think questionable.
Reservations aside this is a story that gets under your skin and if you get past the first fifty pages it does hook you in.
Looking around LT and elsewhere this is a little read book perhaps drowned by the movie or the tone of those opening pages.

13. Baby's Own Colour Annual 1967
14. Woodland Animals and Their Young by Ruth Carruth
15. Alien edited Richard J Anobile

16. The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths

I've had this paperback since 2015. Glad to have finally picked it up as its a fairly enjoyable mystery with interesting characters. I don't have any of the sequels so it may be a while before I can continue this series.

17. Hell House by Richard Matheson

A touch of horror as we approach Halloween...

Darker and more violent than I expected. The writing is as subtle as its title.

18. You're A Big Boy Now by David Benedictus

A hit & miss comedy from 1963. A recent addition to my TBR. Two books to go ....

19. Bat out of Hell by Francis Durbridge
20. Napoleon by Nelly Kaplan

Bat out of Hell is a crime, mystery novel by the great Francis Durbridge. Plenty of twists and turns.

Napoleon is a non-fiction book about Abel Gance's silent masterpiece. Nelly Kaplan was a remarkable film-maker and writer on her own account. She sadly died last week from Covid-19.

>37 si: That's really sad.

21. You Only Live Twice by Ian Fleming

It didn't seem likely a few months ago but I've passed my ROOT target for the year!

>39 si: Congratulations!

Yay, congratulations!

Woo hoo for surpassing your goal!

>40 Jackie_K: >41 MissWatson: >42 rabbitprincess:

thanks everyone. glad to finish with a month to spare!

Good job, Si.

Happy Holidays from the Netherlands!

>45 connie53:
Merry Christmas, Connie.