The 50 Book Challenge (2012)

[Chaky]

Here's the list that helped inspire me to pick up a few very interesting-seeming non-fiction books to read this year...
Time's Top 100 Non-Fiction books published since 1923:

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/12719.Time_Magazine_s_All_TIME_100_Best_Non_Fiction_Books

Here's the Time's list of the top 100 Novels, they released this in 2005:

http://entertainment.time.com/2005/10/16/all-time-100-novels/#all

The Guardian has a couple of similar lists, less US-centric than Time Magazine perhaps.

The 100 greatest non-fiction books (updated June 2011)

The 100 greatest novels of all time (originally from 2003 but I think has been updated since)

Apparently these are still in the top 5 most visited pages on the The Guardian's books site.

And there's this: The top 100 books of all time (from 2002). 100 authors from 54 countries around the world were asked to nominate the ten books which they felt have had the most decisive impact on the cultural history of the world, and left a mark on the authors' own thinking.

 

[Teja]

I'm in and my goal is to read 30 books.

 

[funkystar]

I love buying books but I am terrible at finding the time to read them so my goal for this year is not to read 50 books but to actually finish a book from cover to cover in less than a year anything I read after that is a bonus . Right now I'm 3/4 in to The Girl who Kicked The Hornets Nest by Stieg Larsson which I started to read in late 2010 . After that I will *hopefully* read the following books which I have already purchased but have never read -

The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games – Catching Fire
The Hunger Games – Mokingjay
The Last 10 Seconds by Simon Kernick
The Great Gatsby
Room by Emma Donoghue
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Lord of the Files
December by James Steel
Mercy by David Kessler
The Third Policeman
Of Mice and Men
1984 by George Orwell
The Hobbit

 

[mint condish]

^ You sound similar to me. I read around 15 books in 2011. But I looooooove buying books I'm really trying to budget better so for 2012 I'm going to try to download whenever I can instead. I guess my goal will be to read 20-30 books; I think that'd be great. You and I have bought some similar books, too.

Chaky, thanks for the book lists.

 

[lizbabe09]

^I'm with you. Besides books for schools (which I hardly ever finished) I don't have much time to read. I'll try this challenge though and aim between 20-30.

 

[Alvedansen]

i'm in...my goal is to read 35 books this year, but i'm not sure whether i will really achieve that, there are so many big books on my list and i have SO much studying to do plus work, i don't want to rush through the books just to reach my goal, so i'll see what i can do and maybe update my goal throughout the year

 

[city girl]

I agree with most people in that i won't read 50 books in the year..my goal is around 25..i'm a slow reader and it really depends on my mood as to whether i want to read..

 

[Jenna-maria]

I AM IN!
and this time i will write down every book i read.

First book of this year:

Out Of Africa by Karen Blixen

 

[Belowen]

I am excited to get started on my books for this year. The aim for me is 50 books, but I will be happy with any number really. I managed 40 last year, which is a pretty decent amount IMO. Good luck everyone!

01: No Country For Old Men by Cormac McCarthy

 

[Siennalicious]

Again I'm in!!! Last year it was 30 but this year for sure 50!!! So many great books to choose from!

 

[Annu]

I'm starting the new year of with Q & A, the book Slumdog Millionaire was based upon. Anyone read it?

I liked it. The movie seemed to have only same title, but both was ok

I'm in! This year I'm not gonna reach 50 books goal, instead I try to read any 10 books from those Guardian lists amoung those books who wait patienly in my book shelf. I hope I could actually read some new books, not just re-read my old favorites, looks like I have read the most interesting books lists already but still, I try to read some new classics. I hope. Hopefully I will too

 

[heelscatchfire]

I am excited to get started on my books for this year. The aim for me is 50 books, but I will be happy with any number really. I managed 40 last year, which is a pretty decent amount IMO. Good luck everyone!

01: No Country For Old Men by Cormac McCarthy

That's a good book, follows pretty well to the movie. and a quick read.

I'm currently reading. A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin.

 

[jessikt]

Count me in too!
My first book: Christmas at Timberwoods by Fern Michaels
It's a book my mom picked up at the airport because she was bored and it's not so great, but I've already started it and want to know what happens.

 

[vivalavida]

Count me in only read 29 last year, which was disappointing.

I'm a 1/4 way through Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens

 

[YoninahAliza]

I'm starting with 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff... it's a favorite of mine and I've been meaning to reread it again.
Also, I was wondering if anyone has a Goodreads account? I was thinking we could also create a bookclub just for members of TFS. It's just an idea to throw around.

 

[heelscatchfire]

^ I think that's a great idea. I'm always looking for more new books to read

 

[GinAndTonic]

I'm in! I don't know where I'll find time to read but at least that'll be a real challenge.

 

[peacelover142002]

I'm in! I'm gonna set my goal at 75 books - I read 68 books last year so I think this is doable.

My first book is the second novel in the Flavia de Luce series - The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley.

 

[mcflyandgemmafan]

I'm starting with 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff... it's a favorite of mine and I've been meaning to reread it again.
Also, I was wondering if anyone has a Goodreads account? I was thinking we could also create a bookclub just for members of TFS. It's just an idea to throw around.

I have one! I love Goodreads

Side note: Some people on there are doing book challenges on there, and a few had their goal at 200 books for the year! Can you imagine?!

 

[Bonbonenata]

My goal for 2012 is 30 books. I count only plain text books over 100 pages (no comics, student books, technical books and etc).

Currently I'm reading "Тютюн" ("Тobacco") by Dimitar Dimov.

The results from last year are posted in its thread