BRITISH AUTHOR CHALLENGE 2015 - LEAD-UP THREAD

Dit is een voortzetting van het onderwerp BRITISH AUTHOR CHALLENGE 2015 - Brainstorming Thread.

Discussie75 Books Challenge for 2014

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BRITISH AUTHOR CHALLENGE 2015 - LEAD-UP THREAD

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1PaulCranswick
Bewerkt: nov 11, 2014, 8:45 pm



The Reading Room at the British Library

3PaulCranswick
Bewerkt: nov 11, 2014, 9:06 pm

Participants in Challenge (plus me of course) Based on posts to the previous thread.

Alex, Amanda, Amber, Barbara, Bekka, Benita, Bianca, Carrie, Catarina, Cathy, Charlotte, Cyrel, Darryl, Ellen, Fuzzi, Heather, Heidi, Helen, Ilana, Jacqui, Jan, Jean, Jenny, Joanne, Joe, Judy DQ, Karen, Karen O, Katie, Kerri, Kerry, Laura (lkeet), Laura (Lyco) Laura Brook, Linda Layton, Linda Panzo, Lisa, Liz, Lois, Lori K, Lori T, Lynda, M Doris, Mamie, Marianne, Mark, Megan, Monica, Morphy, Paws, Rhian, Rhonda, Roberta, Roni, Suz, Tui, Valerie - 57 people

Each month preceding the respective author's challenge two books will be given to two participants (one each just to be clear) of either the male or female for the upcoming challenge.

Because of the christmas rush I will process the January books at the beginning of December. On 26 November 2014 I will announce the criteria to select the winners for January's books.

4PaulCranswick
Bewerkt: nov 11, 2014, 9:12 pm

Finally just to aid those who abhor a particular writer or writers I am introducing a thirteenth month selection:

In this case it is the two I would have plumped for in December.



Bernice Rubens

and



Aldous Huxley

The thirteenth month Joker can be used at any time during the year. One of the selections can be used and one another month if that suits too.

5banjo123
nov 11, 2014, 8:56 pm

OMG. That's a gorgeous picture. I am salivating.

6LoisB
nov 11, 2014, 9:03 pm

7luvamystery65
nov 11, 2014, 9:38 pm

marking a spot

8thornton37814
nov 11, 2014, 9:47 pm

Just a comment on the "no votes for William Golding" -- No one wanted to read about flies. ;-)

9Morphidae
nov 11, 2014, 10:11 pm

Okay, below is my tentative list. I'm willing to take suggestions except for the asterisked ones. Those I've either read others by the author and have picked a specific one* or I've chosen the least offensive one by an unliked/unknown author**. I'm willing to hear recommendations for the unasterisked ones, ESPECIALLY where I have two listed (bolded.)

January Female: Penelope Lively, Moon Tiger
January Male: Kazuo Ishiguro, An Artist of the Floating World*

February Female: Sarah Waters, Affinity or The Night Watch
Feburary Male: Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited

March Female: Daphne Du Maurier, Jamaica Inn
March Male: China Mieville, Un Lun Dun**

April Female: Angela Carter, The Bloody Chamber
April Male: W. Somerset Maugham, Cakes and Ale or The Razor's Edge

May Female: Margaret Dabble, The Radiant Way
May Male: Martin Amis, Money

June Female: Beryl Bainbridge, The Bottle Factory Outing
June Male: Anthony Burgess, The End of the World News

July Female: Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway or To the Lighthouse
July Male: B. S. Johnson, ??? (Library doesn't carry.)

August Female: Iris Murdoch, The Bell
August Male: Graham Greene, The Quiet American*

September Female: Andrea Levy, Small Island**
September Male: Salman Rushdie, Haroun and the Sea of Stories**

October Female: Helen Dunmore, The Siege
October Male: David Mitchell, Black Swan Green*

November Female: Muriel Spark, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
November Male: William Boyd, Restless

December Female: Hilary Mantel, Learning to Talk**
December Male: P. G. Wodehouse, Thank You, Jeeves*

10LoisB
nov 11, 2014, 10:22 pm

>9 Morphidae: I read Cakes and Ale earlier this year. Here were my comments:

Cakes and Ale ***

A very enjoyable Maugham read. It is a satire of the English aristocracy and the London literary scene at the beginning of the 20th century.

A previous reader had questioned the title, since neither cakes nor ale are mentioned within. I googled and found the following (uncited) in Wikipedia:

Maugham drew his title from the remark of Sir Toby Belch to Malvolio in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night: "Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?" Cakes and ale are the emblems of the good life in the tagline to the fable attributed to Aesop, "The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse": "Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear".

11Chatterbox
nov 11, 2014, 11:22 pm

There's actually a new Ishiguro novel due out this year, but not until March...

12Chatterbox
nov 11, 2014, 11:46 pm

A very, very tentative list, using both my jokers.

Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively
A Pale View of the Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Helena by Evelyn Waugh

Hungry Hill by Daphne du Maurier
City and the City by China Mieville

The Waiting Game by Bernice Rubens
Up at the Villa by Somerset Maugham

Jerusalem the Golden by Margaret Drabble
House of Meetings by Martin Amis

Master Georgie by Beryl Bainbridge
The Long Day Wanes by Anthony Burgess

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
Antic Hay by Aldous Huxley

The Sea, the Sea by Iris Murdoch
Stamboul Train by Graham Greene

The Long Song by Andrea Levy
Joseph Anton by Salman Rushdie

The Lie by Helen Dunmore
The Thousand Autumns of Joseph de Zoet by David Mitchell

The Mandelbaum Gate by Muriel Spark
A Good Man in Africa by William Boyd

Vacant Possession by Hilary Mantel
Psmith in the City by PG Wodehouse (although this is where my principles and my taste may hit a wall...)

13LovingLit
nov 12, 2014, 12:39 am

ooooh, the plot thickens with the jokers. I am in for Aldous Huxley, and must say I am liking the look of the second half of 2015 more than the first.

14jll1976
nov 12, 2014, 12:48 am

And here's my list- ?? next to the Hilary Mantel selection in case it isn't released in time, in which case I will read one of her earlier works. (I have already read both Wolf Hall and Bringing Up the Bodies.

January- Penelope Lively- Moon Tiger & Kazuo Ishiyoro- Nocturnes
February- Sarah Waters- The Little Stranger & Evelyn Waugh- Brideshead Revisited
March-Daphne Du Maurier- Jamaica Inn & China Mieville- Perdido Street Station
April-Angela Carter- The Magic Toyshop & W. Somerset Maughan- Of Human Bondage
May-Margaret Drabble- The Pure Gold Baby & Martin Amis- The Zone of Interest
June-Beryl Bainbridge- An Awfully Big Adventure & Anthony Burgess- A Clockwork Orange
July-Virginia Woolf- Mrs Dalloway & B.S. Johnson- The Unfortunates
August-Iris Murdoch- The Sea, The Sea & Graham Greene- Brighton Rock
September-Andrea Levy- Small Island & Salmon Rushdie- Joseph Anton
October-Helen Dunmore- A Spell of Winter & David Mitchell- The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
November-Muriel Spark- The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie & William Boyd- Any Human Heart
December-Hilary Mantel- The Mirror and the Light (??)-P.G Wodehouse- Thank You, Jeeves

15EBT1002
nov 12, 2014, 1:47 am

Okay, to start with, I want to go hang out in the reading room at the British Library.

I'm still making my choices. I will ring in later, after doing some thinking.

16Helenliz
nov 12, 2014, 1:50 am

Blimey - no idea which I'll read - I'll make that decision based on what I can get hold of nearer the time.

Small random fact, PG Wodehouse lived in my home village, and borrowed some of the local names for his characters.

I find it amazing that I used to hold a reading card for that room - and never ever used it. All the books and papers I wanted to refer to were always at the St Pancras site. I feel I ought to have sat there and read anything, even just the paper for half an hour, just to say I'd sat there.

17PaulCranswick
Bewerkt: nov 14, 2014, 2:00 am

Very very gratified by the enthusiasm this Challenge has generated and for the fact that my cloak and dagger process of revealing the selections was humoured magnificently by the group.

My plans are also tentative but this is it for now:

January : How it all Began by Penelope Lively & A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro
February : Affinity by Sarah Waters & Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
March : The Parasites by Daphne du Maurier & The City & The City by China Mieville
April : The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter & The Magician (re-read) by W. Somerset Maugham
May : The Millstone by Margaret Drabble & London Fields by Martin Amis
June : Master Georgie by Beryl Bainbridge & Little Wilson and Big God by Anthony Burgess
July : Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf & Trawl by B.S. Johnson
August : The Nice and the Good by Iris Murdoch & The Comedians (re-read) by Graham Greene
September : Never Far From Nowhere by Andrea Levy & The Ground Beneath Her Feet by Salman Rushdie
October : The Siege by Helen Dunmore & Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
November : The Abbess of Crewe by Muriel Spark & A Good Man in Africa by William Boyd
December : Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel & The Inimitable Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

Joker : The Sergeants' Tale by Bernice Rubens & Antic Hay by Aldous Huxley

18PaulCranswick
nov 12, 2014, 2:42 am

>16 Helenliz: Great little story Helen. I miss libraries terribly in Malaysia although, other than in my varsity days, I have never had the privilege of having such a splendid facility close at hand.

19PaulCranswick
Bewerkt: nov 12, 2014, 3:56 am

January 2015 Lady Author is Penelope Lively

She is the author of numerous works of fiction; short stories and memoirs. These are:

Astercote (1970); YA
The Whispering Knights (1971); YA
The Wild Hunt of Hagworthy (1971); YA
The Driftway (1972); YA
The Ghost of Thomas Kempe (1973); YA - WINNER OF THE CARNEGIE MEDAL
The House in Norham Gardens (1974); YA
Going Back (1975); YA
A Stitch in Time (1976); YA - WINNER OF WHITBREAD'S BOOK AWARD
Fanny's Sister (1976); YA
The Road to Lichfield (1977) - BOOKER PRIZE SHORTLIST
The Voyage of QV 66 (1978); YA
Nothing Missing but the Samovar ; SHORT STORIES; SOUTHERN ARTS LITERATURE PRIZE
Treasures of Time (1979) - ARTS COUNCIL NATIONAL BOOK AWARD
Judgement Day (1980) -
The Revenge of Samuel Stokes (1981) - YA
Next to Nature, Art (1982)
Perfect Happiness (1983)
According to Mark (1984) - BOOKER PRIZE SHORTLIST
Uninvited Ghosts (1984); YA - SHORT STORIES
Pack of Cards (1986); SHORT STORIES
Moon Tiger (1987) - BOOKER PRIZE WINNER; WHITBREAD PRIZE SHORTLIST
The City of the Mind (1988) -
Passing On (1989) -
Cleopatra's Sister (1993) -
Oleander, Jacaranda (1994) - CHILDHOOD MEMOIRS
The Five Thousand and One Nights (1995) - SHORT STORIES
Heat Wave (1996) -
Spiderweb (1998) -
A House Unlocked (2001) - NON FICTION
The Photograph (2003) -
Making It Up (2005) -
Consequences (2007) -
Family Album (2009) - COSTA BOOK AWARDS SHORTLIST
How It All Began (2011) -
Dancing Fish and Ammonites (2013) - MEMOIRS

As a note of personal trivia; her husband Jack Lively (now sadly passed) was a professor in my faculty at Warwick University during my time there in in 1980s and lectured me for a year (not constantly of course). As Anthony Thwaite said in his affectionate obit - the name suited his quirky brilliance perfectly.

20PaulCranswick
Bewerkt: nov 12, 2014, 4:36 am

As those familiar with my Thread will have suffered from gathered, I enjoy statistics.

Here are some LT statistics on the two January authors:

Penelope Lively -
Has 7788 books recorded by members.
Is therefore the 1,502nd most popular author on LT
Her most popular work here is Moon Tiger which boasts 1,272 members cataloguing the book
This is therefore the 6,200th most popular book on LT
The average rating for her books is 3.64
40 Lters list her as a favourite author
75ers with the most Lively books - Luci (elkiedee) has 33 (the most on LT), Beth (BlBera) 13 and Genny 12

Kazuo Ishiguro
Has 34,229 books recorded by members
Is therefore 231st most popular author on LT
His most popular work here is Never Let Me Go which boasts 13,677 members cataloguing the book
This is therefore the 153rd most popular book on LT
The average rating for his books is 3.87
326 Lters list him as a favourite author
75ers with the most Ishiguro books - Darryl (7), Suz, Linda 92007 and myself with 6 apiece

21cbl_tn
nov 12, 2014, 6:38 am

I have tentative picks for the year:
January: In Search of a Homeland by Penelope Lively and either Nocturnes or When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro

February: Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh and The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

March: The Scapegoat or The Flight of the Falcon by Daphne du Maurier and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

April: The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter and The Trembling of a Leaf or The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham

May: The Peppered Moth or Jerusalem the Golden by Margaret Drabble

June: Shakespeare by Anthony Burgess and An Awfully Big Adventure by Beryl Bainbridge

July: To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

August: The Power and the Glory or Travels with My Aunt by Graham Greene and Favours by Bernice Rubens

September: Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie and Small Island by Andrea Levy

October: The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell

November: Loitering with Intent by Muriel Spark and Restless or An Ice-Cream War by William Boyd

December: Fludd by Hilary Mantel and something by P. G. Wodehouse (too many to choose from this far in advance!)

22LoisB
nov 12, 2014, 7:27 am

I'm only committing to one author per month (except for March). I may read the others if time permits:

January : Penelope Lively - Moon Tiger
February : Sarah Waters - Fingersmith
March : Daphne Du Maurier - The House on the Strand
March : China Mieville - Embassytown
April : W. Somerset Maugham - Of Human Bondage
May : Margaret Drabble & Martin Amis - TBD
June : Beryl Bainbridge - Master Georgie: A Novel
July : B.S. Johnson - House Mother Normal: A Geriatric Comedy
August: Graham Greene - The Honorary Consul
September: Salman Rushdie - Shame
October: Helen Dunmore - The Siege
November: Muriel Spark - The Driver's Seat
December: P.G. Wodehouse - The Code of the Woosters

23Fourpawz2
nov 12, 2014, 7:48 am

Question - can I use the girl joker as a substitute for a male and have a two girl month? Am not all that enthused about Maugham and Mieville and might like to ditch one. And Huxley is NOT allowed in the house. (New rule - just made it up.)

If not, that's ok. Will deal with it. Would probably be good for my character...

24majkia
nov 12, 2014, 7:57 am

I don't actually own a lot of books that fit this challenge, but I've put a bunch in my 75s Swap Wishlist.

The ones I do own and so far plan to read:

January: Remains of the Day -Kazuo Ishiguro

March: The City and the City - China Mieville

August: The Heart of the Matter - Graham Greene

October: Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell

December: Bring Up the Bodies - Hillary Mantell
Thank You Jeeves - P.G. Wodehouse

No doubt I'll acquire more that fit here.

25laytonwoman3rd
nov 12, 2014, 8:38 am

Not making a list yet....not making a list yet...NOT making a list yet....*deep breath*

For anyone pondering Hilary Mantel and not wanting to plunge into her trilogy, I can recommend The Giant O'Brien, which was a very good read for me. (That link is to my review of it.) Paul, do you have inside information about the publication of the 3rd Cromwell volume? Is it likely to be available in time to read for this challenge?

26Carmenere
nov 12, 2014, 8:46 am

Here we go: January - Ishiguro When We Were Orphans
February - Waters The Little Stranger
& Waugh Brideshead Revisited
March - Du Maurier Hungry Hill
& Mieville The City & The City
April - Maugham The Painted Veil
May - -----------
June - Burgess A Clockwork Orange
July - Woolf Mrs Dalloway
August - -----------
September - -----------
October - -----------
November - ------------
December - Mantel The Giant O'Brien

I will use Huxley's Brave New World as my wild card at some point in 2015.

All books listed are off the shelf.

Thanks for setting up this challenge, Paul. It's been fun!

27PaulCranswick
nov 12, 2014, 9:23 am

>23 Fourpawz2: How could I say nay to you Charlotte - you can do as you like my dear.

>25 laytonwoman3rd: There is no Publication Date yet for The Mirror and the Light save that it is expected mid-2015 from Fourth Estate in the UK and Henry Holt & Co in the US. It should be well in time for a December challenge.

Unfortunately however Ishiguro's new novel The Buried Giant is only scheduled for release in March 2015, too late for the challenge.

>26 Carmenere: Thanks for setting up this challenge, Paul. It's been fun!
Well we haven't actually started yet Lynda but I am enjoying it!

28streamsong
nov 12, 2014, 10:02 am

I'll be flitting in and out with the authors since my biggest challenge next year will once more be reading books living on Planet TBR.

Of course, the conniving part of me says that if I buy them now, they will fit into my definition of owned before January 1st for my ROOT (Reading Our Own Tomes) challenge. Bad Janet. Bad.

But combining challenges is always good, right? Hmmmmmm

29drneutron
nov 12, 2014, 10:12 am

I'll probably participate, but it's likely that I won't be picking specific books until the start of each month...

30Fourpawz2
Bewerkt: nov 12, 2014, 10:29 am

>27 PaulCranswick: - Thanks, Paul! You are a prince.

I made a list. I NEVER make a list - even in my head - of books to read. This will be a change - and a test of character.

Maugham is out. Begone! Which leaves me with -

January
Consequences by Penelope Lively - which will have to be borrowed from the library.
Remains of the Day - by Kazuo Ishiguro - I own a copy which I found at my old second hand book store which is now defunct

February
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters - I own a copy of this too - have had it for a few years.
Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh - Toyed briefly with re-reading The Loved One, but have kind of wanted to read BR for some time. This one will also have to come from the library.

March
Frenchman's Creek by Daphne DuMaurier - Own an ancient hardback of this one already and have had it for years - without a doubt more than 20 years - and never read it. Thought of doing a re-read of The Scapegoat or The Loving Spirit or even my beloved Rebecca, but its time and waaaay past time for me to read FC. It's right around here somewhere...
Perdido Street Station by China Mieville - Will have to borrow this one from the library. What a whopper! Over 600 pages. There are 64 days in the month of March, right?

April
The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter - a re-read. It's short and I think I'll need that after successfully(?) finishing PSS in March
Mr. Wakefield's Crusade by my lovely joker, Bernice Rubens (Thanks again, Paul!)

May
The Millstone by Margaret Drabble - bought this one at a library book sale. Yippie!
Experience by Martin Amis - had a hard time choosing a book by this guy. I could tell from the reviews of all of his other books that I looked at, that I would never in a gajillion years pick anything by Amis, (plus the cover art reeks!) but decided that his memoir might be something I could do. This, too, will have to come from the library

June
The Birthday Boys by Beryl Bainbridge - This one looks good. Don't own it so - it's back to the library for this one.
Shakespeare by Anthony Burgess Had to read A Clockwork Orange in college and HATED it, so I was super pleased to find this. Think it is something I can manage. Sort of planning to buy it.

July
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf - Don't have anything by Virginia, but I do have a book about her servants. Figure that doesn't count, so it's back to the library for this one
Christie Marly's Own Double-Entry by B.S. Johnson. Was shocked to see that my library has this one when so many are finding it impossible to find. Almost thought they did not have it as they have it spelled Christie Malry's Own Double-Entry at my library's website. Shame, shame, SAILS people!

August
The Bell by Iris Murdoch - No Murdoch amongst my books, so picked this obvious book - obvious because it appears to be pretty popular - which must once again be gotten from the library.
The End of the Affair by Graham Greene - Random pick. Another library book

September
Small Island by Andrea Levy - Am excited about this one. Don't own it and should get it from the library, but maybe I can claw together enough kopeks with which to purchase it.
Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie - Own this one and tried to read it last year, but did not get very far. Perfect opportunity to try it again!

October
The Betrayal by Helen Dunmore - was going to choose something else, but I've already read The Siege so should probably finish the series. TS was ok, but not great. Hoping TB is a little better. Looks as if I'm going back to the library...
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell which has been on the ol' wishlist for a while. However, it is likely that I will be borrowing it from the library. I do have Cloud Atlas, but it is an Audible book and I take forever and a day to get those read.

November
Memento Mori by Muriel Spark - Have toyed with getting this one before. Might get it from the library or I might buy it. Undecided about that.
Brazzaville Beach by William Boyd - Kinda just closed my eyes and pointed at the screen. Another trip to the library

December
A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel, which I own!! I also have not read Wolf Hall, but am always more interested in the French Revolution than in the Tudors. Looking forward to this one.
and, by P.G. Wodehouse
either My Man Jeeves (which I own already or The Inimitable Jeeves (because I've never actually read any Wodehouse before) which I would either go to the library for or maybe I will purchase it.

Phew! Sorry Paul to take up so much of this thread, but once I got started it was kinda hard to stop. Looks as if I will be making many trips to the library, but that's ok.

I will try really hard to stick with this challenge and thanks Paul for thinking it up.

31jnwelch
nov 12, 2014, 10:34 am

That's good news on the last month, Paul. This will give me reason to read A Place of Greater Safety, which so many here endorse. I've read a ton of Wodehouse, but he was prolific, so I'll look forward to finding a good one I haven't.

32Smiler69
Bewerkt: nov 12, 2014, 11:50 am

So fun seeing everyone's reading lists and the level of participation. I can see lots of people are excited about this challenge!

Here's my tentative list. Some authors present a plethora of options from my TBR such as Evelyn Waugh, Daphne du Maurier, W. Somerset Maugham, Virginia Woolf, Iris Murdoch and Graham Greene, so I may well switch to other selections when the time comes. I'm using the challenge as an opportunity to read from my shelves as much as possible, but I've made a few exceptions where I'll be borrowing from the library or purchase the books when I've meant to get them for a long time anyway.

January: Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively & The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (reread)
February: Affinity by Sarah Waters & Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
March: Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier & Railsea by China Mieville
April: The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter & Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham
May: The Red Queen by Margaret Drabble
June: Master Georgie by Beryl Bainbridge & Nothing Like the Sun by Anthony Burgess (from library)
July: Orlando by Virginia Woolf
August: The Bell by Iris Murdoch & Travels With My Aunt by Graham Greene
September: Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
October: The Siege by Helen Dunmore & Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (to buy or library)
November: The Mandelbaum Gate by Muriel Spark (to buy) & An Ice-Cream War by William Boyd (to buy)
December: Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel (or newly released book) & Carry On, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

33BekkaJo
nov 12, 2014, 12:02 pm

Sharing this in a forum I know will understand my pain! My lovely spreadsheet built for all my 2015 challenges and with all my AAC and BAC choices and coded according to 1001 etc etc etc has screwed itself up and appears irrecoverable.

WAHHHHH!

Okay so I love spreadsheets and I love books but still!

34majkia
nov 12, 2014, 12:05 pm

Oh no!

35Smiler69
nov 12, 2014, 12:10 pm

>33 BekkaJo: Oh how awful! :-O

36AnneDC
nov 12, 2014, 12:37 pm

Hi there Paul--I haven't been around these here parts much lately but I'm dropping in to say I'm definitely joining in for this challenge. But like >25 laytonwoman3rd: I am not making a list yet...not making a list...not yet..back to work

37jolerie
nov 12, 2014, 12:54 pm

My books will be a combination of OTS and public library (depending on availability). I've only chosen one of the authors per month with the exception of January and March where I will try to read both authors. Combined with Mark's AAC, I'm pretty set for reading next year. :)

January: Penelope Lively - Moon Tiger/Kazuo Ishiguro - The Remains of a Day
February: Sarah Waters - The Night Watch
March: Daphne Du M. - Rebecca/China Mievile - Perdido Street Station
April: Angela Carter - The Magic Toyshop
May: Margaret Drabble - The Red Queen
June: Anthony Burgess - A Clockwork Orange
July: Virginia Woolf - Mrs. Dalloway
August: Iris Murdoch - The Bell
September: Salman Rushdie - Midnight's Children
October: David Mitchell - The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
November: Muriel Spark - Momento Mori
December: Hilary Mantel - Wolf Hall

38amanda4242
Bewerkt: dec 27, 2014, 4:19 pm

My tentative plan is:

January : The Ghost of Thomas Kempe by Penelope Lively
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

February : Either Tipping the Velvet or The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters
Vile Bodies and probably Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh

March : Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier
Perdido Street Station or The City and the City by China Mieville

April : The Passion of New Eve by Angela Carter
The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham

May : The Radiant Way by Margaret Drabble
Time's Arrow by Martin Amis

June : Master Georgie by Beryl Bainbridge
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

July : Between the Acts by Virginia Woolf
Poems by B.S. Johnson (This is the only book by Johnson my local library has...and they only have one copy of it, too.)

August : The Bell by Iris Murdoch
The Quite American by Graham Greene

September : Small Island by Andrea Levy
Either Midnight's Children or The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie

October : Talking to the Dead by Helen Dunmore
Black Swan Green by David Mitchell

November : The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
Brazzaville Beach by William Boyd

December : The Giant, O'Brien by Hilary Mantel
Either Psmith or Blandings for P.G. Wodehouse

Thirteenth Month : Mr. Wakefield's Crusade by Bernice Rubens
Crome Yellow by Aldous Huxley

39Ameise1
nov 12, 2014, 1:13 pm

My books for this challenge will be:

January
Penelope Lively: Das Photo
Ishiguro Kazuo: Nocturnes

February
Sarah Waters: The Little Stranger
Evelyn Waugh: Scoop

March
Daphne Du Maurier: Rebecca
China Miéville: I definitely won't read. Not my genre.

April
Angela Carter; The Bloody Chamber
W. Somerset Maugham: Liza von Lambeth

May
Margaret Drabble: The Pattern in the Carpet
Martin Amis: Haus der Begegnungen

June
Beryl Bainbridge: The Girl in the Polka-Dot Dress
Anthony Burgess: Clockwork Orange

July
Virginia Woolf: To the Lighthouse
B.S. Johnson: Maters, Taters & Grits

August
Iris Murdoch: Die Flucht vor dem Zauberer
Graham Greene: Der dritte Mann

September
Andrea Levy: Das lange Lied eines Lebens
Salman Rushdie: Luka and the Fire of Life

October
Helen Dunmore: The Betrayal
David Mitchell: Number 9 dream

November
Muriel Spark: Frau Dr. Wolfs Methode
William Boyd: Waiting for Sunrise

December
Hilary Mantel: The assassination of Margaret Thatcher
P.G. Wodehouse: A Pelican at Blandings

There could be changes in some of the titles because I take the books from our local library.

40ffortsa
nov 12, 2014, 3:14 pm

I'm a bit overloaded at the moment with f2f book group reading, but there are a lot of authors here I've never met - so I may slide in from time to time. Penelope Lively, for instance, is a possibility.

41lkernagh
nov 12, 2014, 3:51 pm

I am in.... but you already knew that. ;-)

As I have a number of different challenges on the go for next year, I am going to attempt to read one author book for each month. I won't be making my book list up in advance as some of my book choices will be coming from the local library. For the authors I don't read, I am thinking of at least watching an adaptation (film, miniseries, etc) of one of their works.

42kidzdoc
Bewerkt: nov 12, 2014, 8:20 pm

Here's my tentative list:

January: Penelope Lively, Moon Tiger
January: Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go
February: Sarah Waters, The Little Stranger
February: Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited
March: Daphne Du Maurier, Rebecca
March: China Mieville, The City & the City
April: Angela Carter, Nights at the Circus
April: W. Somerset Maugham, Of Human Bondage
May: Margaret Drabble, The Radiant Way
May: Martin Amis, The Zone of Interest
June: Beryl Bainbridge, Master Georgie
June: Anthony Burgess, Earthly Powers
July: Virginia Woolf, The Voyage Out
July: Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
August: Iris Murdoch, The Sea, the Sea
August: Graham Greene, The Quiet American
September: Andrea Levy, Fruit of the Lemon
September: Salman Rushdie, The Satanic Verses
October: Helen Dunmore, The Siege
October: David Mitchell, The Bone Clocks
November: Muriel Spark, Loitering with Intent
November: William Boyd, An Ice-Cream War
December: Hilary Mantel, A Place of Greater Safety
December: P.G. Wodehouse, Love Among the Chickens

43Morphidae
nov 13, 2014, 10:54 am

>33 BekkaJo: I can help you with some of that. If you get me a list (Excel, two columns) of books and authors (last name first if possible), I can tell you what lists they are on. My database has 82 different lists including 1001.

44DeltaQueen50
Bewerkt: nov 16, 2014, 10:39 pm

I am determined to read mostly from my own shelves next year so I'm not sure if I will be participating in the British Author Challenge every month, but just by sorting through my bookshelves, I will be reading the following:

January: A Stitch in Time by Penelope Lively
February: The Night Watch by Sarah Waters
March: My Cousin Rachel by Daphne DuMaurier
April: Lizzie Borden by Angela Carter
May:
June: The Bottle Factory Outing by Beryl Bainbridge
July:
August: The Stamboul Train by Graham Greene
September:
October: The Betrayal by Helen Dunmore
November: Brazzaville Beach by William Boyd
December: Something Fresh by P.G. Wodehouse

The remaining months will possibly be filled by library books.

45BekkaJo
Bewerkt: nov 13, 2014, 1:12 pm

#34 #35 #43 Thanks guys - but success! I love being married to a techy man. He managed to resurrect it for me. Wooop!

And it means I pan out something like this;

January Penelope Lively Moon Tiger
Kazuo Ishiguro The Unconsoled

February Sarah Waters The Night Watch
Evelyn Waugh Scoop

March Daphne du Maurier Jamaica Inn
China Mieville Perdido Street Station

April Angela Carter Night at the Circus
W.Somerset Maugham The Razor's Edge

May Margaret Drabble The Radiant Way
Martin Amis London Fields

June Beryl Bainbridge undecided...
Anthony Burgess Inside Mr Enderby

July Virginia Woolf Orlando
B.S Johnson Albert Angelo

August Iris Murdoch The Sea, the sea
Graham Greene Brighton Rock

September Andrea Levy Small Island
Salman Rushdie The Satanic Verses

October Helen Dunmore undecided...
David Mitchell Cloud Atlas

November Muriel Spark A Girl of Slender Means
William Boyd undecided...

December Hilary Mantel Wolf Hall
P.G Wodehouse undecided...

I'm going to try + AAC but I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't manage! Some of those are chunky to say the least.

46jolerie
nov 13, 2014, 1:15 pm

>45 BekkaJo: Yay for techie husbands. Mine has saved me from some intense hair pulling at times. :D

47majkia
nov 13, 2014, 1:31 pm

of course there are those of us who are techie wives.....

48jolerie
nov 13, 2014, 1:35 pm

That is even more awesome. :)

49SandDune
Bewerkt: nov 14, 2014, 10:24 am

Here are my tentative choices:

January : Penelope Lively Ammonites and Leaping Fish
January : Kazuo Ishiguro A Pale View of Hills
February : Sarah Waters The Little Stranger
February : Evelyn Waugh Brideshead Revisited
March : Daphne Du Maurier Rebecca
March : China Mieville Embassytown
April : Angela Carter Heroes and Villains
April : W. Somerset Maugham Of Human Bondage
May : Margaret Drabble The Seven Sisters
May : Martin Amis Einstein's Monsters
June : Beryl Bainbridge An Awfully Big Adventure
June: Anthony Burgess Earthy Powers
July : Virginia Woolf A Room of one's own
July : B.S. Johnson Christie Malrey's own Double Entry
August : Iris Murdoch The Sandcastle
August : Graham Greene Our man in Havana
September : Andrea Levy The Long Song
September : Salman Rushdie The Enchantress of Florence
October : Helen Dunmore The Siege
October : David Mitchell Cloud Atlas
November : Muriel Spark Memento Mori
November : William Boyd The Blue Afternoon
December : Bernice Rubens A Five Year Sentence
December : P.G. Wodehouse The Inimitable Jeeves

50jll1976
nov 13, 2014, 6:53 pm

I'm quite pleased. Idiot that I am, I set myself the task (on my blog) of working my way through past Booker prize winners (and as many of the current year's short list as I can). This challenge should take care of quite a few of them. :)

51maggie1944
nov 13, 2014, 7:13 pm

I'll put down a marker signifying I'm anticipating participating; however, given 2014 lackluster accomplishment, to date, of 40 books total I am not sure just how much participation will result from my good intentions.

52tiffin
nov 13, 2014, 7:25 pm

I am cogitating.

53majkia
nov 13, 2014, 7:56 pm

#52 by tiffin> Oi. That sounds serious.

54kidzdoc
nov 13, 2014, 8:08 pm

>52 tiffin: *calling an ambulance for Tui*

55thornton37814
nov 13, 2014, 8:08 pm

You all are just too organized for me. I haven't had a chance to begin checking out my options for this challenge. I'm sure I'll come up with a list.

56lunacat
nov 14, 2014, 4:11 am

*looks concerned as steam begins to rise from tiffin*

57PaulCranswick
nov 14, 2014, 6:53 am

>52 tiffin:.............>56 lunacat: LOL

58tiffin
nov 14, 2014, 9:42 am

Silly peas, the lot of you. :)

59benitastrnad
nov 14, 2014, 10:03 am

#51 & 55
I'm in your camp. I'll get around to getting a list when I can. I intend to participate but am not sure which months as I tend to get caught with too much reading on my plate and not enough time.

60Oregonreader
nov 14, 2014, 12:36 pm

#55 & 59
There are so many new authors for me, it will take awhile to go through the possibilities. But I plan to have my reading mapped out before January.

61drachenbraut23
Bewerkt: nov 14, 2014, 4:42 pm

I have got something by most of the authors, but generally I don't like to plan my reading as such. I will decide which book I will read for each month just before the month starts :).

Very much looking forward to this as there are quite a few "new to me" authors. Some, I know and some I even never heard off.

62PawsforThought
nov 14, 2014, 3:50 pm

The only people from this challenge that I own books by is Virginia Woolf (that's because I bought Orlando for the April group read) and P. G. Wodehouse who is becoming one of the great loves of my life. The others I'll borrow from the library and so I'll be at their mercy, so to speak. I'm not promising anything but I hope I'll get around to reading one of the authors most months. If that works out, it'll probably be something like this:

January: Probably neither.
February: Evelyn Waugh
March: China Miéville (I'd love to read DuMaurier too, but doubt I'll have time)
April: W. Somerset Maugham
May: Martin Amis
June: Anthony Burgess. Possibly also Beryl Bainbridge.
July: Probably neither but if there is time, Virginia Woolf.
August: Graham Greene. (Again, would love to try Murdoch as well but time...)
September: Probably neither. Possibly Salman Rushdie.
October:
November: Probably neither. Hopefully David Mitchell.
December: Hopefully both Hilary Mantel and P. G. Wodehouse.

63scaifea
nov 14, 2014, 9:14 pm

Here's my fantasy list ('fantasy' because I'll likely not be able to keep up with the schedule):

January : Penelope Lively & Kazuo Ishiguro: The Remains of the Day
February : Sarah Waters & Evelyn Waugh: The Night Watch & Brideshead Revisited
March : Daphne Du Maurier & China Mieville: Rebecca & Perdido Street Station
April : Angela Carter & W. Somerset Maugham: Nights at the Circus & Of Human Bondage
May : Margaret Drabble & Martin Amis: The Millstone & Money
June : Beryl Bainbridge & Anthony Burgess: The Bottle Factory Outing & A Clockwork Orange
July : Virginia Woolf & B.S. Johnson: Mrs. Dalloway & The Unfortunates
August : Iris Murdoch & Graham Greene: Under the Net & The Heart of the Matter
September : Andrea Levy & Salman Rushdie : Satanic Verses
October : Helen Dunmore & David Mitchell: Cloud Atlas
November : Muriel Spark & William Boyd: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie & An Ice Cream War
December : Hilary Mantel & P.G. Wodehouse: Beyond Black & The Man with Two Left Feet

Thirteenth Month : Bernice Rubens & Aldous Huxley: Point Counter Point

64roundballnz
nov 15, 2014, 1:58 am

No lists from me, I will decide as each month or week comes up, too much of a magpie to plan this far ahead, I reeeaallyy Don't know how any of you can be deciding what to read next December ??!! I haven't even planned this December .....

65drachenbraut23
nov 15, 2014, 5:58 am

>64 roundballnz: LOL Alex - you speak from my heart. I am unable to plan anything ahead in terms of reading. I do participate in the TIOLI as well and usually add my books as the month passes by. This month I was able to fit all my books in one or the other challenge *grin*.

66kiwiflowa
nov 15, 2014, 7:15 pm

Because I really like creating lists here are my picks. Unfortunately a side effect of lists, for me, is that I think it makes it less likely I will read what's on them. But anyhoo...

January : Penelope Lively & Kazuo Ishiguro: Moon Tiger & When We Were Orphans
February : Sarah Waters & Evelyn Waugh: Fingersmith or The Little Stranger & Brideshead Revisited
March : Daphne Du Maurier & China Mieville: Rebecca reread & Railsea
April : Angela Carter & W. Somerset Maugham: Nights at the Circus & Of Human Bondage
May : Margaret Drabble & Martin Amis: The Millstone & Money
June : Beryl Bainbridge & Anthony Burgess: Every Man For Himself & A Clockwork Orange
July : Virginia Woolf & Aldous Huxley: Mrs. Dalloway or essays/diaries & Point Counter Point
August : Iris Murdoch & Graham Greene: The Sea, The Sea & Brighton Rock
September : Andrea Levy & Salman Rushdie : Small Island and Midnight's Children
October : Helen Dunmore & David Mitchell: A Spell of Winter and Ghostwritten
November : Muriel Spark & William Boyd: The Girls of Slender Means & A Good Man in Africa
December : Hilary Mantel & P.G. Wodehouse: Wolf Hall & Thank You Jeeves

67avatiakh
nov 16, 2014, 1:13 am

I won't put a list up but I'll be reading books that fit across my category challenge. So pleased that you found a place for Bernice Rubens, I'll be reading her Mother Russia instead of Andrea Levy in September as After reading two by Levy I'm done with her.

I'll probably finish up the Ingo books when we get to Helen Dunmore. it's YA fantasy and I've enjoyed the first three.

In Jan I'll be reading Remains of the Day and choosing a Lively from my library's e-book selection.

68torontoc
Bewerkt: nov 16, 2014, 10:17 am

I will also make my choice of book decision every month!

69laytonwoman3rd
Bewerkt: nov 25, 2014, 9:33 am

I've gone so far as to make a list of what books by the selected authors I already have in my library and unread. It's not quite as many as I had thought, but with the American Authors Challenge also on my plate, I think I will pick from the books on hand, and participate as far as that allows. So my choices look like this:

Penelope Lively -- Passing On or Moon Tiger

Sarah Waters -- The Night Watch or The Little Stranger

Evelyn Waugh -- Brideshead Revisited (this would technically be a re-read, but as I don't really remember it at all, I'm leaving it on the possibles list.)

ADDED: Somerset Maugham Of Human Bondage
Beryl Bainbridge Watson's Apology and Mum & Mr.
Armitage and Other Stories

Daphne duMaurier -- Julius or Hungry Hill (here again, though, I may be tempted into a re-read of The Scapegoat)

Virginia Woolf-- Three Guineas, A Room of One's Own, or Mrs. Dalloway

Iris Murdoch -- The Green Knight, The Red and the Green, Acastos, Under the Net, or The Book and the Brotherhood ADDED: The Bell

Graham Greene-- This Gun For Hire, The Ministry of Fear, or The Confidential Agent

Salman Rushdie -- Midnight's Children

Helen Dunmore -- A Spell of Winter

David Mitchell -- Cloud Atlas (The copy I have is my daughter's, and circumstances may take it out of my possession, or I may decide to read it sooner than October 2015)

Muriel Spark -- The Mandelbaum Gate, Symposium or Territorial Rights

Hilary Mantel -- An Experiment in Love or, I hope The Mirror and the Light, which I will buy, if available in time, and make an exception to the "off the shelf" nature of my reading for this challenge.

P. G. Wodehouse -- Oh, my, the choices here: Meet Mr. Mulliner, Joy in the Morning, The Clicking of Cuthbert, The Brinkmanship of Galahad Threepwood, or Lord Emsworth and Others

I have nothing for April May or June. Not too worried about that, though.

70evilmoose
nov 16, 2014, 1:11 pm

I'd love to take part too! ... and look forward to compiling a list some time soon :)

71mdoris
nov 16, 2014, 8:02 pm

Wow, all you readers are totally amazing. There is no way that I could do the reading that you do (amount) then many of you participate in more than one challenge. Wow. But, I am loving looking at the lists and choices and drifting over to the idea of reading many of your selections over time. And I know it will be really great to follow this thread. Starred for sure!

72countrylife
nov 20, 2014, 9:24 am

Based on what I can easily get my hands on, these are my pics for the 2015 British Author Challenge:

January: The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro & In Search of a Homeland, Penelope Lively
February: The Little Stranger, SARAH WATERS & Brideshead Revisited, EVELYN WAUGH
March: The Doll, Daphne Du Maurier & The City & the City, China Mieville
April: Sea-Cat and Dragon King, Angela Carter & The Magician, W. Somerset Maugham
May: The Pattern in the Carpet, Margaret Drabble & The Pregnant Widow, Martin Amis
June: The Girl in the Polka Dot Dress, Beryl Bainbridge & A Dead Man in Deptford, Anthony Burgess
July: Jacob's Room, Virginia Woolf & Christie Malry's Own Double-entry, B.S. Johnson
August: Something Special, Iris Murdoch & The End of the Affair, Graham Greene
September: Small Island, Andrea Levy & Haroun, Salman Rushdie
October: The Lie, Helen Dunmore & Black Swan Green, David Mitchell
November: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Muriel Spark & Restless, William Boyd
December: Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel & Carry On, Jeeves, P.G. Wodehouse

I’ve chosen a book for each author, but my plan is to read ONE. Based on my experience with the American Author challenge this year – of my 11 books so far, I’ve hated 4 of them, liked 3 of them, and thought the others middling for my taste – I am allowing myself to not be a completest this time. This is a hard decision for me. When I sign up for something, I feel that it must be DONE, and to me that means done completely, in this case, two authors with one book apiece completely read. So, self, get this into your hard head – No! You don’t HAVE to. Abandon the hated ones. Enjoy the “good” ones. There now. I’ll see if I can do it.

73maggie1944
nov 20, 2014, 10:24 am

That is the beauty of the Am. Author Challenge and the British and Australian ones, as well. I love the introductions to new authors, new styles, and new settings. Not all will work for me, and I am one hundred percent OK with putting down a book, after a reasonable effort at become familiar with style, if it is just not to my taste. My 70th birthday reminded me that I have a whole lotta books to read in the next 30 years, or so. Must not waste my time.

74jnwelch
nov 20, 2014, 10:34 am

OK, here's what I came up with. Since I'm also doing the AAC, I'm going to read one (not two) each month for this one.

January: Kazuo Ishiguro - Never Let Me Go
February: Evelyn Waugh - Scoop
March: Daphne Du Maurier - Jamaica Inn
April: Angela Carter - The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories
May: Margaret Drabble/Martin Amis - Jane Gardam - The Man in the Wooden Hat
June: Anthony Burgess - Nothing Like the Sun
July: Virginia Woolf - Mrs. Dalloway or another if I've read that one already
August: Iris Murdoch - The Bell
September: Salman Rushdie - Midnight's Children
October: David Mitchell - The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
November: William Boyd - Restless
December: Hilary Mantel A Place of Greater Safety, and maybe a Wodehouse for fun

75LoisB
nov 20, 2014, 10:40 am

>72 countrylife: I have the same problem. Once I commit to something, it becomes consuming. I am only reading one for the AAC. one for the BAC and occasionally one for the ANZAC.

76AnneDC
nov 20, 2014, 5:35 pm


I knew it was just a matter of time before I made a list. Subject to change without notice. This was actually pretty easy--with a few exceptions (B.S. who??) these authors are well represented in my TBR stacks. Can't wait to get started!

January :
Penelope Lively - The Photograph or Heat Wave
Kazuo Ishiguro: A Pale View of Hills

February :
Sarah Waters - Fingersmith
Evelyn Waugh: Vile Bodies or Brideshead Revisited

March :
Daphne Du Maurier - Frenchman's Creek
China Mieville - The City and the City

April :
Angela Carter - Nights at the Circus
W. Somerset Maugham - Of Human Bondage

May :
Margaret Drabble - The Red Queen
Martin Amis - London Fields

June :
Beryl Bainbridge - Master Georgie
Anthony Burgess - A Clockwork Orange

July :
Virginia Woolf - Mrs. Dalloway or To the Lighthouse
B.S. Johnson - Alberto Angelo

August :
Iris Murdoch - The Bell
Graham Greene: Brighton Rock or The Power and the Glory

September :
Andrea Levy - The Long Song
Salman Rushdie - The Satanic Verses or Joseph Anton

October :
Helen Dunmore - The Betrayal
David Mitchell - Cloud Atlas

November :
Muriel Spark - Loitering With Intent
William Boyd: Restless

December :
Hilary Mantel - A Place of Greater Safety or Beyond Black
P.G. Wodehouse - Right Ho, Jeeves

77evilmoose
nov 20, 2014, 8:51 pm

A lovely mix of authors I've read before, I've been meaning to read, and have never come across because I'm an poorly-read swine. Here is my list, looking forward to it.
JANUARY
Kazuo Ishiguro - A Pale View of Hills
Penelope Lively - Moon Tiger
FEB
Evelyn Waugh - The Loved One
MARCH
China Mieville - Perdido Street Station (or another if I got impatient and have read it already)
Daphne Du Maurier - The House on the Strand
APRIL
Angela Carter - The Bloody Chamber
W. Somerset Maugham - The Painted Veil
MAY
Margaret Drabble - The Red Queen OR The Millstone
Martin Amis - Money
JUNE
Beryl Bainbridge - Master Georgie
Anthony Burgess - A Clockwork Orange (Tried a couple of times previously, but will try again!)
JULY
Virginia Woolf - Mrs Dalloway (and maybe another! I read To The Lighthouse this year and am looking forward to more Woolf next year)
AUGUST
Iris Murdoch - The Bell
Graham Greene - The Power and the Glory
SEPT
Andrea Levy - Small Island
Salman Rushdie - The Satanic Verses
OCT
Helen Dunmore - The Siege
David Mitchell - The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
NOV
Muriel Spark - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
William Boyd - Any Human Heart
DEC
Hilary Mantel - Wolf Hall
PG Wodehouse - Anything with Jeeves! Honestly, I've been meaning to for ages.

78PaulCranswick
nov 24, 2014, 3:36 am

Some great lists made which warms the cockles of this listomaniac's little heart.

January's Gentleman Author is Kazuo Ishiguro a writer I have long meant to devour but, despite accumulating all but one of his published works, the new year will see me encounter him for the first time.

Possibly the most critically acclaimed of all writers first emerging from the UK in the 1980s - his output is spasmodic but universally achieves plaudits and literary awards. This is what he has published:

1982 - A Pale View of Hills ; won the Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize and he was named one of "Granta's Best Young Writers" on the strength of it.

1986 - An Artist of the Floating World ; Booker shortlisted, Whitbread Book of the Year winner.

1989 - The Remains of the Day ; Booker winner, Irish Times Fiction Prize shortlist

1995 - The Unconsoled ; Premio Scanno, Whitbread Book of the Year shortlist, Cheltenham Prize

2000 - When We Were Orphans ; Booker Shortlist, Whitbread Book of the Year shortlist

2005 - Never Let Me Go ; Booker Shortlist, British Book Awards Shortlist, Commonwealth Writers Prize Shortlist, James Tait Black Memorial Prize Shortlist

2009 - Nocturnes ; James Tait Black Memorial Prize Shortlist.

Ranked by the Times Newspaper (London, of course!) in 32nd place in its "50 Greatest British Writers Since 1945".

79laytonwoman3rd
Bewerkt: nov 25, 2014, 9:33 am

>69 laytonwoman3rd: Edited my list to add a couple titles I picked up in the last few days at lovely bookstores in Shepherdstown, WV, and Roanoke, VA. (Well, I couldn't leave them there, could I? Although I did let several Martin Amis titles alone...I just don't think I care if I don't read him.)

80Oregonreader
Bewerkt: nov 25, 2014, 4:27 pm

It's been a struggle but I finally have my list. I'll be reading one author some months and two in others. I've got some authors in there I've never read and some old favorites.

January -- Penelope Lively - Moon Tiger
February -- Sarah Waters - The Night Watch
Evelyn Waugh - Men at Arms
March -- Daphne du Maurier - Jamaica Inn
April -- Somerset Maugham - Cakes & Ale
Angela Carter - Nights at the Circus
May -- Margaret Drabble - The Radiant Way
Martin Amis - The Information
June -- Beryl Bainbridge - The Birthday Boys
July -- Bernice Rubens - The Five Year Sentence
August -- Iris Murdoch - The Black Prince
Grahame Greene - Our Man in Havana
Sept -- Andrea Levy - Small Island
Salman Rushdie - Haroun
Oct -- Helen Dunmore - The Lie
Nov -- Muriel Spark - Symposium
Dec -- Hilary Mantel - Fludd

81EBT1002
nov 25, 2014, 4:54 pm

>77 evilmoose: "...I'm an poorly-read swine." Well. That seems unlikely.

82evilmoose
nov 25, 2014, 5:27 pm

>81 EBT1002: Ba hah, I was startled into laughing allowed at my desk by that!

83Deern
Bewerkt: nov 28, 2014, 4:28 am

Wow, so much progress here - and above all: so many complete lists already!! Well, I'll participate, but I'll take the 1 author a month approach. Can't decide on the books yet, but like with the AAC this year I'll try to get through as many 1,001 listed books this way as possible.
Definitely an Ishiguro in January for me, either The Unconsoled which I own or An Artist of the Floating World.

84benitastrnad
nov 30, 2014, 2:12 pm

I plan on participating but since I am not a list maker (except first thing in the morning at work so that I get something done during the day) I am not going to make a list. Participation will depend on mood and books available.

85BBGirl55
dec 7, 2014, 5:42 pm

I'm in where do I sign up

86tiffin
Bewerkt: dec 7, 2014, 8:06 pm

>78 PaulCranswick:: Paul, The Remains of the Day knocked my socks off a few years ago, as did Never Let Me Go. He just gets inside of his characters' skins so perfectly.

ETA: I've cheated and read my Mieville for March already. No willpower. AND I have that great unknown, B.S. Johnson, in for July, Albert Angelo.

87maggie1944
dec 7, 2014, 8:00 pm

I have received my Penelope Lively book! All set for January.

88tiffin
dec 7, 2014, 8:09 pm

Oh crumb, I don't have a Lively for January. Totally open for suggestions.

89amanda4242
dec 10, 2014, 6:57 pm

I just looked at the calendar and realized how long I have to wait until the new year and this wonderful challenge. :(

90PaulCranswick
dec 11, 2014, 7:49 pm

>85 BBGirl55: Bryony I never thought of signing up fees! You should be my business manager! Just join in as you wish my dear.

>88 tiffin: I haven't absolutely decided Tui but I am leaning towards The Photograph at the moment.

>89 amanda4242: Thanks Amanda, time is flying isn't it?

91Fourpawz2
dec 11, 2014, 7:55 pm

I am also waiting impatiently for the starting gun to sound. I feel so organized! I've even got a list done for the Australian/New Zealand Author Challenge. So unlike me.

92benitastrnad
dec 12, 2014, 4:31 pm

I have three books by Penelope Lively from which to choose. One of those is a recorded book, so I will try to pop it into the car CD player in January and listen. I also plan on reading at least one of the two printed books that I have by her - just not sure which one.

93maggie1944
dec 27, 2014, 5:53 pm

I am going to cheat and start my Penelope Lively book right now: Dancing Fish and Amonites: A Memoir

94EBT1002
dec 28, 2014, 9:11 pm

^ Not cheating. Just efficient.

95tiffin
dec 29, 2014, 11:57 pm

Are you going to hop this over to the 2015 thread? And if so, will you post a link here so crones with bad eyes can find it? Please and thanks!

96PaulCranswick
dec 30, 2014, 2:17 am

>93 maggie1944: Agreed. Cheating is definitely allowed.

>95 tiffin: Tui. Especially for you. Here is the link to the general 2015 British Author Challenge thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/185338

97tiffin
dec 30, 2014, 10:58 am

Thank you!

98thornton37814
dec 30, 2014, 6:41 pm

I need to decide which book(s) I'm reading for January. Oh, well, I'll have a few days to decide since I'm going to wait until the evening of the 5th or 6th to begin most of my January reading except for an ARC and/or Kindle book.

99benitastrnad
Bewerkt: jan 3, 2015, 3:45 pm

I started listening to Consequences today. I am driving back to work after my Christmas break so should get a large portion of this book read/heard before I get back tomorrow night. Once there I will start on Moon Tiger which has been languishing on my shelves for several years. I am not sure I will do an Ishiguro this month.

100catarina1
jan 3, 2015, 4:18 pm

I was planning to read Penelope Lively but then got started on A Pale View of Hills. I'm about 2/3 of the way with it and already thinking of An Artist of the Floating World. So perhaps I'll end up reading both. Such a wonderful adventure, Paul. Thanks for putting this together.

101kac522
Bewerkt: jan 4, 2015, 2:43 am

I've decided to join along. I will be doing 1 author per month, unless I have time (or desire) to do both. My main goal in 2015 is to read books already on my shelf, so I have made a couple of substitutions for books on my shelf (these are in bold):

Jan: Ishiguro, A Pale View of Hills
Feb: Huxley, Brave New World or The Doors of Perception
Mar: Elizabeth Taylor, A Game of Hide and Seek or Angel
Apr: Maugham, The Painted Veil
May: Drabble, The Radiant Way
Jun: Elizabeth Bowen, The House in Paris or Friends and Relations
Jul: Woolf, Orlando
Aug: Murdoch, The Sea, The Sea
Sep: Levy, Small Island
Oct: Mitchell, The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
Nov: Spark, Memento Mori
Dec: Mantel, Wolf Hall

I've completed the Ishiguro, and if time allows, may pick up a Lively book. I had read one of hers in the past, and wasn't overly impressed, but will look through the recommendations here.

102benitastrnad
Bewerkt: jan 4, 2015, 1:20 pm

Since the trip is long I am about 2/3's done listening to Consequences by Penelope Lively and am not too impressed. At best I think this is an average book. I will still try to read Moon Tiger as well, but I hope it is better than the current title.

103benitastrnad
jan 5, 2015, 2:57 pm

Is there another thread started for discussion of the books we have read from each of these authors?

104benitastrnad
jan 5, 2015, 2:59 pm

Here are my thoughts about Consquences by Penelope Lively.

This novel covers the second half of twentieth century British life and is told through the eyes of three generations of women who were each single mothers. Each of these women made choices and created a life for themselves in the same but different ways. While the author writes beautifully this novel is disjointed and seems unconnected. It doesn't have emotional resonance or depth and as a reader I was never sure what point the author was trying to make. I could never find any hook for this novel and as a result it made pleasant listening but never made me care about any of the three women. It also suffered from an identity crises. What is it? As a romance novel it falls flat on its face, as historical fiction it lacks deep ties to events. It excels as a character study but those make for boring reading unless there is some kind of emotional attachment to those characters and that lack of attachment is the major flaw of this book. I think it is a book that tries too hard to be insightful and fails. The title is another problem. It is an odd choice, as I could never see the connection between it and the lives of the women. The bottom line is that it is well written but plotless and pointless. Had I not been trapped in the car for hours during a long road trip I would not have stayed with this book to the end.

105laytonwoman3rd
jan 5, 2015, 3:35 pm

>103 benitastrnad: Yes. Here is the January thread, which covers both Lively and Ishiguro.

106evilmoose
jan 5, 2015, 3:35 pm

107laytonwoman3rd
jan 5, 2015, 3:40 pm

108Helenliz
jan 10, 2015, 4:32 pm

I'm debating my February selections. I have Waugh sorted, I have an unread one on the bookshelf.
The choice of Sarah Waters is down to Fingersmith or Tipping the Velvet - any opinions on which would be better to listen to?

109thornton37814
jan 10, 2015, 5:33 pm

I checked out Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall by Ishiguro and Family Album by Lively. I didn't have time to visit the children's room to find the "ghost story" by Lively.

110LoisB
jan 10, 2015, 5:45 pm

>108 Helenliz: I enjoyed Tipping the Velvet when I read it - don't know about the audio version.

111benitastrnad
jan 12, 2015, 12:52 pm

I started Penelope Lively's Moon Tiger and I am really liking this novel. It is much different than Consequences and so much better written. Even though I don't like the main character I can't wait to read what happens to her. I also, sort of like the different points-of-view from the other characters. I helped me understand that in many ways Claudia is not a likeable person but that she is very charismatic.

This last week I read that Kauzo Ishiguro will have a new novel out in March. It is titled Buried Giant and was described as a fantasy or maybe magical realism, but the reviewer said that it is very different from what Ishiguro has written and will surprise his devoted readers.

112tiffin
jan 12, 2015, 6:53 pm

Oh crumb, I got "Consequences" out of the library. Well, I'll start it and see how it goes.

113maggie1944
jan 29, 2015, 7:20 pm

Is there a February thread?

114evilmoose
jan 29, 2015, 8:30 pm

115maggie1944
jan 29, 2015, 8:53 pm

Thanks!

116kac522
apr 1, 2015, 1:07 am

Found the April thread and it is here:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/189581

117LoisB
Bewerkt: mei 19, 2015, 9:30 pm

Help! I can't find the May thread.

never mind - I found it. Here is a link if anyone needs it:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/190691

119BekkaJo
jun 9, 2015, 1:17 pm

Oooh - my B.S Johnson arrived today - I couldn't get any e-versions or anything from the library so I had to order one - oh darn ;). It's very pretty - an omnibus of Trawl Albert Angelo and House Mother Normal. Flicking through is a little alarming though! He is definitely experimental...

120PaulCranswick
Bewerkt: mei 6, 2016, 4:24 am