State of the Blog: Part Three, the Challenges

This is my very last State of the Blog post.  I used these quarterly blog assessment posts to keep track of the progress I've made on my various lists -- Prize Winners and Must Reads, Favorite Authors, and Challenges.  They have been useful for me because they make me update my lists, but they are not interesting.

My final set of State of the Blog posts wrapped up my 2012 reading.  I'll think of some other way to stay organized and keep my lists updated. 

This third part deals with the challenges I joined in 2012.  Part One, here, addressed my lists of Prize Winners and Must Reads.  Part Two, here, looked at my Favorite Author lists.

Not all of my 2012 challenges are finished yet because a couple of them don't end until the end of this month.

First, the three challenges I am hosting here at Rose City Reader:
 

EUROPEAN READING CHALLENGE
(finished)

TO SIGN UP FOR THE 2013 EUROPEAN READING CHALLENGE, CLICK HERE OR ON THE BUTTON AT THE TOP OF THE RIGHT COLUMN

• High Stakes by Dick Francis (UK; reviewed here)
• Serenissima by Erica Jong (Italy; reviewed here) 
• People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (Bosnia; reviewed here)
• Vie De France: Sharing Food, Friendship and a Kitchen in the Loire Valley by James Haller (France; reviewed here)
  
• Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson (Norway; not reviewed) 

BATTLE OF THE PRIZES, AMERICAN VERSION

(finished)

• Tinkers by Paul Harding (Pulitzer; reviewed here)
• A Bell for Adano by John Hersey (Pulitzer; reviewed here) 
• The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner (National; reviewed here)
• Mr. Sammler's Planet by Saul Bellow (National; reviewed here)

BATTLE OF THE PRIZES, BRITISH VERSION 

(still going on)

This is one of the challenges that ends on January 31.  I have one book to go, and am about halfway through my second James Tait Black Memorial Prize winner, The Prestige by Christopher Priest.

• The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson (Booker; reviewed here); 
• Oscar and Lucindaby Peter Carey (Booker; reviewed here); and
• The Honourable Schoolboy by John le Carré (Black; reviewed here)

Second, the challenges I've joined:

AUDIO BOOK CHALLENGE

(finished)

• The Coffee Trader by David Liss   
• High Stakes by Dick Francis (reviewed here) 
• The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (reviewed here) 
• Dracula by Bram Stoker (reviewed here) 
• My Grandfather's Son by Clarence Thomas 
• Shroud for a Nightingale by P. D. James
• Blood Sport  by Dick Francis (reviewed here) 
• Mysteries of the Middle Ages: The Rise of Feminism, Science, and Art from the Cults of Catholic Europe by Thomas Cahill  (reviewed here)
• Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie  
• Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie 
• What's So Great About Christianity by Dinesh D'Souza 
• The Black Tower by P. D. James 
• Driving Force by Dick Francis 
• The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie  
• Tinkers by Paul Harding (reviewed here) 
• Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope (reviewed here) 
• Dressed for Death by Donna Leon  
• The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson (Booker winner; reviewed here)  
• Comfort Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table by Ruth Reichl (reviewed here)  
• Christine Falls by Benjamin Black
• Other People's Children by Joanne Trollope
  
• Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships by Daniel Goleman 
  
• Spies of the Balkans by Alan Furst 
• The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson 
• Trespass by Rose Tremain
• The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner (reviewed here) 
• Starvation Lake by Bryan Gruley 
• The Silver Swan by Ben Black 
• The Edge by Dick Francis 
• Writing Places: The Life Journey of a Writer and Teacher by Howard Zinsser 
• The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly 
• Brother and Sister by Joanna Trollope 
• Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil by Tom Mueller, reviewed here) 
  
• The Man with the Golden Arm by Nelson Algren (National winner; reviewed here)
  
• Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler
• Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883 by Simon Winchester 
• Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak (reviewed here) 
• Death of an Expert Witness by P. D. James 
• The Honourable Schoolboy by John Le Carré (reviewed here)
• A Personal Odyssey by Thomas Sowell 
• The Children of Men by P. D. James 
• About Face by Donna Leon
   

BACK TO THE CLASSICS and the CLASSICS CHALLENGES

(incomplete)

I finished six of the nine books for the Back to the Classics Challenge and didn't participate at all, other than as a reader of other people's posts, in the Classics Challenge.

• The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain (19th Century; reviewed here)
• Dracula by Bram Stoker (horror; reviewed here)
• A Bell for Adano by John Hersey (award winner -- Pulitzer; reviewed here)
• The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (re-read)
• Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak (romance; reviewed here)
• Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré (20th Century; reviewed here)

BIRTH YEAR READING CHALLENGE   
(finished, lamely)

• The Comedians by Graham Greene (reviewed here)

BOOKS PUBLISHED IN THE FIRST YEARS OF MY LIFE CHALLENGE

(incomplete)

I signed up to read three books and only read two. 

• The Comedians by Graham Green (reviewed here); and
• May We Borrow Your Husband by Graham Greene (reviewed here)

CHUNKSTER and TEA & BOOKS CHALLENGES

(still going on and incomplete)

The Chunkster Challenge doesn't end until the end of this month.  I will finish Personal History by Katharine Graham this week, so will complete this challenge. I fell short of finishing the Tea & Books Challenge by one book.

• World Without End by Ken Follett (1,024 pages); reviewed here; 
• The Gate House by Nelson DeMille (800 pages), reviewed here;  
• Witness by Whittaker Chambers (802 pages), reviewed here; 
• The Book and the Brotherhood by Iris Murdoch (624 pages), reviewed here; 
• Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey (511 pages), reviewed here;  
• Glittering Images by Susan Howatch (462 pages), reviewed here;

EASTERN EUROPE READING CHALLENGE

(incomplete)

I signed up to read four books and only read two.   

• People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (Bosnia; reviewed here); and
• Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak (Russia; reviewed here)

FOODIE'S READING CHALLENGE   
(finished)

• Comfort Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table by Ruth Reichl (reviewed here);
• Vie de France: Sharing Food, Friendship, and a Kitchen in the Loire Valley by James Haller (reviewed here);
• On the Town in New York: The Landmark History of Eating, Drinking, and Entertainments from the American Revolution to the Food Revolution by Michael and Ariane Batterberry (reviewed here);
• Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil by Tom Mueller (reviewed here);
• Monsieur Pamplemousse Investigates by Michael Bond (reviewed here)

GRAHAM GREENE READING CHALLENGE

(finished) 

• The Comedians by Graham Green (reviewed here); and  
• May We Borrow Your Husband by Graham Greene (reviewed here)

HENRY GREEN WEEK 
(finished)

•  Living (reviewed here)

I LOVE ITALY READING CHALLENGE
(finished) 

• Serenissima by Erica Jong (reviewed here) 
• The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain (reviewed here)
• A Bell for Adano by John Hersey (reviewed here) 
• Dressed for Death by Donna Leon (an extra; not reviewed) 

MEMORABLE MEMOIRS CHALLENGE   
(finished)

• My Grandfather's Son by Clarence Thomas 
• Comfort Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table by Ruth Reichl (reviewed here)
• Vie de France: Sharing Food, Friendship, and a Kitchen in the Loire Valley by James Haller (reviewed here)
• Greene on Capri: A Memoir by Shirley Hazzard  (reviewed here)
• Writing Places: The Life Journey of a Writer and Teacher by Howard Zinsser
• Witness by Whittaker Chambers (reviewed here) 
• A Personal Odyssey by Thomas Sowell
• Lift by Kelly Corrigan

MT. TBR, OFF THE SHELF, and the TBR PILE CHALLENGES
(finished, finished, and incomplete)

• The Mandelbaum Gate by Muriel Spark (reviewed here)
• Sacred Hunger by Barry Unsworth (reviewed here)
• A Case of Need by Michael Crichton
• Living by Henry Green (reviewed here)
• Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré (reviewed here)
• Mysteries of the Middle Ages: The Rise of Feminism, Science, and Art from the Cults of Catholic Europe. by Thomas Cahill (reviewed here)
• The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain (reviewed here)
• Serenissima by Erica Jong (reviewed here)
• People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (reviewed here)
• A Bell for Adano by John Hersey (reviewed here) 
• Murder in Belleville by Cara Black (reviewed here)
• World Without End by Ken Follett (reviewed here)   
• The World of Herb Caen by  Barnaby Conrad (reviewed here) 
• The Black Book by Ian Rankin (reviewed here) 
• A Month of Sundays by John Updike (reviewed here) 
• Vie de France by James Haller (reviewed here) 
• The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson (Booker winner; reviewed here)
• On the Town in New York: The Landmark History of Eating, Drinking, and Entertainments from the American Revolution to the Food Revolution by Michael and Ariane Batterberry (reviewed here) 
• A Time of Hope by C. P. Snow (reviewed here) 
• Home Truths by David Lodge (reviewed here) 
• Glittering Images by Susan Howatch (reviewed here) 
• Christine Falls by Benjamin Black  
  
• Trespass by Rose Tremain
• Greene on Capri: A Memoir by Shirley Hazzard 
• Paradise Postponed by John Mortimer, reviewed here; 
• The Gate House by Nelson DeMille, reviewed here; 
• Witness by Whittaker Chambers, reviewed here; 
• Mr. Sammler's Planet by Saul Bellow, reviewed here; 
• Swan Peak by James Lee Burke, reviewed here; 
• The Comedians by Graham Greene
• How To Read and Why by Harold Bloom, reviewed here; 
• Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley; 
• The Folks That Live on the Hill by Kingsley Amis; 
• Death at the Bar by Ngaio Marsh, reviewed here;  
• Venetian Mask by Mickey Friedman;  
• The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L. Sayers; 
• Monsieur Pamplemousse Investigates by Michael Bond, reviewed here;  
• Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler
• Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey, reviewed here;  
• The General's Daughter by Nelson DeMille; 
• Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak, reviewed here; 
• The Honourable Schoolboy by John  le Carré, reviewed here;  
• Death at the President's Lodging by Michael Innes; 
• May We Borrow Your Husband? by Graham Greene, reviewed here; 
• The Book and the Brotherhood by Iris Murdoch, reviewed here;  
• Lift by Kelly Corrigan;   
• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle; 
• Friends and Lovers by Helen MacInnes; and 
• See's Famous Old Time Candies: A Sweet Story by Margaret Moos Pick
   

NON-FICTION, NON-MEMOIRS CHALLENGE
(finished)

• Mysteries of the Middle Ages: The Rise of Feminism, Science, and Art from the Cults of Catholic Europe by Thomas Cahill  (reviewed here)
• The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain (reviewed here)
• What's So Great About Christianity by Dinesh D'Souza  
• The World of Herb Caen by  Barnaby Conrad (reviewed here)
• On the Town in New York: The Landmark History of Eating, Drinking, and Entertainments from the American Revolution to the Food Revolution by Michael and Ariane Batterberry, (reviewed here) 
• Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships by Daniel Goleman;
• Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil by Tom Mueller, (reviewed here);
• How To Read and Why by Harold Bloom (reviewed here);
• Evolutionaries: Transformational Leadership: The Missing Link in Your Organizational Chart, by business strategists Randy Harrington and Carmen E Voillequé (reviewed here) 
  
• Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life One Conversation at a Time by Susan Scott; 
• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni.

SOUTHERN LITERATURE READING CHALLENGE

 (incomplete)

• The General's Daughter by Nelson DeMille (not reviewed)

VENICE IN FEBRUARY CHALLENGE 
(finished)

• Serenissima by Erica Jong (reviewed here; and
• Dressed for Death by Donna Leon (third in her Commissario Guido Brunetti series)

VINTAGE MYSTERY CHALLENGE
(incomplete)

I signed up to read eight vintage mysteries by female authors and eight by male authors, but fell short in both categories. 

• Dracula by Bram Stoker (reviewed here);
• The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (reviewed here);
• Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie;
• The Rubber Band by Rex Stout (reviewed here);
• The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie;  
• Death at the Bar by Ngaio Marsh (reviewed here);
  
• The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L. Sayers; and
• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

WHAT'S IN A NAME CHALLENGE
(incomplete)

I fell one short because I didn't get to a book in the Creepy Crawly category. 

• People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (reviewed here);
• Home Truths by David Lodge (reviewed here);
• A Month of Sundays by John Updike (reviewed here);
• Mr. Sammler's Planet by Saul Bellow (reviewed here);
• Swan Peak by James Lee Burke (reviewed here);