The 50 Book Challenge is not for everyone, so I thought we'd try a smaller and additional challenge this year for those who are too busy to digest a solid 50 -as they usually would- or who tend to read more slowly. The point of a challenge is to be challenged though, so if you can easily get through 50 books in a year then that challenge is probably the one for you.

I've tweaked these rules a teensy bit to differ from Darkchilde's thread.

1. 30 books.
2. A book must be at least 50 pages long.
3. Books you started in 2011 and finish in 2012 count in the 2012 challenge.
4. Re-reads count.
5. If a volume contains two books, which are usually classed as separate titles, then they count as two (e.g. a book of Dostoevsky's Notes From The Underground and The Double counts as two).
6. There are no rules on what titles you must read.
7. This is for fun so enjoy yourself.

This year's challenge is just to test the waters. If I end up with a thread made up entirely of my own posts, then I'll know there's no demand and probably decide against running another challenge next year.

Off we go!

This'll give me a reason to read the stack of books I have that keeps growing every time I go to the mall!

'm in!

Excellent guys! That means it won't just be some weird soliloquy from yours truly.

So, do we post what book we're reading? Or a list of our goal books, or something?

No, Matt. You just post the names of books as you finish them.

Ah, got it

30 sounds a lot easier than 50, I'll give this one a try.

But what if you're a 40-a-year person? Do you hedge your bets by posting in both threads? Questions, questions.

I will post in both threads. This will also increase my posts.

I have a question: What if I read a book twice in one year? Does it count as one or two? Not that I do that too often, but I'm currently reading A Dance With Dragons, the 5th book of A Song Of Ice And Fire, and I'm planning to read the entire series as well some time this year, which means I'm gonna read the Dance twice. How about it? It's like 1200 pages, so it's not a short one...

j.mills wrote:But what if you're a 40-a-year person? Do you hedge your bets by posting in both threads? Questions, questions.

"You wanna feel how hard I can punch?"

Lizard_King wrote:I have a question: What if I read a book twice in one year? Does it count as one or two? Not that I do that too often, but I'm currently reading A Dance With Dragons, the 5th book of A Song Of Ice And Fire, and I'm planning to read the entire series as well some time this year, which means I'm gonna read the Dance twice. How about it? It's like 1200 pages, so it's not a short one...

If it's the same book, then by all means count it twice in your tally. Naturally I can't check whether anyone is really reading what they say they are, but since it's not a competition we're only really challenging ourselves. I was tempted to read Wuthering Heights twice last year, but I held out against it. If I had done so, I would've counted it though.

j.mills wrote:But what if you're a 40-a-year person? Do you hedge your bets by posting in both threads? Questions, questions.

And - and - what if you mostly listen to books rather than read, eh? If they count, then I'm in, probably for around 40 too........

Spinozasgalt wrote:

Lizard_King wrote:I have a question: What if I read a book twice in one year? Does it count as one or two? Not that I do that too often, but I'm currently reading A Dance With Dragons, the 5th book of A Song Of Ice And Fire, and I'm planning to read the entire series as well some time this year, which means I'm gonna read the Dance twice. How about it? It's like 1200 pages, so it's not a short one...

If it's the same book, then by all means count it twice in your tally. Naturally I can't check whether anyone is really reading what they say they are, but since it's not a competition we're only really challenging ourselves. I was tempted to read Wuthering Heights twice last year, but I held out against it. If I had done so, I would've counted it though.

Great, thanks. Since my medical textbooks don't count (and I don't really read those cover to cover), this will at least give me a fighting chance.

Doubtdispelled wrote:

j.mills wrote:But what if you're a 40-a-year person? Do you hedge your bets by posting in both threads? Questions, questions.

And - and - what if you mostly listen to books rather than read, eh? If they count, then I'm in, probably for around 40 too........

Last year, in the 50 book challenge, audio-books did count. Some people marked them in their lists, some didn't.

Doubtdispelled wrote:

j.mills wrote:But what if you're a 40-a-year person? Do you hedge your bets by posting in both threads? Questions, questions.

And - and - what if you mostly listen to books rather than read, eh? If they count, then I'm in, probably for around 40 too........

Audio books are certainly acceptable. The only thing I would ask is that you mark them differently, so that people know which is which. I seem to recall that at least one member put them in italics in the previous challenge. They're definitely acceptable here though. I'm just excited to have people willing to join this challenge.

Spinozasgalt wrote:

Doubtdispelled wrote:

j.mills wrote:But what if you're a 40-a-year person? Do you hedge your bets by posting in both threads? Questions, questions.

And - and - what if you mostly listen to books rather than read, eh? If they count, then I'm in, probably for around 40 too........

Audio books are certainly acceptable. The only thing I would ask is that you mark them differently, so that people know which is which. I seem to recall that at least one member put them in italics in the previous challenge. They're definitely acceptable here though. I'm just excited to have people willing to join this challenge.

Many audio books are abridged. I'd imagine unabridged only should count?

I'll join in but am expecting to fall short of 30. I'm an avid reader but work pressure gives me little free time. Still, will be interesting to have a record of what I've read in a year!


First up, I just finished...

1) Gormenghast, part two of Mervyn Peak's trilogy on audio.

Spinozasgalt wrote:

Doubtdispelled wrote:

j.mills wrote:But what if you're a 40-a-year person? Do you hedge your bets by posting in both threads? Questions, questions.

And - and - what if you mostly listen to books rather than read, eh? If they count, then I'm in, probably for around 40 too........

Audio books are certainly acceptable. The only thing I would ask is that you mark them differently, so that people know which is which. I seem to recall that at least one member put them in italics in the previous challenge. They're definitely acceptable here though. I'm just excited to have people willing to join this challenge.

Ok, Spinny, thanks! I'll do that.

smudge wrote:Many audio books are abridged. I'd imagine unabridged only should count?

I can't stand abridged books. There's always something vital that gets missed out and then you end up wondering how such and such character can possibly know about this, that, or the other etc.. So I only go for unabridged, the longer the better, either from Audible or Librivox, which is an amazing resource, right JM?

Then I go Zen and head for the sewing room...... and then I get involved in the story and cook dinner and do the housework still Zenned.

smudge wrote:Many audio books are abridged. I'd imagine unabridged only should count?

Unabridged preferred, but if the abridged is still quite lengthy and compares favourably to reading 50 pages of a printed book, then that's fine. I don't want anyone to be worrying that they're cheating by listening to abridged.

We could always specify hour-length of audiobooks if it becomes too confusing, but I don't think we'll need to at this stage. Plus I don't read them, so it'd be up to those who do to specify.

Doubtdispelled wrote:

smudge wrote:Many audio books are abridged. I'd imagine unabridged only should count?

I can't stand abridged books. There's always something vital that gets missed out and then you end up wondering how such and such character can possibly know about this, that, or the other etc.. So I only go for unabridged, the longer the better, either from Audible or Librivox, which is an amazing resource, right JM?

Ditto on abridged books!

I use Audible too.
Never got on too well with Librivox stuff....

smudge wrote:Never got on too well with Librivox stuff....

Why's that, Smudge?