888 Challenge - Completed

1001 Books to Read Before You Die
1. Hideous Kinky - Esther Freud
2. Saturday - Ian McEwan
3. Choke - Chuck Palahunik
4. Drop City - T C Boyle
5. The Outsider - Albert Camus
6. The Third Man - Graham Greene
7. Light of Day - Graham Swift
8. The Secret History - Donna Tartt


Non-fiction
1. The Hypocrisy of Disco Clane Hayward (memoir about growing up in seventies communes
2. Pies and Prejudice Stuart Maconie (journey around the north of England)
3. The White Album Joan Didion (essays and articles)
4. The Film Club David Gilmour (film history mixed with father/son relationship)
5. Elephants on Acid Alex Boese (weird experiments)
6. Stuart a Life Backwards Alexander Masters (biography of a homeless man)
7 A Year of Magical Thinking - Joan Didion (memoir about grief)
8. My Life at Grey Gardens - Lois Wright (memoir)


Fiction authors that are new to me
1. The Russian Debutante's Handbook Gary Shteygart
2. The Best Thing that can happen to a Croissant Pablo Tusset
3. Post Office Charles Bukowski
4. She's Come Undone Wally Lamb
5. Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes
6. Replay - Ken Grimwood
7. The End of Mr Y - Scarlett Thomas
8. Fup - Jim Dodge


Crime & Detectives
1. The Naming of the Dead Ian Rankin
2. The Big Blowdown George Pelecanos
3. Exit Music Ian Rankin
4. The Shape of Water - Andrea Camillieri
5. The Return of the Dancing Master - Henning Mankell
6. King Suckerman - George Pelecanos
7. The Sweet Forever - George Pelecanos
8. Shame the Devil - George Pelecanos



As seen on Screen (books with films or television series)
1. The Graduate - Charles Webb
2 Darkly Dreaming Dexter Jeff Lindsay
3. 84 Charing Cross Road - Helen Hanff
4 Dearly Devoted Dexter - Jeff Lindsay
5. Hallam Foe - Peter Jinks
6. Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne
7. The Last King of Scotland - Giles Foden
8. Fight Club - Chuck Palahnuik



Prize Winners and Nominees
1. The Restraint of Beasts - Magnus Mills, McKitterick Prize & Booker Nominee
2. Last Orders - Graham Swift, Boooker Prize Winner
3. The Sea - John Banville, Booker Prize Winner 2005
4. The Gathering - Anne Enright, Booker Prize Winner
5. Boy A - Jonathan Trigell, John Llewellyn Rhys
6. Shipping News - Annie Proulx, Pulitzer
7. Whatever - Michel Houellbecq, Impac winner
8. The Accidental - Ali Smith, Whitbread Prize/Booker Nominee




Book Club reads
1. Uncommon Reader Alan Bennett
2. If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things - Jon McGregor
3. The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch
4. City of God - E L Doctorow
5. Book of Things Lost - John Connolly
6. Norwegian Wood - Hanuki Murakami
7. Two Caravans - Marina Lewycka
8. Never Let Me Down - Kazuo Ishiguro



Books by authors whose other books I've enjoyed
1 Glyph Percival Everett
2. So Many Ways to Begin - Jon McGregor
3. A Spot of Bother - Mark Haddon
4. All Families of Psychotic - Douglas Coupland
5. The Third Brother - Nick McDonell
6. Three to See a King - Magnus Mills
7. The Body - Hanif Kureishi
8. Tortilla Curtain - T C Boyle

888 Challenge: End of October

Just two books to read to complete the challenge with the allow overlaps, then a few more to rid myself of the overlaps.



1001 Books to Read Before You Die
1. Hideous Kinky - Esther Freud
2. The Graduate - Charles Webb (overlap)
3. Saturday - Ian McEwan
4. Choke - Chuck Palahunik (overlap)
5 . City of God - E. L. Doctorow (overlap)
6. Drop City - T C Boyle
7. The Outsider - Albert Camus
8. The Third Man - Graham Greene

Read so far: 8
To Read: 2 overlaps


Non-fiction
1. The Hypocrisy of Disco Clane Hayward (memoir about growing up in seventies communes
2. Pies and Prejudice Stuart Maconie (journey around the north of England)
3. The White Album Joan Didion (essays and articles)
4. The Film Club David Gilmour (film history mixed with father/son relationship)
5. Elephants on Acid Alex Boese (weird experiments)
6. Stuart a Life Backwards Alexander Masters (biography of a homeless man)
7 A Year of Magical Thinking - Joan Didion (memoir about grief)

8. My Life at Grey Gardens - Lois Wright (memoir)
Read so far: 8
To Read: 0

Fiction authors that are new to me
1. The Russian Debutante's Handbook Gary Shteygart
2. The Best Thing that can happen to a Croissant Pablo Tusset
3. Post Office Charles Bukowski
4. She's Come Undone Wally Lamb
5. Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes
6. Replay - Ken Grimwood
7. The End of Mr Y - Scarlett Thomas
8. Fup - Jim Dodge
Read so far: 8
To Read: 0

Crime & Detectives
1. The Naming of the Dead Ian Rankin
2. The Big Blowdown George Pelecanos
3. Exit Music Ian Rankin
4. The Shape of Water - Andrea Camillieri
5. The Return of the Dancing Master - Henning Mankell
6. King Suckerman - George Pelecanos
7. Dearly Devoted Dexter - Jeff Lindsay (overlap)
8. The Sweet Forever - George Pelecanos
Read so far: 8

To Read - 1 overlap


As seen on Screen (books with films or television series)
1. The Graduate - Charles Webb (overlap)
2 Darkly Dreaming Dexter Jeff Lindsay
3. 84 Charing Cross Road - Helen Hanff
4. Choke - Chuck Palahnuik (overlap)
5. Dearly Devoted Dexter - Jeff Lindsay
6. Hallam Foe - Peter Jinks

7. Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne
8. The Last King of Scotland - Giles Foden

Read so far: 8

To Read: 2 overlaps


Prize Winners and Nominees
1. The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch, Booker Prize Winner 1978 (overlap)
2. The Restraint of Beasts - Magnus Mills, Booker Nominee
3. Last Orders - Graham Swift, Boooker Prize Winner
4. The Sea - John Banville, Booker Prize Winner 2005
5. The Gathering - Anne Enright, Booker Prize Winner

6. Boy A - Jonathan Trigell

7. Whatever - Michel Houellebecq

8. Shipping News - Annie Proulx
Read so far: 8

To Read - 1 overlaps



Book Club reads
1. Uncommon Reader Alan Bennett
2. If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things - Jon McGregor
3. The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch (overlap)
4. City of God - E L Doctorow (overlap)
5. Book of Things Lost - John Connolly

6. Norwegian Wood - Hanuki Murakami
Read so far: 6
To read: 2



Books by authors whose other books I've enjoyed
1 Glyph Percival Everett
2. So Many Ways to Begin - Jon McGregor
3. A Spot of Bother - Mark Haddon
4. All Families of Psychotic - Douglas Coupland

5. The Third Brother - Nick McDonell

6. Three to See a King - Magnus Mills

7. The Body - Hanif Kureishi

8. Tortilla Curtain - T C Boyle
Read so far: 8
To read: 0

888 Challenge: End of September

1001 Books to Read Before You Die
1. Hideous Kinky - Esther Freud
2. The Graduate - Charles Webb
3. Saturday - Ian McEwan
4. Choke - Chuck Palahunik
5 . City of God - E. L. Doctorow
6. Drop City - T C Boyle
7. The Outsider - Albert Camus
8. The Third Man - Graham Greene
Read so far: 8
To Read: 0


Non-fiction
1. The Hypocrisy of Disco Clane Hayward (memoir about growing up in seventies communes
2. Pies and Prejudice Stuart Maconie (journey around the north of England)
3. The White Album Joan Didion (essays and articles)
4. The Film Club David Gilmour (film history mixed with father/son relationship)
5. Elephants on Acid Alex Boese (weird experiments)
6. Stuart a Life Backwards Alexander Masters (biography of a homeless man)
7 A Year of Magical Thinking - Joan Didion (memoir about grief)
Read so far: 7
To Read: 1

Fiction authors that are new to me
1. The Russian Debutante's Handbook Gary Shteygart
2. The Best Thing that can happen to a Croissant Pablo Tusset
3. Post Office Charles Bukowski
4. She's Come Undone Wally Lamb
5. Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes
6. Replay - Ken Grimwood
7. The End of Mr Y - Scarlett Thomas
8. Fup - Jim Dodge
Read so far: 8
To Read: 0

Crime & Detectives
1. The Naming of the Dead Ian Rankin
2. The Big Blowdown George Pelecanos
3. Exit Music Ian Rankin
4. Darkly Dreaming Dexter Jeff Lindsay
5. The Shape of Water - Andrea Camillieri
6. The Return of the Dancing Master - Henning Mankell
7. King Suckerman - George Pelecanos
8 Dearly Devoted Dexter - Jeff Lindsay
Read so far: 8
To Read: 0

As seen on Screen (books with films or television series)
1. Hideous Kinky - Esther Freud (overlapping two categories)
2. The Graduate - Charles Webb (overlapping two categories)
3 Darkly Dreaming Dexter Jeff Lindsay (overlapping two categories)
4. 84 Charing Cross Road - Helen Hanff
5. Last Orders - Graham Swift
6. Choke - Chuck Palahnuik (overlap)
7. Dearly Devoted Dexter - Jeff Lindsay (overlap)
8. Hallam Foe - Peter Jinks
Read so far: 8
To read: 0

Prize Winners and Nominees
1. The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch, Booker Prize Winner 1978
2. The Restraint of Beasts - Magnus Mills, Booker Nominee
3. Last Orders - Graham Swift, Boooker Prize Winner (overlap)
4. The Sea - John Banville, Booker Prize Winner 2005
5. The Gathering - Anne Enright, Booker Prize Winner
Read so far: 5
To read 3

Book Club reads
1. Uncommon Reader Alan Bennett
2. If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things - Jon McGregor
3. The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch (overlapping two categories)
4. City of God - E L Doctorow (overlap)
5. Book of Things Lost - John Connolly
Read so far: 5
To read: 3

Books by authors whose other books I've enjoyed
1 Glyph Percival Everett
2. So Many Ways to Begin - Jon McGregor
3. A Spot of Bother - Mark Haddon
4. All Families of Psychotic - Douglas Coupland
Read so far: 4
To read: 4

888 Challenge: Mid September

I've now completed two categories, although the second Crime & Detectives has a couple of overlaps so I may come back to this category to get rid of the overlaps later.

1001 Books to Read Before You Die
1. Hideous Kinky - Esther Freud
2. The Graduate - Charles Webb
3. Saturday - Ian McEwan
4. Choke - Chuck Palahunik
5 . City of God - E. L. Doctorow
6. Drop City - T C Boyle
Read so far: 6
To Read: 2


Non-fiction
1. The Hypocrisy of Disco Clane Hayward (memoir about growing up in seventies communes
2. Pies and Prejudice Stuart Maconie (journey around the north of England)
3. The White Album Joan Didion (essays and articles)
4. The Film Club David Gilmour (film history mixed with father/son relationship)
5. Elephants on Acid Alex Boese (weird experiments)
6. Stuart a Life Backwards Alexander Masters (biography of a homeless man)
7 A Year of Magical Thinking - Joan Didion (memoir about grief)
Read so far: 7
To Read: 1

Fiction authors that are new to me
1. The Russian Debutante's Handbook Gary Shteygart
2. The Best Thing that can happen to a Croissant Pablo Tusset
3. Post Office Charles Bukowski
4. She's Come Undone Wally Lamb
5. Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes
6. Replay - Ken Grimwood
7. The End of Mr Y - Scarlett Thomas
8. Fup - Jim Dodge
Read so far: 8
To Read: 0

Crime & Detectives
1. The Naming of the Dead Ian Rankin
2. The Big Blowdown George Pelecanos
3. Exit Music Ian Rankin
4. Darkly Dreaming Dexter Jeff Lindsay
5. The Shape of Water - Andrea Camillieri
6. The Return of the Dancing Master - Henning Mankell
7. King Suckerman - George Pelecanos
8 Dearly Devoted Dexter - Jeff Lindsay
Read so far: 8
To Read: 0

As seen on Screen (books with films or television series)
1. Hideous Kinky - Esther Freud (overlapping two categories)
2. The Graduate - Charles Webb (overlapping two categories)
3 Darkly Dreaming Dexter Jeff Lindsay (overlapping two categories)
4. 84 Charing Cross Road - Helen Hanff
5. Last Orders - Graham Swift
6. Choke - Chuck Palahnuik (overlap)
7. Dearly Devoted Dexter - Jeff Lindsay (overlap))
Read so far: 7
To read: 1

Prize Winners and Nominees
1. The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch, Booker Prize Winner 1978
2. The Restraint of Beasts - Magnus Mills, Booker Nominee
3. Last Orders - Graham Swift, Boooker Prize Winner (overlap)
Read so far: 3
To read 5

Book Club reads
1. Uncommon Reader Alan Bennett
2. If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things - Jon McGregor
3. The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch (overlapping two categories)
4. City of God - E L Doctorow (overlap)
Read so far: 4
To read: 4

Books by authors whose other books I've enjoyed
1 Glyph Percival Everett
2. So Many Ways to Begin - Jon McGregor
3. A Spot of Bother - Mark Haddon
4. All Families of Psychotic - Douglas Coupland
Read so far: 4
To read: 4

888 Challenge: End of August

One category completed but I need to do some more reading in the 1001 and Prize winners categories if I'm going to succeed in this challenge.

1001 Books to Read Before You Die
1. Hideous Kinky - Esther Freud
2. The Graduate - Charles Webb
3. Saturday - Ian McEwan
Read so far: 3
To Read: 5

Non-fiction
1. The Hypocrisy of Disco Clane Hayward (memoir about growing up in seventies communes
2. Pies and Prejudice Stuart Maconie (journey around the north of England)
3. The White Album Joan Didion (essays and articles)
4. The Film Club David Gilmour (film history mixed with father/son relationship)
5. Elephants on Acid - Alex Boese
6. Stuart a Life Backwards Alexander Masters (biography of a homeless man)
7 A Year of Magical Thinking - Joan Didion (memoir about grief)
Read so far: 7
To Read: 1

Fiction authors that are new to me
1. The Russian Debutante's Handbook Gary Shteygart
2. The Best Thing that can happen to a Croissant Pablo Tusset
3. Post Office Charles Bukowski
4. She's Come Undone Wally Lamb
5. Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes
6. Replay - Ken Grimwood
7. The End of Mr Y - Scarlett Thomas
8. Fup - Jim Dodge
Read so far: 8
To Read: 0

Crime & Detectives
1. The Naming of the Dead Ian Rankin
2. The Big Blowdown George Pelecanos
3. Exit Music Ian Rankin
4. Darkly Dreaming Dexter Jeff Lindsay
5. The Shape of Water - Andrea Camillieri
6. The Return of the Dancing Master - Henning Mankell
Read so far: 6
To Read: 2

As seen on Screen (books with films or television series)
1. Hideous Kinky - Esther Freud (overlapping two categories)
2. The Graduate - Charles Webb (overlapping two categories)
3 Darkly Dreaming Dexter Jeff Lindsay (overlapping two categories)
4. 84 Charing Cross Road - Helen Hanff
Read so far: 4
To read: 4

Prize Winners and Nominees
1. The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch, Booker Prize Winner 1978
2. The Restraint of Beasts - Magnus Mills, Booker Nominee
Read so far: 2
To read 6

Book Club reads
1. Uncommon Reader Alan Bennett
2. If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things - Jon McGregor
3. The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch (overlapping two categories)
Read so far: 3
To read: 5

Books by authors whose other books I've enjoyed
1 Glyph Percival Everett
2. So Many Ways to Begin - Jon McGregor
3. A Spot of Bother - Mark Haddon
Read so far: 3
To read: 5

888 Challenge: Mid August

I need to do some more reading in the 1001 and Prize winners categories if I'm going to succeed in this challenge. The Authors New to Me category is the easiest, not much of a challenge there at all.

1001 Books to Read Before You Die
1. Hideous Kinky - Esther Freud
2. The Graduate - Charles Webb
Read so far: 2
To Read: 6

Non-fiction
1. The Hypocrisy of Disco Clane Hayward (memoir about growing up in seventies communes
2. Pies and Prejudice Stuart Maconie (journey around the north of England)
3. The White Album Joan Didion (essays and articles)
4. The Film Club David Gilmour (film history mixed with father/son relationship)
5. Elephants on Acid Alex Boese (weird science experiements)
Read so far: 5
To Read: 3

Fiction authors that are new to me
1. The Russian Debutante's Handbook Gary Shteygart
2. The Best Thing that can happen to a Croissant Pablo Tusset
3. Post Office Charles Bukowski
4. She's Come Undone Wally Lamb
5. Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes
6. Replay - Ken Grimwood
Read so far: 6
To Read: 2

Crime & Detectives
1. The Naming of the Dead Ian Rankin
2. The Big Blowdown George Pelecanos
3. Exit Music Ian Rankin
4. Darkly Dreaming Dexter Jeff Lindsay
Read so far: 4
To Read: 4

As seen on Screen (books with films or television series)
1. Hideous Kinky - Esther Freud (overlapping two categories)
2. The Graduate - Charles Webb (overlapping two categories)
3 Darkly Dreaming Dexter Jeff Lindsay (overlapping two categories)
Read so far: 3
To read: 5

Prize Winners and Nominees
1. The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch, Booker Prize Winner 1978
2. The Restraint of Beasts - Magnus Mills, Booker Nominee
Read so far: 2
To read 6

Book Club reads
1. Uncommon Reader Alan Bennett
2. If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things - Jon McGregor
3. The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch (overlapping two categories)
Read so far: 3
To read: 5

Books by authors whose other books I've enjoyed
1 Glyph Percival Everett
2. So Many Ways to Begin - Jon McGregor
3. A Spot of Bother - Mark Haddon
Read so far: 3
To read: 5

888 Challenge: Progress End of July

1001 Books to Read Before You Die
1. Hideous Kinky - Esther Freud
2. The Graduate - Charles Webb
Read so far: 2
To Read: 6

Non-fiction
1. The Hypocrisy of Disco Clane Hayward (memoir about growing up in seventies communes
2. Pies and Prejudice Stuart Maconie (journey around the north of England)
3. The White Album Joan Didion (essays and articles)
4. The Film Club David Gilmour (film history mixed with father/son relationship)
Read so far: 4
To Read: 4

Fiction authors that are new to me
1. The Russian Debutante's Handbook Gary Shteygart
2. The Best Thing that can happen to a Croissant Pablo Tusset
3. Post Office Charles Bukowski
4. She's Come Undone Wally Lamb
5. Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes
Read so far: 5
To Read: 3

Crime & Detectives
1. The Naming of the Dead Ian Rankin
2. The Big Blowdown George Pelecanos
Read so far: 2
To Read: 6

As seen on Screen (books with films or television series)
1. Hideous Kinky - Esther Freud (overlapping two categories)
2. The Graduate - Charles Webb (overlapping two categories)
Read so far: 2
To read: 6

Prize Winners and Nominees
1. The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch, Booker Prize Winner 1978
Read so far: 1
To read 7

Book Club reads
1. Uncommon Reader Alan Bennett
2. If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things - Jon McGregor
3. The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch (overlapping two categories)
Read so far: 3
To read: 5

Books by authors whose other books I've enjoyed
1 Glyph Percival Everett
Read so far: 1

To read: 7

888 Challenge: Mid July 2008

As I said, I've read shamefully few books so far this year, I was sure I must have read more but couldn't see them on my shelves and the library is closed for refurbishment so I couldn't have been there either. So I've a long way to go with this challenge.


1001 Books to Read Before You Die
Read so far this year: 0
To Read: 8

Non-fiction
1. The Hypocrisy of Disco Clane Hayward (memoir about growing up in seventies communes
2. Pies and Prejudice Stuart Maconie (journey around the north of England)
3. The White Album Joan Didion (essays and articles)
Read so far: 3
To Read: 5


Fiction authors that are new to me
1. The Russian Debutante's Handbook Gary Shteygart
2. The Best Thing that can happen to a Croissant Pablo Tusset
3. Post Office Charles Bukowski
4. She's Come Undone Wally Lamb
Read so far: 4
To Read: 4

Crime & Detectives
1. The Naming of the Dead Ian Rankin
2. The Big Blowdown George Pelecanos
Read so far: 2
To Read: 6


As seen on Screen (books with films or television series)
Read so far: 0
To read: 8

Prize Winners and Nominees
Read so far: 0
To read 8

Book Club reads
1. Uncommon Reader Alan Bennett
Read so far: 1
To read: 7


Books by authors whose other books I've enjoyed
1 Glyph Percival Everett
Read so far: 1
To read: 7

888 Challenge

Again on Library Thing, I came across another reading challenge. This one more difficult but more interesting than the 50 Book Challenge.

It is entitled the 888 Challenge, because in the year 08, you have to read 8 books from 8 different categories. Which means 64 books in one year but you can have up to 8 books that span more than one category, thereby reducing the total to 56.

This is a bigger challenge, especially since its already July and as mentioned before I'd hardly read anything in the first part of the year. But I'm in.

I've picked my categories as follows:

1. 1001 Books to read before you die
2. Non-fiction
3. Fiction authors that are new to me
4. Crime & Detectives
5. As seen on Screen (books with films or television series)
6. Prize Winners and Nominees
7. Book Club reads
8. Books by authors whose other books I've enjoyed

I'll chart where I'm at in another post.