That Spring Thing ~ March 20 to June 20 challenge

Spring Reading Thing 2012 was brought to us by Katrina @ Callapidder Days, who has a Mister Linky for all our closing posts.  My original book list had thirteen books for thirteen weeks — and I more than doubled my list.  Here are the 28 books I finished, divided into categories, and how I rated each one.  (Those marked library book are explained below.)

FICTION (16 books)

1.  The Age of Grief ~ by Jane Smiley, fiction, 7/10
2.  Ashfall ~ by Mike Mullin, 2011, YA fiction (Iowa, Illinois), 9/10, (library book)
3.  Before I Go to Sleep ~ by S. J. Watson, 2011, fiction, 9/10, (library book)
4.  The Beginner's Goodbye ~ by Anne Tyler, 2012, fiction (Maryland), 8/10, (library book)

Best of the Bunch #1

5.  The Breath of God ~ by Jeffrey Small, 2011, fiction (Bhutan, India, USA), 9.5/10
6.  Catalyst ~ by Laurie Halse Anderson, 2002, YA fiction, 9/10
7.  Close to Famous ~ by Joan Bauer, 2011, YA fiction (West Virginia), 8/10, (library book)
8.  Dead Asleep ~ by Jennifer B. White, 2011, fiction (Massachusetts), 9/10
9.  Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant ~ by Anne Tyler, 1982, fiction (Maryland), 8/10
10.  The Happy Room ~ by Catherine Palmer, 2002, fiction (Missouri, Kenya), 8/10, (library book)
11.  The Lady and the Unicorn ~ by Tracy Chevalier, 2004, fiction (France and Belgium), 9/10

Best of the Bunch #2

12.  Lone Wolf ~ by Jodi Picoult, 2012, fiction, 10/10
13.  Mary, Bloody Mary ~ by Carolyn Meyer, 1999, YA fiction (England), 9/10
14.  Murder and the First Lady ~ by Elliott Roosevelt, 1984, mystery (District of Columbia), 8/10
15.  Nop's Trials ~ by Donald McCaig, 1984, fiction (Virginia), 9/10
16.  Patience, Princess Catherine ~ by Carolyn Meyer, 2004, YA fiction (England), 9/10

HISTORY (2 books)

17.  The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed  the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels ~ by Thomas Cahill, 1998, history (Middle East), 9/10
18.  The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade ~ by Ann Fessler, 2006, history. 9/10, (library book)

MEMOIR (4 books)

19.  Girl Meets God ~ by Lauren F. Winner, 2002, memoir, 8/10, (library book)
20.  Into the Tangle of Friendship: A Memoir of the Things That Matter ~ by Beth Kephart, 2000, memoir, 8/10, (library book)
21.  Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis ~ by Lauren F. Winner, 2012, memoir, 8/10
22.  Traveling with Pomegranates: A Mother-Daughter Story ~ by Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor, 2009, memoir (Greece, Turkey, South Carolina, France), 9/10

PSYCHOLOGY (1 book)

23.  Between a Rock and a Hot Place: Why Fifty is the New Fifty ~ by Tracey Jackson, 2011, psychology/aging, 7/10

RELIGION (4 books)

24.  God Is No Laughing Matter: An Artist's Observations and Objections on the Spiritual Path ~ by Julia Cameron, 2000, religion, 8/10
25.  Jesus and Buddha: The Parallel Sayings ~ edited by Marcus Borg, 1997, religion, 7/10, (library book)
26.  Love Wins: A Book about Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived ~ by Rob Bell, 2011, religion, 9/10, (library book)
27.  One Hand Clapping: Zen Stories for All Ages ~ by Rafe Martin, illustrated by Junko Morimoto, 1995, YA religion, 9/10, (library book)

WRITING (1 book)

28.  I Could Tell You Stories: Sojourns in the Land of Memory ~ by Patricia Hampl, 1999, memoir writing, 8/10, (library book)

SUMMARY

I'm in the middle of two other books that were on the list, but since each is nonfiction (religion) and I'm studying them, I decided I wouldn't hurry just to complete them "on time" for this Spring Reading Thing challenge.  I haven't been writing reviews for many of the books I've been reading, and these two will require some thought before I post anything.  The first one was on the original list, and I added this second one after reading Breath of God by Jeffrey Small.  Both of these are excellent:

29.  Saving Jesus from the Church: How to Stop Worshiping Christ and Start Following Jesus ~ by Robin R. Meyers, 2009, religion

30.  Living Buddha, Living Christ ~ by Thích Nhất Hạnh, introduction by Elaine Pagels, 1995, religion

Books read and original goals:

16 of 4 fiction
1 of 1 psychology
1 of 1 writing
4 of 3 memoir
4 of 3 religion
2 of 1 history
_____________
28 of 13 books  ✓

Ratio of my books read to library books read:
My goal was to read at least two of my books for every library book, which explains why I made note of them above.

16 of my books
12 library books
_____________
16/12 ratio, which means I didn't make it  ✓

Summary of books removed:My goal was to "get rid of a lot of books," and this isn't really a lot.  At least I got rid of some of them.  This will probably be a never-ending job.

4 to friends
30 to used book store
3 to the senior center
_______
37 books total  ✓

Spring Reading Thing 2012 ~ my book list

March 20 - June 20, 2012

Katrina @ Callapidder Days is hosting Spring Reading Thing 2012, which starts today, from the first day of spring through the last day of spring.  The calendar tells me it's thirteen weeks and a day until June 20th, so I've chosen thirteen books I hope to complete for this reading challenge.

The basics:

• create a list of books you plan to read (can be changed)
• set other goals, if you want to (optional)
• write a blog post (this is mine) showing your list and goals
• sign up by linking your post on Katrina's Mister Linky
• let everyone know at the end how you did on your list

LIST OF BOOKS to read or finish reading (✓ when completed):

✓  1.  Lone Wolf ~ by Jodi Picoult, 2012, fiction, 10/10

✓  2.  Ashfall ~ by Mike Mullin, 2011, YA fiction (Iowa, Illinois), 9/10, (library book)

✓  3.  Patience, Princess Catherine ~ by Carolyn Meyer, 2004, YA fiction (England), 9/10

✓  4.  Mary, Bloody Mary ~ by Carolyn Meyer, 1999, YA fiction (England), 9/10

✓  5.  Between a Rock and a Hot Place: Why Fifty is the New Fifty ~ by Tracey Jackson, 2011, psychology/aging, 7/10

✓  6.  I Could Tell You Stories: Sojourns in the Land of Memory ~ by Patricia Hampl, 1999, memoir writing, 8/10, (library book)

7.  Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient: Reflections on Healing and Regeneration ~ by Norman Cousins, 1979, memoir

✓  8.  Girl Meets God ~ by Lauren F. Winner, 2002, memoir, 8/10, (library book)

✓  9.  Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis ~ by Lauren F. Winner, 2012, memoir, 8/10

✓ 10.  Love Wins: A Book about Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived ~ by Rob Bell, 2011, religion, 9/10, (library book)

11.  Saving Jesus from the Church: How to Stop Worshiping Christ and Start Following Jesus ~ by Robin R. Meyers, 2009, religion

12.  Eternal Life: A New Vision: Beyond Religion, Beyond Theism, Beyond Heaven and Hell ~ by John Shelby Spong, 2009, religion

✓ 13.  The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed  the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels ~ by Thomas Cahill, 1998, history (Middle East), 9/10

ADDED SINCE MARCH 20:

✓ 14.  Before I Go to Sleep ~ by S. J. Watson, 2011, fiction, 9/10, (library book)

✓ 15.  God Is No Laughing Matter: An Artist's Observations and Objections on the Spiritual Path ~ by Julia Cameron, 2000, religion, 8/10

✓ 16.  The Age of Grief ~ by Jane Smiley, 1987, fiction, 7/10

✓ 17.  Catalyst ~ by Laurie Halse Anderson, 2002, YA fiction, 9/10

✓ 18.  Into the Tangle of Friendship: A Memoir of the Things That Matter ~ by Beth Kephart, 2000, memoir, 8/10, (library book)

✓ 19.  The Breath of God ~ by Jeffrey Small, 2011, fiction (Bhutan, India, USA), 9.5/10

20.  The Metaphor of God Incarnate: Christology in a Pluralistic Age ~ by John Hick, 2005, religion

21.  Living Buddha, Living Christ ~ by Thích Nhất Hạnh, introduction by Elaine Pagels, 1995, religion

✓ 22.  Jesus and Buddha: The Parallel Sayings ~ edited by Marcus Borg, 1997, religion, 7/10, (library book)

✓ 23.  Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant ~ by Anne Tyler, 1982, fiction (Maryland), 8/10

✓ 24.  The Beginner's Goodbye ~ by Anne Tyler, 2012, fiction (Maryland), 8/10, (library book)

✓ 25.  One Hand Clapping: Zen Stories for All Ages ~ by Rafe Martin, illustrated by Junko Morimoto, 1995, YA religion, 9/10, (library book)

✓ 26.  Close to Famous ~ by Joan Bauer, 2011, YA fiction (West Virginia), 8/10, (library book)

✓ 27. The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade ~ by Ann Fessler, 2006, history. 9/10, (library book)

✓ 28.  Dead Asleep ~ by Jennifer B. White, 2011, fiction (Massachusetts), 9/10

✓ 29.  The Lady and the Unicorn ~ by Tracy Chevalier, 2004, fiction (France and Belgium), 9/10

✓ 30.   Traveling with Pomegranates: A Mother-Daughter Story ~ by Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor, 2009, memoir (Greece, Turkey, South Carolina, France), 9/10

✓ 31.  The Happy Room ~ by Catherine Palmer, 2002, fiction (Missouri, Kenya), 8/10, (library book)

✓ 32.  Nop's Trials ~ by Donald McCaig, 1984, fiction (Virginia), 9/10

✓ 33.   Murder and the First Lady ~ by Elliott Roosevelt, 1984, mystery (District of Columbia), 8/10

OTHER BOOK-RELATED GOALS FOR SPRING:

1.  Read from books I already have.  Strategy?   Read at least two of my books for every library book.

2.  Get rid of a lot of my books so I have more room.   Strategy?  Give some to friends and family, take some to the store that sells used books (for trade credit), and donate others to the reading room at the senior center.

SUMMARY OF MY READING GOALS:

16 of 4 fiction
1 of 1 psychology
1 of 1 writing
4 of 3 memoir
4 of 3 religion
2 of 1 history
_____________
28 of 13 books, and still reading  ✓

RATIO OF MY BOOKS READ TO LIBRARY BOOKS READ:

16 my books
12 library books
_____________
16/12 ratio, which is not good enough  ✓

SUMMARY OF BOOKS REMOVED:

4 to friends
30 to used book store
3 to senior center
_______
37 books total  ✓