Lynda's -"Those were the days" 12 in 12

I finished my Reading Journal and now I'm ready to set up my thread. This year I am using the last verse of the song "Those Were the Days" as my theme. I will be doing a step challenge with 78 books and read another 22 to make it 100 for the year. I don't usually read 100 books in a year but I like trying.




I've Finished my Challenge

1. Through the door there came familiar laughter- Humorous re-read Done
2. I saw your face a heard you call my name-Biographies Done
3. Oh my friend we're older but no wiser- Banned Books- Done
4. For in our hearts the dream is still the same- Romance-Done
5.Those were the days my friends- History Done
6. We thought they'd never end- Series Done
7. We'd sing and dance Forever and a day- Operas-Done
8. We'd live the life we choose- Fantasy Done
9. We'd fight and never lose- Mystery/thriller Done
10. For we were young and sure to have our way- Children/Young Adults Done
11. LA,la,la,la,la,la- Audio Done
12. Those were the days, Oh yes those were the days- TBR Done

I. Through the door there came fimilar laughter- Humorus Re-read

1. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

II. I saw your face I heard you call my name- Biographies Done
1. Confessions of an Opera Singer read 1-4-2012
2. The Home Life of Poe read 5-13-2012

III. Oh my Friend, we're older but no wiser- Banned Books Done

1. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes read 1-06-2012
2. Stories of Wagner Operas read 1-31-2012
3. Leaves of Grass read 10-01-2012

IV. For in our hearts the dream is still the same- Romance-Done

1. Love at First Flight read 12-28-2011
2. Old Rose and Silver read 12-30-2011
3. A Bride for Tom read 12-31-2011
4. A Husband for Margaret read 1-1-2012

V. Those were the days my friends- History Done

1. A History of Nursery Rhymes read 10-17-2012
2. History of the Republic of Texas read 10-17-2012
3. Little Journey's Guide Book read 9-12-2012
4. The Book of Pirates read 10-18-2012
5. The Complete Story of The Galveston Horror read 11-28-2012

VI. We thought they'd never end- Series Done

1. Second Touch read 10-11-2012
2. Third Watch read 12-04-2012
3. Fourth Dawn read 12-07-2012
4. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West 10-14-2012
5. Son of a Witch read 11-19-2012
6. A Lion Among Men read 11-22-2012

VII. We'd sing and dance forever and a day- Operas- Done

1. Physiology of the Opera read 1-22-2012
2. Stories of the Wagner Opera read 1-25-2012
3. Tosca read 1-30-2012
4. Madam Butterfly read 1-30-2012
5. La Traviata read 1-30-2012
6. Pagliacci read 1-30-2012
7. Aida read 1-30-2012

VIII. We'd live the life we choose- Fantasy Done

1. World Beyond Pluto read 1-15-2012
2. Dealing with Dragons read 1-18-2012
3. Dragonspell read 9-01-2012
4. Paul is Undead read 8-25-2012
5. Dragonquest read 9-02-2012
6. Star Trek: The Romulan Way read 9-20-2012
7. Star Trek: Faces of Fire read 9-27-2012
8. Star Trek: Shell Game read 10-05-2012

IX. We'd fight and never lose- Mystery/Thriller Done

1. The Hemlock Avenue Mystery read 1-14-2012
2. They Do It With Mirrors 5-13-2012
3. Live and Let Die read 2-18-2012
4. The Mountain Cat Murders 8-11-2012
5. An Overdose of Death 9-01-2012
6. Sainted Murder read 8-26-2012
7. Death on a Diagonal 8-30-2012
8. Knock-down read 8-31-2012
9. Risk read 8-31-2012

X. For we were young and sure to have our way- Children/Young Adult Done

1. The Tale of Peter Rabbit read 1-16-2012
2. The Velveteen Rabbit raed 1-16-2012
3. The Tale of Despereaux read 9-04-2012
4. The Worlds Best Fairy Tales 9-18-2012
5. The Lost Hero read 10-12-2012
6. The Son of Neptune read 10-16-2012
7. The Mark of Athena read 10-20-2012
8. Return to Labyrinth read 10-18-2012
9. Warrior: Into the Wild read 10-24-2012
10. Red Pyramid read 10-31-2012

XI. La, la, la, la, la, la- Audio Done

1. Agnes Grey heard 1-19-2012
2. Idyll Thoughts of an Idyll Fellow heard 5-10-2012
3. Reeve's Silent Bullet heard 5-15-2012
4. The Mystery of Edwin Drood heard 9-17-2012
5. The Importance of Being Earnest heard 10-14-2012
6. A Damsel in Distress heard 10-14-2012
7. The Murder of Rodger Ackroyd heard 10-18-2012
8. Little Women heard 10-20-2012
9. The Scarlet Pimpernel heard 10-29-2012
10. A Christmas Carol heard 11-1-2012
11. The Count of Monte Cristo heard 11-21-2012

XII. Those were the days , oh yes, Those were the days- TBR Done

1. With Violets read 9-02-2012
2. The People's Pope read 9-10-2012
3. Crime and Punishment read 9-10-2012
4. Wycliffe and the Cycle of Death read 9-05-2012
5. Memory and Identityread 9-06-2012
6. Dead Cert read 9-08-2012
7. Robert Frost's Poems read 9-14-2012
8. The Cat Who Played Brahms read 9-14-2012
9. Samuel Beckett read 9-19-2012
10. Wildflowers of North America read 9-20-2012
11. Bravo! A Guide to Opera for the Perplexed read 9-21-2012
12. The Turn of the Screw read 10-01-2012

You sure picked the right song, very cool.

I like the song theme, very cool

A well devised theme for your challenge. Love it!

Nice theme! Glad to see you are here for the challenge.

Thanks, when I was looking for a theme an end-of-the-world type was thrown out but that seemed too depressing. It did give me the idea for a looking-back theme instead and "Those Were the Days" was perfect.

Hi Lynda! Your thread caught my eye because we spell our first names in the same way, with a "y". That's something you don't see all that often.
Good luck with your very creative categories.

Love your theme! A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is one of those books that got recommended to me that I should really read one of these days. And Adventures of Sherlock Holmes banned? Really? Learn something new every day.

Since I finished my 11-11 Challenge I am starting my12-12 Challenge. I plan to go from 11-12-2011 to 12-12-2012.

I just found your thread. I absolutely adore your category theme! What a neat idea!

I haven't set up my 12/12 thread yet, though I was toying with a list of song titles to use. Now I'm running through song lyrics in my head trying to find one that would work for me . . . if I find one, would you mind if I borrow your idea, as long as I give credit to you and your "those were the days" thread for the idea?? But I doubt that I'll be clever enough to find a song that would work for my challenge.

Happy reading!

I had started with song titles when I came across Those Were the Days. Please feel free to use my idea and good luck on finding a song, or poem.

Thanks! I'm thinking of doing part of the last stanza and the refrain of "American Pie," which is one of the song titles I had planned to use. I see ways I can slice it into some categories that work for me. (I don't think I can make the entire stanza and refrain work, though, unless I wait a few years for more categories!)

Thanks! Now I'll have that song stuck in my head. Fun way to set up your categories!

I started with the Romances as they are my least favorite.

1. Love at First Flight read 12-28-2011
I just couldn't care about the characters. The subplot of the trial was good however.

2. Old Rose and Silver read 12-30-2011
Charming story of love hidden not only from the loved but the lover and not always well.

Did some quick checking onto Old Rose and Silver and besides loving the cover for the book on the book page it does sound like an interesting story! Some of those older stories (it appears this was first published in 1909) are a nice change of pace from more contemporary stories.

I love the old stories because it's about the love and the people and not the sex and after math.

3. A Bride for Tom
4. A Husband for Margaret

Very good stories. I will be looking for more like this.

5. Confessions of an Opera Singer by Kathleen Howard
Wonderful insight not just about the world of opera but pre-World War 1 Europe also. Very interesting.

You're making good progress on the challenge already.

6. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
This book was banned because of the references to Sherlock using cocaine.

I always wondered by Sherlock was banned.

7. The Hemlock Avenue Mystery
Was very good. Had a great twist at the end.

8. World Beyond Pluto
I loved Johnny Mayhem. Will definately be on the look out for more.

9. The Tale of Peter Rabbit
I knew the story but never actually read the book, I loved it.

10. The Velveteen Rabbit
Last year I realized that I have never read this book before. The sad part.. it was my sisters favorite book growing up. Can't wait to read it to my grand-kids now.

11. Dealing with Dragons
Cimorene decides to volunteer to be a Dragon's Princess instead of marrying a prince she didn't love.

12. Agnes Grey

Love your categories and your selections so far!

Thank you.

13. Physiology of The Opera read 1-22-2012
This was not the dull reference book I expected. Instead it was an insiders look at the people and jobs. It was a humorous and eye opening look at a world within a world.

14. Agnes Grey heard 1-19-2012
Had hard time getting through this book. I tried reading it then listening to it. I finally got through it.

15. Aida
16. Madam Butterfly
17. Pagliacci
18. Tosca
19. La Traviata

Love Operas and now I understand them better.

20. Kobbe's Illustrated Opera Book
Love seeing the different costumes and staging from the past.

21. Stories of Wagner Opera
Banned due to the subject matter. Would make a great late night soap drama.

I bet my husband would really enjoy that last one!

You're progressing really well in this challenge, Lynda.

Thank you. The Rhine stories would make an awesome graphic novel, not to mention an interesting late night tv show.

Well life caught up to me and I haven't been able to get much reading done. But my mom's chemo seems to be helping so I will try to get as much reading done as I can.

22. The Home Life of Poe read 5-13-2012
Great bio of Poe's life rather then his legend.

23. Idyll thoughts of an Idyll Fellow heard 5-10-2012

24. They Do It With Mirrors read 5-13-2012

Things have finally calmed down. My grandson was born healthy and my mom's cancer is in remission. I now have time to breath and read, and I started with Rex Stout.

The Mountain Cat Murders: Della Brand was all set to shoot a man, so of course when her gun was found at the murder of Dan Jackson she was the prime suspect. Only he wasn't the man she was aiming to kill.

Congratulations on all the good news! Glad you're back.

Congratulations on the new grandson, and I'm glad to hear your mother is doing better!

Glad to hear such good news! Welcome back.

Paul is Undead: The British Zombie Invasion was written based on actual events but with the Fab four being zombies. Well Ringo isn't but the others are. It is really good and just plain fun.

I finally gathered all the books I had started and those I had laid aside and finished them. Now I can start the weekend anew.

I thought things would slow down once the kids were back in school but no such luck. Although I have finished 3 books just waiting to pick up my niece from school.

I thought things would slow down once the kids were back in school but no such luck.

I hear you! I don't think it ever slows down.

My niece introduced me to the world of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. And now we move into the world of the Heroes of Olympus.

The Lost Hero was all about Jason winding up at Camp Half-Blood with no memories of who he is are where he's been. The son of Jupiter he is sent on a quest to destroy the goddess Gaea before she fully awakes and destroy everything.

The Son of Neptune has Percy at Camp Jupiter with only one thing in his memory to hold on to, the name Annabeth. Hera sends him and his new friends on a quest to rescue her and his memories. Once this is accomplished he sets out Rome to deal with Gaea.

The Mark of Athena Annabeth has been given a quest she has to achieve alone. Can she avenge her mother and bring the Romans and Greeks together to defeat Gaea?

These were very quick reads and well written. The only complaint I have that the next book isn't due out till Fall of 2013.

Wow, six more books and I am finished with the challenge. Didn't think I'd make it after the busy summer I had.

6 books left.... that is fantastic! You will be joining the others that have completed the challenge very soon!

The Count of Monte Cristo was a lot better than the movies I had seen. I don't think I'll listen to it again because I never could find a good stopping point. :)

I don't think I'll listen to it again because I never could find a good stopping point. :)

I know how that goes! With some audio books that is really a problem.

It truly is a big problem. I have driven past my stop and around blocks trying to listen to the end of the chapter.

I've done that with songs I really like! 8-)

The Complete Story of the Galveston Horror is about the flood and hurricane of September 8,1900. 8000 people lost their lives. One third of the residential area and one half of the business areas were swept completely away. Every building had some type of damage. Thieves and ghouls were stripping the dead of all valuables. They were without eletricity food shelter clothing and hope for days. A truly amazing story from the survivors, rescue and others who witnessed this disaster.

Obviously, you were impressed by the details of the disaster, which was truly catastrophic. What did you think of the book itself? I see that it has a rather low rating here on LT.

Isaac's Storm was about that storm, and was fantastic. (Erik Larson is a favorite author of mine.) I'm wondering if this book you read would add anything to my knowledge or understanding if the Galveston hurricane.

It is more of the account of the storm that you would read in a newspaper or magezine. It was written as actual accounts rather then the more modern style of sensationalizing stories with graphic details.

I saved the best for last. I wanted plenty of time to read The Hitchhikers Guide to the Universe. I will be finished by the 12th and start the 13-13 Challenge on the 13th.

I an a big fan of Adams' Hitchhikers series.... such fun and a great book to finish you challenge reading with, Lynda!

I am Done!
This was a re-read for me and I throughly enjoyed it just as I did the first time.

Arthur Dent finds himself on an extraordinary journey after Ford Prefect saves him when the world is destroyed for an hyper spatial express route.
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Universe Tells you to always have your towel at hand and Don't Panic.

Congrats!

Great choice to finish your challenge and the year!

Hurray for finishing! And with one of my favorites!

Congrats on completing your challenge.

Congratulations, I have another biography of Adams (I read one last year which wasn't very good) lined up for 2013! Great book to end on :-)

Congratulations!

Thank you. I am thinking about reading the other 3 books in the trilogy for my 13-13 fantasy category.

Yay, congratulations!

Tomorrow I start my 13-13 Challenge. I hope the year is a little calmer since I have both sons stationed in the USA and no one is expecting. Still I have set my 13-13 Challenge for 13 months just in case. Looking forward to see you all next year.

Looking forward to following you over on the 2013 Challenge, Lynda. Happy to learn that your sons are back state-side and it sounds like all is well!

I've started my own 13 in 13. See you there!

Congrats for finishing. See you over on the 13 in 13!