December RandomCAT: Goodbye 2020 (pick 6)

2020 has been a difficult year.
This RandomCAT is intended to be easy, but I also wanted to give it a bit of, well, randomness.

Start by rolling a die.
Don't have a die in the house? Select six cards (A-6) from a deck, shuffle them, and draw one.
Don't have a deck of cards in the house? Ask a family member or friend to choose a number between one and six.

Your December RandomCAT assignment will depend on the number rolled, drawn, or chosen:

1. Read a book with a color in the title.
2. Read a book with a number in the title.
3. Read a book with a title that starts with "D."
4. Read a book that you have been meaning and planning to read all year.
5. Read a book with a character named Joseph or Donald (or Joe, Joey, Don, Donny) -- OR authored by a Joseph, Donald, etc.
6. Read a book published during the Obama years (2009 - 2016).

Feeling ambitious? Join me in attempting to read one book in each subcategory.

Nice. I like this one. Looking forward to the roll of the dice.

I used the deck of cards route, and pulled the 5 of clubs. I can read about either of two unsavory (in my opinion) characters: Joe Paterno and/or Donald Trump. I'm planning to read Wounded Lions: Joe Paterno, Jerry Sandusky and the Crises in Penn State Athletics by Ronald A. Smith, which I bought on a trip to Penn State last summer (2019) when we could still travel.

I'm extremely tired of Trump. However, we purchased Mary Trump's book, Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man which I may also read since it is negative about him.

Oh, I love the controlled randomness of this. I drew the #2 card so will read Take a Look at the Five and Ten by Connie Willis.

Oh, good one. My husband picked 5 so I'll read Joe Abercrombie for the challenge. A LIttle HAtred

Ha! Fun.
I rolled a 6:
6. Read a book published during the Obama years (2009 - 2016).

Looking forward to my random pick! Sounds like fun.

And . . . I got a 3. I have many books that begin with "D", so yes, this will be easy!

I rolled a 6 on a virtual dice: https://www.random.org/dice/?num=1

My reading group's choices for December are Death Ex Machina by Gary Corby published in 2015 and Persona Non Grata by Ruth Downie published in 2009, so they fit. I am also looking at The Ancient Paths by Graham Robb, published in 2013

I used the virtual dice (thank you Robert) and rolled a 3. I'm going to try and read The Dressmaker's Gift by Fiona Valpy (I'm discounting the "the") which was supposed to be my book for the Oct Alpha Kit ("V") that I didn't get finished.

I just used the virtual dice too (thanks Robert!) because I was too lazy to walk about 5 steps to where we have a bag of them, and rolled a 6. I have a huge number of books to choose from that were published 2009-2015, so I think I'll probably go for one of the extras I didn't get round to in some of the CATs this year (for most of the categories I had more than one choice, but didn't often read more than one). Now to go and check the list!

This is fun, I used the virtual dice also, thank you for that. How can it be that we have no dice or cards in the house? I rolled a 3 and will have fun looking for books that begin with a "D". I'm sure that I have a lot of them!

This is brilliant! I rolled a 4, which means read a book that I've been meaning and planning to read all year. I still have several candidates kicking around from my 2020 Pool, so I'll pick one of those. Leaning to either The Ringed Castle, by Dorothy Dunnett; or Blitzkrieg, by Len Deighton.

Edit: I've opted for The Ringed Castle, because I would REALLY like to read Checkmate next year and finish up the series!

I really like this kind of challenge. I rolled a 3 and will read either Death in Provence by Serena Kent or Defending Jacob by William Landry. The Landry would also work for number 6 (published 2019) or number 4, I had planned to read it last year, then this year...

I was already planning on reading Winter in Thrush Green so that's 1 covered. I'll see if I can work in more, I've checked and I can cover them all from the shelf, no big surprise there!

I rolled a 5 and I think I'll pick up something by Joseph Roth.

This is a fun challenge, Ellen. I got the number 1 and I have pulled A White Arrest by Ken Bruen down from the shelf.

I used the virtual dice and rolled a three (thanks, Robert!). I decided to read Dear Pen Pal from the Mother-Daughter Book Club series. I read several from this series but did not get to the others. It should be a fun and light choice.

I used the virtual dice and got a 5. Now to find the Joseph or Donald book. I'm thinking Joe Hardy or Donald Duck might be good options. LOL I'll look for something else, but if all else fails . . .

I rolled a 3: book that starts with D. Which is perfect because I was already planning to read Deep: Freediving, Renegade Science, and What the Ocean Tells Us About Ourselves.

my husband picked random #5 for me.

I have books by Donald Davis, the storyteller or Joe and the Gladiator by Catherine Cookson.

I think I'll try for all 6 categories!
I have lots of time to read while staying home awaiting a vaccine . .

I love this! I'll roll the dice on Tuesday. Excited what I'll get!

Fun!

I rolled a die and got a 2, so I'll be reading something with a number in the title. Will probably imitate >4 LittleTaiko: and read Connie Willis's forthcoming Christmas novella, Take a Look at the Five and Ten!

I rolled the virtual dice and got a 2. Looks like I'll be reading a book with a number in the title as well. I'm sure I must have something that fits the bill around here!

OK, having checked the publication dates of some of the books that were possibles for CATs this year, I've decided that I'm going to read Walking Home by Clare Balding for this challenge (I rolled a 6, which was books published between 2009-2016). It also fits the December Non-FictionCAT.

My husband picked #3 for me. I have 2 D books I want to read: The Death of the Heart by Elizabeth Bowen and Dean's December by Saul Bellow -- are there extra points for December in the title??

I may try to do all 6. I have a few ideas:

1 -- color : Green Money, D. E. Stevenson
2 -- number : The Hundred Secret Senses, Amy Tan
4 -- meaning to read How the Other Half Lives, Jacob Riis or Song of the Lark, Willa Cather
5 -- Joseph -- His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph Ellis (extra points for a book about a president?)
6 -- Obama years -- My Beloved World, memoir by Assoc. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, 2013, appointed by Pres. Obama (more extra points??)

>25 kac522: I would totally award extra points for all of those reasons :) That is awesome!

>26 rabbitprincess: Yeah, I need lots of extra incentives to finish them all ;)

>25 kac522: Extra points for all those! I love your enthusiasm. 😀

>28 EBT1002: Thanks! I may sneak in a book published in 2020, just to redeem the year a bit.

>25 kac522: - You're so tempting me to want to try to do something similar. This happened last year when I ended up reading a book from each letter of the word "December". Off to go see what might fit.

Fun challenge, Ellen!

I'll roll the die a bit closer to the start of the month...

I rolled the virtual die and got a 2. Now I am off to check my Kindle for books with numbers in the title :)

>32 leslie.98: Do you have any Ann Purser novels, such as Found Guilty at Five? There are a bunch of those with numbers in the titles.

>33 LadyoftheLodge: I am in the dark regarding Ann Purser! A new author to explore - yay! But I do have a handful of titles already so I am set.

>34 leslie.98: Ann Purser has written mystery novels with numbers in the titles, and also with days of the week, such as Terror on Tuesday. They are fun to read--the main character runs a cleaning service. They are set in England. Another series she has written features senior citizen sleuths.

I was happy that I rolled a six, which means I'll be reading a book published in the Obama years. I've chosen Getting to Happy by Terry McMillan, an African American author.

My tentative plans:

1. a book with a color in the title: The Yellow House by Sarah Broom

2. a book with a number in the title: The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin

3. a book with title starting with "D": The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths

4. a book I have been meaning and planning to read all year: Tin Man by Sarah Winman (also for W in AlphaKIT)

5. a book with a character named Joseph or Donald (or Joe, Joey, Don, Donny) -- OR authored by a Joseph, Donald, etc.: Righteous by Joe Ide

6. a book published during the Obama years (2009 - 2016): The Three-Body Problem or Why I Read by Wendy Lesser (also for W in AlphaKIT)

>37 EBT1002: The Yellow House is a good one, Ellen.

And I have finished my selection for an author named Joseph: Die Geschichte der 1002. Nacht by Joseph Roth. Pulished shortly before his death, set in the 1880s, and a very melancholic tale that ends badly for all the main characters.

I am going to try to read something for all the options. These are the two I've finished so far.

Color: Greenglass House by Kate Milford
Number: Take a Look at the Five and Ten by Connie Willis

I rolled a 2 (Read a book with a number in the title). I will be reading 2 books keeping with my intention of reading nothing but Christmas books this month.
I am reading The Twelve Cats of Christmas by Kandy Radzinski and The Nine Lives of Christmas by Sheila Roberts

I'm giving a try to all six with Ein dänischer Winter, dismissing the indeterminate article in the title.

I finished A Crime of a Different Stripe by Sally Goldenbaum for "D" in the title.

I'm planning to do all six but I rolled a 3 so I'm starting with The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths. Not counting "the"

COMPLETED Fluency (2014) and Remanence (2016) by Jennifer Foehner Wells

I rolled a 1 and just checked out Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse at the library!

I needed to read a book with a color in the title and have finished Winter in Thrush Green by Miss Read.

I drew 5, a book about a Donald or by a Donald (or variations on that name) or about or by a Joseph (Joe). I just do not feel like reading about Donald Trump now so I read The Puzzles of Amish Life by Donald B. Kraybill. This book is much more substantial than it sounds; Dr. Kraybill answers 18 different questions (puzzles) in explaining Amish culture and life as practiced by the Old Order Amish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, one of the oldest and largest Amish communities. Sample questions include: "Why do a religious people spurn religious symbols and church buildings?" and "Why is ownership of cars objectionable but not their use?" The Amish have had to adapt to many changes, particularly during the 20th century. This book might be a little out of date having been published in 1998, but it answers a lot of questions I have had over the years since my father was an expert on the Amish in the 1950s and 60s.

Title starting with a "D" - The Deadly Hours by Susanna Kearsley.

I also rolled color in a title, happily about the time Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse rolled into the library for me.

I rolled a 2 so in looking for short sci fi/fantasy stories for this month's SFFKit, I decided to read these from my "Free Stories 20xx" from Baen books - I have these anthologies from 2011-2019 (though for some reason 2017 seems to be missing at the moment) - so far:

"71" by David Brin, "Free Stories 2016", finished 12/7, 3.5*
"Seven Miles" by T.C. McCarthy, "Free Stories 2013", finished 12/7, 4*
"The 100 MPG Carburetor and Other Self-Evident Truths" by Robert Buettner, "Free Stories 2015", finished 12/7, 4*
"Pawn to King Four" by Timothy Zahn, "Free Stories 2011", finished 12/8, 3.5*

And I am listening to the audiobook of On Two Feet and Wings.

I've completed The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths for #3 and Righteous by Joe Ide for #5.

I'm reading The Year 1000 which contains a number.

#6. Published during Obama years

Countdown: Our Last Best Hope for a Future on Earth / Alan Weisman
3.5 stars

This primarily looks at human overpopulation of our planet. How can we survive? What do we need to do and how do we do it? Weisman looks at different countries, communities, cultures... Some are ones that have promoted large families. In some cases, some countries are reaching or have already reached their limit of what their country or area can realistically support – what have they done/are doing to help with this?

This was interesting, certainly a topic that many consider taboo, but really is one of the biggest issues when it comes to the issues with our planet’s environment (the other one being consumerism... which, of course, is amplified with a larger world population). Have to admit, though, it took a long time for me to read; it did help that a good chunk of it at the end was references.

I've finished The Dressmaker's Gift by Fiona Valpy. I rolled "starts with the letter D"

Die 101 wichtigsten Fragen: Urzeit has a number in the title, a short non-fiction book explaining the world from the Big Bang to the apparition of homo sapiens.
Hm. Can I do the other three prompts?

I finished Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind for my roll of 2 - much pleasurable time spent with this book :)

I finally finished Hard Times by Charles Dickens, a book I intended to read last year and had on my list again for 2020. Not sure why it took me so long to get to it as it was quite good.

Also, realized that I have managed to read a book by a "Joe" - IQ by Joe Ide. Now I just need to read something that was published between 2009-2016.

#6. published 2016

Floodpath: The Deadliest Man-Made Disaster of 20th-Century America... / Jon Wilkman
3.5 stars

In 1928 a fairly newly built dam near (and meant to serve) Los Angeles burst. The ensuing flood killed possibly around 500 people. This book looks at the building of the dam, the disaster itself, and the aftermath – the trial and the groups put together to try to figure out what went wrong. A long-time, popular man at the head of LA’s waterworks for decades was mostly fingered as being responsible, as he was the one mainly responsible for the building of the dam.

It was good. It was pretty slow to start, as the building of the dam wasn’t all that interesting to me. But it got better (that is, more interesting) once the flood actually happened. Even the follow-up in trying to figure out what happened kept my interest more than the initial building of it.

I rolled a #3 so I am reading A Deadly Education by Noami Novik. I don't count the and A, hope that is okay. I really liked Spinning Silver by this one is not as good. It is a young adult book and a first in a series and that might be why. It also seems like the author is working off of Harry Potter with witches, boarding schools, magic, etc.

#6. Published in 2015

The Power of Meow / David Michie
3.5 stars

The header of the title reads: “The Dalai Lama’s Cat and...”. The book is told from the point of view of HHC (His Holiness’ Cat). HHC is able to wander about and listen in on conversations, so as to learn about mindfulness, meditation, and Buddhism herself, and to put it to use.

There is a bit of a storyline amidst the learning about mindfulness etc. The cook at the monastery has had a heart attack, so after she is released from the hospital, she and her adult daughter come to the Dalai Lama to learn about mindfulness. The daughter, Serena, works closeby at a bookstore/cafe, which is often visited by HHC. When a lady comes in to the restaurant and has an allergy attack, she storms out and makes a complaint against the cat. Turns out, she has something to do with Serena.

Anyway, the book was a gift. I’m not that much into meditation and such, but I am a cat person. The author seems to know cats and their mannerisms, so it was entertaining to read HHC’s viewpoint. I was also interested in Serena’s storyline. I’m not sure I’ll read more in the series, although “The Art of Purring” might be enjoyable. I’m considering this one a good read. It was 199 pages, and very fast to read.

A book I have been planning to read all year is Gaudy night, the only Wimsey novel I hadn't read before, and I needed a lot of checking up on obscure Oxford jargon and poetry quotes. I'm not quite happy with the solution either, to be honest.

>62 MissWatson: I'm trying to listen to enough of it between now and Wednesday that I'll finish it on my way to Mississippi because it will expire before the return trip. Not my favorite so far. It seems more about Harriet than Wimsey so far.

>63 thornton37814: Yes, it is definitely about Harriet. I liked meeting Peter's nephew, though.

My second roll of the die was a #1. A book with a color in title. I cheated a bit and listened to a short story that was free on audible in 2013. The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle a Sherlock Holmes Christmas story.

For number 2, I finished The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu. I am not much of a science fiction fan and this novel reminded me of why. I can discern what is special about it but the long detailed descriptions of mathematical stuff (word chosen intentionally) bored me nearly to tears.

Alles Mythos! 20 populäre Irrtümer über die Wikinger was published in 2014 and thus falls into the Obama Years. Wow, I am surprising myself. Next and last is a book with a colour in the title...

Read The Dark Vineyard by Martin Walker which was published in 2009. Managed to read at least one book for all the prompts. Yay!

I rolled the number one (color in title) was was originally going to read A White Arrest by Ken Bruen but I decided to go with something more festive and so read Christmas At Thrush Green by Miss Read. This was a charming read that really gave me a Christmas feeling.

The next roll was #5. And I read a book by Sheridan Joseph Le Fanu, Uncle Silas.

Since I rolled a 3, I read Diamond Head by Charles Knief.

And I have finished Die rote Frau, a historical mystery set in 1920 Vienna. All six prompts done.

>69 DeltaQueen50: I love the Miss Read novels and plan to re-read them in 2021.

I read 3:

1. Color: Winter in Thrush Green by Miss Read
3. Title starts with D: Death Around the Bend by T E Kinsey
6. Published 2009 - 2016: Christmas Caramel Murder
by Joanne Fluke published 2016

I'm also going to finish The Eighth Detective for the number prompt. This novel is SO good!!

The category I came up with was a book with a number in the title. I went with Five Ports to Danger which had been hanging around here for a while. It was a mystery with a writer on a cruise as the narrator and a kind of Miss Marple type sleuth, Aunt Kathleen, was along to help our hero figure out the mystery. It wasn’t great literature but I read it to the end.

#6. Published in 2015

Old Sparky: The Electric Chair and the History of the Death Penalty / Anthony Galvin
4 stars

This book not only looks at the electric chair, but it starts off looking at hanging as a punishment. In the late 19th century, in the US, they were looking to replace hanging as the default punishment for anyone sentenced to death. The author starts by looking at hangings and why they thought it should be replaced. Over all the decades that the electric chair was used (it has only ever been used in the US), it was never upgraded or improved. There was a moratorium on the death penalty in the late 60s until 1976, but even then, there needed to be more rules governing when it would or could be used. Also, in 1976, states were looking at replacing the chair, primarily with lethal injection.

The book points out the issues with all three of these types of capital punishment. They can all be botched, badly, even when trying to find the most “humane” way to administer the death penalty. The book looks at notable cases where the electric chair was used – Ted Bundy being the one name I recognized. They also looked at the youngest child (a 14-year old innocent black boy) to be put to death, and also the youngest girl (16 or 17, I think). The author also has two chapters near the end on innocent people being put to death.

Not exactly Christmas reading, but I found this really interesting. Having always lived in a country that doesn’t have the death penalty, I have waffled. Must admit – it doesn’t make me sad that Ted Bundy was put to death. However, when you hear of innocent people, I’m not convinced. And innocent people being put to death may be a higher number than people want to believe. It’s also more expensive to hold someone on death row (I knew that already). I was horrified to read that – even when there is additional evidence found to prove that someone is innocent, the Supreme Court is ok with that innocent person being put to death! As long as they were convicted in a proper trial, there is no need to release them! It would require a new trial, but that will only happen if the trial was not done properly the first time around. THAT is horrifying.

I read a book that was published in the Obama years, Baker's Magic by Diane Zahler. A middle school age book. Published 2016.

I've read a couple books this month with a number in the title -- Take a Look at the Five and Ten by Connie Willis and The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss. And currently reading Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater!

I read two books with a D in the title; Disturbed, which has been on my Kindle for many years, and Deadly Cross.

>77 LibraryCin: I had a stange experience related to the electric chair. I worked in manufacturing and we had some very complicated equipment that a local man designed and made. The responsible engineers raved about how brilliant he was and how his work was always exactly as it should be. I was part of the group planning the installation of the equipment, and after meeting and working with him learned he had also designed the electric chair used in our state. Gave me the shivers!

>81 clue: Wow! I bet it did! That is interesting.

I read Clare Balding's Walking Home (first published 2014, this edition published 2015). It was a lovely read (as you might expect from a national treasure).

I had hoped to do all 6, but fell a little short:

1. Color in the title--finished Green Money by D. E. Stevenson
2. Number in the title--finished Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie
3. Starts with "D"--didn't make it--:(
4. Planning to read all year--started The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner and after 10 pages dropped it! So I re-read Pride and Prejudice instead.
5. Authored by Joseph or Donald: Currently reading His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph Ellis, and hope to finish in January.
6. Published during the Obama years: My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor (2013). Excellent memoir! Her love for her family and community and her hard work and drive to overcome numerous obstacles is amazing.