For the past two years I've been participating in the Birth Year Reading Challenge hosted by Hotchpot Cafe. Each year, she changes it up so that we can jump out of our birth year. I'm especially glad because finding books from that year was so hard. I went forward in the time Machine last year to 1953 but that didn't help a whole lot. The lists of books published are long; the list of books available are not. So, this year we get to honor someone by choosing their birth year, hence the name: BYRC Honors.
I have chosen to honor Amy Winehouse who was born in 1983. She had a wonderful voice in the tradition of Billie Holiday and Janis Joplin. Great, mad talent and gone far too soon.
The list of books published that year is long. I have not read very many of them and I'm not too sure why. Maybe I was too busy trying to catch up on everything before that year. In any case, I know I won't get to all these before the end of the year either. But I have a better chance of finding these, I think. Click on the link above if you want to join in or just find out more. Here's my list:
- Isaac Asimov - The Robots of Dawn
- Greg Bear - The Wind from a Burning Woman
- Samuel Beckett - Worstward Ho
- Thomas Berger - The Feud
- Thomas Bernhard - The Loser
- Jorge Luis Borges - Shakespeare's Memory
- Marion Zimmer Bradley - The Mists of Avalon
- Morley Callaghan - A Time for Judas
- Raymond Carver - Cathedral
- Hugo Claus - Het verdriet van België
- J. M. Coetzee - Life and Times of Michael K
- Jackie Collins - Hollywood Wives
- Basil Copper - The House of the Wolf
- Bernard Cornwell - Sharpe's Sword and Sharpe's Enemy
- Bernard & Judy Cornwell (as Susannah Kells) - A Crowning Glory
- Roald Dahl - The Witches
- L. Sprague de Camp - The Reluctant King and The Unbeheaded King
- Jim Dodge - Fup
- Allan W. Eckert - The Dark Green Tunnel
- Ernest J. Gaines - A Gathering of Old Men
- John Gardner - Icebreaker
- Gery Greer and Bob Ruddick - Max and Me and the Time Machine
- Mark Helprin - Winter's Tale
- Elfriede Jelinek - The Piano Teacher
- William Kennedy -Ironweed
- Stephen King - Christine
- Dean R. Koontz - Phantoms
- Mary Mackey - The Last Warrior Queen
- Norman Mailer - Ancient Evenings
- James A. Michener - Poland
- Anita Brian Moore - Cold Heaven
- R. K. Narayan - A Tiger for Malgudi
- Robert B. Parker - The Widening Gyre
- Tim Powers - The Anubis Gates
- Terry Pratchett - The Colour of Magic
- Salman Rushdie - Shame
- Joanna Russ - The Zanzibar Cat
- Walter Tevis - The Queen's Gambit
- A. N. Wilson - Scandal
- Robert Anton Wilson - Prometheus Rising
- Roger Zelazny - Unicorn Variations
- Grace Nichols - i is a long memoried woman
- Paul Durcan - Jumping the Train Tracks with Angela
Oh, and don't forget to enter yourself for my giveaway. Just click on the 'Celebrating...' post in my sidebar - look way down - and leave a comment.
I have known about Amy Winehouse, but never actually heard her sing!!! I am so glad you posted this video, I had no idea about her voice!! How wonderful, and what a gift that was wasted too soon. I have not read even one of these books!! But I did see the movie version of one of them.
ReplyDeleteI loved Amy Winehouse. What a tortured soul, which is perhaps the most common thread with Billie Holiday and Janis Joplin. I've never heard the version of this Winehouse song. Thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteI've read maybe 8 of the books you posted. Read Michener's book, Poland. I've read all of his books and always felt I was on an adventure with the writer.
The only one I remember on that list is The Witches by Roald Dahl. I remember when Christine by King came out but I never read it.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful tribute to Amy Winehouse and a great list of books to read. I've not read any of these myself. Congratulations, too, on your 1000th post. May there be many more.
ReplyDeleteAmy Winehouse was very gifted. Sad her life was cut so short. You have an impressive list of books! Happy reading. blessings ~ tanna
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the 2012 BYRC! What an interesting honoree you've chosen -- nice that the books from that year have rewarded you richly.
ReplyDeleteI have only read Winter's Tale from your list, but still remember its unusual plot and tangible magical atmosphere. Hope you give it a chance among the many options!
Amy Winehouse had a glorious, rich, deep soulful voice. I hadn't heard about the birth year books thing, I have to go see what books came out in 1955 now!!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I have read anything in that list! Amy was a wonderful talent with a great voice.
ReplyDeleteThe Robots of Dawn is one of my favorite Asimov books. And I loved The Mists of Avalon when I read it in the 80s...I'm not sure that I would love it as much now.
ReplyDeleteHi Stephanie, somehow I missed this post, but delighted to be catching up on it now.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any of these books either, but the last one interests me, as Paul Durcan is an excellent Irish Poet.