Monday, November 11, 2013

Read Scotland 2014



Peggy from Peggy Ann's Post is sponsoring a reading challenge and I cannot pass up the temptation to join in. 

The goal of the challenge is this: Read and review Scottish books -any genre, any form- written by a Scottish author (by birth or immigration) or about or set in Scotland.
 


A Summary of the Guidelines
(Go here to sign up and get more details. There are links to suggestions, if you need them.)
  • Challenge runs January 1 to December 31, 2014.  
  • Books you read may count for other challenges. 
  • You don't have to have a blog to participate.
Because I am not going to overload myself with reading obligations this year, I am aiming at the lowest level:      Just A Keek (a little look): 1-4 books read

This is a list of authors and books I am interested in.

Ann Cleeves
Red Bones
Blue Lightning
A. D. Scott (profiled by Peggy here) 
A Small Death in the Great Glen
A Double Death On the Black Isle
Beneath the Abbey Wall
Brian Ruckley
The Edinburgh Dead
Ed James
Ghost in the Machine
Devil in the Detail




27 comments:

col2910 said...

Let me see, that might be the third challenge you have interested me in. I have the books just need to find the time to read them......Ian Rankin, William McIlvanney, his son Liam, Tony Black, Gordon Ferris, Quintin Jardine, Douglas Lindsay etc etc

TracyK said...

Col, you have listed some good authors there. I plan to read some Ian Rankin also, and maybe William McIlvanney and Gordon Ferris. For those last two, I don't have any books yet, but ....

Prashant C. Trikannad said...

Tracy, it's nice that you've much leeway in this challenge. I can only think of Arthut Conan Doyle and then there is Alexander McCall Smith whose novels I've never read.

Cath said...

After a bit of thought I've decided to do this after all. Haven't got my post up yet but will. Look forward to seeing what you read. And there's a Goodreads group for it too. :-)

col2910 said...

I might need your help on the Canada challenge and also finding a few options for the Vintage one, in a couple of categories. I'm scratching my head at the minute - though they are some way off yet!
Are you planning on signing up to anything else?

Sergio (Tipping My Fedora) said...

I am SO tempted TracyK - hmmm .... thanks (I think)

Peggy Ann said...

Welcome on-board the train to Scotland, Tracy! The last two authors are new to me! I'm really looking forward to see what everyone reads and finding lots of new material for me:)

Anonymous said...

Tracy - What an interesting challenge! I really look forward to your posts. There's a lot to like about Scottish crime fiction...

TracyK said...

Glad to help anyway I can. As far as more challenges, Bev at My Readers Block also does a Mt. TBR challenge, and since that is always an issue for me, I join in. More to be aware of what percentage of TBR books versus new or borrowed books I am reading. I also plan to participate in the Global Challenge at Mysteries in Paradise, assuming she does that challenge again in 2014. That should be it, last year I got involved in too many challenges and felt like I was boxed in on what to read next, although I have enjoyed everything I read.

TracyK said...

Prashant, there are actually way more Scottish authors than I imagined. John Buchan, author of The 39 Steps and other books about Richard Hannay, is also Scottish, and I want to read some of his books.

TracyK said...

Cath, I am glad that you decided to join in. There are some great Scottish authors and books set there. Mostly I am looking at mysteries, but you will probably find books in other genres that sound interesting.

TracyK said...

Sergio, you should give into temptation.

TracyK said...

Col, in addition to the others I listed, there is also a Book to Movie challenge that I want to do, if it continues in 2014. I have lots of book and movie combinations I want to read and watch.

TracyK said...

Peggy, I am glad you set this up and glad I joined. Look forward to discovering new authors.

TracyK said...

Margot, it is going to be interesting to look into more Scottish books and authors.

gak said...

And if you read The 39 Steps there is also the classic Hitchcock to go with it.

TracyK said...

Glen, That's true. It has been so long since I watched that movie, it would be all new.

col2910 said...

Ok, I think I'll stop at 4, USA, Canadian, Scottish and Vintage.

Anonymous said...

What? No Kate Atkinson? No Denise Mina? -- with her Garnethill trilogy (brilliant); Paddy Meehan series and now her Alex Morrow books - The End of the Wasp Season, Gods and Beasts. Mina is all about Glasgow.

Then there's a newer author, Mark Douglas-Home, author of The Sea Detective, which sends the protagonist to islands off Scotland to solve a family mystery.

TracyK said...

Kathy, thanks for these suggestions. I should have known about Atkinson, but did not realize her connection with Scotland. Mina is a great idea, I have several of her books. And I just read about The Sea Detective at Margot's blog.

gak said...

Setting for me is a large part of a mystery's appeal and the islands of Scotland seem very appealing. I'm sold. Now all I have to do is convince Tracy to get it before she talks me into getting it.

Sarah said...

Can I recommend Michael J Malone if you get a chance. Review of his books are on my blog and I'm giving him a plug as he's friend of mine!

TracyK said...

Sarah, I will definitely put Malone on my list. I had read your reviews, but did not remember that the books were set in Glasgow.

Clothes In Books said...

I'll look forward to reading about your Scottish books - I know and love the Cleeves, but the others are not familiar so that will be interesting. Good luck with this one!

TracyK said...

Moira, all the books on my list except for Cleeves are my husband's books, but since then I have realized I have other books by Scottish authors or set there that I am interested in reading. There will be no shortage of books to choose from.

Elizabeth said...

I will be only "hovering" over all the posts. :) I do love Scotland, though. I never do well with challenges. I stress too much about it.

I am an old GFC Follower but haven't visited in a while. Great post.

Have a great day.

Elizabeth
Silver's Reviews
My Blog

TracyK said...

Thanks for visiting, Elizabeth. I have only read one book for Read Scotland so far, but I am looking forward to more in the next few months.