The 52 Book Club's 2026 Reading Challenge
Status so far ...
I discovered this reading challenge in the middle of last year, and did not really have time to follow it up. Now, it is a new year and new challenges, a perfect time to start this challenge. To read a book a week, in any order you like, following the prompts given. There is also a great facebook group where you get all the help you need in finding out what some of the prompts mean. With the number 2 prompt: “Kangaroo word on the cover” I learned something new of the English language.
The Challenge as of February
Up until now I have managed to fit in five prompts from the list.
Number 1. Set in an ancient civilisation - Jason and the Argonauts by Apollonius of Rhodes.
The Argonautica was composed in the 3rd century BCE (around 250 BCE) during the Hellenistic period, likely while Apollonius was associated with the Library of Alexandria.
The poem tells the story of Jason, who is sent to retrieve the Golden Fleece from Colchis to reclaim his throne. He gathers a band of heroes known as the Argonauts and sails aboard the ship Argo. With the crucial help of Medea, a sorceress who falls in love with him, Jason completes dangerous tasks, secures the Fleece, and escapes—though the story foreshadows later tragedy in their relationship.
This is a story we all have heard about, but, at least with me, I don’t know the details. It was surprisingly fresh to read so many years lately. There is a lot about the travelling itself, but when it comes to the part where Jason have to steal the fleece, it reads like any adventure book.
Number 8. A three syllable word in the title - Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote, the Millionaire’s Wife, and the Murder of the Century by Roseanne Montillo
A fascinating story of the lives of the wealthy and famous in New York in the mid to late 20th century. In 1955, socialite Ann Woodward shot and killed her husband, banking heir Billy Woodward, in their Long Island home, claiming she mistook him for a burglar — she was cleared legally but made her a scandalous figure in elite society.
Celebrated author Truman Capote, fresh off the success of In Cold Blood, became obsessed with the case and planned to turn it into his next major work. His pursuit of the story and his later thinly veiled fictionalisation of New York’s high society in his unfinished novel Answered Prayers damaged his own reputation.
Montillo’s blend of true crime, biography, and literary history is a fascinating story. She explores fame, ambition, and the moral costs of obsession among the wealthy and famous. They are living in a world of their own. A must read for anyone interested in these kind of stories. I found it well written and one of the best non-fiction books I have read lately.
Number 35. Character with a secret identity - Passenger from Frankfurt by Agatha Christie
The main female character in this story has several identities. She introduces herself as Countess Renata Zerkowski. It early on becomes clear that this is not necessarily her true identity. She uses multiple names, and seem to be connected to secret political movements. Her background becomes more ambiguous as the story unfolds, and you suspect that she might be part of an international conspiracy.
This is quite an unusual AC story, more of a political thriller. I thought it started out quite good, but the story became somewhat murky to me. At the end the revelation of the culprit(s) as we are expecting from AC you will not find here. I remained confused after the ending.
Number 39. A book that cost you nothing - The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
I received this much talked about book from a friend, and read it rather quickly. It is a psychological thriller about Millie Calloway, a young woman struggling to rebuild her life after a prison sentence. She takes a live-in maid job with the wealthy Winchester family. The household seems ideal, but as the days and weeks go, Millie notices unsettling behaviour and dark secrets beneath the surface.
I found the beginning a little bit repetitive, but halfway it catches up and becomes thrilling, with various twists on the way. And, when you think you know it all, a new twist turns up at the end. It is about abuse, and it is sometimes difficult to read and imagine the situations. SPOILER WARNING - In the novel Millie takes matters in her own hands. Of course, in real life, this should be a matter for the law. As the story is created, the legal system would likely fail to catch the culprit. Which is probably true in many real life cases, sadly enough.
Number 41. A guide to …! - Chillon, A Literary Guide edited by Patrick Vincent.
A beautiful, historical castle that sits on a rocky island on Lake Geneva and dates back to at least the 12th century. It stands in a beautiful spot, in the lake with the mountain as a back-drop, making the harsh walls less imposing. Vincent has collected travel memories from past travellers, including, of course, Lord Byron. I wrote a post from my The Content Reader newsletter. Follow the link if you are interested in reading more about it.
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