Thursday, January 01, 2026

The 500 Book Challenge Announced

 IT'S WITH A CATCH IN MY VOICE AND A SHIVER IN MY HEART THAT I FINALLY UNDERTAKE THE 500 BOOK CHALLENGE!!! 



I've held off this long but I'm finally gonna dive into the deep end.  For those who don't know, Criminolly came up with this challenge (and Michael K. Vaughan has been running with it) which is to read 500 books you already own before buying any new books.   Actually, Olly is only doing 100 while Michael (& Roger, of course) are doing 500!  That number is ridiculous.  I guess that's why I'M doing 500 too.  

I started in November sometime (I think it was about halfway thru the month, I can't remember) and have gotten along fairly well so far.  A month later, I have 19 books read already listed on my yellow legal pad (just like Mr. Vaughan above) and I'm about 20 pages from finishing my 20th book.
Perhaps I'll post at the beginning of each month with my progress.  And here is the month of December for you:


  1. AN ABSOLUTE CASSEROLE: THE TASKMASTER COMPENDIUM - Alex Horne
  2. HOW TO BE A HERMIT OR A BATCHELOR KEEPS HOUSE - Will Cuppy
  3. HOUSE OF THE UNHOLY - Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips
  4. MAIGRET AND THE GHOST - Georges Simenon
  5. THE TALL DOLORES - Michael Avallone
  6. MEN'S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY #12:  THE PRIVATE EYES ISSUE - Bob Deis et. al.
  7. INSTANT LIVES AND MORE - Howard Moss & Edward Gorey
  8. UNIVERSAL MONSTERS:  THE MUMMY - Faith Erin Hicks
  9. THE SHADOW - H. Bedford-Jones
  10. SOLOMON KANE:  THE SERPENT RING - Patrick Zircher
  11. VARIETIES OF THE WEIRD TALE - S.T. Joshi
  12. YOURS CRUELLY, ELVIRA - Cassandra Peterson
  13. CHRISTMAS CURIOSITIES - John Grossman
  14. COP HATER - Ed McBain
  15. THE CROWN DERBY PLATE - Marjorie Bowen & Seth
  16. ONE WHO SAW - A.M. Burrage & Seth
  17. FIRESIDE GHOST STORIES FOR CHRISTMAS EVE - M. Grant Kellermeyer, ed.
  18. AND ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE - Ed McBain
  19. CHRISTMAS EVVE ON A HAUNTED HULK - Frank Cowper & Seth

December 2025 Top Ten List


 HERE ARE MY TOP TEN FAVOURITE FILMS I WATCHED FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME IN DECEMBER:

  1. ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER  (2025)
  2. BLACK BAG  (2025)
  3. FATMAN  (2020)
  4. GOOD BOY  (2025)
  5. BLACK PHONE 2  (2025)
  6. THE GRAY MAN  (2022)
  7. NIGHTFALL  (1956)
  8. BABES IN TOYLAND  (1934)
  9. KLAUS  (2019)
  10. ADULT SWIM YULE LOG  (2022)


And here is everything else I watched this month:




For the yearly wrap-up, here are my most watched stars and most watched directors this year:

MOST WATCHED STAR OF 2025:  LEE MARVIN



MOST WATCHED STARS OF 2025



MOST WATCHED DIRECTORS OF 2025







And what I read:


As it is now year-end, I am posting my favourite book I read for each month of the year:


  • JANUARY - EDGE #13:  A TOWN CALLED HATE by George G. Gilman (aka Terry Harknett)
  • FEBRUARY - THE SHADOWED CIRCLE COMPENDIUM by Steve Donoso, ed.
  • MARCH - PARDON MY GHOULISH LAUGHTER by Fredric Brown
  • APRIL - MOTHER DEAR by Ivy Tholen
  • MAY - HYPERION by Dan Simmons
  • JUNE - STRONG FEMALE CHARACTER by Fern Brady
  • JULY - DAUGHTERS OF CRUELTY by L.J. Daugherty
  • AUGUST - TICK TOWN by Christopher A. Micklos
  • SEPTEMBER - THE MAN FROM AVON by Michael Avallone
  • OCTOBER - YOURS CRUELLY, ELVIRA by Cassandra Peterson
  • NOVEMBER - MAIGRET AND THE GHOST by Georges Simenon
  • DECEMBER - COP HATER by Ed McBain
And some reading stats: