Three cheers! Huzzah! Ring the bells!
I’ve completed a challenge!
Last year, I decided it would be fun to challenge myself to read one book published during each decade of the 20th century… and although I had to give myself a couple of extra months to do it, I finally finished!
Here’s a look at the books I read:
1900 – 1909
Title: My Brilliant Career
Author: Miles Franklin
Publication year: 1901
My review
1910 – 1919
Title: A Damsel in Distress
Author: P. G. Wodehouse
Publication year: 1919
My review
1920 – 1929
Title: The Lark
Author: E. Nesbit
Publication year: 1922
My review
1930 – 1939
Title: The Hobbit
Author: J. R. R. Tolkien
Publication year: 1937
1940 – 1949
Title: My Theodosia
Author: Anya Seton
Publication year: 1941
My review
1950 – 1959
Title: The Fellowship of the Ring
Author: J. R. R. Tolkien
Publication year: 1954
1960 – 1969
Title: The Ivy Tree
Author: Mary Stewart
Publication year: 1961
My review
1970 – 1979
Title: The Auctioneer
Author: Joan Samson
Publication year: 1976
My review
1980 – 1989
Title: Wyrd Sisters (Discworld, #6)
Author: Terry Pratchett
Publication year: 1988
My review
1990 – 1999
Title: Green Rider
Author: Kristen Britain
Publication year: 1998
My review
All in all, I’m really pleased with this challenge! I’m not planning to do it again in 2026, at least not in such a structured, “official” way — but I still have plenty of 20th century fiction choices that were on my list of possibilities for the various decades of this challenge, and there are at least a handful that I’m quite eager to read.
I’m a little regretful that I have two Tolkien books included in this challenge… not that I didn’t enjoy them, but I wished I’d branched out a little bit, since I was going to read these books during 2025 even without the challenge (thanks to a read-along with my book group). So — goal for 2026: Make a point of reading at least one more book from the 1930s and 1950s!
Of the ten books for this challenge, my favorites were A Damsel in Distress and The Lark, which just goes to show how much I enjoy a good light-hearted romp. Close behind would be The Ivy Tree, Wyrd Sisters, and The Auctioneer.
I did enjoy My Brilliant Career and I’m glad I read it, but it’s not a book that I think I’d ever return to or go out of my way to recommend. I liked Green Rider quite a bit, but don’t feel compelled to continue the series; at least, not any time in the foreseeable future. And I’d say that My Theodosia would be my least favorite of the bunch — problematic in several ways, and just not an enjoyable read.
All in all, I had lots of fun with my 20th Century Decades Challenge. It prompted me to pick up several books that I might not have discovered otherwise, and introduced (or reintroduced) me to authors — Wodehouse, Stewart, Nesbit — whose works I’d like to explore further.
As I wrap up this post, I’m actually starting to reconsider my decision not to repeat this challenge. I wouldn’t want to commit to doing ten decades again right away… but maybe a mini or modified version. Hmmm…. food for thought!
Bookshelf Fantasies 
What a cool challenge! That would take me forever to complete so great job with finishing it 🙂
Thanks so much! Some decades were harder than others… but overall, it was lots of fun.
Such a cool challenge! I love the Tolkien books and Green Rider 🙂
Thanks! Have you read the rest of the Green Rider books?
Unfortunately no! I must have read it before 2003 because I remember being upset that there was no sequel yet at the time. But I just checked and there’s 8 whole books and 2 novellas?! I might have to do a re-read of the first book, then dive into the others 😉
That sounds ambitious! I’m curious about the rest of the series, so maybe I’ll try the 2nd book sometime this year.
I really like the idea of this challenge and it’s one I can myself trying at some point
It was a lot of fun. I’m tempted to do it again, but there are some decades where I struggled to find books that interested me enough to commit to.
Ooh this seems like such a fun idea. Congratulations on completing it 🥰 it looks like you got to a lovely mix of books for it. I havent read any of them 🙈 although I’ve seen several adaptations of E. Nesbit’s works so really should pick something up by her one day. You mentioned wanting to read more Shirley Jackson sometime the other week and several of her books were published in the 50s so they’d be an option for something else to pick up. I’m tracking the years that my reads are published in this year so it’ll be interesting to see how many decades I pick up books from 🤔
Thanks for the reminder about Shirley Jackson! I’ll have to do a bit of research to see which books of her to add to my TBR 🙂 I do want to continue reading 20th century fiction, so I may still create some form of a challenge for myself as motivation!
Yay! 🎉🙌
Thank you!
Congratulations. What an achievement!
Thanks so much!
Interesting challenge, and brava for completing it. As for your books, I loved The Lark!
Thank you! The Lark was lovely! And since it was the last book I needed to complete this challenge, it left me feeling like I wrapped it all up on a high note.
Congrats! What a fun challenge. And I still remember your review of The Auctioneer. 😁
Thanks! The Auctioneer still gives me shivers just thinking about it… I need to add some more 70s/80s horror to my TBR!
Congrats! This is a great achievement!
Thank you! It really was a lot of fun.
Well done completing this challenge. Some really interesting books on here – the Lark sounds very good.
Lynn 😀
Thanks! I love that this challenge prompted me to pick up books I might not have read (or might have continued to postpone), The Lark included!
Congratulations! What a fun challenge! I’ve been enjoying reading from other decades when it comes to my classics project. It really gives my reading a chance to branch out and feel fresh, it sounds like this project did the same for you!
It did, thank you! I’d had my eye on so many 20th century books, and this gave me the push to pick up more of them.
Congratulations! Such a fun idea for a challenge.
Thank you! I really enjoyed it!