DECEMBER ROOT - Progress Thread

DESSERT OF THE MONTH = Gingerbread Men and Christmas Cookies






Gingerbread dates from the 15th century, and figural biscuit-making was practiced in the 16th century. The first documented instance of figure-shaped gingerbread biscuits was at the court of Elizabeth I of England. She had the gingerbread figures made and presented in the likeness of some of her important guests.
Gingerbread has existed in some form since sugars and spices were brought back to Europe, from soldiers in the Crusades. However, it was not until Queen Victoria and Prince Albert included it with a variety of other German Christmas traditions that the gingerbread cookies became primarily associated with Christmas.

Modern Christmas cookies can trace their history to recipes from Medieval Europe biscuits, when many modern ingredients such as cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, almonds and dried fruit were introduced into the west. By the 16th century Christmas biscuits had become popular across Europe, with Lebkuchen being favoured in Germany and pepparkakor in Sweden, while in Norway krumkake were popular.
The earliest examples of Christmas cookies in the United States were brought by the Dutch in the early 17th century. Due to a wide range of cheap imported products from Germany between 1871 and 1906 following a change to importation laws, cookie cutters became available in American markets. These imported cookie cutters often depicted highly stylised images with subjects designed to hang on Christmas trees. Due to the availability of these utensils, recipes began to appear in cookbooks designed to use them. In the early 20th century, U.S. merchants were also importing decorated Lebkuchen cookies from Germany to be used as presents.
In Canada and the United States, since the 1930s, children have left cookies and milk on a table for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, though many people simply consume the cookies themselves. The cookies are often cut into the shape of candy canes, reindeer, holly leaves, Christmas trees, stars, or angels.






Password is ROOTS

We have reached our goal, but can we do more? More than ½ of those participating have reached their personal goals (I think that's the best ever) and there are a few more ready to finish. Let's all try to add a few more to the total.

The percentage is calculated and a star awarded for those on target to reach their goals. More stars for farther toward their goal.
If anyone's number is incorrect, please let me know and I will make the necessary adjustments.
So go out there and dig those ROOTs.

alexa_d★ 112 / 90 124.4%
Ameise1★ 16 / 10 160.0%
aspirit 1 / 9 11.1%
BENITA★ 81 / 55 147.3%
bragan 71 / 80 88.8%
brakketh 25 / 30 83.3%
Caramellunacy 5 / 12 41.7%
ChelleBearss 11 / 30 36.7%
clue★ 39 / 30 130.0%
Coach_of_Alva 55 / 75 73.3%
connie53★ 47 / 36 130.6%
crazy4reading 19 / 38 50.0%
curioussquared 49 / 50 ★ 98.0%
CurrerBell 29 / 40 72.5%
cyderry★ 121 / 84 144.0%
detailmuse 41 / 44 ★ 93.2%
DisassemblyOfReason 54 / 75 72.0%
enemyanniemae★ 73 / 50 146.0%
Erratic_Charmer★ 46 / 30 153.3%
FAMeulstee★ 187 / 150 124.7%
Familyhistorian★ 83 / 65 127.7%
floremolla 47 / 60 78.3%
fuzzi★ 117 / 100 117.0%
HelenBaker★ 54 / 54 100.0%
Henrik_Madsen★ 50 / 40 125.0%
h-mb 14 / 20 70.0%
humouress 26 / 30 86.7%
ILuvBookplates 2 / 10 20.0%
Jackie_K★ 76 / 48 158.3%
johanna414 13 / 25 52.0%
kac522 38 / 40 ★ 95.0%
karenmarie★ 49 / 45 108.9%
Kristelh 41 / 50 82.0%
KWharton 9 / 14 64.3%
LadyBookworth★ 12 / 12 100.0%
LadyoftheLodge★ 100 / 100 100.0%
LauraBrook★ 100 / 100 100.0%
leslie.98 94 / 100 ★ 94.0%
lilisin★ 83 / 50 166.0%
lindapanzo★ 51 / 36 141.7%
lkernagh 13 / 15 86.7%
LoraShouse★ 20 / 20 100.0%
madhatter22 14 / 25 56.0%
Majkia★ 101 / 50 202.0%
mandymarie20★ 16 / 10 160.0%
martencat 22 / 27 81.5%
Miss_Moneypenny★ 110 / 50 220.0%
MissSos 14 / 25 56.0%
MissWatson 67 / 75 89.3%
mkunruh 16 / 50 32.0%
nebula21★ 35 / 35 100.0%
Nickelini 18 / 20 90.0%
rabbitprincess★ 76 / 60 126.7%
rainpebble★ 100 / 50 200.0%
readingtangent 45 / 48 ★ 93.8%
Rebeki★ 25 / 24 104.2%
Robertgreaves★ 101 / 84 120.2%
rocketjk★ 25 / 20 125.0%
sallylou61★ 50 / 48 104.2%
si★ 19 / 16 118.8%
Tanya-dogearedcopy★ 39 / 25 156.0%
torontoc★ 32 / 30 106.7%
vestafan 53 / 50 106.0%
wandaly 15 / 16 ★ 93.8%




LadyBookWorth, rainpebble, Erratic_Charmer, fuzzi, Majkia, cyderry, Benita, Jackie_K, connie53, Tanya-thedogearedcopy, Miss_Moneypenny, clue, enemyanniemae, lilisin, rocketjk,Familyhistorian, Henrik_Madsen, Robertgreaves, LadyoftheLodge, rabbitprincess, LauraBrook and Ameise1 have reached their goal and were joined this month by HelenBaker, sallylou61, LoraShouse, nebula21, Rebeki,, and vestafan.

So many others are so close to reaching their goal, they have the number of books indicated to finish. Let's ROOT them on!


curioussquared 1
detailmuse 3
kac522 2
leslie.98 6
readingtangent 3
wandaly 1

Great job everyone! Let's have a big finish!

Hooray for blowing past the group goal!!

Is this our best year ever? Good luck with all your Christmas shopping, Cheli!

Yay!! Thanks, Cheli :).

Well, now that the thread is up, I'm off to the kitchen to make dozens of Christmas cookies! What is your favorite cookie for the holidays? Would anyone be interested in sharing their favorite cookie recipes?

Thanks for all your work Cheli!

And I finally have a star -- yay :)

Another great year. Maybe we should think about increasing our goals for next year.

I increased mine this year by 5 and I far surpassed that goal. I had a really outstanding reading year, and that is surprising. I usually don't get this many books read. I will probably up my goal for next year.

I am woefully behind this year, my apologies to the team. Too many shiny new ones, I'm afraid. I'm still plugging away, though...

I've added my first ROOT for December (#77 overall for the year) to all tickers. I think I will be safe to increase my goal next year, I've exceeded it by 29 so far and I'm sure I'll have several still to go before year's end!

I have added my December ROOTs so far to all tickers & updated my thread. Only 3 books to go to reach my goal!

Reporting my # 48 for the year, # 1 for December.

All tickers updated

Got my first ROOT for December. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. It was pretty good with an outstanding dust jacket. The dust jacket was declared the best of 2012 for book design. It is phosphorescent and glows blue in the dark. Very cool.

Added my first ROOT of December to all tickers: Au péril de la mer, by Dominique Fortier (available in English as The Island of Books).

>14 rabbitprincess: The English title sounds much more attractive than the French one

Finished reading The Factory yesterday which I'm very excited about as this is the author, Hiroko Oyamada, I said I would love to translate some day (although I got beaten to it obviously) when I read her novel The Hole that will also be coming out in 2020. How exciting! (Although I still wish I could have been the one to have translated this although I have zero experience. In my dreams though I'm an excellent translator.)

>15 Robertgreaves: The English one sounds more like a fantasy novel, or like a Thursday Next story or something.

Just added my second ROOT of December to all tickers: Gideon's Power, by J.J. Marric (aka John Creasey).

I have updated my thread and all tickers - 2 books to finish to reach my goal and both are in progress :)

Added my third ROOT of December to all tickers: From the Earth to the Moon, by Jules Verne.

Congratulations to everyone who has successfully ROOTed this year! I hope to join you soon.

>20 KWharton: New recruits always welcome!

Woo hoo! I have reached my goal :) My thread and all tickers updated.

>22 leslie.98: Me, too! Congrats to us both! Now it's time to take a short break from reading & bake some cookies.

>22 leslie.98: >23 kac522: Success to be enjoyed - congratulations!

>22 leslie.98: Me, three. I finished #48 last night, finally completing my goal! I cut it a lot closer this year than in the past :O.

Good job >25 readingtangent:, >23 kac522:, >22 leslie.98: Yeah!! Congrats

My 2nd ROOT for December (#78 for the year) has been added to all tickers.

>22 leslie.98:, >23 kac522:, >25 readingtangent: Me four! Thanks to Cheli for the motivating shout-out!

The Cutting Room by Louise Welsh, I failed to complete this as it is about life on the dark side, snuff porn, graphic sex. I persevered through half the book but wasn't enjoying it at all, so out it goes. Definitely off the shelf. 55/54

>28 detailmuse: Congrats, MJ.

Reporting my # 49 for the year, # 2 for December.

Cop vs Killer by Simon de Waal

All tickers updated

I finished up a ROOT. I finally got around to reading An American Marriage by Tayari Jones. I read it for my real life book discussion group and I ended up liking this book. This is most definately NOT chick lit. It is a very layered and nuanced look at modern urban American life. I liked this book and would encourage others to read it.

I am afraid I have been unable to complete even 1 ROOT this month but am in the midst of one. With the move out of state (the house sold within hours & the buyer wanted us out within 10 days) and the shopping to replace nearly everything in the house, I am afraid I have had so little reading time this fall & winter.
On a high note I am sitting at 200% but will feel much better when I get at least 1 more ROOT on my ticker.

Congrats to all you reached & are nearing their goal. Such a feeling of accomplishment!

Added my fourth ROOT of December to all tickers: The Twenty-Three, by Linwood Barclay.

>32 benitastrnad:. Recommendation noted. I will try and track down a copy.
Another root, The Wives of Henry Oades by Johanna Moran. An American author but an historic New Zealand setting which was a pleasant surprise for this Kiwi.

Finished reading Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake which puts me one book away from 30 read for the year. I've started the sequel The Year of the Flood, hoping to hit that 30th read book which would have me matching last year's total.

I have managed a few holiday ROOTs over the weekend. My thread and all tickers are updated.

#3 for December (#79 for the year - this is going to be my best year ever!) just added to all tickers.

>38 Jackie_K: All these sweets must have given you extra reading energy!

I finished another ROOT! Edge of Maine by Geoffrey Wolff and loved it. This is book 21 in this travel series that I have read and I have one more to go in the series.

This was a fine entry in this series and it made me want to go vacation in Maine. It is filled full of stories about sailing, fishing, and the class and social stratification of those who live on the prime real estate of coastal Maine. The author even talked about taxes and how the struggle over taxes leads to splitting many communities and neighbors on these issues.

First ROOT for Dec #33 review is on my thread- no tickers updated

>39 cyderry: Yes indeed. The moral of the story is definitely: you must eat more cake.

Whew! I made it. Got one more ROOT under my belt for 2019 and it will be my last of the year. My total ROOTs on the year is 109, so 59 over my goal of 50. I think I will up my goal for 2020, perhaps doubling it. I am not currently adding books to my library so it just makes sense to read from my shelves.
I am excited to begin our ROOT challenges for the new year!
Good luck everyone and a HUGE congratulations to all of us for making 2019 such a success.
Thank you once again cyderry, for all of the effort you put into this group. Your work is appreciated.

I have been have lots of holiday ROOTs to boost my total :) I too am at 109 and may even finish one or two more before the month is done...

Reporting my # 50 for the year, # 3 for December.

Dus jij wilt tovenaar worden by Diane Duane

All tickers updated

>26 connie53: Thanks, Connie :).
>28 detailmuse: Congrats!
>38 Jackie_K:, >43 rainpebble: Wow, you guys are really truckin'! So many ROOTs. Congrats!

#4 for December (and a whopping #80 for the year) added to all tickers.

Things are moving along - finally finished my shopping! Have it on my calendar for next week to create the new 2020 group, I'll let you know when it has blossomed onto the stage!

Added two more ROOTs to all tickers: The War of the Worlds, by H.G. Wells (read as a public-domain ebook); and Radio On: A Listener's Diary, by Sarah Vowell.

>48 cyderry: Looking forward to that!

Just passed my goal with the addition of twelve since August along with a very substantial easing of my goal from 100 down to 40 along with allowing treeware purchased this year (because of some changes to my topic focus in view of my support of a particular presidential candidate).

I knocked out another ROOT today over a leisurely breakfast. I finished a Donna Leon Guido Brunetti mystery Doctored Evidence.

Looking forward to beginning a new year and celebrating it with my fellow ROOTers!

>51 CurrerBell: Congrats on reaching your goal, and on changing that goal to make it work for you!

And that's #5 for December (#81 for the year) (a short novella, before anyone gets too impressed!) added to all tickers.

All these books are just displacement activity from reading Vanity Fair, which I will finish before the end of the year, but is a bit of a slog! (I've been reading it on and off since April!)

>48 cyderry: Must feel good to have the shopping done. It is such a crazy time of year to be in the stores. I'm looking forward to the 2020 ROOTs group. I just have to figure out my reading goal.

Reporting my # 51 for the year, # 4 for December.

Gesloten hart by Nora Roberts

All tickers updated

Another root completed, Daylight Second by Kelly Ana Morey. This is a fictionalised account of the New Zealand born, Australian trained, internationally famous racehorse, Phar Lap. I found it a satisfying read.

I have reached my goal and can now lean back and enjoy the season.

Happy holidays to all of you!

Going to be busy with final prep for the holiday. Mom is coming for Christmas dinner and I have to bake the traditional goodies tomorrow. so, a few days early, I'm sending wishes to all for a Merry Christmas! Have a few virtual cookies on me!

I've added 2 more ROOTS (#6 and #7 for December, #82 and #83 for the year) to all tickers.

>60 cyderry: You, too, Cheli!

>60 cyderry: Merry Christmas back atcha, and to all my fellow ROOTers!

I got a slow start in December, but have suddenly racked up three more ROOTs. I've updated my personal ticker to 119 (19 over my goal), and might manage at least one more before January 1st!

>60 cyderry: enjoy the holidays!
I read book number 34 for the year and my second Dec ROOT- no tickers updated

And that's another 2 to all tickers (#8/#9 for the month, #84/#85 for the year).

I sneaked in a short one, #10 for December, to all tickers. I'm still hopeful I'll get 2 more finished by the end of the year.

I got in a very quick read: My sister, the serial killer. I gave it to my mom for Christmas to read on the plane as we traveled and we both have already finished it. We enjoyed it over all as the simple fun read that it is.

12/28 ... It's Our Time by Diane Krauss. 1* review. If this stinker weren't an Early Review, I'd have trashed it halfway through.

42/40

Finished #4 for December, Farmer in the Sky, a juvenile Heinlein. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Personal ticker updated.

>67 lilisin:. I read this earlier in the year and enjoyed the black humour, too.
One more completed. The Outlander by Gil Adamson. A very good Canadian adventure. I hope to finish a book of short stories that I have been dipping in and out of for some months before years end.
Seasons Greetings everyone, from way down under, i.e. New Zealand, where the sun is shining. I hope you all received a book or two for Christmas or at least treated yourself to one.
I look forward to next years challenge.

>70 HelenBaker: And to you too! I got a great haul (8 new books! Also got lots of new socks, which is always appreciated). Looking forward to 2020's reading.

3 new books for me - one in particular that I have been wanting for a while, Voss by Patrick White.

>70 HelenBaker: Seasons Greetings! I got one book at Christmas and an IOU for a book on my list that had to be pre-ordered. I also bought myself 11 Doctor Who audiobooks, so it was a good Christmas :)

Added another ROOT to all tickers: Round the Moon, by Jules Verne.

I just posted my last ROOT for 2019 Ring in the Year with Murder. It was the 85th out of a goal of 65, so 20 over for the year. Now I have to figure out my goal for 2020.

I loved that series.

The Lost Art of Scripture: Rescuing the Sacred Texts by Karen Armstrong, 3½***. Good, but not comparable to A History of God or her biography of Muhammad. Covers Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism (and a bit of Jainism), and Confucianism (with a little bit, far too little bit, of Daoism).

The 2020 Group has been started! https://www.librarything.com/topic/314604

Please remember to JOIN the group and start your thread as well as letting everyone know what your goal is for the year.

See you there!

>78 cyderry: Hooray, thank you Cheli! Happy New Year!

>78 cyderry: Thank you Chèli, for hosting us again. Happy New year and Happy ROOTing for everyone!

In December I read 5 ROOTS, all tickers updated.

Total ROOTs 192 of 150 planned.

Five ROOTs added in December, for a total of 121 in 2019.

Personal ticker updated.

Here is my report for December 2019.

UpROOTED books: 11
ROOTless books: 9

The ROOTs were:
The Life of a Scilly Sergeant by Colin Taylor
Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon
Saturnalia by John Maddox Roberts
A Cotswold Killing
A Cotswold Ordeal
Death in the Cotswolds
A Cotswold Mystery a box set by Rebecca Tope
Trading in Dangerby Elizabeth Moon
Eight for Eternity by M. E. Mayer
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
The Bone Garden by Kate Ellis

Tickers have been updated but hopefully not harmed in the making of this report.

Well done everyone!!! I'm going to increase my goal next year and really challenge myself :)

I have finished my last ROOT of the year. My thread and all tickers have been updated.

Just as an fyi, I actually made it to 26 books off my shelves this year, rather than the 25 listed at the top of the thread. I'll be posting a 2020 thread shortly with a new goal. My 2019 goal was only 20 and I read 26. Aspiring to greater heights in the New Year, I'll post a goal of 27!

>86 rocketjk: those numbers are from the end of November, I will post the final numbers "next year" after everyone has updated their final numbers.

>87 cyderry: Got it! Consider mine updated, then, at 26. And thanks for all your efforts maintaining this interesting and enjoyable group.

And I managed it - that's my final 2 ROOTs for the year finished today, #11/#12 for December, and giving me a total of 88 ROOTs for the year. Added to all tickers.

My final tally for the year is 60/54 having completed two more books this week, Essential New Zealand Short Stories edited by Owen Marshall and Blue Blood by Stevan Eldred-Grigg. I am contemplating lowering my goal this year to focus on some of the fatter tomes I tend to avoid. Looking forward to the new challenge. Happy New Year and especially happy reading one and all.

I had similar thoughts about getting into some of my longer books this year!

Well done on your ROOTing, everyone. Thank you to the organisers for that extra motivation to take those books off the shelf and actually read them, rather than just thinking about it.

I finished reading Bells in Their Silence: Travels in Germany by Michael Gorra. I read this one while traveling in Germany. It was one of the few travel books I was able to find on Germany. The middle of the book was mostly about the genre of travel writing and that part dragged, so at times this was a slog. It was at its best when the author wrote about the cities and sites that he visited while living in Hamburg.

I finished 7 ROOTS this month. I know I went way over my goal, but it was just a good reading year.

Recorded books listened to in December.
1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling
2. Sourdough by Robin Sloan

Hard copy books
1. Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
2. American Marriage by Tayari Jones
3. Edge of Maine by Geoffrey Wolff
4. Doctored Evidence by Donna Leon
5. Bells in Their Silence: Travels in Germany by Michael Gorra

No tickers updated.

Please be sure to update your tickers so that the final numbers are correct.

Total for 2019 is 78. I think I killed my 2019 ticker when I made the one for 2020. Oops?

Just landed back from our holiday to the States and have updated my tickers (but not the group’s); scraped through with one to spare. I’ll pop over to the 2020 group and set up there soon.