For those of you unfamiliar with reading challenges, the idea is to commit to read a specific number of books with a specific theme within a set amount of time. The reasons people sign up for challenges vary - I'll give you my reasons as I update you on my challenges. Oh, and if you'd like to read the reviews I've written for any of the books I've completed so far, just click here.
Here are the 4 challenges I'm involved in, in order by ending date. Click on the challenge logos to link to the challenge host sites.
#1: Irresistible Review Challenge
This challenge just makes sense to me. The idea is to read books that you wouldn't have decided to read had it not been for another bloggers excellent review. So really, it just means actually committing to read some of the books I've been adding to my TBR list. Completion Date: September 1, 2008
Completed Books: 2
Last Chance to See, by Douglas Adams
Stone Creek, by Victoria Lustbader
Completed Books: 1
King Solomon's Mines, by H. Rider Haggard
Completed Books: 5
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Life is So Good, by George Dawson
Midnight's Children, by Salman Rushdie
In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan
and one more TBD
#2: Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
This is the very first challenge I ever signed up for. Why? I figured it would be easy, since much of what I want to read fits into this challenge.
Completion Date: October 1, 2008
Completed Books: 5
Suite Francaise, Irene Nemirovsky
The Good Earth, Pearl Buck
Year of Wonders, Geraldine Brooks
Cane River, Lalita Tademy
Water for Elephants, Sarah Gruen
To Be Read: 1
Cannery Row, John Stienbeck
#3: "Lost" Books Challenge
I absolutely LOVE the tv show Lost, so I had to join this challenge. Even though I'm only just now starting Season 3 I'm completely addicted! I'm hoping that reading some of these books (which were all mentioned on the show at some point) will give me further insight into the complexity of the show.
Completion Date: December 31, 2008
Completed Books: 0
To Be Read: 5
The Turn of the Screw, Henry James
Island, Aldous Huxley
Moby Dick, Hermann Melville
The Mysterious Island, Julies Verne
The Survivors of the Chancellor, Jules Verne
#4: 1% Well Read Challenge
As I mention in my left sidebar, the list of 1,001 books you must read before you die seems a bit daunting to me. This challenge makes the list much more doable - you only have to read 10% of the list! And since there are so many interesting books on the list I'm up for THIS challenge.Completion Date: February 28, 2009
Completed Books: 0
In Progress: 2
King Solomon's Mines, H. Rider Haggard
Some Experiences of an Irish RM, E. Somerville
To Be Read: 8
The Moor’s Last Sigh, Salman Rushdie
Delta of Venua, Anais Nin
A Fine Balance, Rohinton Mistry
Cannery Row, John Steinbeck
Phineas Finn, Anthony Trollope
The Age of Innocence, Edith Wharton
Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to Paris, Paul Gallico
100 Years of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Alternates - I'm giving myself alternates on this one, just in case ...
The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood
The God of Small Things, Arundhati Roy
Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Truman Capote
The Leopard, Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
Herzog, Saul Bellow
Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe
So that's my update. I'm pretty sure I can complete all these book on schedule ... wish me luck!
10 comments:
Sorry for the deleted comment. Lesson of the day: have multiple tabs open can lead to leaving comments on the wrong blog :P
What I meant to say here was: Good luck, and above all, have fun!
I wish I had time to read a ton of books. It is so relaxing. I admire you for taking these challenges!
I wish you luck meeting your goal! I would love to do something like this - I love books. :0)
Happy reading!
I love historical fiction also. The book challenges sound so fun.
I love to read, I just wish I had the time. Right now I only read nursing books since I am working on my BSN. I am envious, :) Kim
I guess you've got your copy of Arukiyomi's spreadsheet for the 1001 books list?
If not, head to http://johnandsheena.co.uk/books
happy reading!
The Lost challenge sounds very interesting! I too am a huge fan of the show.
from nclm.
I recently read your post about Irène Némirovsky and wanted to let you know about an exciting new exhibition about her life, work, and legacy that will open on September 2, 2008 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage —A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York City. Woman of Letters: Irène Némirovsky and Suite Française, which will run through the middle of March, will include powerful rare artifacts — the actual handwritten manuscript for Suite Française, the valise in which it was found, and many personal papers and family photos. The majority of these documents and artifacts have never been outside of France. For fans of her work, this exhibition is an opportunity to really “get to know” Irene. And for those who can’t visit, there will be a special website that will live on the Museum’s site www.mjhnyc.org.
The Museum will host several public programs over the course of the exhibition’s run that will put Némirovsky’s work and life into historical and literary context. Book clubs and groups are invited to the Museum for tours and discussions in the exhibition’s adjacent Salon (by appointment). It is the Museum’s hope that the exhibit will engage visitors and promote dialogue about this extraordinary writer and the complex time in which she lived and died. Please visit our website at www.mjhnyc.org for up-to-date information about upcoming public programs or to join our e-bulletin list.
Thanks for sharing this info with your readers. Let me know if you need any more.
I've never seen an episode of Lost, but the idea of the Challenge appeals to me. Books or authors mentioned of featured, however briefly, in a TV show. Cool. There needs to be a Simpsons one like this!
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