Thursday, November 26, 2009

Challenges for 2010

I have been toying around with the idea of joining the GLBT reading challenge next year, but hadn't really made any sort of committment. Then, I was reading Eva's list and discovered that I owned several of those books! I read several GLBT books this year just for fun, so I don't think I will have any trouble with the challenge. A couple of the books I am reading right now could count for the challenge, actually!
The basic idea of this challenge is to read books about GLBT topics and/or by GLBT authors.

The challenge runs year-round, and there will be three levels of participation:
  • Lambda Level: Read 4 books.
  • Pink Triangle Level: Read 8 books.
  • Rainbow Level: Read 12 or more books.
You don't need to choose your books right away, and they can change at any time. Overlaps with other challenges are fine.

In January, I will put up a post for you to leave links to your reviews, if you like. Those links can help serve as a reference for others. That will also be how I track participants for prize drawings.

Prizes! There will be prizes, both for this main challenge and for various mini-challenges throughout the year. Keep an eye on the blog for details.
Books Read:
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Leviathan
Luna by Julie Anne Peters
Rage by Julie Anne Peters

My Pool of Potential Reads:

Some books I own:

Melusine by Sarah Monette
Life Mask by Emma Donoghue
Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn
Regeneration by Pat Barker
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters (for the author, not the book...)
The Wars by Timothy Findley (for the author, not the book...)
Naked by David Sedaris
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jacqueline Winspear
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
The Bone Doll's Twin by Lynn Flewelling
American Gods
by Neil Gaiman
The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay
The Privilege of the Sword by Ellen Kushner
Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey
Inda by Sherwood Smith
Sister Light, Sister Dark by Jane Yolen

I want to read some non-fiction, too, but the library has a terrible selection. So far nothing I have wanted to read is available!

Then, I know for sure that I am going to join the Flashback Challenge. The goal is to reread books. I plan to do that every year, but I am really quite bad at it!

The Flashback Challenge will run from January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2010. If you're super-excited and want to reread a book before that, feel free, and let me know. If many people do so, then I'll do a December challenge linky post and you can all link to it here. Otherwise, we can hold them over to January.

You can sign up for the following levels:
Bookworm - Up to three books
Scholar - Four to six books
Literati - Over six books

Within these levels, we have mini-challenges! These are:

1. Re-read a favorite book from your childhood
2. Re-read a book assigned to you in high school
3. Re-read a book you loved as an adult
I'm not sure how much I will manage to read. Like I said, I am rather bad at rereads, so we will see what happens! I would say a Bookworm (at least) if I want to participate in my own challenge for next year...

Some potentials:

Phantom by Susan Kay (Read as adult)
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (Read as adult)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (Read in high school)

A series from my childhood:
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle
A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L'Engle
Many Waters by Madeleine L'Engle
An Acceptable Time by Madeleine L'Engle

These books are for the read-along I am doing with Nymeth, Amanda, Shannon, and now several other people!
Then, there is the LOTR read-along. I am really up in the air about it, to be honest! It's a huge committment for someone that doesn't reread a lot, but I love these books... I don't think I will reread The Hobbit, but there is a good chance I will read the main trilogy. The good thing is that you don't have to read them in the months they are being discussed. I might have to stretch them out a bit. I used to read trilogies all in a row, and I have done that a bit this year, but generally the last few years I have a hard time doing that.

Then, there is the Woolf in Winter Challenge. It is basically to read four novels by Virginia Woolf in January and February. Instead, I am going to read one each in November, December, January, and February so I don't get burned out on her! The books are Mrs. Dalloway, To the Lighthouse, Orlando, and The Waves. I have a very hard time with Woolf, but I am determined to read her! I have read Mrs. Dalloway before, though!

Oh, and there is also The Classic Reads Book Club! The first book is East of Eden and then the second book is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I have been meaning to read more Steinbeck forever! Then, I can read Betty Smith for the Flashback Challenge. It is win-win!

In my Sunday post the other day I mentioned joining The Terry Pratchett Reading Challenge. I thought I would put it on here, too, so it is a bit more official!
The challenge will start from 1 December 2009 and run through to 30 November 2010. There are several different levels of participation for you to choose from:

1-3 books - Cashier at Ankh-Morpork Mint
4-5 books - Guard of the City Watch
6-8 books - Academic at the Unseen University
9-10 books - Member of Granny Weatherwax's Coven
10-12 books - Death's Apprentice

You can either be reading the books for the first time, rereading, or even watching the TV adaptations if you like! As long as everyone has fun I will be happy! Please also do not feel limited to only reading the Discworld books as any books by Terry Pratchett will count for this challenge.
I will say I am aiming for Cashier at Ankh-Morpork Mint, but I am hoping to make it to Death's Apprentice! We will have to see what happens!

I am going to have to update my sidebar to keep this all straight!

17 comments:

  1. you know, I have a button you might want - The Reading Challenge Addict button.....

    lol I love all the challenges you are going for! I think I've failed over half of mine so far this year, but at least I'm having fun and have read almost as much as I have for any year in at least 10 years, so I am thrilled. I have a challenge I am planning to run myself one day! It's incredible, what we can do with reading and a blog, isn't it?? and the LoTR challenge looks good, I've been thinking it's been 20 or three years so do soon for a re-read. I'll think about it. Have to read 25 books by Dec 31 first! LOL!!!

    PS are you doing the Women Unbound Challenge? I started making my list and got sidetracked, so I think I still have to officially join.....

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  2. that's '2 or 3 years' since I read LoTR, not 20!!!

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  3. I do hope you decide to join us for the GlBT Challenge!

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  4. You haven't read American Gods?!!?!?!?!?! How did I not know that? That's like my favorite book ever Kelly!!! I would've been harrasing you for years now if I would've known that!! You simply must read it. And I'm thrilled to see The Bone Doll's Twin on your reading list! It's a fantastic book!! Another one of my favs. I really need to read more of that series!

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  5. These are some great challenges here. Good luck with them.

    I eyed Ellen Kushner up in your list, gosh I love her books.

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  6. Glad to see your official sign up for the Terry Pratchett Challenge.

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  7. Good luck with all your challenges!

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  8. I can't believe you haven't read American Gods either! It was the first Gaiman book that I ever read. I knew from the first chapter I was going to be a fan. By the end of the book, I was fangirl-gushing!

    I'm sure I'll be reading in most of the same challenges as you!!

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  9. I need to write a post like this, but I swear, I'm scared to :P

    PS: Read American Gods. Now :P

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  10. Anonymous5:31 AM

    How do you find out about all these challenges? I know I'm the misfit around here basically but I do follow a plethora of book blogs and don't see them.
    I've read Oranges aren't the Only Fruit by jeannette winterson. a while ago but I like it.
    I signed up for this one actually and Matthew's Story (Matthew Shepard) is en route to me at the library but I've been slow reading lately bec. I've had some personal issues so I'm behind with things. Plus job searching and film screening etc. but it's a year so there's time.
    I also had a prof in grad school who died of AIDS and I never read his memoir so I'll read that. I feel bad. He was very well known in Boston. had a radio show and was a film critic and taught at BU.

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  11. Anonymous5:36 AM

    The matthew shephard book is called The Meaning of Matthew.
    I can handle four books in a year.

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  12. Well, these ought to keep you busy for a week or two...then what are you going to read for the rest of the year? ;)

    I'm so glad you're doing the GLBT challenge...I haven't heard of a few of the books on your list, so I'm going to have to look them up. And I'm soooooo tempted to join the Terry Pratchett Challenge. I really want to...

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  13. I love your GLBT Reading list! You've got two of my favourite books on there, (MELUSINE, which is in my Top 10, and THE PRIVILEGE OF THE SWORD, which is on my long list), plus a couple of others I enjoyed!

    And ooh, I hadn't heard about the Flashback Challenge. I think I'm going to have to join. I love rereading.

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  14. Wow, I could TOTALLY join the GLBT reading challenge, seeing your list! I have some of those books :-) BUT I bet if I join the challenge, I'll never read them. I am really quite nervous about leading two challenges and probably not finishing them at all... we'll see how it goes!

    And let me know when you want to review Fingersmith- I'm reading when you are. That's my first book for Unbound!

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  15. I'll be doing the LOTR one as well. Have fun with your challenges!

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  16. I'm trying to keep my challenges to a minimum next year but I just couldn't resist the Terry Pratchett one. Good luck with all of yours!

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  17. i couldt agree with you more..it's kinda addictive...i've been following the links above that lead me to other blogs with similar theme...interesting topic that most people dont want to talk about

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