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Jun
20
Weekly Geeks 2009-23: Reading Challenges (in which I kill two birds with one stone)
2009 at 9am Posted by Rebecca Joines Schinsky
This week’s Weekly Geeks topic was suggested by Sheri of A Novel Menagerie. She writes:
“Reading Challenges: a help or a hurt? Do you find that the reading challenges keep you organized and goal-oriented? Or, do you find that as you near the end of a challenge that you’ve failed because you fell short of your original goals? As a result of some reading challenges, I’ve picked up books that I would have otherwise never heard of or picked up; that, frankly, I have loved. Have you experienced the same with challenges? If so, which ones? Do you have favorite reading challenges?”
As we pass the halfway point of 2009, how are you doing with your reading challenges? Did you participate in any challenges this year?
Thank you, Sheri! I needed this topic. I’ve completed two challenges so far this year, and I haven’t remembered to write “challenge completed” posts for either of them. I love an opportunity to multitask, so let’s hope the folks behind these great challenges don’t mind that each one isn’t getting its own post.
Completed Challenges
The first challenge I completed was the 2009 Pub Challenge hosted by 1 More Chapter.
The challenge was to read at least nine books published in 2009 during the year. A big chunk of the books I’ve read this year have been new releases, so here are the first nine new books I read in 2009, which I counted as my completion of the challenge. Each title links to my review.
1. The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker
2. Love and Other Natural Disasters by Holly Shumas
3. Corner Shop by Roopa Farooki
4. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
5. The Mighty Queens of Freeville by Amy Dicksinson
6. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
7. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
9. I’m Sorry You Feel That Way by Diana Joseph
I’ve also completed the Book Awards Reading Challenge II, for which I read 10 award-winning books between August 1, 2008 and June 1, 2009.
Here’s my completed list. You can see that I changed a few titles along the way in order to incorporate some YA books into my reading.
1. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
2. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon
3. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
4. Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
5. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
6. We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
7. The Echo Maker by Richard Powers The Senator’s Wife by Sue Miller
8. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
9. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
10. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
What else?
I’m also participating in J. Kaye’s 100+ Reading Challenge–I’ve read 42 books so far, so I have some catching up to do— the LOST Books Challenge, and the Chunkster Challenge. You can see my goals and follow my progress here.
How do you feeeeel about that?
Thus far, I’ve really enjoyed the reading challenges I’ve chosen. I would have read at least nine new publications this year regardless, so the Pub Challenge was kind of a “gimme,” but it was fun tracking my first reads of the new year, and I loved that I got to see what new books other people were choosing. That, for me, was the best part.
The Book Awards Challenge was a great excuse and motivation to finally read some of the books I’d been meaning to get around to for yours, like The Time Traveler’s Wife, The Remains of the Day, and The Handmaid’s Tale. The rules of the challenge allowed flexibility, so when I decided I wanted to become a bit more conversant in young adult literature, I was able to work in The Book Thief and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian with no trouble.
Because a lot of my reading time is structured by reviewing commitments, I tried to schedule in one award-winning book per month, and I often found myself looking forward to completing the books I’d agreed to review so I could move on to one my selections for the challenge. I didn’t succeed in spreading the ten books out over ten months, but that’s okay.
Before I started blogging, I didn’t keep any record or tracking of my reading, and I started to get curious, so J. Kaye’s 100+ Challenge makes perfect sense. I’m a little behind right now, but my summer reading is picking up, and I feel pretty sure I’ll meet my goal by the end of the year. It’s nice to have a formal way to track it and hold onto all of my reviews from this year. I’ll probably continue to participate each year, if even just for the purpose of having a handy way to track yearly reading.
I haven’t read anything for the LOST Books Challenge yet, but we have until the end of the series in 2010 to read five, and I have a few in mind. Now that I’ve completed the Book Awards Challenge, I’m going to spend the summer focusin on books from my personal TBR list, and I’ll start up with the LOST challenge in the fall.
The Perfect Summer Challenge?
Glad you asked. Ann and Michael at Books on the Nighstand are hosting a fantastic summer reading challenge featuring classics from Jack Murnighan’s new book Beowulf on the Beach. Thanks to this challenge—and the fun, accessible, and highly entertaining Beowulf on the Beach—I’m finally reading Jane Eyre and will be re-reading One Hundred Years of Solitude. If you’re looking for a way to make the classics fun and add a little brain power to your summer reading, you don’t want to miss this challenge.
Plus, the button is really cute, right?
Have you participated in any reading challenges this year? How’s it going so far? Am I missing out on something awesome? Share your comments here, or get in on the Weekly Geeks fun.
I’m slowly working my way through 10 challenges. Oof.
thanks for mentioning the Beowulf on the Beach reading Challenge!!
I’m glad I made the challenge to read at least ONE classic you’ve never read before. Moby Dick is taking a LOOOONG time. Regretting my podcast pledge to read 4 classics. oof. don’t think i’ll make it!
Wow, you’re doing great! I’m a little behind on my 100+ challenge, too. Out of the 10 books you read for your Book Award Challenge, I’ve read and enjoyed 7 of them ;o). The only one’s I haven’t read yet are The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, The Senator’s Wife, and A Long Way Gone. But after reading your reviews, I want to read these, too. Thanks ;o)!
I’ve never been much of a joiner on the challenges. Part of that may be that I’ve not been blogging that long (then again, it’s almost a year now), but I suspect it has more to do with I’m terrified I’ll mess it all up and the universe will end and it’ll be all my fault, lol.
It’s possible that challenges would help me to be more organized, but then I’d have to organize my challenges, so I doubt it…. lol.
I do the 75 book challenge on LT, but that’s mainly for a personal goal.
Excellent job on the challenges!!! I have a few that I need to get moving on for sure!!
I never do well with reading challenges, but it doesn’t stop me joining them.
Happy Weekly Geeks
[...] “Reading Challenges: a help or a hurt? Do you find that the reading challenges keep you organized and goal-oriented? Or, do you find that as you near the end of a challenge that you’ve failed because you fell short of your original goals? As a result of some reading challenges, I’ve picked up books that I would have otherwise never heard of or picked up; that, frankly, I have loRead more at http://thebookladysblog.com/2009/06/20/weekly-geeks-2009-23-reading-challenges-in-which-i-kill-two-b... [...]
[...] “Reading Challenges: a help or a hurt? Do you find that the reading challenges keep you organized and goal-oriented? Or, do you find that as you near the end of a challenge that you’ve failed because you fell short of your original goals? As a result of some reading challenges, I’ve picked up books that I would have otherwise never heard of or picked up; that, frankly, I have loRead more at http://thebookladysblog.com/2009/06/20/weekly-geeks-2009-23-reading-challenges-in-which-i-kill-two-b... [...]
[...] Weekly Geeks 2009-23: Reading Challenges (in which I kill two birds with one stone) [...]
Even when I complete challenges, I seldom update. I join for my reading enhancement not for anything else. I don’t let challenges rule me!
WG: Reading Challenges
Wow, I didn’t know about the Lost Challenge. Great post, wasn’t it a great idea to write about?
Yay, I also read The Remains of the Day this year! It is part of my personal 2008-2009 challenge. I only made it halfway in 2008 so I prolonged it to 2009
You can read about former personal challenges in the same post as well!
I’ll have to write a seperate WeeklyGeek post soon
(BTW I’ve read The Time Traveler’s Wife, and The Handmaid’s Tale before 2009 and I liked them a lot!)
PS. Good luck on your challenges!
Good job on those challenges!
Hi!
Great post. I have several of the books listed on your Book Awards Challenge are on my list to read. I have read The Mighty Queens of Freeville, The Book Thief and The Senator’s Wife. I really liked all three. Have a great day!!
Sherrie
http://sherriesbooks.blogspot.com/2009/06/weekly-geeks.html
Congrats on finishing both challenges!