Reading is great summer entertainment! No batteries required. No annoying cinemagoer talking on his/her cellphone. It's just you, your books, and your imagination. This summer reading challenge should be lots of fun. I thank you for joining me as we read just for the love of good writing. So here's to summer reading!
GOAL: 8 titles that you have never read before! (10 for a bonus. Hey, why not )
CRITERIA: Choose any title in the following categories:
1. A book that was turned into a major motion picture.
2. A book set in a place that you would like to visit.
3. A book written by an author from your home country, region, or with your ancestoral background who lives in a foreign country.
4. A classic novel.
5. A book from the BBC list (List in previous post)
6. A novel by a first time author.
7. A biography/autobiography/memoir about someone you admire.
8. A book about the environment
9. Free choice!
10. Free choice!
Start date: May 31
End date: August 31
Please feel free to join! Share comments about the books you're reading. This challenge is about filling the summer with productive, mind-building activities and renewing a love for reading. I hear that reading is a great way to expand your vocabulary and develop writing skills ;)
Get Ready! Get Set! Read!!
I'll admit it ... I'm excited! My first pick is 'The Long Song', by Andrea Levy. http://www.andrealevy.co.uk/the_long_song/index.php I read her Small Island a few years ago and frankly was a little vexed with how she chose to end it, but the back cover and first few pages of this one lured me into a second try. Is it cheating if I start on May 28th?
ReplyDeleteYes Janice!! It is cheating :) I want to start with category 1, but my book of choice is not in my library here. :( TPL is missed.
ReplyDeleteBtw, is "The Lost Song" your category 3 book?
ReplyDeleteSMT @ cheating! Fine, I guess I'll have to continue to rot my brain with youtube-accessible reruns for another two days, den. Yes, it's my category three, since it's set in Jamaica, where Mummy is from.
ReplyDeleteWhat was your book of choice, and what will you begin with in lieu of? By the way, were we supposed to read one book from each category? I was planning to read several from the same four categories, personally! :D
Nooooooooooo *echo* One per category. :)
ReplyDeleteI wanted to read Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love", but the library doesn't have it. So I got Austen's complete collection with hopes to read "Pride and Prejudice". However, P&P was initially going to be my classic novel.
Are they able to order "Eat, Pray, Love" in for you? Hmm, one per category, eh? *Grumbles* I was hoping this would be an easy assignment not requiring me to stretch myself beyond the volume of books consumed.
ReplyDeleteI recommend The Time Traveller's Wife for #1, if anyone is seeking suggestions. The book is written beautifully and is FAR better than the movie's portrayal ever could have been.
P & P is probably my favourite of Austen's works. Hmm, I'll have to consider who I'll read for my classic. My honesty is really being tested by having to wait until the 31st to crack open The Long Song, though.
I am up for this challenge.
ReplyDeleteMy first book is "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen.
Good Luck everybody!
I am going to start with number three and read a book by an Irish Author....
ReplyDeleteWelcome Tracey!! Welcome Jeska!! And Good luck to you too!
ReplyDeleteI heard that "Water for Elephants" is an excellent read. Is this your book turned movie? :) If so, cool @ Tracey.
Jeska (love the spelling of your name btw), can you share the title of your book and a little bit about the plot? In fact, Tracey tell us why you chose "Water for Elephants" :)
You know something ja**ly, how am I just seeing your suggestions? I had considered "The Time Traveler's Wife" for 1, but maybe that would be a better read for the first author category. After all, it did extremely well as a debut novel! I found an eBook version of "Eat, Pray, Love" through TPL! So I will be downloading that. However, I've already started "Pride and Prejudice", so that is where my Challenge begins. It is officially my #4 book. :)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJeska is actually just a nickname, I guess. A friend of mine would spell my name like that and it just kinda stuck. My name is Jessica, but you could call me Jeska.
ReplyDeleteThe book I chose for number 3 is called The Woman Who Walked Into Doors by Roddy Doyle. It is about a woman named Paula who is coming out of an abusive marriage.
The author is from Ireland. I am not from Ireland but have ancestors that are Irish.
Dunno why I chose this one...Something different I guess. Also, the fact that there were good ratings on it.
or perhaps I like to read a dark novel every once in awhile..
ReplyDeleteWhat foreign country does Doyle live in? If you've already started the book don't worry about that clause :) This book was adapted as an opera?? Very nice.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, my plot, "Pride and Prejudice".... well, I'm only a few chapters in so I won't make any hasty conclusions.
To all diehard JaneAustenites out there, I am waiting for this book to do its magic. ;)
Hello! I hope it's not too late to join the challenge! I'm really excited about it and completely ready to start!
ReplyDeleteOh, and by the way, I'm one of these diehard JaneAustenites you were talking about and, as much as I love P&P, I've always thought that Emma would do the trick for a Jane Austen novice... Anyway, hang in there, because it is really worth the trip!
ReplyDeleteHey KiKa, :)
ReplyDeleteWelcome!! It's not too late to join.
I am definitely committed to reading P&P. I confess, I watched the movie already. Still, the book is always better, right?
Well happy summer reading! By the way, what book and category will you start with?
Well, seeing how it may be long to have some of the books I want to read delivered from the UK or the US here in France, I'll have to star with category 4 because I recently bought a copy of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. I also have a copy of To Kill A Mockingird by Harper Lee which will be my book for category 5.
ReplyDeleteI'm just ashamed I still haven't read them and thanks for having me read them!
I just have a little understanding problem because, as you may have noticed by now, I'm French. What does "A Novel by a first time author" mean? Can they be first books written by famours authors? Or are they books writtent by young authors who have only published ne book so far?
Thanks very much for answering!
I love how people are choosing the same books! Another challenger is reading "Frankenstein" for #4
ReplyDeleteConcerning the "first time author", you can read either a first book by famous authors, or a book by a new author. For me, it would be interesting to read the first book by an author whose later works you're familiar with. You can see how his/her writing style changed since the first book. :)
Thanks very much for your precision. So, here is my list:
ReplyDelete1. Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote: this is my favourite movie in the world and I love Truman Capote's writing, so why not try his novel?
2. Blue Camellia by Frances Parkinson Keyes: I've always dreamed of going to Louisiana!
3. Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Choderlos de Laclos: This is a book I've been told to read for years and I still haven't. I must say that I haven't read in French for at least 5 years...
4. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: Classics of the classics!
5. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee: I've been told of it by one of my older students. It's not considered a classic here in France but I'm very excited to read it!
6. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. I've always loved this author. I think she is brilliant, so I'll try reading her first novel ever.
7. Enchantment. The Life of Audrey Hepburn by Donald Spoto: When I love people, I love what they convey. I usually don't read biographies. Because I don't want to be disappointed or disgusted even. But I'm sure, if one person on Earth can't disappoint me, it must be her.
8. The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey: I couldn't choose any catastrophic anticipation novels so I settled on this one about environmental activists in the Far West.
9. Mrs Dalloway by Virgin Woolf: because I've been wanting to read it for a long time now.
10. The Importance of Being Emma by Juliet Archer: this is called a guilty pleasure...
I haven't visited the blog for a little while, and it's exciting to see the dialogue that's been going on, and the different approaches folks are taking to the challenge. I see KiKa's planned out all 10 books; I'm impressed (I have a vague idea of what I'll read next, but am taking each book as it comes). I must be out of university mode :-S
ReplyDeleteI'm about halfway through The Long Song. I can't say I'm loving it, but it's pulled me in enough that I don't want to put it down.
Oh, and as for classics ... if anyone's looking for a good one, I LOVE Wilkie Collins' The Moonstone, and The Woman In White. He's a slightly less well known classics author, which strikes me as odd, as I find those two mysteries of his intriguing, well written, and laced with mischief.
Oh yes! The Woman in White is an excellent read. While the language is also burdensome (like P&P), the narrative structure surely kept me intrigued. I've never read The Moonstone though.
ReplyDeleteNice list KiKa. :) I'm happy that you're going to read the books that you intended to read, but never got around to.
All right, thank you ja**ly, I'll keep that in mind!
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm a bit of a list-freak. But you have to remember that I have to order these books. So, I'd better plan it!
I read Mrs Dalloway and it was incredibly enchanting. I love Woolf's writing, it's wonderfully lyrical and the themes are hauntingly beautiful. I'm almost done with Frankenstein as well. Against all odds - I don't usually like science fiction, or Gothic novels, or fantasy - I seem to really enjoy it. A bit depressing but really well written!
Bonne continuation à vous!
Frankenstein's read. 2/10 on June 15: that's a definitely good average!
ReplyDeleteLet me share with you my impressions on it, though: the whole book completely and entirely dejected me. I mean, the writing's brilliant, but the story is simply depressing and almost entirely immoral. I can't say I found pleasure in reading it. I'm glad I did, because it is a classic, and I can now say I read it. But other than that... booh :( I just know now that I'm not a big fan of the supernatural or even of science fiction and even less of Gothic novels... Too bad!
Hope you're all doing well! By the way, Reading Writer, what's your opinion now on P&P?
KiKa sorry about the delayed response. You are on a roll! @ 2/10 I, however, am not :(
ReplyDelete5/10 now, Petura! Check the goodreads website! My wedding's in a month... I HAVE to read to relax! ;)
ReplyDeleteWow KiKa!! @ your reading stats! No really. Wow! Also, thanks for prompting me to check Goodreads. I see lots of discussion.
ReplyDeleteI'm obviously saving the best comment for last when I say, Congratulationsssssssssss on your wedding!!!!! :D
Hey readers!! I'm proposing a change and I want to know how you guys feel about it. How about expanding # 7 to "a book about a cause that interests you".
ReplyDeleteInitially, I said "a book about the environment" because I am interested in environmental issues. However, now that I'm thinking about it, not everyone is interested in such issues. I don't want you to feel forced into reading about an issue that doesn't interest you.
*8 I meant, not 7
ReplyDelete