Challenges 2010

Challenges for 2010:
 Results:
Wrap-up Posts:
What's In a Name
Memorable Memoirs
Ireland Reading Challenge
Typically British Reading Challenge
2010 DNF Challenge Wrap Up

1. What's in A Name:
So here's how it works: Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, read one book in each of the following categories:

1. A book with a food in the title: Clockwork Orange, Grapes of Wrath, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
2. A book with a body of water in the title: A River Runs through It, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, The Lake House
3. A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Murder of King Tut, The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Susan
4. A book with a plant in the title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Wind in the Willows, The Name of the Rose
5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Out of Africa; London; Between, Georgia
6. A book with a music term in the title: Song of Solomon, Ragtime, The Piano Teacher
   

Read More About it Here: http://whatsinname3.blogspot.com/2009/11/welcome-to-challenge.html



2. South Asian Author Challenge

This challenge is to encourage people to read books by South Asian Authors – South Asia being India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka

I will read 7 books for this challenge - here are some on my short list so far - will add more as the year goes on (recommendations welcome!):

Ladies Coupe by Anita Nair
The Age of Shiva by Manil Suri
White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
The Space Between Me by Thrity Umrigar
Broken Verses by Kamila Shamsie



3. 451 Challenge - A chance to read some of those "greatest" books that seem to sit on my TBR list far too long! Here is the blog dedicated to the challenge and quick summary is below (I will commit to the Spark level and see if I can move up to Ember before the time is up):

Here is how it will work: between January 1, 2010 and November 30, 2010, participants are challenged to read books on the 451 master list. There will be several levels of participation:

Spark - read 1-2 books from the master list
Ember - read 3-4 books from the master list
Flame - read 5-6 books from the master list
Blaze - read 7 or more books from the master list

Re-reading is acceptable, as are crossovers with other challenges. Audio, print, and e-books are all acceptable. Each month, participants will be encouraged to post their reviews on the challenge blog, and each review posted will be an entry into a grand prize drawing for a $25 gift card to the online bookseller of the winner's choice.



4. Gilmore Girls Challenge - I loved this show and am looking forward to selecting some books from the very long list of books referenced in episodes throughout the series.

The challenge will officially run from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010. You can begin reading now and anything that you're not more than half way through right now can be counted.

The list of books (with categories) is here and there are three levels of participation. I will be joining at the Emily level (trying to manage expectations for 2010!).

Emily: Read 5 books from at least two different categories.
Lorelai: Read 10 books from at least three different categories.
Rory: Read 20 books from at least four different categories.

5. Memorable Memoirs Challenge - Memoirs always feature in my TBR lists so I thought this would be a great way to hear about ones to read from others and to formalize my reading of them in 2010.
This challenge hosted by Betty and Boo Chronicles is pretty straightforward - no levels - just read 4 memoirs in 2010.

6. Typically British Reading Challenge - I consider myself an Anglophile so this is right up my alley.

Hosted by Book Chick City, the Typically British Reading Challenge has 4 levels (loved the themed names for the levels) :
• "Put The Kettle On" – Read 2 Typically British novels.
• "Gordon Bennett" – Read 4 Typically British novels.
• "Bob's Your Uncle" – Read 6 Typically British novels.
• "Cream Crackered" – Read 8 Typically British novels

I will join at the "Gordon Bennett" level and see how I get on with that - if I can move up, great.

7. World Religion Challenge - I was inspired to do this challenge while I was traveling in India - I was struck while there by how many different religions co-exist and realized I know very little about many religions. I am looking forward to this challenge and broadening my knowledge of religions. The challenge is hosted by Bibliofreak and there are a number of levels but I love the one entitled "unshepherded" (i.e. Don't Tell Me What To Do) - that is how I will be moving through this challenge. Check out the World Religion Challenge Blog for more info and to sign up!

8. TwentyTen Challenge - the variety of categories in this challenge will ensure I get a good cross-section of reading done this year.

Hosted by Bart's Bookshelf , the TwentyTen Challenge requires that you read 2 books from each of 10 categories for a total of 2o books in 2010 (very clever). Here are the categories:
1. Young Adult Any book classified as young adult or featuring a teenage protagonist counts for this category.
2. T.B.R. **Intended to help reduce the old T.B.R. pile. Books for this category must be already residents of your bookshelves as of 1/11/09.
3. Shiny & New Bought a book NEW during 2010 from a bookstore, online, or a supermarket? Then it counts for this category. Second-hand books do not count for this one, but, for those on book-buying bans, books bought for you as gifts or won in a giveaway also count!
4. Bad Blogger’s ***Books in this category, should be ones you’ve picked up purely on the recommendation of another blogger count for this category (any reviews you post should also link to the post that convinced you give the book ago).*** Bad Bloggers: Is hosted by Chris of Stuff as Dreams are Made on.
5. Charity Support your local charity shops with this category, by picking up books from one of their shops. Again, for those on book-buying bans, books bought for you as gifts also count, as long as they were bought from a charity shop.
6. New in 2010 This category is for those books newly published in 2010 (whether it be the first time it is has been released, or you had to wait for it to be published in your country, it counts for this one!)
7. Older Than You Read two books that were published before you were born, whether that be the day before or 100 years prior!
8. Win! Win! Have a couple of books you need to read for another challenge? Then this is the category to use, as long that is, you don’t break the rules of the other challenge by doing so!
9. Who Are You Again? This one isn’t just for authors you’ve never read before, this is for those authors you have never even heard of before!
10. Up to You! The requirements for this category are up to you! Want to challenge yourself to read some graphic novels? A genre outside your comfort zone? Something completely wild and wacky? Then this is the category to you. The only requirement is that you state it in your sign-up post. hmmm . . .this is a tough one. I think I will make this category "Childhood Favorites" and commit to re-reading two favorite books from my childhood (Anne of Green Gables, Little House on the Prairie, etc)

9. Battle of the Prizes - British Version -The Scot in me loves the fact that his challenge pits the James Tait Black Prize (awarded by the U. of Edinburgh) against the Man Booker Prize (UK). Here are the details for my selected option (1): my potential choices are in RED

Chose three books that you have not read before:

1) One that won both the Booker and the James Tait Black prizes (here is the short list of double dippers); Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

2) One that won the Booker but not the James Tait Black (Booker winners are here); Life of Pi by Yann Martel

3) One that won the James Tait Black but not the Booker (James Tait Black winners are here). Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
Rose City Reader is responsible for setting up this unique challenge!










10. Social Justice Challenge - I am really excited about this one! It will broaden my reading horizons and make me more socially aware - win, win!
The 2010 Social Justice Challenge urges us to become literate learners of unjust causes and will give us the tools to empower us to literally make changes in our world for the better.

12 months. 12 themes. Countless lives changed.

11. Ireland Challenge 2010- Ireland Challenge 2010 is hosted by Books and Movies - My Mom is from Ireland and I spent a lot of time there as child so the country holds a special place in my heart! I am very excited to take part in this challenge and will do so at the Kiss the Blarney Stone Level (6 books set in Ireland or by an Irish author or with Irish characters). Slainte (good luck) to all the challenge participants!



12. NYC Challenge - NYC Challenge is hosted by Jill at Fizzy Thoughts and just requires 1 NYC read between now and May 15, 2010. Being from NY, I couldn't resist! I have a Pete Hamill on my shelf that will work perfectly for this one!