The week before Thanksgiving - I am comforting myself this Sunday night with the fact that the work week is short this week - I think I can manage to get through 2.5 days next week! I tried to keep in mind all weekend that this was likely the last relaxing, commitment free weekend before the holidays. I caught up on some reading and posts (finally!) which should hold me in good stead as things get crazy just before the holidays.
Challenges
I also spent time this weekend assessing the challenges I signed up for in 2010 and to see if I could ever finish them! Well . . . it is pretty clear that I won't finish them all but I am closing in on quite a few . . .
Finished:
Memorable Memoirs - read 4 memoirs. Here is my wrap-up post if you want to see what I read for this challenge
New York Challenge - only 1 NY book required for this one (gotta love a slam dunk!) I read and reviewed Brooklyn by Colm Toibin for this one.
Ireland Reading Challenge - I signed up for the "Kiss the Blarney Stone" level which required 6 books - I am finished but haven't done my wrap-up posts yet. My "Books Reviewed" link has a segment dedicated to books in/about Ireland
Typically British Reading Challenge - Gordon Bennett level (4 books by British authors). I haven't posted my wrap-up post because I will probably read more books by British authors before the end of the year and want to include them
In Progress (there are many more of these!)
Battle of the Prizes (British Version) - this challenge pits the Booker prize (English) against the Tait Prize (Scottish) - participants read one book that read each prize and one that won both (for a total of 3). I am reading Rushdie's Midnight's Children (in progress), Corrections by Jonathan Franzen (done) and Life of Pi (not started).
TwentyTen Challenge - I won't go into all the categories for this one (although they are clever) - check out the link for the challenge. My progress thus far? 10/20
Social Justice Challenge - Each month this challenges focuses on a social justice issue and asks participants to read a book around the theme and/or take action around the theme. Some of the most impactful books read this year have been done for this challenge (Mountains Beyond Mountains immediately comes to mind)
World Religion Challenge - fortunately I took the "unshepherded path" so I set my own requirements (1 book finished so far)
South Asian Authors Challenge - 3/7 complete. I started this year on a trip to India and had high hopes for this challenge but I got off track along the way - let's see how much of this I can salvage!
What's In A Name Challenge - 3/6 complete.
Not Started (a miracle will need to occur for me to finish these!)
Gilmore Girls - I love, love, love this show and the books included in the challenge are excellent (and diverse) but I better get a move on if I am to finish 5 books by the end of the year
451 Challenge - this challenge also has some of my all time "must read" books but I need to plan to work in 2 before the end of the year
I am thinking about hosting a challenge in 2011 - any advice from those of you that have hosted them in the past? For those that participate, how can a host enhance your challenge experience?
good luck with your challenges! i love the ireland challenge and the battle of the prizes!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on completing the Ireland Challenge!
ReplyDeleteYou're going to be reading as fast as I'm going to be reading for the next month!
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