Kinna

Can Chameleons Crawl? On 2012 Reading Challenges

In my previous post, I said that I was avoiding the task of  assembling reading goals for this year.  But, as I also said, I’m committed to read 70 books in 2012.  Nana of ImageNations  and I were tweeting about our “low” numbers in 2011, one thing led to another and soon out pops the number 70.  Now I feel that without some structure, I may not make that number.  Enter reading challenges.  I’ve selected my usual favorites and some other fun ones.  I’ll probably cover them all in two posts.

What’s In A Name 5

This is one of my favorite challenges.  Between January 1 and December 31, 2012, participants are to read one book each with words in the title from the following categories:

  • Topographical feature (land formation)
  • Something you’d see in the sky
  • Creepy Crawly
  • A Type of House
  • Something you’d carry in your pocket, purse or backpack
  • Something you’d find on a calendar

This will be my third year of doing this challenge and I believe these categories are the hardest and trickiest to date.  I congratulate the host, Beth Fish Reads, for coming up with them.  It’s going to be fun.  As always, participants are encouraged to be creative in matching books to the categories.

100 Shots of Short

My perennial challenge to read 100 short stories in a given year.  To help with this challenge, I usually review short stories on Mondays.

The Eastern European Reading Challenge 2012

I wanted to sign up for this challenges last year but I never did.  Luckily its host, Black Sheep Dances, is continuing it in 2012.  I’m a fan of Czech literature but in recent years my readings in that area has ceased and I miss it. Participants can “shoot for 4, 8 or 12 titles and must chose books from the following countries: Croatia, Ukraine, Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, Hungary, Belarus, Estonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Poland, Czech Rep., Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Romania, Moldova, and Kosovo”. I will read 4 books and will choose from the following titles:

  • Glorious Nemesis by Ladislav Klima
  • The Good Soldier Švejk by Jaroslav Hašek
  • The Engineer of Human Souls  by Josef Skvorecky
  • City Sister Silver  by Jachym Topol
  • Buddha’s Little Finger  by Victor Pelevin
  • Omon Ra by Victor Pelevin
  • The Book of Memories by Peter Nadas

These are books from my shelves.  I will have to find books by women.

Wishlist Challenge 2012

I have a feature on this blog where I post a list of books, usually culled from reviews by blogger,  that I’ve added to my wishlist.  Each list contains 6- 10 books and I have 8 such lists. My entire wishlist is growing and these are books that I really want to read.  (Here is the most recent list:  Oh I should get that, or Additions to my Wishlist #8). Fortunately, Judith (Leeswammes’ Blog) has crafted the perfect challenge for my woes!  The rules basically state that:

  • Challenge runs from January 1st, 2012 through December 31st, 2012 (but a technicality extends this to January 15th, 2013 :)).
  • Participants must read 12 books which were already on our wishlists prior to 2012

Now I have to make a list of 12 from my wishlist.  List making – it never ends!

That’s it for now.  I will probably sign up from 4 more challenges. I’m thinking of a chunkster, a classic and a quirky/fun one. All the challenges allow overlap and I’ll take full advantage of that!

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Are you signing up for any challenges this year?  Do you have any suggestions for the categories of What’s in a Name 5? BTW, is a chameleon considered a creepy crawly?

23 comments

  4. yes, a chameleon can be a creepy thing. lizards are creepy to people. Good luck with your challenges.

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    • Thank you Stu. I know that you really liked Glorious Nemesis; I’m starting with that first. The book design is charming and I am such a fan to Czech Lit.

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  7. oh – a challenge I missed (the Eastern European) but I think I’m just going to have to resist 😦

    I had trouble with category #5 in the What’s In a Name challenge, too. But I suppose one could stretch it to cover just about anything one would be willing to carry there. And I think a chameleon is creepy, even if some might not consider it crawly. 😉

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    • Finally, you are resisting after signing up for 52, 52 challenges this year :). I’ve found quite a number of books with “book” in the title so I’m covered in category 5. I have two books that might fit the creepy crawly category – The Book of Chameleons and Arrival of the Snake-Woman and I really want to read the Chameleon book. Good luck to us both.

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  8. I have signed up for a few challenges this year that will take me outside of my reading comfort zone – classics, speculative fiction, and a mixing it up challenge with a variety of genres. I’m looking forward to what 2012 brings.

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    • Me too. I will sign up for a classics challenge. Speculative fiction, not there is a challenge! Enjoy your reading this year.

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  11. Wow, thanks for opening my eyes to online readinglists! I never knew!

    I for one will reread some books too. And maybe also read more shortstories. Sadly, my work and studies make reading my work which means less time for reading fiction. So enjoy your 70 books and tell us about them in this space!

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    • If I had to read so much for work, it would seriously cramp my reading style :). Do enjoy your casual reading this year as well.

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  12. Great to have you take part in the wishlist challenge, Kinna. I’m sure 12 books should not be a problem.

    But there are other challenges… I hope you’ll manage to do them all. 100 short stories sounds a lot (but then, I’m not a short story person).

    I remember reading The Good Soldier Svejk years ago and it was really good fun (or was it very sad? No, I think it was fun).

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    • With focus, I can read 100 stories by June. All the challenges allow overlap so I’m hoping it will all work out. Fingers crossed! You’ve read The Good Soldier! It’s been on my shelves for ages. I’ve been putting it off because of the size but maybe this year…

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