Kinna

More 2012 Reading Challenges

Here is my second batch of challenges:

 

Off the Shelf

offtheshelfLike most readers, I have lots of  unread books on my selves.  I want to read a bunch of them this year.  I really need the push.  I have chosen Off the Shelf, hosted by Bookish Ardour, out of the many TBR reading challenges available.  The challenge runs from January 1st – December 31st 2012.  My level is “Trying” which means I have to read 15 books that have been in my house prior to January 1.  Books purchased in 2012 are not eligible. Participants can change the levels at any time and overlaps with other challenges are allowed.

 

The Back to the Classics Challenge 2012

 BackToClassicsMy mother has been gently nudging me to fill in gaps in my reading of some English classics.  I will have to compile a reading list later in the year.  The Back to the Classics Challenge, hosted by Sarah Reads Too Much, looks exciting and is a popular choice among book bloggers. There are categories and while participants can count the books read towards other challenges, we are urged to read a different book for each category.  So, the categories and my book choices are:

  • Any 19th Century Classic :  Hard Times by Charles Dickens or The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy
  • Any 20th Century Classic: Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham
  • Reread a classic of your choice:  Beloved by Toni Morrison or To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
  • A Classic Play: Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw or The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekov
  • Classic Mystery/Horror/Crime Fiction: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
  • Classic Romance:  Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (technically not a romance but I’m determined to read it this year)
  • Translated Classic:  Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol 
  • Classic Award Winner:  Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison 
  • Read a Classic set in a Country that you (realistically speaking) will not visit during your lifetime  – The Odyssey by Homer or Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Most of these books are on my shelves already so they count towards the Off the Shelves challenge.

 

Tea and Books

Tea & Books Reading ChallengeIt appears that without some prodding I will not read any of my big books.  The Tea and Books challenge, hosted by The Book Garden,  requires participants to read books with more than 700 pages.  I will read two books which makes me a Chamomile Lover. I much prefer Earl Grey but that would mean reading 6 books and I can’t possibly do that! My options are:

  • The Good Soldier Svejk by Jarslav Hasek ( 864 pages)
  • The Book of Memories by Peter Nadas (720 pages)
  • A reread of Wizard of the Crow by Ngugi wa Thiong’o (784)

 

The 2012 Chunkster Challenge

2012ChunksterThankfully, books of 450 pages qualify for the Chunkster. I’m committing to four books at the Chubby Chunkster lever. My options are:

  • all of the above books listed for the Tea and Books Challenge
  • The Engineer of Human Souls by Josef Skvorecky (571 pages).  Sadly, Josef Skvorecky passed away this week, on Jan 4th.  He was 87 years old.  May he rest in peace.
  • Paradiso by José Lezama Lima (466 pages)
  • Listening Now by Anjana Appachana (514 pages)
  • City Sister Silver by Jachym Topol (498 pages)
  • A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson (560 pages)
  • Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham (607 pages)

 

Again, that’s it for now.

28 comments

  2. I am unofficially reading from my shelves this year too…with a number of exceptions, that is. At any rate, yeay! for the classics on your lists. And I must say I’m eager to read The Wizard of the Crow this year as well. Haven’t read it yet but I have it waiting!

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  4. Off my shelf, I don’t have a book of 700 pages; but it would be fun searching and reading and yes, a challenge.The biggest are Prometheus Deception by Robert Ludlum and Saving the Jews; Franklin Roosevelt and the Holocaust, a 654 page researched narrative and interpretive history of the Roosevelt adminisration, by Robert Rosen. I read The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy and The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekov, Pride and Prejudice, Odyssey and I think that is just about it. Now, Satanic Verses is book I’d love to read very much. I will try and join and the Classics Challenge.

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    • Oh it would be fantastic if you joined the Classics Challenges. The categories this year are really interesting and allow for a wide inclusion of books. I do hope you do. As for the 700 page books, I hope to read the 2 before the middle of the year. Otherwise, I fear I may not be able to. Fingers crossed.

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  5. Thanks for joining the Back to the Classics Challenge. I am also reading Pride & Prejudice for the Romance category! I also love that most of your choice are coming off your shelves – also a goal of mine this year! Read more books that I already own!! Good Luck with all of your challenges!

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    • Thanks, Sarah, for coming by and leaving a comment. I will finally get to read an Austen! Thanks for hosting the Back to the Classics Challenge.

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  6. I’m pleased that you sign-up on a few challenges that are on my list. I have been counting my chunksters and I was disappointed to know that most of them are in the region of 600+ pages which didn’t qualify for the 700+ Tea and books challenge, oh well! Look forward to read your reviews!

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    • The books I’ve listed for the Tea and Books Challenge look so daunting! At 700+ pages, it does up the ante doesn’t it? I’m thinking at least one chunkster per quarter? What a re reading year it will be if I manage four chunkster! Good luck with your challenges.

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  8. I’m only reading books off my shelf, with only a few exceptions, this year, too! I don’t have a lot of shelf space in my tiny apartment and it’s time to get some of these books off the shelves. Good luck!

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  10. Good to see you joining in some more challenges, Kinna – I’m doing all of these, as you probably know.

    I’m also seeing more that I want to join now, even though I made my summary post stating that I joined 52 and that was that. 🙂

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  11. I’m also participating in the Back to the Classics Challenge. I’m also doing another TBR challenge, the one hoster by Roof Beam Reader. It seems that most of us have quite a few undear books on our shelves! 🙂 Good luck with the challenges!

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    • I saw that you will be rereading Mrs. Dalloway for the Classics Challenge and are looking for reading partners. If I can locate my copy of the book, then I will join you. Good luck on your challenges.

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  12. Welcome to the Tea & Books reading challenge – here’s to hot tea and heavy tomes!
    P.S.: Re-reads are not allowed but I see you’ve got more book choices anyway 😉 !

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    • Thank, you. Okay no re-reads. Guess I have to read those big tomes that I haven’t yet read! Thanks for hosting the challenge.

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    • This is my first year of trying to do more than 3 challenges so it is a test of my intent and discipline. I’m in this challenge to read 70 books this year and I want to win see…

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  14. I can easily participate in the first one. I have Satanic Verses (547); White Teeth (542); Rememberance of Things Pas II (>1000); Palace Walk (493)… but with the exception of Zadie Smith’s and Naguib’s I’ve not planned reading the rest.

    Have you read Satanic Verses?

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    • I could not get into White Teeth when I first tried to read it. No, I have not read Satanic Verses. I’ve read Midnight’s Children and really liked it. I recommend it.

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    • Yes, you should if it will help. I have every intention of beating you in this challenge of ours. We need to come up with a prize.

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