A Reading Challenge for 2013
I quite enjoyed the 12 in 12 Reading Challenge and looked for something similar to do this year. I stumbled upon the Eclectic Reader Challenge and it looks right up my alley.
The goal is to mix things up a bit in your reading choices by forcing you to read at least one book in each of the following categories:
1. Translated fiction
2. Historical mystery
3. Romantic suspense
4. Made into a movie
5. New Adult
6. Urban Fantasy
7. Dystopian
8. Memoir
9. LGBT
10. Action Adventure
11. Humour
12. Published in 2013
Many of these categories represent some of my favorite genres (memoir, dystopian, and translated fiction, to name a few) but some will be more of a challenge. I'm not a regular reader of humour, but I think I'll keep David Sedaris in mind when this part rolls around. Plus, I tend to read old stuff, so reading something during the year it was published will be good for me. Although I might wait 'til the end of the year to do that part of the challenge!
I have a question though, what the heck is 'new adult'? Can somebody help me out here?!?
I'll be working on the Eclectic Book Challenge concurrent with my Goodreads 65-books-a-year challenge. In addition, I am giving myself a mini-challenge to try to read as much from my library as possible. It's like sewing from your stash, but here's it's reading books that I already own (and have for years, in some cases) but still haven't read.
As far as challenges go, I definitely do a better job of completing reading ones than crafting ones! I still haven't finished my Colette Palette Challenge. I'm not sure what this means, except that perhaps I have more practice reading on a deadline (I do have a degree in literature) than I do sewing on a deadline.
Plus, reading is more of a passive activity than sewing. And once I finish the book, it's done; no one (okay, hardly anyone) is going to criticize me because I've already forgotten some of the characters' names a few weeks after I finished the book. But the mistakes I make on a sewing project will likely be very visible for a very long time. So, I guess, in that way, reading requires less commitment. Although it requires a heavy time commitment, especially if you're reading a 900 + page tome as I am currently doing with the Gormenghast Trilogy! I should really count them as three separate novels, as they were originally, but the version I'm reading comes packaged all together...we'll see at the end of the year how close I come to 65 books. I might have to do some maneuvering!
The goal is to mix things up a bit in your reading choices by forcing you to read at least one book in each of the following categories:
1. Translated fiction
2. Historical mystery
3. Romantic suspense
4. Made into a movie
5. New Adult
6. Urban Fantasy
7. Dystopian
8. Memoir
9. LGBT
10. Action Adventure
11. Humour
12. Published in 2013
Many of these categories represent some of my favorite genres (memoir, dystopian, and translated fiction, to name a few) but some will be more of a challenge. I'm not a regular reader of humour, but I think I'll keep David Sedaris in mind when this part rolls around. Plus, I tend to read old stuff, so reading something during the year it was published will be good for me. Although I might wait 'til the end of the year to do that part of the challenge!
I have a question though, what the heck is 'new adult'? Can somebody help me out here?!?
I'll be working on the Eclectic Book Challenge concurrent with my Goodreads 65-books-a-year challenge. In addition, I am giving myself a mini-challenge to try to read as much from my library as possible. It's like sewing from your stash, but here's it's reading books that I already own (and have for years, in some cases) but still haven't read.
As far as challenges go, I definitely do a better job of completing reading ones than crafting ones! I still haven't finished my Colette Palette Challenge. I'm not sure what this means, except that perhaps I have more practice reading on a deadline (I do have a degree in literature) than I do sewing on a deadline.
Plus, reading is more of a passive activity than sewing. And once I finish the book, it's done; no one (okay, hardly anyone) is going to criticize me because I've already forgotten some of the characters' names a few weeks after I finished the book. But the mistakes I make on a sewing project will likely be very visible for a very long time. So, I guess, in that way, reading requires less commitment. Although it requires a heavy time commitment, especially if you're reading a 900 + page tome as I am currently doing with the Gormenghast Trilogy! I should really count them as three separate novels, as they were originally, but the version I'm reading comes packaged all together...we'll see at the end of the year how close I come to 65 books. I might have to do some maneuvering!
Oh- this is a great challenge- I'm trying a 'fisnish the series' book challenge this year, but mayber I need to cram this one it- great categories!
ReplyDeleteSeems like an interesting challenge, although I will not take part as I don't like deadlines for my hobbies. Although, I've just ordered a book that is already made into a movie, published in 2013 and LGBT (and based on the author's personal life so a fictionalised memoir) so if I read that I'm almost halfway there! But I'm hoping you'll enjoy it. (I was stumped on the "new adult" as well).
ReplyDeleteOh, this is fun! It's cool that you'll have to read things that you wouldn't normally reach for!
ReplyDeleteIn the New York Times Book Review podcast from 12/28 they explain "new adult"! You can get the podcast from iTunes or maybe on the NY Times website too...It's the second thing they discuss, maybe 11 minutes into it. I haven't finished listening to it myself, so I'm not sure I could summarize accurately yet, but let me know if you need a hand...
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'll listen to the podcast :)
DeleteOh, this sounds absolutely excellent, may I join you? I belong to a bookclub and often alternative and unusual books are chosen so I might be able to tick of some of the more eclectic categories there... but I am stumped by LGBT! I've just finished Her Fearful Symmetry, and I wonder what, if any of those, categories that might fit into?
ReplyDeleteI'd love it if you did it too! If you read pretty much anything by Jeanette Winterson that takes care of the LGBT category and she's an amazing writer (well, I think so). I've been meaning to read The Time Traveler's Wife; I didn't know that the author had other books as well. Did you like it?
DeleteOK, I've looked up LGBT and now I feel like an idiot for not deciphering the acronym!
ReplyDelete:) Maybe that's a very American term. I still have to look up what 'new adult' is!
DeleteI joined up!! I created a shelf on Goodreads to list my books and publish my reviews and don't think I'll put them on my blog, but I'd really like to read your reviews so please tell me when you post them if not on your blog here :)
DeleteI really enjoyed Her Fearful Symmetry, and I think it fits into the Urban Fantasy category so I might just count it since I started it just after Christmas... but I'm always looking for recommendations so if I find a different one then might switch.
New Adult basically means fiction aimed at young adults roughly 18-24 only just finished school and dealing with their independence. I think I have that one covered since I have three in my house!
My bookshelf is here
http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/16208503?shelf=eclectic-reading
Good idea - I should make a special shelf too!
DeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to stop by and welcome you to the Eclectic Reader Challenge and wish you good luck!
Shelleyrae @ Book'd Out
This is such a fun challenge, and I'm excited to see what books you end up choosing - I have no idea what "New Adult" is, so I am especially intrigued to see what you pick!
ReplyDeleteSo, for the humor section, have you read Jenny Lawson's book "Let's Pretend This Never Happened"?
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your reading challenge for 2013!
ReplyDeleteHello Donna, I have passed onto you the very Inspiring Bloggers award, if you would like to take it up then the button is here
ReplyDeletehttp://handmadebycarolyn.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/sweet-nothings.html
but please don't feel obliged if you don't want it :)
Thanks Carolyn!
ReplyDeleteI love that reading challenge idea!! I get stuck in the same genre, too. I've already joined two reading challenges. A sewing related book group and books by Black writers.
ReplyDelete