Sunday, June 03, 2007

just smack me upside the head


I am obviously incapable of learning. Did I not in my very last post admit failure in my first 2 reading challenges? Yes, I'm quite certain I did. And yet this morning, when I ran across The Book Awards Challenge hosted by 3M, I was so excited that I immediately started putting together a list.

I seem to be getting pretty good at rationalizing...
a. The challenge runs from July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008. That's a whole year to read 12 books.
b. A few of the books I've put on my list are on some of my other challenge lists already. (She specifically said that was allowed.)
c. A couple of the books I was planning to use for homeschooling next year anyway.
And d. This will get me reading a few books I probably never otherwise would have.

See, just look at all those good reasons! (I'm so pathetic, aren't I?!!)

Anyway, here is the list I've come up with:

1. Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam (2006 Giller Prize)
2. A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole (1981 Pulitzer Prize)
3. The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan (2006 National Book Award, Non-Fiction)
*This one is already on my Non-Fiction Five list.
4. The Echo Maker by Richard Powers (2006 National Book Award, Fiction)
5. New and Selected Poems by Mary Oliver (1992 National Book Award, Poetry)
6. The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown (2005 British Book Award)
*Yes, I realize I'm probably the only person on Earth who has not already read this.
7. The Chatham School Affair by Thomas H. Cook (1997 Edgar Award)
8. American Gods by Neil Gaiman (2002 Hugo Award and 2002 Nebula Award)
9. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes (1966 Nebula Award)
*I read all those many years ago when I was in high school, and I remember loving it. Was thinking of using this one for homeschooling next year anyway.
10. The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron (2007 Newbery Award)
*This one is already on my Newbery Challenge list.
11. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (1959 Newbery Award)
*This one is also already on my Newbery Challenge list.
12. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1961 Pulitzer Prize)
*I so love this book, and am really looking forward to reading it again. It is also on my Southern Reading Challenge list. And in addition, it's another one Annie and I will be reading for homeschooling.

Hmmm...maybe I should go read now, huh?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

LOL! You crack me up! I lil' OCD going on here with all these reading challenges??? Too funny! This one seems quite do-able, though. Shoot, ya have a whole year! Have fun and happy reading...

1morechapter said...

You don't have to "contribute" to the blog to participate. It's just like posting on your own blog, though. There's just multiple authors. So you could post reviews and such if you wanted. Send me your email address on my original post if you're interested. If not, it's fine to just have it on your own blog as well.

Welcome to the challenge!

Stacy at Exceedingly Mundane said...

Well, I do admire you for attempting all of these challenges, Debi! No smacking "upside the head", but you made me laugh with that! I hope this one is very do-able for you, with the longer time frame and the overlap. I've tried challenges and while on one level they help me read more, they also sort of tie my hands to stick to what I picked. I've discovered I'm too much of a "moody" reader to pin down too many books too far out to read. More power to you though! :)

Happy Reading!

Unknown said...

You're SO stinkin' funny! I swear, if there's a challenge to be done, you'll do it.

hmmm . . . how about giving that Monday's Lunchbox Challenge a try??

Jennifer said...

You really do like to read, don't cha? I'm tired just looking at all your lists! I so wish I could still read like that. When I was younger, I ALWAYS had a book in my hands - read EVERY free second I had! But I just don't seem to find the time anymore. When I do have the time, I'd rather be doing things like scrapbooking, or um, blogging! Maybe I'll eventually pick up another book! I admire your reading goals though...good luck!

Melody said...

A book challenge! Well, I'm not sure if I'm able to do that...the genre I choose to read depends a lot on my mood. But you have a great list there! Happy reading and keep us updated. ;)

Unknown said...

YOu are awesome..I have heard so much about the Mockingbir book I need to read it!

kreed said...

It is always good to continue setting goals and who cares if you get the books read or not - at least it feeds your list making compulsion ;)

Kind of going along with "Mockingbird", if you have never read "In Cold Blood", it is fantastic. Capote and Lee (I never knew this was a woman) were friends and they were writing the same books at roughly the same time.