The Challenge That Dare Not Speak Its Name (GLBT 2010)

Amanda, one of my very favorite people, is again hosting The Challenge That Dare Not Speak Its Name. And this year, it's bigger and better than ever.

From the official blog:

The basic idea of this challenge is to read books about GLBT topics and/or by GLBT authors.

The challenge runs year-round, and there will be three levels of participation:

• Lambda Level: Read 4 books.
• Pink Triangle Level: Read 8 books.
• Rainbow Level: Read 12 or more books.

You don't need to choose your books right away, and they can change at any time. Overlaps with other challenges are fine.

 I'm going to shoot for the Rainbow Level. Since I am trying to cut down on the number of challenges I'm joining for next year, it leaves me room to go hog-wild with the challenges I really love, right? Yeah, in theory anyway.

Okay, since I cannot stand being beholden to a specific list of books to read, I'm just going to make a large, lovely pile of choices to choose from.

Ones I already own:

*Define "Normal" by Julie Anne Peters
*Girl Goddess #9 by Francesca Lia Block
*The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson
*Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
*Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
*Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
*Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
*Freak Show by James St. James
*Among Other Things, I've Taken Up Smoking by Aoibheann Sweeney
*Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger
*Orlando by Virginia Woolf
*Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
*The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Ones I'm hoping the library has, or I may break down and buy:

*Wide Awake by David Levithan
*Hero by Perry Moore (thanks to Ana)
*The House You Pass on the Way by Jacqueline Woodson
*grl2grl by Julie Anne Peters
*Luna by Julie Anne Peters
*Between Mom and Jo by Julie Anne Peters (thanks to Amanda)
*The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
*any Mary Oliver I haven't read (or even books I have read :D
*The Meaning of Matthew: My Son's Murder in Laramie, and a World Transformed by Judy Shepard
*Girl Meets Boy by Ali Smith (thanks to Ana)
*Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers by Lillian Faderman (thanks to Eva)
*My Heartbeat by Garret Freymann-Weyr (thanks to Amanda)

Ones I can't resist from other people's lists (to be added to liberally, I'm sure):

*Seeking Sara Summers by Susan Gabriel (from Amanda)
*Absolute Brightness by James Lecesne (from Amanda)

*****
Yes, I know, I'm supposed to be selective here when it comes to these reading challenges, but I swear, I am...this is just one I really want to do. Along with Women Unbound. And probably the Science Challenge if it's around again next year. And the World Citizen Challenge, if Eva hosts it again. And the Non-Fiction Five. And Becky's End of the World Challenge. And of course, Carl's Sci-Fi Experience, Once Upon a Time, and RIP. And some of the perpetual ones I've signed up for, like the Printz Project. I know, I know...that still sounds like a lot, but compared to the past couple years, it's not so bad at all. ;)

*****
*sigh* I'm still fighting with Google Reader. Nothing I've tried seems to work. After fighting with it yet again this morning, I finally got it to let me "mark all as read"...I'm hoping clearing it out will somehow do something. Yeah, I know, that seems mighty unlikely, but I'm desperate here. :( 

Anyway, I figured it was a good time for a "marked as read" click anyway. I'm going to take a few weeks off from blogging here. I'm just so swamped right now. Hoping in a couple weeks, I'll have my act a bit more together and can come back full of vim and vigor and ready to celebrate the holidays with all of you!!!! :D

Hope you all have wonderful November! And Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who will be celebrating! As for what I'm thankful for...all my incredibly wonderful blogging friends!!!!