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Episode 135 - Book Challanges and What characters would you like to catch up with?
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For me it's impossible to complete any challenges I set up for myself. I just can't tell myself what to do! When someone else is involved, I do much better, as long as I enjoy the books.I also like to imagine characters living happily ever after, however some characters stay in my mind for a long time and depending on how the book ended, I crave knowing more about what happened to them later on.
I don't do book challenges in the way they were described in the episode, but I do create reader resolutions for myself every January. One that I've had for two years now is to read a classic novel (a novel published before 1950 that is still on the cultural radar). I've managed it every month except for the one month I tried to read Villette. Villette almost ruined the whole thing. This year, I added another resolution: to re-read a book already in my collection. I read so many new books that I was feeling guilty for neglecting the books already on my shelves. Making up my own challenges is more meaningful and I worry that if I took on someone else's challenge, it would end up feeling like homework. I had enough of that in grad school.
By the bye, when I saw "book challenges" in the episode title, I was expecting you guys to talk about people trying to get books taken out of schools and libraries. It's probably because I'm a librarian. In library-speak, a book challenge is a precursor to a book ban.
Interesting Annie. I never thought of a book challenge in that regard. But that makes sense. Perhaps an idea for another episode.
For the last five years I have kept track of the books I read on Goodreads. I try to beat my total by one or two every year. This year, I have resolved to not buy any books priced over $1.99 starting January 1 until my birthday in June. I am trying to read from my TBR pile. If I absolutely must read something new, I will borrow it from the library.
That's a good resolution Melissa. Let us know how you do.
Melissa, you must live near a great used bookstore if you could put such a low dollar threshold. Even our cheapest one in DC doesn't have books that low unless they are in the dollar bins out front.
Melissa, you must live near a great used bookstore if you could put such a low dollar threshold. Even our cheapest one in DC doesn't have books that low unless they are in the dollar bins out front.
In my experience library sales and thrift stores often have books (good ones too sometimes!) for sale under $2. Used bookstores are generally more expensive, but they are for profit enterprises, so it makes sense.Then again, maybe Melissa set the dollar value so low to avoid temptation? : )
Exactly, Ruthiella! I was thinking of my library sales and the Kindle Daily Deals. I admit that I went on a bit of a shopping spree New Year's Eve. A box of books arrived a week ago, and I had to explain to my husband that since I ordered and paid for them before Jan. 1, they didn't count in my challenge.
As far as meeting book characters years down the road, I think I'd rather leave them where I found them. I liken it to TV characters: Once they are off the air, I like them living happily ever after in my imagination.