Task 3: Read a Collection of Essays

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Bea wrote: "I am planning on Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris."

This is one one of my reading list challenges. Didn't realize it was essays. Thank you!

[Trina]

Allie wrote: "Tatiana wrote: "I will either read Consider the Lobster and Other Essays or if I run out of time A Room of One's Own which counts as a nonfiction book on feminism..."

I'm ..."

Theresa wrote: "I'd highly recommend Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay. So good. This would also count for a nonfiction book about feminism."

Allie wrote: "Tatiana wrote: "I will either read Consider the Lobster and Other Essays or if I run out of time A Room of One's Own which counts as a nonfiction book on feminism..."

I'm ..."

I listened to the audiobook of Bad Feminist a few weeks ago and loved it. That was before I knew about the challenge or I might have saved it. I am not sure what I will do for essays. Lots of great ideas here.

[Stephanie]

I am planning on reading Beyond the Wall: Exploring George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. It's been on my to-read for a while now, so this challenge will bump it up a bit!

[Marie]

I picked up The Empathy Exams: Essays at BRL2015, so that will be my pick for this category.

[Robin P]

Jaleenajo wrote: "Planning on reading Pilgrim at Tinker Creek for this challenge. I read one of the essays for a college class awhile back and thought it was fantastic; I've been meaning to finish the w..."

I always remember that book as one of the few where I could not get past page 30 or so even though I felt I had been reading it forever. Probably my lack of appreciation for nature was at fault, as it is very well regarded.

In a rather different vein, I am thinking of reading Still Foolin' 'Em: Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys by Billy Crystal which I received for Christmas a year ago and then forgot about.

[Catey]

Any thoughts on whether Sara Bareilles's Sounds Like Me: My Life (So Far) in Song would count towards this task? Maybe not the most high-minded collection one could choose, but I so love her.

[sarah]

I can't believe I haven't gotten around to this one. I have chosen Lena Dunham's Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She's "Learned"

[Halle]

Catey wrote: "Any thoughts on whether Sara Bareilles's Sounds Like Me: My Life (So Far) in Song would count towards this task? Maybe not the most high-minded collection one could choose, but I so..."
I think that would count, it's mostly a memoir but written in a series of essays and is fascinating if you are a Sara Bareilles fan. Lots of interesting information about her career and some fun bits and pieces about the music industry and how song writing works.

[Jenni]

I am reading Luke Skywalker Can't Read: And Other Geeky Truths

[Felicie]

I would recommend anything by David Sedaris--Me Talk Pretty One Day is a particular favorite. I adore his dry, sardonic wit and irreverent sense of humor.

Alas, since I've already either read or listened to many pieces by David Sedaris, I'll be trying out Charles Bukowski's collection of essays devoted to the domestic feline, On Cats.

[Jan]

My choice currently is I Feel Bad about My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman

[Jennifer]

I am reading Kurt Vonnegut's A Man Without a Country for this one.

[Samy]

I plan to read a book of essays about soccer/fútbol:
Dios es redondo

[Dhruv]

I was recommended Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life and told that it qualifies. Has anyone read it?

[Bonnie G.]

Dhruv wrote: "I was recommended Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life and told that it qualifies. Has anyone read it?"

I have read it several times, and love it. I would not call it an essay collection. Its like a warmer and funnier Elements of Style.

[Mark]

Haven't decided on this one;

Looking at Jon Ronson Lost At Sea: The Jon Ronson Mysteries
Or Jonathan Franzen How to Be Alone as possibilities right now.

[Dhruv]

Bonnie wrote: "Dhruv wrote: "I was recommended Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life and told that it qualifies. Has anyone read it?"

I have read it several times, and love it. I would..."

Gaah! Then can you suggest something similar that qualifies? I'm reading this one anyways :P

[Dixie]

Just starting "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow and other essays" by Aldous Huxley

[Trina]

I'm planning Armageddon in Retrospect by Kurt Vonnegut, but now I'm intrigued by the Aldous Huxley selection.

[Megan]

I read Fraud: Essays by David Rakoff. I esp liked that the first essay was about his trip to the Mondanock Region of New Hampshire, where I live.

[Kira]

Monica wrote: "I have 2 in mind for this one:

Race-Ing Justice, En-Gendering Power: Essays on Anita Hill, Clarence Thomas, and the Construction of Social Reality

[book:When and Where I Enter: The I..."

I'm interested in When and Where I Enter. The description says it includes "speeches, diaries, letters, and other original documents" but would this count as a collection of essays? If it works, I'll read this one. If not, I'll read I Call Myself A Feminist: The View from Twenty-Five Women Under Thirty .

[Kira]

I found another book called This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color that would work for this prompt. It would also work as a nonfiction book about feminism.

[Barbara]

Daena wrote: "Looking forward to reading Bad Feminist." I'm in the middle of it now, and it's wonderful. Some of the essays are much more intense than I fully expected or was ready for, but she's just so clear and open and manages to connect her experience to the world so well that I'm continuing through things that would normally make me have to stop and put the book away for a while before I could go back to it. The reader for the audiobook version is fantastic.

[Martha]

I need to read some books about aging, so I'm currently reading Donald Hall's Essays After Eighty.

[Michelle]

I borrowed Cheryl Strayed's Tiny Beautiful Things from a friend not thinking about the challenge, and now I'm halfway through it and wondering if it can count as the book of essays.

[Ashley]

Michelle wrote: "I borrowed Cheryl Strayed's Tiny Beautiful Things from a friend not thinking about the challenge, and now I'm halfway through it and wondering if it can count as the book of essays."
Hi Michelle! I have planned to read Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar for this task as well; it is shelved with essays here on Goodreads, and that's good enough for me!

[Elizabeth]

The White album by Joan Didion should be perfect for this!

[Rayna]

I wish you could 'like' things on Goodreads because I see a lot of good choices that I would like to...well...like.

[Angela]

I'm going for Me Talk Pretty One Day...another of the books tucked away on my shelves!

[Sonia]

I'm planning to read The Empathy Exams. Read Bad Feminist last year so it's not an option for me. And Cheryl Strayed's Tiny Beautiful Things sounds good to. But I still prefery the Empathy Exams because I listen to Cheryl Strayed's podcast and reading the book would feel quite similar.

[Trina]

So, I read Armageddon in Retrospect by Kurt Vonnegut, and there were some essays but I feel like it was mostly short fiction, so I think I'll read The Dude Abides from my TBR list. It has a separate chapter for each film by the Coen brothers. I hope that counts, otherwise the Audie winner from Oprah can count twice, although I wanted to have a separate book for each.

[BookDrunkard is on storygraph as bookdrunkard78]

I just finished Brown Girl Dreaming and was wondering if it would fit for this category? I find it hard to put in a box. It's poetry, but more....it's a memoir but more than that. I loved it so much! I read it and then I also listened to the author narrate it via audiobook. So good.

[Bea]

"BookDrunkard wrote: I just finished Brown Girl Dreaming and was wondering if it would fit for this category?"

It is also listed as Childrens->Middle Grade and has won some children's awards like the Newbery 2015. So, if it does not fit here (I really don't know), you could use it for the Middle Grade task.

[jillannjohn]

I read Bad Feminist for this one.

[Teresa]

I might read The Scientific Basis of Morals, and other essays. by Clifford, William Kingdon for this one.

[Renee]

I double dipped on this one, read Billy Crystal's
Still Foolin' 'Em: Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys. Billy said he planned is as a book of essays and it won an audie. Very enjoyable, a bit of strong language in places.

[Karena]

I'm reading BITCHfest: Ten Years of Cultural Criticism from the Pages of Bitch Magazine.

[Danielle]

Would a collection of speeches count?

[Courtney]

Rayna wrote: "I wish you could 'like' things on Goodreads because I see a lot of good choices that I would like to...well...like."

Haha, me too, Rayna!

[Henriette]

Theresa wrote: "I'd highly recommend Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay. So good. This would also count for a nonfiction book about feminism."
That was my choice for this challenge. I loved it! The writing is great, the subjects are important - go get it!

[Nightia]

the epistles of Nicolas Maquiavelo count as essays?

[Ramona]

This week, I finished You Had Me At Woof by Julie Klam. It's a collection of essays about her life as a dog owner and in dog rescue. As a dog person myself, I found it lovely. The writing is sweet, funny and brutally honest. Highly recommended!

[Ignaura]

I'm reading "Love and other ways of dying"

[Maxine]

I read Letter to My Daughter. While I had heard of the author I know next to nothing about her and I don't think this was the best introduction. Maybe if I already knew who she was and about her life, I would have been able to get more from these incredibly short essays.
Also I was expecting something to do with raising daughters in particular and I didn't get that. I am taking away that this lady is incredibly compassionate and I am going to look into learning more about her.

[Gwen S.]

Competed Task #3: Read a Collection of Essays:
Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

I was surprised by the author's disjointed writing style. It seemed some of her essays failed to connect with the chosen title or in the middle of the essay she strayed off topic, which made reading the novel frustrating. Her content was funny at times and on point at others, especially her Scrabble Club experience. Also I noted several discrepancies between her essays' contents, such as her introductory statements reiterating, she came from a middle class family and acquired a full scholarship to attend college, and her later revelations of starving several days in college, only eating ramen noodles as a main meal due to a lack of funds?? Was this due to poor financial control/ excess spending sprees or truly no money left after rent and books?? (view spoiler)[ I was left wondering why she has not pressed charges against her alleged middle school rapists. Or at least publicly shamed them on her blogs. I am certain she is not the only girl those boys have raped in that cabin. As a feminist, she should follow her sage advice," Silence gives consent!" Or why she failed to tell her 'supportive, loving' parents this tragedy in her life?!? (hide spoiler)]

I gave the book 3*****

So far 5/11 tasks completed: # 3,#5, #11, #16, & # 19.

[Julia]

2nd task completed with David Sedaris' Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls, a book club selection. I listened to the audiobook so it went by fast. His brand of satire can either be funny or wearying depending on the topic.

[TL]

50 Things To Do When You Turn 50
I’ve just started reading a collection of essays on Aging...
Including fun folks like Garrison Keillor, Erica Jong, and Suze Orman!

[Jackie]

I read You Don't Have to Like Me: Essays on Growing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding Feminism for this challenge and I highly recommend it. It's a great book about being a feminist in the modern era and appreciating womanhood! Alida feels like a cool friend, telling you funny stories.

[April]

There are so many that I'd love to read for this task but funds are tight so I'm limited to what I already own rather than buying new books. I'm a huge fan of Chuck Palahniuk so this will be a good excuse to finally read Non-Fiction.

[Sophia]

I was originally going to use The Opposite of Loneliness: Essays and Stories for this task, but decided not to. It's made up of more fictional short stories than nonfiction essays, so I felt I should find something else.

With that in mind, I read Men Explain Things To Me by Rebecca Solnit. It's a very intense collection of writings covering some difficult topics. Overall I enjoyed it.