Read Harder Retro: 2015 in 2016

[Sean]

I hadn't heard about this challenge last year, and there are a lot of tasks that sound like a good time when I look back at them. I fulfilled a few of them over the course of the year (without realizing it), but I'm planning on trying to sneak a few appropriate books in among the 2016 list to try and "complete" the task retroactively. My plan is not to have any overlap, i.e. anything I read for 2015 doesn't count toward 2016 and vice versa. Anyone care to join me?

[Pat]

I SHOULD,Leftmost,because I didn't complete many tasks.Okay-for every 2016 book I'll read a "2015" one....Happy holidays...

[Sarah]

I still have about 8 tasks from 2015 that I haven't completed and won't be completing by year's end so I'm planning on doing those next year :)

[Sean]

I've put together a preliminary list for this task:


<25: The Mysteries of Pittsburgh
>65: Good Behaviour (completed)
Short Stories: Smoke and Mirrors
Indie: Ada's Algorithm
LGBTQ: Lolly Willowes (reading)
Gender: Mrs. Dalloway (completed)
Asia: And Then
Africa: Half of a Yellow Sun
Indigenous: Love Medicine (completed)
Microhistory: Salt: A World History
YA: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
SF: The Island of Dr. Moreau (completed)
Romance: Pride and Prejudice
Award Winner:The Road
Retelling: Grendel
Audiobook: Yes Please
Poetry: Selected Poems, 1966-1987
Recommended: A Canticle for Leibowitz (completed)
Other Language: The Three-Body Problem
Graphic Novel: Maus (completed)
Guilty Pleasure: Mistborn
Before 1850: Five Dialogues (completed)
This Year: The Bone Clocks
Self-Improvement: Quiet

Anything marked as completed I read in 2015, so I'm being a cheapskate and counting them.

Edit: Oops, didn't mark Love Medicine as completed.

[[deleted user]]

Despite only coming across the challenge towards the end of summer, I can smugly declare that I'm on track to complete it by year's end (only the audiobook and poetry collection to go). However, I feel like I've copped out a bit with one or two of my reads, or at least that I've only scratched the surface of some exciting reading-horizons-expansion-potential! So, I had the idea of trying to double up and complete the 2015 challenge all over again (with different books) as a sort of secondary sub-plot to my 2016 mission. I'll have read about 50 books by the end of this year, so that suggests it's doable... And it'll be cool to have company :)

[Shirley]

Sounds great, I saw the challenge last year but life got in the way of reading and would love to try and double up the two challenges together this year.

[Sean]

Shirley wrote: "Sounds great, I saw the challenge last year but life got in the way of reading and would love to try and double up the two challenges together this year."

Just saw you mention in another thread that you're planning to read Good Behaviour. I'd love to hear what you think when you've finished it.

[Shirley]

Your list inspired me as its already on my shelf as I collect vmcs. I'm trying to double up the lists as much as possible to try and get through them both. Will let you know what I think

[Betsy]

Why oh why did I pick Don Quixote to fulfill the "Book published before 1850" task? I finally finished it today, and I have 5 tasks to complete (I did love it, though). I'm going to try really hard to finish the 2015 tasks before December 31, but, if not, I'll be joining you all! Wish me luck!

[Kay]

You inspire me! I almost picked up Don Quixote this year - it is on my "books to read before I die" list! I think this may be the year I do it even if it isn't part of the challenge.

[Rainey]

I have the book but decided to listen to it as part of the 2016 challenge. The version I am listening to won an audie award.

[Shirley]

That's a book I've always been intimidated by, one of my besties has been reading it all 2015 and found it a bit of a Slough though she said the sense of achievement at the end was worth it .

[Shirley]

So started the year off with a bang
A book written by someone when they were under the age of 25 White Teeth

A book written by someone when they were over the age of 65

A collection of short stories

A book published by an indie press

A book by or about someone that identifies as LGBTQ White is for Witching

A book by a person whose gender is different from your own The Sleeper and the Spindle

A book that takes place in Asia

A book by an author from Africa

A book that is by or about someone from an indigenous culture (Native Americans, Aboriginals, etc.)

A microhistory

A YA novel

A sci-fi novel

A romance novel

A National Book Award, Man Booker Prize or Pulitzer Prize winner from the last decade

A book that is a retelling of a classic story

An audiobook Why Not Me?

A collection of poetry

A book that someone else has recommended to you

A book that was originally published in another language

A graphic novel, a graphic memoir or a collection of comics of any kind Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal

A book that you would consider a guilty pleasure

A book published before 1850 Frankenstein

A book published this year

A self-improvement book Workin' It!: RuPaul's Guide to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Style

[Shirley]

Two very easy options but both good reads and I like to start off the year with a bang

[Niffer]

I'm doing both 2015 and 2016 this year, possibly setting myself up for a fall but if I do finish it - I will be mightily chuffed.

[Shirley]

Me too niffer, I'm reading as many books as I can that will go in both challenges amongst others *shuffles awkwardly*

[Sean]

Shirley wrote: "A book by a person whose gender is different from your own The Sleeper and the Spindle"

I just read this a few days ago! Curious what you thought, and a good start to the year!

Niffer wrote: "I'm doing both 2015 and 2016 this year, possibly setting myself up for a fall but if I do finish it - I will be mightily chuffed. "

I'm trying to focus on 2016 with 2015 around the cracks when I have time. I'm also trying to read books that will fit multiple categories within a given year's challenges first, so that if I fall short of the "one book per task" goal, I can still complete.

[Shirley]

I included it in the 2016 retelling category aswel :)
It was a safe bet for me, I always love Neil gaimens work and I also loved the illustrations. It's the kind of book that makes this normally unmaternal person want a child just so I can get it for them and read it with them. I know I would have loved this as a kid and get the impression it may become a series?
What were your impressions?

[Niffer]

I've noticed that purely by accident, some of my 2016 books are fitting into 2015 categories as well - so I'll probably be using this 'workaround' to complete both years tasks as well... :D

[Shirley]

I've found this with a lot of the different challenges, good luck with it :)

[Cristina]

Niffer wrote: "I'm doing both 2015 and 2016 this year, possibly setting myself up for a fall but if I do finish it - I will be mightily chuffed."

Now that sounds like an interesting idea! I might consider it since there were several categories that called to me from last year. :)

[Kristen]

I had 8 tasks from the 2015 challenge unfinished as of Jan 1st, not concerned about order but just really want to get the 2 books that I started last year, finally finished:

#2 A book written by someone when they were over the age of 65: Don't Wake Me at Doyles: The remarkable memoir of an ordinary Irish woman and her extraordinary life by Maura Murphy (started 05-30-16, finished 06-05-16)

#4 A book published by an indie press: The True History of the Elephant Man by Michael Howell (started in 2015, finished 01-16-16)

#5 A book by or about someone that identifies as LGBTQ: City Boy: My Life in New York in the 1960s and 70s by Edmund White (started 04-10-16, finished 05-30-16)

#8 A book by an author from Africa: My Traitor's Heart: A South African Exile Returns to Face His Country, His Tribe, and His Conscience by Rian Malan

#10 A microhistory: The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester (started 10-12-16, finished 10-27-16)

#11 A National Book Award, Man Booker Prize or Pulitzer Prize winner from the last decade: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (started 11-13-16, finished 11-15-16)

#16 An audiobook: The Odyssey by Homer, read by Ian McKellen (started in 2015, finished 02-06-16)

#17 A collection of poetry: The Complete Poems by Hart Crane (started in 2015, finished 03-23-16)

[quietprofanity]

I finished the 2015 challenge on time, but there were a few things that I wanted to do differently. I'll come back here and talk about them as I go, but one of the big ones was reading Fangirl for the YA novel challenge (I didn't own it yet and thought it was more responsible to go with the urban fantasy YA book I'd owned for years and never read.) I reviewed it here.

I also really, really, REALLY want to read Howards End and On Beauty back to back as a re-do of the "Retelling of a Classic Story" challenge before the year's out.

[Krista]

I'm so totally in with this challenge. I'd never heard about the Read Harder challenge until the first week of January. I'm totally in and already on my first two on the list (reading out loud to someone, and a reading a book by someone with mental illness). When I saw there was a 2015 Read Harder challenge I had to take a look at it. So I'm in for this retro challenge. Luckily it looks like I ended up reading about 5-6 off the list with the 46 books I read in 2015. I was wondering what I'd read published prior to 1850, and here it's done! I finished Pride & Prejudice in November.

[Courtney]

This is my first year doing the challenge, and I'm so excited about it I've already fulfilled half the challenges for 2016. I'm having so much fun with it! So heck yes, I'm so in for retroactive challenges! Is anyone else doing the Panels challenge?

[Shirley]

Nice to have more people on board :) I'm doing the panels challenge Courtney. They have the threads up for this years on here with quite a lot of people giving great recommendations. Hope you enjoy

[Courtney]

I had a lot of fun figuring out with of the tasks I unknowingly accomplished in 2015, and now I don't feel so anxious about titles that I could have counted in 2016 if I hadn't of read them in 2015.

*A book written by someone when they were under the age of 25:
A book written by someone when they were over the age of 65
The Way It Is: New and Selected Poems by William Stafford
A collection of short stories: Battleborn by Claire Vaye Watkins
A book published by an indie press: Congress of Strange Peopleby Stephanie Lenox
A book by or about someone that identifies as LGBTQ: George by Alex Gino
A book by a person whose gender is different from your own: Bell Weather by Dennis Mahoney
*A book that takes place in Asia:
*A book by an author from Africa
*A book that is by or about someone from an indigenous culture (Native Americans, Aboriginals, etc.)
*A microhistory
A YA novel: The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
A sci-fi novel: The Dead Lands by Benjamin Percy
A romance novel: Written in My Own Heart's Bloodby Diana Gabaldon
A National Book Award, Man Booker Prize or Pulitzer Prize winner from the last decade: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
A book that is a retelling of a classic story: Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge
An audiobook: Gone Girlby Gillian Flynn
A collection of poetry: Twisted Shapes of Light by William Jolliff
A book that was originally published in another language: The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz
A graphic novel, a graphic memoir or a collection of comics of any kind: Saga, Volume 4by Brian K.Vaughn & Fiona Staples
A book that you would consider a guilty pleasure: The Heistby Janet Evanovich
*A book published before 1850
A book published this year: It's What I Do: A Photographer's Life of Love and War by Lynsey Addario
A self-improvement book: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondō

[Ruchika]

I got preoccupied with life last year and couldn't make great progress on the challenge so I'm doing it this year as well. Separately from the 2016 challenge. I've noticed that my reading is incredibly limited and while I doubt I'll be successful in completing either of the challenges, I look forward to the diversity it brings to my reading :)

[Belinda]

There are a lot of the topics here that I have not read, so am looking forward to it.
Read 23/24

A book written by someone when they were under the age of 25: I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
A book written by someone when they were over the age of 65: The Year of the Flood
A collection of short stories: Moral Disorder and Other Stories
A book published by an indie press: 48 Hours To Die: An Anthony Stone Novel
A book by or about someone that identifies as LGBTQ: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
A book by a person whose gender is different from your own: The Rest of Us Just Live Here
A book that takes place in Asia: The Ghost Bride
A book by an author from Africa: Things Fall Apart
A book that is by or about someone from an indigenous culture (Native Americans, Aboriginals, etc.): Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence
A microhistory: Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
A YA novel: Am I Normal Yet?
A sci-fi novel: MaddAddam
A romance novel: Anna and the French Kiss
A National Book Award, Man Booker Prize or Pulitzer Prize winner from the last decade: All the Light We Cannot See
A book that is a retelling of a classic story: William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope
An audiobook: The Great Gatsby Read by Jake Gyllenhaal
A collection of poetry: Power Politics: Poems
A book that someone else has recommended to you: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
A book that was originally published in another language: The Little Prince
A graphic novel, a graphic memoir or a collection of comics of any kind : Nimona and Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
A book that you would consider a guilty pleasure: The Rosie Project
A book published before 1850: Frankenstein
A book published this year: The Heart Goes Last
A self-improvement book: Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person

[Anna]

I actually made a pretty big dent in last year's challenge without knowing about it, so I think I, too, am going to fill in the blanks this year. (Lots of things that are on my TBR shelf will work nicely.) Without counting books twice in this year's challenge, that takes me to 37 books, which seems totally doable.

Finished in 2015:
Book by a person of a different gender: Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt
Takes place in Asia: China Rich Girlfriend
Author from Africa: Americanah
microhistory: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
YA novel: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
romance novel: Bared to You
award-winner from past decade: All the Light We Cannot See
audiobook: Modern Romance
recommendation: American Gods
translated: Look Who's Back
guilty pleasure: Flashpoint
published in 2015: Off the X

Read in 2016 (in chronological order):
A collection of poetry: Citizen: An American Lyric
Short story collection: Redeployment
By/about someone who identifies as LGBTQ: Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
retelling of a classic: The Sleeper and the Spindle
graphic novel/memoir: Through the Woods
Indigenous culture: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
self-improvement: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
sci-fi: Kindred
author >65: Runaway
before 1850: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Indie Press: Sourdough and Other Stories
author <25: White Teeth

And done!

[Mickey]

I got distracted and didn't complete the challenge last year, so I'd like to see if it's possible for me to complete both this challenge and the 2016 challenge. I will attempt to do it without overlapping reads, but I will leave it as an option for myself. I've added all the books I completed last year.

<25:
>65: Stone Mattress: Nine Tales (completed in 2015)
Short Stories: Black Vodka: Ten Stories (completed in 2015)
Indie: Counternarratives (completed January 2016)
LGBTQ: Giovanni's Room (completed in 2015)
Gender: Forty Acres (completed March 2016)
Asia: The Vegetarian (completed June 2016)
Africa: Americanah (completed in 2015)
Indigenous:
Microhistory: The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America (completed in 2015)
YA: Scarlet (completed in 2015)
SF: Ancillary Justice (completed in 2015)
Romance: Call Me by Your Name (completed in 2015)
Award Winner: Between the World and Me (completed in 2015)
Retelling: Boy, Snow, Bird (completed in 2015)
Audiobook: Yes Please (completed in 2015)
Poetry: Citizen: An American Lyric (completed March 2016)
Recommended:
Other Language: My Brilliant Friend (completed in 2015)
Graphic Novel: Saga, Volume 1 (completed in 2015)
Guilty Pleasure: I've Got Your Number (completed in 2015)
Before 1850:
This Year: Delicious Foods (completed in 2015)
Self-Improvement:

My Read Harder 2015 Shelf

[Mickey]

Anna wrote: "I actually made a pretty big dent in last year's challenge without knowing about it, so I think I, too, am going to fill in the blanks this year. (Lots of things that are on my TBR shelf, like [boo..."

I also read Americanah last year. I loved it. I'm reading Purple Hibiscus this month.

[Mickey]

Sean wrote: "I've put together a preliminary list for this task:


<25: The Mysteries of Pittsburgh
>65: Good Behaviour (completed)
Short Stories: Smoke and Mirrors
Indie..."

Smoke and Mirrors is a really solid short story collection. I read it last year. I think you'll enjoy it.

I read Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie and really liked it. I hope you enjoy Half A Yellow Sun.

Did you like Maus? I've read it before and thought it was fantastic.

How about Mrs. Dalloway? That's one of those books I've been meaning to pick up forever and just haven't. I plan on reading To the Lighthouse this year because I own it. I'm a little afraid of Virginia Woolf's writing style. Did you like it?

[Sean]

Shirley wrote: "It was a safe bet for me, I always love Neil gaimens work and I also loved the illustrations. It's the kind of book that makes this normally unmaternal person want a child just so I can get it for them and read it with them. I know I would have loved this as a kid and get the impression it may become a series?
What were your impressions?"

I loved it. I'm a big fan of his as well, and I particularly liked all the places where he subverted the clichés and conventions of the fairy tale. I hadn't even known about it until I saw it sitting around at my family's house and I picked it up, but I'm glad I did.

Mickey wrote: "Did you like Maus? I've read it before and thought it was fantastic."

I did. I thought it was a very good story that was, for the most part, well-told.

Mickey wrote: "How about Mrs. Dalloway? That's one of those books I've been meaning to pick up forever and just haven't. I plan on reading To the Lighthouse this year because I own it. I'm a little afraid of Virginia Woolf's writing style. Did you like it?"

I'm a big fan of Virginia Woolf. I'd read To the Lighthouse previously and enjoyed it a lot, and I was just as happy with Mrs. Dalloway. Her writing takes a bit of getting used to, but once I got into the flow of it, I was quite taken with it.

[Julia]

Completed 22/ 24
I'm doing the 2015 & 2016 Challenges in 2016. Here's what I've read so far
> 25
<65 The Plot: The Secret Story of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion by Will Eisner
A collection of short stories Barbara the Slut and Other People by Lauren Holmes
A book published by an indie press See No Color by Shannon Gibney
A book about someone who identifies as LGBTQ Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen by Lois McMaster Bujold
A book by a person whose gender is different from your own Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
A book that takes place in Asia The Frangipani Hotel by Violet Kupersmith
A book by an author from Africa Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
A book that is by or about someone from an indigenous culture LaRose by Louise Erdrich
A microhistory Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon
A YA novel Sirens by Janet Fox
A sci-fi novel The Book of Phoenix by Nnedi Okorafor
A romance novel Another Day by David Levithan
A National Book Award winner from the last decade Redeployment by Phil Klay
A book that is a retelling of a classic story (fairytale, Shakespearian play, classic novel, etc.) Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
An audiobook Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
A collection of poetry The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
A book that someone else has recommended to you Booked by Kwame Alexander
A book that was originally published in another language Kitchen by Banana Yoshimototranslated by Megan Backus
A graphic novel The Wild Party by Joseph Moncure March, Drawings by Art Spiegelman
A book that you would consider a guilty pleasure Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs
A book published before 1850
A book published this year Shylock Is My Name
A self-improvement book Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me A graphic memoir by Ellen Forney

; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

I will read a book by someone 25 or younger and a book published in or before 1850 in 2017.

[Mary!]

I'm currently working on the 2016 challenges, but since I just found this one,I'd like to fill in what tasks I can retroactively and then finish any empty ones in 2016.

2015 Read Harder Challenge
Completed 22/24

✔ 1. A book written by someone when they were under the age of 25
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto 02/01/2017

✔ 2. A book written by someone when they were over the age of 65 Cold Betrayal by J.A. Jance 05/02/2015

✔ 3. A collection of short stories (either by one person or an anthology by many people) The Plot Thickens by Mary Higgins Clark et al. 07/06/2015

✔ 4. A book published by an indie press Love Psalms A Christian Love Story by Joey Bauer (Published by Comeback Kids Ministries) 12/29/2015

✔ 5. A book by or about someone that identifies as LGBTQ Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs 09/26/2015

✔ 6. A book by a person whose gender is different from your own Sick in the Head: Conversations About Life and Comedy by Judd Apatow 11/12/2015

✔ 7. A book that takes place in Asia The Scam by Janet Evanovich (Macau China) 09/25/2015

✔ 8. A book by an author from Africa
Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue 08/12/2017

✔ 9. A book that is by or about someone from an indigenous culture (Native Americans, Aboriginals, etc.) Dance of the Bones by J.A. Jance (Tohono O'odham Nation) 11/16/2015

✔ 10. A microhistory The F-Word by Jesse Sheidlower 03/21/2016

✔ 11. A YA novel Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery 06/25/2015

✔ 12. A sci-fi novel The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 08/22/2015

✔ 13. A romance novel Nuts by Alice Clayton 10/27/2015

✔ 14. A National Book Award, Man Booker Prize or Pulitzer Prize winner from the last decade
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead 08/31/2016

✔ 15. A book that is a retelling of a classic story (fairytale, Shakespearian play, classic novel, etc.) Fairy Tale Calculus: The Derivative by Sarah Allen 06/22/2015

✔ 16. An audiobook Close Range by Annie Proulx 12/09/2015

✔ 17. A collection of poetry
Voices and Poetry of Ireland by Folk Promotions 04/12/2017

✔ 18. A book that someone else has recommended to you Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore 03/13/2015

✔ 19. A book that was originally published in another language
The Jokers by Albert Cossery 01/15/2017

✔ 20. A graphic novel, a graphic memoir or a collection of comics of any kind (Hi, have you met Panels?)
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood and The Story of a Return by Marjane Satrapi 03/20/2017

✔ 21. A book that you would consider a guilty pleasure (Read, and then realize that good entertainment is nothing to feel guilty over) Hillbilly Rockstar by Lorelei James 08/19/2015

✔ 22. A book published before 1850
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Writings by Washington Irving (1819) 01/23/2017

✔ 23. A book published this year Tricky Twenty-Two by Janet Evanovich 11/28/2015

✔ 24. A self-improvement book (can be traditionally or non-traditionally considered “self-improvement”) The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondō 06/22/2015

[Hannah]

This is great! I also had not heard of the book riot challenge until 2016. I'm committed to doing the 2016 challenge, but so far I'm finding myself checking off more items from the 2015 list. So I want to track my progress on 2015 as well. And since I didn't keep track last year, I guess I'm only including things I read in 2016. Here's where I'm at so far!

completed 18/24
A book written by someone when they were under the age of 25 Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
A book written by someone when they were over the age of 65 My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem
A collection of short stories Both Ways is the Only Way I Want It by Maile Meloy
A book published by an indie press Kiss the Girl by Melissa Brayden
A book by or about someone that identifies as LGBTQ Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
A book by a person whose gender is different from yours Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
A book that takes place in Asia
A book by an author from Africa
A book that is by or about someone from an indigenous culture (Native Americans, Aboriginals, etc.)
A microhistory
A YA novel Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
A sci-fi novel Mind of My Mind by Octavia E. Butler
A romance novel A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev
A National Book Award, Man Booker Prize or Pulitzer Prize winner from the last decade Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
A book that is a retelling of a classic story Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley
An audiobook (I'm visually impaired so I only do audiobooks anyway) Waistcoats & Weaponry by Gail Carriger
A collection of poetry Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine
A book that someone else has recommended to you Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff
A book that was originally published in another language Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay by Elena Ferrante
A graphic novel, a graphic memoir or a collection of comics of any kind
A book that you would consider a guilty pleasure The Good Thief's Guide to Venice by Chris Ewan
A book published before 1850 Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
A book published this year Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit
A self-improvement book

[Tracy]

I fizzled out very early in 2015, but have already finished 7 or 8 tasks for 2016 so I might revisit the 2015 tasks. I'll count the books I did read that fulfilled the tasks (microhistory and self help) and see what else I can get done.

Thanks for sharing this idea!

[Shirley]

Just finished two more prompts for the year, I loved white teeth with a passion for the author under 25. That is some crazy talent displayed by zadie smith and I'm now understanding the love for audiobooks. Why not me by Mindy kalin read by herself was a really fun listen.

[quietprofanity]

I got around to what was originally going to be my "Guilty Pleasure" choice last year: The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made. I think Valley of the Dolls was a better choice as a "guilty pleasure" but I love the movie "The Room" and thought this was a really Hollywood tell-all gossip book. I also listened to the audiobook version and Greg Sestero's imitation of Tommy Wiseau was awesome. (I wrote a review here.)

[Robert]

My 2015 (And Beyond) Read Harder Challenge

24/24 tasks completed (14 completed in 2015, 8 completed in 2016, 1 completed in 2017, and 1 completed in 2018)

Task 1. A book written by someone when they were under the age of 25
{COMPLETED 10/27/16}

Task 2. A book written by someone when they were over the age of 65
{COMPLETED 06/29/16}

Task 3. A collection of short stories
{COMPLETED 11/05/15}

Task 4. A book published by an indie press
{COMPLETED 08/05/15}

Task 5. A book by or about someone that identifies as LGBTQ
{COMPLETED 10/28/16}

Task 6. A book by a person whose gender is different from your own (female author)
{COMPLETED 05/04/15}

Task 7. A book that takes place in Asia
{COMPLETED 02/01/18}

Task 8. A book by an author from Africa
{COMPLETED 03/10/15}

Task 9. A book that is by or about someone from an indigenous culture
{COMPLETED 12/03/16}

Task 10. A microhistory
{COMPLETED 08/28/15}

Task 11. A YA novel
{COMPLETED 07/24/16}

Task 12. A sci-fi novel
{COMPLETED 06/12/15}

Task 13. A romance novel
{COMPLETED 07/07/15}

Task 14. A Pulitzer Prize winner from the last decade (2000-2009)
{COMPLETED 10/02/15}

Task 15. A book that is a retelling of a classic story
{COMPLETED 03/28/16}

Task 16. An audiobook
{COMPLETED 02/02/15}

Task 17. A collection of poetry
{COMPLETED 02/02/15}

Task 18. A book that someone else has recommended to you
{COMPLETED 12/12/15}

Task 19. A book that was originally published in another language
{COMPLETED 11/18/16}

Task 20. A graphic novel, a graphic memoir, or a collection of comics of any kind
{COMPLETED 01/23/15}

Task 21. A book that you would consider a guilty pleasure
{COMPLETED 02/06/15}

Task 22. A book published before 1850
{COMPLETED 06/09/17}

Task 23. A book published this year (2015)
{COMPLETED 06/03/16}

Task 24. A self-improvement book
{COMPLETED 12/31/15}

[Theresa]

I just discovered the Read Harder Challenge itself, regardless of year, in late April 2016. I thought I’d give the 2016 challenge a shot, but tried to keep my expectations realistic because I had been in a major reading rut for what seemed like forever. But the reading rut has ended & I’ve completed 16 of the 24 challenges for 2016 already, so I am also going to try to complete the 2015 challenge. I was able to mark a few off the 2015 list based on what I read in 2016 before I knew about the challenge. Sweet! I may count the same book for more than 1 category in a year, but I’m going to try not to count the same book for categories across the 2 years.

9/30/16 - Finished!

[✓] 1. A book written by someone when they were under the age of 25: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
[✓] 2. A book written by someone when they were over the age of 65: You're Only Old Once by Dr. Seuss
[✓] 3. A collection of short stories: Tenth of December by George Saunders
[✓] 4. A book published by an indie press: The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
[✓] 5. A book by or about someone who identifies as LGBTQ: Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen by Jazz Jennings
[✓] 6. A book by a person whose gender is different from your own: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
[✓] 7. A book that takes place in Asia: The Incarnations by Susan Barker
[✓] 8. A book by an author from Africa: Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
[✓] 9. A book that is by or about someone from an indigenous culture: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
[✓] 10. A microhistory: Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex by Mary Roach
[✓] 11. A YA novel: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
[✓] 12. A sci-fi novel: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
[✓] 13. A romance novel: Kissing Under the Mistletoe by Bella Andre
[✓] 14. A National Book Award, Man Booker Prize or Pulitzer Prize winner from the last decade: The Round House by Louise Erdrich (2012 National Book Award)
[✓] 15. A book that is a retelling of a classic story: Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
[✓] 16. An audiobook: Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye
[✓] 17. A collection of poetry: Ariel by Sylvia Plath
[✓] 18. A book that someone else has recommended to you: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
[✓] 19. A book that was originally published in another language: My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Bachman
[✓] 20. A graphic novel, a graphic memoir or a collection of comics of any kind: Everything Is Teeth by Evie Wyld
[✓] 21. A book that you would consider a guilty pleasure: One Perfect Night by Bella Andre
[✓] 22. A book published before 1850: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving (1820)
[✓] 23. A book published this year: Before the Fall by Noah Hawley (I cheated & counted “this year” as 2016, even though this is the 2015 challenge, because I’m doing the challenge in 2016)
[✓] 24. A self-improvement book: You Learn by Living by Eleanor Roosevelt

[Rachel]

I've recently decided to take this on, beginning July 1 and ending June 30, 2017. It would be great if I could finish by the end of this year, but since I'm already doing PopSugar and GoodReads ATY, and I've just added this year's BookRiot Challenge, I think it would be unrealistic.

This is what I have in mind so far:
1. A book written by someone when they were under the age of 25 – Eragon or Shatter Me
2. A book written by someone when they were over the age of 65 – Little House in the Big Woods
3. A collection of short stories (either by one person or an anthology by many people) – Aesop's Fables
4. A book published by an indie press – Flat-Out Love
5. A book by or about someone that identifies as LGBTQ – None of the Above
6. A book by a person whose gender is different from your own
7. A book that takes place in Asia – Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
8. A book by an author from Africa – Americanah
9. A book that is by or about someone from an indigenous culture (Native Americans, Aboriginals, etc.) – The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
10. A microhistory - Poseidon's Steed: The Story of Seahorses, from Myth to Reality
11. A YA novel - A World Without You
12. A sci-fi novel - Cinder
13. A romance novel - See Me
14. A National Book Award, Man Booker Prize or Pulitzer Prize winner from the last decade – Inside Out & Back Again
15. A book that is a retelling of a classic story (fairytale, Shakespearian play, classic novel, etc.) – The Madman’s Daughter
16. An audiobook
17. A collection of poetry - The World of Christopher Robin: The Complete When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six
18. A book that someone else has recommended to you – The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
19. A book that was originally published in another language - The Neverending Story
20. A graphic novel, a graphic memoir or a collection of comics of any kind (Hi, have you met Panels?) - Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas
21. A book that you would consider a guilty pleasure (Read, and then realize that good entertainment is nothing to feel guilty over)
22. A book published before 1850 – Sense and Sensibility
23. A book published this year – Everything, Everything
24. A self-improvement book (can be traditionally or non-traditionally considered “self-improvement”) – Chicken Soup for the Teacher's Soul: Stories to Open the Hearts and Rekindle the Spirits of Educators (Chicken Soup for the Soul

[Shaelynn]

[] 1. A book written by someone when they were under the age of 25 The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
[] 2. A book written by someone when they were over the age of 65 Lavinia
[] 3. A collection of short stories Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances
[√ - ★★★★] 4. A book published by an indie press Sidewalks
[] 5. A book by or about someone that identifies as LGBTQ Are You My Mother?
[√ - ★★★★] 6. A book by a person whose gender is different from yours Acceptance
[] 7. A book that takes place in Asia Snow Flower and the Secret Fan or The Lowland or After the Quake
[] 8. A book by an author from Africa Americanah
[√ - ★★★★] 9. A book that is by or about someone from an indigenous culture (Native Americans, Aboriginals, etc.) Euphoria
[] 10. A microhistory The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic - and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World
[√ - ★★★] 11. A YA novel Library of Souls
[] 12. A sci-fi novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
[√ - ★★★] 13. A romance novel Elastic Hearts
[√ - ★★★★] 14. A National Book Award, Man Booker Prize or Pulitzer Prize winner from the last decade The Sympathizer
[√ - ★★] 15. A book that is a retelling of a classic story Northanger Abbey
[√ - ★★★] 16. An audiobook Murder on the Orient Express
[] 17. A collection of poetry Citizen: An American Lyric
[√ - ★★★] 18. A book that someone else has recommended to you The Improbability Principle: Why Coincidences, Miracles, and Rare Events Happen Every Day
[] 19. A book that was originally published in another language Candide
[√ - ★★★] 20. A graphic novel, a graphic memoir or a collection of comics of any kind Lumberjanes, Vol. 3: A Terrible Plan
[√ - ★★★] 21. A book that you would consider a guilty pleasure Divided in Death
[] 22. A book published before 1850 Wuthering Heights
[] 23. A book published this year (2015) Girl Waits with Gun
[] 24. A self-improvement book Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life

Read: 10/24 = 42%
★: 0/24
★★: 0/24
★★★: 6/24
★★★★: 4/24
★★★★★: 0/24

[Krista]

How is everyone doing on their challenges? I created a crazy personal goal for myself and I'm feeling the pressure now. I didn't learn about the 2015 challenge until Jan 2016. My goal? Get the 2015 and 2016 challenges BOTH done by the end of this year.

I'm at 22/24 for the 2015 challenge. Almost finished with one book and started the other a few days ago.
At 21/24 for the 2016 challenge. One almost done, one started a few days ago, one not started yet.

I did go back and find alternatives to what I originally had on my planned list. Swapping a 700 pg book out for one that was 290 pages, for example.

As I told my husband last night on the drive home, no one is going to flog me if I don't get these done, but it's a goal I set for myself and I want to make it. You know?

[Bea]

Krista, I am doing the 2016 challenge with two books left. One is in progress. The other hasn't been started yet.

[Kathy]

Krista, I have 6 books left for this challenge but I also changed to shorter books to make it easier to handle. My "book under a hundred pages" is only 32 pages long! How to Live on 24 Hours a Day by Arnold Bennett.

I'm also doing the Around the Year in 52 Books - 3 books left, but I'm quite a ways through two of them.

Then the 3rd challenge is Popsugar - 5 books left, but some are short.

I overdid it!

[Krista]

Wow Kathy, and I thought I had a lot to read!

I can't wait till the Read Harder 2017 challenge is published. To only do ONE in a year? It will be bliss. Plus I'm not going to allow myself to count a book for more than one category. Surprisingly, that didn't happen for the 2015 one. All 24 are different. But for the 2016, I'm using 20 books to meet the 24 challenges.

[Theresa]

Krista wrote: "How is everyone doing on their challenges? I created a crazy personal goal for myself and I'm feeling the pressure now. I didn't learn about the 2015 challenge until Jan 2016. My goal? Get the 2015..."

Like you, I didn't find the 2015 challenge until 2016 so I thought I'd try to do both. I was able to finish both challenges &, surprisingly even to me, didn't count any book for more than 1 challenge either in a specific year or between the 2 years. I have long drives for work so listening to audiobooks during those drives helped, as did participating in a couple read-a-thons, but mostly it was joining Litsy that kicked my reading up exponentially this year. I am so looking forward to the 2017 challenge!!!! :)

[Krista]

Aren't audiobooks just fantastic? If I'd ONLY read off the Riot list, I'd probably done too, and not duplicate anything. But my husband and I listen to audiobooks on our commute together (about 75 min a day). He's not doing the challenge, so we listen to shared interest books, often working our way through a series.