January 2016 Reading Challenge: Read Widely!

[Rebecca]

The announcement of the LPL Readers’ Club (inbox me or stop by the information desk for more details and to sign up!) has really inspired me to take a closer look at the overall trends of my reading of the past year and I found that this year, I’d really like to use this Club challenge as an opportunity to read a wider variety of books.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget how wide the world of books, and the world itself, really is. So this month, lets read books in translation (books not originally written in English, but don’t worry you’ll read it in English). Currently I’m torn between Nightwatch by Sergei Lukyanenko, translated by Andrew Bromfield and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, translated by Alan R. Clarke. Perhaps I’ll start both and see which one grabs my interest!

Let us know what you’re reading and how you’re liking it!

[Mara]

What an interesting and challenging challenge! I rummaged my own bookshelves to see what qualified and found a paperback that one of my parents had: "The Imitation of Christ," a familiar classic title. To repeat, a familiar title. After reading on Goodreads the description of it as the second-most read title in the entire world after the Bible, I decided that it was time to get a bit more acquainted with it.

I've enjoyed learning tidbits about it so far, such as, according to the forward, the work was probably written in the late 1300's in Netherlandish (Dutch) and translated by Thomas à Kempis into Latin. In usual references to the book, he is normally given full credit for authorship, but there were a few other men involved. Speaking neither of the original languages (!), I am glad to have it in English.

As an additional treat, Hoopla has two audio versions, with the one read by David Cochran Heath being in modern English.

Beginning in Dutch and reworked into Latin and English, then tweaked for modern English speakers---it qualifies for January's adventure! Phew, mission accomplished.

Thank you, Rebecca, for giving us these fun reading challenges!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...

[Linda]

January's challenge The Alchemist. Interesting book, not something I would usually read.

[Rebecca]

Linda wrote: "January's challenge The Alchemist. Interesting book, not something I would usually read."

I've ended up starting Night Watch and it's grabbing my attention, but The Alchemist is definitely on my list for sometime this year!