Aussie Readers discussion
Archive Personal Challenges 2017
>
Stef's 2017 challenge
date
newest »
newest »
Scores (which I will edit)WOC : 3
NF: 12
Female NF: 9
Thesis or profession: 4
Female in total: 27
Australian authors: 10
Female Australian: 6
Aust in approved genres: 4
From my shelves: 18
Total: 40
Total minus children's: 30
Good luck! Looks like a fascinating challenge, Stef!
Mod
I will post them as I finish them (usually one to a post) but I am behind so without further ado here are the first 6
my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Australian authors
my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Australian author
my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Australian authors- 5 star book
my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just finished Kingdom of the Wicked by Derek Landy. Doesn;t fit any of my categories but I read it because my son is such a Landy fan and has been wanting me to since it was released. I will need a break before I tackle the next one I think.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
New Feminist Christianity: Many Voices, Many Views was a brilliant 5 star read!!Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Start Of The End Of It All And Other Stories by Carol EmshwillerHere is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Murder, My Suite by Mary DaheimHere is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Not highly recommended by me!
Feminist Practice and Poststructuralist Theory by Chris WeedonHere is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Enjoyed it greatly and found it very useful!
The Last Song of Dusk by Siddharth Dhanvant ShanghviHere is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... Hard to put all my thoughts on this one into words
Shadow Across the Sun by Margaret Campbell (although Goodreads has erroneous information on this author)Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Christmas MysteryIt does not fit all my categories (it's fiction and the author is a white, male Norwegian) but it was a very interesting read so I am glad I gave it a go
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Call the Midwife was pretty much just what I wanted to be reading right nowhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Happy Prince And Other Stories was a product of its time I guess.https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Beyond God the Father: Toward a Philosophy of Women's LiberationI have been meaning to read this book for 2 decades. It is older than I am. It was dated but in many ways good and worthwhile.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Riesling Retribution had some points of interest though a very regressive painting of gender.review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (sad that the internet ate my real review)
Ok so time to assess what I ought to have read by the end of Feb vs what I have read and adjust what I read next if need-be.Ought to have read:
WOC : 1 (ie one behind)
NF: 3 (ie 3 ahead)
Female NF: 1-2 ie 2-3 ahead)
Relevant NF: 1 (ie up to date)
Female in total: 8 (ie 4 ahead)
Australian authors: 3-4 (ie 3 ahead)
Female Australian: 1-2 (ie right 2)
Aust in approved genres: 2-3 (ie 1 behind)
From my shelves: I have read 13 which is ok
Total: 9 (ie 13 ahead)
Total minus children's: 8 (ie 9 ahead)
So I am mainly ahead but predictably do have to target WOC books more and thesis/professional NF all. and February is not quite over so I will GET READING!!
Excitingly and Adelaide author of Sri Lankan descent but the book itself did not really deliver: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Some good points. Some points of interest. Might be worth reading if you are doing research
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (please note my comments pertained to reviews while I was still reading and may not follow logically from my completed review)
Finally I read a WOC (and a truly great writer she is too!)Alice Walker and her
it was exactly what I needed right now- quite anti-depressant without being remotely naive.Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
In the coming month I need to not neglect -WOC-NF for profession
-Aust in approved genres
Ok so should anyone care I read
While it didn't blow me away, I anticipate some people would enjoy it. Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is why we need more Australian writers writing things for kids that are not mass-produced (and are locally set)
review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This book ticks a lot of the boxes of books I want to try to read more of (female writer, black writer, Australian writer, non-fiction critical work).
It's a significant book too, more people should read it. I offer my review here (but do look at some of the other reviews which may be better): https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I feel like I didn't really get the point of this book though it was well written. Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Hmm.... Have you read
by Roberta B. Sykes?I know part of your challenge was to concentrate on books you have, but this one might interest you: She is an aboriginal woman who grew up in Townsville in the 40's - 50's and it is her story, so, non-fiction, but as fascinating as any fiction.
Despite what GR says I read all three a while back and would thoroughly recommend them.
YES!!!! I have read all three and agree they are worth it! <3
Stef wrote: "YES!!!! I have read all three and agree they are worth it! <3"They really wowed me. Part of it was that I went to uni in Townsville, and one of my friends there recommended the book. She had grown up just up the hill a little from the little place Roberta must have grown up in. I read it on her recommendation and while they are harrowing at times, as you say; totally worth it!
Yes I liked the first one the most but all of them were worth reading. Yes there was a very harrowing part and I was so young and not able to cope with it when I first read it (but stories like that need to be told anyway) also the stuff about drowning kittens I found AWFUL as well. But all the activist stuff was pretty cool!
The latest one I have finished is
My review is not fantastically worded but this was a book that was pretty interesting and enjoyable to read even if it didn't shake my world (might have if I hadn't read other more recent stuff)
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
To be honest I only read it because my son said to. Surprisingly progressive on female characters. Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Aussie Readers
Books mentioned in this topic
The Aeronaut's Windlass (other topics)School Work: Gender and the Cultural Construction of Teaching (other topics)
Snake Cradle (other topics)
Gilead (other topics)
Am I Black Enough For You? (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Roberta B. Sykes (other topics)Alice Walker (other topics)
Patricia Wrightson (other topics)
Margaret Campbell (other topics)
Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi (other topics)
More...
2. I will once again read a lot of non-fiction, this time I will aim for a more modest 18 so I can work on my writing/research as well. At least 10 ill be by female writers (overwhelmingly I read NF by men) and at least 6 will be either relevant to my thesis or my profession
3. I will continue to choose female authors for all the reasons I have been trying to do that over the last 2 years (with slow success). I will read at least 48 books by female authors
4. I will read at least 20 books by Australian authors and at least 10 of these will be by female authors. At least 15 of these will be genres other than children's, YA or romance (of any sort)
My overall target is 54 books (4 /12 per month), no more than 12 of those can be children's books. I will see how I go :)
Also I will read more of the books already in my home, buy fewer books and not distract myself from what I am supposed to be doing by taking on challenges that change my reading habits too much away from what I need to read) ;)