Task 1: Read a book you’ve been intimidated to read

[Jenn]

Game of thronesA Game of Thrones
Fantasy is not my norm and I get very confused by all of the characters but it is one of my husband's favorites so I am giving it a shot.

[Kara]

Anna wrote: "If the book you're intimidated to read is a classic that's freely available, I can recommend the Serial Reader app.

It breaks down novels into chunks of 10-20 minutes of reading time, and tells y..."

Thank you for the recommendation! Finally ready to get to know Anna Karenina from start to finish once and for all.

[Jessica]

Melissa wrote: "I'm not sure where to begin on this one. I think classics is a choice for "intimidating" but I never can get into classic lit."

Thinking of something not classic, what about an author that is intimidating- for me David Foster Wallace is one!

[Shelly]

Angela wrote: "No Visible Bruises: What We Don’t Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us

Beloved

I am intimidated by the content in both of these books, but both very important reads!"

Beloved has been on my list for a long time too. Maybe I'll read that!

[Alicia]

Dustyloup wrote: "another for les Misérables- in French !"

I'm reading in French too, though I'm going slightly more contemporarym L'elegance du herisson by Muriel Barbery (English: The Eloquence of the Hedgehog).

[Beth]

I'm going to use this one as an opportunity to finally finish Das Kapital Vol 1. I probably need a new pair of glasses for this one.

[Maddy]

I am reading Shantaram. I was meant to read this book for ages, and only came around it now

[Sheila]

The woman in white by Wilkie Collins. Getting off to a slow start

[Elaine]

Completion Post

Book:

How it fits the task: This book has been on my TBR since I started hearing pre-publishing buzz in 2016. However, I made the mistake of of not reading it immediately and the buzz blew up! This book was on SO MANY end of year "Best of" lists that it suddenly became too much--there was no way that this book could now live up to all of the hype it was getting. I have this habit of not wanting to read books that suddenly become very popular (either in my preferred genre(s) or in general). I don't want to be let down by a book that "everyone" loves. This prompt gave me a good reason to dust one such book off of the 'ole TBR. Rather than continue to be intimidated by the amount of love for this book, I gave it a go. And boy howdy, it did NOT disappoint. Five stars all the way! What a fabulous start to this challenge!

[Emily]

Serendipity wrote: "I’ve read a lot of long classics in recent years so am pondering going another route. This year I read all the books shortlisted for The Dublin Literary Award. All except for Drive Your Plow Over t..."

That was a tough book for me! But quite beautifully written!

[Michelle]

I'm going with The Luminaries for this one! It's so long and as a New Zealander I've always been really bad at reading kiwi books. Excited to get into it! May take the year but will tick away!

[Wes]

I think I'm going to read 1984 for this one. It's not about the length for me, it's more about the content.

[Gw]

I’m going for Ulysses...I’ve had it for a long time, and I’m going to tackle it!

[Beth]

Goethe's Faust, in German (but also with the translation). Once I get it, I'll try for a scene a day

[Rosemary]

I am going to read Promised Land by Obama. It is intimidating in size.

[Rachael]

I'm going for 2001: A Space Odyssey. Not sure if I'm intimidated by it or not, but it seemed to fit well here!

[Dawn]

T.M wrote: "I think I will finally go past chapter 1 of Lolita"

I was going to read it so i could then read "Reading Lolita in Tehran" but when i saw the subject matter i decided to instead read "The Real Lolita" which i found by accident. (It was just okay, but i enjoy "the true story behind" type of things.)

[A.]

I'm trying to read The Shining for this challenge! I'm already 300 pages in so far this month and I'm starting to wonder why I was ever intimidated to read it.

[Brittany]

I've had a copy of Edgar Allan Poe: Complete Tales and Poems for at least 10 years. I guess this is the year I finally crack it open and work through it.

[Amanda]

Megan wrote: "Anna Karenina... finally making the commitment!"

This was the first book that I thought of, too!

[Angela]

superawesomekt wrote: "For those reading Les Miserables or Anna Karenina, they are totally worth it!

Finally tackling Moby-Dick"

Me, too! I’m not a fan of 19th c American Lit. I am listening to it to help me finish it.

[Westiegirl]

Maryam wrote: "Laura Cort wrote: "Les Miserables by Victor Hugo! it's so long!" haha same here"
You are on your own :-p Having read The Hunchback of Notre Dame no thank you... Good luck

[Westiegirl]

Fourevver wrote: "The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. It's almost as long as Les Miserables." The Count of Monte Cristo is very good though!

[Westiegirl]

I read One of Us: The Story of Anders Breivik and the Massacre in Norway. I have been putting this book off for years. It was a very well written book just depressing. The chapter about the island was truly hard to read.

[Westiegirl]

Abigail wrote: "I'm trying to read The Shining for this challenge! I'm already 300 pages in so far this month and I'm starting to wonder why I was ever intimidated to read it."

If you end up liking The Shining then I recommend reading the sequel Dr. Sleep which is just as good, if not better than The Shining.

[Kai]

Anna wrote: "If the book you're intimidated to read is a classic that's freely available, I can recommend the Serial Reader app.

It breaks down novels into chunks of 10-20 minutes of reading time, and tells y..."

Thank you so much. I have been debating reading Anne of Green Gables for the longest time, so now I have an excuse to!

[Michelle]

I just read _My Dark Vanessa_ for this challenge. It was not only one of the best books I've read on the abuse of teenaged girls by grown men, it was one of the best books I've read period. Fits the challenge because of the harrowing subject matter---think _Lolita_ told from the point of view of Lolita, but a more complex Lolita than Nabokov's.

[Virginia]

Emma wrote: "A Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wild

I think I'll pick this one since I've always wanted to read this book, but have always been intimidated by it."

I read it for one of last year's prompts. It turned out to be pretty readable. You just might enjoy it.

[Alex]

I just learned about this challenge! I started 2021 with American Psycho. I didn't know what I was getting into, but finishing the book definitely took some perseverance.

[Natasha]

Any recommendations for books that meet the bonus challenge?

[Tanya]

I was accepted into AP English for my senior year of high school and told that I had the read Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey during the Summer prior. I freaked and dropped the class. That was about 28 years ago. Thus begins my “book that intimidated you” challenge. Game On!

[Dawn]

Beth I LOVED Shantaram!! And I don't remember it feeling long, and I didn't want it to be over! If I could read it again and have it count for this challenge, I would :D

[Tabby72]

Hi everyone, for this prompt I decided to read War and Peace, as I've seen the recent mini-series and enjoyed it, and really haven't read any Russian literature. I found this website, which is a great help and really motivating. I love the little comments that the host makes for each reading portion:
https://apublicspace.org/news/detail/...

[kylee]

I got back into reading last year because of... you know, everything going on in the world. It's been great and I consumed more books than I had in years, but 98% of those books were audiobooks while walking or doing chores and other things.

Intimidating, to me, at this point in time is reading an actual physical copy of a book that I have to be still and present for. Last week, I picked up Americanah from the little free library around the corner and I'm excited to make time for it without multitasking while "reading."

[Heidi]

Anna wrote: "If the book you're intimidated to read is a classic that's freely available, I can recommend the Serial Reader app.

It breaks down novels into chunks of 10-20 minutes of reading time, and tells y..."

Thank you for the Serial App Recommendation!

[Susan]

Elise wrote: "Kimberly wrote: "I don’t know how to reply to another users comment but I immediately thought of Infinite Jest for this one!"

Yes! Glad I'm not the only one!"

Two friends and I read it for a summer long book club. That was the only way that I think I was able to finish! It ended up being one of the most memorable books I ever read

[Susan]

what do folks think about A Clockwork Orange? Something about it tells me it will haunt me?

[Susan]

Karen wrote: "I’m thinking Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande.

I started it several years ago, had it return to the library, and have since been staring at the physical copy on ..."

I read it when my dad was going through dementia and we were talking to doctors and healthcare workers all the time. I would highly recommend it and I can't even express exactly why but knowing that an eloquent physician had so many of the same questions, moral and spiritual pondering and dilemmas in taking care of his father was calming to me.

[Susan]

Tracy wrote: "I’m going to start with Pride and Prejudice. I purchased a beautiful collection of Jane Austen books a couple years ago, but I haven’t read any of t..."

I wish I could be reading them for the first time again.

[Diane]

I have always been intimidated by reading Noam Chomsky's linguistics books. This year I am taking on the challenge, but with a group of his essays The Essential Chomsky. The first essay was quite long and difficult, but I am really amazed at the rest! So glad I am trying.

[Bonnie G.]

Susan wrote: "Tracy wrote: "I’m going to start with Pride and Prejudice. I purchased a beautiful collection of Jane Austen books a couple years ago, but I haven’t..."

Me too! I first read it when I was 13 and I reread it every few years when I need comfort. 6 reads, and I can honestly say I find new things to love every time.

[Bonnie G.]

Diane wrote: "I have always been intimidated by reading Noam Chomsky's linguistics books. This year I am taking on the challenge, but with a group of his essays The Essential Chomsky. The first es..."

Color me impressed. I hadn't thought about it, but Chomsky DEFINITELY intimidates me. I think I am probably going to go with Gravity's Rainbow, but I may just try Chomsky too.

[Karla]

Elizabeth wrote: "Does the Berne Brown books count? I get uncomfortable even thinking of reading self help"

I think this is a great idea! Which one did you choose? I listened to the Power of Vulnerability, and read Daring Greatly. I highly recommend them, and her podcasts.

[Karla]

Chrissy wrote: "I’m not sure about this one, because books aren’t intimidating to me. Maybe I’ll try to read something short in Spanish?"

I like this idea! What did you choose? I haven't read a novel in Spanish since undergrad, I believe. Ugh! It's been 16 years already.

[Karla]

Tri wrote: "Might up and read The Bible...."

I started the Bible in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz. I've been celebrating Mass with him each Sunday on YouTube since the pandemic started, and when he announced this opportunity, I decided to join the challenge. Last year, I started one on the YouVersion Bible app, but I lost interest in the Protestant pastor's commentary. There's something for everyone, though.

[Karla]

Tracy wrote: "I’m going to start with Pride and Prejudice. I purchased a beautiful collection of Jane Austen books a couple years ago, but I haven’t read any of t..."

I fell in love Jane Austen's novels in high school. I hope you enjoy them. I think Pride and Prejudice was the first classic novel that got me to laugh while reading.

[Karla]

WMCG wrote: "I think I'm going to read 1984 for this one. It's not about the length for me, it's more about the content."

My 15 year old is reading 1984 in her freshman honors English class. She's not interested in it in the least. I feel like they're going too slow. They started before winter break, and they're barely on Chapter 8.

[Storm]

I read Moby-Dick or, the Whale for this

[Bonnie G.]

Storm wrote: "I read Moby-Dick or, the Whale for this"

Already! That is impressive! I am a pretty fast reader, and that book took me months. It is so complicated.

[Julie]

Those are my two options as well.

Rachel wrote: "I'll either read Infinite Jest or 1Q84."