Pick-a-Shelf discussion
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Reading Challenges
I've been doing the 50 books a year challenge for the last couple of years and I like how it challenges me to keep reading, have a target of some sort. I probably can indicate what kind of year I've had by the success of the challenge. Last year I barely just managed to scrape 50 while this year I'm reading my 100th, so I'm pretty happy about it.I guess I also look at book clubs as challenges and normally I'd fail because the books chosen are always so... literary. That's why I'm happy to find this bookclub and choose my own books that I actually want to read :D
I like challenges. This year I've done the a-z author challenge, my personal challenge of a minimum of 52 books a year and am doing the fall challenge from another GR group.The challenges seem to encourage me to read books I wouldn't normally read and to reduce Mt TBR. I don't allow them to rush me through a book or force me to read something I'm truly not interested in. The a-z author challenge helped me rediscover the library and that's a beautiful thing!
I lkike book challenges. I'm doing the fall challenbge in a different group...and I have also done the a-z author challenge which was my favorite.
I'm not particularly engaged by the idea...but not totally opposed either. If there was a challenge that I particularly liked the look of I would give it a go but I'm not motivated by the idea of completing a list of books just for the sake of it. Reading is my pleasure and I never want it to become a chore.
I'm far more likely to use recommendations from people whose opinion I trust (real world friends, online friends, fellow book club members etc) to lead me to something new to read than I would be to use a challenge to find new stuff to read.
I'm far more likely to use recommendations from people whose opinion I trust (real world friends, online friends, fellow book club members etc) to lead me to something new to read than I would be to use a challenge to find new stuff to read.
I'm participating in a personal 100 books a year challenge. I'm enjoying it, it sorta gives me an excuse to read when I shouldn't be ;) But no, jokes aside, I like finding new books to read, and the 100 book thing challenged me to search for new books I normally wouldn't. However, if I'm not enjoying a book, it also pushes me to finish so I can move onto the next one instead of getting stuck (because I must reach my goal, sorta thing).
The A-Z challenge sounds awesome though. Is it a goodreads group?
I love book challenges, I'm doing 2 at the moment.I've done an A-Z challenge twice. The first time was book titles the second time I tried authors. I failed at both, but it was fun.
Oh the 50 book challenge has been my favorite for years.
Mod
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/9...
I only came across reading challenges this year and I'm absolutely totally completely obsessed over them. It's probably a phase. I'm doing so many challenges (combining the books I read for the different challenges) at the moment :)
I started the 100+ book challenge in late June and I'm up to 80 books by yesterday. I checked out the A-Z challenges and listed the books I've read so far and only have a handful of letters to go, I'm so excited and am going to try to finish them!
I love reading, I love books, and I love being challenge to read books I wouldn't even look twice normally (& found some of them quite enjoyable). This year I've gained new appreciation for new genres & new authors :)
I love especially plotting, strategising, organising my books to read to fit the challenges.
So, I have mixed feelings about book challenges.I've done the retrospective look for the A-Z author challenge, but I'm still missing a few letters. The missing letters, however, aren't on my TBR list, so I don't think I'll get them.
I'm doing the fall challenge as well with some of you guys. It's been a mixed blessing. This challenge has a list of criteria and you try to read a book that fits that category (for instance, you get 10 points for reading an author you've never read before, etc). I liked this at first b/c it gave me a chance to prioritize Mt TBR (I like this term, Lynlee4). However, I found I would get frustrated b/c I was reading so many books outside of my comfort genre that I wasn't enjoying my reads as much. I think next time I won't take it as seriously, or don't look at the list for a month or so and see where the books I've already read might fit.
I'm doing the 100+ book challenge and I'm to 66(with the children's books I've read to my son, I'm >100).
I also challenged myself to read one fiction, one nonfiction, and one classic per month (the rest of the monthly reads are a free for all). This should help me catch up on stuff I wouldn't normally grab right away but really want to read.
I enjoy reaching milestones, but I also have to remember it's okay to read something that's not in the challenge, and....HAVE FUN!
as much as i would like to try challenges, i just couldn't because i don't have much time, unless i skip work and just read the days away.i try to read as much as i can during my free time (like during traveling or before going to sleep).
but, well, so many books but so little time!
and like Ann, i also read for pleasure (and for leisure) at my own speed, pace, and time.
I love a good challenge!! I am so competitive, and love to keep up with what everyone is reading and their points! I am doing the fall challenge with TNBBC and am keeping up with the 1001 books before you die, even though, I can say I will never read most of those books, I still love the spread sheets.
I'm enjoying the Fall challenge with TNBBC, but I only set a personal goal for myself of 100 points, which wasn't that hard to do. I enjoyed looking for books to fit in the categories, and was able to choose things that were already on the TBR pile anyway, so I'm just having fun with it. 
I don't mind book challenges. I'm also doing the Fall Challenge on TNBBC. I set myself a pretty high goal and was originally only using books I had in my house. I did get completely burned out a few weeks ago, so strayed terribly from my list. I have to remember to just have fun doing them and maybe just see how the books I'm reading on my own fall into the categories.
For 2008, I had a personal book challenge - and that was to read books by authors from every continent in the world: Asia, Africa, Oceania, Europe, North America and South America. And it's been fun - I've noticed a lot of good authors I'd never heard of before, and it's been fun.
Kristina - That's a great idea! Can you share what you read for each continent?
I'm doing the Fall Challenge with TNBBC, 50 Books in 2008 Challenge, and I'd started the A-Z Author Challenge, but decided to save it for next year when I've got more time for it. I like how these challenges help me to branch out a bit, but there are times when I'd just rather read what I want to read.
Sure Jamie, this is what I've got so far. It's not very even with the amount I've read from each continent, but I've read something from each continent, and the year isn't over yet! :)Africa
Algeria:
The Attack - Yasmina Khadra
Ghana:
Changes: A Love Story - Ama Ata Aidoo
Cape Verde:
The Testament of Sir Napumoceno da Silva Araújo - Germano Almeida
A Família Trago - Germano Almeida
Nigeria:
Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe
Senegal:
Scarlet Song - Mariama Ba
South Africa:
Slow Man - J.M. Coetzee
Zimbabwe:
Butterfly Burning - Yvonne Vera
Asia
India:
Ladies Coupé - Anita Nair
Japan:
Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Murakami
Norwegian Wood - Haruki Murakami
Vietnam:
The General Retires and Other Stories - Nguyen Huy Thiep
Europe
Denmark:
Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow - Peter Høeg
Finland:
The Year of the Hare - Arto Paasilinna
France:
The Lover - Marguerite Duras
Candide - Francois Voltaire
Ireland:
The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde (audiobook)
Waiting for Godot - Samuel Beckett
P.S. I Love You - Cecelia Ahern
The Sea - John Banville
Italy:
Invisible Cities - Italo Calvino
Norway:
The Redeemer - Jo Nesbø
Great Britain:
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
The Fifth Child - Doris Lessing
The Full Cupboard of Life - Alexander McCall Smith
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies - Alexander McCall Smith
Animal Farm - George Orwell
Dead Famous - Ben Elton
Postcards from No Man's Land - Aidan Chambers
The Man who was Thursday: A Nightmare - G.K. Chesterton
The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Agatha Christie
And then there were none - Agatha Christie
Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
A Study in Scarlet - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
Three Men in a Boat - Jerome K. Jerome
Atonement - Ian McEwan
Enduring Love - Ian McEwan
Amsterdam - Ian McEwan
Fourplay - Jane Moore
Sweden:
Ett oskrivet blad - Marie Hermansson
100 ways to save the world - Johan Tell
Låt Den Rätte Komma In (Let the right one in) - John Ajvide Lindqvist
Gunnar - Bob Hansson
Sun Storm - Åsa Larsson
Flickan under gatan - Roslund & Hellström
South America
Chile:
Daughter of Fortune - Isabel Allende
Brazil:
The Pilgrimage - Paulo Coelho
North America
The Dominican Republic:
In the Time of the Butterflies - Julia Alvarez
USA:
JPod - Douglas Coupland
He Would Not Kill Patience - John Dickson Carr
Slaughterhouse 5 - Kurt Vonnegut
Oracle Night - Paul Auster
The Problem of the Wire Cage - John Dickson Carr
The Vanished Man - Jeffrey Deaver
The Jane Austen Book Club - Karen Joy Fowler
Assassin's Apprentice - Robin Hobb
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
The Road - Cormac McCarthy
Oceania
New Zealand:
To the Is-Land - Janet Frame
I also love challenges... I am doing the Fall Challenge on TNBBC, the A-Z Title Challenge in the Book Challenge Group and my own personal challenge to read 120 books this year. I am already on book 111!!
Mod
I'm aiming for 100 and I'm on 83 :)
I started the 100 book challenge very late -- I'm only on 56 or so. Might be slightly more than that. Though I am reading about 9 books a month, I'm not sure I will hit 100 by January 1st. I will definitely make it next year!Kristina, your challenge is such a neat idea!!
Kristina - That's an impressive list! I'll be looking into a bunch of them...thanks! Do you have any favorites?
I think next year I'll try for 75. In the past I've tried for 60 but only make it to 57 (every year) I don't know why.I also do simultanious challenges, just to keep it interesting.
I'm loving the TNBBC Fall Challenge.
Jamie, this challenge has really opened up my eyes and mind to African literature, and that was completely new to me before 2008. Some African favourites was Changes: A Love Story by Ama Ata Aidoo. Great story and wonderfully written by a strong woman. I also very much enjoyed Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and Scarlet Song by Mariama Ba, so I'll be hopefully reading more African books next year as well.
Kristina- Great list!You may have inspired me for 2009...
I have never really participated in a challenge or a bookclub for that matter. I have always wanted to but I am scared that I would have to buy a lot of really aweful books. Books that I wouldnt want to read or would never read again. So, having that said, I have been a little afraid. Challenges sounds fun. I am not sure if I could accomplish them though due to me being a slow reader. This 50 books a year sounds fun. I might just do that as a personal goal. I wouldnt mind trying another one though. Well, I have just counted my books and it looks like I have 47 books that I have read for the 2008 year so far. Thats really awesome. I didnt know I read that many! I might have to make it 60!
SouthernBelle,It sounds like you've done better than you think. With 47 books read already that's about 1 per week.
I love challenges. I almost never finish them, but I love them nonetheless.
I never minded before abou book challenges but since I joined GR, I like the 5o and 100th book chalenges as well as 1001 books you must read before I die.
I've only recently joined a couple of cyber book groups, but also plan to do the Christmas Day challenge on here. I like having a little bit of direction for my reading - when faced with my huge 'to be read' pile I sometimes just despair and wonder where to start. From December I will have three bookgroup books to read, one challenge book from another site and the Christmas challenge here, also the shelf pick of the month from here, plus I will add to that one book of my own choice ... a nice little pile of reading!
I might join a '100 books in 2009' or similar type challenge too.
Mod
I'm in the 100+ books this year but I don't think I'd bother next year as I've already proven to myself that I read more than 100 a year plus there are so many other challenges out there I want to try. I've got about 3-4 challenges set for me to do in 2009 however that's just the long term one.
oh, if you like challenges, try also TNBBC group here in GR (The Next Best Book Club) - the official fall challenge is about to finish at end of this month but the winter challenge will start 1 Dec :)
I really enjoyed the TNBBC fall challenge and look forward to the winter one, too.
Thanks Karen - I've been over there to say hello! It is HUGE!! Looking forward to it though!
I am doing this challenge, the Winter Challenge, I just started the alphabet title challenge, and I am going to be doing the seven classics challenge.
I'm doing the Fall Challenge over at TNBBC, and enjoy simply seeing what books already on Mt. TBR could fit into it. I haven't gone out to buy a book for it; it's just helped me make picks from the ones I already have. It's fun trying to come up with ideas for the Winter Challenge that's coming up, too.This Pick-a-Shelf thing also qualifies as a fun challenge for me.
I'm also keeping track of how many books I've read this year (currently on 66, I think), but that's for fun, as I don't have a specific goal in mind. I was just curious about how many I read a year.
I only do the 50 book challenge over at Livejournal, I find it's a good way to keep me on the reading track as I'm easily distracted by other things (computer, television... the dog ;-) I'm pushing hard to to reach my goal this year, I think 2005 was the last year I actually managed to read the 50.
Karen! Good advertising for TNBBC! But Karen is absolutly right, if you like challenges, definitly join in on that one! (Btw: She's winning the fall challenge.)
What sort of challenges are u thinkin of hun?
Mod
I'm really enjoying the fall challenge with the variety of criterias and am looking forward to the winter one :)
Btw, if anyone is looking for reading challenges, just google it and there'll be stacks of results! Most of them can be found on blogspot but if you're like me (don't have a blogspot account and do not want to create one), you can just do the challenge personally ;0
Or, if there's a particular challenge that you'd like to do with others, feel free to start a discussion thread in this group for that particular challenge and see if anyone wants to join in.
I do have a challenge in mind for this group to start in Feb so I don't think I can 'run' more than one challenge at a time (I can participate but not 'run' them) :)
I am signed up for the 50 book challenge, 75 book challenge (2009) & 100 book challenge.I am on book 98 of the 100.
I agree with you Natasha! I really like the Xmas Day challenge going on here. Its not really about the time frame its about concocting the list from my TBR pile... That way I'm doing something that I think of as really cool, while opening up space for more reading later.
Mod
I have a few challenges ready for next year to do myself :) I can't help myself - there are so many interesting reading challenges out there.
Mod
Other challenges I've got for the web:
Book Awards Challenge
Countdown Challenge
Naming Convention Challenge
And one I made up myself
Round the World Passage
Of course, I'll be joining in the Winter Challenge @ TNBBC too ;p
Karen, I am doing the TNBBC Winter Challenge as well lol. Just printed out what we need to read. I can do as many challenges as poss.
Me too Fiona and Karen re the TNBBC Winter challenge!I'm also going to the A-Z Title and maybe Authors challenges. That should all help to reach 75 books!
I will read as many books as I can.I am doing TNBBC challenge, RISI Book club reads, my challenge (which is to read 3 series books, ie 1 Crime Series, 1 Thriller Series & 1 Fiction series). Plus what books I need to read for other ppl lol.
Oh yes, Fiona, forgot about the RISI book club, plus two other online book groups too!
Suzie, we could cheat lol. Add books from all the challenges, ie what we read for 1 challenge, see if we can incorporate it into the other challenges lol.
Oh well I will be cheating then! I was planning on using the books for my 12 books of Christmas challenge in my a-z authors/titles where I can! Is that cheating?! I thought that's what everyone did! I suppose you should really try to use different ones for everything ... now I feel guilty lol!!
Nah, its not cheating. Your killing 2 birds with 1 stone hun xx
Have you participate in one?
If so, How many have you participate in and which one is your favorite?
How much time do you spend plotting and organising your reads to strategically win the challenge?
If not, why not?