2011 December Reading Challenge

[Jennifer]

Between shoveling snow and sipping eggnog, it can be tough to find time to finish a book this time of year. But hopefully you can still find time to finish this month's challenge, which is to read a short story- any genre, any type- and tell us about it. Post your response to the thread on the discussion board by December 31st to be entered in a prize drawing.

[Debbie]

Would the Grimm Fairy tales count? They aren't really classified as "short stories" but they are stories and they are short! And some of them are VERY short.

[Jennifer]

Debbie wrote: "Would the Grimm Fairy tales count? They aren't really classified as "short stories" but they are stories and they are short! And some of them are VERY short."

I think that's a good enough argument!

[Debbie]

Jennifer wrote: "Debbie wrote: "Would the Grimm Fairy tales count? They aren't really classified as "short stories" but they are stories and they are short! And some of them are VERY short."

I think that's a g..."

Great! Thanks! I'm sure others would have wondered, too.

[Allison]

I can't wait to read The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: Fourteen Amazing Authors Tell the Tales / With an Introduction by Lemony Snicket

[Becky]

I just read A Classic Christmas.
It included the short stories: The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry, Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck, A Christmas Inspiration by Lucy Maud Montgomery, The Elves by The Brothers Grimm (as well as many poems, scriptures, and excerpts from sermons).

[Stephanie]

I just picked up After the Apocalypsefor this challenge. Not very Christmas-y, though.

[JoAnn]

I read The Christmas Angel. What a little treasure! Well worth the time.
I also read
The Feast of St. Friend, which is a collection of articles written by the author on the subject of Christmas.

[Britt, Book Habitue]

I read Avi's What Do Fish Have to do With Anything? and other short stories. Didn't really love it, but I generally just don't love short stories. I always feel like there's not enough to them. I did really enjoy "Teacher Tamer" though.

[Erin]

I am just starting Say You're One of Them and hope to finish each short story. Surprisingly enough, the first story (although it takes place in Africa) mentions "Xmas" repreatedly, though not in the way most of us may be used to!

[Becky]

I read Holidays on Ice which was okay. I thnk Sedaris is more fun to talk about than read. I also read The Cricket on the Hearth which was terrific! I love Dickens!!

[Suzanne]

I read a short story in "American Masculine" by Shann Ray. It had been rated as one of the best books of the year, so I thought I'd try it. The story is "How We Fall". The main character is a Native American living in Wyoming. He struggles with addiction and with his wife who is also addicted. The descriptions of the west are lovely and incisive.

[Vicki]

I don't know if it actually qualifies as a Short Story, but I just read "Bah, Humbug!" by Heather Horrocks in a couple of sittings! I don't usually go out of my way to read Christmas stories, but I do enjoy an occasional one. This was very cute and fun to read. I really enjoyed it!

[Debbie]

I have been reading The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm. One I had never read that I enjoyed was "All Fur". Its a variation of the Cinderella story but no wicked stepmother or mean stepsisters.

[Jennifer]

Debbie wrote: "I have been reading The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm. One I had never read that I enjoyed was "All Fur". Its a variation of the Cinderella story but no wicked stepmother or mean ste..."

How do you have Cinderella without the steps?

[Trpusey]

I read "The Mansion" by Henry Van Dyke. The edition I have includes both the (illustrated) abridged and the unabridged. I had never read it before! It was always a tradition in my family to read "The Other Wise Man" by Henry Van Dyke but somehow we missed "The Mansion." Excellent story with a wonderful message.

I've always loved "Christmas Day in the Morning" by Pearl S. Buck and ordered the illustrated version of it. We'll be reading it this wknd too.

[Havilah]

I read All Seated on the Ground by Connie Willis. It's a fun little science fiction Christmas short story.

My book club decided to find a bunch of science fiction Christmas stories to read this month. It's been fun searching for them.

[Jenny]

I read There Is No Long Distance Now: Very Short Stories by Naomi Shihab Nye. Short stories are not usually my favorite, but I actually really enjoyed this collection and thought several were quite thought provoking.

[LPR]

I highly enjoy Louisa May Alcott's Christmas Treasury, I read it almost every year. Even though all the stories have pretty much the same plot, they are all still very cute and get me in the Christmas spirit.

[[deleted user]]

I read Sleeping Beauty and other SHORT stories what an amazing book

[Debbie]

Jennifer wrote: "Debbie wrote: "I have been reading The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm. One I had never read that I enjoyed was "All Fur". Its a variation of the Cinderella story but no wicked stepmot..."

Its a variation in the sense of a girl working in a kitchen being very dirty. Gets fancy dress from some source. Dances with prince who falls in love. Happens 3 times with fancier dress each time. Then somehow the prince finds her and marries her. They live happily to they end of their days.

This is the core of the "Cinderella" story. How the girl gets to be stuck working in a kitchen, being dirty, how she gets to go to the ball, how she gets the dresses she wears, the people around her and how they treat her are the dressing that makes the various stories.

[Jennifer]

Debbie wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Debbie wrote: "I have been reading The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm. One I had never read that I enjoyed was "All Fur". Its a variation of the Cinderella story but ..."

Sounds interesting- I'll have to pick it up!

[Jennifer]

Our drawing winner this month was Havilah, who read All Seated on the Ground by Connie Willis. Thanks so much for participating, and please take January's challenge to read and review a self-improvement book!