2025 Reading Challenge discussion
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Challenge Complete!Yearly Challenge: Dewey Decimal Challenge
Goal: 10/10
200-249: Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality
250-299: The Trial of Joan of Arc
300-349: Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England
550-599: Vicious: Wolves and Men in America
600-649:Locust: The Devastating Rise and Mysterious Disappearance of the Insect that Shaped the American Frontier
750-799: Pilgrims of the Vertical: Yosemite Rock Climbers and Nature at Risk
800-849: Beloved
850-899: Lysistrata and Other Plays
900-949: A Medieval Life: Cecilia Penifader of Brigstock, C. 1295-1344
950-999:The Way to the West: Essays on the Central Plains
Yearly Challenge: GoodReads 100Goal: 11/38
The Stranger
Hamlet
Brave New World
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Dune
Slaughterhouse-Five
The Picture of Dorian Gray
One Hundred Years of Solitude
The Odyssey
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes, #3)
Catch-22
Crime and Punishment
The Stand
The Bell Jar
A Prayer for Owen Meany
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Watchmen
The Sun Also Rises
The Master and Margarita
Lonesome Dove
Invisible Man
Like Water for Chocolate
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
Fight Club
The Fountainhead
Ulysses
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Interpreter of Maladies
Challenge CompletedYearly Challenge: Favorites Challenge
Goal 41/41
Category 1:
S:The Stranger
N:Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality
O:My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands
W:Vicious: Wolves and Men in America
F:The Complete Fairy Tales
L:The Battle of the Labyrinth
A:The Golden Ass: The Transformations of Lucius
K:Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
E:Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England
S:Dracula by Bram Stoker
Category 2:
Read 5 Historical Fiction Books
1.A Tale of Two Cities
2.Beloved
3.Highlander Most Wanted
4.The Shadowy Horses
5.Shadow of Night
Category 3
Favorite Author:
J:The Trial of Joan of Arc
K:The Brothers Karamazov
R:The Road
O:The Last Olympian
W:The Princess Bride by William Goldman
L:The Treasure of the City of Ladies
I: Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice
N:American Gods by Neil Gaiman
G:Gone Girl
Category 4
Favorite Holiday:
C:A Medieval Life: Cecilia Penifader of Brigstock, C. 1295-1344
H: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
R:Down London Road
I:Locust: The Devastating Rise and Mysterious Disappearance of the Insect that Shaped the American Frontier
S:Shanghai Girls
T:The Titan's Curse
M:Communities of Violence: Persecution of Minorities in the Middle Ages
AThe Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas
S: Sea Swept
Category 5
Favorite Sport: My university's team! GO STATE!!
C:The Social Contract by John-Jacques Rousseau
Y:Pilgrims of the Vertical: Yosemite Rock Climbers and Nature at Risk
C:The Casual Vacancy
L:Lysistrata and Other Plays
O:American Green: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Lawn
N: Rising Tides by Nora Roberts
E:The Way to the West: Essays on the Central Plains
S:Entwined with You by Sylvia Day
Yearly Challenge: The Every Year Challenge Goal: 15/23
I will be starting from 1990, the year I was born.
1992:The Pelican Brief
1995:The Way to the West: Essays on the Central Plains
1996:Communities of Violence: Persecution of Minorities in the Middle Ages
1998:Sea Swept
1999:A Medieval Life: Cecilia Penifader of Brigstock, C. 1295-1344
2003: Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England
2004:Vicious: Wolves and Men in America
2005: My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands
2006:The Road
2007:The Titan's Curse
2008:The Battle of the Labyrinth
2009:The Last Olympian
2010:Pilgrims of the Vertical: Yosemite Rock Climbers and Nature at Risk
2012: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
2013:Highlander Most Wanted
Yearly Challenge: The History Challenge Goal: 19/20
Categories (Years):
2012: Possible Apocalypse: Read a book about a post-apocalyptic or dystopian world.
The Road
2011: Protests (Egypt, Libya and Occupy Wall Street): Read a book about people standing up for something they believe in.
Communities of Violence: Persecution of Minorities in the Middle Ages Religions persecutions
2010: Earthquakes (Haiti, Chile): Read a book where weather takes a toll on a community.
The Last Olympian
2009: Barak Obama Inaugurated: Read a book where racism plays a role in the character’s lives.
Beloved
2008: Lady Gaga Releases First Album: Read a book about music, monsters or fame.
Shadow of Night
2007: iPhone: Read a book about technology, or any science fiction novel.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
2006: Pluto Officially Demoted from Planetary Status: Read a book about space, astronauts, or exploration.
Pilgrims of the Vertical: Yosemite Rock Climbers and Nature at Risk--exploration of mountains!
2005: YouTube Launches: Read a book about sharing, movies, or entrepreneurs.
****Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
2004: Samizdat (poetry magazine) Ceases Publication: Read a book about a poet or a collection of poetry.
The Aeneid
2003: Amber Alert System Created: Read a book about someone who goes missing or runs/is running away from something.
The Titan's Curse
2002: Arthur Anderson/Enron Scandal Convictions: Read a book about business, capitalism, or dishonesty.
The Casual Vacancy
2001: 9/11: Read a book about war, soldiers, terror, or conspiracy.
A Tale of Two Cities
2000: A New Millennium: Read a book about new beginnings, or a book with over 1000 pages(!).
Gone Girl The ending is I guess a new beginning?
1999: Columbine: Read a book about school or workplace violence.
Down London Road
1998: Google Founded: Read a book about Google, searching, or learning.
The Battle of the Labyrinth PAN!
1997: Movie “Titanic� Opens: Read a book about the Titanic, shipwreck, or a life at sea.
The Count of Monte Cristo--Sinbad the Sailor
1996: Dolly the Cloned Sheep: Read a book about science, genetics, or animals.
Locust: The Devastating Rise and Mysterious Disappearance of the Insect that Shaped the American Frontier
1995: O.J. Simpson Trial: Read a book about law, courts, or any murder mystery novel.
The Stranger
1994: Rwandan Genocide: Read Shake Hands with the Devil, or another book about Rwanda or genocide (includes books about the Holocaust).
1993: SAM Colombia Flight 505 Crashes on Mount Paramo Frontino: Read a book where a crash (plane, train, car) occurs.
The Pelican Brief
1992: Jay Leno Takes Over The Tonight Show: Read a book where television plays a role in the characters� lives.
My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands
1st Quarter ChallengeFavorite TV Show: Downton Abbey
D
O:My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands
W:Vicious: Wolves and Men in America
N:Communities of Violence: Persecution of Minorities in the Middle Ages by David Nirenberg
T:A Tale of Two Cities
O:The Last Olympian
N:Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
A: The Stranger by Albert Camus
B: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
B:The Battle of the Labyrinth
E:Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England
Y:Pilgrims of the Vertical: Yosemite Rock Climbers and Nature at Risk
Favorite Movie: Gone With the Wind
G:The Golden Ass: The Transformations of Lucius
O
N
E
with
the
W
I:Interview with the Vampire
N
D:The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas
Completed:14/20
January Must ReadsMr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore-Group Read
The Count of Monte Cristo-Buddy Read
The Stranger-TBR Twins
January: THE NEW BEGINNINGS CHALLENGEDuration: January 1 - January 31
Let's celebrate the new year with a challenge all about new beginnings!
1. Read a book by an author new to you
The Stranger by Albert Camus
2. Read a book that was released in the last six months
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
3. Read a book in a genre that is outside of what you normally read
My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands
4. Read a book where the main character starts out on a new part of his or her life
A Tale of Two Cities (Dr. Manette get's a new start)
5. Read a book that was published the same year you embarked on a new part of your life (state what part that was)
6. Should auld acquaintance be forgot: Read an old childhood favorite
7. Read a book nominated for the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Choice Awards
Shadow of Night
8. “Beginnings� is a song by the group Chicago—read a book whose title shares a main word with the lyrics of the song (lyrics can be found here: ...)
9. Read a book that is first in a series
Interview with the Vampire
10. Read a book by an author whose first or last name starts with the letter A
Completed: 6/6
It's All About the Oscars and Hollywood ChallengeDuration: January 1, 2013 - March 31, 2013
Completed: 19/24
1. Reviews will make or break a movie in Hollywood â€� Read a book with a Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ rating of 4 or more stars
(4.25 stars)2. Word of mouth, "You have to see this movie!" - Read a book recommended to you by a friend
3. The longest movie ever made is called "Modern times Forever." Its a whopping 240 hours long! - Read a long book (500+ pages)
-896 pages4. Hollywood is in L.A. - Read a book whose author's name (first or surname) begins with L or A
by Apuleius5. Many great movies started out as books - Read a book that was adapted into a movie
6. It’s award season. Here come the Oscars! - Read a book that has won a major literary award (Man Booker, Pulitzer, Nobel Prize in Literature, etc.)
7. Roll out the red carpet - Read a book whose cover is red or whose title is written in red
8. Hollywood is known for its sex, drugs, rock and roll - Read a book that features sex, drugs and/or rock and roll
9. Movies weren't always in colour?! - Read a book whose cover is mainly black and/or white
10. Paparazzi are always spying on celebs - Read a book in which the main character is a spy or is being spied on
11. Every celeb has an autobiography nowadays - Read an autobiography by a celebrity or other well-known person
12. They pay him how much per movie?! - Read a book in which the main character is rich or comes into a large sum of money
13. She dating who!? They broke up?! Celeb relationships are everywhere you look. - Read a book in which a relationship ends or a new relationship begins
14. Movie stars travel worldwide to promote their latest film - Read a book set in a country you would like to visit or have visited (not your home country)
France and Spain15. Celebs are obsessed with technology such as Facebook and Twitter - Read a book that heavily features social networking or technology
16. Every actor/actress dreams of having the star role - Read a book in which the main character has the same first or surname as you
17. February 14th is Valentine's day. Studios release several romantic movies this time of year - Read a book from the romance genre
18. Martha Stewart, Lindsay Lohan, 50cent. They've all spent time in the slammer. - Read a book that is set in a prison or in which the main character is a criminal or police officer
19. Harry Potter, The Godfather, The Lord of the Rings, Shrek. There are many great movie series! - Read a book from a series
20. Headlines! Celebs are always in the news - Look through a newspaper and find a book review. Read the book that has been reviewed
21. Lots of books have been made in TV series too. - Read a book that has been made into a TV series or mini series
22. No matter what the movie is about there's always a bad guy - Read a book in which the main character is a villain or perceived as a villain
23. Oscars speeches have to be short and snappy with a maximum length of 45 seconds - Read a short book (no more than 100 pages)
(103 pages, but more than 15 of them are notes, so the book is less than a 100).24. I'd like to thank my mom and dad... - Read a book that features a child/parent relationship
25. Paranormal Activity, The Omen, The Exorcist. Some films will give you nightmares - Read a book from the horror genre
26. Cut! And that's a wrap - Read the last book in a series
Let's Turn Pages: Yearly ChallengeGoal: 3510/25,000 pages
*I read a mixture of Kindle and Regular books, so I'm going to add pages based of the Kindle edition I am reading (according to GoodReads) as well as the regular books. Sometimes GoodReads counts them, sometimes they don't.
1. Interview with the Vampire 353 pages (Kindle)
2. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore 286 pages (Kindle)
3. Shadow of Night 592 pages (Kindle)
4.The Stranger 123 pages
5.My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands 226 pages (Kindle)
6.A Tale of Two Cities 448 pages
7.Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England 288 pages
8.A Medieval Life: Cecilia Penifader of Brigstock, C. 1295-1344 146 pages
9.The Titan's Curse 312 pages (kindle edition)
10. The Social Contract 103 pages
11.The Casual Vacancy 503 pages
*From this point forward my page numbers will be updated in my Personal Challenge folder
February's History of Civil Rights ChallengeDuration: February 1 - February 28
Completed: 2/4
1. Read a book from 1964, the year that The Civil Rights Act came into effect, granting African Americans the right to vote in the USA OR read a book about that time.
2. Read a book from 1929, the year that women were declared "persons" under law in Canada (thanks to The Famous Five!) OR read a book with a female heroine.
The Battle of the Labyrinth
3. Read a book from 2012, the year that President Obama said he believes homosexuals should have the right to marry OR read a book with characters who identify as LGBT.
[boo:Gone Girl|8442457]
4. Read a book from a year which is important in your country's history and has to do with civil rights OR read a book about people who fight against the government.
The Casual Vacancy
February: Rights Around the World ChallengeDuration: February 1 - February 28,2013
The challenge for this month will consist of reading books from the countries who have signed and ratified the Covenant. Using the site above, make a goal of how many books you'd like to read for the month from the 74 countries. (74 countries are the ones in the column "Date Signed".)
1.United Kingdom The Casual Vacancy
2.United StatesVicious: Wolves and Men in America
3. Italy The Golden Ass: The Transformations of Lucius
February: All About Cupid ChallengeDuration: February 1 - February 28, 2013
Completed: 2/?
Tasks:
1. It Takes Two To Tango: Read 2 books from the same Romance Series (This can include Inspirational, Contemporary or Historical Romance).
2. The Heart of the Matter: Read a book that either has a heart on the cover or "Heart" in the title. Or read a book by your favorite author or your all-time favorite book.
3. The Color of Love: Read a book that has a title that contains the colors: Red, Pink, White, or Ivory. (Can include any shade of the above colors like blush pink, crimson, rose, scarlet)
4. Covers of Color: Read a book that has a cover that is mostly Red or Pink.
The Battle of the Labyrinth
5. The Month of Marriage: Read a book that was released in June of a previous year. Or if you are married, read a book that was released in the month and year you were married in.
6. Breaking Up is Hard to Do: Read a book in which the main characters are a couple in the beginning but end up going their separate ways. Or read a book that you thought you would have liked and actually hated.
The Casual Vacancy (Gavin and Kay, Shirley and Howard)
7. Holy Matrimony: Read a book that has a bride on the cover, has marriage or wedding or a variation of one of these words in the title, has June in the title, or has wedding rings on the front cover.
8. Cupid's Arrows: Read a book that is either set in an age in which bows and arrows were used in combat or is about Native American Indians.
The Golden Ass: The Transformations of Lucius*Cupid and Psyche's love story is in this!
9. Be My Valentine: Read a book that has Chocolate or Flowers (or a type of flower like roses or lilies) in the title.
10. A Date with Prince Charming: Read a book that has a place to go on a date in the title (ex. Movies, beach, dinner, etc.) or that has a Knight or Prince as the leading male character.
Levels:
1. Just Friends - 2 Tasks
2. Courting - 4 Tasks
3. Long Term Relationship: 6 Tasks
4. Engaged: 8 Tasks
5. Happily Ever After: 10 Tasks
LITERARY AWARDS MINI CHALLENGEDuration: March 1 - March 31, 2013
Goal: 1/4
1. Read a book by an author who has received the Nobel Prize in Literature.
The Sun Also Rises
2. Read a book that has won a Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Choice Award.
The Twelve
3. Read a book that has won a Hugo or Nebula award. (If science fiction & fantasy really isn't your thing, choose another type of genre-specific award.)
American Gods
4. Read a book given an award unique to your country.
Pulitzer Prize
AWARDS COVER HUNTDuration: March 1 - March 31, 2013
Goal: 5/5
Our March theme is award winners, so let's explore non-literary awards!
1. The Heisman Trophy is given to the most outstanding player in college football. Read a book with has something related to sports on its cover.
2. MacArthur Genius Grants (formally The MacArthur Fellows Program) are awarded to people who "show exceptional merit and promise for continued and enhanced creative work" in any field. Read a book with someone you consider to be a genius on its cover (the person can be fictional or real).
6. The European Inventor Award is awarded to inventors "who have made a significant contribution to innovation, economy and society in Europe." Read a book with an innovative cover. (This one's very open to interpretation!)
7. The Pritzker Architecture Prize is given to an architect who demonstrates "talent, vision, and commitment." Read a book with a building on its cover.
12. The Merlin Award is an award given to magicians. Read a book with something you consider magical on its cover.
Pegasus!
Must Read's for MarchDracula
The Sun Also Rises
The Twelve
Catch-22
American Gods
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Must Reads for April, May and JuneWolf Hall
The Sun Also Rises
The Twelve
Catch-22
The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Persuasion
A People's History of the United States: 1492 to Present
Ulysses
The Princess Bride
The Stand
A Dance With Dragons
The Master and Margarita
2nd Quarter ChallengeRules
Each book read for this challenge must fit into one of the three following categories:
1. Hard to get into books - Find books that you have either struggled to begin or finish in the past and turn to them again and resolve to completely finish them this time;
2. Mammoth books - If reading books in excess of 500 pages long would be an enormous challenge for you, then resolve to read such a book for this challenge;
3. TBR books - Read books that have either been on your GR TBR shelf the longest or that you've had at home on your bookshelves the longest. Remember, these books still need to provide some form of challenge for you.
PhD: 12+ books
1.American Gods 538 pages, fulfills #2
2. Dracula fulfills #1, I've tried it before
3.Shanghai Girls fulfills #3
4.In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto fulfills #3
5. The Decameron-only took me 3 months to finish!
6.The Brothers Karamazov Only took 5 months to finish!
7.The Pelican Brief Owned for 2 years
8. A Feast for Crows
THE POEM TYPES MINI CHALLENGEDuration: April 1 - April 30, 2013
Goal: 2/2
3. Limericks are short, humorous poems. Read a book with "humor" listed as a genre.
4. Epic poems celebrate heroes. Read a book in which the main character is someone you consider a hero or a book about one of your personal heroes.
. It has a hero, is an epic poem....
THE WORD PLAY CHALLENGEDuration: April 1 - April 30, 2013
Goal: 4/4
4. Anagram. Read a book that you can, using the first letters of the title, spell a word from. You do not need to use all of the letters, and they do not need to be in order. Examples: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (DEAD), In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin (HALF or LOAF or FLAT, etc.)
Locust: The Devastating Rise and Mysterious Disappearance of the Insect that Shaped the American Frontier
5. Homophone. Read a book with a title containing a homophone (a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning) Examples: Cannery Row (row a boat versus a row of chairs), The Handmaid's Tale (tale versus tail)
The Complete Fairy Tales
7. Pseudonym. Read a book by an author who has assumed a pen name under which the book was published. Examples: Ayn Rand (Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum), George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair), Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson)
Twenties Girl Sophie Kinsella (Madeline Wickham)
8. Translations. Read a book originally published in a language that is not your native tongue.
The Aeneid, published in Latin!
2nd Quarter Decades ChallengeApril 1-June 30
Goal: 4/12
1900-1909: NAACP founded, Boxer Rebellion, Model T car introduced, etc.
1910-1919: Titanic sinks, World War I, Spanish flu, etc.
1920-1929: Twenties Girl*The 20s are a major theme in this book
1930-1939: Amelia Earhart, March of Dimes founded, King Edward VIII abdicates throne, etc.
1940-1949: American Green: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Lawn (Baby Boomers and the Lawn)
1950-1959: Shanghai Girls
1960-1969: Biggest earthquake in history hits Chile, Berlin Wall built, Manson Murders, First Man on the Moon, etc.
1970-1979: Watergate Scandal, Civil War in Lebanon, North and South Vietnam form Socialist Republic of Vietnam, etc.
1980-1989: Michael Jackson's Thriller album released, First American Woman in Space, China's Tienanmen Square, etc.
1990-1999:The Pelican Brief, published in 92
2000-2009: Locust: The Devastating Rise and Mysterious Disappearance of the Insect that Shaped the American Frontier*published in 2009
2010-present: Down London Road *published 2013
May Mini-challenge: DecadesDuration: May 1 - May 31, 2013
Completed May 28, 2013
Goal: 4/4
1) Read a book from the decade you were born.
The Way to the West: Essays on the Central Plains 1995 (90s child)
2) Read a book from the decade of your favorite band's first album.
Mumford and Son's: Babel, 2009. In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
3) Read a book from the decade your favorite author was born. Margaret Mitchell, 1900 Dracula, published in 1897...close enough!
4) Read a book from the decade you choose.
American Gods
Kelsi's May Spell OutGoal: 6/6
Completed May 28,2013
S:Dracula by Bram Stoker
P:The Way to the West: Essays on the Central Plains
R:Down London Road
I:In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
N:American Gods by Neil Gaiman
G:Shanghai Girls
THE COLORS OF ROYALTY MINI CHALLENGEDuration: June 1 - June 30
Goal: 2/2
Different cultures have different colors to symbolize royalty. In the West, it's purple or "royal blue." In China, it's yellow. For Aztecs, the color red was a symbol of authority.
For June's challenge, read one book for each color (purple, blue, yellow, red). The book's cover must be more than 50% that color.
Red
The Brothers KaramazovYellow
The Pelican Brief
KELSI'S ROYALTY CHALLENGEDuration: June 1 - June 30
Goal: 4/9
Our theme for June is royalty, and Kelsi created this challenge for the group.
1. Suleimon I of the Ottoman Empire r. 1494-1566 was known for conquering much of the Middle East and for reforming the criminal, tax and education systems. Read a book that is set in the Middle East or includes taxes, education, or criminal delinquency as a major topic.
The Brothers Karamazov
2. James I of England. r. 1603-1625 was a lover of literature and the fine arts. Read a book you deem a great work of literature. (Up for interpretation and based solely on your opinion!)
3. John III of Poland-Lithuania r. 1674-1696 was brilliant both militarily and politically. Read a book where war or politics is central to the plot.
A Feast for Crows
4. Henry VIII of England r. 1509-1547. There are a plethora of books on this monarch and his six wives. Read a book of fiction or non-fiction that is based on his or his wives� life OR read a book set in England.
5. Louis XIV of France r. 1643-1715 Louis built the palace of Versailles and was all about dancing, parties, and showing his wealth off. He even invented ballet. Read a book that involves a party OR has a main character that is wealthy.
Entwined with You: Gideon Cross is extremely wealthy.
6. Catherine the Great of Russia 1762-1796 was Russia’s longest ruling female. Read a book with a strong, independent heroine.
7. Queen Victoria of England 1837-1901 was Britain’s longest ruling monarch, who expanded English territory to take up a quarter of the world during her reign. The Victorian Era takes its� name after her. Read a book set in the Victorian Era (1840-1910).
8. Isabella and Ferdinand of Castile and Aragon r. 1474-1504. The Spanish Inquisition ladies and gentlemen! Read a book where religion is closely related to the plot or is the main theme of the book.
9. Napoleon Bonaparte of France r. 1804-1814/15 came to rule after the French Revolution and created a French empire. He was either killed by cancer or by stomach poisoning (arsenic). Read a book in which characters revolt OR a death takes place under dubious circumstances.
The Pelican Brief
10. Julius Caesar of Rome r. 60-44 BCE was a Roman consul who contributed to the fall of the Roman Republic. Numerous biographies were written about him, most notably one by Suetonius. Read a biography on any figure you are interested in.
Levels
King/Queen: 8-10 books
July Monthly ChallengeMust Read Classics Challenge
Duration: July 1 - July 31, 2013
Our theme for July is classics, so let's see how many classics we can read this month!
This works much like our standard Listopia challenge or our Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ 100 challenge, but instead, your task is to read as many books from the Must Read Classics list as you can. Let us know how many of the top 100 you've read so far and what your goal is for the month.
3rd Quarter ChallengeI SPY CHALLENGE
Duration: July 1, 2013 - September 30, 2013
Goal:1/12
1. I spy elements from the Periodic Table: Silver, Gold, Neon, etc.
2. I spy celestial bodies: Planets, stars, galaxies, etc.
3. I spy things related to sports: baseball, basketball, football, etc.
4. I spy things/people related to the hospital: doctors, nurses, patients, etc.
5. I spy magical beings: witches, wizards, elves, etc.
6. I spy animals in the circus: monkeys, elephants, tigers, etc.
The Shadowy Horses
7. I spy world leaders: Mandela, Gandhi, Dali Lama, etc.
8. I spy things from “down under�: Australia, Kangaroos, New Zealand, etc.
9. I spy a body of water: ocean, river, lake, etc.
10. I spy a month of the year: January, February, March, etc.
11. I spy a day of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc.
12. I spy countries in Europe: Italy, Germany, France, etc.
3rd Quarter ChallengeAuthors
Duration: July 1, 2013 - September 30, 2013
Goal: 0/10
1. Read a book by an author who shares your initials (first and last only, no need to match middle initials).
2. Read a book by an author from your home country.
3. Read a book written by an author whose first language is different from your own.
4. Read a book by a new-to-you author.
5. Read a book by an author who's known for a genre you don't primarily read.
6. Read a book by an author born in your birth month.
7. Read a book by an author born in the same decade as you. (If you are born in or after 1990, you may read an author born in the 80s.)
8. Read a book by an author who has penned an autobiography (you can, but do not have to, read the autobiography itself).
9. Read a book by a self-published author (the book you read does not have to be self-published, but the author must have self-published at some point in his or her career).
10. Read a book by a Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ author.
11. Read a book by a debut author.
12. Read a book by an author who has published more than 15 books by July 1, 2013.
13. Read a book by an author who has fewer than 25 fans. (See the number of fans on an author's profile.)
14. Read a book by an author who has greater than 1,000 fans.
15. Read a book by your favorite author.
3rd Quarter Challenge: AuthorsGoal: 1/10
Duration: July 1, 2013 - September 30, 2013
1. Read a book by an author who shares your initials (first and last only, no need to match middle initials).
2. Read a book by an author from your home country.
3. Read a book written by an author whose first language is different from your own.
4. Read a book by a new-to-you author.
5. Read a book by an author who's known for a genre you don't primarily read.
6. Read a book by an author born in your birth month.
7. Read a book by an author born in the same decade as you. (If you are born in or after 1990, you may read an author born in the 80s.)
8. Read a book by an author who has penned an autobiography (you can, but do not have to, read the autobiography itself).
9. Read a book by a self-published author (the book you read does not have to be self-published, but the author must have self-published at some point in his or her career).
10. Read a book by a Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ author.
The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley, 7/2/13**
11. Read a book by a debut author.
12. Read a book by an author who has published more than 15 books by July 1, 2013.
13. Read a book by an author who has fewer than 25 fans. (See the number of fans on an author's profile.)
14. Read a book by an author who has greater than 1,000 fans.
15. Read a book by your favorite author.
July's Monthly ChallengeJuly's The Definition of a Classic Challenge
Duration: July 1 - July 31, 2013
Goal:0/7
1. The classics are those books about which you usually hear people saying: 'I'm rereading�', never 'I'm reading�.' Read a book on this Read Them Twice...At Least list.
2. The Classics are those books which constitute a treasured experience for those who have read and loved them; but they remain just as rich an experience for those who reserve the chance to read them for when they are in the best condition to enjoy them. Read a book that has been recommended to you by a friend that you've been putting off.
3. The classics are books which exercise a particular influence, both when they imprint themselves on our imagination as unforgettable, and when they hide in the layers of memory disguised as the individual's or the collective unconscious. This task is all about imagination--read a fantasy or science fiction book.
4. A classic is a book which with each rereading offers as much of a sense of discovery as the first reading. Reread a book.
5. A classic is a book which even when we read it for the first time gives the sense of rereading something we have read before. Read a new to you book.
6. A classic is a book which has never exhausted all it has to say to its readers. Read a book still popular today which was written over 50 years ago.
7. The classics are those books which come to us bearing the aura of previous interpretations, and trailing behind them the traces they have left in the culture or cultures (or just in the languages and customs) through which they have passed. Read a book about a culture you consider not your own.
8. A classic is a work which constantly generates a pulviscular cloud of critical discourse around it, but which always shakes the particles off. "Pulviscular" means "dusty; resembling fine powder." Read a book whose title contains a word you consider unusual. (Proper nouns can count toward this task.)
9. Classics are books which, the more we think we know them through hearsay, the more original, unexpected, and innovative we find them when we actually read them. Read a book you've heard about on TV, on the radio, in a magazine, from a blog, or through another book.
10. A classic is the term given to any book which comes to represent the whole universe, a book on a par with ancient talismans. A talisman is a magical device that brings good luck. Read a book that contains magic in some form.
11. 'Your' classic is a book to which you cannot remain indifferent, and which helps you define yourself in relation or even in opposition to it. Read a coming of age book.
12. A classic is a work that comes before other classics; but those who have read other classics first immediately recognize its place in the genealogy of classic works. Read a book that's part of a series.
13. A classic is a work which relegates the noise of the present to a background hum, which at the same time the classics cannot exist without. Read a book about a historical event.
14. A classic is a work which persists as a background noise even when a present that is totally incompatible with it holds sway. Read a book that has "Classic" listed as a genre on its main page.
2025 Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality (other topics)Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality (other topics)
The Princess Bride (other topics)
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (other topics)
Sea Swept (other topics)
More...
Goal: 9/25
List One: Books about Paris
1.A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens 1/19/13
2. The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas 3/21/13
List Two: Best Nonfiction Non Biography
1.In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
List Three: Best Gothic Books of All Time
1. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice-1/1/13
2.Beloved by Toni Morrison 3/17/13
3. Dracula
List Four: Best Books of the Ancient World
1.The Golden Ass: The Transformations of Lucius
2. The Aeneid
3. Lysistrata and Other Plays
List Five: Best American History Books