Friday 21 March 2008

Non-Fiction Five Challenge (aka THE LAST CHALLENGE)


Once again, raidergirl3 brought this to my attention on her blog: Raidergirl3
(look, I'm getting better at the links!!!) It's being hosted over at Thoughts of Joy
The rules are:
A FEW POINTS OF INTEREST:

1. Read 5 non-fiction books during the months of May - September, 2008 (please link your reviews on Mister Linky)

2. Read at least one non-fiction book that is different from your other choices (i.e.: 4 memoirs and 1 self-help)


My five choices are:
1. The Secret Language of Signs - Denise Linn - DONE
2. The Life of Charlotte Bronte - Elizabeth Gaskell
3. The Hero With a Thousand Faces - Joseph Campbell - DONE June 2008
4. Cosmos and Psyche - Richard Tarnas
5. 1599 A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare - James Shapiro

Four of these books are on other challenges, so again, I have not stressed myself too much by adding more books to read. And that is it. I will be stretched to read all the books on my challenges - but that is partly why I joined so many challenges this year. I want to read more books. I want to read a wider variety of books, and I wanted to challenge myself - how many can I read in one year? How wide a variety can I read? I collect enough books in different categories; it was time to start reading what I did have. Plus, I like challenges. I am a competitive person by nature. What I am remembering though, as I join these reading challenges, is that I am doing this for fun, and I WANT to read all these books. These are all ones I already own (90 % of them), and the other 10% are ones I wanted. So while I have never achieved reading 100 books in a year, that has been my goal for many, many years, and this is a good way to prod myself to read more. How many books can I read this year? And, I think a really important point to make to myself is - if I don't read them all, that's ok. At least I made an effort to read more, and more widely. However, I joined to win - and the competition is myself. So - let's get reading!!

Happy book reading, everyone. May you find time to read, this Easter Weekend. Maybe the Easter Bunny will bring you a new book? I have two - Cosmos and Psyche by Richard Tarnas, and The Dream-maker's Magic by Sharon Shinn, that I bought this week. Not that I can read them yet, I have to get started on the banned book challenge, and the fantasy challenge, and I hear Canadian book challenge calling......If someone hadn't already taken 'So Many Books, So Little Time' for the name of their blog (thanks!), that was my first choice, since I am often heard mumbling this to myself! Then again, I firmly believe you can never have too many books - although that man in the Barnes and Noble clip on my blog a few weeks bag comes close, if only because he has them hidden in shelves on the basement. I definitely have room for more books! I believe I am already looking ahead to next year's book challenges.......










3 comments:

raidergirl3 said...

Hey, great job on the links. Your lists look great, and although it looks like a lot, like you said, they are books you were planning to read. And it's not like there is a blog where we post the names and pictures of bloggers who don't finish challenges.

Or is there? mwahh

Joy said...

Welcome, Susan, to the Non-Fiction Five Challenge! I don't recognize any on your list, but I sure hope you enjoy them.

That silly Raidergirl3! She's not supposed to tell Newbies our secret. LOL Just kidding, Susan. The challenges ARE for your own personal reasons. Last year I was really trying to broaden my horizons with reading genres that I hadn't previous read. This year I only joined challenges that contained genres that I really wanted to read. I "wanted" to read the books from last year, too, but there was a different motive behind the want.

Anyway - I hope you enjoy every choice. And if you don't finish them in the challenge time, you can always continue to read them on your time. :) There's truly no pressure from anybody in the book challenge world. We just want to make lists! Oh yeah, and read, too!

Lynda said...

I love Elizabeth Gaskell's 'Life of Charlotte Bronte'. ;0)