Meeting two 2017 reading challenges is proving to be a challenge in and of itself, but a welcome one. In my 2017 Reading Challenge BINGO, a challenge made to members of my three book clubs as well, I am doing fine. The categories I still need to fill include the following; I have completed the other categories:
- Non-fiction
- On TBR for 2+ years
- More than 500 pages
- Size word in title
- Book from childhood
- Australian/NZ author
- Western
- Not really for you.
Some of the books I’ve read would qualify for two categories, but I do not wish to duplicate.
Starting with nonfiction, here are some of my thoughts. I read Lab Girl last fall; therefore, it won’t count for this year. This year, I read Sasha Martin’s Life From Scratch, but I have put it in the category of food on the cover, one of the items in the challenge. In researching nonfiction books online, I found many lists. Nonfiction is not my favorite genre, so I am being choosy about what to read. Michael Wallis’s new book about the Donner party does not interest me at all despite his connection to Tulsa and OK. Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann does look like a good nonfiction book to read; however, if I reserved it from the library, I would be #284 on 93 regular print copies or #101 on 38 large print copies. Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance is another of interest, but I would be #96 on 22 regular print copies or 16 of 15 on large print copies. That might be a bit more doable, so I placed a hold on a large print copy. We’ll see how long it takes to arrive. I also reserved The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Miguel Ruiz; even on that book from 1997, I am #5 on 5 copies.
On my to be read list for more than two years creates another interesting dilemma. I’ve got quite a list of books I have wanted to read, so what should I choose? I have never read The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler. Eleanor Brown’s The Weird Sisters has been on my list for some time along with Winter People by Jennifer McMahon.
A book of more than 500 pages should be easy to find. Lately, I’ve read several books that fall just short of 500 pages, so they won’t fit the category. War and Peace would more than fulfill the challenge. Some other choices include Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, The Lake House by Kate Morton, and Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, a book recommended by my nephew.
Size word in the title could be fulfilled with Big, Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. I’ve found in searching for lists of books that most searches are successful, but looking for “size words in the title” yields the wrong results. The results include what size font to use for a title rather than a title with a size word in it.
A book from childhood should be easy. To Kill a Mockingbird would certainly fulfill that category, but then books from earlier childhood would also fit the need, so that category will be easy. Truly Madly Guilty by Moriarty would meet the Australian author requirement, or Graeme Simsion’s new book The Best of Adam Sharp would be perfect since I am looking forward to reading it. Jim Harrison’s Legends of the Fall would meet the western criteria. The “not for me” category may be the biggest challenge because if the book is not for me, it will be difficult to read it through to the end! I will try. Currently, I don’t have a clue about what that would be, perhaps a dystopian novel since those are not my favorites, or a science fiction title.
At any rate, meeting the reading challenge has been and continues to be a stimulating one. Seeking out new authors and finding books I might not have read otherwise broadens my reading horizons. That’s good.