World Party Reading Challenge

April 1, 2010 - March 31, 2011

Jill at Fizzy Thoughts is hosting the World Party Reading Challenge. She writes:

Welcome to the World Party Reading Challenge, where each month we will celebrate both a US holiday/observance AND a different country. Because what better way to party than with a book. The idea is to read more international literature, but I used US holidays and observances as the inspiration. Some connections might be obvious, others less so. I promise I’ll divulge the secret workings of my brain, but not until the beginning of each month (actually, it will most likely be the week before, and I’ll try to include some reading suggestions with each post), when I’ll post a little bit about my choice for the month. Don’t worry, I will give you the complete list ahead of time, it’s just that, for now, you might be left wondering why we’re reading about England in honor of Valentine’s Day.

Details:

1. 12 months, 12 countries, 12 books.
2. Each month read one (or more, if you’d like) book either set in, or written by an author from, the featured country (in a few cases Jill has been vague and you just have to stick to the criteria).
3. If you’d like to read a non-fiction book about the country, that works, too. However, Jill asks that you avoid books like Eat, Pray, Love and You Shall Know Our Velocity!, which feature multiple countries. The intent is to try to get a sense of place from your book or author.
4. Audio books are allowed.
5. Do you have to participate all 12 months? That would be swell, and if you want to consider the challenge completed, then yes, all 12 months are required. However, if you have a burning desire to read a book about Rwanda and only want to participate for that month, You won't be turned away. Party crashers are always welcome.
6. A Mr Linky will be posted each month for the reviews about the featured country. Feel free to go back and enter reviews as the year goes on.

Here is the list of US holidays and observances that we will be celebrating with a book from another country:

• April – April Fool’s Day – France
• May – May Day – a communist country of your choice, past or present
• June – Juneteenth – Liberia
• July – July 4th – Rwanda
• August – Women’s Equality Day – New Zealand
• September – Native American Day – any sovereign Native American tribe
• October – Columbus Day – India
• November – Thanksgiving – Turkey
• December – Happy Holidays – choose your own country. It’s my little gift to you.
• January – Martin Luther King, Jr Day – Cambodia
• February – Valentine’s Day – England
• March – Saint Patrick’s Day – Ireland

TO learn more and to sign up with Mr. Linky, visit the post about the challenge.