The Classic Bribe 2012 Challenge & Giveaway

Get Paid To Read A Classic This Summer, People!

May 28, 2012 - September 3, 2012

The Classic Bribe – Challenge & Giveaway:

• Read at least 1 Classic over the summer – between Memorial Day and the end of Labor Day Weekend, September 3rd
• You can have begun the Classic prior to Memorial Day, but it needs to have been completed between the challenge dates above
• Post a review on your blog of each Classic that you read during the challenge period and reference a link to this “The Classic Bribe” challenge page
• Link to each of your reviews separately by clicking on Mr. Linky below
• Each linked review counts as 1 entry – no entry limit per blogger – read and review as many as you like
• Each entry builds up $1 toward an Amazon gift card – the more entries the higher the balance can grow – capped at $35
• Random winner selected Labor Day weekend from all entries- no restrictions on region
• Winner receives the full Amazon gift card balance accumulated based on entries received

Sixteen different bloggers entered the inaugural challenge/giveaway last year, linking up to reviews of 65 different Classics! The variety of titles and eras represented proved that Classics are found in all genres. If you need help finding one to match your style preferences, peruse last year’s link list, ask your librarian or leave a comment below – I’m happy to make suggestions! And gather some inspiration from fellow Quirky Girl, Margot, who joined another worthy long-term Classic reading challenge – I couldn’t be more proud!

This reading challenge is hosted by Quirky Girls REad. For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

Cloud of Witnesses Reading Challenge

May 27, 2012 - December 31, 2012

 So what "counts" for this challenge? Well, the goal is to get you acquainted with new-to-you authors. So any reading material will count: no matter the length. It can be an article of a few pages; an individual sermon or a collection of sermons; it can be a book of quotes by that person; it can be a biography or autobiography about the person; you might find full-length books available online, or individual sermons online. And of course it doesn't matter if it's a book-book, e-book, or audiobook.

So how many books are required? Well, I have a love-hate relationship with the word required. On the one hand, some structure can help everyone. The answer decide-for-yourself will make some happy, perhaps, but for those that want a definite goal, an answer, it won't. I see this more of a personal challenge assessing growth than a challenge about counting book totals. After all, what matters most is if you are engaging or connecting with a book, an author, and benefiting personally (learning from it, growing by it, thinking more and more about spiritual things, etc.) from the experience or challenge. It is all about finding gems, finding treasure, LEARNING and growing, challenging yourself to think and consider and reflect.


For an author to qualify for this reading challenge, they must be among "the cloud of witnesses".... in other words, they must be dead. I think it isn't always easy for readers to pick up Christian classics. Perhaps because it isn't always easy to know exactly where to start. Perhaps because people think that they will be difficult to understand--that the language will be too difficult, the style too complicated. Perhaps because people question if a book will still be relevant. I believe that there are some AMAZING, GREAT, WONDERFUL, MUST-MUST-MUST reads out there waiting to be discovered.

Examples of qualifying authors:

• John Stott (1921-2011)
• D. James Kennedy (1930-2007)
• James Montgomery Boice (1938-2000)
• Loraine Boettner (1901-1990)
• Corrie Ten Boom (1892-1983)
• Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981)
• Watchman Nee (1903-1972)
• C.S. Lewis (1898-1963)
• A.W. Tozer (1897-1963)
• Dorothy Sayers (1893-1957)
• A.W. Pink (1886-1952)
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945)
• G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936)
• R.A. Torrey (1856-1928)
• Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892)
• A.B. Simpson (1843-1919)
• Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)
• E.M. Bounds (1835-1913)
• Andrew Murray (1828-1917)
• Alexander Whyte (1836-1921)
• J.C. Ryle (1816-1900)
• Charles Hodge (1797-1878)
• Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)
• George Whitfield (1714-1770)
• John Wesley (1703-1791)
• William Law (1686-1761)
• John Owen (1616-1683)
• John Bunyan (1628-1688)
• Stephen Charnock (1628-1680)
• Matthew Henry (1662-1714)
• Martin Luther (1483-1546)
• John Calvin (1509-1564)
• Brother Lawrence (1605-1691)
• Thomas Manton (1620-1677)
• Thomas a Kempis (1380-1471)
• Saint Augustine (354-430)

What I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to see is for people to share quotes from what they're reading. I'd love to see readers recommend books to one another. So while I'd never, ever require participants to write book reviews, if you have a blog, I'd love for you to share quotes occasionally with your readers and let me know about it. If you don't have a blog, you could always leave quotes in the comments here. (Trust me, I'd welcome some relief from spam comments.)

The length or duration of the challenge, well, how about the rest of the year?! If there is interest, then, I'd probably make this a repeat challenge for all of 2013. Any qualifying book you've read in 2012 can be counted.

This reading challenge is hosted by Operation Actually Read Bible. For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

Empty That Shelf! - June Reading Challenge

June 1st - June 15th, 2012

Being the book fiends that we are we (I) ignore the stacks of books at home (especially the big one threatening to topple over next to my bed) and head to the bookshop to find a nice, shiny holiday read. Yip, I am SO guilty of this. Actually I fins it amazing that it doesn't matter how skint I am I still manage to find the pennies to get myself a book... But moving on. 

THAT is why I am going to spend the first 2 weeks of June reading from my to-be-read pile before it tumbles over in the night and crushes me in my sleep. 

Why 2 weeks? 

Well, there is something so scary and, well, negative about saying A MONTH - 2 weeks sounds a lot more achievable - and it seems that when something lasts a week I am just getting into it when it is over. 

And why now?

I just failed the Bout-of-Books read-a-thon at an epic level, no really, I managed to read one book in one week, that is DIRE for me. So it is time to do some mega catch-up. 

I was going to make this just a challenge for me but I have thrown together a button so if you would like to join in feel free to grab it :)

It is going to be pretty easy - 

Work your way through the books that have been sitting around for AGES and start reading. They can be from your physical shelf or from deep in the dusty memory of your e-reader. 

You do not have to set yourself a goal, you do not have to even think about what book you are going to read, just go with whatever book you want from your shelf at the time. 

 

If you would like to join me COOL! You can fill in the linky below - ok, I admit I may be using this as an excuse to play with the Mister Linky - with your blog link (or the link to your post saying you are participating)

This reading challenge is hosted by Blathering About Books. For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

Get Ready! Get Set! Read! Summer Reading Challenge 2012

May 28, 2012 – August 31, 2012

 

GOAL: Commit to completing 8 titles that you have never read before! (10 for a bonus.)

CRITERIA: Choose any title in the following categories:

1. A book in an unfamiliar genre [Read outside your comfort zone!]
2. A book that is part of a series
3. A book that your friend or wider society has been raving about!
4. A book that ‘could’ [This category is open to your interpretation*]
5. A book from the NY Times’ 100 Best Novels List. [See link below]
6. A book that reminds you of your childhood.
7. A banned or contested book, OR a book that lied to us*
8. A book you judged by the cover. [For whatever reason, the cover attracted you.]
9. Bonus: A blog turned book [OR a book turned blockbuster movie]
10. Bonus: Free choice!

 

Start date: May 28
End date: August 31

*Fulfill the categories in any order

Don't forget to share why you chose the titles you did. Also, share comments about the books you're reading! We invite conversations :)

Happy Reading!

This reading challenge is hosted by Reading Writers. For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.