January 1, 2014 – December 31, 2014
This is the one challenge I am planning to host for 2014, because the 2013 edition has helped me to read some of those books that have been languishing on my to-read list forever. Hopefully, some of you will join me! Here’s how it works:This reading event is hosted by Books and Movies. For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.
1. There will be one book for each month of the year, chosen by popular vote – with one exception. (See #2)
2. January’s book will be The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor. This is the one book I wanted to make sure was on the challenge, and this way any of you who want to read along have almost a month to get your hands on a copy.
3. Each month, those of you who want to participate will read the month’s pick. My review will go up on the last day of the month, with a Mr. Linky to post your reviews. Or we can just have a really great discussion in the comments section. The idea isn’t to make this really formal or strict, but to get us to read some of those books that everyone tells us we should read.
4. You don’t have to read every single book. You can participate one month, two months, all twelve….whatever floats your boat.
I don’t have a gorgeous graphic like I usually do for my challenges, mainly because my husband is my graphic designer and he’s working over 60 hours a week at his full-time job these days, and so I didn’t want to add anything to his “honey-do” list. :) I will hopefully have one by the time I announce the winning titles.
Now, onto the choices. Here are the titles you will be choosing from. This time, the list is less heavy on the classics, and has more of a variety of genres.
The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Howard’s End by E.M. Forster
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
A Passage to India by E.M. Forster
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
Small Island by Andrea Levy
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
An Equal Music by Vikram Seth
Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland
Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
The Local News by Miriam Gershow
Forever by Pete Hamill
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
Watership Down by Richard Adams
