2010 wasn’t a good year for challenges. I can say that already. I don’t think I’ve failed my own challenge – I’ve read lots of medieval stuff – but I haven’t come close to reading the books I listed at the beginning. I probably haven’t covered every category either – regardless, I’ll sum all that up at the end of the year.
2011, though, might just be different. I say might, because let’s face it, I almost always fail at challenges. But I’ve recently become much more disciplined in my reading, and if I can choose books that I definitely want to read and which I feel are worthwhile, I might have a shot.
So, first up will be A Year of Feminist Classics. I’ve been interested in this challenge ever since I heard about it. It’s hosted by four bloggers and they’re rotating which books they host each month. I’ve read hardly any books that deal with feminism and none at all on this list (I know – I’m ashamed!). So I really want to give it a try. Some of the books are expensive and not in my library, but I’ll see how I’m feeling when those months come along. Here’s the list:
January: A Vindication of the Rights of Women by Mary Wollestonecraft – Amy
February: The Subjection of Women by John Stuart Mill and Harriet Taylor Mill – Ana
March: A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen – Emily
April: Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman – Iris
May: A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf – Ana
June: The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan OR The Female Eunuch by Germaine Greer – Amy
July: The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir – Iris
August: The Women’s Room by Marilyn French – Emily
September: The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf – Amy
October: Ain’t I a Woman? by bell hooks – Iris
November: Gender Trouble by Judith Butler – Ana
December: Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde – Emily
My second challenge that I’m announcing today is the What’s in a Name 4 challenge, hosted by Beth Fish Reads. I’ve never done this one before but it looks like fun. The rules are to read one book in each of the following categories between January 1 and December 31, 2011. I’ve included my options below.
1. A book with a number in the title
- Sixty-one Nails, Mark Shevdon
- The Thirteen Treasures, Michelle Harrison
2. A book with jewelry or a gem in the title
- Confucius Jade, Frederick Fisher
3. A book with a size in the title
- Small Island, Andrea Levy
- Notes from a Small Island, Bill Bryson
4. A book with travel or movement in the title
- Looking for Alaska, John Green
- A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson
5. A book with evil in the title
- Roots of Evil, Sarah Rayne
- Demon Angel, Meljean Brook
6. A book with a life stage in the title
- Woman by Natalie Angier
Which challenges have you signed up for in 2011?
I love the What’s in a Name Challenge! Good luck with all of yours!
So far, I’ve signed up for the Royal Mistress Challenge 2011 at Miss Moppet’s. And I’m happy to say I’ve completed everything I planned for your Tournament of Reading Challenge 2010 and posted links to my reviews!
Joanne M.´s last post …For the Kings Favor by Elizabeth Chadwick
I’ve not signed up for any yet, but I am thinking about hosting one or two. I’ve not decided quite yet.
cbjames´s last post …Dakotas Favorites- The Gift of Stones by Jim Crace
I haven’t signed up for any yet, but the feminist classics one would be excellent (The Feminine Mystique has been on my mental TBR list for a long time!).
Great challenge choices! I’ve got some picked out that I want to sign up for and What’s in a Name is included on that list. I like to think they help me stick to reading books of my shelves but who knows!
Amused´s last post …The Great
Yay! Thank you for being interested in the Feminist Classics challenge, and for spreading the word. We will be modifying the reading list slightly next week (sorry) but there won’t be tooo many changes! We are just adding a couple of non-western authors.
Amy´s last post …Review- Jukebox by Gina Noelle Daggett
I just signed up for my own challenge, to read books about Venice. I’m not getting very far but I think there’s still six months or so left.
heidenkind´s last post …Tourists of History by Marita Sturken
Oh these are GREAT challenges! I love your picks for the name challenge and I ADORE the feminist reads. I';ll have to get my act together on these (I’m also terrible about challenges) before ’11.
I think I’m going to sign up for What’s In A Name, too. It looks like a treasure hunt, and I’ve never been able to resist one of those. I also want to do the One, Two, Theme Challenge, GLBT Reading and the Graphic Novels Challenge.
That feminist challenge has caught my attention, but I’m a bit worried about committing to specific titles.
Thanks so much for signing up for WIAN4 — I love your tentative titles.
And you know what? I sign up for challenges with all the hope and expectations of finishing, but if I fail, I don’t get stressed by it. Challenges are supposed to be fun.
Beth F´s last post …Thankfully Reading Weekend- Getting Started
I’ve signed up for Bookish Ardour’s Off the Shelf challenge, the third round of Cannonball Read, Book Vixen’s Outdo Yourself and the challenge I’m hosting based on The Heroine’s Bookshelf.
Good luck with the two challenge’s you’ve signed up for!
Janel´s last post …Review- Tinsel – Hank Stuever