Reading Challenge 2009 Conclusion

Well, as 2009 is quickly coming to a close, I thought perhaps we should try to look over the 2009 reading challenge to see where we are. I think from the instructions of "Let’s set a goal of reading 12 books in 12 months" that I have achieved that, but I'm not sure that I have managed all the segments that I noted. Let's see how close we came:



1. Book written by a long lost lover i.e. an author you enjoyed pre-kids.
This one was tough, but I read a great compilation of essays that my daughter picked out, Eloquent Essays that included many of my favorite authors: George Orwell, Barbara Kingsolver, and some very intersting essays by Carl Sagan and Martin Luther King Jr.


2. A book that allows you to travel to a place of your dreams.
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown - What I would give to see the art of Italy?


3. A book that brings you back to a place you’ve been before by location, character, job, or some other way.
Everything Matters! by Ron Currie Jr. This book takes place primarily in Maine, has a scene in Boston, and has a huge section that is based on the cancer his father is facing. Fortunately or unfortunately, I have been in all three of these places.


4. A book recommended by your librarian (If you haven’t met him or her yet, it is time to get reacquainted).
Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns


5. A book that is or was on the NY Times Best Seller list.
The Alchemist by Paula Coehlo


6. A biography of a person that interests you.
The Knockout Entrepreneur by George Foreman or Still Life with Chickens by Catherine Goldman. In these cases, I wasn't interested in George Foreman before I read his book and I had never heard of Catehrine Goldman, but both were great reads.


7. A book that is found in the Children’s or Young Adult section.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak


8. A book on which a movie is based. Then plan an evening to watch the movie too.
Ok, I have to cheat and use Angels & Demons twice. I was dying for the movie to come out and was thrilled when DD brought it home as a suprise. Next, we are going to read his Digital Fortress. Do you think I'll get a movie for that one too? Tom Hanks, if you are listening, please start filming for a March 2010 release: ; )


9. A book of historical fiction.
The 19th Wife By David Ebershoff - - - This was an incredibly good book that intertwined the life of Brigham Young's 19th wife and a current day 19th wife in a fictitious Mormon sect.

10. A book recommended on any blog. Ok, I have to stretch this one a bit two, mostly because I don't recall who recommended specific books or how I came to read them. However, I know that Faithful Ruslan was recommended by a fellow book club member. Recommendations from others is a great way to expand your regular reading repertoire. This book for example I would have never read without a recommendation but am so glad that I did.



11. A book that claims it will make your life better because you read it.
Guinea Pig Diaries - by AJ Jacobs. While AJ does not claim that he will make your life better, his experiments do open your eyes to looking at the world in a new way which can in turn improve your life.


12. A book that is recommended by someone else in the comments of this blog (hopefully the list will be longer toward the end of the year).
Well, I can't do this one, because I need you all to talk. It is great to read, but we need some interaction to know about some new books.

Well, we didn't get all twelve, but pretty close. So now I will need to set up the 2010 reading challenge. Do you have any ideas or recommendations?

Reading Challenge 2009 - Faithful Ruslan

Have you ever read a book that makes you love, feel sorry for, empathize with a cold blooded killer? Your probably thinking - she is crazy, why would I ever feel such a way. Pity a brute - Never! Well, then you should read Faithful Ruslan. Ruslan is not a human, but a dog; a dog trained to keep prisoners in line in the old re-education camps of Siberia. The story opens after the fall of Stalin, as the camps are being emptied and their is no need for a guard dog anymore. The story continues to follow Ruslan as tries walk the wire between civilian life and Service work. The story is graphic, but is an excellent piece of work. It would also be a great novel to share with older high schoolers to begin a study of Russian history. It will bring up questions of political theory, duty, loyalty, free will, courage, and determination. It will allow you to enter the genre of allegory and perhaps lead you to a conversation about the blessings of our Constitution, specifically the 1st Amendment. Be sure to read the background on the author, Georgii Vladimov (real name: Georgii Nikolaevich Volosevich) as well.

The Wilderness: a Novel

My latest read, The Wilderness, was an interesting combination of enjoyment and frustration. To some degreee it reminded me of The Road by Cormac McCarthy. The writing was very good, but the subject matter was so disturbing that I did not end up feeling good about the overall book. The Wilderness is a look into Jacob Jameson's mind. Jake, an elderly man, is spiraling into Alzheimer's and, as the reader, you are going with him. As Jake struggles to decide what is fact and fiction, you are too. This book very clearly explains the difference between forgeting your keys and slipping into Alzheimer's. While I can't in good conscience recommend this book, I can tell you that it is a read that you will never forget.

Reading Challenge 2009 - The Total Money Makeover

I finished #11 of the Reading Challenge 2009 – A book that claims it will make your life better because you read it. I checked out our new library (which by the way is very, very small- we’ll need to work on that) and took out Dave Ramsey’s The Total Money Makeover. In these difficult financial times, it is always a good idea to keep an eye on your finances. I’m sure just like a food diet certain plans work for some and other plans work better for others, but Dave Ramsey has certainly put together a plan that can help anyone on the road to financial success. The most important message in his book is that it is ok to be debt free.




Can you imagine what a different society we would have if the idea spread across our nation? Instead of a nation of spenders, we would have a nation of savers. The sad truth is that even our nation’s capitol now thinks that spending is the answer. Perhaps I should send a copy of this book to our congressmen!

Let me hear from you guys. What part of the challenge have you undertaken?

Reading Challenge 2009 update

How are we all doing on the Reading Challenge 2009? I've gotten three down and can recommend each one.

Historical Fiction

OR

Both of these books were very enjoyable.

The first was a very interesting braid of two stories of the Mormon church: one of Brigham Young's 19th wife and one of a 21st Century murder by a 19th wife. While I emphasize that this book is fiction, it did peak my interest to learn more about the Mormon beliefs and lifestyle. I do not recommend reading it as a friend of mine did and skip the 21st century story because it seems strange or confusing. You must read the whole book to truly appreciate the story that David Ebershoff has created here.

As for the second, I picked this one up on a whim. Confessions of a Pagan Nun looked to be a quick read and with moving, that was exactly what I was looking for. Suprisingly, I found this book not just to be good but great. The author did a wonderful job introducing to the main character as she a nun looked back over her life to explain how she came to her to Saint Brigit and more importantly if she the convent is the right place for a truly God fearing person? Raised a Druid, Gwyneve, has a deeply spiritual relationship with God and nature. Can a Druid become a nun? or are the two irreconcileable? Should they be reconciled? This is a short read that you will never forget.

A Biography

This book was a little farther off my regular reading diet. Kay Redfield Jamison heroically comes out about her own struggles with mental illness. A psychiatrist herself, Kay, exposes her own battle and I think in the process shows other that they not only can survive with manic-depression but possibly thrive. Although I wish she could have included more writing from her manic or depressed states, she does a brilliant job explaining that clearly I don't fully understand the illness to want such a thing or think that I could understand what it said even if such rantings did exist. I was left in awe of the life that Kay has lived dispite this debilitating disease and admire her for being willing to jeapordize it so that others may hear her tale.

What have you been reading?

Reading Challenge 2009

On Christmas, my uncle brought up the question, “Do you read for enjoyment?” To me, this is like asking, “Do you eat?” The thought of not reading would be equivalent to forgetting breathe. My cousin lamented that she loves to read but hasn’t done so since her sons were born. Here is where the reading challenge was born. I revealed that I too had gone through a reading dry spell. I love to read. I love to take long periods of time to read. Certainly, anyone who has children knows that personal time and young children do not go together. So for years, all I would read was periodicals and non-fiction books. When personal time started to creep in my life, I grabbed for a life preserver or in this case a reading preserver. I needed an excuse to read. I needed a reason to make the time. I joined a book club, but I will admit that sometimes it is hard to be sure that on X date at X time that I can be anywhere. So, I think this reading challenge may help us all get through 2009 and get back in the habit of reading.

Let’s set a goal of reading 12 books in 12 months. We will try to revive our love for reading.
Each book must come fulfill one of the following categories:

1. Book written by a long lost lover i.e. an author you enjoyed pre-kids.

2. A book that allows you to travel to a place of your dreams.

3. A book that brings you back to a place you’ve been before by location, character, job, or some other way.

4. A book recommended by your librarian (If you haven’t met him or her yet, it is time to get reacquainted).

5. A book that is or was on the NY Times Best Seller list.

6. A biography of a person that interests you.

7. A book that is found in the Children’s or Young Adult section.

8. A book on which a movie is based. Then plan an evening to watch the movie too.

9. A book of historical fiction.

10. A book recommended on any blog.

11. A book that claims it will make your life better because you read it.

12. A book that is recommended by someone else in the comments of this blog (hopefully the list will be longer toward the end of the year).

When you are done, come back to this entry and let us know what you read and if it is worth us and our very short time.