The 2017 AW Reading Challenge! A "Pick 12" Choose Your Own Adventure

[Chris P]

Happy 2017, everyone! It's a brand new year and time for the next AW Reading Challenge. Note the word "challenge": get reading some stuff you wouldn't normally.

Pick 12 of the categories listed below, and choose books to fit those topics. Thank you to everyone (AW and off line) who contributed ideas.

Throughout the year, update us on your progress, and let's get some good discussion going on what we've read. It's never too late to join

ETA: PLEASE READ THE STICKIES ABOUT SPOILERS!!! You can hide them is you'd like, but for anyone reading be aware you will see a few here.

Get those paging fingers ready and settle in to your favorite chair (or beach blanket, or hammock, or table at the coffee shop) and away we go!

1. Coming to a theater near you: A book made into a major motion picture.
2. East meets West: A book taking place in Asia (anywhere in Asia; Turkey to Japan, Siberia to Indonesia)
3. What your parents read: Any book on the Publisher’s Weekly Best Sellers for the year you were born (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publis..._United_States).
4. No hablo: A translation.
5. I remember that!: A book about a historical event that took place in your lifetime.
6. My hometown: A book by a local author.
7. Rainbow warrior: A book with a color in the title.
8. Bits and pieces: An anthology (poetry, short stories, whatever).
9. Namesakes: A book by an author who shares your first or last name (maiden name counts, if applicable).
10. Out of this world: A book taking place in space or on another planet.
11. Still time for more chapters: A memoir/biography by/about someone who’s still alive (at least as of January 1).
12. Tuesdays with Balaam’s Ass: A book with a non-human (animal or fantastic creature) main character.
13. What your great-grandparents read: A book written more than 100 years before you were born.
14. Enter stage right: A play.
15. Fired from the canon: A work of fanfic.
16. Counting your chickens: A book with a number in the title.
17. Chances are: Go to www.Random.org. Generate a random number between 1 and 100. Go to http://www.modernlibrary.com/top-100/100-best-novels/ and select the book corresponding to your random number from either the Board’s List or the Reader’s List. Select another random number if the ones generated aren’t to your liking.
18. You really shouldn’t have: A book bought for you as a gift.
19. What you read: A book you loved as a child.
20. They’ve been watching us: A book about your country by someone from another country.
21. Loose ends: A book you started last year and haven’t yet finished.
22. I’ve met them!: A book by someone you have seen in person (either know, seen at a book fair, speaking engagement, in line at the ATM, whatever).
23. Anyone remember photonovels?: A book based on a movie, not the other way around.
24. Crossing the (color) lines: A book about a PoC, any variety, written by an author of the same variety.
25. No Cliff Notes this time: A book that's required reading in most high schools but that you never read (even if it was assigned).
26. Be the change you want to see: A nonfiction book about a sociopolitical issue.
27. Earth, Wind, & Fire: A book related to the Earth sciences (geography, oceanography, etc.)
28. Step by step: A how-to book.
29. Where is that, again?: A book about a place you know little about.
30. Who was that, again?: A book about a person you know little about.
31. What you will read to your grandchildren: A children's book (middle grade or lower).
32. Steady there, cowboy: A western.
33. Ripped from the headlines: A true crime book.
34. Wow. Nice: A book with a one-word title.
35. Lol random: Go to Gutenberg.org, click “Book Search Page,” click “Random” and pick any one of the books that show up.
36. Holy moly some authors like to use lots of words: A book whose title is more than six words long.
37. Halcyon days: A book you read at age 21 (estimate if you have to, choose age 12 if you aren’t yet 21 ).
38. How we got to where we are: A book about the politics of your country (history or current events, but published in the last 5 years).
39. Revenge of the nerds: Read about STEM (fiction or nonfiction).
40. He did drone on a bit: A book more than 600 pages.
41. What the Greatest Generation to Post-Millennials read: A book published since 1942.
42. Feast your ears on this: Listen to an audiobook.
43. Out of the park on first at bat: A debut.
44. It’s all about me: A book where the main character shares your first or last name.
45. You might also like. . . : A book recommended by library or bookstore staff, online or in person.
46. Support the home team: A book by a fellow AWer (Click on the “AW Amazon Store” link above).
47. Huh, I never knew that: A book in a new-to-you genre.
48. Three-color mythology: A graphic novel or comic book.
49. What everyone else was reading: Any book from any year on the New York Times Best Seller List (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_...n_Best_Sellers)
50. Be your own boss: A self-published novel.
51. Better known for . . .: A book by someone who’s more famous for doing something else.
52. God’s mansion has many rooms: A book based in a religion not your own.
53. Ye olde booke shoppe: A book written before 1700.
    
54. Gramma would have loved this: A book you think a passed-on loved one would have enjoyed.

[mrsmig]

Ooooo, lots to think about for this year's Challenge. I'm gonna cogitate and come back with my picks.

[Chris P]

My list is coming together. Just a couple more to figure out. . .

[Marlys]

Very cool. I haven't participated before, but am putting together a list right now.

ETA: List (subject to change)

Coming to a theater near you: The Girl on the Train--Paula Hawkins

Bits and pieces: Scars Upon My Heart: Women's Poetry and Verse of the First World War--ed. Catherine Reilly

Namesakes: Murder in a Hot Flash--Marlys Millheiser

What your great-grandparents read: Gaston de Blondville--Ann Radcliffe

What you read: The Perilous Gard--Elizabeth Marie Pope

Loose ends: Strong Poison--Dorothy Sayers

Crossing the (color) lines: Bloodchild--Octavia E Butler

I've Met Them: Still Life with Tornado--AS King

Rainbow warrior: The Blue Castle--LM Montgomery

Counting your chickens: Two Little Girls in Blue--Mary Higgins Clark

Better known for: Princess Diarist--Carrie Fisher

Enter stage right: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child--JK Rowling et al

[Lauram6123]

Oh, I love this. I'm gonna start working on my list.

[EMaree]

Love this idea! I'm definitely onboard. PLANNED LIST SO FAR:

Loose ends: CHASING EMBERS
They’ve been watching us: OUTLANDER by Diana Galbadon
Wow. Nice: DRAKE by Peter McLean
Who was that, again?: A book about a person you know little about: ALEXANDER HAMILTON by Ron Chernow
He did drone on a bit: A book more than 600 pages. (Maybe The Passage or the Mothership Anthology)
What the Greatest Generation to Post-Millennials read: A book published since 1942.
Feast your ears on this: Listen to an audiobook.
Support the home team: Something by SL Huang
Huh, I never knew that: A romance book!
Out of this world: A book taking place in space or on another planet. (A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet)
You really shouldn’t have:A book bought for you as a gift. (Hamilton, the Revolution)
East meets West: A book taking place in Asia (anywhere in Asia; Turkey to Japan, Siberia to Indonesia) (The Silk Roads, or maybe The Golem and the Djinni)

Bonus Round:

No hablo: A translation. (The Three-Body Problem, by Liu Cixin.)

[Brightdreamer made me realise I have a TBR book that fits the categories!]

[ajaye]

Great ideas!

I'd like to be doing a lot more reading than lately so maybe this will hold me to account. (Reserving the right to change every selection )

1. Coming to a theater near you: A book made into a major motion picture. Coraline - Neil Gaiman ETA My Brilliant Career - Miles Franklin I've been poking through my bookcase, found a copy of this and realised I've never read it nor seen the movie. (Plus there ain't enough gals on my list!) Sat down and read the preface and now I want to read it right away, then see the movie. But I'll finish Watchman first. (Still aiming to read Coraline one day.)
2. East meets West: A book taking place in Asia (anywhere in Asia; Turkey to Japan, Siberia to Indonesia) Seasonal Adjustments - Adib Khan
3. No hablo: A translation. The Brothers Karamazov - Fyodor Dostoyevsky hmm, this might be above me, we'll see how it goes
4. My hometown: A book by a local author. Barracuda - Christos Tsiolkas
5. Bits and pieces: An anthology (poetry, short stories, whatever). Interior Darkness - Peter Straub
6. What your great-grandparents read: A book written more than 100 years before you were born. Nicholas Nickleby - Charles Dickens
7. You really shouldn’t have: A book bought for you as a gift. Mistress Of The Monarchy - Alison Weir
8. Loose ends: A book you started last year and haven’t yet finished. Go Set A Watchman - Harper Lee I was saddened/amused/delighted/bothered during this read, so it resonated. More to it than I'd expected, glad I read it.
9. No Cliff Notes this time: A book that's required reading in most high schools but that you never read (even if it was assigned) Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
10. Where is that, again?: A book about a place you know little about.The Hitman's Guide To Housecleaning- Hallgrimur Helgason
11. Steady there, cowboy: A western. Riders Of The Purple Sage - Zane Grey
12. Out of the park on first at bat: A debut. Lilian's Story - Kate Grenville

[Chris P]

Welcome everyone! And to those who will join us.

I think I have mine narrowed down:

1. Coming to a theater near you: About a Boy - Nick Hornby
2. No hablo: Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
3. Rainbow warrior: The Color Purple - Alice Walker
4. Still time for more chapters: An American Demon - Jack Grisham
5. What you read as a child: The Woodshed Mystery - Gertrude C. Warner
6. I’ve met them!: Commonwealth - Ann Patchett
7. Be the change you want to see: White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America - Nancy Isenberg 10% Done
8. Lol random: The Discovery of the Source of the Nile - John Manning Speke
9. He did drone on a bit: A Strangeness in My Mind - Orhan Pamuk
10. Support the home team: Mr Katz is a Zombie - Margaret Lesh
11. Be your own boss: I Hate that You Bloody Left Me - Heather Hill
12. Ye olde booke shoppe: The Romance of Tristan and Iseult - M. Joseph Bedier

[Brightdreamer]

Got my subjects, if not my titles (subject to change/substitution):

1. No hablo: A translation. The Three-Body Problem, by Liu Cixin.
2. Rainbow warrior: A book with a color in the title. The Red Pyramid, by Rick Riordan.
3. Bits and pieces: An anthology (poetry, short stories, whatever). The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, edited by John Joseph Adams.
4. Out of this world: A book taking place in space or on another planet. Golden Son, by Pierce Brown.
5. Tuesdays with Balaam’s Ass: A book with a non-human (animal or fantastic creature) main character. The Hunt for Elsewhere, by Beatrice Vine.
6. Loose ends: A book you started last year and haven’t yet finished. Eats, Shoots, & Leaves by Lynne Truss. Started
7. Crossing the (color) lines: A book about a PoC, any variety, written by an author of the same variety.Wild Seed, by Octavia E. Butler. Started
8. What you will read to your grandchildren: A children's book (middle grade or lower). Pax, by Sarah Pennypacker.
9. Steady there, cowboy: A western. TBA
10. He did drone on a bit: A book more than 600 pages. 11/22/63, by Stephen King.
11. Three-color mythology: A graphic novel or comic book. TBA
12. Better known for . . .: A book by someone who’s more famous for doing something else. Holy Cow, by David Duchovny.

[Helix]

Here's mine:

East meets West: Earth Dance by Oka Rusmini -- done

No hablo: This Earth of Mankind by Pramoedya Ananta Toer

Bits and pieces: Penguin Book of Dutch Short Stories by Joost Zwagerman (ed) -- started (one story a day)

Still time for more chapters: Lab Girl by Hope Jahren

You really shouldn’t have: The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery -- done

What you read: Owl Service by Alan Garner

Loose ends: Golden Hill by Francis Spufford -- done

Crossing the (colour) lines: Mullumbimby by Melissa Lucashenko

Where is that, again?: The Last Will & Testament of Senhor da Silva Araújo by Germano Almeida -- started

How we got to where we are: Atomic Thunder by Elizabeth Tynan -- 75% through

Revenge of the nerds: Georgiana Molloy by Bernice Barry

Out of the park on first at bat: Skylarking by Kate Mildenhall -- done

[Chris P]

Amazing lists, everyone! Lots of books I'm interested in and have questions about. I'm looking forward to our discussions.

[oneblindmouse]

Very interesting list, full of possibilities. Will need time to draw up my planned list. Thanks to the brains behind the list.

[Lauram6123]

Okay. Here it goes...

What you will read to your grandchildren: Holes by Louis Sachar

Bits and Pieces: An anthology: Purgatorium – The Element of Horror edited by Connie di Pietro

Earth Wind and Fire: Razor Girl by Carl Hiaasen (Yes, this one's a bit of a stretch...)

What your Parents Read:Travels with my Aunt by Graham Greene

Wow. Nice. One word title: Thinner by Stephen King

What everyone else was reading: Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal

Book by a Local Author: Beach Music by Pat Conroy

Counting your chickens – A book with a number in the title:The Two Minute Rule by Robert Crais

Steady there, cowboy: a western: Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

Out of the Park on First at Bat: A debut: Wise Blood by Flannery O’Connor

Chances Are: (Number 99) The Ginger Man by J.P. Donleavy

Support the Home Team: Due Diligence by Anna Zabo

[oneblindmouse]

Here goes my list, subject to changes:

Support your home team. The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood. I already started.

Feast your ears. (audiobook). Birdsong by Sebastian Faulkes. I only discovered this author a month or two ago and absolutely love what he writes.

Who was that again? Elfrida, the first crowned queen of England
by Elizabeth Norton. I love history and this looks absolutely fascinating, about a period I know nothing about.

Halcyon Days Devil Water by Anya Seton. I loved this book when I first read it, but can't remember it now, so it'll be fun to read it again.

East meets West - The Daughter of the River by Ying Hong or alternatively Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, which is much longer, so we'll see whether I have time to read it.

I've met them! The Red Sari by Javier Moro.

Loose Ends - Bright Tapestry by Margaret Pearson. I gave up about half-way through and I'm deterined to finish it.

Step by step -How to outwit Aristotle and 34 other really interesting uses of philosophy
by Peter Cave.

Earth, wind and fire -The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt's New World
by Andrea Wulf. This looks long but interesting, and I didn't get around to reading it last Year.

Crossing the colour line -A House for Mr Biswas by V. S. Naipaul.

Holy Moly -The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchells.

What your great grandparents read - Episodios Nacionales: Trafalgar. Benito Pérez Galdós.

And if I was feeling truly ambitious I'd love to read The Pickwick Papers ​by Charles Dickens, but I don't see that happening.

[bearilou]

Oh I have to do this. done!

1. East meets West: Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa
2. What your parents read: Armageddon by Leon Uris
3. Out of this world: Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks.
4. Chances are: Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock
5. What you read: Stuart Little by E. B. White
6. No Cliff Notes this time: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
7. Lol random: Astral Worship by J.H. Hill
8. Halcyon days: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
9. What everyone else was reading: The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk
10. Be your own boss: Starship's Mage: Omnibus: (Starship's Mage Book 1) by Glynn Stewart
11. Support the home team: Carnacki: Heaven and Hell by William Meikle
12. Ye olde booke shoppe: The Monk: A Romance by Matthew Gregory Lewis

[Chris P]

It's great to see so many people rising to the challenge! This is exciting.

I'm about 20% into White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg. That's actually about 40% of the reading material because almost half of the book is reference citations and the index. It has a great set up, but so far has been mostly reporting what various historical figures have said about class structure instead of about the characteristics of the classes themselves. I was expecting more facts and figures about class culture, but to be fair such facts and figures probably don't exist for the "waste people" (a term Isenberg borrows from history) the book is about. I'm only up to the early 1800s so perhaps this changes as we approach the modern age and the sociology of the times improve.

I'm hoping Isenberg goes deeper into the subject of class values and culture. For example, impoverished whites don't have stereotypically large families simply because Oglethorpe, the founder of Georgia, thought they should so the colony could raise an army to defend against Spanish invasion from Florida or (after 1750) to suppress slave rebellions. There had to have been an existing culture of large families (for whatever reason) for him to exploit.

I don't envy the author. She walks a fine line between collecting enough evidence to say something meaningful about an entire class of people and slipping into stereotyping. Perhaps that's why I feel like she's holding back a bit.

This is an important topic to me, so sorry if I've gone on a bit

[Jason]

Totally onboard for this (was already planning a goal something like this in the tail end of 2016). Not sorted those from my list here:

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/show...d-Reading-quot

but will pick 12 out (and possibly add a few, some of these criteria/topics weren't met in my other one)

Right now I am hip deep in the middle of Frankenstein by Shelley. Nearly abandoned it 20% in, but had nothing else to do on a plane home from the holidays, so powered on and it finally got good. Lots of painful reading through long sentences and horrible construction by todays standards. Some great moments and "quoteable quotes" thus far, but very heady reading. Not sure why it's a "classic" thus far. Is it because of the common obtuse references to things like beauty, knowledge, life and death, etc.? Remains to be seen, but I am gonna persevere! LOL

[Chris P]

Jason, I see a lot of yours that will fit in these categories. Much Ado About Nothing? Before 1700. Frankenstein? Either one-word title or written more than 100 years before you were born.

Of course the challenge can be tailored to anyone's needs. Want to do more than 12? Feel free! Tweak the topic? Fair game!

[cmhbob]

I've said several times that I need to read more. This is a good prompt for me. List forthcoming, somehow.

[oneblindmouse]

I've revised my list as I'd confused AW with Goodreads, where Margaret Atwood IS a writer. So my list is now as follows:

Support your home team - Ageless erotica: an anthology by Joan Price. One of the authors is definitely an AWer.


Feast your ears - audiobook. Birdsong by Sebastian Faulkes.


Who was that again? Elfrida, the first crowned queen of England, by Elizabeth Norton.


Halcyon Days - Devil Water by Anya Seton.


East Meets West - A Daughter of the River by Ying Yong, OR Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts.


I've met them! - The Red Sari by Javier Moro.


Loose ends - Bright Tapestry by Margaret Pearson.


Step-by-step, a how-to book. How to Outwit Aristotle and 34 other really interesting uses of philosophy by Peter Cave.


Earth, wind and fire. The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humbolt's new World by Andrea Wulf.


Crossing the colour line - A House for Mr Biswas by V. S. Naipaul.


Holy Moly - The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchells.


What your great grandparents read: Episodios Nacionales: Trafalgar. By Benito Pérez Galdós.
Halcyon Days - Devil Water by Anya Seton.

[Chris P]

oneblindmouse: Lol. I wondered if I'd missed something about Margaret Atwood. I thought I was going to have to troll everyone to find out which user she was!

[oneblindmouse]

oneblindmouse: Lol. I wondered if I'd missed something about Margaret Atwood. I thought I was going to have to troll everyone to find out which user she was!

Sorry about that. My bad, as they say nowadays. Fired by enthusiasm at the wonderful array of choices, I got my websites in a twist.

[mrsmig]

Done! I have no doubt something on this list may change - I seem to be heavy on non-fiction titles - but I've got them added to my Amazon Wish List and am ready to get started!

1. What your parents read: PEYTON PLACE by Grace Metalious
2. Still time for more chapters: PATTI LUPONE: A MEMOIR by Patti LuPone
3. Tuesdays with Balaam’s Ass: THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX by Kate DiCamillo
4. Chances are: BLOOD MERIDIAN by Cormac McCarthy
5. Earth, Wind, & Fire: CASCADIA'S FAULT by Jerry Thompson
6. Step by step: HOW TO FIGHT A BEAR AND WIN AND OTHER SURVIVAL TIPS YOU'LL HOPEFULLY NEVER NEED by Bathroom Readers' Institute
7. Revenge of the nerds: SILENT WITNESSES: THE OFTEN GRUESOME BUT ALWAYS FASCINATING HISTORY OF FORENSIC SCIENCE by Nigel McCrery
8. Out of the park on first at bat: THE SHEPHERD'S LIFE by James Rebanks
9. You might also like. . . : NORSE MYTHOLOGY by Neil Gaiman
10. Support the home team: A DANGEROUS FICTION by Barbara Rogan
11. Three-color mythology: THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN by Moore/O'Neill
12. Loose ends: HOW TO READ WATER by Tristan Gooley

[Helix]

I've just finished Earth Dance by Oka Rusmini and am half-way through both Soul of an Octopus (Sy Montgomery) and Golden Hill (Francis Spufford).

I thought it was time that I read some novels from Indonesia, one of our closest neighbours. Unfortunately, there are relatively few with English translations, but I bought every one I could find. Earth Dance is a short but intricate story about Balinese society and the gaining and abandoning of status within it through four generations of women. Balinese culture is so complex and nuanced that I don't think I can do this book justice in a brief description. It's given me a lot to think about -- not only in the subject matter and the glimpses into society, but also the structure of the story (multiple foci, shifting back and forth in time, vignettes). I'm looking forward to the next Indonesian book on the list, This Earth of Mankind, which is quite a different kind of novel.

[Chris P]

Helix, you've got me interested in your Indonesian selections. I know so little about that part of the world. I tend to lump it in with Asia (which I still know little about), but I'm sure I would be completely surprised at how different it is.

I will probably finish White Trash: The 400-Year Untold Story of Class in America today. A more descriptive subtitle I think would be "How People Have Perceived the American Lower Class." I was expecting Isenberg to go deeper into what the lower classes experience and their culture. She rarely goes beyond describing the stereotypes laid on them by the upper classes and media. White trash who've "done well," such as Elvis Presley and the occasional governor or senator, are mentioned in passing but there isn't (yet) any discussion of what it was like for them. You know, that's what's missing: accounts of the lower classes speaking for themselves. Shoot, there isn't even a discussion of America's most famous white trash fiction protagonist: Huckleberry Finn. That book is all about social classes.