BW8: G is for Greece

Hotel "Homeric Poems", Firostefani, Santorini.
Courtesy of Klearchos Kapoutsis

Our armchair travels take us this week to Greece.What do you think of first when you think of Greece.  The architecture, art, theatre, mythology, or  the great philosophers? One of my favorite paintings is The School of Athens by Raphael.

School of Athens by Raphael

When we think of ancient Greece, we think of the philosophers Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.   Plato learned from Socrates and continued his ideas when he died and started his own school. Aristotle learned from Plato.  Who did Socrates learn from.   The first Greek philosopher and scientist who became known as the founder of philosophy was Thales of Miletus.  He was one of the Seven Sages of Greece. The sages were 7 men who were statesmen, lawgivers and philosophers known for their wisdom and responsible for such sayings as:

Solon of Athens - "Nothing in excess"
Chilon of Sparta - "Know thyself"
Thales of Miletus - "To bring surety brings ruin"
Bias of Priene - "Too many workers spoil the work"
Cleobulus of Lindos - "Moderation is the chief good"
Pittacus of Mitylene - "Know thine opportunity"
Periander of Corinth - "Forethought in all things"

From the ancient Illiad and the Odyssey to the modern, there is a wide array of books about Greece or set in Greece.   I'm not in the mood to read ancient literature this week so let's go in search for something modern, entertaining.   Our starting point since it's the only book I can think of is Zorba the Greek. 

Discovered it was written by Nikos Kazantzakis, who had a very interesting life.  In addition to Zorba, his works include:  The Last Temptation of Christ which actually sounds intriguing and nearly got him excommunicated from the Greek Orthodox Church. Plus he wrote a new Odyssey which picks up where Homer left off.   

Discovered through Matt Barrett's Travel Guides is an interesting book called Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture: A Novel of Mathematical Obsession by Apostolos Doxiadis.

On Packabook's post about Through the World Party Reading Challenge, discovered (how could I have forgotten about this one) Corelli's Mandolin.  Remember the movie, Captain Corelli's Mandolin with Nicholas Cage and Penelope Cruz.  Yeah, I forgot about it too.   It is an adaptation from the movie.  Haven't seen it yet, although I'm a Nicholas Cage fan. Packabook has some other great suggestions, so go check it out. 


Crime Writer Paul Johnston has written a new series set in Greece:  Crying Blue Murder, The Last Red Death, and the Golden Silence.

I'm finding all kinds of cool books including the debut novel of Gary Corby called The Pericles Commission about a murder mystery in ancient Athens which looks quite interesting and it's available in book or e-book.   



And for all things Greek - travel, food, history, politics, languages and customs check out these books on Matt Barrett's Travel Guide.   

My poor wish list is starting to creak and groan from all the books I've added today. 


Your goal this week - do some armchair traveling and discover Greece.  Check out the books I listed or do your own search. You just may be surprised and pleased with what you find. 

Authors Birthdays this Week - Choose one and read one of their books in honor of their birthday.

• 01-20 Sylvie Kurtz
• 01-20 William Bayer
• 01-21 Anais Nin
• 01-22 Sean O'Faolain
• 01-23 W.E.B. DuBois
• 01-24 Rupert Holmes
• 01-25 Frank Bonham
• 01-26 Elizabeth George
• 01-26 Victor Hugo

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Link to your reviews:  No matter what book you are on, whether it is 3, 6, 8 or 12 link to your reviews here. Please include the name of the book or multi if you have multiple reviews in parentheses after your name.  Link to the specific review or just your general url if you have multiple reviews.  

Please note: Mr. Linky will be doing maintenance and upgrading starting on February 23rd, so may be unable to link temporarily. 

BW 7: F is for Frost

I'm currently working on my short story final and having computer issues as well so will leave you with a lovely poem by Robert Frost, one of my favorite poets.

The Road Not Taken 

Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

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Link to your reviews:

BW6: E is for Essays

Michel de Montaigne

Essays?  What exactly are they and what genre do they fit into and why do we care?  I think in the quest for self enlightenment and education, it's imperative we expose ourselves (not literally, but literarily -  *grin*) to all forms of literature and ideas.   Surprisingly, when I first started thinking about the idea of essays, I went on line and found very little. The search for essay brought up scores of hits on how to write an essay. I grabbed my newish 2003 World book encyclopedia and found nothing in the E book about Essays.  Hmm!   Delved into our trusty old 1958 edition and found plenty of information.  Once I did my research the old fashioned way, I had plenty of information to use to research online. Sometimes you just have to ask the right question.

In an old book I found on the shelves called "Junior Modern Essays" selected and edited by Guy N. Pocock, I found this explanation which I just loved:

"Literally it means "an attempt"--a shot at hitting the mark--a blow on the head of the literary nail that pins an idea into permanence.  Your essay may be compressed or diffuse, terse or discursive, grave or gay--but in every instance it is a literary gadget--a cameo-a frog in amber-or whatever small, clear-cut, and finished object you care to compare it to.  It belongs to a different plane from that of the great literary forms--the drama, the novel or the epic, and it is in prose rather what the lyric is in poetry."

The essay gained its name as a literary form in the renaissance period with Michel de Montaigne, a french writer who called his written conversations essai which means "an attempt" or "to try".   Sir Francis Bacon was responsible for the first works in English to be named Essays. Essayist Sir Richard Steele launched the first periodical dedicated to essays in "The Tatler" in the 1700's  and later on "The Spectator" which he co-authored with Joseph Addison.  

In the early 1800's, many periodicals began demanding essays to fill their pages. Soon authors began producing essays such a Charles Lamb, William Hazlitt, followed by American essayists Matthew Arnold, Thomas Henry Huxley, John Cardinal Newman and Robert Louis Stevenson to name a few.  Among the British essayists were G.K. Chesterton, Aldous Huxley and Virginia Woolf.   I found a  list of essayists on Wikipedia which seems pretty accurate. Explore at your own risk. 

My challenge for you this month.  Check out the list, read an essay or two and tell me what you think.  The Well Educated Mind challenge suggests you read Michel de Montaigne. His works may be found online and/or in ebook format available at your online resources for free such as Project Gutenberg.   May I suggest:


Margaret Atwood's Negotiating with the Dead: A Writer on writing

John Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding

Alexander Pope's An Essay On Man 


Charles Lamb's Essays of Elia

John Dryden's Essay of Dramatick Poesie


Andrew Lang's Essays in LIttle


G.K. Chesterton's Utopia of Usurers and other Essays

Ralph Waldo Emerson's Essays

Oliver Wendell Holmes's The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table 

Edgar Allan Poe's Philosophy of Furniture 

When I am attacked by gloomy thoughts, nothing helps me so much as running to my books. They quickly absorb me and banish the clouds from my mind.

- Michel De Montaigne

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Link to your reviews

BW5: D is for Dekker

Ted Dekker

I discovered Ted Dekker a few years back. I've never been into horror but love psychological and supernatural thrillers. I came across THR3E in the bookstore, read the back cover and was intrigued:

Synopsis: Kevin Parson is driving his car late one summer day when, suddenly, his cell phone rings. A man who identifies himself as Slater speaks in a breathy voice: You have exactly three minutes to confess your sin to the world. Refuse, and the car you’re driving will blow sky high.

Kevin panics. Who would make such a call? What sin? Kevin ditches the car. Precisely three minutes later, a massive explosion sets his world on a collision course with madness.

THR3E started my like affair with Ted Dekker and I've read most of his books, but not all.  Some I just haven't brought myself to read...yet.  He's multifaceted and has written fantasy, thrillers, supernatural thrillers, horror and mystery.   Good versus evil, angels versus demons, faith versus power, chilling villains and alternate worlds.   Some stories will cause a visceral reaction as your heart races and goose bumps spread across your skin and your imagination takes off. And others you read with bated breath, wondering what is going to happen next.  

THR3E lead me to the Paradise series: Showdown, Saint and Sinner which revolved around the small town of Paradise, a mysteries stranger by the name of Marsuvees Black and a group of children living in a hidden monastary deep in the hills. It is a showdown between good and evil. 

Then to the Blessed series about a innocent young child with the power of God and the fight to protect him:  Blessed Child and The Man Called Blessed written with Bill Bright.

Then I discovered the fantasy world of Thomas Hunter in the Circle series: Black, Red,  White and the one I'm about to start reading now Green.  It's been a while since I read the first three and I debated going back and rereading them, but decided not to.  It is consider the prequel to Black and the sequel to White if that makes any sense, bring the story full circle. According to Dekker:  "This is Book Zero, the Circle Reborn, both the beginning and the end."  

I just noticed the colors of the covers  for the first time and the significance - isn't that cool! 

And if you want to be truly scared out of your mind - read House co-written with Frank Peretti, the author of the spiritual warfare novels This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness.    It'll not only scare the pants off you, but make you want to sleep with the light on for a while.  

Ted Dekker (full bio here)  is the son of missionaries and was raised in the jungle among the headhunters of Indonesia. He studied philosophy and religion and after earning his bachelor's degree, worked in the corporate world for a while until becoming a full time writer in the late nineties.   His latest book The Priest's Graveyard will be released April 2011.  I can't wait. 

Two abandoned souls are on the hunt for one powerful man. Soon, their paths will cross and lead to one twisted fate.

Danny Hansen is a Bosnian immigrant who came to America with hopes of escaping haunted memories of a tragic war that took his mother's life. Now he's a priest who lives by a law of love and compassion. It is powerful men and hypocrites who abide by legal law but eschew the law of love that most incense Danny. As an avenging angel, he believes it is his duty to show them the error of their ways, at any cost.

Renee Gilmore is the frail and helpless victim of one such powerful man. Having escaped his clutches, she now lives only to satisfy justice by destroying him, regardless of whom she must become in that pursuit.

But when Danny and Renee's paths become inexorably entangled things go very, very badly and neither of them may make it out of this hunt alive.

Judge not, or you too will be judged.

Check out Ted's Library of books  or learn more about him on Facebook.   Read one of his books and I guarantee they will entertain, amaze, thrill and/or scare you. 

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Link to your reviews: Include the name of the book in parenthesis after your name or multi if linking to multiple reviews.

BW4: C is for Cinders

Cinders by Michelle Davidson Argyle

Have you ever wondered what happens after the "they lived happily ever after" part in fairy tales. Do they live happily ever after?   Is life care free and simple without any problems or worries?   Michelle Davidson Argyle explores that in her debut novella which continues Cinderella's story in "Cinders"

Back cover:  "Cinderella's happily ever after isn't turning out the way she expected. With her fairy godmother imprisoned in the castle and a mysterious stranger haunting her dreams, Cinderella is on her own to discover true love untainted by magic."

When Cinderella married the prince, he saved her from her stepmother and stepsisters and a life of drudgery.  However, the glow of her new life soon begins to wear off.   She had gotten what she wanted, so why wasn't she happy.   She began to wonder...  Does he really love her?  Would he love her without the enchantment spell?  Does she love him even though all she can think about is another. Life in the castle isn't always pleasant. She is determined to break the spell, but when she does, can she live with the unexpected consequences?

Michelle does an excellent job of wrapping a spell around you as you read the story and stays with you long after you've finished it.   I ended up reading it in one sitting, mulling over it for a while, then going back and rereading the last two chapters. Cinderella's story leaves an impression and is actually a bit unsettling.  It makes you think and leaves you wanting more.

Which is actually a good thing.    Michelle recently signed with Rhemalda publishing and will have two more novella coming out along the same lines as Cinders:  Thirds which will be a re-imagining of Grimm's fairy Tale "One Eye, Two Eyes, Three Eyes and Scales, a fairy tale prequel to Sleeping Beauty.    In September, her first novel "Monarch" will be released which I had the pleasure of beta reading during its first stages.  

Michelle is one of the many blogging authors I've follow and is one person I can say I knew her when.  She's a rising star so be sure to keep your eyes on her and check out Cinders.  I highly recommend it.    Check out her website for more information and her blog The Innocent Flower in which she talks about all things book related.  

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Link to your reviews:   Please link to your specific book review post and not your general blog link.  In the Your Name field, type in your name and the name of the book in parenthesis.  In the Your URL field leave a link to your specific post. If you have multiple reviews, then type in (multi) after your name and link to your general blog url. 

BW3: B is for Bronte

Anne Bronte

January 17, 1820 to May 28, 1849

Anne Bronte, the youngest sister of the Bronte sisters Emily and Charlotte.  She was also the youngest of 6 children born to Maria Branwell and Reverend Patrick Bronte.  After her mother's death, her aunt Elizabeth moved in to help Patrick raise her and her siblings:  Maria (1814-1825), Elizabeth (1815-1825), Charlotte (1816-1855), Patrick Branwell “Branwell” (1817-1848), and Emily (1818-1849). 

She wrote numerous poems and contributed to a book of poetry which was published in 1846 called "Poems by Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell.  The sisters used aliases to hide the fact the authors were female.  In 1847, Anne's first novel "Agnes Grey" was published under the alias Acton Bell.   In 1848, her 2nd novel "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" was introduced.   Unfortunately it was overshadowed by the the deaths of her brother Bramwell and sister Emily within two months of each other.     She died in 1849 at the age of 28 from tuberculosis. 

Memory

Brightly the sun of summer shone
Green fields and waving woods upon,
And soft winds wandered by;
Above, a sky of purest blue,
Around, bright flowers of loveliest hue,
Allured the gazer's eye.

But what were all these charms to me,
When one sweet breath of memory
Came gently wafting by?
I closed my eyes against the day,
And called my willing soul away,
From earth, and air, and sky;

That I might simply fancy there
One little flower--a primrose fair,
Just opening into sight;
As in the days of infancy,
An opening primrose seemed to me
A source of strange delight.

Sweet Memory! ever smile on me;
Nature's chief beauties spring from thee;
Oh, still thy tribute bring
Still make the golden crocus shine
Among the flowers the most divine,
The glory of the spring.

Still in the wallflower's fragrance dwell;
And hover round the slight bluebell,
My childhood's darling flower.
Smile on the little daisy still,
The buttercup's bright goblet fill
With all thy former power.

For ever hang thy dreamy spell
Round mountain star and heather bell,
And do not pass away
From sparkling frost, or wreathed snow,
And whisper when the wild winds blow,
Or rippling waters play.

Is childhood, then, so all divine?
Or Memory, is the glory thine,
That haloes thus the past?
Not ALL divine; its pangs of grief
(Although, perchance, their stay be brief)
Are bitter while they last.

Nor is the glory all thine own,
For on our earliest joys alone
That holy light is cast.
With such a ray, no spell of thine
Can make our later pleasures shine,
Though long ago they passed.

In honor of Anne Bronte's birthday, my challenge to you this week is to read either one of her stories and/or her poetry which can be found online and let me know what you think of them. 

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Link to your reviews:

Link to your most current read.  Please link to your specific book review post and not your general blog link.  In the Your Name field, type in your name and the name of the book in parenthesis.  In the Your URL field leave a link to your specific post. If you have multiple reviews, then type in (multi) after your name and link to your general blog url. 

If you don't have a blog, tell us about the books you are reading in the comment section.

 

BW 2: A is for Authors Who Blog

The blogosphere is a wonderful place, full of information and fascinating facts and ideas.  I've discovered it is also a great place to find out about books, the authors who write the books, books, the publishers who distribute the books, books and the online stores who sell the books, books and..... Well, you get it, books!  And if you have a passion for books like me, well then it a huge playground to romp around in. 

I follow a lot of authors. Some after I started reading their books.  Then, there are those who I heard about through book bloggers, checked out their blogs and loved the fact I could read excerpts of their books on their sites.  And if I loved their writing style, would buy one of their books.  Writing style is important to me.  It is what sells me on a story.  Does it grab me from the start or make me go 'meh.'   

Also, what sells me is the author themselves.  Are they friendly and warm and positive.  Or are they negative and whiny and self possessed.   I've come across some books I would have liked to read, but the author turned me off.   I know you are supposed to keep the author separate from their works.  The story is just a story and it is fiction after all but sometimes it is difficult to separate one from the other.  

Last year, since I read so books by authors who blog, joined in on a Blogging Author Reading Project.  I decided to keep the project going this year.  Go check it out and then come on back.   Over the past couple years, I've made friends with writers whose books debuted last year.  Of course, I had to read their books, no question about it.  They are in my stacks to read this year.   

Some great blogs I think you should check out this year are: 

Murderati  - a group blog of 14 mystery writers including Pari Noskin Taichert, Alafair Burke, Allison Brennan, Brett Battles, Cornelia Read, J.D. Rhoades, J.T. Ellison, Louise Ure, Robert Gregory Brown, Zoe Sharp, Toni McGee Causey, Stephen Jay Schwartz,  Alex Sokoloff and Tess Gerritsen.

The Deadline Dames - a group blog of paranormal romance authors including Devon Monk, Jackie Kessler, Jenna Black, Karen Mahoney, Keri Arthur, Lilith Saintcrow, Rachel Vincent, Rinda Elliot and Toni Andrews.

The Kill Zone - a group blog of mystery and thriller writers including Clare Langley, Hawthorne, Kathryn Lilley, Joe Moore, Nancy Cohen, Michelle Gagnon, Jordan Dane, John Gilstrap, Joe Hartlaub, John Ramsey Miller and James Scott Bell.   

These are just a few group blogs I've discovered and have been slowly making my way through reading their books.  Not a stinky one in the bunch.  Well worth following and checking out their books. 

What authors have you discovered online that made you decide to pick up and read on of their books?  

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Link to your current reviews

Please link to your specific book review post and not your general blog link.  In the Your Name field, type in your name and the name of the book in parenthesis.  In the Your URL field leave a link to your specific post. If you have multiple reviews, then type in (multi) after your name and link to your general blog url. 

If you don't have a blog, tell us about the books you are reading in the comment section.

 

Week one - The Journey begins

Happy New Year!  Are you ready for an awesome year of reading.   I certainly am.  I'm so glad you all are joining me for another ride around the world and welcome to everyone who is just deciding to join us.   See the picture above. It's an empty road waiting for you to tie those shoes on or put your foot on the accelerator and walk, run, drive, fly to new destinations.   I'm a bibliophile, a self professed bookworm.    Reading is my passion and as necessary to me as breathing.   I'm the type of person who gets cranky if I don't read - daily. I love books that entertain and enlighten, books that take you away, books that take you on a voyage - a mind voyage. I'd rather take a mind voyages and exploring new places, worlds, lives, people, rather than watch TV.  

The goal of the challenge is to read 52 books.  Ordinarily you'd think, okay I'll read at least one book a week and reach the goal. However, there are books that take longer than a week to read. And there are some books that can be read in two or three hours.    I'd hate to see anyone sacrifice quality for quantity by reading a short book just to make the goal for the week.  Read what you want, explore and dive into those longer books, engage your mind and soul and don't worry.  Do your best and challenge yourself and see what happens. 

There are many different challenges built in to satisfy just about everyone.  There are a few links under the header which will introduce you to some different challenges:  Armchair Traveler, Ireland Reading Challenge, Jane Austen, Mind Voyages and Well Educated Mind.  There are plenty of links for you to explore under each header.  Over the year, I'll be adding more links when I come across interesting books in the categories.  There will also be some mini weekly challenges that will be coming up. Your choice if you want to participate or not.   I'll be shamelessly borrowing from other challenges around the blogosphere presenting you with ideas for books to read as we go along.  If you want to read classics and they're huge chunksters, then shoot for 12 classics in 12 months.  If you only want to read Science Fiction and Fantasy, then dive in to a Mind Voyage and journey around the planets.   

So, let's take a journey together and see where it takes us this year.   

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Link to your current reviews:

Please link to your specific book review post and not your general blog link.  In the Your Name field, type in your name and the name of the book in parenthesis.  In the Your URL field leave a link to your specific post. If you have multiple reviews, then it will be find to link to your general blog url.  

Please note:  keep in mind  that we have all ages involved in the challenge, so please keep your reviews clean.  If I come across any link that is not appropriate (vulgar language, x-rated, that type of thing)  it will be deleted. 

If you don't have a blog, tell us about the books you are reading in the comment section.

2011 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge

 Welcome to the 2011 Read 52 Books in 52 Week Challenge

(also the new home for Mind Voyages participants)

>The rules are very simple and the goal is to read one book (at least) a week for 52 weeks.

1. The challenge will run from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. 
2. Our book weeks will begin on Sunday.  
3. Participants may join at any time.
4. All books are acceptable except children books.**
5. All forms of books are acceptable including e-books, audio books, etc.
6. Re-reads are acceptable as long as they are read after January 1, 2011.
7. Books may overlap other challenges.
   
8. Create an entry post linking to this blog. 
9. Come back and sign up with Mr. Linky in the "I'm participating post" below this post.
10. You don't have a blog to participate.  Post your weekly book in the comments section of each weekly post.  
11. Mr. Linky will be added to the bottom of the weekly post for you to link to reviews of your most current reads. 

All the mini challenges are optional. Mix it up anyway you like. The goal is to read 52 books. How you get there is up to you. 

**in reference to children books. If it is a child whose reading it and involved in the challenge, then that's okay.  If an adult is doing read aloud with kids, the book should be geared for the 9 - 12 age group and above and over 100 pages. If adult reading for own enjoyment, then a good rule of thumb to go by "is there some complexity to the story or is it too simple?"  If it's too simple, then doesn't count.  

Book Week 52 - Z for for Zip

Hello my darlings!  We are down to the last week.  Our year has just flown by, it seems to have just zipped on by.   I discovered some amazing books and authors this year as well as came across a few snoozers.  I had fun in the process and my wish list grew by leaps and bounds.  Many new and interesting books to choose from in 2011.  So how did you do?

Did you reach the goal of 52 books?:

If you didn't, how many did you manage to read?:

What was the last book you read?:

Did you read from a list and fly by the seat of your pants choosing a different book each week?:

Did you learn something new about yourself, an author, an topic?:

How many classics did you read?:

Did you discover a new author or genre?  Did you love them or hate them?

Name your top ten favorite reads:

Name your bottom ten least favorite reads:

Name a book you simply could not finish:

Name a book you expected to like but didn't:

Name a book you expected to not like but did:

Thank you to everybody who joined in and to those who have been following our progress. No matter how many books you read this year, you succeeded in the challenge.  If you discovered something new or a new to you author or just enjoyed your reading time then I would call that a success. There aren't any failures in reading challenges.

I had a lot of fun, hope you did too and next year will be even more of a blast.  If there are any topics or books or mini challenges you'd like to see added, please let me know. 

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Link to your last book and/or your wrap up post for the year:

I'm participating in 2011

 Sign up to participate with Mr. Linky.

2011 Read 52 books in 52 Weeks

Sticky Post: Scroll down for current posts

2011 52 Books in 52 Weeks Reading Challenge

This past year has been awesome and I've had lots of fun.  2011 is almost upon us and time to start thinking about new goals.  Are you ready for another year and challenging yourself to read 52 books in 52 weeks.   

I am going to spice it up a bit this year and blend in several mini challenges, including the Mind Voyages challenge I created in 2010.   I worked rather hard to create the Mind Voyages blog and don't want to see it go to waste. So the blog will remain up so folks can refer to the links for their voyages.  All the mini challenges are optional and offered to help you meet the 52 books goal.  


1)  Mind Voyages is a science fiction / fantasy challenge to explore the hugo and nebula winners, take side trips through the different decades reading the nominees, check out Philip K. Dick and Robert Heinlein.   Also, Since I can't  possibly imagine a reading challenge without exploring new releases that come out in 2011, we have the all inclusive Pluto challenge. Links to all the voyages are available on the Mind Voyages blog.  

Moon Voyage :  Read at least 6 winners on the Hugo Winners List

Sling shot back to Earth:  Read at least  3 winners on the Nebula Winner's List

Venus Voyage:   Philip K. Dick Quest  - Read at least 2 of his books

Mercury  Voyage:   Robert Heinlein Quest - Read at least 2 of his books

Mars Voyage:   Read at least 6 winners on the Hugo List and take a side trip through the 21st century and read at least 4 nominees.

Go into Warp Drive and visit the other planets

Jupiter Voyage:   Go side tripping 90's Style

Saturn:  Go Side Tripping 80's Style

Uranus: Go Side Tripping 70's Style

Neptune Voyage:  Go Side Tripping through the 50's and 60's

The I'm going to Pluto because Pluto is still a planet as far as I'm concerned Voyage:   Mix it up, choose the number of books you want to read from each voyage, include some new books you pick up along the way and enjoy the ride. 

2)  Read around the World:   I probably did read around the world last year but didn't pay much attention. So this year I'm paying attention to setting. Keep track of where the story takes place and see how many places you end up. 

3)  Ireland Reading Challenge: or just stick with one country such as Ireland and read books set in Ireland, written by Irish Authors or with an Irish theme. Pick 2, 4, 6, or 12 books to read.

4) Jane Austen Mini Challenge: Read Jane Austen's books -Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion. All can be found online here.

5)  Well Educated Mind Mini Challenge:  The Well Educated Mind written by Susan Wise Bauer is a guide to reading the great works.  Read 3 books from each category: Fiction, autobiography, history, drama and poetry.  

6) New Author Mini Challenge:   Read at least one new to you author per month.

7) Try a new genre challenge: Read at least one book in a genre you've never tried before. 

8)  E-Book reading challenge:   read at least 3, 6, 9, or 12 e-books this year. 

9)  Chunkster Challenge:  Chunksters are considered books that are over 500 pages in length.  Read one chunkster a month.  

10)  Read 12 classics in 12 months 

A new year, a fresh slate.  Time to discover some new friends and rediscover some old friends. Make the challenge as easy and casual as you want or spice it up and challenge yourself. Explore a bit, but most of all have fun.  

The rules are very simple and the goal is to read one book (at least) a week for 52 weeks. 

1. The challenge will run from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. 
2. Our book weeks will begin on Sunday.  
3. Participants may join at any time.
4. All forms of books are acceptable including e-books, audio books, etc.
5. Re-reads are acceptable as long as they are read after January 1, 2011.
6. Books may overlap other challenges.
   
7. Create an entry post linking to this blog. 
8. Come back and sign up with Mr. Linky in the "I'm participating post" below this post.
9. You don't have a blog to participate.  Post your weekly book in the comments section.
10. Mr. Linky will be added to the bottom of the weekly post for you to link to reviews of your most current reads. 

I'll be changing the header and modify the theme a bit, so don't mind the dust for the next couple weeks.