Challenge

I am on about book number four or five so far this year and have lots of books that I already have lined up to read. Despite that, I have been tempted by Sarah’s reading challenge over at her blog. It is open to all, so feel free to join in too.

It is as follows:

Ten books, one from each category. Some books would fit more than one category making it ridiculously easy: so no crossovers within the challenge! Ten unique and distinct books are required.

1. A book that has been previously abandoned

2. A re-read. Didn’t quite get it/thought there was more/made promise to self to re-read? Time to make good.

3. A book that has sat on the shelf, like, forever. (Decades.)

4. A book that paralyses one with dread.

5. Investigate a canonical writer hitherto most shamefully overlooked.

6. Seek out a book by an author who has earned ostracism by being so good that any further novel could surely never measure up…?

7. And the opposite… That author who was supposed to be really good, but didn’t go down too well? Give him/her another go!

8. Take a chance. Read a book which you would rather not. For instance when the OH says ‘you’ll really like this’ and you’re thinking ‘no, I really won’t…’

9. A book from an unfamiliar genre.

10. Ask a friend (preferably a person of impeccable taste, and definitely not someone who might have an axe to grind) to choose a book that you will, in their opinion, like. (This does not mean ask a dozen people until you get the right answer!)

I am still pondering some of the books to read, but some thoughts so far are:

2.On the Road by Jack Kerouac
3.Crime and Punishment – Dostoevsky
4.Possibly some Samuel Beckett
9. Neuromancer – William Gibson (borrowed from the library yesterday)
10. One Day – David Nicholls (a colleague recommended this to me the other day. I did say I had seen Deirdre Barlow reading it on Coronation Street once, which had slightly put me off, but she is going to lend me her copy anyway.

That’s about half the list so there is still much thinking to do.