Beastmomma

There are lots of books calling to be read in my apartment and participating in challenges seems to be a good way for me to fulfill that request.  At least that is what I am telling myself as I continue to sign up for challenges.  This particular challenge came to my attention from the blogger at A Life in Books. (Now that woman is a reading and challenge machine!)

 The Chunkster Challege is certainly not for the faint of heart.  Here are the rules from the coordinator's blog:

• To qualify the book must be 450 pps regular type OR 750 pps large text.
• You must read FOUR chunksters (one each quarter), you OBVIOUSLY may read more
• The Challenge will run Jan 7th, 2008 - Dec 20th, 2008 (the only chunky thing occupying my mind over Christmas is ME! AND I am using my foresight remembering my inbox on Dec 31st/ Jan 1 of THIS year when all the challenges ended). BUT any chunkster started after Jan 1 qualifies.
• OH THERE WILL BE PRIZES - one a quarter.  Prizes to be determined later ( so making the rules on the fly here, peeps). Think small and fun, not big and chunky.
• Sharing reviews mandatory, format still to be determined.
• Join by leaving me a WEE comment.  I will work on a list of active participants to be shared here. There is a sign-up deadline of March 1st, so tell your friends and neighbors but only until then.
• DID say one book a quarter, but you can actually read them any time at all.  I just said that to show how doable the challenge really is.
• You don't have to make a set list--or you can and you can change it later--no big deal
• A large volume of compiled work (such as LOTR in one volume) TOTALLY COUNTS
• Please by all means DO cross-over with other challenges.
• and no, one 1,500 page bok doesn't count as three chunksters (hee hee, Maria!)
• To sign up, leave a comment here.
• Once you have completed the challenge, you can leave your reviews here.

From looking at the reviews, I already feel behind.  Good thing I can cross-over books with other challenges.  Anyway, here is my list:

1. Wind Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami. Hooray! I finished my first book for the challenge and my review is here.
2. What the Body Remembers by Shauna Singh Baldwin. I finished my third book for this challenge on November 14th.  My review is here.
3. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb. I am at the halfway point! My review is here.
4. Cities of the Interior by Anais Nin

As I finish, the selection will be bolded and I will post a link to my review.

Even though I have still not finished all the books for the last reading challenge I decided to join, I decided to join another one.  This one is hosted by Annie; she is only ten years old and deserves some props.  You can read all the reviews that participants have written here. I am giving her props by participating. Here are the rules:

1. Dates: January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008
   
   The Challenge: Choose one book from each of the following categories.
   
   1. A book with a color in its title.
   2. A book with an animal in its title. 
2. 3. A book with a first name in its title.
   4. A book with a place in its title.
   5. A book with a weather event in its title.
   6. A book with a plant in its title.
3. 
   --You may overlap books with other challenges, but please don't use the same book for more than one category. (For example, you can use The Red Pony for either a "color" book or an "animal" book, but not for both.)
   

Here are my selections:

1. 1. Color: My Life in Orange by Tim Guest. I decided to swap in of White Oleander by Janet Finch.  You can find my review here.
2. 2. Animal: Wind Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami. I would not have guessed that the first book I finished for this challenge would be the one about an animal. You can read my review here.
3. 3. Name: Ali and Nino by Kurban Said. I decided to swap in St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell. My review is here.
4. 4. Weather: The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger. I decided to swap in House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III. My review is here.
5. 5. Place: Pilgrimage to India by Pramila Jayapala I decided to swap in My War: Killing Time in Iraq by Colby Buzzell.  My review is here.
6. 6. Plant: Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant by Jenni Ferrari-Adler. This book was so nice to read. I moved from animals to plants.  You can read my review here.

Alternate Title: A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Thanks to Karen, I learned about an online reading challenge.  I am going to participate in the Armchair Traveler Reading Challenge.  Here are the basic rules:

If you’re interested in joining, here are the guidelines:

• The challenge runs from July 1 through December 31 during which time you must read six books that fall under the ‘armchair traveling’ theme.
• Fiction or non-fiction works are fine, and do not need to be specifically travel related, as long as the location is integral to the book - I’ll leave that to your discretion. Locations must be actual places that you could visit, so no Middle Earths or galaxies far, far away.
• Books may be cross-posted to other challenges, but you cannot count any books read prior to July 1st.
• To join, make a post outlining your six choices and link to that post below. Because I like to have a little wiggle room, you can opt to switch out books throughout the challenge.
• And yes, there will be prizes!

I went through my bookshelf and pulled out six books which meet the criteria that I have not yet read.  Although, I did get some great suggestions for folks for alternates in case I get bored or want to treat myself to another book.  For now, here are my six gems: (Bolded titles are complete)

• What the Body Remembers (India as it is dividing into India and Pakistan) by Shauna Singh Baldwin
• The Chin Kiss King (Cuba and Miami) by Ana Vecianna Suarez
• The Enigma of Arrival (Trinidad and England) by V.S. Naipaul
• Memoirs from the Women's Prison (Egypt) by Nawal El Saadawi, translated by Marilyn Booth. Here is my review.
• A Walk In the Woods (Appalachian Trial, United States) by Bill Bryson
• Midnight's Children (India as it is becomes an independent country) by Salman Rushdie. I actually hope to complete this book. 
• The Nanny Diaries (New York, USA) by Emma McClaughlin and Nicola Kraus.  Here is my review.

From looking at this list, I also realize that all of these books were presents; I got them as gifts from people who thought that I would enjoy the story.  It's so exciting to still be unrwapping gifts years later.