2019 Reading Challenges
Hooray for a new year of reading! Last year I participated in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge and enjoyed it so much I’m doing it again this year. Let’s quickly look back to last year’s challenge and see how I did.
A Classic You’ve Been Meaning to Read: Emma by Jane Austen. Emma (the character) infuriated me. I wanted to send her to time out for a very, very long time.
A book recommended by someone with great taste: Bread & Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table by Shawna Niequist.
A book in translation: I planned to read The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery but never got around to it.
A book nominated for an award in 2018: Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey. A good read!
A book of poetry, a play, or an essay collection: The Singer by Calvin Miller.
A book you can read in a day: I’d Rather Be Reading by Modern Mrs. Darcy (Anne Bogel) herself! What a fun read for book lovers!
A book that’s more than 500 pages: I had hoped to read The Civil War – From Fort Sumter to Perryville by Shelby Foote (I’d love to read all three volumes. This is the first of the three-book set.) Sadly I didn’t get this one read, and apparently I didn’t read any other books over 500 pages.
A book by a favorite author: Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny. One of my favorite memories of 2018 was getting to meet Louise Penny at a book signing in Tallahassee, Florida!!! She’s one of my favorite authors ever, and I savor every book she writes!
A book recommended by a librarian or indie bookseller: Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger. Discover which indie bookstore made this recommendation HERE!
A banned book: I had planned to read Catch-22 by Joseph Heller but I never got my hands on it. Instead I read A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. I know a lot of people love this book, but it was one of my LEAST favorites of the year!
A memoir, biography, or book of creative nonfiction: I had planned to read Fields of Battle: Pearl Harbor, the Rose Bowl, and the Boys Who Went to War by Brian Curtis. Somehow I never got around to reading this one, but I DID read Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover. This one was a tough read, I don’t typically like memoirs, and I didn’t especially like it, but I’m still thinking about it. So there’s that!
A book by an author of a different race, ethnicity, or religion than your own: The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride
So overall I think I did pretty well! I complete 10 out of this 12 categories! I’m bummed that I didn’t read a book in translation, but I have good news! It’s on this year’s list too, so I get a second chance!
Here are the categories for the 2019 challenge and possible books for some of the categories:
A book you’ve been meaning to read: Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle East by Scott Anderson. **
A book about a topic that fascinates you: At Home in the World by Tsh Oxenreider. ** (Travel being the topic that fascinates me.)
A book in the backlist of a favorite author:
A book recommended by someone with great taste:
Three books by the same author:
A book you chose for the cover:
A book by an author who is new to you: Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz. **
A book in translation: The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. ** (Second time’s the charm, right?!?
A book outside your (genre) comfort zone: The Forgotten Jesus: How Western Christians Should Follow an Eastern Rabbi by Robby Gallaty. I don’t typically read books as deep as I think this one will be.
A book published before you were born:
4 thoughts on “2019 Reading Challenges”
Hi doll, one of the challenges I followed last year had us reading a book published the year we were born. Sadly, nothing written on papyrus was ever officially published, so I had a tough time with that prompt. You are much younger so it should be easier for you!
I am glad that I am not the only one who wasn’t mad for A Wrinkle in Time. I thought it was a difficult story to follow and I listened to it! Can’t imagine being 10 or 12 and trying to READ it. Ugh. In my opinion, some of the books that were once classics and relateable are no longer. Even the movie proved to be a box office bust. And that with Oprah at the helm.
Happy 2019 and happy reading!
You’re so funny, Leslie! You ancient woman, you! I feel better knowing that you agree with me on Wrinkle!
So since I’m your friend with great taste 😉 have you read “Before We Were Yours”? That was an excellent book that has stuck with me for almost a year now!
Before We Were Yours was a fantastic book! But, BOY did it pack an emotional punch! Yes, it’s one of those that sticks with you, for sure.