I'm giving in and joining Overdue Books' Winter Reading Challenge that I have been reading about (here and here). It is so tempting to join in on these challenges (and I have been trying to resist, honestly), but I thought this one would work well with my current reading plans and the upcoming Classics Challenge in 2007. The guidelines are simple:
"So for this challenge we would be reading 5 books that we have already purchased, have been meaning to get to, have been sitting on the nightstand and haven't read before. No going out and buying new books. No getting sidetracked by the lure of the holiday bookstore displays."
Seeing as I have plenty of these types of books, I might as well join in. The time frame is November 1 through January 30. I should have plenty of time to read five books (and still try and make serious dent in my current reading pile). I thought I could also incorporate in a book that would work for Kailana's Challenge as well.
After careful thought I have come up with six books (I couldn't quite narrow it down to five, so I have one extra). I am going to start with 1. A Long Long Way by Sebastian Barry (just in time for Veteran's Day), 2. Persuasion by Jane Austen (I was planning on reading this as one of my classics challenge books--am really looking forward to it), 3. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley (have wanted to read this for so long--must get to it finally!), 4. Women Sailors and Sailor's Women by David Cordingly (have to have a nonfiction), 5. Holy Fools by Joanne Harris, and lastly 6. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters (I couldn't decide between the last two...). I hate to admit how long some of these have been languishing on my shelves...So I finally get to start a new book (not to worry though, I will try hard not to get too distracted from the dwindling list)!
I believe there is a Christmas challenge in the works too! We'll soon need a Challengers Challenge...to remember which Challenges we are signed up for and what books we are intendign to read! LOL!
Posted by: Marg | November 06, 2006 at 04:56 PM
Yay! I'm glad you gave in :)
Posted by: Dorothy W. | November 06, 2006 at 07:33 PM
LOL I like Marg's comment!! It is sooo true!
Posted by: Heather | November 06, 2006 at 07:57 PM
Nice list! I gave in on the challenge too about a day after I swore to myself that I wouldn't do anymore challenges for the rest of the year!
Posted by: Stefanie | November 06, 2006 at 08:09 PM
lol Well put Marg
Nice list. I just read Persuasion over the summer and I have to say I wish that I read it earlier. Of course, now I want my own copy...
Posted by: sassymonkey | November 06, 2006 at 08:53 PM
Marg--I think readers (certainly me anyway) are only too happy to join an exchange if it means reading more books! :) Yes, I do need some way to keep them all straight!!
Dorothy--I wasn't going to until I saw this new one and figured I could incorporate other books into it as well!
Heather--Yes, very fitting, isn't it!
Stefanie--I said the same thing--Ha! :)
Sassy-Glad to hear you liked Persuasion. I want to read/reread all Austen's work this coming year! I was going to read them in order, but I really feel like reading this one now!
Posted by: Danielle | November 06, 2006 at 09:42 PM
Danielle you should know resistance *is* futile by now! :-) And challenges really are good for you - they focus your reading and make you analyse your TBR pile. (This is what I tell myself...)
Great list too! 'A Long Long Way' is good, if very, very sad; 'Persuasion' is Austen's most...erm...austere work but one of my favourites; 'The Mists of Avalon' is, as I've said a gazillion times, pure genius; and 'Fingersmith' is unputdownable - you should have it read in three days. :-)
Posted by: Victoria | November 07, 2006 at 03:31 AM
I've been thinking of joining. I like to think I regularly chip away at my own stack, and right now most of the ones there have massive page counts, that I think 5 would be unrealistic. But maybe...
Posted by: Isabella | November 07, 2006 at 08:02 AM
I couldn't resist this one either. I figure this will be a great way to make room for new books :)
Granted, now I'm seeing everyone else's lists and I'm adding more titles to the tbr list. sigh.
Posted by: iliana | November 07, 2006 at 08:23 AM
Great choices! You will love Persuasion (now my all-time favorite, replacing Jane Eyre) and The Mists of Avalon. After reading all the interesting lists everyone is putting together, I think I'm going to have to join in too...
Posted by: Susan | November 07, 2006 at 09:15 AM
I highly recommend Barry's A Long, Long Way. It topped my list in 2005. It was shortlisted for the Booker prize last year and, IMO, should have won. Look forward to hearing your thoughts on it.
Posted by: Ex Libris | November 07, 2006 at 09:50 AM
I figure that with this challenge if I read 5 and add 20, it's like one step forward and 4 back! Oh well, without the challenge it would have been 20 steps backward. I just added a couple from your list to my TBR list.
Posted by: booklogged | November 07, 2006 at 11:08 AM
Resistence is futile. Sounds like a good name for a challenge! I couldn't resist either and just posted my list.
Posted by: Les in NE | November 07, 2006 at 12:43 PM
Good list! Welcome to the list of those who just couldn't resist!
Posted by: Carl V. | November 07, 2006 at 01:34 PM
I gave in and joined up as well. And Holy Fools is one of my selections, too - I'll be curious to see what you think of it. Fingersmith is a fabulous book, one of my favorite reads from earlier this year.
Posted by: Lesley | November 07, 2006 at 01:40 PM
Love your list, Danielle and I look forward to reading your reviews. Jane Austen's "Persuasion" might go on my classics challenge list, let's see.
p.s. Did you get my e-mail about Margaret Atwood's "Penelopiad"?
Posted by: Lotus | November 10, 2006 at 06:00 AM