In line with all my objectives for 2012, I am going to keep this reasonable.
I originally intended taking on only one challenge for 2012, but that wouldn’t be reasonable – it would be puritan! So, without further ado, I’m signing up to the following:
1) European Reading Challenge (Hosted by Rose City Reader)
I wish to become a jet setting culture vulture! 1st pass through my TBR yielded the following potential reads …..
Albania: The Accident – Ismail Kadare Austria: Detective Muller – Augusta Groner Belgium: The Misfortunates – Dimitri Verhulst Czechoslovakia: The Widow Killer – Pavel Kohout Denmark: The Murder of Halland – Pia Juul Estonia: Brecht at Night Finland: The True Deceiver – Tove Jansson France: Total Chaos – Jean-Izzo Germany: Funeral For A Dog – Thomas Pletzinger Holland: Bride Flight – Marieke can der Pol Hungary: Journey by Midnight – Anton Szerb Iceland: Heaven and Hell – Jon Kalman Stefansson Italy: Stabat Mater – Tiziano Scarpa Norway: The Leopard: Jo Nesbo Spain: The Scent of Lemon Leaves – Clara Sanchez Switzerland: Seven Years – Peter Stamm Portugal: Pereira Maintains – Antonio Tabucchi United Kingdom: Pure – Andrew Miller
2) Global Reading Challenge – Hosted by Mysteries in Paradise
I enjoyed Kerrie’s European Crime Tour last summer. But judging from the number of potential reads for challenge 1), I need something that will force me beyond my continent of origin. The medium level of this challenge sounds ideal. No idea what I’m reading yet but I’ve started in Oceania with Peter Carey’s Oscar and Lucinda.
Books read
Update 01.03
Oscar and Lucinda – Peter Carey (Oceania – Australia)
Corrag – Suzanne Fletcher (Scotland – Europe)
Lord of Misrule – Jaimy Gordon (USA)
3) Books I Started But Didn’t Finish Challenge – Hosted by A Room of One’s Own
I was surprised by the number of books that remain unfinished. It just goes to show I’m easily distracted. But I want to finish all of these … some of which I actually started prior to 2011!
Whether I finish them in 2012 remains to be seen!
Books Read Update 01.03
Corrag – Suzanne Fletcher
4) What’s In A Name 5 – Hosted by Beth Fish Reads
I was going to give this a miss this year. But why should I? I have books in the TBR that are an exact match for most of this categories. As I’m concentrating on reading books owned prior to 1/1/2012 this year (I want at least a 67% ratio in my end-of-year listings), I’d be foolish to pass it by.
Topological Feature: Murder at Mansfield Park / Something in the Sky: Island of Wings / Creepy Crawly: The Spider Truces / House: The Black House / Something in my Purse (Handbag): Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter / Something on A Calendar: A Fortnight in September
That’s it for this year. I want to leave myself some flexibility to participate in events like Australian Literature Month, Venice In February and other temptations that the blogging world will undoubtedly throw my way. And that includes the monthly Read More / Blog More Poetry event.
EDIT: 30.01.12
Just one more. I can’t let the Introverted Reader’s Book in Translation pass me by . I’m going for the linguist level – 12 books (and I’ll try not to make them all translated from German!)
Books Read Update 01.07
Alone In Berlin – Hans Fallada (Translated from German)
Love Virtually – Daniel Glattauer (Translated from German)
The Mattress House – Paulus Hochgatterer (Translated from German)
The Shadow-Boxing Woman – Inka Parei (Translated from German)
Seven Years – Peter Stamm (Translated from German)
Me and You – Niccolo Ammaniti (Translated from Italian)
Stabat Mater -Tiziano Scarpa (Translated from Italian)
Memory of the Abyss – Marcello Fois (Translated from Italian)
Little Indiscretions – Carmen Posadas (Translated from Spanish)
The Scent of Lemon Leaves – Clara Sanchez (Translated from Spanish)
Thanks for joining the European Reading Challenge! You have some interesting book choices — many from countries not yet represented in anyone’s sign up posts. That’s great!
Happy reading!
Rose City Reader