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Monday, June 04, 2007

Book Awards Challenge

Here's another wonderful challenge that I couldn't pass up. Some days in the blogging world I feel like a kid in a candy store. There are so many fun challenges that it's hard to resist any of them. 3M@3AM came up with the idea for this challenge. The idea is to read any 12 award-winning books between July 1, 2007 and June 3o, 2008. You can read the complete rules here, along with some suggestions.

Here's what I'll be reading (and like always, in no particular order and subject to some revision):
1. The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron (Newbery Award)
2. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson (National Book Award for Young People's Literature)
3. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Pultizer Prize)
4. Bones by Jan Burke (Edgar Award)
5. Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett (Edgar Award)
6. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clark (Hugo Award)
7. Mirror Dance Lois McMaster Bujold (Hugo Award)
8. The Shipping News by Annie Proulx (National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize)
9. Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (Newbery Award)
10. The Colony of Unrequited Dreams by Wayne Johnston (Atlantic Fiction and also the Canadian Authors Award for Fiction)
11. Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan (National Book Award for Young People's Literature)
12. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett (Orange Prize and PEN/Faulkner Award)

And a few alternatives:
1. The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder (Pulitzer Prize)
2. The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington (Pulitzer Prize)

9 comments:

kookie said...

'Octavian Nothing' has been calling my name for a couple of months. I'll be interested to hear what you thought of it.

Alyson said...

I still need to finish Octavian Nothing. I wish I had more time to read. It sounds like you have a couple new and fun challenges to keep you going.

Jill said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog and for all the nice comments! I love yours - it's just the kind of thing I've been looking for.

That's a great list of books on your award-winning challenge list -I'll be curious to hear how you like The Higher Power of Lucky. I recently read it and enjoyed it.

Btw have you read the previous books in Bujold's Vorkosigan series (the one Mirror Dance is in?). It might be tough to understand that one if you haven't - just an fyi.

Thanks for all the great book ideas

maggie moran said...

Ew, I feel pretty good about my reading accomplishments. Read six on your list. Can I finish a challenge before ever starting it? ;)

Kelly said...

Be Canto is on my list too.

1morechapter said...

I was blown away by To Kill a Mockingbird earlier this year.

Let me know if you want to contribute to the blog site, and welcome to the challenge!

Lotus Reads said...

Yeay, another challenge!!! The button is truly eye-catching and what a great way to read books that were considered worthy of awards!

From experience I have found books that have won the Newbery award are a class apart, so I will be looking forward to your reviews on them. My 12-year old has recently picked up reading again, so your reviews will be exceedingly helpful!

Trish @ Love, Laughter, Insanity said...

I really enjoyed Bel Canto. I wish I could put it on my challenge list (but there are too many books out there to be re-reading just yet...). I've seen it on many people's alternate list, but I'm glad you've chosen it. Very stirring book.

Shipping News is also on my list.

Anonymous said...

I loved The Colony of Unrequited Dreams and The Shipping News - but then I'm biased as both books are set in Newfoundland. Hope you enjoy them and good luck with the challenge!