Comments on: On Reading: Challenge Yourself

By: Veronika

Veronika — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:25:40 +0000

I’ve actually started – unwittingly, as it turns out – to challenge my reading self too. I’ve set up a system where I read as many books as I can wade through from a different genre each month. (Ex. August = historical fiction; September = sci-fi/speculative; etc.)

I started this in July with “Dracula” by Stoker and “Guards! Guards!” by Pratchett, and am continuing by reading through some of L’Amour’s westerns, “The Scarlet Pimpernel” by Orczy, and “The Robe” by Douglas. It’s been great fun, and challenging at the same time, because I’m not a fast reader AT ALL, plus there are certain genres I wouldn’t normally read, like sci-fi or comedy/satire. Now I have to, and I’m discovering that deciding on which books to read for that month is addicting! (My list changes all the time! )

(You can see my monthly genre list and my TBR list on my blog, if you’d like. )

By: Books On Screen: What Is Your Policy?

Books On Screen: What Is Your Policy? — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:01:38 +0000

[...] mentioned in a recent On Reading post that I treated myself to a viewing of all the movies based on Jane Austen’s novels. In keeping [...]

By: Tameka

Tameka — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:58:32 +0000

Picked up my copy from the library last night & will start reading it today.

By: Christin

Christin — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:04:24 +0000

Good for you! The Pride and Prejudice movie w/ Colin Firth is my FAVE! I actually have it on hold at the library right now. Just need to go pick it up. I haven’t actually read any of Jane Austen’s books either! Not even Pride and Prejudice! My husband introduced me to the movie but that was as far as I got. You’d think after loving it so much I would’ve read more of her work. Perhaps I shall challenge myself with the same challenge you had. I do own the book “Emma”. Got it at a garage sale for .25, so at least I could go at my own pace! Thank you for the inspiration!

By: Michele

Michele — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:15:37 +0000

I too love this idea! I keep telling myself that I need to read more of the classics, but haven’t made a full effort yet.

I too like to shy away from books that look like they would require a lot of my attention. I guess that’s a good sign that I need to challenge myself!

By: Barbara H.

Barbara H. — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 19:02:45 +0000

I’ve set it as a goal over the last few years to catch some of the classics I had somehow missed along the way, and Austen’s were on my list. I’m like you — there were times it was a little hard to make my way through some parts of them, but I enjoyed them overall. I actually preferred Persuasion and Mansfield Park above P&P and S&S. But the DVD of S&S with Emma Thompson is one of my all-time favorite films as well as Persuasion with Amanda Root.

I’ve also read Jane Eyre (loved it), A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (disappointed in that one — some off-color stuff I would not have expected), The Count of Monte Cristo, Les Miserables (LOVED that one — one of my all time favorite novels). I Just started To Kill a Mockingbird. I also want some day to reread some old favorites like Dickens, Anne of Green Gables, the Little House series and Louisa May Alcott’s books.

So many books, so little time!!

By: Jackie @ Our Moments Our Memories

Jackie @ Our Moments Our Memories — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 16:37:50 +0000

I love this idea. I have never read any Austen books either, and this past Fri. I visited my library to find Pride and Prejudice, which they did not have. But that is the next one on my list!

By: Jennifer, Snapshot

Jennifer, Snapshot — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 11:09:54 +0000

Becoming a book reviewer pushed me out of my comfort zone. Not that I ever had to read everything I was offered (especially now with all of you to grab books that really do interest you), but if it sounded interesting, I gave it a try, and have been surprised over and over by a new author or style of writing.