Weekly Geeks this week is about Challenges.

I have been hesitant to sign up for challenges because I’m a perfectionist. While I know there are no “challenge police” coming to check that I’ve finished my reading, I can’t bring myself to say “I’ll read these books” if I don’t think I’m going to have time. (And I barely do these days.)

That said, I have signed up for a few challenges in the past two months that I’ve been blogging, I’ve started my own personal challenge (which I’d love for you to join if you want!), and I’m giving away a book in the coming weeks.

The Pulitzer Project

The Pulitzer Project is an ongoing challenge to read the fictional winners of the Pulitzer Prize. For myself, I’m also reading some of the nonfiction, biography, and history winners. I’ve read four Pulitzer Prize winning books thus far since I started blogging in May (three count toward The Pulitzer Project).

Read the Nobels
Read the Nobels is an ongoing challenge to read works or speeches by winners of the Nobel Laureates in Literature or information or biographies about the Laureates. I’ve read two works since I began blogging. I really like the fact that we can read information about the Laureates for this challenge as well as reading their work. I’m looking forward to “getting to know them.”

Nonfiction Five Challenge
The Nonfiction Five Challenge is a May-September 2008 challenge to read five works of nonfiction. I’ve read three books for the challenge so far, but you can see from my Genre list in the right sidebar that I love nonfiction. Visit here to see all the nonfiction I’ve reviewed since I’ve begun blogging. I mostly joined the Nonfiction Five Challenge because I loved the idea of sharing with others what I’ve read and I want to read their reviews too!

Graphic Novels Challenge
The Graphic Novels Challenge is one that I never would have considered until I read a review by Dewey that convinced me this was something I had to try. It runs for the whole year: read six graphic novels. Because I started late in the year, I only have to read three. I’ve already read two graphic novels and two more are on reserve at the library right now, waiting for me to pick them up. So far, I’m really enjoying this new medium for books! I think I’m going to read all six after all (although I still have never been invited to actually join the Graphic Novels Challenge blog, hint hint, despite asking to be invited…).

HTR&W Challenge (A Personal Challenge) and a Giveaway

I’ve also given myself a personal challenge for read all the works (short stories, poems, plays, and books) on the How to Read and Why list. I talk about the HTR&W Challenge here. I’d love to invite anyone else to join me in reading these works (it is a good list!). There wouldn’t be any “Challenge Police” to come after you; I’d just want to compare notes with you and follow your thoughts on your blog (if you have one). I think it’s a great list and a nice idea, but I know lots of people already have dozens of challenges and these books aren’t exactly recent best-sellers.

Now, I’m a new blogger, so I don’t know how to tell people about this personal challenge I’ve created. I also don’t know how many people are interested in reading the works featured in this book.

Nevertheless, I’ll send a copy of HTR&W to a randomly selected person interested in joining me in the HTR&W Challenge. Leave a comment on the HTR&W post or the reading list telling me that you are interested. I’ll extend the date until 5 July.

I’m excited to have found the book blogger community, and I look forward to our continuing book dialogues!

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