Saturday, January 21, 2012

The Bedside Table Reading Challenge: January 2012

      How many of you have a stack of books that you are going to read "someday"?

      I know you are out there.......because in past years I have been part of several internet discussions of...........

"How many books are on your bedside table?"

     Perhaps your books are not on an actual bedside table.......I do not even have a bedside table.  But my desk is nearby.......and they used to be stacked on that desk.........till my husband built four shelves above my desk.  Now I keep the books there........and they, the books, are making me crazy!  I just added about five more at Christmas.  There is no.more.room.for.more.books. And we all know that there will be more! The scary thing is........earlier this year, I had to move at least twenty of them to another spot.  I have no less than seventy vying for my attention......and in all genres. Other books, especially classics, keep coming between me and this "stack". 

     I have vowed to read through at least ten this year......maybe more.  But because it is challenging and perhaps even overwhelming......to choose which ones to read first.......I came up with a random way of picking what to read first.  I thought it would be fun to do this this with other bibiliphiles.....and so, I have started......


The Bedside Table Reading Challenge of 2012


      I will randomly pick a letter from the alphabet........and whatever letter that is......say M for January....we will read a title from our stack starting with that letter.

     If you do not have a stack, just choose from your book shelves.....or make a stack and get started!

     Post this on your blog, if you have one........and/or leave a comment on this post, stating that you are joining in.....and what book you have chosen for this month.  Please post a picture of your stack! When you are finished reading....share a few thoughts about the book, if you wish. I will post a new letter each month.....hopefully in the first week of the month.......

     If you have more than one title starting with the letter.......just choose one.....or choose the one first that is first in alphabetical order. 

 
     I know there is not much time left in January, but I am aware that some of you read voraciously and can probably still fit a book in before the end of this month.          I can. I will. I ought.  :)

     The letter for this month, January 2012 is:
 


      The book on my "bedside table" that I will read for this month is.........


by
Kim Edwards

 


      Are you in???  Please join me!  Willa?

     Please share with other bibliophiles......

      Happy New Year Reading Blessings,

                                       
                              Chari
If you like to read in list form.......instead of conversational........

To join:
  • Post the title and the picture above on your blog post.
  • Pick the book from your stack that starts with that month's letter.
  • Pick alphabetically if you have more than one with that letter.
  • Pick up-the-alphabet if you do not have any with the chosen letter.
  • List your book choice.
  • Post a link to your post in our comments.
  • Share your thoughts about the book after reading the book, if you desire.

20 comments:

  1. I'm happy to join in but.. do you mind if I don't stick to the M rule? I've committed to reading a favourite series right through from beginning to end. (some are re-reads) Fascinating to see the character development.

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    1. Erin, I am Miss Flexibilty! What series are you reading?

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  2. Hey Chari ! I have a bedside wooden coke crate and an old wooden bookshelf my grandfather built .Get this our bed is just a matress on the floor so I also have the floor as a bedside table ! I'm going to try it but just the books on my grandfather's shelf . the other books tend to be library come and go books and I like You keep thinking I should read the books I have already !
    I am going to assume we can illiminate the word The in Titles and go with the first letter of the word after The , unless a T word then the word The can be used ? lol I've no idea why that came to mind !
    okay I'm going to try it
    I'll post the M tomorrow and my book is Mythologies by Yeats ♥ Rox

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    Replies
    1. Take a picture to share, Roxie! You can use the THE or lose it...whatever you want. Whatever works for YOU!

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  3. Okay, I'll bite. My "M" book will be "A More Perfect Heaven: How Copernicus Revolutionized the Cosmos." But I have to finish my current read first, so hopefully I can start in a couple of days. I'm not sure if I'll blog about it, though. I haven't been blogging much lately.

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    Replies
    1. So, Theresa.....how did it go? Did you get the book finished? It sounds intriguing.......was it good?

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  4. I just started Don Quixote, so I can't play along. Wait, the author's first name is Miguel, isn't it? Will that be good enough? But there is no way I'm going to finish Don Quixote in January! I haven't even gotten through the delightful introduction by the translator who, it turns out, is a great writer himself.

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    Replies
    1. Faith! I know that of which you speak! I started Don Quixote last year and only got fifty pages in. It is actually ON my "bedside table" ...and will be a book I will probably avoid for this year's challenge, it being so long. :)

      How are you doing with it?

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  5. I'd like to play. My book will be The Mozart Effect by Don Campbell which was given as a present.

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    Replies
    1. Anne, Please tell me about this book......is it worth a read?

      Blessings

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  6. I'll play! "Mansfield Park". Started it last night. Although I don't have a blog anymore!

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    1. Did you get it read?! Your first tiime? Love that Austen!!

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  7. I made a post on my hs blog and my other blog as well just in case people are interested they can come her ands join .
    I'm finishing a half read book Mythologies by William Yeats it is easy reading so sure I can swing it .
    here is my link
    http://anaturalhistoryhome.blogspot.com/2012/01/bedside-reading-challenge.html

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for sharing, Roxie! I am going to miss you during your internet fast!!!

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  8. I read "A Mind to Murder" by P.D. James. Not thrilled with it, but was ok for easy reading while I wasn't feeling well. I also started "The Man who was Thursday" by Chesterton. I have enjoyed it so far. This will take me into February and then I will start my first T book - Teach Your Own by John Holt.

    Thanks for the inspiration.
    Michelle

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    Replies
    1. How is it going, Michelle? I have yet to read Chsterton....he is SOOOO on my radar! I found that many, if not not most of his works are on Librivox....so maybe I will get a few in that way.

      What is the main topic of this Chesterton book?

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    2. Glad to inspire you......it was a selfish motive: to inspire myself!

      And now, out of curiosity: are you a Michelle that we already know online?

      Blessings!

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    3. It has been another good reading month. I recommend starting with the Father brown mysteries if you have never read Chesterton. "The Man who was Thursday: A Nightmare" is actually the full title of the book. My take away may not have been what Chesterton intended, but I saw the piece as a conviction about whether or not we can know what is truly good and what is evil. Very fun, but odd book.

      I am a member of the 4Real boards and that is how I came to follow Willa's blog and thus here. I don't speak much on there so I wouldn't stand out to you "know". Just a lurker much of the time.

      May God bless you through this Lenten season,
      Michelle

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  9. Chari, So good to talk in the library yesterday, and thanks for the invite! Since today is the last day of January, I might skip "M" ...though actually am about halfway through "Corduroy Mansions," one of Alexander McCall Smith's delightful observations of the lives of some specific everyday folks in London. I'll start "The Wish Maker" by Ali Sethi this evening, a book about growing up in contemporary Pakistan, though I won't finish it by midnight tonight when "T" starts! SO MANY GOOD BOOKS TO CHOOSE FROM!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yes, so many good books! And, while we may have a "small" library....I have not begun to read even an eighth of it!

      I love that we bump into each other at the library......always seems so fitting.....better than that other place we bump into each other at. ;)


      I found I did not love the first book of McCall Smith's other series the way everyone else did.....I was disappointed. Is this better?

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