Choosing A Book Challenge (or 2)

My friend Dawn over at The Flying Chagall suggested in a comment to the first half of my 101 in 1001 list that I include some book/reading challenges on the second half of my list. This is an excellent idea so I started researching reading challenges other people have undertaken. Here is some of what I learned (no sense including ones I have no interest in).

I learned about the first three from DewDrops:

What's in a Name, hosted by Beth Fish Reads

1. A book with a number in the title: First to Die, Seven Up, Thirteen Reasons Why
2. A book with jewelry or a gem in the title: Diamond Ruby, Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Opal Deception
3. A book with a size in the title: Wide Sargasso Sea, Small Wars, Little Bee
4. A book with travel or movement in the title: Dead Witch Walking, Crawling with Zombies, Time Traveler's Wife
5. A book with evil in the title: Bad Marie, Fallen, Wicked Lovely
6. A book with a life stage in the title: No Country for Old Men, Brideshead Revisited, Bog Child

2011 Global Reading Challenge, hosted by Dorte

This one has easy, intermediate and expert levels, in which the reader attempts 1, 2, or 3 books from each of the seven continents. Since Antarctica has few authors, the seventh one can be a "´seventh´ setting, eg the sea, the space, a supernatural/paranormal world, history, the future – you name it)"

Foodie's Reading Challenge, hosted by Margot at Joyfully Retired

1. Decide how many food books (A food book is a book which is centered around food and/or drinks. That could be a cookbook, a food biography or memoir, a non-fiction book focused around a specific food, wine, chef or restaurant. Also allowed is a fictional story in which food plays a major role.) you want to read in 2011 and choose your level of reading.  Keep in mind this is a challenge – a throw-down. Go a bit beyond what you think you can really do. Levels:

• Nibbler: 1 to 3 books
• Bon Vivant: 4 to 6 books
• Epicurean: 7 to 9 books
• Gourmet: 10 to 12
• Glutton: More than 12

2. Grab the challenge button and write a post on your blog so we can spread the word. 

3. As you read each book for the challenge, come back here and tell us about it. 

From Auxiliary Memory, I learned about these challenges:

The Art History Reading Challenge (there's one for us, Dawn!)

This year there will be four levels of participation:

• Curious - Read at least 3 books about art, either fiction or non-fiction.
• Fascinated  - Read at least 6 books about art, either fiction or non-fiction.
• Enamored- Read at least 9 books about art, either fiction or non-fiction.
• Utterly enchanted - Read at least 12 books about art, either fiction or non-fiction.

11 in 2011 Challenge

1. Read a minimum of 11 books first published in 2011. You don’t have to buy these. Library books, unabridged audios, or ARCs are all acceptable. To qualify as being first published in 2011, it must be the first time that the book is published in your own country. For example, if a book was published in Australia, England, or Canada in 2010, and then published in the USA in 2011, it counts (if you live in the USA). Newly published trade paperbacks and mass market paperbacks do not count if there has been a hardcover/trade published before 2011.
2. At least 6 titles must be fiction.
3. Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.
4. You can add your titles as you go, and they may be changed at any time.

What do you think? Which ones sound best?