Summer Reading Challenge 2008

Dear Me,

I have been browsing a lot of book blogs lately and encountered a number of book reading challenges. I wanted to participate but I felt that I would come short when it comes to attaining the goal of reading them.

Finally, I found the perfect book reading challenge. It's called the Summer Reading Challenge!




Although summer is already over here in the Philippines and the best time to read for book lovers, I still think that joining this challenge is most apt for me. Why? Unlike other book reading challenges, I never felt the pressure of listing all the books and finishing them quick.

As posted and hosted by Kathleen over Rock Creek Rumblings:

Even though I'm pretty sure summer is never really going to arrive here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, it's time for the Summer Reading Challenge. As always, the challenges don't correspond precisely with the seasons, but don't you all sort of think of summer as being the months of June, July, and August? I know I do.

I'll briefly post the reasoning and "rules" behind the challenge. The purpose is to encourage "intentional" reading -- that is, to have a plan and stick to it, more or less (admittedly, my effort is usually in the less category, by which I mean the sticking-to, not the amount of reading). I have found since I began doing these seasonal challenges that I read a lot more than I used to, which is good, because I have a lot of catching up to do. The rules, such as they are, are simple: Copy the picture above, find some books you want to read over the next three months, post the picture and the list at your blog, and link to this post so others can join the fun. Then, read away! Oh, and post a link to your own entry in the comments section of this post. That way I can compile a list of participants. Last time we had 21 or 22 people, with only one guy (my son), but I think we might actually have two individuals of the male persuasion this time around (at least).

You don't have to do this, but it's always nice to see an update around the middle of the challenge, and then a recap at the end.

Following Kathleen's rules, here's my random list of books to be read beginning this month of June till August:

1. The Reader (Oprah's Book Club) by Bernhard Schlink
   
   
2. To My Sister by Kim Anderson
   
   
3. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
   
   
4. Skipping Christmas by John Grisham
   
   
5. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
   
   
6. The Wishlist by Barbara Ann Kipfer
   
   
7. Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman
   
   
8. Midwives by Chris Bohjalian
   
   
9. Love Story by Erich Segal

I'm subscribing myself to nine (9) books only; that is, three (3) books per month if I can help it.

My reason for choosing these books?

- - Books 1, 3, 8, 9: wanting for so long to read them

- - Books 2, 5, 7: been on my TBR for quite a while

- - Books 4, 6: have read a few pages but never finished reading them

If you love books and think this is fun, do sign up! Click here for the link.


**PS. books read had been crossed out ~~ updated 7/22