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Non-Fiction Non-Memoir Reading ChallengeJanuary 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012
I've decided to host a challenge to motivate myself and others to read more nonfiction. To make it more of a challenge, the Non-Fiction Non-Memoir Reading Challenge will exclude memoirs, which seem to be the most read type of nonfiction among the book blogs I follow. Instead, we'll focus on learning about a variety of different topics and discovering new facts. The challenge will run from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2012.
What Counts:
- Books can be any format (bound, ebook, audio) but must be written for adults or young adults.
- Books can cover many different topics, including science, technology, religion, sociology, business, biography, politics, economics, history, food, art/design, etc.
- How-to, self-help and travel books are permitted, as long as you actual read them cover to cover, and don't just use them as a reference.
- Crossovers with other challenges are permitted.
What Does Not Count:
- Reference books, cookbooks and instruction manuals that are not meant to be read cover to cover
- Essays and articles
- How-to, self-help or travel books that are not read cover to cover
- Memoirs, journals and autobiographies
- Books written for children
- Re-reads don't count since the point is to learn something new
Levels:
Elementary - 5 nonfiction books
Diploma - 10 nonfiction books
Bachelor's Degree - 15 nonfiction books
Master's Degree - 25 nonfiction books
Carin's comments: well the non-memoirs was intriguing to me since that's definitely my favorite genre, but I do think of myself as a more general non-fiction reader. I checked my stats so far for 2011 and I've read 13 books I'd consider general nonfiction (although a couple are tricky as to whether they are really memoirs or not.) But I do like general nonfiction and I have a couple of big ones on my must-read list for 2012 already, so I am going to try to tackle this. And I'll go for the Bachelor's Degree level! I'm very glad audio books count because most of my audio listening is nonfiction.
A few possibilities on my bookshelves:
The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia's Founding by Robert Hughes
Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond
The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home by Dan Ariely
Amazing Grace: The Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation by Jonathan Kozol
A Brave Vessel: The True Tale of the Castaways Who Rescued Jamestown and Inspired Shakespeare's The Tempest by Hobson Woodward
Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble, and Coming of Age in the Bronx by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc
Lost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire That Rescued Western Civilization by Lars Brownworth
Looking for a Ship by John McPhee
The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean
Bloody Crimes: The Chase for Jefferson Davis and the Death Pageant for Lincoln's Corpse by James L. Swanson
The Murder Room: The Heirs of Sherlock Holmes Gather to Solve the World's Most Perplexing Cold Cases by Michael Capuzzo
In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson
For All the Tea in China by Sarah Rose
The Killer of Little Shepherds: A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science by Douglas Starr
Strength in What Remains by Tracy Kidder
Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference by Warren St. John
The Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Medicine, Madness, and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard
The Crofter and the Laird by John McPhee
Death in the City of Light: The Serial Killer of Nazi-Occupied Paris by David King
2012 Aussie Author ChallengeWhether you are a patriotic Australian, an aspiring or armchair tourist or simply an international reader wanting to discover some talented new authors with like-minded readers, the 2012 Aussie Author Challenge could be for you!
Challenge Period: 1 January 2012 – 31 December 2012
OBJECTIVE Read and review books written by Australian Authors – physical books, ebooks and audiobooks, fiction and non-fiction!
Challenge Levels:
TOURIST – Read and review 3 books by at least 2 different Australian Authors
DINKY-DI – Read and review 12 books by at least 6 different Australian authors
‘Dinky-Di’ is Australian slang meaning ‘true or genuine’.
Carin: I did this challenge 2 years ago at the Tourist level. I am going to Australia in the summer of 2012 (woo hoo!) so this is a natural as I'll be reading up, and I'm going to sign up for the Dinky-Di level. It might be a little hard for me to achieve here in the states but I expect I'll purchase a few books while in Australia. After all, if I (still no ereader for me) try to bring all the books for the horribly long flights and two weeks, I'll be over my weight limit in no time. If I only bring books for the flight there, I should be able to finish this challenge without too much trouble.
On my list currently:
Tommo and Hawk (The Potato Factory, #2) by Bryce Courtenay (yes, I have already read Book 1)
Solomon's Song (The Potato Factory, #3) by Bryce Courtenay
The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia's Founding by Robert Hughes
I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
True North: A Memoir by Jill Ker Conway (yes, I have already read her first memoir)
Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden
Pobby and Dingan by Ben Rice
Eucalyptus by Murray Bail (this one I need to buy)
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
March by Geraldine Brooks
Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks
Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James
Hm, I had no idea I already owned so many books by Australian authors! I guess I could complete this without any special orders or travelling, but that will still make it more fun, if I pick up a few books there that I can't get here.
8 comments:
The Fatal Shore has been on my shelf for years! I've always meant to get to it. I loved Conway's The Road to Coorain; I never realized she'd written another.
A very warm welcome to the Aussie Author Challenge! Some excellent titles/authors on your list already. Hope the long flight isn't too painful and you have a fun stay.
Thanks for joining the Non-Fiction Non-Memoir challenge! I also love memoirs so I thought this would be a real challenge to read other types of nonfiction!
Just read an excellent novel of Australia, an award-winner too: Kate Grenville's The Secret River. If you didn't hit it on your first Australia challenge, I highly recommend it this time. Much as I adore Geraldine Brooks, I'd prefer The Secret River to Caleb's Crossing, esp. since CC has nothing to do with Australia.
Always enjoy your blog.
@ Laurie, I know Caleb's Crossing is actually really American - it's just I was already planning to read Brooks' other books this year. But I found she has a nonfiction book that's much more about Australia called Foreign Correspondence that I'm going to order. And The Secret River looks like an awesome book! Thanks for the recommendation! I also will of course pick up a few books while there so that will add to my really Australian books. I will try to have all my books for this challenge be very Australian but we'll just see come next December if I have a struggle with the last few.
You should add a few Aussie kid classics to your list, like Snugglepot and Cuddlepie or Blinky Bill. ;)
Random Family by Adrian LeBlanc was an amazing read. I highly recommend it for your challenge!
It's an interesting challenge, but I can't read so many books in one year or perhaps I'll give a try, because I have many eBooks downloaded from All you can books. I need some big holidays for this, because I'm busy with my work unfortunately. On my way to work I'll read a little...I walk almost one our with it and it would be great to have this occupation. Thank you for this challenge and good luck!
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