August 28, 2006
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Another Challenge
Janie at Seasonal Soundings has issued a Autumn Reading Challenge. I greatly admire the way Janie plans her reading year by year, season by season. I have enjoyed and grown from the Summer Reading Challenge (recap soon) and I can’t resist another….
You know what I like about a reading challenge? I like the **challenge** part. I’m wired in such a way that I find it impossible not to read. If there wasn’t reading material handy I’d start reading the small print about riboflavin on cereal boxes. So I don’t need external motivation to read.
What I find most helpful is the focus and selection of which books I will choose. The external motivation to read the difficult books is very helpful. Writing down my plan to read a book is a committment that gets me over the hump of laziness. I have too many books on my shelves which haven’t been read for the simple reason that they aren’t easy to read; they require a little effort. If I can in one season, four times a year, read one challenging book my life will be so much the better, so much the richer.
Several books that I read this summer came from reading the blogs of other participants in the Summer Reading Challenge. Their writing inspired me to buy that book and read it. Amazon.com must love bloggers! (Although www.fetchbook.info is my favorite book price comparison site.)
The question, “Which will be my Challenge book?” got me thinking about categories for all the books for this next reading challenge. I got as far as the framework: now I need to fill in specific titles. My job as a homeschool teacher involves stacks of reading so I need to incorporate those books into the challenge. Here are my categories in the order of this season’s priority:
CURRICULUM - reading for homeschool
CHALLENGE – on the scholarly side, requires concentration
CULTIVATING – books that nurture my soul
COMFORT & JOY – lighter reading for relaxation
CREATIVITY - about music, art, poetry; the process and the people
CURIOSITY – biographies about people or who interest me, historyAnyone interested in joining in? I think it would be more wonderful to have 20 people sign on to read one challenging book than to have five people committed to read 20 books (nothing wrong with that – my point is to encourage quality over quantity). Sign up at Seasonal Soundings.
Comments (5)
Hey just dropped in to say hi. I started school today. It looks like my theory class will be a tough one. I could really use prayer for knowlege and understanding in that class. The other ones I had today weren’t so bad. Actually my speach professor will be a basket full of fun. He’s got an amazing gift for speaking. And made me feel right at home. I have a feeling I’ll learn a lot from him. Well I need to do some theory homework so I’ll ttyl.
Thank you, Carol, for introducing me to Seasonal Soundings. What an interesting lady she must be! As for 20 books, I love to read, but there is no way I could read that many in 3 months! For one thing my eyes won’t let me!! I have a neighbor who reads several books a week but I don’t know what kind she reads. She doesn’t seem the type to read just light fiction. Think I shall have to ask her!
I remember you asking me early in the summer what books I planned to read and I never did give you my list. And didn’t read all of them either! I’ll try again, if I can settle myself enough to think about it.
Love the way you categorize…..
At first thought, I dont think I want to commit because I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed, even though fewer numbers are surrounding the dinner table right now. On second thought, I will go back and assess my summer reading….then i will compose a fall challenge, keeping in mind all my other duties
Carol, I read everyday….there must be some way I can feel accomplished about it
However, these wedding details are really closing in on me. I dont know if I will be able to keep up with the blogging.
Hi,
Would you please post a list of titles you are–or will be reading? I’m always curious about what others are reading!
Thanks,
Dana
I enjoyed the post at Seasonal Soundings…My summer’s reading goal was no where near reached…However, hope springs eternal, babysitting is history, the regular school season is upon us and I will attenpt a Challenging Book Read for this fall and school year… I am “signing up” with you, to keep it simple… I noticed that I have already read some of Seasonal Sounding’s books in her stack!
Happy Reading!