Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Centuries Reading Challenge


Centuries Reading Challenge
Host: Becky of Becky's Book Reviews
Length: All of 2009 (finish at your own pace)
Required Books: 4 to 6

Your challenge--if you choose to accept it--is to read four (to six) books from four different centuries. (If you choose to read six books altogether, then you can double up on centuries if you like. You can always read more than six. But you're not obligated to in any way.)

Edited to add: I had intended the challenge books to be written in four different centuries. I think that might have been one of those clear-only-to-me things. That's still my intent, my goal. I hope people will take me up on that challenge. But since I wasn't clear, and since I'm a easy-going person, I'll allow those who want the challenge to be books set during four different centuries to play.

The centuries do not need to be consecutive (like the decades challenge).

Books can be fiction, nonfiction, poetry, short stories, essays, plays, etc. Books do not have to be a required length. (Though I ask that poetry and short stories be within a larger collection. For example, a book of short stories as opposed to one solitary short story.)

Overlaps with other challenges are fine.

Audio books are welcome. E-books are welcome as well.

Reading suggestions can be found here:

Literature timeline, Literature Timeline Index*, Literature Timeline**,

Sign up for the challenge by leaving a comment.

EDITED TO ADD: FOR THOSE LOOKING TO SHARE REVIEWS AND GIVE UPDATES ON THEIR CHALLENGE PROGRESS, PLEASE VISIT THIS CHALLENGE'S PAGE ON MY OTHER SITE, 'GREAT LEADER OF OUR INSANITY.'

*extremely extensive; very well organized; tiny bit overwhelming.
**simple and straightforward; not as intimidating. Definitely recommended.

Becky's List:

1. Emma by Jane Austen (1815)
2. Fanny Hill by John Cleland (1749)
3. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes (1605/1615)
4. Wycliffe New Testament (1388)
5. Silas Marner by George Eliot (1861)
6. The Warden by Anthony Trollope (1855)
7. The Morgesons by Elizabeth Stoddard (1862)

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

27 comments:

rathacat said...

Hi Becky,

Since I enjoy historical fiction from various centuries, I'll give it a whirl. I just finished reading Allen Dury's A God Against the Gods, about the monotheist Eygyptian pharaoh Akhenaten. I also loved Robert Graves' I Claudius and Claudius the God. Do books about prehistory count? My Ratha series is set 20 mya ago in the Miocene period.

Becky said...

Actually, I had intended the challenge to be books written in four different centuries. But rereading what I wrote, I can see that I wasn't so clear. I'm a big fan of historical fiction as well. So if you want to interpret the challenge that way, then I won't stop you from joining in.

Anonymous said...

Becky - I'd love to join you in this one. It will go great with my 100 books in 2009 challenge. I will check out your links to find some book suggestions.

Kathleen said...

I'm in, here's my post with books: http://smsbookreviews.blogspot.com/2008/11/centures-challenge.html

Lynda said...

Thanks Becky for yet another great challenge.
My list is here:
http://lyndasbookblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/centuries-reading-challenge.html

Jenny said...

This will be a good one for me to do. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Hi Becky, I'm jumping in on this one. I've made a post with my list here:
http://cafeshree.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/centuries-challenge/

Cafeshree

Anonymous said...

Hi, I'd like to join in too!
Here's my list:

http://tuesdayinsilhouette.wordpress.com/centuries/

I've chosen a book from the 17th C and one from the 20th C, as well as two books of ambiguous origin :)

Anonymous said...

great idea. I have some books in mind already.
kim in ohio

Jessica said...

Sounds like fun. I will be reviewing these next year at http://jeskareads.blogspot.com.

Kristin said...

Count me in!
http://kristinsbookblog.blogspot.com

Penny said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kristi said...

Hi Becky - Please sign me up - my list, when it is decided upon - will be here: http://booksandneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2008/12/centuries-reading-challenge.html

Thanks!
Kristi

Penelope said...

This sounds like a great challenge! My list (once I decide on the books) will be posted here:

http://mypassionforbooks.blogspot.com/2008/12/centuries-reading-challenge.html

joanna said...

Count me in, my list is here:

http://lostinagoodstory.blogspot.com/2008/12/centuries-challenge.html

Smokey said...

This one will work well with the women's 18/19 century. Thanks for hosting!

Kandy/Elizabet said...

Sounds like a fun challenge. I'll be tracking this one at http://sites.google.com/site/kafbooks/Home/century-3

Becca said...

Sounds like a good challenge for me, fitting in with other challenges I am trying out. I love that I can overlap a couple of the books. I promise at least one will be new to this challenge! I will be tracking my progress at http://imlostinbooks.blogspot.com

Grilsgood said...

I think I signed up, hope I can think of books this old Lindy/CT

Amat Libris said...

Count me in - I love old books. I've got my list up here. And your challenge buttons are gorgeous!

Unknown said...

I thought that I left a comment that I would like to join this challenge. I just got my new laptop the other day and I am trying to figure out what challeges I responded to and which ones I did not. My blog is a mess as I was putting my blog challenges into catagories, not alphabetical order. Judy

Anonymous said...

I'm in! Here is my list:
http://misakin.wordpress.com/2009/03/07/centuries-reading-challenge/

Penny said...

I deleted my first comment because I left the link to my blog, not the link to my challenge. So here's the challenge link:
http://ilovemybooks.blogspot.com/search/label/Centuries%20Challenge

and I just finished my first one. Yeah!

Unknown said...

Hi ..I stumbled upon ur challenged and plan to take it up.Have put up my list here..

http://shonasbookshelf.blogspot.com/2009/06/centuries-challenge.html

Have finished one book..

Unknown said...

Here's my second review for the challenge Canterbury Tales http://shonasbookshelf.blogspot.com/2009/06/review-canterbury-tales.html

Noble Beeyotch said...

hey Becky,
This is such a brilliant idea. i would love to join this and i'll surely try to so 4 books writtens in different centuries. Very excited about this!

Jenn said...

I know 2009 is almost over (gosh, it's hard to believe - the year has just flown by!), but I would love to join this challenge. Good thing I have vacation coming up! ;-)

My challenge post