challenges...

It's time to take stock of my reading challenges- this is the first year I've participated in any, and I've really been enjoying it. I've been feeling a lot more motivated to read through my TBR piles (which means, sadly, less visits to the public library right now, but I know I'll be haunting stacks there again sooner or later).

Well, about five months ago I signed up for three challenges. I won't list all the titles here, because I'm going to do a wrap-up post when I finish each one, but here's a little note on my progress:

9 for '09 Challenge- I only have one book left to read for this- the long one. I gave up on Quicksilver, but am going to attempt to read America's Women (556 pages) and if I can't make it through that one, Irving Stone's The Origin (765 pages). The Stone book may look more daunting because it's longer- but it might be an easier read, being fiction.

Non-Fiction Five Challenge- I read four of my original picks, and gave up on one. That leaves me with one more book to choose, but I realized recently that I actually started too early- the challenge began in May but I read The Other End of the Leash in April. So maybe I'll pick two more. On my shelf I have Seaworthy, a book about another guy who tried to duplicate the Kon-Tiki adventure -only solo- across the ocean, and Splendid Solution, about the discovery of the polio vaccine. They both look really interesting.

2009 TBR Challenge- I've read eight off my original list, gave up on three and am slowly getting through Living to Tell the Tale right now. Not sure I'm going to finish that one; so I have some from my alternate list ready at hand: The Burn Journals, Dust Bowl Diary, And Then We Came to the End, Maggie-Now, The Horse's Mouth, Of Human Bondage...

And when those are all done, I think I'm going to sign up for the What An Animal II challenge, because you know me, I always love reading animal books!