January 1, 2008 - December 31, 2008
N. Vasillis over at 1330V is sponsoring a Memoir, Autobiography, Biography challenge for 2008. She's created an In Their Shoes group blog here.
The rules are simple:
1. You pick the number of books that you want to read.
2. You also pick the books you read. They just have to be either a memoir, autobiography, or biography. If you don't know the differences, Vasilly has provided definitions for you!
3. You can cross challenge books from other challenges with this one .
4. You can also re-read books.
5. You can post your reviews on the group blog or your own.
AND there may be a prize at the end!
This is the perfect challenge for me. I love memoirs! And once again, I'm choosing books that I already own (many of which I've had for several years!). Here are my choices:
1. The Curve of Time: The Classic Memoir of a Woman and Her Children Who Explored the Coastal Waters of the Pacific Northwest
by M. Wylie Blanchet2. Stuffed: Adventures of a Restaurant Family
by Patricia Volk3. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid
by Bill Bryson4. On Writing
by Stephen King5. Libby: The Alaskan Diaries and Letters of Libby Beaman, 1879-1880
as presented by her Granddaughter Betty John6. Prairie Reunion
by Barbara J. Scot7. Under a Wing
by Reeve Lindbergh8. Clear Springs: A Family Story
by Bobbie Ann Mason9. My Losing Season
by Pat Conroy10. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia
by Elizabeth Gilbert11. Still Life with Chickens: Starting Over in a House by the Sea
by Catherine Goldhammer12. Peter Jennings: A Reporter's Life
by by Kate Darnton (Editor), Kayce Freed Jennings (Editor), Lynn Sherr (Editor)
I came this close to buying Eat, Pray, Love for my January book purchase, the other day. Can't wait to hear what you think of that one . . . and the rest, actually. I have The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid but I left that one at home. Most of the rest I haven't heard of! Cool! I'll learn about more memoirs and biographies! I love them, too. You probably knew that. :)
ReplyDeleteI know I'm cutting off my nose to spite my face, but I have yet to read Pat Conroy's book because I waited so long between it and Beach Music and I was expecting a novel, so I was really mad at him and would not read this book. It would have been different if he was a prolific author like Stephen King, but he's not. Let me know if you like it since I'm not quite so mad now and might read it.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're joining us! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to your review of The Face of Death!!!
Holy Smokes, Les, for not doing any challenges you're sure signed up for quite a few!
ReplyDeleteLibby, on your list here, was one of my favorite reads ever. We read it in one of my book clubs, and I'll never forget it. I hope you like it as much as I did.
I think you'll love Eat, Pray, Love. Especially the Italy section. It was my fave!
ReplyDeleteI have The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid and Stuffed on my piles too. I just love Bill Bryson! Good luck with your challenge!
I was also attracted to this challenge. Eat, Pray, Love is on my list as well.
ReplyDeleteI too am wondering what you will think of eat pray love...
ReplyDeleteI would loooove to join this one, but I'm pretty much strapped with challenges. However, I do love memoirs, and I'm sure I'll read plenty of 'em this year given their significant place on my TBR. I'm going to have to investigate some of these you've listed. They sound wonderful!
ReplyDeleteNow, here is where we connect, Les!! :<) I love this stuff. Tom just finished the Bryson and loved it. You know I loved the Still Life with Chickens; and Under A Wing is one of my favorite books by one of my favorite writers. I listened to Stuffed a while back and liked it a lot. I'd do this challenge if I wasn't full up. If I finish my four, I will feel great. What I wonder is if I can fit a few other books in during the year. We'll see. What a happy predicament.
ReplyDeleteNancy - My sweet hubby gave me Eat, Pray, Love for Christmas (along with a few other books that I keep meaning to blog about!). I'm very excited to read it. Hmmm, now I'm thinking I should take it and not another book I was considering on our trip next week. Hmmmm, decisions, decisions.
ReplyDeleteI actually had the Bryson book on Joy's Nonfiction Five Challenge list, but never got around to it. Maybe this time.
Yep, I knew you and I shared a passion for memoirs and bios. It's one of my very favorite sections to shelve at work.
Katya - I know what you mean about Pat Conroy. I absolutely LOVED Beach Music. I recently read The Great Santini and was a bit disappointed. It just didn't have that magic, ya know? But I am curious about this book, which I've had an ARC of for AGES! For both our sakes, I hope it's a winner.
Joy - I hope to get Cody's book reviewed later this weekend. Suffice it to say, I loved it. If you can love such a creepy book. Now I can't wait for his next one!
Bellezza - I know, I know. I'm a list-making fool. Check with me in December and see how well I did. ;)
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed Libby. I have absolutely no idea where I got it. I would have to guess from my mom, but who knows! Thanks for the positive endorsement.
Heather - Oh, no. Is this going to make me want to go to Italy even more than I already do???!!! ;) Oh, well. Maybe I'll get there someday.
Bybee - This was such a tempting challenge, don't you think? I love memoirs!
Pat - Have you read it? She sounds like such an interesting person. If I like the memoir, I may have to give her novel and short stories a try. Eventually.
Andi - I'd have to say that memoirs are my second favorite after novels. I just love to peek into other people's lives. And I love the way they validate my own feelings about life, love, grief, happiness, etc.
Nan - Yes, this we have in common! ;) Rod loved the Bryson book, too. And you know, I think I got Still Life with Chickens after reading your thoughts on it. I just bought it last month off the bargain shelf at work. :) I'm not sure when or where I got the Lindbergh book, but I've had it quite a while now. Should be good! I'm not going to fret too much about finishing all the books for all my challenges. It's just a great way to get me reading some that I'd forgotten about. I have a few other new acquisitions that aren't slated for any challenge that I plan to read in between. I have a feeling 2008 will be a great year of reading.
Your list looks really good! I am interested in hearing about Still Life With Chickens....
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog--your spot looks very nice and informative and I am going to check out a few links I have seen here! The world of books is wonderful and there are so many authors I have never heard of--that is why these challenges are so great--it exposes me to even more--and goodness knows I NEED more books. :)
*smiles*
Kim
Kim - One of my good friends recommended Still Life with Chickens, so I hope to get to it quickly.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're enjoying my blog. Yes, the book world is quite conducive to adding to your TBR stacks. I've read so many books thanks to my blog-mates, that would've other wise slipped under my radar.