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Reading Challenge 2020

Writer's picture: Cherry NorthcuttCherry Northcutt

January 1, 2020


First, let me just say Happy New Year! I am writing this on 1/1/2020 and I can’t believe it’s actually 2020 – that sounds like it should be space age. I feel like I should be writing from a futuristic community wearing a brightly colored spandex uniform that matches what everybody else is wearing.

Also, I can’t believe I have taken so long between posts. I have been busy querying and writing Book #2.

But for right now, I want to talk about New Year’s goals. Specifically, reading goals. I am in a number of reading groups and everyone is talking about doing a reading challenge. Several friends are challenging themselves to read 20, 50, or even 100 books in the coming year. I didn’t count last year. In fact, I don’t know if I’ve ever counted just how many books I read in a year. If we’re talking about actually physically reading, it’s probably only 12 or so. Maybe 20. But, if we throw in the audio books, I’ll bet I’ve “read” or listened to around 50 books.

I’ve also taken a look at the 2020 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge, which a friend shared on Facebook. Google it, it’s interesting. It’s a fun checklist of ideas for what to read and includes such things as:

· A book with an upside-down image on the cover

· A book with a pun in the title

· A book on a subject you know nothing about

· A Western

· A book set in the 1920s

There are also some with words or initials I was unfamiliar with. I had to ask my college student daughter.

· A book by a trans or nonbinary author (trans I get but nonbinary means they don’t assign themselves to either gender)

· A bildungsroman (this means a coming of age story, why did I not know this?)

· A book that passes the Bechdel test (two female characters having a conversation about something that is not a man – this is also something I have never heard of)

· A book by a WOC (I figured this one out on my own, Woman of Color)

So, on the one I hand I feel really nerdy and out of touch because I don’t know the vocabulary. On the other hand, I think it’s a neat idea. On the other hand (wait I’m out of hands now) – on the other foot then… I don’t want to read a bunch of random books just because they’re on the list. I don’t like being told what to do and reading is a big time commitment.

Still, it’s a fun idea. So, I thought I would come up with my own list. So, may I present my own 2020 Reading Challenge:

1. Read a book by an author you really like

2. Judge a book by its cover

3. Pick a bestseller

4. Read a book from the library

5. Browse a used book store and get several books. Read only half of them.

6. Join a book club

7. Read something recommended by a friend or family member

8. Read a murder mystery

9. Read another one

10. OR DON’T

The bottom line is, read whatever you want to, read as much as you want to, for whatever your reasons.

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