I can not believe it is that time of year again...time for the roll-over of the Canadian Book Challenge hosted by John at the Book Mine Set. This year is kind of special for a couple of reasons: first, it's the Fifth Year of the challenge, a milestone. Second, John was just featured in the Globe & Mail Saturday Book section in an article on Reading Challenges! It's a good article, balanced and fairly thorough -- check it out at the G&M online if you want to see a great photo of John (taken by his wife).
I love this Challenge because, of course, it's Canadian. But also because it is so laid back (also Canadian?) The challenge consists of reading 13 books -- any genre, any topic -- which you consider Canadian, over the course of a year, July 1st-July 1st. That's easy! You can do it! Join us this year and stretch your reading habits, and see what everyone is reading as well. It's very enjoyable.
And another thing -- this year for the first time there is a kickoff Readathon! Because John knows that we will all be partying on July 1st he has set the Readathon to run Saturday July 2nd at noon to Sunday July 3rd at noon. Read as much of those 24 hours as you can handle and get a great start on this Challenge. I'm going to try to participate... from my last try at Dewey's Readathon I know that it is highly unlikely I'll make the whole 24 hrs but I have a great stack to start into :)
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For the Fifth Challenge I wanted to choose a special theme. I pondered what I could do to challenge myself. I read a book from every province one year, 13 prairie books another, and this year I've been reading books by authors I've never read before -- and I've discovered some fantastic books! I have finally decided that my theme for the 5th Canadian Book Challenge is going to be:
Small-press-palooza!
I'm planning on reading a bunch of novels from as many of Canada's small presses as I can (and by that I mean those who are not one of the Big Names). I have thirteen titles on a stack just waiting for Saturday. There are so many fantastic small presses in Canada that I'm sure I'll find many, many options over the year.
Awesome idea for a theme. Some of those small presses have donated very generous prizes for the challenge as well-- you'll have to just wait and see!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm not really a challenge person but if I did give in and join one then this would be it, because I love Canadian writers. As it is, I am very grateful to all of those of you who do post in relation to the challenge and point me in the direction of wonderful new authors.
ReplyDeleteJohn - I love our Canadian small presses!
ReplyDeleteAnnie - glad you are an active participant in the sense of finding new authors & books to read -- isn't that the whole joy of challenges in any case? :)
I love your theme! I think it's a brilliant idea, a great way to promote the small presses. Pity it's so difficult (expensive) for me to get such books... but I will next time I go to Canada!
ReplyDeleteEm- you never know, if you have a particular title you covet let the CBC participants know...we have to known to send a few to deserving readers ;)
ReplyDelete