Right around the time I discovered book blogs and began my own, I discovered the Bibliophilic Books Challenge, in which readers pledge to read books about books. A challenge meant for me! It was the only challenge I did last year, and it was, truth be told, shamefully easy to complete because, of course, I was reading the books for this blog and determined to make a big dent in my collection of books about books.
Buried in Print is a self-confessed challenge addict, and I have been inspired by her end-of-year wrap-up posts about the many challenges she completed this year. I am taking advantage of the path she has forged and doing many of her challenges, as well as a few others I’ve discovered.
I will, of course, be (re)reading all of the Canada Reads Independently picks, as well as the Canada Reads books, which will see me in good stead for the Canadian Book Challenge hosted by Book Mine Set. I really need no inducement to read Canadian literature, but one of the pleasures of challenges, I’m discovering, is reading in company.
Ever the optimist, I have signed up for the TBR Dare, over at Ready When You Are, C.B. I failed this project spectacularly last year when I tried to stop myself buying new books, but I’ll give it a go again. I’ve pledged the maximum time: no new books until April 1.
In a similar vein, but with the restriction that it must be 12 books that have been on the bedside for more than a year, is the 2011 To Be Read Challenge. The book must have been published prior to 2010. I have several books that I ran out to buy in 2009, and never got to, so this will be my prompt. 
Also similar: the Off the Shelf Challenge at Bookish Ardour, in which one pledges to read a certain number of books off the shelf. I’m aiming for 50. That will be 1/3 of my goal of 150 books for the year.
There are a number of challenges based on fulfilling a rubric, and I like the idea of prescribed reading. It appeals to the perpetual student in me, so I’ve signed up for three challenges in that vein.
The first is What’s in a Name, hosted by Beth Fish, in which one reads books with specific words in the title.
The second is Bart’s Bookshelf’s Twenty Eleven Reading Challenge: read 20 books from 11 categories. I am new to the approach to reading as a grab bag of categories, and it really appeals.
The third is the 1% Well-Read Challenge: read 13 of the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die. The kids gave me the 1001 Children’s Books to Read Before You Grow Up, and since I am still growing up, I’ll do double duty and read a total of 26 for this challenge. It’s got to be done before April 30, 2011, and I’ve pledged only to read from the TBR pile until April 1, so this may be a bit tricky.
Bibliophibian is also hosting a challenge based on a book about books: The Heroine’s Bookshelf.
Because I have several of these from 2010 I still have not read, I’ll be doing The Short Story Reading Challenge.
This is one that caught my eye in 2010: The Essay Reading Challenge. I’m in for 30 essays, many of which double as essays about books.
From short to long: The Chunkster Challenge. I’m in for the minimum four.
File under Comfort Reads: mysteries. When I want to tune out, this is what I read. I gave Ted a great pile of mysteries for his birthday last year, and, conveniently, I have not read any of them, so I’ll tick boxes with the Off the Shelf challenge, too. 12 mysteries in 12 months. No problem.
And because I have more than a few science books on the bedside tower, I’m in for the science book challenge hosted by Science City. This is their description:
The Science Book Challenge is easy as pi: read 3 (or 3.14!) science books during 2011, then tell us and others about the books you’ve read and help spread science literacy.
Hopefully also as easy as pi is the Science in Fiction challenge. 1 More Chapter hosted this challenge last year. I will aim low with this one (3), but several have been on my TBR list for a while. Curiosities, I’m looking at you.
All of the above are books I’d be reading with or without a challenge, so I’ve found three that will push me a bit:
The Nautical Reading Challenge, at the Dinghy level (that’s up to five books).
The Global Reading Challenge appeals to me because I’m anglo-centric and need a push to read from other languages and because I really like the button.
And, because I’ve only listened to one book in my lifetime, I’m doing the Audio Book Challenge at the Curious level (3).
I’m giddy with all this listing. I’m sure I’ve got a case of eyes bigger than stomach, but I’ve picked challenges in which overlaps are allowed. The majority of these books will not be books about books, so I’ll just be listing them on my new 2011 Challenges page. I’m undecided about what to do about reviews. Perhaps they’ll be on Library Thing.
Are you doing any challenges? If you are looking for a collected selection of reading challenges, go to A Novel Challenge, where you will find a huge selection of them.
Nathalie Foy 
I’m glad you’re joining the Essay Challenge and I look forward to hearing about the essays you’re reading.
Thanks, Carrie. Many of the books I write about for this post are essay collections, in any case, but your challenge has pushed me to look a bit further beyond my usual choices.
Er, I don’t think I actually ever used the word ‘addict’ in relation to reading challenges.
(But I s’pose that’s just what an addict would say.)
::grin::
Hee hee. This addict is proud to say that it’s been four days sans book shopping. How’s that for addict speak?!
I can’t believe that I haven’t stopped by to welcome you to the audiobook challenge. Thank you for joining! You’ve got some great challenges here. Have fun!
Thanks!
Nathalie, I had to lie down and rest after reading your list of challenges! I salute you, O Mighty Reader. And can I ask in a nosy way how you are keeping track of these? Did you make a little spread sheet?
I take great delight in making lists and ticking items off of them, Carol, but reading is not usually a list-driven thing for me. At least not in a satisfyingly methodical way. For Canada Reads and Canada Reads Independently, there is a fixed list of books I will read, as there is with the TBR Challenge (I had to make a list before Jan 1 and have to stick to it.) I have made a chart of the challenges and their parameters, and I’ll put the titles of the books I read for each challenge on there. (I also keep track of my reading in a monthly journal of books bought/books read, a la Nick Hornby. I write a bit of a summary and my impressions of the book so I can jog my memory about it.) There is probably a wonderfully efficient way to organize the information and to avoid cutting and pasting titles that fit more than one challenge, but I have not divined it. My chart is on my Reading Challenges page. I’m glad you commented, because I’ve just remembered to add Fred Vargas to my list of possible mystery reads, on your recommendation!
Apologies for the belated welcome for the Nautical Fiction challenge — I was on a boat for the last two weeks! Love seeing your other challenges — I’m considering the global reading challenge too as I’m also so v Anglo-centric!
Ha! How apt! I’m looking foward to this challenge–a bit of a stretch for me, as I’ve never consciously sought out anything nautical before.
It was a total coincidence! I definitely am not a nautical person really but it was my recent passion for Jane Austen’s Capt Wentworth that put the idea in my head.
[…] in any reading challenges for this year. But if such things tickle your fancy, check out Nathalie Foy’s round-up of a huge number of 2011 reading challenges (all of which she is participating […]