Reading Challenges - Part 2

 

In my last post on reading challenges, I wrote about how I don't really bother with them because I don't feel the need to. I find inspiration in other places. Nor do I concern myself with my progress, in terms of how many books I have read per week/month/year. It doesn't really concern me.

There have been a couple of occasions when, on admitting my love for books and being the bookish sort of fella who always has a book with them, I have been asked how many books I read in the last month or year. And I find myself bemused by the question. I have no idea, none whatsoever. I don't read to keep count, and I definitely don't read to try and beat someone else's tally. I'm not into competitive reading!

The last post was inspired by a comment I saw online. This comment concerned the writer's "shame" over their not reading as much as others and how challenges and tallies she saw online made her feel this way. My last post was a reaction to that I suppose.

However, there are benefits to these challenges. 

I find a lot of inspiration for which books I am going to pick up next in interviews, articles, reviews, and other places. And, in the same way, challenges can introduce you to books that you might not otherwise have picked up, and reading broadly is, in my opinion, a good idea. So, it's not all bad. Just don't let them leave you feeling ashamed of your reading habits. If that's the case, let it go, it's not serving you any more.

And so, for balance, and just for a bit of fun . . .

A little list of reading challenges (or suggestions, if you'd prefer)

1. A book with a colour in the title

Whether it's Goldfinger by Ian Fleming, Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, or Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss, there are plenty of books out there with colourful titles. Colours can carry with them all sorts of different thoughts and feelings, and so using colours in the title can tell readers something of what's inside. Using colour is a great way to create an image in the reader's mind, and it shouldn't be too hard to find a book you'll like with a colour in the title.

2. A book with a number in the title

At the moment, I am rereading The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of a Window and Disappeared (which could also probably feature under the suggestion heading "Books with long titles"), and I would thoroughly recommend that one in this category. However, like colours, there are plenty of books out there with numbers in the title. Let's see, there's Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey, there's Slaughter-House Five by Kurt Vonnegut. Ooh, and there's Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. And, what about Around the Worl . . .

Well, I could go on and on.

3. A book that reminds you of summer

Now, this one is going to be much more personal to the reader. I could sit here and type out books and stories set during the summer time (To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, for example). But, it could be the case that the book that reminds you of summer is a book not set during the summer at all. Perhaps it's a book based on a film you saw with a loved one one summer some years ago. Or, perhaps it's a book you read as a teenager during those long and glorious summer days away from school. Whatever it is, why not pick up a book that makes you feel as though you are basking in sunshine?

4. A book that reminds you of someone you'd rather forget

I know, right? Why on earth would you want to undertake this one? Well, why not? If you find yourself reading a character and they remind you of someone unpleasant from your own life at least the character is stuck between the pages of a book! Besides, books, aside from being a source of joy and pleasure, can, like other pieces of art, help us to work through our emotions. And, the feelings that we have for people we'd rather forget are just as much in need of our attention, sometimes more so, than those that we have for the ones we love.

5. A poem that you can read aloud

This can be pretty much any poem. In fact, a piece of advice that I took on board a while ago was that when reading poetry it is a more pleasant experience if you do read aloud. To feel your mouth, and tongue, and lips working with the words, the sound they make, is a part of the pleasure. And take your time with it. Think of it like chocolate, or wine, as something to savour. I might recommend The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe, which I think is a pleasure to read aloud. Or, This Be The Verse by Philip Larkin. Though do be aware, reading poetry out loud can lead to odd looks from passersby. However, it can also lead to admiring looks. So, might as well just go for it, I say!

6. A book that makes you think

This one, like the suggestion for a book that reminds you of summer, is one that is going to be personal to the reader. The book that makes one reader stop and think, considering their views on life thus far, will bore the other reader stupid, wishing they could get a refund on the time and effort they invested. Personally, I have an interest in nature and wildlife, so I am intrigued by books on those topics and the issue of conservation. However, there are, thankfully, books on a plethora of topics. Not just is there books on environmental concerns, but social concerns, political, and so on. Seeking out those books that make you pause, consider life a while, are worth the seeking out, in my opinion. The world, I sometimes fear, could do with a few more people reading books that make them think a while.

Well, those are my suggestions for now. Not a challenge. Just suggestions. Do you have any suggestions/recommendations that might fir into the categories above? Why not leave a comment below? And please, give it a little share, if that's your thing!

If you didn't find this piece useful, I hope you at least found it enjoyable. If you did, perhaps you would consider following/supporting me over at ko-fi. Ko-fi is a platform for creatives, and all followers/supporters are very much appreciated!

Happy reading!