2012 Challenge Wrap-Up

Now is probably as good a time as any to take a look at how I did on my 2012 reading challenges. I’m probably not going to make too much more headway with them considering the Christmas reading, magician books, and ARCs I have on my immediate TBR pile. 😉

I did okay with this one. I intended to read more poetry this year and did so, but I only managed one poetry collection (of 2) and 39+ other poems, mostly from here and there around the web. I also commented on a few Virtual Poetry Circles, which were a great way to expose myself to at least a poem a week. My one poetry collection, and book #35 for the year, is Minorities, a collection edited by J.M. Wilson from T. E. Lawrence’s notebook of transcribed poems. It’s an interesting selection of poems about war, love, death, and nature. Most of the time all at once. I first read this collection in college and was pleased to be able to purchase it online. I am pretty terrible at putting into words my thoughts about poetry. Like allegory and satire, I always feel like I’m missing something or that I don’t have the necessary vocabulary to talk intelligently about poems. I know what I like, I enjoy what I like, and that’s enough for me. I’ll be continuing my poem-a-week habit in 2013.

I did not end up rereading much this year. In addition to the four books finished below, I also reread 9 short stories (mostly Arthur Conan Doyle and Ray Bradbury) and am a couple hundred pages into A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin. This one’s a “win,” but not by much. “Reliving the Past: 4-8 re-reads”. A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin From the Dust Returned by Ray Bradbury The Mist by Stephen King Minorities by edited by J. M. Wilson & T. E. Lawrence (see above)

My own challenges: I did pretty terribly at reading what I bought and/or won… There’s always Mount TBR! I did average a short story a week and a poem a week. In addition to short stories I read in collections and anthologies (I read 8 pf those this year), I read 69 short stories. I’m going to stick with reading a short story per week in 2013 as well. Read my first Western this year. Became an Elmore Leonard fan. Also been reading a section of Poetic Edda each week since July or so. Heaven, Hell & 2 Ducks – FAIL! I know four jokes well enough that I can tell them without much thought. One involves Heaven, one involves Hell, and the other two include ducks. Yep. That’s it. I created a graphic for a challenge that involves four books. Heaven: Heaven (The Afterlife Series, Book I) by Mur Lafferty Hell:To Reign in Hell by Steven Burst (Though this one might actually be my heaven book. It remains to be seen.) Duck:Moby Duck: The True Story of 28,800 Bath Toys Lost at Sea… by Donovan Hohn Duck: (TBD – This is where the challenge comes in.)

SpecFic Challenge – Success! “Content” level of participation: 12 books The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins People of the Book: A Decade of Jewish Science Fiction & Fantasy by edited by Rachel Swirsky & Sean Wallace Heaven (The Afterlife Series, Book I) by Mur Lafferty Nebula Nominees The Two Sams by Glen Hirshberg The Woman in Black by Susan Hill Asgard Stories: Tales from Norse Mythology by Mary H. Foster & Mabel H. Cummings Modern Fairies, Dwarves, Goblins, and Other Nasties: A Practical Guide by Miss Edythe McFate by Lesley M. M. Blume, David Foote (Illustrator) A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin From the Dust Returned by Ray Bradbury Ready Player One by Ernest Cline Roth, Veronica – Divergent Carriger, Gail – Soulless King, Stephen – The Mist Lindqvist, John Ajvide – Let the Right One In Link, Kelly & Gavin J. Grant (editors) – Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories McMaster, Bec – Kiss of Steel Rogers, Ian – Every House is Haunted Suzuki, Koji – Dark Water Ketter, Greg ed. – Shelf Life: Fantastic Stories Celebrating Bookstores

Mixing It Up Challenge – Success! “Mixing Bowl” level of participation: read from 9-12 of the following 16 categories: Classics – Asgard Stories: Tales from Norse Mythology by Mary H. Foster & Mabel H. Cummings Biography – Chocolate & Vicodin by Jennette Fulda, Bad Luck Officer by Suzie Ivy Cookery, Food and Wine History Modern Fiction – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon Graphic Novels and Manga – Ultimate Comics sampler, Gibbons, Dave – Doctor Who: Dave Gibbons Collection Crime and Mystery Horror – The Two Sams: Ghost Stories by Glen Hirshberg Romance – Kiss of Steal by Bec McMaster Science Fiction and Fantasy – Heaven (The Afterlife Series, Book I) by Mur Lafferty Travel Poetry and Drama – Minorities by T. E. Lawrence Journalism and Humour – From Alien to the Matrix: Reading Science Fiction Film by Roz Kaveney Science and Natural History Children’s and Young Adult – The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins Social Sciences and Philosophy