Happy new year! It’s hard to believe that 2010 is already over and that it’s time to wrap up the reading challenges in which I participated over the year. I only signed up for 4 challenges, and I’m proud of myself for completing them all. Here’s what I read:
For the 2010 War Through the Generations Vietnam War Reading Challenge that I co-hosted with Serena (which ran from Jan. 1, 2010-Dec. 31, 2010), I signed up for 11+ books. Although I didn’t read as many as I’d hoped for this challenge, I still completed it by finishing 13 books.
1. Playing Basketball With the Viet Cong by Kevin Bowen
2. The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli
3. Dien Cai Dau by Yusef Komunyakaa
4. Song of Napalm by Bruce Weigl
5. Letter to My Daughter by George Bishop
6. Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
7. A Hundred Feet Over Hell by Jim Hooper
8. Paco’s Story by Larry Heinemann
9. The Fall of Saigon: The End of the Vietnam War by Michael V. Uschan
10. Fatal Light by Richard Currey
11. The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
12. Shooting the Moon by Frances O’Roark Dowell
13. Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes
For the 2010 Jane Austen Reading Challenge hosted by The Life (and) Lies of an inanimate flying object (which ran from Jan. 1, 2010-Dec. 31, 2010), I signed up for the “Fanatic” level of 5+ Jane Austen retellings, sequels, or reimaginings and 6+ original works by Jane Austen. I finished this one by reading 7 in the retellings/sequels/reimaginings category and 6 works by Jane Austen.
1. Mansfield Park Revisited by Joan Aiken
2. Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World by Abigail Reynolds
3. The Darcys & the Bingleys by Marsha Altman
4. The Plight of the Darcy Brothers by Marsha Altman
5. Mr. Darcy’s Great Escape by Marsha Altman
6. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith
7. Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart by Beth Patillo
******
1. Sanditon by Jane Austen
2. Persuasion by Jane Austen
3. Lady Susan by Jane Austen
4. The Watsons by Jane Austen
5. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
6. Love and Freindship by Jane Austen
For the 2010 Everything Austen II Challenge hosted by Stephanie’s Written Word (which ran from July 1, 2010-Jan. 1, 2011), I had to read 6 Austen-themed books. I went a little overboard on this challenge, and finished 13 books.
1. To Conquer Mr. Darcy by Abigail Reynolds
2. Mr. Darcy’s Little Sister by C. Allyn Pierson
3. Darcy’s Voyage by Kara Louise
4. Persuasion by Jane Austen
5. Captain Wentworth’s Diary by Amanda Grange
6. Anne Elliot, A New Beginning by Mary Lydon Simonsen
7. Mr. Darcy’s Obsession by Abigail Reynolds
8. Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford
9. Lady Susan by Jane Austen
10. The Watsons by Jane Austen
11. Pemberley Ranch by Jack Caldwell
12. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
13. Love and Freindship by Jane Austen
For the 2010 Maud Hart Lovelace Reading Challenge hosted by A Library is a Hospital for the Mind (which was held during the month of October), I had to read just 1 book by Maud Hart Lovelace, but I completed the challenge by reading 3.
1. Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace
2. Betsy Was a Junior by Maud Hart Lovelace
3. Betsy and Joe by Maud Hart Lovelace
How did you do on your 2010 reading challenges, and what are you plans for 2011? I will be posting my 2011 challenge sign ups soon.
Wishing you all the best in 2011!
© 2011 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
At least you completed all your challenges. Have a good weekend.
LikeLike
Thanks! If it hadn’t been for you buying me Jane Austen’s minor works for Christmas, I probably would have failed the Jane Austen Challenge. You’re my hero! 😉
LikeLike
I hope to do better this year. My organization of my 2010 Challenges was less than stellar…LOL.
But I did complete most of them, and it was my first foray into the area of challenges.
Happy New Year! My 2011 Challenges will be spotlighted on my Curl up and Read blog here:
http://curlupandread.wordpress.com/
LikeLike
Good luck with your challenges, Laurel! Although I tend to choose challenges based on what I already enjoy reading or plan to read, challenges can really help you broaden your reading horizons. And they make me more motivated to read, helping ward off the slumps.
LikeLike
Wow, you did an awesome job on these. I’m not sure if you could have had a better, more well-rounded year of Vietnam reading.
LikeLike
Thanks, Sandy! I was a little disappointed that I didn’t read as much as I’d wanted to for the Vietnam challenge, but when I look at what I did read, you’re right. It’s a fairly well-rounded list, so I’m happy with that.
LikeLike
Well done, Anna!
I’ve read Paco’s Story and will be reading A Hundred Feet Over Hell by Jim Hooper soon. He sent me a book plate and I appreciated it very much.
LikeLike
Thanks! That’s awesome about the book plate. Can’t wait to read your thoughts on A Hundred Feet Over Hell. It made my best of 2010 list, which I hope to post at some point today.
LikeLike
Congratulations on completing your challenges, Anna! I had only signed up for a small few this past year too and managed to finish them all. I’m taking a step back from all challenges this year. I’m not sure how much time I’ll have for reading during the later half of the year.
I hope you have a wonderful New Year.
LikeLike
Thanks! It’s understandable that your reading time will be less in the coming months. Happy new year to you as well!
LikeLike
Congrats on finishing all the challenges, Anna! I only participated in my own last year and I’m honestly not sure if I finished them or not as I stopped keeping track. 😉 Hope you have a great reading year in 2011!
LikeLike
Thanks! I stopped keeping track myself after awhile and just figured I’d do it at the end of the year. I couldn’t pass up on the Jane Austen and Lovelace challenges, since I planned to read tons of applicable books. But it is so hard to host a challenge, complete that challenge, and take part in others.
LikeLike
Congratulations on your success with challenges this year, Anna!
I’m still writing my “didn’t quite finish this challenge” posts for a few more that I took on but didn’t complete.
LikeLike
Thanks, Dawn! After joining 8 challenges already this year, I’m worried about right those posts next year myself. LOL
LikeLike
Anyone wanting a signed bookplate to go in her/his copy of A Hundred Feet Over Hell can contact me through my website – http://www.jimhooper.co.uk – and I’ll have it heading in your direction the same day.
LikeLike
Thanks, Jim! Mine arrived yesterday. 🙂
LikeLike
Congrats on finishing all your challenges!
LikeLike
Thanks, Kris!
LikeLike