At the beginning of every calendar year, one of my colleagues launches the reading challenge that she has spent the previous months pulling together. Some of these challenges she makes up, some she finds online and some are provided by the winners of the previous year from each of our library branches. Most of her co-workers and some of our patrons grab the sheet listing the 24 challenges as soon as the New Years fuss has died down. We start off with great gusto, picking through the list. Some begin with the easy ones, like “Read a book by one of your favourite authors” or “Read a book with a protagonist who shares your occupation”. Some with their least favourite which, depending on your taste, might be “read a book with a non-human character” or “read a book about politics”.
Tick, tick, the first two are checked off with no trouble at all. It’s January, it’s cold; reading is therapy against grey skies and black dogs. Commitment and determination are brought into play. This challenge will be conquered.
Each participant approaches the challenge differently. Some spend hours carefully researching every category. Some rely on the provided cheat sheet and do no research themselves at all. Some go one further and expect the library staff to amass all the books for them. These are the patrons for whom the annual reading challenge has become a blood sport. They must win at all costs and are damned if time will be wasted finding their own reading materials. Several have also been known to add books that they read for a previous challenge. Subterfuge and skullduggery are often employed. The race is on, and ferocious attempts are made to finish first, with a great deal of fuss to be made.
By now you will be thinking that the prizes for this exciting contest must be phenomenal. They are not. No, it’s the kudos that is sought; the bragging rights and the winning streak to uphold. As such, the competition is fierce and woe betide the library branch that fails to provide the required book at the appointed time!
Yolanda Santamaria/Rad Retro/Pinterest
The rest of us plod along at our own pace, often distracted by a new release from a favourite author whose current title doesn’t fit the challenge. Those who plot out two books per month, usually finish by the December deadline and quietly slide their completed sheets, crumpled and coffee-ringed across the circulation desk. For those of us who are pantsers; who set off at a gallop only to fall asleep over chapter one after a long day of work, the progress is more sporadic. I usually make it to around September when life starts to get frantic in the run-up to Christmas, often with only a few more titles to fulfill. I’ve never quite managed to finish it yet but six weeks in, I’ve made a fair start.
- Read a British Mystery – The Missing by C.L. Taylor, which I enjoyed
- Read a book with something broken on the cover – Born Anxious by Daniel P. Keating, which was interesting but not really relevant to the information I was seeking
- Read a book about a library or a bookshop – Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell, which I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend
- Read a book about politics – Blowout by Rachel Maddow, which I found highly readable and fascinating if horrifying.
As for the rest, well, time will tell. I have a few titles already picked out and will tackle them as and when I can. I just hope I can stay awake to read them!
If you would also like to have a go, you can find the challenge, compiled by Charity Fraser, here – https://www.southshorepubliclibraries.ca/2020/01/2020-reading-challenge/
You can also find more reading challenges online.
Clo Carey Feb/20
Blog challenge #2020 Reading Challenge @southshorepubliclibraries #SouthShoreScribesNS @www.emilybowers.ca/ https://wordsbywhittall.blogspot.com/ @passionate_perspective @https://www.facebook.com/groups/1470587219691626 #amwriting #writingprompt
#write28days Feb15
Teetering on the Edge 