I’ve finished this challenge as my goal was 24 books, but I’ll still keep adding any award winners that I read until June 30. I finished 19 books in 2007, and so far, 5 11 in 2008. Here’s the breakdown on how many of each type of award winner I read:
Pulitzer: 6 8
Booker: 4 6
Nobel laureates: 5 6
Newbery: 6
Orange: 1
Costa/Whitbread: 1
Bram Stoker: 1
Prix Renaudot: 1
NBCC: 1
IMPAC: 1
Hugo: 1
Caldecott: 1
Alex: 1
Governor General: 1
There are more than 24 listed above because some books won multiple awards.
My favorites were Half of a Yellow Sun, The Tale of Despereaux, Kristin Lavransdatter I, Suite Francaise, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. My least favorite by far was The Sea by John Banville.
As for Book Awards II, I have decided that right now there are so many challenges out there that it would be best to wait for 2009 for the next challenge. Tentatively, the challenge will go from February 1 through November 1 with a requirement of 9 books in at least 5 different categories. I’ll post more details in the last quarter of 2008.
Here’s my list of books read:
1. The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood (Booker 2000)
2. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy (Booker 1997)
3. The Sea by John Banville (Booker 2005)
4. A Death in the Family by James Agee (Pulitzer 1958)
5. The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron (Newbery 2007)
6. The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli (Newbery 1950)
7. The Known World by Edward P. Jones (Pulitzer, IMPAC, NBCC)
8. The Hours by Michael Cunningham (Pulitzer)
9. The White Stag by Kate Seredy (Newbery 1938)
10. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (Pulitzer)
11. Lisey’s Story by Stephen King (Bram Stoker 2007)
12. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Orange 2007)
13. Bud, not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis (Newbery)
14. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (Newbery)
15. Buying a Fishing Rod for my Grandfather by Gao Xingjian (Nobel Laureate)
16. The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx (Pulitzer)
17. The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder (Pulitzer)
18. Kristin Lavransdatter I: The Wreath by Sigrid Undset (Nobel laureate)
19. Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky (Prix Renaudot)
20. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon (Costa/Whitbread)
21. Independent People by Halldor Laxness (Nobel)
22 The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison (Nobel)
23. Life & Times of Michael K by J. M. Coetzee (Booker Prize, Nobel laureate)
24. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! by Laura Amy Schlitz (Newbery)
25. Kaddish for a Child not Born by Imre Kertesz (Nobel)
26. Detective Story by Imre Kertesz (Nobel)
27. Beloved by Toni Morrison (Pulitzer/Nobel)
28. Maus I and Maus II by Art Spiegelman (Pulitzer Special Award)
29. The Gathering by Anne Enright (Booker Prize)
30. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling (Hugo)
31. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (Caldecott)
32. Life of Pi by Yann Martel (Booker)
33. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (Alex)
34. Bear by Marian Engel (Governal General’s)
Nice job, 3M! And with 3 months still to go. I’ve must light the fire under myself and getting moving on this challenge.
Very nice! I’m overloaded this year, too, but I’ll be keeping this one in mind for next year. There are a ton I want to read!
Lezlie
Fantastic! It seems like you had a lot of fun with this challenge. :] I’ll just wait until next year to join in on the fun.
I like the idea of taking a break for a few months, but I did like how this one went from July to June.
I’ve finished 12 easily, but have a few more I’d like to finish to consider it done. I’m going to focus on this one for March, along with the Once Upon a Time, and hopefully cross them off the list.
You did really well, such a varied list of awards too.
Now I see that Lisey’s Story was a winner, hmm, I have that one too. Maybe..
Well done you!
I loved The Hours, and enjoyed Curious Incident, but haven’t read any of the others…
p.s. love the Bible Gateway update thing on the side – and that verse has to be one of the best ones. Amazing that it was written so long before Jesus fulfilled it.
I’d highly recommend the Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis as a great read. The author’s imagination and creativity never cease to amaze me. Although most might think that they are for children.,I think most adults would also enjoy reading them. In fact, Disney is coming up with the latest Narnia movie-Prince Caspian, this May 16th. It promises to be awesome by the looks of the trailor. I think its very well-timed also, especially for the kids who’d be on summer break. So dont miss it!