Thursday, February 24, 2011

2011 Complete Booker Challenge

I'm going to participate in 2011 Complete Booker Challenge at the Booker's Dozen level, with an eye to completing 12 Booker-Prize-winning (or nominated) books this year.

I don't have a complete list yet; I have a stack of Booker winners unread in my TBR pile (more than a dozen for sure!), plus an unknown number of long- and short-listed titles, so this is a great opportunity to work my way through. My goal is to read one winner a month and maybe a nominee or two here and there as time and interest allow. So far in 2011 I've read
  • Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively (winner 1987)
  • Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner (winner 1984)
  • Heliopolis by James Scudamore (longlist 2009)
Next up for me is probably going to be Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha for March, since I'm doing all Irish books in March. After that I'll pick something each month that I feel like reading.

It's going to be a great year in Booker books! You can visit the Complete Booker Prize Challenge page here.

11 comments:

Luke Raftl said...

That looks like a great challenge! There's always far too many books to read though. I'll definitely look into it and no doubt pick and choose those I actually have time to read!

Thanks for the link!

Nana Fredua-Agyeman said...

All the best in your challenge. The Booker is one I have my eyes on. Perhaps once I am through with some of my challenges I would head there. It's interesting when one book can satisfy more than one challenge. lol. It feels like cheating but it's fun. I read Tropical Fish and it was the first book I was reading by a Ugandan so it satisfied my Africa Reading Challenge and then it won the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Africa Region's First Best Book and so satisfied that challenge too. lol.

Lynne Perednia said...

Every year I stock up on Booker longlist titles and every year I get farther behind in reading them.

There is something special about the Booker. Some of the books that live longest in my memory have come from those lists.

bermudaonion said...

Good luck!

Zibilee said...

Oh, I admire you so much for giving this a go! I have always wanted to do something like this, but never have the time. I will totally be living vicariously through your posts, and who knows, I may just pick up some great recommendations! Good luck with this!

Rayna Eliana said...

Good luck! It is a great challenge.

Michelle (Red Headed Book Child) said...

A brilliant challenge! Good luck to you. I would do it if I weren't so challenged out. I think 4 is enough for me this year. Look forward to your reviews!

Take care,
michelle

Connolly-Ahern (Col Reads) said...

I'm looking forward to your reviews, Marie!

Sandra said...

I enjoyed Hotel Du Lac, it was my second Brookner book. I've misplaced Moon Tiger but my records say I mooched a copy so I'm still looking.
I read many from the longlist each year, as you know. From the 2010 list I've read 7:
2010-Winner-The Finkler Question**** by Howard Jacobson
2010-Longlist-February****+ by Lisa Moore
2010-Longlist-Trespass****+ by Rose Tremain
2010-Longlist-The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet****+ by David Mitchell
2010-Shortlist-Room****+ by Emma Donoghue
2010-Shortlist-C*** by Tom McCarthy
2010-Longlist-In a Strange Room by Damon Galgut****
I will be reading Betrayal because I love The Siege but won't bother with the rest unless someone like you says it's a must. So many award lists - so little time. :)
Have fun, I look forward to your reviews.

lilly said...

What an ambitious undertaking! And definitely worth doing too. I want to read the Booker Prize winners someday but for now it just doesn't quite work out.

Good luck! I'll be looking forward to your recommendations at the end of the challenge.

Booksnyc said...

The Booker always has excellent books as winners and nominees! Paddy Clarke Ha, Ha Ha is one I want to read soon too!
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