Tuesday 5 May 2009

Southern Reading Challenge

I am doing so well with my reading challenges I couldn't resist one more. Being a Brit, I have always had this secret dream to live in America and I love to read any books set in America, so this challenge really appeals to me. After reading through book choices by other bloggers for this challenge, I found I had already read a few of the books and had a number of the other ones in my collection, so this challenge won't even cost me anymore money!

Here are the details of the challenge run by Maggie Reads. If you wish to join in to put add your link to the post at Maggie Reads.
You may choose to read any style of Southern book such as Appalachian tales, Civil War sagas, Gothic myths, Grit lit, and heart-wrenching biographies. You need to read three books and they can be fiction or non fiction. The challenge starts on May 15th and runs through to August 15th. So I aim to read one a month.
Here are my choices for the challenge.
1) The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
2) Mudbound by Hilary Jordan
3) The Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards
I am also interested in reading Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier and The Help by Kathryn Stockett, so I might look out for these two books to add to my ever growing collection.

17 comments:

  1. Good luck on another challenge!

    I really enjoyed Cold Mountain and The Secret Life of Bees. I think I quite enjoy reading books from the South as well.

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  2. Born and raised in Georgia, I'm a southern girl through and through! You ought to try Mary Kay Andrews' books for this challenge. I just about guarantee you'll love them!

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  3. Ladytink - I have just checked our library and they don't have any Mary Kay Andrews books. They don't seem to sell over here either.

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  4. I do love a good challenge, good luck with this one :D
    Your choices seem great

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  5. Oooh, oooh, oooh, and I would love to live in England...maybe we can switch places? :D

    The Secret Life of Bees is sooooo good! I resisted reading it for a long time, and then was so incredibly surprised when I did read it. In fact, I'll be reading it again soon as I've picked it for a reading selection for my daughter's homeschooling. I'd really love to read Mudbound as well...I've heard such wonderful things about it.

    Have fun with the challenge!

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  6. Oh, LQQk @ this:
    http://thebookresort.blogspot.com/2009/05/sunshine-on-my-face.html

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  7. Thank you fellow bloggers for your support and ideas. The ideas really help.

    Debi - isn't it funny how we always want to live somewhere other than where we are.

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  8. You must, must, must read The Help...

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  9. Hi, I have a copy of Cold Mountain that I'll be reading at the end of this month, I'd be happy to pop it in the post for you when I finish it, it is a bookcrossig book so when you finish it you can keep it or leave it somewhere or with someone.
    if you're interested email me katrianthomas_uk AT uk DOT co DOT uk

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  10. The Secret Life of Bees is a lovely book. Good luck with the challenge!

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  11. i've always wanted to live abroad (england being my first choice, followed by italy). there's just something so sophisticated about living in a foreign country. i'm happy to see that it's not only an american thing to want to live abroad for a bit. :) good luck with the challenge.

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  12. Katrina - thanks for that - I have sent you an email with my details.

    Booklineandsinker - I never realised England was so popular with Americans - I will have to do more out and about posts to show you more.

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  13. My co-worker just came back from spending 6 days in London. She loved it there and her pictures are stunning! I would love to visit Britain as well. :)

    The Memory Keeper's Daughter was one of my favorite reads from last year--sad, but gripping. I hope you like it too!
    *smiles*
    Kim

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  14. I've read all but The Help and I loved 1, 2, and Cold Mountain. I like The Memory Keepers Daughter, but it wasn't my favorite of the bunch. The Help is on my TBR list.

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  15. I know what you mean about books set in America. Part of the reason I loved the Harry Potter series was that it was set in London, it made me want to visit :)
    I have Cold Mountain in my TBR too. Good luck with the challenge.
    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

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  16. Good luck with the challenge! I've read Book 3 and loved it! I hope you'll feel the same way too. :)

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