Sunday 14 November 2010

TSS: Plans for 2011 taking shape

The Sunday Salon.com

So, yes, umm…I’ve been quiet the last week, actually probably the past few weeks. There are reasons and most of them are really small and stupid and unfortunately I think things might continue being quite until the end of January since I am once again thesising. And although that involves a great deal of reading, it isn’t really the kind of reading one blogs about. BUT I will be posting sign ups for the Nordic Challenge at the end of November so keep some space in your challenge schedule Smile. And if any of you are good at button making please get in touch with me, I could really do with a hand Smile

I am starting to keep an eye out for challenges and events coming next year and there are some up or announced already that have me really intrigued. I like challenges because they allow me to expand my reading. Consider books I otherwise wouldn’t have. I know a lot of people are saying they will be joining less challenges next year, and that might be the case for me as well, but the challenges I do join are important to me. And when I do join challenges I do try and include some challenges that allow me to read books I would have read no matter what the challenge.

A year of feminist classics

So the first challenge that has caught my eye isn’t so much a challenge as a reading group (from about page). It is a year of reading feminist classics to try and understand the historic context of the feminist movement and most of the books are already on my tbr list. For example in January the book is A Vindication of the Rights of Women by Mary Woollstonecraft. Now I’ve read parts of it but not the whole thing, definitely want to read that one. Then in March we have A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen which will fit nicely with those wanting to do the Nordic Challenge. Then there is The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir from which the title for my last dissertation came (again I read parts but not the whole thing). Yeah I kinda have to do this. I had actually planned on reading a lot of these books during 2011 anyway, but discussing them with others seems like an even better idea. So count me in. I like it because it also feels like a nice continuation on Women Unbound which I loved.

S.Krishna is continuing her South Asian Author Challenge next year and as I really enjoyed the books I read for it this year I have every intention of continuing with this one this year. I have some ideas about which books I want to read but I am also looking for some more suggestions. List and sign up to come.

war and peace vintage classics

I am also planning a year long read of the Volokhonsky and Pevear translation of War & Peace. I plan on reading a chapter a day and that way it should take me the full year to read it. This plan has the wiggle room to read ahead or catch up should I need it.

classcirc-logo

I want to read books for The Classic Circuit, January’s selection is set to be either Romans or Greeks (I’ve voted for the Romans since I just finished The Odyssey (review on 19/11)). But I also want to leave room for other authors or periods as the year progresses. It would have been great to do the ones at the end of this year but I just don’t have the time right now *sigh* stupid school.

In addition to this I don’t actually know what I will be doing in the spring. I graduate with my teaching degree in January and I am currently applying for jobs. I’ve also applied to continue grad school part- or full time depending on the job situation. I will definitely be going to school part time and if I do I will be studying two Swedish courses language structure and language and identity. I need these courses to qualify to teach Swedish in addition to English. If I am studying full time I will also be adding four literature courses so that could significantly add to my reading lists. I hope I won’t be doing all of these courses since that would mean that I didn’t get a job and I desperately want a job but…

Since some of the books I plan on reading are quite thick (War & Peace and The Second Sex are definite chunksters) other challenges will probably be geared towards smaller or easier books.

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Copyright ©2010 Zee from Notes from the North. This post was originally posted by Zee from Notes from the North. It should not be reproduced without express written permission.

14 comments:

*ೃ༄ Jillian said...

Oh, I love that idea about War and Peace: a chapter a day. I didn't realizr it was that long. :-)

I'll be reading Wollstonecraft too. I just bought it. :-)

Ana S. said...

SO glad you're joining us, Zee! And thank you for spreading the word :)

Marg said...

I need to get back to War and Peace.

Anonymous said...

I'm very glad your joining us :) I didn't realise The Second Sex is such a chunster, but several people have warned me by now.. Guess I should plan my reading in July!

I do hope you'll be able to find a job, although the ever-lasting student in me would long for thoser literature courses as well.. but I guess that is because I never took a course on literature.

Amanda said...

I didn't realize The Second Sex was a chunkster either! It sounds like you have a wonderful plan in store for 2011.

Beth F said...

Some great challenges you have listed there! I will be doing What's in a Name again -- announcement and sign up will appear next week. I hope everyone likes the categories!

And take it easy while doing the thesis, blogging can move farther back in the line for now.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for reminding me about the South Asian Challenge! I was thinking of joining that. And maybe the feminist challenge.

But I also would like a year without all these challenges. Is not going to happen!

I didn't realise War and Peace was that big! Good luck with that.

Zee said...

Jilian~~I hadn't realised it either until I saw it on a blog (which one I can no longer remember) and reading a chapter a day just sounded like such a good idea.

Nymeth~~You're welcome and it is such a great idea how could I not join in.

Marg~~good luck!

Iris~~I'll probably start The Second Sex in June. And I will be doing those lit courses no matter what. The difference will be either the spring or starting in the fall :D. When I do them I'll post the lit lists so people can see what they are about.

Amanda~~thanks. Depending on which translation it is between 700+ and 800+ pages. I know people traditionally count chunksters at 1000 pages but I think 700+ on this topic is chunky enough :)

Beth~~I might do What's in a Name this year. I liked the 2010 challenge because it had such different categories and What's in a Name seems similar.

Leeswamme~~thank you. And you're welcome. The South Asian challenge is super simple to finish and really interesting. I do hope you make a no challenge exception for it :)

Aarti said...

Looks like you're going to be BUSY next year! I hope you are able to find a job and good luck, too, with school work! All the best!

Amy said...

Thank you so much for joining us, Zee, and for spreading the word! Most of the books were already on my tbr as well so I'm excited to have company to read and discuss them with.

Jenny said...

Congratulations on your impending graduation! And very, very good luck on your job hunt. I hope it is short and successful.

Eva said...

I'm hoping to read along w/ the Feminist Classics group too. :) And I LOVED War & Peace! I was prepared to spread it out over a long period, but I ended up so desperate to know what would happen next that it took me less than a week. So be prepared for that! ;)

Jade @ Tasting Grace said...

Wow that looks like you've got a lot on your plate! Early congrats on the teaching degree and GOOD LUCK on the job hunt! I hope the job market is better there than here...

Care said...

I am very excited about that year of feminism challenge! Off to go explore that further. THANKS!