Two Hands, Five Gauntlets

"Of making many books there is no end," said the man of wisdom. I really can't see what is so wise in that statement. He would have better shown his wisdom if he had explained how one is to read the thousands of books one wants and needs to read.

I currently have about 100 books listed in the library system to read ASAP. And that's really not the beginning, because many of the classic novels, epic poems, and plays aren't even listed, but simply must be read as soon as humanly possible. It's rather overwhelming, although I'm thankful that I shall never run out of good books to read, even if I live to be as old as Methuselah. Nevertheless, it's daunting.

So, here are some of my reading plans for 2011.

1. Read through as many books as possible in The Well Educated Mind by Susan Wise Bauer. This primer on educating oneself with great literature reviews almost 90 fiction and nonfiction volumes, almost 30 plays and 40 prominent poets. Yes, I've read a number of the novels (a few repeatedly) and am familiar with most of the pre-modernist poets' frequently anthologized pieces (and obsessed with certain poets)... But there are still reams and reams in tome after tome which I haven't read. I hope that Wise Bauer's chronological list and overviews will help me cross most of those classics off my list. Although I fear it will be later than I wish.
(Mrs. Wise Bauer's Website: http://www.susanwisebauer.com/

2. The Classics Challenge
http://stilettostorytime.wordpress.com/2011/01/10/welcome-to-the-classics-challenge-2011/

Directly tied into number one. There are apparently only two levels for this challenge and I'll definitely go for my "Bachelor's Degree" with ten classics. It will be a failure of titanic proportions if I don't read at least ten classics this year.

3. The Eleven New Authors Challenge at the Literature Network Forums. Again, this one will overlap with the two above. http://www.online-literature.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58695&highlight=eleven

4. The Elizabeth Gaskell Reading Challenge
http://gaskellblog.com/2010/12/16/gaskell-reading-challenge/
I'll be rereading North and South in the next week. I don't know what other Gaskell book to read though. I've heard Ruth is exceptional. I don't know if it would count, but I've had Mrs. Gaskell's biography of Charlotte Bronte for years and still haven't read all of it. But then, I could always just reread Wives and Daughters and do some work on that screenplay I started years ago.

5. Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge.
http://austenprose.com/2010/12/30/the-sense-and-sensibility-bicentenary-challenge-2011/
I'll write a separate post on this.

Since this is a new blog, I don't know how to do certain things yet, like post the image-links to my challenges.