Sometimes I like to try different reading challenges. I have found that I don't like them too long or too structured; I would rather have more flexibility in my reading. I tried a history challenge, but determined that I would spend too much time trying to find books that fit each category (and there were a lot of categories) and gave it up. The bingo type ones are better because I can make my books fit the categories, but they still have categories that don't interest me (I don't want to read horror).
Last year I found The Book Girls' Guide and their various yearlong reading challenges. I decided to try the decades challenge, which is basically read a book from a different decade each month. Not only do I get to read historical fiction, memoirs, and nonfiction about history (all things I love), it's one book a month so it's not too demanding. Also, the Book Girls have done a ton of work to gather book recommendations for each month and have included genre, a summary, and their thoughts on the books. They have a variety of genres so there's something for everyone. It was fun to find new books and authors. I have a pile of books still waiting on my "for later" list in the public library.
Last year I didn't sign up to "officially" do the challenge; this year I am signed up to do two challenges (we'll see how that goes). I am doing Book Voyage: Read Around the World and their new one: Book Lover's Challenge (books about books, reading, libraries, and bookstores are generally favourites). All the challenges can be found here.
Last year's books (many of which I have mentioned in the previous two posts):
1880s or 1890s: The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee, about being Chinese in America in the late 1800s
1900s or 1910s: Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee, about the San Francisco Earthquake
1920s: One Summer: America 1927 by Bill Bryson
1930s: Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts
1940s: I was tutoring a child in WW2 at the time, so the list just says "All the WW2 books"! There were several nonfiction (including picture books) and a few fiction books. I didn't write them all down.
1950s: Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan
1960s: Killing Kennedy by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
1970s: Argo by Antonio Mendez and Matt Baglio (granted, this takes place mainly in 1979 and 1980, with the actual rescue in early 1980, but I'm counting it because it starts in the 1970s)
1980s: As You Wish by Cary Elwes, about the making of The Princess Bride
1990s: The Nineties: A Book by Chuck Klostermann, about the culture and such of the 90s; not my favourite book
2000s and 2010s: The Day the World Came to Town by Jim DeFede, stories about the people of Gander and their guests when the flights were diverted after 9/11
Books that Spain Multiple Decades: The Wings of Poppy Pendleton by Melanie Dobson, moving between the 1900s and 1910s for one part of the story and the 1990s for the other part.
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