“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.”
~ G.R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons
Do you love to read?
In January a group of us embarked on the inaugural Cauldrons and Cupcakes Reading Challenge.
Already we have read some fine books, and learned about new reading possibilities from our friends who have posted their own recommendations. My personal reading list is now long enough to get me through until next year, at least.
For those of you who are just joining us now let me explain the Challenge to you. It’s pretty easy!
It involves four simple steps:
- Read or otherwise consume a book each month. You might borrow a book from the library, or buy one. It might be gifted to you, or it might have been waiting for you in some pile beside the bed since who knows when… Or it could be an e-book, or an audio book. It can be any kind of book at all. A novel, a romance, crime, children’s or young adult’s, a non-fiction book like a memoir or a cookbook or a travel book. It could be a graphic novel. Or even a textbook.
- Post the name of the book you are currently reading here on the blog or over on our Cauldrons and Cupcakes Facebook or Instagram page. Feel free to suggest another book that you have already read and enjoyed. That way you’ll be adding to a list of books that we can all dip into and choose from. I love finding new reading recommendations!
- Download the Reading Challenge Bingo Sheet. Each month write the name of the book you have read in the corresponding square. If you read two books in one month it’s fine to allocate one to another month. Or add the extra book to your existing month. Then add a small amount of money to a jar for each book you read. It could be as little as ten cents per book. Here’s the Bingo Sheet for you to download – just click on this link: Book Reading Challenge Bingo Sheet Then start filling it in when you’ve read your first book.
- In December I am going to ask you to use the money you have saved to buy and donate a book to a charity for a Christmas gift OR donate the money to a literacy project or similar. (Even if you only saved ten cents each month $1 will buy you a decent second-hand book just about anywhere.) It will feel great to help someone else to experience the pleasure and comfort that reading brings. The world needs more readers. If you want to team up for this challenge that’s a great idea too!
For those of you who are already participating, I can’t wait to hear about your book recommendations! Pop them in the comments below.
But if you haven’t joined us yet, it’s not too late. And I’d love you to get your friends involved too, so please feel free to share this post far and wide.
On the first Saturday of every month (unless that coincides with the first day of the month, where I post my energetic forecast for the month ahead – in which case, like this month it’s the second Saturday) I’ll post an update here on the blog, and ask you what you are reading and if you have any recommendations to share.
All year we will practice kindness to ourselves by reading.
At year’s end we will pass some of that kindness on to someone else.
Do you want to join me?
Go ahead and write your name below, or pop over to Facebook and join me there.
Happy Reading!
Lots of love, Nicole ❤ xx
I am still reading “Glimpses of a Golden Childhood” – it is a book of stories narrated by Osho – I am amazed by the content – Osho (who was badly maligned by the mainstream media) was a brilliant well-read man – he quotes Socrates & Plato – his analyses of the world’s major religions is masterful – the book is quite thick and I am slooowly working my way through…. (Note: I love all the recommendations from the other readers(!))
I finally finished “Duncton Found” by William Horwood. It has taken me about 2 1/2 months. It’s a thick book, but, well……. life. I could only read a bit at a time. Not because of the book or the writer, but because life wanted to throw some curve balls in the middle of it. Even so, I managed to focus on it a bit at a time and gather the underlying theme of the story. It’s the battle between the Word and the Stone, through the lives of moles. 🙂 Not exactly a good and evil battle, but sort of. Enough like one for the reader to draw parallels between the story of the moles’ questing and our own daily struggles with violence and peacefulness. There were enough moments in it, where I stopped to contemplate how that particular comment related to my own life, to make it enlightening and enjoyable.
I think I’ll choose something lighter this month 😀
I’m reading the Green Road by Anne Enright. I have had a lot less time to read than usual over the past few months, so I want to make up for it in the next 3 and spend more time in my reading chair!!! I love the sound of the books you read and can’t wait to hear what you think of Tiny Beautiful Things!!!
It’s cued, all ready to go! 🙂
Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed is one of my all time most favourite books!! Last month I read and thoroughly enjoyed, did not want to let go of, Between a Wolf and a Dog by Georgia Blain. Thank you Nicole and everyone for posting such wonderful notes about books you have been reading! x Simone
This is a great idea. I’m an extremely slow reader who likes to read incredibly long books, so I’d probably get through about 6 books in a year lol
They still count!
I’m on a bit of a memoir roll at the moment!
In June I read The Bright Hour – A Memoir of Living and Dying by Nina Riggs. This is a beautifully written and life-affirming journey of a woman with terminal cancer. I found it a bit raw and close to the bone a few times given the recent loss of some dear friends to cancer, and for my own unexpected health dramas a few months ago, but gee, don’t let that put you off. It’s a gorgeous book, and it really helps you to value what matters in your own life.
I also read Because We Are Bad, by Lily Bailey. This is the story of a young woman with OCD. Lily bravely exposes her innermost thoughts and behaviours in a way that truly demystifies OCD and the stereotypes we usually have about people washing their hands obsessively or needing to line up all their coffee cup handles on a certain angle. I have a number of clients with OCD and this book captures so well this journey that they all think must belong exclusively and shamefully to them. I’ll be suggesting it as recommended reading, because it’s such a hopeful and supportive book.
In audiobooks (who knew these could be so good!) I have devoured (wait for it…) The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly Non-Standardised Text For Writing and Life, narrated by the author, Marion Roach Smith. (I know, more memoir! In my defense I am editing mine so I am in the memoir space well and truly.) Okay, truth be told I have probably listened to this book fifteen times over the month because I kept dozing off (nighttime or naptime as I recover from my illness) and then I’d go back too far and listen to something all over again to get to the next bit. But it is so worth it. I have the paperback of this book but it truly came to life for me when I listened instead of reading. If you’re a writer of any persuasion this is a brilliant resource. Highly recommended!
I’ve also leafed through dozens of cookbooks and cooking magazines that were languishing on my shelf, getting inspiration for some more log recipes, and I am now truly motivated to cook for you!
Lots of love, Nicole xx
I love reading, only have the time to do it during the school term of an afternoon while I am waiting for Leo to get out of school, at the moment I am reading a book called the Heart of London, it was my mums she bought it way back in 1962
I used to love reading the books on my grandparents’ bookshelves. And I devoured most of my dad’s while I was still at primary school! (had to use the dictionary a lot though, and gee did I learn some stuff!!!)