I just discovered the War Through the Generations challenge, which is focusing on World War II in 2009. Can’t pass that up. I always read heavily about WWII; I have the standard American Jew’s sense of connection to the European war, without having any personal or family connection whatsoever. But I haven’t read any war books in a few years, and I don’t know why, so I hereby pledge to read at least six books about World War II this year. More if I can!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is actually on the hold shelf at the library for me, so that will be my first entry. Check back soonish!

Well, I might as well jump into the deep end. I also have a food blog, and the thing that keeps me posting on a regular basis is being part of a challenge, Tuesdays With Dorie, that involves hundreds of bloggers baking their way through Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan. (Awesome book. Get it.)

So for this new endeavor I’ve signed up for the Book Awards Reading Challenge, which involves reading 10 books in 10 months. These books can be chosen from a long list of book awards, ranging from the Newbery to the Agatha and the Edgar to the Pulitzer and the Nobel, with quite a variety on the table; the 10 books must come from at least five different awards. I think I’ll do 10; it will push me to expand my reading horizons.

Unfortunately, the challenge started in August.

So now I have to read 10 books in five months, which will indeed be a challenge, given that the only time I have to read lately is in the 15 minutes before I fall asleep at night.

But hey, that’s why they call it a reading challenge.

Wish me luck.

Update: Here’s my list, in alphabetical, not priority, order:

Anthony Award 2004: Every Secret Thing, by Laura Lippman
Arthur C. Clarke Award 1987: The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood
Hugo Award 2002: American Gods, by Neil Gaiman
James Tait Black Memorial Prize 1934: I, Claudius, by Robert Graves
Man Booker Prize 2001: True History of the Kelly Gang, by Peter Carey
National Book Award 1953: Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison
National Book Critics’ Circle Award 1997: The Blue Flower, by Penelope Fitzgerald
Nebula Award 1985: Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card
Newbery Award 2004: The Tale of Despereaux, by Kate DiCamillo
Pulitzer Prize 1995: The Stone Diaries, by Carol Shields
Royal Society Prize (Science) 1998: Guns, Germs and Steel, by Jared Diamond

Some of these are books I’ve always wanted to read; some are books I’m looking forward to rereading. This is going to be so much fun!

It’s a new year.