The Women Unbound Reading Challenge and a Few Other Tidbits

Another reading challenge you say?? Whatever for?? Well....because. Because I love challenges. Because I love making lists. And because I love the idea of reading some books out of my comfort zone. Also...this looks like it is going to be a REALLY GOOD challenge!! Lots of fun. And besides...they have some really cool buttons (ok..that's my shallow side coming out!) The Women Unbound Reading Challenge is hosted by 3 fantastic women: Aarti from Booklust, Care from Care's Online Book Club, and Eva from A Striped Armchair. Apparently this challenge was brainstormed over a Twitter session one day (damn my having to sleep during the day because of work!! I miss out on so much Twitter fun!) This is a year-long challenge from November '09 to November '10. Books to be read should be both fiction and non-fiction and deal with "women's studies".

You can do any level of participation you are comfortable with. The three levels are:

Philogynist: read at least two books, including at least one nonfiction one.
Bluestocking: read at least five books, including at least two nonfiction ones.
Suffragette: read at least eight books, including at least three nonfiction ones.




Since I have a list of so many books I'd like to read, I'm sticking with the big guns: Suffragette level.


As always, I made a list, but I also reserve the right to change my mind at any given time. My prerogative as a woman!!

So far, this is what I have:


Fiction:

• Bastard out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison
• Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood
• Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
• Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters
• Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• Out by Natsuo Kirino
• The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula le Guin
• Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
• Empress Orchid by Anchee Min
  

Nonfiction:

• Couldn't Keep it to Myself: Wally Lamb and the Women of York Correctional Institution (Testimonies from our Imprisoned Sisters) Edited by Wally Lamb
• Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China by Leslie T. Chang
• The House at Sugar Beach: In Search of a Lost African Childhood by Helene Cooper
• Prozac Nation by Elizabeth Wurtzel
• Catherine the Great: Love, Sex and Power by Virgina Rounding
• Persepolis and Persepolis 2 by Marjane Satrapi
• Self-Made Man by Norah Vincent
• Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
  

Sheesh. That's way too many books, but I couldn't stop finding great books once I started looking!! Join in with me in this challenge. Come on. You know you want to!!

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This weekend was Chad's last football game. He has played the entire year at Linebacker. He really likes defense. But the last few weeks of practice he really kicked it up a notch. Since he is so strong for such a little guy, the coaches decided to play him at fullback and give him a chance at running the ball. He did really well....and in the last game of the year, he busted one up the middle for a 42-yard touchdown!! I was so proud!! Probably not quite as proud as he was, but close!

I have parent/teacher conferences this week. So far, the kids seem to be bringing home great grades. Bella is having a bit of trouble concentrating....and rushing things, but I think she'll be ok.

Remember my best friend's movie?? They are almost done with the editing. Red Carpet showing here in Peoria is in January. And they are going to enter it into some film festivals. Aaron's trying to talk me into getting the kids' an agent, and trying to get them some modeling work. Chad wants it pretty bad, so I guess I may have to look into it. He was contacted a few weeks back for a modeling school, but they wanted $2500 for the class. More than I could afford! Aaron's knows a few agents, and I have a couple of local places that offer acting classes. If he really wants to do it, I think I'm going to go through someone who won't charge quite so much. Seems a little shady to me.

That's about it for me. Happy Reading!! Later!