This will be my second year participating in Cathy’s annual book reading challenge. I like it because of how incredibly relaxed it is. Choose 20 books that you want to read in June, July, and August and then read them and report. You can choose fewer than 20 too and at the end nobody judges if you didn’t complete your self-imposed challenge. It really is the easiest thing to participate in.
I was going to choose 15 books, as I did last summer. Last summer I did not read all 15 books on my list, though I did read more than 15 books in those 3 months. However, looking at the list now, a year later, I notice that I have read all of those books now (or tried them and decided not to continue). So in that sense, I’d say it was largely a success. Despite my stretching of the word success for last year’s result, I’ve made a list of 20 books for 2024. Once again, I’ve chosen my books from titles I already own and that are already here in my house. When I pulled out the boxes and delved into the stacks, I had a hard time whittling the options down to just 15 so I’ve picked out 20 but I’ll be pleased with whatever I manage to cross off the TBR.
My first category is Classics. These might be my most optimistic selections but I did reject Ulysses by James Joyce from this list.
- The Epic of Gilgamesh
- As For Me and My House – Sinclair Ross
- The Moonstone – Wilkie Collins
- Beowulf (trans. by Seamus Heaney)
Then I have some non-fiction selections:
5. God in the Dock – C.S. Lewis
6. Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander – Thomas Merton
7. Why I Write – George Orwell
8. The Journals of Sylvia Plath
If I had to predict one from those that I might not read this summer it would be the Thomas Merton.
Next I have a few ARCs that I’ve yet to read:
9. Sleeping Giants – Rene Denfeld
10. The Cursed Friend – Salvioni
11. The Coast Road – Murrin
12. River East, River West – Aube Rey Lescure
13. The Capital of Dreams – Heather O’Neill
The one there that I’m most excited about is Heather O’Neill’s book so I might start there. I had mixed feelings about the previous book by Rene Denfeld that I read so I’m not sure whether or not I’ll get to it.
And then some general fiction:
14. The Golem and the Jinni – Helene Wecker
15. The Unusual Life of Tristan Smith – Peter Carey
16. The Back of the Turtle – Thomas King
17. Far to Go – Alison Pick
18. White Boy Shuffle – Paul Beatty
19. The Hand that First Held Mine – Maggie O’Farrell
20. The Little Friend – Donna Tartta
I tried to choose a mix here of books I’ve had for a long time and some more recent additions. I’m looking forward to the Maggie O’Farrell and Donna Tartt though I somehow feel that Tartt is better suited to autumn than summer. I went through a big Peter Carey phase about 15 years ago and then got really turned off by a book of his that I read while postpartum and haven’t read him since. I’m also very curious about The Golem and the Jinni which I bought solely on the recommendation of an acquaintance who I noticed kept recommending other books that I really liked so I asked him for some of his top picks and this was one.
I expect I’ll read several of these and I’ll also read some books not featured here this summer. I’m pleased with the variety I have here and there are definitely some I’m excited about and some that I’m hoping I’ll turn out to be excited about. Wish me luck!
Let me know if you’re participating in this challenge too!
Karissa Reads Books 
What a great list! I have read precisely one of these (The Moonstone – which I really loved in my early twenties, though I haven’t revisited it in a while). I’m sure I did some bits of Beowulf at school as well. I’ll be interested to hear what you make of God in the Dock – I’ve read most of Lewis’ work, but not that one.
Thank you! I hope I find some I love in this pile. I read Beowulf in school too but not this translation so I’m looking forward to that. I’ve also read a lot of Lewis but not this one. I’m planning to pick it up as soon as I finish my current theology-based read!
My spouse loves The Moonstone, partly because he directed a radio play in college, the script based on the novel. He might still have it recorded somewhere!
Karissa, I realized a couple of days ago that I do not need to change my 20 books list, swapping things in and out, because it will be more fun to compare in September just which ones I read from the list overall. I realized I don’t need to race to completion but instead am challenging myself to stick to the list.
I’m looking forward to The Moonstone! Everyone seems to like it!
Sticking to the list is definitely part of the challenge for me! I’m sure I can read 20 books this summer but I’m not sure if I’ll read these 20 books!
Oh, The Moonstone is FANTASTIC. Also a rather autumnal book, imo, but if you’re going to get stuck into a doorstopper over the summer, that one’s a good one–totally engrossing. I also think of Beowulf as autumnal (probably because it’s all about societal decline…)
I was surprised by how many of my books seemed more suited to autumn to me. I don’t know if that says something about the type of books I’m drawn to or how I view reading but I ended up with a whole stack I’m saving for the fall and then had to just choose some I felt excited about!
I feel similarly about seasonal reading—there are definitely some books that are just suited to one season or another, and for some reason a lot of what I like feels autumnal or even wintry. Hard to quantify but definitely a thing.
I wonder if it has at least a little bit to do with the connection between going back to school in the fall and reading for class? Or just because reading is a cozy indoor activity? I’ve just started listening to The Little Friend and it starts on Mothers Day so feels more seasonally appropriate than I was imagining.
Good luck! I remember really enjoying The Little Friend at the time, though I must admit I can’t remember anything about it now. I look forward to you reminding me!
I’ve started listening to it on audio since it was available through my library. So far it is a lot of character and place building and it’s feeling a little long. I’ve really liked Tartt’s other works though so I will stick with this. But I might switch to the physical copy since I can read faster than I can listen.
I am perhaps the only person not officially participating in this challenge, mainly because I’m too lazy to write a blog post about it! haha
Making the list is half the fun!
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