I’m going to add two more cool-sounding challenges to my 2010 roster of challenges (which already includes Poetry, Flashback, Thriller & Suspense, Colorful, 2nd Reading, and What’s in A Name, as well as my personal 19 books older than I am.) I expect a number of books will meet more than one challenge, and I may not finish some, but I won’t let that stress me out.
So the two new challenges:
Name: The Memorable Memoir Reading Challenge
Host: The Betty and Boo Chronicles
In sum: Read 4 memoirs (can also be books of letters)
Why I’m joining: I took a class about memoirs in college that was really enjoyable, so I’d like to get back to reading more of them. Plus Jeannette Walls’ wonderful The Glass Castle has whet my appetite for it again.
1. One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer by Nathaniel Fick
2. Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven by Susan Jane Gilman
3.
4.
Host: Find Your Next Book Here
In sum: There are twelve intriguing challenges and participants can join either 3, 6, or all 12.
I will take on 6, since 3 seemed too few.
Challenge 1: Read Your Doppelganger (author with same last/first name or same initials)
Challenge 7: Break a Prejudice (read an author/genre/whatever that you have always avoided and after, write about how the prejudice has been broken or reinforced)
The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks
Challenge 9: Same Word, Different Book (worth 2 entries because you read two books that share the same word in their title)
Challenge 11: All in the Family (worth 2 entries because you read two books by authors related by blood or marriage)
Bad Mother: A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamaties, and Occasional Moments of Grace by Ayelet Waldman
A Good Stopping Point 
Welcome to the Take Another Chance Challenge. I’m glad you decided to participate, and I look forward to reading your posts and seeing what books you end up with! Have fun with it.
And quite a few people have mentioned choosing Nicholas Sparks for the Break A Prejudice challenge for the same reason you mentioned — too many sappy movies based on his books! : )
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I am doing these 2 challenges too!
I haven’t read Nicholas Sparks, but have watched the Notebook – while I don’t usually watch chick-flick, I actually like the concept of the story (some parts of it were a bit slow.)
The Notebook was all right – better than A Walk to Remember anyway!
I can see why the “Glass Castle” would whet your appetite for more! What a fabulous book. I know I’m a little late to the party, since you posted this in January, but I had to recommend a wonderful, very moving memoir, (bipolar bare) by Carlton Davis. It’s about growing up and living with bipolar disorder and the struggles with both. So many interesting aspects to this book, including alternating points of view, so to speak, with Carlotta, who’s Carlson’s muse, plus drawings and sketches, and interweaving of all of those. The sex is pretty much in your face, so beware, but it serves a purpose — it shows the wild forces that drugs and mania unleash in the mentally ill. My friend, who used to be a psych nurse, has told me some stories, and this rings totally true to what she has said. I think it would be a good addition to your challenge.
It’s never too late for recommendations! Thanks!