Thursday, November 05, 2009

A New Challenge: Women Unbound


Women Unbound Reading Challenge
"Participants are encouraged to read nonfiction and fiction books related to the rather broad idea of ‘women’s studies.’ "
November 1, 2009 - November 30, 2010


I've been thinking about the Women Unbound reading challenge ever since Eva first blogged about it. I try not to over commit myself with challenges, but I think I've got my reading commitments spaced out well enough to join in this one. Joy!

In order to make sure I retain my sanity, I'll commit to the Philogynist level and read two books, one of them non-fiction. By only committing to read two books I can feel super successful when I end up reading more than I committed to! Yeah, I like to play mind games with myself.

Here is a preliminary list of books. All of these books are on my TBR pile. How convenient is that?

Non-fiction
Geisha: A Life by Mineko Iwasaki (main informant for Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden)
Gertrude Bell: Queen of the Desert, Shaper of Nations by Georgiana Howell (biography of a famous British traveler to the Middle East)
A Room of Ones Own by Virginia Woolf (a classic I never got around to reading)
Subject to Debate by Katha Pollitt (political essays)
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (a graphic memoir)
Pink Think: Becoming a Woman in Many Uneasy Lessons by Lynn Peril
Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera

Fiction
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan
Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters
Cheri by Colette
Purple Hibiscus by Chimananda Ngozi Adichie
Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset
The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin

5 comments:

  1. I justed finished my first post for this challenge on Anita Brookner's "Leaving Home"-I hope you will read Geisha: A Life by Mineko Iwasaki as would love to read your post on it.

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  2. Oh, goody! Maybe we can compare notes on Miss Bell after all!

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  3. Good luck with the challenge, Terri!

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  4. What an excellent list! Even though I'm only starting the challenge next year, I don't think I can resist making mine soon.

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  5. mel u: I may not get to all of the books on my list, but Geisha is one that I definitely want to get to during the challenge.

    ds: I would love to compare notes on Gertrude Bell!

    Alice Teh: Thanks for the good luck wishes!

    Nymeth: I look forward to your list! You always read such interesting things :o)

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