Blame it On Miz Books

Ok yeah, so you know having started my own blog means I have to check out the scoop, get low on the down, smell the meat and all that jazz. It’s a lot of responsibility to be a blogger. I have to constantly entertain myself all the while taking my esteemed audience’s reactions (in theory at least) into consideration.

As I was in the midst of doing my favourite part about blogging--pressing the ‘Next Blog’ button to see where fate would bring me next, I happened upon a fellow member of the book blog universe, Miz Books. Lo and behold as I am in the midst of enjoying myself she challenges me to the TBR Challenge (!) where I have to dare myself to read 12 books (1 every 720 hours) and choose them NOW~! Shame on her... The audacity... I love it!!!

So of course I joined. The only thing that sucks is I can't cheat. Or at least admit to it when she places a hot poker close to my face during her random investigations which she has yet to say she will do, but I’ve just got this feeling…

My Crazy 2007 Challenge:

January will have to start the year with a book whose title fits the season. My idea is to read it all on Jan 1st and get it out of the way. Snow Country by Nobel Prize Winner Yasunari Kawabata sounds like a great fun way to start the year--plus there’s an Ethan Hawke movie out there... (yes, I hate what he did to Uma but hell! In the movie I’ll just believe he is someone else, ok?

February means Valentine’s Day which I spend alone in my bedroom with what is usually an Austen novel. But this year I will have to go with My Name Is Red by (another) Nobel Prize Winner Orhan Pamuk. Even though I may not be wearing the colour that day, who can say I'm not in holiday spirit…

My dad used to always say “beware of the Ides of March”. Well, I have no books on Caesar or Rome in my pile but Michael Ondaatje's Anil's Ghost seemed to suit the idea of bewaring well enough. The English Patient Canadian author tends to curl toes and have no dought that this one will too.

Being a wholly non-devout Italian Catholic, it just seemed right to do my Easter duty in April with Jose Saramago's The Gospel According to Jesus Christ. Oh yes, Nonnina! I am a good Christian after all. This book is banned in more countries than it is printed in.

May is a dreaded time for me because all of those Geminis in my life suck large amount of money out of me. I have more presents to give in May than I do at Christmas. Often, during these financially difficult times, I pray to the Force to make me an Invisible Man. So Ralph Ellison's book is just going to have to make due, considering it’s never happened (yet).

June Bride I will never be but I love a good romance and what better then Possessionby A. S. Byatt. No, I have not seen the Paltrow movie and I am not too sure I will, since it’s been said to be a piece of garbage not worthy of compost.

I have never been a beach girl. And yes we have a beach in Montreal. I hate the sand that gets into my asscrack and the hidden glass and needles that are floating around in the ocean. Give me chlorine, people! While my roommate buys a bikini, I'll stay home with Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore. Let her get skin cancer & wrinkles.

August is more of a so-what month for me. Nothing special, nothing bad. I'm finished school so what do I care about the beginning of fall? Therefore, The Name of the Roseby my fellow WOP Master Umberto Eco sounds like a plan.

And since I'm proud of being an immigrant and September is another inconsequential month, let's add The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana to the list.

Now October is my month. My birthday, fall leaves, darkened skies. Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishmentseems oh so appropriate, don't you think?

November always makes me think of my mother since it’s her birthday, and so with that in mind I choose, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Hugo as my book of choice.

And since I started the year with a Japanese work, I decided to end my year in the same way. Hail to Kenzaburo Oe and Somersault.

That’s my list, guys. I will try to get my side-kick M. the Book Snob to join as well ... See what pretentious books she picks… Expect some monthly updats as of Jan 1st.

*** oh yeah look to the left for all the juicy links & jazz if you wanna join the team!