A different reading week
It's a different kind of reading week here: in 5 days, i will be leaving for some island time, so right now i am in a wrap-up-catch-up-forward mode. And knowing that there is time waiting on the island, i'm focusing on finding the books to take. Which now had an unexpected side-effect:
A World Book Reading Challenge
While looking for books, i came across the first reading challenges for 2013. Which brought a thought for my own reading: to follow the global reading challenge i started in 2012, but take it a step further, and look for country lists with fresh angles. There are so many world lists out there, top-lists and statistics of all kinds... and when I followed this approach, I was stunned by all the things I didn't know or expect. The current megacities of the world, the highest countries, the richest countries, the ones with most immigrants, and the ones with the most rain... so this is the challenge i arrived at:
7 Continents, 7 Billion People, 7 Books (Link)
The idea of this reading challenge is to explore the world by books from different continents and countries, and by visiting various world lists while planning the reads, to encounter the one or other unknown angle and fact about our world.
Looking really forward to it, and it was great to see that the first entries in the linky list.
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A History of the World in 100 Objects
The book i am still reading connects to the world theme: "A History of the World in 100 Objects", i started it in September and read it at the pace of 1 object per day. It's a most fascinating read. The author of the book is Neil McGregor, the director of the British Museum, and it was produced together with the BBC in a simple and complex challenge:
"Colleagues from the Museum and the BBC would choose from the collection of the British Museum 100 objects that had to range in date from the beginning of human history around two million years ago and come right up to the present day. The objects had to cover the whole world, as far as possible equally. They would try to address as many aspects of human experience as proved practicable, and to tell us about whole societies, not just the rich and powerful within them. The objects would therefore necessarily include the humble things of everyday life as well as great works of art."
"Colleagues from the Museum and the BBC would choose from the collection of the British Museum 100 objects that had to range in date from the beginning of human history around two million years ago and come right up to the present day. The objects had to cover the whole world, as far as possible equally. They would try to address as many aspects of human experience as proved practicable, and to tell us about whole societies, not just the rich and powerful within them. The objects would therefore necessarily include the humble things of everyday life as well as great works of art."
To give you an idea, here the starting parts: Part 1 starts at 2.000.000 BC with "Making us Human." Following in part 2 is "After the Ice Age: Food and Sex", and Part 3 leads to the time of 4000 BC with "The First Cities and States". Last week I reached Part 10, "The Silk Road and Beyond", and with it Chapter 50. Half-time of the book, with the "Silk Princess Painting". I will pause now with this read, until i am back.
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Masala e-Moments
The other book in the photo is an own personal task for the island time. It's my first travel novel, only available in print. As i am reading more and more e-books myself, it now seems like a logical step to create an ebook version. And while at it, i might add a current introduction, i thought. And started to read into it - and then realized that it would be a good book to take along, to read and re-format and re-new.
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It's Monday! What are you reading? This blog post is inspired by the blog series "It's Monday! What are you reading?" which is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. participating blogs are listed in this Linky Book ListPrevious reading blog entries are collected here: bookshelf: currently reading... there also is a visual bookshelf, just click it to get there:
6 comments:
How nice to have some extra reading time! I hope you spend it well. :-)
I'm going to look up the 7 Continents link, sounds very interesting. Although really I don't want to do any challenges next year. Hmm, I said that last year, too!
Have a great week!
Great that you have some reading time!!! Haha I hope you have an amazing week and get a lot done. Thank you so much for commenting 8)
The History of the world in 100 objects is so stinkin' cool. Sounds really fascinating. See what cool stuff I miss when I'm in a reading funk?? :)
Whatcha readin' this week @ the Brunette Librarian :)
I swore to myself that I wouldn't be doing any reading challenges next year ... and now look what you've done! I have to do yours, since it definitely aligns with my goals of reading more books by authors from countries other than the US & UK!
And A History of the World - that's a huge book! I remember looking at it and thinking about reading it, but didn't think I would have the time since it was a library book. I look forward to seeing your review to see if it's something I should indeed buy.
Tanya Patrice
Girlxoxo.com
the challenge, the idea of it is to inspire just that: some reads from other places. no problem if you skip a month or two.
And the "History of the World" book - it's thick, but it comes in 100 chapters, each 4-6 pages, so it's inviting to read by chapter without feeling overwhelmed. i read an online excerpt first, and then decided to get the paperback version, so i have time to read. it's one of the most entertaining and fascinating - and compassionate warm - history books i read so far.
.and i just looked for it and found it: there are online excerpts of the book up at the BBC webpage. here's the link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/about/transcripts/episode1/
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