I vividly remember the day when I walked hand in hand with my Grand Pa (whom I used to call Tatha) with excitement and anxiety filling every cell of my body to get my 1st ever novel from a near by library. This was done for 2 main reason; one was that I had completed all the books laying around in my home including my academic English Text Book and the two supplementary (as usual within 4 days from the purchase) and reason two was that my Grand Pa was tired of me nagging for new and innovative stories as he had exhausted himself with all the stories he remembered (which comprised of many novel stories as I now realize) and he thought the only way I would shut the hell up was if he gets a novel that would occupy me for days but little did he know. So he took me to the Library that was 30 minutes away from my home and introduced me into this whole new world of books that I soon fell in love with.
As probably the case with everyone I started off by reading Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys mysteries (I guess that’s where my love affair with mysteries started and curiosity cells in my body got activated). I read them in such a fast pace that shocked both my Grand Pa and the librarian. My Grand Pa never thought that I could read anything so fast, sitting for hours together and forgetting the whole world around me especially given my concentration levels when it came to academic books. Soon I completed all the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books in library and moved on to Harry Potter.
I digress (talking about my Sweet Heart Grand Pa and books always does that to me)… all I wanted to say was that I don’t read as much I would love to or as much as I used to before. And considering that books are my best friends and I love them beyond eternity I m really disappointed in me. So, I have made a resolution (along with my friend) for the upcoming year 2011. The resolution is to try and Read 100 books this year and I m calling this challenge 100 Book Challenge for 2011.
I don’t really like rules but well, oh well my friend told me that every challenge even if it’s for your self needs to have rules (such a party pooper eh?). So, anyways here are the rules –
- You should read 100 books in year 2011 which spans from January 1st to December 31st.
- You can read books of any genre, fiction, non-fiction, poetry absolutely any book that’s recognized.
- You can even re-read the books (I made this one because I want to re-read the whole Harry Potter series).
It’s that simple!
Anyways me being me I have already made a list of books I wanna read in 2011 (as I have been wanting to read a few for ages now) and here is the list –
(The books that I will be reading for the 1st time are in blue, the ones I m re-reading are in pink and the once that I have read but dont remember much are in purple)
1) The Girl who played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
2) The Girl who kicked the Hornets’ Nest by Stieg Larsson
3) The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
4) A Thousand Splendid suns by Khaled Hosseini
5) Murder is easy by Agatha Christie
6) Why dint they ask Evans by Agatha Christie
7) The Shining by Stephen King (I have never read a horror fiction… this will be the 1st)
8) A walk to remember by Nicolas Sparks
9) The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien
10) The Two Towers by J.R.R Tolkien
11) The Return of the King by J.R.R Tolkien
12) The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien
13) A tale of two cities by Charles Dickens
14) A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
15) Kane and Abel by Jeffery Archer
16) Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
17) Wings of Fire by Abdul Kalam
18) Malgudi Days by R.K Narayan
19) Swami and Friends by R.K Narayan
20) Sherlock Holmes complete works volume 1 by Arthur Conan Doyle
21) Sherlock Holmes complete works volume 2 by Arthur Conan Doyle
22) Friends Til’ the death by David Wild
23) The Last Song by Nicolas Sparks
24) Safe Haven by Nicolas Sparks
25) Dear John by Nicolas Sparks
26) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
27) Rage of Angels by Sidney Sheldon
28) The interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud
29) The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
30) The three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
31) Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
32) The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Galaxy by Douglas Adams
33) Born in Fire by Nora Roberts
34) Born in Ice by Nora Roberts
35) Born in Shame by Nora Roberts
36) Dance upon the Air by Nora Roberts
37) Heaven and Earth by Nora Roberts
38) Face the Fire by Nora Roberts (all the Nora Roberts books after a strong recommendation by my sis)
39) Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
40) Midnights Children by Salman Rushdie
41) The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
42) The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin
43) Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
44) The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
45) Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding
46) Charlett’s Web by E.B White
47) The Giver by Lois Lowry
48) Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho
49) The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare
50) Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
51) Othello by William Shakespeare
52) Hamlet by William Shakespeare
53) Macbeth by William Shakespeare
54) Anthony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare
55) A midsummer nights dream by William Shakespeare
56) Much Ado about nothing by William Shakespeare
57) Into the wild by Jon Krakauer
58) Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
59) Strong Poison by Dorothy L Sayers
60) Gaudy Night by Dorothy L Sayers
61) Selected Short Stories of O. Henry by O. Henry
62) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
63) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K Rowling
64) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K Rowling
65) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K Rowling
66) Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix by J.K Rowling
67) Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K Rowling
68) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K Rowling
69) The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
70) Gulliver Travels by Jonathan Swift
71) Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
72) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
73) Murder on Orient Express by Agatha Christie
74) Death on Nile by Agatha Christie
75) Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie
76) Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
77) The Foutainhead by Ayn Rand
78) Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
79) The Firm by John Grisham
80) Letters to Juliet by Lise Friedman
Those are the books I can think of right now but as the near goes by the List will get edited as I strike off the books I read or add the new books that I have read or want to read.
I m really Excited about this Challenge to myself. I have never ever challenged myself before like this. Let’s see if I can win.
Do you guys wanna join too and enjoy this year by reading books with me? If yes all you have to do is say in comments that you are IN and by the end of 2011 inform me how many books have you read. You don’t have to blog about every book you read but if you want to I won’t stop you. If you have a Goodreads Id add me so I can keep a track of what are you reading. And NO Cheating 
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That is ambitious. I found the time to start reading again only a few months back and even with all the free time, I’ve only read about 15 books. I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience though of being transported in a different time and era with every book.
You’ve got some great books on the list – prioritize The Kite Runner and To Kill a Mockingbird, they’re both fantastic reads.
Is 50 ok? 
Sweet story about your grandad.
Good luck with your challenge!
PS – I don’t mind giving it a try though
Sure… 50 is ok too
I dont know if I’ll be able to fulfill the challenge but I loved reading your list and will definitely copy it down and take it with me the next time I visit a book store
These are few if the books I have been dying to read
yeah even my reading habit has suffered …
100 books wowiee… let me see if I can finish that much
nice list… maybe i include them in my list
Do include
unique resolution
hehe.. hai na
That is some book list..I have read quite a few in your list and can tell upfront that you would love them
Happy reading and a wonderful 2011
Happy New Year to you too
.
wow! very ambitious! fingers crossed for you and your plan!
Thanks Deva
Very ambitious and exhaustive list, All the best for your self driven challenge in 2011.
I wish, you could add a book from Robert Kiyosaki’s series “Rich Dad Poor Dad”, “Cashflow Quadrant” etc.
I have read Rich Dad poor Dad already.
Well, I will accept the challenge but I will make a small change in the numbers – take one zero off, and we come up with 10!
I guess, this year let me try to read at least one book per month, and probably increase it next year.
When my father took me to the library for the first time, I got a Tintin and some other book, I kept it with myself for about two months and the librarian had to come to our house for reminding to return it! No wonder, he never took me there again!! Then, after a few years, I found out that we could carry books from our school library, and started reading the Famous Fives and the Secret Sevens. I loved them. Later on it was Sidney Shelton, Arthur Heley and Micheal Crighton. I really wonder how people can write like that!
Destination Infinity
10!!! Come on! Hopefully you can do better than that. Writing is an art
That’s quite a challenge really. 100 books in a year! That’s about two books a week!
Hope you’ll complete them all. Good luck and Happy New Year!
I hope so too
.
Happy New Year to you too
TOTALLY on my list too! I have LOADS of unread books just lying around, because I pick up books by the lot when theres a sale going on
I have been so busy this year, that I pretty much gave up on reading. I am determined to change that this year.. Hopefully I will be successful 
Advise, read Hobbit before you start LOTR, most people do otherwise and then Hobbit pales in comparison
even though it is a brilliant book… LOTR you will need the patience of a saint but it is SO worth it, if you are a fantasy genre person 
Walk To Remember made me cry
Unfortunately I was sitting in the reading section on Landmarks and some people were alarmed 
But it is that simply written moving book 
I have a feeling you will love it 
And you should add these to the list:
One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest – Kesey
The Catcher In The Rye – JD Salinger
Catch 22 – Joseph Heller
The God Of Small Things – Arundhati Roy
Unaccustomed Earth – Jhumpa Lahiri (I love this book, its one of my favs)
Life Of Pi – Yann Martel
Cheers,
Annie.
I have read The God of Small Things and found it Ok actually. Will add others to my List. Thanks for the suggestion I was planning on reading LOTR 1st.
Harini,
Thanks so much for this post. I was also the same who can savor Nancy Drews, Hary Boys, Secret Seven and Famous Five. Since a year and a half or so, my reading frequency has drastically reduced. I am IN
Thanks for this challenge.
Good Good! Keep me updated on FB how you are doing ok
I accept the challenge too!
Seriously, I am also very disappointed in myself this year. For someone who absolutely devours books, I read so few! This is a good way to appease myself. Will probably make a tentative list and put it up on my blog soon!
Your list is pretty good. I have read quite a few of them – definitely worth reading!
Happy reading and happy new year!
Post your list soon.
Happy New Year to you too
hardy boys n nancy….well i started with the sameeeeeee books….first top100 movies nd yur lovely collection
Somehow everyone seems to have started with them
100?
Man, how does one get so much time! I am so J :S
I just fainted.
I did a 12 book challenge long ago, and just about made it
hahaha! I know! I made it public and now I m scared if I can do it… time is the only problem
. But I hope I get near at least 
.
I’m SO IN! You know where to find me (click my name)…I may not update every book on the blog, but I’ll try to blog some.
Just in the year end List all the books you have read
.
All The Best for ur resolution.
I can’t even think of reading novels now a days because of hectic schedule.
Happy New Year to you
Thats sad
Happy New Year
Wow! That’s something really interesting. Gud luck
Thanks Swara
WOWOWOW tusin great hon jahanpanah… All the best in reading all those you want to read…
so what you waiting for Get going.. start start start…
All the best
Bikram’s
Waiting for 1st… ready with Agatha Christie book
100 books?!! really?
woww! girl that is some determination you have.. maybe I will take a smaller version of it.. 50 books maybe..but even that is pretty challenging for me 
Nice collection you have there.. will wait for your reviews.. most of the books on your list would be on my to-read list 
I know… we almost have similar lists in Good Reads. Go for 50 AK… we can compete on Good reads if u want
Hey…wow thats quite a resolution…
I’ve read quite a few books mentioned on the list…
and great choice I must say…you’re gonna enjoy your read
I need inspiration to read ‘To kill a Mockingbird’… I’ve started it and put it down again a million times…
So my resolution is to finally read the entire book…
Oh, do complete the book… I love the book. I put it down at 1st a lot too. But once I got into it I loved it
Loved your list… Now whenever I have to pick up a new book, I know where to refer…
happy new year
great list
Thanks
Happy New Year and all the best with long list. I wish I could read more.
Thanks and Happy New Year to you too
Thats a longg list :O… n me not too much into reading…
So happy new year.. happyyy reading
Happy New Year to you too Dido
Im IN
Wow! what a mammoth task, even for such a voracious book reader!
All the best,
AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Thanks Priyanka and Happy New Year to you too
wow wishes and wishes ….this challenge makes me wanna take it…..but i know i cant thanks to load of work
….if i could i would have spend each day in reading books….ur list looks alluring…..wd surely read a few 
Some new year wishes for u in my blog
Aww… find time to read a few atleast
I added added u in thanks post
but u checked when i was editing….so now recheck D 
Thanks
Yo Girl! This is a great challenge! I’m IN!!
This year my reading has suffered a lot! I wish to come back! Loved your list!
Thanks ANu… and welcome to the Challenge
Awesome Idea
I’ve just read the Millenium Trilogy (The three books two of which are in your top two ;. Btw, you will have to read the 2nd book too, which is not in your list, since the books have to be read in order). I am going to refer to this list from time to time, to decide which book to download next!
I put the 2nd one. 1st is missing actually as I have read it already. So are the next two that good too?
The Kite Runner is a must read too !
I bought the book
. Will read as soon as I m done with Why Didnt They Ask Evans 
And Jefferey Archer is my fav author
. Well used to be, but whatever. I love his books.
I Only read his Not a Penny More Not a Penny Less and found it ok. People say that Kane and Abel is his best… so want it read that
whoa! that’s some list! I have read a few of that list..I am reading one horrible book right now – those small li’l things by Rahul Saini..but once i start a book, i cannot leave it half way
Hope you complete your challenge. You can add a few books from my list as well. Here is the link : http://anwesananda.blogspot.com/p/wish-list.html
That’s A Lot of books! You go girl!! I could only read 37 last year… good luck!!
Thats a pretty decent list. Ambitious though. They say if there is will, there is a way.
Happy New Year and best of luck with the reading and writing.
What a cool challenge. I’m late but I’m in.
I am up for it , i can do 100 , that will be a good challenge for me and i am ready!!!