Not too badly, I think, but I may have to put more focus on it in the last months of the year.
Legolas Send a noteboard - 17/09/2011 08:28:08 PM
Are you taking part in the Genre Challenge? If so, I've got a couple of questions for you.
1. Is there a book you've read as part of this challenge that you really enjoyed? What was it that made it so enjoyable?
In terms of books that I wouldn't necessarily have read without the challenge, the main one coming to mind is Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian (for the Western category). Which is an excellent, unsettling book, and I'm glad I read it, though I'm not sure "enjoyable" is really the word.
2. Is there a book you've read as part of this challenge that you really hated? What was it that made it so awful for you?
I haven't read any books this year (see my profile for the full list) that I hated, really... and only a handful that were disappointing.
3. Do you read a wide range of books in your usual reading schedule?
Yes, though I think lately more so than before. This year I've read several non-fiction books and other things I don't often read, while reading hardly any fantasy. Or indeed even any at all, I think...
4. Are there any genres listed below that you've never or rarely read anything from?
Westerns, mystery (though I've never entirely been clear on what that even means - I do enjoy detective stories, Christie's in particular), family chronicles, parodies and the like, surrealist novels. So rather a lot of them, I guess...
5. Have you read something in that(those) genre(s) as part of this challenge? How was that?
See above for the western, and then I read Pynchon's Vineland which I think qualifies as surreal. It was good, though not quite everything I'd hoped for - I think I might like Pynchon's other books better, but I haven't managed to finish any others yet.
As a reminder, this is the challenge:
Genre Challenge
Quite simply, just read one book from each of the genres below before the year is out. Rereads are allowed; it's up to you whether you choose all new books or not. I probably won't.
- Historical Fiction/Alternative History
Check, several.
- Western
Check, Blood Meridian.
- Horror
Er, not yet I think... shouldn't be too hard.
- Mystery
Not yet either, I guess, I did read a crime novel but I'd hardly call that one "mystery" - and in any case it was one of the weakest reads of the year so far.
- (Auto-) Biography
Not yet.
- History
Several, notably including Tony Judt's impressive Postwar.
- Family chronicle
Not yet.
- Allegory/parody/satire
Well, I read a book that might qualify - East of Wimbledon by Nigel Williams - but it wasn't all that either. Might try to get something better in this category as well.
- Surrealist novel
Check, Vineland.
- Extra option for those who can: a novel in a foreign language
Several - well, the large majority of my reads is in English, I mean a foreign language other than English.
The Genre Challenge - how is it going for you?
- 17/09/2011 06:42:05 PM
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Some answers from me.
- 17/09/2011 06:51:10 PM
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Not really participating, but it seems I've read a lot of genres this year
- 17/09/2011 07:23:29 PM
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Re: Not really participating, but it seems I've read a lot of genres this year
- 18/09/2011 08:42:20 AM
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I hadn't glanced at the categories when I typed
- 18/09/2011 06:57:47 PM
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Not too badly, I think, but I may have to put more focus on it in the last months of the year.
- 17/09/2011 08:28:08 PM
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