One of the lovely things about being an online arts centre is that Notes can Xanadu can feature writing and literature alongside other art forms. With this in mind, we have created a reading challenge for 2021. Each month there will be a theme, with several sub-categories, and the challenge is to read one or more books each month to fit the topic. Feel free to add sub-categories, the only rule is that one book each month should be a new read. The entire challenge can be downloaded in pdf format here. We also have an Excel spreadsheet, thanks to Karin Hammarstrom, one of our participants, which you can also download, and use to track your progress.
Every month, we’ll introduce the theme and sub-categories in a post like this, and also give some reading suggestions. Please leave a comment and tell us what you are reading, and whether you are enjoying it, or any other information that you would like to share with your fellow readers.
As March is the month of St Patrick’s Day, the theme is All Things Irish.
Sub-categories:
- a book by an Irish author
- a book about Irish history
- a travel book about Ireland
- if you are Irish – a book as Gaeilge. Children’s books are fine, but try to challenge yourself.
Reading suggestions:
- Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes
- The Story of Ireland by Neil Hegarty
- Hitching for Hope: A Journey into the Heart and Soul of Ireland by Ruairi McKiernan
- Short Stories of Padraic Pearse: A Dual Language Book (English and Irish Edition)
I’m reading:
Piano Mhín na bPreachán le Cathal Ó Searcaigh.
Come back next month for our April suggestions, and don’t forget to leave a comment below to tell us how you got on in February or March! Happy reading!
The discussion group for our February reads will be on Sunday, 7 March, at 4pm GMT. March’s will be on Sunday, 11 April, at 2 pm GMT. If you would like to attend either of these, please email notesfromxanadu@hotmail.com if you haven’t already done so.
Come back next month for our March suggestions, and don’t forget to leave a comment below to tell us how you got on in January! Happy reading!
The discussion group for our January reads will be on Sunday, 7 February, at 4pm GMT. February’s will be on Sunday, 7 March, at 4 pm GMT. If you would like to attend either of these, please email notesfromxanadu@hotmail.com if you haven’t already done so.
Hi Mary,
I have read many books about Irish or by Irish authors. This one has been on my TBR pile longest, so it’s going to be my March read:
Binchy, Maeve “The Maeve Binchy Writer’s Club” – 2010
Plenty to choose from with Maeve Binchy, and usually a page turner! How did you enjoy your January and February reads? 🙂📚
Weird, I never got a notification that you answered this. Sorry.
I loved Kamala Harris’ “The Truths We Hold” and also quite enjoyed “Behave” by Robert M. Sapolsky. Now I finished Maeve Binchy’s book and have started my April read.
I know you said I can’t add a link in my comments but maybe it works this way:
momobookblog.blogspot.com /2021/01/xanadu-reading-challenge-2021. html
It does. I’ve just disabled active links because it’s the easiest way to stop spammers and hackers. It’s either that or have to pre-approve every comment, which isn’t great if you’re trying to encourage discussion. Also, if you just advise people to google momobookblog that will bring them to it without you having to provide a link.
Of course, if you google all the time (I do), you can find anything. There are just many who don’t, so I try to provide a link. But you are right about spammers. Once they have you on their “list” … well, we get along that way, as well. Just don’t know how I can get your comments, I never get an e-mail or anything. Therefore, I now go through every page of yours I commented on, if I remember.
I’ve started “Behave” but I haven’t got very far. It’s on my Kindle. I would probably find it easier to read a paper copy (I tend to read ebooks slower for some reason), but I’m trying to save space.
I know what you mean. And you seem to belong to one of the few book club members who even started it, so don’t be too disappointed.