Black History Month & My New Fixation with Reading Challenges

At the beginning of the year (just to be a little more social) I decided to take on a reading challenge. Among 99 other goals to meet this challenge was the ticker that requires me to read a book I should have read years ago. Just so happened, and none too surprising, I happened to have one such book stuffed in my bookcase. It's been there for years. Actually, I have many.

Still, I couldn’t have decided to tackle reading Zora Neale Hurston’s novel ‘Their Eyes Were watching God’ at a better time. Just so happen today starts the historic Black History Month celebration, ironically coinciding with my just so happening to read a book written by a celebrated African American writer that I expected to enjoy a lot less than anything I’ve ever read.

The irony here is, realizing like one watches the sun set…or rise, the struggles (alas challenges) our ancestors worked through to ultimately give our passions, our goals, our dreams, our life texture and meaning. Surely after the sacrifices our ancestors have made to enrich our lives, I can double my effort by not only mining for book gems that might inspire reading, but by mining for gems that also meets my reading challenge.

Already, as if there could ever be a shortage of ironies here, all-be-doggonit and come to find out, Zora’s book really had a feel good appeal to it. I loved it. (The rest of my thoughts here).

Below is what my reading challenge this year is (so far) looking like. Are you attempting any reading challenges? If so, please share. Perhaps I might swap out one of the goals of my challenges for something more interesting… or daring.

Reading Challenge 2017

A nonfiction book (Cold Hard Truth On Men, Women, and Money by Kevin O'Leary)
A memoir (Unbreak My Heart by Toni Braxton)
A book recommendation to read a genre not typically read (Choices and Illusions by Eldon Taylor)
A book you own but have never read (Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston)
A book you were supposed to read in school but didn’t
A book you can finish in a day
A book published this year
A book set somewhere you always wanted to visit
A book that came out the year you were born
A book that takes place in your hometown
A book written by an author with your same initials
A book set in a different country
A book that was originally written in a different language
A book more than 100 years-old
A book with more than 500 pages
A book you started but never finished
A book with bad reviews
A funny book
A classic romance
A book that became a movie
A book with magic
A book with a number in the title
A book written by someone under 30
A graphic novel
A book set during Christmas
A mystery or thriller
A popular author’s first book
A Pulitzer Prize-winning book
A play
A banned book.