The Heroine’s Bookshelf Challenge
Check it out here! Come on, you know you want to! (If all this is news to you, check out yesterday’s response to this sweet little volume.)
Or, if you’d rather, the book itself is structured in such a way that it invites a twelve-month exploration.
The website outlines 12 chapters, 12 heroines, 12 incredible authors: how can you resist?
And, more importantly, why should you? Each chapter features a description of the favoured book and its author and then, at the end, lists three sisters for its heroine. Haven’t you always wanted a(nother) sister? Particularly a bookish one?
Because the challenge is designed to encourage us to find new heroines, rather than re-read, my picks will be drawn from the suggestions for Literary Sisters.
Although, even if re-reads don’t count toward the challenge, it seems to me that The Heroine’s Bookshelf is inspired by re-reading, so I think we should get bonus points for that…or SOMEthing.
(Or am I just saying that because I’m thinking of re-reading Gone with the Wind, and I think a reward would be due for that!)
In the meantime, my fresh reads for the challenge will be plucked from the following list:
Angelou – I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Undset – The Wreath
Morrison – Beloved
Cisneros- The House on Mango Street
Yezierska – The Bread Givers
Fitch – White Oleander
Colette – Claudine novels
Mitford – The Pursuit of Love
The Portable Dorothy Parker
Wharton – House of Mirth
Kirby Larson – Hattie Big Sky
E. Lockhart – The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
Libby Bray – A Great and Terrible Beauty
Which do you think I should plan to read first?
Laura – I think I know for whom you’ve purchased this…and it would be PERFECT!
Erin – It would be perfect to add into your Classics project. So many great choices therein.
Nathalie – That’s good to know. I’ve only read one of hers, and apparently it was not the one to start with, so I’ll have to try again with an open reading mind.
Iris – Don’t resist: you should read it. It’s fun!
Bookish Butch – Thanks…I think I will. I’ve only read the first of them and would re-read to do Claudine justice in the remaining stories.
Thanks for all the comments!
I love your blog!! You must read the Claudine novels by Colette. They are Magnifique.
I really want to read this book. And this challenge sounds appealing..
I read _The Pursuit of Love_ recently. My first of the Mitfords. I liked it, but am sure I’d like it more if I’d read a biography or two beforehand…
I’m glad someone is doing a challenge based on the book! It sounds like The Heroine’s Bookshelf lends itself to a challenge perfectly. Or a readalong. I was thinking of working the books Blakemore discusses into my own classics project in a sort of personal mini or sub challenge. You have a great list from which to pull!
Thank you so much for calling my attention to this book. It looks wonderful and it will be under our Christmas tree this year! I may have to peek over the recipient’s shoulder once or twice 🙂