Read Across Canada: A 2013 Challenge discussion

So, how are you guys going to read your way across Canada? Go east to west? West to east? Go through the provinces alphabetically? Or be like me and pick up a book randomly and say, "I'm in the mood for this, and it's set in Province X/the author is from Province X, so I'm going to read this."

Melissa, I'm going to take your approach, and read through Canada randomly. Some of the books on my list are light, but others are more serious and heavy, so I'll try to mix them up depending on my mood.

Cool. :) That's what I love about my strategy- if I read something serious, I can pick up something light after that.

I am reading randomly based on what I may need to read for other groups. Really extended myself for 2013!

I'm going to aim for one a month and it will probably be determined by availability. I'll start with the books I already own (if any), and go from there.

Susan wrote: "I am reading randomly based on what I may need to read for other groups. Really extended myself for 2013!"
Susan I am exactly the same!!

I tried to pick two from each province, one that I was really and truly interested in, and one that had more of a historical "spin," so maybe I'll learn something this year :)

Interesting after all this planning to think it is probably nearing time to make my library order!

That's an interesting approach, Autumn. I'm thinking I would like to read 2 from each province/territory. There are so many great choices.

Are we having a book of the month like Anne in January? If so I'll read that one, if I can get hold of it, and possibly another from that particular state - but that may well change. Have got a couple from A. that aren't in the library.

Anyone know their January read yet?

I haven't really decided what I'm going to read first. I might go for Tanya Huff because she's funny. I'm going to be reading some violent and depressing stories for the next couple weeks for Around the World.

I'm going to start with one of the 4 books I already own. I'm going to try to fit them in with another challenge I'm doing that is based on the alphabet. Must put my thinking cap on.

I'm prepping for my holidays and have just requested Fishing Up the Moon. Can't wait to spend January 1 reading!

I have decided that I am going to read Any Known Blood: A Novel first. I've had this book for several years. I bought it shortly after our irl book club read The Book of Negroes (published in the States as Someone Knows My Name: A Novel) I'm hoping this other book by Lawrence Hill is as good.

I also have this book on an alphabet challenge in another group, so I'm killing two birds with one stone.

I am going to look at 101 Letters to a Prime Minister: The Complete Letters to Stephen Harper. The blurp reads,"a list of more than 100 books that every Canadian should read. This largely one-sided correspondence from the "loneliest book club in the world" is a compendium for bibliophiles and those who follow the Canadian political scene. Smart, subversive, signed, sealed, and now available to you." I don't want to read political stuff but wondered if it would not be similar to an American list that contains history and literature.

Susan wrote: "I am going to look at 101 Letters to a Prime Minister: The Complete Letters to Stephen Harper. The blurp reads,"a list of more than 100 books that every Canadian should read. This largely one-sided..."

It sounds like a fascinating book, Susan. I can't remember the details, but I read somewhere that the author sent books biweekly to the Prime Minister with a letter about why he should read each particular book. It was because the Prime Minister was not very supportive of funding for authors/culture, and Yann Martel was trying to interest the PM in the joys of reading. Some of the letters are about literature, but others are political.

I didn't put it on my list because I couldn't find it in the libraries in my area. I enjoyed his Life of Pi.

Connie wrote: "Susan wrote: "I am going to look at 101 Letters to a Prime Minister: The Complete Letters to Stephen Harper. The blurp reads,"a list of more than 100 books that every Canadian should read. This lar..."

Didn't I read somewhere that Martel has a travelling art show made up of these letters...? I'm interested in seeing what you think about these. And super excited to start the challenge! I've got 1982 and Fishing Up the Moon staring at me from the bookshelf right now. :D

I think I'll just go randomly, starting with The Moon of Letting Go: And Other Stories by NWT author Richard Van Camp. One of my other "readalutions" is to read through my to-be-read stack, and I'm sure that some of those books are Canadian.

Michele, I like your idea. I think I made a similar resolution last year, and promised myself I'd read a bunch of books on my to-be-read list.

Janice wrote: "I'm going to start with one of the 4 books I already own. I'm going to try to fit them in with another challenge I'm doing that is based on the alphabet. Must put my thinking cap on."
I'm doing something similar. I decided to count Long Hot Summoning as my Read Across Canada challenge book for Ontario and my book for the Around the World Challenge.
I might use Night Shift, my book for the Around the USA challenge for Washington State, for the Around the World challenge. Last year, I swore I wouldn't use a book set in America for the Around the World challenge, because it's so easy for me to get books set in America or by American authors, but this year, I'm doing three challenges concurrently, instead of one like last year, and the Pacific Northwest is slightly different than my little part of the country, so I decided to loosen up a little about that rule.

Melissa wrote: "So, how are you guys going to read your way across Canada? Go east to west? West to east? Go through the provinces alphabetically? Or be like me and pick up a book randomly and say, "I'm in the moo..."

So glad I found this group! I think I will just read through the provinces randomly, and then near the end make sure I've covered them all.