Thursday 19 December 2013

The Postal Reading Challenge

Ok, well I think I probably need saving from myself now. I found yet another challenge I want to do! That makes five of them for next year and that doesn't include Carl's Once Upon a Time or RIP. I must be bonkers but what the hell... in for a penny, in for a pound.

This new one is the Postal Reading Challenge which is being hosted by The Indextrious Reader.


What is the Challenge?

The key is to read and review books with a postal theme. These can be non-fiction on the subject of letter writing, collections of real letters, or epistolary fiction of any era. Be creative! Review each one and link back to the challenge -- there will be quarterly roundup posts for you to link reviews and posts to as you create them.

The challenge runs from January 1st, 2014 to December 31st, 2014. You can sign up ANY TIME throughout the year.

Any books chosen can overlap with any other challenge, and rereads are allowed. Just remember to review them somewhere online in order for them to count toward the challenge. Lists don't have to be made in advance, though feel free to share your choices and inspire other readers if you wish! I always think that making lists is half the fun :)


There are a few ways to participate in this challenge.

Postcard Level: Read and review 4 books with a postal theme.

Snail Mail Level: Read and review 8 books with a postal theme.

Parcel Post Level: Read and review 12 books with a postal theme.

Air Mail Express Level: Read and review 12 books with a postal theme AND commit to sending more old fashioned letters this year. At least 12 pieces of mail (or more!), and you can share numbers or even images of your mail art in the quarterly roundups.


I'm going to have a stab at 'Snail Mail' level... reading and reviewing 8 books with a postal theme. I had a quick look at my tbr shelves and came up with seven books straight off:

The Letters of Nancy Mitford and Evelyn Waugh edited by Charlotte Mosley
Up the Country by Emily Eden
Letters to Alice on First Reading Jane Austen by Fay Weldon
Letters From England by Elizabeth Davis Bancroft
Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart
The Turkish Embassy Letters by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu
Up with the Larks Tessa Hainsworth
Jane Austen: Selected Letters by Jane Austen and Vivien Jones

Books I don't own but would like to read:

Letters from Yellowstone by Diane Smith
Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole
The Letters of Noel Coward edited by Barry Day
My Dear Charlotte by Hazel Holt

And no doubt there will be more...

~~~oOo~~~

12 comments:

Travellin' Penguin - Pam said...

I am sorely tempted as this sounds like great fun. I will need to see what is already on my shelves b/c my main challenge for 2014 is to read the books I already own. Like also the idea of writing more snail mail. I am already inspired too by just having read Thomas's blog My Porch. Will look forward to following this.

Melwyk said...

So delighted to have you joining us, and seeing your choices! I need to reread Letters to Alice on First Reading Jane Austen -- I read it yrs ago now and remember enjoying it.

I always think signing up for challenges is great fun even if I only complete a few by year's end ;)

Kailana said...

Yay! I am glad you are joining in. I look forward to what you read because that adds more books to my list. :) I want to read Letters from Skye myself.

Margaret @ BooksPlease said...

I am so relieved that I have only two books that would qualify for this challenge, so I'm not tempted to join in.

But I definitely need saving from myself too - I'm in for 9 challenges so far this year - but all geared to getting the numbers of tbrs down!

Good luck to us both!

Val said...

Ohhh I have one for you Cath (If you haven't read it before)

Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart

It's available free from Project Gut
and if you haven't read it read the first few pages and see if you are tempted (it's non fiction) and see what you think :0)

Peggy Ann said...

It is so addictive, Cath! This one does sound interesting though.

Cath said...

Pam: Part of the reason I chose to do this is because, like you, I want to get more books off my tbr pile and I think this challenge (and the rest) will help me do that.

Melwyk: Thank you! I always enjoy looking for books to fit challenges and I was surprised how many I had for this one without even trying. I'm up to six now.

Kelly: Thanks! Letters From Skye does look rather good doesn't it?

Margaret: LOL! I thought 9 sounded a lot until I realised that if I add in Carl's challenges and the Sci-Fi Experience that rolls over into January, I'm probably doing 9 as well...

Val: No I haven't read that one but I do have it sitting quietly on my Kindle and just had not noticed it. Added to my list.... thanks for the reminder.

Peggy: You're so right about challenges being addictive but this year I seem to have it worse than ever.

GeraniumCat said...

Oh, I'm really pleased to see that you're doing this too! And what a good idea to include the Tessa Hainsworth one!
I've got Jane Austen's letters on my list too - I'd forgotten the Fay Weldon one, that would be another possibility. And Letters from Skye does sound good. I'm sure that I'll find lots more to add before next year's even under way.

Cath said...

Geranium Cat: I wasn't sure if the Tessa Hainsworth book was right for the challenge but it is about someone who delivers letters and we are encouraged to be creative: so I was. LOL!

I've long wanted to read some of Jane Austen's letters so have ordered a book of them today. I also now want to read the Hazel Holt book you mentioned but assume it might be best to read the original letters first?

Susan said...

I read Geranium Cat's post first on this, so I have already downloaded Hazel Holt's book! I'm not sure I can wait til January to read it :-) The Letters of Woman Homesteader sounds interesting too. I'm thinking of joining this challenge, it depends. I am trying to be careful of which challenges I join, even though I LOVE the lists!

I've also got Letters from Skye on my to-look-for in the spring, when it is out here. Have fun with this challenge, Cath. I hope you and I both get to read more of our TBR piles this coming year!

DesLily said...

is it legal to read other peoples letters? LOL...

Cath said...

Susan: I have a book of JA's letter's coming and assume I should read those before I read get HH's book. Not sure. It's going to be an interesting challenge I think as there are some interesting books. I keep finding new ones on my shelves and Kindle.

I *really* need to get some books off my tbr pile next year.

Pat: Probably not. LOL!