THE GIST: The idea is to read books by European authors or books set in European countries (no matter where the author comes from). The books can be anything – novels, short stories, memoirs, travel guides, cookbooks, biography, poetry, or any other genre. You can participate at different levels, but each book must be by a different author and set in a different country – it's supposed to be a tour. (See note about the UK, below)
WHAT COUNTS AS "EUROPE"?: We stick with the same list of 50 sovereign states that fall (at least partially) within the geographic territory of the continent of Europe and/or enjoy membership in international European organizations such as the Council of Europe. This list includes the obvious (the UK, France, Germany, and Italy), the really huge Russia, the tiny Vatican City, and the mixed bag of Baltic, Balkan, and former Soviet states.
THE LIST: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and Vatican City.
NOTE: Even after Brexit, the United Kingdom is still one country, in Europe, that includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. So one book from any one of these four counts as your one book for the United Kingdom. I'm not going to be a stickler about it because challenges should be about fun not about rules. However, when it comes to winning the Jet Setter prize, only one book from one of the UK countries will count.
LEVELS OF PARTICIPATION
FIVE STAR (DELUXE ENTOURAGE): Read at least five books by different European authors or books set in different European countries.
FOUR STAR (HONEYMOONER): Read four qualifying books.
THREE STAR (BUSINESS TRAVELER): Read three qualifying books.
TWO STAR (ADVENTURER): Read two qualifying books.
ONE STAR (PENSIONE WEEKENDER): Read just one qualifying book.
JET SETTER PRIZE
The participant who reads and reviews the greatest number of qualifying books (more than five) will get a $25 gift card to Powell's Books (can be used in store or on line). Participants living in Europe will get a $25-equivalent gift card to the Amazon store in your country, if possible. If you live in a country where neither Powell's nor Amazon will work, then sorry, you are out of luck.
Each book must be by a different author and set in a different country. This means that only one book from one of the four UK countries will count. Only books reviewed count towards the prize
Read all books between January 1, 2018 and January 31, 2019. I like having 13 months so there is extra time to finish after the holidays. However, if you participated in the 2017 European Reading Challenge, you can only count books read in January 2018 for one year -- either the end of the 2017 challenge or the start of the 2018 challenge -- you don't get to count one book for both challenges.
More info about rules and so forth to be found on the Sign-up page.
I'll be going for:
FIVE STAR (DELUXE ENTOURAGE): Read at least five books by different European authors or books set in different European countries.
I already have a load of books set in France to start me off, and Italy, it'll be difficult to choose just one but I'm sure I'm up to it. But I would also like to try and read something from more unusual countries, just depends what I can find.
4 comments:
I'd almost decided that I was only going to do the What's in a Name Challenge next year - not the Mount TBR, because after all I will be reading some of my TBRs - and then you write about this challenge!
It's the looking for books and seeing if they will fit into the challenges that is so tempting and of course I do have books that means I could do the European Reading challenge - books set in Italy, Cyprus, France, Germany, Poland, Turkey and Spain - without reading any of the many books set in the UK!
The question remains - shall I or shan't I?
Ah, the temptation of challenges! Every year I swear I won't do them, but... This one sounds really good. I should just join a perpetual British challenge. I am, in fact, going to start adding a stat to my book lists saying what nationality the author is and where the book is set. I bet I'll find 90% are set in your land. Hopeless, hopeless Anglophile. I just saw a trailer for Together. Have you seen the movie? Looks dreadfully sad, but I wish I could go see it today. I could watch Sylvia Syms just washing the dishes. I think she is a marvel, and so beautiful.
Margaret: Yes, the most fun is to be got finding and choosing the books. I hope after a few months I still want to read them!
I must admit when I did this in 2016 I enjoyed it but not everyone is like us in that they already own books set in a nice handful of European countries.
I wonder if you've made up your mind yet. It's so hard.
Nan: I think a British challenge would suit you, LOL, but I can't say I've heard of one.
I'm afraid I don't know what Together is, not heard of the film... sorry.
Hi Gilion. I read 8 books for the 2018 European challenge and thoroughly enjoyed taking part. My wrap-up post is now up. Thanks for hosting!
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