She Treads Softly: Random Reading Challenge

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Random Reading Challenge

I'm going to participate in the Random Reading Challenge
August 1, 2009 – July 31, 2010

For this challenge, readers will be choosing books randomly, using a random number generator, from their TBR stacks. I'm planning on going for Level III, where I will read 12 books for the challenge

Check out all the rules at Random Reading Challenge

3 comments:

Wendy said...: So glad you are joining this, Lori! Hope it will be fun for you :); July 22, 2009 at 4:02 PM
Becca said...: I am doing this challenge too. I hope you enjoy it!; October 10, 2009 at 8:17 AM
Lori L said...: Thanks, Wendy and Rebecca!
I have enjoyed it so far, although I still need to remember to do a book this month.; October 11, 2009 at 9:03 PM

John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.