Monday, August 3, 2009

Critical Monkey


A literary contest for all us haters

From Shelf Monkey:

"I, as I assume most people who read this blog are, am somewhat of a book snob. I don't pretend to read only the 'classics' of the Western canon, but there's a lot of crap out there I go out of my way to avoid. See? Right there, snobbery. Bad monkey! Bad!

So I have decided to launch Critical Monkey, a little contest designed to make us confront our fears, and read those we otherwise actively ignore. These do not have to be authors who are typically derided in literary publications; choices can be books you simply have never wanted to read for whatever reason. Never read a Charles Dickens, but always felt bad? Now's your chance to try him on for size. Have you avoided Margaret Laurence because a lousy teacher force-fed you The Stone Angel and squeezed everything good out of it (guilty!)? Time to make her acquaintance. Anything you like. Even Harlequin romance novels. I double-dog dare you to try."

"I chose a nice lesser number of seven, graded by the seven stages of grief:
Shock (one review)
Denial (two reviews)
Bargaining (three reviews)
Guilt (four reviews)
Anger (five reviews)
Depression (six reviews)
Acceptance (seven reviews)

By the end, those who have finished this grueling course will find themselves spiritually cleaner, and emotionally more well-rounded."
July 2, 2009 - July 2, 2010


This is the challenge that may actually have me reading Twilight. After all, it is a double-dog dare!

3 comments:

J.C. Montgomery said...

I loved how you shared this. I'm going to go over and take a look.

Sheesh. I need another challenge like another...well, you know.

It's getting VERY drafty upstairs. very.

Lori L said...

I know, I know... but this challenge is just SO right. I love the name, Critical Monkey, and I love the concept even more. I might actually read some books I've been avoiding for years, like, (gulp) Pride and Prejudice.

Memories of yesterday said...

This makes me laugh and giggle. I can't wait to see what you decide to read. :D