2013 EUROPEAN READING CHALLENGE

The European Reading Challenge
January 1, 2013 to January 31, 2014




THIS IS THE SIGN UP PAGE (SEE LINKY BELOW).
TO POST A REVIEW, GO TO THIS PAGE.
TO ADD YOUR WRAP UP POST, GO TO THIS PAGE.


Welcome to the 2013 European Reading Challenge – where participants tour Europe through books.  And have a chance to win a prize.  Please join me for the Grand Tour!

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"? For this challenge, we will use the 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, Spain, and Italy), the really huge Russia, the tiny Vatican City, and the mixed bag of Baltic, Balkan, and former Soviet states.

Note: Technically, the United Kingdom is one country that includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.  So one book from any one of these four should count as your one book for that one country. 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.

Here is the list, in alphabetical order: 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.


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.

NOTE:  For 2013, we are abandoning the "Alternate Arrangements" categories we tried in 2012.  The idea was to choose books for the challenge according to particular themes: Agritourisimo (food books); Youth Hostel (YA books); and Culture Vulture (prize winners).  These weren't popular, so we'll stick with the basic package tour this year.

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.

OFFICIAL RULES
  • Read all books between January 1, 2013 and January 31, 2014.  I like having 13 months so there is extra time to finish after the holidays.  However, if you participated in the 2012 European Reading Challenge, you can only count books read in January 2013 for one year -- either the end of the 2012 challenge or the start of the 2013 challenge -- you don't get to count one book for both challenges. 
  • Sign up here using Mr. Linky under the "PARTICIPANTS" heading below. Please use a link to your challenge post, not your blog home page.   
  • If you do not have a blog, please leave a comment below with the level you are signing up for, and your list of books if you want to name them now, and I will add you to the list.
  • You do not have to commit to your choices now; you can change your mind about books at any time.
  • Overlap with other challenges is allowed -- and encouraged! Have ideas for good overlapping challenge opportunities? Please leave links in comments.
  • Re-reads count. Audiobooks count.  E-books count.  Self-published books count.
  • As you progress, please link to your reviews on the review list page.  Reviews are not necessary, unless you are going for the prize, in which case only books reviewed count.  If you do not have a blog, put your reviews or reports in a comment on this post. When you finish, please link to your wrap-up posts on the wrap-up page.
  • You can copy and paste the button. Or, if you want me to send you the code, please leave a comment with an email and I will. I cannot figure out the fancy ways of giving button instructions.

PARTICIPANTS: SIGN UP HERE
(To post a review, go to this page)

Please sign up using Mr. Linky below.  Please leave the link for your challenge page, not your blog home page.


REVIEWS

To post a review or see the list of reviews, please go to this page.

IDEAS

My shelves are crammed with books set in European countries and/or written by European authors.  I hardly know where to begin!

But I could start with this list of books with French Connections, or this list of books set in Venice.

Other sources of inspiration:

The perpetual Nordic Challenge on Notes from the North.

Murder is Everywhere is a collaborative authors' blog about their mystery novels set in various international locations.

The World Literature Forum also has an active European literature forum

And please check out other participants' sign up posts listed in Mr. Linky (above) for ideas and inspiration.

55 comments :

  1. Yep, I'll be joining it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I was so excited, I went and did a joining post ASAP. Looking forward to starting on this in January.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think I'm going to try this. I'm doing a very loose around-the-world challenge (no time limit) anyway, and I might as well get started with Europe.

    One question though: Do fantasy novels count? Meaning, would you accept an alternate Italy (as in Guy Gavriel Kay's Tigana) for the challenge?

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm still working on the 2012 challenge but shall join again in 2013.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Count me in! Just like Lizzy I'm currently working on the 2012 challenge. I can't wait to get started!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for hosting this again! It was fun, I read 12 books actually for this last year, recap coming, so I'm shooting for the 5 stars again, and have 6 books already listed.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I don't have a URL (yet) but sign-me up, por favor! I'm aiming for the 5+ books level!
    Thanks for hosting!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Definitely in and want to do the linky, but I don't understand the url thing. Can you explain?

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm going for the 5+ deluxe category but I don't have a blog.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Excited to do this challenge again! Thanks for hosting! Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm in the second year of an Around the World reading group, so I might as well. Your readers might get more ideas from our group too:
    http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/53809.A_2012_Challenge_Around_the_World_in_52_Books_

    ReplyDelete
  13. This is quite the challenge. I did manage to start a blog!!! Another new adventure. I'm going for the whole thing--5 books. Starting with the Hobbit next week. Haven't read it in 40 years!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi! I'll try to complete the challenge in 2013. I have put two links in the sign up page, the first leads to my blog's main page, so if you could delete it I'd be most grateful. Thanks! (btw, it's Teresa@Anyway!)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks for hosting. I'm going to take part in this one and aim for 5 books.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Signing up for five star again. Thanks for hosting this. It`s a great challenge.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'd like to try for 5 books, fellow Rose Cityer...Citier...Cityr...oh, you know where we live!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Sorry, I put the wrong link. I had to go and make a new page in my blog (first time!) for the 2013 ERC. Here it is: http://realbooks4ever.tumblr.com/2013ERC

    ReplyDelete
  19. I'm joining with a goal of 5 Star Deluxe Entourage.
    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I'm a 5 stars as last year, it's a great challenge, thanks for hosting! :)

    I've just finished reading the first book that counts, set in Italy and written by an italian author :)

    Valentina
    www.peekabook.it

    ReplyDelete
  21. Are you making the review page live soon? I'm looking to post my first review, but the links don't seem to be there.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thanks everyone for signing up!

    The review page is live now. See the link at the top of the page, right under the challenge button.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I have never done anything like this before and am looking very forward to joining this challenge.

    ReplyDelete
  24. All signed up! Thanks for hosting again!

    And since you asked...

    This could overlap very well with my own Books in Translation Challenge.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Looking forward to this challenge, again, for the second year! :)

    ReplyDelete
  26. Participating again this year. Thanks for hosting!

    ReplyDelete
  27. My favorite setting for the books I read is Europe, so this challenge is perfect for me.

    This is my first year.

    Thank you for hosting!

    Judith (Reader in the Wilderness)

    ReplyDelete
  28. I'm definitely in. Thanks for hosting!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Giving it another try. Thanks for hosting again!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Sorry, I put my review on this page by mistake. I've put it on the right page now, but please go ahead and remove it from this one.

    ReplyDelete
  31. just signed up. looking forward :)

    ReplyDelete
  32. Thank you for this wonderful 2013 challenge, I am always looking for a new author to read so this challenge will fit nicely.

    http://deborahsbitsandpieces.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  33. Ooops yesterday I joined but neglected to note my level, I have chosen:
    Five Star (Deluxe Entourage): Read at least five books by different European authors or books set in different European countries.

    My first book is The Fellowship of the Ring, which I have always wanted to read.

    ReplyDelete
  34. I'm late, but I've been meaning to join for a few weeks! I'm in for the 5-star level.

    ReplyDelete
  35. I like to join this very nice challenge, but I read and I write in Italian, that will be ok for you ?

    ReplyDelete
  36. Love this challenge! I am looking forward to participating. :)

    ReplyDelete
  37. What a great challenge! I look forward to discovering some new authors from Europe. Getting their books might be a challenge in itself :)

    ReplyDelete
  38. Neat challenge! I have many European books sitting on my shelves just waiting to get read, so this will be the year. I have a couple already planned:
    The Scale of Maps by Belén Gopegui, Spain
    Truck Stop Rainbows by Iva, Pekárková, Czech Republic
    Not sure what else is next, exciting! I am going to try for the Five Star Deluxe Entourage, and hope for more.

    ReplyDelete
  39. I've signed up for Deluxe Entourage. I'm trying to figure out where some authors would fit though - I have one book I'm looking at, and the author was born and raised in Hungary, but ended up living and publishing in Britain. Could she count for Hungary?

    ReplyDelete
  40. Hi!
    I join in this year again as I enjoyed last year a lot! Will try to do better this time ;)
    I'm going for the Five star again!
    Have fun everybody!

    ReplyDelete
  41. I am in for the 5 book level. Happy reading :)

    ReplyDelete
  42. I'm in for the 5 book level...no blog, so please sign me up.

    Barbara Punch

    ReplyDelete
  43. I will be trying to read 5 books for this challenge. See you on the other side!

    ReplyDelete
  44. I am European and the member of an International Book Club. I have read books from and about almost every European country but am happy to take part and contribute to this group.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Just went through my list. I have read books taking place in 25 European countries already this year: Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portual, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom. Still, I will carry on reading more and hope to contribute to this group. Anyone interested in ideas can check my blog Let's Read .

    ReplyDelete
  46. I just removed my original entry but I still see it. Anyway, I have added the real one now: Let's Read - European Challenge. Hope this helps.

    ReplyDelete
  47. This sounds like a great challenge for me! I love reading books about Europe. I'm aiming for the 5+ level, since I've already read 8 books that are Europe-based. Hopefully I can fit a few more in by the end of the year!

    ReplyDelete
  48. Hello! I just joined the challege. I like the idea of making some really good reads from my continent more visible in the world.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Wish I would have known about this in January. Lets hope I can remember all the books I've read this so far year!

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...