Once upon a time (2012), Simon thought it would be a good idea to read and review a book for each year of the 20th century. And I thought, yes, that sounds like a completely sane and normal thing to do, I shall join you.
It is not a remotely sane or normal thing to do, for the record. But we did it and it was awesome. So when Simon asked me a few months ago if I fancied doing A Century of Books (ACOB) again for 2018 I quickly thought over my obligations for the year and, finding them numerous and time consuming, said absolutely, let’s do it.
Apparently, I had already decided in October that 2018 was not going to be a year for restraint.
I have done my best to prepare: I’ve made a list of books I might want to read (it’s currently 13 pages long and yet the 1980s remain desolate). I have placed library holds and inter-library holds. And, most crucially, I have gotten back into the habit of blogging since the key part of the challenging is actually reviewing each of the hundred books.
Looking back, 2012 was probably the best reading year I’ve ever had in my life – all because of ACOB (my Top Ten Books of 2012 reflects that – each book is a gem). I hope ACOB will have the same effect in 2018, with lots of wonderful – and some weird – discoveries ahead.
If you want to see how I’m progressing through the year, I’ll be tracking my progress on a dedicated ACOB page plus I’ve added a button on the blog sidebar for quick access.
If you’re interested in joining us for A Century of Books this year, please do! It’s really a simple challenge: you can read anything you like – fiction, non-fiction, poetry, plays, children’s books, whatever! For inspiration, you can check out what I read for ACOB in 2012, get some tips on how to survive ACOB from my end of year wrap-up, peruse Simon’s 2012 list (combined with his own tips for success), or, if you’re just looking for book ideas, browse my index of reviews by year of publication.
Wish us luck!
I’ve decided to do ACOB and I’ve put up a dedicated page on my blog. (I’ll talk about it a bit more on another post to come). I have only put up a blank list of dates though – as working to a prescribed list doesn’t work for me. To begin with I want to read from my tbr finding books for each year, but I am imagining it will take me two years.
So happy to hear you’re doing it too! And I agree, working off a prescribed list would drive me mad. What I love about this challenge is the freedom you have to read whatever you like.
Yayyy! I’ll be doing 1919-2018 I think, but still super excited to do ACOB simultaneously again. What fun it was before!
Yay us! I have vague memories of incredible angst come November when there were stubborn gaps left but I’m going to banish those memories for a bit and just embrace the fun.
I started it but then it lapsed this past year. You have motivated me to pick it up and continue. Maybe I’ll add 15 yrs to bring it up to 2015. I am looking for some challenges but won’t work to a list. I need more spontaneity. I want the books to come from my shelves. I NEED to focus on TBR this year. It will be fun following you guys.
Wonderful! And yes, this is the anti-list challenge so it great fun that way and is VERY good for helping you work through a TBR list (that’s certainly what I intend to do).
I enjoyed your last Century, with just a touch of envy. I’ll look forward to seeing what you read, especially for the 1960s and 1970s.
Oh, the 1970s! They are almost as bad as the 1980s! We’ll see how I do but I’d welcome any recommendations from you (for any decade, not just the difficult ones).
I did an ACOB in 2014 and loved it. The 80’s are tough- try Double Negative by David Carkeet – it’s a semi-comic murder mystery about the resident genius (and sad sack) at a linguistics research center/daycare center. Very clever. Happy New Year!
Thanks for the recommendation! I’m not usually one for mysteries but humorous ones are much more appealing.
I think I must have been inspired by Simon at some point as well and started my own century of books, but I knew it would have to be a several year undertaking. I fear I have neglected it too long and should really just scrap it and try anew, though even on a really good year I can’t manage to read so many books. So I will be watching from the sidelines to see which books you choose!
Cheerleaders are definitely necessary for ACOB so it will be great to have you there along the way.
Hurray! Looking forward to seeing what you (and Simon, and anyone else who is brave/crazy enough to do this) come up with. I did this as well, back in 2014, and I found that it was one of my most memorable reading years ever. So much so that I attempted it again in 2017, though I have to confess that I failed miserably in completing it this second time round. I wonder if should hit the reset button (as it were) and start anew in 2018? Because things are really much more fun when done with others… 🙂 Oh, and I so much relate to your angst about the 1980s. That was a tough decade to find things from. But they’re out there!
Yes, hit the reset button and start anew! I’d love to have you along for the journey this year. If you’re looking for ideas, I’d also be happy to share my inspiration list (which has now stretched to 14 pages).
This is a brilliant idea! Not sure if I have the reading chops to do likewise, but I am all admiration.
Thanks!
Good luck! Not for me a the moment, alas, but I shall be watching with much interest! 🙂
Thanks! It’s just as important to have blog readers cheering us along as it is to have fellow ACOB readers. 100 reviews can be a bit daunting if no one is reading them!
Wow! Impressive challenge! I’m just hoping to figure out how to fit basic reading and blogging time back into my schedule in 2018, but maybe if you do it again in 5 years, I can join you then!
Sounds good! Good luck with finding time for reading in 2018.
[…] a couple of years ago, completed 25% of it then it got away from me. Simon of Stuck in a Book and Claire of Captive Reader have resurrected it for 2018. I decided I would try to contribute more titles to this challenge […]
[…] thrilled to say that Claire is doing it again this year! My century is shifting a bit – I’m going to do 1919-2018 – and […]
I am going to give it a go with dates 1919-2018. I’ll add a page to my long-unused blog, will resurrect for this and some other things I want to write. Claire, you and I have very similar reading interests, and there isn’t much on your reviewed list that I haven’t read, but I will definitely be reading all the titles I have wanted to read from your list. Also planning to peruse my shelves for things I haven’t read that I need to get around to.
That’s great, Mel! Good luck and I hope you have fun along the way. I’ll look forward to seeing what you read and maybe getting ideas of my own from you.
Hi Claire – I have been reading some of your posts. Your blog is very impressive.
I think that this reading project is a really neat idea. If I were to embark on something like it, I would need several years however as I just do not finish that many books in a year. If you did not finish your attempt in 2018 you could just pick up where you left off.
Thanks, Brian! I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying the blog.
I know other people have done/are doing A Century of Books spread out over multiple years and enjoying it just as much as those of us who aim to complete it in one. There are very minimal rules around the challenge, which is part of what makes it so enjoyable!