Book Awards Challenge Reading List

Here is my list for twelve award winning books to be read between July 1 2007 to July 1 2008 for the Book Awards Challenge. I’m confident I’ll complete this challenge because I have a couple of the books in my house and couple of which are also Newbery. I have provided a long list of prospective books for additional reading in the challenge.

  1. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy (Booker Prize)
  2. Anil’s Ghost by Michael Ondaatje (Giller, Governor General’s)
  3. Street of Riches by Gabrielle Roy (Governor’s General’s)
  4. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George (Newbery)
  5. A Visit to William Blake’s Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers by Nany Willard (Newbery)
  6. Complete Poems and Plays by T. S. Eliot (Nobel 1948)
  7. Beloved by Toni Morrison (Pulitzer, Nobel)
  8. Beowulf: New Verse Translation (Costa/Whitbread)
  9. Neuromancer by William Gibson (Hugo, Nebula)
  10. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (Newbery)
  11. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (Pulitzer, NBCC)
  12. Little, Big by John Crowley (World Fantasy)

Bonus Books:
Bel Canto by Ann Pratchett (PEN/Faulkner, Orange)
The Color Purple by Alice Walker (Pulitzer)
Eucalyptus by Murray Bail (Miles Franklin, Commonwealth Writers’) – I remember trying to read this years ago when it was first published; I managed one chapter, so we’ll see how far I get this time.
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card (Hugo, Nebula)
The Poetry of Pablo Neruda (Nobel)
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich: A Novel by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (Nobel)l
A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth (Commonwealth Writers’) – I own this, and it is big.
Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson (PEN/Faulkner)
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (Pulitzer)
The Good Earth Pearl S. Buck (Pulitzer, Nobel)
The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields (Pulitzer, NBCC, Governor General’s)
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry (Giller)
The Pearl and Cannery Row by John Steinbeck (Nobel 1962)
All the Names by Jose Saramago (Nobel 1998)

7 thoughts on “Book Awards Challenge Reading List

  • Nymeth

    What a great list!

    I’m really tempted to join this challenge. The only reason why I’m hesitant is the fact that it lasts for a whole year. It’s hard for me to commit for that long. I prefer reading challenges that last 2-3 months. But I have “The God of Small Things” in my Reading Across Borders list, plus I’ve been meaning to read more Pulitzers, plus it’d be an excuse to read some Hugo/Nebula/World Fantasy award winners… I was looking at the lists of winners last night and “Little Big” would definitely be one of my picks too. So yeah, I might end up joining.

    I really look forward to reading your reviews of these books!

    Reply
  • Athena (Post author)

    Nymeth, I’m probably going to read most of my list relatively soon because once September starts, my leisure reading goes down significantly. There seems to be a couple of books you could read and finish soon so don’t limit yourself to the whole year. Read the whole 12 in 3-4 months. Then you could add bonus ones as I have done and do that slowly. You don’t need a whole year. 😉

    Reply
  • Arukiyomi

    The God of Small things is a great read, very moving. Beloved is worth persevering with. If you find yourself spinning out of mental control early on, hang in there! You’re not the first.

    … and I guess Canary Row is the same as Cannery Row? You just gave me this amazing image of a street in Monterey bustling with yellow birds 😉

    Cannery Row is marvellous by the way. I reviewed it HERE if you’d like to read about it.

    Reply
  • Athena (Post author)

    Arukiyomi, yes, I did mean Cannery Row. I guess I was of the birds when I wrote that. Thanks for the review. I am a fan of Steinbeck so I’m sure to enjoy it. Thanks!

    Reply
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