Challenge: Something About Me Challenge

I don't think I ever posted about this challenge on my blog, since Lisa made a blog specifically for the Challenge. We are having lots of fun over there, listing our books and the reason why these books represent us. The lists are getting very long, and the books being suggested are fantastic. So much so, that I don't know how I'll ever pick a few to read for the length of the challenge, August 1 until December 31st. That's only five months, and there are 24 people, already, each listing 4 - 5 books. The math boggles the mind. (Not really, I love math) But the pile of books is boggling. It is so fun getting to know everyone.
I've decided to make lists - of books I have read, and books I want to read, and the ones I can commit to read for the challenge. Caribousmom has been making the same type of lists over at her blog.

Books I've read before the starting date of this challenge:
The Hotel New Hampshire (wendy) - I read this a long time ago. I remember it was weird, but I liked it.
Heidi (heidijane) - This is a childhood favorite. I still want to go to Switzerland.
In the Shadow of the Wind (christina) - I read this last year, after I was in Barcelona, and I really enjoyed it
Fall on Your Knees (christina) - read this years ago, Oprah pick
The Talisman (think pink dana) - number two favorite Stephen King book
Charlotte's Web (3m) - classic. I read this to my daughter last year.
Pride and Prejudice (patti) - I read this just last year. My first Austen
Diary of Anne Frank (patti) - read this in grade nine English class. wonderful and moving
No Coins Please (ellen) - Gordon Korman at his funny, funny self.
A Girl Named Zippy (nattie) - This so reminded me of my daughter. A delightful memoir and I can't wait to read the sequel
Wuthering Heights (suey, trish) - I think high school was too young to appreciate the Brontes
To Kill a Mockingbird (stephanie, janet) - one of my favorites
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (maryanne) - read out loud to my son last year
Like Water for Chocolate (maryanne) - I know I read this ages ago and liked the recipe aspect
The Polysyllabic Spree (athena) - loved this. I can't wait to read the next one
The Stand (a.book.in.the.life.) - number one favorite Stephen King novel
Bridget Jones' Diary (tiny librarian, trish) - Anne and Bridget are my two most favorite heroines
Anne of Green Gables (tiny librarian, ennavic, trish) - Anne!
The Time-Traveller's Wife (dewey) - I read this last year; fabulous
The Poisonwood Bible (bookworm) - loved the palindrome sister
HP and the Sorcerer's Stone (bookworm) - read aloud to son
HP and the Goblet of Fire (Kathrin) - read aloud. They started getting really good in this book
High Fidelity (Rhinoa) - I went on a big Hornby reading kick last year.
The Other Boleyn Girl ( Margo) - loved it, read for Chunkster Challenge
Flowers in the Attic (Margo) - read in high school. awesome
The Undomestic Goddess (Margo) - apparently, Margo and I like the same books!
Me Talk Pretty One Day (MyUtopia) - I read this in the past few years
These Happy Golden Years (Becky) - Little House books, yeah
Anne of the Island (Becky) - another favorite!
The Lovely Bones (chasida) - very good story
The Little Prince (soleil) - read this year for Once Upon a Time , in English
The Red Tent (sarah miller) - read a few years ago. very good
The Giver (sarah miller) - read this year for the dystopian challenge, and banned book
To Kill a Mockingbird (janet) - one of my favourites
Fahrenheit 451 (faith) - just read this year for dystopian challenge
Little Women (alyson) - I still have my copy from when I was young
My Sister's Keeper (trish) - I read this for the Chunkster Challenge this year

Now, I've read before the challenge officially begins:
A Man Without a Country (kookiejar) - I just read this in the last month. see review
So Many Books, So Little Time (sally, a.book.in.the.life,vasilly,) - I had to read this it was mentioned so often. see review
The Echo Maker (3M) - also a NYT Notable book of 2006 see review
Uglies (faith) - dystopian challenge see review

Now the harder part: books I want to read. I plan to pick 5 books for the challenge, highlighted. I am finding if I have a challenge with one book per month, I don't feel too much pressure. Then, it leaves me the option of reading more if time allows. If I'm feeling rushed, I don't enjoy the books as much. Having said that, I do plan to read more than four of these books. (shhh I've actually started reading some already. Don't tell anyone. Thanks.) I'm trying to pick at least one book from each participant that I'd like to read, and everyone has at least one that looks fabulous.
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte (Kathrin)
I Am the Messenger - Markus Zasuk (jill mrsteme)
Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card (Becky, karlene)
Inkheart - Cornelia Funkle (becky shereads)
Number the Stars - Lois Lowry (booklogged)
We Need to Talk About Kevin - Lionel Shriver (dewey)
The Thirteenth Tale - Dianne Setterfield (kristin)
Tale of Despereaux - Kate diCamillo (booklogged)
Lolita - Vladimir Nobokov (heather)

Booked to Die - John Dunning (bonnie)
The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde (heidijane, valentina)
The Awakening - Kate Chopin (patti)
The Historian - Elizabeth Kostova (maryanne)
Twilight - Stephanie Myers (suey)
Angry Housewives Eating Bonbons - Lorna Landvic (tiny librarian)
The Remains of the Day - Ishiguro (lucca)
The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd (ennavic, Karlene)
Mrs Dalloway - Virginia Woolf (trish)
84 Charing Cross Road - Helen Hanff (Historia)
Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson (heatherbird, Holly)
Island of the Blue Dolphin - Scott O'Dell (Juli)
The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things - Carolyn Macklar (Julie)
Zel - Donna Jo Napoli (Sarah Miller)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith (Becky)

Lying on the Couch - Irving Yalom (lisa)
The Happy Room - Cathering Palmer (twiga)
A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson (wendy)
Johnny Got His Gun - Dalton Trumbo (kookiejar)
The Seven Daughters of Eve - Bryon Sykes (christina)
The Essays of EB White (think pink dana)
Harvesting the Heart - Jodi Picoult (heather)
The Robber Bride - Margaret Atwood (ellen
This Side of Paradise - F Scott Fitzgerald (ellen)
The Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards (3m)
Luncheon of the Boating Party - Susan Vreeland (3m)
The Amateur Marriage - Anne Tyler (nattie)
Nothing But the Truth - Avi (megan)
Oh My Goth - Gena Showater (stephanie)
Generation Next Parenting - Tricia Goyer (kristin)
A Cook's Tour - Anthony Bourdain (athena)
The Tortilla Curtain - TC Boyle (dewey)
The Princess Diaries - Meg Cabot (Kathrin)
Can You Keep a Secret? - Sophie Kinsella (Kathrin)
Just Ella - Margaret Peterson Haddix (allisonwonderland)
Stargirl - Jerry Spinelli (allisonwonderland)
Chocolat - Joanne Harris (margo, becky)
Because it is Bitter & Because it is My Heart - Joyce Carol Oates (judith)
Seeing - Jose Saramago (MyUtopia)
A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khalid Houseini (becky)
Persuasion - Jane Austen (Becky)
The World According to Garp - John Irving (Chasida)
Beach Music - Pat Conroy (jmc)
Weetzie Bat - Francesca Lia Block (soleil)
The View From Saturday - EL Konisburg (sarah miller)
The Art of Mending - Elizabeth Berg (librarylady)
Breakfast at Tiffany's - Truman Capote (lucca)
Where the Red Fern Grows - Wilson Rawls (janet)
Great Books - David Denby (alyson)
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan - Lisa See (Juli)
Dune - Frank Herbert (karlene)


If I happen to read one of these before the challenge starts, I'll move it up. I'll probably eventually try to get to many of these - I'll use them to pick books for other challenges I might participate in.