New Author Challenge 2009

While trolling the blogosphere the other day I stumbled upon a whole new corner of the bloggy world. Apparently there are bloggers out there who are SERIOUS bookworms and participate in all manner of book challenges. Are any of you familiar with this? It was certainly news to me. And I was intrigued. Of course this appeals to my nerdy bookish side, but I also love a good challenge. (I can be a wee bit competitive at times). So, I've decided to participate in two of these challenges. The first is a New Author Challenge and is hosted by Literary Escapism. Check out the website for all the rules, but basically you choose your own goal and try to read that many books by authors that are new to you during 2009. I've decided my goal will be to read 50 books by "new" authors by December 31, 2009. Luckily, I can count the books I've already read this year.

2009 New Author Challenge

1. The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry

2. The Last Queen by C. W. Gortner

3. The Glimmer Palace by Beatrice Colin

4. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

5. How Not to Die by Jan Garavaglia

6. Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron

7. Publishing a Blog with Blogger by Elizabeth Castro

8. A Parting Gift by Ben Erickson

9. The Blue Cotton Gown: A Midwife's Memoir by Patricia Harman

10. The Everything Blogging Book by Eliza Risdahl

11. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

12. Goldengrove by Francine Prose

13. Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

14. The Courtier's Secret by Donna Russo Morin

15. The Huffington Post Complete Guide to Blogging by the editors of the Huffington Post

16. The Secret Currency of Love edited by Hilary Black

17. Ex Libris: Confession of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman

18. Mistaken Identities: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope by Ryn, Don Van

19. The Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo

20. The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz

21. Against Medical Advice: A True Story by James Patterson

22. Five Skies by Ron Carlson

23. An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination by Elizabeth McCracken

24. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

25. Happens Every Day: An All-Too-True Story by Isabel Gillies

26. Nov. 22, 1963 by Adam Braver

27. The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

28. The Saving Graces by Patricia Gaffney

29. Mudbound by Hillary Jordan

30. Writing in Stone: Scenes from a Maine Island Life by Christina Marsden Gillis

31. Upstate by Kalisha Buckhannon

32. Still Alice by Lisa Genova

33. Spring Awakening by Frank Wedekind

34. Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell

35. Sixpence House: Lost in a Town of Books by Paul Collins

36. The Gardner Heist by Ulrich Boser

37. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

38. The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly

39. The Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

40. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

41. Away by Amy Bloom

42. The Year of Fog by Michelle Richmond

43. The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker

44. The End of Manners by Francesca Marciano

45. The Lost City of Z by David Grann

46. Teaser by Jan Brogan

47. Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell

48. The Cradle by Patrick Somerville

49. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

50. The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa

You can follow my progress by clicking on the Author Challenge 2009 button on my sidebar. Anyone interested in joining me? Leave me a comment letting me know and be sure to sign up at Literary Escapism.