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War Through the Generations Challenge

December 3, 2008 by Darlene

This is a great challenge that Serena from Savvy Verse & Wit and Anna from Diary of an Eccentric have come up with for next year. I’ve always loved reading about the history of any war so I’m especially looking forward to this challenge and it also fits in with a lot of my others which is an added plus.

The challenge will run from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009. You can visit here for all the rules and other good stuff and to sign up if you want to join in.

You also have to committ to reading some books obviously and I’ve got 9 on my list so far. A couple of them are pretty big so they may take me a bit longer. Anyhow, here is my list…

  • Reading by Lightning by Joan Thomas
  • Resistance by Anita Shreve
  • The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
  • Atonement by Ian McEwan
  • Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
  • The Winds of War by Herman Wouk
  • War & Remembrance by Herman Wouk
  • Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
  • Beside a Burning Sea by John Shors
  • 10 Days Anne Frank by David Colbert
  • Anne Frank Remembered by Meip Gies

There you have it folks. I won’t actually be changing this list with other books. These are all on my shelves and I’ve been wanting to read them for ages. Here’s a good reason. The only thing I may do is add a few. So, why don’t you join in. Not only is this some good reading, but probably a good learning experience as well.

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Comments

  1. Jenn says

    December 3, 2008 at 11:29 pm

    Looks like some great books, Dar! One of the best war stories I’ve read is “All Quiet on the Western Front.” Many people didn’t like it, but I thought it had some very powerful writing. Another is “The Things We Carried” by Tim O’Brien.

  2. Serena says

    December 3, 2008 at 11:47 pm

    Dar: Thanks for signing up…I’ll be placing you on the official list tonight!

    Jenn: The first challenge is WWII, so while I love Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried, its about Vietnam. Don’t worry though…the next challenge will be all over that!

  3. naida says

    December 4, 2008 at 12:22 am

    this sounds like a great challenge. I’m tempted to join it.

    Great picks! I’ve been wanting to read Atonement. Looking forward to your reviews.

    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

  4. Bree says

    December 4, 2008 at 12:26 am

    Oohhh, I want to read Resistance too. I picked up a used copy of Anne Frank to re-read. Its such a good story and I got The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom and Night by Elie Wiesel which I also believe are WWII books. Good luck with your reading. My teen son is taking WWII class in high school so we’ve recently gathered some movies about the era to watch. Hummm, maybe I should put this challenge on my list as well.

  5. Linda Jacobs says

    December 4, 2008 at 1:02 am

    When I was younger, I read many WWII novels and loved them. My favorite was Battle Cry by Leon Uris. Just writing about it makes me want to go back and read it again. Maybe I will!

  6. Lezlie says

    December 4, 2008 at 1:30 am

    You caved! I’m going to also. 🙂

    Lezlie

  7. Anna says

    December 4, 2008 at 1:42 am

    Yea! I’m so glad you’re joining us, Dar!! Resistance is my fave Anita Shreve novel. I LOVED it!! I’d like to read War and Remembrance as well. I snagged it from a library sale a few weeks ago. However, it’s more than 1,000 pages, and I bet that would take me the entire challenge! You’ll have to let me know if it’s quick reading!

    –Anna
    Diary of an Eccentric

  8. Trish says

    December 4, 2008 at 12:18 pm

    Oh no…not sure I can resist this one! I loved Atonement earlier this year and have heard great things about Suite Francaise (also on my shelf). Good luck with the challenge, Dar!

  9. Anonymous says

    December 4, 2008 at 2:18 pm

    I recently read your post about Irène Némirovsky and wanted to let you know about an exciting new exhibition about her life, work, and legacy that opened on September 24, 2008 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage —A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York City. Woman of Letters: Irène Némirovsky and Suite Française, which will run through the middle of March, will include powerful rare artifacts — the actual handwritten manuscript for Suite Française, the valise in which it was found, and many personal papers and family photos. The majority of these documents and artifacts have never been outside of France. For fans of her work, this exhibition is an opportunity to really “get to know” Irene. And for those who can’t visit, there will be a special website that will live on the Museum’s site http://www.mjhnyc.org.

    The Museum will host several public programs over the course of the exhibition’s run that will put Némirovsky’s work and life into historical and literary context. Book clubs and groups are invited to the Museum for tours and discussions in the exhibition’s adjacent Salon (by appointment). It is the Museum’s hope that the exhibit will engage visitors and promote dialogue about this extraordinary writer and the complex time in which she lived and died. To book a group tour, please contact Tracy Bradshaw at 646.437.4304 or tbradshaw@mjhnyc.org. Please visit our website at http://www.mjhnyc.org for up-to-date information about upcoming public programs or to join our e-bulletin list.

    Thanks for sharing this info with your readers. If you need any more, please do not hesitate to contact me at hfurst@mjhnyc.org

  10. Jo-Jo says

    December 4, 2008 at 5:29 pm

    I think I will be caving on this one also…I had received a copy of The Zookeeper’s Wife in my mailbox on Monday from Reading Group Choices. It’s just a matter of time!

  11. Veens says

    December 4, 2008 at 5:34 pm

    I am doing this challenge too! YAY

  12. Anna says

    December 4, 2008 at 6:52 pm

    Love the additions to the list! I want to read those, too! And the list on the challenge blog will keep growing, too! I have tons of books names emailed to myself when I came across them, and I just have to input them. Can’t wait for the challenge to start!

    –Anna
    Diary of an Eccentric

  13. Ramya says

    December 4, 2008 at 7:51 pm

    hmmm… it sounds like an interesting challenge. Don’t want to take up too many challenges.. but i think i might just cave and take part in this one as well!:)your selection of books is amazing.. i might just steal a few titles from your list:)

  14. Ramya says

    December 4, 2008 at 7:55 pm

    btw, the image on the top left of your header is missing.. did you notice that??

  15. Dar says

    December 4, 2008 at 8:08 pm

    Ramya, I never had an image with my header-it was always by itself.

    Jenn, I've heard of The Things They Carried but not the other one.

    Serena, as you saw today I already added a few books. lol.

    Naida, you should join in. You can probably use what you'd read here towards other challenges too.

    Bree, you should join. I wish we had classes like that when I was in school. That would have been so interesting compared to what I was subjected to.

    Linda, I'll have to check that one out. I never read novels like this when I was younger but now I just want more and more of them.

    Lezlie-lol-yes I caved-couldn't resist this one. I can't wait to see what you'll be reading or are you going to pick as you go along. I wanted to get through some already on my shelves.

    Anna, I have had Resistance on my shelves for years. I don't know why I've never gotten to it before. Winds of War and War & Remembrance are both huge-they make take me a bit longer unless they're really good.

    Trish, this would be a great challenge for you don't you think. YOu love reading books like this also. I'm going to do better with challenges next year. It'll be my second year blogging so I should be better at it I would think. lol.

    Jo-Jo, go for it. I saw a review of The Zoo Keeper's Wife this morning and it did look good.

    Veens, yay, I'm glad you're doing this one too.

    Ramya, I hope you do join. I'd be interested to see what you'd pick. You always find some of the best books.

  16. Lezlie says

    December 4, 2008 at 8:41 pm

    Dar ~ A little of both. I have a couple of ideas, but I’m sure I’ll come across more as the year progresses.

    Lezlie

  17. Wanda says

    December 4, 2008 at 10:50 pm

    I loved “Resistance”!! Can’t wait to see what you think of that one, Dar!

    I cheated with Atonement though…
    when it came in at the library, the movie came with it. I couldn’t resist, I heard so many good things about the movie so I watched it and skimmed through the novel, lingering over all the good parts. 😉

    Enjoy the challenge.

  18. Shana says

    December 5, 2008 at 2:02 am

    I’m so excited about this challenge. Dar, I’ll be reading some of the same ones as you: one of the Wouks, Reading by Lightning and Sarah’s Key. I’ve wanted to read The Book Thief forever, so maybe I’ll read that one too!

    Shana
    Literarily

  19. Alessandra says

    December 5, 2008 at 7:52 pm

    Yes, we do have some of the same books in our challenge lists… that’s because I drew inspiration from your list to pick out my books! I have a good feeling for this challenge; it looks like it’s going to be lots of fun.

  20. Laura says

    December 7, 2008 at 2:01 am

    This looks like a great challenge! I have Suite Francaise and Sarah’s Key on my book shelf, and I’m hoping to read both in 2009 too!

  21. Dar says

    December 7, 2008 at 7:50 pm

    Wanda, thanks. I really enjoy Shreve and have heard many good things about Resistance so I’m looking forward to it.

    Shana, it’ll be fun to read some of the same ones!

    Alessandra, that’s funny. Like I said to Shana it’s going to fun reading some of the same books with others. I think it’s going to be a fun challenge too.

    Laura, all of these books are off my shelf. I really, really want to read some of my own next year.

  22. literatehousewife says

    December 7, 2008 at 10:56 pm

    I’m so glad that you’re joining this challenge, too! You picked some wonderful books. This is going to be fun.

  23. Chain Reader says

    December 8, 2008 at 9:14 pm

    I’m planning on joining this challenge also. The Book Thief, Atonement, Winds of War and War and Remembrance are all books I loved! I hope you like them too.

  24. Bookfool says

    December 11, 2008 at 3:32 am

    I’ve read 4 of those and enjoyed them all: The Book Thief, Sarah’s Key, Suite Francaise and Resistance. I also recommend Under An English Heaven by Robert Radcliffe (think I’m getting the author’s name right) and To Hell and Back by Audie Murphy.

  25. Dar says

    December 11, 2008 at 4:06 pm

    Lit Housewife-I think we are going to have fun reading each other’s reviews. This is going to be a great challenge.

    Chain Reader, hope you join. I’m glad some of those selections of mine are going to be good. That’s what I’m hoping for.

    Bookfool, I’ll have to check out those other selections you mentioned. Glad to hear a lot of mine have been reviewed favorably out in the blogging world. I’m anxious to get started on this one.

  26. Kaye says

    December 18, 2008 at 1:35 pm

    I just know I am going to do this challenge too. Honestly, the Book Thief anfd Sarah’s Key you can blast through in no time. Winds of War is long but absolutely wonderful. I read it years ago and may just read it again. The mini series with Robert Mitchum had me glued to the t.v. Great Challenge.
    If Leeway Cottage isn’t on the list, (I haven’t studied it yet) it should be. That was one of the best books I read this year. Happy reading!

  27. Serena says

    January 7, 2010 at 5:49 pm

    FYI, all 2009 WWII Reading Challenge Participants; giveaway information can be found here:

    http://warthroughthegenerations.wordpress.com/2010/01/07/international-2009-wwii-reading-challenge-giveaways-revealed/

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