Welcome!

I've had a lifelong interest in Russian history, but  have read surprisingly little Russian fiction, with the exception of a few short stories.  I would like to change that, and thought that hosting a challenge would be a good way to work some Russian literature into my reading schedule. 

This challenge is a twelve month challenge, but the minimum number of books to read is only four.  Why?  Many Russian novels are quite lengthy, so it may take more than one month to read one book.   Also, it keeps the burden to a minimum if you are, like me, participating in several reading challenges.  You are welcome to read more, though!

Both fiction and non-fiction are acceptable here, as well as short stories and poetry.  Authors read should either be authors who wrote (write) in Russian or authors who wrote (write) about Russia and Russians.  The challenge begins January 1, 2008 and ends December 31, 2008, so you have plenty of time to be thinking about your book list.  Oh, yes, there may even be some prizes in store throughout the year!   

Send me your e-mail address, and I will send you an invitation to join the blog.  You can then post your book lists, cross post your reviews, and  discuss all the wonderful literature, history, poetry, etc. that everyone is reading. 

Thanks for your interest, and I look forward to reading all things Russian with you!

Sharon (Ex Libris)

Comments

[kim in ohio]

I am looking forward to this one. I am not sure yet as to what I will be reading other than Anna Karenina and Love and Hatred: the stormy marriage of Leo and Sanya Tolstoy by William L shirer. plus Catherine the great.
kim in ohio

[Sam Houston]

I've never done a "challenge," but this one appeals to me because I've read so little from Russian writers or of Russian history.

I suspect that I'm setting myself up for failure, but I have good intentions. :-)

[Sam Houston]

I've never done a "challenge," but this one appeals to me because I've read so little from Russian writers or of Russian history.

I suspect that I'm setting myself up for failure, but I have good intentions. :-)

[Ex Libris]

Kim: Those sound great! Is William L. Shirer the same author who wrote The Berlin Diaries? If so, he is fantastic... I'm long overdue for reading a biography on Catherine the Great. Looking forward to your thoughts on these books!

Sam: So glad you are joining us!!! I know what you mean about good intentions. Trust me, I'm full of them :) What really counts, though, is that you want to participate. I will send you an invitation here shortly!

[LizzySiddal]

I'll sign up too. I love Russian literature - I have so many books in the TBR - this challenge means I'll get round to reading some of them .... hehe!

[Ex Libris]

Glad to have you join us, Lizzy! I will send you an invitation to the blog.

[Lesley]

Please count me in! I have many gaps in my reading, and this is a big one. I may even get to finish W&P!

[Ex Libris]

Welcome, Lesley! Glad you are joining in. I'll send you an invitation to join the blog.

[MissyJoon]

I am going to give this a whirl, although I am nervous!!!!! But these are all books I have been wanting to read (and I am a HUGE Anna Karenina fan!!!)
The Brothers Karamazov
Dr. Zhivago
Crime and Punishment
War and Peace (eeeeek!)
Great Russian Stories (a compilation of 12 short stories)

[Ex Libris]

Glad to have you on board, MissyJoon! Your list sounds fantastic :)I will send you an invitation to the blog.

[Danielle]

Hi Ex Libris--thanks for the invite. I know I want to read Anna Karenina, but I might just choose the others as I go. I'm sure there will be lots of wonderful suggestions that I'll be interested in. Thanks for organizing this.

[3m]

I'd like an invite! I love Russian literature AND history.

[Ex Libris]

Hi Danielle, thanks for joining! No hurry on your list. I want to read AK, too, but reading it the same year as W&P would be a bit much for me :)

[Ex Libris]

3M, it's on it's way! Thanks for joining :)

[Shannan]

I have not created my blog yet but I would like to join this challenge.

My Books are:

1. Crime and Punishment- by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
2. The Brothers Karamazov- by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
3. The Death of Ivan Ilych and Other Stories by Leo Tolstoy
4. Anna Karenina- by Leo Tolstoy

[Ex Libris]

Shannan, great to have you here! You don't have to have your own blog in order to participate. I will send you an invitation to join this blog so you can have a place to post your reviews, etc.

Crime and Punishment is on my list, too - will look forward to your thoughts on it.

[Isabel]

I posted this book on A work in Progress:

Russian Background:

I trust this historical novel.
Russka by Edward Rutherfurd

He does a lot of research.

Plus, the story is interesting.

[Shannan]

I created one but I can't get to it. I might have to create another one. I hope I hope I cn figure out the problem.

[Shannan]

Here is a link to my blog. This is a new one because I can not access my old one to edit. It looks the same but both are mine

[Ex Libris]

Shannan, your blog looks great!

[Seachanges]

Thanks for the invite ExLibris. Please use this link to my 51stories (seachanges) as my permanent address. Signed up to typekey by mistake. Greatly looking forward to this challenge and will shortly come up with my list, which I'm sure will change every so often.

[LizzySiddal]

Hi - quick heads up - the link to my blog isn't working.

It should be http://lizzysiddal.wordpress.com

Thanks.

[Ex Libris]

It should work now - thanks for letting me know!

[Kim]

Count me in. I read We earlier this year, and I have been planning to read Turgenev's Fathers and Sons for a long time. This challenge will spur me on. I haven't attempted a challenge in a while, because I read too slow and have too little time. Surely I can handle four books in one year. I will post my tentative list on my blog today.

[Ex Libris]

So glad you've decided to join us, Kim! You should receive your invitation shortly.