52 Books in 52 Weeks

Over at the Quater to Three forums the idea of a reading challenge was presented. I'm a little late to the party but I think I can backdate the books I've already read and come in close to the challenge, so I'll just assume I'm in the running.

Here's the plan: take enough books to challenge your reading speed and finish them all in 2008: the '52 books' is only a title, so don't panic. If you can read 50 books a year, stretch yourself and go for 60. If you read 5, try for 10, and so one. Also, stretch your boundaries and try some genres you've never touched before.

I normally read about a book a week when I'm on a roll, so I'm going to try to maintain that pace for the whole year. I have a pretty big stack of books sitting bedside so when i finish one I'll just grab another from the pile according to my mood and keep going. So far I have the following books bedside or on order from Amazon:

I am America, And So can You by Stephen Colbert et. al.

Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman

Halting State by Charles Stross

The Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynne Jones

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

Blackfoot Physics by F. David Peat

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

The New Topping Book by Dossie Easton and Janet W. Hardy

Lamb, or the Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore

How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy by Orson Scott Card

The New Bottoming Book by Dossie Easton and Janet W. Hardy

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

Old Man's War by John Scalzi

Declare by Tim Power

The Scar by China Mieville

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

Virtual Light by William Gibson

Creating Unforgettable Characters by Linda Seiger

Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie

Sex, Time and Power by Leonard Shlain

Actions Speak Louder by Eric Lichtenfield

Characters & Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card

Herotica ed, by Susie Bright

The Hero With a Thousand Faces by Joeseph Campbell

Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond

The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics by Dennis O'Neil

The Idiots Guide to Self-Esteem by Mark J. Warner, Ed.D.

The War of The Flowers by Tad Williams

Shaman's Crossing by Robin Hobb

Arslan by M. J. Engh

Humanism: An Introduction by Jim Herrick

Finding Your Religion: When the Faith you Grew Up With Has Lost Its Meaning by Scotty McLennan

Become What You Are by Alan W. Watts

Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Matter by Ian M. Banks

The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil by Philip Zimbardo

This all started at Quarter to Three