Birth Year Challenge 2011

Hooray! It is time again for Hotchpot Cafe's Birth Year Challenge, the first challenge I ever participated in. There were two books I knew I wanted to read for this next installment of the challenge, and I have found two more to increase my goal by one book this year.

The challenge runs from January 1, 2011-December 31,2011. You set your own goal, but the three participants who read the most books are entered into a drawing for a $25 gift certificate. All other participants who reach their goal will receive a "gently used trade paperback."

In this challenge, you find books to read that were published in the year you were born. However, if none of the books published in that year look desirable, you can choose to read books a few years before or after. You can pick the number of years out you want to go, and enter it into the time machine.

I am going to stick with my birth year, because I still have books from my birth year that I would like to read. I plan on reading:
1. The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie. I wanted to read this last year, but ran out of time and ended up choosing a shorter novel. I am determined to finish it this year.
2. Mitla Pass by Leon Uris. I didn't enjoy The Haj that much, but so many people recommend his works to me that when I saw that he had published a book during my birth year, I thought I would give him another try.
3. Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood. I've been meaning to read some Atwood, and here is the perfect excuse.
4. Paris Trout by Pete Dexter. This won the National Book Award in 1988, so... why not?