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Orbis Terrarum Challenge 2009

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The Orbis Terrarum Challenge 2009 is being hosted by B&b Ex-Libris

Main Challenge Rules:
*The Orbis Terrarum Challenge begins March 1st 2009 and runs until the end of the year
*For the challenge each reader is to choose 10 books (for the 10 months)
*Each book must from a different country

I love reading books from around the world, so am really looking forward to starting this challenge.

I’m going to read (subject to change!)

  1. Out – Natsuo Kirino (Japan)
  2. The Ghosts of Eden – Andrew Sharp (Uganda)
  3. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Nzozi Adichie (Nigeria)
  4. The Book of Fathers by Miklos Vamos (Hungary)
  5. Snow by Orhan Pamuk (Turkey)
  6. Animal’s People by Indra Sinha (India)
  7. to 10. To be decided
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Newseum – Newspapers from around the world.

I’ve just seen this website, and I thought you might find it as interesting as I did.

Newseum allows you to see the front pages of newspapers from around the world, by clicking on cities on the map. I loved seeing pictures of news events from around the world. It’s a great idea!

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The winner of my first book give away is…..

Lexi from Lexacat’s List is the winner of my first book give away!

Congratulations Lexi!

She wins a copy of Random Acts of Heroic Love, by Danny Scheinmann. It is an emotional story about love and loss, which I think is unmissable. See my full review here.

Thank you to everyone who entered. I hope that those of you who didn’t win will manage to read this book at some point in the future, as I think it is amazing!

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Other Weekly Geeks

Weekly Geeks – Social and Political Issues (Natural Childbirth)

Weekly Geeks – Social and Political Issues

This week’s challenge is to choose a political or social issue that interests you, and explain a little bit about it.

I’m a member of The National Childbirth Trust (NCT), and I’m a big believer in educating pregnant women as much as possible. They can can then make informed decisions on their birth, and be free from fear.

Childbirth is a natural process, but many women are so fearful of it that they opt for caesareans (major abdominal surgery!) or drug themselves up so much that they’re not really aware of what is happening. I know that there are some medical emergencies where these things are needed, but in the majority of cases intervention is unnecessary.

I was lucky enough to have two natural births, with no medical intervention. I think this is down to the fact that I had read so much on the subject that I knew exactly what was happening to me, and so was not scared.

There are lots of great books out there, but these are two of the best:

So if you’re pregnant, or planning to have a baby please read as much as you can on the subject. Don’t be scared about the birth – it’s a natural process that ends in a beautiful new life!

 

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1% Well-Read Challenge

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Michelle at 1 More Chapter is hosting the 1% Well-Read Challenge. The aim is to read 10 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list in the next 10 months.

My plan (subject to change!) is to read:

  1. Animal’s People by Indra Sinha
  2. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Nzozi Adichie
  3. Mother’s Milk by Edward St Aubyn
  4. Snow by Orhan Pamuk
  5. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
  6. Disgrace by JM Coetzee
  7. The Virgin Suicides by Jeffery Euginides
  8. Empire of the Sun by J Ballard
  9. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
  10. To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

Wish me luck!

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February Summary

I equaled my January total by reading 11 books this month. They were a very mixed bag. My favourite by quite a long way was The Hunger Games. I’m sure this will be in my top 5 for the year (although if I manage read lots of  books better than this I will be VERY happy!

I also recommend The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher. These two books couldn’t be more different, and it just shows that it doesn’t really matter what the book is about – it is the quality of the writing that makes a good book into a great one.

     

 

I hope that you read some great books in February. Let me know what your favourite has been, as my wish list can never be too long!