Neil Gaiman wins Newbery Award!

Image via WikipediaToday it was announced that Gaiman received the coveted John Newbery Medal for Children's Literature with his book Graveyard. Congratulations! And the most interesting thing about all of this is that Gaiman doesn't write for children. Even he admits to being, "wonderfully befuddled".

Admittedly, I haven't read Graveyard. As you'll notice on my list for the 2009 100+ Reading Challenge... I did read Gaiman's American Gods. It's the first of his work that I've read... and I loved it. So even without reading the 'winning' novel, I certainly have a good feel for it's appeal. The story he spins in American Gods, follows a man with the single name, Shadow, and is rich with description and artfully weaves in questions about the state... and place... of new and ancient gods in today's America while telling a story that feels just as real as it is fanciful.

I HIGHLY recommend you explore this man's tale telling talent by giving American Gods a read!

2009 100+ Reading Challenge

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I'm very excited to have discovered J. Kaye, who is hosting another (sheesh... this has been going on without my knowing?!?!! Amazing!) fantastic challenge - the 100+ Reading Challenge. I found myself imagining that this will be an easy challenge for me to meet because I'm reading all the time... then it dawned on me that while I AM reading most of the time, I only actually read approximately one book a week. Since a year only has 52 weeks this could actually be considered quite an accomplishment. I'm up for it. ;-)

The challenge is - read 100 books in the year 2009 (no starting early). The challenge runs from 1/1/09 to 12/31/09. Any books are acceptable.

There is also a Yahoo Group that you can join to talk about your books.

So head on over to J. Kaye's and sign up with Mr. Linky.

My books will be listed below. If you come play let me know... I might be looking for book recommendations ;-) Though I must confess... I'm hardly the most discriminating reader... if there are words, I read.

I presume that starting right at midnight is fair so I have my first book lined up... with completion date noted.

1. HIDE by Lisa Gardner (01-03-09)
2. The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck (01-04-09)
3. American Gods by Neil Gaiman (01-11-09)
4. retribution by Jilliane Hoffman (01-17-09)
5. Wisdom, Inc. by Seth Godin (01-22-09)
6. Light Before Day by Christopher Rice (01-23-09)
7. Twice Kissed by Lisa Jackson (01-27-09)
8. Tunnel Vision by Sara Paretsky (02-01-09)
9. The Alibi Man by Tami Hoag (02-04-09)
10. Killing Fear by Allison Brennan (02-07-09)

11. The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs (02-12-09)
12. Tempting Evil by Allison Brennan (02-18-09)
13. Mystic River by Dennis Lehane (02-21-09)
14. Rage by Jonathan Kellerman (02-27-09)
15. The Constant Gardener by John LeCarre (03-05-09)
16. The DaVinci Legacy by Lewis Perdue (03-10-09)
17. The Third Victim by Lisa Gardner (03-13-09)
18. The Kills by Linda Fairstein