Saturday, October 9, 2010

Dewey Read-A-Thon-Memoirs/True Stories Mini Challenge

                                      CLOSED

This is my first Dewey Read-A-Thon AND my first time hosting, or co-hosting! I am so excited and hope I get it right. I am a little nervous and a lot excited. 

I am going to try to go to every blogger/participant and try to comment on as many posts as possible. We'll see how it goes:)

For my mini challenge this year I am all about memoirs and true stories. They are one of my favorite reads. I haven't been disappointed by one yet.
I love finding out about books that are Based on true stories. Like The Diary of Anne Frank (can you believe that's a banned book?! I know!)I also like movies that are based on true stories/true events. Then after I find out it was based off a book first! Oh boy!  Like Julie & Julia or The Freedom Writers Diary.


I plan on finishing two books so far during this marathon:
  • Which None Can Shut by Reema Goode. It has 164 pages and I am on page 63.
  • I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali with Delphine Minoui. It has 188 pages and I am on page 52.
  • Julie and Julia by Julie Powell
I'll keep you updated.


Anyways...

There is a list of questions below plus a bonus question for my giveaway and there is my list of memoirs and true stories I have read, in the middle of reading and want to read. My list of memoir/true stories TBR will go for more than just today but I will have a *star* next to the ones I am planning to read during the marathon. 


Questionnaire:
1. Have you ever read a memoir/true story (Or book 'based on true events'?)

2. If so, what was the title/author?

3. What what it about?

4. Did you like it? Would you recommend it?

5. How many have you read?

6. Why or what made you want to read it?

7. What was the saddest/scariest one you read? 

8. Did it have a 'happy ending'?

9. When choosing a memoir/true story, do you look for a certain kind? ( i.e. historical diary, inspirational like The Freedom Writer's Diary, Christian, non Christian)


10. Bonus question(s-it's in parts:) for my giveaway: Have you read 3 or more memoirs/true stories? Title/Author, would you recommend them?If you were to win the giveaway prize, would you want the book, (Sizzling 16 by Janet Evanovich) and would you prefer the coffee or tea? or both?


Memoirs I have read:
1. If I Am Missing or Dead: A Sister's story of Love, Murder and Liberation by Janine Latus
2. The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank
3. Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity by Kerry Cohen Hoffmann
4.


In The Middle of Reading:
1. I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali with Delphine Minoui*
2. Which None Can Shut: Remarkable True Stories of God's Miraculous Work in the Muslim World by Reema Goode*
3. Julie and Julia by Julie Powell
4. The Freedom Writers Diary by Erin Gruwell


Want to Read:
1. Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide by Peter Allison
2. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
3.The Real Memoirs of a Geisha by Mineko Iwasaki and  R. Brown
4.The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James
5. Survival in Auschwitz and The Real Awakening Two Memoirs by Primo Levi and Stuart Woolf 
6. Alicia: Memoirs of a Survivor by Alicia Appleman_Jurman 
7. Columbine by Dave Cullen

I also have a giveaway/prize: dark chocolates, an assortment of three coffees, a box of tea, and a book by Janet Evanovich, Sizzling 16.

How to Enter:
Leave a comment here about my list of books; whether you like them, or have read them or if they're on your TBR.

Bonus Entries: 
If you add a book to my TBR and tell me why that is a good book, another entry.
'Tweet' about my mini challenge/giveaway, another entry-let me know in (separate)comment
Put a post on your Facebook, another entry.-Let me know in (separate) comment.
Answer the bonus question-two more entries.











32 comments:

Laura said...

I really adore reading memoirs, and have read so many over the years that I can't keep track!

I've shockingly never read Anne Frank (and I'm an English major too!), and I have several on my shelves to read, including one that you are reading now - Julie and Julia.

One of my most memorable memoirs (sorry, not working on a lot of sleep here) was "Beyond the Sky and the Earth" by Jamie Zeppa. It's her story of how she left her safe and uninteresting life in Canada and came to live in the wilds of Bhutan, finding herself and love on the way. It's marked as travel literature, but I can't think of a more apt book for a memoir. It's one of my favorite books of all time (and that's really saying something)!

I do have one memoir in my 'Thon TBR Stack, "My Trip Down the Pink Carpet" by Leslie Jordan, but seeing as I only have a few hours left and my brain is just starting to turn to mush I think I'll save it for tomorrow.

Thanks for a great mini-challenge. I enjoyed myself so much on your blog that I'm now a follower! Good luck to you for the rest of the Read-a-thon!

Laurie said...

Here's my answers!

http://inlauriesmind.blogspot.com/2010/10/readathon-memoir-mini-challenge.html

Candy said...

I played at http://candysraves.com/2010/10/hour-20-readathon-ooh-a-memoir-meme/

If I A Missing or Dead is on my TBR
I've read Anne Frank (and it's on TBR again)
Julie and Julia are on TBR

Couldn't get into Geisha

The rest I'll have to come back and stalk :)

azuki said...

I love biography/memoirs too! I especially love to read about people from a different culture and travelogues. I read about 25-30 of them a year.

I am reading two, Accidental Explorer and Up at the Villa for the Read-a-thon.

For me it doesn't have to be a happy ending. Real life doesn't always have happy ending anyway, to make it so is sugar coating things.

Of recent ones I read I highly recommend:

Born on a Blue Day
Self Made Man
The Martian Child
Wesley the Owl
Jungle Child - Sabine Kuegler
Garlic and Sapphire
The Lady and the Panda
Hitching Ride with Buddhas

Kanaye said...

Posted mine in my blog.

Good luck with the rest of the Read-a-thon!

Trisha said...

I put mine up on the blog! http://www.eclectic-eccentric.com/2010/10/readathon-report-hours-18-20.html

email: eclectic.eccentric[at]hotmail.com

Jo said...

I'm interested in reading The Freedome Writers, but have yet to. Same for Julie and Julia. I've watched the movies for both.

I have the Diary of Anne Frank among my many TBR books.

I answered your questionaire, complete w/ bonus question, here: http://ponderingthelibrary.blogspot.com/2010/10/memoirstrue-stories-mini-challenge.html

Elisha German said...

Thank you so much Laura, I appreciate that:))

Elisha German said...

loved your answers Laurie, added the Glass House to my TBR:)

Wall-to-wall books said...

I put my answers on my blog, here -
http://itsjustme-wendy.blogspot.com/2010/10/read-thon_9205.html

I would prefer the coffee and tea (I am not a huge Evanovich fan).

I have Julia and Julie, but have not read it yet, and Want to read I am Nujood, age 10 and divorced.
And have read Diary of Anne Frank (of course).

Spav said...

Here are my answers: http://fictionkingdom.blogspot.com/2010/10/read-thon-october-2010.html

I've wanted to read the Diary of Snne Frank for quite a while. It seems like it has been forever in my TBR pile.

lisa (the little reader) said...

i LOVE reading non-fiction and memoirs (and have recently moved the focus of my blog over to precisely that)!

my survey response can be found here: http://thelittlereader.net/2010/10/09/readathon-mini-challenges/

of your list, i have read Memoirs of a Geisha (though this isn't technically a memoir), and i'm reading Columbine now.

i'd highly highly recommend What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami and Stand by Debbie Williamson. and if you like graphic novels, Maus is an amazing autobiography in graphic form.

Elisha German said...

Candy:) I loved your emotion in your answers:)) You really made me want to read those books. I have added to my TBR! Thanks so much:)

Elisha German said...

Thank you Kanaye-Good answers btw:)

Clare @ Blue Archipelago Reviews said...

I'm stopping by to cheer but thought I'd give you some memoir titles too.

Sixtyfive Roses by Heather Summerhayes Cariou - the book that made me move my ratings from 5 stars to 6 because it was just the most moving book I'd ever read.

Between Me and the River - Carrie Host's battle with cancer.

Golden Rainbows - Christine Reilly's heartfelt memories of her son's battle with cancer.

You should definitely check them out - links to the reviews are on the homepage of my blog :)

Anonymous said...

Memoirs & true stories: although I don't pick them for their genre, I have read several! My entry can be found at Graasland.

Elisha German said...

Good recommendations Trisha. The one that was hard to read because you are married...added to my TBR. Along with a few others you mentioned:)

Elisha German said...

Wendy-Great book recommendations, thank you!

Unknown said...

Posted the answers on my blog:
http://rubylovesadventure.blogspot.com/2010/10/final-stretch-oct-2010-readathon.html

Elisha German said...

spav-Thank you for the book ideas. My tbr is growing some more!

Elisha German said...

Lisa-thanks so much for the book suggestions! Good Choices!

Alejandra De la Fuente said...

1-Have you ever read a memoir/true story (Or book 'based on true events'?)
Yep

2. If so, what was the title/author?
Memoires of a geisha (arthur golden) Geisha of Kioto (Mineko Iwasaki) Diary (anna frank)
3. What what it about?

4. Did you like it? Would you recommend it?
Yep.. even when im not a fan of Anna Frank :S
5. How many have you read?
3 are coming to my mind right now
6. Why or what made you want to read it?
The geisha´s stuff.. i read it because i love geishas. Anna frank was for a school homework
7. What was the saddest/scariest one you read?
Definetly Anna Franks diary :( is terribly sad
8. Did it have a 'happy ending'?
The geishas´ stuff yes... Anna frank.. not so much
9. When choosing a memoir/true story, do you look for a certain kind? ( i.e. historical diary, inspirational like The Freedom Writer's Diary, Christian, non Christian) Not exactly... if i can get any historical stuff is better for me


10. Bonus question(s-it's in parts:) for my giveaway: Have you read 3 or more memoirs/true stories? Title/Author, would you recommend them?If you were to win the giveaway prize, would you want the book, (Sizzling 16 by Janet Evanovich) and would you prefer the coffee or tea? or both?
Yep, at least 3.
Mention author-title before
Mention recomendation before
Yes please :)
Tea :D

Elisha German said...

Thank you Clare!

Elisha German said...

Alejandra, thanks for the book recommendations! I have rad Diary of Anne Frank so many times! Sad but very good.

yuan said...

I did the meme over here (have to scroll down a bit)

This is actually not for the contest, but yay you have Primo Levi! I really like his writing style and his memoirs are one of those unforgettable painfully moving ones that just get to me inside.

Unknown said...

I'm so sad I missed your mini challenge! I was hosting my own and reading and blogging and... Anyway, I'm a total memoir-holic and have a hard time finding others who are! I'm following you now. Come over for a visit. Maybe we can be "friends." lol

Lynne's Book Reviews

Elisha German said...

Hi Lyne, I am sorry you missed it to. But I am so sorry I missed your as well! Thank you so much and I will come by:) I'd love to be friends:)

Elisha German said...

Thank you Jo:) You had good book recommendations:)

Elisha German said...

Azuki-have heard about The Accidental Explorer. Haven't read it yet. On my tbr though. Great recommendations!

Elisha German said...

Ah Yuan-I like your answers:) Thanks for stopping by! I liked your answers! My tbr is still growing!

Elisha German said...

fickle fan, I enjoyed reading your answers. Thank you for the reading suggestions!

Elisha German said...

gnoegno- Interesting books. I've added a few to my list:) Thank you for stopping by!