2016 Reading Challenge

My friend Ronnie pointed me toward Tim Challies's 2016 Reading Challenge, on Challies.com. (http://www.challies.com/resources/the-2016-reading-challenge) 
Ronnie's the one who encouraged me to start my running blog, so I'm taking up a challenge from him once again.  The volume isn't the issue for me.  This list is 109 books.  Last year I posted 190 reviews on this blog.  (Granted, some of those include children's books and graphic novels.  And, in the interest of full disclosure, sometimes I listened to the audio book.)  The challenge here is to read books that meet specific criteria.  I'll track my progress here and see if I can get it done!

Books in parentheses are ones I haven't read yet.  Ones I've read and reviewed will include a link to the review.  I will resist the temptation to list a book multiple times, even if it fits multiple categories, and I reserve the right to move a book from one category to another.

Progress so far: I have added a tally in each category to track my progress.  I think I'm on track (as of 8/2) to complete the challenge.  However, the remaining categories are the ones that will be more difficult to find a title, I think.

12/23: Challenge complete!  It's been enjoyable, but I won't be taking up Challie's 2017 challenge.  He's made some improvements but it's very similar to 2016's challenge.  I have plenty of reading to keep me busy, with a backlog of titles from my various sources of review copies: NetGalley (192), Edelweiss (97), Tyndale Blog Network (2), and Blogging for Books (1), not to mention a few random ones sent from individual authors, plus a few I've bought and haven't read (yes, I still buy books every now and then).

I may not get this list down to 0 during 2017, but I am determined to shrink it  both by focusing on reading the books on the list and disciplining myself not to request every book I am moderately interested in!  One the Amazon front, my reviewer rank still hovers around the mid-500s.  I would love to get under 500 this year!

Happy reading!

Total (109/109)

The Light Reader (13/13)
A book about Christian living Like Jesus
A biography My Face Is Black Is True  (audio)
A classic novel The Invisible Man  (audio)
A book someone tells you "changed my life" The Seeking Heart
A commentary on a book of the Bible  Hebrews
A book about theology God's Answer to the Growing Crisis
A book with the word "gospel" in the title or subtitle   The Fifth Gospel  (audio)
A book your pastor recommends Miraculous Movements
A book more than 100 years old The Religious Affections
A book for children  To the Stars!
A mystery or detective novel Fool Me Once
A book published in 2016 Good Things
A book about a current issue  Ghettoside

The Avid Reader (13/13)
A book written by a Puritan A Family Well-Ordered)
A book recommended by a family member 10,000 Reasons
A book by or about a missionary  Answering the Call
A novel that won the Pulitzer Prize The Reivers
A book written by an Anglican  Impossible People
A book with at least 400 pages  Clarence Olgibee
A book by C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien The Children of Hurin
A book that has a fruit of the Spirit in the title Prone to Love
A book with a great cover  The Art of War
A book on the current New York Times list of bestsellers The Rogue Lawyer (audio)
A book about church history The End of White Christian America
A book of poetry  To the Left of Time

The Committed Reader (26/26)
A book from a theological viewpoint you disagree with The Sin of Certainty
A book written by an author with initials in their name Furious
A book that won a ECPA Christian Book Award Dispatches from the Front
A book about worldview Christ or Chaos
A play by William Shakespeare A Midsummer Night's Dream
A humorous book Razor Girl
A book based on a true story The Zookeeper's Wife
A book written by Jane Austen Mansfield Park
A book by or about Martin Luther A Short Life of Martin Luther
A book with 100 pages or less  Glad You're Not Me
A book with a one-word title Supernotes
A book about money or finance Seven Bad Ideas (audio)
A novel set in a country that is not your own  Hitman Anders and the Meaning of It All
A book about music The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto  (audio)
A memoir Switched On
A book about joy or happiness Happy Church
A book by a female author  Loaded
A book whose title comes from a Bible verse Help My Unbelief (audio)
A book you have started but never finished  Onward
A self-improvement book  Be You Do Good
A book by David McCullough The Wright Brothers  (audio)
A book you own but have never read  The Cure
A book about abortion  Defenders of the Unborn 
A book targeted at the other gender Simple Pleasures
A book by a speaker at a conference you have attended  A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War
A book written by someone of a different ethnicity than you  Trouble I've Seen

The Obsessed Reader (52/52)
A book published by The Banner of Truth  God and Cosmos
A book about the Reformation  The Reformation
A book written by a first-time author  And West is West  (audio)
A biography of a world leader China CEO
A book used as a seminary textbook  The Altars Where We Worship
A book about food  Food: A Love Story
A book about productivity The Power of Habit
A book about or relationships or friendship The Seven Laws of Love
A book about philosophy  The Platonic Tradition
A book about art Domestic Scenes
A book with magic The Tomb
A book about prayer  Praying Together
A book about marriage The Heart of the Fight
A book about a hobby The Lego Architect
A book of comics Snoopy: Party Animal!
A book about the Second World War  Avenue of Spies
A book about sports  The Inner Runner
A book by or about a pastor’s wife 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess (audio)
A book about suffering  Hope Heals
A book by your favorite author The Absence of Guilt
A book you have read before  The Servant
A book about homosexuality Hiding from Myself: A Memoir
A Christian novel  Amish Vampires from Space
A book about psychology i-Minds
A book about the natural world Wildlife Spectacles
A book by or about Charles Dickens Great Expectations
A novel longer than 400 pages Back Blast
A historical book  Anything for a Vote  (audio)
A book about the Bible  Why Should I Trust the Bible?
A book about a country or city Street of Eternal Happiness
A book about astronomy  Star Struck
A book with an ugly cover The State of Our Disunion
A book by or about a martyr  Kolbe: A Saint in Auschwitz
A book by a woman conference speaker The Daniel Prayer
A book by or about the church fathers Getting to Know the Church Fathers
A book about language The Kingdom of Speech
A book by or about a Russian  Heart of a Dog
A book about leadership The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
A book about public speaking Speaking Well
A book by Francis Schaeffer  How Should We Then Live?
A book by a Presbyterian Crippled America
A book about science Amazing Truths
A book about revival  Viral
A book about writing  Reading Like a Writer  
A book about evangelism Next Door As It Is In Heaven
A book about ancient history Freedom, 250,000 B.C.
A book about preaching A Little Handbook for Preachers
A book about adoption  Adoption Beyond Borders
A photo essay book  Surf NYC
A book written in the twentieth century Legacies

Extra Credit (5/5)
A book from a library  600 Hours of Edward
A book about business  Moonlighting on the Internet
A book by an author less than 30  Hiding in the Light
A book published by a UK-based publisher Fast Fuel


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