My Alternative to the 888 Challenge

Many homeschool moms have accepted the 888 Challenge for the new year. I am not one of them. I have many hopes and ambitions for the new year, and, yes, one of those hopes is to read more. At one time in my life, reading for me was like breathing. If I was alive, I was doing it. Unfortunately, I have not been very good at fostering this hobby since children arrived in my life. So, although I am not accepting the 888 Challenge, I am creating my own reading challenge in the hopes of re-igniting this passion.

For those of you unfamiliar with the 888 Challenge, it requires the participant to read eight books in eight different categories, for a total of 64 books in 2008. This is quite an accomplishment--to read more books than there are weeks in a year! To all those who boldly accept this challenge and even complete half of their reading lists...I am impressed!

However, I know myself well enough to know that 64 books in one year is too lofty of a goal for me to set. I am working on my own alternative, which will be more like a 4 x 6. Yeah, I know, it loses the sentiment of the "8" for 2008, but 24 books is a much more doable goal for me. So, here are my tentative plans:

4 books that I have started, but not finished
A Chance to Die
Desiring God
What is a Family?
Mere Christianity

4 books on homeschooling
Heart of Wisdom
A Charlotte Mason Companion
When Children Love to Learn
Montessori Guides

4 books on parenting
Hints on Child-Training
The Mommy Manual
Don't Make Me Count to Three
Teach Them Diligently

4 books of inspiration
The Indwelling Life of Christ
In Search of Calm
The Jesus I Never Knew
Something by Max Lucado

4 books on marriage
His Needs, Her Needs
Rocking the Roles
Each for the Other
Re-read The Marriage Builder

4 books for fun
4 works of fiction*

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Redeeming Love
Atonement
Anna Karenina

Of course, all plans are tentative with the understanding that I could happen upon a new book in one of the categories that will replace one of the books previously listed. Also, who knows, I could kickstart this reading habit and end up going for the full 64. But that is, alas, very unlikely. I think this will be a good start, though.

*Thanks to the commenter for pointing out that "fun" may not be the appropriate title for a reading list containing Anna Karenina. :)