Friday, February 13, 2009

CHALLENGE| 2009 World Citizen Challenge

Recently I declared that as part of my resolution for 2009, I wasn't going to join ANY reading challenges. Of course, I did it again - I just signed up for a reading challenge for 2009. That will teach me to laugh at other bloggers signing up for challenges. (You know who you are. ;p)

I signed up for Eva's World Citizen Challenge.

I have always felt like I am ignorant about the world around, that I need to learn more, read more, see more. I need to read more widely on the important issues, history, culture, economics, current affairs. This seems like a good idea. Along the way, I will probably pick up some great recommendations on the books other participants are reading.

I think I will aim for the Major Level. I will commit to reading 5 books, from at least 3 of the different categories listed below:

  1. Politics
  2. Economics
  3. History
  4. Culture/Anthropology/Sociology
  5. Worldwide Issues
  6. Memoirs/Autobiographies

The official World Citizen Challenge blog is up. So, pop over for a look-see.

Updated [13th February 2009] - My reading pool for the challenge:


Politics:
  • The Siege of Mecca: The Forgotten Uprising in Islam's Holiest Shrine, Yaroslav Trofimov
  • City of Oranges: An Intimate History of Arabs and Jews in Jaffa, Adam LeBor
  • We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda, Philip Gourevitch
  • The Great War for Civilization, Robert Fisk
  • Pity the Nation, Robert Fisk
  • The Place at the End of the World, Janine di Giovanni
  • Madness Visible: A Memoir of War, Janine di Giovanni
Economics:
  • Panic: The Story of Modern Financial Insanity, edited by Michael Lewis
  • Banker to the Poor: The Story of the Grameen Bank, Muhammad Yunus with Alan Jolis
History:
  • The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World, Niall Ferguson
  • A History of the Middle East, Peter Mansfield
Worldwide issues:
  • Hope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities, Rebecca Solnit
  • Shock Doctrine, Naomi Klein
  • The World According to TomDispatch: America in the New Age of Empire, edited by Tom Engelhardt
  • Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Social Movement in History Is Restoring Grace, Justice, and Beauty to the World, Paul Hawken
Memoirs:

More titles to come.

9 comments:

Andi said...

I joined too. So much for resolutions about not joining challenges. This one was too darn good to pass up.

darkorpheus said...

Andi - I'm having fun just drawing up the reading list. :) So much potential.

Ana S. said...

Ha! You joined a challenge :P *points and laughs*

Thanks for reminding me about that Rwanda book...it's been on my wishlist for ages. There are so many topics I'd like to learn more about that would fit into this challenge. Like you said, so much potential.

Anonymous said...

I'm going through my bookshelf and see if I can come up with a plausible list. This sounds very interesting. :)

Eva said...

Thanks for joining my challenge-your lists rock! Can't wait to see all of your thoughts. :D

darkorpheus said...

Nymeth - *blush*

The Rwanda title has also been on the TBR list for a while. Then it was soon buried by other TBR that came later.

This means buying more books for the challenge though. *sigh* Things would be easier if I was home.

Matt - Do post your list. It would be fun to see what everyone comes up with.

Eva - Thanks for hosting this challenge. I love your suggested reading list.

purplefugue said...

That's some list. I'd probably substitute economics with religion and tackle The Catechism of the Catholic Church. Maybe that would make up for my lack of Sunday worship, you think?

Anonymous said...

haha! oh dear...

well, i'll say one thing - this challenge looks very different, so i think its one you definitely have to do! :D

darkorpheus said...

indigo - That's between you and God. :)

Jean Pierre - It's probably the first challenge I've signed up for that's totally non-fiction. It feels like school!