BTT 1-27-11

This week’s Booking Through Thursday question asks:

What’s the largest, thickest, heaviest book you ever read? Was it because you had to? For pleasure? For school?

 So far, the largest, thickest, heaviest book I've ever read is Maia by Richard George Adams.  I picked this book up at a library sale where a crate of books cost about 5 bucks.  I read this book of 1,026 pages back in September 2008 when I first joined Librarything and began cataloging my books.  It was also my first review:

Delightfully looong tale of a young girl sold into the sex slave trade for betraying her mother. She becomes involved with a lot of upper class people, her naivety, charm and beauty leads her to be involved in dangerous and exciting situations--including becoming a revered heroine, at the cost of again, betraying someone close to her. Lots of adventure, a little kinkiness (lol), some murder, war, and suffering. Amazing descriptions make you feel as if you are right there along Maia. There are many different characters and places with unusual names which can be difficult to keep track of at times. The book does include a map and list of characters for handy reference--you will definitely need it! Nice ending too, that doesn't leave you disappointed.

Some of my other favorite whoppers: I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb
                                                         It by Stephen King
                                                         Lisey's Story by Stephen King
                                                         Roots by Alex Haley

RWRs Harlem Renaissance Challenge 2011

jeanette nicole at Reading While Riding is hosting the Harlem Renaissance Challenge 2011

Billed as the New Negro Movement upon its inception, the Harlem Renaissance began in the late 1920s and continued on through the 1930s. This period birthed masterpieces from such well known artists as Langston Hughes, Nella Larsen, Jean Toomer, Zora Neale Hurston, Dorothy West, & Claude McKay. A lot of what is considered to be classic Black American Lit was written during this period. The purpose of this challenge is as simple as its name, to read books of poetry and/or prose written during this time period.

The challenge lasts all year and has 3 levels of participation. Considering the ridiculous number of challenges I've signed up for, I'm going in at the Novice level and plan to read between 1-3 books from this phenomenal era.