2018 Big Book Summer

About 7 years ago, I came up with the idea to use the relaxed freedom of summer to tackle some of the biggest books on my TBR shelf that I'd been wanting to read but never seemed to have the time for.  One of my book groups takes time off during the summer, so with fewer interfering commitments, I declared it The Summer of the Big Book and really enjoyed delving into some hefty tomes, like The Passage and Pillars of the Earth.

It was so much fun that six years ago, I created this challenge so that YOU can join me! And here it is Memorial Day weekend again and the unofficial start of summer 2018. So join in the fun!

The Details:
Hey, it's summer, so we'll keep this low-key and easy!

  • Anything over 400 pages qualifies as a big book.
  • The challenge will run from Memorial Day weekend (starting May 25 this year) through Labor Day weekend (Labor Day is September 3 this year).
  • Choose one or two or however many big books you want as your goal. Wait, did you get that?  You only need to read 1 book with over 400 pages this summer to participate! (though you are welcome to read more, if you want).
  • Sign up on the first links list below (or on Goodreads if you don't have a blog).
  • Write a post to kick things off - you can list the exact big books you plan to read or just publish your intent to participate, but be sure to include the Big Book Summer Challenge pic above, with a link back to this blog (no blog? No problem - see below).
  • Write a post to wrap up at the end, listing the big books you read during the summer.
  • You can write progress posts if you want to and/or reviews of the big books you've read...but you don't have to! There is a separate links list below for big book reviews or progress update posts.
That's it!  Go check out your shelves and your TBR list and sign up below!

(Don't have a blog? No problem! You can still participate in the challenge - just leave a comment in the Comment section below, stating your goals for the Big Book Summer Challenge or sign up in the Goodreads group.)

Check out my own list of books to read for the challenge this summer.

There is a group on Goodreads for the 2018 Big Book Summer Challenge, where we can talk about Big Books and our progress on the challenge. If you don't have a blog, you can also use the Goodreads group to sign up for the challenge, post updates, and show which Big Books you are reading.

At the end of the summer, there will be a Big Book Giveaway! After Labor Day, I'll select one name from among the participants (bloggers who leave a link below as well as those without a blog who leave a comment to announce their participation or participate through the Goodreads group) and will offer the winner a choice from a selection of Big Books from my own shelves - probably most of the titles I read this summer and perhaps a few others to choose from.

And help spread the word on Twitter with #BigBookSummer (you can follow me at @suebookbybook).

Be sure to include a link to your kick off blog post (not your homepage):


   

   


Come back to this page during the summer to add a link whenever you review a Big Book or post a progress report:


   

   

21 comments:

  1. Yay - so glad this is back. When I put up a post, I'll sign up - but I'm definitely in!

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    1. Great! Glad you will be joining the fun again, Tanya!

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  2. Just signed up--lots of long books on my list for this year. Thanks for hosting this again!

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    1. Glad to have you participating again this summer, Jane! Enjoy your Big Books!

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  3. I'm in again! Thanks for hosting

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    1. Wonderful, Darlene! Glad you decided to join - enjoy your Big Books!

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  4. Thanks for hosting this fun challenge! I just posted my link. Can't wait to get reading.

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    1. Wonderful! So glad you joined the fun, Chris! Can't wait to see what Big Books you read this summer.

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  5. I’m jumping in with both feet. Hoping to finish a couple. I have so many big books, so this challenge is a welcomed nudge. Thanks for hosting!!

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    1. Glad to hear it, Shaye! Same here - each summer I choose 5 or 6 Big Books from my shelf (I don't always get to all of them) and that barely makes a dent!

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  6. What a great challenge...have you been to the Drip yet? My husband loves their pancakes! I always forget that we are almost neighbors...we love Letty’s chicken, too!

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    1. Oh, yes, we love The Drip Cafe - I;ve been there for breakfast & lunch - I'll tell my son what you said about the pancakes, though - his favorite! Our local bookstore, Hockessin Book Shelf, does book group discussions there for lunch each month.

      And we haven't tried Letty's yet, though we are friends with the owner's brother (very small world here in Delaware!)

      Sue

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  7. Faith Hope Cherrytea11:33 AM

    Finished my 1st Big Book for this summer's challenge.. The Greek Escape by Karen Swan. Thanks for hosting the Fun, Sue !

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    1. Hey, that's great! Are you going to join the challenge? You can post a link in the first links list on this page for your sign-up (even if it is part of another post) and then feel free to also post a link to your review of The Greek Escape in the second links list.

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  8. I'm planning out what books to put on the list Sue. I have a large print book with 796 pages. Does that count? I plan to join and have even finished one book, but have been just crazy busy over the last few weeks!

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    1. Great, Cheriee! I was hoping you'd join the fun again! Yes, absolutely that one counts! Sounds like it would be a Big Book even in regular print. And I totally understand about being busy - things have been crazy here, too. No problem - it's still early in the summer!

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  9. Thanks for hosting Sue. I'm officially in! Here is my blog post: https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/2018/06/2018-big-books-summer-reads.html

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    1. Wonderful, Cheriee! Can you add this link to the first Links List above? That way, others can visit your blog, too!

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  10. Ok since I have failed miserably to get any reading challenge post up in 2018 on my blog, I linked to my goodreads shelf for the challenge since I'm actually doing it!! Hope you don't mind me taking the easy way out when though I'm a blogger. 😄

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    1. Not at all, Tanya! Welcome to the Big Book Summer Challenge!! So glad you joined thus year :) And I see you already finished Big Little Lies - awesome! Hope that means you are past your reading slump now.

      You can interact with others re: the challenge on the Good reads group for it, too:

      https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/611962-2018-big-book-summer-challenge

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  11. Just finished my first big book of the season, Our Mutual Friend, by Charles Dickens: https://janegs.blogspot.com/2018/07/our-mutual-friend.html

    I'm not sure I will get to another this summer as I am traveling for the next 2 weeks, but we'll see.

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