Expanding Horizons: A Challenge

I have to admit that ever since the whole Caddie Woodlawn debacle back in May, I’ve been more conscious about the nationality and ethnicity of the authors of the books I read. And I’ve come to realize that I read books by white authors. Almost exclusively. Which really isn’t a surprise: I’m white, and so I gravitate to what I know. It’s also because white people dominate in the book business (both on the author side as well as the publishing side), at least in the English-speaking world, which — of course — is the world I’m part of.

Why does this bug me? I don’t know, really. Maybe it’s my quest to be open minded, maybe it’s the thought of all the stories I’m missing. Whatever the reason, I’ve tried to branch out. I’ve met with only limited success; I went for months without reading a single book by a non-white author, after I’d promised myself I’d read at least one such each month. Then in the past month I’ve read, or am reading, a half-dozen. What this really got me thinking about, though, was that the idea to branch out, to expand my reading horizons would make a really good challenge. And, instead of doing what I usually do (which is let other people do this sort of stuff), I’m actually taking the bull by the horns and proposing yet another challenge for all you challenge-lovers out there. Come and expand your horizons with me!

The Expanding Horizons Challenge will run January through April of 2008. The purpose of this challenge is to read works by authors of ethnicities other than your own. I have decided to omit works by Caucasian authors (since they’re the biggest group in the English-language book world; I want to explore books by authors in less-well-represented ethnicities). I have debated about whether or not to focus entirely on authors or to include main character’s ethnicity, too, and I’ve decided that for this challenge I want the focus to be on the nationality of the author, rather than the characters. The books can be fiction or nonfiction; adult or YA; and can cross over to as many other challenges as you want.

There are two ways to approach this challenge. Either read four books by authors in one of the six categories (you can read more than one category, but you must read four books; not two books in one category and two in another) OR read six books, one from each of the six categories. The categories are:

1. African/African-American.
2. Asian/Asian-American (This is not just East Asian — Chinese, Korean and Japanese — but also Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, and the Central Asian -Stans.)
3. Hispanic/Latin American
4. Indian/Indian-American (Again, books by Indian authors; not books by white authors set in India.)
5. Middle Eastern (Iran, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Turkey…)
6. Native Peoples (Can include Native American, Inuit, Polynesian –Maori, Samoan, etc — Siberian natives and Australian Aborigines.)

If you’re interested in participating, let me know which challenge you’ll be taking and leave your lists or links to your lists in the comments section. I’m going to set up a separate blog in the coming months with a Mr. Linky list for you to link to your reviews. And, yes, I’ll even come up with prizes (any suggestions are appreciated!).

I’m going to attempt to do the second challenge. We’ll see how successful I am. (It wouldn’t be really bad if the host didn’t finish, would it?)

My list:
1. Kira Kira, by Cynthia Kadohata (Asian-American)
2. The Hummingbird’s Daughter, by Luis Alberto Urrea (Hispanic)
3. The Painted Drum, by Louise Erdrich (Native American)
4. My Life as a Furry Red Monster, Kevin Clash or Song of Solomon, Toni Morrison (African-American)
5. Mistress: A Novel, by Anita Nair (India)
6. The Saffron Kitchen, Yasmin Crowther (Iran)

I’m looking forward to reading some interesting books, ones that I wouldn’t usually pick up. But what I’m really looking forward to is all the books that you’ll be reading!

64 thoughts on “Expanding Horizons: A Challenge”

  2. i’m inviting you to join the bookblogblog … add your blog (and this challenge too!) to the directory of book and reading blogs at bookblogblog.blogspot.comaloireads.wordpress.comps i am thinking of joining your challenge, at risk of not being able to finish ;P

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  5. i thought i’d already left a comment about wanting to join this challenge, but i don’t see it … i’ve now compiled a list and posted it on my book blog < HREF="http://books4alison.blogspot.com/2007/12/expanding-my-horizons.html" REL="nofollow">here<>.

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  10. Here is my complete list: 1. The Bluest Eyes by Toni Morrison2. Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami3. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez4. Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai5. Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood by Ibtisam Barakat6. The Bone People by Keri HulmeAS well as a link to my blog:http://readingmakesmesmile.blogspot.com/2007/11/expanding-horizons.htmlHappy Reading Everyone!

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  11. Hi Melissa!I’m in – and I’m super excited about it! My first challenge! I provided my list on your Mr. Linky post, and I’m eager to see what everyone else reads. Thanks so much for putting this together.

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  14. Well, I am a little late to start, but this challenge corresponds so nicely with one that a friend and I are doing (read one book from each country, preferably the author… it’s got an indefinite deadline, which is why I’ve been slacking!) that I just can’t resist. Here’s my list:1. We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families by Philip Gourevitch (Rwanda)2. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosselini (Afghanistan)3. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Colombia)4. The Bone People by Keri Hulme (New Zealand/Maori)5. Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie (India)6. American Born Chinese by Gene Yang (Asia-America)

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