You might’ve noticed I started up a readathon, Just Read, to raise money for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (because it irks me there are people in Australia who don’t get the chance to read). You can sign up to read or sponsor an existing reader.
You might also know I’ve pursued a few different tactics to try to choose the best book, every time: just reading Australian women; making unnecessary charts of my year’s reading; only (allegedly) reading books I already own before buying or borrowing any new books. So far, nothing has cracked the mystery of how to only read books I love.
This time I’m getting people to pay me to read things. When I say ‘me’ I mean ‘the Indigenous Literacy Foundation’. I’ve asked people to chuck $30 their way and, in return, they get to tell me one book I have to read during June and July. I’ve ended up with a pretty eclectic list:
- The Wife of Martin Guerre by Janet Lewis (chosen by Wendy Smith)
- Sunset Song by Lewis Grassic Gibbon (chosen by Ryan O’Neill)
- Ash Road by Ivan Southall (chosen by Dani Valent)
- The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson (chosen by James Tierney)
- Fat, forty and fired by Nigel Marsh (chosen by Sinead Quinn Biskup)
- Doctor Wooreddy’s prescription for enduring the end of the world by Mudrooroo Nyoongah (chosen by Reema Rattan)
- My struggle #1 by KO Knausgaard (chosen by Misha Ketchell)
- Speeedboat by Renata Adler (chosen by Gillian Terzis).
The main problem with this experiment is I’m not sure how repeatable it is. What if I love all these books without reservation – how do I continue to plan my reading this way? What if someone says ‘oh you really must read the latest Elena Ferrante’? Do I say, ‘sure, if you donate some money to this charity I will’?
Anyway, if it turns out this isn’t a long enough list to get me through Just Read, I’ll be asking for suggestions/donations again a bit later on.
Christine Sun
May 26, 2015 at 9:00 pmHello Jane, I did not realise this is what you are doing, until I saw your post here. What a challenge, a truly courageous adventure! I wish more established (and emerging) authors would do this. And I look forward to seeing your results. Thanks for the inspiration. Cheers, Christine Sun.
Jane Bryony Rawson
May 27, 2015 at 8:30 amThanks Christine.
MST
May 27, 2015 at 11:15 amGreat idea – can’t wait to see what you think of those selections.
Jane Bryony Rawson
May 27, 2015 at 11:48 amme neither!
Julianne
June 2, 2015 at 9:52 amI’m thinking of a good book for you…and wanting to jump on board too. I have a children’s book group called Barnaby book club and we want to sign up as a gang. Do you reckon that’s okay? This is our blog https://barnabybookclub.wordpress.com/
Jane Bryony Rawson
June 2, 2015 at 9:55 amOf course, go for it! Reading is underway, so sign up today: https://give.everydayhero.com/au/winter-readathon. And I’ll keep you in mind if I finish all the books I’ve already promised to read, cheers, Jane.
Jane Bryony Rawson
June 12, 2015 at 11:16 amHi Julianne, I think I”m going to run out of books before the end of July – is there one you’d like to sponsor me to read?
Just Read: Guest Post by Jane Rawson | New Australian Women Writers Challenge Blog
June 7, 2015 at 10:57 am[…] readers are setting themselves a specific reading challenge. I’ve asked people to sponsor me to read a book they think I should read. Adam Ford is reading – and reflecting on – two poems a day. Both Rebecca Lim and Imbi Neeme […]
annabelsmith
June 15, 2015 at 11:45 pmWhat a cool experiment! However, you are a braver woman than I. I hate the thought of letting someone else choose my reading material. Are you allowed to quit if you hate something?
Jane Bryony Rawson
June 16, 2015 at 8:39 amNo quitting! But then, I mostly don’t give up on books anyway. So far they’ve all been totally worthwhile, even the ones that made me mad.
whisperinggums
June 16, 2015 at 1:59 pmIs it too late to donate and suggest a book? Well, not too late to donate but you know what I mean. (Like Annabel, I’d hate to let someone else choose my reading material, more than they do now, that is!)
Jane Bryony Rawson
June 16, 2015 at 2:02 pmNot too late at all! I called for donors/suggesters earlier this week on facebook and didn’t get a one, so please do tell me a book to read and donate some money.
whisperinggums
June 16, 2015 at 2:32 pmDo I put the book in the Donor Message on the site, or just here? How much should I consider accessibility? Do you use your local library?
Jane Bryony Rawson
June 16, 2015 at 2:33 pmYou can tell me just here. I do use my local library. It’d be great if the book was in print, and I don’t mind buying it as long as it’s just a regular paperback at regular paperback price, should my library not have it.
whisperinggums
June 16, 2015 at 3:05 pmOK, I’ll go do the donation now, but the book is, and if it’s too hard to get let me know and I’ll suggest another: Lesley Lebkowicz, The Petrov Poems. It’s not long, it’s sort of a verse novel though told in multiple poems. I have bought it from Pitt Street Poetry (http://pittstreetpoetry.com/poetae/lesley-lebkowicz/) I’ve reviewed it, and ABC RN did a program on it recently on Earshot I think. BUT if you can’t get it, or you don’t want to spend that money, then let me know. I have ideas that should definitely be in a library at least. I wanted to choose something the keeps the variety going but that isn’t too long for you to read so you can fit in more donations!
Jane Bryony Rawson
June 16, 2015 at 3:09 pmexcellent, I can buy the e-book direct from her for a mere $5, and will do so.
whisperinggums
June 16, 2015 at 3:13 pmGreat Jane … I wondered if you were into ebooks. Would love to know what you think, but no pressure of course. The challenge is the thing.
Jane Bryony Rawson
June 16, 2015 at 3:15 pmI’ll certainly let you know what I think – that’s part of the deal. My parents have always harboured a (baseless) suspicion that Mrs Petrov was living in the house opposite them for some time.
whisperinggums
June 17, 2015 at 4:41 pmHaha, Jane, and so the intrigue continued eh? FWIW, I can say that the Petrovs did live pretty much around the corner from my inlaws who bought a house in Griffith, ACT, in 1952.