Women Unbound wrap-up!
11 December, 2010
The Women Unbound challenge was a thought-provoking challenge which gave an extra dimension to my reading this year. Plus I got to search for and pick up some interesting books:)
I read the following books:
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
The Makioka Sisters by Junichiro Tanizaki
The Women’s Century by Mary Turner
Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan
To Live and To Write: Selections by Japanese Women Writers 1913-1938 edited by Yukiko Tanaka
A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf
Hmm. I’m not entirely happy about my selection here as I had rather grand plans for this challenge. Although I’ve read 6 books with 2 being non-fiction for the Bluestocking level, I was aiming to read a lot more non-fiction books. I’ve still got a stack of books that I’ve kept aside for Women Unbound and which I am still planning on reading in the coming year.
I enjoyed reading all the books and recommend them if you haven’t tried them already, especially The Makioka Sisters (some other great reviews here and here) and To Live and to Write. Probably the most surprising was A Room of One’s Own which I had expected to be difficult and rather dry but which was surprisingly accessible and showed what a fine writer Woolf is.
Although I ended up participating in one too many challenges this year, I wouldn’t have given up participating in this one as it’s something my friends and I are always questioning and coming up against in our lives. It’s also something I focus on in everything I read, so thank you Aarti, Care and Eva for creating this inspiring challenge!
chasing bawa 
11 December, 2010 at 10:42 am
Well done on completing your challenge, Sakura. I hadn’t hear of this one (although I did like your review on A Room of Ones Own when I read it).
I must read The Makioka Sisters soon – I have a copy (which you gave to me! :)) I am going to read it in early 2011, I have decided.
11 December, 2010 at 11:18 am
I just loved the makioka sisters. The slower pace, the descriptiveness, the family saga was for me absolutely fascinating. Woolf has been an old favourite of mine. The others are still new to me.
11 December, 2010 at 1:39 pm
well done on completeing your challenge ,all the best stu
11 December, 2010 at 3:17 pm
I think I still have one more nonfiction book that needs to be read in order for me to complete this challenge before the end of the year. I doubt it will happen, which is disappointing. You did a great job!
12 December, 2010 at 3:36 am
visiting from Wintston’s Dads blog.
12 December, 2010 at 2:50 pm
I agree, Women Unbound was a very inspiring challenge. I loved participating. I did have grander plans for my reading, and I never really fulfilled them, but I am still glad I took part.
13 December, 2010 at 3:19 pm
Boof: This was probably the hardest challenge I completed;P Looking forward to hearing what you think of The Makioka Sisters!
Mystica: Ooh, I’d be interested to know which is your favourite Woolf.
winstonsdad: Thanks Stu!
reviewsbylola: The non-fiction books were the hardest to get through for this one. I didn’t think I’d finish either! Good luck in finishing!
Heather: Hello! And thank you for stopping by!
Iris: Totally. I’m looking forward to your Year of Feminist Classics project next year!
21 December, 2010 at 4:42 pm
Thanks for participating in the Challenge. I, too, am a bit disappointed with myself – both as a host (I hate that it has fizzled and I don’t have what it needs to spark it back into something, I’m afraid) but am so glad everyone seems to have enjoyed it so.
23 December, 2010 at 4:20 pm
It was a pleasure to participate Care. And I think that the fact all of you decided to start this challenge is already good enough as it’s made lots of readers re-assess and think about their reading. So thank you!