It’s New Year’s Day, and if you’re anything like me, Task No. 1 is setting some new reading goals for the coming year. (Well, maybe Task No. 2, after eating a bowl of Hoppin’ John for good luck.)
So it’s time to think about our annual #ReadICT Challenge, which is now in its eighth year. The categories for the 2024 challenge were posted online yesterday, so you can find the complete list at KMUW.org.
If you’re not familiar with the #ReadICT Challenge, here’s how it works: We post a list of 12 categories, and over the course of this year, you read books that fit into each of those categories. And that’s the gist: 12 categories, 12 months, 12 books.
The idea is to expand your reading horizons, and maybe push yourself to explore genres or topics you wouldn’t normally read. For example, this year’s Category 4 is a collection, which could be a collection of poems, short stories or essays. It could even be an anthology featuring works from lots of different authors.
Category 10 is a book with a recipe. That could be a cookbook or chef memoir, of course. Or it could be a novel like “Search” by Michelle Huneven. The book tells the story of a search committee trying to find the perfect minister for their progressive Unitarian church, and it includes recipes from some of the dinners the committee shared.
Once again this year, we’re kicking off the challenge with a live podcast recording at the downtown library. My “Books & Whatnot” podcast partner Beth Golay and I will join Wichita librarians to talk about books that could fit each of this year’s categories. So join us there at 6 p.m. Thursday to talk books and set reading goals.
Happy new year, and happy reading.
