Chunkster Challenge 2011

Do you have some hefty tomes in your TBR pile?  Need some motivation to get to them?  You'll want to join the Chunkster Challenge for 2011 being hosted by Caribou's Mom.

Definition of a Chunkster:

• A chunkster is 450 pages or more of ADULT literature (fiction or nonfiction) ... A chunkster should be a challenge.
• If you read large type books your book will need to be 525 pages or more ... The average large type book is 10-15% longer or more so I think that was a fair estimate. 

The Rules:

• No Audio books in the chunkster. It just doesn't seem right. Words on paper for this one folks. (**Please view THIS POST FOR EXCEPTIONS to this rule)
• No e-Books allowed - we are reading traditional, fat books for this challenge (please see this post to understand the rationale behind this rule; please see this post for exceptions to this rule)
• Short Stories and Essay collections will not be counted.
• Books may crossover with other challenges
• Anyone may join. If you don't have a blog, just leave me a comment on this post with your progress (and to let me know you are playing)
• You don't need to list your books ahead of time.
• Once you pick a level, that's it...you're committed to that level!

You must pick a level of participation:

1. The Chubby Chunkster - this option is for the reader who wants to dabble in large tomes, but really doesn't want to commit to much more than that. FOUR Chunksters is all you need to finish this challenge.
2. The Plump Primer - this option is for the slightly heavier reader who wants to commit to SIX Chunksters over the next twelve months.
3. Do These Books Make my Butt Look Big? - this option is for the reader who can't resist bigger and bigger books and wants to commit to SIX Chunksters from the following categories: 2 books which are between 450 - 550 pages in length; 2 books which are 551 - 750 pages in length; 2 books which are GREATER than 750 pages in length (for ideas, please refer to the book suggestions page for some books which fit into these categories).
4. Mor-book-ly Obese - This is for the truly out of control chunkster. For this level of challenge you must commit to EIGHT or more Chunksters of which three tomes MUST be 750 pages or more. You know you want to.....go on and give in to your cravings.

SO .. looking at my physical books, I have some chunksters (The Other Boleyn Girl, The Girl Who Played With Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, and The Historian), but the largest of these is only 724 pages.  I DO have books on my shelves that are larger, but they would be re-reads, and I want the books I use to be new to me reads :)  I do, however, have three books on my to-buy list that fit the bill for 750 or over; all fantasy/sci-fi :) ... The Way of Kings, The Wise Man's Fear, and The Mists of Avalon, all with excellent reviews and ratings, so this challenge gives me the impetus to go ahead and buy these (after my new book-buying ban is over).

I will be participating at the Mor-book-ly Obese level :).  I also have a backup or two for the larger books on my to-buy list, but I think these three will be ones that I like a lot!

There's still time to join in; the challenge runs from February 1, 2011 through January 31, 2012, so you have a whole YEAR to get your chunky tome reading groove on!  :)

COMPLETE:

(click on the book cover for the Goodreads page:)

555 pages Finished 2/26/11	624 pages Finished 3/9/11	529 pages Finished 4/4/11
976 pages Finished 4/23/11 Review Link	592 pages Finished 4/28/11 Review Link	624 pages Finished 5/11/11 Review Link
846 pages Finished 6/4/11