Bina at If you can read this and I are hosting The Read A Myth Reading Challenge 2011 (January 1 till December 31) and we are very excited about it. The challenge gave birth in the early days when I was reading the the Canongate myth series. It blew my mind away and I was hooked on myths and re-telling of myths.
Myths and folklores are how story-telling started for many generations ago. I remember my grandmother used to tell me loads of folk tales, one about the chinese princess, named Chang Er who drink the elixir of life and flew up to the moon and became an immortal. I also collected volumes of Monkey God graphic novels when I was younger. I don’t always know what the moral of the story is, but I suspect there isn’t always one. Myths were just a manifestation of our inherent human needs to let our imaginations run wild and express that to willing listening ears, to stories that will sustain us through the dark nights, cold and hunger.
So, with this challenge we want you to come along and re-discover the classic myths and folklore tales and explore how they are represented and re-invented in contemporary literature. Please take a look at the suggested reading list and see which are the books that may interest you and explores myths and folklores from other countries and cultures. I have also included Greek God’s family trees, Greek mythology dictionary and many resources that will accompany you on your journey next year in reading myths stories.
You’re also welcome to cross-post with other challenges, rereads are welcome, and you do not need to have a list ready to sign up. Although I do hope you hop over to the the Read-A-Myth blog and sign up, give comments and tell us what you would like to read and share ideas of book titles in Mythology that you know of.
These are the challenge levels (you’re welcome to level up anytime):
Level 1 Athena: That’s a Myth!
Read any two (2) books about myths.
Level 2 Erlang Chen: Demystify the Myth!
Read any four (4) books about myths.
Level 3 Mimir: World Myth!
Read any six (6) books from the myth series must covers 2 different countries, including any one from the following list:
Level 4 Ogma: The God of all Myths!
Mix and match of any 8 books from the myth series or any mythology books, with the following conditions:
Sign up now and you get a chance to win some bookish prizes for those who finish any of the levels. The higher the level you completed, the more draw entries you get! Bina and I got lots of wonderful prize ideas and watch this space for more prize draw rules!!
I love reading about the myths, it was my personal project to finish all of the the Canongate myth series, but now is the time to take it to the public space and urge you to join us in this quest! Here are my past reviews:
- The Penelopiad, Margaret Atwood
- Dream Angus, Alexander McCall Smith
- Where Three Roads Meet, Salley Vickers
- Girl Meets Boy by Ali Smith
- Weight by Jeanette Winterson
For more info about the challenge, buttons and to sign up, please visit the Read-A-Myth blog! I know we’ll have lots of fun together with this challenge. Please spread the word! Spread the love of myth! Support the legacy of myths and folklores!! 😀
JoV's Book Pyramid 
Yay, it’s starting! 🙂 I just remembered that I still have to sign up myself 😀 You really have read most of the series already. And luckily I found some other editions of these in my library!
Posted by Bina | October 13, 2010, 3:01 pm@Bina! we do have to sign up too, didn’t we? Thanks for reminding me. This would be the beginning of exciting adventures to come! 😉
Posted by JoV | October 13, 2010, 9:43 pmI’m really excited about this! Already putting together my list which may include The Magical Toyshop by Angela Carter and Kappa by Akutagawa (author of Roshomon). This challenge will certainly widen my reading in this genre, thanks to you two!
Posted by Bellezza | October 13, 2010, 4:23 pmBellezza, you are very welcome! I am very excited too! The whole idea is to have you guys on board and introduce us to new myth figures from other cultures too. I haven’t heard of Kappa or Akutagawa, I will be in for plenty of surprises! 😉
Posted by JoV | October 13, 2010, 9:38 pmum…meant, “The Magic Toyshop” not magical… 😉
Posted by Bellezza | October 13, 2010, 4:23 pmcount me in for sure Jov ,I love books with a mythical element not I ve thought about it mind gone blank ,shall think of list and post something about it ,all the best stu
Posted by winstonsdad | October 13, 2010, 5:05 pm@Stu, you can start with greek or roman mythology and then expand your way to myth of other cultures. What about asking your librarians? What about countries and books that you have read in your world tour? Do they have folklores and myths specific to their nations? I can’t wait to see your list! 😉
Posted by JoV | October 13, 2010, 9:41 pmThis sounds like a great challenge-for sure I will be signing up-
Posted by Mel u | October 13, 2010, 9:46 pmRead-a-myth won’t be the same without you Mel. I am pleased that you agree to join us! 😉
Posted by JoV | October 13, 2010, 10:01 pmOooh I love those buttons! Might join just for them lol. I’ll have to think for books I want to read that fall in this category first before deciding to join, but fantastic idea, and I’m sure you’ll have lots of participants :).
Posted by mee | October 13, 2010, 10:26 pm@Mee, there are plenty of books to choose from. We can read one of Homer’s classics together! 😉
Posted by JoV | October 13, 2010, 11:14 pmI have been wanting to read The Penelopiad for awhile now. you wrote a great review of it, and that just makes me want to read it even more! I’ll definitely think about joining this challenge.
Posted by Emily | October 13, 2010, 10:40 pmThanks! Hope to see you in the sign-up list Emily. 😉
Posted by JoV | October 13, 2010, 11:13 pmThanks for hosting this challenge with Bina, Jo! I love the buttons 🙂 Count me in 🙂 I love reading mythology and books on mythology, but I am scared of challenges. But I can’t resist this one 🙂 Does ‘The Adventures of Amir Hamza’ (which is similar to ‘Tales from the Arabian Nights’) count as mythology? Also does the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan (which is a YA series about what happens when Greek gods come in modern times) count for this challenge?
Posted by Vishy | October 15, 2010, 12:57 pmThe first 2011 topic of the Classics Circuit will be on Ancient Greek Literature-this gives us an opportunity to support two book blogging events with one read-I am signed up to read and post on The Bacchae by Euripides which is the literary source of the myth of the Bacchae-
Posted by Mel u | December 18, 2010, 8:04 amMel, Thanks for the info. I have Illiad on the pile, not sure if I could get to it in January 2011. Fingers crossed.
Posted by JoV | December 18, 2010, 10:00 am