Summer Vacation Book Challenge

Molly at My Cozy Book Nook is hosting a Summer Vacation Reading Challenge at her wonderful blog. Since I just finished the Spring Reading Thing Challenge I was looking for another challenge to keep me modivated. This one looks like a lot of fun. It made me really think about the books I chose, as one of the requirements is the books should take you on a "literary vacation". I love that phrase!

Dates: Friday, May 22 - Monday, September 7, 2009 (Memorial Day weekend - Labor Day weekend)Requirements: Summer vacations are meant to be relaxing and fun - not stressful. However, some people interpret "fun" by doing nothing but going to the beach and vegging out -- while others like to maximize their sight-seeing adventures. To that end, I have developed two different levels of participation:

Beach Bumb: you will read 3 books during this time frame (a leisurely book-a-month); cross-over book selections from other challenges may count; and you do not have to list books in advance -- after all, summer vacation is a time for spontaneity.

Globe Trotter: you will commit to reading 6 pre-selected books during this time frame, but you may substitute up to 3 books due to changes in travel plans. Cross-overs for 5 out of the 6 books are allowed, but ideally one book will be read for this challenge alone.

I decided to be a Globe Trotter -

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (small town Alabama)
Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson (Washington State)
Salt - A World History by Mark Kurlansky (around the world)
Vive La Revolution by Mark Steel (Paris)
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (London and Paris)
the Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Nazi Germany)

I will link a review to each book as they are finished.

Thanks Molly for hosting this challenge!