Monday, November 22, 2010

Sign Up Page & Rules

Welcome to the 2011 Shakespeare Reading Challenge!

First off, the Levels:

1. Puck: Read 4 plays over the year, 1 of which may be replaced by a performance
2. Desdemona: Read 6 plays, 2 of which may be replaced by a performance
3. Henry V: Read 12 plays, 3 of which may be replaced by a performance

Now, the Rules:

1. All plays must be read between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011. Anything begun before that cannot be included.
2. Audio versions are also acceptable but all plays must be unabridged.
3. You don't need to list your plays ahead of time but you may, if you'd like.
4. Review pages for each month will be created but are optional.


When you sign up below, please link to your post about the reading challenge and leave me a comment telling me what level you will be doing.

60 comments:

  1. I would like to commit to the Desdemona level.

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  2. Desdemona level, fersure. Not sure I can promise Henry V level. Y-chromosome, not good at commitment.

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  3. Henry Vth, I am.. What do I need to do now?

    Thanks RGL

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  4. Welcome, JessN, Steve, & richard.gagelittle! Not much to do now except choose your plays and wait for January 1. Oh, and spread the word. If I get my act together, I'll make a button you can put on your blogs.

    @RGL Do you have a blog to sign up with Mr. Linky?

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  5. I'm pretty sure anything less than Hal is unacceptable for me.

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  6. I'm only going to commit to aim for Puck level, but we'll see how it goes. :) I've got a few other challenges going as well.

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  7. Thanks for the great challenge! I am going to be doing level 2!

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  8. Desdemona level here, too. Fun idea!

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  9. I'm on for Desdemona level. I'll leave a link tomorrow or Monday to my commitment post.

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  10. Here's my commitment post: http://featherednest-birdie.blogspot.com/2010/11/wherefore-art-thou.html

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  11. Signing up for Henry V, and slacking off on all the other reading material in my life...except God's word.-Pedro

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  12. I'm going to take-on the Desdemona level!

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  13. Well I'm going to try for the Henry V! I'm excited to start!

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  14. I am determined to earn a Henry V!!! Can't wait to get started!

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  15. I am at least shooting for Desdemona status. There will be one performance in the mix. Good luck to all you determined Henry V-ers.

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  16. Why isn't there a level for reading all of the plays?

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  17. Oh how cool. I love listening to Shakespeare on audiobook. Arkangel Shakespeare versions are some great ones as they do sound effects: swords ringing, horses, music, etc. Sign me up for Desdemona too!

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  18. Wow, this list is getting long! Welcome to anyone whose blog I haven't commented on yet!

    @Charlene--if you want to read all the plays in one year, go for it! You can pick your character name too.

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  19. I've been meaning to add that I'm doing Henry V, obviously.

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  20. Hi, Elena, I saw your post to this link in the GC group. I have been doing something similar in recent years and wanted to offer a couple of resources and encouragement:

    1)The pace of a play a month is doable even for a busy person, and in fact there is an good Shakespeare yahoo group that goes at that pace at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shakespeare_and_Company/. In the past few years, I've managed to read a play, watch a video, and read criticism of each play - going through all plays twice (finishing up this month!).
    2) I highly recommend two commentaries, just treasures to read and own: Gerber's "Shakespeare After All" and Asimov's "Guide to Shakespeare". Between the two you won't be left in the dark on anything Shakespeare.

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  21. I'm up for the Henry V level. I may just end up reading all of the plays that I haven't read yet, because it's more than twelve.

    Here's a link to my actual blog: http://discoverie.livejournal.com/1371.html

    -Julia

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  22. I'm going for Desdemona level, as I'm not sure I can commit to Henry V. Wish me luck! ^^;;

    Raine

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  23. I'm signing up for the Desdemona level, though I'm hoping to read 9 plays. I'm planning to follow along with a Shakespeare course on iTunes U. The plays assigned in the course are:

    Richard II
    1 Henry IV
    As You Like It
    Merchant of Venice
    Hamlet
    Antony and Cleopatra
    Othello
    King Lear
    Tempest

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  24. P.S. Forgot to mention this - I don't have an online book blog. I'll use Twitter for discussion: @notarevolution

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  25. I'm committing to Henry V status. Go big or go home, right? Its on my list to read them all anyway; might as well delve in!

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  26. I forgot to post the link to my blog. I'm doing the Henry V level. I am signed up at #11 and ContraryShakespeare.com is my blog, where I will be posting about the challenge.

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  27. I'm taking on Desdemona, but hope to up that to Henry V. We'll see.

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  28. I am also trying for Desdemona but hoping for Henry V.

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  29. Hi there! Desdemona level checking in. Thanks for hosting.

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  30. Thank you for hosting this challenge. I'm signing up for Puck.

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  31. I'm Puck!:D This should be a lot of fun to do!

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  32. I'd like to commit to the Henry V level. I haven't decided which plays, but I plan to do ones that I have yet to read. I'm also going to try to go in the order Shakespeare wrote them (or our best guess in any event).

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  33. I will work towards the Henry V Level. How about the poems and sonnets.

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  34. @Brian: I'm just focusing the challenge on the plays for now. Maybe I'll do a different version next year. It all depends on how this whole thing goes--moderating a challenge is new for me.

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  35. I just signed up for the challenge, looking forward to it.
    I'm in for the desdemona!
    My first read will be Julius Caesar.

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  36. Desdemona level. I am really excited about this challenge! Thank you :)

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  37. @Rebekah: Welcome! Please email me an invite to your blog so I can see your Shakespeare post! Thanks.

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  38. I am signing up in support of my friend Sherrie and he contrary Shakespeare blog. I will be doing Henry V, after all my son is named Henry.
    I will start with The Winters Tale and end with Twelfth Night. We shall see what comes between

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  39. I'm committing to Puck level. :) This should be fun.

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  40. Elena, I'm signed up for the Puck level. I added Shakespeare to my book list for when I go to the library in search for more books to read. Should be fun.

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  41. Looking forward to participating at the Desdemona level!

    We at theshakespearestandard.com would be HAPPY to repost or link to anyone's reading journals from our site. You can also discuss any of the plays in our forums. Lovely project!

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  42. I'm in at the Puck level. Yay!

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  43. Thanks for posting the challenge.. have always ment to read shakespeare.. I'm aiming for the Puck Level..

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  44. Thanks for the challenge! I'll be reading at the Henry V level, starting with the 1&2 Henry VI plays & Troilus and Cressida.

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  45. I do not have a blog or web page to link to. How do I participate?
    librarypat AT comcast DOT net

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  46. I am finishing the plays I've never read, 17 of them. Started the year with Titus Andronicus and 1 Henry VI.

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  47. Hi, Elena! What a great idea. :-)

    Based on this caveat:
    1. All plays must be read between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011. Anything begun before that cannot be included.
    I'm assuming we can't re-read any plays that we read years ago in school?

    I'm also interested in the answer to librarypat's question above. Thanks!

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  48. @Michele

    The caveat just means you couldn't start reading them in December 2010. You can reread--I'm rereading one or two as I go chronologically. As far as not having a blog, you can post things in comments. When I get the reviews page up, your reviews could go in the comments there too.

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  49. My husband and I will try Desdemona - no promises, though! ;-)

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  50. I don't have a blog. May I still sign up for Henry V level?

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  51. @Justin--Welcome!

    @Denise--please see my comment to Michele above.

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  52. Huzzah! Going for broke with Henry V. One of the happy few!

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  53. FYI
    2011 Season Shakespeare in the Park (Central)

    All's Well That Ends Well & Measure For Measure

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  54. Does "may be replaced by a performance" mean to watch a performance or act in a performance or both as to act in a play you need to read the script multiple times?
    Cheers
    Andrew

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  55. I will enter the Desdemona level. I will read King Lear and a few of the comedies.

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  56. I will enter the Desdemona level. I'm starting with Macbeth. Happy Reading everyone!

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  57. I'm just popping in to say that the link to my blog has changed. Is it possible to change it or will I have to sign up again?

    Mine is Bread Crumb Reads at 26. The new URL is:
    http://breadcrumbreads.blogspot.com/search/label/Shakespeare%20Reading%20Challenge%202011

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  58. @Risa, I think you have to sign up again. Sorry about that!

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  59. Hey, where did everybody go? I read 16 plays this year, that's a Henry V and a Puck. Thanks for letting me play. The cool guy thing is my son's , not mine.

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