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Infinite Country by Patricia Engel | Thoughts

   Published : 2021   ||    Format : print   ||    Location : Colombia ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆   What was it about the country that kept everyone hostage to its fantasy? The previous month, on its own soil, an American man went to his job at a plant and gunned down fourteen coworkers, and last spring alone there were four different school shootings. A nation at war with itself, yet people still spoke of it as some kind of paradise.. Thoughts : Infinite Country follows two characters - young Talia, who at the beginning of this book, escapes a girl’s reform school in North Colombia so that she can make her previously booked flight to the US. Before she can do that, she needs to travel many miles to reach her father and get her ticket to the rest of her family. As we follow Talia’s treacherous journey south, we learn about how she ended up in the reform school in the first place and why half her family resides in the US. Infinite Country tells the story of her family through the other protagonist, El

The Sunday Salon (World Party and Orange Prize challenges) -- May 02, 2010

The Sunday 
Salon.com

Am I glad this week is over? It had been too hectic and I didn't get much sleep either. End of Masters course, please come soon!! I'm glad though that I do have this weekend free. I didn't get much reading yet, but I've been cleaning up my reader and browsing through all the fun bookish sites.

Two days ago, I went to get my state taxes done, and can you believe that the tax official carelessly filled out my form, wrote some wrong numbers and had me pay them 27 bucks? Ok, that's not much, but I should have got 120 bucks instead of having to pay the state! That infuriated me! I noticed the costly error only after reaching home, so I'm thinking of filing an amended return. Sloppy, really!

Last weekend, I went through my challenge lists and decided to drop out of some of them. I'm sure I will get a good many done by the end of the year, but there are a few that I have lost interest in or don't think will catch up with soon. So these are what I ditched:
  • Audio Book Challenge: I joined this challenge because I was not a great fan of audio books and wanted to "get used" to them. No such luck! I still prefer the book!
  • What's in a name? 3 Challenge: Some of the books I chose for this were challenged books for me. No wonder I am not making any headway here!
So, shouldn't I now just sit back and try to catch up on the remaining challenges? Hah! Instead I signed up for 2 challenges:


World Party Reading Challenge: I've realized that my reading choices are not geographic enough, so this would be a fun way to discover more books from various countries and try to read as many as possible! I missed exploring France in April, but will be globe-trotting starting this month. This challenge focuses on reading more international literature, but using US holidays and observances as the inspiration. It ends on March 2011.


The Orange Prize Project: This was the easiest prize project that I could join, mainly because I read more books by female authors than male authors? Isn't that so with many of us? Besides this is a perpetual challenge! You can almost see the thoughts running through my mind now, right, what with no deadlines? This challenge focuses on reading all the winners and shortlisted books honored by the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction and the Orange Broadband Award for New Writers. The list has quite a good bunch of books that should be in my TBR.

So how has everyone's challenges been going? Some of you have posted your incredible progress recently and that got me all green. Right now I remember two such bloggers - Kathy and Helen. I wish I was that diligent.

Did you sign-up for the Glorious giveaway?

Comments

Cat said…
Oh - those challenges! :( I started my blog back last November and with newbie enthusiasm signed up for far too many. Six months on I'm realising I like a challenge that is a challenge which some of them aren't .....why did I bother. However, I refuse to let them dictate what I read and if I don't complete them no one is going to care.
:-) Glad you decided on the Party.I like the going global concept.
bermudaonion said…
That is so irritating about your taxes. Of course, I think taxes are irritating in general.

I hope you have lots of reasons to celebrate at the end of the semester. My son said he's super busy right now.
Wendy said…
I'm glad you've decided to join the Orange Prize Project - I love those lists!!!
I love that you tried to make things easier on yourself by bowing out of 2 challenges, but then added 2 more! Have fun!
Athira said…
Cat, My situation was the same as yours. I jumped on a bunch of challenges with all the 'newbie' enthusiasm. 4 months later, I don't see why I thought some of them were challenges. At least, we have learnt. LOL! Next year, I'll be more careful!

Kathy, taxes are definitely irritating. And on top of that, when they make a mistake, it's even more irritating!

Wendy, I'm so glad to be joining the challenge too! :)

Helen, I know ... I'm so good at making my life easier.. LOL!
Ash said…
I have finished one challenge this year. Woohoo! I'm doing fairly well on my challenges, I quit one because the site wasn't managed very well and I wasn't interested in a few of the books.

I still prefer books to audio books, I don't think I'll ever "get used" to them.
Sorry the audio books did not work for you. I really enjoy them.
Lisa said…
My challenges are creeping along. I've definitely taken on too many books for review this spring but now I'm turning down almost everything so I can devote the summer to challenges.

Definitely file an amended return! $147 error might not seem like a big amount of money to some people but it certainly isn't chicken feed!
Athira said…
Ash, Congrats on doing so well in your challenges. I wish I were doing half as well!

Diane, I'm sorry too! I really really want to like audio books! Then I could listen to them all the time. :(

Lisa, I filed the amended return. Phew! I just hope the money comes to my account. I might have to stop accepting review books for some time too just to move my challenges along. Bummer!