Book Themes

Summer is well under way--and that means more time for reading! So remember that if you're behind on the MAD Book Challenge, now is the time to catch up. Last month was a nice and easy Choose-Your-Own-Themes month, while we were all doing our final exams--but now it's time to get down to business.

With that in mind, here are the themes for the next couple weeks, starting tomorrow:

• July 6-12: TRILOGY WEEK
  For a couple of years now, I've had this tradition of reading Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy at the beginning of July. Anyone who wants to read along with me gets bonus points--however, feel free to read any trilogy.
• July 13-19: HARRY POTTER WEEK
  In honor of the 6th HP movie, which comes out on the 15th, I've set aside a whole week for Harry Potter! 10 bonus points if you read Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (I'll be rereading it for the squigajillionth time, in anticipation of the movie).
  
  ONE MILLION TRILLION SQUIGAJILLION BONUS POINTS and my eternal respect and admiration to anyone who reads the entire series in just seven days. If you do this, you deserve a medal. It's very much possible--none of the books took me more than a day to read--but absolutely ludicrous. If you manage this, please, please email in at themadpodcast@gmail.com and tell us how awesome you are.
  
• July 20-26: CHRISTMAS IN JULY WEEK
  Read a Christmas novel! I know, I know--you're probably wincing. Ugh--it's all learning lessons and sappy family get-together stuff. If you're not too happy with this theme, allow me to recommend three awesome Christmas novels: Let It Snow, a collection of three stories by Marueen Johnson, John Green and Lauren Myracle, respectively (worth it if only for John Green's story, although I'll admit that this one is a bit sappy); The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore (not sappy in the slightest--it involves a Christmas miracle gone wrong, and a legion of holiday zombies. And it is exactly as hilarious as that sounds); and Hogfather by the always funny Terry Pratchett (in which Santa Claus mysteriously disappears and Death takes over the job). Bonus Points for reading any of those three.
• July 27-August 2: MUSIC WEEK
  For it to be considered "about music", the plot must not make sense if music is removed. Example: Terry Pratchett's Soul Music. It can be about a musician or band, or someone whose life is changed by music, or... Doesn't matter. Bonus Points if it involves violins :)

There you have it--you're all set for the next month. I just finished Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped, which was my 52nd book, making me an official MAD Book Challenge winner. When you cross the finish line, email in and tell us!

Happy reading!