I have been reading in the vicinity of the R.I.P (Readers Imbibing Peril) Challenge the entire time I've been blogging. It is run by Carl of Stainless Steel Droppings, who is very nice and pops up on Twitter from time to time where we have discussions about such things as how awesome old book smell is and other such randomness. His annual Once Upon a Time challenge was the original inspiration for my Telling Tales Challenge, and every year I've wanted to participate in R.I.P and every year I've wussed out. But not this year!
The combined forces of Laura and Charlotte have convinced me that I should just do it, and upon perusing (I love that I just used perusing in a sentence) my bookshelves I have discovered the following few books that I think will fit the bill:
The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter - I did my dissertation on Carter and it's actual horrendous that I haven't read this yet. Also all of her stuff is a little gothic and at least a little creepy, so it should be great!
The Lost World and Other Stories by Arthur Conan Doyle
Also I have a collection of Edgar Allan Poe somewhere which I can't currently find, and that will be making its' way in as well aaaaaand I am officially stating my intention to join in on the group read (or in my case, re-read) of Elisabeth Kostova's The Historian which I read and loved a few years back :-)
So I guess that means that I'm intending to do Peril the First? Or Peril the Second and the Short Story? I am a little confused, but either way the intention is there, and I am excited!
I'm joining for the first year this year too :)
ReplyDelete:-)
ReplyDeleteMWAHAHAHA! I still need to actually post and sign up but I'm so excited for this one! I couldn't take part in Bout of Books last week so I'm definitely looking forward to getting into this one :)
ReplyDeleteHave you read The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde? Because that would be perfect for this challenge and is an actually funny ghost story that isn't out and out scary.
I'm definitely going to read some Poe too - I have a collection that I've barely touched and I'd love to get through a few short stories. Normally, I don't read short stories because I always feel a bit...underwhelmed by them but this year I'm going to at least try some. I've also got a Sherlock Holmes collection so I might try Hound of the Baskervilles or something if I find myself feeling REALLY brave!
So yes :) I'm excited!
DUDE, read The Hound of the Baskervilles already! Vintage mystery at its finest, and it's SHERLOCK HOLMES so you know there'll be a very clever and completely non-supernatural explanation by the end of the book... :)
DeleteHow great that you're stepping out of your comfort zone. Since RIP contains my favourite genres, I can assure you you'll find some great studies on human behaviour and our deepest fears. I hope you like them!
ReplyDeleteI really need to read more Angela Carter!
ReplyDeleteDUDE I didn't realise you did your dissertation on Angela Carter! My friend Frances did hers on her too! That's really weird/cool! Also you've reminded me that I still have to read The Bloody Chamber, so... interesting!
ReplyDeleteI AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS CHALLENGE (as I am every autumn :) )
Awesome! Yeah, Angela Carter with particular reference to feminism in fairytales. It was amazing and now means I can freak the hell out of people when they're talking about Disney movies by explaining to them the entire history of Beauty and the Beast. It's great! And you SHOULD read The Bloody Chamber because it's epic. I have found a couple more books to read for this as well :-)
DeleteI'm participating in the group challenge as well! I just pulled The Historian off of my shelves...it is a lot bigger than I remember. LOL! Have fun and I hope you enjoy all of these :)
ReplyDeletePerfect!!! So glad you are joining us, especially in The Historian group read. Yay!!!! Look forward to discussing the book with you and the rest of the gang.
ReplyDeleteIsn't Angela Carter a wonderful author? Wow! She is one I discovered because of RIP.
And don't get me started on the smell of new, and old, books. We'll be here all night!!!
YAAAAY! Another one of my Blogging Inner Circle to stalk (haha, an apt choice of wording for this event) until the end of October. Like I don't totally stalk this blog already. :P
ReplyDeleteGood luck chuck, I'll be swooping in to shout 'BOO!' and other such fun-packed stuff along the way!