About a year ago, my husband and I joined a Goodreads challenge to read one mystery for every state in the USA. It seemed challenging (in a fun way) and our goal was long range. Just get there when we get there.
Now, Kerrie from Mysteries in Paradise has started a similar challenge, but really 51 "states," since she is including the District of Columbia, which I think is a great idea. Kerrie's challenge is not limited to any one genre, but I am still sticking with crime fiction. Although her challenge is described as State by State in 2014, the challenge can be done in your own time frame, and you don't have to wait until 2014 to start.
Now, Kerrie from Mysteries in Paradise has started a similar challenge, but really 51 "states," since she is including the District of Columbia, which I think is a great idea. Kerrie's challenge is not limited to any one genre, but I am still sticking with crime fiction. Although her challenge is described as State by State in 2014, the challenge can be done in your own time frame, and you don't have to wait until 2014 to start.
Another interesting twist to Kerrie's challenge is that you can complete mini challenges of various sections of the country (see here). That may make it more accessible to some people.
If you are interested you can read about the challenge and sign up at the USA Fiction Challenge site.
Below is the list of states. I have already read 9 or 10 mysteries for different states in the USA for the Goodreads challenge, but I am starting fresh with this one. Most of the states that I have already completed for that challenge are ones I have more books for anyway.
- ALABAMA
- ALASKA
- ARIZONA
- ARKANSAS
- CALIFORNIA
- COLORADO
- CONNECTICUT
- DISTRICT of COLUMBIA
- DELAWARE
- FLORIDA
- GEORGIA
- HAWAII
- IDAHO
- ILLINOIS
- INDIANA
- IOWA
- KANSAS
- KENTUCKY
- LOUISIANA
- MAINE
- MARYLAND
- MASSACHUSETTS
- MICHIGAN
- MINNESOTA
- MISSISSIPPI: The Last Clinic by Gary Cusick (11/24/2013)
- MISSOURI
- MONTANA
- NEBRASKA
- NEVADA
- NEW HAMPSHIRE
- NEW JERSEY
- NEW MEXICO
- NEW YORK
- NORTH CAROLINA
- NORTH DAKOTA
- OHIO
- OKLAHOMA
- OREGON
- PENNSYLVANIA
- RHODE ISLAND
- SOUTH CAROLINA
- SOUTH DAKOTA
- TENNESSEE
- TEXAS
- UTAH
- VERMONT
- VIRGINIA
- WASHINGTON
- WEST VIRGINIA
- WISCONSIN
- WYOMING
22 comments:
I always thought America had 52 states. Well, 51 states and the federal district of Washington, D.C. is close to the mark. Scrolling down the list of states, I think you and the other participants should have no problem finding authors and books pertaining to each of them. Good luck with the challenge, Tracy.
If I were to do something like this for India's 28 states and seven union territories, I'd have to read books in each of the regional languages and I know only three of them.
Tracy, I have erred. I didn't notice you'd mentioned District of Columbia which, I believe, is the federal district of Washington, D.C. So 51 it is.
Tracy - Thanks for reminding me of this challenge. What a great way to get to know crime fiction set in the US. I'll be looking forward to your posts.
I think this is a great idea, sadly I doubt I would be able to get a hold of so many US books. It would be good to try a British counties version though.
Yes, Prashant, I am glad Washington, D.C. is included because George Pelecanos set in and around that area. Wow, doing all of India's states would be a huge challenge.
Margot, I am looking forward to more crime fiction set in the U.S. I guess my 2014 reading will be split between US, Canada, and the rest of the world because I plan to do the Global Challenge again too.
Katrina, I agree, a British counties one would be good. I am sure there are some US states that it will be hard for me to get too, but I am not fanatical about finishing by any specific time...
Like I told Col, I will have fun reading all the reviews and looking to discover a few hidden gems along the way.
Good luck. I'll check in and read your reviews.
I am in my third year of the Global Reading Challenge and have a few left to go, and two more countries to reach 21.
I think I'll skip the U.S. challenge. I've read so many mysteries set here that I've tried for the last three years, aided by great blogs, to read globally and cross these borders.
For your NH crime novel there are several good options: Sbathaday River is excellent, if you like something more cozy and less dark the Jane Cleland antiques series is good, and Primary Storm by Brendan DuBois is a great slice of life in NH and part of a good mystery series.
For Mississippi, I recommend Tom Franklin's Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. It could be literary fiction, in addition to being a mystery. It tells of Southern poverty, racism, friendship lost and found; it's a slice of the human condition.
Kathy, I want to do both (Global and US), and that will be a problem, since I can't read that fast.
Keishon, I hope that Col steers me toward some authors I am not familiar with.
Mary, Thanks for the suggestions. I haven't heard of any of those. I will definitely look into them.
Kathy, even though I (sort of) avoid Southern fiction, I will have to read some for this challenge. I have Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter on my Kindle and that would be a great choice to read soon. My husband did not know where the phrase Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter came from, and I was amazed.
Tracy, I will look forward to your reviews - but hopefully you have the same authors as me - and I don't get too many more recommendations!
Re Katrina above, I did print off a UK map on Friday, with all the counties, but thought hang on a minute....don't go there - at least not just yet!
Col, I expect you will move through that challenge much faster than I and I will be getting tons of recommendations from you.
I've also started this challenge and was going through the list of blogs on the challenge to see what other bloggers are doing. It's funny how most of us are doing the challenge based on mystery novels :)
Marika, it is nice to have another person join in. I will continue checking your list out for ideas for mysteries set in various states.
Sounds like a great challenge, Tracy and I'll look forward to the reviews.
Prashant
Here is where you can read more. We have 50 states, 6 territories and the District of Columbia. :]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_area
Thanks, Sarah. I will be lucky if I can do one a month but it will all be fun.
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