The very first Hourglass House History Reading Challenge is here!
Let’s face it: history can be A LOT. And that’s before we ever get to all the specific issues and arguments it can bring up. There’s just a lot of it. So much that sometimes it can be hard to know where to even start and hard to justify why, in your busy life, you should make time for it.
That’s where the 2023 History Reading Challenge: A History of You comes in.
I’m writing this in January, but you can join in at any time this post finds you during 2023. Make this history reading challenge your own.
A History Reading Challenge to Help You Learn About History and Yourself
One of my core beliefs is that learning history can make our lives better. That’s especially true when it comes to learning our own history. By that I don’t mean just your national history, though that can be part of it. Nope, I mean your history, the history of all the things that make you who you are.
I’m originally from South Carolina, and I remember the first time I read Walter Edgar’s landmark work, South Carolina: A History (1998). So many things I had wondered about and struggled with my whole life became clear to me. It sounds cliched, but it was like watching puzzle pieces fall into place. It gifted me with so much new understanding, compassion, and even forgiveness for people around me (and for myself). Honestly, it was kind of like therapy.
Here’s why I hope you’ll participate in the 2023 History Reading Challenge:
Part of caring for yourself is getting to know yourself, and part of getting to know yourself is knowing where you came from. More than that, getting to know the history of the things that make you tick is fun and fulfilling.
How to participate in the 2023 History Reading Challenge:
Any way you want! You can design your own reading challenge and set your own goals. No one is looking over your shoulder or grading you on this. Make the challenge work for you.
- Read through the rest of this post. I’ve listed 11 categories of book to help you learn about yourself, as well as one “free space.”
- Sign up to receive the free 2023 History Reading Challenge: A History of You checklist and journal page. Print your checklist and use it to brainstorm titles you’d like to look into. For each book you read, print and fill in a page for your reading or history journal.
- Join the 2023 History Reading Challenge Discussion Group on Facebook. This is a space for us to share our reading, ask/answer questions, and get/give book recommendations.
A History of You: Categories
I’ve listed 12 categories to get you started. But this challenge is your own. You can read 12 books in one category if you want. And you don’t even have to read 12 books. Some years, one book is challenge enough, and that’s okay. So, read somewhere between 1 and 12 books, in any combination of the following categories you like.
And YES, children’s and young adult books are fair game. There are some stellar history books for young people out there. I learn from them all the time.
And YES, audiobooks count.
A History of…
1. Your home state/province/county/region
Where are you from? Find out.
2. A favorite holiday or celebration
Make your celebration more meaningful.
3. A favorite hobby or sport
Learning the history will enhance your experience.
4. A favorite food or drink
It’ll be that much more delicious when you know something of its story.
5. Your nationality or ethnic/people group
Or any group with which you identify. It’s nourishing to our souls to find where we belong.
6. Your religion or belief system
Everyone believes something, and it’s useful to know how your belief system developed.
7. The area where you live now
You’ll feel more at home when you know your new home better. (And if this is the same as #1, just take your book choice in a different direction by broadening or narrowing the scope.)
8. A favorite place or vacation spot
Get away, if only in a book.
9. Art, music, or literature you love (or its creator/s)
Art, music, or literary history, or a biography of the people who made some of the best parts of the world.
10. A part of the natural world that fascinates you
Animal, vegetable, mineral? How have people interacted with these animals, plants, places, or phenomena?
11. Your profession or vocation
You can learn a lot from the people who did your job before you.
12. Free choice…
Because you know best what you need to read about this year.
Ready to get started on the 2023 History Reading Challenge?
Head on over and join our Facebook group to chat with other participants and get started on your personal book list, and be sure to sign up to receive the checklist and journal pages.
I can’t wait for us all to get to know ourselves and each other better in 2023!
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15 comments
Thx!
This looks like so much fun! I I’ve learning about different things; whether it’s historical or just fun facts. I’ve done several of those kinds of things on my blog already. I’m not sure when I’m going to be able to try and attempt this again; since my schedule is kind of tight at the moment. But I hope to tackle it soon! Thank you so much for sharing!
I hope you’ll join in! You can make the challenge work for you 🙂
Really fun ideas to learn about in the new year. I always like trying new activities and this sounds great!
Hope you’ll join us!
This is such a cool concept! I think this would be great to go through the challenge with a friend! Thanks for sharing!!
Oh, that’s a great idea! Yes, it’s a good way to get to know other people better, as well.
This will be such an interesting endeavor for all who participate . I definitely will ! We need a new printer , but I can certainly do everything manually .
Looking forward to this .
So glad you are participating! You don’t really need a printer–it’s just for fun if you want to print the checklist and journal pages, but lots of people prefer to do that sort of thing in their own notebook or in a digital document.
I started to read about world history and never even considered reading about my own history. So many good categories and such a great idea with the challenge!
I do hope you’ll join in on the Facebook group! 🙂
I love a good reading challenge! I started reading about early American history and presidents last year. It’s been an enjoyable experience, and I’ve learned so much! I usually have 3-4 books that I’m reading at any given time, so I plan to dive right into your 2023 reading challenge as well. Thank you for sharing!
Love this! I hope you’ll join us over on the Facebook group for some great discussion!
This is so fun! I love participating in reading challenges — I’ll see if I can complete some of the prompts this year. Thanks for sharing!
Yay! I hope you’ll join in on the Facebook group 🙂