In an attempt to get out of my routine and try new things, in May 2021 I started One Book One Idea challenge. The plan is to pick one thing from each book I read, one activity, one idea, anything, and do it. I’m keeping this as broad as possible, so the activity can be as simple as making a meal that a character in the book makes, or something more complicated like moving to another country.
I read a lot of fantasy and sci-fi which can make it difficult to pick something that’s actually possible to do in reality, so as long as the activity is inspired by the book, it works for the challenge. I’ll do this for every fiction book I read from the beginning of the challenge to the end of 2021. Some of my picks can be done in a day but some of them take a while (specifically the ones where I have to learn new skills) – I’ll mark the challenge as done when I feel like I gave it a proper try.
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo – learn to do slight of hand tricks – DONE – learned 2 coin tricks
Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo – learn horse riding
The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart – meditate every day for 2 weeks – DONE, and I’ll keep doing it
Trick by Natalia Jaster – learn to juggle – I really tried. I’m occasionally not horrible at it. I’m gonna consider this DONE.
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik – learn to sew, at least the basics, I’ll consider this done when I make something that I can actually use
The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett – a trip by myself to a city I’ve never been to
How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black – try bubble tea
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett – watch the play, preferably live, but a recording works too
Heat by Nicolina Martin – go back to learning Spanish – I’ll consider it done when I read a book in Spanish – IN PROGRESS
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang – balance training for 1 month (I have issues with balance so maybe this helps)
The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang – read a nonfiction book on Chinese history (so it’s not an activity from the book, but it’s inspired by the book, ok?)
Ruin by Nicolina Martin – make lasagna – for the first time in my life (I think cooking or reading another book will be my go to choices when I don’t know what else to pick)
Shame – The Early Years by Nicolina Martin – try exercising with a punching bag
The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller – take a photography course – DONE
The Parable of the Sower by Octavia W. Butler – read a nonfiction book about religions
The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris – go to therapy – this is the scariest one
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood – watch Pride and Prejudice and Zombies – picking the easiest option this time – DONE – turns out it’s not an easy option when the movie sucks
Dune by Frank Herbert – get better at chess
Cotilion by Georgette Heyer – go to a masquerade party
Where Stories Lie 