Big Summer Book Challenge 2014 - Kick-Off post!

I haven't done a challenge in a very long while and I have found myself staring at my copy of Tolstoy's War & Peace and James Joyce's Ulysses for a very long time now. This is why I'm extremely excited to have found the Big Book Summer Challenge, hosted by Sue at Book by Book! 

It can be really hard to convince yourself starting a massive book is a good idea. Sometimes there are just so many pages, so many words, that it is easy to become intimidated. And when there are big names like Tolstoy and Joyce attached to the book I tend to cower a bit. That is why this is the perfect challenge for someone, like me, who just needs that extra push to actually read one of those whoppers! Here are the details:

• Anything over 400 pages qualifies as a big book.
• The challenge will run from Memorial Day weekend (May 24-26 this year) through Labor Day weekend (Labor Day is September 1 this year).
• Choose one or two or however many big books you want as your goal.  Wait, did you get that?  You only need to read 1 book with over 400 pages this summer to participate! (though you are welcome to read more, if you want).
• Choose from what's on your shelves already or a big book you've been meaning to read for ages or anything that catches your eye in the library - whatever peaks your interest!
• Sign up on the links list on the 2014 Big Book Summer Challenge page.
• Write a post to kick things off - you can list the exact big books you plan to read or just publish your intent to participate, but be sure to include the Big Book Summer Challenge pic above, with a link back to this blog.
• Write a post to wrap up at the end, listing the big books you read during the summer.
• You can write progress posts if you want to and/or reviews of the big books you've read...but you don't have to!  There is a separate links list on Book by Book for big book review posts.

So, this is my kick-off post! As I said above, my two Big Books for this summer are War & Peace and Ulysses! I don't know whether it's cheating that I've already slightly started War & Peace, but then in a novel like that a 100 pages more or less really don't make that much of a difference!

These are my two editions and I plan on doing progress posts as well, just because I feel that might help me keep track of Tolstoy's characters and Joyce's plot. For the latter I'll also shamelessly will be using the Read-Along Adam did at his blog Roof Beam Reader last winter! Every bit of help is welcome.

So, does this sound like the challenge for you?