I wasn’t planning to sign up for any reading challenges in 2012 but I couldn’t resist this one as it deals with a subject I was hoping to read more about next year anyway. War Through the Generations is a project created by Anna of Diary of an Eccentric and Serena of Savvy Verse and Wit who host reading challenges devoted to books about the impact of war. Previous challenges have included World War II, Vietnam and the US Civil War. The theme for 2012 will be World War I.
The challenge will run from January 1 2012 to December 31 2012.
Here are the rules, taken from the War Through the Generations blog:
This year you have options when reading your fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, etc. with the WWI as the primary or secondary theme.
Books can take place before, during, or after the war, so long as the conflicts that led to the war or the war itself are important to the story. Books from other challenges count so long as they meet the above criteria.
Dip: Read 1-3 books in any genre with WWI as a primary or secondary theme.
Wade: Read 4-10 books in any genre with WWI as a primary or secondary theme.
Swim: Read 11 or more books in any genre with WWI as a primary or secondary theme.
Additionally, we’ve decided that since there are so many great movies out there about WWI, you can substitute or add a movie or two to your list this year and have it count toward your totals.
I’ve signed up for the Wade level as I’m sure I should be able to include at least four WWI-related books in next year’s reading, though I haven’t decided yet which books I would like to read. Anna and Serena have put together a recommended reading list (which you can find on the challenge blog) and I’ll probably read a few of those. I also received some WWI fiction recommendations in the comments on my recent review post of Blow on a Dead Man’s Embers (thanks to everyone who commented on that post, by the way!) so I have plenty of books to choose from.
If you’re interested in signing up for this challenge please see the War Through the Generations blog for more information – and let me know if you’re planning to participate too!
She Reads Novels 
Seriously thinking of signing up for this – a number of the suggested reads are in the library and I became interested in WW1 when doing genealogy. Have read a number on their list but would be enough others especially when films are counted. There is also The Warhorse by Michael Morpurgo which also has a film version being released in January.
I wasn’t going to sign up for challenges next year, but I read some wonderful books fror War Through the generations a couple of years ago when the theme was WW2 and so I have signed up again. I’ve found some very interesting possibilies, and I’ll be watching to see what you read.
I’ve signed up. Forgot to mention before a brilliant book – The Absolutist by John Boyne about life in the trenches.
I’m too flighty to join this challenge myself, but will enjoy reading about what you and Jane learn next year about WWI – I’m drawn to the time period and I’m sure I’ll want to read most of the books you review!
Thanks for signing up and will add the recommendations to the list soon.
Glad you’re joining us for the challenge!