Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Gilmore Girls Reading Challenge

Books played a big part in the television show "The Gilmore Girls." Rory was an avid reader. When Rory and Lorelai were going to Europe, Rory wanted to bring 12 books. Mind you, she was carrying everything in a backpack. Recently, a friend sent me a link to an episode-by-episode listing of all of the books seen, read, or mentioned in the series and the idea for a challenge was born. Of course, I didn't really have any idea how many books that actually was. Or how to set up a challenge. So I'm a little late getting this up and running. The good news is that there should be something in this for everyone. Rory and company read everything from Homer to Dan Brown and poetry to social commentary. The challenge will officially run from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010. You can begin reading now and anything that you're not more than half way through right now can be counted.
Crossover books from other challenges are allowed. A lot of the books on the list have also been made into movies and those will count as well.

There are three levels of participation:

Emily: Read 5 books from at least two different categories.
Lorelai: Read 10 books from at least three different categories.
Rory: Read 20 books from at least four different categories.


Here is the very long list of books you can choose from:

Classics


Austen Jane Northanger Abbey
Austen Jane Emma
Austen Jane Pride & Prejudice
Bronte Emily Wuthering Heights
Bronte Charlotte Jane Eyre
Browning Elizabeth Barrett Sonnets From The Portuguese
Cervantes
Don Quixote
Chaucer Geoffrey Canterbury Tales, The
Dante
Inferno
Dante
Divine Comedy, The
Dickens Charles David Cooperfield
Dickens Charles Little Dorrit
Dickens Charles Great Expectations
Dickens Charles A Tale of Two Cities
Dickens Charles Our Mutual Friend
Dickens Charles A Christmas Carol
Dickens Charles Oliver Twist
Dickinson Emily New Poems of Emily Dickinson
Flaubert Gustave Madame Bovary
Heaney Seamus Beowulf: A New Verse Translation
Homer
Iliad, The
Hugo Victor Hunchback of Notre Dame, The
Lawrence D. H. Lady Chatterley's Lover
Melville Herman Moby Dick
Poe Edgar Allen Raven, The
Shakespeare William Othello
Shakespeare William Henry IV, Part 2
Shakespeare William Julius Caesar
Shakespeare William Romeo And Juliet
Shakespeare William Hamlet
Shakespeare William Henry V
Shakespeare William Merry Wives of Windsor, The
Shakespeare William A Comedy of Errors
Shakespeare William Richard III
Shakespeare William The Sonnets
Shakespeare William Macbeth
Shelley Mary Frankenstein
Stowe Harriet Beecher Uncle Tom's Cabin
Thoreau Henry David Walden
Tolstoy Leo War And Peace
Tolstoy Leo Anna Karenina
Twain Mark The Jumping Frog of Calavares County
Twain Mark Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Voltaire
Candide
Wharton Edith Roman Holiday
Whitman Walt Leaves of Grass


Childrens/Young Adult

Anderson Hans Christian Little Match Girl, The
Baum L. Frank Wizard of Oz, The
Baum L. Frank Scarecrow of Oz, The
Blume Judy Deenie
Brothers Grimm
Rapunzel
Carroll Lewis Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Chbosky Stephen Perks of Being A Wallflower, The
Collodi Carol Pinocchio
Granowsky Alvin Goldilocks & The Three Bears
Grimm Brothers
Snow White and Rose Red
Hinton S. E. Outsiders, The
Keene Carolyn The Nancy Drew Series
King-Smith Dick Babe
Lofting Hugh Doctor Doolittle
Rawlings Marjorie Kinnan Yearling, The
Rodgers Mary Freaky Friday
Rowling J. K. Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire
Rowling J. K. Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone: Book 1
Salten Felix Walt Disney's Bambi (based on Original Story by Felix Salten)
Seuss Dr. How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Sobol Donald Encyclopedia Brown: Boy Detective
Thompson Kay Eloise
White E. B. Stuart Little
White E. B. Charlotte's Web
Wiggin Kate Douglas Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm


Modern Classics


Albee Edward Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Beckett Samuel Waiting for Godot
Burgess Anthony A Clockwork Orange
Dostoevsky Fyodor Demons (translated by Richard Pevear & Larissa Volokhonsky)
Du Maurier Daphne Rebecca
Faulkner William Sanctuary
Faulkner William As I Lay Dying
Faulkner William Sound and The Fury, The
Fitzgerald F. Scott Tender is the Night
Fitzgerald F. Scott Great Gatsby, The
Forster E. M. A Room With A View
Ginsburg Allen Howl
Heller Joseph Catch-22
Hellman Lillian Children's Hour, The
Hemingway Ernest Snows of Killimanjaro
Hemingway Ernest Sun Also Rises, The
Hemingway Ernest A Moveable Feast
Hemingway Ernest To Have And Have Not
James Henry Daisy Miller
James Henry Art of Fiction, The
Joyce James Finnegan's Wake
Joyce James Ulysses
Kafka Franz Trial, The
Kafka Franz Metamorphosis
Lawrence & Lee Jerome & Robert Edwin Inherit The Wind
Lee Harper To Kill A Mockingbird
Mailer Norman Naked & The Dead, The
Mencken H. R. Mencken's Chresthonomy
Mencken H. R. My Life As Author & Editor
Miller Henry Sexus
Miller Arthur Crucible, The
Mitchell Margaret Gone With The Wind
Nordhoff & Hall Charles & James Norman Mutiny On The Bounty
Orwell George Nineteen Eighty-four
Parker Dorothy Portable Dorothy Parker, The
Plath Sylvia Bell Jar, The
Proust Marcel Swann's Way
Rand Ayn Fountainhead, The
Salinger J. D. Franny And Zooey
Salinger J. D. Catcher In The Rye, The
Shaefer Jack Shane
Steinbeck John Grapes of Wrath, The
Tolkien J.R.R. The Fellowship of the Rings: Lord of the Ring Book 1
Tolkien J. R. R. The Return of The King: Lord of the Ring Book 3
Vonnegut Kurt Slaughterhouse Five
Welty Eudora Collected Stories of Eudora Welty, The
Williams Tennessee A Streetcar Named Desire
Woolf Virginia A Room of One's Own
Woolf Virginia Mrs. Dalloway

Non-fiction

Albaret Celeste Monsieur Proust
Albom Mitch Tuesdays With Morrie
Assorted Authors
Norton Anthology of Theory & Criticism
Binyon T. J. Pushkin: A Biography
Bolles Richard Nelson What Color Is Your Parachute? 2005
Bourdain Anthony Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly
Bugliosi & Gentry Vincent & Curt Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders
Butler Judith Gender Trouble
Capote Truman In Cold Blood
Clinton Hilary Rodham Living History
Clinton Hilary Rodham It Takes A Village
Collett Anne Swimming with Giants: My Encounters with Whales, Dolphins and Seals
Cook Blanche Wiesen Eleanor Roosevelt
De Beauvoir Simone Second Sex, The
De Beauvoir Simone Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter
Denison Isak Out of Africa
Des Barres Pamela I'm With The Band
Didion Joan Year of Magical Thinking, The
Eggers Dave A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
Ehrenreich Barbara Nickel And Dimed
Faludi Susan Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women
Fodor Eugene Selected Hotels of Europe
Ford Ford Madox Good Soldier, The
Franken Al Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them
Friedman Milton A Monetary History of the United States
Gibbon Edward History of the Decline & Fall of The Roman Empire, The
Gibson William Miracle Worker, The
Harvard Joe Velvet Underground's The Velvet Underground & Nico (33 1/3 Series)
Hersh Seymour M. My Lai 4: A Report On The Massacre And Its Aftermath
Huffington Arianna Pigs At The Trough
Irvin Jim Mojo Collection: The Ultimate Music Companion, The
Johnson Spencer Who Moved My Cheese?
Kagan Donald Outbreak of the Peoponnesian War, The
Kagan Donald Peace of Nicias & The Sicilian Expedition, The
Kagan Donald Archidamian War
Kerouac Jack On The Road
Lee/Neil/Mars/Sixx
The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band
Lipton Lawrence Holy Barbarians, The
Macaulay David New Way Things Work, The
McCarthy Mary A Bolt From The Blue & Other Essays
McCarthy Mary Group, The
McNeill & McCain Legs and Gillian Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk
Meyers Phillip Vanishing Newspaper, The
Milford Nancy Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay
Moore Barrington Social Origins of Dictatorship & Democracy: Lord & Peasant in the Making of the Modern World
Moore Michael Fahrenheit 9/11
Nietzche Fredrich Portable Nietzche, The
Pagels Elaine Gnostic Gospels
Plath Sylvia Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath, The
Rubin M.D. Theodore Issac David and Lisa
Sherman Wiliam Tecumseh Memoirs of General W. T. Sherman
Sinker Daniel We Owe You Nothing - Punk Planet: The Collected Interviews (Edited)
Spinoza Baruch Ethics
Steves Rick Europe Through The Back Door, 2003
Suskind Ron The Price of Loyalty: George W Bush, the White House, and the Education of Paul O'Neill
Taylor Hobart Chatfield Moliere: A Biography
Thompson Hunter S. Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas
Thompson Hunter S. Fear & Loathing: On The Campaign Trail '72
Thurman Judith Secrets of the Flesh: A Life of Colette
Tzu Sun Art of War, The
Vidal Gore The Last Empire: Essays 1992-2000
Waldo Myra Myra Waldo's Travel & Motoring Guide To Europe
Weisberg Jacob George W Bushisms: The Slate Book of the Accidental Wit & Wisdom of Our 43rd President
Woolf Thomas Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, The
Wurtzel Elizabeth Bitch In Praise of Difficult Women


Rough Guide To Europe, The 2003 Edition


Compact Oxford English Dictionary, The


several biographies of Winston Churchill

Other

Allende Isabel House of the Spirits, The
Allende Isabel Eva Luna
Bloom Judy Gospel According To Judy Bloom, The
Brown Dan DaVinci Code, The
Bukowski Charles Notes of a Dirty Old Man
Davies Robertson Manticore, The
Dubus III Andre House of Sand And Fog, The
Ellis Bret Easton Less Than Zero
Erdrich Louise Love Medicine
Eugenides Jeffrey Virgin Suicides, The
Faber Michel Crimson Petal and the White, The
Farrell Henry What Happened To Baby Jane?
Foer Jonathon Safran Everything Is Illuminated
Gogol Nikolai Vasilevich Dead Souls
Goldman William Marathon Man
Grafton Sue R is For Richocet
Grafton Sue S is For Silence
Hathaway Katharine Butler Little Locksmith, The
Hornsby Nick High Fidelity
Kaysen Susanna Girl, Interrupted
Kennedy William J. Ironweed
King Stephen Cujo
King Stephen Shining, The
King Stephen Carrie
King Stephen Christine
King Stephen Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption
Kohner Frederick Gidget
Lerner Alan Jay Brigadoon
Levin Ira Rosemary's Baby
Marquez Gabriel Garcia One Hundred Years of Solitude
McCourt Frank Angela's Ashes
McDonald Gregory Fletch
McEwan Ian Atonement
McMurtry Larry Terms of Endearment
Metalious Grace Peyton Place
Parker Dorothy Complete Stories
Powell Dawn Complete Novels/Novels 1930-1942
Powell Dawn Selected Letters of Dawn Powell
Pressfield Steven Legend of Bagger Vance, The
Puzo Mario Godfather: Book 1, The
Reger Roger Emily The Strange
Rilke Rainer Maria Letters to a Young Poet
Robert Henry Robert's Rules of Order
Segal Erich Love Story
Sexton Anne Complete Poems, The
Stein Joseph Fiddler On The Roof
Styron William Sophie's Choice
Susann Jacqueline Valley of the Dolls
Tan Amy Joy Luck Club, The
Toole John Kennedy A Confederacy of Dunces
Uhry Alfred Driving Miss Daisy
Webb Charles Graduate, The
Wells Rebecca Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, The
Welty Eudora Collected Short Stories, The


Bhagava Gita, The

53 comments:

  1. You know I'm in! I will definitely at least do the Lorelai participation...and maybe the Rory.

    I'm assuming that if we've already read something, we have to re-read it during the 2010 year for it to count?

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  2. I'll probably be doing the Rory level, because there are so many books listed on there that I own that I have yet to read. Great choices!!

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  3. Lisa, what a great challenge. My goodness I watched that show without fail. I just loved it and still miss it. I didn't though realize they read so many books. Anyhow, I'm in for this one. I'll pick my books tomorrow and get a post done on the weekend and come back for Mr. Linky. What a great idea!

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  4. wow, what a great challenge! it's huge and daunting and great! I think i'll be joining up since there a few on this list I've been meaning to read! Sweet. It also makes me interested in watching the Gilmore Girls now.

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  5. I will set up my post later tonight. YES! I am so pumped about this! :) GREAT CHALLENGE IDEA!!! :)

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  6. I'm all set to go. I picked out my books and have posted about it here.

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  7. Wow, I had no idea that so many books were mentioned on the show! I am going to think about this but will probably do Lorelai's level.. I am so happy you decided to host this challenge! I loved the Gilmore Girls!

    ~ Amy

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  8. I am so excited about this! Thank you for creating the blog in honor of GG!

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  9. All I can do is ytry, hae no idea who the Gilmroe Girls are, but then I dont watch TV either. Gues tjere isn't a Mr. Linky here.

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  11. I'll do it! I'm going to try the Rory level... there are so many books on the list I want to read.

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  12. I am so jazzed about this challenge :)
    Most definately, wanna join in! I'm going on for the Lorelai level, so that would be about 19 books I guess.

    One question: are there any rules regarding languages? I come from Eastern Europe (which is why my English is so poor and I do apologize for that in advance) so sometimes it's quite hard to get my hands on some books in English. Would reading a translation still count? Naturally, I would post the review in my best English :)

    Ok, gotta go choose my books now!
    Cheers to all the participants :)

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  13. I just joined and can't wait! I've picked out 20 books that I've been wanting to read--I'm going all the way and hoping to reach the rory level!

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  14. Love this challenge! The Gilmore Girls was a great show - I really miss it. I knew books were always referenced and featured in the episodes but never would have guessed the list was this long!

    I am going to enter at the Emily level - trying to manage expectations for 2010!

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  15. I followed Sarah over here. I'm shooting for the Rory level.

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  16. This is so cool! I'm definitely going for Rory level of participation.

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  17. What a fabulous idea for a challenge! I think I'll be going for the Rory challenge, since I want to eventually read them all! Thanks for hosting this, I can't wait to get started.

    Katie

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  18. Thanks for this. I'm going to go for the Rory level too.

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  19. Wow! I came across the challenge by pure serendipity and am soo happy that there are other people out there who were keeping tabs on the books mentioned the The Gilmore Girls. I have the series and many times watch episodes with a pen and a notebook on hand just so I can write titles. I feel I have found "my people"! I'm so into the challenge. I will pick the books and post them on y blog. Thanks for the opportunity.

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  20. Thank's for hosting this challenge! I loved Gilmore Girls when it was on, so this challenge looks great. I'm going to join at the Emily level, but we'll see how it goes!

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  21. I love Gilmore Girls. And well I've been trying to do something like this (reading books mentioned on the show). Now I can. Thank you so very much!!!

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  22. My friend Tasha and I are both accepting this challenge, it sounds fun. I’ve signed up on the Mr. Linky but she doesn’t have a website so couldn’t.

    She is aiming to be a "Lorelai" and I am hoping to be a “Rory.”

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  23. I'm so excited about doing this! I'm definitely going to try and be a Rory :)

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  24. Such a fantastic idea! I'm going to make this my first book challenge and go for Rory. Wishing everyone luck!

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  25. I'm late but would love to do this challenge anyway :)
    I'm hoping to get as far as Lorelai, but I don't know since my life has been quite hectic, so I'm signing up for Emily and hoping for more ;)

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  27. Oddly enough, I was just borrowed all the seasons of Gilmore Girls from my friend, so I could re-watch them all, while I have nothing to do with my days - and I thought, "Gee, it would be nice to know all the books Rory has read throughout the seasons.." A little googling and I stumbled on this! Very exciting for a book lover, like myself! I cannot wait to scan through the list and find books I've read, that I can re-read.. and find books that I've never read, that I probably should have! Now, I can fill my days up with reading again!!

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  28. I'm so in! This is my favorite show EVER!
    I always wondered about exactly how may books she mention, but actually seeing the list makes your jaw drop. At least mine did lol

    Thanks for the challenge!

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  29. Oh and I'm going in as Rory!

    ... Do I get Dean at the end? Jess? Logan?

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  30. Hello! I would very much like to enter this challenge! I usually blog in French, but for the reviews for this challenge, I will post them in both English and French. Will that be ok?

    If that's ok, I'm going in as a Lorelai. I'll post my list of books in a few days. I will give the link then!

    Thanks for this challenge!

    PS: I couldn't link my actual blog, so I put my LJ (which I'm not using anymore), the adress of my blog is http://voiceofanightingale.hautetfort.com/

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  31. I'm so excited about this! I just found your link from Goodreads. I want to go in as Rory. I have a private blog, but I added my link anyway. Thanks!

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  33. I am definitely doing the Lorelai challenge.. but hoping to hit Rory level.. and have book one waiting for me at Barnes and Nobel

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  34. Thoroughly enjoyed rereading Jane Eyre and it counted for two other challenges I'm doing! Also am enjoying watching the Gilmore Girls for the first time ever too!

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  35. I just found out about this challenge today and I signed up right away! I love the Gilmore Girls and I am looking forward to participating. I am aiming for the Lorelai challenge for now.

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  36. I'm so impressed by Rory's list... What a wonderful challenge: I would be glad to be a part of it, even if I'm a French blogger: it's easier for me to speak in french but the involvement in this challenge would be a great opportunity to improve linguistic skills by writing about reading!

    (Here is my blog: http://une-page-ou-deux.over-blog.com/#)

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  37. I'd love to enter, but I've got a doubt: when you refer "# books from at least # categories", it's that we must read that number of books per categorie or in general... I'm between Lorelai & Rory challenge... I'm going to try really hard!

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  38. I <3 the Gilmore Girls and always appreciated how well read they were, however, this list is enormous! LOL! I can't wait to try and reach the Rory level, as I was always jealous at how smart she was. :) Good luck everyone!

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  39. I just added another link! Northanger Abbey (my fifth!)

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  40. This is the greatest idea ever! I absolutely LOVE Gilmore Girls and have been wanting to find a comprehensive list of Rory's books forever! Thanks so much for doing this!

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  41. i was never really into the gilmore girls, but i LOVE this idea! finally, an excuse to read all those classics that i've always wanted to read! and a DEADLINE! as a procrastinator, i really do appreciate deadlines. lol!

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  42. I haven't seen that much of Gilmore Girls. But I'm always up for a reading challenge

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  43. Of course I'm hoping to reach Rory but at I want at least to reach Lorelai. I'm really loving this challenge. I loved this show!

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  44. OOhh I only just found the challenge. I'm jumping in boots n all - it is now winter here in NZ so brilliant time to sit by hearth & get my nose in a book.
    Thanks!

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  45. haha last year I remember trying to find a list of books that had been read on the gilmore girls, I'm so in!

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  46. I'm probably a bit late but I've been doing this list over at a forum I visit, so I'm in (although I think my Rory list is different to yours...

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  47. Wow, I've just hit the jackpot with this blog! I've recently started re-watching Gilmore Girls, starting with season 1 and was planning on creating a list of all the books Rory has ever read, but now I don't have to! How serendipitous! As it's the end of September, I think it's way too late for me to compete at the Rory or Lorelei level, so I'll settle for Emily. I've already re-read Jane Eyre this spring (one of my favorites), and am currently reading The Group, which I remember Rory had in hand while waiting to buy tickets for the winter formal (first season). I'm really enjoying it so far! What a fantastic challenge this is. :-)

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  48. I do want to mention, after spending 15 min researching this, that there is no such book called "The Gospel According to Judy Bloom." It is assumed elsewhere on the internet that it refers to the entire collection of Judy Blume.

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  49. Alright, I registered myself for 2011 if that's ok! Don't know which level I will reach though

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