Challenged!

NOTE: This is a modification and expansion of a post I made to pillowfort

As I said in a previous post, I enjoy reading and have joined in several reading challenges.

The requirements sometimes exasperate me, not only because I can't get into the idea of a particular challenge (Light RPG for example) but also because it would be difficult to find. New books in Israel are not cheap. I hit the second hand stores, and even there the books are not always so cheap.

Now obviously, I am under no obligation to fulfill any of the rules, and some I might not be able to because of limited funds. While I could order spending 90nis on a single book is simply not in the budget.

In two of my challenges one requirement is "a book that was written by a musician".

I like to read. I like to listen to music, especially jazz or alternative.  Do I particularly want to read a book by a musician? Fiction or nonfiction.
Why? And who?

Searched, and searched. Got some ideas, but none really struck me as the book to read.

Then came across this book, Inside Jazz by Graham Collier. (I'm reading it on openlibrary. Get an account, get an account!)
I like jazz. Don't know who the guy is - was for I have learned he died. I'm not really an aficionado, I just like to listen. I do have faves, but not well versed enough to have known who this person was.

And as I was reading, I decided that listening would be a good idea.

Can a person be wrong?

I was. Not only have I gained a new favorite artist (several, as I'm also listening to the other artists he speaks about), but I am gaining knowledge about the music I have, till now, just passively been listening to.

Now, it has not been true of each of the requirements that I have reluctantly fulfilled. Some I was just glad to be done with.  But then there are gems, and this is one of them.

I also want to get a physical copy of the book.

Have you ever reluctantly taken on a challenge of some sort - it doesn't have to be related to reading - and then were glad you forced yourself to fulfill it?