group discussion
topic:
Cynthia's Seasonal Challenges >
OFFICIAL FALL CHALLENGE - 2008
Decided to post this a little early to give people a chance to decide what books they want to use...rules are the same as the Summer Challenge but for the those who didn't participate in that I'll list them again.
1. Anyone can participate and can join in at anytime after Sept 1st and before November 30th.
2. Each individual can set their own goal as to how many points they think they can earn in that time and if they want to they can reward themselves.
3. Each task counts for points only once and the same book can not be used for two categories.
4. Have fun and post what your reading and your point totals...small adjustments can be made to the categories but try to stick as close to the task as possible.
5 POINT TASKS
1. READ A BOOK WITH THE NAME OF AN ANIMAL IN THE TITLE
2. READ A BOOK WITH A COLOR (RED, BLUE ETC.) IN THE TITLE
3. READ A BOOK THAT HAS SOME TYPE OF PLANT LIFE (FLOWERS, TREES) OR PART OF A PLANT (LEAF, PETAL) IN THE TITLE
4. READ A BOOK WITH THE NAME OF A CITY, COUNTRY, CONTINENT IN THE TITLE
5. READ A BOOK WITH THE NAME OF A PERSON OR CHARACTER IN THE TITLE
6. READ A BOOK THAT HAS THE WORD SCHOOL IN THE TITLE
7. READ A BOOK WITH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING IN THE TITLE (VAMPIRE, ZOMBIE, WEREWOLF, DEVIL, GHOST, GOBLIN, WITCH, OR FRANKENSTEIN)
8. READ A BOOK WITH SEPTEMBER IN THE TITLE
9. READ A BOOK WITH OCTOBER IN THE TITLE
10. READ A BOOK WITH NOVEMBER IN THE TITLE
10 POINT TASKS
1. READ A BANNED BOOK
2. READ A BOOK ABOUT MUSIC OR A MUSICIAN (FICTION OR NON-FICTION)
3. READ A NOVEL OR NON-FICTION BOOK ABOUT FOOTBALL
4. READ A BOOK WITH A ONE WORD TITLE
5. READ A HORROR OR SUSPENSE NOVEL
6. READ A NON-FICTION BOOK
7. READ A NOVEL WRITTEN IN THE 19TH CENTURY
8. READ A YOUNG ADULT NOVEL (ANY BOOK THAT IS CURRENTLY CATEGORIZED AS SUCH WILL DO, WHETHER IT WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO BE ONE OR NOT)
9. READ A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES, ESSAYS, OR A PLAY
10. READ A NOVEL OR NON-FICTION BOOK ABOUT WITCHES, VAMPIRES, OR WEREWOLVES
15 POINT TASKS
1. READ A BOOK BY AN AUTHOR YOU'VE NEVER READ BEFORE
2. READ A BOOK BY A HISPANIC OR HISPANIC AMERICAN AUTHOR
3. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN AFRICAN OR AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHOR
4. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN ASIAN OR ASIAN AMERICAN AUTHOR
5. READ A NOVEL BY A GAY OR LESBIAN AUTHOR
6. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY A GOOD READS AUTHOR
7. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN ATHLETE OR FORMER ATHLETE
8. READ A BOOK ABOUT OR BY ONE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
9. READ A BOOK BY A PULITZER PRIZE WINNER (NOT NECESSARILY THE WINNING BOOK)
10. READ A NOVEL BY AN AUTHOR WHO IS NO LONGER LIVING
25 POINT TASKS
1. READ A BOOK AND COOK A MEAL INSPIRED BY IT
2. READ A CRAFT BOOK AND MAKE AN ITEM FROM IT
3. READ A BOOK AND THEN WATCH THE MOVIE ADAPTATION
*If you wish to attempt the sex while reading task...proceed at own risk...if successfully done you may reward yourself with as many points as you see fit.
For this one...READ A BOOK WITH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING IN THE TITLE (VAMPIRE, ZOMBIE, WEREWOLF, DEVIL, GHOST, GOBLIN, WITCH, OR FRANKENSTEIN)
Would Dracula count?
No use (READ A NOVEL OR NON-FICTION BOOK ABOUT WITCHES, VAMPIRES, OR WEREWOLVES) for that. The other category must be one of the specific words or the plural of that word.
I agree...they all look great. I can't wait to figure out what books to read and how to work in the books I already have set to read.
Interesting challenge! I'll use it as an excuse to attack my huge TBR pile :p
Let's see what I can do:
10 POINT TASKS
1. READ A BANNED BOOK
-will choose soon-
2. READ A BOOK ABOUT MUSIC OR A MUSICIAN (FICTION OR NON-FICTION)
Pass
3. READ A NOVEL OR NON-FICTION BOOK ABOUT FOOTBALL
Definitely pass :p
4. READ A BOOK WITH A ONE WORD TITLE
5. READ A HORROR OR SUSPENSE NOVEL
Not a fan
6. READ A NON-FICTION BOOK
Bill Bryson's A Short Story of Nearly Everything
7. READ A NOVEL WRITTEN IN THE 19TH CENTURY
-will choose soon-
8. READ A YOUNG ADULT NOVEL (ANY BOOK THAT IS CURRENTLY CATEGORIZED AS SUCH WILL DO, WHETHER IT WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO BE ONE OR NOT)
-will choose soon-
9. READ A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES, ESSAYS, OR A PLAY
The Best of Roald Dahl
10. READ A NOVEL OR NON-FICTION BOOK ABOUT WITCHES, VAMPIRES, OR WEREWOLVES
Pass
15 POINT TASKS
1. READ A BOOK BY AN AUTHOR YOU'VE NEVER READ BEFORE
2. READ A BOOK BY A HISPANIC OR HISPANIC AMERICAN AUTHOR
Cuentos de amor de locura y de muerte, by Uruguayan author Horacio Quiroga (The Decapitated Chicken and Other Stories, quite Poe-esque, in case anyone else is interested).
3. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN AFRICAN OR AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHOR
Pass
4. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN ASIAN OR ASIAN AMERICAN AUTHOR
Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood
5. READ A NOVEL BY A GAY OR LESBIAN AUTHOR
Pass
6. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY A GOOD READS AUTHOR
House of Leaves, by Mark Danielewsky
7. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN ATHLETE OR FORMER ATHLETE
Pass :p
8. READ A BOOK ABOUT OR BY ONE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
Duoble pass :P
9. READ A BOOK BY A PULITZER PRIZE WINNER (NOT NECESSARILY THE WINNING BOOK)
Willa Cather's My Antonia
10. READ A NOVEL BY AN AUTHOR WHO IS NO LONGER LIVING
-will choose soon-
90 points so far; and I doubt I'll be able to read more than what I've named here :P
Greetings! :)
Ok, I'm going to try to play (although I know I don't have a prayer of beating anyone, I'll be lucky if I get 50 pts. But I have a little time off in Sept., a little in Oct & a vacation in Nov. before I really plunge into hell for work, not to be seen again for three months (plus I've been dying to read a book that's perfect for 15 pts & another for 25!)
About the Music/musician one: Can it be about any kind of music, For example "This Lullaby" would that count, or does it have to be non-fiction?
I'm actually going to attempt this one. Printing this list out and will map out my readings accordingly.
I think I'll be joining in on this one as well, I was sad that I never got into the Summer Challenge. Those are some great point opportunities, Cynthia.
I decided that I am going to try the challenge this time...do not know how far I will get w/ it but it does not hurt to try...
Okay, and now that I've mapped out my reading for September, I may have to "re-map" to fit this stuff in............
For READ A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES OR A PLAY, would you consider a book of essays, i.e. I Was Told There'd Be Cake or Me Talk Pretty One Day to be this? I have a fall back, if these don't count, but I thought I'd ask.
Does the young adult book have to been intended as a YA book or can it be one that has been relegated as such?For instance, The Yearling won the Pulitzer prize for fiction, but is now considered widely to be a young adult book.
Essays will count for the short story category...and you can count any book that is considered to be YA for that category (but if you use The Yearling you can only count it for the YA or the book by a Pulitzer Prize author NOT BOTH).
Thanks, Cynthia. I had another book in mind for the Pulitzer category. Just wanted to make sure we could count books as YA books if they weren't written as such...Little Women, Treasure Island, etc. Sounds good.
Looking forward to the challenge.
Dumb question: Is there a way to tell from your book lists on GR whether an author is a GR author, or do you have to open his/her page?
IDENTIFYING A GOODREADS AUTHOR:
* GR authors will say Goodreads Author beside the author's name (like Mark Z. Danielewski here).
* If you go to your bookshelves, a GR Author will be denoted by an asterisk (like Mark Z. Danielewski shown on my shelf here).
* If you are curious about an author, click on their profile and it should say Goodreads Author somewhere under their profile picture if they are indeed a GR author (like Mark Z. Danielewski's profile).
Great, Cynthia! Thanks!
At this point, if I can keep up the pace, even with a newborn, I could get up to 170 points with books that I already have in my possession.
5 POINT TASKS
1. READ A BOOK WITH THE NAME OF AN ANIMAL IN THE TITLE
The Saggy, Baggy Elephant
2. READ A BOOK WITH A COLOR (RED, BLUE ETC.) IN THE TITLE
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
10 POINT TASKS
2. READ A BOOK ABOUT MUSIC OR A MUSICIAN (FICTION OR NON-FICTION)
Love is a Mix Tape
4. READ A BOOK WITH A ONE WORD TITLE
Dracula
5. READ A HORROR OR SUSPENSE NOVEL
Saving Faith
6. READ A NON-FICTION BOOK
The Elements of Style
8. READ A YOUNG ADULT NOVEL (ANY BOOK THAT IS CURRENTLY CATEGORIZED AS SUCH WILL DO, WHETHER IT WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO BE ONE OR NOT)
Breaking Dawn or The Book Thief
9. READ A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES, ESSAYS, OR A PLAY
I Was Told There'd Be Cake
10. READ A NOVEL OR NON-FICTION BOOK ABOUT WITCHES, VAMPIRES, OR WEREWOLVES
New Moon
15 POINT TASKS
1. READ A BOOK BY AN AUTHOR YOU'VE NEVER READ BEFORE
The Other Boleyn Girl
3. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN AFRICAN OR AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHOR
Gifted Hands
4. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN ASIAN OR ASIAN AMERICAN AUTHOR
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
10. READ A NOVEL BY AN AUTHOR WHO IS NO LONGER LIVING
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Tales
25 POINT TASKS
1. READ A BOOK AND COOK A MEAL INSPIRED BY IT
Take the Cannoli
3. READ A BOOK AND THEN WATCH THE MOVIE ADAPTATION
Practical Magic
Total as of 9/17: 80
Do you get both points if a book fits in multiple catagories???i.e. The October Country by Ray Bradbury has the word "October" but is also a collection of short stories. Just checking.
Charity,Thanks for the info on GR authors. I saw the asterisks, but didn't know what they meant. And I didn't want to have to pull up every book on my TBR list to see which ones fit.
Okay, I'm gonna start. I think, realistically, I could make ~180 points. Some books I already have slotted to read fit in the categories, but others I'm moving Waaay up on my TBR list. Italics are what I have planned. I'll change to bold when I've actually read the book!
Points Thus far (11/11): 245
5 POINT TASKS
The Secret Life of Bees
2. READ A BOOK WITH A COLOR (RED, BLUE ETC.) IN THE TITLE
House of Leaves
Lambs of London
5.
6. READ A BOOK THAT HAS THE WORD SCHOOL IN THE TITLE
David Goes to School
The Devil and Miss Prym
8. READ A BOOK WITH SEPTEMBER IN THE TITLE
9. READ A BOOK WITH OCTOBER IN THE TITLE
10. READ A BOOK WITH NOVEMBER IN THE TITLE
10 POINT TASKS
The Dead Zone
2. READ A BOOK ABOUT MUSIC OR A MUSICIAN (FICTION OR NON-FICTION)
3. READ A NOVEL OR NON-FICTION BOOK ABOUT FOOTBALL
Playing for Pizza
Shopgirl
Odd Thomas
The Devil in the White City
Jane Eyre
From the Mixed Up File of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
I was Told There'd be Cake
Practical Magic
15 POINT TASKS
1.
The Spellman Files, Lisa Lutz
The Alchemist
3. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN AFRICAN OR AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHOR
Fatherhood or Think Big
4. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN ASIAN OR ASIAN AMERICAN AUTHOR
Me Talk Pretty One Day
6.
The Art of Racing in the Rain
7. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN ATHLETE OR FORMER ATHLETE
8. READ A BOOK ABOUT OR BY ONE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
A Voyage Long and Strange
Around the World in 80 Days
25 POINT TASKS
Brother Odd
2. READ A CRAFT BOOK AND MAKE AN ITEM FROM IT
The Princess Bride
And, considering my husband is not nearly an avid reader as me (he's actually not a reader at all), I don't think I'll try to convince him to allow reading during sex.
Julianne,
"3. READ A BOOK AND THEN WATCH THE MOVIE ADAPTATION
I know I've got a ton for this. We'll see what comes up next. "
How about the Bourne Identity? You just bought those books, right? And, I'll be sure to read New Moon quickly, so you can have it before the end of the Challenge.
I think this is a fun idea! I am not sure how much time I'll have for reading this fall though (the University has started by giving us 5 books to read this week, plus three things to write as well), but I'll keep track of the points in this challenge as well. It looks fun.
Fall is going to be a challenge with school going, but I am going to give it my best shot. Like Julianne, my proposed books are in italics and will bold them when I am done.
Points as of 15 Sept - 35
5 POINT TASKS
1. READ A BOOK WITH THE NAME OF AN ANIMAL IN THE TITLE Three Little Cajun Pigs
2. READ A BOOK WITH A COLOR (RED, BLUE ETC.) IN THE TITLE Clockwork Orange
3. READ A BOOK THAT HAS SOME TYPE OF PLANT LIFE (FLOWERS, TREES) OR PART OF A PLANT (LEAF, PETAL) IN THE TITLE A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
4. READ A BOOK WITH THE NAME OF A CITY, COUNTRY, CONTINENT IN THE TITLE The Plot Against America
5. READ A BOOK WITH THE NAME OF A PERSON OR CHARACTER IN THE TITLE Rebecca
6. READ A BOOK THAT HAS THE WORD SCHOOL IN THE TITLE Old School
7. READ A BOOK WITH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING IN THE TITLE (VAMPIRE, ZOMBIE, WEREWOLF, DEVIL, GHOST, GOBLIN, WITCH, OR FRANKENSTEIN) The Witches
8. READ A BOOK WITH SEPTEMBER IN THE TITLE
9. READ A BOOK WITH OCTOBER IN THE TITLE October Sky
10. READ A BOOK WITH NOVEMBER IN THE TITLE
10 POINT TASKS
1. READ A BANNED BOOK Candide
2. READ A BOOK ABOUT MUSIC OR A MUSICIAN (FICTION OR NON-FICTION)
3. READ A NOVEL OR NON-FICTION BOOK ABOUT FOOTBALL
4. READ A BOOK WITH A ONE WORD TITLE Blindness
5. READ A HORROR OR SUSPENSE NOVEL Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
6. READ A NON-FICTION BOOK Very Good Year
7. READ A NOVEL WRITTEN IN THE 19TH CENTURY Tale of Two Cities
8. READ A YOUNG ADULT NOVEL (ANY BOOK THAT IS CURRENTLY CATEGORIZED AS SUCH WILL DO, WHETHER IT WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO BE ONE OR NOT)
9. READ A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES, ESSAYS, OR A PLAY The Judith Butler Reader
10. READ A NOVEL OR NON-FICTION BOOK ABOUT WITCHES, VAMPIRES, OR WEREWOLVES Dracula
15 POINT TASKS
1. READ A BOOK BY AN AUTHOR YOU'VE NEVER READ BEFORE Around the World in 80 Days
2. READ A BOOK BY A HISPANIC OR HISPANIC AMERICAN AUTHOR
3. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN AFRICAN OR AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHOR Color of Water
4. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN ASIAN OR ASIAN AMERICAN AUTHOR
5. READ A NOVEL BY A GAY OR LESBIAN AUTHOR Bodies that matter (this has been on my currently reading list since July, but I have yet to actually pick it up!
6. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY A GOOD READS AUTHOR Fallen
7. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN ATHLETE OR FORMER ATHLETE Cider House Rules
8. READ A BOOK ABOUT OR BY ONE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES The Audacity of Hope
9. READ A BOOK BY A PULITZER PRIZE WINNER (NOT NECESSARILY THE WINNING BOOK) Either Gilead, Stone Diaries or Empire Falls
10. READ A NOVEL BY AN AUTHOR WHO IS NO LONGER LIVING Fathers and Sons by Turgenev
25 POINT TASKS
1. READ A BOOK AND COOK A MEAL INSPIRED BY IT
2. READ A CRAFT BOOK AND MAKE AN ITEM FROM IT
3. READ A BOOK AND THEN WATCH THE MOVIE ADAPTATION Vanity Fair
Stacie,You may want to move Blindness to "Read a book by a hispanic author". It will get you more points.
This looks like so much fun. I can't wait to see how many points I can come up with. I need to print the list and sit with my library website for a while, I think.
I guess i'll start with the big pointers first.15 POINT TASKS
1. READ A BOOK BY AN AUTHOR YOU'VE NEVER READ BEFORE
Time traveler's wife
2. READ A BOOK BY A HISPANIC OR HISPANIC AMERICAN AUTHOR
One hundred years of solitude, or Shadow of the wind
3. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN AFRICAN OR AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHOR
the temple of my familiar - alice walke
4. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN ASIAN OR ASIAN AMERICAN AUTHOR
Never let me go - Ishiguro
5. READ A NOVEL BY A GAY OR LESBIAN AUTHOR
something by Sedaris
6. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY A GOOD READS AUTHOR
The year of the fog
9. READ A BOOK BY A PULITZER PRIZE WINNER (NOT NECESSARILY THE WINNING BOOK)
The Road
10. READ A NOVEL BY AN AUTHOR WHO IS NO LONGER LIVING
The Big Sleep, or The Bell Jar
25 POINT TASKS
3. READ A BOOK AND THEN WATCH THE MOVIE ADAPTATION
Memoirs of a geisha
10 point tasks:
1. BANNED BOOK
Handmaid's tale
4. READ A BOOK WITH A ONE WORD TITLE
Eclipse
5. READ A HORROR OR SUSPENSE NOVEL
Lifeguard - patterson
6. READ A NON-FICTION BOOK
(something in my graduate classes)
Yikes, that would be 215. I'm setting a goal of 175!
5 Points - Read a book with the name of a character in the Title - The Story of Edgar Sawtelle.
5 Points - Read a book with a color in the title - The Black Cross
10 Points - Read a fiction or non-fiction book about football - Playing for Pizza.
10 Points - Read a YA Book - The Book Thief, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.
15 - Read a book by one of the presidential candidates - The Audacity of Hope/Dreams of My Father.
15 Read a book by an author you have never read before - Blindness.
25 Read a book and cook a meal inspired by it - At First Sight (made the spaghetti sauce).
Future tense until tomorrow, Present tense from tomorrow until the end of November, past tense starting December 1st...:).
Andrea,
Okay, if Saramago won't be considered Hispanic, I'll move him to the "Read a book then watch the movie adaptation."
Any suggestions on a Hispanic or hispanic amreican author? Will we consider Gabriel Garcia Marquez?
Julianne,True, strictly speaking, the historical definition of Hispanic refers to what is now known as the Iberian Península; however, the meaning has varied and many people (perhaps even most, given as not many are familiar with History/Etymology) associate it with the language, rather than the geography.
Anyhow, only Cynthia can say what she meant exactly, since there are almost as many definitions of Hispanic as there are people.
Cynthia,
Hispanic is not exactly the same as Latin American. If you associate it with language, it also includes Spain. If you associate it with geography, there´s also Portugal (and Andorra, I think, geography is not really my forte).
Curiously enough, considering this exange, Saramago himself prophesized last year that Spain will eventually absorb Portugal and thus a new country -Iberia- would be born: http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internaci...
Interesting, Andrea. Actually, after I saw your post I asked my husband his experience (he's a police officer who is also a Spanish translator for his department, so he spends a larger than average time with people who have come to America for whom English is not their first language). He cringed when I asked him. He said if you got 3 people from the same Spanish-speaking country, they may have 3 different opinions on what they would like to be called.I can put Blindness in a different category, I just am curious what I can pick.
unread topics | mark unread
Books mentioned in this topic
A Short History of Nearly Everything (other topics)House of Leaves (other topics)
La Puta De Babilonia/ the Bitch of Babylonia (other topics)
The Decapitated Chicken and Other Stories (other topics)
My Antonia (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Jeremy C. Shipp (other topics)Lisa See (other topics)
Sherwood Anderson (other topics)
Linda Gerber (other topics)
Melissa C. Walker (other topics)
More...
