Faye’s Comments (group member since Nov 05, 2013)

Faye’s comments from the The Reading Challenge Group group.

You know... I think I might re-read this. I got it for my birthday last year (I'd read a library copy, loved it, wanted a copy of my own), but the spine has never yet been cracked! I've been chipping away at Cousin Bette for over a month now, but it's just not holding my interest. I only get a few minutes a day to read these days, and I actually find myself giving up those few minutes in order to do something else, because I don't want to read that particular book.

So yes. I think a Dracula re-read is just what the doctor ordered. :)

Holly wrote: "And loving the hints of sarcasm and humour, this from Chapter 15:

Dr Seward: I am satisfied that Lucy's body is not in that coffin; but that only proves one thing.
Helsing: And what is that, frien..."

I loved these guys. :D

My favourite excuse from people who don't return borrowed books, and one that I've heard a startling amount of times, is "I was moving/redecorating and everything got boxed up, so it's in a box somewhere..."

Okay, so there are two things wrong with this excuse -

1. If you're moving/redecorating, GIVE PEOPLE THEIR BOOKS BACK BEFORE BOXING EVERYTHING UP. Is that really so difficult?

2. You know it's in a box. You are in possession of these boxes. OPEN THEM AND LOOK.

Honestly...

Lucy wrote: "I have quite a horror story about book lending...

When I was much, much younger, I discovered Harry Potter a lot earlier than my friends. In fact, I discovered it a lot earlier than most (I know, ..."

Ouch!

Roseanne wrote: "Gavin is right, nonreaders just don't take care of books. I had someone leave my book in the rain and not understand what was the big deal. I don't know very many readers but you have to be one in ..."

You'd think the fact that it COST MONEY and BELONGS TO SOMEONE ELSE would be enough to earn some respect from the borrower... *sigh*

What's your policy on book lending? Do you write your name in your books? Make the borrower sign a written contract that they will, in fact, return it? Only lend to people you know you can take in a fight? Do you simply never let your babies out of your sight?

I would answer yes to those last two questions, by the way... I never lend to ANYONE but my mother, my baby niece, and on very rare occasions my brother. Family is family, after all, so saying no to them seems mean... but I know where they live, and can totally take them in a fight. ;)

Renee wrote: "Egypt to Europe? X-p

Mexico is decidedly still part of North America as a Continent. (It's Central America that I still think could go either way.) As we're trying for regions, Mexico seems fine ..."

What Renee said. USA and Canada have soooooo much literature between them that Mexico would probably get lost in the shuffle if we went with the whole of North America for only one month.

Holly wrote: "We could do 'North-Africa', and 'Sub-Saharan Africa'?"

Sure, that works. :)

Iasa wrote: "Faye, I like your new title! (or has it always been that and I've not noticed?)"

Thank you! I was late to the mod-title party, so it's fairly new. :)

I'd say... northern, eastern, and western Africa for one month; central and southern Africa for another month. If you google those terms ("north Africa", "central Africa", etc) it gives you a rundown of which countries are included in which.

Holly wrote: "We need an extra month anyway!"

Works out nicely!

Iasa wrote: "If the challenge is by region, maybe divide Africa into 2 regions?"

I was thinking that, too. Literature from South Africa would be a lot different than literature from Egypt, for instance.

Holly wrote: "That definitely works. They are probably the two more minor months.

You could even go all out and do a set of horror short stories, or a humorous graphic novel!"

Bonus points!

Holly wrote: "Thinking about it, we could easily combine the two ideas.

We could say that the criteria for each month is: written by an author from that region, a book set in that region, or written in the regions language?"

Even better!

Holly wrote: "After doing some research about regions, I've found a rather good selections of them:

North America
Central America and the Caribbean
South America
Western Europe
Eastern Europe
Africa
Middle East..."

I like that it includes Central America. Honestly, I'm never clear on whether that's North or South America anyway. ;)

Sandy wrote: "I have been giving this challenge some serious thought, and I am afraid that I am a "fence-sitter" on this issue. Personally, I am interested in reading books in translation. This does seem to be t..."

*points up* What Sandy said.

Everyone's got a different jumping-off point here. Some people might have only read modern American literature all their lives, and want to branch out but are nervous about it. We should leave this challenge broad enough that people get to decide for themselves what their comfort zone is, but not so broad that people feel lost amid a sea of choices. Defining regions seems a perfect compromise to me.

Also, let's remember that not everyone on this group defines world literature as everything other than English. To someone who has only read Asian authors their whole lives, branching out would include English authors. Part of the purpose of this group is to include everyone, from all countries and all walks of life, so we shouldn't forget our differences when it comes to this challenge.

Just a suggestion -

July - Manga/Graphic novels &/OR Humour
October - Horror/Thriller &/OR Short story collection

Not everyone wants to read graphic novels, and not everyone wants to read horror, so this would give those people another option AND work humour into the mix. Yes? No?

Renee wrote: "Camille said something about using regions, like Eastern Europe, in one of the earlier posts."

Like that, yes. :)

Renee wrote: "I appreciate your thoughts on that, Aitziber. You have a very clear vision for this challenge and that's great.

I'd like to hear from some others, as well. In what ways did the rest of you envisi..."

I envisioned a monthly focus on an area of the world that has produced great literature. I don't think we should restrict people by language, nor make it so broad as to encompass a vast continent in just one month. Where would be the Canadian literature in a month that focuses on the entire continent of North America, or in a year-long World Lit challenge that excludes English?

Have your reading habits changed since joining Goodreads? Do you find that you read more, or do you enjoy talking about what you've read so much that you end up reading less? Have you broadened your reading horizons, or have you found certain genres that you prefer to stick to?

Personally, after years of sticking to only tried-and-true classics, I read more modern fiction and nonfiction since joining Goodreads, now that I can read reviews and ask other people for their opinions before picking up a book that I wouldn't have read a few years back. And I definitely read more since I started participating in the yearly challenges.