Connie ’s Comments (group member since Nov 11, 2013)

Connie ’s comments from the Reading with Style group.

20.5 Speech and Debate

Slade House by David Mitchell

For 10.6, silver and lead on page 31: "The candlestick's dull silver or pewter or lead and it's got symbols on it, or maybe letters from a dead language."

+20 task (paranormal, magical, slipping reality)
+ 5 combo 10.6 Elementary My Dear Reader (silver, lead)
+ 5 combo 20.1 Back to School (taught English in Japan)
+ 5 combo 20.8 Fall Author (born 1969 per GR profile)

Task total: 35
Season total: 515

David Mitchell taught English to students in Japan.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_M...

Nita Prose was a high school teacher of special education students.

https://suejleonard.com/articles/begi...

20.2 Math

Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It by Maile Meloy

For 10.6, lead (in a description of a bullet) on page 37: "It was copper-cased, splayed out in a blossom of dull lead where the tip had been."

+20 task
+ 5 combo 10.6 Elementary My Dear Reader (lead)
+ 5 combo 10.9 Keep It Short (collection of short stories)

Task total: 30
Season total: 480

Jayme(theghostreader) wrote: "Connie wrote: "Karen Michele wrote: "i also recently had cataract surgery and am very happy with it! The challenge is going well for me and I'm getting through some books I already own."

I'm glad ..."

I'll still have to wear glasses too, Jayme, but not as strong a prescription. I've been wearing glasses since I was in 6th grade so it's just part of my life.

20.7 Art

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

For 10.6, Silver on page 75: "If I had the silver, they would have taken it."

+20 task (trilogy)
+ 5 combo 10.3 Family (listed 30X)
+ 5 combo 10.6 Elementary My Dear Reader (Silver)
+ 5 combo 20.1 Back to School (see comment 38 on task thread)
+ 5 combo 20.6 Literature ( # 194 on list)
+ 5 combo 20.10 Zaphabetical
+ 5 series

Task total: 50
Season total: 450

15.8 Scrabble

Miss Pinkerton by Mary Roberts Rinehart

Tile: Y1 - Author's first name ends in Y
Tile points: 4

Task total: 15
Season total: 400

Karen Michele wrote: "i also recently had cataract surgery and am very happy with it! The challenge is going well for me and I'm getting through some books I already own."

I'm glad your surgery went well, Karen.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Connie - the world will look all fresh and new after the cataract surgery. I had mine nearly 30 years ago. I was very (VERY!) near-sighted, so the implants were an added bonus for correcting vision."

It's good to hear from someone who had great results, Elizabeth. I'll still have to wear glasses, but with a weaker prescription.

I'm hoping to finish Scrabble and at least one of the halfway finishes. I'm trying to get a lot of reading in now since I'll be dealing with cataract surgery in Jan and Feb 2025.

10.5 Lucky Sevens

The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson

For 10.6, silver on page 15 - "Klaus maneuvered carefully through the crush, holding aloft an enormous silver tray of empty dinner plates."

+ 10 task (7 words in title)
+ 5 combo 10.6 Elementary My Dear Reader (silver)

Task total: 15
Season total: 385

20.9 haLLowEEn

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer

For 10.6, page 174: ". . . a rare species of colossal starfish, six-armed, larger than a saucepan, that bled a dark gold color into the still water as if it were on fire."

+20 task
+ 5 combo 10.6 Elementary My Dear Reader (gold)
+ 5 combo 20.1 Back in School (Author teaches creative writing, see comment 32 in task thread)
+ 5 series

Task total: 35
Season total: 370

Jeff VanderMeer

"VanderMeer has been involved in teaching creative writing. One of the projects he is involved with is Shared Worlds, an annual two-week program that aims to teach creative writing to teenagers.[37] VanderMeer has also taught at the Clarion Workshop[38] and at Trinity Prep School."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Va...

20.10 Zalphabetical

Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout

For 10.6, page 10: "And she had the strangest things on her feet, boots with long big silver zippers up the front of them."

+20 task
+ 5 combo 10.6 Elementary My Dear Reader (silver)
+ 5 combo 20.1 Back to School (GR profile - teaches at MFA program at Queens University of Charlotte)
+ 5 combo 20.3 Chemistry Li, Be, Th, S
+ 5 series

Task total: 40
Season total: 335

20.8 Fall Authors

The Chosen by Chaim Potok

For 10.6, page 25: "Stop giving it to them on a silver platter and they won't hit it like that."

+20 task (author born 1929)
+ 5 combo 10.5 Lucky Sevens (pub 1967)
+ 5 combo 10.6 Elementary My Dear Reader - Silver
+ 5 combo 20.1 Back to School - per GR profile, author was on faculty of the Teachers' Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary

Task total: 35
Season total: 295

Chaim Potok

Per GR profile, he was on the faculty of the Teachers' Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary.

Pearl S. Buck

"During the following year, she met her husband and moved to Nanjing, where she taught English literature in the universities based in the city. In 1924, Buck and her husband took a year off from teaching to return to the United States."

https://www.womenshistory.org/educati...

10.10 Group Read

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin

For 10.6 Page 118: "Greg held up one of his gold medals."

+10 task
+ 5 combo 10.6 Elementary My Dear Reader

Task total: 15
Season total: 255

15.7 Scrabble

Charles Dickens and the Great Theatre of the World by Simon Callow

Tile: E2 - Set in any European Country (UK)
Letter points: 1 point

Task total: 15
Season total: 240

15.6 Scrabble

The Cemetery of Untold Stories by Julia Alvarez

Tile: Z1 - Author's last name has a Z.
Letter points: 10 points

Task total: 15
Season total: 225