Introduction to the genre challenge 2013 -15

[Liz, Moderator]

There have been requests to run the genre challenge afresh. Please post your genre suggestions in this folder and I'll compile a master list....

Once we launch the challenge, every month there'll be a poll to choose the next month's genre.

To take part, all you have to do is read at least one book from that month's chosen genre, (or if you like, you can read exclusively that genre all month). The choice of exactly which books, is entirely up to you. I'm sure there will be plenty of book suggestions flying around....

Well that's how it ran last time, but if you have any suggestions that you think might improve it, please post them here :)

[Liz, Moderator]

I do have a modification that I think might be good...

Last time we each had our own lists within the folder. How about this time we have a monthly genre folder in which we all post our reads of that particular genre? Then we can see more clearly what we'll all reading?

[Susan]

I personally enjoyed finding and reading books in all the genres in the last challenge, and would be happy to repeat most of them.....

I'm not sure if these are actually different, or just a different name for a genre we have already had.....

FOLK LORE
DRAMA
FAMILY SAGA
ADVENTURE
TRUE CRIME

I'm happy to try any genre really...it's a good idea to have a monthly folder, Liz, and see what everyone else has come up with.

[Andrew]

I'm quite intrigued having just joined and been curious to do a challenge, but this would be an easy start. How about 50s/60s kitchen sink e.g kind of loving, L shaped room, billy liar , room at top etc, and ghost stories ?

[Bill]

I enjoyed the genre challenge very much. I was actually thinking about it last night.. yes, yes, I know, very sad. I like the idea of opening a monthly genre folder to post everybody's selections for that month. I think our choices were overall pretty all-inclusive. Maybe it might be interesting to have pre-1900; 1900 - 1999 and the 2000's as genres?

[Bill]

Oh, would we start in November or wait until January 2013?

[Susan]

Bill wrote: "I enjoyed the genre challenge very much. I was actually thinking about it last night.. yes, yes, I know, very sad. I like the idea of opening a monthly genre folder to post everybody's selections f..."

I love older books,Bill, so this seems a great idea.

[Susan]

Andrew wrote: "I'm quite intrigued having just joined and been curious to do a challenge, but this would be an easy start. How about 50s/60s kitchen sink e.g kind of loving, L shaped room, billy liar , room at to..."

Those 50's/60's books sound good too, Andrew....I don't think I've read any of those you've mentioned.

[Zoe, UK Book Club Creator]

Having a monthly folder sounds like a good idea to me!

[Mark]

Sounds good idea as well.

[Jennifer]

Excellent - glad to hear you're starting again as I was waiting to join in from the beginning. Definitely on for the monthly folder idea - one stop shop for ideas in a particular genre!

[Mark]

How meney Ag Cris can you read from jan to dec 2013.

[Em]

I have loved this challenge, definately up to start over and I like the idea of a monthly thread too.

[Ian, Moderator]

I think the current list is great btw with 22 categories although I'd ditch Self Help as seemed pretty unpopular. Perhaps expand to 24 max to run over 2 calender years from January. I think the folder idea is great Liz. Don't think Bill's idea re centuries really works as can be catered to by all the other genres but what about:

a)Ghost stories/Horror as per Andrew above?
b)Modern British novel - say 60's onward as per Andrew/Susan
c)Orange/Booker prize short/longlisted

[Dave]

A monthly folder sounds like a good idea, and yes lets bring them max up to 24.

What about Graphic novels as a category?

[Andrew]

I like the idea of graphic novels, I've never really tried them but ordered Watchmen the other year of Amazon and enjoyed it . I've always fancied Maus (?) so it would be a good excuse.

[Sue]

I joined Goodreads too late for the last genre challenge, but read the thread, so I'd like to join in in 2013. 2 years would be good Ian. Would be nice to have an 'earlier' time e.g. pre 1900 a 'classic' although we would need a mod to see what counted as a 'classic'!!!

[Zoe, UK Book Club Creator]

I know the genre challenge is a way of getting people to step outside their boundaries, but we could consider having two genres per month, so if there's one you really don't want to read then you can read the other and people who read faster/a lot could try to read from both genres. But I'm also happy with a 2 year plan, whatever you guys want to do :)

[Liz, Moderator]

Thanks for your suggestions. Ok, summing up so far, the genre list is looking like this:

Historical
Magical-realism
Crime/detective (includes true crime)
Classic novels (pre 20thC)
Modern British classics (20thC/kitchen sink)
Travel/exploration
Non-fiction/self-help
Sci-Fi/distopian
Horror/gothic/ghost-story
Fantasy/folklore
Biography/memoir
Gay & Lesbian
Psychiatry/madness
Young Adult
Romance/Erotica
Short stories
Espionage/spy
Cult/Chemical fiction
War/revolution
Poetry
Comedy/humour
Award-winning (Booker, Orange, Pulitzer)
Western
Graphic novels

That's 24 genres to spread across 2 years (some are hybrids, but that then allows more freedom of choice). Let me know what you think :)

[Sue]

Looks good to me. Can't think of anything missing. What you could do for people who want to read 2 genres a month is to pair them up keeping a main list and a secondary list. 2 a month could then read the whole lot and the 1 a month could just keep reading down the list. That makes no sense I'm sure - so main list would be e.g. as above (taking 2 years). The 2 a month would do e.g. historical and psychiatry/madness and so on.

[Ian, Moderator]

I think if people want to read 2 a month, then just do it and keep the monthly poll simple at just 1 genre.

[Sue]

I didn't realise there was a 'set' book.

[Susan]

The list looks great...can't wait to start.
I agree with Ian about keeping it simple, it worked so well last time, it was obviously a great formula.

[Bill]

List is good. Simple is also good.

[Liz, Moderator]

Sue wrote: "I didn't realise there was a 'set' book."

There's no set book, the choice is entirely up to you (within that month's chosen genre of course!)

[Liz, Moderator]

My personal opinion is to stick with one genre a month, otherwise it will be far too complicated. Many are hybrids anyway eg horror/gothic/ghost-story, so there's quite a lot of options. The aim of the challenge is to try something different from your normal read.

Last time, I found the hardest category to wade through was poetry - I felt a sense of achievement/relief when I got to the last page, though some of it was very good.

I always managed to find something interesting (and I definitely stretched the genre definitions at times......) I used the library and mopped up some books from my shelves that had been gathering dust, waiting to be read. Didn't spend much money either - *awards self gold star* - I only bought The Sisters Brothers!

[Nikks]

I think it sounds great - thanks for organizing it mods :-) One genre a month definately keeps it simpler and you should have the genre and month/yr in the title. Cause you never know new people might want to join in. Lol

Is there a way in good reads to search under genre?

[Em]

You can search for books by genres or bookshelf titles, the listopia section might throw up some good suggestions too. Although, last challenge, I think the best ideas came from other UK Bookgroup Members!

I'm posting from my phone this am but if no one chips in meanwhile I'll let you know how/where to search a bit later on. (I need to see it first!)

[Em]

Oh yeah, if you go to Explore Books, there are genres listed to search individually (they're listed on the right hand side) and you can also search listopia from same place.

[Stephanie]

Ohh how exciting! Looking forward to being involved with this!

[Helen]

Looks good to me. I'd rather stick to one a month as other wise we'll vote for 2 'good' ones & miss out. Are we starting in Jan? Shall we read a christmasy book for December to prepare?

[Bill]

Helen wrote: "Looks good to me. I'd rather stick to one a month as other wise we'll vote for 2 'good' ones & miss out. Are we starting in Jan? Shall we read a christmasy book for December to prepare?"

I like the Xmasy book idea for Dec..

[Susan]

Helen wrote: "Looks good to me. I'd rather stick to one a month as other wise we'll vote for 2 'good' ones & miss out. Are we starting in Jan? Shall we read a christmasy book for December to prepare?"

Great idea, Helen.

[Angela]

The list looks good to me. I've enjoyed trying to keep up with the challenge this year and look forward to taking part next time round.
Thank you for organising it:)

[Ian, Moderator]

Job's a good un - as we say oop north.

[Em]

Looks fantastic! Count me in for Xmas too...

[Sue]

Me too, please!

[Helen]

Brill, I'm already eyeing up titles.

[[deleted user]]

I have enjoyed doing the challenge and been introduced to some genres I would not really read before. The only one I didn't enjoy was poetry (and then I even chose a poems for children). Yes I think a Christmassy book would be good for December though at moment can't think of any - my brain has gone on strike. Going to go searching in a minute.

[Liz, Moderator]

Ok, due to popular demand; we'll do a Christmas-themed book for December and start the genre challenge proper in January.....

[Susan]

That's great....I've added a couple of Christmassy books to my TBR list, but I'll also be looking in my local bookshop to see what they have on offer....it's a nice idea.

[Andrew]

AS December is always a bit chaotic in our house I'll prob go for something short but christmassy I fancy A childs christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas as my parents bought me a copy many years ago when they visited Laugherne but I've not read it!

[Nikks]

Me too - I'm in !!! There was a Christmas book voting thing recently on good reads, some odd books eg. Little women - it wouldn't have been on my list. Is it very festive ?

[Sue]

There are a few freebies with Christmas in the title on Kindle at the moment. They won't suit everyone though! Like the sound of Dylan Thomas.

[Theweebarrell]

what is the genre challenge challenge for this month and how do i find it on the threads

[Em]

Hi, unfortunately we've just finished our final genre challenge and have a free month in November However, we are planning a Christmas theme for December if you would like to join us for that? Comments etc will be posted under the Genre Challenge thread.

The good news is we will be starting a new improved genre challenge from Jan 2013. It will have a thread if its own, we will have a poll to select the genre and the plan is to have a monthly thread for relevant discussions.

[Dave]

List looks fine to me - and love the idea of a Christmas book for December. Will start looking at titles now :)

[Mel]

I'm new to the group but I would like to try the genre challenge. I will get busy looking for a festive read!!

[Helen]

You've joined at the perfect time, we are just starting afresh in December.

[Laura]

Well, this kind of challenge would definitely give me some kind of incentive to finally register with the local library!