The Next Best Book Club discussion
Cynthia's Seasonal Challenges
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OFFICIAL SPRING CHALLENGE - 2009
8. In Honor of Memorial and Armed Forces Day – Read a book about a veteran OR someone serving in the military (fiction or non-fiction). What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell-4/13
New Total 230
Also finished Lucky by Alice Sebold for part of a 25 point task and The Fourth Sisterhood book by Ann Brasheres for the ya 25 point challenge. I am also working on the Encyclopedia of Counseling for genre not typically read...
Cannot wait for the new 50 point task!!
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Kathryn wrote: "Cynthia wrote: "Terri wrote: "25 POINT TASKS7. DARLA'S TASK - Read a book you've either seen in a movie or heard referenced in a movie.
The Princess Bride - William Goldman
This is the book ..."
How about a humorous book?
Terri wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Cynthia wrote: "Terri wrote: "25 POINT TASKS7. DARLA'S TASK - Read a book you've either seen in a movie or heard referenced in a movie.
The Princess Bride - William Goldman
T..."
Oh, yeah, I totally forgot about that category... do that! I tried to read The Princess Bride once, but I just couldn't get into it... I love the movie though!
Jon wrote: "♡ Eva ♡ wrote: "I don't choose like that either- I just try to pick what I think I'll like. Like Elizabeth said- there are no prizes at the end! LOLSomeone else mentioned if it's a task they aren'..."
The book I ordered for this task is on it's way and has been for a few days now. I think I'm going to start it when it gets here instead of putting it off. I'm trying to switch things up a bit! LOL
Okay change Princess Bride to:10 POINTS
9. Read a book from the TNBBC Top Books list…
- The book can not be your own contribution
- The number that corresponds to that book must only contain numbers that can be found in the year you were born…i.e. if you were born in 1982 (like me) you could read 1, 28, or 89 but not 93, 15, or 22 (because there is only one 2 in the date) etc.
- The list can be found under the TNBBC Top 10 Lists!! Subheading
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/7573...
130. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
SO I think that makes me 60 points
now?
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5. For Easter/Lent…
- Read a Christian Fiction novel,
- A book about sacrifice, OR
- A book about something you would or are planning to give up.
This was such a hard, hard book to read. I doubt I'll ever read anything like it again. I've read tons of true crime and other memoirs of childhoods filled with abuse but those victims weren't written about in a matter where you actually started to know them (the t.c.) and with the abuse books, the victim almost always lives.
This little girl died at 8 years old from cystic fibrosis and her Dad put in so many little details about her that you really, really got to know her.
I stayed up until almost 3am last night finishing the book- I was alternately reading and sobbing. I had to put it down I don't know how many times to compose myself. That a little girl that young can be so strong knowing that she's about to die and not having an answers to what it'll be like is so amazing.
It's so sad that we haven't found a cure for this yet. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation put this book out and they aren't a charity I ususally donate to but today I am. I can't not do it.
It definitely counts as a book about sacrifice- there is more sacrifice by every person in her family and group of friends than I could even tell anyone.
Manday wrote: "So, when people choose books do they look for short ones for the low point tasks? I have just been using my "to read" list to fill in tasks, it makes the most sense to me to read what I was plann..."
I suppose if you're really competitive you might use shorter books, especially for the low-point tasks. I admit that once things started, I ended up reading more than I had planned, because it's fun watching your name go up in the rankings, but yeah, for me it's more about reading interesting books than it is about winning. To be honest, I don't know what my task would be if I got to choose one! I have switched a couple of books when I had planned on reading something really big and I ended up finding a book in the library that I wanted to read and was short and light (example - switched 800 something page Outlander for 375ish page Faerie Wars) but I rarely am getting anywhere close the 100 mark. Another thing to keep in mind, though, is that page numbers often don't mean much. The Bone People is taking me *forever* (in fact I've broken my usual don't start a book before you finish the last one rule and taken breaks reading other books while I'm reading it, just for a break) but it's only 400 something pages. The thing is, it's a slow-moving, not very plot-driven book with small print. The speed of a book depends on its physical size, the font, how much dialogue there is as opposed to blocks of text, how much the plot really makes you want to keep zooming forward, the difficulty of the language, etc. I wouldn't bother messing with page counts; just read what you want to!
In other news, I have to admit that halfway through I'm already looking forward to seeing the Summer Challenge tasks. Half the fun for me is, if not the actual searching, just finding out the tasks and thinking about what I'll use! I have a big list now of books to read to prepare for the women's studies PhD programs I'll be applying to in 1-5 years, so I'm hoping some of those will fit :-D
Finished the Spring Cleaning task for another 5 pts. I read Better by Atul Gawande. It was decent but nothing fabulous.New total:55 pts
5 pts.
1.
2. Frankenstein
3.
5.
6. There is no Me Without You... One Woman's Odyssey of Rescuing Africa's Children
7.
8. The World of Jeeves
9. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
10. The Rainbow
10 pts:
1. Teacher Man by Frank McCourt
2. 2666
4. The Feast of the Goat
6. The Known World
7. The Boleyn Inheritance
8.
9. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
10.The Glass castle
15 pts:
6. Kristin Lavrandstatter 1: The Wreath
7. Snow/ Baudolino by Umberto Eco
9. White Noise by Dan Delillo
25 pts:
1. The Golden Notebook/ The Robber Bride
2. John Adams by David McCullough
3. Breaking Dawn/ What is the What
4.
5. The Time Traveler's Wife
7. Sense and Sensibility
8. New Moon & Eclipse
9. The Devil in the White City
Judith wrote: "Manday wrote: "So, when people choose books do they look for short ones for the low point tasks? I have just been using my "to read" list to fill in tasks, it makes the most sense to me to read w..."
Were you the person who was going to or did use Roots as the 'R' for the 'G' & 'R' task? I remember seeing that and admiring that one! LOL THAT is a HUGE book! A good one, but a HUGE one!
I was going to read Wally Lamb's new one for either the last challenge or this one (I forget) but that changed for some other reason.
You're so right about the page numbers not mattering that much for other reasons sometimes. I've reda short books that took far longer than a much longer book if it was difficult or just plain not interesting to me.
I'll have to pay attention to see how long it takes me to read my Diana book- since it's at least 400 pages!
Terri wrote: "Okay change Princess Bride to:10 POINTS
9. Read a book from the TNBBC Top Books list…
- The book can not be your own contribution
- The number that corresponds to that book must only cont..."That would only work if you were born in 1903/1930 because of the birth year requirement of the task.
Wow, lots of activity today. I have been mostly choosing my books based on my TBR pile, with a few thrown in here and there that I have seen recommended on the boards. Haven't been paying too much attention to the length of the books (which has been a bit frustrating since I am reading 'Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell' for the magicians task and it seems to be taking FOREVER! lol.... But, I also read 3 or 4 books at a time and have read several that I can't seem to fit into challenge categories.I am sooooooo glad I found this site-thanks Cynthia! I have really been clearing out my TBR pile and getting some great recs for stuff I wouldn't have normally come across!
Previously completed: 25.4 - The Woman in White - 3/5/2009
15.1 - The Other Boleyn Girl - 3/7/2009
15.5 - Eros, Eros, Eros Selected and Last Poems -3/9/2009
15.8 - The Numerati - 3/14/2009
Newly completed:
5 point task #4 - Naked in Death - listened to while in the car
5 point task #7 - When You Are Engulfed in Flames - listened to in audiobook form
Total Tasks Completed: 6
Total Ponts Earned: 80
15.7 Rhyming Titles:I read Live a Little and Nectar in a Sieve. I think some people pronounce "sieve" differently, but around here it rhymes with Live.
That brings my total to 185.
Questions: If I have already used a book for a task and reported the points, can I change it?Do you consider these as rhyming titles: Daughter and Water for Elephants?
Finished 5.8 Are You There Vodka? It's Me, ChelseaHI LAR I OUS!!!!!!
Brings my point total to 130 I think.
Heather in KS
I finished two more books over the weekend. Moon Called by Patricia Briggs for task 10.6 and The Angel Experiment by James Patterson for task 10.4. That is an additional 20 points, which makes my total 210. Yippee!!! I finally broke 200!!![image error]
Both of these books are the first in a series. Just what I needed, to start a new series. LOL
I liked Moon Called alot. It has a fun quality to it. Now I want to read the rest of the books in the series. I have to find out what happens with Mercy and Adam. :)
The Angel Experiment is quite different from what I usually read. It really has a more science fictiony tone than I usually get into. I am definitely more of the Fantasy type. But I thought this turned out to be a really good read. I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series. I think there are five.
Heather wrote: "Questions: If I have already used a book for a task and reported the points, can I change it?Do you consider these as rhyming titles: Daughter and Water for Elephants?"You can as long as you let me know, and yes daughter/water rhyme.
Cynthia wrote: "Terri wrote: "Okay change Princess Bride to:10 POINTS
9. Read a book from the TNBBC Top Books list…
- The book can not be your own contribution
- The number that corresponds to that book must o..."
Sorry - some of these tasks really are confusing to me. make it humerous then I guess
Eva, nope, that wasn't me for Roots! I am planning to read an 800+ pager for Jon's task though, because I found a really fascinating-looking one for that. Probably will do it towards the end of May, after exams.
Okay, I've taken the dive and begun The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy on audiobook. At the risk of being duplicative, I posted on TNBBC's current book thread that I am not sure how to assimilate this story. I love the narrator's presentation - I'm a sucker for anything British, not least the accent - so I am definitely tuned in. However, a die-hard intellect like myself ;) keeps asking if there's a point to the story? Is all science fiction a "just go with it" experience or am I sooo missing some other picture here? and, yes, I over analyze everything, including how all of the dust landed on my furniture that was just cleaned Saturday, or was it two Saturdays ago ???
Is this your first science fiction, Amy? If so - oh my!Hitchhiker's Guide is also a comedy; I wouldn't over-analyze it, personally.
Ditto Susanna, take it as it is, a ridiculous, hilarious comedy. There are sci-fi's that are all deep and you should look for hidden meaning, but this one is meant to be enjoyed.
Susanna wrote: "Is this your first science fiction, Amy? If so - oh my!Hitchhiker's Guide is also a comedy; I wouldn't over-analyze it, personally."
I've read what I believe to be Science Fi-ish stuff (Orwell's 1984 comes to mind and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea) but this was years ago and they were related to a class I was taking, therefore, the thought of assessment was looming. Hence, I couldn't/wouldn't just experience the stories. As I say, I am enjoying what I've heard thus far and I look forward to its progression. I need to keep an open mind?
I just finished Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets for challenge 25.4 . I love Harry Potter, so I of course enjoyed it again. New Point Total: 150
Leora wrote: "Wow, lots of activity today. I have been mostly choosing my books based on my TBR pile, with a few thrown in here and there that I have seen recommended on the boards. Haven't been paying too muc..."I thought I was the only one reading non-challenge books during the challenge! LOL I mentioned it before and most people, if not all that responded, said they're only reading books that can fit into a task. Which makes complete sense but I get in certain moods and also have like four or five friends that pick from my books and I send them to them in boxes. So I try to read a few for this friend, send them, a few for another friend, send them. I love it when I can fit a book for a friend into a task! :)
Heather wrote: "Finished 5.8 Are You There Vodka? It's Me, ChelseaHI LAR I OUS!!!!!!..."
You should read her other one if you haven't already- I think the other is far more funny!
I don't really consider the number of pages in the books. (The only time I actually did was with El's task, because I wanted it over as quickly as possible.) What has me so excited about this challenge is that I am finally reading the books that have sat on my shelf forever, instead of buying new ones by my favorite authors. These are books that I always wanted to read, but just kept finding excuses for. The page counts dont bother me, because I am truly interested in reading them. I try not to put a book on the list unless I think I will like it.
For me, the points are just a way for me to track myself personally to see how well I am progressing. It is gratifying to see the number go up - but it doesnt matter if I actually win the contest. I had slowed down my pace of reading over the past few months, and this challenge has gotten me to come back as strong as ever.
Judith wrote: "Eva, nope, that wasn't me for Roots! I am planning to read an 800+ pager for Jon's task though, because I found a really fascinating-looking one for that. Probably will do it towards the end of M..."Which book did you pick for that Judith? Not that I'll change because mine is on the way here already but I'm curious!
♡ Eva ♡ wrote: I thought I was the only one reading non-challenge books during the challenge! LOL I mentioned it before and most people, if not all that responded, said they're only reading books that can fit into a task. Which makes complete sense but I get in certain moods and also have like four or five friends that pick from my books and I send them to them in boxes. So I try to read a few for this friend, send them, a few for another friend, send them. I love it when I can fit a book for a friend into a task! :) I haven't just been reading books for the challenge.. but that is mostly what I've been picking up. I have about 20 or so library books besides those left for the challenge that I'm slowly getting through on the side.
Kristen wrote: "♡ Eva ♡ wrote: I thought I was the only one reading non-challenge books during the challenge! LOL I mentioned it before and most people, if not all that responded, said they're only reading books t..."I always try in the beginning to stick to challenge books but it only works for about three weeks usually. LOL Then I'm just in the mood for something else or I know someone is waiting for a certain book that I won't mind reading right then. Having my friends pick through my books is actually a huge help because with so many books I don't know what to pick up sometimes and I can go by what they want.
I've done better though this time around- last challenge I (on average) read 2 non-challenge books for every 1 challenge book. This time around it has to be more like 1-1 so who knows- maybe next challenge it'll be all task books!
5 points2. Read an epistolary novel OR a non-fiction collection of letters/journal etc.
A Traveller's Companion to Dublin
total 70 points
ohmygosh... I just checked out so many books from the library that I was embarassed by it... I checked out 14 books, and they wouldn't even all fit into my bag! Look what you people are doing to me!! (that said, these books should just about finish my remaining 15- and 25-point tasks - yeehaw!!!)
Eva, I've read several things that didn't fit into the challenge... I might be able to poke some into a category, but then I'd be ditching something else that I want to read for that category. If I don't get to the planned book by May, then I may go ahead and count the book I read... but there are still some books that won't fit. That's ok!The book I picked for Jon's task is The Story of Britain From the Romans to the Present A Narrative History. It appears from reviews to be interesting and very well-written.
I finally made it to the library to pick up some of the books I needed. Unfortunately, some were no where to be found, so I had to make some substitutions or scrub some altogether. Now to find some replacements for those. Uggg.. Frustrating! I know, I know, I am happy we have a library at all!
I'm only reading books for the challenge, which is great because a lot of the books have been sitting on my shelves for years, and some are really great i.e. Memoirs of a Geisha, so I'm kind of regretting letting them wait for so long. Honestly, size doesn't really matter for me for this challenge, the books I'm reading for it average around 350 pages.
Would any of these be suitable for the military task?An Unsuitable Mother
Patriot Games by tom clancy
Still struggling to find something suitable as most of the suggestions previously weren't available at the library.
Maliades wrote: "ohmygosh... I just checked out so many books from the library that I was embarassed by it... I checked out 14 books, and they wouldn't even all fit into my bag! Look what you people are doing to me!! (that said, these books should just about finish my remaining 15- and 25-point tasks - yeehaw!!!)"Hahahahaha!!! I'm so proud that I'm finally down to 10 books out from the library! That's soooo good for me! (Except I also have 2 out from the interlibrary loan system, so I guess technically it's 12...) I'm such a library-book hog... I have to keep renewing them and re-checking them out, because I can't get to all of them by their due dates...
PS - I read the entire Undead series by MaryJanice Davidson for the challenge. I counted all 7 books for different tasks. BUT, she also has a couple of short stories that go with the series, but are part of anthologies. I read those two short stories between the appropriate books, but other than that, I haven't read anything non-challenge related since the end of February...
I've been doing the library thing too, which is stupid because I was so excited that this challenge would help me clear out the books I need to finish before I move. I should do those first, before I go to the library!
Hey--I had an idea... I'm keeping my list of challenge books in my writing section like... someone suggested (Was it Eva??)... BUT I just saw that you can add a TAG to your "story". If everyone who has a list in their writing section tagged it "tnbbc", we would be able to search for each others' lists to see what everyone else is reading for a particular tasks. I thought this would be really helpful if you are trying to research a particular task... instead of trying to search through the (currently) 86 pages of posts!
My "story" now has two chapters - one for the Winter 2008 Challenge and one for the Spring 2009 Challenge.
EDIT: And now that I'm searching, I think maybe people are doing this already. If you search the writing for "tnbbc", 26 stories come up! Woo!
I, too, was clearing off my TBR pile. But I needed some for other tasks, so I bought some, then my daughter wanted to give me some since I was having a little surgery, so then yesterday I went to the library to get an "R" book. Things sort of snowball, don't they!
I didn't know that there was a writing section. Where is it? That is a really good idea!!I have only been reading books for the challenge, but not because I want to read something else, or get points, or whatever, but because these challenges are ones I actually want to read. I have discovered so many good books that I never would have read without this challenge... Cynthia, thanks for creating such an awesome challenge that gets people reading books they never would have read before! YOu are amazing!!!
Up at the very top, under explore, click "writing". On the right side, click the link called "my writing". On the right side again, you'll have the option to "add new writing".To see examples, go to that same explore->writing section, and type "tnbbc" in the "find stories" box on the right to search for other people's "stories".
oooh! I didn't know about that Writing section either! Thanks saranicole!and yes I'm a total library book hogger too! Our library system has an amazing online catalog where you can search each branch (like 10 branches or something in our city) for books, do the branch transfer, have them all routed to a specific branch for you, and just pick them up. It is soooo cool (oh no, I am such a nerd!!!)
15 POINT TASK7. In honor of both Dr. Seuss’ birthday (March 2) and Mother Goose Day (May 1) find and read two books with rhyming titles. By this I mean that there is a word in the title of one book that rhymes with a word in the other book’s title.
A Child Across the Sky, Jonathan Carroll.
Fly Away Peter, David Malouf.
TOTAL POINTS: 220.
Another book read for item 15.4--SAN FRANCISCO IS BURNING by Dennis Smith. A very interesting book about the people, particularly the Firefighters, who helped after the 1906 earthquake and fires. It is not really a book to read if you are about to make your first trip to California as it describes earthquakes in detail, but I have lived in Southern California most of my life so it didn't bother me.
There was even a few bibliophile stories, mostly relating to the wealthy who lived high in the hills and had amassed large libraries, but the most interesting to me was that of Adolf Sutro. Mr. Sutro, an immigrant from Aschen, had amassed a library of approx. 300,000 books. The most rare of his collection included four complete original Shakespeare folio's, Shakespeare's rent rolls for Shottery Meadow in Stratford, records of his real estate holdings, and copies of his sonnets. There were originals of the Book of Common Prayer, original folios of Ben Jonson, and original Gutenberg and Caxton printings. The good news is that all of the rare items were saved by the wind starting to blow in a different direction, the bad news is that much of his private library was destroyed by fire. The remainder of his books can be found today in the Sutro section of the California State Library (180-183).
This brings my total points to 150.
5.2 - Just had the distinct pleasure of completing Nick Bantok's trilogy The Griffin & Sabine Trilogy Boxed Set Griffin & Sabine/Sabine's Notebook/The Golden Mean Loved reading the postcards and letters between these two artists - beautifully illustrated - fabulous ending: Check out the stamp on the very last postcard from Sabine to the doctor in Kenya ;)
25.2 - Also completed A Midwife's Tale The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812 So appreciative of this challenge task, El, as I would have never stumbled upon the work easily and I've connected with it on so many levels. I live in the small New England town that abuts Martha's birthplace and I've camped astride the Kennebec River. My oldest daughter has recently been hired as a summer nurse counselor at the Clara Barton Camp - Clara is Martha's niece and my law practice is based in Worcester county ! Ms. Ulrich richly deserved the Pulitzer bestowed upon her for this tome - though a little challenging to read outside of a women's study/history class, well worth the effort if you have the interest and the time.
Amy wrote: "Also completed A Midwife's Tale The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812 So appreciative of this challenge task as I would have never stumbled upon this easily."Great! I'm glad at least one person other than myself was able to find some shred of enjoyment by this task! :)
El wrote: "Amy wrote: "Also completed A Midwife's Tale The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812 So appreciative of this challenge task as I would have never stumbled upon this easily."Great..."
We stand in a majority of three !! There's power here.
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7. DARLA'S TASK - Read a book you've either seen in a movie or heard referenced in a movie.
The Princess Bride - William Goldman
This is the book the grandfather ..."..."
Terri, you could try to read a book that rhymes with Bride... there are lots, like pride, cried, lied, died... I think these all rhyme... anyway, I know it isn't as good as the 25 points, but there are some good books out there that you could read and then take the 15 points for rhyming... this is just a suggestion... I hope that you find some way to fit this book in...