The Next Best Book Club discussion
Cynthia's Seasonal Challenges
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SUMMER 2009 TASK SUGGESTIONS
We are doing this for work in June and I live in the U.S.
That's interesting, Angela. It's always good to promote volunteerism. I just got done hosting a few events for NVW at work myself.
August 1st is National Kids Day - Read at least three kids books to a group of children. (Most libraries and daycares love to have guest readers.)
July 27, 1858: FIRST USE OF FINGERPRINTS AS A MEANS OF IDENTIFICATION -- read a cop bookAug 1, 1969: The Birth of the Internet - read an online book from an oline source such as Project Gutenberg
Also, like what we did this season with authors birthdays - so authors born in June-Aug
Aug 10, 1846: THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE WAS FOUNDED
Books set at the SMithsonian (Margaret Truman for instance), or books about museums
Summer is the time for blockbuster moviesRead an adventure book/thriller and list who you would cast in the lead roles
- or -
Read a book that has been turned into a movie this summer, go see the movie and give you thoughts on if it was properly cast, or who you would have preferred seeing in the main roles.
I know a bunch of these have already been talked about, but I don't have time to read all the ideas right now. So like some other people, I am just posting my whole list here. :)June is~~~
Dairy Month
Great Outdoors Month*** read a book about camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, swimming, boating, skiing
National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month
National Rose Month
Turkey Lovers Month
Zoo & Aquarium Month***read a book with an animal or fish in the title
It also has Fishing Week, Clay Week and Camping Week.
Birthdays~~~
Aesops
Frank Lloyd Wright
Eric Carle
Richard Scarry
Helen Keller
First Ford was made in June.
Baseball was invented in June.
First recorded sighting of a UFO was in June.
First Caldecott Medal was awarded in June.
Flag Day***read a book whose title has words like soldier, flag, warrior, war, veteran
Juneteenth***read a book about slavery or with words like bound and slave in the title
First Day of Summer***read a book with summer words in the title...summer, beach, skin, tan, sun, heat
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July is~~~
Baked Bean Month
Blueberry Month
Hot Dog Month
Ice Cream Month
Picnic Month.
Canada Day***Canadian author???
International Joke Day
Tom Sawyer Fence Painting Day
Caribbean Day
Fried Chicken Day
Macaroni Day
Go West Day
Bastille Day
Cow Appreciation Day
Chess Day
Moon Day
Amelia Earhart Day
4th of July
************
August is~~~
American Artist Appreciation Month
Foot Health Month
Home Business Month
Catfish Month
Golf Month
Inventors Month
Clown Week***read a humorous book or a book about clowns
Elvis Week
Apple Week
Smile Week
American Dance Week
Birthdays~~~
Francis Scott Key
Neil Armstrong
Annie Oakley
Respect for Parents Day
Sports Day
Friendship Day
International Left-Handers Day
Homeless Animals Day
Archeology Day
Aviation Day
Kiss & Make Up Day***read a book about forgiveness or with words like forgive and kiss and hug in the title
Women's Equality Day
Switzerland founded
Ramadan begins
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Father recommended book or father's name.
Birthstones, flowers, etc.
Author born in June, July, August
Read a book that comes out in June, July or August
June, July and August...6,7,8...use the numbers one again
Words in the title start with the same letter
Read a play and watch
Title is a question
2/3 books with the same word in the title...at least four letters long
Fairytale Retelling
Have a list of favorites from people doing the challenge and read one you haven't read before.
5 star books from top 10 of the previous challenge.
Books spelling out name/initials
Read 3 books by different authors whose last names start with J,J, and A.
Book from a list that hasn't been used yet.
A book from the Worst Books of All Time list.
One word title
Some of these were suggested for the Spring Challenge, but I didn't keep track of who suggested what.
Adam wrote: "I love movies in the summer. How about we find a movie we really want to see in theaters or at the video store, and then read the book first. Then watch the movie and see how it compares.I just f..."
I think that's a fantastic one! That's one of my favorite things to do. And I didn't know they were making a movie out of The Time Traveler's Wife! That's one of my favorites, so I hope it is good!
In honor D-Day-read a book about a WWII veteran or the Holocaust.
Disneyland opened July 17, 1955 - read a book that was later turned into a Disney movie, or a nonfiction book about Disneyland, Walt Disney, or the Disney companySummer's here, break out the bug spray - read a book with an insect in the title
Brush up on your grammar before Back to School - read 2 books with a corresponding homophone in each title (sea/see, through/threw, fowl/foul, wait/weight, etc.). Each homophone must have a minimum of 3 letters.
British authors Emily Bronte (7-30-1818) and J.K. Rowling (7-31-1965) both have a birthday in July. In honor of Ms. Bronte, read a classic British novel (written before the 20th century). In honor of Ms. Rowling, read a contemporary British novel (one written during or after the 20th century that paints a modern portrait of British life).
WV Heather wrote: "I have two at the moment:1. In honor of Ann Frank's birthday (June 13, 1929) read a book related to the Holocaust
2. Read a book by an author who spent time in jail/prison/as a p.o.w.
I..."
*Edit: Anne Frank was actually born on June 12, 1929
Okay, I hope theses aren't repeats, so here we go!1. Farmers' markets are very popular in the summer, so read a book with a fruit or vegetable in the title. (June is also Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month.)
2. July 1st in Twyla Tharp's birthday, so read a book with a dance term in the title or about a dancer.
3. July 11th is Giorgio Armani's birthday, so read a book with a piece of clothing in the title.
4. June 14th is Race Unity Day, so read a book with a main character whose race or culture is different from your own.
5. June 23rd is National Pink Day, so read a book with a pink (or mostly pink) cover, and post the cover on the discussion board.
July 1st is also my birthday :) Just wanted to add that... :) Sorry, carry on!
June 17th is my DS2 and July 3rd is DS1 b/days lol. Oh and also my parents wedding anniversary on 27th August.Carry on as well. I am still umming and arring what to nominate for books.
My daughter was born on 4th of July....3 minutes before midnight...lol she will be 21 this year.continue carrying on....lol
Oh, what the heck. June 24th bday here. :)
On 16th June it will be 'Day of the African Child' - read a novel set in Africa.Millions of school children around the world will be graduating this summer from secondary/high school. Read a novel published in the year you left secondary/high school.
Summer is named from the old Norse word in Norwegian mythology - 'sumarr'. Read a novel set in Norway, by a Norwegian author or related in some way to mythology.
The 8th June will be 'World Oceans Day' - a celebration of the planet's marine environment. Read a book with a marine related word in the title eg sea, wave, water, any named sea life or animal that lives in the sea etc.
Summer is usually a time of warmer temperatures. Read a book with the word hot or a heat related word in the title, eg blazing, boiling, burn, fever, heat, humid, piping, roast, scorch, sear, sizzle, steaming, sultry, sweltering, tropical.
July 29th here.
Susanna, those are wonderful tasks! I hope Cynthia uses them.
I love the idea about reading a book in honor of Farmer's Markets and Fruits and Vegetables day! I hope we use that one.
There are going to be so many to choose from!! We just all dug right in! :)
Just thought of another task....In honor of the extra long days of summer, read a book by an author with an extra long name, that is an author with a least three names, i.e. Eric Jerome Dickey or Joyce Carol Oates.
Roseann wrote: "From a genre that is near and dear to my heart:Read a Book about Books and then pick a book that is discussed or mentioned within it and read that also."
I really like this suggestion.
awesomely creative (creatively awesome?) suggestions !!!
P.S. - Howsabout a book with "June" "July" or "August" as a main character or part of the author's name
P.P.S...Or birthstones "Pearl" "Ruby" or "Peridot" in the title
Peridot ??? Uh-kay, I can feel an obsessive moment coming on
Mel wrote: "LOL, Angela, July 11 is my bday. :-) "My birthday is July 16th. Two of my best friend's birthdays are July 11th... July is a great month!!!
Would you believe I found novels with "Peridot" in the title as well as an author named "Penelope Peridot" ?!
El wrote: "Good ones, WV Heather.I have a couple to suggest as well:
1. In honor of Gay Pride (often celebrated in June in memory of the Stonewall Riots in NY during the sixties) read a LGBT author.
2. In ..."
You beat me on Pride, El! I would suggest that it be LGBT author or a book with LGBT themes, though, since I remember seeing LGBT author for a previous challenge and a number of people picked books that have nothing to do with LGBT issues or themes (nothing wrong with that, but it's nice to challenge oneself if used to heteronormativity!)
How can you read a book that does not have to do with the LGBT issue or theme and still count it? Interesting!
Sorry, that wasn't clear - in a previous challenge, the challenge was to read a book by an LGBT author. Of course, plenty of LGBT folks have written books that aren't about LGBT issues, don't have LGBT characters, etc... and so I noticed that those tended to get picked (also that almost all of the authors picked were very famous mainstream authors, and everyone picked the same three or four authors). So I was thinking that it would be more of a challenge to read something with LGBT themes (okay, well, not a challenge for me, hehe). I also just remembered that this year is the 40th anniversary of Stonewall, so another one could be to read a book about Stonewall, or about gay *history* specifically, to toss things up a bit.
I think I picked an author that was more popular (not as an author, but a celebrity), but I would like to read a themed book. I have quite a few on my TBR, just have yet to actually read them yet, so hopefully this gets choosen!
Pick a Goodreads author and read a book from their "read" shelf. (Not one they have written themselves)
OK, I'm not really sure about this one because the theme would relate to each individual reader, but I think it works. The anti-summer challenge (because it relates to work and not vacation): Read a book about what you do, or have done, for a living. Pick a book wherein either a character, or the setting is related to your current, or past career (being a student counts, that's my ongoing career).
This is fun! I love thinking up these things!!
255752 Summer is the time for blockbuster moviesRead an adventure book/thriller and list who you would cast in the lead roles
I love this idea!!
I also love the idea of using a birth stone or gemstone in the title.
Running out of time to check what's already been said so apologies for repeats. These are just some ideas off the top of my head plus a quick google for significant dates:June 3 is the 20th anniversary of the Ayatollah Khomeini's death. Read a book about Iran OR a book about contemporary Islam.
June 4 is the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests. Read a book about China in the 20th century.
June 12 is Russia Day. Read a classic Russian novel.
July 14 is Bastille Day. Read a book set in France.
August 9 is the National Day of the World's Indigenous People. Read about an indigenous group, or a book by an indigenous writer.
August 26 is Women's Equality Day. Read a book with feminist themes, or a book about women's history.
Read a book set in your home state.
Read a book that one of your GR friends has reviewed.
Spin around a few times (standing or in a chair) and put your finger on your bookshelf or pile. Read the book you've touched. If you don't have a physical bookshelf or pile, then do the same with your computer screen after opening a random page of your tbr list.
Read a book that is reviewed in a magazine or on a website this June, July, or August.
Spin around a few times (standing or in a chair) and put your finger on your bookshelf or pile. Read the book you've touched. If you don't have a physical bookshelf or pile, then do the same with your computer screen after opening a random page of your tbr list.Too funny, I love this idea as I have just started going through my "to be read" piles and have no idea where to start--sigh!
Judith, I like a lot of your suggestions. I hope summer runs for 6 months this year as I hope all suggestions are used!
Ha, I think a lot of us would love a six-month summer!!A couple more ideas I thought of while baking cookies, as summer to me is a time to sit and reflect as well as a time to go on vacation:
Read a book of memoirs or essays.
Read a piece of travel writing (travel memoir, travel writing collection, or fiction that focuses on a vacation or road trip).
I love all the ideas people have for more general things, as I have two shelves of books I want to see if I can fit into the summer challenge before I pack them away, and also the more specific things that will take a bit of thinking :-)
And hey, with all these summer birthdays, one neat challenge would be to ask someone in this group with a summer birthday to recommend a book to you (or maybe recommend three and you have to pick one of the three).
Judith wrote: "Sorry, that wasn't clear - in a previous challenge, the challenge was to read a book by an LGBT author. Of course, plenty of LGBT folks have written books that aren't about LGBT issues, don't have..."Sorry, yeah, that's basically what I was getting at with my topic idea when I brought up the Gay Pride thing but apparently didn't put information detail in the task idea. :)
Read a book about a character who has your dream job if time, place and money were no factors.
Haha, El, this is a frequent thing with me - share an idea with someone, I just misunderstand and use 50 words to describe it when 5 will do ;-) And I love the dream job idea.
Loving all the ideas :)will get my thinking cap on
June 20th bday here - Midsummer Night's Eve
(Like everyone else, I apologize for any repeats as the thread is getting longer...)Read a book that was an inspiration for one of your favorite authors (many times this is a common question in author interviews so it is relatively easy to find these answers).
For National Immunization Awareness Month (Aug) read a non-fiction book about medical history (there are some good contemporary books about the history of polio, plagues, etc.) or a medically-themed novel.
Read a biography of an artist (thinking painters specifically here as Marc Chagall was born in July).
Read a book of astronomy for the meteor showers in August (or for Neil Armstrong's birthday if you prefer).
Edith Wharton died in August - Read an American novelist of her lifetime (1862-1937).
For Father's Day read a book that was published the year your father was born.
I'm astounded! These recommendations are even better than the ones that were made for the spring challenge and I thought those ones were draw-droppingly fantastic! You're all amazing and I am in awe. :)The only recommendation I have for now is to expand upon the father's day task suggestions to add: a book where the main character has the same occupation as your father/stepfather/grandfather/father-figure.
Otherwise everything I'd thought of has already been suggested, so unless I can think of something unique, I'll just go back to lurking again. :P
Read a book with a person's name in the title.
The Next Best Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
The Red Badge of Courage (other topics)The Time Traveler's Wife (other topics)
Is this for the U.K.? It was National Volunteer Week in the U.S. last week, actually.