Book Vipers Magic Square Challenge

[Jenny]

thank you guys! I was about to shelve Robinson Crusoe as travel, so I am glad I asked ;)

[Elizabeth]

If anyone is looking for any inspiration for award winning books, here's a link to the 2013 Costa Book Awards - https://www.costa.co.uk/media/117361/...

[Elizabeth]

And a link to past winners https://www.costa.co.uk/media/111169/...

Includes first novels.

[Imogen]

Can we tick off books that we started reading last year, or do we have to start and finish a book in the same yr for it to count?

And audiobooks count I think?

[Teresa]

I have to say that I am enjoying thinking and finding books for this challenge so hope I enjoy reading them as much :)

[Jo]

Imogen wrote: "Can we tick off books that we started reading last year, or do we have to start and finish a book in the same yr for it to count?

And audiobooks count I think?"

Imogen, audiobooks definitely count, as do all books finished this year, regardless of when started (thems is my rules anyway!)

[Paul]

Imogen wrote: "Can we tick off books that we started reading last year, or do we have to start and finish a book in the same yr for it to count?

And audiobooks count I think?"

Audibooks count. As long as they are finished this year.

Teresa wrote: "I have to say that I am enjoying thinking and finding books for this challenge so hope I enjoy reading them as much :)"

Glad to hear it

[Lisa]

If anyone has any suggestions of good books by Lisas I'd be glad to hear them. Was thinking maybe Still Alice by Lisa Genova but not sure.

[Jen]

I loved Still Alice, definitely recommend it! :)

[Elizabeth]

I was just coming along to suggest Lisa Genova. You beat me to it Jen :o

[Dedarth]

I have two questions, should all the books be in English? and does anyone have a suggestion for a new author?

[Paul]

Dedarth wrote: "I have two questions, should all the books be in English? and does anyone have a suggestion for a new author?"

No,just the one that is translated into English. All the rest can be in any language you choose.
The Guardian does a list of new authors: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guardian...

[Jenny]

Dedarth wrote: "I have two questions, should all the books be in English? and does anyone have a suggestion for a new author?"

Which leads me to another question: So the 'translated to english' applies for Italians, Germans, Spanish and so on as well? I originally understood it as not written in your mothertongue which for the majority of the group means not written in English. Would a German reader have to read say a Spanish author in English for it to count? Or would it be enough to read the author in German translation making sure there's an English one as well?

[Paul]

Jenny wrote: "Which leads me to another question: So the 'translated to english' applies for Italians, Germans, Spanish and so on as well? I originally understood it as not written in your mothertongue which for the majority of the group means not written in English. Would a German reader have to read say a Spanish author in English for it to count? Or would it be enough to read the author in German translation making sure there's an English one as well?

Absolutley

[Donna]

Paul wrote: "Dedarth wrote: "I have two questions, should all the books be in English? and does anyone have a suggestion for a new author?"

No,just the one that is translated into English. All the rest can be ..."

Interesting, the list doesn't include my selection for new author:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

[Jenny]

Paul wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Which leads me to another question: So the 'translated to english' applies for Italians, Germans, Spanish and so on as well? I originally understood it as not written in your motherto..."

Thanks Paul ;) I will stop asking questions (for now) I promise!! ;)

[Paul]

Jenny wrote: "Paul wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Which leads me to another question: So the 'translated to english' applies for Italians, Germans, Spanish and so on as well? I originally understood it as not written in ..."

:-) No problem, every question make any new challenges that we will do better next time

[Jo]

Lisa wrote: "If anyone has any suggestions of good books by Lisas I'd be glad to hear them. Was thinking maybe Still Alice by Lisa Genova but not sure."

Lisa Jewell? Not read any, but they are quite "out there" at the moment.

[Lisa]

Yes, I read a couple of hers years ago. She is superior chick lit I think, but it's still a genre that as a whole makes my teeth itch. Maybe if I see a cheap Kindle copy (so I don't have to look at the awful girlie book cover!)

I know. I am a snob. :)

[Jo]

Ah, fair enough, that would explain why the name is quite high profile. I only know the name from seeing it advertised, have never explored the books!

With you all the way on the dreadful covers, so offputting, even if the content is ok.

[Dedarth]

Paul wrote: "Dedarth wrote: "I have two questions, should all the books be in English? and does anyone have a suggestion for a new author?"

No,just the one that is translated into English. All the rest can be ..."

Thanks

[Elizabeth]

If anyone is looking for another source of award winning novels, have a look at the Bailey's Women's Prize for Fiction website - link here http://www.womensprizeforfiction.co.uk/

[Elizabeth]

Jo wrote: "Ah, fair enough, that would explain why the name is quite high profile. I only know the name from seeing it advertised, have never explored the books!

With you all the way on the dreadful covers..."

I've never understood the thinking behind publishers choice of covers. I came across a good example this morning - The Cuckoo's Calling - huge difference between the UK and the US covers - why?

- US cover
- UK cover

I really like the UK cover - it makes it seem a more serious and classy crime fiction novel. I don't think I would have picked the book up in a bookshop if it had the US cover - makes it look like cheap chick-lit. What were the publishers thinking? Beats me.

[Donna]

I'm really not a fan of people being in book covers. I also do not like film book covers, I find those annoying; actors faces all over books that came out way before they were turned into films!
So yes, I agree with you and I think that the UK cover above is far superior :)

[Elizabeth]

Given a choice between a film book cover and the original cover I would always opt for the original cover.

[Donna]

I'm quite picky about covers and get annoyed when Amazon send one different to what is shown when purchasing! My friend Charlene shares my frustration on this! Lol

[Donna]

Elizabeth wrote: "If anyone is looking for another source of award winning novels, have a look at the Bailey's Women's Prize for Fiction website - link here http://www.womensprizeforfiction.co.uk/"

This is great, thank you :)

[Sandra]

I agree the UK cover is much inspiring. I read The Cuckoo's Calling with a US cover, but I wouldn't picked the book if not knowing Rowling was the author.
I pick the books mostly because of recommendations and reviews but I'll pick for sure a book with a beautiful cover at least to read the blurb!

[Elizabeth]

Lisa wrote: "Yes, I read a couple of hers years ago. She is superior chick lit I think, but it's still a genre that as a whole makes my teeth itch. Maybe if I see a cheap Kindle copy (so I don't have to look at..."

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fragile-Novel...

Another Lisa author - Lisa Unger. I listened to an audio book version of Fragile last year as part of my alphabet challenge. It was quite a good story - a murder and a disappearance of a teenage girl in a small community.

[Imogen]

My husband has been looking at this challenge (as I keep yacking on about it, and faffing around with my giant notebook). He is immersed in the Cadfael series of books by Ellis Peters at the moment. He has found that if he signed up for the challenge he could legitimately fill seven squares of the grid by reading Cadfael 6 through to Cadfael 12! I found that really funny, imagine having a grid entirely filled with Cadfael books.

[Donna]

He he! My husband really doesn't get it and he is right when he says that we should be concerned with the words contained within, rather than the cover...but...I understand and as somebody who tends to keep most books, in particular the ones that I enjoy greatly, I like the covers to be nice, too.

[Teresa]

Donna Louise wrote: "I'm really not a fan of people being in book covers. I also do not like film book covers, I find those annoying; actors faces all over books that came out way before they were turned into films!
So..."

Oh so glad you wrote this. One of my pet peeves is when a series of covers is changed because of a film/tv adaptation. I like to have a series of books with the same covers.

[Catherine]

Donna Louise wrote: "I'm really not a fan of people being in book covers. I also do not like film book covers, I find those annoying; actors faces all over books that came out way before they were turned into films!"

I must admit, I agree. I don't like books that have actors from the film adaptation plastered all over it. For my book chosen because of the cover, it was difficult though as apart from not liking actors on the cover, I never let myself be seduced by covers. I did though, love the cover on The Thirteenth TaleThe Thirteenth tale. Annoyingly though, the book I received has quite a different image on it!

[Danielle]

For the book of poems. I suppose it means reading a book with a collection of poems. I suppose doesn't count.

[Donna]

I don't see why not, it looks like a great choice, Danielle

[Paul]

Danielle wrote: "For the book of poems. I suppose it means reading a book with a collection of poems. I suppose The Fall of Arthur doesn't count."

Sounds fair enough to me

[Catherine]

Ahh for the book of poems I have chosen Beowulf, which is one long poem. Does that not count?

[Danielle]

Paul wrote: "Danielle wrote: "For the book of poems. I suppose it means reading a book with a collection of poems. I suppose The Fall of Arthur doesn't count."

Sounds fair enough to me"

Than I'm going to give The Fall of Arthur a go

[Sally]

I finished Eyrie by Tim Winton last night, which was my book received as a present and my fourth book in the challenge :-) It was an excellent read, too - a great choice for anyone who wants to get a real feel for what Australia is like now. Review coming soon!

My magic square now looks like this:

X X O O O
O O O O O
O O O X O
O X O O O
O O O O O

[Paul]

Catherine wrote: "Ahh for the book of poems I have chosen Beowulf, which is one long poem. Does that not count?"

Yes, definitely

[Hannah]

I love this challenge. I am aiming for 25 books this year however my nature is not to plan in advance. So far Oh Dear Silvia was recommended by a friend and have just finished The Lost Boy by Camilla Lackberg (translated into English)which although a great book is just so sad and I feel like I've been through the emotional wringer. Need to go and peruse my bookshelves to find something else but not sure where to go next.

[Paul]

Glad you are enjoying it Hannah. Feel free to post your list here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
And see what others have chosen

[Catherine]

Great thanks Paul. :-D

[Jo]

Some great ideas in here for upcoming fiction for 2014 plus new authors being "championed" each month of the year.

http://news.penguin.co.uk/q/12341pHkc...

[Emma]

Hi there, for people not sure where to start poetry wise The Poetry Foundation is a great web site where you can read different poets and see who you might to read a whole book of. They also have a great Ap on iPad that randomly selects poems for you and even has poets reading their own work. I found the last bit especially helpful to get used to the rhythm of the words.

[Jo]

Emma. thanks for that on Poetry. I'll be honest, I'm a bit in the dark on it. I did see an "easy" version of the Canterbury Tales in my library and last term, my 9 year old did "simple" Beowulf at school. I think I would rather read one long thing than lots of short poems.

Maybe the Ancient Mariner or something.

[Elizabeth]

I think I shall read some Christina Rossetti poetry. They are rather wistful, sad pieces but very beautiful.

She wrote the curious and intriguing Goblin Market, which may fit the bill for a long poem too.

[Imogen]

How about a short book of Philip Larkin or Seamus Heaney. Or Don Paterson is v contemporary and v readable. I don't gravitate towards poetry, quite the opposite, but there are a few poets who just ... I was going to say "speak to me" but that sounds massively pretentious! ... rather they just seem to sum up life and express it more eloquently than prose ever could.

[Donna]

Seamus Heaney is fantastic! I studied him school and it contributed heavily to my A grade in English!

[Jo]

I did wonder about Philip Larkin, as I have his Letters to Monica to listen to so it did remind me of him. And Donna Louise - that is a serious recommendation! I will be browsing in my second hand book store and the library on Saturday morning. Thanks for these, ladies, I really was a bit clueless on where to start.