Feb 2014 - FINISH LINE (aka reporting thread)

[Laura]

Janice wrote: "I'm glad you enjoyed the challenge, if not the book, Laura. Maybe you'll have a chance to read about some elves and orcs with the next challenge. :)"

LOL thanks Janice! :D I'd originally planned a totally different book for this challenge, but there's no way I'll finish it in time, so I went with this one.

[Sarah]

Naomi wrote: "You can just make one of the books you read from the Toppler fit the challenge as long as it wasn't for the Chunkster challenge. "

Unfortunately, none of the ones I read for the toppler will fit this challenge =[

Nevermind, it's okay. Next challenge I hope to take part in.

[Almeta]

I finished Peepshow by Leigh Redhead .

Look how nicely I can spell Olympics on a vertical line! :o(


O:
L:
Y:
M:
P:
I:
C:
S:

312 pages, but honestly only 293 are for this title. The reminder are excerpts from other books.

Set in November, but I suppose that is not winter in Australia.

10 points if book is set in the country you represent AND the author is born there.

Total 10 points for Australia in Figure Skating competition.

I couldn't have picked a lesser scoring book if I had tried!

[Janice, Moderator]

Almeta wrote: "I finished Peepshow by Leigh Redhead.."

You represented Australia, but in which sport? Figure skating?

[Almeta]

Janice wrote: "...You represented Australia, but in which sport? Figure skating?"

Sorry.

Yes, Figure Skating.

[Janice, Moderator]

You don't quite have the lowest points, Almeta. Helen is holding on to the glue stick position at 9 points.

[Almeta]

Janice wrote: "You don't quite have the lowest points, Almeta. Helen is holding on to the glue stick position at 9 points."

Darn!

[Tejas Janet]

McCarthy's Bar: A Journey of Discovery In Ireland is set in the Republic of Ireland, but author Pete McCarthy, though he was half-Irish and felt more Irish than English, was born in England so no points there. Mountains are a frequent part of the setting in his travels along the western coast of Ireland, so that makes alpine skiing the Olympic sport for me. The book met the other criteria for the challenge rules.

Scoring:
No - book is set in the country you represent AND the author is born there (tho his mother was Irish and he spent summers there in childhood)
No - book's theme is any of the winter sports listed here
No - book's theme is the Olympics
0 pts

O:
YES - 5 Points - there is a village in your story – quite a few
YES - 4 Points - Orange on cover (author's name in orange)
No - Author's last name starts with O
9 pts

L:
YES - 5 Points - Length is between 300-400 pages long (hardback version).
YES - 4 Points - A Lake is in the story (Lough Derg, destination for his pilgrimage to Station Island)
YES - 3 Points - A Lady is on the cover (a very nice looking nun sitting outside the bar)
12 pts

Y:
No - Young Adult genre
No - Yellow sun on cover
YES - 3 Points - Year setting is between 1900 and 2000 (is set in 1998, the year of author's extended road trip along western coast of Ireland)
3 pts

M:
YES - 5 Points - Title starts with the letter "M"
YES - 4 Points - Male author
YES - 3 Points - Memoir
12 pts

P:
YES - 5 Points - Poetry is included in the story (inscription on grave marker at famine pit in Skibbereen - 9,000 coffinless victims of the potato famine from 1845 to 1850 - see below for full text)
YES - 4 Points - Author's first name starts with "P"
YES - 3 Points - Pink on the cover (pink flowers in hanging plant, et al.)
12 pts

I:
No - Initials in Author's name
YES - 4 Points - Informational (aka non-fiction)
No - set in 3 or more countries (is set in 3 or more counties but not countries)
4 pts

C:
No - set in Winter (tho he does mention some cold weather on the mountain at )
No - Main character is non-human (tho he felt that way after one all-night birthday party where it was the birthday of the bar owner who’s last name was McCarthy and so he was included in the birthday party, treated to dinner, and bought free drinks all night long)
No – Calligraphy -Title or author's name is written in script on the cover.
0 pts

S:
No - Series title is same as book title (eg The Shining, The Shining 1)
YES - 4 Points - Shakespeare is mentioned (mentions Shakespeare writing Hamlet – p.125)
No - Science Fiction genre.
4 pts

Fnal point tally: 9 + 12 + 3 + 12 + 12 + 4 + 0 + 4 = 56 Points

"To The Nameless Dead Who Lie Here and In Wayside Graves" (p.102)

Nerve and muscle and heart and brain,
Lost to Ireland, lost in vain,
Pause and you can almost hear
The sounds echo down the ages,
The creak of the burial cart.
Here in humiliation and sorrow,
Not unmixed with indignation
One is driven to exclaim
Oh God, that bread should be so dear
And human flesh so cheap."

[Cherie]

Is that the longest scoring report on record? Loved it, Janet! Great point count too.

[Almeta]

Tejas Janet wrote: "McCarthy's Bar: A Journey of Discovery In Ireland is set in the Republic of Ireland, but author Pete McCarthy, though he was half-Irish and felt more Irish than English, was born in En..."

Amazing point total!

[Tejas Janet]

Cherie, I'm thinking it's my Scotch-Irish roots that caused me to report at such length.

Loved this book. Sad to meet and say goodbye to author Pete McCarthy all in one go. He died in October of 2004 at age 52, just a year older than I'll be come March.

But he wouldn't want us crying and carrying on. Just raise a pint in his honor... preferably at your nearest incarnation of McCarthy's Bar.

So funny at one point where he talks about an unnamed, beloved village being so "tiny... there are just 6 pubs."

Here's to Pete... raising mug to clink glasses :D

[Erica]

Ok, that was a close call! I finally finished Popular Music from Vittula by Mikael Niemi on the last day of this challenge. Since I read the Swedish version "Populärmusik från Vittula", which also has a different cover, I will score the cover according to that book.

I am representing Sweden in figure skating.

Scoring: (Count all qualifiers that apply)

10 points: the book is set in Sweden and the author is born there.

O:
5 Points - There is a village in your story
4 Points - Orange on the cover

Y:
3 Points - Year setting is between 1900 and 2000.

M:
4 Points - Male author
3 Points - Memoir

P:
3 Points - Pink on the cover.

C:
5 Points - Cold - set in Winter

Total: 37 points!

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Erica wrote: "Ok, that was a close call! I finally finished Popular Music from Vittula by Mikael Niemi on the last day of this challenge. Since I read the Swedish version "Populärmusik från Vittula"..."

And? And? Your thoughts?
Your cover must have been much prettier than mine?

[Rusalka, Moderator]

So I sort of did this without meaning too. I didn't read what I wanted to for it but read The Road. But luckily I read something I really wanted to.

So USA for
2. Biathlon - Being a superb shot with a rifle is mandatory in this sport. The book you choose will have some kind of weaponry in it. There is one restriction in this category. The theme of the book may not be about war.

10 points if book is set in the country you represent AND the author is born there.

Y:
3 Points - Year setting is between 1900 and 2000.

M:
4 Points - Male author

C:
5 Points - Cold - set in Winter

S:
3 Points - Science Fiction genre.

TOTAL: 25 points (updated thanks to Janice's ruling)

[Janice, Moderator]

Rusalka wrote: "So I sort of did this without meaning too. I didn't read what I wanted to for it but read The Road. But luckily I read something I really wanted to.

So USA for
2. Biathlon - Being a su..."

Yes, dystopia will count as Sci Fi.

[Janice, Moderator]

tracked to here. One day left to read like fools!

[[deleted user]]

Almeta wrote: "Janice wrote: "You don't quite have the lowest points, Almeta. Helen is holding on to the glue stick position at 9 points."

Darn!"

teeheehee

[Erica]

Rusalka wrote: "And? And? Your thoughts?
Your cover must have been much prettier than mine?"

I really enjoyed it! The author is an excellent story teller and sometimes I was laughing out loud. A feel-good bok!

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Erica wrote: "Rusalka wrote: "And? And? Your thoughts?
Your cover must have been much prettier than mine?"

I really enjoyed it! The author is an excellent story teller and sometimes I was laughing out loud. A ..."

Me too! I felt terrible reading it on an overnight flight back to Aus. I probably sounded like I had a disease or something.
I agree though, he has a way of telling stories that are so captivating, but if I explained to you what the story was, I would make it sound ridiculously boring. So glad you enjoyed it!!

[Janice, Moderator]

Okay - here are the scores as I recorded them. Please review and let me know if I've missed anyone.

67 pts - Amanda, My Sergei (Russia, Figure Skating)
56 pts - Patty, The Winter Games (USA, Alpine Skiing)
56 pts - Tejas Janet, McArthy's Bar (Ireland, Alpine Skiing)
53 pts - Thing Two, The Hare With Amber Eyes (France, Figure Skating)
53 pts - Diane, The Hare With Amber Eyes (France, Figure Skating)
47 pts - Debra, Hunted (USA, Biathlon)
47 pts - Amanda B, Safe Passage (England, Figure Skating)
47 pts - Connie, Unsuitable Job fFor A Woman (England, Biathlon)
43 pts - Peggy, If I Stay (USA, Figure Skating)
41 pts - Marie, Portrait of a Landscape (England, Figure Skating)
38 pts - Anna, The Pianist (Poland, Ice Hockey)
37 pts - Wanda, The Ludwig Conspiracy (Germany, Alpine Skiing)
37 pts - Erica, Popular Music from Vittula (Sweden, Figure Skating)
34 pts - Marnie, Hounded (USA, Biathlon)
34 pts - Sarah, Hounded (USA, Biathlon)
34 pts - Naomi, Running the Rift (Rwanda, Ice Hockey)
33 pts - Esther, Frost Burned (USA, Biathlon)
28 pts - Cherie, The Road From Coorain (Australia, Biathlon)
28 pts - Casceil, Murder on Ice (USA, Figure Skating)
27 pts - Beth, Regeneration (UK, Ice Hockey)
27 pts - Roz, The Hot Shot (USA, Curling)
26 pts - Lynn, True Love Story (USA, Curling)
25 pts - Janice, Cocaine Blues, (Australia, Biathlon)
25 pts - Lisa, Dance of Shadows (USA, Figure Skating)
23 pts - Rusalka, The Road (USA, Biathlon)
22 pts - Alexandra, The Bodies Left Behind, (USA, Biathlon)
20 pts - Erin, Ignite Me (US, Ice Hockey)
11 pts - Tasha, Cellist of Sarajevo (Bosniia, Figure Skating)
10 pts - Almeta, Peepshow (USA, Figure Skating)
9 pts - Helen, Song of Achiles (Greece, Ice Hockey)

[Naomi]

Me

[Naomi]

Naomi wrote: "Running the Rift

sport Ice Hockey representing Rwanda

5 points - theme Olympics - the main character is training to run in the 1996 Summer games - His goal and dream to be in the..."
Here it is.

[Naomi]

Message 88

[Janice, Moderator]

Fixed! Thanks for pointing that out Naomi, and my apologies for missing it.

[Naomi]

No problem. Thanks!

[Janice, Moderator]

Badges have been posted. Please check them out, and let me know if I've missed anyone.

[[deleted user]]

Thanks Janice I'm more than pleased with mine >:-)

[Esther]

Nice! Thanks

[Laura]

The badge is gorgeous but I think you missed me, Janice.

I'm at message 98 with 22 points.

[Travis]

I am way back at message 4 with 17 points

[Janice, Moderator]

My apologies Laura & Travis. Your badges are there now.

I think I need to start using something else to track results. I'm using Evernote and it's too easy to delete stuff without being aware. I can't use Excel on this laptop, so back to the drawing board.

[Laura]

So lovely, thank you Janice. I don't know how you mods do it. Being a mod here is a lot of work. We do appreciate it though! :)

[Cherie]

Thank you, Janice. The badge is Beautiful!!!