Challenge Discussion and Questions

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Please use this thread to ask questions and discuss this challenge. this will be our second year and for many of our new members there could be some confusion.

[Sarah]

I'm very excited to see this again!

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Sarah wrote: "I'm very excited to see this again!"

So am I, it's a fun challenge.

[Sarah]

Finishing this challenge is giving me a lot more confidence in believing I can take on more difficult books next year. Ones I've wanted to read for a long time.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Sarah wrote: "Finishing this challenge is giving me a lot more confidence in believing I can take on more difficult books next year. Ones I've wanted to read for a long time."

I just looked at your list, I'd say confidence is not a problem.

[Sarah]

It was this year. I didn't expect to finish it, or even get far :)

[Kristina]

Jumping on the bandwagon!

[Adrienne]

I'm really excited to try this challenge! This will be my first challenge on Goodreads :)

[Laurie]

Please correct me if I'm wrong. The free space can be left blank like last year. I have noticed a few people including a book for that space on their potential books. I know that we can add a book there but it isn't required to complete a bingo, is that right?

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

Laurie wrote: "Please correct me if I'm wrong. The free space can be left blank like last year. I have noticed a few people including a book for that space on their potential books. I know that we can add a book ..."

You are correct.

[Laurie]

Kathy wrote: "Laurie wrote: "Please correct me if I'm wrong. The free space can be left blank like last year. I have noticed a few people including a book for that space on their potential books. I know that we ..."

Sorry, I meant to put this on bingo thread but thank you for answering my question.

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

No problem.

[Adrian]

With the days running out I have finally put a list together . Like others this will be my first ever challenge and am concerned some of my choices (thoughts) might not be regarded as "Classics" although they do fit the age categories (i.e. pre 1900, and 1900-1999).
I might run through it one more time and see what I think.
(oh as an example I was thinking of R F Delderfield's - To Serve Them all my Days and Apollonius's Jason and the Golden Fleece (Argonautica) - any thoughts ?)

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

Adrian wrote: "With the days running out I have finally put a list together . Like others this will be my first ever challenge and am concerned some of my choices (thoughts) might not be regarded as "Classics" al..."

Both books sound like great challenge books. But I haven't read either. Enjoy the challenge and don't worry too much about the "Classic" label -- if the book has enduring value, read it.

[Adrian]

Thanks for the advice Kathy. I'll stick with what I've got and publish asap. Am certainly looking forward to the challenge !!

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

Adrian wrote: "Thanks for the advice Kathy. I'll stick with what I've got and publish asap. Am certainly looking forward to the challenge !!"

We are glad to have you with us -- and will try and help you in any way for you to have a fun & successful challenge this coming year.

[Julia]

I am hoping to have my list by midnight but it's going to be close, and I also want to participate in the 10 decades of women challenge. So I may have to beg a couple extra days for list creation -- those of us who work retail don't really get much time between Thanksgiving and New Year's to think.

OK, scrambling over to make a list. Thanks, I missed the cutoff last year and have been looking forward to participating this year! Julia

[Julia]

Since I can't figure out how to add my list as a separate thing, here goes (these are doubling as my women authors challenge, hope that's ok, if not I'm happy to change them!)

Old School:
1. Daniel Deronda - George Eliot
2. Heidi - Johanna Spyri
3. Bayou Folk and A Night in Acadie Kate Chopin

New School:
1. The Railway Children - E. Nesbit
2. The Custom of the Country - Edith Wharton
3. Jamaica Inn - Daphne du Maurier

6 + 2 Wild cards
1. The Odds of Getting Even - Sheila Turnage
2. My Year of Meats - Ruth Ozeki
3. Fates and Furies - Lauren Groff
4. The Sword of Summer - Rick Riordan
5. A God in Ruins - Kate Atkinson
6. The Hollow Boy - Jonathan Stroud

Plus 2 more
Everything I Never Told You - Celeste Ng
The Feminist Papers: From Adams to de Beauvoir - Alice S. Rossi

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

Julia wrote: "Since I can't figure out how to add my list as a separate thing, here goes (these are doubling as my women authors challenge, hope that's ok, if not I'm happy to change them!).."

I've added a thread just for you with your list here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Hope that helps, and happy reading .

[Darren]

Question:
Under what circumstances might the 2 alternative titles get invoked?
i.e. Why would you not be able to read one of your main suggestions?

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Darren wrote: "Question:
Under what circumstances might the 2 alternative titles get invoked?
i.e. Why would you not be able to read one of your main suggestions?"

Darren, the two alternate book choices are simply a safety net for a members starting a book and disliking it enough to abandon reading it. The main goal of the challenge is to read 12 total books, six being classics and six being any book of interest.

[Sara, New School Classics]

Darren, last year I had Daniel Deronda on my list. It is very long and I put it off until I got to the point that I did not have time to read it and do it justice...so, I opted to read my alternates instead.

[Darren]

thanks - I hadn't thought about not finishing a book as it's something I very rarely do - last year I even finished Mill On The Floss and Anna Karenina! ;o)

[Dave]

I also rarely quit a book but sometimes life intervenes and distracts me from a book and I never come back to it. I'm finding Kings in Grass Castles tedious but I am halfway through and it is a Woman Writer challenge book for me so I've quit reading along and am just sitting on my wagon letting my audiobook mule carry me through.

I read The Mill on the Floss last November and liked it. I think George Eliot is serious unappreciated today.

[Sara, New School Classics]

I am the same, seldom do I quit a book and then I almost have to force myself to admit that I could be spending the time reading something better. Funny, it is usually a modern novel that I consent to DNF and not a classic.

[Sarah]

Are we going to have a 2017 old and new challenge soon?

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Yes, we will be repeating all of 2016's challenges in 2017. All challenges will be posted up on December 1st.

[Sarah]

Great, thanks Bob!