The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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FALL CHALLENGE 2009
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FALL CHALLENGE 2009 COMPLETED TASKS
I am reposting for task 15.2 as I forgot to include my opinion as to whether or not this view of history would be better. I read the book Against the Day by Michael Cronin.Against the Day takes the reader back to year 1940. It provides an alternative history in that Nazi Germany has taken control of Britain. The book is primarily told from the perspective of a teenage school boy. Frank does not initially understand why more people are not resisting German rule. He cannot accept that his country and freedoms have been compromised by German Nazi rule. Slowly as the story progresses Frank learn that people are resisting German rule. In the end Frank finds himself in the middle of the Resistance Movement.
It is hard for me to clearly state that this is a better or worse version of history. Obviously I do not wish that Hitler and the Nazi party controled any more of Europe than they did. However I cannot help but wish that more people (non-jews) in the lands that Hitler did occupy would have resisted. Possibly through that internal resistance that Nazi party would have failed prior to the death of millions.
Task 25.1
a) Poetry Book--Tell Me: Poems by Kid Addonizio
b) Exact Rhyme--Moon Shell Beach by Nancy Thayer
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a) Poetry Book--Tell Me: Poems by Kid Addonizio
b) Exact Rhyme--Moon Shell Beach by Nancy Thayer
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Finished:15.6 Dream Country AND listened to Yahoo Radio Country Station all day at work. (actually discovered that I like quite a few of the artists)
Total Points 480/690
Total Books 48/62
Total Tasks Completed 34/45
Total Pages 15269
Hello!
I have completed Task 5.9 - Coming of Age or All Grown Up
I read Out Stealing Horses A Novel by Per Petterson and highly recommend it. Funnily enough, this book covers both ends of the age spectrum. I was a real treasure of a novel.
# of Tasks Completed - 14
# of Books Read - 23
# of Pages Read - 6866
# of points accrued - 255
Jennifer D. (Canada)
> **REPOST**50 POINT MID-WAY TASK
PJREADS TASK
Minding the World - 3 books:
I. Senses – Read a book that has one of the traditional five senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell) in the title OR a book where one of these five senses plays a major role (The Miracle Worker, Oedipus Rex, King Lear). Post some highlights from what the book says about the sense.
The Seeing Stone by Kevin Crossley-Holland
In 1199, Arthur is given a stone in which he envisions of the life of the legendary King Arthur. He compares these scenes visually to his own surroundings: by sight, he recognises his father's farm and some people in his life and in the visions. The comparisons help him to comprehend his unfolding life.
II. Emotions – Read a book that has an emotion in the title (happy/joy, sad/sorrow, angry/anger, afraid/fear, etc.) OR a book where an emotion plays a major role. Post some highlights from what the book reveals about the emotion.
Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik
The title is the description, by a [male:] character, of the quintessential book club. The women characters who formed the book club, accept the epithet as their club name. They do get angry about things that have happened to them in the past and that come to pass during the story, and help one another to deal with their anger and the other emotions that come to them.
III. Memories – Pick one of your keepsakes that reminds you of an event in your life. Read a book with either the event or the reminder in the title OR a book where either the event or the reminder plays a major role. In your post identify the keepsake and the event.
Baby Teeth by Blythe Holbrooke I have several baby teeth of both my children in my jewelry/keepsake box. As an example of chronicity, just after I read the book, I saw this photo of my granddaughter had been posted on Facebook.
TOOTHLESS
20.3 Group ReadShutter Island by Dennis Lehane
Total points: 365
25.7. CINDY'S TASK - One, Two, Three - Read Three Books...• One With A One Word Title:
Compromised by Kate Noble
• The Second With A Two Word Title:
Look Again by Lisa Scottoline
• And The Third With A Three Word Title:
Fool for Love by Eloisa James
Just finished another task. Stayed up too late reading, but couldn't put it down.25 points
25.3. WENDY'S TASK - Harvey Milk, The First Openly Gay Man To Be Elected To Public Office In California, Was Murdered On November 27, 1978. In Honor Of Him Read A Book With A Positive Gay Or Lesbian Character.
Empress of the World by Sara Ryan -- 224 pp (10.13.09)
This story features a teenaged girl named Nic (Nicola), who is attending a summer program for gifted kids and is studying archeology there. While at the school, she meets another girl named Battle. Nic struggles with her emotions, where she thinks she still likes boys too, but definitely feels that she is in love with a girl, Battle. This book was very well written, I think, doesn't get overly drama-angsty, which is why I liked it a lot. I would definitely read the follow up story to it,
The Rules for Hearts. Not sure it will fit here for a challenge but it's going on my TBR shelf.Tasks Completed: 25/45
Partially Completed Tasks: 2
Points Earned: 345/690
Total Books: 31
Total Pages Read: 5,144
Total Hours listened: 46.75 (approx.)
For 10.3 I've read: Curious George Takes a Train
Curious George Goes to the Toy Store
Curious George Goes to a Costume Party
Curious George Goes to the Library
Curious George in the Big City
(Total pages=126)
Total Points: 95
25-4. CANDACE'S TASK - Read A Book That Has Been Written Within The Last 10 Years And Made Into A Movie Within The Last 5. I re-read Penelope, adapted from screen-play by Marilyn Kaye. (The book was published in 2007, the movie produced on 2006.) The funny thing is after I first read this book, I had intended to see also the movie and then I completely forgot. Today, the movie was aired on cable TV so I decided to switch Harry Potter out of my list (again).
Upon re-reading the book (I just know it's a screenplay adaptation), I think the writer didn't give much details to the characters. (but again, fairy-tales are always like that.) Despite that, the messages were all over i.e. one's self respect, values about marriage and the concept of beauty. It's these messages that made me keep this book and not sold it in the first place.
Then the movie, again not much details on the characters. We saw typical protective mother, understanding father and brave new friend. Anyway, it's ok for a movie which should be easily digested like that. Plus, I like Catherine O'Hara in the role of Penelope's mother. (maybe it's an imprint from Home Alone :P)
Comparing the two, on the visual side I prefer the movie. On the brain side, I prefer the book which gave me more thrill as to whether the curse would be broken or not. The book also made me think about marriage values (why women always think of it as the final goal in life?) which seem to be missing from the movie version.
Anyway, I like the final scene in the movie when the children asked what they had learned from this story. "Mothers are always wrong." ... that made me laugh.
+25
Total scores: 80
25.2 Donna Jo's Task - Related Authors. The authors in the books I chose are married to each other: Everything Is Illuminated A Novel by Jonathan Safran Foer and The History of Love by Nicole Krauss.Total Points: 620/690
Books Read: 55 (+ 8 Berenstain Bears books)
Tasks Completed: 41/45
Tasks in Progress: 2
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I just completed task 5.9 by reading A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula LeGuin, which is all about a young boy who trains and becomes a wizard and overcomes some of his demons - therefore a coming of age story. A fantastic fairy story that pre-dates Harry Potter!
Recently completed tasks:10.10: Tall, Dark & Dead – Tate Hallaway 10/03 (Cat on the cover)
25.1: Red Rover – Susan Stewart 09/08 AND Dead Sexy – Tate Hallaway 10/07
5.9: The Story Sisters – Alice Hoffman 10/11
New Points: 40
Previous Points: 115
Total Points: 155
11 Tasks Completed (5.2, 5.6, 5.9, 10.2, 10.3, 10.10, 15.6, 15.7, 25.1, 25.10, 30.1)
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25. 3. WENDY'S TASK - Harvey Milk, The First Openly Gay Man To Be Elected To Public Office In California, Was Murdered On November 27, 1978. In Honor Of Him Read A Book With A Positive Gay Or Lesbian Character. Evermore Alyson Noel 10-13-09 Miles is one of Ever’s best friends and he is gay and proud of it (and a very fun character) 301 PagesCurrent Pages Read: 7224
Books Read: 19
Challenges Completed: 13
Total Points: 205
itpdx wrote: "I have completed task 15.3 with Addition Hotel Du Lac (17 letters) and Subtraction Serve the People A Stir-Fried Journey Through China (43 letters). Thanks to someone for the hint to use the Word character counter feature. I had gotten tired of trying to count letters on every long-winded title I could find! ..."
You're welcome. I was so happy when I figured that little trick out. Glad to help a fellow reader. :-)
Marly wrote: "This is my first post. I just joined the group and I am very overwhelmed. 20.3 Group Read Choice Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane, read 10.11.09"
Hi Marly: Welcome to the group! Sorry to hear you're feeling overwhelmed. I knot that there a ton of messages get posted to this board, but we really are a friendly group. :-)
Hang in there. This is my second challenge, and things make much more sense to me this time around.
Newly Completed Task: 5.2 – Apple on the book cover:
Welcome to Temptation
This was the first book I’ve read from Jennifer Crusie. It was okay. I’ve got a couple more of hers sitting on my bookshelf. I’m not in a huge rush to figure out how to add them to any of this quarter’s challenge tasks. It was a contemporary romance with a bit of a mystery thrown in for good measure. I listened to it in audio form in the car. It was light and fluffy and not too distracting while driving. I think I gave it 2 stars. (Finished 10/9/09)
Total Points: 165
Tasks in Process: 5
Completed Tasks: 10/45
Books Read for Completed Tasks: 14/61
Pages Read for Completed Tasks: 5,498
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Stephanie wrote: "Cynthia wrote: ...I'm confused. I did put both of the titles in this post. Captain Alatriste and Of Love and Shadows are 2 separate books... "
In defense of Cynthia, I didn't realize that you talking about two separate books when I read your original post either. Perhaps if the books had been added as links (by using the 'add book/author' feature at the top of the comment box); or it was made more clear in some other visual way (two seperate lines for the titles for example) it would help save time when Cynthia reviews the messages. I know she has tons of reviewing to do every day to keep on top of all the updates.
Anything we can do to help save her eyes should be encouraged. :-)
Completed: Task 25.8, Cait's task, a book with a name in the title, a place in the title, and a thing/object in the titleRead: Eragon , Northanger Abbey , and The Bro Code .
Total Points = 160
15.6 The Long Gone Lonesome History of Country Music and listened to Kelly Pickler cd, Miley cyrus cd, Taylor Swift cd, I have 2 girls in the house, I get to hear one of these CD two or 3 times a day, I also discovered CMT radio, which is all country no ads. new total 425
Cynthia wrote: "Kritika wrote: "I have finally finished my two books for 15 point task number 5. They both were very slow reading, and I had high expectations for both books. Unfortunately, neither of them deliver..."I realized after I posted the last time that it might have been considered one title. I will post more clearly in the future. I know that you have enough to do.
Finished another task - 5.8 - Two Heads Are Better Than One - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Total Books Read = 25
Tasks Completed = 16
Tasks In Progress = 8
Finished:10.9 Summer has gone with the wind (Which is truer than expected--we had a record cool high for today)
Read
Homeland A Novel by Barbara Hambly.I really liked this book (4.5 stars). It is told through letters between two women, one a young married woman living on an island in Maine, whose husband is in the Confederate army, and the other a young artist living (at least in the beginning) in Tennessee. They exchange ideas about everything from the war and family, slavery and freedom, the value of reading fiction, woman's "place" and women's daily reality. I think it would make a great reader's theater presentation.
Need to catch up. I've been reading but not logging them in here. I finished challenge 5-9. I read The Cranefly Orchid Murders which has a 90-something main character. I also finished challenge 10-2. For that challenge, I read Death of an Addict by MC Beaton. Finally, I finished a multiple book challenge, number 25-7, one, two, three. I read Elsewhere by William Peter Blatty, Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris, and The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. This gives me a 40 additional points for a total of 170 points. Thanks!
Completed Task 5.6, read Monsterology: Fabulous Lives of the Creepy, the Revolting and the Undead by Arthur Slade. It was a little too silly, even for me!80/690 points
Tasks Completed: 6
Tasks In Progress: 5
Books Read: 9 (+3 children’s books)
Pages Read: 2,359
Finished 25-2 with Villette by Charlotte Bronte and Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte. I liked Agnes Grey a lot! And, both are from the 1001 list which is awesome!I think this brings me to 230 points now.
15.4 read The Hunger Games and watched 2 episodes of mythbusters (I believe I remember Cynthia oking that....if I am wrong and mythbusters doesn't count let me know).
Finished5 point
9. (main character is a senior citizen)The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. The main character though only technically alive the first few pages was 83 when he dies.
Mod
The Beverly Malibu The Kate Delafield Mysteries by Katherine V. Forrest
+25
total 590
8. Let's Find Out If Two Heads Really Better Than One - Read A Book That Has More Than One Author. • Fiction Or Non-Fiction Is Acceptable
• But Short Story Collections With Multiple Authors Are Not Acceptable. I.E. It Should Be A Singular Work That Two People Collaborated Together To Create.
Alex Cross's Trial by James Patterson and Richard Dilallo (380 pgs)
New Total: 235 points
15 POINT TASK1. Brush Up On Your Grammar (English)-
• Homophones - Read 2 Books That Contain Words That Are Homophones.
Sea of Grass, Conrad Richter.
So Long, See You Tomorrow, William Maxwell.
Natalie wrote: "15.4 read The Hunger Games and watched 2 episodes of mythbusters (I believe I remember Cynthia oking that....if I am wrong and mythbusters doesn't count let me know)."I used Mythbusters for mine. It is fine to use as far as I know.
I read Julie and Julia My Year of Cooking Dangerously for task 20.3, the group reads one. That brings my total to 100 points and 8 books!
Congratulations on your presentation, Cynthia!I hope this makes sense after a week in NYC (wonderful!), a day in airports and airplanes (ugh) and two glasses of wine (mellow)...
Report #11
50.1 Senses - Deaf Sentence 304pp 2 stars
David Lodge compares the tragedy of blindness to the comedy of deafness and provides accurate observations on the social isolation caused by loss of the ability to communicate easily. Plotting was contrived and feeble.
Emotions - Fear of Flying 480pp 1 star
Erica Jong uses fear of flying in planes as a metaphor for the main character's fear of indedpence from men, making the trite observation that facing fears is the way to overcome them. I did read this book ages ago and forgot it and am forgetting it again already.
Memories - Shakespeare's Advice to the Players 176pp 4 stars
Objects = many, many ticket stubs and programs from productions of Shakespeare plays
Events = great productions of the plays in Stratford Upon Avon, Shakespeare's Globe in London, Hampton Court Palace, Mesa AZ, Los Angeles, etc.
Tasks Completed - 45
Books Read - 62
Pages Read - 20,158
Total Points - 690
I finished 25.10 this evening by reading Witch Blood by Anya Bast while baking cheesecake brownies for a charity bake sale at work tomorrow. The book was okay but the brownies were phenomenal! My husband and I had to sample them to make sure they were fit for human consumption and now I'm having a hard time keeping him away from the pan. :)
TASKS COMPLETED: 19
TASKS PARTIALLY COMPLETED: 3
BOOKS READ: 24 (+4 kids books)
PAGES READ: 7,565
POINTS EARNED: 210
NUMBER OF BOOKS READ FROM MY 'OWNED AND UNREAD' SHELF: 16
15.6. Creative Minds (The Arts) - Choose ONE Of The Following Tasks...• Learn Your Art History - Read A Book (Fictional Or Non-Fiction) About An Artist Or Art History AND Either Go To A Museum To View Art Or Create Art (Paint/Sculpt/Crafts/Photography Etc.).
• Become A Member Of The Drama Club - Read A Play And See A Production Of It Live Or On Film.
• Music Appreciation Class - Read A Book With A Type Of Music In The Title (Jazz, Country, Pop, Rap Etc.) And Listen To A CD Or Attend A Concert Of That Type Of Music.
The Art Thief: A Novel by Noah Charney
Photography
15 points
540 total
Glad to hear you got your presentation done, Cynthia. Kudos again for all the hard work you do for this group and still manage to juggle work and keep things as current as you do. Welcome back, PJReads. Glad you had a good, safe trip. And congratulations!
Amanda, good luck tomorrow. Hoping all goes well for your interview. (sending positive thoughts!)
pjreads wrote: "Congratulations on your presentation, Cynthia!I hope this makes sense after a week in NYC (wonderful!), a day in airports and airplanes (ugh) and two glasses of wine (mellow)...
Report #11
Congratulations, PJReads. I hope I didn't mess your task up too badly.
..."
Amanda wrote: "(sorta) Unrelated post--have a job interview to manage a new bookstore in my town on friday...would LOVE some good prayers and thoughts from my fellow book fanatics...the only people who would unde..."I'll think good thoughts and keep my fingers crossed for you.
Donna Jo wrote: "pjreads wrote: "Congratulations on your presentation, Cynthia!...
Congratulations, PJReads. I hope I didn't mess your task up too badly ..."
Donna Jo - Great Job!!! Thank you so much!
10.6 40 Years Among the Indians A True Yet Thrilling Narrative of the Author's Experiences Among the Natives.by Daniel W. JonesPoints: 10
Total Points: 230
Total Pages: 6960
15.9 Everything You Need.To Know About Math HomeworkHomework assignment:
Parents:
1) Is this a reference tool that would or would not help you with your child's homework? Why or Why not
2) Did the explainations and pictures help with formulas? Why or Why not
Students:
1) Would this guide help with your homework, when you don't get the math concept? why or why not
2) Did the reasoning behind the formulas with the pictures make them easier to understand? why or why not
Extra credit, share 3 trivia facts from the book
new total 440
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Read these two books for task 15.8 - Geography lessons. I really liked The Shadow of the Wind and can't wait to go to the discussiona and see what everyone else thought. The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency was ok but I don't know if I will read any more of the series. This brings my total to 240 points.
Congrats pjreads!! I wish I could read so fast! You give me a great goal, with this being my first challenge!
The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan for task 5.8I really liked this> I thought it was a cross between Michael Crichton and Stephen King. Found out after I started that it's part of a trilogy. Oh well two more books on the to be read!
Hello!
I have completed Task 10.10 - cats.
I read The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga.
# of Tasks Completed - 15
# of Books Read - 25
# of Pages Read - 7154
# of points accrued - 265
Jennifer D. (Canada)
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The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Tempt Me at Twilight (other topics)Patterns in the Sand (other topics)
The Shadow of the Wind (other topics)
My Grandfather's Son (other topics)
Soul of a Dog: Reflections on the Spirits of the Animals of Bedlam Farm (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Lisa Kleypas (other topics)Sally Goldenbaum (other topics)
Clarence Thomas (other topics)
Audrey Niffenegger (other topics)
Neil Gaiman (other topics)
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5.4 The House in Paris by Elizabeth Bowen 10/12
5.8 The 5th Horseman 9/14
15.1. A Month of Summer by Lisa Wingate (9/24) and The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly (10/3) Preposition = "of"
20.1 House 9/25
20.3 Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane 10/10
25.1. The Friday Night Knitting Club and A Light in the Attic