Introducing the Challenge

[Liz, Moderator]

Happy New Year!
It's time to start the genre challenge again, if you're up for it ;)

Last time around the list included:
Historical
Magical-realism
Crime/detective (includes true crime)
Classic novels (pre 20thC)
Modern British classics (20thC/kitchen sink)
American 20thC classics
Travel/exploration
Non-fiction/self-help
Sci-Fi/distopian
Horror/gothic/ghost-story
Fantasy/folklore
Biography/memoir
Gay & Lesbian (LBGT)
Psychiatry/madness
Young Adult/New adult/Children's
Romance/Erotica
Short stories
Espionage/spy
Cult/Chemical fiction
War/revolution
Poetry
Comedy/humour
Award-winning (Booker, Orange, Pulitzer)
Western
Graphic novels
Film tie-in (books that have been adapted for the screen)

That's 26 genres in total and yes, we've combined a few to simplify things and keep the challenge to just over two years.

So, we'll tackle a different genre every month. It's up to you what books you choose and how many for each genre - one is enough, but don't let me stop you if you want to read more of your favourites.

As to which genre and when... First time around we voted, but the problem was that all the unpopular choices were left until the later stages of the challenge. Last time, Danielle suggested a random generator, which I really liked, but what do you think?

If you're happy with the random arrangement, I will go ahead and spin the virtual wheel to see what our first genre should be!

[R.S.]

I’m a fan of randomness. Too much order in a life is detrimental to the enjoyment of said life.

[Ian]

Yes lets go with random

[Em]

I love the random method, gives the more obscure and less popular genres a chance!

[Kate, Moderator]

I'm in again and happy with The Random Factor (Which is an excellent book btw!)

[Liz, Moderator]

Excellent. I'll go ahead and spin that wheel....

[Liz, Moderator]

OK, so I just went to the random list generator site and fed in the list of genres and up came 'Classic Novels (pre 20thC)', which, strangely enough, is exactly the same genre we started with last time around. Perhaps it's not so random after all...

I'll go ahead and post the new thread tomorrow (it's late here in Singapore).

[Ian]

New types of books for me. This will be interesting

[Abigail]

Hah! I have a head start on that genre—am halfway through Middlemarch.

[Bill]

And I'm actually reading a pre-19th Cent book as one of my first.. Yay

[Kiwi Sarah]

Going to attempt to join in with this challenge this time around after abjectly failing last time - off to check my to be read list for this months genre - yay!

[Rachel]

Well having reviewed my bookshelves I have a few options some more appealing than others at moment.

The Woman in WhiteWilkie Collins
GerminalÉmile Zola
KidnappedRobert Louis Stevenson
Crime and PunishmentFyodor Dostoyevsky
Heart of DarknessJoseph Conrad

As I feel like I need a short book after reading a couple of fairly lengthy ones recently I think it will have to be either heart of darkness or Kidnapped.

[Rachel]

oh ...on closer inspection my heart of darkness preamble describes it as the first twentieth century novel as written 1899 not published until 1902.

[Bill]

I'm reading Adam Bede by George Eliot

[Kate, Moderator]

I'm still wading through 600 pages of The Three Musketeers for Classics but was just wondering what might be up next?...

[Em]

Oh my Goodness - I can't believe we're in February already! Liz, are you about to do the random list generator?

If not I could do a lucky dip since I lack the list generator technology!!

[Liz, Moderator]

Em wrote: "Oh my Goodness - I can't believe we're in February already! Liz, are you about to do the random list generator?

If not I could do a lucky dip since I lack the list generator technology!!"

So sorry. Where did January go? Just posted the new thread...

[Liz, Moderator]

February's genre is very 'hush, hush'...

[Liz, Moderator]

Kate, I'm still deep in my Alexander Dumas too. It's the equivalent of four ordinary length books! At least it's on Kindle and I don't have to lug the weight around...

[Liz, Moderator]

Oh no!!! I've just checked the random selection for next month's genre and it's poetry.

I always struggle with poetry - it doesn't hold my attention, my mind just wanders. I will go ahead and set up the thread in a while. Watch this space...

[Bill]

Liz wrote: "Oh no!!! I've just checked the random selection for next month's genre and it's poetry.

I always struggle with poetry - it doesn't hold my attention, my mind just wanders. I will go ahead and set..."

Ditto...

[Rachel]

Eeek I haven't a clue ...

[Liz, Moderator]

April 1st on Sunday (I wonder if my son will remember it's April Fool's Day?) More importantly it's the start of a new genre. I just ran the random generator and the next genre will be (drum roll please): crime / detective fiction.

I might not be able to set up the new thread until tomorrow, but this one's a breeze after the challenge of poetry...

[Liz, Moderator]

Just about to run the random generator for May...

[Liz, Moderator]

Time to start thinking about June, perhaps? I've just checked the random generator and the genre will be:

Young Adult/New Adult/Children's books

I will go ahead and set up the new thread.

[Liz, Moderator]

June is coming to its close, so what's for July? According to the random generator it's 'literary adaptations' - so books that have been adapted for the screen. I will go a head and post the new thread once I'm home and back at my desk.

[Bill]

Does an adaptation to TV also qualify?

[Em]

Definitely!

[Liz, Moderator]

About to spin the wheel for November....

....and it's 'The Western'

[Liz, Moderator]

Quick question: Do you want to pause and do a Winter/Christmas read for December (as we have done in previous rounds of the genre challenge)? Or should we plough on through the genres?

Note: I checked, and War/Revolution is on the cards for the next month, and that genre's not exactly known for its festive cheer ;)

[Bill]

Liz wrote: "Quick question: Do you want to pause and do a Winter/Christmas read for December (as we have done in previous rounds of the genre challenge)? Or should we plough on through the genres?

Note: I che..."

I've already picked my final books (for the most part) for 2018 so either challenge won't affect me, probably. It does always seem like a good thing to have a Xmas/ Winter read for December though.

[Kate, Moderator]

I think I'd rather read a Winter/Christmas book for December rather than War/Revolution but happy to go with whatever is decided. :)

[Rachel]

Not bothered either way I don't have anything for either! and I haven't even started my Western one yet.

[Liz, Moderator]

Ok then, we'll do a Winter/Christmas read for December. I'll go ahead and post the new thread this... evening

[Liz, Moderator]

This one is the genre challenge. Each month we read a different genre, encouraging us to expand the range of books and authors we read.

It can certainly be a challenge when faced with a genre that's out of you usual comfort zone. (I would never read poetry if it wasn't for the challenge!)

[Liz, Moderator]

I have just spun the virtual wheel as February looms up ahead....

And the next genre is... (drum roll) ....travel/exploration.

I will set up the new thread once I'm back at my computer.

[Liz, Moderator]

The end of February is in sight. I just looked up what will be coming up in March. It's Sci-fi /dystopian fiction.

I'm currently on my travels, so might not be able to set up the new thread until next week, but we can all start thinking...

[Liz, Moderator]

April will be comedy! I will set up the new thread over the weekend....

[Kate, Moderator]

Do we know what May will be? I'm between books and not sure what to do...!

[Liz, Moderator]

Sorry i'm a bit slow. My father sadly passed away over Easter and I've been running around organising the funeral etc. So, as you can imagine, I am very distracted and haven't noticed May turning up on my doorstep.

I just checked and it's short stories for May. It may take me a while to set up the new thread.

[Bill]

Liz wrote: "Sorry i'm a bit slow. My father sadly passed away over Easter and I've been running around organising the funeral etc. So, as you can imagine, I am very distracted and haven't noticed May turning u..."

I'm so sorry about your father, Liz. Focus on your family, don't worry about the thread..

[Kate, Moderator]

Oh, Liz, so sorry to hear that. Take care of home and family life and don't worry about here. I'll set the thread up for you. Thinking of you. x

[Liz, Moderator]

Meant to say, thanks for the good wishes. I'm back home again and getting back into the swing of 'normal life'.

As another month appears on the horizon, I have spun the random genre selector and it will be magical realism for June. I will go ahead and set up the thread soon...

[Liz, Moderator]

Oh No! It's July tomorrow and I need to set up the new thread.
Next month's genre? It's 20thC American Classics.

[Bill]

Liz wrote: "Oh No! It's July tomorrow and I need to set up the new thread.
Next month's genre? It's 20thC American Classics."

That leaves it pretty wide open.. :)

[Liz, Moderator]

Another month is almost over. I've just run the random genre selector and for August it will be: Cult & / or Chemical Fiction. I will go and set up the new thread...

[Bill]

A difficult one... I'll have to see what I've got on my book shelf..

[Bill]

Well, checking through a list of 'cult' fiction books, I've got at least three on my bookshelf I might consider

Concrete Island by J.G. Ballard

The Mind Parasites by Colin Wilson

The Bride Wore Black by Cornell Woolrich

[Liz, Moderator]

Once again, the end of the month draws near. So what's on the cards for September? Graphic Novels! I will go ahead and post the new thread tomorrow evening...
(I might finally get around to reading 'Ghost World').

[Bill]

Liz wrote: "Once again, the end of the month draws near. So what's on the cards for September? Graphic Novels! I will go ahead and post the new thread tomorrow evening...
(I might finally get around to reading..."

lol.. It figures that I read a graphic novel my daughter bought me, already this month. I'm not sure I'm allowed to buy any more but I'll see. :)