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Suggest a THEME for future Monthly Reads
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Personally, I would switch Oct and Nov themes, because it's darker and scarier on this side of the world in November, so it would be a bit more thrilling.A couple ideas from me:
- books about books
- books from a specific time period (for example, 1990s)
- romance, maybe not in February but in spring or summer; any book with a romantic storyline in it
My library also had a reading challenge last year and maybe some of these topics would work:
- a book that was recommended by your local librarian
- a book that was published last year
- a book that is on any list of banned books
- a book that makes you cry
- a book that has been made to a movie (well, we have this one already!)
- a book that was based on a myth/fairytale/a classic
- a book about a legendary love
- a book that takes place in past or future
- a book where the main character suffers from an illness
- a book with a one-word title
- a book you picked because of the cover
- a book with a rebellious main character
- a book you'll finish in a day
A banned book is always good. There will be no local librarian recommending books, so not a good idea unless we can do something else. Our libraries have been systematically shutting down and have little to choose from and never any really new (or old!) books. Every single time I have been to the library looking for a book they never have it.
I would think the 1990s is too soon, but the 1890s - so much to choose from!
Which leads me to an idea i had for a book challenge:
Books set in different decades - so if you read
War and Peace - (1812) so 1810s
Les Misérables, that was set in 1832, so it would be the 1830s.
etc.
A list of books set in the 19th c.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor...
and of course the 20th C. as well.
Another idea is to read books from different countries without repeating the same country twice.
Jazzy wrote: "A banned book is always good. There will be no local librarian recommending books, so not a good idea unless we can do something else. Our libraries have been systematically shutting down and hav..."
I actually had a similar idea of a Time-Place type of challenge, but with about 15-20 decades or so and with books from different countries without repeating the same country twice ;)
Oh and YES. We don't do Halloween here either. It's an American holiday.
Mion wrote: "Jazzy wrote: "A banned book is always good. There will be no local librarian recommending books, so not a good idea unless we can do something else. Our libraries have been systematically shuttin..."
well if it was the 1800s-1900s that wouldn't be bad. I'm not going to buy brand new books for any read on goodreads though :) They must be cheap or free. I'm skint! I spent what money I have on guitars. I didn't even buy a warm coat and have been freezing whilst I carry my guitar through the snow to my class on a Friday. My fellow guitarists admire my dedication.
And I would like to suggest a monthly read of a science/physics/maths book. It could be string theory, nature, or biology.
Charles Darwin, Richard Feynman, or Leonardo DiCaprio -er, I mean DaVinci.
Animals, plants, flora, fauna, or birds.
Cookery, or building your own short wave radio.
Or books with those things in them.
I read How to Teach Relativity to Your Dog by Chad Orzel and it was amazing!
Jazzy wrote: "And I would like to suggest a monthly read of a science/physics/maths book. It could be string theory, nature, or biology.
Charles Darwin, Richard Feynman, or Leonardo DiCaprio -er, I mean DaVin..."
I second that idea! There are many books that make science fun, so it would be a great opportunity.
Ah Mion, I often choose my books because of the cover. Don't we all, don't we all <3 I love my life to be aesthetically pleasing.
@Jazzy, @ MionThanks so much for the ideas. They were great!
I've added Banned Books, and Books about Books into the monthly line-up for this year. And I'll add a Science/Nature book for early in 2019.
2018 list of themes is here...
Anne wrote: "@Jazzy, @ MionThanks so much for the ideas. They were great!
I've added Banned Books, and Books about Books into the monthly line-up for this year. And I'll add a Science/Nature book for early in..."
Ugh books about books cause me a LOT of hard feelings because in another group my book suggestion of The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test(a true book about author (Tom Wolfe writing a book about a famous author {Ken Kesey-One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and others} and featuring many, many other authors, including a lot of beat poets, who wrote books) wasn't accepted for nomination because they hadn't read the book and assumed the blurbs told the story. That will be the one I skip this time. ;,( They broke my little heart. I will just do....something else. But it's a long way off :)
Maybe ‘Mythology’? There are a bunch of retellings, as well as the classics. Or Biographies / Biographical Fiction. Although I’m not sure how many would be interested in this.
I am looking forward to the game theme. I’ll try to participate then! (Usually I don’t because school keeps me busy..)
Very good Femke and biographies/autobiographies are class - any non-fiction is always a winner.
And poetry, oh yes. I loved you – and maybe love
still smoulders in my heart;
but let my love not trouble
you or cause you any hurt.
I loved you but stayed silent,
timid, despairing, jealous;
I loved you truly – God grant
you such love from someone else.
~ Alexander Pushkin (1799–1837)
could one month be manga/graphic novels? That would be cool.
Great suggestions, thanks Jazzy, Femke, Amber :)Summary of ideas for 2019 so far:
- Game Time (video games, war games, mind games, contests, competition)
- Science/Nature
- Mythology (classics, retellings)
- Poetry / Alternate format (letters, emails)
- Manga/Graphic Novels
Jazzy wrote: "I read How to Teach Relativity to Your Dog by Chad Orzel and it was amazing! "Oh, this book looks awesome, thanks for posting it.. my 16year old is taking his first physics class this year, and he loves cats... so I think he'll find this book fun to read!
I don't think Letters and emails go with poetry at all. That's another topic altogether, Journals, diaries, and letters, which would also be another great monthly suggestion. Poetry would be traditional poetry/haikus/limericks/French poetry/Russian poetry/Japanese poetry/haikus/British poetry/American poetry/avant-garde/beat/children's, etc.
And I've read enough graphic novels to last a lifetime. They're gorgeous pictures and interesting stories but not a specific genre, so how about some alternate literature as well on the same month? As far as beautiful words go they're always a bit shallow. Don't get me wrong I don't have anything against graphic novels, but I've read them by the hundreds (maybe thousands - definitely if you count comic books) and they're not outstanding literature.But for those who have reading difficulties there are mangas on just about every topic in all genres and they would be helpful for all the monthly reads.
Also Anne you forgot to add Biography/Autobiography to the list of suggestions.
Updated summary of ideas for 2019 so far:Game Time
(video games, war games, mind games, contests, competition)
Book ideas:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Science and Nature
(not sci-fi)
Book ideas:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/6...
https://bookriot.com/2016/06/28/100-m...
Mythology
(classics, retellings)
Book ideas:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4...
Poetry
(traditional, haikus, limericks, avant-garde, beat, childrens, from any country)
Book ideas:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Write a letter (epistolary)
(story told through letters, diary, emails, etc)
Book ideas:
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://bookriot.com/2016/08/24/100-e...
Biography/Autobiography/Memoir
Book ideas:
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Manga/Graphic/Art
(manga, anime, graphic novels, or any book where art/illustration is central to the theme)
Book ideas:
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/art
oh very nice! Many thanks Anne, and a happy passover/good friday to you xPS there's some tasty titbits in the Art Themed books
Jazzy wrote: "oh very nice! Many thanks Anne, and a happy passover/good friday to you xPS there's some tasty titbits in the Art Themed books"
and to you too Jazzy! Your ideas/book suggestions have been really wonderful! In fact, I'm just a little *worried* at how much my own TBR is going to increase as a result of your vast knowledge of really good books across such a wide and fascinating spectrum
😊 😉😂
PenPal Readers
Books mentioned in this topic
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (other topics)Les Misérables (other topics)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (other topics)
How to Teach Relativity to Your Dog (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
Ken Kesey (other topics)Chad Orzel (other topics)
Tom Wolfe (other topics)
Let us know your wish list for 'themes' to assign to our monthly reads for the rest of 2018 (Aug-Dec) and onwards into 2019
Here's possible ideas we have to finish out 2018.. but we want to hear from the group!
- Animal Lovers (books where animal(s) plays central role in story)
- Game Time (video games, war games, mind games, contests, competition)
- Spooky Mysterious (ghosts, graveyards, mysteries, horror, paranormal)
- Adventure Trip (adventure, travel, quest, trip, map, treasure)
- Made you laugh (books with humor, silly, fun)
What themes would YOU like to see? Let us know in the comments. We'll hopefully be able to line up themes right through 2019... We'll aim to include the most requested/popular themes... if there's too many awesome suggestions, we'll have to 'pull names' from a hat :)