08 - A book about a hobby

[Isa]

I'm reading Fangirl (YA book). Fingers crossed that it's good. Some other YA books are:
-The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love
-Eliza and Her Monsters
-The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl
I hope this helps someone :)

[Thomas]

Sarah wrote: "If it's something you're into (or something anyone is in to) then it's a hobby :)"

Yes along as you dont get paid for it

[Ruth]

Does the book have to be about MY hobby, or can it be "any hobby."

I used to crochet but I haven't in years due to some health issues. I've never collected stamps or coins, but I wouldn't mind reading about a stamp or coin collector.

At the moment, I don't really HAVE any hobbies other than reading, watching TV and movies, and wasting time on social media. I can't imagine any of those would make a compelling story?

[Leona]

> 311 I do not knit but chose The Friday Night Knitting Club so I would say any hobby.

[Nadine in NY]

Ruth wrote: "Does the book have to be about MY hobby, or can it be "any hobby."

I used to crochet but I haven't in years due to some health issues. I've never collected stamps or coins, but I wouldn't mind rea..."


ANY hobby goes, in my opinion.

[Drakeryn]

I just came across this book and I'm putting it here so I don't lose track of it: Ice Dogs, a middle grade book about dogsled racing.

For adult nonfiction on the same subject, there's Blair Braverman's Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube: Chasing Fear and Finding Home in the Great White North.

(I'm also of the opinion that any hobby counts. I am not a dogsled racer.)

[Priya]

Can The Binding be eligible for this challenge?

[Simant]

I read With the Fire on High for this challenge. The MC wants to be a chef. Loved this book.

[Kirsten]

Just saw this one soon to be published. Covers sports for a hobby or coaching:

Everything Is Just Fine

[Kristine]

Wifey wrote: "Would Juliet, Naked count? The heroine's partner is an obsessive music fan, which sparks the whole story."
LOL - great one! Too bad I read this one last year but I enjoyed it.

[Alyssa]

Would the book All-American Murder: The Rise and Fall of Aaron Hernandez, the Superstar Whose Life Ended on Murderers' Row count? It's about his rise to fame and the crimes he committed. It does talk about his football career but its not the center of the book.

[KF-in-Georgia]

Alyssa wrote: "Would the book All-American Murder: The Rise and Fall of Aaron Hernandez, the Superstar Whose Life Ended on Murderers' Row count? It's about his rise to fame and the crimes he commi..."

I'm not sure I count professional sports as a hobby--unless it's your hobby that you play because you're a fan. But Hernandez was a pro, and football was his job--not his hobby. (On the other hand, it's really your call...)

I read a book about knitting. For the central character, knitting was not a hobby: she ran a yarn store, so the knitting was part of her job--and she knitted pieces to order and was paid for it. But she had a bevy of friends who came to knit night at her shop, and it was a hobby for them (and for me).

[KF-in-Georgia]

Ruth wrote: "Does the book have to be about MY hobby, or can it be "any hobby."

I used to crochet but I haven't in years due to some health issues. I've never collected stamps or coins, but I wouldn't mind rea..."

I don't think it has to be about your hobby. The prompt just said "a hobby..."

[Leona]

KF-in-Georgia wrote: "Alyssa wrote: "Would the book All-American Murder: The Rise and Fall of Aaron Hernandez, the Superstar Whose Life Ended Murderers' Row count? It's about his rise to fame and the ..."

Sorry I commented under the wrong post.

[Leona]

>320 I think you are talking about The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. I used that for the hobby.

[Sarah]

Jess wrote: "My hobby is theatre. There has got to be a great ensemble comedy about an am-dram group. There is so much potential for characters:

- The semi-professional who thinks she knows more than anyone el..."

Death Of A Hollow Man by Caroline Graham is a murder mystery set within an amateur dramatic society's production of Amadeus. It's the second book in the Inspector Barnaby / Midsomer Murders series, but would be fine to read as a standalone.

[Sarah]

Jane wrote: "Do you have any suggestions for books about dance? I love dancing but I haven't really read any books involving dance."

Have you considered Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin or Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild? The latter is a children's book, but a classic "dance book".

[Ian]

Would The Escape Room or The Book of Night Women work here?

[Sneha]

This year I have read a range of books that could fit this prompt. I love languages On Language or In Other Words

I also have developed a new found love for trees: The Overstory or The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries from a Secret World

I may choose Overstory for the cli-fic prompt.

[Sarah]

I'm thinking To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han (scrapbooking) for this prompt. It would double-time as Young Adult fiction for the Pingel Sisters' 2019 challenge, which I'm also doing.

[Alicia]

I also think that it doesn't have to be your hobby. For instance, all the Flavia du Lucia books are about a girl that loves chemistry and solving mysteries. .
Someone criticized a list of hobbies that I posted, that was from an article (not my list) but some people have weird hobbies.
Lara Jean also loves to bake in the Jenny Han
books.

[Alicia]

Sarah wrote: "I'm thinking To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han (scrapbooking) for this prompt. It would double-tim..."

I loved this book so much, I had to go get the second one to find out what happens.

[Rachel]

I read City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert for PopSugar's 2019 prompt #8, a book about a hobby. The main character Vivian sews and this hobby helps her on her path throughout the novel.

[Katy]

Alicia wrote: "Someone criticized a list of hobbies that I posted, that was from an article (not my list) but some people have weird hobbies. ..."

I would say that anything you like to do that you're not getting paid for is a hobby. I haven't read it, but it was a trivia question on some game that Puddinhead Wilson's hobby was taking fingerprints. If that can be a hobby, anything can.

[Tori]

Cendaquenta wrote: "This might be a bit niche, but one of my hobbies is collecting crystals and fossils - any novels about that?"
I haven't read it, but there is a historical fiction book called Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier that is about collecting fossils.

[Kirsty]

Would Perfume by Patrick Süskind work for this challenge?

[Katy]

Kirsty wrote: "Would Perfume by Patrick Süskind work for this challenge?"

I honestly think it would be a stretch. But, it's completely up to you.

[Robyn]

What are people's thoughts about Beauty Pageants as a hobby? I realize that many people get paid for them--although a lot of it is in scholarship money to pursue their interests. I feel like a hobby is something one does for fun in their "free" time--and there are people who really enjoy dressing up and performing for others; which I why I think this fits
(Planning on reading Dumplin') if that guides anyone's opinion on this.

[Katy]

Robyn wrote: "What are people's thoughts about Beauty Pageants as a hobby? I realize that many people get paid for them--although a lot of it is in scholarship money to pursue their interests. I feel like a hobb..."

I agree. I feel like it's a hobby. I kind of feel that way about something you have to win to get paid. Plus, there are beauty pageants that don't have any prizes. My sister was in one of those in high school.

[Shirley J]

Amanda wrote: "... I was wondering if Writing Empirical Research Reports, 8th Edition works for this ...."

Thanks for asking this question, Amanda. I just finished reading Writing Life Stories by Bill Roorbach which is one of my hobbies.

[Sarah]

Alicia wrote: "Sarah wrote: "I'm thinking To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han (scrapbooking) for this prompt. It wo..."

I've finished To All the Boys I've Loved Before for this prompt, but I'm having second thoughts about whether it's really a good fit. The main character does scrapbook as a hobby, but the book is hardly "about" scrapbooking. I'm thinking that perhaps I should read a non-fiction book about one of my own hobbies, eg. gardening, instead.

[Claire]

Does anybody by any chance know of any books about metalsmithing that are not instructional? My hobby is metalwork; I make jewelry out of copper and enamel, but I'm not expecting to find a book about that specifically. I would love to find a novel about some sort of smith, even a silversmith or blacksmith. A jeweler would be good too!

[Sarah]

Claire wrote: "Does anybody by any chance know of any books about metalsmithing that are not instructional? My hobby is metalwork; I make jewelry out of copper and enamel, but I'm not expecting to find a book abo..."
Do you like sci-fi? If so, what about Bitroux: Book 1: The Metalsmith by Jordan Harcourt-Hughes. It includes a character who works with the frequency of metals to communicate with other worlds.

[Raquel (Silver Valkyrie Reads)]

Claire wrote: "Does anybody by any chance know of any books about metalsmithing that are not instructional? My hobby is metalwork; I make jewelry out of copper and enamel, but I'm not expecting to find a book abo..."

The blacksmith is a major character in Spindle's End.

[Heather L]

Claire wrote: "Does anybody by any chance know of any books about metalsmithing that are not instructional? My hobby is metalwork; I make jewelry out of copper and enamel, but I'm not expecting to find a book abo..."

Do you like cozy mysteries? If so, two books come to mind:

Deadly Daggers by Joyce and Jim Lavene. It’s the third book in their Renaissance Faire series, but features a swordsmith.

Donna Andrews has a series (Meg Langslow) featuring a female decorative blacksmith. My personal favorite is the third book in the series, Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos, which features more of the metal work than the first two books in the series.

[Ilham]

I wonder if Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood, can be included for this prompt? Just finished reading it.

The book features the lead character, Grace Marks, the celebrated murderess, telling her story to a Dr.Simon Jordan while she is quilting. She is an extremely skilled needle woman and seamstress and this is mentioned repeatedly. On a few occasions, she even mentions having the chance to make her tour-de Force, a marriage quilt of the pattern, “Tree of Paradise”- but as she is imprisoned for nearly 30yrs, she doesn’t get the chance to get married, have her own household and make quilts for her house during her marriageable years.

Each chapter is named after a quilt pattern as well such as “Snake Fence”, “Pandora’s Box” and the names of the quilt pattern thematically relate to what will happen in that chapter.

“Alias Grace” would also be a good fit for a few of the other reading challenge prompts too:

- a book with 2 words in its title

- a book about a puzzle or game (trust me, Grace is definitely weaving a story here and it’s never made clear whether she’s guilty or innocent of the horrific murders she committed or was an accessory to)

- A novel based on a true story (Grace Marks and James McDermott were accused and tried for murdering their
Employer, Thomas Kinnear and the housekeeper/Kinnear’s pregnant mistress, Nancy Montgomery. This happened in 1843 in Canada West (what is now Ontario, Canada) and gained a lot of sensational headlines in the English speaking world at the time.

[Samantha]

'The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins' graphic novel would work because it's based on dungeons and dragons

[Kylie]

Would the Marie Kondo book of tidying up work?

[Raquel (Silver Valkyrie Reads)]

Kylie wrote: "Would the Marie Kondo book of tidying up work?"

Now that you mention it, she does talk at some length about tidying being her hobby from early childhood, so that seems fair to count it!

[Tiffany]

Priya wrote: "Can The Binding be eligible for this challenge?"

While this is an amazing book, bookbinding is a job, not a hobby. They get paid.

[Chai]

As one of my hobbies is travel and another is Judo, leading to a continued interest in Japan and Japanese Culture, I am going with Unbeaten Tracks in Japan by Isabella L. Bird which I found on Project Gutenberg.

[Laura]

Tiffany wrote: "Priya wrote: "Can The Binding be eligible for this challenge?"

While this is an amazing book, bookbinding is a job, not a hobby. They get paid."

I'd count bookbinding as a hobby. There are book artists out there who do their own bindings. Sometimes these professional artists who sell their work, but there are plenty who just enjoy the process as an artform or make books to use themselves. I took a bookbinding class in college and I loved it so much that I still sometimes use these skills in my own artmaking.

[Cyndy]

I read The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club by Wanda E. Brunstett. Several people sign up for Emma's quilt class. Most have never sewn anything. They are all different and have different issues they are dealing with. Just an all around feel good book that says there is hope for anyone.

[Kristin]

Kerry wrote: "I am a scrapbooker so I have The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society and Chicken Soup for the Scrapbooker's Soul to read!"

I'm not a scrapbooker, but I like reading Chicken Soup books, so I've been slowly working my way through it over the summer.

[Drakeryn]

Tiffany wrote: "Priya wrote: "Can The Binding be eligible for this challenge?"

While this is an amazing book, bookbinding is a job, not a hobby. They get paid."

Laura wrote: "I'd count bookbinding as a hobby. There are book artists out there who do their own bindings."

It could be either a job or a hobby, but in The Binding it seems to be an actual job because the main character is a bookbinder's apprentice. I wouldn't count it.

[Cindy]

For us bibliophiles- I'd Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel.

[Kathryn]

I’m reading Little Beach street bakery for this.

[Lin]

I read by Anne Bogel.

I can so relate to some of her stories. I enjoyed this light read.

[Gulbeste]

Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life: How to Use Feng Shui to Get Love, Money, Respect and Happiness

[Erika]

Would "A Guy Like Me: The John Scott Story" work? He was a pro NHLer but at some point hockey was his hobby. Hmm feels like cheating because it's not a hobby if you are paid.

Thoughts/ opinions?