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SPRING CHALLENGE 2020
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Spring Challenge 2020: Tasks
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10.1. Can you see me?
Help Thread
It's 2020, a set of numbers we often associate with vision. Read a book from one of the following lists:
Awesome Blind Characters
Blind Heroes and Heroines in Historical Romance
Blindness/Loss of Vision - Nonfiction
REQUIRED: Include in your post the name of the list and, if the list has more than one page, the page of the list on which your book can be found.
10.2. It's Spring!
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Read a book written with a word in the title (not subtitle) that can be made from the letters in SPRINGTIME. The word must have at least 3 letters. Letters can be used only as often as they appear in the target word.
10.3. It's Not Just the Grammys
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The American Music Awards is another competitor to the Grammys, started by Dick Clark in 1973 when ABC lost its contract to broadcast the Grammys.
Read a book with a single author whose name matches the name of one of the hosts of the American Music Awards. American Music Awards Hosts.
Names must match exactly, but may be found in any position.
10.4. Collaboration of the Year
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Collaboration of the Year is a common music award category.
Read a book that is written by two authors (that is not an anthology). The authors may be listed separately, or may be two authors writing under one name.
REQUIRED: If it is not clear from the GR author page, provide a reference to establish that the listed author is two authors writing under one name.
10.5. International Women's Day
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March 8 is International Women's Day.
Read a book that won or was shortlisted for the Women's/Baileys Prize/Orange Prize, the Orange Prize for New Writers, or the Stella Prize, awards for fiction written by women. The award must be listed in the metadata for the book.
To help you identify books for the tasks, here are links to the lists. Women's/Baileys/Orange Prize, Stella Prize, Orange Prize for New Writers.
10.6. Say what?
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March 14 is International Ask a Question Day. Read a book with “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” “why,” or “how” in the title/subtitle. Words must match exactly.
10.7. It Takes Two
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April is Couple Appreciation Month – read a book with a 2 word title. All words count, including articles such as "a, an, the." Subtitles may be ignored.
10.8. Respect Your Elders
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April 9th is National Cherish an Antique Day – read a book originally published before 1950.
10.9. Tax Day
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April 15 is tax day! Read a nonfiction book with a main page genre (standalone or embedded) of money, economics, or finance.
10.10. No Lawyer Jokes!
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May 1 is Law Day. Read a fiction or non-fiction book about law or in which the main character is a lawyer.
REQUIRED:If the connection is not obvious from the GR description, please briefly explain the connection in your post.
Mod
15.1 - Eurovision Song Contest
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The 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in May 2020.
This is a 2 book task. Read one Book 1 and one Book 2.
Choose a song that has won the Eurovision Song Contest.
Book 1: Read a book with a TITLE of at least 3 words for which the initial letter of each word can be found in the title of the song. Subtitles are excluded. Diacritical marks may be ignored.
AND
Book 2: Read a book written by a single author whose first and last initials can be found in the name of the same song's performer(s). Diacritical marks may be ignored.
Required: Identify the song when you post.
15.2 - Music Fact and Fiction
Help Thread
This is a 2 book task. Read one Book 1 and one Book 2.
Book 1: Read a book that has both "Nonfiction" AND "Music" as MPGs. See list A below for ideas, if needed.
AND
Book 2: Read a novel (fiction) found on one of the following lists. Be careful, some of these lists contain both fiction and nonfiction.
A. Best Books about Musicians, Singers, and Bands
B. Classical Music themes in Literature
C. Fiction Involving Rock/Pop Music
D. Epic Rockstar Stories
Required:State which list and which page the book can be found on when you post.
15.3 - Going Gaga
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Lady GaGa has an... erm... interesting, shall we say, fashion sense. She's been known to show up in some pretty crazy outfits. The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards meat dress, for example. Or the 2011 Grammy egg...
In honor of Lady Gaga, choose one of the following options:
Required: Identify the option when you post.
Option 1:
Book 1: Read a book with the letters MEAT found, in any order, in title/subtitle and/or author's name.
AND
Book 2: Read a book with the letters EGG found, in any order, in title/subtitle and/or author's name.
OR
Option 2: Read one book that fulfills the requirements for book 1 AND book 2. All letters of BOTH words (i.e., 2 Es, 2 Gs) must be found in the title/subtitle and/or author's name to qualify for this option.
15.4 - Celebrate Spring
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People around the world celebrate the spring equinox in a variety of ways. Usher in the spring season by choosing one of the following options:
Required: Identify the option when you post.
Option 1:
Book 1: Read a book set at least 50% in one of these countries/regions/states: Afghanistan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cambodia, China, Czechia (Czech Republic), England, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Malta, Mexico, Nepal, New York City, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Siberia, Sicily, Spain, Turkey, Uzbekistan
Required: State the setting. If the setting is not obvious on the book’s main GR page include a reference when you post.
AND
Book 2: Read a book written by a single author whose first and last initials can be found in the phrase CELEBRATE SPRING.
OR
Option 2: Read one book that fulfills the requirements for book 1 AND book 2. Include any required information in your post.
15.5 - 2020 Grammy Awards
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Read a book written by a single author who shares a name with a 2020 Grammy winner or nominee. Names must match exactly, but they may be in any position. Ex: Taylor Jenkins Reid or Laini Taylor would work for Taylor Swift.
Required: State the name of the Grammy artist when you post.
15.6 - Best New Artist
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Best New Artist is a common music awards category. Read a book first published in 2019 or 2020 that was written by a new-to-you author.
Required: State that the author is new to you when you post.
15.7 - Practicing Scales
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A scale is a group of notes that are arranged by ascending or descending order of pitch. Practice your scales by reading a book with a TITLE (subtitles should be ignored) of at least 3 words in which the initial letters only ascend (ABC) or descend (CBA) through the alphabet. All words count. Titles that include symbols (&, %) or numerals (1, 2, 3) cannot be used for this task. Ex: An Unnecessary Woman (AUW); Ella Minnow Pea (EMP); The Mephisto Club (TMC); The Light Fantastic (TLF); The Moon Is Down (TMID)
15.8 - It Starts with Music
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Read a book with a title that begins with a letter found in MUSIC. All words count, including articles (a, an, the).
15.9 - Richard Adams
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May 9, 2020 marks the centenary anniversary of author Richard Adams's birth. Adams began writing in 1966 at the age of 46. He died 50 years later (in 2016). His most well known book, Watership Down, was first published in 1972. In his honor, read a book first published in 1920, 1966, 1972, or 2016.
15.10 - Artemis Fowl, the Movie
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Artemis Fowl is an upcoming (updated release date: May 29, 2020) science fiction/fantasy/adventure film based on the YA series of the same name. Written by Eoin Colfer, the series follows the adventures of criminal mastermind and anti-hero Artemis Fowl II. In preparation for the film's release, read a book written by Eoin Colfer or a similar author. Pseudonyms mentioned on the similar author page may be used. Works by multiple authors may be used as long as a similar author is listed on Goodreads as a contributor and the book appears on their Goodreads list of works.
Mod
20.1 - MOST IMPROVED PLAYER – Wayne's task: Play Ball!
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After four months of dreary non-baseballness, (I tried watching cricket, but it's just not the same) baseball is finally back! This task is designed to celebrate the return of the greatest of all sports!
This is a one book task. Required: Indicate the option chosen when you post.
Option 1: The Washington Nationals won the 2019 World Series, thus ending a 95 year drought, that saw Washington D.C. go without a team for 35 of those years. What mattered to me,however, is that the Nationals used to be the Montreal Expos, my favorite team from the time they played their first game. Although the Expos had plenty of great players . . . The Hawk, The Kid, Le Grand Orange, just to name a few. . . they never managed to win a World Series. So while the Nats celebrated their win, I put on my dusty old Expos cap and celebrated the first Nationals/Expos franchise victory.
Task: Read a book set at least 50% in either Montreal or Washington D.C.
Required: If the setting is not obvious on the book’s main GRs page include a reference when you post.
Option 2: With the Nationals win, the team that now has the longest World Series drought is the Cleveland Indians, who haven't won since 1948. Like the Expos, the Indians have had some excellent teams without claiming the big prize, most notably the 1954 team that won 111 regular season games but were swept by the New York Giants.
Task: Read a book that was first published in 1948 or earlier.
Option 3: I now follow the Toronto Blue Jays, who have recently fallen on hard times but are rebuilding with the help of some young stars whose fathers were also great players: Bo Bichette, son of Colorado Rockies star Dante, Cavan Biggio, son of Hall of Famer Craig, and of course Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who, after destroying minor league pitching, proved to be mortal after all, hitting a "mere" .272 in his rookie MLB season.
Task: Read a book which has either the word "father" or "son" in the title or subtitle. The words must match exactly.
20.2 - ROOKIE AT THE TOP – Esther's task: Spring Cleaning
Help Thread
This spring I’m refocusing my family on building sustainable, eco-friendly habits. Sustainable living starts with our daily routine, so one of our goals is to pay attention to reducing our impact while doing daily chores and cleaning at work or home. I’m also choosing repurposed, recycled/upcycled, regifted/pre-loved, ‘naked’ (no packaging) options whenever they are available.
For this challenge, think about regifting an opportunity (to yourself) from your ‘want to read’ shelf, exploring the dark side of climate change fiction or just having a bit of a clean up.
This is a one book task. Choose one option and read a book that meets the criteria of that option.
Required: State the option and a brief task description in your post.
Option 1. Read a book that has been on your Goodreads ‘To be Read’ shelf for 3 years or more. If you joined Goodreads less than 3 years ago (after February 2017), you may choose one of the 3 books that has been on your TBR shelf the longest.
Required: State the date you added the book to your shelf when you post. If you've been on GRs less than 3 years, include the date you joined.
Option 2. Read a book from one of the following lists:
Cli-Fi: Climate Change Fiction
Best Sustainability Nonfiction
Required: State which list and what page of the list your book can be found on when you post.
Option 3. Read a book with the word “CLEAN” intact in the title, subtitle, or series title.
Ex: The Trauma Cleaner: One Woman's Extraordinary Life in the Business of Death, Decay, and Disaster; The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun; Hazardous Duty (Squeaky Clean Mysteries #1)
20.3 - BEST REVIEW CONTEST – Bucket's task: Experimental Reading
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I love reading experimental books: books that play with form and structure. Even when these experiments fail (and sometimes they do), something new can be gleaned from the effort. And the successful experiments can be incredibly illuminating and lead to new forms and genres.
Books with the genres "Sequential Art," "Comics," "Comic Book," and "Manga" may be used for this task.
This is a one book task. Choose option A or B. Required: State the option when you post.
A. Read a book from the Popular Experimental Books list that has been shelved as “experimental” at least 3 times.
Required: State the page the book can be found on when you post.
B. Read a book found on the experimental writing by women, non-binary writers & writers of colour [of all genders] Listopia.
20.4 - GOLDEN OLDIES - Babbling C's task: Mom
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March is my parents' birth month but I'll only focus on my mother.
Of the pair, my mother is the pleasure reader. Though I don't remember her reading to me and my brothers, she seems to always have a book and reading. I do remember visiting the post library . Her preferred genre is Romance. In my early teens she introduced to Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt/Phillippa Carr/Jean Plaidy. About 20 years ago, I introduced her to Harry Potter and she's dabbled in fantasy (Middle Earth, Narnia).
This is a one book task. Choose an option below and read a book for that option. Required: State the option you chose when you post.
A. My mother's current favorite Author is Nora Roberts/ J. D. Robb. Read a book by a single Author who's first and last initials can be found in "Nora Roberts J. D. Robb".
B. Read a book with the MPG of Romance. Can be embedded or stand alone.
C. Read a book from The Best Epic Fantasy fiction List. The related linked lists in the list descriptions may not be used. One work included in a listed box set or omnibus may be selected.
Required: If using the list option, state on which page your book can be found when you post.
20.5 - BIGGER IS BETTER – Bea's task: Spring Hobbies (Gardening and Birds)
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Spring. Music. Those two words bring to mind two of my favorite things that are becoming definite hobbies for me: gardening and birds. This task will celebrate the newness of the season, the delight in welcoming bird song and the fun of planting my vegetables with hopes of produce to come.
This is a one book task. Choose one option. Required: Note which option was chosen when posting.
Option 1: Gardening. For the first time, I am actually planning my vegetable garden, testing the soil, ordering plants and seeds and anxiously waiting for the growing season in SC to begin. It is important to me that I grow some of my own food and do it in a responsible manner (i.e., using pesticides that are not toxic to the environment and me, encouraging good insects, and rotating crops).
For this option, read a book, fiction or non-fiction, where gardening, "being green," (i.e., environmentally friendly) or homesteading is integral to the plot or subject. Ex: Digging Deep: Unearthing Your Creative Roots Through Gardening; The Forgotten Garden; Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits Vegetables
Required: If it's not obvious from the book's description, explain how the book fits the task when you post.
You may find these lists to be helpful:
Gardens: Fact or Fiction
Best Sustainability Nonfiction
Best Permaculture & Homesteading Books
Option 2: I have begun to learn to identify birds that come to my feeders and to learn which foods attract which birds. I love to listen to the birds and would like to get to know who is who when I hear their songs.
For this option, read a book, fiction or nonfiction, with a bird on the cover. The image must be of a real and identifiable bird species (i.e., no silhouettes, birds in the distance or background, mythological, fictional, or stylized birds).
Required: Include the cover when you post.
For example:
These books would NOT work:
Some lists that might help:
For the Love of Birds
Books for Bird Lovers
Books About Birds
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20.6 - SEASONED READER – Kevin's task: Baseball Road Trip
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After I graduated from high school, I went on a road trip to watch a game in all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums. Every spring, I get an itch to do that trip all over again.
This is a one book task. Required: Identify the option you choose when you post.
Option 1: I went on my trip over the course of the 2005 baseball season. Read a book first published in a year ending in 5 (e.g. 1995, 2005, 2015, etc…).
Option 2: Since I went on my trip, there have been 8 new stadiums built. That means 22 of the stadiums I visited are still in use. Read a book with a page number that includes both 8 and 2 (e.g. 208, 228, 182, etc…).
Option 3: On my trip I drove my first car, a stick shift 1994 Toyota Corolla, to every stadium except Fenway Park in Boston. As a huge Yankees fan, I had to get license plates that took a shot at their archrival Boston Red Sox. My license plates on that car were RDSOXSK. In honor of that car and those plates, read a book by a single author whose first and last initials (middle initials can be ignored) are found in RED SOX SUCK. Letters may only be used as often as they appear in the phrase.
20.7 - SHORTER IS SWEETER – Florence's task: Most Valuable Players
Help Thread
"Most Valuable Players" is one of my favourite documentaries, and is about the Freddy Awards, which recognise outstanding achievement in High School Musical Theatre. In honour of these awards please choose one of the following options and read a book that fits the task.
This is a one book task. Required: State the option you choose when you post.
Option 1: J. "Fred" Osterstock
J. Fred Osterstock is the ghost said to haunt the theatre where the awards are held, and after whom they are named.
In his honour, read a book where the author or main character is named Fred, Freddy, Freddie or Frederick. The name must match exactly. The name can be in any position.
Required: If choosing the character their name must be obvious from the Goodreads description, or evidence must be provided when you post.
Option 2: Going Off Book
Many of the greatest musicals are adapted from works of literature.
Find out the back story by reading a book from this list, that meets SRC guidelines: Books Turned Into Musicals. One work included in a listed box set or omnibus may be selected.
Option 3: Teen Drama Queens
The documentary focusses on the rivalry between three high schools taking part in the competition, Emmaus, Parkland and Freedom High School.
Read with a MPG of Young Adult and/or Plays AND which has title of three or more words, where the initial letter of each word can be found in EMMAUS PARKLAND FREEDOM.
20.8 - NICKELS & DIMES – SandyL's task: Country Music
Help Thread
I love listening to most genres of music, but my favorite is Country Music. I live in Southern California, which isn't considered a hotbed for the country music scene, but we do have a big event that is held every April - the Stagecoach Festival. Stagecoach is a three-day event which draws up to 75,000 people a day and is the US's largest country music festival. I haven't had the opportunity to attend yet, but it's on my bucket list!
This is a one book task. Your book should be at least 250 pages.
Required: State the option you choose in your post.
Option 1: The lineup at Stagecoach always has a great mix of well known artists as well as unknowns. Read a book written by an author who shares a name with one of the artists performing at the festival this year. Names must match exactly but can be found in any position. Any name part (first, middle, or last) may be used. Here is a link to this year's Stagecoach 2020 Lineup
Required: State the name of the performer when you post.
Option 2: There are many sub-genres under the Country umbrella, and Stagecoach does a great job of featuring a lot of these. They range from mainstream country to bluegrass to country rock (ZZ Top is performing) and the latest, country rap featuring Lil Nas X. My dad was a fan of Country and Western music and I heard a lot of Marty Robbins growing up. Read a book with a MPG of "Westerns" standalone or embedded.
20.9 - MODERATOR'S PET – Suzannesea's task: Wagner's Ring Cycle
Help Thread
This is a one book task. Select one option and read a book that fits.
Required: Identify the option when you post.
I really love the music and pageantry of Wagner's Ring Cycle and have fashioned this task around it.
Richard Wagner lived a turbulent life, but wrote wonderful operas. There are so-called Ring-nuts who travel the world to attend complete cycles of his monumental Der Ring des Nibelungen. The Ring is made up of four connected operas performed over a number of days. It starts with gold being stolen from water nymphs called Rhinemaidens in Das Rheingold and ends eighteen hours of music later with the Rhinemaidens joyfully reclaiming their gold in Gotterdammerung. In between you have stormy nights, star-crossed lovers, and battling Valkyries in Die Walkure; a young man coming of age and fighting a dragon in Siegfried. There is family angst (almost everyone is related), intrigue, and much action as well as glorious music.
Option 1
Though I don't think of myself as a true Ring-nut, i've been lucky to attend Ring Cycles in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, Baden-Baden, Berlin, Dresden, Copenhagen, and Helsinki.
For this option, read a book set at least 50% in California, Washington, Illinois, Germany, Denmark, or Finland.
Required: If the setting is not obvious from the book's description or metadata, provide a link to a reference establishing the setting when you post.
Option 2
Ring goers seem to be a very friendly crew. One of the fun parts of attending multiple Ring Cycles is reconnecting with people you've enjoyed meeting at earlier ones.
For this option, look back at books you've given five stars to before the start of the Spring Challenge. Choose one and read (or reread) a book by that book's author. Required: Indicate which book you originally gave five stars to when you post.
Option 3
Read a book with a title of at least three words, where the beginning letters of each word can be found in DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN. Subtitles should be ignored. Letters may only be used as often as they appear in the phrase.
20.10 - Group Reads
Read ONE of the books selected as the Group Reads choices for the season:
❋ Retellings - A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro
Discussion
❋ Seaside Settings - Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Discussion
❋ Nonfiction - Rebels With a Cause - Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik
Discussion
REQUIRED: You must participate in the book's discussion thread with at least one post about the contents of the book or your reaction to the book after you have read the book.
Mod
25.1 - Cat's task: My genre's Opera, Space Opera
Help Thread
I'm a fan of the space opera, and thought we'd celebrate this most musical of genres (or just enjoy the fun of space battles and exploration)!
Option 1: Two book option - Pick two tasks and read a book for each.
Option 2: One book option - Pick two tasks and read a book that fits both tasks. If choosing the one book option, your book must be 500+ pages total.
Required: State which tasks you used when you post.
Task A: Space Opera covers a wide range of stories, from intergalactic battles to space erotica. Read a book found on a Listopia with Space Opera in the title.
Some examples to get you started:
Best Space Opera of the 21st Century
Girls With Guns: Military Space Opera Starring Female Soldiers
Space Opera
Required: Provide a link to the list you used. If the list has multiple pages, state which page the book can be found on when you post.
Task B: Many Space Opera authors have multi-part names: Arthur C. Clarke, Iain M. Banks, Lois McMaster Bujold to name three.
Read a book written by a single author who has a name with at least three parts (i.e first, middle, last name) as listed on Goodreads. For this task, two initials with periods are considered 2 name parts (e.g. E.M. Forster); single author pseudonyms for collaborating authors (e.g. James S.A. Corey) are OK as long as the pseudonym is listed as author on the Goodreads page.
Task C: Space Opera Opera - Two classic space opera movies: 2001: A Space Odyssey and Flash Gordon, each have classic soundtracks.
Read a book written by a single author that has a three+ word title, where the initial letter of each word in the title (ignore subtitles) and the first and last initials of the author can be found in "Also sprach Zarathustra" and/or "Flash Gordon, Queen."
Ex: The Left Hand of Darkness (TLHOD) by Ursula K. Le Guin (UG)
TLHO in "Also sprach"
DUG in "Gordon, Queen"
25.2 - Nick KY’s Task: MUSYCK is the LIMIT!
Help Thread
This is a two book task. Read one book 1 and one book 2. To celebrate the “Perfect” intervals of 5ths 4ths and octaves in music, the books must total at least 548 pages.
One book with the genres "Sequential Art," "Comics," "Comic Book," and "Manga" may be used for this task.
Book 1. MUSYCK. I like “Musyck.” In Renaissance Europe, music was sometimes spelled “Musyck” – in fact, “Musyck” is the Dutch word for “Music.” One of the leading publishers of “Musyck” in Renaissance Holland was Tielman Susato. Choose one of the following options for Book 1.
Opt. A. Read a book that has a word of 3 or more letters in the title/subtitle that can be made using only the letters found in the phrase: SUSATO MUSYCK. Letters may be used only as many times as they appear in the phrase.
Opt. B. Read a book set at least 1/3 in the Netherlands.
Required: State which option you chose when you post. Provide the word for Option A. Provide proof of setting for Option B if it is not listed on the book's GRs main page.
Book 2. LIMIT. The second book is limited to a book from one of the 4 Listopias below. Choose one list and read a book found on that list. These lists are chosen by me at random. They have some fun stuff in them and do not have an overwhelming amount of books to choose from. The related linked lists in the list descriptions may not be used.
One word Titles - C
Werewolf Books That Are Not Found In The Romance Genre (though some of them are)
It’s All in the Cards
Music Biographies
REQUIRED: State which Listopia and page your choice is found on.
Optional: Listen to some of the pieces in Tielman Susato’s Danserye
Mod
25.3 - Queen Bee Darlene's task: What I chose not to do
Help Thread
I finally finished a challenge! I have attempted this feat 21 other times, but I determined that #22 was the one. In order to do it I had to make the choice to read instead of doing other activities I enjoy. My task is based on those things.
This is a two book task. Read one book from two different options.
Required: Indicate the options when you post.
Option 1: Podcasts
I love podcasts. I discovered them many years ago and have loved discovering new ones and mourned the demise of others, e.g. Books on the Nightstand! A few of my favorites are:
John and Ken on Demand, What Should I Read Next, Reply All, All things Iceland
Read a book with all the letters of PODCAST in title/subtitle/series name
Option 2: Hockey
Go Kings Go! I love my L.A. Kings and my favorite player is Drew Doughty #8. Unfortunately they are in last place this season. I take some responsibility for this as I haven’t watched a game since the end of November. To be fair, they weren’t doing that well back then either. They did win the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014 and their fans are hopeful we will win again soon.
Read a book that was first published in either 2012 or 2014 with the number 8 in the page count.
Option 3: Peloton
I have a strong desire to be in shape, but I did not have that same strong desire to exercise until my husband purchased us a Peloton. I love this bike. I work harder than I ever have. The instructors inspire and encourage me. My favorite instructor is Christine D’Ercole. She even gave me a shout out on my century ride. So here is a shout out to Christine:
Read a book with an apostrophe in the title. Subtitles are excluded.
Option 4: Ancestry.com
Other than reading, this website consumes the majority of my free time. I can easily lose 3 hours on this site without realizing it. Other than my mother’s mother, and my father’s father, I had no clue who anyone else was and I didn’t have any real relationship with either of them. I had my DNA done in 2016 and found out I am English (which I knew), but also Irish and Swedish (which I had no idea!) I have met cousins that I didn’t know existed and they didn’t know I existed, and traced my family tree back to the 1600s on one side.
Read a book set at least 50% in England, Ireland, or Sweden.
Required: If the setting is not obvious from the book's Goodreads main page, provide a link to a reference establishing the setting when you post.
Option 5: Sleep
I go to bed between 9:30 and 10:00 every night and still did during this challenge, but I would stay up and read until midnight. I lost 2-2.5 hours of sleep per night for 91 days which calculates to 182 – 227.5 hours lost.
Read a book with a page count between 182 – 228.
25.4 - TraceyL's task: The Masked Singer
Help Thread
The Masked Singer is a music competition show where celebrities dress up in elaborate costumes to hide their identity and sing in front of a panel of judges. The show originated in South Korea but as of 2020 there have been franchises in 28 different countries. The American series is currently airing it's third season, and this task is based on some of my favorite costumes from this season.
Choose two options from the list below and read two books, one for each option, OR read one book with 500 pages or more that fits two options.
Option 1: Robot and Teddy - Two of this season's costumes look like classic children's toys. A shiny chrome robot and a tie-dye teddy bear. Read a book with the MPG Children's or Kids. All books must meet the SRC rules.
Option 2: Elephant and Rhino - These two animals can be found in Africa. Read a book set at least 50% in Africa. If you are unsure whether or not a country is considered a part of Africa, check This Wikipedia List.
Required: If the setting of the book is not obvious from its Goodreads main page, provide a link to a reference that establishes the setting when you post.
Option 3: Taco and Banana - This season also has two food related costumes. A taco with a tomato head and smiling banana. Read a book by a single author whose first and last initials can be found in TACO and/or BANANA.
Option 4: Night Angel - I think the strangest costume this season is the Night Angel. It's a purple creature with large, furry wings and wearing a masquerade mask. Read a book with the word NIGHT or ANGEL intact in the title, subtitle or series name.
Examples:
Nightmares and Dreamscapes
Angels & Demons
Marked (House of Night #1)
Option 5: Llama - The llama costume had a stuffed rear end and four legs. Read a book with a Llama/Alpaca, Camel or Horse/Mule/Donkey on the cover. The entire animal does not need to be visible, and silhouettes and abstract images are allowed as long as it's obvious what kind of animal it is.
Examples of Allowed Covers:
Required: Include the cover when you post.
Mod
25.5 - Brooke TX's task: Paperback Playlists
Help Thread
I follow a lot of bookish Instagram pages, and one of them (@paperbackbones) frequently makes playlists to accompany books featured in Fox & Wit subscription boxes. While I definitely prefer to read in silence, I love the idea of curating playlists inspired by your favorite books!
For this task, choose one of the Fox & Wit playlists, and read 2 books from the options below based on your chosen playlist. Read one book from two different options or two books from one option.
ONE of your books may have an MPG of "Sequential Art", "Comics", "Comic Book", or "Manga."
Required: Provide a link to your chosen playlist when you post.
Option 1: Read the book which inspired the playlist you chose. A list of books can be found in post 2 of the help thread. If the playlist is based on an entire series, any book from that series that fits SRC rules will work.
Option 2: Read a book with a word in the title/subtitle that matches a word in a song title from your chosen playlist. The words "A," "An," and "The" are excluded. If choosing to read two books for this option, you may use the same song title for both books, but the matching words must be different. For example, if you chose The Starless Sea playlist, you could read Disappearance at Devil's Rock and Gone Girl to match "The Disappearance of the Girl," but NOT Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train.
Option 3: Read a book by a single author whose initials can be found in one of the artists featured on your chosen playlists. All initials count. Letters may only be used as often as they appear.
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30.1 - Ava Catherine's Task: Redemption
Help Thread
This is a two book task. Read one book from two different options or two books from one option.
No books with the genre Childrens or Kids may be used for this task.
REQUIRED: Identify which option or options you select when you post.
Although I do not know much about country music, I loved Ken Burns's History of Country Music that aired on PBS last fall. While many of the stories were interesting, Johnny Cash's story and music had a lasting impact on me. Much of Cash’s music embraces themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption. As the redemption themes in his life and work are universal themes in literature and music and are part of the human condition, they resonate deeply within me. “Redemption themes played out in my dad’s life and his career, over and over and over,” said Rosanne Cash. “Every day of his life, there was this struggle and a search of redemption.”
Option 1: Folsom
After recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, Johnny Cash gave a concert on January 13, 1968, at Folsom Prison, a place that inspired one of his biggest hits and now the place he hoped would revive his career. “I knew this was it,” Cash later remembered, “my chance to make up for all the times I had messed up.” During his two concerts that day, Cash seemed to be singing directly to each prisoner, choosing songs that touched on loneliness and confinement, bad luck and bad choices, as well as rebellion. But the biggest response came at the end when Cash sang “Greystone Chapel,” which had been written by one of the inmates.
Columbia released the Folsom Prison album to rave reviews that spring; sales would soon reach 500,000, achieving gold status. It stayed on the pop charts for more than two years and sold more than three million copies in the United States alone. Johnny Cash was a superstar.
🎶 Read a book by a single author whose first and last initials can be found in FOLSOM PRISON. The letters may be used only as often as they appear in the target phrase. Middle names/initials may be ignored.
Option 2: Rebel/ Advocate
Johnny Cash was at the the peak of his popularity as the 1970s began. His popular television show aired weekly, and his records played constantly on country radio. But he was also a hero to many members of the counterculture because of his image as an anti-establishment rebel, his advocacy for prison reform and Native American rights, and his open association with artists from rock and roll, and especially folk music. He and his wife June made a tour of American military bases in Vietnam, performing and visiting hospitals. He told his brother that American soldiers “may be dying for a cause that isn’t just,” and he would sometimes flash the peace sign at concerts. However, he consistently refused to publicly criticize President Nixon for continuing the war.
🎶 Read a book with main page genre war, main page genre Vietnam, or main page genre race. (mpg may be stand alone or embedded)
Option 3: Columbia
By the mid-1980s, Johnny Cash was about to start his fourth decade in country music. To many people he was country music, a living legend within the industry, already in the Hall of Fame, the youngest person to be inducted. But despite his status as an icon, Cash’s solo records were no longer selling. Meanwhile, Cash’s oldest daughter, Rosanne, was blazing her own career in country music. Her 1985 song, "I Don’t Know Why You Don’t Want Me” went to number one and won a Grammy, and the album produced three other singles in the top five. As Roseanne’s star was ascending, in 1986 Columbia Records abruptly dropped Johnny Cash, who had been on their label since 1958. No one, including Johnny, saw it coming. “It was like somebody had dropped an atom bomb in Nashville,” said record producer Tony Brown. “Johnny Cash was more than an artist; he was a way of life for America. He was like John Wayne, and he was just bigger than music.” Dwight Yoakam considered it “regrettable and reprehensible that he was just kind of summarily, disrespectfully dismissed and cast aside by a label that had made millions and millions of dollars with Johnny Cash’s music. The fact that Columbia Records would drop Johnny Cash was an insult to anybody who had ever listened to music.” Johnny Cash said, ”I feel like a stranger in my own hometown.”
🎶 Read a book with a single author whose first and last initials are either JC or RC, emulating either Johnny Cash or Rosanne Cash. Middle names/initials may be ignored.
Option 4: Redemption
Johnny Cash’s career seemed to have bottomed out, but in 1993 a young producer Rick Rubin, who had helped popularize hip-hop, approached Cash about doing an album for his label, American Recordings. Many of Cash’s family and friends were against it afraid the collaboration would damage his career, but Cash went ahead. The collaboration began with Rubin telling Cash to think about the song and “ where your heart is.” They put together a collection of diverse songs that were honestly connected to Cash; songs of faith, songs of love for his wife, songs of humor, songs of the elemental darkness within him. Released in the spring of 1994, American Recordings and Cash won rave reviews for the album.
Rosanne Cash noted a change in her father: “Everything was new again. He was back. It was like the light shined on him again. And he was so grateful and relieved that somebody saw his essence and who he was, and just wanted to bring that out, just wanted him to be Johnny Cash again.” It won Cash a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. Young audiences began turning out to hear him at rock clubs and auditoriums. In 1996 Cash and Rubin came out with the equally successful Unchained, which won a Grammy for Best Country Album. Over the next several years, Cash recorded three more albums with Rick Rubin. One of the albums, The Man Comes Around, earned Cash another Grammy and CMA’s award for Album of the Year.
Overcoming obstacles, everything had come full circle, and Cash was a man redeemed.
🎶 Read a book by a single author whose first and last initials can be found in REDEMPTION. You may use the letters as often as they appear in the target word. Middle names/initials may be ignored.
Option 5: Life
Johnny Cash is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 90 million records worldwide. His genre-spanning songs and sound embraced country, rock and roll, rockabilly, blues, folk, and gospel. This crossover appeal won Cash the rare honor of being inducted into the Country Music, Rock and Roll, and Gospel Music Halls of Fame.
Johnny Cash was born February 26, 1932, and died September 12, 2003.
🎶 Read a book first published in 1932, or read a book first published in 2003.
30.2 - Mazza1's Task: Are we Going to Scarborough Fair?
Help Thread
I recently had my online shop delivered and realised I had bought - Parsley Sage, Rosemary and Thyme. It wasn't long before I was humming the Tune known as Scarborough Fair as I put the shopping away.
Scarborough Fair is the title song on the third studio album by music duo Simon and Garfunkel. The album peaked at number four on the Billboard Pop Album Chart and was eventually certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
The task is based on this Album and Information from the following wikipaedia page: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
The task is a 2 book task choose one option and read BOTH books for that option.
Required: Identify the option when you post.
OPTION 1
A) Read a book that has a TITLE that includes all the letters of one of these words: PARSLEY, SAGE, ROSEMARY, or THYME. Subtitles may not be used. All occurrences of the letters must be found in the book title (i.e., if using ROSEMARY, book title must have 2 Rs).
B) Read a book where the author's first and last initials appear in the SAME herb as the one used for book A. Middle names/initials may be ignored. Letters can only be used as often as they appear in the target word.
Required: Identify the word used when you post.
Example:
Book A: The Year Without Summer contains all the letters of ROSEMARY
Book B: The Water Cure by Sophie Mackintosh (SM in ROSEMARY)
OPTION 2
A) Read a book with a word of 4 or more letters in its TITLE that matches one of the words in the album's song titles (a list of song titles can also be found in POST 2 of the help thread). Subtitles may not be used. Words must match exactly.
B) Using the same word chosen for Book A, read a book where the author's first and last initials appear in that word. Middle names/initials may be ignored. Letters can only be used as often as they appear in the chosen word.
Required: Identify the word used when you post.
Example:
Book A: The Green Mile – GREEN in the song: The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine
Book B: Red Lily by Nora Roberts - NR found in GREEN
OPTION 3
A) Read a book by an author who shares a name with one of the people involved in making the album. (The personnel involved will also be listed in POST 3 of the help thread). Names must match exactly but may be in any position.
B) Read a book which contains all the letters of the name you used for Book A in its TITLE. Subtitles may not be used. Letters can only be used as often as they appear in the book title.
Required: Identify the name used when you post.
Example:
Book A: Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving author shares first name with John Meszar
Book B: The Ten Thousand Doors of January contains all the letters of JOHN in the title
Mod
Help Thread
In Norway, Easter (Påske) is celebrated with a tradition known as Påskekrim or Easter-Crime. Many Norwegians head to the mountains for the Easter break taking with them candy bars - Kvikk Lunsj (equivalent to a KitKat) and a crime novel. Special crime anthologies are published and TV and radio stations air crime dramas.
Choose 2 options. Read 2 books, one for each option.
Required State the options.
Option 1. Head to the mountains knowing the Fjellvettreglene or Norwegian Mountain Code.
Read a book written by a single author whose initials can be found in FJELLVETTREGLENE. Letters may be only be used as often as they appear in the target word. All name part initials count.
Option 2. Grab a Kvikk Lunsj.
Read a book with a word in the TITLE that begins with a K. Subtitles are excluded.
Option 3. Read an anthology or collection of short stories or novellas (at least 3 works) with the main page genre Crime, Mystery or Thriller. The genre may be standalone or embedded. The collection may be by a single author or multiple contributors.
Option 4. Read a book from this list of TV Series Based on Crime Novels. Any whole number book in a series may be used.
ex. The Red Dahlia (Anna Travis #2) by Lynda La Plante #2 on the list.
Required: State the number of the series on the list.
30.4 - Amanda A & Amy FL's Task: Musical Mnemonics
Help Thread
Music teachers use mnemonics to help students remember the order of the notes on a staff.
This is a two book task. Choose one option (Treble Clef or Bass Clef) and read a book for both tasks associated with that option.
REQUIRED: State the option you chose in your post.
Option A: Treble Clef
Book 1: Treble Clef lines (E-G-B-D-F): Every Good Boy Does Fine
𝄞 Read a book with a five-word title. Subtitles should be ignored.
Book 2: Treble Clef spaces (F-A-C-E): FACE (like the one holding your nose)
𝄞 Read a book with a cover showing only a face (ONE full human face). No body parts below the neck should be visible on the cover. A full face is defined as one in which two eyes, a nose, and a mouth are clearly visible.
These work:
These do NOT work:
Required: Include the cover in your post.
Option B: Bass Clef
Book 1: Bass Clef lines (G-B-D-F-A): Good Boys Do Fine Always
𝄢 Read a book by a single male author with a male main character. The character must be listed as a character in the book's metadata or the book's description on its Goodreads main page.
Required: Include the name of the male main character in your post.
Book 2: Bass Clef spaces (A-C-E-G): American Composers Envy Gershwin
𝄢 Read a book by a single author who shares a name with a famous composer of musicals from this list: Composers of Musicals. The name must match exactly but may be in any position.
Example:
Composer: Leonard Bernstein
Author: Elmore Leonard
Required: Include the name of the composer from the list in your post.
30.5 - TessaVanessa's Task: Music Terms
Help Thread
Pick 2 options from below. Read 2 books, one for each option.
Required: State the options when you post.
Option 1: Song
A song can be defined as a short metrical composition intended or adapted for singing. Other words synonymous with song are lullaby, anthem, ballad, ditty or carol.
Some books are published with two different titles depending on the market they will be sold in or the title was changed upon re-release. Could we call them Synonymous Titles? (I just made that up!)
Read a book that was first published under a different title. The original title must be present in the metadata on the book's main GR page. A book with a title in a different language that translates to a synonymous title does not fulfill the task.
Examples:
These books would work:
The Lost Daughter - original title: The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes
Keeping The Dead - original title: The Keepsake
The Keeper of Lost Causes - original title: Kvinden i buret; translates to: The Woman in the Cage
These books will NOT work:
The Name of the Rose - original title: Il nome della rosa; translates to: The Name of the Rose
The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared - original title: Hundraåringen som klev ut genom fönstret och försvann; translates to: The Hundred-Year-Old Who Stepped Out of the Window and Disappeared
The House by the River - original title: Το σπίτι δίπλα στο ποτάμι; translates to: The House Next to the River
Still Waters - original title: I de lugnaste vatten; translates to: In the Calmest Waters
Option 2: Chords
A chord is the sounding of two or more notes at the same time.
Read a book that is part of 2 or more different series. The multiple series designation must be shown on the book's Goodreads series page.
Examples:
Don't Tell by Karen Rose; Romantic Suspense #1, Chicago #1
Darker Than Night by John Lutz; Frank Quinn #1: Night #4
Fire and Ice by J.A. Jance; J.P Beaumont #19, Joanna Brady #14
Option 3: Ensemble
An ensemble is a group of performers.
Read a book with 3 or more authors/contributors. This Goodreads list may help: Best Anthologies.
Examples:
Love Least Expected
My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding
Option 4: Duet
A duet is a musical composition for two voices or instruments.
Read a book that shares a title (ignore subtitles) with a song from this list : The 100 Best Duets of All Time
Titles must match exactly.
REQUIRED: State the number of the song when you post.
Examples:
Friends And Lovers by Diana Palmer; #57
Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes; #59
Separate Lives by Kathryn Flett; #64
Option 5: Cut time
Cut time is any time signature (usually 4/4) with the tempo doubled so as to make everything half as long.
Read a book with a 4 found in the total page count AND in the year first published.
Examples:
Appointment in Samarra by John O'Hara; 240 pages, first published 1934
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd; 384 pages, first published 2014
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Help Thread
One of my favourite bands is Rush. Sadly, the drummer, Neil Peart, died this January. During his career with the band, Rush won nine Junos (a Canadian music award) and was nominated for seven Grammys, although it never won one. Rush was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 2013.
This is a three-book task. No books with Children or Kids as a MPG may be used. The total page count for the three books must be at least 750 pages.
1. Rush is (or, sadly, perhaps was) a proudly Canadian band. Read a book set at least 50% in Canada or written by a single author who was born in Canada.
Required: If the setting or author's place of birth is not obvious on the book’s or author's main Goodreads page, provide a reference to establish setting or birthplace when you post.
2. Peart joined Rush in 1974, and the Rush R40 box set was released in September 2014, commemorating 40 years since their first album, Rush, was released. His last live performance with the band was on the R40 tour, in August 2015. Read a book first published between 1974 and 2015, inclusive.
3. As well as being an amazing drummer, Peart was also Rush’s lyricist, and among other things, wrote the lyrics for my one of my favourite rock tracks ever: Xanadu, based on the poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, which was first published in 1816. Read a book with an MPG of either Classics or Retellings. Genres may be standalone or embedded.
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The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Disappearance at Devil's Rock (other topics)Gone Girl (other topics)
The Girl on the Train (other topics)
The Forgotten Garden (other topics)
Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Lois McMaster Bujold (other topics)Iain M. Banks (other topics)
James S.A. Corey (other topics)
E.M. Forster (other topics)
Ursula K. Le Guin (other topics)
More...
5.1 - Baby, Remember My Name
Help Thread
Cher, Madonna, Sting, Adele…. These award-winning recording artists are know by one name. Read a book by an author who uses a one-word name. One qualifying contributor in a work by multiple authors will work.
ex. Voltaire, Xinran, Saki, Flea
5.2 - How Time Flies
Help Thread
On March 1, 2020 there will be 305 days remaining in 2020. By the end of the Spring Challenge on May 31,2020 there will be 214 days remaining.
Read a book with a number of pages between 214 and 305 inclusive.
5.3 - Susan B.
Help Thread
Susan B. Anthony (February 15, 1820 – March 13, 1906) was an American social reformer and women's rights activist who played a pivotal role in the women's suffrage movement.
Read a book that has been shelved Women's Rights from the list of Popular Women's Rights books.
Required: State the page.
5.4 - I'm a Slave 4 U
Help Thread
At the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards Britney Spears performed "I'm a Slave 4 You" with a live snake across her shoulders. Read a book with at least one Arabic numerical digit in the title or subtitle. Numbers cannot be spelled out (Ex. 4 not Four). Arabic numerals are the ten digits: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.
5.5- Long Live Rock
Help Thread
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's mission is to engage, teach and inspire through the power of rock & roll.
Read a book with a TITLE of at least 3 words where the first letter of each word is found in THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME. Letters may only be used as often as they appear in the phrase. The & must be used as an &.
ex. Lark & Termite, The Lantern Men
5.6 - Rhyme, Repetition, Rhythm
Help Thread
Poetry is often described as having a musical or lyrical quality. Read a book with a main page genre of Poetry or Novel in Verse.
5.7 - There Ought to be a Band
Help Thread
Read a book from this list There Ought to be a Band
Required: State the page number of the list where you book is found.
5.8 - Spring Is In The Air
Help Thread
Spring is in the air, so look for the AIR this spring.
Read a book with "AIR" found intact in the title or subtitle.
ex. Fair and Tender Ladies, Thin Air
5.9 - Go For Baroque
Help Thread
The International Classical Music Awards celebrate excellence in musical categories including Audio: Early Music, Music of any genre composed before 1600 and Audio: Baroque Music, Music composed between 1600 – 1750.
Read a book with a main page genre that includes History or Historical.
5.10 - Goof-Off
Help Thread
March 22 is National Goof-Off Day. Read a book of your choice that meets the SRC rules. For this task, a book with the main page genre Childrens or Kids may be used if it is not found in AR Bookfinder.