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WINTER CHALLENGE 2020
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Winter Challenge 2020: Tasks
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10.1. Shaken, not Stirred.
Help Thread
The first James Bond film premiered in 1962. For many of us, Sean Connery will always be the “real” James Bond – and sadly, he passed away this year.
Read a book with a single author whose initials can be found in SEAN CONNERY. All initials must be present. Letters can only be used as often as found in the target name.
10.2. A Decade of Turbulence
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Not just in the U.S. - during the 1960's there were numerous successful coups around the world (sometimes more than one per country!
Read a book set at least 50% in one of these countries, each of which had at least one successful coup during the 60s.
Algeria, Argentina, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma (Myanmar), Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Somalia, Somaliland, South Korea, Sudan, Syria, Togo, Turkey, Upper Volta (Burkina Faso), Yemen, Zanzibar.
REQUIRED: Specify in your post the country in which your book is set.
10.3. March On!
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The Civil Rights movement in the U.S. took off during the 1960's. Read a nonfiction book about the Civil Rights movement, or about one of the leaders/important figures of the Civil Rights movement.
For purposes of this task, the Civil Rights movement was a struggle for social justice that took place mainly during the 1950s and 1960s for Black Americans to gain equal rights under the law in the United States. If the connection to the Civil Rights movement is not obvious from the GR description, provide a link in your post establishing the connection.
These lists may give you some ideas: Great Reads About the Civil Rights Movement; Civil Rights Study; Sixties Memoirs and Biographies
NOTE: This is NOT a list task - a book need not be one of these lists to be used, and the fact of a book being on this list DOES NOT mean it necessarily works. These are provided just to give you some ideas.
10.4. And in Other News....
Help Thread
Needless to say, there was a lot going on in the 60s along with the civil rights movement. Read a book from one of the following lists:
Best Novels about the 1960s
Best Books on Sixties History Nonfiction
Sixties Memoirs, Biographies
REQUIRED: Include in your post the list you used and the page of the list on which your book is found
10.5. Not All Bad!
Help Thread
Despite the problems of 2020, I did get a chance to read some new authors who I really enjoyed!
Read a book by a single author who you first read in 2020, before 11/15. The 2020 book may be a single author book, or from a book with multiple authors. You may have read as many books as you like by this author in 2020, but the book you use for this task must be new to you, not a re-read.
REQUIRED: In your post, link to the book in which you first read this author, and state the date read. Also state that the book you use for this task is not a re-read.
10.6. Please Phrase That in the Form of a Question.
Help Thread
Alex Trebek, the long-time host of the show Jeopardy, passed away this month. In honor of Mr. Trebek, read a book with one of these "question words" in its title/subtitle - Who, What, When, Where, How, Why. The words must be standalone - no variations.
10.7 - Earworms!
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Mary Poppins, released in 1964, contained a notorious earworm* - "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious". Read a book with a title of at least 3 words, where the first letter of each word in the title can be found in "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious". Letters can be used only as often as they appear in the target word.
*earworm - a tune or part of a song that repeats in one's mind.
10.8. Cookies!
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December 18 is Bake Cookies Day! Read a book with one or more cookies on the cover. REQUIRED: Include the cover in your post
10.9. Laugh, We Made it to 2021!
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January 24 is Global Belly Laugh Day! Read a book with the main page genre Humor.
10.10 - I Want Them All!
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February 6 is Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day.
The most popular ice cream flavors in the world are
1. vanilla
2. chocolate
3. butter pecan
4. strawberry
5. neapolitan
6. chocolate chip
7. french vanilla
8. cookies and cream
9. vanilla fudge ripple
10. praline pecan
Read a book with a word from this list in its title/subtitle. The word "and" cannot be used. The word must be standalone, but plurals and possessives may be used.
Mod
15.1 - Groovy, Man
Help Thread
The Woodstock Music & Art Fair was a music festival held on a dairy farm in the rural town of Bethel, New York, from August 15 to August 18, 1969. Thirty-two acts performed during the weekend in front of nearly half a million concertgoers.
Choose a day from the List of performances and events at Woodstock Festival:
Day 1 - Friday, August 15 to Saturday, August 16
Day 2 - Saturday, August 16 to Sunday, August 17
Day 3 - Sunday, August 17 to Monday, August 18
Required: State the day you picked when you post.
Read 2 books, one Book 1 and one Book 2.
Book 1: Read a book written by a single author who shares a name with one of the musical artists who performed on the day you picked. Names must match exactly but may be in any position (first, middle, last). If the artist uses initials, such as R.G. Carlyle (Day 1, Sweetwater), the author must use the same set of initials on Goodreads (ex: R.G. Grant).
Required: State the matching name when you post.
Book 2: Read a book with a word in the title/subtitle that matches a word** in one of the songs played on the day you chose. Words must match exactly. **These words may NOT be used: a, an, and (&), the, to
The artist name and song title must come from the SAME day. The song chosen may be played by the artist picked, but does not have to be.
Required: State the song title when you post.
Example:
Day picked: Day 2
Book 1: All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace
❆ author's last name (Grace) matches Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane ❆
Book 2: Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
❆ Heart found in "Piece of My Heart" by Janis Joplin and the Kozmic Blues Band ❆
15.2 - Vietnam & the Antiwar Movement
Help Thread
As the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War intensified, so did antiwar sentiment. Especially after 1965, when President Lyndon Johnson dramatically escalated the US troop presence and bombing campaigns in Vietnam, the war became the focal point for student political activism.
Read 2 books, one Book 1 and one Book 2.
Book 1: Read a book with the MPG War or a MPG that includes the word WAR. Any of these would work:
War > World War II
World War II > Holocaust
Military History > Civil War
Book 2: Read a book found on the Anti War Books list.
Required: State which page the book can found on when you post.
15.3 - Ground Control to Major Tom
Help Thread
In April 1961, the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person to orbit Earth. In May, President John F. Kennedy made the bold, public claim that the U.S. would land a man on the moon before the end of the decade. And, in July 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the Moon. The same month, David Bowie introduced the fictional astronaut Major Tom to the world with the song "Space Oddity."
Choose one of the following options.
Required: Identify the option you chose when you post.
Option 1: Read 2 books, one Book A and one Book B.
Book A: Read a book by a single author whose first and last initials can be found in ASTRONOMY. Spaces determine names. Letters can only be used as often as they appear in the target word.
Book B: Read a book with the MPG Space. Genre may be standalone or embedded.
Option 2: Read 1 book that fulfills the requirements of both Book A and Book B.
Ex: Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
15.4 - Assassination Nation
Help Thread
Medgar Evers, John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy were just a few of the civil rights activists and political leaders assassinated in the U.S. during the 1960s.
Choose one of the following options.
Required: Identify the option you chose when you post.
Option 1: Read 2 books, one Book A and one Book B.
Book A: Read a book with the letters TION intact in the title/subtitle.
Book B: Read a book with at least TWO sets of double letters (consonants and/or vowels) in the title/subtitle and/or the author's name. Books must be written by a single author.
Option 2: Read 1 book that fulfills the requirements of both Book A and Book B.
Ex: Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre
❆ TION in Devolution; CC in Account; SS in Massacre ❆
Plantation Shudders by Ellen Byron
❆ TION in Plantation; DD in Shudders; LL in Ellen ❆
15.5 - Let There Be Light(s)
Help Thread
Physicist Theodore Maiman uses a core of man-made ruby to create the first successful LASER (an acronym for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation). It was first demonstrated on May 16, 1960. The invention has an immediate effect on pop culture, heavily promoted in science fiction books and movies. Read a book with all the letters of LASER found in the TITLE only. Subtitles are excluded.
15.6 - Heart to Heart
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The first artificial heart was implanted into a human at a Houston hospital on April 21, 1963 by Dr. Michael E. De Bakey. The patient survived for four days. Christiaan Barnard and his team, performed the world's first human-to-human heart transplant operation on December 3, 1967 in Cape Town, South Africa. Read a book with a heart(s) on the cover. The heart(s) may be realistic or stylized. Ex:
Required: Include the cover in your post.
15.7 - The British Invasion
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The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of British culture became popular in the United States and significant to the rising "counterculture" on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Read a book set at least 50% in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland).
Required: If the location is not evident from the metadata or book description, include a reference to establish how the book fits the task when you post.
15.8 - The Fab Four
Help Thread
By early 1964, the Beatles were international stars, and leading the "British Invasion" of the United States pop market and breaking numerous sales records. Read a book with a 4-word title. Spaces determine words. All words count. Subtitles should be ignored.
15.9 - A Trekkie is Born
Help Thread
Star Trek debuted on September 8, 1966 and science fiction programming goes where no TV series had gone before. Read a book with the MPG Science Fiction. Genre may be standalone or embedded.
15.10 - The Digital Divide
Help Thread
The first computer transmission is carried by ARPANET at 10:30 PM on October 29, 1969 from a host computer at UCLA to another host computer at Stanford. Read a book written by a single author whose first and last initials can be found in ARPANET. Spaces determine names. Letters can only be used as often as they appear in the target word.
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20.1 - Most Improved - SandyL's Task: Escape by Romance
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Reading is my way of escaping the real world, and it's been more than necessary these last several months. My favorite genre is Romance, and with so many subgenres to choose from, I can almost always find a book to fit my mood.
This is a one-book task. Your book must have a main page genre (MPG) of Romance. The genre can be standalone or embedded. MPG such as Historical Romance, Futuristic Romance, and Science Fiction Romance would work, too.
Required: State which option you chose when posting.
Option 1: More than ever I've been looking for books in the romantic comedy subgenre, and I love when I find an author who can make me laugh out loud.
Read a book with a title of at least 3 words where the first letter of each word can be found in the phrase I NEED TO LAUGH. Letters may only be used as often as they are found in the target phrase. All words count, but you can ignore subtitles. Remember: Your book must have the MPG Romance.
Option 2: On the opposite spectrum, sometimes we need a good cry about something other than our own troubles, and a tear jerker romance can be just the thing.
Read a book from one of the following lists:
Tear-Jerker: Romance Novels that Jerked the Tears Right Out of Ya
You Broke My Heart With Your Words
Best Gay Tear Jerker with a Happy Ending
Required: State which list your book was found on, and what page of that list.
Option 3: Historical Romance is a good way to escape to an earlier time (and also to remind us that things weren't always better in the old days!) My favorite Historical Romance author is Lisa Kleypas, although there are many others I also enjoy.
Read a book by a single author whose first and last initials can be found in LISA KLEYPAS. Letters can only be used as often as they are found in the target name (and middle initials can be ignored.) Remember: Your book must have the MPG Romance.
Option 4: Finally, to really escape reality, a Romance with a subgenre of Paranormal or Science Fiction can let you step out of our world for a little bit. There is nothing like a wolf shifter or alien to help you forget what's going on around you!
Read a book with a main page genre (MPG) of Paranormal or Science Fiction. Note: Your book must also contain an MPG of Romance.
20.2 - Rookie at the Top - Melinde's task: Food, glorious food!
Help Thread
In the 60s, the focus of food started to shift from energy to keep you going, to eating for pleasure and comfort. As general welfare went up, people started to spend more money on better and more convenient food.
This is a one book task. Choose one option from below and read one book for that option.
Required: Identify the option when you post.
Option 1:Pizza
In 1960, only 15% of the people had ever eaten out in a restaurant, but this percentage started to rise during the next 10 years. People wanted to eat more 'exotic' food, and pizzeria's were popping up in the streets.
Read a book* from the list Pizza! Pizza!.
Required: State which page your book is on when you post.
*NOTE: All SRC rules, including those regarding children's books, apply, regardless of whether a book is on the list.
Option 2: Ice cream
Based on the space race that was going on in the 60s, the famous rocket ice cream was launched. The rocket is a simple ice lolly that was based on the shape and heat gradient of a space shuttle. To this day it is still being produced according to the traditional recipe, making it the longest running model.
Read a book with a cover that is more than 50% (51+%) rocket colors (red-orange-yellow) according to Tineye. A single color over 50% or combination of colors may be used to reach >50% if necessary. Ex:
52.8% red
42.3% orange + 9.3% red = 51.6% rocket colorsComplete directions for using Tineye can be found here: How Do I use Tineye?
REQUIRED: Include the book cover and the percentage of red, orange, and/or yellow when you post.
Option 3: Appetizers
The start to a successful diner party in the 60s was the shrimp cocktail. This appetizer was brought to popularity by the famous television chef Fanny Cradock.
Read a book with a title of 3 words or more, where the initial letters of each word can be found in the words SHRIMP COCKTAIL. Letters can only be used as often as they appear in the target phrase. Subtitles should be ignored.
20.3 – Best Review - Katy's task: Netflix Binges
Help Thread
During quarantines and lockdowns, I (like many people!) watched more TV than usual. Luckily, there was plenty to keep me entertained when I wanted a break from reading.
Choose 1 option and read a corresponding book.
Required: State which option you chose when you post.
A. "The Queen's Gambit" - I'm loving this chess show on Netflix. Read a book whose title contains the name of a chess piece - king, queen, knight, bishop, rook, or pawn. Plurals and possessives will work, but no other variations.
B. "The Office" - I have rewatched this show more times than I can count. Read a book from the Favorite Comfort Reads list.
Required: State which page your book can be found on when you post.
C. The election - Sometimes I wished it was just a TV show, but I definitely spent time binge-watching election coverage this fall. Read a nonfiction book with the MPG "Politics."
D. "The Babysitter's Club" - I was so excited that Netflix made a reboot of this classic from my childhood -- and did a great job, no less! One terrific change they made was casting more actresses of color than were depicted in the original series. In honor of this show, read a book written by a woman of color who can be found on this list: Popsugar 2020 - A Book by a Woman of Color. You may read a different book from the one on the list as long as the author is on the list.
Required: State which page the author can be found on when you post.
20.4 - Golden Oldies - Sarah E's task: Silent Night
Help Thread
Silent Night (according to Wikipedia) was composed in Austria in 1818, and is therefore, in first published date if not in length, eligible for a Golden Oldie ticket. It was declared an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2011, and at least according to the Sainsbury's Christmas 2014 advert, was sung in the trenches of WWI in the famous Christmas Truce of 1914.
Read one book from one of the following options.
Required: State which option you chose when you post.
Option 1: Read a book by a single author whose first and last initials can be found in SILENT NIGHT.
Option 2: Read a book with a word of at least four letters in the title or subtitle that exactly matches* a word from the lyrics. You may use the original German lyrics as well as the English ones.
*Alternative spelling Savior for Saviour is allowed, no other variations.
Option 3: Read a book that was originally written in a language other than your native one.
Required: State the original language of your book AND your native language when you post.
20.5 - Bigger is Better - Julia103's task: The Sixties, but When?
Help Thread
This task was inspired by a Jeopardy category “Name the Decade” where the answers turned out to be “What are the 1450s?”, “What are the 1550s?”, “What are the 1650s?”, “What are the 1750s?” and “What are the 1850s?” (Actually I don’t remember which decade it was, just that it was the same decade in different centuries.)
This is a one book task.
Required: State which option you chose when posting.
Option 1: There are already a number of tasks inspired by events in the 1960s. So read a book which is set at least 60% during a ‘60s decade in any century EXCEPT the twentieth century (1960s).
Required: If the date is not mentioned in the book description or metadata, include a reference in your post to show when the book was set. Ex: a link to a review (inside or outside GRs), an article about the book, the author's website establishing how the book fits the task, etc.
Examples:
Books set during the U.S. Civil War (1861 – 1865): The Red Badge of Courage,March, Gettysburg, Gone with the Wind
1666 was the year of the Black Plague in England: Year of Wonders
1666 was also the year of the Great Fire of London: The Dreadful Judgement: The True Story of the Great Fire of London
Vermeer painted "Girl with a Pearl Earring" in 1665: Girl with a Pearl Earring
The Norman Conquest of England was in 1066: 1066: What Fates Impose
Future dates are allowed. (examples: 2061: Odyssey Three, Year 2160)
Alternate History is allowed as long as the events in the book take place in a ‘60s decade.
Option 2: Read a book first published in the 1560's, 1660s, 1760s or 1860s. Suggestions can be found on these lists, but your book is not required to be on the lists:
Best Books of the Decade: 1760s
Best Books of the Decade: 1860s
Option 3: (For people who are really uncomfortable outside your time zone) Read a book of at least 360 pages where the page count ends in 60 or 66 (360 pages, 366 pages, 460 pages, 466 pages, 560 pages, 566 pages, etc.)
Mod
20.6 – Seasoned Reader - EShay's task: EShay's podcast connection
Help Thread
I'm a huge podcast fan. I listen to a few book pods to connect with other great book people and they add to my already overflowing TBR list. Recently, one of the guests of What Should I Read Next recommended The Murderbot Diaries series. Think K2SO from Rogue One goes out on his own and ends up in mission:impossible type scenarios. Lots of action, some humor, fun characters. I read four books in four days. The series will be the highlight of my 2020 reading and I'm already plotting gift these books to my nephew.
This is a one book task. No children's books may be used.
Required: Identify the option when you post.
Option 1: Podcast proposition
Read a book recommended or mentioned on a podcast. This is in my own self interest, I want to know about the good book podcasts. If you are not a podcast listener, you may read a book from one of the following lists:
What Should I Read Next Podcast
Radiolab Suggested Readings
NPR Pop Culture Happy Hour
Required: If you read a book recommended or mentioned on a podcast, you must include a link to the podcast when you post. If you choose to read from one of the lists, state which list you used and on which page of the list your book appears when you post.
Option 2: Brave Bot
The main character of the Murderbot Diaries series is a security android whose job it is to protect the humans in his charge. Read a book with a main character who risks their life or physical safety for the safety of others. This includes active military, first responders (police, fire fighters, EMTs) and security personnel (secret service, bodyguards, FBI and CIA agents, etc.).
Required: If not obvious in the book's description, provide a link as reference to establish how the book fits the task.
Option 3: Pew pew producer
Read a book where the author’s first and last initials can be found in MURDERBOT. Middle initials can be ignored and letters can only be used as many times as they appear.
Option 4: Short and sweet
The first four books of the series are novella length. Read a book with the main page genre Novella and/or that has a page length of 150-200, inclusive.
20.7 - Shorter is Sweeter - Sara G's task: Remembrance
Help Thread
2020 has been a strange year for many of us. I lost my dad this year and since he spent most of his formative years in the 1960s, this task commemorates that part of his life.
This is a one book task.
Required: State which option you chose when posting.
Option 1: Motown
My dad grew up in the 1950s and 60s and was a huge fan of Motown music for his entire life. Read a book with all the letters in the word MOTOWN in the title only. Subtitles are excluded.
Option 2: New Jersey
My dad was originally from New Jersey. He left there in the 1960s when he joined the military and never moved back, but he still kept the accent and his hometown pride for Jersey City. Read a book by a single author whose first and last initials can be found in JERSEY CITY.
Option 3: Southeast Asia
My dad never spoke about it unless he was asked directly, but he was drafted into the military in the 1960s during the Vietnam War and spent years in Okinawa and Cambodia with the U.S. Air Force. After he passed away, I found several photo albums with gorgeous pictures he took of the area and people and I hope to get them digitized soon. Read a book set at least 50% in Japan or one of these countries in Southeast Asia: Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam.
Required: If the setting is not mentioned in the book description or metadata, include a reference in your post establishing how the book fits the task.
20.8 - Nickels & Dimes - Marie-Anne's task: Where in the world?
Help Thread
Where in the world was I in the 60s? During part of the 1960, we lived in the Congo, outside of what was then called Albertville (now Kalemie). This task is build around some memories tied to that time.
Choose 1 option and read a corresponding book.
Required: State which option you chose when you post.
Option 1: In the Congo, our house was up on a hillside, with a view of beautiful Lake Tanganyika. It is the second largest freshwater lake in the world by volume and the second deepest. It is also the world's longest freshwater lake and one of the world's oldest lakes (formed about 20 million years ago). When we first moved there, there were long empty white sandy beaches. By the time we left, the lake had risen so much that the road behind the lake and the port town were inundated.
Tanganyika has 3 As.
❄︎ Read a book with 3 As in a single word in the TITLE (title only) or in one part of the author's name (first, middle, last). If using the author option, the book must be written by a single author.
Option 2: One of my brothers was born there. Sadly, he is not longer with us. He gave his life to save a village in southern Belgium when his military jet had engine failure, and he would not eject until he safely passed the village.
❄︎ In memory of my brother Pieter Jan Paul, read a book by a single author whose name includes one of my brother's names (Pieter, Jan, or Paul). Names may be in any position, but must match exactly.
Option 3: I have very fond memories of my childhood years in the Congo. I loved the local fruits, especially mangoes and guavas, but not the papayas. I loved the mangoes just before the were ripe, when they were green and crunchy, like apples. The guavas were deep pink on the inside, and so good.
❄︎ Read a book with fruit on the cover* or the name of a fruit** in the title.
* Fruit may be stylized but should be recognizable as a real fruit. Ex:
These do NOT work:
(not recognizable as fruit)
(not a real fruit)** This list of fruit names will be used: List of Fruits. Only the fruits defined as a fruit in everyday speech (top list) may be used. Botanical fruits that are usually considered to be vegetables (bottom list) may NOT be used. Plurals and possessives work but no other variations.
Required: If using the cover option, include the cover in your post.
20.9 - Moderator's Pet - Tammy AZ's task: Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
Help Thread
My Sister-in-Law and I attend the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival every February. Last year’s occurred before the COVID lockdown started and this year’s doesn’t seem likely, at least in its usual format. In lieu of attending this year, my task honors the 2020 Festival.
This is a one book task.
Required: State which option you chose when posting.
Your book must have at least 250 pages.
Option 1 - One of our favorite movies was The Race to Alaska about an annual boat race from Port Townsend, WA to Ketchikan, AK. The competitors can’t use motors or have outside support for this wild race.
❄︎ Read a non-fiction book with Adventure as a MPG or a non-fiction book set in Washington State or Alaska.
Required: If using the setting option and the setting is not mentioned in the book description or metadata, include a reference in your post establishing how the book fits the task. Ex: a link to a review (inside or outside GRs), an article about the book, the author's website, etc.
Option 2 - Bobcats on Three was an inspiring movie about the Paradise High School Girls basketball team and their female coach during the aftermath of a deadly and devastating California wildfire.
❄︎ Read a book from the following list: Best Female Lead Characters
Required: State the page on the list where your book is found when you post.
Option 3 - Each year the festival features a retrospective of different filmmakers, showing their past documentaries. One of the retrospective teams this year was Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, fresh off their previous week’s win of an Oscar for the documentary American Factory.
❄︎ Read a book where the author’s first and last initials can be found in OSCAR.
20.10 - Group Reads
Read ONE of the books selected as the Group Reads choices for the season:
❋ Southern Literature - Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Discussion
❋ Love Triangles - The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë
Discussion
❋ Nonfiction > Fashion - Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution by Caroline Weber
Discussion
❋ Project Gutenberg - Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup
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 - Bluemoon's task: CHRISTMAS IN THE 1960S
Help Thread
Christmas is my favorite time of the year. And this year especially need an escape from the news and reality of everyday. So I thought it would be nice to revisit a simpler time and celebrate the season in the 1960s.
This is a two book task. Chose two options below and read a book for each option.
OPTION 1 - ALUMINIUM CHRISTMAS TREES
The aluminium Christmas trees enjoyed their most popularity in the 1960s. Due to the risk of fire they could not be illuminated with strings of lights so a rotating color wheel could be bought to illuminate your tree in red, blue and green. I remember my great grandmother having this set up.
Read a book with a red, blue, and/or green OBJECT on the cover. This can be an actual object or stylized. Background color or lettering will not work for this task.
Examples:
This works
( Blue Beret and coat) but this doesn't
as it is just a red background.Required: Include the cover and point out the object when you post.
OPTION 2 - ANIMATED CHRISTMAS SPECIALS
When I was little I always looked forward to watching the animated specials. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) was always my favorite. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1964), A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), and Frosty the Snowman (1969) were also must sees in our house.
Read a book by a single author whose initials (first and last) are found in ANIMATED CHRISTMAS. Letters may only be used as often as they are found in the target phrase.
OPTION 3 - CHRISTMAS CAROLS
One of my favorite Christmas carols and one that has a great message especially for the current events in our country is Someday at Christmas by Stevie Wonder was first released in 1967. The song is a wish for peace, freedom, equality and so much more.
Read a book with a title of at least three words where the initial letter of each word is found in the phrase SOMEDAY ALL OUR DREAMS WILL COME TO BE. Letters may only be used as often as they are found in the target phrase.
OPTION 4 - TRADITIONS
Every year at this time I reminisce about Christmas past and all of our family traditions that we continue to honor. When my sister and I were children my mother started buying us at least one new Christmas ornament for the tree so when we were able to move out on our own we would have a starter collection. This is something that she still does every year for us and for her grandchildren. I also do this for my nieces. I am also amazed that every year new traditions are born and each family celebrates in their own special way.
Start a new tradition this year by reading a book with the MPG Holiday by an author that is new to you. The holiday does not have to be Christmas but the author must be one you have not read before. The genre may stand alone or be embedded.
Required: State that the author is new-to-you when you post.
25.2 - Nick KY's task: Regina and the Mountains
Help Thread
This is a 2 book task. Read one Book 1 and one Book 2.
REQUIRED: State which option you chose for each book when you post.
I want to celebrate two things.
First, there is the actress Regina King. She won the Oscar last year for “If Beale Street Could Talk.” I recently saw “If Beale Street Could Talk” and thought it was fantastic. It is a dramatization of a novel by James Baldwin: If Beale Street Could Talk.
Regina King also won the Emmy for leading actress in a dramatic special for “Watchman.” And she has released her first film which she directed, and is currently talked of as an Oscar nominee for Best Director.
Wow! Sometimes one person puts us all to shame! So…
Book 1
Option A. Read a book with an author whose first and last initials are in REGINA KING.
Option B. Read a book with an author whose first and last initials are in JAMES BALDWIN.
Secondly, I did not vote for "decades" as the theme for the next year – I voted for "environments " Though I love the 60s and am looking forward to reading many books about the 60s, I still want to read a book about mountains. So….
Book 2
Option A. Read a book* from the Banff Mountain Book Awards list: Banff Mountain Book Festival Award Winners or the list of 2020 Banff Mountain Book Award Winners. A list of 2020 Award Winners that fit SRC requirements can also be found in post #2 of the Help Thread.
REQUIRED: State which page on the list your choice is from or that your choice was from the 2020 list when you post.
*NOTE: All SRC rules, including those regarding coffee table/art books, apply, regardless of whether a book is on the list.
Option B. Read a book with a two-word title. (subtitles are excluded.) The first letters of each word should be in the name of ONE of the following famous mountains. Letters may be used only as often as they appear in the target word.
FUJIYAMA
EVEREST
KENYA
KILIMANJARO
DENALI
TRES CRUCES
REQUIRED: State which mountain you used when you post.
25.3 - Queen Bee Darlene's task: The Unfortunate Effect of Planning
Help Thread
Each season when the new tasks are released, I immediately plug them into an Excel spreadsheet and start the gratifying process of finding books to fit each task. I love it when the 30-point tasks are ready right away and then the 25-point tasks slowly trickle in. It’s just those darn 20-point tasks that take forever to get. About a week before the new challenge starts, I start requesting books from the library and start color coding my Excel sheet with different colors for if I own the book (purple), have the book already from the library (green), or have requested and am waiting for the book (orange). The whole process brings me joy.
And then, the season starts. All of a sudden, these books that I was so excited to GET to read have become books that I HAVE to read. It doesn’t matter that I am the one that chose the books. All of a sudden I am a rebel with an I’ll read what I want attitude. Over the next three months my perfectly curated list of books becomes barely recognizable from how it started. Poor Me!
This is a two-book task. Read one book from two different options.
Required: Identify which options you select when you post.
Option 1
I’d love to tell you to read whatever you want, but it’s not allowed and it really wouldn’t be that much fun. What is a reading challenge without being challenged after all.
Read a book with one of the words DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO in the title only. The word must stand alone and match exactly.
Option 2
This time I’m going to be more SPONTANEOUS in my reading. I will only fill in a few spots on my spreadsheet. I don’t know how well I’ll do points wise, but it’s going to be more spur of the moment decisions on the books I read.
Spontaneous has 11 letters. Read a book that:
A. was first published in a year with 11 in it.
B. has 11 letters in the author’s name or title. The complete author's name or a name part (first, middle, last) may be used. Titles that have 11 letters total or an 11-letter individual word will work. Subtitles may be used or excluded.
C. has the number 11 in the title/subtitle (in any variation.)
REQUIRED: State which option you used and how the book fits the task when you post.
Ex:
A. Ready Player One - first published 2011
B. Such a Fun Age - 11 letters in title
B. The Cabinet of Curiosities - Curiosities has 11 letters
B. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield – Setterfield has 11 letters
B. 11/22/63 by Stephen King - Stephen King has 11 letters
C. 11/22/63 by Stephen King – 11 in title
C. Station Eleven – 11 in title
Option 3
Of course I was being facetious when I said Poor Me! This is not a real problem. The only book problem is when there is a lack of access. There are many charitable organizations out there that are trying to combat this problem. Especially at this time of year I encourage you to find one in your community and spread the book love.
BOOKS FOR EVERYONE. Read a book where at least 2 different vowels appear at least 3 times each in the title and/or subtitle.
Ex: The Art of Racing in the Rain – 3 of the letter A and 3 of the letter I
One Hundred Years of Solitude – 3 of the letter O and 4 of the letter E
Option 4
Two colors on my spreadsheet that I forgot to mention are Yellow and Blue. I make the cell yellow when I have read the book and then I mark the cell blue after I have posted the task. The goal of course is to see a whole sheet of blue by the time the challenge is over.
Read a book with both blue and yellow on the cover.
REQUIRED: Include the book cover and point out the yellow and blue when you post.
EX:
- blue mountains, yellow in sky
- blue background, yellow dragons
- blue eye, yellow letters
Mod
25.4 - Kristina Simon's task: The Summer of Love
Help Thread
The Summer of Love was a social phenomenon that took place mid-1967. That summer, as many as 100,000 people, mostly young people, converged in San Francisco's neighborhood of Haight-Ashbury. The media's coverage of hippie life in Haight-Ashbury drew the attention of youth from all over America, including my mother's. About nine months after the Summer of Love concluded, I was born. Let's celebrate the Summer of Love in the Winter of 2020.
Choose one option. Read one Book A and one Book B.
Required: State which option you chose when you post.
Option 1: Flower Power
Book A: Read a book with a flower or flowers on the cover. The flower(s) may be realistic or stylized but at least one flower must be clearly shown on the cover. Ex:
Required: Include the cover when you post.
Book B: Read a book with a word that has "ower" intact in the title/subtitle.
Option 2: Bell Bottoms
Book A: Read a book with a title of at least two words where all the words begin with the same letter. All words count. Subtitles should be ignored.
Book B: Read a book written by a single author whose name contains LL or TT. Ex: Jennifer Donnelly, Matthew J. Sullivan
Option 3: Hippies in Haight-Ashbury
Book A: Read a book first published between 1960 and 1969, inclusive.
Book B: Read a book with a hyphenated word in the title/subtitle.
25.5 - Amy FL's task: Verrry Interesting
Help Thread
I was born in 1960, so coming up with a task about my early days was a fun project. I got to thinking about my family’s first color TV and programs from the 60s that we enjoyed. One that brought a smile to my face was Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In.
The show was made up of comedy sketches with recurring characters, many that I can still remember more than 50 years later (Edith Ann in her giant rocking chair comes to mind).
Let’s pay tribute to Laugh-In by completing two different tasks from these options.
Books with the MPG Childrens may NOT be used for this task.
Required: Identify the options you have selected in your post.
Option 1: There were lots of guest stars and cast members on Laugh-In over the years, but only a handful that I think of as regulars. Read a book by a single author who shares a name with one of these funny people: Dan Rowan, Dick Martin, Judy Carne, Ruth Buzzi, Arte Johnson, Henry Gibson, Lily Tomlin, Goldie Hawn, Jo Anne Worley, Alan Sues and Gary Owens. Spaces determine names.
Names must match exactly but can appear in any position, e.g., Martin Walker would work for Dick Martin. Anne Rice would work for Jo Anne Worley.
Option 2: Catchphrases were a big part of the show so if you were a regular viewer, these will likely be familiar. Read a book with a title of at least three words where the first letter of each title word can be found in EITHER “You Bet Your Sweet Bippy!” OR "Sock It to Me!" Letters may be used only as often as they appear.
The Stationery Shop would not work since there is only one S in each of the phrases and the title letters must appear in only ONE of the phrases.
Option 3: Since the show contains multiple sketches, read a book with a MPG of Short Stories or Anthologies.
25.6 - Tien's task: Lunar New Year 2021
Help Thread
We like to wear new clothes on New Year's Day so strictly NEW-to-you authors ONLY. Books may have multiple authors but ALL authors must be new-to-you.
This is a two-book task. Read one book from two different options.
Required: Identify which options you select when you post AND state authors are New-to-you.
1. Year of the Ox
Read a book with 'x' found in title/subtitle and/or author's name
2. Chinese Zodiac
Read a book first published in one of your Zodiac's years. We will be using this website, Zodiac, to determine the years.
For example: If you're born in 1940, you are a Dragon. You can read a book first published in 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
REQUIRED: Specify your Chinese Zodiac animal when you post (you do not have to tell us your birth year).
3. Red is an auspicious colour
Read a book with a red cover. There should be a Minimum of 80% as determined by tineye. Please ensure you untick the option to "Exclude background color from extracted colors" (found at the bottom of the list of extracted colours). You may add up all the shades classed as 'Red' to achieve the 80% minimum.
Example:
- 86.6%
- 88%
- 90.4%
- 90.9%
- 96.3%Complete directions for using Tineye can be found here: How Do I use Tineye?
REQUIRED: Include the book cover and the percentage of red when you post.
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25.7 - Bookwrm526's task: I LOVE Reading Challenges
Help Thread
I’m participating in seven challenges this year (not counting this one!). This may be a little self-serving, but I have a few categories that I haven’t finished yet, so I thought I would base this task around those.
This is a two-book task. Choose two options below and read a book for each option.
Required: State which options you chose when you post.
Option 1: My local library does a Broader Bookshelf challenge each year. This option is inspired by a task I have not yet completed for that challenge. For this option, read a book set at least 50% in the Middle East. For purposes of this challenge, this would include the following countries: Akrotin and Dhekelia; Bahrain; Cyprus; Egypt; Iran; Iraq; Israel; Jordan; Kuwait; Lebanon; Oman; Palestine; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Syria; Turkey; UAE; Yemen.
Required: If the location is not evident from the metadata or book description, include a reference to establish how the book fits the task when you post.
Option 2: Another challenge I compete in every year is Book Riot’s Read Harder Challenge. For this option, read a nonfiction book with the main page genre Young Adult (standalone or imbedded).
Option 3: I also participate in the Pop Sugar Challenge every year. This one is really difficult to finish, because it requires the most books of any of the challenges I do. For this option, read a book found on the Popsugar 2020 - A Book with an Upside-Down Image on the Cover.
Required: Include which page your book can be found on when you post.
Option 4: The shortest challenge I participated in this year was the Modern Mrs. Darcy challenge. I have actually completed this one, but I really enjoyed a task that required me to read three books by the same author because I love a good series! For this option, choose a book that you read between January 1 and November 30, 2020. Read another book by this author.
Required: In your post, include the name of the book you previously read, and the date when you finished it.
25.8 - Brooke TX's task: 2020 Wrapped
Help Thread
I don't know about you, but for me, this is the time of year when I'm always frantically trying to fill in books for all of the numerous reading challenges I've joined or set for myself. So here's a task dedicated to all of those hard-to-fill slots in your challenge lists.
This is a two book task - you can read two books from two different options, or use the same option for two books.
One of your books may have an MPG of Comics, Manga, Graphic Novels, or Sequential Art.
Option 1 - Award Winners: I always try to read all of the nominees for all the various science fiction and fantasy book awards, with mixed success. Read a book that has WON an award. The award must be included in the book's Goodreads metadata.
Option 2 - A to Z: I also try to finish my A to Z challenge, made more difficult by the fact that I aim for not just a book title for each letter of the alphabet, but also an author. I end up struggling with the same hard to match letters at the end of the year. Read a book whose title or author's LAST name starts with E, I, Q, U, V, X, Y, or Z. For the purposes of this task, articles (a, an, the) may be ignored.
Option 3 - Published This Year: I set a goal number of newly published books to read, and unfortunately fell far short of it. Do better than me and read a book first published in 2020 or 2021.
Option 4 - Sword & Laser: One of the other GR Groups I'm in sets yearly challenges for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Graphic novels, and I always (ALWAYS) fall behind on SciFi. Read a book with MPG Science Fiction. The genre may be standalone or embedded (nested) but combination genre "Science Fiction Fantasy" does NOT work.
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30.1 - Mazza1's task: Create a Date
Help Thread
I don't know about everyone else but I am still experiencing problems getting access to books from a library and am relying on things like Scribd, e-libraries and Kindle unlimited. Because of this I wanted to create a task that was not restricted to lists or genres
This is a two book task, from two different options.
The combined page total for both books must be 600 pages or more.
Books with the MPG Childrens may NOT be used.
All title tasks are TITLE only, ignore subtitles.
Required: State the options you chose when you post.
Option 1: Read a book with a day of the week in its TITLE: an S may be added to pluralise or create a possessive.
e.g. Sunday's on the Phone to Monday
Option 2: Read a book written by a single author whose name (first, middle or last) is a month of the year (Must match exactly, no exceptions)
Louisa May Alcott or January Daphne
Option 3: Read a book with an ordinal number that corresponds to a day in the month (i.e., 1st through 31st) in its TITLE. e.g. 3rd Degree OR The 12th Planet. Ordinals written out such as First or Fourth do NOT work.
Option 4: Read a book with a year (numerical format) or a range of years in its TITLE. This could be a year or a range of years in the past, present, or future but MUST pertain to a year(s). The full year(s) must be represented. e.g., 1984, 2312, Alexander of Macedon, 356-323 B.C., or Tank Warfare on the Eastern Front 1941-1942: Schwerpunkt are acceptable but 2600 Phrases for Effective Performance Reviews: Ready-to-Use Words and Phrases That Really Get Results or Naples '44: A World War II Diary of Occupied Italy will NOT work.
30.2 - Delicious Dee's task: LOST and FOUND
Help Thread
Thanks to Tien for this task idea.
One of the restrictions I placed on myself this last season was, as much as possible, the books I read for had to come from my massive To-Be-Read/Owned books pile. Overall I was fairly successful with about 80% of books fitting those requirements. I also found many books that I had completely forgotten that I owned…this task is dedicated to those books that are LOST on my TBR pile and new authors I’ve FOUND because of them.
This is a 2 book task, you must read one book from LOST and one book from FOUND.
Your books need to be a total of at least 600 pages
Books with the MPG Childrens are NOT allowed.
Both books must be by single authors.
Book 1 – LOST – Read a book that has been LOST on your TBR for at least 3 years (added to TBR list prior to 1 Dec 2017). Your To-read list may be your GR shelf, a custom GR shelf, or an off-GR list. WARNING: This book will be used to determine Book 2 so be sure to select a book that gives you an option that will work for Book 2.
If you don’t maintain a TBR shelf, you may pick a book from this shelf: amazon archive shelf
Required: State the date the book was added to your TBR list OR state that the book was picked from from the provided shelf.
Book 2 – FOUND - using your LOST book, read a book by a NEW TO YOU author that fits one of the 3 criteria below:
A – shares a first or last name with LOST book. Names may be in any position, but must match exactly
B – by an author that can be found on the similar authors portion of the authors profile (just above list of books on author's profile). Warning: Authors on this list may change over time. Authors may be confirmed as appearing on the list in the Help Thread.
C – a book found in the readers also enjoyed section (click on the similar books link to expand your choices). Warning: The books on this list may change over time. Books may be confirmed as appearing on the list in the Help Thread.
Example:
Book 1 – LOST - The Touch by Colleen McCullough (added to TBR 1 June 2010)
Book 2 - FOUND - I could read any one of the following (example for each option)
- Option A – an author with the name Colleen or McCullough
- Option B – an author from this link: Authors similar to Colleen McCullough (found on author's profile page just above list of books:
Average rating: 4.17 · 415,643 ratings · 12,172 reviews · 86 distinct works • Similar authors)
- Option C – a book from this link: Books similar to The Touch (found on book's main page under READERS ALSO ENJOYED)
Required: State which option you used AND that the author is new-to-you when you post.
30.3 - Cat's task: Eight Tiny Reindeer!
Help Thread
My nephews LOVE Christmas (no really!) with the elder being able to recite vast swathes of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" (which was a regular bedtime read the whole year round, to his family's disgust!) and the younger having to recite the various events that have to happen before The Big Man will come.
So, let's think of them whilst reading for this one!
Pick a reindeer pairing and read two books, the author initials (first and last names) can be found in each of the names.
i.e. author 1 must be found in one reindeer, author 2 in the paired deer.
As the bedtime book was illustrated, one book with MPG Graphic Novel etc is allowed
I'm using the classic "Twas the Night Before Christmas" poem, and modern spellings.
Pairs:
Dasher & Dancer
Prancer & Vixen
Comet & Cupid
Donner & Blitzen
For books with multiple authors only one name needs to work. The same author may be used for both books if the author's initials are found in both reindeer names.
Examples:
DASHER: Helen Dunmore
DANCER: David Eddings
won't work: Carl Sagan as the C & S are in different reindeer names
Required: State the reindeer pairing when you post.
30.4 - Dlmrose's task: Forward and Backward
Help Thread
January 31 is Backward Day.
Read two books. One Book 1 and 1 Book 2.
Book 1: Read a book with a word in the TITLE that can be read backwards as a new word, such as War backwards is Raw. Subtitles are excluded.
Book 2: Read a book with the backward word that resulted in Book 1 in the TITLE. Subtitles are excluded.
examples
book 1: World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
book 2: Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook
book 1: Room
book 2: The Moor
book 1: Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
book 2: Wolf Hall
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30.5 - Sandy's task: Making the Best of It
Help Thread
I have always been a "glass half full" kind of person, although the events of 2020 have challenged me! So, I've put together a list of some of the things that I'm grateful for and that have kept me cheerful despite everything else.
No books with the main page genre children or kids may be used. Your two books must have a combined total of at least 600 pages. You may choose two different options, or read two books from the same option.
REQUIRED: In your post, indicate the option(s) that you chose.
1. We owe a huge debt to our medical workers, who have had to work under difficult (sometimes seemingly impossible) conditions.
Read a book in which the main character is a doctor, nurse, or other hospital worker and a significant portion of the plot/subject takes place in a healthcare setting. The setting must be evident on the book's main page.
2. Despite everything, the garbage gets picked up, packages get delivered, and the grocery stores stay open and stocked. We have many people to thank for this and they deserve our appreciation!
Read a book by a single author whose initials are found in ESSENTIAL WORKER. All initials, including any middle initials listed on Goodreads, must be in the phrase, and letters can only be used as often as they appear in the phrase.
3. As the mother of two teachers, I can attest to the hard work under difficult conditions that has to be done by teachers, whether they're putting their lives at risk by being required to teach in person, or whether they're spending inordinate numbers of hours learning techniques for effective virtual education.
Read a book with the main page genre Education (standalone or embedded) OR
a book in which the main character is a K-12 or college teacher or someone who works in a school in another capacity (bus driver, guidance counselor, etc) and a significant portion of the plot/subject takes place in an academic setting or on a school bus. The setting must be evident on the book's main page.
4. Technology has helped. My 2 year old granddaughter recently demanded that her mother set up a Zoom call with the family. My daughter did, everyone participated, and it was great fun. (Of course, the 2 year old wandered away after a couple minutes, but the rest of us continued on!) We have had numerous Facetime calls with the grandchildren and children, and my daughters send frequent texts with videos and photos of the kids. So, although I am not a techie kind of person, technology has definitely improved my life.
Read a book from one of the following lists. Remember that all the rules apply (length, childrens, etc.), even if a book is found on one of these lists.
Future Technology Nonfiction
Science & Literature Together at Last
Essential Computer History and Information Revolution Books
REQUIRED: Specify the list you used and the page on which your book can be found.
30.6 - Andy P.’s Task: The Litmus Test
Help Thread
This is a two book task. Choose one book that satisfies the requirements for Book 1, and another that satisfies the requirements for Book 2.
No books with the Main Page Genre of Children may be used for this task.
The total number of pages for both books must be greater than 500 pages (501+).
The term PH has been used by scientists(primarily chemists) to define the relative acidity of a substance, beginning with 1 as the most acidic and 10 the least acidic (or most basic) and is familiarly known as The Litmus Test. The letters PH appear in many words,
Book 1. Read a book by a single author whose first or last name begins or ends with the sequence PH
Example: Phillip Margolin - Phillip
Rudolph Fisher - Rudolph
Book 2. Read a book where the word ACID or BASE may be made from the letters in its TITLE. Subtitles are excluded.
Required: State which word you used when you post.
30.7 - TessaVanessa's task: Cars, Cars, Cars
Help Thread
I love old cars from the 60s and 70s. Here are a few of my favorites.
Choose 2 different options and read a book for each option.
Required: Indicate which options you chose when you post.
1. Ford Mustang: The Ford Mustang is a series of American automobiles manufactured by Ford. In continuous production since 1964, the Mustang is currently the longest-produced Ford car nameplate. My son just purchased a 1968 Ford Mustang to restore. He got an amazing deal and it’s in really good shape.
❆ Read a book that was first published in 1964 (the first year of production) OR 1968 (the year of my son’s car).
2. VW Microbus: Known officially as the Volkswagen Type 2 (the Beetle was the Type 1) or the Transporter, the bus was a favorite mode of transportation for hippies in the U.S. during the 1960s and became an icon of the American counterculture movement. This is one of my dream cars.
❆ Read a book where the authors first and last initial can be found in VOLKSWAGEN. Letters may only be used as often as they appear.
3. Dodge Challenger: The Dodge Challenger made its debut in the fall of 1969 as a 1970 model. While it shared Chrysler’s “E-body” short-deck, long-hood platform with the third-generation Plymouth Barracuda, Dodge Challenger’s wheelbase was two-inches longer, creating more interior space. I drive a 2014 Challenger everyday and LOVE it. More than anything I’d love to restore one of the first ones produced.
❆ Read a book with at least 3 words in the title (ignore subtitle) where the 1st letter of each title word is found in DODGE CHALLENGER.
4. VW Beetle: The Beetle has an interesting history, which happens when production spans from 1938 to 2003. The most famous version, the Type 1, is also the most popular, with over 21 million sold. The little air cooled cars were fun, cheap, and decently reliable, so they helped pave the way for the much more expensive German iron, like BMW and Mercedes. The original Beetle was produced in Mexico for a number of years alongside the radically different New Beetle. The final year, 3,000 commemorative editions hit the streets, with a whopping 50 horsepower. As a kid of the 60s, we loved looking for Beetles whenever we went somewhere and played the game Slug Bug, which meant every time you saw one first you got to “slug” the other person.
❆ Read a book that has a word* in the TITLE (subtitles are excluded) from this list of beetles (words in blue). Single words from a multi-word name may be used but words must match exactly. For example, the words "flat" or "bark" may be used individually for "flat bark beetles."
*The word "and" may NOT be used.
Required: State the name of the beetle when you post.
30.8 - Ava Catherine's task: Sylvia Plath
Help Thread
This is a two book task. Read one book from two different options or two books from one option.
Required: Identify which option or options you select when you post.
No books with the MPG Childrens or Kids may be used.
After reading the recently published biography of Sylvia Plath, Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath by Heather Clark, I have been thinking about the genius of her work.
Option 1: Life/Death
Sylvia Plath was born in 1932 and died in 1963.
-Read a book first published in 1932, or read a book first published in 1963.
Option 2: Beekeeper’s Daughter
Sylvia’s father Otto died when she was eight-years-old. Because of their close relationship and her young age, Sylvia felt abandoned due to his death. Otto Plath earned his PhD in biology at Harvard and taught at Boston University. He was a beekeeper, and he taught Sylvia about bees, too. She wrote a celebrated series of poems about bumblebees, and in 1962 she raised bees herself in Devon, England.
--Read a book by a single author whose first and last name initials can be found in BEEKEEPERS. The letters may be used only as often as they appear in the target phrase. Middle names/initials may be ignored.
Option 3: Idols
Plath’s literary idols were William Butler Yeats and T.S. Eliot
-Read a book with a single author whose first and last name initials are either WY or TE emulating either William Butler Yeats or T.S. Eliot. Middle names/initials may be ignored.
Option 4: Mental Health
At the time Sylvia Plath was attending Smith College, very few friends knew she suffered from episodic depression even after a suicide attempt and several months at McLean Hospital, where she received botched electroshock therapy treatments. Sylvia said it was like being murdered and that she would kill herself before enduring such torture again.
In 1963 she was in a deep depression; however, because Plath had been a victim of psychiatric mismanagement and negligence when she was twenty, she was terrified of additional treatments for depression. Therefore, after getting no help from her psychiatrist on the telephone, the day she was scheduled to enter a British psychiatric hospital, February 11, 1963, she committed suicide.
-Read a book with MPG mental health or the MPG mental illness. (MPG may be stand alone or embedded)
Mod
Help Threaad
In 1966, the classic party game Twister was published for the first time. Promoted as the game that ties you up in knots, it's played on a large plastic mat that is spread on the floor or ground. The mat has six rows of large colored circles on it with a different color in each row: red, yellow, green, and blue. A spinner is attached to a square board and is used to determine where the player has to put their hand or foot. After spinning, the combination is called (for example: "right hand yellow") and players must move their matching hand or foot to a circle of the correct color.
This is a 3 book task. The total page count must be at least 750 pages.
No books with the genres children or kids on the main book page may be used.
Go to this online Twister spinner, spin the wheel ONE TIME and record your result. For each book, you will complete the option that matches your spin.
Required: State the results of the Twister spinner.
Book 1 - Left or Right
Option Left: Read a book by an author you have read from before.
Required: State that you have read this author before when you post.
Option Right: Read a book by an author you have NOT read from before.
Required: State that this author is new-to-you when you post.
Book 2 - Hand or Foot
Option Hand: Read a book with 3 words or less in the TITLE. Ignore subtitles. Spaces determine words.
Option Foot: Read a book with 4 or more words in the TITLE. Ignore subtitles. Spaces determine words.
Book 3 - Color
Read a book where the cover is at least 50% the color from your spin according to Tineye. Percentages of the same base color may be combined to achieve 50%. For example:
Tineye results:
47.3 % #6fb5db Blue
32.4 % #2e373f Grey
8.9 % #3f4d8a Blue
2.9 % #cd272a Red
2.3 % #962b2c Red
1.8 % #b1a198 Grey
1.5 % #614464 Violet
1.3 % #832b49 Violet
0.8 % #f49379 Pink
47.3% + 8.9% = 56.2% Blue
Complete directions for using Tineye can be found here: How Do I use Tineye?
Required: Include the cover in your post.
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The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Ice Cold (other topics)Stitching Snow (other topics)
Hope Was Here (other topics)
Blackberry Wine (other topics)
Adam (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Anne Rice (other topics)Martin Walker (other topics)
Stephen King (other topics)
Diane Setterfield (other topics)
Jennifer Donnelly (other topics)
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5.1 - Going to A-Go-Go
Help Thread
Sing along Don't you want to go too?
Read a book with the letters "go" found intact in a word in the title or subtitle.
ex, Homegoing
5.2 - Hey, Jude
Help Thread
Sing along Hey is an exclamation or greeting. Read a book with one of these words in the title or subtitle: Hey, Hi, Hello, Welcome, Greetings, Good, Day, Howdy, Aloha, Yo, Oh. The word must match exactly.
ex, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
5.3 - Theme from A Summer Place
Help Thread
Hum along The theme from the film "A Summer Place" reached number one on the Billboard Charts for 9 consecutive weeks.
Read a book from this list I Only Watched the Movie
Required: State the page.
5.4 - The Twist
Help Thread
Sing Along Come on, baby... Read a book with a two-word title where the first word is "The". Subtitles should be ignored.
ex. The Nightingale, The Street
5.5 - Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In
Help Thread
Sing along performed by the 5th Dimension. Read a book that is book number 5 in a series (series, #5) The series name and number must be indicated in the GR title listing in grayscale parentheses following the title.
5.6 - Sugar, Sugar
Help Thread
Sing along performed by "The Archies", a fictional band featured on the animated "The Archie Show". Read a book written by an author who shares a name of a band vocalist- fictional or actual - from this list : Archie Andrews, Jughead Jones, Reggie Mantle, Veronica Lodge, Betty Cooper, Ron Dante, Toni Wine, Jeff Barry, Andy Kim. The name must match exactly, but may be used in any position.
ex. Kim Edwards from Andy Kim
5.7 - The House of the Rising Sun
Help Thread
Sing along performed by The Animals, an English rhythm and blues and rock band.
Read a book with a main page genre Animals. The genre may be standalone or embedded.
5.8 - West Side Story
Help Thread
Sing along The soundtrack to the 1961 film "West Side Story" spent 54 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's album charts.
Read a book with a word from one of the songs on the album in the title or subtitle from this list: West Side Story Tracks. The words A, At, The may not be used. The word must match exactly.
ex. Pretty Girls from "I Feel Pretty"
Required: State the word.
5.9 - Secret Agent Man
Help Thread
Sing along The song was written for the opening titles of the U.S. television show "Secret Agent" which aired from 1964 to 1966, originally the British spy series "Danger Man". Read a book from this list: Best Spy Novels
Required: State the page.
5.10 - Freedom
Help Thread
Sing along 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.