2021 Annual Challenge - General Questions and Discussion

[[deleted user]]

General question - do short story collections count provided the collection meets the page requirements?

[Janice, Moderator]

Kathryn wrote: "General question - do short story collections count provided the collection meets the page requirements?"

Yes, they count. We consider the collection as a whole.

[[deleted user]]

Janice wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "General question - do short story collections count provided the collection meets the page requirements?"

Yes, they count. We consider the collection as a whole."

Thanks for confirming Janice.

[Odette]

I am just about to finish my first 4 museums for Badge 1.

Can I use books that I have already read this year for Badge 2? That is if they fit any of the criteria for the 6 museums I am going to select. I can put read date in report.

[Janice, Moderator]

Odette wrote: "I am just about to finish my first 4 museums for Badge 1.

Can I use books that I have already read this year for Badge 2? That is if they fit any of the criteria for the 6 museums I am going to s..."

Yes, you may. The rules state that you can read the badges out of order.

[Odette]

OK, thanks.

[Anne ✨]

I'm listening to a book Black Swan Green for a task... but I'm really struggling to finish it.

I'm 67% in (which would translate to pg. 198 of 296pg)... I'm tempted to DNF it and move on, but wasn't sure if I have to finish it to count it? Is there a rule around % finished of a book to count it?

[Janice, Moderator]

Anne ✨ wrote: "I'm listening to a book Black Swan Green for a task... but I'm really struggling to finish it.

I'm 67% in (which would translate to pg. 198 of 296pg)... I'm tempted to DNF it and mov..."

Sorry, but you have to finish a book in order for it to be counted. It's too bad that the book sucks, Anne.

[Anne ✨]

Janice wrote: "Anne ✨ wrote: "I'm listening to a book Black Swan Green for a task... but I'm really struggling to finish it.

I'm 67% in (which would translate to pg. 198 of 296pg)... I'm tempted to..."

thanks for the clarification Janice! I will persevere! :) It's well written, story just doesn't engage.. luckily the audio narration is good, so there's that!

[Cherie]

Good question though, Anne. I have always “just muddled on” to the end to report a book for a task. I have had one DNF on my challenge this year. I hated to not be able to use it, but the story was so bad that I could not go on.
Unfortunately for me, the audio was just as bad as the story. With the exception of Neil Gaiman, Stephen Fry and maybe Bill Bryson, most authors should not narrate their own books

[Camilla]

Asking for a ruling for the length of a book I just finished (noticed only when I started to report it that it's got only ebook and kindle editions). The book is Abominable. GR has the number of pages as 312, Amazon has 337.

[Janice, Moderator]

Camilla wrote: "Asking for a ruling for the length of a book I just finished (noticed only when I started to report it that it's got only ebook and kindle editions). The book is Abominable. GR has ..."

I think that's safe to say an actual book would be over 175. :)

[Camilla]

Thank you Janice. I thought so as well, but wanted to be a good girl and ask for a ruling according to your instructions.

[Mary Ann]

I have question on publication dates. Seems like most books are published initially in hardcover and electronic versions and the paperbacks come later on, sometimes much later on. Should I consider the publication date as the date of the version I'm reading, or the initial publication date? For instance, was initially published (hardcover) in 2007, but the paperback in 2008. Could be I'm overthinking.....

[Marnie]

I know cover tasks are based on the actual book you read so I would assume publishing dates would be as well. Now I’m curious if Janice agrees lol.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Ooo Up to Janice, but.

I would always say it's the original publication date. Otherwise you could read Jane Austen say for a published in 2021 task if it was a brand new edition. And that's just not cricket. And that's how I always play it in my challenges, and when looking for books for Janice's ones.

[Marnie]

That makes sense Rusalka. Modern Jane Austen doesn’t seem to be in the spirit of the task.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Same works with translations. The English version of the book can come out 50 years after the book was published. Just my feeling for guidance in the meantime.

But Janice is the arbiter of such things. I'm sure she'll set us straight soon :D

[Marnie]

Message 20 in this thread is Janice’s answer. Originally published in 2000 not the addition you read.

[Mary Ann]

Marnie wrote: "Message 20 in this thread is Janice’s answer. Originally published in 2000 not the addition you read."
Shoot...I did a search and didn't see message 20. Many thanks ladies! Thinking of Jane Austen's books does put things in perspective! :-)

[Janice, Moderator]

It's the original publication date we're looking for.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Mary Ann wrote: "Shoot...I did a search and didn't see message 20. Many thanks ladies! Thinking of Jane Austen's books does put things in perspective! :-)."

Glad that helped :D

[Esther]

Janice, there is something I have been struggling with. About the MPG. What if a book had no genre listed. This happens to me a lot as people who read in French do not seem to use shelves. I am just wondering if there is a loophole...

[Janice, Moderator]

Esther wrote: "Janice, there is something I have been struggling with. About the MPG. What if a book had no genre listed. This happens to me a lot as people who read in French do not seem to use shelves. I am jus..."

I wonder if World Catalogue will give you the information. There should be a link where it says "Get a copy" on the main book page, possibly under "Book Links".

Goodreads is running a beta book page and it looks quite different. We may have to rethink how we do things in our challenges once the new format goes live.

[Esther]

Janice wrote: "Esther wrote: "Janice, there is something I have been struggling with. About the MPG. What if a book had no genre listed. This happens to me a lot as people who read in French do not seem to use sh..."

Are you telling me you will accept world catalog info if there is not MBP genre list? I should have asked this years ago. :)

[Kristie, Moderator]

Janice - The new book page still has MPG. It is actually bigger and in the center of the page now. It only lists the top 4-5, but when you click 'more' at the end of the list it adds the next few so you end up with the top ten or so. The next option is 'see all', which brings you to the tag page that we don't currently use. You should be able to still use it as an option.

Esther, are the books you are reading only published in French?

[Janice, Moderator]

Esther wrote: "Are you telling me you will accept world catalog info if there is not MBP genre list? I should have asked this years ago. :)..."

What do you use now? Or do you not include the book for the challenge if there is no specified genre?

Yes, if there is no specified genre, you may use WorldCat as a resource.

[Janice, Moderator]

Kristie wrote: "Janice - The new book page still has MPG. It is actually bigger and in the center of the page now. It only lists the top 4-5, but when you click 'more' at the end of the list it adds the next few s..."

I really dislike the new page. Everything is so big and in your face and it's harder to find the information you want. I played with it last night for a bit.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

New page? What platform you guys using?

[Janice, Moderator]

At the top of the book page, there is a notation that Goodreads is developing a new page and you can switch by clicking a link. If you really detest it, like I do, you can switch back by clicking "Beta" in the bottom right hand corner.

[Peggy]

Hm, I don't even have that notation. I think.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Hmm me neither. I will keep an eye out for it, but not on my screen yet

[Kristie, Moderator]

Not everyone has access to it yet. It's still beta testing.

[Dawn]

I had access for one day and then it disappeared. I would like to have it so I can get used to it before it is official. I think it's going to take a bit of adjusting but I am always hopeful that it will make things better.

[Camilla]

Dawn wrote: "I had access for one day and then it disappeared. I would like to have it so I can get used to it before it is official. I think it's going to take a bit of adjusting but I am always hopeful that i..."

I tried it for about five minutes, but since the beta version doesn't allow any editing of book data (since I'm a GR librarian), I couldn't get out fast enough. There were some features I definitely didn't like, but can't remember what they were, LOL!

[Dawn]

I assume they will fix that part or what is the point of having all the unpaid labour!!

[Camilla]

Dawn wrote: "I assume they will fix that part or what is the point of having all the unpaid labour!!"

Hear, hear!

[Esther]

Janice wrote: "Esther wrote: "Are you telling me you will accept world catalog info if there is not MBP genre list? I should have asked this years ago. :)..."

What do you use now? Or do you not include the book ..."

yes, I have been not including them. I just realised now, after years of grumling, that I never asked.

[Esther]

Kristie wrote: "Esther, are the books you are reading only published in French?..."

Most are. Not many non-english book are translated into English.

[Janice, Moderator]

Top of page

[Janice, Moderator]

Showing your review...

[Janice, Moderator]

Bottom of page.

[Janice, Moderator]

These may not look very large, but when they are full screen, they are huge! That "Join the Discussion" line of 269, 100, 43 is spaced all the way across your screen. My laptop has a 17" screen and those numbers are full screen across and half screen down.

[Kristie, Moderator]

Everything IS really big. lol

[Peggy]

Thanks for giving us a preview Janice!

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Thanks Janice. That is very... large.
I can't imagine how big that will be on my 27" screens

Did they get feedback that people couldn't see things?

[Janice, Moderator]

My reaction to the size was "what, am I a child or in my dotage?" It could go either way these days I guess.

I've been meaning to give them feedback but I don't have email set up on this laptop, and when I go down to my work computer, I'm not thinking about Goodreads.

[Kristie, Moderator]

I wonder if they're trying to be more inclusive for visually impaired members.

[Katrisa]

My main issue with the new page set up is that you have to look at like 30 random reviews before you get to the part with other books by the author lists with the book and stuff. I like to see what my friends thought about books and maybe like will look through the first couple reviews but I definitely don't need that many reviews.

[Jayme, Moderator]

I totally agree, Katrisa. I like seeing my friends' reviews first. I know who's into mysteries, historical fiction etc and trust their reviews more as opposed to random strangers.