2023 Challenge Buffet-Another Bakers Dozen

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

2023 CHALLENGE BUFFET

Another year, another Buffet. Again, this year the chef has created a Baker's Dozen Menu, much of the menu is the same, but there are some changes. As always feel free to pick as few or as many challenges as fits your appetite. At this buffet gluttony is not a bad thing, take as much as you want and don't worry about not finishing all you take. This is for fun!

Remember every challenge created, every author and every book listed, becomes a resource for our members to learn about authors and books they haven’t heard of before.

Another Bakers Dozen Menu for the 2023 Buffet:
For Details See Messages 2-15

Challenge #1 - New & Old TBR
Challenge #2 - Second Place or Worse
Challenge #3 - Decade/Century/Millennium
Challenge #4 - Members Choice
Challenge #5 - Short Story
Challenge #6 - Group Reads and/or Buddy Reads
Challenge #7 - Expand Your Horizon With New Authors
Challenge #8 - Most Popular Goodreads Books Listed by Year
Challenge #9 – Fiction/Non-Fiction
Challenge #10 - The Half a Millennium Challenge with a Sour Lemon Twist of Difficult
Challenge #11 - Old and New Linked Categories
Challenge #12 - A-Z Author
Challenge #13 - A-Z Title

General/Helpful Challenge Information:
These challenges are personal. It is important that you enjoy your challenge/s, don't feel pressure to finish, this is for fun. Use your own creativity to make your challenge special. Select books that you truly have an interest in reading. It's your challenge your choices, just stick to the basic challenge configuration.

Create your own separate thread to list the challenge/s you wish to participate in. If you plan on participating in several challenges, you will want to save/reserve several message/posts at the beginning of your thread to list each challenge you intend to try. Reserve 1-14 if you are going to try them all. Remember you can always delete the save posts if you don't need them.

To Create your challenge thread simply go to the top of this folder click on the title (Challenge Buffet). Then look to the right for the words (new topic), click that, a new screen will open. In the box (topic) type the name you wish to give your challenge. In the (comment) box list your books chosen for the challenge. Use the (add book/author) link so that others can link to your choices and learn more about the book you have selected.

Feel free to mark your finished books anyway you wish. After you have finished a book you can strike it off your list. Directions are listed at the top of the comment box (some html is ok). You can list the date you finished or add the number of stars you though the book deserved.

Examples of marking books completed:
✓1. Les Misérables
2. Great Expectations 11/20/23
3. The Woman in White*****
4. The Great Gatsby Finished 1/25/23
5. The Red Pony 5 Stars, Finished

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Challenge #1 - Old & New TBR Challenge

First started in 2015, this challenge is our groups oldest. It is designed to help increase our reading of the classics and reduce our personal TBR's. This challenge commits you to reading 12 books next year. Choose 12 books you want to read and list threee alternates, to use as substitutes should one of your choices need to be replaced. You do not have to read all 15 books listed, 12 books read is a successful challenge. This 12 + 3 challenge will last all year and you can read at your own pace. Once you create your reading thread, you and other members can comment on your progress.

Only six of the 12 books selected are required be Classics based on the Groups definitions, they do not have to come from the groups bookshelf. At least 3 books from the Old School category (published before 1900) and 3 books from the New School category (published between 1900 & 1999). The other six and your three alternates can be any genre or age you wish to read. Yes, even post 2000.

Starting today you can begin creating your challenge thread. The whole month of December is dedicated to planning your challenge. You can add your books and make edit adjustments till December 31st. No challenge reading can start till January 1, 2023. No changes should be made to your list once challenge starts

If you're a current Group Member, you have until midnight 12/31/2022 to finalize your list. You can post your list and make all the changes you want until then, but no changes after midnight 12/31/2022. If you join our Classics Group after that date, you may still participate by posting and editing your list within two weeks of joining the group, but you can't make changes after you post your list.

For New Members joining in 2023, in addition to the above rules, feel free to adjust your challenge according to the number of months left in the year. Example: If you join in March 2023 and wish to participate, list 9 books and 3 alternates. If your joined after June 2023 list the appropriate number of books according to the number of months left, but only pick two alternates. Remember to add your alternates to any challenge you set up.

Example of a Challenge:

My fabulous 12 + 3 Old & New Classic Challenge

1899 and earlier/Old School
1. Les Misérables
2. Great Expectations
3. The Woman in White
1900-1999/New School
4. The Great Gatsby
5. The Red Pony
6. Of Human Bondage
My Wild Card Six
7. The Return of the Soldier
8. The Pillars of the Earth
9. Ender's Shadow
10. 2001: A Space Odyssey
11. The Law
12. Sin Killer

Alternates
A-1. War and Peace
A-2. Gone with the Wind
A-3 Home

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Challenge #2 - Second Place or Worse

Go back through the groups past polls and select Four (4) total books that are of interest to you but lost the poll and to date has never made it to our group bookshelf. Pick one book from New School, one from Old School, one from Short Story/Novella, and one from the Quarterly Long Read.

Most will agree that the books making it through our nominations process are quality reads. Reading the unsuccessful books can help broaden our personal shelves. Hopefully this challenge, through member reviews and thread comments, will bring us some knowledge on a wider selection of books and encourage members to read them. It could also lead to renomination and poll winning.

Set up example:

New School
1.

Old School
1.

Short Story/Novella
1.

Quarterly Long Read
1.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Challenge #3 - Decade/Century/Millennium Challenge

Only one version of the challenge is required to participate. For those exceptional readers, over achievers, or competitive eating gluttons, feel free to increase the difficulty of the challenge by taking on 2 or all 3 versions. There are three ways to participate. First, read one book per year for 10 consecutive years, one-decade total. Second read one book from 10 consecutive decades, one century total. Third, read one book from 10 consecutive centuries, one millennium total.

The Decade Challenge: Read 10 books from any 10 consecutive years (1 book per year). The authors can only be used once in the challenge. You can use authors previously read by you. Or you can add a level of difficulty to your challenge by selecting only authors you've never read before.

Challenge Example: (Decade Challenge)

Decade Challenge
1920-Main Street by Sinclair Lewis
1921-The Narrow House by Evelyn Scott
1922-Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
1923-Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers
1924-A Passage to India by E.M. Forster
1925-The Professor's House by Willa Cather
1926-The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
1927-To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
1928-Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence
1929-Passing by Nella Larsen


The Century Challenge: Read 10 books from any 10 consecutive decades (1 book per decade). Authors can only be used once in the challenge. You can use authors previously read by you. Or you can add a level of difficulty to your challenge by selecting only authors you've never read before.

Challenge Example: (Century Challenge)

Century Challenge
1850-1859 The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1850
1860-1869 Sylvia's Lovers by Elizabeth Gaskell, 1863
1870-1879 Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy,1874
1880-1889 Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott, 1880
1890-1899 Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling, 1896
1900-1909 The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, 1901
1910-1919 Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham, 1815
1920-1929 The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie, 1926
1930-1939 Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, 1937
1940-1949 The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers, 1940

The Millennium Challenge: Read 10 books from any 10 consecutive Centuries (1 book per century). Authors can only be used once in the challenge. You can use authors previously read by you. Or you can add a level of difficulty to your challenge by selecting only authors you've never read before.

Challenge Example: (Millennium Challenge)

20th Century - 1952 The Far Country by Nevil Shute
19th Century - 1871 Middlemarch by George Eliot
18th Century - 1720 Captain Singleton by Daniel Defoe
17th Century - 1684 The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
16th Century - 1593 The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
15th Century - 1438 The Book of Margery Kempe by Margery Kempe
14th Century - 1353 The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio
13th Century - 1298 The Travels by Marco Polo
12th Century - 1150 The Life of Merlin by Geoffrey of Monmouth
11th Century - 1001 The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Challenge #4 - Members Choice Challenge Choose one book per category/genre for a total of 12 books.

1. 19th Century,
2. 20th Century,
3. A book originally written in a language other than your own,
4. Current or Past Group Read,
5. An Author not read before,
6. Diversity Classic, read a book from a religion, culture, country, or race different than yours.
7. Science Fiction/Fantasy,
8. Action/Adventure,
9. Childrens/Young Adult,
10. Nonfiction,
11. Mystery/Thriller,
12. Horror or Humor,

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Challenge #5 - Short Story Challenge
Read 24 short stories. This equates to only two per month for the year. Read them all at once or spread them out, it's up to you.

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24.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Challenge 6 - Group Reads and/or Buddy Reads Challenge
The challenge is to read 12 total books from this year's group poll winners or Buddy Reads, in any combination. Your reads can be from the upcoming 53 poll winners, or from the 2023 Buddy Reads thread. Between New School, Old School, Short Story/Novella, Revisit the Shelf, Quarterly Long Read, and Buddy Reads there should be plenty of choices.

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[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Challenge #7 - Expand Your Horizon With New Authors

Seek out at least six (6) authors that you have never previously read, from any genre or era you want.

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[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Challenge #8 –Most Popular Goodreads Books Listed by Year
Locate and list 10 books that most interest you from the year of your choice. The challenge is to read five 5 books from that list. You can use the year of your birth, the birth year of a family member, or friend, or any random year you choose.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/popula...

NOTE: click on the link above then change the date to the date you wish to search.

10 Books of Interest for 1929
1. A Farewell to Arms
2. Letters to a Young Poet
3. Passing
4. Look Homeward, Angel
5. Partners in Crime
6. Red Harvest
7. Laughing Boy: A Navajo Love Story
8. The Secret of the Caves
9. The Last September
10. The Blacker the Berry...

2023 Books Read
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Challenge #9 – Fiction/Non-Fiction

Select five different subjects of interest to you and read a fiction book and a non-fiction book about that subject. Total number of books for this challenge is ten.

Examples:

World War I
Fiction - All Quiet on the Western Front
Non-Fiction - Somme

Women's Sufferage
Fiction - Impossible Saints
Non-Fiction - Suffragettes: The Fight for Votes for Women

Space Exploration
Fiction - Space
Non-Ficton - The Right Stuff

Sea Travels/Adventures
Fiction - The Sea Wolf
Non-Fiction - Two Years Before the Mast: A Sailor's Life at Sea

Horses
Fiction - Black Gold
Non-Fiction - Seabiscuit: An American Legend

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Challenge #10 - The Half a Millennium Challenge with a Sour Lemon Twist of Difficult

Select five books from five diffetent centuries, using the same decade for each century you select. They do not have to be consecutive centuries, but must be the same decade.

Example of five consecutive decades:

20th Century - 1950-1959 - 1953-Nine Stories
19th Century - 1850-1859 - 1855-Little Dorrit
18th Century - 1750-1759 - 1759-The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia
17th Century - 1650-1659 - 1658-The Witch of Edmonton
16th Century - 1550-1559 - 1552-A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies

Limiting this challenge to five books will be difficult but doable especially for the more recent centuries. As you move further back in time this should become more difficult. That is why the centuries don't have to be consecutive.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Challenge #11 - Old and New Linked Categories

Select five categories of your choice or use some of these sample categories. Once you make your category selections, link the categories by finding and reading an Old School (1899 or older) and a New School book (1900-1999) that contains some part or is all about your selected categories. It will be more interesting and more varied if you come up with your own categories.

Samples Ideas:

Contains a Trial
Has a Murder
Contains Time Travel
Set in or has Winter involved
Coming of Age
Is About a Fallen Woman
Set on or has The Sea involved
Animals
School
Travel
Life Changing Action
Survival
A book that made you cry

Example:

Has a Murder-
Old - Crime and Punishment
New - Murder on the Orient Express

Contains a Trial
Old - The Scarlet Letter
New - To Kill a Mockingbird

Life Changing Action
Old - A Horseman in the Sky
New - A Separate Peace

Coming of Age
Old - Great Expectations
New - A Cry of Angels

Travel
Old - Three Men in a Boat
New - Pied Piper

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Challenge #12 - A-Z Author Challenge


A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
Below Only One Letter Needed for Successful Challenge
X
Y
Z

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Challenge #13 - A-Z Title Challenge


A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
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Q
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Below Only One Letter Needed for Successful Challenge
X
Y
Z

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

All Challenges Start 1 January 2023, the folder & discussion thread are open now so that you can begin to plan your year.

This challenge can be used with your other challenges. Books and authors selected can be used to fill other buffet or bingo challenge needs.

NOTE: Start your own thread for your challenge in this folder. See directions in message #1

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

,

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

,

[Janelle]

Excellent buffet, Bob!

Is it possible to make Q one of the letters you don’t have to get in the alphabet challenges? I find it much harder than Y or Z

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Janelle wrote: "Excellent buffet, Bob!

Is it possible to make Q one of the letters you don’t have to get in the alphabet challenges? I find it much harder than Y or Z"

Janelle, I see no reason you can't add Q to the exemption, it is your challenge, no stress, just have fun.

[Janelle]

Thanks Bob :)

[Ila]

Bob, just to clarify, is it alright if books overlap among challenges? For instance, I was wondering if I could have a couple of books from the Old and New challenge in common with the Fiction/Nonfiction challenge.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Ila wrote: "Bob, just to clarify, is it alright if books overlap among challenges? For instance, I was wondering if I could have a couple of books from the Old and New challenge in common with the Fiction/Nonf..."

Ila, yes you can overlap the same book in multiple challenges. I can’t imagine doing every challenge with individual books. The book you are considering for Old and New, Fiction/Nonfiction, will most likely fill a letter in both Title and Author A-Z challenge.

Good luck enjoy! I look forward to seeing your choices.

[Terris]

Wonderful choices, Bob! You've outdone yourself! And made it so much fun for all of us. Thanks so much for all you do :)

[Ila]

Bob wrote: "Ila wrote: "Bob, just to clarify, is it alright if books overlap among challenges? For instance, I was wondering if I could have a couple of books from the Old and New challenge in common with the ..."
Thanks Bob! Your choices are wonderful as always. Good luck.

[Carolien]

Thank you, Bob! These look great. I really enjoyed the Old/New linked categories this year, so glad to see it's here again. Now to restrain myself in choosing!

[JP]

Thanks, Bob!

The "Most Popular...by Year" is a fun new challenge. I love a deep dive into a particular year. I'm choosing 1923. If the challenge is back a year from now...1924!

I appreciate the extra mercy on the XYZ part of the A-Z challenges, though I hope to find 26 good books in each.

In 2022, I didn't think I had a chance with the millennium challenges, but I'm on track to finish the (sour) half-a-millennium one. I'm going to give both a shot in 2023.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Thank you all for the kind thoughts. I am happy that the challenges are well received. I hope they are enjoyed by all who participate. I feel a little like an absentee head chef, I’ve neglected my restaurant. I have been absent from the challenges and the group in general for most of this past year. It was just not the greatest year for reading and keeping up with the things I enjoy. I apologize for my short comings this year and will work to do better this upcoming year. See you all at the buffet.

[Klowey]

Bob wrote: "Challenge #1 - Old & New TBR Challenge

First started in 2015, this challenge is our groups oldest. It is designed to help increase our reading of the classics and reduce our personal TBR's. This c..."

"You can post your list and make all the changes you want until then, but no changes after midnight 12/31/2022."

Is this rule only for Challenge #1 or for all of the challenges?

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Challenge #1 is the only challenge that is not allowed to change after the challenge starts on 1/1/23. It is designed to reduce our personal TBR’s, not allowing changes gently forces us to read books that have been sitting on our TBR’s for a long time. A book on our TBR is something we have interest in but may not like it enough to finish. This is why we allow three alternates. It is a safeguard to help people finish the challenge and still reduce the many books that have been waiting for attention. By the way this is an honor system deal, no one will know if changes are made.

[Klowey]

Bob wrote: "Challenge #1 is the only challenge that is not allowed to change after the challenge starts on 1/1/23. It is designed to reduce our personal TBR’s, not allowing changes gently forces us to read boo..."

Oh thank you. I like that approach. I'm going to try for this one!!

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Klowey wrote: "Bob wrote: "Challenge #1 is the only challenge that is not allowed to change after the challenge starts on 1/1/23. It is designed to reduce our personal TBR’s, not allowing changes gently forces us..."

That's great. I look forward to seeing your choices.

[Dave]

Last Years challenges were great fun! Thanks Bob. For 2023 I will take up the gauntlets for Challenges #1,#2,#3,#4,#7,#9, & #11.

I’ll get back to you, building each challenge is one of my favorite parts.

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

Dave wrote: "...I’ll get back to you, building each challenge is one of my favorite parts ..."

Mine too.

[Leni]

The Most Popular By Year one is tempting me! Such a great idea. However, I have pledged to myself that for 2023 I will fill read as much as possible from books I already have. So I hope that challenge will still be on the buffet in 2024. I'll try to slowly accumulate the right books. lol

[SiMo]

These are great challenges, I love them!

[Shaina]

Thank you, Bob! This year the Buffet looks so appetising I will skip the Bingo :)

[Klowey]

Bob wrote: "Challenge #1 - Old & New TBR Challenge

First started in 2015, this challenge is our groups oldest. It is designed to help increase our reading of the classics and reduce our personal TBR's. This c..."

Do the 3 alternatives need to match the first 3 categories:

A-1. "Old school"
A-2. "New School"
A-3. any time period

Or can all three alternatives be any time period?

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

Klowey wrote: "Bob wrote: "Challenge #1 - Old & New TBR Challenge

Do the 3 alternatives need to match the first 3 categories:

A-1. "Old school"
A-2. "New School"
A-3. any time period

Or can all three alternatives be any time period?..."

While this is a great idea, yes. The alternates can be anything you want of read. This one is about reducing our personal TBR's. I for one can get so focused on reading group books, I end up ignoring what is on my shelf.

I could probably get up from this laptop and round up 40+ books all published after 1999. Most of those books I call "brain candy." They are not literature and will never be considered classic. They are, for me just fun reads by authors like. Nevada Barr, Stuart Woods. Lee Child, Clive Cussler, and several others.

This Buffet challenge allows one to participate in a group activity and get credit for eating a lot of deserts.

[Tom]

These are excellent ideas but I just recently decided on the one challenge that I would read next year, namely a New York Review Books Classics list. The NYRB Classics list currently includes over 500 books from all over the world covering a variety of topics. Some are long, some are short, some are old, some new, some are non-fiction, some fiction. One thing is certain, though. All of them are worthy of the time spent reading them (at least the publishers think so). The best part is that over a dozen of them are either on my shelf or at least on my tottering TBR list.

Here is is, if you are curious.
https://www.nyrb.com/collections/clas...

[Greg]

Tom wrote: "These are excellent ideas but I just recently decided on the one challenge that I would read next year, namely a New York Review Books Classics list. The NYRB Classics list currently includes over ..."

Some of the choices are interesting. Good to know someone else in the world has read the very odd comic novel The Hearing Trumpet by surrealist painter Leonora Carrington! I randomly ran across a copy and read it years ago but have never heard it mentioned since . . . and now years later, here it is on a New York Review List!

I have heard of only probably a quarter of the books listed; lots of potential to-reads. Thanks Tom.

[Leni]

Greg wrote: "Tom wrote: "These are excellent ideas but I just recently decided on the one challenge that I would read next year, namely a New York Review Books Classics list. The NYRB Classics list currently in..."

Interesting choices, indeed. A lot well known writers, but not their best known books. I've only read a scant handful of these, although a good 20 or so have been on my radar for a while. (Including The Hearing Trumpet, although I must admit I looked through the list twice and failed to spot it(!?))

[Dave]

I have flagged The Hearing Trumpet to be read next based on the comments above.

[Leni]

Dave wrote: "I have flagged The Hearing Trumpet to be read next based on the comments above."

Hear hear. I am going to make an effort to actually read it in 2023 myself. The people I know who have read it have either rated it 5 or 1 star. No in between. I like surrealism, so I'm predicting (hoping) I'll be in the 5 star camp.

[Dave]

Leni wrote: "Dave wrote: "I have flagged The Hearing Trumpet to be read next based on the comments above."

Hear hear. I am going to make an effort to actually read it in 2023 myself. The people I ..."

I’ll report back, I suspect I will like it.

[Greg]

Leni wrote: "Greg wrote: "Tom wrote: "These are excellent ideas but I just recently decided on the one challenge that I would read next year, namely a New York Review Books Classics list. The NYRB Classics list..."

It's a long list Leni, but it is in there :) Look for the book with a surreal painting on the cover.

I noticed that too - many authors I know well but particular books that I'd never heard of . . . and also quite a few authors that are new to me. I actually saw some books by authors I really like that I had not read. I'm sure I'll read at least some in 2023 and probably at least one this month.

[Dave]

Greg, I have flagged the New York Review of Books list classic books list to browse through and add to my reading in 2023. I am grateful to Tom for referring it

[Greg]

Dave wrote: "I have flagged The Hearing Trumpet to be read next based on the comments above."

It's a very weird book, but I found parts quite funny back when I read it. Be ready for some absurdity though.

If you haven't seen Carrington's paintings, google it. Some of them are quite lovely. I'm fond of her friend Remedios Varo's work too. Two extremely talented (and quirky) painters.

[Dave]

Greg wrote: "Dave wrote: "I have flagged The Hearing Trumpet to be read next based on the comments above."

It's a very weird book, but I found parts quite funny back when I read it. Be ready for s...p

Thanks I will check into her paintings. I will look into them. I love absurdity. there’s also a book about her although I don’t remember if it’s by her or by someone else. I will look into the other book also. I never heard of these authors until they were mention of these comments.

[Sara, Old School Classics]

I have only read 17 of the books on the list, have a dozen or so on my TBR, a number by authors I have intent to read but have different books marked than those included here, and the remainder are unknown to me. Lots of fodder for future research.

[Anetq]

Thank Bob! As long as the guests are eating away, the buffet will do fine even with an away chef :) Thanks for being back!
I'll join the usual ones I enjoy, whether I finish or not :)

Challenge #2 - Second Place or Worse (maybe if there's anything I fancy reading anyway)
Challenge #3 - Decade/Century/Millennium (I always try, but never make it)
Challenge #5 - Short Story (YES! So easy!)
Challenge #7 - Expand Your Horizon With New Authors (YES! Also too easy!)
Challenge #12 - A-Z Author
Challenge #13 - A-Z Title

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...