Book Nook Cafe discussion
2024- Book Prompt Challenge
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Alias's 2024 Book Challenge
Alias, thanks again for wrangling the community and I'm looking forward to seeing your comments throughout the coming year.
You're welcome, James. I'm enjoying looking over your 2023 challenge. I've put in my TBR notebook your #19.
✔️19 - Book written by OR about a current or past First Lady
The First Lady of World War II: Eleanor Roosevelt's Daring Journey to the Frontlines and Back by Shannon McKenna Schmidt
I see some reviews note that the book contains some interesting photos. I hope the eBook edition has those. By any chance, did you read the Kindle edition ?
Alias Reader wrote: . . . ✔️19 - Book written by OR about a current or past First Lady The First Lady of World War II... By any chance, did you read the Kindle edition ?"That was one of the 15 or so books that I read in hardcover or paperback this year, Alias, so I can't say what the kindle edition might bring. I do know that for some books, where original formatting is an actual narrative device (see Shy by Max Porter), the kindle edition might not be your best bet.
One down, 49 to go ! ✅3- Health, fitness or diet
The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer: Lessons From the Healthiest Places on Earth
Yay! That book has been on my radar for some time, but I haven't managed to pick it up yet.
I started it in 2023 and finished it is 2024. It's a relatively quick read. Big type and has photos too.
Alias Reader wrote: "One down, 49 to go ! ✅3- Health, fitness or diet
The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer: Lessons From the Healthiest Places on Earth"
Hurrah! You have begun!
I checked off a second prompt. ✅ 10- Mystery, Thriller, or suspense
The Thursday Murder Club
Unfortunately, this book was a slog for me. I reviewed it in The Book Salon thread.
I may switch the prompt for this book to --
6- Humorous story, or comedian wrote it, or light hearted fun read as the author is a comedian. Though I found little humor in the book. Perhaps the British humor just didn't land well with me.
Anyway, I'll see as the year progresses.
Onward !
I think my next book might fit prompt #33. I can't be sure until I start reading it today.
33- psychology
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
DEFINITELY fits #33!Congrats on getting through this one!
Thanks, John !
Well done, Alias. Putting it up for the humorous category may well work for you, too. As i noted in my comments on your review, i felt the humor was more about coping with aging and living alone than anything else. I agree with John, the Cain book sounds like it will fit #33 easily. I hope you find it rewarding.
Thanks, deb. I'm looking forward to reading Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop TalkingIt's interesting that it begins with discussing reserved Rosa Parks and how she was needed along with extravert MLK Jr. for the cause.
Alias Reader wrote: "I checked off a second prompt. ✅ 10- Mystery, Thriller, or suspense
The Thursday Murder Club
Unfortunately, this book was a slog for me. I reviewed it in The Book Salon thread. ..."
Congrats on #2 -- you are moving right along, Alias!
Is the above correct? I looked everywhere for folders.Group HomeBookshelf
Discussions
Challenges
Photos
Videos
Send invite
Members
Polls
Rachel wrote: "Is the above correct? I looked everywhere for folders.Group HomeBookshelf
Discussions
Challenges
Photos
Videos
Send invite
Members
Polls"
The Folders are all on the Main Page.
+ Introductions & Welcome to BNC
- Books
- What did you read last month?
- Determination Lists & Challenges
2024- Book Prompt Challenge
Click on the words of the Folder 2024 Book Prompt Challenge
From there
1 Click on the Folder Title- (2024 Master List of Prompts for you to copy)
2- Click on New Topic Link. To start your own Thread.
3 In the Topic Box- Type: your name- 2024 Book Challenge
4 -Copy the list of prompts.
Paste the Master list into the box where you normally type a message
5- -Copy the list of prompts.
Rachel, let me see if I set up a thread for you.
If you can then copy paste the prompt list. that should work. I can't copy the list for you as then you won't be able to edit and fill in the books you read during the year.
Let me see if that works.
Alias Reader wrote: "Thanks, deb. I'm looking forward to reading Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop TalkingIt's interesting that it begins with discussing reserved Rosa Parks and how she was needed along with extravert MLK Jr. for the cause..."
Interesting, indeed! Thanks for sharing that opening, Alias. I hope you like that book.
Alias Reader wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Is the above correct? I looked everywhere for folders.Group HomeBookshelf
Discussions
Challenges
Photos
Videos
Send invite
Members
Polls"
The Folders are all on the Main Page.
+ I..."
I tried again. If this isn't right- I give up. Thanks for all your help.
I wonder if we all mean the same thing when we say, "Main Page". When i must use my iPad, it opens to the GR page, which could be considered the Main Page. However, once i get to the Book Nook Cafe, i put it as a favorite, so it always opens there. Could this be the problem/answer?
Good point, deb. When I say Main Page, I am referring to Book Nook Cafe's Main Page. That is the Page that lists all the Folders and Threads/Topics.
This is the link to Book Nook Cafe's Main Page.
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I am also going to cross post this to the 2024 book prompt challenge thread.
I finished another prompt.✅ 33- psychology
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking.
I enjoyed this one a lot and gave it 4/5 rating.
I reviewed it in the Book Salon Folder.
My next read is a book that John recommended and I believe Deb read it after John mentioned it.
Chemistry for Breakfast: The Amazing Science of Everyday Life by Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim
The book is also a translation but I am going to use it for the science prompt. I've only read a handful of pages and I am enjoying it.
Congrats on the prompt! However, I have not read that science book.
Really? I thought that was you. I guess it was just deb. I'll have to see if I made a notation in my TBR notebook. I like to give credit where credit is due.Edit.
I just checked my old TBR notebook and I didn't make a notation where I got the title from. :( I started a new TBR notebook January of 2023 and I'm doing a better job of making the notation.
Nice review over in Book Salon and congrats on the prompt, Alias.
Alias Reader wrote: "I finished another prompt.✅ 33- psychology
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking.
I enjoyed this one a lot and gave it 4/5 rating.
I reviewed it in the Book Salon Fol..."
Well accomplished, Alias. I've been meaning to read this one.
Yes, i read Chemistry for Breakfast and pretty much liked it. I still remember many of the things i learned in it, sharing bits with family and anyone else who will listen. :-) My only kinda complaint (though not really, as i was unfamiliar with this) was that there was quite a bit about post-grad jobs and what they meant for the students she knew.
madrano wrote: "Yes, i read Chemistry for Breakfast and pretty much liked it. I still remember many of the things i learned in it, sharing bits with family and anyone else who will listen. :-) My only kinda complaint (though not really, as i was unfamiliar with this) was that there was quite a bit about post-grad jobs and what they meant for the students she knew."Well then, you are the person I want to thank for bringing the title to my attention. :) I'm enjoying it.
I'm glad, Alias. I still wait an hour before drinking coffee in the morning, thanks to Nguyen-Kim.
madrano wrote: "I'm glad, Alias. I still wait an hour before drinking coffee in the morning, thanks to Nguyen-Kim."Andrew Huberman is a neuroscientist and podcaster. He is an associate professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford University School of Medicine. He hosts the Huberman Lab podcast. His podcasts can dive a bit too deep and too long for me but if you have time you can learn a lot. Some of his podcasts are 3 hours long !
"Huberman takes it a step further, waiting 90 to 120 minutes for his first cup of coffee. “The reason I delay caffeine is that one of the factors that induce a sense of sleepiness is the build-up of adenosine in our system,” he said."
Interesting. My personal observation, of myself, that is, has been that often when i wait an hour for my first cup of coffee, i end up not drinking it at all that day. My nephew's bride, new to caffeine in all forms, having been raised Mormon, has learned that caffeine makes her sleepy. Curious.
I only drink decaf tea or coffee. I usually don't have anything to eat/drink until I finish my 4+ mile daily walk.
Wow. Do you walk first thing in the morning?First thing i do is head for my quart-size holder of water. For the next hour it's me, the water & my iPad &/or desktop.
madrano wrote: "Wow. Do you walk first thing in the morning?First thing i do is head for my quart-size holder of water. For the next hour it's me, the water & my iPad &/or desktop."
Yes. I get up and out first thing. I usually can get out in 20 min or so. My bladder would never make it if I drank a quart of water before walking ! LOL
I like to get the minimum 10K steps out of the way first thing so I don't have to think about it.
I also do the habit of Don't Break the Streak. My last streak was around 800 days. My current streak is 175 days of a minimum of 10K steps which is around 4 miles.
If the weather is inclement and I can't get to the gym or walk outside I'll do step or dance videos online to get my 10K.
I like the Reps to the Rhythm guy. He has hundreds of videos . It's great if you only have a small space to do the videos.
https://www.youtube.com/@repstotherhy...
If I'm going to the gym, where I will be lifting weights and cardio I do eat and drink before I go.
Alias Reader wrote: "I also do the habit of Don't Break the Streak. My last streak was around 800 days. My current streak is 175 days of a minimum of 10K steps which is around 4 miles..."Impressive. Your point about getting that walk out of the way is quite wise. As is not drinking first. lol
Thanks for the quick reply.
I am glad to see my GR buddies are active. I don't count my steps but enjoy being active. Do you use a Fitbit or something to count your steps?
Alias Reader wrote: "Really? I thought that was you. I guess it was just deb. I'll have to see if I made a notation in my TBR notebook. I like to give credit where credit is due.Edit.
I just checked my old TBR noteb..."
Alias - I'm curious, how do you organize your TBR notebook so you can easily find titles or reference back? I suppose a daily journal-style wouldn't work; alphabetical?
Rachel wrote: "I am glad to see my GR buddies are active. I don't count my steps but enjoy being active. Do you use a Fitbit or something to count your steps?"Yes. I use a Fitbit. I've had one for ages.
I like that it not only tells me my total daily steps it also:
- keeps track of Active Min. That is movement that is for at least 10 min. I aim for at least 60 active min.
- vibrates to remind me to get up and get 250 steps every hour.
It tracks other things but these two are most important to me.
Lindsey wrote: Alias - I'm curious, how do you organize your TBR notebook so you can easily find titles or reference back? I suppose a daily journal-style wouldn't work; alphabetical?
No organization. It's just a hardcover spiral notebook that I pick up at the 99 cent store. It measures around 8x6. I just write the title and author and if I can remember I write where I got the idea for the title.
When I do read a title I will just draw a line through the title or put a big R over the title.
To find books that I want to read I just scan the pages.
I like this no-fuss approach! I’ve been hesitant to start one for lack of organization but it sounds like I’m overthinking it.
I began with a similar notebook for TBR but have morphed beyond. Last week i noticed i have a Goodreads pile of books i want to read, on in a notebook, plus the only one i regularly use, which is a computer file. I have the most success with a computer file but only lately have i been updating it. At last.
Alias Reader wrote: "Rachel wrote: "I am glad to see my GR buddies are active. I don't count my steps but enjoy being active. Do you use a Fitbit or something to count your steps?"Yes. I use a Fitbit. I've had one fo..."
You get great use out of your Fitbit, Alias. I only know two other people who have one. The first, my sister, stopped wearing it after a couple of months. My sister-in-law wears it to count her daily steps. That's it, no reminders or other uses. Honestly, given that, it's no surprise i was unaware of all it could do!
Congratulations on incorporating it so well into your fitness-life.
I cannot decide whether to splurge on the Fitbit as I exercise pretty much everyday and cardio is always part of that. I don't know...
Rachel wrote: "I cannot decide whether to splurge on the Fitbit as I exercise pretty much everyday and cardio is always part of that. I don't know..."I have a few friends who wear one. You can set it so they can see your weekly average steps. That's a good motivator for some people.
I have the Fitbit Charge. Mine is old. When it goes I will update to the latest Charge. I think newer ones have GPS and also monitor oxygen levels. (Useful during Covid). On newer models if you get a phone call on your iPhone it will tell you who is calling on the screen.
Oh I forgot, another thing is you can set alarms on the Fitbit. You can set it for a daily alarm to remind you about meds or wake up or anything else you want to remember.
I prefer the Fitbit over the Apple watch as it is less expensive. Also I have a small wrist so I prefer the design over the big square Apple design. Though if you have an Apple phone I think it also lets you play music and other things. There are many YouTube videos comparing the two.
Interesting info, Alias. Thanks. I'm not in the market for one but i can see why you like it.
Alias Reader wrote: "Rachel wrote: "I cannot decide whether to splurge on the Fitbit as I exercise pretty much everyday and cardio is always part of that. I don't know..."I have a few friends who wear one. You can se..."
Thanks for the info. It is very thoughtful of you. I think I will do what you say and look at the youtube video comparisons. My problem is I am afraid if I don't make my steps I will feel bad.
Rachel wrote: "Thanks for the info. It is very thoughtful of you. I think I will do what you say and look at the youtube video comparisons. My problem is I am afraid if I don't make my steps I will feel bad..."
James Clear, author of Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones says set a minimum goal that is reasonable. He says rather than ask yourself what you can do on your best day, ask what can I stick to even on the bad days.
Here is is on the ZOE podcast & YouTube. He talks about this at around the 43:20 mark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcdzK...
For example, maybe don't say I want to walk 10k steps (4 miles) a day. Instead, acknowledge life can get in the way some days, ask yourself, what is the minimum steps I can do on a bad day? You can always do more but you don't feel like a failure if you only do the minimum.
On the Fitbit, You set your daily step goal to whatever you want.
All that said, you have to know your own personality.
Gretchen Rubin (who has a podcast and is an author) also talks about habits. She says there are, generally speaking: Upholders, Questioners, Obligers, and Rebels. Knowing which you are is key.
She has a free online quiz to see your type. Of course no one is all one thing. But I think it's not only helpful to know which type you lean towards but also the people around you. Rubin then gives tips to reach your goals depending on your tendency.
Here is her website where she has the quiz and talks about each type.
https://gretchenrubin.com/books/the-f...
I'm an "Upholder". " Discipline is my freedom.” Upholders respond readily to outer and inner expectations. They want to know what's expected of them, and to meet those expectations .."
That is why the habit of "don't break the streak" works well for me.
She is not a scientist but I think the quiz and her books are fun and often very helpful.
Her podcast drops every Wednesday. She does it with her sister, Liz Craft. Craft is a TV producer and writer in Hollywood. She also has a podcast called, Happier In Hollywood.
Book Nook Cafe
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Elizabeth Kolbert (other topics)Ellen Ruppel Shell (other topics)
Oyinkan Braithwaite (other topics)
Thich Nhat Hanh (other topics)
Andre Agassi (other topics)
More...
✅1- Biography, autobiography or memoir
Know My Name
✅2- Business, economics, finance (personal, business or home) F or NF
The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket
✅3- Health, fitness or diet
The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer: Lessons From the Healthiest Places on Earth
✅4- History
Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism
✅ 5- Historical fiction
The First Ladies
✅6- Humorous story, or comedian wrote it, or light hearted fun read
The Guncle Abroad
✅7- Legal or lawyer character F / NF
The Rooster Bar
✅8- LGBTQ+ character F/NF
Believe Me: A Memoir of Love, Death, and Jazz Chickens
✅9- Medical or character related to topic F/NF
The Women (PTSD & main character nurse)
✅ 10- Mystery, Thriller, or suspense
The Thursday Murder Club
✅ 11- Political, social science or governments F/NF
Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present
✅12- romance, relationships or love. F/NF
Even If This Love Disappears Tonight
✅ 13- science F/NF
Chemistry for Breakfast: The Amazing Science of Everyday Life
✅14--travel F/NF
Walking with Sam: A Father, a Son, and Five Hundred Miles Across Spain
✅15- philosophy, ethics, morality
Fatherland: A Memoir of War, Conscience, and Family Secrets
✅16- Young adult book F/NF
Looking for Alaska
✅17- Spiritual or inspirational F/NF
Why Buddhism Is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment
✅18- book that takes place during a holiday. Any holiday.
Pearl Harbor Christmas: A World at War, December 1941
✅19- book with a relationship in the title (father, mother, daughter, son, sister or brother)
My Sister, the Serial Killer
✅20- The Arts: Music, art, theater, acting, dance or poetry
Being Henry: The Fonz . . . and Beyond.
✅21- Banned book or Challenged book
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
✅22- Debut novel
First Lie Wins- Debut adult novel
✅ 23- Award winning book or nominated for award
The Bee Sting
✅24- A play
Our Town
✅25- A book published before you were born
Quicksand --Published 1928
✅26- Published in 2024
The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning
✅27- Nature, environment or animals. F/NF
What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds
✅28- book that takes place in WWI, WWII, or other war F/NF
Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism
✅29- cosmology, space, astronauts, outer space- F/NF
To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery
✅30- Sports F/NF
Playing for Pizza
✅ 31- Horror or scary
Mr. Mercedes
✅32- Self help or creative or How to
Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise
✅ 33- psychology
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
✅34- food mentioned in book, recipes or chef mentioned in book F/NF
The Power Foods Diet: The Breakthrough Plan That Traps, Tames, and Burns Calories for Easy and Permanent Weight Loss
✅ 35- about a disability or character has a disability F/NF
Deaf Utopia: A Memoir - And a Love Letter to a Way of Life
✅ 36- a book about one of your 5 senses ( touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste) F/NF
True Biz (Sense Hearing)
✅ 37- color in title
The Other Black Girl
✅38- Weather related F/NF
Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change
✅ 39- Myth, sci fi, magical realism, or fantasy
Under the Whispering Door
✅40- Dystopian
Station Eleven
✅41- Author last name begins with B, N or C
Day by Michael Cunningham
✅42- audio book
Yellowface narrator Helen Laser
✅43 - Topic or a character has one of the 7 deadly sins or more! (pride, greed, envy, gluttony, sloth, wrath and lust) F/NF
The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War
✅44- Book with one word title
Holly
✅45- A book over 500 pages
Finders Keepers - 558 pages
✅46- A book with either an Index, Map, photographs or Glossary
The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War (photos)
✅47- Translated into English
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop - Japanese
✅48- Book that takes place in or is about a country you don't live in. F/NF
Prophet Song (Ireland)
✅49- Short story collection Or Essay collection
Table for Two
✅50- book written by a BIPOC author or character is BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color )) F/NF
Leave the World Behind author is Rumaan Alam family is from Bangladesh.
__________________________________________________
Extra prompts from participants in the challenge.
*****************************************************
51- Author not a native of the country in which the book is set.
52- Book written by an Indie author or Indie press.
53- Read 2 books by Vendela Vida
54- Read 2 books by Sara Gran,
55- Crime, F/NF
56 - immigrants/immigration F/NF