The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
WINTER CHALLENGE 2009-2010
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Task Ideas
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Kate
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Oct 23, 2009 05:06AM
I liked the foreign language task only because it helped me fit in a couple tasks from my lit class this semester. My prof is obsessed with Russia... He learned Russian in order to read Tolstoy and Dostoevsky in its native language. He is great though!
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El wrote: "Teresa in Ohio wrote: "I liked the Math and grammar task. I did NOT like the reading books from another language."And I didn't like the Math and Grammar tasks as much as I liked reading books f..."
LOL : )
Cait - I LIKE that idea! We could add in read one book from the One Star Thread.Music of My Heart -- Turn on the radio (or hit random on mp3 player). Write down the name of the first song which plays. Read a book that its title has one word from the song title. THE, IS, A, OF do not count
Example: If This is Goodbye by Lifehouse
Book: Before I Say Goodbye by Mary Higgins Clark
Now in the case of the random 3 words task from the Fall Challenge, this one could be editted to permit 3 more tries to find a word.
I'm sitting here, listening to The Grinch and pondering a task...What about reading holiday children's books? Could be Thanksgiving, Kwanza, Three Wise Men, Presidents' Day, Xmas, New Year's...the list goes on for the holidays during the Winter Challenge.
To me The Grinch makes me smile and giggle. It's an oldie I remember being read to me. Much like The Night Before Christmas OR The Cajun Night Before Christmas.
Tanja wrote: "I'm sitting here, listening to The Grinch and pondering a task...What about reading holiday children's books? Could be Thanksgiving, Kwanza, Three Wise Men, Presidents' Day, Xmas, New Year's......"
I was thinking earlier Many of us really enjoyed reading children books for the bear task
maybe we could read christmas books as seen through childrens eyes
Tanja said " We could add in read one book from the One Star Thread." After a past challenge that required us to read 2 books distinctively BECAUSE they were bad (one off the all time worst list, one off of a friends least favorites), I would prefer not to have any more challanges where we are supposed to pick books people think are bad. LOL
Game night: Read a book about "games" (loose interpretation - could be video games, board games, jigsaw puzzles, mind games, sports games) then play an actual game.
Manday wrote: "After a past challenge that required us to read 2 books distinctively BECAUSE they were bad (one off the all time worst list, one off of a friends least favorites), I would prefer not to have any more challanges where we are supposed to pick books people think are bad. LOL"I agree with Manday on this one. Searching out notoriously bad books isn't a good way to encourage reading. I purposely skipped those tasks in the last challenge because the idea just made me angry. :)
Y'all are all so creative... someone may have had this idea already or something similar, but I can't keep up! So here are my suggestions:Father Time/Baby New Year: Read a book published in 2009 (or 2010), and one first published in or before 1909.
St Valentines Day: Read a biography of a saint, or a fictional book about a saint, or a book with 'saint' in the title. Can you give bonus points if the book also includes a massacre? ;-)
I don't know about anyone else, but I really love reading from "best of" lists, be it Modern Library's top 100 novels, 1001 books to read before you die, or EW's top 100 modern classics (of the past 25 years). Read 2 books from a list (one that we pick ourselves or one that Cynthia designates) and post whether or not it deserves to be on the list and why.Reading from opposite ends of the spectrum: Read a book written before 1900 and read a book written by a postmodern author http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_...
Tanja wrote: "Cait - I LIKE that idea! We could add in read one book from the One Star Thread.Music of My Heart -- Turn on the radio (or hit random on mp3 player). Write down the name of the first song which..."
I love the music task! Tasks like that make picking books for the challenges so much fun.
Cait wrote: "I don't know about anyone else, but I really love reading from "best of" lists, be it Modern Library's top 100 novels, 1001 books to read before you die, or EW's top 100 modern classics (of the pas..."Yes, lists!!
I really liked the centuries task that we did for summer, when we read 3 books from consecutive centures. We could also do something like that using consecutive decades.Any task using the 1001 list gets my vote-I am slllooowwwwly slogging my way through the list.
Hello!
Thanks Deedee, PJ and Kathryn. Tasks like this make me happy and I love to seek out information! LOL!! Geeky, I know but they say geek is the new cool!
For Human Rights Day (Dec 10), read a book about or by a philanthropist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_...) and write a short review of how that person contributed and to which cause.
El wrote: "For Human Rights Day (Dec 10), read a book about or by a philanthropist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_...)..."Awesome list El. Good find!
FABULOUS ideas, everyone! I have comparatively little to add:- Start the New Year Right: Read a book with a striking first sentence. Post the sentence when you claim your points.
- Better Late than Never: Read a non-fiction book about a subject that you wish you had studied in school (or for the young folks, about a subject that you would like to study, but probably never will).
Also, regarding this suggestion of Tanja's:
End of the Year Crunch
1) Go to Explore and select People
2) Click to the right - TOP READERS
3) Click of ALL TIME
4) Click the # that matches the number of letters in your full name (first, middle and last)
5) Read a book of that person's read or TBR list
Curiosity got the better of me, so I tried it, but my number is 24 and #24 on the list has a private profile. If you use this one, you might either give a margin of +/- 1 on the number, or make it one of several choices, like in the Fall Challenge math task.
I'm loving the Pulitzer idea!!!! I hope someone uses that for a 25/30 pointer.
I really liked the Neverending Book Quiz task from the summer challenge. That's what finally got me to read A Tale of Two Cities, which ended up being one of the best books I've ever read (and started my love affair with Dickens). Maybe we can recycle that task at some point.Another idea similar to Tanja's (but I can't think up a clever title, darn it):
1.) Go to Explore and select books
2.) On the upper right side of the screen is a list of popular genre shelves:
A.) Click on the "classics" shelf and read a book that appears on the first two pages (books 1-100) and
B.) Click on the "contemporary" shelf and do the same as above. No re-reads for either book. In the event that you have read all 100 of the books listed for each shelf, you may read a book from the 3rd page.
ETA: This could also be done with the "non-fiction" and "fiction" shelves
I like the idea of having a challenge to honor Human Right's Day, but not all philanthropists have something to do with Human Rights. I think reading a book, fiction or non, that addresses human right issues would be cool.
Manday wrote: "I like the idea of having a challenge to honor Human Right's Day, but not all philanthropists have something to do with Human Rights..."Hi Manday.
I made a Human Rights suggestion in post #89 ~ here was my idea:
6. The third week of December is Human Rights Week, as designated by the United Nations. Twenty countries are affected by a United Nations Mandate on Human Rights: Burundi, Cambodia, North Korea, Haiti, Myanmar, Palestine, Israel, Somalia, Sudan, Liberia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Rwanda, Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia. Select one of these countries and find either a book whose author is from your selected country or a novel set in your selected country. (For a higher point task there could be the requirement to briefly outline some of the atrocities that have occurred in the selected country, along with UN or Peacekeeping interventions that have occurred.)
I like the idea of dealing with some hard issues and, perhaps, in the process, learn something new.
Manday wrote: "I like the idea of having a challenge to honor Human Right's Day, but not all philanthropists have something to do with Human Rights. I think reading a book, fiction or non, that addresses human ri..."Just throwing ideas out there. You can take off the part about Human Rights Day if that's an issue. :)
Read two books with the same author OR genre OR setting: one that is over 400 pgs long and another that is between 100-200 pgs.Read one of the bestsellers of 2009. Tell us if it's worth the hype
Read a steampunk book.
Read a book with a strong female main character.
Read a book written/set in the 1960s
Read a book from a popular book club (Oprah, the Today Show, etc.)
Read a book related to a major event that occurred during the past decade
Read a book of philosophy (not self-help or fiction-I’m thinking Sartre, Montaigne, Plato, etc.)
Read a book that takes place mainly in the outdoors
I might be in the minority, but I would love to see more challenges that lead towards having to choose a non-fiction book for a change. (Like Rachel Erin's suggestion for a book of philosophy.) I know there are good ones out there that might surprise people.
El wrote: "I might be in the minority, but I would love to see more challenges that lead towards having to choose a non-fiction book for a change. (Like Rachel Erin's suggestion for a book of philosophy.) I..."I'd like that, too. It would be interesting to learn some new ideas.
Perhaps it could be teamed with a "younger" book for a task. Something like our Coming of Age task where we read a book from each side of the spectrum by reading one non-fiction/philosophy book and one YA book.
El wrote: "I might be in the minority, but I would love to see more challenges that lead towards having to choose a non-fiction book for a change. (Like Rachel Erin's suggestion for a book of philosophy.)"Hi El. I'm with you. In my suggestions I tried to allow for fiction or nonfiction to try and broaden the possibilities. There are just so many interesting books out there!
I didn't read through everyone's suggestions but a few stuck with me - I especially liked Alice's idea of the 12 days of christmas! Also, reading about a winter holiday that you aren't familiar with and reading a book by an author born on your birthday.Everyone is so creative! I didn't know there could be so many fun ways to choose books (maybe that's why I always struggle to find my next read). I'm very excited to participate in my first challenge!
I live in Alaska and an obsession we have through the winter is LIGHT. We can't seem to stop counting the days when we'll get 3 more mins of light a day...then 5 mins...
Maybe there could be a challenge with the words 'light' or 'dark' being in the title? Or light vs dark being a theme in a novel? Maybe we could read about the darkest/lightest place on the planet??
Also, it is the season of delicious food - maybe there could be a challenge involving baked goods (reading & eating)?
Manday wrote: "Ooh. I want to try steam punk! "I just read my first Steam punk The Affinity Bridge by George Mann and liked it well enough to try some more. Maybe I should wait and see what next season's tasks will be.
During the fall challenge, we read about our current and dream jobs. I think it would be interesting to read a book about a job we can't, for one reason or another, imagine ourselves performing. For example, I could never be a prison guard. I'm too claustrophobic and egalitarian. I distrust authority, so I wouldn't want to be one. However, I bet they have some interesting stories to tell. After the read, members could point out any new perspectives they have gained, regarding their most feared/dreaded/unlikely job.
Petra wrote: "El wrote: "I might be in the minority, but I would love to see more challenges that lead towards having to choose a non-fiction book for a change. (Like Rachel Erin's suggestion for a book of phil..."Or maybe: Read two books, one fiction and one non-fiction, with the same subject.
There were a few non-fiction opportunities in the fall challenge: self-help, presidential biography, science fact. (There were also lots of tasks where non-fiction or fiction would be acceptable.)
Maybe two or three different categories of non-fiction might be fun, i.e.:
- art/lit criticism
- collections of essays/correspondence
- food writing/cookbooks
- travel writing
- journalism
- politics
El wrote: "I might be in the minority, but I would love to see more challenges that lead towards having to choose a non-fiction book for a change. (Like Rachel Erin's suggestion for a book of philosophy.) I..."I agree, and I actually love the philosophy idea. I really want to read An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (Locke), and A Treatise of Human Nature & An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (Hume). A challenge task might be the only way I actually get around to doing it. :o)
Jennifer L. wrote: "Use the site http://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/se... by typing in one of your 5-star reads from your "Read" shelf here on goodreads.Read one of the books it suggests."
Love this suggestion!
Yeah if the one-stars is bad or icky, let's can the choice.I do like the alterations on the End of Year Crunch (margin of +/- 1)
Cait wrote: "Read a book listed in the "Five Stars (or favorites) for Fall Challenge" thread."
I LOVE that idea Cait!
Katie wrote: "There were a few non-fiction opportunities in the fall challenge: self-help, presidential biography, science fact. (There were also lots of tasks where non-fiction or fiction would be acceptable.)"Right, there were tasks that allowed either non-fiction or fiction, but I think it's often easier for people to choose fiction if there's the option. That goes for me also - my first challenge I tried to mix it up a bit, but in the next few challenges I found myself not searching the non-fiction stacks as much as I probably could have. I like the idea of challenges helping people branch out into fields they might not otherwise try so I like tasks that specifically ask for a non-fiction book as one has to change their normal way of thinking in order to find a book to fit. I think that's fun. :)
El wrote: "Katie wrote: "There were a few non-fiction opportunities in the fall challenge: self-help, presidential biography, science fact. (There were also lots of tasks where non-fiction or fiction would be..."I hear you. I don't disagree. It's nice to have some very specific tasks and some that are more flexible. I happen to be not the biggest fan of biographies (or self-help), so I was just trying to point out that there is a great variety of non-fiction options, even when trying to be specific.
I am slogging through my Lincoln bio, though... :-)
These have no theme but how about:Read a book with the name of a State in the title.
Read a book with a prime number in the title.
Read a book that takes place in the opposite hemisphere from where you live.
Read a book with the either the color Black or Gold in the title in honor of the Pittsburgh Steelers being in the 2010 Superbowl ;)
Tammy wrote: "Read a book with the either the color Black or Gold in the title in honor of the Pittsburgh Steelers being in the 2010 Superbowl ;)"Ah, a Steelers fan! :) As someone who lives in Pittsburgh I certainly see enough black and gold, but we support our team however we can - even in reading challenges! :)
Read a really local author (as local as you can possibly get--same town if possible) This could be paired with a challenge to read a book from really far away (opposite spot on the globe, or opposite hemisphere)
El wrote: "Tammy wrote: "Read a book with the either the color Black or Gold in the title in honor of the Pittsburgh Steelers being in the 2010 Superbowl ;)"Ah, a Steelers fan! :) As someone who lives in ..."
oh yeah : ) make me read something black and gold,
how about brown and orange instead? lOL I was hoping with 18 players out with the flu we could call in sick : ) SOMEDAY we will be a GREAT team again
Cait wrote: "I really liked the Neverending Book Quiz task from the summer challenge. That's what finally got me to read A Tale of Two Cities, which ended up being one of the best books I've ever r..."And I really didn't like it because there was NO flexibility and I would have had to read a 500+ pg book about baseball to complete the Quiz task. If we do this again (I did love the complete randomness of the task) it might be better if we got three tries.
List-lovers task: choose a "best of" list, then use a random number generator to provide three numbers. Read one of the books corresponding to the numbers. No re-reads.
How about out with the old, in with the new read a book with a title with an A word in in it ( the article a doesnt count)
and a book with a title with a z word in it
The Oscars Task: Read the book of a movie that has won for best picture OR read the biography of an actor/actress that has won for best actor/actress. Be sure to mention which movie in your post. The Trilogy Task: Read a trilogy of your choice.
Royal Flush: Choose two of the following -
-Read a book with "jack" in the title or is the author's first or last name
-Read a book with "queen" in the title
-Read a book with "king" in the title
-Read a book with playing cards on the cover
Read a biography of the president who was in office the year of your birth.
The Modern Library Task: Using the Modern Library's Top 100 Novels list and your age, read the corresponding books from both the board's list and the readers' list.
The Horoscope Task: Read a book with your zodiac sign or symbol in the title. (for example: virgo/virgin - The Virgin Suicides)
Back to English Class: Read two titles from the AP English recommended reading list.
Opposites: Read two books with each one containing an opposite word of the other. (for example, Little Women and Ten Big Ones)
New Year's Resolution: What is yours? Read a book (fiction or nonfiction) that pertains to one of your goals this year.
January is national soup month. Read one of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books OR read a book whose author's last name is Campbell.
Back to English Class 2: Read two books - one with a simile in the title (Like Water for Chocolate) and one with alliteration in the title (Angela's Ashes).
Back to English Class 3: Read three books - one with a title containing an adverb, one containing an adjective, and one containing punctuation of any kind.
The Months Task: Read a book with twelve/twelfth, one/first, two/second in the title to represent our months of the winter challenge.
What about for one of the 5 point tasks (or 10 or 15, doesn't matter), each participant chooses a task from a previous seasonal challenge and completes it to earn points for this challenge.It would sort of be like a freebie because each person can choose whichever task appeals to them the most, but not really because thought already went into setting up the parameters for that task in the past.
It might be a fun way to revisit some favorite tasks from past challenges!
Beth(MN) wrote: "What about for one of the 5 point tasks (or 10 or 15, doesn't matter), each participant chooses a task from a previous seasonal challenge and completes it to earn points for this challenge.It w..."
I LIKE this suggestion, and I LOVE the idea of a "freebie", but would prefer it to be more specific - i.e. for a Winter 15-point task it could read "Pick a 15-point task from a previous challenge...". I've really enjoyed some of the 25 point tasks from this season, and some of the multi-book tasks, but would NEVER pick one if it were only worth 5 points! lol
Author referrals: Read a book, fiction or non-fiction, and then read a book referenced in the first book.
Another Janus idea ... Facing the past and the future - read a book about the past and a book about the future; choose a non-fiction book for one of the two and a fiction book for the other one.OR read a book that relates to your past and a book that relates to your future.
sorry if someone has already suggested this...February is the shortest month. Read a book that is a collection of short stories by one or more authors.
Donna Jo wrote: "It's all greek to me Read a fiction or nonfiction book about Rome, Greece, Egypt, China, India. (set before before 1000 AD). Can include other ancient civilizations as long as pre 1000 ADDoubl..."
I was thinking of the ancient civilizations if I finished the fall challenge. But I don't think that that will happen this time. Glad someone else thought of it. Hopefully it will make it in.
The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Rough Guide to Jamaica (other topics)A Tale of Two Cities (other topics)
An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (other topics)
A Treatise of Human Nature (other topics)
An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (other topics)
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