ABIGAIL'S TASK - ODD MAN OUT

[Liz M]

Krista wrote: Hey Tanja, if you're still able to help, I've worked on my list some ..."

What We Keep
Bird by Bird

These fit the alliteration task, yes?

[Melissa]

Hi, how about Uncle Silas by J.S. Le Fanu? I didn't see it on anyone's list and it doesn't seem to meet the criteria for any of the other tasks. -Melissa

[Krista]

Liz wrote: "Krista wrote: Hey Tanja, if you're still able to help, I've worked on my list some ..."

What We Keep
Bird by Bird

These fit the alliteration task, yes?

"

Shoot, you're right. I'll go cross them off the list.

[Usako]

Drats. That DOES throw a larger wrench into the works.

Jessy, seems that King will be out. You're best bet at this point is an old Nora Roberts novel (not J.D. Robb) that doesn't have alliteration or a love word in the title.

[Nicki]

Drat - I thought I had one but Wendy has rated it a 5 star! You've read too much Wendy! LOL

But I think I've found another. Can anyone see anything wrong with Middlemarch?

It's a classic, not rated 5 stars by any winners, I've read one of her books before, it's been made into a TV series but not a film, my cover is blue, and if my maths is right George Eliot isn't the same Chinese horoscope as me...

[Kim D]

Would Fever Pitch work? Does anyone see any problems?

[Jessy]

Tanja wrote: "Drats. That DOES throw a larger wrench into the works.

Jessy, seems that King will be out. You're best bet at this point is an old Nora Roberts novel (not J.D. Robb) that doesn't have alliteratio..."

thanks!

[Sara ♥]

Abigail wrote: "I don't know how much of a role the LDS church played in Western expansion, so that's up to you. If you believe it fits, then I'm all for it.

Only other thing that came to mind: will your new years resolution have anything to do with faith? If not, you're all set. I think. ;)

The LDS Church had quite a bit to do with Western expansion, but I don't think that's the focus of this book... I'll flip through it to make sure. (For that other task, I was under the impression we had to read about pioneers/trails west/etc....

And my resolution is going to be weight-related... again... (I'm not sure why I bother???)

[Night]

Abigail wrote: "Sara ♥ wrote: "Night wrote: "I also wonder if Dancing Shoes and Theater Shoes by Noel Streatfeild considered as a series? I love Ballet Shoes but never read these two. If they fit this task, it wou..."

Thank you, Abigail.

My eligible books right now: (My Chinese Zodiac is Dog)

Anne Pratchett – The Magician’s Assistant
Paul Auster - New York Trilogy
Lisa Gardner - The Other Daughter (in Sandra's list but no rating)
Noel Streatfeild - Theatre Shoes, Dancing Shoes

Too bad Annie Proulx's Postcards can't work for me, coz my Dewey Task is sth about tele&postal communication.

Hooray! Got many choices now. *dancing*

[Juniper]

Tanja wrote: "Jennifer - NOPE! My favorite Disney movie is Sleeping Beauty. This book is about Beauty and the Beast. So I can still read it for Abigail's :)"

Cool!

[Juniper]

Kim wrote: "Would Fever Pitch work? Does anyone see any problems? "

This book was made into a movie starring Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon in 2005...soccer was substituted with baseball though.

[Sara]

Ok, I just want to check with you first Abigail, but I think I found a book..

Second Nature by Alice Hoffman.

I did not find it on any of the leaders list. Hoffman is a dragon and I am a rabbit. It doesn't fit any of the color or number tasks. I have read many of her books before and this is actually not a reread for me which is why I would like to read it. It was published in 1994. Hope this can work! Thanks for you help and such a great task Abigail!

[Kristina]

Would The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath work? I did not see any of the leaders list it as 5 stars. I checked the Chinese animal with mine and it is different. Thanks!

[Abigail]

Krista wrote: "Tanja wrote: "Who's still hunting for a book? I'm willing to help out and surf someone's book shelves for some novel ideas."

Hey Tanja, if you're still able to help, I've worked on my list some ..."

Going strictly by what I found with a quick GR search:

Sandra Dallas – Buster Midnight’s Café has a primarily red, white and blue cover (5.2).

Lynn Kurland writes a lot of fantasy, so you'll need to make sure that whatever book you choose actually takes place in this world, not a fictional one (15.2b). Also, she has a number of series that I think have female protagonists, so those would be ruled out (15.3a).

Anne Lamott - Traveling Mercies works okay unless your new years resolution has something to do with your own faith (Roseann's Task A) or if you could use something in the religion category for the Dewey decimal task (PJRead's Task).

Annie Proulx – Postcards: The version on GR has a red, white, and blue cover (5.2).

I think the rest of the ones not yet marked out are fine.

[Abigail]

Melissa wrote: "Hi, how about Uncle Silas by J.S. Le Fanu? I didn't see it on anyone's list and it doesn't seem to meet the criteria for any of the other tasks. -Melissa"

I think you're safe unless the color of the cover comes into play.

[Abigail]

Nicki wrote: "Drat - I thought I had one but Wendy has rated it a 5 star! You've read too much Wendy! LOL

But I think I've found another. Can anyone see anything wrong with Middlemarch?

It's a..."

I think you're good!

[Abigail]

Sara ♥ wrote: "And my resolution is going to be weight-related... again... (I'm not sure why I bother???) "

You and me both!!! If I find the magical, fix-all book when I read for that task, I'll let you know. ;)

[Abigail]

Sara☺ wrote: "Ok, I just want to check with you first Abigail, but I think I found a book..

Second Nature by Alice Hoffman.

I did not find it on any of the leaders list. Hoffman is a dragon..."

Bad news. :( The author's name is Alice, which rules it out (15.2a). You could read it for that, though -- or maybe for Theresa in OH's task, if "second" counts as a number. (I haven't checked on that facet yet.)

[Abigail]

Kristina Marie wrote: "Would The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath work? I did not see any of the leaders list it as 5 stars. I checked the Chinese animal with mine and it is different. Thanks!"

I think this works, too! Well, unless the greatest gift you've ever been given is sanity, or therapy, or something like that. :)

[Sara]

Abigail wrote: "Sara☺ wrote: "Ok, I just want to check with you first Abigail, but I think I found a book..

Second Nature by Alice Hoffman.

I did not find it on any of the leaders list. Hoffman i..."

Darn....I forgot about the Alice task...back to the drawing board ;-)

[Sara]

Ok, let's try another one.
How about Neverwhere A Novel by Neil Gaimen? I know he has won a nebula or hugo award, but it was not prior to 2000, we aren't the same zodiac, I have read him before, it was published 1990, and I can't find any other tasks it might fit. I checked the leader boards and it is not listed.
Thanks for all your help ;-)

[Usako]

Neil Gaiman has won a Nebula award. The task actually says author instead of book. So it eliminates him as a choice.

[Sara]

Darn it...I hate when I read too quick. Thanks Tanja for catching that....shucks! Back to thinking....

[Liz M]

Abigail wrote: "Sara☺ wrote: "Ok, I just want to check with you first Abigail, but I think I found a book..

Second Nature by Alice Hoffman.

I did not find it on any of the leaders list. Hoffman i..."

I believe "Second" counts as a number & furthermore, works for the It's about time time task.....

So the good news is this book works for the multi-tasking category

[Abigail]

Sara☺ wrote: "Ok, let's try another one.
How about Neverwhere A Novel by Neil Gaimen? I know he has won a nebula or hugo award, but it was not prior to 2000, we aren't the same zodiac, I have rea..."

Honestly, I'm confused about the hugo/nebula thing and need to do a little research. (Gaiman definitely won both, but he won them after 2000. I thought that made him okay??) BUT, regardless, I can't tell from the description on GR if Neverwhere takes place in a fictional location -- I'm guessing it does, though, since the synopsis actually references Alice in Wonderland. That means 15.2 has tripped you up again. :( Sorry.

[Sara]

Abigail wrote: "Sara☺ wrote: "Ok, let's try another one.
How about Neverwhere A Novel by Neil Gaimen? I know he has won a nebula or hugo award, but it was not prior to 2000, we aren't the same zodia..."

I thought that made him ok too. When I read the scifi task, I would think he would be ok as he won it after 2000 and the book also for this challenge can't have been written between 200-2009. I asked my husband and he says that Neverwhere is not in a fictional place. There are plenty of his books I haven't read. If we are ok on him though, then I can pick another book. Let me know.

[scherzo♫]

I have both Gaimen's Neverwhere and Salinger's Raise High the Roof Bean as 5* books on my list.

Great books (great writers) -- hope you can fit them for another task.

[Sara]

Ok, another try...I feel like the Little Engine that Could ;-)

I was reading that the author can be new to us during the challenge and then we could read another book by that author as long as we read the other task first. That being said, can I read....

A Good School or Disturbing the Peace both by Richard Yates??
I can't find any task issues, so any help is appreciated. Thanks for putting up with all my questions Abigail!

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner)]

Yay! After trying and trying..I finally found a book!! :)

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier ... I went all through the tasklist and it fits!! :)

[Sara]

Ohhh...I will have to keep that in mind just in case Jamie. Thanks!

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner)]

No problem!

[Krista]

Abigail wrote: "Krista wrote: "Tanja wrote: "Who's still hunting for a book? I'm willing to help out and surf someone's book shelves for some novel ideas."

Hey Tanja, if you're still able to help, I've worked on ..."

Hi Abigail: Thanks for your feedback! You're right, Buster Midnight's Cafe is mainly red, white and blue. I'll strike it from the list. :-)

My copy of Postcards from Annie Proulx has is black white and gold. So it's okay for the red white and blue aspect.

I think I'll either go with that, or Anne Lamott's Traveling Mercies. I don't know what my resolution will be. I probably won't do one, and I'll skip Roseann's task. I KNOW I won't have time to get all the tasks done for the Winter Challenge, so I'm just going to focus on the ones I'm really interested it.

Thanks for the help everyone!!
-Krista

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner)]

NOO..I just realized My Cousin Rachel doesn't work!! It was made into a movie. I meant to check that and then forgot. lol

Back to work..lol

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner)]

Would The Portable Beat Reader work? I looked it over and it seems like it would work..but I keep overlooking things lol

[Nicki]

Noooooooo, Middlemarch and many other classics are out. Nothing set in the UK will work now because of Stephanie's task! LOL

Back to the drawing board. I'm really running out of ideas!

[Sara]

Well, hopefully Abigail will approve my Yates book, otherwise I will be back at the drawing board too.

[Cindy AL]

Mine's gone because it has a one word title, boo.

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner)]

Oh man! I'm an idiot. I forgot that it was a movie made in this decade. Amanda's post just reminded me of that. My Cousin Rachel still works then..because it definitely wasn't made in this decade. YAY!

[Liz]

Does Sexing the Cherrywork? My copy has a pineapple on the cover, so its not red/white/blue. The only problem it may potentially have is that it takes place in a place 'like' 17th century England. From what I read, this is more of a fictitious place. Not sure if it would qualify under Stehpanie's island task?? I don't consider England an island..

[Bluemoon]

Jamie wrote: "Yay! After trying and trying..I finally found a book!! :)

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier ... I went all through the tasklist and it fits!! :)"

Sorry Jamie this fits my task. It takes place on an island country.

[Bluemoon]

Liz wrote: "Does Sexing the Cherrywork? My copy has a pineapple on the cover, so its not red/white/blue. The only problem it may potentially have is that it takes place in a place 'like' 17th ce..."

England is part of the United Kingdom so it does fit my task. Sorry :(

[Cindy AL]

Abigail, totally different direction. I have a textbook that I need to read for my job. I know it isn't on anyone's list (it is barely on my list!), unless one of the winners is a pathologist, too. If the author wasn't born in the Year of the Dog, would it be OK??? I've read several papers by this particular author. Can anyone think of anything else that a testbook would interfere with.

[Petra]

Jennifer wrote: "Which means Yippee for you and for Buddenbrooks!! ..."

Back to the drawing board.....Buddenbrooks fits a one-word title. Oh well, at least I can fit it in somewhere. :)

[Juniper]

Petra wrote: "Back to the drawing board.....Buddenbrooks fits a one-word title. Oh well, at least I can fit it in somewhere. :)"

Oh, man! Crap!

I haven't picked one for this task yet as I suspected more people were going to finish the Fall challenge. I'm glad I waited now. It seems as though everyone is having a hard time finding something; it will be interesting to see what I can come up with.

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner)]

It's really funny to me because normally I have books that I want to read that literally don't fit any challenge..and now when I need to find a book that doesn't fit..I can't! lol

[Petra]

Jamie wrote: "It's really funny to me because normally I have books that I want to read that literally don't fit any challenge..and now when I need to find a book that doesn't fit..I can't! lol"

Jamie, me, too! After we've got a complete listing of Winter Tasks I'll see what's left on my TBR list and see what I can fit in. There's got to be something, I'm sure.
This task is rather fun just because of the fact that it's something that should be so easy and it's turning out not to be. LOL!


Jennifer wrote: "I haven't picked one for this task yet as I suspected more people were going to finish the Fall challenge. I'm glad I waited now...."

That's the plan I'm following now, too......I'm a slow learner and should have thought of this point earlier. LOL!

[Katie]

Cindy wrote: "Abigail, totally different direction. I have a textbook that I need to read for my job. I know it isn't on anyone's list (it is barely on my list!), unless one of the winners is a pathologist, too...."

Cindy, if you haven't already, you should check it against your potential Dewey Decimal numbers.

[Cindy AL]

Thanks Katie, I'll keep that in mind as I nail down the Deweys.

[Tara]

How about ARC books that will not be published until 2010? Would they be considered not published in 2009 and be available for this task?

[Kate]

I think that this has definitely become the hardest task. A lot of classics were set in England so they are now out...