SPRING/SUMMER 2010: Questions & General Discussion

[René]

Alicia wrote: "I apologize if this has already been asked, I have kind of been following the questions but I didn't go back and specifically look for this...

Does someone have some suggestions for something with..."

I used Love You Hate You Miss You for the emotion and My Sister's Keeper for the second part.

[Anna]

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream would also be a good one for people who aren't to keen on lovey dovey

[Alicia]

Annashu wrote: "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream would also be a good one for people who aren't to keen on lovey dovey"

That is a good idea! Love the movie, haven't read the book yet.

[Verity]

For 25.9, the Great Debate, does the book have to be non-fiction? I recently finished Brigid of Kildare which has the main character Brigid converting 5th century Irish from Druid/paganism to Catholicism, which irks me on the level that I don't think people should force their religion on other people, especially indigent cultures. I can use it elsewhere if it doesn't work for that, but I was just wondering.

[Verity]

Jamie wrote: "Jen wrote: "Verity - Would The Arabian Nights: Tales from a Thousand and One Nights work for your task?"

I do believe that works. I was going to use that one. It's on my list for the ..."

Sorry about not responding sooner, I seem to have missed this one when scrolling through; so thank you Jamie for picking up my slack.

The book totally works. Others include authors listed here: http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/documents/...
but that is a eurocentric view of literature. Given my limited knowledge of Asian literature, 'The Tale of Genji' and 'The Art of War' come to mind; the ancient Greeks had 'Antigone', 'The Dialogues of Plato', etc. Farie Tales/Stories would work so long as you read the amount required (rule #5?) ...When in doubt, there is always wikipedia.

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner), The Founding Bookworm]

Verity--that's fine.

[Daisy]

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is N. K. Jemisin's first book, but she contributed one story to another book, is it still ok if I use The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms for the body of work challenge? (as in author with only 1 book)

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner), The Founding Bookworm]

Yep! That works!

[Daisy]

Great! Thanks :)

[Tahleen]

Are we allowed to use audio books? I thought I remembered we were able to do that in previous challenges. I just finished listening to Made in the U.S.A., and the paperback edition has a Ferris wheel on the cover so I thought I might use it for the circus challenge.

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner), The Founding Bookworm]

Yep! Audiobooks are fine unless stated for a specific challenge..which I'm pretty sure we didn't have any of those.

[Tahleen]

Excellent, thank you!

[Alicia]

For task 25.10 would you count "malice" as an emotion?

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner), The Founding Bookworm]

Sure!

[Alicia]

Awesome. Thanks.

[Bárbara]

I wonder if The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time could work for 15.7, family matters? It's family-focused and starts with a single parent, etc :)

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner), The Founding Bookworm]

Sure.

[R]

Would A Confederacy of Dunces work for 15.7 (family matters)? I actually read it with 10.3 (life's a beach) in mind, but I was wondering if it could be used for 15.7 too.

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner), The Founding Bookworm]

I'm not really sure what it's about as the description doesn't really say much. Can you tell me what it's about? Or has anyone else read it that could help out with this one?

[R]

The main character is an adult who lives with his widowed mother, and the mother-son dynamic is quite an important theme I think.

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner), The Founding Bookworm]

Sounds good for that to me!

[R]

Great, thanks!

[Jules]

I have a question about task 10.8, International Women's Day. Would it be possible to read a posthumously published collection of letters for this task? I know such a book is not a memoir, but maybe letters keep in the spirit of the task...? *g*

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner), The Founding Bookworm]

Yeah, I'll take that.

[Jen]

For Task 15.6 - Albert Einstein’s Birthday - would The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks work?

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner), The Founding Bookworm]

Yeah, that works. That sounds soo interesting!!

[Jen]

Thanks Jamie! I thought it would work but just wanted to double-check!

[Anna]

Anyone have any ideas for a book with a magical main character (5.10)? I was thinking of The Lace Reader, but I'm about half way through and it doesn't seem that magical after all.

[Daisy]

I loved The Lace Reader, but I agree it's not really magical. Some ideas:
The Name of the Wind
A Great and Terrible Beauty
Eragon
Wizard's First Rule
any Harry Potter book

[Jules]

Oh yay, thanks Jamie!

As to magical main characters:
- any Star Wars book featuring a Jedi
- The Picture of Dorian Gray
- Peter Pan
- the Inkworld books (Inkheart, Inkspell, Inkdeath)

[Tahleen]

I'm pretty sure a ton of fantasy would count. Don't forget things like Harry Potter, too.

[Jules]

And lots of children's books have main characters developing some kind of magical ability, too :)

[Anna]

I guess the problem is that I'm not really into fantasy. I suppose I might stumble upon something interesting that fits the bill though.

[Tami]

Do you enjoy memoirs/fiction based on fact? Maybe you can find something either on the witch trials, something about witch doctors or shamans, or something to do with the allusionists (Siegfried and Roy, Houdini, Penn and Teller, etc). My brother got really interested in magic and wicca and all awhile back and there are a whole lot of Wiccan books. Maybe one of them would work. I know they probably don't include a main character per se, but they would all focus on their religion.

[paulabits]

Hi everyone!
A question: for task 15.7, Family Matters, would Push work?

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner), The Founding Bookworm]

Ooh. Yeah, I'd say it works. I've only seen the movie but I'd assume its pretty much the same gist.

[paulabits]

Jamie wrote: "Ooh. Yeah, I'd say it works. I've only seen the movie but I'd assume its pretty much the same gist."

Ok thanks.

[Chelsea]

for 5.6 the task about books would the book i am reading now about a woman who keeps 2 seperate books ( diaries) to deceeve her husband count?

[Anna]

Chelsea, are you talking about Shadow Tag? If so and if I remember correctly the main character is a fairly avid reader which I think would make it count.
On a side note, would love to hear what you think about it when you finish.

[Paula]

For 10.1 could I read Fool by Christopher Moore? It's about a court Jester... that's almost a circus right?

[Paula]

Paula wrote: "For 10.1 could I read Fool by Christopher Moore? It's about a court Jester... that's almost a circus right?"

well...I might just read it and hope it's acceptable :/

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner), The Founding Bookworm]

Ooh sorry..I didn't see your question. This thread didn't have the red thing telling you how many new messages in here so I didn't check it. Weird.

I'm going to say no. I was looking more for a circus/amusement park. But if you really can't find anything else to read for it..because I took so long to answer..I'll take it.

EDIT: Actually I'll take it now that I think about it more. They were at fairs and stuff like that..and I was thinking about Renaissance fairs and stuff like that.

[Paula]

Jamie wrote: "EDIT: Actually I'll take it now..."

Yay! Thanks :)

[Chelsea]

fisrt i have to say that i love shdow tag

second would avalon high by meg cabot count fot the triiller suspense i know it was a page turner for me with the mythoogical historical undertone linking it to king arthurs court.

[Jess]

Does anyone have any suggestions for the international female memoir task? I'm completely out of ideas. I don't want to read Ayaan Hirsi Ali's Infidel, and I've already read Reading Lolita in Tehran.

[Lori]

Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen should count.

[Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner), The Founding Bookworm]

Hmm..you could read the memoir of Anne Frank. I also saw this one Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail. Also maybe Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia or Geisha: A Life

[Anna]

Jess I think all these would count:

West with the Night
Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood
The House at Sugar Beach
Charmed Life
The Road of Lost Innocence: The True Story of a Cambodian Heroine
Climbing the Mango Trees: A Memoir of a Childhood in India
Becoming Alice: A Memoir
The Complete Persepolis

[Anna]

Would you consider Mary Anning from Remarkable Creatures as a scientist for task 15.6? I know she contributed to the scientific community but I don't think she ever considered herself a scientist...

[Jess]

Woo, thank you! Great recommendations, ladies. I appreciate it!