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Summer Challenge - 2008
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message 51:
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Sherry
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Jun 28, 2008 01:07PM
Joanie,what did you think of The Woman Who Walked Into Doors by Roddy Doyle and had you read Paula Spencer?I've had the first on my TR shelf for quite a while now but have been keeping my eyes open for the second as I've heard that it's the first of the two.(Hope this post makes sense!)
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I'll give it a try!! This is my summer challenge. I will read until August 31 and see how many I get done.5 POINT ITEMS
Read a book from the library
*SLIVER OF TRUTH*
Read for 30 minutes under a tree
*ON THE DECK WHICH IS UNDER A MAPLE TREE*
Listen to a book on tape, cd,etc.
Read a cookbook or view a website
*WWW.CAMPBELLKITCHEN.COM*
Free Space
Read a romance novel
*ANGEL FALL - NORA ROBERTS*
Attend a program at your local library
*CATCH THE READING BUG - SUMMER PROGRAM*
View a movie made from a book
*HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG*
10 POINT ITEMS
Prepare and item from the cookbook to share
*ONE DISH CHICKEN AND RICE BAKE/IT'S REALLY GOOD*
Read a collection of short stories or a play
*JUST SO STORIES - RUDYARD KIPLING*
Read an online newspaper or magazine
*MARION CHRONICLE TRIBUNE/LOCAL PAPER*
Read an inspirational novel or non-fiction book
*LITTLE HEATHENS - MILDRED KALISH*
Read a book about sports
Read a sci-fi,fantasy, paranormal novel
*Blood Brothers - Nora Roberts*
Read a horror or suspense novel
*MANY BLOODY RETURNS*
Read a magazine from the library
Read a western or a novel set in the west
15 POINT ITEMS
Read a novel by an author you have never read
*LOST CITY - CLIVE CUSSLER*
Read a book about politics or history
*FOUNDING MOTHERS - COKIE ROBERTS*
Read a book published in the decade you were
born
*MY COUSIN RACHEL - DAPHNE DU MAURIER*
Read an autobiography
*THE MEASURE OF A MAN - SIDNEY POITIER*
Read a book from "Times 100 novels"
*BLUBBER - JUDY BLOOM*
Read a book with coffee or tea in the title
*THE TEA HOUSE ON MULBERRY STREET*
Browse three book related websites
*WWW.CADERBOOKS.COM*
*WWW.BOOKWIRE.COM*
*WWW.BARTLEBY.COM*
Listen to or read any non-fiction book
*BACKYARD GIANTS*
25 POINT ITEMS
Read a book about your town, or written by a
local author
*GARFIELD'S TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION*
Jim Davis was born about 5 miles from where I live .
Listen to a child read 30 minutes on three
different occasions
Attend a live book club meeting
*ATTENDED A BOOK CLUB AT OUR LIBRARY*
TOTAL
370 POINTS 7/22/08
5 Point Items - Read a book you borrow from the library
that's easy I get most of my books there!!
- Read for 30 minutes under a tree
outside on the bench under the pear tree (was reading Just Jane)
- Listen to a book on tape, cd, mp3, or playaway
Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare (I followed along with the book)
- Read a cookbook or view a cooking website***
Well I love cooking, I checked out the Dole Website and made their rice, chicken stir fry dish for my parents.
- Read a romance novel
I have read way too many of these...but the Lost Duke of Wyndham just came out
- Attend a program at your local library
I actually performed with a group at their Asian Arts Festival 2 Saturdays ago with my tai chi group
- View a movie made from a book
the new Narnia movie (but I plan on reading the book now)
(40 points)
10 Point Items
- Read a horror or suspense novel
I have been reading the Stephanie Barron suspense series based on Jane Austen
(10 points)
15 Point Items
- Read a novel by an author you have never read
Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
(15 points)
WHooo! 65 points!!
Sherry I loved The Woman Who Walked Into Doors-this was actually my second time reading it-I wanted to refresh my memory before reading Paula Spencer. After re-reading it I decided to wait on Paula Spencer. TWWWID is really good, intense and heartwrenching and it's done in the first person. Paula Spencer is done in the 3rd person, not really sure why Doyle made the switch. I didn't want to be disappointed in PS and I think if I read it right after TWWWID it might have suffered by comparison. Definitely read TWWWID-it's really well done. If I read Paula Spencer I'll let you know.
Stacie and April - How about you guys slow down and take a break for awhile? Don't you have some friends and family that you can pay attention to for a while so that I can GET YOU IN MY DUST???...not that this is a competition...
Grrrrrrrr. You, too, Joanie!
Seriously, I cannot do this challenge! I have too many goals this summer! Not to mention my new goal is to read 44 more books before the end of the year.
Mod
Thanks Joanie,I think I'll follow your lead.
Yeah, slowing down is nearly impossible! And now that I have figured out a good way for my daughter to happily ride her bike up and down the sidewalk while I sit and read, there is no stopping me! I can't tell you, sitting reading, sipping a glass of wine while my daughter is in her own heaven is fabulous! Oh, I have a question...does a ginormous rose bush count as a tree? :)
I have already lost all of my friends...my family hasn't spoken to me in days...my school books lay open-faced on my bed...I am officially obsessed! Good luck, Jen (insert evil laughter here)
Stacie - I desperately want to say no, but I guess if it's big enough to shade you.....
Lol Jen-I have to tell you that I'm obsessed now. I keep thinking about what to read next and it's all based on what category it will fulfill! A monster has offically been created!
I AM SO GLAD EVERYONE IS HAVING FUN WITH THIS CHALLENGE. I unfortunately have been sidetracked because all of my 14 day library books came in at once...I still have 3 or 4 more I need to read before I get back to it...unfortunately none of them fulfill the categories I need. :(
5 Point Items - Read a book you borrow from the library
- Read for 30 minutes under a tree
Sarah, Plain and tall, on a swing under my pear tree.
- Listen to a book on tape, cd, mp3, or playaway
- Read a cookbook or view a cooking website***
CrockPot Made Easy
- Free Space (only use if necessary)
- Read a romance novel
- Attend a program at your local library
- View a movie made from a book
The Other Boylen Girl
***prepare an item from that cookbook and share it with someone - 10 points
10 Point Items
- Read a collection of short stories or a play
The Metamorphosis and Other Stories
- Read a online newspaper or magazine
Aol News every morning
- Read an inspirational novel or non-fiction book
- Read a book about sports or the outdoors
- Read a sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal novel
- Read a horror or suspense novel
The thirthteen tale
- Read a magazine from your local library
- Read a western, a novel set in the west, a
history about the west
15 Point Items
- Read a novel by an author you have never read
Blindness, by Jose Saramago
- Read a book about politics or history
- Read a book published in the decade you were
born
- Read an autobiography
Night, by Ellie Weisel
- Read a book from "Times all-time 100 novels"
- Read a book with "coffee" or "tea" in the
title...the main library in the county just
added a coffee bar area so hence this challenge
- Browse three book related websites (good-reads
doesn't count..lol)
powell's book, Harper Collins, Club Mosaico
- Listen to or read any non-fiction book
25 Point Items
- Read a book about your town or written by a
local author
- Listen to a child read 30 min. on 3 different
days
Part of our home's daily rutine
- Attend a live book club meeting
On June 17, for Night, by Ellie W.
5 point itemsRead book from Library: DOUBLE INDEMNITY
Listen to book on Tape:GREAT EXPECTATIONS
View a movie made from a book:LOLITA
10 point items
Read an online newspaper; NEW YORK TIMES
15 point items
Read a novel by an author you have never read;THE GARDEN OF LAST DAYS BY ANDRE DUBUS 111
Read a novel about politics or history;FREEDOM AT MIDNIGHT (about transfer of sovereignty from England to India in 1947)
25 Point items
Attend a live book club meeting:WENT TO THE COLUMBUS BOOK CLUB MEETING
TOTAL POINTS :90
TEENAGE DAUGHTER ISN'T AGREEABLE TO MY LISTENING TO HER READ FOR SOME REASON UNLESS I PAY HER FOR HER TIME
Cynthia- thanks for including the "read under a tree" activity. There is a small park on the shore of the lake across from the library. When my girls were young, we would go to the library and then spend some time reading at the park, feeding the ducks, etc. It had been years since I had done that. It was a delightful hour and I also spend some time thinking about the memories we had made there. Thanks!
How fun...what a great idea. I wish I had found this group earlier.
My Start-Date: June 1, 2008My End-Date: September 30, 2008
Total Points to Date: 95
Items Completed:
5 Point Items
- Read a romance novel (Secrets of Surrender by Madeline Hunter)
10 Point Items
- Read a online newspaper or magazine (www.tvguide.com)
- Read a sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal novel (Gabriel's Ghost by Linnea Sinclair)
15 Point Items
- Read a novel by an author you have never read (The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath)
- Browse three book related websites (checked out the author's websites: Rob Thurman, Marjorie Liu, and Justin Gustainis)
- Listen to or read any non-fiction book (Ballad of the Whiskey Robber by Julian Rubinstein)
25 Point Items
- Read a book about your town or written by a local author (The Host by Stephanie Meyer)
i am excited--I printed off the list today and will have to start planning on what I can do by the end date. Is there an official end day for the challenge--I have seen both August 31st and September 30th so I want to know how long I have to plan for.
I hope that we decide to do future challenges--so I can start one from the beginning. :)
okay I have another question--when it says library can we use a book borrowed from a friend's library?
Officially for me it ends July 31st that's the last I can earn prizes through my library (that's where this challenge came from). For the group I had planned on having it end August 31st and having the Fall challenge start Sept 1st if people were responding to the challenge. I'll post at the beginning of august to give people a chance to come up with the activities (my library provided this challenge). I figure each person can make up a 5, 10, 15 and 25 point activity and then I'll randomly select if we have more suggestions than like 10 for the 5-15 and 3-5 for 25 point activities. The other suggestions I can hold over to a winter challenge...just a thought.The item for library check out must come from a public or university library.
Thanks so much--I can't wait for the one that starts Sept. 1st!!
Jim, I love your comment about the teenage daughter. I have a fourteen year-old at home and so far she will still read with me but finding the time when she is not engaged in another activity has been challenging. I'm hoping we have a few years yet until she's demanding payment, but I have a feeling it is not too far off. On the upside, you can always volunteer at a children's home and read. I've always wanted to do that and just haven't taken the time yet. 
5 Point Items - Read a book you borrow from the library BLACK AND WHITE BY DANI SHAPIRO
- Attend a program at your local library SUMMER READING WITH MY KIDS-DO I GET BONUS POINTS SINCE I LED THE PROGRAM? :)
- View a movie made from a book THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL
10 Point Items
- Read an inspirational novel or non-fiction book TIME TO EMBRACE BY KAREN KINGSBURY
- Read a sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal novel HITCHHIKERS GUIDE TO THE GALAXY
- Read a horror or suspense novel YOU'VE BEEN WARNED BY JAMES PATTERSON
15 Point Items
- Read a novel by an author you have never read THE GREAT MAN BY KATE CHRISTENSEN
- Read a book from "Times all-time 100 novels" ATONEMENT BY IAN MCEWAN
25 Point Items
- Read a book about your town or written by a
local author BLOWN AWAY-STORIES FROM THE GREENSBURG TORNADO
- Listen to a child read 30 min. on 3 different
days DONE! I HAVE A 9 YR OLD AND A 7 YR OLD
Instead of the rose bush, I was actually able to sit under a tree, in a hammock and finish my book. I am now going to take a break from the summer challenge to read "Raw Shark Texts" for my book club. So, I guess I'm not really taking a break because I will earn 25 points for going to my book club!
Ok Jen & Stacie, I'm closing in on ya. I even forced myself to finish reading Like Silk just for the points!
Two questions:1) On "Read a book with "coffee" or "tea" in the title"... any suggestions? I was checking out the titles available on Amazon.com and was not impressed.
2) On "Read for 30 minutes under a tree"... this isn't really a feasible one for those of us living in scorching Arizona. How about sitting indoors next to or under a plant? Does that count?
Theresa - What part of AZ do you live? I was just in Phoenix for our summer vacation (isn't that the destination everyone picks in the dead of summer?). I will admit, some concession should be made for that heat. 
Theresa, my alternative to "under a tree" was "under an umbrella, next to the pool, with an ice-cold drink in hand."Thank Bob the monsoons are here now and we've dropped back down into the mid-90s.
Jen, I live in Mesa. Too bad we didn't have a chance to meet up. I love meeting my fellow Goodreaders. :)Logan, *sigh* if only I had a pool. Actually, I'm glad I don't have a pool because my energy bill would probably be through the roof right now. I about had a seizure last night when I opened our most recent SRP bill.
The monsoons are wonderful, aren't they? We got slammed last night for about three hours straight. They're estimating we got 2-1/2 to 3 inches of rain. I attempted to go out to get my neighbor's trash can so it wouldn't go down the street and turned around after 2 feet. I would probably go down the street with the way the wind was blowing!
Theresa - Do you have cactus you could sit near or under...I will accept that or an indoor plant taken outside if no alternative is available. For the coffee tea book I read The Tea House on Mulberry Street by Sharon Owens which was a really nice story.
Theresa, it's things like having access to pool that is one of the very few advantages of living in an apartment. Our power bill would be insane, except I'm home by myself during the day and don't turn on the aircon until my wife gets home. Instead I just carry a fan from room to room and operate under a very casual dress code.
Last night we were awoken by the sound of rain pounding on our windows. Completely horizontally. The wind was insane! The dog thought he needed to go outside until I opened the door and he saw what the weather was. Then he decided that he could just hold it.
Well, see, the problem with the suggestion about an indoor plant being taken outdoors is the furnace-like heat in Arizona. We are averaging 110-115 degree days. We get extreme heat advisories and are told to stay indoors. And, we don't have cactus because we have a very curious weiner dog that would love to explore the pricklies on a cactus. :)
Not trying to be difficult - especially over 5 points - so I'll just consider it okay to sit next to my new plant (no idea what kind it is) and read for 30 minutes. Heck, I'll sit on the floor to make it more rustic. :)
Thanks for the suggestion about the book... I'll check it out.
My Start-Date: June 1, 2008 My End-Date: September 30, 2008
Total Points to Date: 115
Items Completed: (updates are italicized)
5 Point Items
- Read a romance novel (Secrets of Surrender by Madeline Hunter)
- Read for 30 minutes under a tree
- View a movie made from a book (The Other Boleyn Girl)
10 Point Items
- Read a online newspaper or magazine (www.tvguide.com)
- Read a sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal novel (Gabriel's Ghost by Linnea Sinclair)
-Read a collection of short stories or a play (Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand)
15 Point Items
- Read a novel by an author you have never read (The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath)
- Browse three book related websites (checked out the author's websites: Rob Thurman, Marjorie Liu, and Justin Gustainis)
- Listen to or read any non-fiction book (Ballad of the Whiskey Robber by Julian Rubinstein)
25 Point Items
- Read a book about your town or written by a local author (The Host by Stephanie Meyer)
This is fantastic!! I'm counting my start date as July 1st - ending August 31st.5 Point Items
-+- Read a book you borrow from the library - Eat, Pray, Love (blechhh hours of my life I won't get back, thankfully I didn't spend $$$)
- Read for 30 minutes under a tree
- Listen to a book on tape, cd, mp3, or playaway
- Read a cookbook or view a cooking website***
- Free Space (only use if necessary)
-+- Read a romance novel - James Patterson, Sundays at Tiffanys
-?- Attend a program at your local library - Does a kid's puppet show count????
- View a movie made from a book
***prepare an item from that cookbook and share it with someone - 10 points
10 Point Items
- Read a collection of short stories or a play
- Read a online newspaper or magazine
- Read an inspirational novel or non-fiction book (could have put Eat,Pray,Love here if it was any good LOL)
- Read a book about sports or the outdoors
- Read a sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal novel
- Read a horror or suspense novel
- Read a magazine from your local library
- Read a western, a novel set in the west, a
history about the west
15 Point Items
-+- Read a novel by an author you have never read - Ernest Poole, His Family. LOVED this book, 1st book to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize (another group in goodreads :)
- Read a book about politics or history
- Read a book published in the decade you were
born
- Read an autobiography
- Read a book from "Times all-time 100 novels"
- Read a book with "coffee" or "tea" in the
title...the main library in the county just
added a coffee bar area so hence this challenge
- Browse three book related websites (good-reads
doesn't count..lol)
- Listen to or read any non-fiction book
25 Point Items
- Read a book about your town or written by a
local author
- Listen to a child read 30 min. on 3 different
days
- Attend a live book club meeting
25 points so far(30 if the puppet show counts :)
Guess I better hunker down!!
Does Oklahoma count as a western state?
Sure I'll count Oklahoma...I finally got back to this challenge I startes and finished a Western book...not my usually cup of tea but it was ok. I reading Walking West by Noelle Sickels...it's about this group of people from Indiana who are traveling to California during the Gold Rush period. I feel like there should have been more to the end of the story though. There were things left open in the end which kinda stinks.I'm up to 75 points.
This sounds like fun - too bad I didn't see this post before today (7/20)! Can I still play?
You are more than welcome to start playing...and any books that you have read between June 1st and now that fufill one of the categories counts. I hope to start the fall challenge September 1st and as I've said I'll post for people to start making suggestions Aug 1st or as close to that date as possible. Personally I hit my goal of 100 points for my libraries official challenge. Don't know if I'll do any of the other activities this go around but who knows.
My Start-Date: June 1, 2008 My End-Date: September 1, 2008
Total Points to Date: 120
Items Completed: (updates are italicized)
5 Point Items
- Read a romance novel (Secrets of Surrender by Madeline Hunter)
- Read for 30 minutes under a tree
- View a movie made from a book (The Other Boleyn Girl)
- Listen to a book on tape, cd, mp3, or playaway (The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel by Diane Setterfield)
10 Point Items
- Read a online newspaper or magazine (www.tvguide.com)
- Read a sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal novel (Gabriel's Ghost by Linnea Sinclair)
-Read a collection of short stories or a play (Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand)
15 Point Items
- Read a novel by an author you have never read (The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath)
- Browse three book related websites (checked out the author's websites: Rob Thurman, Marjorie Liu, and Justin Gustainis)
- Listen to or read any non-fiction book (Ballad of the Whiskey Robber by Julian Rubinstein)
25 Point Items
- Read a book about your town or written by a local author (The Host by Stephanie Meyer)
I could not imagine being a non library lover.My husband is one, He says he never has time. I think I have had my book obsession since I was a child. My parents are avid readers, so its in the genes...lol. I was mad at my sister when I was a teenager because she was dating the librarian's son, who lived in the library...lol I didn't think the kid was cute, I was just jealous that he actually lived in the library, on the floor that was off limits...lol
I just joined you guys so I am trying to catch up. I love the challenge I am at 60 points.5 Point Items
- Read a romance novel ( Nicholas Sparks- true Believer)
- View a movie made from a book ( The Other Boelyn Girl)
10 Point Items
- Read a magazine from your local library( Shutter Bug July)
15 Point Items
- Read a novel by an author you have never read ( Left Behind- Tim Lahaye)
25 Point Items
- Listen to a child read 30 min. on 3 different
days ( Reading My Brother Sam is Dead with daughter and The Cave with my son)
Woo hoo! I broke the 200 point mark! I almost forgot to add that I had book club last Friday, which put me over! I also finished my very first audio book...It was torture, but just had to get those 5 points!
Okay, came in really late to this on (seeing as how it's August and all), but I think it's cool! I'm going to think back on what I've done so far this summer, and then create a game plan:5 Point Items
- Read a book you borrow from the library-The Mediterranean Caper by Clive Cussler
- Read for 30 minutes under a tree
- Listen to a book on tape, cd, mp3, or playaway-The Thirteenth Tale
- Read a cookbook or view a cooking website***-Rocco Despirito's most recent, and I made an awesome flank steak for my sister and her husband
- Free Space (only use if necessary)
- Read a romance novel-this one's not so easy. Maybe I'll go back and reread a Julie Garwood (Library trip!)
- Attend a program at your local library
- View a movie made from a book-Spiderwick Chronicles...the books were soooo much better!
***prepare an item from that cookbook and share it with someone - 10 points
10 Point Items
- Read a collection of short stories or a play
- Read a online newspaper or magazine-www.fark.com is a compilation of ridiculous news stories from around the globe
- Read an inspirational novel or non-fiction book-I've got Gifted Hands by Ben Carson here at home forgot to do this
- Read a book about sports or the outdoors-A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
- Read a sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal novel-Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
- Read a horror or suspense novel-From a Buick 8 by Stephen King
- Read a magazine from your local library
- Read a western, a novel set in the west, a
history about the west
15 Point Items
- Read a novel by an author you have never read-Twilight, Stephenie Meyer
- Read a book about politics or history
- Read a book published in the decade you were
born-The Dead Zone by Stephen King was a top 10 seller the year I was born! haven't read yet, but it's still on my list for this reason
- Read an autobiography-On Writing by Stephen King (the first 1/3 is his "memoirs", as best you can get
- Read a book from "Times all-time 100 novels"
- Read a book with "coffee" or "tea" in the
title...the main library in the county just
added a coffee bar area so hence this challenge
- Browse three book related websites (good-reads
doesn't count..lol)-borders, half.com, pulitzer prize list of fiction winners
- Listen to or read any non-fiction book-The Woman who Swallowed a Toothbrush, Rob Myers
25 Point Items
- Read a book about your town or written by a
local author-Counting on the Bay...okay, it's a children's book, but my mom got it signed by the author for my son
- Listen to a child read 30 min. on 3 different
days-I count my 18 month old babbling as he turns the pages of a book. He's the closest thing to a child reading that I've got
- Attend a live book club meeting
I've finished at 130 points (180 if you count the two stretches in the 25pt category). Also, I still have a few books added to my TBR list b/c of this challenge!
If you enjoyed this challenge be sure to go to the Fall Challenge post and give ideas for new categories for the next challenge.
5 Point Items-
-
- Listen to a book on tape, cd, mp3, or playaway
-
- Free Space (only use if necessary)
-
-
-
***
10 Point Items
- Read a collection of short stories or a play
-
-
-
-
- Read a horror or suspense novel
- Read a magazine from your local library
- Read a western, a novel set in the west, a
history about the west
15 Point Items
-
- Read a book about politics or history
- Read a book published in the decade you were
born
- Read an autobiography
- Read a book from "Times all-time 100 novels"
- Read a book with "coffee" or "tea" in the
title...the main library in the county just
added a coffee bar area so hence this challenge
-
-
25 Point Items
- Read a book about your town or written by a
local author
- Listen to a child read 30 min. on 3 different
days
- Attend a live book club meeting
Total (to date): 125 points
I think that 235 is going to be my end total. With school starting soon, I don't think I'll get to any more. I will be listening to children read soon, but it will technically be September. This has been fun and I'm looking forward to the fall challenge!
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