Introducing the genre challenge

[Liz, Moderator]

To take part in the challenge, all you have to do is read at least one book from that month's chosen genre, (or if you like, you can read exclusively that genre all month). The choice of exactly which books, is entirely up to you. I'm sure there will be plenty of book suggestions flying around....

As with the 50 books challenge, we'll post our reads on the site (In this folder).

I'm going to go ahead a post a poll to chose the first genre for January 2011..... (If there are any other genres you would like added to the list, let us know and we can put them in next time).

[Adrienne]

Hi Liz please could you add Literary Erotica to the list.

[toria (vikz writes)]

Might try this

[Liz, Moderator]

Sure Adrienne.

[Liz, Moderator]

Just to say, Historical is out in the lead as the first genre of 2011. If you still want to cast your vote in the poll, you have until the end of the year...(only two days).

[Tuğçe]

I am in for this challenge ... looking forward to this months genre...

[Christa]

I'm up for a new challenge ! Historic it is then (what an excellent excuse for a trip to waterstones again this week) Ck x

[Liz, Moderator]

The first genre in the genre challenge is: Historical, so get busy reading Historical novels and tell us about what you're reading....

[Lisa]

I am going to give Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy a go as it's been on my list for ages but I can't resist plugging one of my favourite books -
This is an ideal opportunity for people to read Diana Gabaldon's Cross Stitch, such a wonderful book with so much historical information....

[Em]

I don't even have to get to Waterstones for this genre, just perusing my shelves at home I think I probably got enough to read nothing but historical ficion for the entire year!

[Susan]

Love this challenge!
This seems the perfect time to take recommendations from other members.
Any suggestions?

[Lisa]

Diana Gabaldon's Cross Stich :)

[Lisa]

Diana Gabaldon's Cross Stich :)

[Tuğçe]

Ok, I will give it a start with Snow flower and the secret fan - Lisa See, it was already in my books to read list for this month...

[Tuğçe]

Will For Whom the Bell Tolls count for this genre as well?

[Liz, Moderator]

Tugce Nida wrote: "Will For Whom the Bell Tolls count for this genre as well?"

It's totally up to you!

Just found this definition if its any help: A historical novel re-creates a period or event in history and often uses historical figures as some of its characters.

Anyway, at what point do recent events become history?

[Em]

Susan wrote: "Love this challenge!
This seems the perfect time to take recommendations from other members.
Any suggestions?"

My favourite historical reads, well recent-ish ones anyway are... The Crimson Petal and the White for a visit to the seedy streets of Victorian London, Wolf Hall, The Other Boleyn Girl and other Philippa Gregory books for Tudor Court intrigues, The Book Thief for a touching historical story with a fantasy twist set in Nazi Germany. No doubt there are plenty of others but those are the ones that immediately come to my mind.

I've just pinched The Ruby in Her Navel by Barry Unsworth from my parents books shelves - I'm quite taken with the idea of a novel based in the Norman era with knights etc. it's a bit of a departure for me but it'll be good to try something new...

also Liz you'll be pleased to know I'm giving Beryl Bainbridge another shot, I'm going to read Every Man for Himself! The subject does sound intriguing, set on the Titanic.

[Gill]

I'm currently reading. Hope this counts.

[Liz, Moderator]

Susan wrote: "Love this challenge!
This seems the perfect time to take recommendations from other members.
Any suggestions?"

So many good ones:
I'm with Em on The Crimson Petal and the White a fantastic novel about a 19thC prostitute.

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro starting just before the 2nd WW, tells the story of Stevens the butler, as the world he knows changes for ever.

Every Man for Himself by Beryl Bainbridge recalls the fateful voyage of the Titanic.

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón - a pageturner of a mystery set in 1940's Barcelona.

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood Set in 19thC Canada, the story of a maid imprisoned for killing her employer and his wife.

Atonement by Ian McEwan A story of love and betrayal set in a country house before and after WW2

The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst Set in 80's London, a young man finds his identity as the world crumbles into 80's excess & corruption - or something like that ;)

I think I'd better stop there....

[Susan]

Thank you everyone for all your suggestions, I think I'll put them in a hat and just pick one out, so hard to choose!
I read The Line of Beauty a few weeks ago, I thought it was brilliant. I've been meaning to look the author up on Fantastic Fiction, to see what else he's written.

[Gemma]

I've just started Alone In Berlin for this month's genre. I picked it as it was number 2 on my 'Amazon recommends' page but I had been ignoring it. So far, so good.

[Lynne - The Book Squirrel]

GemS wrote: "I've just started Alone In Berlin for this month's genre. I picked it as it was number 2 on my 'Amazon recommends' page but I had been ignoring it. So far, so good."

I just found Alone in Berlin too this week.

[Sam]

I'm currently reading Belfast Boys: How Unionists and Nationalists Fought and Died Together in the First World War by Richard S. Grayson for this. Also hope to read Winter in Madrid by C.J. Sansom this month.

[Em]

Ahhhh Alias Grace I absolutely loved that book - my first Margaret Atwood as I recall! Atonement was excellent, heartbreaking though, along similar lines I enjoyed The Outcast bySadie Jones. Also, I'm a bit of a fan of Sebastian Faulks who has a number of historical books which would be worth a read...

This is one of my favourite genres - can you tell?

[Gemma]

Lynne wrote: "GemS wrote: "I've just started Alone In Berlin for this month's genre. I picked it as it was number 2 on my 'Amazon recommends' page but I had been ignoring it. So far, so good."

I just found [b..."

Are you gonna give it a go? I am liking the style of narration so far how it switches between characters.

[Dalia]

I am reading Wilbur Smith A Sparrow Falls, it opens in the trenches of WW1 and has so far intertwined the 1922 South African miner strikes, precipitated by the miners replacing the white miners with cheaper black labor. I have done a wee bit of research and so far all the government officials are real (as well as the war and strike!!) though all the principal characters are fictional.

[Em]

Liz wrote: "Tugce Nida wrote: "Will For Whom the Bell Tolls count for this genre as well?"

It's totally up to you!

Just found this definition if its any help: A historical novel re-creates a period or even..."

Good point about when would something be considered to be historical, Dry Season is set in 1986 - is it historical? I wouldn't have shelved it as such but perhaps I should - 25 years ago is most definitely in the past!

[Susan]

I've just remembered that I downloaded Ken Follet's Fall of Giants to my Sony Reader back in November, so I think I will go with that for this month's Genre.
Have put some of the suggestions on my to-read shelf!

Decided to read According to Queenie by Beryl Bainbridge for this Challenge, instead of my original choice.
Have just downloaded this book, and really want to read it.
Finished 20.1.11. Comments on my Genre Challenge.

[Lynne - The Book Squirrel]

GemS wrote: "Lynne wrote: "GemS wrote: "I've just started Alone In Berlin for this month's genre. I picked it as it was number 2 on my 'Amazon recommends' page but I had been ignoring it. So far, so good."

I..."

Yes I will give it a go!

[Zoe, UK Book Club Creator]

Glad I checked back before the end of January so can join in with this :) Turns out that I've recently bought a book by Elizabeth Chadwick which fits in with the Historical Fiction genre!

[Liz, Moderator]

Arse! It's currently a tie for Feb's genre - between Crime/detective & Biography/memoir.

So the next person to reply to this post, expressing which of those two genres they'd prefer, will cast the deciding vote.....

[Tuğçe]

crime/detective please ...

[Liz, Moderator]

Ok, great. Thanks Nida. Decision made.
The genre for February is: Crime/Detective Fiction!


(That's handy as I'm reading one already....)

[Em]

OK then, Crime and Detection - off to search my book shelves!

[Bill]

By Detective fiction, I assume you mean Private detective, a la Sue Grafton, etc? I'm sure I've got one or two in that category waiting to be read. :0)

[Liz, Moderator]

Bill wrote: "By Detective fiction, I assume you mean Private detective, a la Sue Grafton, etc? I'm sure I've got one or two in that category waiting to be read. :0)"

Can be anything; from true crime to police detective or private detective. If it has a crime at the centre of the story, it's in.

[Helen]

I've been observing but then as I found myself joining in thought I'd actually join! I read 'Step on a crack' by James Patterson which was quite entertaining.

[Nick 2E0NAQ]

Helen wrote: "I've been observing but then as I found myself joining in thought I'd actually join! I read 'Step on a crack' by James Patterson which was quite entertaining."

Hi helen
I'v read that book and enjoyed it well I am a big fan of James patterson.

[Helen]

Hi Nick, I actually went and bought a few more today.

[Nick 2E0NAQ]

Helen wrote: "Hi Nick, I actually went and bought a few more today."

I have 2 shelves full of James Patterson's

[Liz, Moderator]

By the way, there's still just over a week to vote in March's genre challenge poll. Classics are currently in the lead, closely followed by Biography/memoir and Sci-fi/dystopia. If you haven't already voted, please take the time. Thanks :)

[Helen]

I'm getting excited about the next genre - unless number 2 wins, then I'll need to shop!

[Em]

Don't have a great track record with Dickens but since it's the classics, I'd like to try another, David Copperfield perhaps...

[Susan]

Em wrote: "Don't have a great track record with Dickens but since it's the classics, I'd like to try another, David Copperfield perhaps..."

Try Our Mutual Friend........My favourite book ever
Strangely, it took me a couple of attempts to get into it, but once I got my head round chapter 2, I was hooked forever!

[Liz, Moderator]

Em wrote: "Don't have a great track record with Dickens but since it's the classics, I'd like to try another, David Copperfield perhaps..."

Yes, classics it is!

Em, I read David Copperfield during the worst bus ride of my life and it kept me sane!

I was back-packing in Burma and the bus was packed - extra seats in the aisle, no chance of standing up to stretch your legs. As for 'air-conditioning', it was broken, so we opened the windows - fine when the bus was moving, but it kept overheating and having to stop to cool down.

Many of the passengers were smoking home-made cigars (so large they looked like corn-cobs!) oh and gozzing loudly. Plus we'd eaten something dodgy in Bagan and toilet stops were rare....

We went painfully slowly; the roads were terrible and there were several 'bridges' with bare rails and a precipitous drop to the valley below. The journey ended up taking 20hrs instead of the scheduled 12!

That night, instead of finding a guesthouse, we blew our money on a smart hotel and I had a long and glorious soak in the tub.

[Susan]

What a great story.....I often associate things I've done with the book I was reading at the time.....I read David Copperfiel when I was living in Sri Lanka, in fact that's where I read most of Dickens, on my first time of reading his books.

[Karen]

Hooray for classics! Let's see, so many classics, so little time...

Maybe another Rougon-Macquart from Zola...

I've been wanting to read The Woman in White for the longest...

[Angela]

Have just had a good read of all the comments on this thread and realise that I've been joining you, whether I knew it or not! To make it official, this month I'm planning to finish Bleak House.

[Em]

Liz wrote: "Em wrote: "Don't have a great track record with Dickens but since it's the classics, I'd like to try another, David Copperfield perhaps..."

Yes, classics it is!

Em, I read [book:Davi..."

Ha! That journey sounds horrendous - I'm feeling slightly nauseous just thinking about it! Thank goodness for a good book eh!

[Bill]

Hopefully this is accepted as a Classic, I plan to read Brave New World by Aldous Huxley