The Next Best Book Club discussion
Cynthia's Seasonal Challenges
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OFFICIAL FALL CHALLENGE - 2008
MY TASK UPDATE5 Point Task - Read A Book With A Color (Red, Blue Etc.) In The Title (Midwife of the Blue Ridge by Christine Blevins)
10 Point Task - Read a Non-Fiction Book (Belle Weather: Mostly Sunny With a Chance of Scattered Hissy Fits by Celia Rivenbark)
15 Point Task - Read a Book by an Author you’ve Never Read Before (My Husband's Sweethearts by Bridget Asher)
25 Point Task - Read a Book And Then Watch the Movie Adaptation (Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen)
10 Point Task - Read a Novel or Non-Fiction Book about Witches/Witchcraft, Vampires, or Werewolves (The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent)
25 Point Task - Read a Book And Cook a Meal Inspired By It (Belle In The Big Apple: A Novel With Recipes by Brooke Parkhurst) AND MADE BAKED APPLES AND OYSTER STEW (RECIPE FOR STEW IN BOOK)
15 Point Task - Read A Book by A Hispanic or Hispanic American Author (The Gifted Gabaldón Sisters by Lorraine López)
15 Point Task - Read a Book Written By an Athlete or Former Athlete (The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks)
5 Point Task - Read A Book With The Name Of An Animal In The Title (Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched The World By Vicky Myron)
15 Point Task - Read a Novel by an Author Who Is No Longer Living (Thinner, Blonder, Whiter by Elizabeth Maguire)
15 Point Task - Read A Book By A Pulitzer Prize Winner (Not Necessarily The Winning Book) (March by Geraldine Brooks)
10 Point Task - Read A Book with A One Word Title (Testimony By Anita Shreve)
5 Point Task - Read A Book With The Name Of A City, Country, Or Continent In The Title (Big Stone Gap By Adrianna Trigiani)
15 Point Task - Read a Book Written By a Good Reads Author (A Field Of Darkness by Cornelia Read)
15 Point Task - Read a Book Written By an African or African American Author (The Wind Done Gone By Alice Randall)
5 Point Task - Read A Book With The Name Of A Person Or Character In The Title (The Second Coming Of Lucy Hatch By Marsha Moyer)
15 Point Task - Read a Book Written By an Asian or Asian American Author (The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan)
10 Point Task - Read a Novel Written In the 19th Century (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen)
10 Point Task - Read A Book about Music or A Musician (Fiction or Non-Fiction) (The Choir by Joanna Trollope)
10 Point Task - Read A Collection of Short Stories, Essays, or A Play (Cakewalk By Lee Smith)
10 Point Task - Read A Horror or Suspense Novel (Willow by V.C. Andrews.)
5 Point Task - Read A Book That Has Some Type Of Plant Life (Flowers, Trees) Or Part Of A Plant (Leaf, Petal) In The Title (The Ballroom On Magnolia Street)
5 Point Task - Read A Book with Any of the Following in the Title (Vampire, Zombie, Werewolf, Devil, Ghost, Goblin, Witch, or Frankenstein) (The Man Who Made the Devil Glad by Donald McCaig)
5 Point Task - Read a Book That Has the Word School in the Title (The Crazy School by Cornelia Read)
10 Point Task - Read a Novel or Non-Fiction Book about Football (Coal Run by Tawni O’dell)
5 Point Task - Read a Book with September in the Title (110 Stories: New York Writes After September 11 by Ulrich Bear)
TASKS COMPLETED - 14/26
TOTAL POINTS - 185/290
5 pointsREAD A BOOK WITH THE NAME OF A CITY, COUNTRY, CONTINENT IN THE TITLE
Death in Venice- Mann
10 points
Read a horror or suspense novel
Book of the dead by Patricia Cornwell
Total 55 points
Cynthia, in the total list, I suddenly lost ten points apparently and went back to 30 instead of 40 points.
15 POINT TASKS:
2.
Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez 11/9
CURRENT POINT TOTAL: 250 (11/9)
so I am reading Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather. And I am trying to figure out where to put this in the challenge. Help please....
I personally would count Willa Cather as a lesbian author. Her books are prominently taught in Gay Studies classes in colleges across the U.S.You could also put that title under the category: READ A BOOK BY A PULITZER PRIZE WINNER (NOT NECESSARILY THE WINNING BOOK)
thanks charity, I was thinking the same thing about Willa Cather. and I have read Sophie's choice. I really liked it for the most part. there were some annoying aspects to the narrative as well as the narrator. but it was much better than the movie. and interesting read
Thanks, Sarah. I think I'll have to read it sometime next year. It has been sitting here neglected for far too long. Death Comes for the Archbishop is another book that I hope to pick up in the next few months, also. I've read two other books by Cather and was extremely impressed!
10 pointsREAD A YOUNG ADULT NOVEL - The Book Thief
What an amazing book! Loved it so much. Stayed up last night way past my bedtime to finish it and cried myself to sleep.
Total 165 points
Jeane - sorry about that (I actually had you on there twice under both scores - don't know how that happened) but it's all fixed now...everyone should have the correct point totals.
I have one more book to read for the challenge. There are a couple I wasn't interested in. So, after I get Love in the Time of Cholera (for my Hispanic author) from the library, I will be finsihed. I currently have 285 points.
15 POINT TASKS 4. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN ASIAN OR ASIAN AMERICAN AUTHOR - Lisa See, Peony in Love: A Novel
My new total: 140
5 Point tasks (10 pts)1. READ A BOOK WITH THE NAME OF AN ANIMAL IN THE TITLE
Water For Elephants - Sara Gruen
4. READ A BOOK WITH THE NAME OF A CITY, COUNTRY, CONTINENT IN THE TITLE
Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi
10 Point Tasks (10 pts)
5. READ A HORROR OR SUSPENSE NOVEL
An Ice Cold Grave - Charlaine Harris
20 more points brings me up to 135 pts out of a goal of 200.
charity, Death Comes for the Achbishop is actually pretty good. it took me 3-4 readings of My Antonia to actually appreciate that one. I am glad that I do. It allows a better understanding of Cather's writing style and I have been able to enjoy Death because of it. HTe forshadowing is subtle and the characters are compelling. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
10 point task:10:about witches: Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman (must say I loved the movie more)
15 point taks:
5: gay/lesbian author: Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
total: 200
I don't know what tasks you've completed so far, but Animal Farm would count as a Banned Book. --------------
Really? Becuase I looked at a banned book list, and I didn't see it on there. Hmm thanks for the heads up.
adding 5 points: Read a book whit the name of a plant or part of a plant in the title: ELLA Minnow PEA ( I think I can count PEA on the plant category, someone please correct me if not)175 points
READ A NOVEL OR NON-FICTION BOOK ABOUT WITCHES, VAMPIRES, OR WEREWOLVES - 10 pointsTwilight - Stephanie meyer
Just finished this book, read it all today on my day off from work! Couldn't put it down. -75 points
Andrew,The list you are probably referring to was one of the ALA's Most Frequently Challenged Lists, right? Just because it doesn't appear on one of the frequently challenged list doesn't mean it hasn't been banned/challenged on a large scale.
Animal Farm had publication delayed in UK because of the anti-Stalin theme and it was confiscated in Germany by Allied troops. Banned in 1946 in Yugoslavia. Also banned in Kenya in 1991 and in the United Arab Emirates in 2002.
So, I'd definitely call that a banned/challenged book. :-)
Reading a book about football, does that mean also about a football player.Damned, jsut thought about something. Is this football or soccer? :-) I was thinking baout soccer...
Charity- I did enjoy Sophie's Choice. It was a little wordy at times (I like books with a lot of dialogue). The story line was powerful.
I suddenly thought about that and was pretty sure it wouldn't be about a soccer player like I thought. Okay, going to look for a different book!
It seems, for some inexplicable reason, that Mark Z. Danielewski has ended his membership as a Goodreads author, even though he was still listed as one only a week ago (which was the last time I checked). This is very unfortunate since I had already counted him for that task. So, now I'll move House of Leaves from the READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY A GOOD READS AUTHOR category to:
5 POINT TASKS:
3.
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski 11/6
and I have completed:
10 POINT TASKS:
7.
Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne 11/10
This keeps my point total at: 250 (11/10)
I'm very disappointed that Mr. Danielewski chose to leave the site. :-(
Interestingly enough, Goodreads still shows him as an author on Goodreads, but his profile has had the title "Goodreads Author!" removed.
I try it!5 POINT TASKS
1. READ A BOOK WITH THE NAME OF AN ANIMAL IN THE TITLE
2. READ A BOOK WITH A COLOR (RED, BLUE ETC.) IN THE TITLE
3. READ A BOOK THAT HAS SOME TYPE OF PLANT LIFE (FLOWERS, TREES) OR PART OF A PLANT (LEAF, PETAL) IN THE TITLE
4. READ A BOOK WITH THE NAME OF A CITY, COUNTRY, CONTINENT IN THE TITLE
5. READ A BOOK WITH THE NAME OF A PERSON OR CHARACTER IN THE TITLE
6. READ A BOOK THAT HAS THE WORD SCHOOL IN THE TITLE
7. READ A BOOK WITH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING IN THE TITLE (VAMPIRE, ZOMBIE, WEREWOLF, DEVIL, GHOST, GOBLIN, WITCH, OR FRANKENSTEIN)
8. READ A BOOK WITH SEPTEMBER IN THE TITLE
9. READ A BOOK WITH OCTOBER IN THE TITLE
10. READ A BOOK WITH NOVEMBER IN THE TITLE
10 POINT TASKS
1. READ A BANNED BOOK
2. READ A BOOK ABOUT MUSIC OR A MUSICIAN (FICTION OR NON-FICTION)
3. READ A NOVEL OR NON-FICTION BOOK ABOUT FOOTBALL
4. READ A BOOK WITH A ONE WORD TITLE
5. READ A HORROR OR SUSPENSE NOVEL
6. READ A NON-FICTION BOOK
7. READ A NOVEL WRITTEN IN THE 19TH CENTURY
8. READ A YOUNG ADULT NOVEL (ANY BOOK THAT IS CURRENTLY CATEGORIZED AS SUCH WILL DO, WHETHER IT WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO BE ONE OR NOT)
9. READ A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES, ESSAYS, OR A PLAY
10. READ A NOVEL OR NON-FICTION BOOK ABOUT WITCHES, VAMPIRES, OR WEREWOLVES
15 POINT TASKS
1. READ A BOOK BY AN AUTHOR YOU'VE NEVER READ BEFORE
2. READ A BOOK BY A HISPANIC OR HISPANIC AMERICAN AUTHOR
3. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN AFRICAN OR AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHOR
4. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN ASIAN OR ASIAN AMERICAN AUTHOR
5. READ A NOVEL BY A GAY OR LESBIAN AUTHOR
6. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY A GOOD READS AUTHOR
7. READ A BOOK WRITTEN BY AN ATHLETE OR FORMER ATHLETE
8. READ A BOOK ABOUT OR BY ONE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
9. READ A BOOK BY A PULITZER PRIZE WINNER (NOT NECESSARILY THE WINNING BOOK)
10. READ A NOVEL BY AN AUTHOR WHO IS NO LONGER LIVING
25 POINT TASKS
1. READ A BOOK AND COOK A MEAL INSPIRED BY IT
2. READ A CRAFT BOOK AND MAKE AN ITEM FROM IT
3. READ A BOOK AND THEN WATCH THE MOVIE ADAPTATION
Read Nick Norah's Infinite Playlist for "10 points-read a book about music or a musician" Which brings me to185
5 more points:read a book whit the word vampire in the title- glass houses, the morganville vampires book 1
180 pts total
Up to 245 now.Read a book and cook a meal inspired by it:
Brother Odd by Dean Koontz.
For anyone whose read this book--they talk soooo much about pancakes (fluffy, perfect pancakes) that Sunday morning I had to make a batch for my son and I.
I had to make a change in order to fit in Eclipse. I just finished it and Breaking Dawn, but I can't find anywhere to add BD.*Read a book with any of the following in the title (VAMPIRE, ZOMBIE, WEREWOLF, DEVIL, GHOST, GOBLIN, WITCH, OR FRANKENSTEIN) - Wizard's Hall by Jane Yolen (5)
Read a book with the name of a person or character in the title - The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (5)
Read a book about music or a musician - Dedication by Emma McLaughlin (10)
Read a novel or non-fiction book about football -Playing for Pizza by John Grisham (10)
Read a book with a one word title - Austenland by Shannon Hale (10)
Read a horror or suspense novel - Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde (10)
Read a non-fiction book - A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson (10)
Read a novel written in the 19th Century - Persuasion by Jane Austen (10)
*Read a young adult novel - Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (10)
Read a novel or non-fiction book about witches, vampires, or werewolves - New Moon by Stephenie Meyer (10)
Read a book by an author you've never read before - Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (15)
Read a book by an author who is no longer living - The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (15)
Read a book and then watch the movie adaptation - Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (25)
Read a book and cook a meal inspired by it - The Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall Smith (25) - I really didn't like this book much at all, so I'm happy that I can use it for more points. I made omlettes, which was what the main character offers to her love interest whenever he comes over for dinner. :P
My goal is 200
New Total - 170
~ Jamie (29)
15 points- READ A BOOK BY AN AUTHOR YOU'VE NEVER READ BEFORE Touchwood by Renee Roth-Hano
New Total: 70
KAREN – 300LISA(Vegas) – 285
ANN FROM S.C. – 275
LINDSEY - 265
CHARITY - 250
JULIANNE – 245
LIZ (BROOKLYN) - 240
LOGAN – 215
CYNTHIA – 210
BNOIR - 205
JOANIE – 205
ANGELA – 200
SARAH - 200
EMILEE - 195
MELISSA – 190
MELODY - 185
JAMIE (29) - 180
LIZ (NY) – 165
(G)EMMA – 160
LYNLEE4 – 155
MARSHA – 155
SUSANNA – 140
REBECCA - 145
ANDREW – 130
CONNIE - 130
JAIME(25) – 125
LAURA – 115
NANCY – 115
ALYSSA - 110
JESSICA - 110
ASHLEY - 105
ELIZABETH - 105
LIZ (VEGAS) - 105
FALLON - 90
JENNI - 90
LISA (Washington)- 90
KRISTINA - 85
SETH - 80
CHRISTINA V – 70
JEANE - 60
KATIE (VEGAS) - 60
LIESL – 60
STARLIGHT - 60
ANDREA – 55
MELANIE – 50
LESLIE - 35
STACIE – 35
MK – 15
KATIE (NH) - 10
OPERANDI - 10
Ok, my goal is to break 100--we'll see. Read a book about witches--White Witch, Black Curse, Kim Harrison.
I think that's 10 points, which puts me at 80
Does a collection of essays count for gay/lesbian author, or does it have to be a novel?
5 Points2. READ A BOOK WITH A COLOR (RED, BLUE ETC.) IN THE TITLE - The White
10 Points
9. READ A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES, ESSAYS, OR A PLAY - Gift From the Sea
New Total=155
MY TASK UPDATE5 Point Task - Read A Book With A Color (Red, Blue Etc.) In The Title (Midwife of the Blue Ridge by Christine Blevins)
10 Point Task - Read a Non-Fiction Book (Belle Weather: Mostly Sunny With a Chance of Scattered Hissy Fits by Celia Rivenbark)
15 Point Task - Read a Book by an Author you’ve Never Read Before (My Husband's Sweethearts by Bridget Asher)
25 Point Task - Read a Book And Then Watch the Movie Adaptation (Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen)
10 Point Task - Read a Novel or Non-Fiction Book about Witches/Witchcraft, Vampires, or Werewolves (The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent)
25 Point Task - Read a Book And Cook a Meal Inspired By It (Belle In The Big Apple: A Novel With Recipes by Brooke Parkhurst) AND MADE BAKED APPLES AND OYSTER STEW (RECIPE FOR STEW IN BOOK)
15 Point Task - Read A Book by A Hispanic or Hispanic American Author (The Gifted Gabaldón Sisters by Lorraine López)
15 Point Task - Read a Book Written By an Athlete or Former Athlete (The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks)
5 Point Task - Read A Book With The Name Of An Animal In The Title (Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched The World By Vicky Myron)
15 Point Task - Read a Novel by an Author Who Is No Longer Living (Thinner, Blonder, Whiter by Elizabeth Maguire)
15 Point Task - Read A Book By A Pulitzer Prize Winner (Not Necessarily The Winning Book) (March by Geraldine Brooks)
10 Point Task - Read A Book with A One Word Title (Testimony By Anita Shreve)
5 Point Task - Read A Book With The Name Of A City, Country, Or Continent In The Title (Big Stone Gap By Adrianna Trigiani)
15 Point Task - Read a Book Written By a Good Reads Author (A Field Of Darkness by Cornelia Read)
15 Point Task - Read a Book Written By an African or African American Author (The Wind Done Gone By Alice Randall)
5 Point Task - Read A Book With The Name Of A Person Or Character In The Title (The Second Coming Of Lucy Hatch By Marsha Moyer)
5 Point Task - Read a Book That Has the Word School in the Title (The Crazy School by Cornelia Read)
10 Point Task - Read A Book about Music or A Musician (Fiction or Non-Fiction) (The Choir by Joanna Trollope)
15 Point Task - Read a Book Written By an Asian or Asian American Author (The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan)
10 Point Task - Read A Collection of Short Stories, Essays, or A Play (Cakewalk By Lee Smith)
10 Point Task - Read a Novel Written In the 19th Century (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen)
10 Point Task - Read A Horror or Suspense Novel (Willow by V.C. Andrews.)
5 Point Task - Read A Book That Has Some Type Of Plant Life (Flowers, Trees) Or Part Of A Plant (Leaf, Petal) In The Title (The Ballroom On Magnolia Street)
5 Point Task - Read A Book with Any of the Following in the Title (Vampire, Zombie, Werewolf, Devil, Ghost, Goblin, Witch, or Frankenstein) (The Man Who Made the Devil Glad by Donald McCaig)
10 Point Task - Read a Novel or Non-Fiction Book about Football (Coal Run by Tawni O’dell)
5 Point Task - Read a Book with September in the Title (110 Stories: New York Writes After September 11 by Ulrich Bear)
TASKS COMPLETED - 17/26
TOTAL POINTS - 210/290
Books mentioned in this topic
Girl in Hyacinth Blue (other topics)Flowers for Algernon (other topics)
Flowers for Algernon (other topics)
The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero (other topics)
Frankenstein (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Irène Némirovsky (other topics)Andrew Davidson (other topics)
Kathy Reichs (other topics)
Lisa See (other topics)
Augusten Burroughs (other topics)
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