Challenge and Monthly Themed Read Suggestions

[Cheryl]

What I like about this group is that we totally respect & support each other. So, if we did that challenge to learn about the UK, we could each read books we already know would fit, and/or we could share recommendations for people who are stuck.

[Kim]

Judy wrote: "Good news, Kim! Beginning January 1st, our monthly reads will be theme-based and each person picks a book from their TBR. So hold off on getting that library card (unless you just really want to.)"

great, now I need more time to read! lol

[Janice, Moderator]

Finding the time to read is the real challenge. Welcome Jo!

[Jo]

Thanks for the welcomes - but ALWAYS make time to read!

[Cheryl]

I like the Wall of Fame folder!

[Sofia]

just discovered these challenges, AMAZING! :)

[Janice, Moderator]

Bumping up! We have a number of new people in our group who may not have seen this thread. Keep the suggestions coming.

[Beverly]

Amber wrote: "I keep a stack of books on my coffee table with sticky notes on each cover. It's a pretty high-tech system."

That's my kind of system. I should own stock in sticky notes.

[Cheryl]

Actually that's an excellent idea. I've a binful of 'to-read soon' (that I've pulled from my shelves) but I'm not sure why each book is in there....

Anyway, another challenge suggestion is for a theme, like we're doing in January. How about something that would cue us to consider non-fiction? I mean to say, I like that we can choose TBR books to fit the theme with our own justification, but I think a lot of us have non-fiction we're meaning to read and need a bit of a nudge about. Something along the lines of "Is that so?" or "Learn something new every day."

[Kim]

There's always President's Day coming up, or choose an autobiography during the person's birthday month.

One challenge I did, was: a political theme, involving any politician, fiction or non-fiction.

For instance, I read First Family. I created that theme because I have several fictitious presidential novels. Others read non-fiction.

[Janice, Moderator]

Good suggestions Cheryl and Kim. I have added them to my list to be ruminated and perculated for some weird twist on them. :)

[Kim]

I missed part of the conversation here, about keeping track of one's challenges. What I did was create my own private group, and each discussion thread describes the group, the challenge, and what books I've chosen/read. If I remember, I add a link to the group's discussion on it, too.

[Janice, Moderator]

That would work too, Kim.

[Karendenice]

Janice, would you mind explaining what to do what Kim is talking about and where I would post this kind of challenge?

[Janice, Moderator]

Kim had asked if there was a way for members to track their own progress on the various challenges. If you read back on the thread you will see suggestions people gave her to do that. Message 86 is her solution.

There's no need for others to follow suit unless it's something you want to do.

[Snoozie Suzie]

Back to the rainbow. A rainbow toppler?

[Kim]

Susan wrote: "Back to the rainbow. A rainbow toppler?"

or it could be a challenge - books of specified colors.

[Janice, Moderator]

Once the Yearly Challenge is finished in June, I'll do up another long term challenge. Since Rainbow keeps coming up, I'll dream up some twisted challenge around it starting July 2012.

[Snoozie Suzie]

Hehehe :-)

[Maria]

What about these challenges?

- Read a book placed in the country of your ancestors, or what you think your ancestors may have been (so if your family is Irish, read something from Ireland, if you're Native American, read a collection of their legends/a story about Native Americans, etc.)

- Read a book that challenges your beliefs or disagrees with them.

[Cheryl]

I especially like the second.

[Kimberly]

Maria wrote: "What about these challenges?

- Read a book placed in the country of your ancestors, or what you think your ancestors may have been (so if your family is Irish, read something from Ireland, if you'..."

I love the first :)

[Maria]

Thanks, guys!

With the second I was thinking it would get us out of our comfort zones... and it would make us think.

Books that make you think are always very, very important. I find them more enjoyable than any other sort.

[Janice, Moderator]

Good suggestions Maria! Thanks.

[Maria]

You're welcome. ^_^

[Kimberly]

Here are a couple suggestions for challenges:

Read books about:

Women who changed the world (through invention, politics, discovery/exploration)

Polygamy - real life or fictional accounts

Books about books

[Maria]

I love all those suggestions, Kimberly!

[Angela]

How about a challenge based on your bucket list? We all have things we want to do before we depart this great earth. Why not read about them just in case we never get around to it.

[Janice, Moderator]

Judy, did you notice I used one of your suggestions for the May Challenge?

[Janice, Moderator]

Ah, it was a while ago. I had forgotten too until I revisited the suggestions for an idea.

[Janice, Moderator]

I think it was to pick a letter. I picked "M" for May.

[Snoozie Suzie]

How about books with diseases in the title?

[Cheryl]

hmm - I'll bite - did you have a title in mind, Suzie?

[Janice, Moderator]

Hmmm - could be interesting. In Cold Blood, Flu, Heat Stroke, Tropic of Cancer. And then there is a plethora of non-fiction that would qualify.

[Snoozie Suzie]

Love in the Time of Cholera and The Plague were the two on my TBR that made the grey matter clunk into gear!

And Dr. York, Miss Winnie, and the Typhoid Shot looks like a good read too.

[Snoozie Suzie]

Religion could be a theme - exploration of your religion, looking at another, pilgrimmages (spelling sorry). I don't mean read the Bible or anything but I thought it could be quite interesting

[Snoozie Suzie]

Not sure if it has been suggested but Diaries.

Diary of a Nobody and Diary of a Young Girl spring to mind but I'm sure there are more.

(sorry on app and can't link - t'interweb proper won't let me on Goodreads tonight)

[Cheryl]

The Diary of a Nobody
The Diary of a Young Girl

Sounds like a good theme idea. Unless you've got something very specific in mind, I'm going to assume you mean fiction or non-fiction, including those called 'journals' so long as the idea of reading along with the writer is preserved.

But you don't mean memoirs that are told by looking back through the possibly-cloudy lens of memory.

I like this idea.

[Snoozie Suzie]

That's exactly what I mean Cheryl. Thank you for explaining it for me. And for linking too. :-)

[Cheryl]

We're collecting nominations for the Group Themed Read - Exploration (http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/8...) right now and it seems people are excited about Outer Space and astronauts.

So, I'm officially suggesting the themes of Outer Space/ Astronauts and Astronomy/Cosmology. :)

(I see those as both different from each other, and as different from the kind of Exploration people like Lewis & Clark, or Captain Cook, undertook.)

[Robin]

Like the Diary idea! The Diary of a Young Girl has been on my too read list for awhile. However I'm not in the market to read anything really depressing and sad though...hmm...Really looking forward to finding out what June's challenge will be!

[Janice, Moderator]

Robin wrote: "...Really looking forward to finding out what June's challenge will be!.."

Me too. I'll have to put my thinking cap on.

[Snoozie Suzie]

As we (on this side of the world) are coming up to summer how about books about sun, sea, sand, beaches, cruises, etc.

[Cheryl]

I don't see how I could do Anthologies & Short Story collections for a Group Themed Read, but I have a lot of collections to read, so having them as a Challenge or perhaps even as a Toppler some day would be awesome.

[jaxnsmom]

Cheryl & Judy - Does this mean I should stop listening to Interpreter of Maladies? I just started it today :)

[Cheryl]

jaxnsmom, I'd say not. There are so many wonderful short story collections out there, by the time we get around to using this idea, you'll have another, or several more, on your to-read list. Enjoy that fascinating book!

[jaxnsmom]

I'm sure you could Judy :)
I'll keep listening then.

I'm also working on some theme suggestions - completely based on my tbr of course.

[Cheryl]

Of course!

[jaxnsmom]

If you really want to drive us crazy, how about a literary scavenger hunt? I can see lots of ways to go with that one...

Just go to my tbr and pick things that will fit my books.

[Emily]

How about a challenge related to weather? The book has to have a title or cover that pertains to the weather. Books such as The Shadow of the Wind, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, The Art of Racing in the Rain could be used.