Spring 2012 General Questions & Answers

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

I think we have to go by what the website says.

[Sarah (Bright & Bookish)]

Is it too late to post an itinerary for AtW?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Never too late, Ceraphina.

[Rebekah]

Rebekah wrote: "I'm perplexed. On the cover of Kate Vaiden by Reynolds Price , the top says it won the National Book Critics Circle Award. Goodreads bio of Reynolds Price also say he won tha..."

I sent an e-mail to Eric Banks, President of the Board for the NBCC Awards.
Here is his response.

Flag this messageRe: Kate Vaiden-1986 winner?Sunday, April 15, 2012 10:11 PMFrom: "Eric Banks" Add sender to ContactsTo: "Rebekah Williams Cessna" Dear Rebekah,


I think you might be right--I just did a quick web search and it seems that our list is incorrect (I'm honesty not certain who compiled our list of winners and finalists; it was done a few years back). How odd!


Is your group planning on dedicating itself to NBCC winners exclusively? It's a terrific idea!


Best, Eric






On Apr 15, 2012, at 5:55 PM, Rebekah Williams Cessna wrote:


Dear Sir,
Your website shows A Summons to Memphis by Peter Taylor as winning the award in 1986 but in every other reference, including the cover of the book itself, state Kate Vaiden by Reynolds Price is the winner. Other than your website, I can find no wauthor website, book website, news article or anything else deny what is above the title of my copy of Kate Vaiden. Is this an error? I'd like to know the answer because our book club is challenging its members to read books from the NBCC winners list only.
Thank you for your time.
Regrds,
Rebekah Cessna



So can I use Kate Vaiden for the Reading is Rewarding task now? I've already read half.

[Rebekah]

I got another Kate Vaiden e-mail.Looks like I'm going to have to start a NBCC book club. When I sent the first e-mil, I didn't want to go inot all the details about the challenge but now a snowball is rolling downhill, seems like!

Dear Ms. Cessna,

Hello. My name is Mark Athitakis, and I'm a board member of the National Book Critics Circle. I wanted to thank you for taking the time to inform us of the error on the awards page of our website. Reynolds Price's "Kate Vaiden" was indeed the fiction winner for 1986. I've updated the page to reflect the correct information.

If I may ask, how long has your book club been reading NBCC finalists?

Thanks again and all best,

Mark Athitakis
National Book Critics Circle Board of Directors

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

You've done a good job, Rebekah! You are more than welcome to send NBCC a link to our home page, telling them reading their award winning books is but one of the tasks in this quarter's challenge (but one we might repeat). You might also tell them about this other group.

http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/3...

[Rebekah]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "You've done a good job, Rebekah! You are more than welcome to send NBCC a link to our home page, telling them reading their award winning books is but one of the tasks in this quarter's challenge (..."

I went to the site. Is it a group that just tries to read the list without discussing them/ Sort of an individual thing?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Rebekah wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "You've done a good job, Rebekah! You are more than welcome to send NBCC a link to our home page, telling them reading their award winning books is but one of the tasks in..."

I don't know, Rebekah. I did a search on GR group page and this was a result I thought applied. I didn't even look at the dates - I think it's not particularly active. LOL

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Rebekah, not sure if/where we answered you about Kate Vaiden - but I hope you like it and post it for your task. Approved!

[Karen Michele]

I posted this in another thread, but should ask it in the right place! Is there any way we could read the three fiction Pulitzer finalists for this year only since they didn't assign a winner? I would love to read the two I haven't read to see what they are like.

[Liz M]

Karen GHHS wrote: "I posted this in another thread, but should ask it in the right place! Is there any way we could read the three fiction Pulitzer finalists for this year only since they didn't assign a winner? I wo..."

Unfortunately, not for task 10.7.

[Karen Michele]

Darn - I was afraid you'd say that;)

[Carolyn]

I'm sure this is posted somewhere but I am having a sick day and thus having trouble thinking so bear with me. With regards to repeating tasks: I know some of the tasks can be repeated during the "season" and some cannot, but was wondering about the rules beyond that... do you have to have finished all of the challenges to repeat one? Or could I, for example, read two "banned books" that fit with 20.1 and get points for both? Thanks in advance!

[Kate S]

Carolyn, as long as a task can be repeated, it can be completed as many times as you like. There is no need to complete the challenge first. Read away and I hope you feel better soon!

[Carolyn]

Thanks, Kate!

[Christin]

I'm sorry if this question turns out to be redundant! I completed the 20 tasks for this session and was hoping to go through a second time - is it possible to read another book for 10.1 for this second round? The task says it cannot be repeated but I wondered if that just meant per round. Thanks! ^_^

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

You can do the tasks as many times as you want exccept for when it says it can only be done once so 10.1 can only be done one time.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Let's hold up on that Jayme, I have a consult question in to Liz. Christin is hoping to get a second finisher award - we've never encountered that before.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Christin, we're going to hold to the once only rule on 10.1 Square Peg.

[Christin]

Ok, thanks! ^_^

I am being a bit overly ambitious in trying to go through twice ::blush:: It's just that I know this is going to be the only complete round I'll be able to do for awhile as I am going back to pursue another degree in the Fall (so I guess I'm trying to push myself to see how much I can actually do this time around lol)

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

How are you doing on AtW? Finishing 30 books - both RwS and AtW - will get you both finishers bonuses plus the 200 point Mega Finish. Worth going after with only 30 days left in the challenge.

[Christin]

I should finish the book for my ninth stop this evening..so I should hit Mega Finish by the end of the week probably ^_^ (I have to admit my goal was to go through both the RwS and AtW the world twice if I could)

I'm definitely gonna focus on a second round of AtW first after that though because I am finding it such a fascinating challenge!

[Liz M]

Christin wrote: "Ok, thanks! ^_^

I am being a bit overly ambitious in trying to go through twice ::blush:: It's just that I know this is going to be the only complete round I'll be able to do for awhile..."

We (the royal we) like to think of this challenge as allowing endless opportunities to repeat the most fun/interesting/high-point-earning tasks, rather than as a set of tasks, each of which must be completed before completing any of the tasks a second (or third or fourth or fifth) time.

[Karen Michele]

Liz M wrote: "Christin wrote: "Ok, thanks! ^_^

I am being a bit overly ambitious in trying to go through twice ::blush:: It's just that I know this is going to be the only complete round I'll be able to do for ..."

I also enjoy trying to find books that get combo points for a 10 point task, but can be claimed for a 20 point task, so I repeat more 20 point tasks than 10 pointers;)

[[deleted user]]

If I stop planning next season's books, I still have time on this challenge. For 10.3 Girl's names, would The Penelopiad qualify? Its the Odyssey told from Penelope's perspective. So, while its not exactly her name it is a play on her name.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Swamplandia was long-listed for the Orange Prize, so yes, it was nominated, but the list is the winner and short-listed titles.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Don - it does not qualify for 20.2. If it doesn't qualify for anything else, then you can use it for Square Peg.

[Liz M]

Leigh wrote: "If I stop planning next season's books, I still have time on this challenge. For 10.3 Girl's names, would The Penelopiad qualify? Its the Odyssey told from Penelope's perspective. So, whil..."

I'm going to say no to this. As you said, Penelopiad is not a name.

[Connie]

Awesome job on the FAQ, mods, thanks!

Tiny question, however: How do you determine the "most popular print edition"? Is it the first edition that's on Goodreads?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Yes, it's nearly always the one that comes up if you just do a search. You can also tell by looking at all editions and sorting by number of ratings. Then it will be the top one. There are a few titles where the audio or electronic version is listed first, which is why the print version is designated. (And I agree, Liz did a fabulous job on this.)

[Connie]

Wow, that was quick! Thanks for clearing that up, Elizabeth!

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

I was wondering. I just finished reading "The Night Circus" and really wanted to use it for this challenge. Anyone have any idea where I can put it?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "I was wondering. I just finished reading "The Night Circus" and really wanted to use it for this challenge. Anyone have any idea where I can put it?"

Not written in cement yet, but I suspect it will fit one of the yet to be announced tasks.

[Karen Michele]

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "I was wondering. I just finished reading "The Night Circus" and really wanted to use it for this challenge. Anyone have any idea where I can put it?"

Do you mean for Spring since you've read it? It was my Square Peg for the Spring Challenge.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

LOL - of course I was thinking Summer. Karen is right - it doesn't fit anything for Spring.

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

I want it to fit for Spring since I finished it. It won't help me for summer since I already finished it. Thanks for checking.

[Karen Michele]

I'm might be reading right up to the end to finish this time so I'm curious - what time zone we go by for our midnight deadline?

[Kate S]

East Coast Time. Happy reading!

[Karen Michele]

dang!

Well, this was cutting it way too close, but I made my last flight connection and finished a great challenge!

AtW Circumnavigator

15.10 (10th stop) South America: Chile W 070 39

Inés of My Soul by Isabel Allende

+15 Task
+10 Bonus
Task Total: 25

+100 Finish
+200 Megafinish

Total this post: 325
Grand Total: 2355

Thought I made it, but the thread was closed

[Tien]

Karen GHHS wrote: "Thought I made it, but the thread was closed"

Nevertheless, you completed the challenge!! Congrats! :)

[Karen Michele]

Tien (aka Kazza) wrote: "Karen GHHS wrote: "Thought I made it, but the thread was closed"

Nevertheless, you completed the challenge!! Congrats! :)"

Thanks, Tien! I knew it would be iffy for me tonight because it was a birthday celebration night with a young man I'm surrogate mom to, so that had to take priority tonight. Wasn't it a great challenge? I'm also so excited about the summer tasks! They are great. And now to sleep. I'm on the interview team for hiring a new principal for our school tomorrow and it's not going to look good if I'm drowsing off!

[Rebekah]

As a last minute reader, (along with Karen)I was wondering if all the challenges from now on would get a day cut off at the end?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Rebekah wrote: "As a last minute reader, (along with Karen)I was wondering if all the challenges from now on would get a day cut off at the end?"

Not sure what you mean by this Rebekah. The challenges have always run from (and in our new FAQ):

Challenges begin at 12:01 am March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1 and end at 11:59 pm on May 31, August 31, November 30, and February 28 (or 29) respectively in the Eastern time zone (New York City).

[Karen Michele]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Rebekah wrote: "As a last minute reader, (along with Karen)I was wondering if all the challenges from now on would get a day cut off at the end?"

Not sure what you mean by this Rebekah. The challe..."

Right it was not a day but a matter of minutes-----------

I knew I was taking a risk. I started the post with just a couple of minutes to spare and before Liz's last post, but by the time I clicked post I got a red message saying it was closed. It's just part of the game and I tried a different strategy this time waiting to start the sub-challenge, so I'm going back to my usual strategy of starting the sub challenge right away;)