May 2012 Challenge - "M's" the Word

[Janice, Moderator]

The May challenge is Mmm, Mmm, Marvelous because "M's" the word!

The challenge is to read a book in any format whose author's last name begins with the letter "M".

Rules:

1. The author's last name must start with the letter "M".
2. The book may be in any format - paperback, ebook, audiobook.
3. The book may be in any genre.
4. The book may not be combined with the May Group Reads.
5. The book must be read between May 1 and May 31, 2012.

Enough with the rules - on with the point qualifiers.

Genre:

10 points - Manga
4 points - Music
3 points - Memoir
2 points - Mystery
1 point - Magic

Theme:

5 points - Mythology
4 points - Medical
3 points - Memory - (loss of memory, faulty memory)
2 points - Medival
1 point - Murder

Location:

5 points - Madrid
4 points - Mexico
3 points - Maine
2 points - Michigan
1 point - Mediterranean Area

Occupations:

5 points - Musician
4 points - Magician
3 points - Minister
2 points - Manager
1 point - Mother

Author:

5 points - first name starts with an M
4 points - Male
3 points - Mature (born before 1950 and still living)
2 points - Multiple Authors (eg Preston & Child)
1 point - is a Mother

Cover:

5 points - Moon on the cover
4 points - Man on the cover
3 points - Machine on the cover
2 points - Mauve (or any purple shade) on the cover
1 point - Mountains on the cover

Title:

? points - one point for every "M" in the title
4 points - More than 5 words in the title
3 points - Man's name in the title (extra point if it starts with "M")
2 points - "Murder" in the title
1 point - "Mother" in the title


Bonus Points: 10 points each:

1) May Day involves dancing around the May Pole. You qualify for this bonus if there is dancing of any kind portrayed in the book.
2) Mother Goose Day. You qualify if the audience for the book you read is children or teens.
3) Mother Ocean Day. If the ocean is mentioned in your book, you qualify for this award.

Extra Special Bonus: 20 Points:

Mothers' Day! If a character in your book gives birth or has a baby under the age of 2, count an extra 20 points.

[jaxnsmom]

Sounds fun! I love that all the point qualifiers are M related. Now to go search my tbr :)

[Pragya]

Ok, this is going to be difficult.

[Almeta]

Marvelous!

[Sam]

Awesome and now to plan...

[Kimberly]

Oh dear, I'm going to have to really think about this challenge :)

[Cheryl]

It's so easy to get a participation award, I hope everyone joins in. For major points, though, hmm...

How fun! Thank you!!

[Janice, Moderator]

Major points... think Mother's Day!

[Amy *Waitforit*]

Awesome theme better start looking through my bookshelf and my e-reader list =)

[Snoozie Suzie]

Well I have a choice of about 23 books on my TBR with the authors surname beginning with M.

[Almeta]

Snoozie Suzie wrote: "Well I have a choice of about 23 books on my TBR with the authors surname beginning with M."

I've narrowed it down to eleven, but they don't get much "Bang for My Buck"! Thing is I will have to read them to find out if there is a birth or an under two-year-old character!

[Almeta]

Question: "Manga" as in comic illustrations...or only as Japanese graphics?

51 Fiendish Ways to Leave Your Lover

[jaxnsmom]

Snoozie Suzie wrote: "Well I have a choice of about 23 books on my TBR with the authors surname beginning with M."

I just counted and I have 45. If I can't find a good one, I'd better have a good reason! I've printed out the M points scale to help :)

[Pragya]

213 books in my TBR! Lots to choose from. :)

[Janice, Moderator]

Almeta wrote: "Question: "Manga" as in comic illustrations...or only as Japanese graphics?

51 Fiendish Ways to Leave Your Lover"

Let's make it easy for people and not make it restricted to Japanese graphics.

I suspect that not many people are familiar with Manga and it would be a great opportunity to try out a new genre.

[Maria]

Hmm... and I really can't understand manga-- I've read it (Full Metal Alchemist, anyone?), but I can't get into it. Give me words, not pictures, is my motto.

Though I must say... it's going to be hard to figure this one out.

Naturally I just finished a book that:

- Has a title beginning with M
- Author is male and name begins with M
- Well, that's it. XD

Good luck to everyone finding these points!

[Robin]

Classes will be over so maybe I can actually participate again!!! Can't say I haven't been reading though...did just finish a book last night...so it is time to find another one. I have one from the library, but I'm pretty sure the author's last name doesn't start with an M. I must peruse my TBR list. This sounds fun!

[Pragya]

Robin, I hope you can participate. Because Ms. Classic Queen, there are too many Classics that fit in with this challenge. ;)

[Pragya]

I have made a huge folder for this challenge - http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/...

Very Excited.

[Pragya]

Thank you, Judy! I hope to read lots of books for this challenge including some classics. Already on my bedside table are The General in His Labyrinth and One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez, waiting for May.

And I hope to read 1Q84. Good it counts for 3 books, because it's huge!

[Janice, Moderator]

Awesome bookshelf, Pragya. If anyone is having problems coming up with ideas, they can give your bookshelf a look.

[Pragya]

Thank you, Janice. Sure! And if anyone wants to do a Buddy read for any of those books, I would love to.

[Robin]

Pragya wrote: "Robin, I hope you can participate. Because Ms. Classic Queen, there are too many Classics that fit in with this challenge. ;)"

Me - Ms. Classic Queen...I don't know about that. I like some classics, but I'm by no means a classics queen! You may have me confused with the other Robin...I've seen another Robin in these threads...its actually been several months since I've particpated in a challenge on here.

I did think of some books to possibly read for the challenge - it will just be a matter of getting my hands on to a copy.

[Pragya]

Sorry, Robin, I got confused. :)

[Cheryl]

Yes, the avatars are so tiny, and some of us have old eyes. I apologize in advance for whenever I mix people up. :)

[Kimberly]

I think my book is going to be Charlinder's Walk by Alyson Miers which I have to read in May anyways :)

[Almeta]

I'm going for Mine by Robert R. McCammon.

[Lara]

Right now I'm planning to read The Devil and Preston Black by Jason Jack Miller. It's a bit of a change-up for me from the other books I'll be reading this month.

[Janice, Moderator]

I'm planning on reading Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes. I'm not sure if I'll be able to swing it though. I have a whack of books to read in May.

[Mikki]

Wow, this is a challenge! I've got to comb over my shelves real and virtual.

[Mikki]

Pragya wrote: "I have made a huge folder for this challenge - http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/...

Very Excited."

Nice, Pragya

[jaxnsmom]

Janice wrote: "I'm planning on reading Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes. I'm not sure if I'll be able to swing it though. I have a whack of books to read in May."

If you have the option, I highly recommend you listen to this book. Bronson Pinchot does an absolutley amazing job narrating! He puts you right in the middle of the battles, the frustrations, all of the challenges a man at war faces, and the decisions he must make, everything that ultimately shapes what kind of man he will be. I LOVE this book - one of the best!! It's long - about 21 hours, and that may not work for you, but I truly believe you'll get so much more out of listening to it. This is one of the books that I am very passionate about (can you tell?), and want everyone else to have the same chance to love it.

[Janice, Moderator]

Thanks for the suggestion, janxsmom. I purchased the book about a year ago for another challenge. When it first came out on audiobook, I debated about getting it. If I love the book, I may someday listen to it as well.

[Sam]

I'm going to be reading The Midnight Folk by John Masefield for this one, just got to get past Wolf Hall, which I started ages ago and am really struggling to get into.

[Almeta]

Sam wrote: "I'm going to be reading The Midnight Folk by John Masefield for this one, just got to get past Wolf Hall, which I started ages ago and am really struggling to get into."

Midnight Folk sounds soooo much more fun!!!

[Gemma]

Oooh, I love a good challenge, particularly if it encourages me to make a spreadsheet to track it. I should get out more...

I've only just found this, and, of course, the book i'm currently reading doesn't fit, but I could make the next one do so...

Mind if I jump on your challenge bandwagon? I'll bring cake? :)

[Janice, Moderator]

Gemma wrote: "Oooh, I love a good challenge, particularly if it encourages me to make a spreadsheet to track it. I should get out more...

I've only just found this, and, of course, the book i'm currently readin..."

It all depends on what kind of cake you bring! No, just kidding. All are welcome. I hope you enjoy the challenge, Gemma.

[Pragya]

Make it a chocolate cake, Gemma! ;)

[Kimberly]

I think I may be changing my read not sure to what yet.

[Cheryl]

I have several children's and YA I plan to read - we'll see if any have decent points. The best thing is that they're ones I own that need to get moved off my shelves!

[Sue]

This sounds like something I can work into my plans somehow or other. My TBR is certainly large enough to hold many "M" authors and my book shelves and kindle are packed. I shall be searching anon.

[Cheryl]

Genre:
1 point - Magic

Theme:

5 points - Mythology
4 points - Medical
3 points - Memory - (loss of memory, faulty memory)
1 point - Murder

Occupations:

5 points - Musician
4 points - Magician
1 point - Mother

Author:

1 point - is a Mother

Bonus Points: 10 points each:

2) Mother Goose Day. You qualify if the audience for the book you read is children or teens.

Extra Special Bonus: 20 Points:

Mothers' Day! If a character in your book gives birth or has a baby under the age of 2, count an extra 20 points.

Technically, the book has all the above, which gives me a total of 56 points. But some of them are awfully peripheral or minor or dependent on how one defines a term. Just because of my personal perspective, I'm claiming 25% less, for 42 points.

Btw, I know we sometimes talk about page counts and how much we liked the book. I gave this 3 stars, but do recommend to "womyn" and young girls. It's 214 pp (at least in the Proof that I read).

Alia Waking Laura Williams McCaffrey

[Iker]

Off my shelf, the one book I have right now (Other than Momo by Michael Ende, which I've already read, and possibly The Old Man and the Sea by Hemingway or A Game of Thrones by Martin) is Moby-Dick by Melville. I've already got another two books I want to read this month (prior to that one, even) as well as a mildly-taxing self-imposed writing mission, so we'll see how this turns out...

[Cheryl]

Sounds like you might have to pass this month, as Melville's is the only one that qualifies and it's a looong one. But the wonderful thing about Janice's Challenges is that there's a fun one every month - and nobody is going to scold you if you skip a month or a few! :)

[Sue]

I find I have 3 or 4 by Anchee Min, a couple by Henning Mankell, and at least 14 other books that would qualify for this, so it shouldn't be too difficult to work something in.

[Maria]

Moby-Dick? Perfect. I've got my book. Lalalaladadeedaaaa!

IT's been on my list for a while, and this way I don't have to hunt up anything different! ^_^ Length, luckily, isn't an issue.

[Sue]

Hey, if I select Anchee Min's Becoming Madame Mao, that's 4 "Ms" in the title.

[Cheryl]

That would be cool, Sue.

Maria, I wonder if anybody would want to buddy-read with you. I'm sure lots of people have been meaning to read Moby-Dick.

[Robin]

I started reading Thumped by Megan McCafferty. I was lucky enough to snag it on Kindle ebook from the library...isn't that so cool getting ebooks from the library!? Not sure if there will be a birth but it is likely...of at least one...what if the book features more than one mother or birth?

[Janice, Moderator]

Robin wrote: "I started reading Thumped by Megan McCafferty. I was lucky enough to snag it on Kindle ebook from the library...isn't that so cool getting ebooks from the library!? Not sure if there will be a birt..."

It's a good thing The Cider House Rules is written by John Irving and not John Mirving. I guess that each mother giving birth or having a baby under the age of 2 would be fair game. But if the babies in question are twins, triplets, etc, it would be one mother and only one set of points.