Reading with Style discussion

Please feel free to ask questions about the Winter 2016-17 sub-challenge here.

Posting some links that might help with your planning:

Literary Births - some ideas for Dec, Jan, Feb births. You are not restricted to any of these.

Quick Links post which includes authors we have read. That google.doc is view only, but of course you're welcome to download and sort it at your leisure.

As you make progress on your plans, you may reach a stumbling block. I have made two plans, but fitting in the last book wasn't easy. Kate helped me with one when I posted the 5 or 6 possible squares I could use. Please feel free to post in this thread if/when you get stuck. All of us - moderators and members - are here to help when possible.

And just a note, that when we were working to see if this was a viable challenge, we learned that starting with the bets of dozens and columns was more likely to get a good outcome. Those bets have only 12 criteria options, whereas the other 6 bets have 18.

Help! I don't gamble and have no idea how these stuff works :/

I can see 36 squares, can I pick any combination of 3 squares (non-repeatable)? Is that how it works in the simplest term?

Not exactly. You must choose any 3 squares within certain groups of squares. The bets are outlined in the How to Play post, but also laid out on the roulette table google doc. The squares in each one of the columns are bets, as are each of the squares in each of the thre "dozen" groups. Then there are the red or black squares, or the odd or even squares, and finally the 18 lowest/highest numbered squares.

And don't feel bad about not being a gambler. I did live in Las Vegas for a few years - years and years ago - but I never played roulette.

So we have to choose low or high numbers, red or black, and odd and even so say I picked low numbers that were even and red and we pick books from those categories?

Thanks for the additional information. I had the same reaction as Tien.

Okay, soooo you pick ten books and each of ten books has to either be one of the 0/00/000 tiles or meet the criteria of three squares that are within one of the nine categories below . And you can't reuse squares. But you could use as few or as many of the categories/bets as you want to.

Low 18
High 18
Odd Numbers
Even Numbers
Red Numbers
Black Numbers
1st Dozen
2nd Dozen
3rd Dozen

And I know that's what you just said in the explanation post but I'm trying to understand it in my mental framework :).

You can use one of the bets one time.

There are 12 different bets for the numbers 1-36, plus 3 additional bets for the green squares. To complete the challenge you will need to make 10 different bets, without repeating any of the squares.

If one of your bets is "red" you will choose criteria that are only on red squares. You might choose to read Nothing to Be Frightened Of, which uses 3 (author J), 21 (author born in Jan), and 25 (nonfiction). You would not be able to use those 3 squares again and you will not be able to make the "red" bet again. There will be other red squares you could use for other bets.

Just to clarify, assuming that these are all different numbers, this would work?

15.1 - fits 3 of the column A squares
15.2 - fits 3 of the column B squares
15.3 - fits 3 of the 1st dozen squares
15.4 - fits 3 of the red squares
15.5 - fits 3 odd squares
15.6 - fits 3 even squares
15.7 - fits 3 of the 3rd dozen squares
15.8 - 3 of the black squares
15.9 - fits 3 of the low squares
15.10 - one of the books from the green squares

Let's see if this helps:

I choose to work on high numbers (19-36) first.

I need to find a book which fits 3 of the following criteria:

pub in French
set in Russia
Author born in January
Author initial W
Author born in Russia
Historical Fiction
Non Fiction
Pub 2001-2017
Author born 1810-1819
Female Author
Author born in Feb
Set in Australia
Under 1000 ratings
Author inital A
Pub in Italian
Author born in North America
301-350 pages
Title starts R


I choose to read Rachel Ray by Anthony Trollope

This qualifies for square 27-author born 1810-19, 32-author with an A initial and 36-title begins with an R

So, I move on to black squares. Now, I need to find a book which fit 3 of these criteria:

title starts B
Author born in Europe
Mystery
pub 1901-1950
Author initial S
Author born in December
Number in title
Title Starts N
set in Russia
Author initial W
Historical Fiction
Pub 2001-2017
Female Author
Author born in Feb
Under 1000 ratings
Pub in Italian
301-350 pages
published 1851-1900

I choose to read Now Is the Time to Open Your Heart by Alice Walker

This qualifies for square 17-title starts with N, 22-Author has a W initial, and 29-Author born in February.

I now need to regroup and find 8 different "bets" that do not re-use squares 17, 22, 27, 29, 32, or 36.

Does this help?

Beth wrote: "But you could use as few or as many of the categories/bets as you want to."

Well, not as "few" - you also can't repeat bets. Which is why the scoring appears so generous. Trust me, you'll have to work for those last 80 points.

I just looked at your list again - and there are also the column bets (1st, 2nd, 3rd columns).

Coralie wrote: "Just to clarify, assuming that these are all different numbers, this would work?

15.1 - fits 3 of the column A squares
15.2 - fits 3 of the column B squares
15.3 - fits 3 of the 1st dozen squares
..."

That looks good, Coralie. As long as each book qualifies for different squares, you've got the right idea.

I like Kate S's explanation

I think I understand now. Thanks to everyone's inputs :)

Tien wrote: "I think I understand now. Thanks to everyone's inputs :)"

Thanks for asking questions. We did the best we could in the How to Play, but expected we'd need to clarify.

Challenging, but fun!

I am glad there are questions now! It's good to clear up any confusion before we start playing (reading). Please feel free to ask any other questions, we are happy to clarify to the best of our ability.

Ok,, thank you. I missed the column bets and the cant repeat types of bets the first time around. Yes, figuring out a reading list for this will definitely be challenging. Fun, I hope, also.

...Anyone have any good mysteries published between 1851-1900 with a number in the title? EEK!

Lol, Sam

Can't think of any off the top of my head but if I come across any, I'll let you know :D

I was thinking about rereading Sign of Four, but not enough people have shelved it as mystery which is really surprising to me!

Sam wrote: "...Anyone have any good mysteries published between 1851-1900 with a number in the title? EEK!"

What other squares do you have to work with for this bet?

Sam wrote: "I was thinking about rereading Sign of Four, but not enough people have shelved it as mystery which is really surprising to me!"

It has been shelved as mystery 318 times!

The Sign of Four

So... I am looking at The Little Paris Bookshop for #16 (bookstore) -would it work?

Also, there isn't a particular order we have to read these books, right?

I need eleven more people to shelve No Time for Goodbye as mystery.

Coralie wrote: "I need eleven more people to shelve No Time for Goodbye as mystery."

I was looking at that book too! In the end, I gave up on Canada :p

Not sure I will be able to do this sub-challenge. I am struggling to understand it. No questions just yet...just YIKES!

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Sam wrote: "I was thinking about rereading Sign of Four, but not enough people have shelved it as mystery which is really surprising to me!"

It has been shelved as mystery 318 times!

[book:The S..."


For some reason I assumed it had to be just mystery, full-stop. Good to know that the subgenres work too! Thanks Elizabeth :)

OK, let me see if I understand. The bets are on the left side of the Roulette Wheel and the definition of the squares is on the right side. When I choose a bet, I can select any three squares in that bet's limits, which are defined on the right, to match to a book.

There are 13 bets but I only need to use 10. No bet or square can be duplicated.

Am I getting this?

So, is it better to choose books and then match to bets or the other way around?

Bea, your description sounds correct to me and is helpful. Personally, I'm going to start with some books I want to read first and go from there and see what I come up with. Luckily I have some Canadian and Russian authors on that list! I've also made a copy of the wheel so that I can turn squares a different color as I use them. Good luck!

Bea wrote: "So, is it better to choose books and then match to bets or the other way around?"

I think a combination is probably best - look through the bets and see what holes you have in your TBR. I quickly realized that I need to hunt down books set in Canada, Russia, and Australia, for example.

I'm not sure if this is going to help me or not, but since some of the numbers are mutually exclusive I resorted the tasks by type and thought I would share. Of course, they aren't all - one author could have multiple letters in their name, for example.

SETTING
1 set in Canada 75%
20 set in Russia 75%
30 Set in Australia 75%
16 set in a book store 51%

TITLE (no articles)
4=Title starts B
12 Title starts G
17 Title starts N
36 Title starts R
15 Number in title

PUBLISHED (originally)
2=published 1851-1900
10. pub 1901-1950.
26 Pub 2001-17

LANGUAGE (originally)
5=published in Spanish
19 pub in French.
33 Pub in Italian

LENGTH (MPE)
7. 100-250 pages
18 251-300 pages
35 301-350 pages
14 351-500 pages

GENRE
8. Mystery (300 shelvings)
24 Historical Fiction (250 shelvings)
25 Non-Fiction

POPULARITY
31 Under 1000 ratings

AUTHOR NAME
32 Author initial A
3=Author initial J
11. Author initial S
22 Author initial W

AUTHOR HOMELAND
6. Author born in Europe
23 Author born in Russia
34 Author born in Canada/USA

AUTHOR GENDER
9. Male Author
28 Female author

AUTHOR BIRTH MONTH
13 Author born in December
21 Author born in January
29 Author born in Feb

AUTHOR BIRTH YEAR
27 Author born 1810-19

Very helpful, Beth --- thanks!

What are the rules for Russia? I'm looking at Irène Némirovsky, she was born in Kiev but at the time it was under the Russian Empire.

Bea wrote: "OK, let me see if I understand. The bets are on the left side of the Roulette Wheel and the definition of the squares is on the right side. When I choose a bet, I can select any three squares in th..."

Sounds like you've got the basics!

Karen Michele wrote: "I've also made a copy of the wheel so that I can turn squares a different color as I use them. Good luck!"

Please feel free to download the google doc (File>download as> ).

Also please note that there is a listing on Sheet 2. I found this useful when doing one of my plans. I entered books to the right of the squares so I could remember what was what, including what bet I'd used for it. I also highlighted squares already used, and highlighted bets I'd already used. It helped me to see what squares were still available as I got down to the later bets.

I am feeling particularly obtuse today, so I would like to see if these examples are what i am going for...

I bet odd + pick squares 25, 19, 31 with this book:
History Of Ornithology

I bet column 2 + pick squares 35, 26, 11 with this book
At the Water's Edge

Valerie wrote: "I am feeling particularly obtuse today, so I would like to see if these examples are what i am going for...

I bet odd + pick squares 25, 19, 31 with this book:
[book:History Of Ornithology|7284417..."

Yes! Both of those fit exactly as you have chosen. (And thanks for the Ornithology book, I've added the French edition and corrected the spelling of her name.)

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Karen Michele wrote: "I've also made a copy of the wheel so that I can turn squares a different color as I use them. Good luck!"

Please feel free to download the google doc (File>download as> ).
..."

Thanks for mentioning that there was a sheet 2. I hadn't scrolled down to see that. Also, for any of you who don't know about the "make a copy" option, it's under file at the top of the google doc. You get an exact copy of the original in your own drive that you can sort and edit without needing to download the original and without changing the original. Only you will be able to edit that copy. We used this all the time with our students when I was in the high school library.

Karen Michele wrote: "You get an exact copy of the original in your own drive that you can sort and edit without needing to download the original and without changing the original. ."

Very helpful! I make so many of these, that I wasn't even aware of how that worked.

I made an assumption in the proposed list thread.... so, am here to see if I am correct:

I am assuming we can read our books in any order.

Valerie wrote: "I am assuming we can read our books in any order. "

Absolutely! The hard part of this challenge is planning and access to books, there was no point in adding another layer of difficulty.

Valerie wrote: "I am assuming we can read our books in any order. "

I should clarify this, lest someone misinterpret my answer above. You can read your books in any order you choose. But you must post your claims as 15.1 sequentially through 15.10. You cannot claim points for 15.6 before you have claimed points for 15.1 through 15.5.

Is zero a number? So this would qualify for having a number in the title?

Nothing: From Absolute Zero to Cosmic Oblivion - Amazing Insights into Nothingness

Rosemary wrote: "Is zero a number? So this would qualify for having a number in the title?

Nothing: From Absolute Zero to Cosmic Oblivion - Amazing Insights into Nothingness"

Yes! Were you working with Number in the Title and Title beginning with N? (I had a hard time with that combination and came up with Ninety-Three.)

Thank you! Yes I was! and pages 251-300 - although I could have done 351-500 and used your find. But I have the other one so it will take one off my TBR.

I've just realised that page 2 of the spreadsheet doesn't have the low/high numbers specifically mentioned on it (1-18 and 19-36) and I didn't notice them in the rules post so I missed those possible categories - making it even harder! :)

I might try another plan tomorrow, including them, and see if I can work in more books that I own. But maybe not ... I am pretty happy with my plan. I only have to buy one, which is not in our library.

Rosemary wrote: "I might try another plan tomorrow, including them, and see if I can work in more books that I own. But maybe not ... I am pretty happy with my plan. "

I have not posted my plan. I did a 2nd one, just to see if I could, what choices I might have. I'm leaning toward my first plan, but I have a couple of weeks yet to make my final decision.