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Reading Challenges
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2018 Summer Reading Challenge
This is not a genre I normally delve into, so it will be a fun challenge.
Hmmmm. Now where are those CDs of mine? Hmmmmm. And what to read, what to read. Is a puzzlement! And something to look forward to!
If you are looking for a good love story that fits this challenge I highly reccommend The Idea of You. I may even re-read it for this challenge, yes it's that good.I'll finally listen to the soundtrack to Dear Evan Hansen because my daughter raves about it. Not sure about the other CD or book titles yet.
Mod
I have completed my first book of the challenge. I read Mister and Lady Day: Billie Holiday and the Dog Who Loved Her by Amy Novesky. I really liked the book. I didn't know how important dogs were to Billie Holiday and it was interesting to read how her boxer Mister stood in the wings while she sang and how that helped her stay calm.
I read Not Dead Yet: The Memoir. This is Phil Collins' memoir. This was a little too light and fluffy for me.
Books about music are a huge part of who I am as a person. Rock She Wrote: Women Write about Rock, Pop, and Rap was hugely influential and made me realize I could combine my love of music + writing into a potential career (which hasn't happened, but that's a different story.) I also really loved Patti Smith's biography Just Kids and recommend it to just about everyone interested in reading nonfiction books about music! If you like summer road trips and music, Chuck Klosterman's Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story is a pretty quick and fun read. Oh, and if you are into learning about punk and feeling like you were part of the scene, Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk is SO GREAT because it's an oral history and there are interviews that just add so much to everything. I love it a lot. If I had a time machine and could go back in time, I'd absolutely wanna see Blondie and the Ramones and Patti Smith as they were just getting their start. SO FREAKING MUCH. I don't read a ton of rock fiction just because it's not a genre where there are a lot of excellent reads. Pagan Kennedy's The Exes is one of the few exceptions (and is also a quick read!). The other big one for me was Punk Like Me by JD Glass. When I read this book originally, it influenced me to the point that when National Novel Writing Month came around I wrote a story that was SO influenced by it that my voice was pretty much identical. (I didn't finish that nanowrimo because I was struggling with writing by hand vs writing on a computer, and also finishing has never been easy.)
There's a lot of great stuff out there, and I'm stoked that I have reasons to read more. One book I have on my radar is a to-be-released book, Rock Critic Law: 101 Unbreakable Rules for Writing Badly About Music.
Oh! And as far as favorite albums, I listen to Priests Bodies and Control and Money and Power almost every day. (Priests is a punk band outta DC and their music is perhaps not for everyone, but I literally cannot get enough of this album. https://priests.bandcamp.com/album/bo... ) I actually get really stuck listening to the same albums instead of new music, so if I can change this up to listen to new albums, that might work better for me :P
So, shortly after I posted about Rock Critic Law: 101 Unbreakable Rules for Writing Badly About Music I got approved for an advance reader e-copy. I started and finished it last night, and read it out loud to my girlfriend who has been known to actually write music reviews. It was hilarious and we both felt rather personally attacked, but we laughed so hard. She kept threatening to take my tablet. Definitely one of the funnest book experiences I've had in some time. ^_^
Stephanie wrote: "Books about music are a huge part of who I am as a person. Rock She Wrote: Women Write about Rock, Pop, and Rap was hugely influential and made me realize I could combine my love of m..."WOW! Thanks for all the info. Good luck with your writing career!
I have read one book, so far, and have chosen a second -- Olivia Forms a Band by Ian Falconer. I was at the Viridian library with daughter and granddaughter to sign granddaughter up for the summer reading program. They had several displays of books and one was children's books about music! They also had a display about adult books about music. Olivia looked so cute, I just couldn't resist. I've yet to pick my third book.For my albums, I have chosen Herman's Hermits' No Milk Today, my fav Hermits album. But I'm torn between the Original Soundtrack of Amadeus and CCR's Chronicle Volume One which has most of my favorite songs from Credence Clearwater Revival.
I'll listen to one of Metallica's older albums. I haven't decided on the second album.My book ideas so far are Killer Show: The Station Nightclub Fire, America's Deadliest Rock Concert, Music & Silence, and a handful of cozy mysteries with a music theme that I found on https://www.cozy-mystery.com/blog/mys....
I am going read Nick Carter's book. and Justin timberlake's book and Britney Spears book. and a backstreet boys music and Justin timberlakes CD and Britney spears CD.
I read Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sachs. This book is full of fascinating stories!
Ah!I just read Dragonsong and Dragonsinger by Anne McCaffrey, which would have been perfect for this!
On my list right now is Dancing With Myself by Billy Idol, so I'll move it up to the top and get to it immediately.
Now for two more...
As for music, I guess I'm forced to listen to a couple of my favorites. I'll listen to Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends by Coldplay and Bach's Cello Suites.
If any scifi fans are looking to fulfill this challenge, I highly recommend the Atlantis Grail series by Vera Nazarian. Music is integral to the plot, and the books (Qualify and sequels Compete and Win) are incredibly well written. Warning: she's still working on the series finale Survive, and you won't want to wait for it!
Greg wrote: "Ah!I just read Dragonsong and Dragonsinger by Anne McCaffrey, which would have been perfect for this!
On my list right now is Dancing With Myself by Billy Idol, so I'll move it up to the top and..."
So read Dragondrums and you should still be good!
The Dragonriders of Pern is my favorite series!
one of the books I am going to read for this challenge is Facing the Music and Living to Talk About It by Nick carter
Debbie wrote: "So read Dragondrums and you should still be good! "Yes, that will be book #2. I had to get through Dragonsdawn, first, as I'm reading the whole series in order (of publication).
I read the entire series Dragonriders series, ending last year. I even tried reading the books Todd, her son, wrote, but I did not care for his approach. He is an impatient writer, wanting everything in and covered now instead of taking time and covering one story well. After the disappointment of his writing for the third book I read, I stopped reading more of his. Perhaps you will have a better experience.
Challenge Progress: Mister and Lady Day: Billie Holiday and the Dog Who Loved Her by Amy Novesky - Read
Olivia Forms a Band by Ian Falconer - Read
One book and two albums to go.
Alene wrote: "I read Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sachs. This book is full of fascinating stories!"Alene, this one sounds great. I just put the audio on hold.
Alene wrote: “I read Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sachs. This book is full of fascinating stories!“He writes about lots of fascinating topics. That looks very interesting.
Mod
I already play six instruments. If I play an entire book of sheet music, does that count?
Mod
Sure! Sounds awesome. What instruments do you play?
Finished the first book I'm going to count for this challenge: A Gentleman in Moscow. Music plays a big role in the life of one of the characters.
Elizabeth wrote: “Audrey,Sure! Sounds awesome. What instruments do you play?”
flute, piccolo, piano, clarinet, violin, trumpet
Challenge Progress: Mister and Lady Day: Billie Holiday and the Dog Who Loved Her by Amy Novesky - Read
Olivia Forms a Band by Ian Falconer - Read
Amadeus: Original Soundtrack Special Edition: Directors Cut performed by Academy Of St. Martin-In-The-Fields Under Neville Marriner - Listened
One book and one album to go.
Alene wrote: "I read Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sachs. This book is full of fascinating stories!"A little trivia here: Oliver Sachs is the doctor portrayed by Robin Williams (although the doctor in the film has a different name) in the movie Awakenings (1990). Robert De Niro plays one of the doctor's patients. An excellent film. Asked about Williams' portrayal of him, Sachs said he was not like that at all. Sachs' colleagues said Williams mimicked him perfectly.
So this isn't really a book that you read, so I'm not sure it counts for the challenge, but you guys should really check out The Mixtape of My Life: The Music that Made MeIt's a "DIY memoir" that gets you thinking and writing about music and your own life. It's really cool.
I was going through the City Library's collection so I could pick up and *finally* read Ellen Willis' Out of the Vinyl Deeps: On Rock Music and Jessica Hopper's The First Collection of Criticism by a Living Female Rock Critic and I happened upon a book that sounds super interesting, especially if you're into travel type memoirs with a bit of punk/musical grounding. The Humorless Ladies of Border Control: Touring the Punk Underground from Belgrade to Ulaanbaatar by Franz Nicolay. The title and summary definitely caught my attention, and I figured I'd share it with folks, because interesting finds are worth sharing!
Mod
I think that book sounds awesome. I love that it gets you thinking about your very own soundtrack. It totally counts if you do it.
Britt, Book Habitue wrote: "So this isn't really a book that you read, so I'm not sure it counts for the challenge, but you guys should really check out The Mixtape of My Life: The Music that Made MeIt's a "D..."
Britt, this sounds fascinating!
I checked out the soundtrack The Decline of Western Civilization Part II The Metal Years.
Teresa wrote: "I checked out the soundtrack The Decline of Western Civilization Part II The Metal Years." I ♥ The Decline of Western Civilization! And am so grateful that it's finally in DVD format. After I fell in love with Wayne's World, I discovered Penelope Spheeris had worked on that and couldn't get a hold of it, and it was the WORST. Now I've watched them & have a signed poster of the first film on my walls!
Stephanie, that's awesome. I haven't watched the movie yet although I've been aware of it. Honestly I wanted more metal to listen to.
Ok, I've finished the challenge!My books were:
Dancing With Myself by Billy Idol
Dragondrums by Anne McCaffrey
How Music Works by David Byrne
My music albums were:
Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends by Coldplay
Cello Suites by Johann Sebastian Bach
Mod
The second book I read for this challenge is Love Is a Mix Tape. It is a beautiful love story full of music.
If anyone is looking for some fitting scifi, Crystal Singer, Killashandra, and Crystal Line by Anne McCaffrey would certainly qualify.
Challenge Progress: Mister and Lady Day: Billie Holiday and the Dog Who Loved Her by Amy Novesky - Read
Olivia Forms a Band by Ian Falconer - Read
Miguel and the Grand Harmony by Matt de la Pena - Read
Amadeus: Original Soundtrack Special Edition: Directors Cut performed by Academy Of St. Martin-In-The-Fields Under Neville Marriner - Listened
One album to go.
Mod
My second book was An Early Wake, in e-audio format. It's a cozy mystery set in a village pub in Ireland, involving traditional Irish bar bands.
if there are any graphic novel/ comic readers there are a ton of great reads out there. I just finished Hope Larsen's newest graphic novel, All Summer Long, and in addition to being a generally fantastic ode to summer + growing up, the importance of music for the main character was very well integrated into the story. I also just recently finished the 4th Goldie Vance trade (Goldie Vance #4 )which involved a mystery + a music festival! and other general recs since I've started this: Jem and the Holograms Vol. 1: Showtime(so good and so colorful and vibrant! embraces the spirit of the classic Jem and the Holograms while bringing it into a modern frame), Coady and The Creepies (band touring + ghosts! oh my!) the newest run of Josie and the Pussycats Vol. 1has been fun, and they're a few volumes in! I am sure I have more that I could rec, but i think my brain just reset.... so I'll get back to y'all with more if anyone wants more!
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The County Library
Books mentioned in this topic
Eleanor & Park (other topics)Love Is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time (other topics)
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist (other topics)
Eleanor & Park (other topics)
Love Is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Jan Thomas (other topics)Amy Novesky (other topics)
Ian Falconer (other topics)
Matt de la Peña (other topics)
Ian Falconer (other topics)
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This year the Summer Reading theme is Libraries Rock! Its all about music. So, your challenge is to read three books about music or musicians. These can include how to books, musician biographies or memoirs, or fiction books where the main character is a musician, or music is important to the plot. Since the Goodreads Summer Reading Challenge is June, July and August we usually have you do 5 books, but i thought since the theme is music, you should also get to listen to some of your favorite albums. So, read 3 books, and listen to 2 of your favorite albums.
Dont forget to sign up for Summer Reading at your local library. For signing up for Summer Reading you can get a fine waiver, up to $5 on preexisting fines on your library card. When you bring in your completed Reading Record, by July 31, you get a free book, a ticket to the Natural History Museum and an entry into a prize drawing.
Good luck!