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WINTER CHALLENGE 2018
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Winter Challenge 2018: Tasks
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10.1 - Holding Out for a Hero
Help Thread
Read a book with a main page genre that starts with an H or E or R or O. Genres may be stand alone or embedded and must be a genre (defined as a set of artistic characteristics) and not just a classification of format (such as ebook).
Ex: The Clockmaker's Daughter (Historical Fiction); The World Without Us (Environment); Eleanor & Park (Romance); The Mystical Qabalah (Occult)
Required: State the MPG you used when you post.
10.2 - Every Day Heroes
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Read a book with a main character who is an everyday hero. For the purposes of this task, an everyday hero will be defined as first responders (firefighters, police officers, EMTs, paramedics, search and rescue personnel), park rangers, teachers, social workers, lifeguards, nurses, doctors, and veterinarians.
Required: If the main character's profession is not obvious from the book's description, explain how it fits the task when you post.
10.3- Four-Legged Heros
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Not all heroes are human. Let's find out some of the real stories behind animal heroes by reading a book from the Non-Fiction Animal Heroes list.
Required: State which page your book can be found on when you post.
10.4 - Holy Books-a-Million, Batman!
Help Thread
Read a book that can be found on the list of Super Hero Books.
Required: State which page your book can be found on when you post.
10.5 - Remembering Stan Lee
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Stan Lee began his superhero career in 1941 as a writer for Marvel Comics. He would go on to become the comic book company's editor-in-chief, publisher, and, eventually, chairman. Lee left the company in 1996 and died, at the age of 95, in 2018. In honor of Stan Lee's time at Marvel Comics, read a book first published between 1941 and 1996, inclusive.
10.6 - Let's Eat!
Help Thread
A hero is another term for a submarine sandwich. Capt. James Cook was a big fan. So much so, that he named the Sandwich Islands (now called Hawaii), the South Sandwich Islands (which lie between the tip of Argentina and Antarctica), Montague Island in the Gulf of Alaska, and Hinchinbrook Island off the coast of Australia after John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, and, purportedly, the inventor of this eponymous snack. In honor of the Earl of Sandwich and the islands named after him, read a book set at least 50% in Hawaii, Alaska, Argentina, Antarctica, or Australia.
Required: If the setting is not obvious from the book's description or metadata, explain how it fits the task when you post.
10.7 - Brown Shoes?
Help Thread
December 4th is Wear Brown Shoes Day. Read a book with the word BROWN or SHOE intact in the title/subtitle, series title, or author's name as it appears on Goodreads.
10.8 - Take the Stairs
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January 9th is National Take the Stairs Day. Read a book with 3 or more steps clearly visible on the cover. Steps must be the sort of structures that consist of a riser and a tread and/or are part of a staircase. Fire escapes, ladders, step stools, etc. will not work. Ex:
Required: Include the cover when you post.
10.9 - Write Me a Letter
Help Thread
February 4th is National Thank a Mail Carrier Day. In honor of letter carriers everywhere, read a book write in an epistolary style. An epistolary book is one that is written as a series of documents, usually letters, that are often dated and/or time-stamped. For the purposes of this task, books written as a series of letters will, of course, work, but so will books written as a series of emails, tweets, blog posts, diary entries, newspaper clippings, and/or ships logs. The Epistolary Fiction or Best Books of Letters (Non-Fiction) lists might give you some ideas.
Required: If the epistolary nature of the book is not obvious from the book's description, explain how it fits the task when you post.
10.10 - Happy Holidays!
Help Thread
Read a book by a single author whose first and last initial can be found in HOLIDAY.
Mod
15.1 - Not Just Big, Strong Men!
Help Thread
This is a 2 book task - read 2 books from 2 DIFFERENT lists:
Strong Heroine series
Kick Butt Heroines
Best Tortured Heroes in Fiction
Books with Disabled Heroes
Books with Nerdy, Geeky or Genius Heroes and Heroines
REQUIRED: Include in your post the name of the list and the page number on which each of your books is found
15.2 - Winter or Summer?
Help Thread
It all depends on where you are!
Book 1 - Read a book with the word "winter" found intact in the title/subtitle/series title of the book.
AND
Book 2 - Read a book with the word "summer" found intact in the title/subtitle/series title of the book.
15.3 - Songs About Heroes
Help Thread
Ranker.com has a list of 65 best songs about heroes. Because those lists are changeable, I have included a list in post 2 of the help thread which will be used for this task.
OPTION 1:
Book 1: Read a book with a title of at least 3 words, where the initial letters of each word can be found in the name of one of these songs. Subtitles should be ignored. REQUIRED: Specify the song you are using and its number on the list.
AND
Book 2: Read a single author book, where the initial letters of the author's name can be found in the name of one of the listed artists. All initials count. REQUIRED: Specify the song/artist you are using and its number on the list.
OR
Option 2:
Read one book that satisfies both criteria for option 1. The title initials and author initials can be from the same or different songs. REQUIRED: Specify the song/artist you are using and their numbers on the list.
Examples: Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch - #17, Heroes and Villains, Brian Wilson;
The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz - #58, Stories of a Hero, Mahogany Rush.
The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths. Initial letters of title words, TSD, found in #15 - Heroes are Hard to Find. Author initials, EG, found in #29 - Modern Talking.
15.4 - From A to Z
Help Thread
Option 1:
Book 1 - Read a book the title of which begins with "A." All words count, including articles.
AND
Book 2 - Read a book whose author has a "Z" in their name.
OR
Option 2:
Read one book that satisfies both criteria for Option 1.
Examples: Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Anything Is Possible by Elizabeth Strout
15.5 - Secret Identity
Help Thread
Many superheroes have secret identities and so do many authors! Read a book by a single author who writes under more than one name. You may read a book written under any of the names that the author uses. REQUIRED: If the GR record or author bio does not show that the author writes under more than one name, include a link to a source establishing this.
15.6 - My Personal Hero
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Read a NONFICTION biography or autobiography of someone who you consider to be a hero. REQUIRED: Briefly explain why this person is one of your personal heroes.
15.7 - Catch up with the SRC
Help Thread
Read a book from the SRC Group Bookshelf that you have never read before. If you have read every book on the bookshelf, read one of the nominees for the Winter 2018 Group Reads that was not chosen as a group read and that you have never read before.
REQUIRED: State in your post that the book read is new to you.
15.8 - Mythological Heroes
Help Thread
Most mythological tales have a hero. Read a book with the main page genre Mythology (standalone or embedded).
15.9 - Hoodie-Hoo Day!
Help Thread
February 20 is Hoodie-Hoo Day, when people go out at noon, wave their hands over their heads and chant "Hoodie-Hoo".
It is a day to chase away winter blahs, and bring in spring.
Read a book with one or more hands showing on its cover. The cover need not show a complete hand, but it must be CLEARLY a hand, not just a suggestion of a hand. Hands may be covered (such as wearing gloves or mittens), but it must be obvious that there are hands inside those coverings.
REQUIRED: Include the cover in your post.
Examples:
,
,
,
15.10 - National Book Awards
Help Thread
The National Book Award winners for 2018 have been announced. Read one of the books that won the award, was a finalist, or was on the longlist for the award in 2018. There are several categories, and you may choose a book from any of the categories. Normal SRC rules apply, so be sure to check page length and applicability of childrens book rules.
The Fiction category is here. Click on the specific category buttons to see the winners, finalists, and longlist books in each category.
REQUIRED State in your post which category your book was in.
Mod
20.1 - Most Improved Player - Cordelia's Task: "And the winner is....."
Help Thread
As the most improved player task, this should reflect a challenge that will improve our reading.
This is a one book task. No books with the main page genre Childrens or Kids may be used. Books with the main page genre "Sequential Art," "Graphic Novel," "Comics," "Comic Book," or "Manga" may be used.
Read a book that has won a literary award. Any award will do - but it MUST BE THE WINNER - NOT a nominee, on the longlist, on the shortlist or a finalist.
The award must be listed on the book's main page.
REQUIRED:When posting you must state what award your book has won and what year.
20.2 - Rookie At The Top- Kettleen's Task: Darwin Day
Help Thread
Darwin Day is on the 12th of February, the anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth. Internationally, museums and universities use Darwin Day as a chance to highlight not just the life and achievements of Charles Darwin but also the amazing scientific progress of the entire human race.
This is a one book challenge. Choose from among the following options.
Option 1:
On The Origin of Species was published on the 24th of November 1859. Read a book whose publication year contains both 5 and 9.
Examples: 1759; 1795; 1859; 1895; 1905; 1915; 1925; 1935; 1945; 1950; 1951; 1952; 1953; 1954; 1955; 1956; 1957; 1958; 1959; 1965; 1975; 1985; 1995.
Option 2:
Read a book where the initials of the words in the title are to be found in CHARLES DARWIN. The book must have a minimum of three words in the title. Subtitles can be used (for instance, if you need the subtitle to reach the 3 word minimum) or ignored - your choice.
Option 3:
The 1860 Oxford evolution debate saw Darwin too sick to attend, and Thomas Huxley deliver lectures in his stead on the theory of natural selection and evolution, while Bishop Samuel Wilberforce talked about creationism and the coexistence of science and religion.
Read a book that has one of these three words in the title/subtitle: VERSUS or VS., AGAINST, or DEBATE. The words must match EXACTLY - no variations.
20.3 - Best Review - TrishhartUK: Elementary, My Dear Watson
Help Thread
Detective hero, Sherlock Holmes, still seems to fascinate people, more than 130 years since he first appeared. Indeed, stories about Holmes and Watson seem to be some of the most expanded, extended, rewritten or reimagined series in the detective genre, and possibly across literature as a whole. Choose one of the following options and read a book of at least 150 pages, to match that option.
REQUIRED: State which option you chose when you post.
Option 1. The first published Sherlock Holmes story was A Study in Scarlet, which appeared in the 1887 Beeton Christmas Annual, followed by publication as a stand-alone novel in 1888. Read a book with a title of at least three words, where the initial letter of each word can be found in A STUDY IN SCARLET.
Option 2. Some years ago, the UK’s Daily Telegraph produced a list of 50 crime writers to read before you die. Unsurprisingly, it includes Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle.
Read any book by one of the authors on the list, which also has the MPG Crime or Mystery (stand-alone or embedded). Note, for this option, the book must be by the original author, rather than someone else writing their characters.
The authors are also listed in post 2 of the help thread.
Option 3. Sherlock Holmes has seen a screen revival in the last few years, with the two Robert Downey Jr movies, the US series Elementary, and the BBC’s Sherlock. Read a book by a single author who shares a name with one of the modern Holmes or Watsons: Robert Downey, Jude Law, Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Jonny Lee Miller or Lucy Liu. The name must match exactly, but can be in any position. E.G. Laurie Lee for Jonny Lee Miller.
Option 4. The Sherlock Holmes pastiche market remains strong. Read a novel or collection of short stories, that was not written by Conan-Doyle, but which includes one or more of Sherlock Holmes, Dr. John Watson, Mycroft Holmes, Professor James Moriarty, or Irene Adler (either traditional portrayals or reimagined), as a major character. The character(s) must be mentioned in the GR description.
Examples: Fred Saberhagen’s The Holmes-Dracula File; any of Laurie R King’s Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series or Carole Nelson Douglas’ Irene Adler series or a collection of non-Conan Doyle Holmes stories, like Two Hundred and Twenty-One Baker Streets: An Anthology of Holmesian Tales Across Time and Space.
20.4 - Golden Oldies - Lagullande's Task: Everyday Heroes
Help Thread
This is a one book task.
Tucked away in London's Postman's Park close to St Paul's Cathedral is the Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice, a memorial to ordinary people who died while saving the lives of others and who might otherwise be forgotten.
Examples include David Selves, aged 12, who in 1886 "Off Woolwich supported his drowning playfellow and sank with him clasped in his arms", and Daniel Pemberton, aged 61 railway foreman, who in 1903 "Surprised by a train when gauging the line hurled his mate out of the track saving his life at the cost of his own."
Anyone of us could find ourselves in a moment of emergency like this. So let's remember them.
The everyday heroes on the memorial gave up their lives between 1863 and 1927, with one more in 2007.
OPTION 1: Read a book first published between 1863 and 1927 (this is the Golden Oldies task, after all).
OPTION 2: Read a book that is at least 350 pages long and that was first published in 2007.
20.5 - Bigger is Better - Babbling C's Task: February Babies
Help Thread
There are several February babies in my family. I will only be looking at three.
This is a one book task.
1. My sister-in law Carolyn, lives in Florida with my younger brother, Paul, and my two nephews. She's a personal trainer and a mermaid. Seriously. February is also their wedding anniversary. They will celebrate their 25th in 2019.
a. Read a book with "25" found intact in the number of pages. Ex. 254, 225.
or
b. read a book on the list Best Mermaid Books.
REQUIRED: If using the list option, state on which page your book can be found when you post.
2. My Brother, Robert, currently stationed in Kansas. He is a lieutenant colonel in the Army, a contracting officer, and a father of two.
a. read a book, written by a single author, who is named Robert. Name can be in any position. The only variation allowed is Roberts
or
b. read a book with at least a three word title, where the first initials of all words in the title can be found in "lieutenant colonel" OR "contracting officer" (subtitles should be ignored).
3. My niece Deborah, Robert's oldest, is a college student in Oklahoma. In February she'll be 20 years old. She's my parent's only granddaughter and first grandchild.
a. read Book #1 in a series.
or
b. read a book, written by a single author, whose initials can be found in "college student". Middle initials can be ignored.
Mod
Help Thread
In 1980, Terry Fox embarked on a run across Canada to raise money and bring awareness to cancer research. He had lost his leg to cancer at 18 and the courage he showed when running his “Marathon of Hope” was inspiring for our country. All Canadians were saddened when Terry’s run was abandoned due to cancer that took his life in 1981. Every fall, thousands of Canadians participate in the Terry Fox run within their own communities to honour Terry’s legacy and to continue to raise money for cancer research. His determination, courage and dedication have earned him the title of hero.
For this task, choose one of the following options:
REQUIRED: State which option you chose when you post.
Option 1: Terry’s vision was to travel across the country raising awareness and money for cancer research. Read a book that was a winner or nominee for the Giller Prize, whose author's first and last initials are found in MARATHON OF HOPE. Letters may be used only as often as they appear in the target phrase.
Goodreads also has an awards list, showing the winners and the nominees here.
REQUIRED: Include in your post the year in which the book was a winner or nominee.
Option 2: Terry personified courage. As a 22 year-old amputee, running across the country took a physical toll on Terry. Terry had to give up his Marathon of Hope at Thunder Bay, Ontario when his cancer came back and his health was failing.
Read a book where the letters from the word COURAGE can be found in the title (subtitles can be used as well).
Option 3: The annual Terry Fox Run, first held in 1981, has grown to involve millions of participants in over 60 countries and is now the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research; over $750 million has been raised in his name, as of January 2018.
Read a book that was first published in 1981, the year of the first Terry Fox Run.
20.7 - Shorter is Sweeter - Amy FL's Task: Yo, Adrian!
Help Thread
In honor of the newest member of my family, this task is dedicated to #7 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains list: Rocky Balboa. We adopted a Shih Tzu last year that we named Rocky, and I find myself calling him either Rocky Balboa or Balboa boy all the time. I grew up watching the Rocky films (yes I’m old enough to have seen the first film in theaters), so let’s honor this movie icon (and my dog) by reading ONE book that fits a task of your choice.
REQUIRED: Specify the option you have selected when you post.
Option 1: Rocky’s nickname is “The Italian Stallion.” Read a book with a horse or dog (domesticated dogs, please - no wolves, coyotes, or other wild animals) on the cover. REQUIRED: If you choose this option, you must show the cover in your post.
Option 2: Rocky was an unknown boxer who was given a chance to fight for the title. Read a book with a title of at least three words where the first letter of each word can be found in HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.
Option 3: There wouldn’t be a Rocky without its star and creator. Read a book written by a single author whose first and last initials are found in SYLVESTER STALLONE. Middle initials can be ignored.
20.8 - Nickels & Dimes - Diane Whitney's Task: Membership Required
Help Thread
This is a ONE book task.
No books with the main page genre childrens or kids can be used for this task.
Your book must be at least 300 pages in length.
Option 1 - Read a book first published in the same Month AND Year you joined GoodReads. This date is located on your profile page.
OR
Option 2 - Read a book first published in the same Month AND Year you joined the Seasonal Reading Challenge Group. To find this date, click on the members link located on the right side of the SRC page and enter your GoodRead's name into the search bar.
REQUIRED - State the option you choose and include the date in your post.
20.9 - Moderators' Pet - Erin NY's Task: Goodreads choice award winners
Help Thread
Read a book that won one of the goodreads choice awards this year that you have not read before. If you read all of them before, then read one of the nominees that you have not read before.
Goodreads Choice Awards
REQUIRED: Include in your post the category in which your book is found. State in your post that you have not read this book before. If you read a nominee, also state in your post that you have read all of the winners.
NOTE: Books that do not meet SRC requirements or requirements for this task (such as the Childrens Picture Book or Graphic Novels/Comics categories) cannot be used and need not be considered in determining whether you have read all of the winners.
20.10 - Group Reads
Help Thread
Read ONE of the books selected as the Group Reads choices for the season:
Arthurian Legend: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
Discussion Thread
Cozy Café - Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
Discussion Thread
Cryptology/Ciphers Nonfiction - Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers Who Helped Win World War II
Discussion Thread
REQUIRED: You must participate in the book's discussion thread with at least one post about the contents of the book or your reaction to the book after you have read the book.
Mod
25.1 - M1nks's Task: What Makes a Good Hero?
Help Thread
This is a two book task. Choose one book from two different options below. REQUIRED: Include the options you chose in your post.
ONE book used for this task may have the MPG "Sequential Art," "Graphic Novel," "Comics," "Comic Book," or "Manga."
1. A Good Hero knows when to accept help. You don't have to do everything yourself!
For this option, read a book with the main page genre Mystery, where the main character has help from at least one serious sidekick. This help must be reasonably substantial and take active form (just talking about a case with someone doesn't qualify). Animal sidekicks do not work for this task. The two people do not have to be in a relationship in which one is subordinate to the other, but they must work together to solve the mystery.
REQUIRED: Name the main character and the sidekick/partner. If the sidekick is not clear from the GR description, please provide an explanation of the sidekick's role.
Example: Sherlock Holmes and Watson; Hawk in many (not all) of the Spenser books by Robert B. Parker and Ace Atkins.
2. A Good Hero is Interesting. Even if they pretend to be boring! Read a book where the title doesn't contain the word 'A', 'An', 'And' or 'The'. Subtitles may be ignored.
3. A Good Hero Doesn't Wear His Underpants On Top of His Trousers. Hero's have class and funk to spare! What country is more funky than Japan? For this task read a Japanese Manga about a 'hero' (it must conform to SRC rules). You can pick one from anywhere but here are some suggestions: top 15 male anime heroes
top 10 manga animals
REQUIRED: Not all Japanese mangas are exactly 'heroic' so find one that does and state why it qualifies.
4. A Good Hero Has a Sword Which Goes 'Ting!' Or maybe they just have a really big Axe...
Read a book which has the MPG Fantasy. A combination genre such as Science Fiction Fantasy will not work for this task.
5. A Good Hero Lives on After Death. Just because they are no longer with us doesn't mean we have forgotten them! Read a book where the 'hero' is no longer with us. That means:
> the hero dies in the book, or
> the book is set in 'our world' where the hero is genuinely deceased, An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963
> the book is set in a time period where it is obvious the hero can no longer be alive. The White Queen. If the book is set before 1900, it can be assumed that the hero is no longer alive.
REQUIRED: Name your hero, why you think that they are a hero and explain why you are sure that they are dead.
25.2 - SandyL's Task: Winter Sports!
Help Thread
I love watching winter sports! Although Ice Hockey (go Kings!) is my favorite, seeing the snowboarders and skiers do their tricks and watching the skaters fly and spin just amazes me!
This is a two book tasks - pick one book from each of two different options.
REQUIRED - state which options you are choosing.
NO books with the main page genre “Childrens” or “Kids” allowed.
Option 1
My favorite winter sport is Ice Hockey. Read a book written by a single author whose first and last initials are found in ICE HOCKEY. Letters may be used only as often as they appear in this phrase. Spaces determine names.
Option 2
My favorite books are romances featuring athletes. Read a book featuring a Main Character athlete who competes in a winter sport found on the Wikipedia Winter Sport list. The athlete does not have to be a professional.
The book need not be a romance, and can be fiction or nonfiction.
REQUIRED: State the sport and the Main Character's name . If the sport is not evident from the title, book description or metadata, include a reference from the book or an outside link to establish the sport.
Option 3
Nothing says winter like snow! Read a book with snow on the cover.
REQUIRED: Include the cover when you post
Option 4
The X-Games will be held in Aspen Snowmass on January 24 - 27, 2019 and will feature the top skiers and snowboarders in the world. Read a book that has one of the numbers 24, 25, 26 or 27 intact in the number of pages. Example: 225, 327, 424, 260
25.3 Andy P.’s task: Christmas in Japan
Help Thread
Overall rules for this task:
1. No Book with a main page genre of Children’s or Kid’s may be used for this task
2. This is a two book task, You must read one book that satisfies the criteria for Book 1 and another that satisfies the criteria for Book 2
3. The total pages count for Book 1 plus Book 2 must exceed 500 pages (i.e 501 or higher)
We moved to Tokyo, Japan in the early 1980’s with our son and daughter. Our son was 8 at the time and had several concerns about the move. First, he had heard that the Japanese did not celebrate Christmas and the thought of no Christmas or presents was not in his game plan. Assured that we would celebrate Christmas as we had always done with a tree, presents etc. relieved him more than somewhat. His second concern was the availability of toy stores in Tokyo. Rumor had it that Toys R Us did not have an outlet in Tokyo, but, after a trip to Kiddieland,which was a four story structure that had only toys, AND sample ones you could play with, he got much happier.
Christmas comes but once a year and his only source of “income” were the dollar bills that came with the holiday cards sent by grandparents. Since he could only spend yen in Japan,
The Parental Exchange Bank was born. He could get his dollars exchanged for Yen provided he knew the correct exchange rate for dollars to yen for that day.
With this background you will, hopefully, understand this task.
Book 1. Read a book written by a single author whose initials (First, Middle if applicable, and Last) can be found in KIDDIELAND.
Book 2. Read a book that has a word in its TITLE (not subtitle) of at least 4 letters that can be made from the letters in EXCHANGERATE. The word CANNOT be found intact in EXCHANGERATE..
Examples of words that work: Chant, Gate, Cane, Exact.
Examples of words that don't work: Change, Anger, Hang, Rate.
25.4 - Diana K's Task: Happy 200th Illinois
Help Thread
On December 3, 1818, Illinois became the 21st state to join the United States. This task celebrates the 200th birthday of the state where I was born and raised, went to college and grad school, got married, gave birth to my oldest son, and lived for more than half of my life.
This is a two book task. Choose 2 different options and a read a book from each. REQUIRED: State the options you chose.
Opt 1. Read a novel (fiction) set at least 50% in Illinois. REQUIRED: If it is not apparent from the description or metadata, please provide a reference for the setting.
Opt 2. The state slogan is Land of Lincoln in honor of the 16th President of the United States who rose to prominence while living in Illinois. Read a book that contains all the letters in LAND OF LINCOLN in the title/subtitle.
Opt 3. Many famous authors have come from Illinois including Ernest Hemingway, Carl Sandburg Jean Auel, Michael Crichton, Ray Bradbury, Raymond Chandler, and Lorraine Hansbury. Read a book by an author born or currently living in Illinois. REQUIRED: If it is not apparent from the author's GR biography, please provide a reference for the author’s birthplace/current location.
Opt 4. Illinois is a leading producer of soybeans, corn and swine. Read a book that has the word corn, soybean, swine or its equivalents, pig or hog, found intact in the title, subtitle, or series name. For example, Pigs in Heaven, Pop Goes the Murder, The Corn Maiden and Other Nightmares.
Opt 5. Due to its location in the middle of the country and the size of Chicago, its major city, Illinois is a transportation hub with the largest and most active rail hub, the most primary interstate highways passing through it, and one of the busiest airports in the country. Read a book with a picture of a paved road, train tracks, or an airport on the cover such as
,
,
,
. REQUIRED: Include the cover when you post.NOTE: For an airport, there must be something showing in the picture like part of a runway or an airport building. A picture of a plane will not work unless something indicating an airport is present.
25.5 - Tien's Task: 2018 Reading Stats
Help Thread
I just love seeing all the books I've read this year set out by star ratings I've given them. There is remarkably small number of books for 1 & 5 stars with the bulk of them in 4 stars (most of the time, I round up 3.5 stars to 4... in my generous moments). Still it's a gorgeous array of books I've read this year.
To view your own Reading Stats, go to 'My Books', scroll down and on the left hand side under the heading "Your reading activity", click on 'Reading Stats'.
For this task, you may read 1 book (to fit 1 option) of at least 750 pages OR 2 books (to fit 2 different options) with a combined total of at least 750 pages. REQUIRED: State in your post the option(s) you chose.
Option 1: My longest read book this year is The Stories: Five Years of Original Fiction on Tor.com on Tor.com with 3,817 pages. It is a collection of short stories.
For this option, read a book with a main page genre of Short Stories or Anthologies. The genre may be standalone or embedded.
Option 2: In the pie chart of top shelves, the biggest slice is for 'australian-author'. For this option, read a book from my australian-author shelf. Please be careful that any book you read for this option fits within SRC guidelines
Option 3: Only 27 books received 5 stars from me (7.6% of total books read). For this option, read a book that received 5 stars from at least 27 readers. Hint: on book page, click on "Rating Details" located next to the star rating and it will show you a table of star ratings. The number in brackets is the number of times the books has been given a certain rating.
Mod
Help Thread
This is a 2 book task. No books with the genre childrens or kids may be used. The two books combined must have a total of at least 600 pages.
Book 1 - Read a book with a title of at least two words, where the initial letters of all of the words in the title can be found in its author's name. Subtitles can be ignored.
Examples:
The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood - TEW found in margarET atWood; Blood Harvest by Sharon J. Bolton - BH in sHaron BOlton.
Book 2 - Read a book, the title (not subtitle) of which contains its author's initials. All initials must be included.
Examples: Black Swan Rising by Lisa Brackmann - LB found in BLack swan rising; Disoriental by Négar Djavadi - ND found in DisorieNtal.
25.7 - Wayne's task: Sometimes, you have to take the bad with the good
Help Thread
For many people, Christmas is their favorite holiday, and really, why shouldn't it be? There are so many things to enjoy: the time off from work that you can spend with friends and family, the presents, the parties, and of course, all the delicious food (I'm enjoying my first candy cane of the season as I am writing this.)
Unfortunately, there are also bad things that can happen at Chrustmas time as well. There are horrific blizzards that keep your flight grounded until well after Christmas, hordes of ravenous Boxing Day shoppers, Aunt Mabel's seemingly endless supply of highly inedible fruitcake, and all the pounds you have to lose as a result of eating all the wonderful food! All you can do is take the good with the bad. . .
This is a two book task. Books with a main page genre of kids or childrens may NOT be used. Books with more than one author may NOT be used.
Book 1: Read a book with a GR average rating of 4.2 or higher with a minimum of 100 ratings.
Book 2: Read a book with a GR average rating of 3.2 or lower with a minimum of 100 ratings.
REQUIRED: The books MUST have a combined total of 500 pages
Thanks to Nicole, here's a link to a list of low rated books on GR - Worst Rated Books. That list also includes links to a number of lists of both low and high rated books.
25.8 - Amy "the book-bat"'s Task: It's Cookie Time!
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This is a TWO BOOK task. The combined total of pages must be at least 500 pages.
I have been a Girl Scout for over 40 years. I started in 1st grade as a Brownie and worked my way up through the ranks, eventually becoming a troop leader and even working at the council level. One of my biggest memories of being a Girl Scout is the annual cookie sale.
The cookie sale is the major fundraiser for troops to raise funds for activities such as camping or even travel. My troop earned enough money to take a trip to Mexico, and let me tell you, That's a lot of cookies!
Girl Scout cookies have been around in many different forms, beginning in 1917 when a troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma sold home baked cookies in their school cafeteria as a service project. In 1933, Girl Scouts of Greater Philadelphia became the first council to sell commercially baked cookies. By 1937, more than 125 Girl Scout councils were holding cookie sales. The cookie sale soon became adopted nationally and now thousands of troops across the United States sell cookies every February.
Book 1: Read a book that was first published in 1917, 1933, or 1937.
Currently, there are only two licensed bakers for Girl Scout Cookies, ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers. There are three mandatory cookie flavors: shortbread, peanut butter sandwich, and Thin Mints. The companies also offer 4 or 5 additional flavors that may change from year to year. Recently, they added a gluten-free option.
Book 2: Read a book with a cookie on the cover. You may use the list Cookies on the Cover for inspiration. The book does not have to be on the list - this is just to give you some ideas. REQUIRED: Include the cover in your post.
25.9 - Brooke TX's Task: Winter Solstice
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This is a two book task.
ONE book used for this task may have the MPG "Sequential Art," "Graphic Novel," "Comics," "Comic Book," or "Manga." Books with the MPGs of Graphic Novels, Comics, Manga, and Sequential Art are allowed for this task.
REQUIRED: Your Book 1 selection must have a higher page count than your Book 2 selection.
Book 1: Read a book with a title of at least two words, where the initial letters of all of the words in the title can be found in the phrase THE LONGEST NIGHT.
Book 2: Read a book with a title of at least two words, where the initial letters of all of the words in the title can be found in the phrase THE SHORTEST DAY.
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30.1 – Schatzie’s Task: Gotta love the Hero!
Help Thread
Hero: a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.
This is a two book task. Choose 2 different options and a read a book from each. REQUIRED: State which options you choose when posting.
Option 1: Katniss, Flavia de Luce, and Harry Potter are three of my favorite Young Adult heroes. Read a book with a mpg of Young Adult.
Option 2: Christopher Reeve (Superman) is one of my favorite actors who had significant roles as heroes. Read a book by an author who shares a first or last name of an actor who played a hero from this list of movies : Greatest Movie Heroes Only numbers 1 through 50 on the list can be used. The list is also found in post 4 of the Help Thread.
Names must match exactly, but may be found in any position - for example, Kim Harrison works for Harrison Ford.
REQUIRED: state the number on the list, and the actor when posting.
Opt. 3: I have loved so many different literature heroes. It’s hard to pick a favorite. But the ones that stand out the most are the ones from a series. Read a book from one of your favorite series (a series you have already started) that features a hero. This book must be new to you and cannot be #1 in a series.
REQUIRED: state that this book is new to you, that this is a series you have read before, and state the series name.
30.2. Amanda A's Task passed to Book Concierge: Feliz Navidad
Help Thread
I am Hispanic and grew up with many traditions of that culture. It was especially true at holidays, when we’d have traditional Mexican dishes for our meals, listen to Spanish carols, join with all the relatives, and celebrate with religious ceremonies. This task is about our Christmas celebrations.
REQUIRED: Books read for this task must total a minimum of 500 pages.
NO books with the main page genre “Childrens” or “Kids” allowed.
Read two books, from two different options. REQUIRED: State the options you are using.
Option A – Our Church was a big part of Christmas for us. My mother and several other women active in our largely Hispanic parish organized Las Posadas, a traditional celebration held in Mexico. Starting on Dec 16 and continuing nightly through Dec 24, parishioners re-enact Joseph & Mary’s search for lodging in Bethlehem. A different family hosts each evening, with the couple going to the door and singing a plea for shelter. In keeping with the Bible story, the hosts decline … but then everyone is invited in for a party, including food, drink, and – of course – a piñata for the children. The last evening the procession moves to the Church where Joseph and Mary are invited to make a bed in the stable. And then we celebrate midnight Mass.
Read a book by a single author whose first name is Joseph, Mary or Jesus. ONLY acceptable variations: Joe, Jose, Josef, Josephine, Josie, Maria, Marian, Marie, Marion, and Maryann. Author name as it appears on the Goodreads record for the book you are reading is the name used for this task.
Option B– For me Christmas really started when Mother began playing all her favorite Christmas albums – virtually nonstop. We listened to Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, and Barbra Striesand, of course. But her favorite Christmas album was Eydie Gorme y Los Panchos … at one point she bought five or six copies of that LP. When the CD came out she bought copies for each of us. I still play it when I’m putting up the Christmas tree and it always puts me in the holiday mood.
Read a book by a single author whose initials (including middle initial, if used) are in EYDIE GORME Y LOS PANCHOS (letters may be used only as often as they appear in the target phrase)
Option C – My mother, grandmothers and aunts did a LOT of cooking for Christmas (and other family feasts). From Thanksgiving to the weekend before Christmas I helped my mother bake a dozen of each kind of Christmas cookie and make three kinds of candy. Then when we got to Grandma’s house a couple of days before Christmas it was time to make the tamales. In later years, Mother stopped making all the cookies and candy, but still baked a rum cake. I don’t make tamales (you really need an assembly line), but I always buy them, and I DO make my mother’s rum cake. You can’t open Christmas presents without rum cake and tamales!
Read a book with FOOD or FOOD AND DRINK on the Goodreads main page genre list. May be stand alone or imbedded.
Option D: Not unique to my culture, but definitely true for everyone who celebrates just about any holiday, is the focus on family. Our gatherings were large. My mother had 9 brothers and sisters, eight of whom survived to adulthood. My father also had 9 brothers and sisters, of whom seven survived to adulthood. Each of my aunts and uncles had several children. We had to eat in shifts!
Read a book with FOUR or more people depicted on the cover. REQUIRED: Include the cover in your post.
Examples:
OPTIONAL: Enjoy some Christmas cookies while listening to Christmas carols and reading your book!
30.3 - Ava Catherine’s Task: Alpha and Omega
Help Thread
No books with the genre Childrens or Kids may be used.
Read two books, one from Book 1 and one from Book 2.
The page number total for both books must exceed 500 (i.e. must be 501 or greater).
Book 1:
Read a book with a one word title of at least four letters that begins and ends with the SAME vowel. For this task the qualifying vowels are A, E, I, O, U. (Y is NOT considered a vowel for this task.) Subtitles should be ignored.
examples:
Eventide: one word title is at least 4 letters and begins and ends with the same vowel e
Ohio: title is four letters and begins and ends with the same vowel o
Arcadia: one word title is at least 4 letters and begins and ends with the same vowel a
Book 2:
Read a book with a one word title of at least four letters that begins and ends with a consonant, which does NOT have to be the same consonant.
(Y is NOT considered a consonant for this task). Subtitles should be ignored.
examples:
Moonglow: title is at least 4 letters and begins and ends with consonants m&w
Gulag: A History: title is at least 4 letters and begins and ends with the consonant g
March: title is at least 4 letters and begins and ends with the consonants m&h
30.4 - Dulcinella's task: Shoes, Letters, and Pancakes (in Belgium)
Help Thread
My country - Belgium- has (as other countries) a lot of traditions.
In this task you can choose one winter tradition from my country and read two books for it. Fun fact: Belgium has 3 official languages, so books in 3 different languages!
Choose one winter tradition, and read book one and book two from that tradition. Both books MUST be from the same tradition. REQUIRED: State in your post the tradition you chose.
The minimum page count of every book is 200 p. and in total you need to read 500 p.
1. ‘Sinterklaas’
On the 6th of December ‘Sinterklaas’ passes by. On 5 December, children put their shoe close to the chimney with a carrot and piece of sugar (for the horse ), a glass of water for the saint and a cookie for his helper together with drawings they made. In return they will find tangerines, chocolate figures, toys and Speculaas ( kind of ginger cookie).
For this task, read
Book 1 - a book with a shoe on the cover. REQUIRED: Include the cover in your post.
AND
Book 2 - a book that is set at least 50% in Belgium or written by a Belgian author ( born in or living in). REQUIRED: If the setting country or author country is not clear from the GR description, metadata, or author bio, provide a reference to this information.
2. New Year
Another custom is the reading of ‘new years letters’. Each child between 3 and 12 learns/writes at school a few letters (to the parents, the godmother and godfather and eventually grandparents). In these letters, read aloud in front of the whole family at midnight on 1 January (or the days after), they wish the best for a new year and promise to behave nicely the coming year.
For this task read
Book 1 - a book from one of these lists
Epistolary Fiction.
Letters To and From
REQUIRED: Specify the list and page on which you found the book.
AND
Book 2 - read a book in which the page number contains at least two of these numbers 3 1 2. The page count must include at least 2 different numbers.
3. ‘Lichtmis’
February 2 is a feast for Mary, the day of candlemas . The song for this day sings :’There is no woman so poor that she doesn’t warm her pan on Candlemas.’
On this day the whole country eats pancakes.
For this task read
Book 1 - a book written by a woman AND with a woman as a main character. REQUIRED: Give the name of the main character.
AND
Book 2 - read a book with a main character or author named Maria, Mary, or Marie. No other variations may be used.REQUIRED: If using the main character choice, give the name of the main character.
Mod
Help Thread
I was looking for a challenge for next year and came across this site about reading books from around the world A Year of Reading the World. This task is inspired by this site but not confined to the books identified there
• Read 2 books
• Each book must be from a different Continent
• Neither book can be set in your own Country - please identify your own country when posting. For this purpose, "set in" includes ANY activity in your own country. Either book can be set on the Continent on which you live, as long as it is a different country.
• ALL books must be written by single authors
For purposes of this task, we will use the list from World Atlas Countries Listed by Continent. Although it is not on the list, Antarctica is also included as a continent, with only Antarctica as a "country."
If a book is set in a country that has been renamed, please provide a reference establishing that. For example, a book set in Zaire would work for the current country of Democratic Republic of Congo.
REQUIRED: If the setting country or author country is not clear from the GR description, metadata, or author bio, provide a reference to this information.
Book 1. Read a book that is SET IN or WRITTEN BY an author from a country starting with ANY letter of your READERBOARD name.
For purposes of this task, "set in" means that the book is completely set in the specific country, with only minor exceptions (such as a quick business trip to another country).
For purposes of this task, the author must have been born in a particular country to be "from" that country.
Book 2. Read a book that is SET IN or WRITTEN BY an author from a country starting with one of the initials of the author of Book 1, including middle initials..
For purposes of this task, "set in" means that the book is completely set in the specific country, with only minor exceptions (such as a quick business trip to another country).
For purposes of this task, the author must have been born in a particular country to be "from" that country.
Example: My readerboard name starts with M and I am from the UK.
For Book 1 I could choose to read
Like Water for Chocolate written by Laura Esquivel from Mexico (North America)
Book 2 could be The Merry Misogynist which is SET in Laos (Asia)
OR
The Crossing: A Story of East Timor by Luís Cardoso, which is Both set in and by an Author from East Timor (Asia)
30.6 - Dlmrose's Task: Naming Names
Help Thread
Read 2 books, one from Book 1 and one from Book 2.
Book 1: Read a book by a single author with a heroic name from this list of Hero Names. Names must match the bold blue leading entries exactly. See post 2 for a list of the names that can be used. The name may be found in any name position.
REQUIRED: State the name that you are using.
Book 2: Name your own hero
Using the Superhero Name Generator
Click “Get Hero Names” ONE time.
Record the results.
Read a book with a TITLE that includes one of the words, excluding THE, from the names generated. Subtitles are excluded. The word must match exactly.
Example
Generated names
The White Saviour
The Magical Panther
The Elegant Snipe
The Glorious Scorpion
Fancy Wolf
Captain Marked Phoenix
Master Green Hawk
Doctor Earthen Falcon
Marked Stranger
Alley Cat
ex. Midaq Alley from Alley Cat.
Required: State the 10 generated names and specify the one that you are using.
30.7 - TessaVanessa's Task: New Year, New You
Help Thread
With January comes the opportunity to start afresh, and people around the world resolve to change something in their lives for the better. Below is a list of some of the more popular New Year’s Resolutions people make.
This is 2 book challenge.
1. Eat better
2. Exercise more
3. Spend less money
4. Self care
5. Read more books
6. Learn a new skill
7. Get a new job
8. Make new friends
9. Get a new hobby
10. Focus more on appearance
Book 1: Pick one resolution and read a book that has all the letters in that resolution in the title/ subtitle. REQUIRED: State which resolution you used.
Examples: #1 - Eat Better - Eastern Standard Tribe
# 4 - Self Care - Hiddensee: A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker
#8 - Make New Friends - My Life with Bob: Flawed Heroine Keeps Book of Books, Plot Ensues
Book 2: Pick a different resolution and read a book that has a word of at least 3 letters from that resolution in the title/subtitle. Words must match exactly. REQUIRED: State which resolution you used.
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Help Thread
My first Hero is Hero Jarvis from the Sebastian St. Cyr series by C.S. Harris.
Book 1 – As the titles of the books in this series all begin with What, When, Why, Where, or Who, read a book with a title that begins with one of these words. Words must match exactly - no variations.
My second Hero is Hero Hollis from Trade Wind by M.M. Kaye.
Book 2 – As C.S. Harris and M.M. Kaye both use initials instead of a first name, read a book by a single author whose Goodreads name has just initials and a last name. Any number of initials may be present, but the name must consist only of initial(s) and a last name. For example, O Henry and J.R.R. Tolkien would work.
My third Hero is Hero Wantage from Friday's Child by Georgette Heyer.
Book 3 – As all these books are historical fiction, read a book with a main page genre of Historical Fiction.
The three books must total at least 750 pages.
No books with the genres children or kids on the main book page may be used.
Books whose main page lists any of these genres: Sequential Art, Comics, Comic Book, or Manga may not be used.
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The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Trade Wind (other topics)Friday's Child (other topics)
The Girl from the Train (other topics)
Airport (other topics)
The Corn Maiden and Other Nightmares (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Georgette Heyer (other topics)M.M. Kaye (other topics)
C.S. Harris (other topics)
O. Henry (other topics)
J.R.R. Tolkien (other topics)
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5 point tasks
5.1 - This and That
Help Thread
This, That, These and Those are demonstratives used grammatically to point to people and things.
Read a book with This, That, These or Those in the title or subtitle. Words must match exactly. That Summer, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay, In This Grave Hour
5.2 - The Book Flood Cometh
Help Thread
Iceland looks forward to Jólabókaflóð which translated means “The Book Flood of Christmas” the common practice of giving and receiving books as Christmas gifts. Read a book FIRST published in October, November or December of any year.
5.3 - Learn Your Name in Morse Code Day ... .-. -.-.
Help Thread
Learn Your Name in Morse Code Day is January 11, the anniversary of the first public demonstration of the electric telegraph. Or try Another translator
Read a book with ALL the letters in DOT DASH (including 2 Ds) in the title and/or subtitle
ex. The Outcast Dead, The Golden Tresses of the Dead, The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie
5.4 - A Dickens of a Christmas
Help Thread
December 19, 2018 is the 175th anniversary of the first publication of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Read a book with a main page genre of Holiday. The genre may be embedded or standalone.
5.5 - O? No!
Help Thread
Oh no, no O! Read a book written by a single author who does NOT have an O in his or her name.
ex. Stephen King, J.R. Ward
5.6 - Read Aloud
Help Thread
World Read Aloud Day is February 1. "on World Read Aloud Day, people all around the globe read aloud together and share stories to advocate for literacy as a human right that belongs to all people." Read a NONFICTION book about literacy, education or reading.
ex. True Notebooks: A Writer's Year at Juvenile Hall
Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire: The Methods and Madness Inside Room 56,
Tolstoy and the Purple Chair: My Year of Magical Reading,
Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Our Stories, Discovering Ourselves
5.7 - Crimson And Clover
Help Thread
February 1, 1969, Tommy James and the Shondells started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Crimson And Clover'. Read a book with a three-word TITLE that includes "AND" or "&". Subtitles are excluded. Brownies & Betrayal, Fire & Blood, Night and Day
5.8 - Go Short
Help Thread
Friday, December 21 is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest night of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.
Read an anthology or collection of at least 3 short stories, novellas, or essays (or any combination). It should be clear from the Goodreads main page that the book is a collection or anthology: genre, title, description, etc. The anthology or collection may be by a single author or by multiple contributors.
5.9 - Acts of Heroism
Help Thread
The Bronze Star Medal was established by Executive Order 9419 on 4 February 1944 and is the 5th highest combat decoration in the US Armed Forces. It is awarded for acts of heroism or merit under combat, and can be awarded to members of any of the Armed Forces of the United States of America.
Read a book with a main character or subject who is an active-duty or former member of the armed forces of any nation (real or imagined).
ex. Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest, On Basilisk Station, Forever Blue
Required: If the military connection is not obvious from the book's main page include a reference when you post.
5.10 - Book Blitz
Help Thread
January is Book Blitz Month. Get started on your 2019 reading resolutions and read a book of your choice that meets SRC rules. Note: A Book with the genre "children" or "kids" NOT found in AR Bookfinder MAY be used for this task. Required: If using this exemption, state that the book is not found in ARBookFinder.