Play Book Tag discussion
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2016-19 Activities & Challenges
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PBT Horizons—December Planning and Reporting
Hmmm... need to figure out what to do with this. Do I own anything? Research time...
I really liked In the Time of the Butterflies. It was my first audio book when I joined audible.I had a plan to read extra horizon books early in the year in case I was too busy now. I read 13 horizon books already, and at least 30 other books from or about countries other than England or the US, so I might skip this one.
Joanne, if you love your book, I might find myself reading it during my annual pajama days after Xmas. This time was traditionally used for classic films, and started in high school when my richer friends were off on fancy vacations.
Here are some list I foundhttps://www.goodreads.com/places/362-...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.google.com/search?q=books...
NancyJ wrote: "I had a plan to read extra horizon books early in the year in case I was too busy now. I read 13 horizon books already, and at least 30 other books from or about countries other than England or th..."
Nancy have you read In the Time of the Butterflies ? It is on the same subject matter, I read it earlier in the year and adored it! Great PJ day book!
So this is the tag I think I am going to have the most trouble with. Even considering doing the unthinkable... I have never missed a challenge any month, and the idea of deliberately choosing to skip something may not be something I can tolerate. But the thought has crossed my mind. Thank you Joanne for all the lists. Nothing particularly called. There is a piece of trash called Forgotten Paradise, and at this point, that may be my number one. Another book came up on google. House of Salt and Sorrows. That would be my number one, but nowhere does it specify that the setting is in the DR. Does anyone have info on this or other suggestions?
NancyJ wrote: "I had a plan to read extra horizon books early in the year in case I was too busy now. I read 13 horizon books already, and at least 30 other books from or about countries other than England or the US, so I might skip this one...."
I read 2 extra in January as a cushion, but I already used them -- so we'll see. As my goal is reading from my TBR Towers for Horizons...I must have something set in the Dominican Republic, if only some thriller.
Joanne wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "I had a plan to read extra horizon books early in the year in..."Butterflies....."
Yes, I liked it a lot. I must have been editing my post when you wrote this one. It didn’t fully explain the corruption that preceded their resistance work, so I might want to read the book you mentioned too.
Amy wrote: "So this is the tag I think I am going to have the most trouble with. Even considering doing the unthinkable... I have never missed a challenge any month, and the idea of deliberately choosing to sk..."Have you read ITTOButterflies-I think you would like it
Here's a couple I have heard/seen much about: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
How the García Girls Lost Their Accents - another Julia Alvarez
I also found this intriguing children's book by Julia Alvarez - she of In The Time of Butterflies: The Secret Footprints - the illustrations look like they will be lovely. This is probably going to be my choice.
And then there is this source I found - there is a bit of everything on this list - from historical romance to travel guides:
https://www.mappit.net/bookmap/countr.... There are some really fascinating books on this list -- of 337 books set in the Dominican Republic.
I haven't been doing all of these this year, and this is another I'll be skipping. I am looking for items already on my tbr, and I don't have anything for this one. Unless someone mentions something that really catches my eye,I suppose.
Joanne wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "I had a plan to read extra horizon books early in the year in case I was too busy now. I read 13 horizon books already, and at least 30 other books from or about countries other tha..."
Thats the one im planning on read if i can get a copy of it.
I found something that I think will be perfect. Song of the Water Saints! Look it up.
Amy wrote: "I found something that I think will be perfect. Song of the Water Saints! Look it up."I just put that on my wish list, because it sounded good.
Rachel N. wrote: "My library had In the Time of the Butterflies so that's what I'll be reading."I am pretty sure you will like, if not love it
Amy wrote: "I found something that I think will be perfect. Song of the Water Saints! Look it up."OOh ... that sounds interesting. Don't know if I can fit it in, but definitely adding it to my TBR
I think I'll be reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - looks interesting. been on and off my TBR.
These are both Dominican republic? I will look them up. I ordered the song of the water saints at my library.
Amy wrote: "These are both Dominican republic? I will look them up. I ordered the song of the water saints at my library."No-damn wrong thread-those are tag books-moving it
I am planning to read: What about Your Saucepans? by Lindsay De Feliz. I'm in the mood for some non fiction and a biography will be enjoyable (I hope) - sounds fascinating anyway.262 Pages
Does not fit Dec TAG
The Secret Footprints by Julia AlvarezCulture: Dominican Republic. 4 stars
Acclaimed writer Julia Alvarez retells the legend of the ciguapas, as she first heard it during her childhood in the Dominican Republic, beautifully illustrated by Fabian Negrin.
Ciguapas live in caves under the water, coming out only at night to hunt for food. This tribe look just like humans on the island, with golden skin and long black hair, except they are exceptionally beautiful and their feet are on backwards. Humans have not discovered them because their footsteps can't be followed. The story tells about a young ciguapas so intrigued by humans that she meets a little boy and tastes pastelitos, a local stuffed pastry, before escaping back to her home underwater.
Definitely reminiscent of the Little Mermaid!
If anyone wants to read this, I am happy to mail it to you.
December Horizons - Dominican Republic 
The Feast of the Goat - Mario Vargas Llosa - 4 Stars
The Feast of the Goat takes its title from the nickname for Generalissimo Rafael Trujillo, the dictator whose 30-year reign of terror in the Dominican Republic ended with his assassination in 1961. Trained by the Marines, and a longtime anti-Communist client of the American government, Trujillo eventually became an isolated pariah. Like the younger Castro, whom the clean-cut, right-wing general despised, Trujillo encouraged a cult of personality that made him more than a simple head of state.
The novel has three parallel narrative threads. In the first, set in 1996, a woman whose father was a member of the Trujillo government is returning to the DR from the US for the first time in over 30 years. Through her eyes we see the long-term impact of the dictatorship. The other two narratives are set in 1961. One follows Trujillo's final day from the moment he wakes up, and the other follows the group of assassins and each one's motive for wanting Trujillo dead. In each case there are flashbacks to fill in the picture of a country that lived through thirty years of brutality and corruption.
I actually found myself fascinated by the Trujillo thread. We meet him in the last hours of his life, old, embittered and suffering from incontinence but he still sees himself as a soldier and regards the Haitians across the border as heathens to be purged and murdered. For more than three decades, Trujillo ruled the Dominican Republic with an iron fist. He cured the "Haitian problem" by having between 10,000 and 15,000 Haitians slaughtered.
There are extremely disturbing sexual and torture scenes that described his reign of terror. I had to skim some of those because they were just too much for me. Trujillo was an incredibly evil man but if you are interested in Caribbean politics this is a compelling read. I will definitely read another of Vargas Llosa's books. It's easy to see why he won the 2010 Nobel prize for literature.
December - Dominican Republic - fits monthly tagHow the Garcia Girls Lost their Accent by Julia Alvarez
This story is about the Garcia family who were forced to leave the Dominican Republic with their four young daughters. The chapters start in 1989 and work their way back to the year 1956 when the children were young. We see how the family has settled in America with very little and have taken on its culture over time. However, a much different life is shown when they were living in the Dominican Republic. On this beautiful island they were part of an important family and had fancy things, but their actions were more restricted.
The author shows generational, cultural and economic differences within the family and society. It is how the Garcias adjust to this over time that makes the book.
Note To Nicole: I am forgoing Dom. Republic and using another culture this month-Culture: Spain
I loved Ruta Sepetys Salt to the Sea, so it was a no-brainier to grab this one when I saw it available at my library.
The story begins in the late 1950's, when Franco held sway over Spain and continues through Franco's death . It follows the life of a family of children, whose parents were both swept up in the violence of the Civil War. It asks the profound question of "Why are children held responsible for the actions of their parents."
Intertwined into this is the story of a young Texan who visits Madrid with his parents, his mother being a Spaniard who escaped before the war. The wealth and influence of the family sticks out like a sore thumb in the dictatorship world of Franco.
Sepetys is a YA author, who many call a "cross-over" author, meaning an author who appeals to adults as well. Her stories are gentle enough for the younger set, but deep and impeccably researched. Some may not like the writing style she uses: There are many points of view, which continuously jump from chapter to chapter. Many of the chapters are only 1 or 2 pages long. In IMO, because there are so many characters involved in this story, this style works well. You never lose track of what is going on with each character, and the connections between characters is never lost.
I wanted this to be a 5 star-but as the story closed I found the ending contrived and was not fully satisfied. The final 20 pages offer Author's notes, research data, and pictures of life in Franco's Spain. All of this was much appreciated.
Inuit cultureThe Right To Be Cold: One Woman's Story of Protecting Her Culture, the Arctic and the Whole Planet / Sheila Watt-Cloutier
3.5 stars
Sheila Watt-Cloutier was born in a Northern Quebec Inuit community and raised by her mother and her grandmother. She was sent away to school in Churchill, and (mostly) enjoyed her time there. She later married, had kids, and went back and forth between her home in Northern Quebec and the southern part of the province.
Eventually, she would become an activist; she is most commonly associated with environmental activism, but really she is an activist for her Inuit culture, for education and health care, and yes, for the environment and climate change, and how it is currently affecting the Inuit culture and lifestyle. They are seeing the effects of climate change now, and they feel that they deserve “the right to be cold” – they need that cold – in order to sustain their traditional culture.
This was good. I expected more of the environmental aspect in the book (and a lot of that did come in the 2nd half), but actually ended up enjoying the biographical part of the book best. Much of the 2nd half of the book included her travels to various conferences and counsels to tell the story of the Inuit to put a “human face” on the environmental crisis in the Arctic. Surprising to me, I just didn’t find that part as interesting. Overall, though, I liked it.
Song of the Water Saints by Nellie Rosario - 2 stars
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. With PBT, I pick things up that I never would have, and I am so grateful. The Dominican Republican tag led me to this one. I think its very possible that others would love this. I have in mind Book Concierge who has a hispanic book group. I will mail it to you, or to anyone if they like.
Four generations of Dominican women are traced through years of oppression and early dominican life to the woman who holds the generations and the stories in her cells, whether she knows the stories or not. The women who were her history are depicted in this novel. Not my cup of tea. But probably a quite good cup nonetheless.
The Color of My Words by Lynn JosephDecember - Dominican Republic
3 stars
Twelve-year-old Ana Rosa lived with her family in a small Domincan Republic village. She was especially close with her older brother Guario, a handsome young man who worked at the local restaurant and provided all of the money for his family. Ana had dreams of becoming a writer and she spent hours composing stories and poems on any piece of paper she could find. Guario encouraged Ana's talent while their mother despaired that Ana's writing could lead to great difficulty during the unsettled political atmosphere of the time. Politics would play a big role in Ana's story and ultimately led to a tragedy for Ana's family and the entire village.
Each chapter of the book begins with a poem that is evocative of the part of the story to follow. The characters are interesting and I loved the interaction between Ana and Guario. This is a young adult novel with a few surprisingly mature themes.
I'm very behind, this month is crunch time.The Telling Room
A Tale of Love, Betrayal, Revenge, and the World's Greatest Piece of Cheese
by Michael Paterniti
3 stars
culture: Spain (from October)
349 pages
As a recent graduate from writing program Paterniti helped edit the newsletter of an upscale deli in Michigan. He helped craft the description and story of an artisanal Spanish cheese which took on a life of its own in his mind. Years later, as a freelance and magazine travel writer, he makes the opportunity to travel to the small town of Guzman in Castile, Spain to find the cheese maker and hear his story. That cheese maker is Ambroisio, who is a character with a capital "C".
I came to this book for the cheese, and Paterniti didn't disappoint. His description of the town and the region was also lovely. All that came to, maybe, 100 pages. The book is 349 pages. The rest is reflective of a writing program graduate used to flowery magazine articles meeting an old-fashioned, tall tales, oral storyteller. It got a little convoluted. The 100 pages mainly focused on the year or two Paterniti visited and his family lived in the town, as part of a book contract that he utterly failed to meet. The rest covered about 10 years that he took to finish the story, mixing his feelings of modernity and fatherhood and philosophy. Those parts weren't my cup of tea (or, to be accurate to why I picked up the book, my wedge of cheese.) I did finish and enjoy the book and am more excited about crafting my traditional Christmas Eve cheese platter than ever. I wouldn't recommend it for a foodie, but for a fan of memoirs and/or literature.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar WaoDominican Republic
4.5 stars
This is the story of three generations of a dominican family. The story moves back and forth between the times and family members. A curse of bad luck - a 'fuku' - is shadowing this family.
Oscar and his sister Lola, who are immigrant's kids living in New Jersey are the main heros. Oscar himself is a young, overweight and extremely nerdy man who wants to find love. or at least not die a virgin.
Their mum, and their grandparents stories intertwined.
And a lot of Dominican Republic history - of 20th century Trujillo's dictatorship.
I thought it was a great way to hide history lesson in a rich, funny, chaotic and of course very painful
I loved it. I have a weakness for this type of writing - high language mixed with slang, swear words, spanish, geek references.
I was listening to the book, and it was read beautifully by Lin-Manuel Miranda (although there's some error at the end). I also had an ebook which I read with Google Play Books. The magic there is that they have a translation feature (between any languages basically). It's not great translation, but good enough to get the gist most of the time.
The Feast of the Goat-- Vargas Llosa 4 stars I was introduced to the Trujillo years when I read In the Time of the Butterflies. The fate of the Mirabel sisters was one of the catalysts that led to his assassination and the end of his oppressive dictatorship. In this book, I learned even more about this very bad man and the people that got sucked into his tyrannical rule, both willing and unwilling. The book has 3 storylines. The first follows Trujillo 31 years into his reign, on the last day of his life. He is a 70 year old very angry man who still controls the people around him with fear and bribery. The second follows the men who plot his assassination, and provides their backstories that led them to gamble everything to take him down. The third is the story of Urania who left the Dominican 30+years ago, just a few weeks before the assassination. She has come to see her dying father, to make sure he and the rest of her family understand why she left and never responded to their letters etc.
This book was not an easy read. It is very dense; there are many characters with interweaving storylines that required focus; and the human toll of the Trujillo years is a major part of the story (contains descriptions of murders, torture and rape). Yet it is an outstanding piece of historical fiction. I came to understand the assassins and Urania within that place and time. Why not 5 stars? I thought the aftermath of the assassination dragged on a bit. I appreciate how the "puppet president" became a shrewd and calculating leader, but it felt a bit like an appendix.
Amy wrote: "Song of the Water Saints by Nellie Rosario - 2 starsSometimes you win, sometimes you lose. With PBT, I pick things up that I never would have, and I a..."
Would love to read this, Amy. I'll pm you my address if you're still willing to send it to me. Wait until after new year ... as we're leaving for Texas in two days.
November's Horizon- Native AmericansWhere the Dead Sit Talking- Brandon Hobson -3 stars
I so wanted to like Brandon Hobson's novel Where the Dead Sit Talking and am surprised that I didn't.
I liked reading it and his writing. I found the characters, young Sequoyah and Rosemary to be interesting and believable. It was an extremely sad story which I expected as it is about Native American foster children. My problem was the climax of the book. It threw me off and I can't quite justify it.
Sad for me as this was a book which I wanted to read from the first day of 2019.
If I want to fill up the rest of my Horizon list with books I read during the year - should I put their names here? or will there be a catch up thread?
December - Dominican RepublicThe Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
4 stars
***Audio***
Is this magical realism? If it is then it is one of the first magical realism books that I've actually liked, could it have been the fact that I listened to it rather than read it?
My guess is that I enjoyed it so much because it was narrated so wonderfully. I had no clue who was the narrator while I was listening but I had a passing thought... could it be, is it... I was right, the narrator is Lin-Manuel Miranda. He did an amazing job!
His reading immediately captured me in the story. I was invested, I wanted to know what happened to Oscar. My heart broke for him. The details and descriptions allowed me to immediately picture him in my mind's eye. I loved Lin-Manuel's take on how he talked. It made me giggle numerous times.
The writing itself I enjoyed because I loved the sprinkling of nerd-isms throughout. So much fun! And it allowed me to relate to it and Oscar even more.
I can't believe I'm saying it, but I loved this magical realism book!
December - Dominican RepublicBefore We Were Free by Julia Alvarez
4 stars
Anita, 11, tells the story of a year in her life in the Dominican Republic at the time of the plotting and assassination of General Trujillo and the subsequent reign of terror of Trujillo's son. At the beginning as her uncle's family, especially her favorite cousin, abruptly depart the DR for the US she does not understand the political situation. With her father and another uncle becoming more involved she begins to understand the fear and danger her family is in. After the assassination and round up of conspirators, including her father and uncle, she and her mother go into hiding and are at the mercy of friends and US officials trying to get them to safety.
A well written story from a child's point of view at living through a fight for freedom.
December - Dominican RepublicIn the Time of the Butterflies
5 Stars
A fictionalized tale of three women murdered in the Dominican Republic for their revolutionary work against the despot Gen. Rafael Leonidas Trujillo's brutal dictatorship. This story, which the writer admits is wholly made up, provides intimate understanding of each sister, with the story being told through each at different times. Each comes to the revolution for different reasons, but they all understand what they are undertaking. Their husbands are arrested, and they are moved to a far away prison, and the women were murdered on the way to visit them. They are survived by their sister, Bebe, who brings the children up, providing them hope and love where it was so hard to find.
The story, so familiar yet hauntingly repeated throughout the world, is like the dream Patria has after her father dies - it continues but the faces change each time. The anniversary of the women's murder has been named the International Day Against Violence Towards Women - November 25.
Why did I not know of these women? or of this day dedicated to them? and what does that say about our society and the value of women who spoke when others did not.
In the Time of the Butterflies - Julia Alvarez - 4 starsCulture: Dominican Republic
This time last year I was shocked on reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao to discover how totally ignorant I was about the Dominican Republic and the horrors of the Trujillo regime. This book was a welcome opportunity to find out more, and provided lots of detail about the pressure to comply and the dangers faced by those who did not. The author fled the Dominican Republic as a child with her parents and her own three sisters the same year the ‘Mariposas’ were killed for daring to resist the regime.
This is the type of historical fiction that I really like: a blend of fact and fiction that provides an in-depth examination of what it feels like to live in a particular time and place, focusing largely on what drives particular individuals to make the choices they do. I enjoyed reading about these four very different sisters and how their personal journeys unfolded. The edition I read had a postscript by the author, explaining her decision to imagine the sisters as fully human, scared, and fallible, reclaiming “the sisters of legend, wrapped in superlatives and ascended into myth” to prevent us from “dismissing the challenge of their courage as impossible for us, ordinary men and women.” I felt that she achieved this goal beautifully.
I'm not sure whether this is the right place for this comment, but as I've just reported my last book for this challenge I'm thinking about how much I'm going to miss it and how great it has been - thank you so much to everyone involved - the organisers, those who suggested great topics, and everyone who shared excellent reading suggestions and reviews - I have learned so much from doing this and also discovered some great books that I wouldn't otherwise have picked up. Thank you!!!
Dominicana by Angie CruzCulture: Dominican Republic
A vivid portrayal of Dominican culture through the eyes of a young country girl. Ana grows up in a tight-knit family in the country side. Everything changes when, at 15, she marries a much older Domnican man who moves her to New York.
Ana's experience is sadly marked by domestic violence and near poverty. There is a jarring dissonance between her lived reality vs the expectations of her family - her mother in particular.
In spite of difficulties, Ana works to learn English, to earn her own money and in the end I think finds some equilibrium.
The book is set in the early 60's, post Trujillo, and political unrest in DR is the constant backdrop to the story.
Overall a well-written book.
Reservation Bluesby Sherman Alexie
3 stars
Culture: Native American (November)
306 pages
On the Spokane Indian Reservation an older, not-dead Robert Johnson shows up looking to rid himself of the fabled Satan-given guitar. Storyteller Thomas Builds-the-Fire gives him a ride to see Big Mom and the guitar is left in the truck. Thomas is a storyteller, though, so the guitar passes to Victor Joseph and along with Junior Polatkin the band Coyote Springs is born. Later Chess and Checkers Warm Water of the Flathead Indian Reservation join on piano and back-up vocals and together Coyote Springs struggles for survival.
Alexie came up as most of the top ten shelved Native American, partly because this novel is from 1995 and it's not the first so he's got decades of work but mostly because he is a great writer. This novel is heartbreaking. There's enough dark humor I didn't descend into a blubbering mess, but there were individual tears and a physical ache in my heart. Not the best jolly Christmas novel (though it does have more Catholic religion than my secular holiday) but this or another novel by Alexie is worth reading.
DECEMBER - Dominican RepublicMonthly tag - No
The Secret Footprints – Julia Alvarez – 5*****
This children’s picture book tells the Dominican Republic legend of the ciguapas – a race of extraordinarily beautiful people who live in caves beneath the sea and come onto land only at night. Fabian Negrin’s illustrations are rich and atmospheric, taking me straight to the tropics.
My full review HERE
December Horizons - Dominican RepublicMonthly Tag: No
Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez
A companion novel to Alvarez' How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, Before We Were Free is a young adult or middle grade book that tells the story of Anita de la Torre, a 12-year-old cousin of the Garcia girls. Anita and her family stayed behind in the 1960s Dominican Republic when the Garcia girls emigrated to America.
Anita's father, mother, uncle, and others were directly involved in the resistance against the dictator Trujillo. They organized against the dictator and some family members suffered the consequences when the plot was revealed. The story is told from the point of view of Anita, including some chapters of her diary entries.
The predicament of the family, the fear of those trying to free their country from an unjust ruler, and the desperation when the government begins arresting and punishing the revolutionaries are all clearly outlined and described in this book. Julia Alvarez also wrote In The Time of the Butterflies, which I plan to read (the Butterflies that are the subject of that book are also mentioned in this book).
Hi all, I will be closing out this thread and the challenge ON NEW YEAR’S DAY! I will be finalizing all of the scores and awarding all of the participation points!Please do two things:
1) Be sure to post your lingering reviews by 10:00am on January first.
2) Please review the scoring spreadsheet and PM me any discrepancies by that same time. That will be your final date to contest anything!
The link to the spreadsheet can be found at: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...!
December Horizons - DominicaThe Secret Footprints - Alvarez
4 stars
Beautiful illustrations of a Dominican legend. I’d never heard of the mythical ciguapas before. Guapa, the bold and beautiful, is an antidote to Andersen’s little mermaid. She doesn’t allow her curious fascination with humans to lure her away from life she is meant to live. It’s a good read aloud story made better by the illustrations.
Looks like I'm going to miss this one but, since I had two for one of the earlier Horizons, I think I'm OK.
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Play Book Tag
Books mentioned in this topic
Sulphuric Acid (other topics)Half of a Yellow Sun (other topics)
Out Stealing Horses (other topics)
The Feast of the Goat (other topics)
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Angie Cruz (other topics)Junot Díaz (other topics)
Brandon Hobson (other topics)
Mario Vargas Llosa (other topics)
Julia Alvarez (other topics)
More...
Dominican Republic, nominated by Joanne and Barbara!
This thread will be used for a couple of purposes:
• Announcing the culture (done!)
• Planning and discussing what books you would like to read (let the planning commence!)
• Reviewing your books starting December 1 . Books read and reviewed before that will not count.
Finally, if you want to read a book for the culture challenge in December, but it does NOT fit Dominican Reepublic, that is totally fine too! You can still review it here for one participation point. Books that DO fit the Dominican Republic culture will receive two participation points.
Will everyone please put at the top of their review the culture they are reading for, whether it is Dominican Republic or another culture just to help me with scoring and to serve as a guide for others who are reading your review. Thanks!
Previous months culture themes
January - Iraq
February - Portugal
March - South Korea
April - Italy
May - Brazil
June - Greece
July - Syria
August - Australia
September - Egypt
October - Spain
November - Native American
December - Dominican Republic
Clarification of Reporting Guidelines
The goal of the Expanding Your PBT Horizons Challenge is to read 12 books from other cultures throughout the year, which means you can read one a month or all 12 in January or any conceivable combination between the two. However, there are monthly culture themes added to the mix which makes for some unique reporting conflicts that the admins did not think of when posting the challenge. Thank you to Nancy for pointing it out!
The admins spoke and we tried to make this as fair and as simple as possible, so here are the three easy points to follow:
1) Each month there is a culture theme. If you choose to read for the theme—which is not mandatory—then you must read your book that fits that theme and post the review within the assigned month. You will receive 2 participation points per review and you can read more than 1 book, but each book counts toward your ultimate cap of 12 books for the year. *you can read more than 12 books if you like, but you only get points for this challenge for up to 12*
2) For books you read for the Culture Challenge that do not fit the monthly culture theme, you can do one of two things:
2a) You can post the books each month as you read them and simply label them as not fitting the monthly culture theme and stating what culture they fit. However, there are no "take backs" and once you report a book this way for 1 participation point, it counts to your total of 12 books.
2b) Alternatively, if you want to try to maximize your reads for the monthly culture theme, you can read other cultures throughout the year and wait to report them until late in December for 1 participation point each. An important point to this though is that even if you read a book in April and have been holding off on reporting it until the end of the year and then it happens to fit the December culture, you still only get 1 participation point for it because you did not read it in December.
Also, this only applies for the Culture Challenge. You should still write a review and post it in the monthly tag or nonmonthly tag folder in the month that you read it for regular PBT participation points.