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FALL CHALLENGE 2020
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Fall Challenge 2020: Tasks
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10.1 - Let's Go to the Theatre
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Read a book with all the letters of THEATRE found in the title. Titles only. Subtitles are excluded.
10.2 - Avenue Q
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Avenue Q, a musical comedy, won the Best Musical, Book, and Original Score at the 2004 Tony Awards. Read a book with the letter Q or the letters AVE intact in the title/subtitle or author's name.
10.3 - Wicked
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Wicked, a Broadway musical based on the 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire is retelling of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Nominated for the 2004 Best Book, Best Musical, and Best Original Score it ultimately lost to Avenue Q. The show is currently (sort of) running at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London's West End and at the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway.
Read a book with a title of 3 or more words in which the initial letter of each word can be found in APOLLO VICTORIA and/or GERSHWIN. Letters may only be used as many times as they appear in the theatre names. Subtitles should be ignored.
10.4 - The Wiz
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The Wiz is another Broadway retelling of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz but this time in the context of contemporary African American culture. The musical won 7 of the 8 categories it was nominated for at the 1975 Tony Awards.
Read a book found on the African American Books list.
Required: State which page the book can be found on when you post.
10.5 - Hamilton
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From its opening, Hamilton has received much critical acclaim and developed a devoted audience. it won eight Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical, and received a record 16 nominations and won 11 awards, including Best Musical, at the 2016 Tony Awards. The show casts non-white actors as the Founding Fathers and other historical figures and is described by creator Lin-Manuel Miranda as about "America then, as told by America now."
Read a book with a series title that begins with a letter in POC. For this task, articles (a, an, the) may be ignored.
Ex: The Twelve (The Passage #2); Rosemary and Rue (October Daye #1); Arsenic and Old Books (Cat in the Stacks #6)
10.6 - Hobbit Day
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September 22 is is a day to celebrate J.R.R. Tolkien's most lovable and heroic characters, the Hobbit. The Hobbit, or There and Back Again has an average of 4.27 stars over 2,841,048 ratings on Goodreads. Celebrate Hobbit Day by reading a popular book (100,000+ ratings) that has an average rating of 4.00 stars or higher.
10.7 - National Comic Book Day
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September 25 is National Comic Book Day. Read a book with the MPG Sequential Art.
10.8 - Trick or Treat
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October 31 marks All Hallows’ Eve, or Halloween. Let's pop some corn, eat some candy, and snuggle up to the otherworldly. Read a book with the MPG Horror, Paranormal, or Supernatural. Genres may be standalone or embedded.
10.9 - Rock the Vote
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November 3 is election day in the US. Read a book that has at least two numbers from 11/3 found in the year the book was first published. Ex: 2013, 2011, 1991, 1983, etc.
10.10 - Square Dance Day
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November 29 is Square Dance Day. A square dance is a dance for four couples (eight dancers in total) arranged in a square, with one couple on each side, facing the middle of the square. Read a book that has a 2-, 4-, or 8-word title. All words count. Spaces determine words. Subtitles should be ignored.
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15.1 - Tinker to Evers to Chance
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Chicago Cubs shortstop Joe Tinker, second baseman Johnny Evers and first baseman Frank Chance recorded the first baseball double play on September 15, 1902
Read 2 books, 1 book 1 and 1 book 2.
Book 1- Tinker to Evers
Read a book with a two word title.
Book 2 - Evers to Chance
Read a book with a two word title where the first word is the 2nd word in book 1’s title.
Example:
Skin Deep
Deep Blue
15.2 - Obie Awards
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The American Theatre Wing joined the Village Voice to co-present the Obie Awards and salute excellence in off-Broadway and off-off Broadway theatre.
Read 2 books, 1 book 1 and 1 book 2.
Book 1: Read a book with OFF found intact in the title or subtitle.
Off the Page, An Officer and a Spy
Book 2: Read a book with OFF found intact in the author’s name.
Alice Hoffman
15.3 - Abracadabra!
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National Magic Day recognizes the thrill of seeing the performance art of illusions. It is observed on the anniversary of magician Harry Houdini's death on October 31, 1926.
Required: Identify the option.
Option 1, Read 2 books, book 1 and book 2.
Book 1: Read a book with a main page genre of Magic or Magical Realism. The genre may be standalone or embedded.
Book 2: Read a book written by an author with a 2-part name where both names begin with the same letter, i.e. Ace Atkins, Laura Lippman
Option 2, Read 1 book that fulfills the requirements of both Book 1 and Book 2 in option 1.
ex. Circe by Madeline Miller, Conjure Women by Afia Atakora
15.4 - And I Did It My Way
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Required: Identify the option.
Option 1, Read 2 books, book 1 and book 2.
Book 1: November is National Memoir Writing Month.
Read a memoir or autobiography- a nonfiction account of the author's own life. The Memoir or Autobiography genre must be present on the book's main page or it must be clear from the book's subtitle or description, ex. "A Memoir". An author's collaboration with a co-author will work, ex. Notes from a Young Black Chef: A Memoir by Kwame Onwuachi and Joshua David Stein.
Book 2: From Six-Word Memoirs:
"Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in only six words. His response? “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” In November 2006, Larry Smith, founder of SMITH Magazine, gave the six-word novel a personal twist by asking his community to describe their lives in exactly six words."
"Immigrants, we get the job done." - Lin-Manuel Miranda
Read a book with a six-word title. Ignore subtitles.
Option 2: Read 1 book that fulfills the requirements of both Book 1 and Book 2 in option 1.
ex. Stories I Only Tell My Friends
15.5 - Get The Word Out
Help Thread
September is Shameless Self-Promotion Month - All authors could use a little more promotion - no shame!
Read a book written by a Goodreads Author- an author enrolled in the Goodreads Author Program. On the book’s main page, (Goodreads Author) must follow the author’s name. Pseudonyms of Goodreads Authors only work if they are identified as a Goodreads Author. Books written by more than one author work if all are Goodreads Authors.
15.6 - Add To Cart
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Cyber Monday has been the beginning of the online Christmas shopping season. Traditionally the Monday after Thanksgiving, but under the current conditions every day of the week is now Cyber Monday.
Read a book with a day of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc. found in the title or subtitle. Plurals and possessives work.
Dark Saturday, Sweet Tea Tuesdays, Monday's Child
15.7 - The Toniest Award
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The Tony Awards were named for Antoinette Perry, an actress, director, producer, and a leader of the American Theatre Wing.
Read a book by an author named Tony or any of the related names found at Behind The Name such as Anthony, Nina, or Tonya. The name must be in the first name position.
15.8 - Pop!
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October is National Popcorn Poppin' Month. Most of the world's popcorn is grown in the United States in the states that form the "corn belt".
Read a book set at least 50% in ONE of these USDA corn belt states: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska.
Required: If the setting is not evident include a reference to establish how the book fits the task.
15.9 - How Ya Doin'?
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October 19 is Evaluate Your Life Day. A day to take stock, evaluate your progress, and take action to make change.
Read a book that you added to your To-read list between January 1, 2020 and June 30, 2020. Your To-read list may be your GR shelf, a custom GR shelf, or an off-GR list.
Required: State the date the book was added to your list.
15.10 - Be Our Guest
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The first Tony Awards were held in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York in 1947.
Read a book where a hotel* is the location or center of the action of the book. *Hotel includes hotel, motel, inn, guest house, bed and breakfast, hostel, cruise ship or guest resort. The location must be significant to the book's plot or subject and be evident on the book's main page in the title, description, metadata, or first page reviews.
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20.1 - Most Improved - Rockynook's Task: Back to School
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As a high school teacher, going back to school in the midst of COVID has proven to be a little stressful, but also an opportunity for so many new beginnings!
In honor of this crazy new school year, read a book from one of the following options. This is a one book task.
Required: State which option you chose when posting.
Option 1: A new school year brings new faces into my classroom and the promise for new adventures!
For this option, start a new series by a new-to-you author. The series can be of any length, but should be listed as #1 in the series on Goodreads.
Required: State the author is new to you.
Option 2: With blended learning, hybrid schedules, and new procedures and policies…the motto we’ve adopted this school year is “FLEXIBILITY.”
For this option, read a book by a single author whose first and last initials are found in the word FLEXIBILITY. Middle initials can be ignored. You can only use the letters as many times as they appear in the word.
Option 3: Although a book lover at heart, as a math teacher I spend my days in the world of numbers.
For this option, read a book that has at least one number in the title. Subtitles should be ignored. The number must be a digit from 0-9. Titles where numbers are spelled out will not be accepted. For example, Summer of '69, 1984
20.2 - Rookie at the Top: NO TASK
20.3 – Best Review - Book Concierge – Banned Books Week
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Each September the American Library Association celebrates freedom of thought and expression by highlighting those books that have been challenged or banned. This year Banned Books Week Begins Sep 27 and lasts through Oct 3.
Restrictions:
Book must be a minimum of 250 pages.
NO book with the MPG “childrens” or “kids” even if it appears on the list.
Read a book from this list: Best Banned Censored and Challenged Books
Required: State the page and the number on the list of your book.
20.4 - Golden Oldies - Ed's Task: A Funny Thing
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One of my favorite plays is A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
This is a one book task with two options.
Required: Indicate in your post which option you used.
No books with an MPG of children or kids may be used for this task.
Option 1-Read a book with a Main Page Genre of Humor, Comedy, Plays or Drama. The genre may be standalone or embedded.
Option 2- Read a book on this list Best Historical Fiction About Ancient Rome
Required: State which page the book can be found on when you post.
20.5 - Bigger is Better Peg W's Task: Bigger is Better – Or is it?
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Getting the bigger piece of cake or being the biggest hit of the year with the most awards may seem like winning, it also can have drawbacks. Too many calories in that cake, or now being typecast to certain roles can dampen that sweet success feeling. A big book looks filled with a great escape or a wealth of knowledge, sometimes there are little disappointments. This year we may have started out with big expectations for the year, but we find it is the little things that have carried us through. The big picture of life is made better with the little moments we cherish.
This is a one book task. Choose one option from below and read one book for that option.
Required: Identify the option when you post.
No books with a MPG of Childrens or Kids may be used.
Option 1: I love to hike and get outdoors. I live in Arizona, and we are the 6th largest state and have 18 National Parks and monuments, the largest being of course The Grand Canyon. With Federal, State and Tribal land holdings, only 18% of our state is in private ownership. This gives me an endless amount of hiking and backpacking destinations and a varied ecological experience throughout the state. This year, fires have limited the areas and many national forests have closed because of the fire danger, leaving less places to socially distance to.
Read a book with a title of at least three words where the first letter of every word can be found in UP IN FLAMES. Subtitles should be ignored. Letters can only be used as often as they appear in the phrase.
Option 2: Being used to so many options and having them removed is similar to in town events during the pandemic. As lists were shrinking, we found new ways to experience life, love, and friendships, making the list longer again. This expanding, shrinking, and expanding again speaks of our resilience.
Read a book between 200 and 400 pages where the outside numbers are larger than the center one. Ex: 214, 323, 209.
Option 3: In October, my hiking partner will be returning to Arizona and we will begin hiking the Arizona Trail. At 800 miles, that seems like a big goal. Fortunately, it is divided into 43 passages and we will be section hiking it over time. Once again, building little wins to celebrate a big prize. As often as I stay up trying to read one more chapter, I know I will be looking for time to squeeze in one more passage.
Read a book by a single author whose initials can be found in ONE MORE HIKE. All initials count. Letters can only be used as often as they appear in the phrase.
Mod
20.6 – Seasoned Reader - Mx.shining's Task: All About Books
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I have loved reading books for a long time, although I’m not sure how I’ll be able to read enough books to finish one of the seasonal challenges in time. This task is mainly meant to be about books and reading.
Choose one book to read from the options below.
Required: State the option.
Option 1 – Books
For the past and upcoming challenge I have read / am planning to read quite a lot of books that are about books, such as Tolstoy and the Purple Chair: My Year of Magical Reading or Bookworm: A Memoir of Childhood Reading
Read a book with the MPG Books about Books.
Option 2 - Reading
Since books are nothing without people actually reading them, read a book where ALL the letters of the word READING can be found in the author's name as it appears on goodreads. Single author books only.
ex. Janwillem van de Wetering
Option 3 - Writing
There are many books that have been written about writing, but not all of them are written by people who write well. For this option, read a book with the MPGs Non-fiction AND Writing, written by an author of fiction books that you have enjoyed. Examples for me could be On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King or Ernest Hemingway on Writing by Ernest Hemingway
Required: Include a link to a FICTION title written by the author that you have read.
20.7 - Shorter is Sweeter - Brooklyn's Task: A Different Kind of Celebration
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While spring is my favorite season and I (mostly) enjoy summer, I always look forward to fall every year. I love the cooler nights that allow me to open the windows, football, seeing my nieces & nephew get excited for Halloween and celebrating my birthday! I thought about past birthdays and realized that I have been out of town for nearly every birthday since 2005! Most of the trips were due to a business trip/conference, but a few were fun weekend getaways with my sister. Since the current environment makes it difficult to plan a celebration like past years, I will probably spend a lot of time reminiscing about past fun.
This is a one book task. Choose one option from below and read one book for that option.
Required: Identify the option when you post.
No books with a MPG of Childrens or Kids may be used.
Option 1: My 2005 birthday was spent in Germany on a business trip. That didn’t stop the fun, though! My company’s German agent arranged a surprise birthday for me in a VIP room of a popular club. Champagne flowed all night. It was a memorable event, as it was also my first trip to Europe.
For this task, read a book written by an author whose first and last name initials can be found in CHAMPAGNE. Middle initials may be ignored.
ex. Christopher Moore
Option 2: I’ve celebrated several birthdays in San Francisco. One year a friend arranged for special tickets and field passes for us for a San Francisco Forty-Niners game. It was cool to be able to walk down the same tunnel that Joe Montana and Jerry Rice did for years. Even though I am a huge Kansas City Chiefs fan, I can appreciate the talent and history of Candlestick Park.
For this task, read a book with a word in the title or subtitle that includes all the letters NFL, such as elfin, final, feline, falling.
Option 3: In 2018, my sister and I met in Napa, California for a weekend getaway. We spent the weekend enjoying the beautiful valley scenery, drinking wine and eating fabulous meals. Napa is known for bold Cabernets and Chardonnays, but with dozens of microclimates in the valley, there are many types of wine made there.
For this task, read a book set at least 50% in one of the top global wine regions: Italy, France, Spain, California, Argentina, Chile, Australia.
Required: If the setting is not apparent on the book’s main page, post a link to a reference confirming the setting.
Option 4: Last year I spent my birthday in Las Vegas on a business trip, attending an industry conference. I had a great dinner with my colleagues, half of whom live in the eastern half of the United States and half whom live in Denmark where my company has its global headquarters. There were plenty of cocktails and wine consumed, but things didn’t get out of hand. Or did they?
For this task read a book with a title of at least 3 words, where the first letter of every word is found in the phrase WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS STAYS IN VEGAS.
20.8 - Nickels & Dimes - Lorna's Task: Flip, Flip, Hooray for New Authors
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Reading enriches our lives and gives us insight into other perspectives besides our own. November 1st is National Author's Day. One benefit of participating in the SRC is that we often find new authors to enjoy. So for this task you will:
Read a single author book by a new to you author.
Now here comes the fun part. There will be 2 steps in determining what new author to read.
Go to Flip A Coin and flip a coin TWO times only. Record your results.
Flip #1
Heads: Read a book written by a female author
Tails: Read a book written by a male author
Flip #2
Heads: Read a book by an American author (by birth or current residence)
Tails: Read a book by a non-American author (by birth or current residence)
Required: If the author's birthplace or residence is not evident in the GR record include a reference when you post.
REQUIRED: List the 2 coin toss results and state that the author is new to you.
Example:
new-to-me author- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
1. Heads - female author Silvia Moreno-Garcia
2. Tails - Non-American author- born in Mexico
20.9 - Moderator's Pet - Deedee's Task: Alexander Hamilton
Help Thread
The musical Hamilton won 11 Tony Awards in 2016. This task is centered on Alexander Hamilton. Select one option.
Required: Identify the option.
A. Read a biography of Alexander Hamilton.
B. Read a historical novel where the main character is Alexander Hamilton. The goodreads description must mention Alexander Hamilton’s name.
C. Read a book with a MPG of American Revolution. The genre may be stand alone or embedded.
20.10 - Group Reads
Read ONE of the books selected as the Group Reads choices for the season:
❋ Fantasy Not Originally Written in English: The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski
Discussion
❋ The Book Was Better Than The Movie: The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton
Discussion
❋ Nonfiction - Health: Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything by Lydia Kang and Nate Pedersen
Discussion
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.
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25.1 - Karen D's Task: NO TASK
25.2 - Cat's Task: Shakespearean Reading
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Read two books, one for book one and one for book two;
OR read one book that fits the requirements of book one AND book two, with a minimum page count of 500.
Book One: read a book with a three word title where the initial letters of every word are found in the quote: "Come, and take choice of all my library, And so beguile thy sorrow"
Book Two: read a book written by a single author whose first and last name initials can be found in WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE.
25.3 - Andy P’s Task : Finding a Topic for a Task
Help Thread
I have been participating in SRC now for 5 or 6 years and am finding a topic upon which to construct a task has become increasingly difficult. Like many of us my list of places to go and people to see has been severely restricted in the past several months so I decided to consult my two miniature poodles who always have good ideas.
First the general rules for this task
This is a two book task so read a book from each of the following poodle-inspired options.
No books with children as a main page genre may be used.
The combined total page number of pages from both books must be greater than 500 (501+).
Book 1, I first consulted Emo Poodle who is the more outgoing and adventurous of the two and got this response. He looked at me with his full attention and scratched behind his ear. This, in Emo speak, means, Give me a minute I'm using all of my cognitive ability.
Read a book whose TITLE contains all of the letters in SCRATCH, including 2 Cs. Subtitles are excluded.
Book 2. Sammy Poodle spent the first 10 months of his life (the time when a dog learns a great deal about how to deal with the vagaries of life) in a kennel. Thus most of his knowledge about the world came from the other dogs in the kennel. He is dependent on other dogs to show or tell him what to do.
Read a book by a single author whose initials (all of them ) can be found in COPYCAT.
25.4 - Nick KY’s Task: Man Bookering
Help Thread
I have a love/hate relationship with the Man Booker Prize. I have only liked ½ of the books I have read which have been nominees.
--But who says you only have to like quality literature – quality according to someone else’s taste.
This is a two book task.
Read one Book 1 and one Book 2.
One Book May be Sequential Art/Comics/Manga.
The combined total of pages for both books together must be 500 pages or more.
The books you choose are based on the following longlist for the Man Booker Prize of 2020:
The 2020 longlist is:
• The New Wilderness by Diane Cook
• This Mournable Body by Tsitsi Dangarembga
• Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi
• Who They Was by Gabriel Krauze
• The Mirror & the Light by Hilary Mantel
• Apeirogon by Colum McCann
• The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste
• Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
• Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
• Real Life by Brandon Taylor
• Redhead by the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler
• Love and Other Thought Experiments by Sophie Ward
• How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C Pam Zhang
Book 1. Read a book with a word in the title or subtitle which matches a word in the title of one of the books on the longlist. These words may not be used: and, the, &, of, a, by, is. The word must match exactly.
Book 2. Read a book with an author’s name (first, middle, or last) which matches a name of one of the authors on the longlist. The name must match exactly, but may be found in any position. ex. David Kiley (Unfortunately, this means that an author with an initial “C.” cannot be used since “C Pam Zhang” has the name “C” without a period.)
The nominated books and authors may be used, if you so desire. Enjoy!
Mod
25.5 - Whitnie I's Task: First and Last
Help Thread
This is the first time I have finished the challenge and odds are it will be the last. Not because I don't read but because as a Nurse I work long hours and don't always use my time off for reading alone. This summer I was able to use a few weeks vacation which enabled me to read lots and it was glorious.
For this challenge you need to read 1 book 1 and 1 book 2
OR read ONE book with at least 500 pages that fits both tasks.
Book 1, First: Read a book that is #1 in a series. The series name and number must be indicated in the GR title listing, in grayscale parentheses following the title.
Book 2, Last: Read a book with the MPG Apocalyptic or a variation of the word. The genre may be standalone or embedded, such as:
Apocalyptic > Post Apocalyptic
Science Fiction > Apocalyptic
Apocalypse
25.6 - Sandy's Task: Back to Basics
Help Thread
Since it's fall and school is starting again, time to refresh on the basics!
No books with the main page genres childrens or kids can be used for this task. Your two books combined must have at least 500 pages.
Book 1: Read a book that has all the vowels in its title and/or subtitle. For purposes of this task, vowels are A E I O U (not Y).
Book 2: Read a nonfiction book that has at least 5 different consonants (Y is a consonant) in the title only. Subtitles cannot be used.
25.7 - Sally M's Task: Happily Ever After
Help Thread
Romance novels are the main thing getting me through these rough times, and I’m always eager to both share and receive awesome recommendations. Enjoy!
Read two books, from two different options. One of your books may have an MPG of Sequential Art, Comics, Manga, or Graphic Novel.
REQUIRED: Indicate the options you chose.
Option 1: In honor of two of my favorite tropes, read a book where all the author’s initials can be found in FAKE DATING or THERE’S ONLY ONE BED. Letters may be used only as often as they appear in the target phrase.
Option 2: In honor of diversity in publishing, read a book by an author included in the list 2020 Adult Romance by Authors of Color.
You are free to read the 2020 release featured on the list or another of their books.
REQUIRED: State the page where the author appears.
Option 3: In honor of my absolute favorite bookstore, The Ripped Bodice, read one of their bestselling or award-winning books.
Their 2017, 2018, and 2019 bestsellers can be found* in that year’s The State of Racial Diversity in Romance Publishing Report. (Note there is no list included in their 2016 report.)
Their 2019 award winners can be found here: The Ripped Bodice Awards for Excellence in Romantic Fiction
*A list of all these books can also be found in message 2 of the help thread.
Option 4: In honor of happy endings, read a book with the MPG Romance that ALSO has one of the following words in the title, subtitle, or series name: Happily, Happy, Wedding, Kiss, Love. The word must match exactly.
Examples: Happily Ever Ninja, Kiss Me Every Day, The Proposal (The Wedding Date #2), The Right Swipe (Modern Love #1)
Mod
25.8 - Amy FL's task: My Favorite Musicals
Help Thread
I’m very fortunate to live near a venue that features touring companies from Broadway. I’ve seen lots of shows there including revivals and new productions of dramas, comedies, and especially musicals. There have been many standouts (and a few duds) but two that I particularly enjoyed were Movin’ Out and Beautiful.
Movin’ Out was more like a concert than a play. It featured the music of Billy Joel performed by an awesome band that was accompanied by amazing dancers. Beautiful is the story of the early life and career of Carole King. It was really tough not to sing along during both of these shows because the music was so wonderful and familiar.
This is a two-book task. Please select two different options and read one book for each.
Required: Identify the options when you post.
No books with the MPG of children or kids may be used.
Option 1: Read a book by a single author whose initials can be found in CAROLE KING or BILLY JOEL. All initials count.
Option 2: Since both of these artists grew up in New York, read a book with a word in the title that appears in the lyrics of Billy Joel’s New York State of Mind. The word must be at least 4 letters long and match exactly. Subtitles are excluded.
Required: State the word.
Option 3: These shows are referred to as jukebox musicals. Enjoy a bit of background music (totally optional) while reading a book from this list of Best Music Books.
Required: State the page number where your book appears.
25.9 - G.Q.’s Task: Black Books Matter
Help Thread
One of my reading goals in 2020 is to support the livelihoods and legacies of Black authors and artists. In this spirit, pick 2 options from the list below, and read one book for each.
One book with a MPG of Sequential Art may be used.
(Shout out to Julia103 for inspiring this task!)
Option 1: Black Lives Matter
This summer I made a greater effort to seek out and read more anti-racist literature to better educate myself on the issues. For this option read a book from one of the following lists:
>An Anti-Racist Reading List: 20 Highly Rated Nonfiction Books by Black Authors
>Black Lives Matter Library
>#BlackLivesMatter Reading List
Required: State which list you are using, and which page of the list the book can be found on when you post.
Option 2: Black Futures Matter
One of my favorite genres of all time is Afrofuturism! Afrofuturism addresses themes and concerns of the African Diaspora through the lens of science fiction.
For this task, read a book from this list: Afrofuturism
Required: State which page the book can be found on when you post.
Option 3: Black Histories Matter
I am currently in graduate school to study and teach U.S. history, and I have found that Black history is often put to the wayside in both U.S. and World history courses. For this option, put Black history front and center by reading a book from the following lists:
>The LA Public Library's List of Recommended African American Non-Fiction
>The Chicago Public Library's List of Recommended African American Non-Fiction
>The Seattle Public Library's List of Recommended African American Non-Fiction The sublists "2018 Fiction Titles" and "2018 Urban Fiction Titles" are excluded.
Required: State which list you are using when you post.
Option 4: Black Kids/Teens Matter
One of my joys during quarantine has been rediscovering the Young Adult genre, and being in awe of how much it has evolved and diversified since I was a teen myself.
For this task read a book written by an author who appears on this Masterlist of Black YA Writers
Required: State the page where the author appears on the list.
25.10 - Brooke TX's Task: Hocus Pocus FTW
Help Thread
Fall is the best season for obvious reasons: Pumpkin spice lattes. Cozy cardigans. And my yearly re-watch of 1993 cult classic film Hocus Pocus, so I can relive my 90s childhood by quoting Bette Midler as Winifred Sanderson.
For this challenge, you must read a book 1 and a book 2, OR read one book which fulfills all task requirements that is also at least 500 pages long.
One of your books MUST have a main page genre of Horror or Thriller, standalone or embedded.
One of your books may have a main page genre of Comics/Sequential Art/Graphic Novel/Manga.
Start by choosing a film from this List of films set around Halloween.
Required: State your chosen film in your post.
Book 1: Read a book with a word of at least 3 letters in the title/subtitle that matches a word in the title of your chosen film (the/and are excluded). Words must match exactly.
Book 2: Read a book first published the same year your chosen film was released.
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30.1 - Ava Catherine’s Task: Ancient Greek Theatre
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This is a two book task. Read one book from two different options or two books from one option.
Required: Identify which option or options you select when you post.
No books with the genre Childrens or Kids may be used.
My high school drama/debate coach was a fierce Greek woman whose determination to teach the ancient Greek plays set our classroom on fire, and I shall always be grateful for the experience.
Option 1: Greek Theatre
Greek theatre began in the 6th century BCE in Athens with the performance of tragedy plays which in turn inspired the genre of Greek comedy plays. Greek drama was popular and performances spread throughout the Mediterranean, influencing Hellenistic and Roman theatre. The works of playwrights such as Sophocles and Aeschylus formed the foundation upon which all modern theatre is based.
*Read a book set at least 50% in Greece.
Required: If the setting is not clear in the GR description or metadata, include a link to a source establishing the setting.
Option 2: Mythology
The stories used in tragedy were taken almost exclusively from the great cycles of mythology. These ancient myths and heroic legends were like a bible to the Greeks, for they recorded what was thought to be the collective social, political, and religious history of the people, and included many profound and searching tales about the problems of human life and the nature of the gods. The custom requiring the use of these mythological stories in tragedy satisfied an essential requirement of the religious function of drama, for it enabled the poet to deal with subjects of great moral dignity and emotional significance.
*Read a book with the main page genre mythology or main page genre Greece. MPG may be stand alone or embedded.
Option 3: Sophocles (c. 496-406 BCE)
When in high school, I enjoyed all the Greek plays, especially the tragedies; however, Sophocles’s Oedipus Rex and Antigone were like nothing I had read before and instantly became my favorites.
Read a book by a single author whose first and last name initials can be found in SOPHOCLES. You may use the letters as often as they appear in the target word. Middle names/initials may be ignored.
Option 4: Aeschylus’s The Oresteia
The Oresteia: Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, The Eumenides is a trilogy of tragedies. Following a cursed family, the House of Atreus, this series is the only example of a trilogy in Greek drama. It took first prize in the Dionysia festival when first performed in 458 BCE. The first, Agamemnon, follows the King of Argos as he returns home to an adulterous wife intent on murdering him for sacrificing their daughter. The second, The Libation Bearers, continues the story, with Agamemnon’s children Electra and Orestes uniting to avenge the death of their father by taking revenge on their mother. The final installation is The Eumenides and concerns the legal consequences of the murders, with Orestes receiving punishment for his crimes. Brimming with love-hate relationships, murder, intrigue, and drama, the plays are as relevant today as any contemporary drama.
Read a book in a series with a whole number greater than or equal to 1. The series name and number must be indicated in the GR title listing, in grayscale parentheses following the title.
Option 5: Drama Coach
Ruth Liveakos, my inspirational speech and drama coach, was an exceptional person, and I was fortunate to have her as a teacher during my high school years.
During her 92 years, she lived an energetic, fascinating life. During World War II she served at the Pentagon, and after the war she began her 50 year career in education, teaching across the United States and in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. She was born May 3, 1915, and died on February 4, 2008.
*A. Read a book first published in 1915, or read a book first published in 2008.
OR
*B. Read a book with the main page genre World War II. The MPG may be stand alone or embedded.
30.2 - Dlmrose's Task: In Balance
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In the astrological zodiac, September 23 - October 22 is identified as the sun sign of Libra, the Balance.
Read 2 books where both books have the same number of words in their titles AND the same number of characters in their authors' names. Subtitles should be ignored. Spaces determine words.
All name parts count. Punctuation, symbols and numbers count as a character, spaces do not. Each book must be written by a single different author.
Ex.
The Mind's Eye by Oliver Sacks 3 word title, 11 character name
She's Leaving Home by William Shaw 3 word title, 11 character name
30.3 - Wayne's Task: My TV Is My New Best Friend
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What a boring summer this has been! Thanks to COVID19, there has been no live sports, no music festivals, no out-of-province camping, and worst of all, no Calgary Stampede and its cavalcade of free pancake breakfasts! Luckily, I had TV to fall back on. Good old TV: it's like the friend who is always there for you, no matter how shabbily you treat it.
This is a 2 book task. Select 2 options and read 1 book for each.
A book with a MPG of Manga/Sequential Art/Graphic Novel may be used for Option 1 only.
Books must have a total of at least 550 pages.
Required: State the options.
Option 1: As a fan of Science Fiction/Superhero comics, I have really been enjoying the shows that have came out lately, and the newest one, Star Trek: Below Decks, not only been very entertaining, it also has all the Trekkie nerds arguing about whether or not it fits into the ST canon. The sad thing is that the first season of Doom Patrol wasn't shown in Canada. I missed out on Flex Mentallo and Danny the Street!
Read a book with a MPG of Manga/Sequential Art/ Graphic Novel or Science Fiction. The genre may be standalone or embedded.
Option 2: For quite some time, there was very little live sports on TV (Korean Baseball at 3:30 AM was about it) and I found that I could only watch Buster Douglas KO Mike Tyson so many times. But now, there are sports galore! NHL playoffs, NBA playoffs, MLB about 20 games into the season, and NFL is starting on Sept 10, along with Golf, Tennis, Motor Racing, and of course my favorite, Australian Rules Football (Go 'Pies!) I've gone from having nothing to watch to having more than I can handle! Fortunately, my PVR is my 2nd best friend!
Read a book with a MPG of Sports. The genre may be standalone or embedded.
Option 3: Lately, I have been staying up late to watch Trevor Noah's Late Night Social Distancing Show. He's very funny, has interesting and thought-provoking guests, and does a great Donald Trump impersonation. He also has a huge collection of hoodies. In fact, if I could ask Trevor Noah two questions, they would be: 1. Where did you get all those hoodies, and 2. Can I have some? (It gets cold here in the winter, y'know!)
Read a book that has all the letters in HOODIE in its title/subtitle, including 2 Os.
ex. A House Without Windows
Option 4: With everything that has been going on in the world, I have been watching the news much more often than usual. I even watched some of the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, something I hardly ever do!
Read a book written by a single author who has all the letters in the word NEWS in their name.
ex. Sinclair Lewis
30.4 - Tessavanessa's Task: Birds Of A Feather
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Birding has become something I look forward to. I enjoy sitting on my porch, reading of course, and watching the birds while having my camera at hand to snap photos if I’m lucky. My other favorite place is walking in nature to see what I can find. I’ve included a few of my favorites below.
Choose 2 options and read a book for each.
Required: Identify the options.
Option 1: Heron
Herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds. The herons are medium- to large-sized birds with long legs and necks. These are my favorite birds. They live near the bike path that I often walk. I am in awe of how regal they look.
In keeping with their long legs, read a book from this list Legs!
Required: State the page of the list.
Option 2: Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and are the smallest of birds, most species measuring 7.5–13 cm (3–5 in) in length. They are known as hummingbirds because of the humming sound created by their beating wings, which flap at high frequencies audible to humans. They hover in mid-air at rapid wing-flapping rates, which vary from around 12 beats per second in the largest species, to in excess of 80 in some of the smallest. This is a very close second to my favorite. They don’t come around often but when they do, I consider it a treat.
Read a small book that has 100-150 pages inclusive.
Option 3: Cardinal
Cardinals have been considered messengers sent by the spirit world for quite literally thousands of years. This notion spreads across a number of different cultures — wherever these beautiful red songbirds are found, the legend arises. It seems that every time my mother visits and we are sitting on the porch, a cardinal appears. It is usually very vocal. We lost my father 7 years ago, and we like to think that it’s a sign that he is still watching over us.
Read a book that has the word SIGN in the title or subtitle. The word must stand alone and match exactly, NO variations.
Option 4: House Finch:
A House Finch is native to western North America and has been introduced to the eastern half of the continent and Hawaii. Adults have a long, square-tipped brown tail and are a brown or dull-brown color across the back with some shading into deep gray on the wing feathers. Breast and belly feathers may be streaked; the flanks usually are. In most cases, adult males' heads, necks and shoulders are reddish.This color sometimes extends to the belly and down the back, between the wings. Male coloration varies in intensity with the seasons and is derived from the berries and fruits in its diet. Even though it’s the male that has the most vibrant color I like to call this bird the Sarah-bird after my red-headed friend.
Read a book that has a word of 3 or more letters in the title that can be made using only the letters in SARAHBIRD. Letters can only be used as often as they appear. Subtitles are excluded.
Option 5: Pigeon
Research suggests that domestication of pigeons occurred as early as 10,000 years ago. Pigeons have made contributions of considerable importance to humanity, especially in times of war. In war the homing ability of pigeons has been put to use by making them messengers. So-called war pigeons have carried many vital messages and some have been decorated for their services.
Honoring the service pigeons played in history, read a non-fiction book with a MPG of History, stand-alone or embedded.
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30.5 - Mazza1's Task: Find The Right Spell
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This is a 2 book task. Read 1 book 1 and 1 book 2.
Your books must total at least 600 pages.
No books with the genre Childrens maybe used.
This is inspired by a book I read for a Summer task Seveneves
Book 1
As you can see the title word Seveneves is a Palindrome, a word that reads the same backward as forward.
Read a book which has a palindrome of 4 or more letters in the title or subtitle.
As with "Seveneves" The word does NOT need to be found in a dictionary
e.g. Josh & Hannah or Dead Level
Book 2
Maintaining the theme of letters being important
Read a book with only one occurrence of each letter in the title: NO repeated letters. The title must have at least 4 letters. Ignore subtitles.
e.g. Skin Game or Why Not Me?
30.6 - Delicious Dee's Task: Hurry Up and Wait
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This is the first time in several years that I’ve managed to finish the season before the 30 point cut-off time and I owe it to the fact that I spent the first 8 weeks of this challenge stuck in hotel rooms waiting to deploy. I was originally supposed to leave end of May, then COVID happened and before I knew it – it was early August and I was finally arriving at my final destination. My first 7 weeks were spent in Norfolk, VA and the last 2 were in Naples, Italy.
For this task, you will read two books, one from Book A and one from Book B. Or you may read ONE book that fits an option in both book A and B with a page total that exceeds 650 pages.
No books with the genre Childrens may be used.
Book A – Norfolk, VA
Option 1 Read a book by an author who lives in/was born in Virginia; or a book where at least 50% is set in Virginia.
Required: If the setting/author locale is not evident from the GR record, include a reference LINK when you post.
Option 2 During my Norfolk stay, I read 12 of the books in Victoria Thompson’s Gaslight Mystery series.
Read a book from the Gaslight Mystery Series
Option 3 while in Norfolk, I had to complete in-processing at Expeditionary Combat Readiness Center (or ECRC)
Read a book where all the letters ECRC can be found in the author's name. Books with multiple authors work IF every author's name contains the letters.
Book B – Naples, Italy
Option 1 Read a book by an author who lives in/was born in Italy, or where at least 50% of the book is set in Italy.
Required: If the setting/author locale is not evident from the GR record, include a reference LINK when you post.
Option 2 Every day I (along with the members of my group) stood on our balconies and watched trucks carry something red and round in crates drove by – which spurred the great Apple vs. Tomato debate (I’m firmly team Tomato)
Read a book where all the letters of APPLE or TOMATO can be found in the title, ignore subtitles.
Option 3 The worst part of our quarantine in Italy was seeing the gorgeous pool at the hotel but not being allowed to swim or even sit by it.
Read a book with a title of at least three words where the beginning letter of every word can be found in NO SWIMMING POOL FOR YOU.
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Help Thread
This task is based on the game Scattergories, where you have to come up with a word for each of a set of categories that all start with the same letter.
Read three books totaling at least 750 pages.
No books with the genres children or kids on the main book page may be used.
For you to play, first choose a letter:
Use Letter Generator to select 3 letters. You may click "Remove choice" to eliminate the selected letter from your next search to get 3 unique letters. Note the letters. THEN select ONE of those letters as your beginning letter.
Then choose any three different categories from the list below.
Required: State the 3 letters generated and the letter you selected. Identify the 3 categories.
>For each category:
Read a book with a word in its title or subtitle that starts with your letter that fits the category. Plurals and possessives are allowed, no other variations. The word can be of any length.
For ALL categories: The word used in the title/subtitle MUST be used with the same definition as the category, i.e. an Apple is a fruit (option 4) in Comfort Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table. "Apple" can only be used as a first name (option 1) if it relates to a person's name in the title.
The Secret Life of Mrs. London - London is used as a surname (no option) even though "London" is a place. Rivers of London would work for option 2.
If there is a question about a word the Dictionary.com definition will be used, such as "Amber: of the color of amber; yellowish-brown:" The Hare With Amber Eyes: A Family's Century of Art and Loss
CATEGORIES:
1. A first name. The name must refer to a character/subject in the book.
Required: If the character/subject is not evident in the book's description include a reference when you post.
2. A place (town, city, state, country, planet, etc.). The place must be proper name and be a place referenced in the book's main page description, series, metadata or 1st page reviews.
3. An animal.
4. A Food or drink.
5. A job/occupation. This must be a job with income potential.
6. A colour. Colours such as Navy in Navy blue work if they relate to a color in the title: Dress to Impress: How a Navy Blazer Changed My Life!. General colour modifiers such as light in "light blue" or dark in "dark brown" do not work alone.
EXAMPLES
LETTER A
1, A first name - Anna and the French Kiss
3. An animal - Ape House
5. A job/occupation - A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
LETTER C
2. A place (city, state, country) - China Rich Girlfriend
4. A Food or drink - Like Water for Chocolate
6. A colour - The House in the Cerulean Sea
LETTER Q
1. A first name - Queenie
4. A food - The Quiche of Death
5. A job/occupation - Quarterback Draw
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The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Dress to Impress: How a Navy Blazer Changed My Life! (other topics)Quarterback Draw (other topics)
Comfort Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table (other topics)
The Secret Life of Mrs. London (other topics)
Rivers of London (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Christopher Moore (other topics)Silvia Moreno-Garcia (other topics)
Ernest Hemingway (other topics)
Stephen King (other topics)
Janwillem van de Wetering (other topics)
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Tony trivia
5.1 – Can't Go Wrong with the Bard
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The first award for best musical was awarded to Kiss Me Kate, a musical that involves a musical remake of The Taming of the Shrew.
Read a book with the Main Page Genre retellings. Genre may be standalone or embedded.
5.2. – And the record is....
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The most Tony Awards ever received by a single production was the musical The Producers, with 12 awards.
Read a book that has a 1 and/or a 2 in its series number. Examples, 1, 2, 12, 22. No other numbers may be included in the series number. The series name and number must be indicated in the GR title listing, in grayscale parentheses following the title.
5.3 – Twice a Hat Trick!"
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Four musicals have won all “big six” awards – Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book, Best Performance by a Leading Actor, Best Performance by a Leading Actress, and Best Direction. These were South Pacific (1950), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979), Hairspray (2003), and The Band’s Visit (2018).
Read a book first published in one of these years – 1950, 1979, 2003, 2018.
5.4 – I'll Have a Double
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Six performers have been nominated in two acting categories in the same year – Amanda Plummer, Dana Ivey, Kate Burton, Jan Maxwell, Mark Rylance, and Jeremy Pope.
Read a book by a single author whose first, middle, or last name matches the name of any of these performers. Names must match exactly, but do not have to be in the same position.
Example: An Only Child and Her Sister: A True Hollywood Memoir of Two Little Girls Lost and One Found by Casey Maxwell Clair would work, matching Jan Maxwell.
5.5 – It Really Happened
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A number of Tony award winning musicals have been based, at least loosely. on history – think 1776 and Hamilton.
Read a book with the main page genre History or Historical Fiction.
But there are other theatre awards……………
5.6 – The AUDELCO awards
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The AUDELCO awards, sometimes referred to as “The Viv,” promote and celebrate African-American involvement in American theater. Audelco They are named for the late Vivian Robinson.
Read a book by a single author whose initials (all of them) are found in VIVIAN ROBINSON. Letters may be used only as often as they appear in the target phrase.
5.7 – Not just in NYC!
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A number of US cities have their own theater awards – The Suzi Bass Awards (Atlanta), IRNE Awards and Elliot Norton Awards (Boston), Jeff Awards and Black Theatre Alliance Award (Chicago), Ovation Awards, the LA Drama Critics Circle Awards, and the L.A. Weekly Theatre Awards (Los Angeles), the Ivey Awards (Minneapolis), The Barrymore Awards (Philadelphia), the Craig Noel Awards (San Diego), the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards (San Francisco), The Carbonell Awards (South Florida), the Kevin Kline Awards (St. Louis), the Helen Hayes Awards (Washington, DC).
Read a book set at least 50% in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania, or Washington, DC. REQUIRED: if the location is not evident from the metadata or book description, include a reference to establish how the book fits the task.
5.8 – In London as well
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London’s most prestigious theater awards are the Olivier awards, named after Laurence Olivier. They are presented by the Society of London Theatre.
Read a book with a title of at least 3 words, where the initial letter of each word of the title is found in SOCIETY OF LONDON THEATRE. Letters may be used only as often as they appear in the target phrase.
5.9. The Europe Theatre Prize
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This is awarded to a person who has “contributed to the realization of cultural events that promote understanding and the exchange of knowledge between peoples. It also gives an additional award for innovation in theatre. The first 9 awards were presented in Taormina (Italy). They have since been awarded in Turin (Italy), Thessaloniki (Greece), Wroclaw (Poland), and St. Petersburg (Russia).
Read a book set at least 50% in Italy, Greece, Poland, or Russia. REQUIRED: if the location is not evident from the metadata or book description, include a reference to establish how the book fits the task.
5.10. Intermission
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Take a break and read a book of your choice that meets the SRC rules. For this task, a book with the main page genre Childrens or Kids may be used if it is not found in AR Bookfinder.