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FALL CHALLENGE 2021
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Fall Challenge 2021: Tasks
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Help Thread
Throughout the 1990s, there were multiple wars and coups in Africa. On the other hand, Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990 and was elected president of South Africa in 1994.
Read a book set at least 50% in a country in Africa. This list African countries and capitals will be used for allowable settings. Countries are listed in post 2 of help thread.
REQUIRED: Indicate the location in which the book is set in your post. If the location is not specified in the metadata or GR description, include a citation to establish the setting.
10.2 - Come On, Get Happy!
Help Thread
In 1996, Alan Greenspan used the phrase "irrational exuberance" referring to the dot.com bubble.
Read a book with a title of at least three words in which the initial letters of all the title words are found in the phrase IRRATIONAL EXUBERANCE. Ignore subtitles. Letters can be used only as often as they appear in the target phrase.
10.3 - Just Like Me.
Help Thread
Dolly the Sheep was cloned in 1997, stirring up considerable controversy about the ethics of cloning.
Read a nonfiction book with the main page genre Science, Ethics, or Philosophy. Genres may be standalone or embedded.
10.4 - Stick 'Em Up!
Help Thread
The largest art theft, and the largest theft of any private property, in world history occurred in Boston on March 18, 1990, when thieves stole 13 pieces, collectively worth $300 million, from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. A reward of $5,000,000 was on offer for information leading to their return, but expired at the end of 2017.
In 1994, Edvard Munch's The Scream was stolen from the National Gallery in Oslo, Norway, and held for ransom. It was recovered later in the year.
Three paintings were stolen from a German gallery in 1994, two of them belonging to the Tate Gallery in London. In 1998, Tate conceived of Operation Cobalt, the secret buyback of the paintings from the thieves. The paintings were recovered in 2000 and 2002, resulting in a profit of several million pounds for Tate, because of prior insurance payments.
Read a book set at least 50% in Massachusetts, Norway, or Germany. REQUIRED: Indicate the location in which the book is set in your post. If the location is not specified in the metadata or GR description, include a citation to establish the setting.
10.5 - I Have a Bad Back, Really!
Help Thread
In 1996, California legalized marijuana for medical purposes.
Read a book with a main page genre of Medicine or Medical, standalone or embedded.
10.6 - Rug Rats!
Help Thread
As those of us who had small kids, or were small kids, know, Nickelodeon was a constant presence in the 90s.
Read a book with all of its single author's initials in NICKELODEON. Letters may be used only as often as they appear in the target word.
10.7 - Y2K - Time to Panic!
Help Thread
In the late 90s there was a fear that all electronics would stop working as the year changed to 2000.
Read a book with the numeral 2, the Roman numeral II or the word "two" in the title or subtitle. The numeral or word must stand alone - no 23 or twenty-two. Ordinal numbers (2nd) cannot be used, since the 2 doesn't stand alone.
10.8 - Here We Are Now, Entertain Us
Help Thread
In 1991, Nirvana's iconic album Nevermind was released.
Read a book with a word of at least three letters from the track titles on Nevermind in the title of the book (not subtitle). Words must match exactly - no variations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevermind. The word 'The" cannot be used.
Tracks are also listed in post 2.
10.9 - The Year of the Woman
Help Thread
1992 was referred to as "the year of the woman" in the U.S., because a record number of women were elected to office in that year.
Read a book written by a female author. A book with multiple authors may be used, as long as every author is female.
10.10 - Which Way?
Help Thread
The West Wing was an extremely popular tv show that premiered in 1999.
Read a book with East, West, North or South found intact in its title (no subtitles). Eastern Standard Tribe or The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires would work.
Mod
15.1 - Win or Lose
Help Thread
In August of 1997, Microsoft saved Apple from bankruptcy when Bill Gates announced, days before Apple would have filed for bankruptcy, that Microsoft would supply a $150 million investment. Steve Jobs responded to the generous offer by saying: “We have to let go of the notion that for Apple to win, Microsoft has to lose.”
Read one book 1 and one book 2.
Book 1: Read a book with WIN found intact in the book's title/subtitle.
Ex: The Third Twin; Dandelion Wine; Ill Wind
AND
Book 2: Read a book with LOSE found intact in the book's title/subtitle.
Ex: Close Range: Wyoming Stories; The Cat Who Went into the Closet; Billion Dollar Loser: The Epic Rise and Spectacular Fall of Adam Neumann and WeWork
15.2 - Egg Watch
Help Thread
The Tamagotchi was a handheld digital pet created in Japan and released on November 23, 1996, in Japan and on May 1, 1997, in the rest of the world, quickly becoming one of the biggest toy fads of the late 1990s and the early 2000s. All Tamagotchis naturally evolve over time as they age, starting from the egg to the baby, child, teen, and adult stages.
Read one book 1 and one book 2.
Book 1: Read a book with a title of at least 2 words, where the initial letters of each word of the title are found in TAMAGOTCHI. The initials may only be used as often as they appear in the target word. All title words count. Subtitles may be ignored.
AND
Book 2: Read a book from the Coming of Age Books list.
Required: State the page your book can be found on when you post.
15.3 - The Boy Who Lived
Help Thread
The world gained entry into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in 1997 with the release of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
Select an option. Required: Indicate the option when you post.
Option 1: Read one book 1 and one book 2
Book 1: Read a book with the MPG Magic or Witches. Genre may be standalone or embedded.
Book 2: Read a book first published in the 1990s (1990-1999, inclusive).
OR
Option 2: Read one book that fulfills both book 1 and book 2 requirements.
15.4 - Supersize Me
Help Thread
In 1992, McDonald’s released their famous supersize fries and drink. The upsized option stayed on the menu until 2004, when the fast-food chain decided to strive for healthier food choices.
Select an option. Required: Indicate the option when you post.
Option 1: Read one book 1 and one book 2
Book 1: Read a book written by an author whose initials (all of them) can be found in any combination of MCDONALD'S, FRIES, and/or DRINK. Works with multiple authors may be used as long as all contributor initials can be found in the target word(s).
Book 2: Read a book with at least 500 pages.
OR
Option 2: Read one book that fulfills both book 1 and book 2 requirements.
15.5 - The Macarena
Help Thread
The Macarena, by Los del Río, a Spanish Latin pop and dance duo, quickly became a pop culture phenomenon, taking over every club, prom, sweet sixteen and wedding, when it was released in 1995. Read a book set at least 50% in Latin America.
Required: If the setting is not evident on the GR main book page include a reference when you post.
15.6 - Buzz, Beep, Squeal!
Help Thread
Today, the internet is at our fingertips but for much of the 90s, it was several beeping and screeching minutes away as we waited for our dial-up connections to boot up. Read a book with a word found on this Onomatopoeia Word List in the title/subtitle. Variations that do not change the nature of the word (buzzes, buzzed, buzzing) will work (buzzard would not). Phrases that consist of more than one word (cock a doodle doo, pitter patter, etc) must be found together unless individual words are also on the list. Hyphenated list words (boo-hoo, bow-wow, flip-flop) may be used without a hyphen, but the words must be found sequentially in the title/subtitle. Ex: Teardrops and Flip Flops
15.7 - Google It
Help Thread
Launched in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google was originally the search engine for Stanford’s website (with the domain google.stanford.edu). Read a book with a word in the title/subtitle that contains at least two sets of identical letters. The letters must be found in a single word. They do not need to be sequential. Ex:
Pretty Little Wife (Little - LL, TT)
The People We Keep (People - PP, EE)
Transcendent Kingdom (Transcendent - TT, NN, EE)
15.8 - Beanie Babies
Help Thread
Whatever you do, do not cut the tags! The era of Beanie Babies started in 1993 with these nine originals: Legs the Frog, Squealer the Pig, Spot the Dog, Flash the Orca, Splash the Whale, Chocolate the Moose, Patti the Platypus, Brownie the Bear, and Pinchers the Lobster.
Read a book with one of the animals mentioned (frog, pig, dog, orca, whale, moose, platypus, bear, lobster) on the cover. The animal must be clearly identifiable on the book's cover.
Required: Include the cover when you post.
15.9 - I’ll Be There for You
Help Thread
Friends debuted on NBC on September 22, 1994. With a lovable cast taking on New York City as 20-somethings, who would've expected the show to be just as popular two decades later. Read a book written by a single author who shares a name with one of the recurring Friends Characters. Names must match exactly but can be in any position (first, middle, last).
15.10 - The Streak
Help Thread
Baseball' "Iron Man," Cal Ripken, Jr (#8), shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles sat out a game on September 20, 1998 to end his streak of 2632 consecutive games played. Read a book that is #2, #3, #6, or #8 in a series. The series name and number must be indicated in the GR title listing in grayscale parentheses following the title.
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20.1 - Most Improved - Valorie's Task: Fall Festival Celebration!
Help Thread
I LOVE FALL! From apple season to the weather, and everything in between. My absolute favorite thing to do in the fall is going to festivals. It's the perfect weather to get outside (I live in Northern CA so fall weather is pretty mild.) and participate in the craft, food, beer, music, history and other festival activities. I really missed this during the pandemic, and I am excited to get back to visiting a few. This task celebrates a few festivals I have attended in the past, will attend in the future, or are on my bucket list to visit!
This is a one book task. Read 1 book that fits one of the options below.
Required: State the option when you post.
Option 1: Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest - I live about a 30-40 minute drive away from the Sierra Nevada Brewery in Chico, CA. I usually go to this weekend long beer release party every year. Read a book written by an author with first and last initials that can be found in OKTOBERFEST. Middle initials can be ignored.
Option 2: West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta, Tualatin, OR, held on the third Saturday of October each year - Costumed racers in hollowed out, thousand-pound pumpkins compete in a series of crazy water events. I went to this event in 2018 and it was a ton of fun! Read a book with a pumpkin/gourd on the cover. Ex:
Required: Include the cover in your post.
Option 3: Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, October 2nd thru the 10th - I am so excited to be going to this event next month in New Mexico. Read a book with a 4+ letter word in the TITLE that can be made from the letters in ALBUQUERQUE NEW MEXICO. Example: Firefly Lane (LANE)
Required: State the word used when you post.
Option 4: Scarecrow Festival, St. Charles, IL, October 8-10, 2021. I would love to experience a Scarecrow festival, maybe learn how to sculpt them someday! Read a book with a MPG of "paranormal" or "horror".
Option 5: Harvest on the Harbor, Portland, ME, November 4-7, 2021. Initially started as a celebration of Portland's up-and-coming food scene, it has now multiplied into a fully-fledged fest of local ciders and spirits and all. I would love to take a vacation and visit Maine, and this event sounds like the perfect opportunity! Read a book that is set at least 50% in Maine.
Required: If the setting is not clearly indicated in the GR description or metadata, include a reference to the setting when you post.
20.2 - Rookie at the Top - Insiyah's Task: Going Back to India
Help Thread
Since 2008, I've routinely gone to India at least once a year, and the frequency of my trips have only increased in later years. My last trip was ended in January 2020, and trips after that were cancelled as Covid-19 put a halt on all international travel. Since then, August 2021 is the first time I've gotten to go to India since, and my oh my did it feel good.
This is a one book task. Your book must be above 300 pages.
Read a book set at least 50% in India that was written by an author born in India. Areas that are currently recognised as Indian territory will work. Places that were previously recognised as Indian, but are not currently Indian territory will not work. (Eg. While Lahore was previously Indian territory, it now is in Pakistan, and thus does not meet the task requirements.)
Required: If the setting or author's birthplace is not clearly indicated in the book description/metadata and the author's Goodreads author page, provide a reference when you post to verify location.
20.3 - Best Review - Book Concierge's task: Happy Anniversary, My Love!
Help Thread
I got married in Autumn, and this coming season we’ll celebrate our 31st wedding anniversary. This task is in honor of my wonderful partner, the love of my life.
Read a book from one of following options. The book must be at least 250 pages in length.
NO books with the main page genre of “Childrens” or “kids” may be used for this task.
Required: State the option when you post.
Option A: My husband is a combat infantry veteran who served in Vietnam and was seriously wounded when he stepped on a land mine.
• Read a book with a main character who is an active-duty military member or a veteran (any war, any branch of service, any country).
Required: If the main character's active-duty or veteran status is not obvious on the book's main page, include a reference when you post.
Option B: My husband is a great cook. In fact, for the last 17 years that I worked, he did all the cooking, as he was retired.
• Read a book with a main page genre of FOOD, standalone or embedded. Cookbooks are NOT allowed.
Option C: My husband loves to read. On our first date he started telling me the story of the novel he was reading. It was an epic adventure story and to make it easier to relate, he used our names for the hero and heroine. Of course, he hadn’t finished the book yet so I had to agree to (and wait for) a second date to find out what would happen. (The boy got the girl … of course.) We still tell each other the story of books we are reading.
• Read a book by a MALE author whose first and last initials are in LOVES TO READ. (Middle initials, if used, may be ignored. Letters may be used only so often as they appear in the target phrase.)
Option D: My husband worked in international business and for the first ten years of our married life he spent about 120-130 days abroad each year. He’s been to six of the seven continents, missing only Antarctica. His favorite places to travel are all in Asia: China, Thailand, and Malaysia.
• Read a book where the main character travels to a different country. This can be for a permanent move or a short trip, but the travel must take place during the course of the book. So, a book about an immigrant to America where the character has already arrived and the entire book takes place in the USA will NOT work. Travel through multiple countries will work. Countries must be real. Travel through mythical lands does NOT work.
Required: State the country where they start and the country/countries they travel to when you post.
20.4 - Golden Oldies - Fly's Task: Moving through the 90s
Help Thread
The 90s were an interesting decade for me! In 1991 my then-husband, Michael, and I moved 3000 miles from California to Massachusetts. Over the next few years we moved around a lot, living in six different places (and enjoying each other's company less and less...) until we got divorced in 1998 and each moved on to better relationships.
Read one book from the following options.
Required: Identify the option.
Option 1: Read a book with an author (one of multiple is okay) named Mike or Michael. No other variations are allowed, but the name can be in any position (first, middle, last).
Option 2: Read a book where the main character relocates to a new state or country DURING the course of the book.
Required: If the relocation is not clearly indicated in the GR description, include a reference when you post.
Option 3: Read a book set at least 50% in either California or Massachusetts.
Required: If the setting is not clearly indicated in the GR description or metadata, include a reference.
Option 4: To celebrate my divorce, read a book from the list Unhappy Marriages
Required: state the page number of the list on which your book is found.
20.5 - Bigger is Better - Sarah E's task: Epic Maps
Help Thread
Indulging in weighty tomes is something that I do less often since I discovered reading challenges; so it was a treat to read several over the summer. One thing I did notice was that most epics, no matter the genre, come with a map. This task is based on some common traits of those maps.
Read one book from one of the following options.
Required: State which option you chose.
Option 1: Mountain ranges
No self-respecting epic map would be complete without its own range of mountains.
Read a book with a title of at least three words where the first letter of each word in the title can be found in MOUNTAIN RANGE. Ignore subtitles. Letters may be used only as often as they appear in the target phrase.
Option 2: Rivers
They may begin in the mountains or elsewhere but you can be sure there will be a river or two.
Read a book which has RIVER found intact in the title, subtitle, or series name.
Option 3: Forests
Rivers inevitably wind through a forest before reaching the sea. Forests are great places for important plot points to happen.
Read a book from the Trees, Woods, Forests list.
Required: State which page of the list your book is on
Note: Not all books on the list meet SRC requirements
Option 4: Deserts
Not to be confused with desserts, and location of many a nearly-dying-of-thirst scene.
Read a book by a single author whose first and last initials can be found in DESERT.
Option 5: Cities/Towns/Castles
Finally, human (or maybe not human) habitations will be scattered about at useful points for travellers to stop at, interact with the locals, be robbed, find the MacGuffin, etc., etc.
Read a book with one or more buildings on the cover. Any size of building will work, but at least one door must be visible (for a quick exit).
Required: Post the cover
Mod
20.6 - Seasoned Reader - Kathy KS’ Task: Rearing Twins in the ‘90s
Help Thread
The ‘90s were a busy time. For the entire decade I was a single mom rearing four kids and working full-time, plus occasional supplementary jobs. I wouldn’t have missed any of it and, actually, really miss the chaos!
Read 1 book from one of the 3 options below.
REQUIRED: In your post, indicate the option you used.
Books with the genres "Sequential Art", "Comics", "Comic Book", and/or "Manga" may be used for this task.
Option 1: Activities - Since my kids were in junior high, senior high, and college during this decade and living in small town America, extracurricular activities were extremely important. My schedule was adjusted to attend debates, plays, cheerleading, and LOTS of sports! Depending on the season, that meant following football, volleyball, cross-country, basketball, golf, tennis, and track & field.
Read a book with a cover showing either the sports equipment used in or someone participating in one of these 7 sports: football, volleyball, cross-country, basketball, golf, tennis, or track & field. For the purpose of this task, use these special guidelines:
● Football can include both gridiron football OR soccer
● Cross-country or marathon running must show a participant's number on the shirt
● Track and field is limited to running/hurdling events, shotput, or discus.
● Golf may include miniature golf
● Volleyball, basketball, and tennis should be obvious
REQUIRED: Include the book cover and indicate the sport represented in your post.
Option 2: Twins - I am lucky enough to have two sets of twins: identical guys and fraternal gals. So, they were all in high school at once.
Read a book with a main character who is a twin. This list might help, but the presence of a book on the list does not guarantee it fits the task: Twins Books.
Required: If the main character's twin status is not clearly mentioned in the book's description, provide a reference when you post.
Option 3: Vacations - Not only do we live in the Great Plains, many of our family vacations included camping in most of the U.S. other than the coasts. Many people consider all of these areas as “flyover states,” but there are so many fantastic places to see when you are actually driving!
Read a book where all the letters FLYOVER can be found in the Title/Subtitle and/or Author's name. Books with multiple authors may be used but only one author's name can supply the needed letters.
Required: If using a book with multiple authors, state which author you used when you post.
20.7 - Shorter is Sweeter - Bookwrm526's task: Geocaching Time Again!
Help Thread
Now that fall is almost here, I can finally start to geocaching again without worrying about dying in the heat! My whole family loves to geocache, but it is hard to get motivated in the south in the summer LOL. In honor of this hobby, read 1 book that fits one of the options below.
Required: State the option when you post.
Option 1: Read a book whose author initials (middle initials can be ignored) can be found in the phrase GEOCACHING.
Option 2: My favorite kind of cache is the mystery or puzzle cache. For this option, read a book that meets SRC rules, including those for children's books, and can be found on one of these lists:
Mystery Books Puzzles Whodunnits And Surprises
Mysteries that integrate puzzles/riddles/clues
Required: State which list you used and, if the list is multiple pages, which page of the list your book can be found on when you post.
Option 3: My second favorite type of cache is an Earthcache, which uses the game to teach you something about nature, ecology, geology, etc. For this option, read a non-fiction book with the main page genre Earth Sciences, Geology, or Climate Change. The genre may be stand-alone or embedded.
20.8 - Nickels & Dimes - Tien's Task: Birthdays
Help Thread
It’s Birthday Season in my house!! My husband’s, my 2 sons’ & our dog’s so to celebrate:
Read a book from one of following options:
Required: State the option when you post.
1. Written by a single author who identifies as a male AND whose first and last initials are TH, in that order. Middle initials should be ignored.
2. With a dog or dogs and, at least, one human companion on cover. For example:
Required: Post the cover
20.9 - Moderator's Pet - Kim O's task: In Memory of Bailey
Help Thread
In December, 2020, my dog Bailey unexpectedly crossed the Rainbow Bridge. She was my reading buddy, walking buddy, therapist, best friend. My local indie bookstore is dog-friendly, and we went there often. Everyone at the store greeted Bailey like the patrons of Cheers greeted Norm. She was the unofficial mascot of the three book groups to which I belong. I miss her terribly.
This is a one book task. Read 1 book that fits one of the options below.
Required: State the option when you post.
Option 1: Read a book in which all the letters BAILEY can be found in the title/subtitle.
Option 2: I had a lot of nicknames for Bailey. Read a book by a single author where all of the author's initials can be found in one of the following: SWEETIE PETEY, BOOPINATOR, or MRS PEEBODY.
Option 3: Read a book with at least a three-word title in which the initial letters of each word can be found in THE RAINBOW BRIDGE. Letters may be used only as often as they appear in the target phrase.
Option 4: Read a non-fiction book about a domestic dog or dogs. The book may be about a specific dog or dogs in general.
Option 5: Read a book with at least one domesticated dog (no wolves) and at least one person on the cover. Silhouettes or drawings are allowed. The entire person doesn't have to be shown, just enough to confirm that it is a person.
Covers that work:
Covers that don't work:
(leash implies a person is holding it, but you can't see the person)
(there is not enough visible to identify a person)Required: Include the cover in your post.
20.10 - Group Reads
Read ONE of the books selected as the Group Reads choices for the season:
❋ Fiction: Bad Girls - Lady Pirates, Thieves, etc. Her Pretty Face by Robyn Harding
Discussion
❋ Fiction: Locked Room Mystery Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Discussion
❋ Nonfiction: Disability Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan
Discussion
❋ Gutenberg Classic The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
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.
Mod
25.1 - XBM's task: My Life as a 90s TV Show
Help Thread
In keeping with the 90s theme, I decided to look at my life in the 90s through the lens of some popular TV shows during that decade.
Read two books from two different options. ONE of your books may have a main page genre of Comics/Sequential Art/Graphic Novel/Manga.
Required: State the options you used when you post.
During the 90s, my husband and I were busy raising four children, for several years at least three of them were teenagers! You could describe that with these show titles Full House, Married with Children, or Family Matters.
Option 1: Read a book with one of these words in the title/subtitle: Full, House, Married, Children, Family, Matters. Words must match exactly.
Another show that was on during that time was Christy, one of my favorite books by Catherine Marshall.
Option 2: Read a book or book series that was made into a TV show or movie.
Required: If the TV show/movie is not mentioned on the book's main page, provide a reference to indicate how the book fits the task when you post.
Ex: Last to Die (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1551632/...)
Optional: share whether you thought the book, or the show/movie was better.
In the 90s you could always find Star Trek on at our house. Whether it was the original series in reruns, or The Next Generation (1987–1994), or Deep Space Nine (1993–1999).
Option 3: Read a book with an MPG of Science Fiction.
Option 4: Read a book with a single author whose initials (ALL of them) can be found in GENE RODDENBERRY, the creator of Star Trek.
I earned my first of three degrees in 1996. The last show that speaks to the 90s for me is Hanging with Mr. Cooper. Mr. Cooper was my Art History professor, and 25 years later, still my favorite professor.
Option 5: Read a book with an MPG of Art. The genre "ART" may be standalone or embedded. Other genres that may contain the term do not work. So, for example,
Frida Kahlo: The Story of Her Life - would work for this option as it has the MPG Art
Saga, Vol. 3 - would NOT work for this option as it does NOT have the MPG Art
Option 6: Read a book with an MPG of History.
25.2 - Amy FL's task: Parenthood
Help Thread
The 90s began with the birth of our second child, Andy, and the adoption of many pets. We chased the kids and pets, got exhausted, and loved every minute of it. This was a decade filled with so many wonderful memories for us, but some sad ones too.
Read 2 books from 2 different options. Required: State the options when you post.
Option 1: In honor of Andy, read a book by a single MALE author that is #2 in a series. The series name and number must be indicated in grayscale parentheses following the title on the GR page.
Option 2: Our kids grew up with Casey, a sweet Maltese pup, and Cookie, a beautiful long-haired tabby cat. To recognize these wonderful animals and the many that followed and brought us so much unconditional love, read a book with a domestic dog or cat on the cover. These are to be house pets, so no wolves, tigers, etc.
Option 3: My son loved sports from a very early age, particularly baseball. My daughter loathed sports and preferred music and the performing arts. We logged a lot of miles between the ball fields and drama classes. For this option, read a book with a MPG of Sports OR Music.
Option 4: Now for the sad--my dad passed away in 1996 after a lengthy battle with cancer. He didn’t get enough time with my children, but made the most of what he had. He read them stories and always added his own unique commentary. A favorite was when he referred to Horton (the elephant from Dr. Seuss) as a schmendrick. My daughter Laura is now 32, yet she still remembers that one. Honor Laura’s grandpa by reading a book by a single author whose initials (all initials count) are found in HORTON THAT SCHMENDRICK
25.3 - TraceyL's task: No More Jockeys
Help Thread
No More Jockeys is a YouTube series created and hosted by comedians Tim Key, Mark Watson and Alex Horne. It is based on a game they invented nearly twenty years ago which was originally called No More Women. They play over Zoom and upload episodes every Friday to their YouTube channel. It started off as something fun for them to do during lockdown, and has since gained a large following of lovely, dedicated fans, of which I am one.
On each turn, players name a person plus a relevant category – that person and category are then forbidden. If you're caught naming someone who falls under any previous category, you're out of the game. For example, someone could play Tom Hanks - No More Actors. From then on no player can name another actor, and if they do, they lose the game. The game gets more and more difficult as it goes on, and since the players are all stand-up comedians, the categories can get quite weird.
This is a 2 book task. Pick two options below, and read one book for each option.
Required: State the options when you post.
Option 1: Penelope Pitstop - No More Job Gloves
The Wacky Racers cartoon character Penelope Pitstop first appeared in Set 1, Game 5 of NMJ. She quickly became a staple of the game, and a mascot for player Tim Key. She is usually played with the category "No More Job Gloves," meaning no more people who wear gloves while at work. This category has led to many arguments about what can be considered a job, whether or not they need to be paid, and in a great NMJ moment, the question "Does a fork have a job?"
Read a book with a job in the title or subtitle. For the purpose of this task, a job is a profession (a paid occupation, involving training and/or a formal qualification). Criminal or unlawful enterprises do NOT count. Nor do royal titles. Magical jobs such as Alchemist are allowed. The main character's profession does not have to match the profession in the title. Plurals and possessives will work.
Examples:
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Knight)
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street (Watchmaker)
The Tattooist of Auschwitz (Tattooist)
Option 2: Mary Magdalene - No More People Who Haven't Said "Hello" in the 21st Century
Intended to rule out anyone who had died before the year 2000, possible loopholes for this category include people who don't speak English, or people who don't speak at all.
Read a book first published in 1999 or earlier.
Option 3: Brian Cox - No More Names Without Repeated Letters
Many categories revolve around the spelling of the names given. Other similar categories include No More Double Letters, No More Names with 3+ Vowels, and No More Names 10+ Letters Long. Mark Watson tends to play a lot of these categories.
Read a book by an author whose entire name does not have any repeated letters across all of the name parts. Each letter appearing in their name must be unique. For example, if the letter A appears in their first name and again in their last name, that author cannot be used. Authors that use a single name may be used for this task.
Examples:
Tim Key (Host of the show and accomplished poet.)
John Scalzi
R.L. Stine
Homer
Option 4: Oscar (the statuette) - No More Solid Gold Legends
When Alex Horne mentioned in Set 1, Game 8 that the beer he was drinking had the phrase Solid Gold Legend written on it, Tim Key was determined to make that his next category. He was able to name two people, C-3PO and Oscar the Oscar, as examples of solid gold legends.
Read a book that was adapted into a movie AND that movie won at least 1 Academy Award (Oscar). Any of the academy award categories count. If a movie is inspired by multiple books, you only need to read one of them. The movie does not need to be an accurate representation of the book, as long as the book is mentioned as inspiration on Wikipedia or IMDB.
Required: Provide a link to awards verification when you post.
Examples:
Forrest Gump (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109830/...)
Jurassic Park (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107290/...)
Who Censored Roger Rabbit? (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096438/...)
Optional Just-for-Fun Task: Check out No More Jockeys on YouTube! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xIul...)
25.4 - Cat's task: Britpop Books
Help Thread
As a UK teen in the 90s, my musical era was Britpop, and we'll look at three very different classic albums from that era (feel free to listen and sing along as you read!)
The albums are:
Different Class, by Pulp, released 1995 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differe...)
(What's the Story) Morning Glory, by Oasis, released 1995 and THE best-selling album of the decade (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/(What%2...)
OK Computer, by Radiohead, released 1997 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OK_Comp...)
Note: for each album we'll use the original issue track-listing
For (What's the Story) Morning Glory you can use the track titles "The Swamp Song - Excerpt 1" and "The Swamp Song - Excerpt 2"
Option One: One book option. Your book must have at least 500 pages.
Pick two different albums and tracks. Read a book whose title or sub-title contains a word of at least three letters (excluding "the") from a track title on each album. Words must match exactly.
Required: state the albums and songs used
Option Two: two book option. No page count requirement
Pick two different albums and tracks. For each track read a book whose title or subtitle contains a word of at least four letters from the track title. Words must match exactly.
Required: state the albums and songs used
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25.5 - Andy P's task: Remember Alphabetical Order?
Help Thread
With the advent of computers the need for alphabetical order has waned somewhat so I created my task to help preserve its importance.
First the general rules:
This is a two book task.
Books which are labeled on its main page as children’s or kid’s are not eligible for this task.
Books must be written by a single author.
Books with an author who uses his/her initials may be used but will only make the task more difficult. ALL initials must be used.
The total number of pages of both books must exceed 500 pages (i.e., 501 pages or greater).
The objective of the task is to pair two authors whose initials put together will form a letter sequence in alphabetical order i.e. ABCD HIJK.
Thus Agatha Christie could be paired with David Baldacci or Alafair Burke could be paired with Dana Cameron to create the letter sequence ABCD. Arthur Conan Doyle could be paired with Erica Boyce to create the letter sequence ABCDE. Becky Chambers could be paired with Edwidge Danticat to create the letter sequence BCDE. Kristin Hannah and Joe Ide could be paired to create HIJK. Letters may also wrap. So ZABC or YZAB may also be used.
Notice that you can switch the positioning of the letters used to get alphabetical order. Any letter sequence in the alphabet can be used but they must follow exactly in the alphabet so you could not use Agatha Christie and Karin Slaughter because ACKS, while being in alphabetical order, do not directly follow each other.
25.6 - SandyL's task: Fun and Wacky Holidays
Help Thread
The fall starts the crazy holiday season (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, getting ready for Christmas craziness.) I prefer all the fun, silly and wacky holidays that exist - you can see a lot of them at http://www.holidayinsights.com/everyd... I've listed a few of my favorites.
Read two books from two different options. No books with a MPG of Children or Kids may be used.
Required: State the options when you post.
Option 1: September 19th is International Talk Like a Pirate Day
Read a book from one of theses pirate-themed lists
Pirates!
Pirates/Swashbuckling Romance
Lady Pirates
Required: State which list you used and what page your book is found on
Option 2: September 28 is Ask a Stupid Question Day.
Read a book with a title/subtitle that includes a question mark.
Option 3: October 21 is International Nacho Day.
Read a book with a title of at least three words where the first letter of each word is found in the phrase INTERNATIONAL NACHO DAY. Letters may be used only as often as they appear in the target word.
Option 4: November 8 is Tongue Twister Day
Read a book by an author whose initials (all of them) are the same. Ex: Fannie Flagg, Marissa Meyer
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25.7 - Brooke TX's task: 90s Nickelodeon Nostalgia
Help Thread
This is a two book task. ONE of your books may have the genre Comics/Graphic Novel/Sequential Art.
You can read two books from two different options or from the same option.
Required: State the option(s) you used when you post.
Option 1: Are You Afraid of the Dark? Read a book with an MPG of Horror.
Option 2: Rugrats - Read a book by a single author who shares a name with one of the Rugrats: Tommy/Thomas, Chuckie/Charles, Phil/Phillip, Lil/Lillian, Angelica, Susie/Susanna, or Dil/Dylan. Names must match exactly but may be found in any position.
Option 3: Hey Arnold! & Aaahh!!! Real Monsters - Read a book with one of the following punctuation marks in the TITLE (subtitles do not count): exclamation point, period, comma, semicolon, apostrophe, hyphen/dash, or question mark.
Option 4: Doug & The Secret World of Alex Mack - Read a book with the main character's name in the title.
Option 5: SpongeBob SquarePants - Read a book by a single author whose first and last initials can be found in SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS.
Option 6: Legends of the Hidden Temple - Read a book with a title of at least 3 words where the initial letter of each word can be found in LEGENDS OF THE HIDDEN TEMPLE.
Mod
Help Thread
The Proms is a series of Classical Concerts performed in The Royal Albert Hall. It is so good to see The Proms back with audiences this year and this task celebrates that fact.
♫ Option 1- READ TWO books- One from "A. The Proms Series" and the other from "B. The Last Night." There is NO page requirement for this option.
♫ Option 2 - READ ONE book of over 600 pages that fits an option from both "A. The Proms Series" and "B. The Last Night."
♫ NO books with the MPG Children's may be used for this task.
♫ Required: State the options used when you post.
♫ A. The Proms Series
a) Read a book with an MPG of Classics OR Music. Genres may be stand-alone or embedded.
b) Read a book by a single author who shares first and last initials with one of the 50 greatest composers of all time. The initials should match exactly (i.e., be found in the exact order) e.g Pat Barker (PB) works for Pierre Boulez, but Barbara Parker (BP) does NOT
Required: State the name of the composer used when you post.
c) Henry Wood conducted Prom concerts for nearly 40 years and is considered the founder of the Proms.
Read a book with Henry or Wood in the TITLE (not in a subtitle) - plurals or possessives allowed, no other variations.
Ex: A Star Called Henry; Norwegian Wood
♫ B. The Last Night
The music of the Last Night features at least three perennial favourites and a lot of flag waving. There are several Last Night Proms performed outdoors and linked into the Albert Hall for these Anthems.
a) Read a book which has a word of 4 or more letters in the TITLE (not in a subtitle) from the lyrics of Jerusalem. Word MUST MATCH EXACTLY.
Required: State the word used when you post.
b) Rule Brittania celebrates Britain and its Identity and is the start of the Flag Waving addiction we Brits have. Read a book set in Great Britain (more than 70% GB setting) this includes England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland
Required: Identify the setting and if not on GR main page provide evidence of setting.
c) The Sailor’s Hornpipe
This song encourages Audiences to get up and Dance (particularly at the Outdoor events).
Read a book with AT LEAST One pair of Human Legs on the cover - You need to be able to see legs and feet, tops of thighs OR Just feet won't work; neither will silhouettes
Required: include cover in post
Ex:
These work
These don't
♫ Option 2: Examples of one book option.
The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers fits A.c. Henry in title & B.b. set in England (939 pages)
The Ground Beneath Her Feet by Salman Rushdie fits A.b. author's initials (SR) match Sergei Rachmaninov & B.a. "Feet" Jerusalem lyrics (634 pages)
fist A.a. MPG Classics & B.c. legs on cover (1152 pages)30.2 - Dlmrose's Task: My Favorite Day of the Week
Help Thread
Major publishers release their new books on Tuesday, and that’s often the highlight of my week.
Read 2 books, one from each of two different options.
Required: State the options.
Option 1. Read a book written by an author whose initials (all) can be found in TUESDAY.
Option 2. In English, Tuesday gets its name from the Old English/Germanic god of sky and war Tiu. Read a book with a main page genre that includes the word War or Wars. The genre may be standalone or embedded.
Ex: Civil War; Media Tie In > Star Wars; War > Military Fiction
Option 3. Tuesday’s child is full of grace. Read a book where all the letters GRACE can be found in the TITLE. Subtitles are excluded.
Ex: Where the Crawdads Sing, A Great Reckoning, Ordinary Grace
Option 4. Read a new release, a book first published in 2021 or an ARC of a planned 2022 book.
30.3 - Katrisa's task: Missing my Bestie
Help Thread
This year, I lost someone very important to me, my best friend Sarah. There is a line in a Fredrik Backman book that says you never have friends like you do when you are 15 - and for me that is true. Our 27 year friendship began with a book so I am making my task in honor of her.
This is a two book task. Choose two different options from options 1–4.
Required: State your options when you post.
Option 1: Road Trip!
One of my favorite memories with Sarah was the road trip we took when we were 18. There is nothing quite like your first taste of freedom, blasting tunes, rolling down the highway. Our road trip took us from our hometown of San Diego, CA to Salt Lake City, UT. Our route took us from California, through Nevada and Arizona and finally to Utah. Read a book set at least 50% in one of these four states (California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah).
Option 2: Nightswimming
One of things I remember about that trip was the mix tape we made (it was the 1990s). We put the R.E.M. song Nightswimming on our tape and in honor of that song, we decided to pull off the road one night and swim in some random pond under the stars.
a. Read a book with an author whose initials are some combination of R.E.M. You must use at least 2 of the letters but do not have to use all three. They can be in any order, but each letter can only be used once (E.M. Forster (EMF) or Richard Paul Evans (RPE) would work, but L.M. Montgomery (LMM) would not)
OR
b. Read a book with a title of at least 2 words where the first letters of each of the words can be found in the word NIGHTSWIMMING.
Optional bonus - watch the Nightswimming video: R.E.M. Nightswimming
Option 3: Sarah’s Favorite Books
Sarah’s favorite kinds of books were mysteries/thrillers starring a female detective or cop and food memoirs.
a. Read a book with a MPG Mystery or Thriller AND has a main character crime/mystery solver who is a female police officer, detective, or private eye. The female MC must be a professional. No amateur sleuths. She can have a male partner. This list may be helpful Women Who Solve Crimes.
OR
b. Read a book with MPGs of BOTH Memoir and Food listed (genres may be standalone or embedded)
Option 4: Our Favorite Things
We grew up in San Diego and even after I moved I would still visit every summer and we would go to our favorite beach, Silver Strand. We had our first job together as baristas at our favorite coffee shop, Experience Coffee. And our friendship started in 11th grade when we sat next to each other in photography class and I lent her my copy of Franny and Zoey. Throughout our friendship we have always had beaches, books and coffee. Read a book with a cover featuring a sandy beach, a book(s) or coffee/tea cup(s). If choosing the beach option, the cover must clearly show a sandy beach and a body of water, not just water or sand. Ex:
Mod
Help Thread
My 5 year old grandson, like so many his age, is obsessed with dinosaurs. He acts out all sorts of plays with his toy dinos - the funniest part is that the dialogue is all sung, not spoken. So, we call them the Dinosaur Operas.
For this task, you will read 2 books. At least one of those books must be nonfiction (real nonfiction, not pseudo nonfiction about things like zombie attacks). The other book may be fiction or nonfiction.
No books with the main page genres Childrens or Kids may be used. The combined number of pages of both books must be at least 600 .
REQUIRED: Indicate in your post which book is nonfiction.
Book 1 - Read a book with a word of at least 4 letters in the title/subtitle that can be made from DINOSAUR OPERAS.
Book 2 - Read a book written by an author whose initials (ALL initials) can be found in DINOSAUR OPERAS.
Letters may be used only as often as found in the target phrase.
30.5 - Aprilleigh’s Task: A Good Decade
Help Thread
The 90s were a pretty busy decade for me. I started the 90s in grad school, conducting biomedical research in virology and bacterial genetics, and ended them as a professor teaching at the university, the local community college system, and a nearby medical school.
I’m trained as a biologist, but I’m also a polymath. That means in addition to specializing in bacterial genetics I also broadened my focus as much as I had time. I’m strongly, but not exclusively, STEM-oriented. This has included studies in mathematics, computer science, chemistry, environmental science, astronomy, physics, geology, philosophy, Latin, and art.
Most of my reading during those years consisted of journal articles in my specialty or an assortment of books covering any of the subjects I studied. Even when I enjoyed a movie or fiction title my usual choices often included a strong science component (forensics was a special favorite because it covered so many different sciences).
Pick two options and read one book from each.
Option A: Biology and Medicine (nonfiction)
Read a book from my list of popular biology books.
Option B: Other Sciences (nonfiction)
Read a book from my list of popular science books.
Option C: Fiction with a Science Component
Read a book from my list of popular fiction books.
Required: State the options you picked when you post.
30.6 - TessaVanessa's task: Spelling Bee
Help Thread
Book 1: Read a book with a title of at least 3 words where the first letter of each word in order spells a word or acronym. Ignore subtitles. The word or acronym must be found on https://www.dictionary.com/
Book 2: Read a book with the word spelled from Book 1 in the title or subtitle. The word must match exactly. Punctuation is considered to be part of the word for SRC purposes.
Example:
Book 1: Fates and Traitors (FAT)
Book 2: Size 12 Is Not Fat
Book 1: Lock Every Door (LED)
Book 2: Led Astray
Book 1: Easy Motion Tourist (EMT)
Book 2: Ambulance Girl: How I Saved Myself By Becoming an EMT
Mod
Help Thread
Choose one option and take a trip to three different countries through reading.
Required: State the option you chose when you post.
For the purposes of this task, please note:
A. 50%+ of the book must take place in the country you use it for.
B. This is a trip away from home. NO books set in the country where you live. For option 3, NO books set in the continent where you live.
C. The page count of your three books must total at least 750 pages.
D. No books with the genres children or kids on the main book page may be used.
Required: State the country you live in and the setting for each book you chose when you post.
Option 1: Road trip
Travel by land! Choose a country where you want to start your trip that allows you to travel by land to at least 2 other contiguous (sharing a common border) countries. (So Australia, the UK, Japan, etc. won’t work here.)
Book 1: Set in the country you chose.
Book 2: Set in a bordering country you can travel to by land.
Book 3: Set in a country bordering book 2 that you can travel to by land.
Option 2: Cruise
Time for an ocean adventure! Choose an ocean to explore: Arctic, Atlantic, Indian or Pacific. Then choose a country that borders that ocean*. Countries that border 2 or more oceans can be used for either ocean. Required: State the ocean when you post.
Book 1: Set in the country you chose.
Book 2: Set in a country bordering the same ocean, but NOT bordering your starting country.
Book 3: Set in a third country bordering the same ocean, but NOT bordering either previously visited country.
*Smaller connecting seas, gulfs, straits, etc. will be considered to be part of the big 4 ocean to which they connect--the Mediterranean Sea is included with the Atlantic and the Red Sea with the Indian Ocean. Landlocked water (like the Black Sea) will not work. These lists might help:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
Option 3: World Tour
Hop on a plane and see the world! Choose any country you want, outside of the continent where you live. Each country you visit for this option must be on a different continent: https://www.worldometers.info/geograp...
Book 1: Read a book set in the country you chose.
Book 2: Read a book set in a different country on a different continent.
Book 3: Read a book set in a different country on a third different continent.
Open the spoiler to see some examples:
(view spoiler)
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The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
In the Time of the Butterflies (other topics)Love in the Time of Cholera (other topics)
The High Mountains of Portugal (other topics)
Kafka on the Shore (other topics)
The Shipping News (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Fannie Flagg (other topics)Marissa Meyer (other topics)
Homer (other topics)
Arthur Conan Doyle (other topics)
Erica Boyce (other topics)
More...
5.1 - Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Help Thread
The Phantom Menace was released in 1999. It began the prequel trilogy to the Star Wars franchise. Read a book that is a prequel or fill-in in a series that is numbered with a #0 or a decimal. The series name and number must be indicated in the GR series metadata listing. Anthologies that contain only #0 and/or decimal-numbered series entries may be used.
ex. Cleaning the Gold, The Assassin's Blade, The Rules of Magic
5.2 - Titanic
Help Thread
Titanic became the highest grossing film of the 90's. Read a book with at least 50,000 ratings on GR.
5.3 - Men In Black
Help Thread
Men in Black- Read a book with a TITLE that appears in black text on the cover. The text may have effects- shadows, bevels, highlights, etc. but the letter form must be black. Subtitles should be ignored.
ex.
Required: Include the cover.
5.4 - Ghost
Help Thread
In Ghost a murdered man's ghost sets out to save his girlfriend. Read a book with a main page genre of Paranormal. The genre may be standalone or embedded.
5.5 - Thelma & Louise
Help Thread
Thelma & Louise focuses on two women on the run. Read a book with an ampersand "&" in the title or subtitle.
ex. Days of Blood & Starlight, Eleanor & Park
5.6 - The Sixth Sense
Help Thread
The Sixth Sense was a 1999 film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. Read a book written by an author who uses initial(s) in the first name position. ex. E. Lockhart, J.R.R. Tolkien, M. Scott Peck
5.7 - Jurassic Park
Help Thread
The film Jurassic Park was based on the book Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. Read a book from this list I Saw the Movie and Read the Book
Required: State the page.
5.8 - Twister
Help Thread
Twister, released in 1996, became the first film released on DVD in the United States. Read a book with all the letters DVD in the title and/or subtitle.
ex. Every Dead Thing, David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, Memorial Drive: A Daughter's Memoir
5.9 - Toy Stories
Help Thread
Toy Story (1995) and Toy Story 2 (1999) both received the rare 100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Read a book with the word "story"or "stories" in the title or subtitle. The word must match exactly.
ex. Outliers: The Story of Success, Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood, The Hypnotist's Love Story
5.10 - Aladdin
Help Thread
Aladdin's Genie has granted your wish. Read a book of your choice that meets SRC rules. For this task only, you may choose a book with the genre Childrens or Kids that is not found in AR Bookfinder - this does NOT allow the use of childrens books that are found in ARBF but do not meet SRC requirements.