Reading with Style discussion

Questions about the challenge can be asked here.

What's a good way to go about finding books set in individual countries for this challenge?

Kim wrote: "What's a good way to go about finding books set in individual countries for this challenge?"

I use: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/***

Replace *** with the country of interest. If it's more than one word, like Sierra Leone, you have to put a hyphen between the words so it becomes https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

Just keep in mind that it's based on how people shelve the books on Goodreads. So, sometimes, you have to take it with a grain (or pound) of salt....

Kim wrote: "What's a good way to go about finding books set in individual countries for this challenge?"

There is also this:

https://www.goodreads.com/places

It is alphabetical, but there is no navigation, except to jump to a numbered page. Not every book has the setting entered.
Always be careful, though, because sometimes a place will be added to the book record, but it isn't the 51% we need.

You can also google for a particular country, like

"Books set in Ethiopia" which will get you:

https://www.google.com/search?q=books...

Feel free to ask in the Africa/Asia threads. The people in this group are amazing.

It’s also worth noting that the genre links in the two help threads would lead you to some books. Most of them won’t be for the general region, but for countries within the regions.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Kim wrote: "What's a good way to go about finding books set in individual countries for this challenge?"

There is also this:

https://www.goodreads.com/places

It is alphabetical, but there is no ..."

Unfortunately, this particular link has maxed out at page 100 (which is around "Mo...") :/

Tien wrote: "Unfortunately, this particular link has maxed out at page 100 (which is around "Mo...") :/"

Yuck! That must have happened a couple of years ago (or more) when they maxed out entries on shelves, reviews, etc.

Let's see what we can do otherwise. In the specific Asia/Africa help threads, ask for a country. I'll see there is a way to get to the country page for further help.

It looks like that part of the Goodreads table has now been made searchable in the Genres section. I linked to the general regions in the help threads.

https://www.goodreads.com/genres

But if you search for a specific country there, you will get results for books shelved for the specific country. I tried it with Turkmenistan:

https://www.goodreads.com/genres/turk...

No promises for all countries (I didn't try them all!), but it looks as if GR has more help than just the region.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Tien wrote: "Unfortunately, this particular link has maxed out at page 100 (which is around "Mo...") :/"

Yuck! That must have happened a couple of years ago (or more) when they maxed out entries o..."

There is a trick of a sort... as long as you know of a book which noted a particular country in its metadata, you can still click on that link for a list.

For example,
When the Ground is Hard
If you look just underneath ISBN, there is "setting Swaziland", if you click on the Swaziland link, you'll get to: https://www.goodreads.com/places/3324...

So the pages are still there for the moment but you just need to get to it a different way...

Tien wrote: "So the pages are still there for the moment but you just need to get to it a different way..."

Yes. I didn't realize that GR did some work on this and the genre pages are searchable by country. I have posted in each of the two help threads as well as here.

Learned another thing today!

Thank you for the suggestions. I was aware of https://www.goodreads.com/places, which just frustrated me because you couldn't search it, as noted. I was not aware that countries could be searched as genres, though, and that is helpful. Also, somehow I hadn't seen the links in the help section until after I posted here. But, it sounds like it generated some good discussion.

I always like to look at the group Around the World in 80 Books. https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/....
Scroll way down and they have books by country listed. As always, double check for 51% in the correct country, though.

And then there is Nancy Pearl’s Book Lust to Go: Recommended Reading for Travelers, Vagabonds, and Dreamers

A question about the half way finish bonus. Will it be awarded for finishing all the 10 pt tasks and all the 20 pt tasks (total of 100 pts) or only once (total 50 points)?

I think this is a great idea!

Mary wrote: "A question about the half way finish bonus. Will it be awarded for finishing all the 10 pt tasks and all the 20 pt tasks (total of 100 pts) or only once (total 50 points)?

I think this is a great ..."

It is 50 points for each of them, so 100 points total for the same point total as the RwS finish. You can earn the bonus more than once. We're trying this out this season, and we'll see how it works both for you and for scorekeeping. Feedback later in the season will be welcome.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Mary wrote: "A question about the half way finish bonus. Will it be awarded for finishing all the 10 pt tasks and all the 20 pt tasks (total of 100 pts) or only once (total 50 points)?

I think thi..."


Thanks to Mary for asking, and Elizabeth for explaining this! This new configuration sounds like it could be very interesting.

Valerie wrote: "This new configuration sounds like it could be very interesting."

Some of you are reading rabbits and the points will end up being the same by challenge end (or maybe slightly higher if you squeeze in an extra for the 20-pointers!). Others don't read so much. This gives those members another opportunity to earn a finishers bonus.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Mary wrote: "A question about the half way finish bonus. Will it be awarded for finishing all the 10 pt tasks and all the 20 pt tasks (total of 100 pts) or only once (total 50 points)?

I think thi..."

Thanks!

I am confused. The halfway bonus is for *this* season meaning Spring? But I see only 15-point tasks.

Owlette wrote: "I am confused. The halfway bonus is for *this* season meaning Spring? But I see only 15-point tasks."

The rest of the tasks are yet to be posted. There are always 10- and 20-point tasks. This season, instead of the sub-challenge numbered and scored at 15-points, there are tasks instead.

Oh, I see - more tasks to be posted. Great! Ten books a season is a good season for me and now I have a chance to earn a bonus. Exciting! Thanks!

Is the list of Countries To Go under Group Projects up to date? Are there new countries? I guess I haven’t been keeping up with the real world as I noticed Ceuta, Madeira, Melilla that I don’t remember from before.

Rebekah wrote: "Is the list of Countries To Go under Group Projects up to date? Are there new countries? I guess I haven’t been keeping up with the real world as I noticed Ceuta, Madeira, Melilla that I don’t reme..."

Yes, the list is up to date for the project as we're playing it. Whatever those countries were carved out of can be applied to the countries on the list, if applicable.

The countries that apply to the 15s this season are posted in the two help threads.

Thanks!
I’m really happy about this task. I do read a lot of books from Asia but seem to have been a little unbalanced in my horizons by not reading as much about this continent, followed closely by South America. I’m excited about looking up literature in these countries.

Just to confirm my thinking - J.M. Coetzee does not qualify for 'non-western' b/c he now is a citizen of Australia.

Valerie wrote: "Just to confirm my thinking - J.M. Coetzee does not qualify for 'non-western' b/c he now is a citizen of Australia."

correct.

I have a question about one of the polls.

“Read a book with a title consisting of at least three words, in which the initials can each be found in which holiday?”

Which initials? The author’s Name? The first letter in each word of the title? The first letter of three of the words in the title?

Rebekah wrote: "I have a question about one of the polls.

“Read a book with a title consisting of at least three words, in which the initials can each be found in which holiday?”

Which initials? The author’s Nam..."

The first letter of three of the words in the title. The letters may be repeated, if needed.

I'd like some help from the group deciding on the same poll. Right now Songkran is well established in the lead, but I'm having trouble finding any books that fit on my current TBR. I'm curious what books others have found. I have 3 at least that fit Easter, so I just changed my vote to that holiday. Let's talk about this one :)

Karen, I'm glad you brought this up and motivated me to rethink my choice. Originally I chose the word that had the highest number of unique letters. Songkran has 7 unique letters, Easter has 5, and the other two words just don't look promising. But looking at my TBR shelf, I see more options for Easter and so have changed my vote. I will plan on Across the Street by Georges Simenon. I think it will be a challenging task no matter which word wins!

Also, Easter covers the three English articles "a, an, the" which tend to occur frequently in book titles.

I voted for Easter because it contains a T and many books contain the word THE. I was quickly able to find these books:
The Secret Agent
Returning to Earth
The Razor's Edge
I had to search more to find books to fit Songkran, but I found:
Angle of Repose
Angel of Greenwood YA
Never Say Never

Karen Michele wrote: "I'd like some help from the group deciding on the same poll. Right now Songkran is well established in the lead, but I'm having trouble finding any books that fit on my current TBR. I'm curious wha..."

Most of the books I've pencilled in for the known 20-pointers have only 1 or 2 words, so wouldn't qualify for any of them. (Go figure!). Only one of those books would qualify for Easter - which surprises me. I have these potential books that would combo with songkran.

The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love
The God of Small Things
Soldiers of Salamis
The Mystery of the Sintra Road (this one would also work for Easter)


Just a note: We usually brainstorm tasks without putting actual books to them. As we whittle down our options, we do look around and if we decide a task isn't viable, we swap it out.

I also picked 'Songkran' for the same reason as Denise - it had a good variety of letters. However, that said after the fact I did kind of wonder which book I would use. (To be fair all of the words will be problematic I think, especially paired with the 3 word minimum). Anyhow, the book I plan on using is: The Saint Goes On

“Read a book with a title consisting of at least three words, in which the initials can each be found in which holiday?”

Elizabeth, I'm not sure if I understand the task. Does it mean that you can have a title with ten words, but only three words in the title have to start with the letters of the holiday word? Also, we can reuse the letters of the holiday word so you are only using 2 letters in "Soldiers of Salamis." Maybe the task could be written up with all the details in one place so we don't get confused.

Connie wrote: "“Elizabeth, I'm not sure if I understand the task. Does it mean that you can have a title with ten words, but only three words in the title have to start with the letters of the holiday word?."

Correct. Your book does not have to be exactly 3 words, but *at least* 3 words. Also you can re-use letters.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Connie wrote: "“Elizabeth, I'm not sure if I understand the task. Does it mean that you can have a title with ten words, but only three words in the title have to start with the letters of the holi..."

Oooooh that does change things! So, for The Mambo Kings example you gave - it fits because K, S, and O are part of the title, but it's okay that there's a T in the title initials that isn't in Songkran, right?

And when you say re-use letters, does that mean that for Songkran, you could use a book like Oona Out of Order - four Os, so you can re-use the one O in Songkran?

Sorry for the detailed questions!!!

Yes, Katy, you've got it. I'm afraid that the word "each" in the task is causing confusion and I apologize for that.

At least 3 of the words in the title must begin with one of the letters found in the chosen spring holiday/observance.

Thanks everyone! I found one on my list for Songkran just after writing my post, Sterling Karat Gold, so I've got a book if that one wins. So far my books for Easter are:
The Razor's Edge
After the Sun
A Snake Falls to Earth YA



Enjoy the search:)

Karen Michele wrote: "Thanks everyone! I found one on my list for Songkran just after writing my post, Sterling Karat Gold, so I've got a book if that one wins. "

I see a couple of others on your 1001 tbr that also fit 20.1:

The Riddle of the Sands
As a Man Grows Older

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Connie wrote: "“Elizabeth, I'm not sure if I understand the task. Does it mean that you can have a title with ten words, but only three words in the title have to start with the letters of the holi..."

Oh, I completely misunderstood this task! Back to recalculate my options :)

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Karen Michele wrote: "Thanks everyone! I found one on my list for Songkran just after writing my post, Sterling Karat Gold, so I've got a book if that one wins. "

I see a couple of..."

Thanks, Elizabeth ---- both of those look great and qualify for 20.1 as well. Maybe I'll be changing my vote back to Songkran ;)

Does Abi Daré count as non-western?

Wikipedia: Abi (Abimbola) Daré is a Nigerian author who now lives in Essex, England.

Goodreads: Abi Daré grew up in Lagos, Nigeria and has lived in the UK for eighteen years.

I don't see that she changed citizenship, but I admit to being a little confused about how residency and nationality interact for this style.

Joanna wrote: "Does Abi Daré count as non-western?

Wikipedia: Abi (Abimbola) Daré is a Nigerian author who now lives in Essex, England.

Goodreads: Abi Daré grew up in Lagos, Nigeria and has li..."

Yes, she will count as non-western; we try to lean in the direction of citizenship over residency whenever we can. Dual citizenships complicate matters, but we would go with the western one in most case. I do think she qualifies for 20.7 Oscar Wao as an immigrant author - 18 years residence must count for something! I hope this doesn't sound contradictory.

Does Saad Hossain count as non-western? He is not on the non-western spreadsheet but on the authors spreadsheet it says that he is.

Coralie wrote: "Does Saad Hossain count as non-western? He is not on the non-western spreadsheet but on the authors spreadsheet it says that he is."

Yes and thank you. I'll take another look at the query that generated the nonwestern list.

EDIT: I see! There is a 2nd tab on the Authors list that is current for nonwestern. I can't edit the Quick Links post since GR disallowed embedded links to outside web pages. I'll fix it to be less confusing.

Thank you for checking.

Hello ! Are graphic novels allowed for 15 points tasks ? I'm not sure whether it is not an actual sub-challenge. Thanks :)

Marie wrote: "Hello ! Are graphic novels allowed for 15 points tasks ? I'm not sure whether it is not an actual sub-challenge. Thanks :)"

Yes. I'm sorry if we weren't clear about graphic novels and Lexiles. The 15s will be treated much like the RwS tasks. You can read them without styles.

I've just finished my first book set in Lebanon, Shatila Stories by Omar Khaled Ahmad and 8 other authors all who live in Lebanon and are refugees from Syria. Can I claim the non-western style for the book?