The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

20.9 - Moderator's Pet - Terri FL's Task - ChatGPT

I have lately been experimenting with ChatGPT, one of the new AI tools, both for work as well as personal things (it comes up with great book club discussion questions!). For this challenge, I tried to see what ChatGPT would come up with as a prompt. I had a couple weird duds at first that didn’t make sense like Genre Hop Challenge – to read only 100 pages of a book before changing to another genre, etc. After a couple attempts at explaining, I got a few interesting prompts.

No children's books. Your book must be at least 250 pages.

Choose one of the following options.
Required: state the option.

Option A: This was the first challenge that made sense and ChatGPT gave me a helpful follow-up list. Read a book that has won an obscure literary award or was a finalist in a lesser-known book prize. For this option, we will use the prizes provided, The Goldsmiths Prize, Dylan Thomas Prize, Walther Scott Prize for Historical Fiction or Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction. Your book may be either a winner or a nominee.

Below are the GR links:

https://www.goodreads.com/award/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/award/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/award/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/award/show/...

Required: State which of the prizes your book won/was nominated for.

Option B: I live in Florida so am in the middle of hurricane season. I told this to ChatGPT, and this was its prompt – Read a book with cover art that includes any of these weather phenomena, storms, or natural disasters: rain, tidal wave, tornado, snow, or stormy skies (lightning or dark clouds).

Required: Post the cover.

Option C: I then let ChatGPT know that in my town of Sarasota, the fall means Amish/Mennonite pies for Thanksgiving! My resulting prompt was to read a book with a pie on the cover or a book set in a rural or Amish community.

Required: If using the cover option, post the cover.
Required: If using the setting option, if the setting is not obvious from the GR metadata or book description, provide a reference.

Option D: As fun as ChatGPT is, we certainly hope AI is not taking over the world, so for this option, read a book where AI is a key theme. This is a good starting place, but need not be from one of these lists - https://www.goodreads.com/genres/arti...

Required: If the AI theme is not obvious from the GR metadata or book description, provide a reference.

Smart-Stamp of Approval

Canticle Creek
Written in My Own Heart's Blood
Vampires of El Norte
Goodbye Earl
Pray for Silence
Paradise Valley
The Story of My Face

Smart Disapproval

The Vaster Wilds
Malibu Burning

is there enough snow on the mountains to fit option B

if not would The Vaster Wilds set in the wildrness fit rural or does it have to have more people than this book suggests

A servant girl escapes from a colonial settlement in the wilderness. She carries nothing with her but her wits, a few possessions, and the spark of god that burns hot within her. What she finds in this terra incognita is beyond the limits of her imagination and will bend her belief in everything that her own civilization has taught her.

3rd option again for rural community Canticle Creek
When Jesse starts to ask awkward questions, she uncovers a town full of contradictions and a cast of characters with dark pasts, secrets to hide and even more to lose.

As the temperature soars, and the ground bakes, the wilderness surrounding Canticle Creek becomes a powderkeg waiting to explode.

Hi! For C, "set in a rural community" --

I don't know if you're familiar with Outlander, but in the second half of the series, they settle at Fraser's Ridge, described as such:

"The location, now called Fraser’s Ridge, is routinely described in the books as remote, with no roads. It takes days to get there from the nearest town, on horseback or wagon." (lindamerrill.com)

Would this be acceptable? The book in question is Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon.

As a disclaimer, I have not read the book yet and therefore don't know what percentage of the book is in Fraser's Ridge compared to previous books, though I can say the preceding 4 books averaged around 50-80% in backwoods North Carolina. Let me know what you think! Thank you.

(Full link to reference is https://lindamerrill.com/2020/02/23/o...)

Can you approve this for option B: lightning on the cover?

Would this work for Opt B?



It shows a fire, which I was considering a natural disaster. The book description says, "Hell comes to Southern California every October. It rides in on searing Santa Ana winds that blast at near hurricane force, igniting voracious wildfires."

I love this task idea!

For Option C, does it need to be an entire pie or could a piece work?
Example:

Marie (UK) wrote: " is there enough snow on the mountains to fit option B

if not would The Vaster Wilds set in the wildrness fit rural or does it have to have mor..."

Hi, I'm having a hard time seeing if that is snow on the mountains or mist. If it's snow, then it should work.

For the second option, wilderness alone isn't really a rural community so that wouldn't work, but your third option of Canticle Creek sounds like it should be fine.

Michelle wrote: "Hi! For C, "set in a rural community" --

I don't know if you're familiar with Outlander, but in the second half of the series, they settle at Fraser's Ridge, described as such:

"The location, now..."

Hi, I only read the first book in the series, but have watched all but the latest seasons, so familiar enough! Yes, I would say that Fraser's Ridge is a rural community so if the book is set there, that would be fine.

Brooke wrote: "Can you approve this for option B: lightning on the cover?
"

That is exactly the book I'm reading for this challenge so a huge approval here!

Lisa wrote: "Would this work for Opt B?



It shows a fire, which I was considering a natural disaster. The book description says, "Hell comes to Southern California every Oct..."

While I agree that fire can be a natural disaster, the task is limiting the approved ones to this list - rain, tidal wave, tornado, snow, or stormy skies, so unfortunately that book would not work for this task.

Angela wrote: "For Option C, does it need to be an entire pie or could a piece work?
Example: "

Hi, we didn't specify a whole pie, so yes a piece of pie should work well!

Meg wrote: "I love this task idea!"

Thanks Meg!

I was thinking option B required actual snow falling, but it appears that a snowy landscape is sufficient. Is that correct? (I found plenty with the landscape, but none on my list with actual falling snow!)

Morning.

Could you confirm that Pray for Silence (and, I think, the Kate Burkholder series in general: https://www.goodreads.com/series/5632...) are good for Amish setting for Option C.

Thanks.

Kathy KS wrote: "I was thinking option B required actual snow falling, but it appears that a snowy landscape is sufficient. Is that correct? (I found plenty with the landscape, but none on my list with actual falli..."

Yep, any type of snow works. It doesn't need to actually be falling.

Trish wrote: "Morning.

Could you confirm that Pray for Silence (and, I think, the Kate Burkholder series in general: https://www.goodreads.com/series/5632...) are good for Amish se..."

Yes - this is perfect for an Amish setting.

Cheers.

Would - Dale Cramer be ok for Option C?

Fiona (Titch) wrote: "Would - Dale Cramer be ok for Option C?"

Yes, this looks to be an Amish setting.

Terri FL wrote: "Fiona (Titch) wrote: "Would - Dale Cramer be ok for Option C?"

Yes, this looks to be an Amish setting."

Thank you x

Terri FL wrote: "Kathy KS wrote: "I was thinking option B required actual snow falling, but it appears that a snowy landscape is sufficient. Is that correct? (I found plenty with the landscape, but none on my list ..."

That's great! Lots more possibles.

Hi, would this work for option-B snow on the cover?

Inge (Inge1990) wrote: "Hi, would this work for option-B snow on the cover?
"

Yes, I see snow on this cover.

Would you consider a quiche a kind of pie?

Cathy wrote: "Would you consider a quiche a kind of pie?
"

Yes, according to a few culinary sources, a quiche is a type of pie.

Here is what ChatGPT had to say as well!

Yes, a quiche is considered a type of pie. It is a savory pie originating from French cuisine. Quiches are typically made with a pastry crust and a filling of eggs, cream, cheese, and various other ingredients such as vegetables, meats, or seafood. The key distinction between a quiche and a sweet pie is that quiches have a savory filling, whereas sweet pies have sweet fillings like fruits or custards. So, while a quiche is a specific type of pie, it falls into the category of savory pies rather than sweet ones.

Would Rescue Me work for Option C, rural?

Shelby wrote: "Would Rescue Me work for Option C, rural?"

This looks to be set on a ranch rather than an actual rural community (per the task, "rural or Amish community"). Can you provide evidence on how this ranch is part of a community?

Terri FL wrote: "Shelby wrote: "Would Rescue Me work for Option C, rural?"

This looks to be set on a ranch rather than an actual rural community (per the task, "rural or Amish community"). Can you ..."

Without reading it I don't know how much of the town is involved. I was basing the community part of it off the descriptions line..."She finds the answer to her dreams of the future in Kyle Morgan, who’s looking for an investor in his Rocking M Ranch in Dreamwater, Oklahoma." Assuming that there would be involvement with the community of Dreamwater.

Terri FL wrote: "Shelby wrote: "Would Rescue Me work for Option C, rural?"

This looks to be set on a ranch rather than an actual rural community (per the task, "rural or Amish community"). Can you ..."

Just a comment. I didn't read your original task as meaning a rural "town" or Amish community. For those living in "rural" areas a rural community includes more than just the city limits of our towns. It's the "community" all around whose kids go to our schools, attend the churches, etc., so that would include all the farms and ranches.
So a clarification on what exactly that meant would be good, because I might have to re-look at the titles I was considering if we are talking about everything in the city limits of a town. (Many/most Amish seem to live on farms, by the way)

Ok, I see your points. I was seeing it as the ranch alone and didn't know how close it might be to others. It doesn't necessarily need to be within a town limits, but should be part of a wider community. I believe many farms are typically near other farms and are part of a community. This would be different from say a book set completely in the wilderness away from any others. As an example, I'm reading The Fox and I: An Uncommon Friendship. While she does drive into a town to teach and get supplies, her home is very isolated and she's not really part of a community. (see point 5 below)

So, if the book is in a setting where the ranch or farm is part of a community with others (even if sparsely) are around, then that would be fine. I grew up in big cities, so apologies if I did not make the connection right away!

Per ChatGPT:
A rural community is generally characterized by a low population density, limited infrastructure, and a focus on natural environments and agricultural activities. Here are some key characteristics that help define a rural community:

1. Low Population Density: Rural areas typically have fewer people per square mile or kilometer compared to urban or suburban areas.

2. Open Spaces and Natural Features: They often feature expansive landscapes, farmland, forests, and other natural elements.

3. Limited Infrastructure: Rural areas may have fewer amenities and services compared to urban areas. For example, there may be fewer hospitals, schools, and public transportation options.

4. Agricultural Emphasis: Farming and agriculture play a significant role in the local economy and culture.

5. Tight-Knit Community: Residents in rural areas often have strong community ties, and there may be a sense of familiarity and mutual support among residents.

6. Limited Access to Urban Amenities: Access to shopping centers, entertainment venues, and other urban amenities may be more restricted or involve longer travel distances.

7. Reliance on Natural Resources: Rural communities may rely on natural resources like water, timber, or minerals for their livelihoods.

8. Traditional Ways of Life: Rural areas may have a slower pace of life, and traditional customs and ways of living may be more prevalent.

As for a ranch, it can be considered part of a rural community. A ranch is a large piece of land, often in a rural or semi-rural area, used primarily for raising livestock or for agricultural purposes. It's a characteristic element of rural communities, as it aligns with the emphasis on agriculture and open spaces.

It's worth noting that rural communities can vary significantly in their characteristics depending on factors such as location, culture, and economic activities. Some rural areas may be more isolated and have limited services, while others may be closer to urban centers and have more amenities available.

Can this cover be approved for Option B...are there enough dark clouds and rain in the distance?

Thank you!!

would you say this works for option B:

?

For option D, since the 4 of the top 10 books in this list
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
are part of the Murderbot series, I am thinking the new installment,System Collapse, will be okay?