The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

25.4 - Robin P's Task: ‘60’s Board Games

My brother and I played a lot of board games growing up. Here are a few of them.
Choose 2 different options and read 1 book from each option.

1. Careers – Players choose paths for farming, business, law, or even going into space (it was the '60's!). You accumulate money but also fame and happiness.
Read a book with a job title in the author’s name or in the title (not subtitles.)
Occupation must be on one of these lists: http://www.namenerds.com/uucn/listofw...
https://surnames.behindthename.com/na...
Plurals and possessives are allowed. Translated equivalents of names are permitted, but per SRC rules you must explain how it fits.

Required: Specify which list the name appears on.

Examples – Longbourn- Jo Baker
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - Alexander McCall Smith
The Weaver Takes a Wife
Butcher's Crossing

2. Monopoly - Everyone knows this game which exists in many international formats.
Read a book with one of the original 10 Monopoly tokens on the cover.
These are:
Racecar (any car is acceptable)
Battleship (any large military ship is acceptable - not civilian vessels such as cruise liners or ferries)
Scottie Dog (any domestic dog is acceptable, but no foxes or wolves)
Cannon
Horse with Rider (must have a person riding)
Top Hat (must be a top hat, not just any hat)
Boot (can be on a foot or by itself, and can be any kind of boot - but not a shoe)
Wheelbarrow
Thimble
Iron (Were these last two intended for female players?)

Required: Post the cover.

3. Mystery Date – You have to assemble the necessities for a date – dress, shoes, flowers, and of course a boy. Heaven forbid you would get stuck with the nerdy Poindexter!
Read a book with MPG Romance AND one of the following: Mystery, Thriller, or Suspense (or one MPG which is a combination, such as Romantic Suspense.)

4. Mousetrap – You build a “better mousetrap” by assembling odd parts, like a boot that kicks a marble down a staircase to land on a seesaw to launch a figurine, etc. The idea was based on drawings by humor cartoonist Rube Goldberg, who depicted elaborate processes to accomplish simple task.
Read a book from the first 20 pages of this Humor list: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

Required: State the page of the list your book is found on.

5. Parcheesi (also Pachisi, and other spellings) is based on an ancient game from India. The game Sorry is also a derivation of this race game where you can send your opponent back to Start. Read a book set at least 70% in India.

Required: If the setting isn’t obvious from the book page or GR metadata, provide a reference.

**NOTE - description above now includes 2 lists, you can use either one, but need to specify which one.

Note: I realize the list in Option 1 is actually provided for parents to consider as first names. For the task, the occupation can be the author's first or last name, or middle name if listed on GR.

You're Hired (Approved):
Option 1 -The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder
Option 2 - - car on cover
- Battleship on cover
- horse & rider

Sorry, We've chosen another candidate (Not Approved)

Option 1 - Trooper
Option 1 - Laura Shepherd-Robinson - hyphenated name is treated as one word, so it doesn't work

Great task!

1. Careers

Does Death Troopers work? Troopers

Susan A wrote: "Great task!

1. Careers

Does Death Troopers work? Troopers"

Good question, I knew it would be hard to validate which occupations work, so I went with a list, linked in Option 1. Weirdly, this is a list of occupations that parents are now considering for first names. It can be the author's first, middle or last name. Unfortunately, Trooper is not on the list so it can't be used.

Robin P wrote: "Susan A wrote: "Great task!

1. Careers

Does Death Troopers work? Troopers"

Good question, I knew it would be hard to validate which occupations work, so I went with a list, linked..."

I'm so sorry. I'm doing too many things at once. I clearly did not read the directions well. I did not check the list.

Susan A wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Susan A wrote: "Great task!

1. Careers

Does Death Troopers work? Troopers"

Good question, I knew it would be hard to validate which occupations work, so I went wit..."

That's ok, it got me to remember I needed to confirm any name part works.

I'm confused about the examples provided for option 1:
Examples – Longbourn- Jo Baker
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - Alexander McCall Smith
The Weaver Takes a Wife
Butcher's Crossing

I couldn't find Baker, Detective, Weaver or Butcher on the list, although Smith was. What am I missing?

I love this task - but I'm confused. In the example it gives BAKER, yet Baker is not a name on the list. With the name Becker it gives the job description as a baker.... So Baker is not an approved Career? Same with Detective, Weaver, or Butcher. So am I just not reading this correctly? It doesn't have to be a name on the list but can be in the description?

Careers was one of my favorite games!!

Does it have to be the whole car for option 1, or does this work?

Thanks, Kim and Peg, I will consult the Mods about having the task adjusted. I started with a different list when I got the examples but the Mods found it was missing some common jobs. Now it turns out this one is also.

Sorry for the confusion, I'll get this cleared up as soon as possible!

No worries - thanks for such an interesting task!

So, this would work since Hunter is on the list?

The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder

oh yay finally found a place for - its a long one that came in before the challenge started and I dug in on a hope I could use it somewhere

KmarieD wrote: "So, this would work since Hunter is on the list?

The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder"

Yes, that works

Dee wrote: "oh yay finally found a place for - its a long one that came in before the challenge started and I dug in on a hope I could use it somewhere"

Yes. great example for horse and rider!

Robin P wrote: "Thanks, Kim and Peg, I will consult the Mods about having the task adjusted. I started with a different list when I got the examples but the Mods found it was missing some common jobs. Now it turns..."

This should be fixed now. Sorry about that, we dropped the ball while editing!

**Thank you, Mods!
See updated task description which allows you to use either list.

Brooke wrote: "Careers was one of my favorite games!!

Does it have to be the whole car for option 1, or does this work?

"

There is enough of a car for it to be obvious, so this is ok.

Robin P wrote: "Brooke wrote: "Careers was one of my favorite games!!

Does it have to be the whole car for option 1, or does this work?

"

There is enough of..."


Thanks, Robin!!

Robin P wrote: "**Thank you, Mods!
See updated task description which allows you to use either list."

Yes - thank you Robin and Mods!

for the occupation can i use a double barrelledname e.g. for shepherdLaura Shepherd-Robinson

Marie (UK) wrote: "for the occupation can i use a double barrelledname e.g. for shepherdLaura Shepherd-Robinson"

Another good question, I will consult a Mod to be sure.

Marie (UK) wrote: "for the occupation can i use a double barrelledname e.g. for shepherdLaura Shepherd-Robinson"

Got a speedy answer - hyphenated names are treated as one word, so I'm sorry, this would not work. If it didn't have the hyphen, it would be ok as a name part.

Robin P wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "for the occupation can i use a double barrelledname e.g. for shepherdLaura Shepherd-Robinson"

Got a speedy answer - hyphenated names are treated as one word, s..."

thats Ok thanks for checking

Option 2 says "10" original tokens. I only count nine. Is there one missing that we can use?

Kathy KS wrote: "Option 2 says "10" original tokens. I only count nine. Is there one missing that we can use?"

Thanks for catching this - I missed Boot! I will get the task updated. It must be a boot of some kind, not just any shoe.

Robin P wrote: "Kathy KS wrote: "Option 2 says "10" original tokens. I only count nine. Is there one missing that we can use?"

Thanks for catching this - I missed Boot! I will get the task updated. It must be a b..."

I thought it would be something like this. Thanks.

Can you verify The Quality of Mercy for Option 3?
(Romance is the last MPG under More. I'm afraid it might drop off.)

Boots now added to option 2. Sorry it's late, they were still at the cobblers. ;)

Jayne wrote: "Boots now added to option 2. Sorry it's late, they were still at the cobblers. ;)"

Thanks, Jayne!

Julia wrote: "Can you verify The Quality of Mercy for Option 3?
(Romance is the last MPG under More. I'm afraid it might drop off.)"

Verified

Robin, just making sure: will this work for Option 2 ship

Joanne wrote: "Robin, just making sure: will this work for Option 2 ship

"

Yes, this is ok since it is specifically used for battle. A sailing ship for exploration might not work.

Bonus just for fun - Here is an article from today about Rube Goldberg and his comic inventions - mentioned in Option 4. I think this should be accessible to anyone as a "gift" from my subscription.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/22/cr...

Will work for Horse and Rider? The guys in the background carrying the flags are actually riding despite the center horse currently sans rider.

Shelby wrote: "Will work for Horse and Rider? The guys in the background carrying the flags are actually riding despite the center horse currently sans rider."

Yes, that is ok.

Hi, Robin, I've got a question for option 2. I'm not exactly knowledgeable about military ships and can't identify them by sight, so I just wanted to check - there's a ship at the top between the two dragons, and the book is all about an alternate version of the British navy, so I assume it's meant to be a frigate or some such. Would that work?

Jayne wrote: "Hi, Robin, I've got a question for option 2. I'm not exactly knowledgeable about military ships and can't identify them by sight, so I just wanted to check - there's ..."

Yes, what a wonderful series! I never cared for dragons in books till I read this series and fell in love with Temeraire. The ships are the British navy which is at war with Napoleon, so this counts.

Robin P wrote: "Yes, what a wonderful series! I never cared for dragons in books till I read this series and fell in love with Temeraire."

I mean, if you're recommending it then I know I'm onto something good! I've lost count of the number of books I've seen you claim that have later made their way onto my TBR...

That said, this one's been on my list since about 2010, so it's probably high time I got around to actually reading it ;)

Jayne wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Yes, what a wonderful series! I never cared for dragons in books till I read this series and fell in love with Temeraire."

I mean, if you're recommending it then I know I'm onto so..."

Wow, I'm flattered! The thing for me was that my husband and I had gone through the whole series by Patrick O'Brian that starts with Master and Commander. Some people might have seen the movie with that name. The Temeraire series covers the same time and battles but with a dragon air force. In fact, Captain Will Laurence is much like Jack Aubrey, smart at sea but not so good on land dealing with things like politics and women. The best part is the "bromance" between man and dragon. The series spans the whole world.

And anyone looking for another series about this era might like the Bloody Jack series about a girl who passes herself off as a cabin boy and travels the world. Bloody Jack - L.A. Meyer is the first one. They are designed for teens, but enjoyable by anyone. The audio by the late Katherine Kellgren is fabulous. There might be a battleship on one of those covers as well, though some are instead pirate ships or merchant ships.

Jayne wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Yes, what a wonderful series! I never cared for dragons in books till I read this series and fell in love with Temeraire."

I mean, if you're recommending it then I know I'm onto so..."

Jayne, I had no idea we weren't yet GR friends, I am happy to accept you! I would have thought we had to be friends for me to get all your Moderator messages.

can you approve the worker's footwear for Boot in Monopoly

Marie (UK) wrote: "can you approve the worker's footwear for Boot in Monopoly

"

Are you talking about the person in the front? I magnified it multiple times and can only see a white blob on one foot. It looks like a giant bandage? Not rejecting it at the moment, but I wanted to be clear exactly what you are looking at.

Robin P wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "can you approve the worker's footwear for Boot in Monopoly

"

Are you talking about the person in the front? I magnified it multiple times and ..."

All the men are wearing what seems to me to be boots - i have other options if it doesn't work just thought i would check

Marie (UK) wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "can you approve the worker's footwear for Boot in Monopoly

"

Are you talking about the person in the front? I magnified it mul..."

It's true that many people in the past in Britain wore lace-up boots as their regular shoes, but I'm sorry, I just don't think it's clear enough.

Robin P wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "can you approve the worker's footwear for Boot in Monopoly

"

Are you talking about the person in the front?..."

that's ok not to worry

Please can you approve The Vanishing Tide - Hilary Tailor
Tailor as occupation - the list spells it TALOR but dutch snyder is translated as Tailor and the latter is how i have always spelt the occupation

Marie (UK) wrote: "Please can you approve The Vanishing Tide - Hilary Tailor
Tailor as occupation - the list spells it TALOR but dutch snyder is translated as Tailor and the latter i..."

Tailor is definitely good, I wonder if it's a typo on the list. Anyway, this is approved.

Robin P wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "Please can you approve The Vanishing Tide - Hilary Tailor
Tailor as occupation - the list spells it TALOR but dutch snyder is translated as Tail..."

thanks so much