Play Book Tag discussion

So, I'm setting up a couple of threads for The Compass and thought we might like a conversations thread.

Just so everyone knows I will do my first spin on Christmas. That way you can have your first book read on Jan. 1.

OH, what a lovely Christmas Present! Even Hannukah gift - first night is December 25.

Looking forward to this - a lot.

I do have a question:

On journey books (not that I have one lined up but I have LOTS on my TBR) If you read a book about a journey, you can start at the beginning location and your next move can be at the ending location. ----- Am I correct reading that to mean that instead of heading off in the new randomly chosen direction when I have finished and reviewed the book from where I started, I apply the random direction and leave from the end location of the journey?

Taking our beloved Bernard Oliviers's walk along the silk road as an example, if it is the last book that fits the compass point where it starts his final walk - in Samarkand - but I would leave using the new compass direction from Han, China where it ends.

Theresa wrote: "Taking our beloved Bernard Oliviers's walk along the silk road as an example, if it is the last book that fits the compass point where it starts his final walk - in Samarkand - but I would leave using the new compass direction from Han, China where it ends. ..."

That is correct and you can count the distance you travel in the book to the distance you travel in the challenge.

Booknblues wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Taking our beloved Bernard Oliviers's walk along the silk road as an example, if it is the last book that fits the compass point where it starts his final walk - in Samarkand - but ..."

Oh! Hadn't even thought about that yet!

Theresa wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Taking our beloved Bernard Oliviers's walk along the silk road as an example, if it is the last book that fits the compass point where it starts his final walk - ..."

Just so you know, I've moved this to the correct folder now. I had to do a search to find out where I had put it.
I knew I started this thread but couldn't find it.

So I was playing with the map a bit because I'm excited about this challenge and this is what I do when I'm waiting for things to start...

How do we handle a situation if a direction is rolled that we can't land on anything for? I'm starting in California and if south is the direction from there, if I don't have anything for Baja California, all I've got after that is open ocean. LOL. Can I read a book that has a big portion of the story on the ocean? Do I wait until the next directional roll? Can I read a second book for my current location?

Inquiring minds need to know...

Jen wrote: "So I was playing with the map a bit because I'm excited about this challenge and this is what I do when I'm waiting for things to start...

How do we handle a situation if a direction is rolled tha..."

I already have a location planned in the ocean! It’s a little island halfway between Australia and South America. I’ll send you the info later to see if it works. You can deviate a little to the SW or SE, or go to Antarctica. There is an also a new book coming out about a family on an island near there.

Otherwise we have 3 bonus directions we can use. I would have a hard time if I had to go north twice.

=====

BNB
Can you mark this thread to stay near the top of the list?

NancyJ wrote: "Jen wrote: "So I was playing with the map a bit because I'm excited about this challenge and this is what I do when I'm waiting for things to start...

How do we handle a situation if a direction i..."

The possibilities are interesting! I read a book about a fishing boat out of Chile that was stranded at sea and how they eventually got rescued, so I was wondering if something like that might be feasible for this type of scenario...even though the boat was out of Chile, the bulk of the story happened out on the ocean. Not that I want to re-read that book but I know there are others like it!

Jen wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Jen wrote: "So I was playing with the map a bit because I'm excited about this challenge and this is what I do when I'm waiting for things to start...

How do we handle a situation i..."

I think Playground in French Polynesia could work. It’s the most directly south location I could find on the map. (There might be others I didn’t see.) It’s between South and Southwest, but it might be close enough to work. Most of Southern California and Mexico are clearly SE. (The other Pacific islands are more SW. Another option for South America is to read about an ocean voyage around Cape Horn (such as Darwin’s trip ).

Playground is high on my priority list, so it’s my top choice for SW. check out the reviews.

It’s probably too far east, but Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy might be another far south possibility. It’s set on an island off of Antarctica, and comes out in March. She wrote Migrations which is one of my favorites. I saw one review that said it’s between Antarctica and Australia, but that’s a big area.

Jen wrote: "So I was playing with the map a bit because I'm excited about this challenge and this is what I do when I'm waiting for things to start...

How do we handle a situation if a direction is rolled tha..."

Jen, there are a few solutions, 1, you could have a more specific location in California to start, 2. Easter Island or Pitcarin Island would work or the ocean, 3. You could use one of the free tickets, 4. You can wait for the next week to get another spin.

NancyJ wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Taking our beloved Bernard Oliviers's walk along the silk road as an example, if it is the last book that fits the compass point where it starts his final walk - ..."

If you land at Istanbul and travel to the border of Iran, you can move in any direction from there which the compass points you or if you so choose you don't gather the distance traveled in the book and you continue from Istanbul where you last spin brought you, but you cannot then use the distance traveled in the book.

A travel book just gives you a way to gather distance and move around the globe.

NancyJ wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Taking our beloved Bernard Oliviers's walk along the silk road as an example, if it is the last book that fits the compass point where it starts his final walk - ..."

I will leave for BnB but I think you mean Istanbul is East of NY and the Silk Road out of Istanbul runs East.

I suggest you rewrite your examples as they don't work directionally as written.

BTW, I too originally found it confusing until I took an actual journey book I read of a journey and fit it to challenge. So based on my original hypothetical using Olivier's journey, and BnB's answer, my take is this:

You get East and you head to Istanbul, Turkey. For this compass point you read Out of Istanbul: A Journey of Discovery along the Silk Road as it starts in Istanbul then spends the book traveling through Turkey to Iran. You calculate distance initially to Istanbul, add the the distance he walks in the book (Bernard kindly gives you this at end so you do not have to calculate it), and you depart from Iran - - his last stop from whence he flew home - with next random compass point.

What I don't know is if you can count all 3 books read sequentially for that single compass point. You do each in turn, not necessarily one after the other, and read the second when a spin gets you back to Iran and the third when a spin gets you to Samarkand.

I do recommend those books highly and they would be great for this type of challenge, depending on your goal of course. Joy, Fran and I really enjoyed reading them but we did spread them out. I think you would really like them.

I actualy wondered about finding yourself with only ocean - and thought that there are plenty of books set on ships crossing the ocean...but figured I'd pose that question if it happened.

NancyJ wrote: "Otherwise we have 3 bonus directions we can use. I would have a hard time if I had to go north twice.."

But you won't be heading north or any direction from the same place every time. If I get east from NYC and head to Lisbon/Portugal where I read a book set in Lisbon, my next spin has me leaving from Lisbon. Say that sends sends me SW. I go to Ghana - just assume direction works. Finish that book and next takes me SW again from Ghana and I end up in Argentina. Finish up book set there and I get spin to go North - I go to Ecuador because I have this great romantic suspense specops book set there. If I get N again, from Ecuador I have lots of options. And so on.

Keep it fun without getting too caught up in making each hop a long one. Or target locations where you have great books piked up begging to be read.

Theresa wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Taking our beloved Bernard Oliviers's walk along the silk road as an example, if it is the last book that fits the compass point where it starts hi..."

One book per spin.

Booknblues wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Taking our beloved Bernard Oliviers's walk along the silk road as an example, if it is the last book that fits the compass point where it starts hi..."

Ok that really helps.

I deleted my question to avoid confusion.

Theresa wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Otherwise we have 3 bonus directions we can use. I would have a hard time if I had to go north twice.."

But you won't be heading north or any direction from the same place every tim..."

I’m already pretty far north, so if I had to go directly north twice in a row, I would have few agreeable options for my second North. The locations just don’t line up nicely without veering off too far to the east or west (and I’m not going to the North Pole). If it happens, I won’t hesitate to use a free ticket.

Otherwise I’ll save my tickets for my far south adventures. If you stand on the South Pole, 5 of the 8 directions will just spin you in circles going nowhere. Granted I won’t be on the pole exactly, but having a free ticket gives me the security to get close, knowing I can go North when I get too cold.

I have another question, as I'm perusing books on my shelf. Obviously fully fantasy places can't be used for this game, but what about fictional locations that are inspired by real ones? For example, the book that inspired the question is about a fictional college that's based on the design of Yale, so would I be able to use that (Connecticut) for my compass?

Jen wrote: "I have another question, as I'm perusing books on my shelf. Obviously fully fantasy places can't be used for this game, but what about fictional locations that are inspired by real ones? For exampl..."
If you are able to back it up with quotes from your book or if it has been tagged Connecticut.

If someone needs a "north pole" book, I highly recommend
Letters From Father Christmas, Centenary Edition

Be sure to get THIS edition as others are too short.

Anyone heading for the South Pole-The White Darkness was a 5 star for me. As a bonus, it has the most beautiful pictures!

Book Concierge wrote: "If someone needs a "north pole" book, I highly recommend
Letters From Father Christmas, Centenary Edition

Be sure to get THIS edition as others are too short."

Great suggestion!

Joanne wrote: "Anyone heading for the South Pole-The White Darkness was a 5 star for me. As a bonus, it has the most beautiful pictures!"

Added to my TBR!

I agree that The White Darkness is a very good choice.

Something, I noticed with our first tag is that the matching tag may not match your location, because Canadian authors are often tagged Canada.

For instance The English Patient is tagged Canada 175 times, but much of the book is set in Italy, which is tagged 160 times. So your spin could take you to Italy, but you would still get credit for the monthly tag of Canada and the location tag of Italy.

Fran, everyone is talking longitude, and latitude! Jiminy if we get NW cant we just move NW? Map reading is not a specialty of mine

Joanne wrote: "Fran, everyone is talking longitude, and latitude! Jiminy if we get NW cant we just move NW? Map reading is not a specialty of mine"

Yes, just move in the direction.
I love maps, but we do not need to be precise.
I can generally see if something is within the range.

Joanne wrote: "Fran, everyone is talking longitude, and latitude! Jiminy if we get NW cant we just move NW? Map reading is not a specialty of mine"

I know! I’m having trouble with fictional books close to home. It’s hurting my eyes to try to read fuzzy maps on my computer to verify I have the right location. I have several books in northern Ontario, which I thought would all be simply North. But it turns out that one is clearly Northeast, and another is clearly northwest. Distant locations are much easier to estimate with a basic map. I only use the latitude lines on the map to visually scan for location ideas when looking at Asia and Europe on a world map, but you don’t need to know them.

So far, travelmath.com is the easiest tool I’ve found if I’m not sure. If you have the name of the two locations, you can plug them into travelmap.com to check the distance. It will show you a small map below with a straight line between the two locations showing the direction. They are particular helpful to check locations half way around the world. (Eg. Is Japan closer if you go East or West?) Some lines will be obvious at a glance, as long as you know North is a vertical line up, etc. Sometimes it will specify degrees instead of giving a direction. (Which aren’t the same as we learned in geometry).

I’ve made some mistakes with similar names. Ontario CA brought me to a map of California instead of Canada. No big deal, but It reminded me to be careful with unfamiliar names.

I’m happy to help you double check locations. We are very close, and might have some of the same books or locations in mind.

Did you read the Mary Lawson books? I would love to know if they are based on real towns not too far from here.

Mary Lawson is not my type, lol-so no.

I am just winging it this year with challenges, Nancy. I am reading what I want, when I want and not adhering to much else. Thanks though

Is there a separate place to put our moves and reviews?

Well, when I first saw this challenge I thought it might be fun ... I still didn't sign up because I've just decided I'm limiting my self to one and I picked Play Harder.

Anyway ... reading these posts, I'm glad I opted out of this one. It's sounding much more complicated than I originally thought. I don't want to have to think that hard about what to read next.

I took a look at travelmath,com. and I think the best information they give is the heading. After you put in the two cities you are considering, you look at the more detailed info below (scroll down) and find the heading and the general direction. Compare the heading to those provided in the instructions to get close to the number of degrees for NW, SW, NE, and SE.

For East or West, latitude works best.

For North or South, find something on the same longitude.

I'd be glad to assist anyone having difficulties with latitude and longitude, but it's pretty easy once you get the hang of it.

Book Concierge wrote: "Well, when I first saw this challenge I thought it might be fun ... I still didn't sign up because I've just decided I'm limiting my self to one and I picked Play Harder.

Anyway ... reading these..."

My feelings exactly. I got a bit burned out going all in on both the 2024 games, and I'm not great with directions or geography.

Joanne wrote: "Is there a separate place to put our moves and reviews?"

I will set up a thread for reviews and one for spins.

If participants want they can set up their own threads.

Joy D wrote: "I took a look at travelmath,com. and I think the best information they give is the heading. After you put in the two cities you are considering, you look at the more detailed info below (scroll dow..."

Joy, I don’t see “heading” when I scroll down. But I think I did in the past. I may be entering my data in a different part of the site.

Can you check Detroit Michigan to Sydney Australia (it changes it to Sydney South Wales). The line on the map shows it is clearly SW, but it lists the direction as West.

Also, I thought the first time I checked that Buffalo to Toronto was North, but it lists it as NW. The line looks NNW between the two. (Maybe the first time I checked I used my actual town).

West is perfect for me.

Traveling west from Phoenix (for some distance) puts me near Japan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, northern India, Nepal and southern China.

NancyJ wrote: "Can you check Detroit Michigan to Sydney Australia (it changes it to Sydney South Wales). The line on the map shows it is clearly SW, but it lists the direction as West.

The initial heading from Detroit, Michigan (42.3° N, 83.0° W) to Sydney, Australia (33.9° S, 151.2° E) is approximately 240 degrees (west-southwest).

NancyJ wrote: "Also, I thought the first time I checked that Buffalo to Toronto was North, but it lists it as NW. The line looks NNW between the two. (Maybe the first time I checked I used my actual town)"

The initial heading from Buffalo, New York (42.9° N, 78.9° W) to Toronto, Canada (43.7° N, 79.4° W) is approximately 295 degrees (west-northwest).

Here are the headings for the game, copied from the rules:
North: 0 degrees or 360 degrees
North East: 45 degrees
East: 90 degrees
South East: 135 degrees
South: 180 degrees
South West: 225 degrees
West: 270 degrees
North West: 315 degrees

I am assuming we don't need to do the extra calculations to account for the curvature of the earth (based on the conversation above that it just needs to be able to look that way on a map). That's the reason for "initial heading."

I found a New Hampshire Set Book that is high on my TBR!!!

Amy wrote: "I found a New Hampshire Set Book that is high on my TBR!!!"

Yay!

Joy D wrote: "I am assuming we don't need to do the extra calculations to account for the curvature of the earth (based on the conversation above that it just needs to be able to look that way on a map). That's ..."

That is correct.

I got NE from NYC! Just eye-balling, it gives me RI, Eastern MA which includes Boston and the Cape, Novia Scotia,, and Iceland. Possibly part of Greenland. I have books in hand, at the top of my TBR and upcoming reading for all but Nova Scotia. That thrills me no end!

While there is a mileage award component to the challenge, I have no desire or time to spend figuring out farthest point I can go within the rules, then search out a book to fit my goal of reading crime fiction set in the location. Too much work.

But lucky me, Iceland has great noir crime fiction!

@Joy - thanks for copying the game headings over to here!

I just followed the lead of a couple others and put a Compass tracking thread here, though mine is in same thread as Play Harder Tracking as I am doing both.

So if you take an x and put an + on top of it you basically have all the directions. Another way to think of it is N & S is vertical and E & W is horizontal. The other directions are all angled at about 45 degrees or at the halfway point of a right angle. If the angle becomes either to vertical or horizontal you are heading in a more straight N,S,E,W direction.

You can use this to calculate miles and it also shows a map with flight pattern so you can visualize direction.

https://www.airmilescalculator.com/

Theresa wrote: "I just followed the lead of a couple others and put a Compass tracking thread here, though mine is in same thread as Play Harder Tracking as I am doing both."

I borrowed your idea Theresa and combined mine too

Fran or anyone else, can you confirm for me that Vietnam is SW of Michigan? The flight pattern tells me nothing, as it goes up over Canada. Does not make sense to me.

Joanne wrote: "Theresa wrote: "I just followed the lead of a couple others and put a Compass tracking thread here, though mine is in same thread as Play Harder Tracking as I am doing both."

I borrowed you idea T..."

I think it will work out well. Added bonus is being able to check PH prompts and Compass diection reads against each other easily. I do love using same book for multiple challenges!

Joanne wrote: "Fran or anyone else, can you confirm for me that Vietnam is SW of Michigan? The flight pattern tells me nothing, as it goes up over Canada. Does not make sense to me."

Yes. I did detroit to Sydney, 9,467.42 miles - perfect SW. There was a Sydney, Canada option that popped up that I almost clicked on .

Joanne wrote: "Fran or anyone else, can you confirm for me that Vietnam is SW of Michigan? The flight pattern tells me nothing, as it goes up over Canada. Does not make sense to me."

This one shows a clear as the crow flies path to the south west.

https://www.travelmath.com/flying-tim...

Booknblues wrote: "Joanne wrote: "Fran or anyone else, can you confirm for me that Vietnam is SW of Michigan? The flight pattern tells me nothing, as it goes up over Canada. Does not make sense to me."

This one show..."

I’ve had weird things like that too where the words and degrees didn’t match the visual path. I’m glad we can use the visual path to decide.