The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

20.3 Best Review- Anne (booklady)'s task: Reading...by the Numbers

This is a Tribute to my Mom - she was a Teacher all her life. When I was little, Mama suggested hobbies to me, my sister, and brother. I loved knitting, reading, and playing Barbies. And I did really like to paint by the numbers pretty well. So for this task, we will read by the numbers by rolling the die to see what you will read.

Die Roller Please set the die to 1

1.'Rithmetic -

A. Read a book with a numeral (1, 2, 3...) on the cover or in the book's main title (subtitles and series titles are excluded). For the purpose of this task the number cannot be 0, 2nd, Third, Once, etc., and not spelled out (four, eighteen, etc.)
OR
B. Subtract from your Goodreads TBR Shelf by reading either the oldest book on your shelf or the last book you added before June 1, 2012.
Required: Post the date you added your selection to your TBR shelf.


2. Repeat Spring: If you are like me and didn't finish The Spring Challenge here's your chance to do so. Pick a 5 Point, 10 Point, or a 15 Point task you did not complete and finish one last task. For those who finished the Spring Challenge, please pick any 20 Point task and repeat it.
Required: Post the task and any required information for that task.

3. Reading - Read a book from any of my Favorite Genres:

Classics, Thrillers, Mystery, Literary Fiction

Required: The genre must appear on your selection's Goodreads main book page.
Here is Literary Fiction Shelf to help you.

4. 'Writing - Many Authors had jobs that required a lot of writing such as reporters and lawyers before becoming a full time writer.

A. Read a book by an author who worked as a reporter or lawyer. Or read a book in which a prominent character is a reporter or lawyer. Some Examples: Murder at The Washington Tribune, Hell Gate, Michael Connelly, Linda Fairstein, Jonathon King, David Baldacci, Scott Turow, John Grisham. Ernest Hemingway, John Dos Passos, Ford Madox Ford and other "Lost Generation" Authors did work for news services during their Paris years and WWII.
OR
B. Read a book with paper, computer, ink, pen, letter or postcard, napkin, a post-it note, Lady Justice, or Scales on the Cover. Required: Post Cover

5. Olympic Rings: Read a book that is set in the Ring you pick.

Blue: Europe
Yellow: Asia
Black: Africa
Green: Oceania
Red: the Americas (North and South)

6. Lucky Devil! You get to choose any of the 5 Options!

Required: Please state your die roll and the option chosen when you post

Approved for Numbers: Option 1A

11/22/63 by Stephen King
Area 7 by Matthew Reilly
206 Bones by Kathy Reichs
Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith
61 Hours by Lee Child
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
1776 by David McCullough
Any book in the Cedar Cove Series by Debbie Macomber
QB VII by Leon Uris
Mila 18 by Leon Uris
2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
2010: Odyssey Two by Arthur C. Clarke
1984 by George Orwell
Agent 6 by Tom Rob Smith
24 Hours by Greg Iles
The 5000 Year Leap: A Miracle That Changed the World by W. Cleon Skousen
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot
Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Option 2: For those who did not participate in the Spring Challenge, any 5, 10, 15 Point Task is okay. Mention you did not participate & okayed in the Help Thread.

Option 4: I would prefer the author to be or started out as a print journalist. The prominent character may be any journalist.

More Approved Reporter Authors:

Cronkite by Douglas Brinkley would work since Walter Cronkite is the most prominent character.
Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II by James Tobin
Peter Jennings: A Reporter's Life by Kate Darnton
The White Mary by Kira Salak
The Last Justice by Anthony J. Franze - has lawyer characters

Walter Cronkite
Mark Bowden
Tom Brokaw
Bob Woodward
Carl Bernstein
Bernard Goldberg
Andy Rooney
Mike Wallace
John Connolly
Tim Russert
P.G. Wodehouse
Kira Salak
Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez

Not approved:

Bernhard Schlink Did not pratcice law, though he was a judge.

This help thread is open!

For option 4.1 - can the author be a journalist also?

Skandia wrote: "For option 4.1 - can the author be a journalist also?"

Yes, I'd prefer the author to be a print journalist, Skandia. If it is not on the GR Author Page, then provide a link to another site so it can be verified. Thanks! ;-)

I got 2, but I didn't participate in the Spring Challenge. Can I just pick any 5, 10, or 15 task?

Sara ♥ wrote: "I got 2, but I didn't participate in the Spring Challenge. Can I just pick any 5, 10, or 15 task?"

Sure Sara, just mention that you didn't do the Spring Challenge & any 5, 10, 15 task was approved here, ok?

No Roman numerals, right? It has to be an Arabic one?

If Roman numerals count, will The Black Book Diary of a Teenage Stud , Vol. I: Girls, Girls, Girls work, since the "I" comes before the colon?

Sorry for the random questions. I'm just going through my Kindle looking for books. Thank you for your help!

Ms Anderson wrote: "No Roman numerals, right? It has to be an Arabic one?

If Roman numerals count, will The Black Book Diary of a Teenage Stud , Vol. I: Girls, Girls, Girls work, since the "I" comes before the colon..."

I'll accept Roman numerals if they are in the main title, the sub-title or series number do not count for the task, sorry Ms. Anderson.

Anne (Booklady) wrote: "Ms Anderson wrote: "No Roman numerals, right? It has to be an Arabic one?

If Roman numerals count, will The Black Book Diary of a Teenage Stud , Vol. I: Girls, Girls, Girls work, since the "I" co..."

I sort of suspected that would be the case. Thanks for letting me know!

Love your task Anne (and your reviews!)
I rolled a 6. I'm so excited.
Choices
Choices

Kathy G. wrote: "Love your task Anne (and your reviews!)
I rolled a 6. I'm so excited.
Choices
Choices"

Thanks, Kathy G! Enjoy!!! ;-D

Way cool task, Anne! And your childhood sounds a lot like mine. I would have been happy with any of the dice rolls, but I rolled a 6!

Anne, I rolled a 6, but wanted to check on this for number 4 - The White Mary: A Novel - according to Wikipedia, the author, Kira Salek, is a writer/journalist - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kira_Salak

Would P.G. Wodehousebe suitable for 4A? ("He wrote part-time while working in the bank and in 1902 became a journalist with The Globe (a now defunct newspaper), taking over the comic column from a friend who had resigned" from here)

Chris wrote: "Way cool task, Anne! And your childhood sounds a lot like mine. I would have been happy with any of the dice rolls, but I rolled a 6!"

Hi Chris, I really had a great childhood! Enjoy, your choice :-)

Dee wrote: "Anne, I rolled a 6, but wanted to check on this for number 4 - The White Mary: A Novel - according to Wikipedia, the author, Kira Salek, is a writer/journalist - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kira_S..."

I'll take Kira Salak.

Ritika wrote: "Would P.G. Wodehousebe suitable for 4A? ("He wrote part-time while working in the bank and in 1902 became a journalist with The Globe (a now defunct newspaper), taking over the comic column from a ..."

P.G. Wodehouse works.

I rolled a 3. I just finished reading C.S. Lewis, A horse and his boy. It's listed as a Classic on its main page. Will that work for option 3?
The Horse and His Boy

Marie-Anne wrote: "I rolled a 3. I just finished reading C.S. Lewis, A horse and his boy. It's listed as a Classic on its main page. Will that work for option 3?
The Horse and His Boy"

Yes, Marie-Anne, it works quite nicely ;-)

Still checking the thread for any questions :-)

Anne (Booklady) wrote: "Still checking the thread for any questions :-)"

Anne, I can never decide for my tasks if I really want a lot of questions, which means I wrote horrible instructions, or if I want few questions, which means nobody loves me.

Just to keep you up to date Anne, I rolled a 6 and chose to go with Option 3. I was already reading

and didn't have a spot for it, so now I do!

Donna Jo wrote: "Anne (Booklady) wrote: "Still checking the thread for any questions :-)"

Anne, I can never decide for my tasks if I really want a lot of questions, which means I wrote horrible instructions, or i..."

LOL, I know exactly how you feel Donna Jo!

Chris wrote: "Just to keep you up to date Anne, I rolled a 6 and chose to go with Option 3. I was already reading

and didn't have a spot for it, so now I do!"

WTG, Chris! Happy to oblige ya :-D. I love it when a book I'm reading fits a task. BTW, I enjoyed Cuckoo.

I rolled a 3, and as simple as it may seem, I still have a question. Since you have the Literary Fiction shelf in the task, can we choose any book from that list or does it also have to appear on the books main page? I have been meaning to get around to quite a few of those books, but haven't had the chance yet.

Thanks in advance!

★Meghan★ wrote: "I rolled a 3, and as simple as it may seem, I still have a question. Since you have the Literary Fiction shelf in the task, can we choose any book from that list or does it also have to appear on ..."

Hi Meghan. I listed the shelf to help you find some books that could be listed as literary fiction. Any book you select should have literary fiction or classics on the book's main Goodreads page. Many on the literary shelf work for classics and literary fiction. I checked. Enjoy. ;-)

Would a book by Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez work for four? His GR page says he worked as a journalist.

Or Bernhard Schlink who worked as a judge?

Jess wrote: "Would a book by Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez work for four? His GR page says he worked as a journalist.
Or Bernhard Schlink who worked as a judge?"



Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez works well as a journalist. However, Bernhard Schlink only studied law, even though he became a judge. I can't find any proof anywhere that he practiced law prior to becoming a judge or auther - so he unfortunately will not work.

don't you have to be a lawyer to become a judge...

How about for option 1?

Dee wrote: "don't you have to be a lawyer to become a judge..."

No, not all judges are lawyers especially in rural areas.

really...wow, that is insane...

Sheila wrote: "How about for option 1?"

No, Sheila. :-( It must be a whole number. 11th, 1st, 2nd, etc. won't work. See msg #2 in this thread, there are several approved books including Debbie Macomber"s Cedar Cove Series.

Dee wrote: "really...wow, that is insane..."

I totally agree with ya!

all his bios are missing like a 20 year period...from 1968 when he graduated law school to 88 when he became a judge

Bummer, back to the planning. I finally got the 11th hour from the library after having it on order for about 2 months. I have to fit it in somewhere after that long wait. Thanks for the quick reply Anne.

Dee wrote: "all his bios are missing like a 20 year period...from 1968 when he graduated law school to 88 when he became a judge"

I searched Google, Yahoo, and Wikipedia and nothing. And he doesn't have a website either. I can't find anything on any legal career.

I really don't like to not approve an author. I really tried, Dee.

Sheila wrote: "Bummer, back to the planning. I finally got the 11th hour from the library after having it on order for about 2 months. I have to fit it in somewhere after that long wait. Thanks for the quick r..."

You're welcome. I'm really sorry, Sheila.

i know...lol!

no problem Anne

Anne (Booklady) wrote: "Jess wrote: "Would a book by Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez work for four? His GR page says he worked as a journalist.
Or Bernhard Schlink who worked as a judge?"



Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez works well as..."

Thanks! Looks like I'll be reading Love in the Time of Cholera

I couldn't find any evidence that Bernhard Schlink had worked as a lawyer either. Like Dee, I thought it might be a prerequisite to becoming a judge so thanks for clearing that up :)

Anne (Booklady) wrote: "Dee wrote: "don't you have to be a lawyer to become a judge..."

No, you don't unfortunately. Many local justices of the peace are not AND they hear cases too. SCAREY!!! Many people study law, but..."

Things sometimes change the course of your life...let's not be so judgemental.

Stephanie,

I wasn't being judgmental at all. I was responding to Dee. The assumption that all judges are lawyers. I found in my research that many local justices of the peace are not. They hear cases also. I would think that small communities would deserve a judge that have some inkling of the law. Sadly, this is not always the case and that is scary to me.

Anne (Booklady) wrote: "They hear cases also. I would think that small communities would deserve a judge that have some inkling of the law. Sadly, this is not always the case and that is scary to me. .."

Justices of the peace are not “regular” judges who hear the serious cases, small community or not, at least not in the U.S. Typically, in the U.S., they're required to have training in the limited areas that they cover. More often than not, they only perform marriages and witness documents. In some states, they deal with things like traffic tickets, bail hearings, approving warrants. Sometimes they deal with misdemeanor cases - but in that case, if the accused is convicted, there's almost always an automatic right to a retrial in a court with a "regular" judge. It has been held to be unconstitutional to have a judge who is not a lawyer preside over a trial that can result in incarceration.

And, someone who hasn't "practiced" law isn't necessarily someone who didn't pass the bar exam or who doesn't know anything about the law. Many of the people I went to law school with, who did very well in law school and who passed the bar just fine, chose not to practice law. In fact, a number of people who teach law chose not to actually practice law - doesn't mean that they don't know the law.

Also, just because you've practiced law in one field, doesn't mean that you're an expert in criminal law or in any sort of trial work, which is what it sounds as if you're talking about here. I've practiced law for quite a long time, but I've never done criminal law or trial work – except for a couple of courses in law school, long ago, my criminal law knowledge is about as good as my medical knowledge (which pretty much comes from watching House!)

Sandy - Thanks for the additional information. I did not realize the distinction between a justice of the peace and a judge. Truthfully, never thought about it before especially since I never plan to stand before either as a defendant. :)

Anne (Booklady) wrote: "Stephanie,

I wasn't being judgmental at all. I was responding to Dee. The assumption that all judges are lawyers. I found in my research that many local justices of the peace are not. They hear c..."

I was referring to this comment, "Many people study law, but never take the Bar Exam or pass it, too. Kinda defeats the purpose of studying law, eh?" I'm glad this wasn't intended to be judgemental. Many people are successful individuals that ultimately decide not to pursue law as a career even though they have attended law school and completed it. It is never a waste to obtain an education.

Enough of attorney discussion, please. Please reserve this thread for questions regarding this task. Thank you.

I've been insulted enough and my excitement of being able to create a task is now gone. :-(