Reading with Style discussion

Post general questions about the RwS Fall 2012 10 & 20 points tasks here.

Awesome 20 Point Tasks --- you've done it again!

May we read the book being honored in the challenge? For example, Carmilla?

Where the book fits the task, you can read it for its task - but not all of them fit the task for which they are honored. Carmilla does fit that task, Wuthering Heights is on its rural list, and Poe has short story collections that can be used, and Dracula is on its list. I'm not aware that awards were being handed out when Frankenstein came out, so that one might have to be used for the Bram Stoker task, and Dr. Jekyll fits the Bram Stoker task also.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Where the book fits the task, you can read it for its task - but not all of them fit the task for which they are honored. Carmilla does fit that task, Wuthering Heights is on its rural list, and Po..."

Thanks, Elizabeth. Carmilla was the one I haven't read so I wanted to use it for the task itself, and it helps to know the criteria for using the books being honored. Great ideas for the tasks!

I haven't read that one either, but a sneak peak at a Wiki article tipped me off. If you don't want to know any more, you might want to avoid wiki.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I haven't read that one either, but a sneak peak at a Wiki article tipped me off. If you don't want to know any more, you might want to avoid wiki."

That's why I decided to just ask, since the spoiler link was on the post -- sorry if it was spoiled for you! I've wanted to read it for a long time, and there is a $.99 Kindle edition with illustrations, so I bought it since it's short enough for me to read that way.

:-)

I'm not sure it would put me off reading it. As usual, I can find about twice the number of books that fit tasks as I have time for.

does anyone know of a library catalogue that is easy to search dewey decimal books in?

My library uses a picture system which is meant to make looking for books easier. :( It really doesn't (for me at least) and I don't have a clue if they have the same number classification (if you manage to ever find a number on a book.

BPL is really very easy. When BPL doesn't have the volume you're looking for, you can always come here and ask. I use Seattle Public Library as my second source, and sometimes we have to look further.

If you use BPL, as I did for Sky Time in Gray's River in another thread, the DDC is a clickable link so that you can see other books in that classification and nearby on the shelf. At the bottom of the resulting screen is a "previous" and "next" button.

~grin~

I, of course, have to plug the Brooklyn Public Library system, as it is my system and I arbitrarily made it the default system for RwS.

http://catalog.brooklynpubliclibrary....

On the left of the search box is a drop down box with a default for "keyword". You can select "title" from the drop down list and type in the book's title in the search box. The result for the book will include the "call number" which is equivalent to the Dewey decimal number.

Results for Chaos: https://catalog.brooklynpubliclibrary...

You can also choose "Call no." from the drop down box, type 814 in the search box, and "browse" the results for an interesting title:

http://catalog.brooklynpubliclibrary....

I hadn't seen that you could search by call no. there. That's good to know. :)

Eleanor wrote: "I hadn't seen that you could search by call no. there. That's good to know. :)"

I just figured it out when posting my reply to you. Thanks for the question! :-D

It was new to me too! I knew you could search by ISBN.

Welcome to the challenge, Christine! It's a task waiting to be filled in. The member who achieves the highest average book score during a challenge will be rewarded by getting to define a task for the next challenge.

Christine wrote: "New to this, and I don't understand task 20.7 Most Strategic Reader. Is this an actual task? Or is it still something waiting to be filled in?

Thanks, Christine"


If you look at the readerboard, we have a post for:

Most Strategic Readers
Through Post 942

Elizabeth (Alaska) - 53.5, for 10 Books
Liz M - 47.1, for 17 Books
Connie - 40.9, for 11 Books
Arow - 40.0, for 10 Books
Anika - 38.9, for 51 Books
D - 37.4, for 25 Books
Tien (aka Kazza) - 35.7, for 7 Books
Isabell - 35.2, for 41 Books
itpdx - 34.8, for 24 Books
nsfancy - 33.8, for 34 Books
Don (The Book Guy) - 33.2, for 22 Books

The most strategic reader (that is not a moderator) will create a 20-point task. Check out the challenge style points & rewards post.

Each time you complete a task you get the task points, plus any applicable style points. This time, Multiple is one of the styles. It's the first time we've had it in 2 years.

Christine wrote: "My confusion came from the "mega finish" wording: 30 book minimum -- one claimed for task points for each task."

Many of us are unable to read 30 books in 3 months, so we offer ways to achieve different personal goals for the challenge. It's one of the reasons there are other finisher's bonuses.

Christine wrote: "My confusion came from the "mega finish" wording: 30 book minimum -- one claimed for task points for each task.

That made me think you could only claim task points once for each? ..."

The key-word there is minimum


We often have participants ask if reading a book for task 20.1 that also receives combo points for 20.4 and 10.7 counts as completing tasks 20.1, 20.4 and 10.7 (the answer is no). So the "30 book minimum" phrase is used to underscore that you have to read at least one book for every task.

Christine, have you looked at the Frequently Asked Questions thread?

We know the challenge is very confusing to new members -- there are a lot of rules/variations. Don't worry about asking questions. Hopefully once you catch on, you'll love it as much as we do!

Thanks, Sara. Connie's task is 20.7. I will correct it later today when I am near a computer.

I just finished my first book of the season and I think it's a square peg. Canvey Island by James Runcie. It doesn't fit any of these tasks where many books will fall:

10.2 author born in UK
10.5 protagonist is under 60
10.8 2-word title, 5 letters in James, published 2006
20.4 author has a wife and there are no LGBT characters
20.7 none of the female characters have conversations with each other, it focuses on the men
20.8 author's first book was published 2001, so work only spans 11 years so far
20.10 author is alive

Does that sound OK for a square peg ... provided of course it is not picked for a group read (seems unlikely!)

Moved from the 20.7 threadChristine wrote: "Hi Elizabeth. I did ask about it in the General questions area, as I didn't see a "square peg" questions area. No answer as of yet. I asked if Jar City or The Year of the Hare would be acceptable. I couldn't find a task I thought either would fit in, but it's pretty hard to be sure.
"

Sorry, Christine, I didn't see your question over here on those. I haven't read either of them, although I'm planning to read Jar City for my ABC. Perhaps someone else can head you off if they're not applicable to the Square Peg.

Rosemary wrote: "I just finished my first book of the season and I think it's a square peg. Canvey Island by James Runcie. It doesn't fit any of these tasks where many books will fall:

10.2 author born in UK
10.5 ..."

Looks like you've researched it pretty thoroughly.

I'm thinking of making a non-fiction square peg, like one of my textbooks for this semester. Here's hoping that the names and titles of them aren't 7 letters

My choice for square peg so far is The Chemistry of Death by Simon Beckett.

As far as I could tell it doesn't fit any other task (I didn't find the author's birth country and I haven't read it yet, so there could still be a conversation between two women about something other then men). I got it as a birthday present in January, so it's about time that I got around to reading it.

they're written by belgians so that's fine :P
Also for Connie's task the conversation has to include a main character, so if all the main characters are male you're fine ;-)

Christine, how about Kidnapped (1886) by Robert Louis Stevenson - born in UK, started publishing in 1877, died in 1894? A very male-centred book with hardly a woman in it. Certainly no female main characters. Garfunkel hasn't read it (though he has read RLS's other famous ones), it's not on the rural list, and Stevenson didn't kill himself. I read it last season and I can't see a task that it fits ... although of course there may be something I've missed. It's also very short so even if you hate it, it won't give you too much pain ;)

Christine wrote: "Christine (who just wants to stop planning and read now). ..."

After participating in twelve RwS Challenges, I've learned to not over-plan. I cannot read 20 books in three months, so for me there is no point in trying to find a book for every task. I do like to put all the books I'm considering for various tasks into the spreadsheet & then will read the books that fit the most tasks first. If one turns out to not fit it's designated task (darn you Sorrows of Young Werther for not being epistolary!), I can move it elsewhere. The whole idea for the Square Peg task was to offer a place for a book that participants really really want to read RIGHT NOW that don't fit anywhere else. I'd hate for you to stress out about the Square Peg, read the first one you find that fits and then later on have a book club book you need to read not fit into the challenge because you've already used Square Peg.

If it's possible for you, maybe you should stop planning and start reading. Keep an eye on the completed task thread for Square Pegs. And most of all, enjoy!

This will be my second Rws Challenge. It may take me a few to really learn how best to meet the challenges.

Last season, I started late and so tried to fit in books from other challenges that I had going. I did not have many that fit a lot of tasks except for 10.2 Underrated. (I chose not to read/post most of them for RwS.)

This time, I am trying to cross books from RwS to other challenges and am having more success except for the ABC Challenge books! (Well, there is still time yet to find slots for them elsewhere.) I think my score as a result may be better, and I will have a chance to finish the Challenge.

For Square Peg, I choose not to fill that slot for the reason Liz mentioned. I am reading so many books for different challenges that I think I will have plenty to choose from. And, I think a lot of the books I read will not qualify for the Bechtel test task either as most myteries and thrillers just do not lend themselves to conversations between women.

General Question - once you used up the country and the combo for Oktoberfest, can another author from that country go into square peg?

Connie wrote: "General Question - once you used up the country and the combo for Oktoberfest, can another author from that country go into square peg?"

No, because the book could qualify for that task.

RE the Square Peg dilemna:

Think about different approaches - non-fiction and poetry avoid the 20.7 Bechdel test. Or find something with an unknown author - those are unlikely to meet the oktober fest or veterans tasks.

Christine wrote: "Christine wrote: "I think Ivanhoe might fit the square peg. Can someone correct me if I'm wrong?

Thanks, Christine"

Never mind. Looks like Scott fits the veteran task.

I've spent hours now scou..."
It's been a while since I read it but didn't Rowena and Rebecca have some conversations not about men?

The Glass of Time
Treasure Island

These are the two I have that may fit the square peg task. I hear ya, Christine. I like the planning part very much and square peg is 10.1, the very first task, so I want it figured out early, too :)

Garfunkel has read Treasure Island :(
That's why I only suggested Kidnapped.

Makes the decision between the two easier, then I guess :)

Christine wrote: "For now, I'm putting Kidnapped on the list. I couldn't find any task it qualified for. Not terribly excited about it, so if something else comes up I may change my mind. But for now, it's the last ..."

my kids and I really enjoyed that one!

Does an editor count as an author?

I would like to finally get around to reading A Field Guide for Science Writers: The Official Guide of the National Association of Science Writers but I'm not sure if the first-listed editor (Deborah Blum) counts as an author. If so, her name has seven letters and she's American, so it would qualify for Sevens or Oktoberfest. If not, I finally found a Square Peg!

Melanie wrote: "Does an editor count as an author?

I would like to finally get around to reading A Field Guide for Science Writers: The Official Guide of the National Association of Science Writers but I'm not su..."

Editors are not authors. For anthologies, whether of short stories, non-fiction essays, or poetry, this FAQ applies:

I'm currently reading an anthology of short fiction for one of the tasks. Some of the authors included and some of the stories qualify for some other tasks. Is it OK to claim combo points for those individual stories?
No. Unless stated otherwise, books qualify for tasks and style points on an all-or-nothing basis.

So, if one of the authors in A Field Guide for Science Writers was born in a country that is is not listed in the Oktober Fest task, it will work for square peg. If all the authors were born in the US/Canada/Germany/India/etc., then the work qualifies for Oktoberfest.

Christine wrote: "For now, I'm putting Kidnapped on the list. I couldn't find any task it qualified for. Not terribly excited about it, so if something else comes up I may change my mind. But for now, it's the last ..."

Christine, Trainspotting will work as square peg, if I'm not mistaken:
Author is from UK, Art hasn't read it, no color, characters in their 20ies, welsh never held office, no monsters, 6 letters in Irvine, pub 1994, no series, no first book awards, no rural setting, novel, no LGBT, not on any Lab lit lists, no Bram Stoker award, no female main characters, first book published 1994, no autobiography, Welsh is alive and well.
If it takes your fancy is another matter, but I liked it very much.

To clarify 10.9. I can claim the task as is and earn combo points but cannot use it to earn combo points on another task, do I understand that correctly? For instance, I'm reading Odd Apocalypse which I can combo 10.7, 10.2 & 20.8. But I can't claim this book as 20.8 and use 10.9 as combo right?

Sorry, I've just never quite wrapped my head around this one and I want to understand it in my own brainpan! :-)

You have it right, Tobey!

Great, thanks Kate!

I'm reading Loving Sabotage right now because I promised my copy to a friend. So far, it's looking like it's going to fail the Bechdel test because even though it's a first-person narrative, there's almost no dialogue. So I'm thinking I may have found my Square Peg, but could someone let me know if you see a spot for it?

Thanks.

Joanna wrote: "I'm reading Loving Sabotage right now because I promised my copy to a friend. So far, it's looking like it's going to fail the Bechdel test because even though it's a first-person narrative, there..."

She has a 20 year publication history, so fits 20.8 Veteran Author.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Joanna wrote: "I'm reading Loving Sabotage right now because I promised my copy to a friend. So far, it's looking like it's going to fail the Bechdel test because even though it's a first-person n..."

Even better! I didn't have that slot filled yet, so this is great. Thanks.

Christine wrote: "I want to say that I'm wrong about this. Sorry. I just realized in looking over the tasks again that the author being 60 or older has to be of a non-fiction book. So
The Glass of Time may well work after all. ..."

You're still right, in a way. First name of author has 7 letters (Michael) so won't work for Square Peg. I may read it for that Lucky 7s task, though, as it looks good and I really enjoyed his other book.

I'm just stuck on Square Peg and Monsterfest. Hard to believe I can't find something appealing that fits that task. Although I do make all of this extra difficult for myself by trying to limit my choices to books I own but haven't read.

Paula - It's funny that you are stuck on Monsterfest as my TBR is loaded with books with ghouls, goblins, vampires and the like. I'm sure you will come up with something though as there is lots out there.

I went to the library today and forgot to take the task list with me. I'm an idiot. I still need to find a Monsterfest book although I just have a brainwave and think that my christmas present will work. I will have to try and find it :)