The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

if you want a book about polio - I read Polio: An American Story a few seasons back and really enjoyed it - it won the pulitzer for non-fiction (IIRC)

Thanks, Dee! That looks really good too!

Can I read Titanic Affair - Amanda Grange as my Fiction book and then read On a Sea So Cold & Still: The Titanic-A Centennial Reader - Daniel Elton Harmon for my NF book?

Fiona (Titch) wrote: "Can I read Titanic Affair - Amanda Grange as my Fiction book and then read On a Sea So Cold & Still: The Titanic-A Centennial Reader - Daniel Elton Harmon for my NF book?"

The paper edition of Titanic Affair shows as having fewer than 200 pages - the task requires that each book have at least 300 pages. Since there is a page length requirement, a book that only exists in ebook form cannot be used for the task, and the only edition that shows for On a Sea So Cold & Still: The Titanic-A Centennial Reader is an ebook edition.

Would these two books work?

Burmese Days by George Orwell

and
Finding George Orwell in Burma by Emma Larkin

Wanda wrote: "Would these two books work?

Burmese Days by George Orwell

and
Finding George Orwell in Burma by Emma Larkin"

yes they would.

I'm pretty sure this will work, but I thought I'd better get it approved just in case.

I read Speaking from Among the Bones and seeing as Flavia is obsessed with chemistry and poisons, I was thinking of reading The Elements of Murder: A History of Poison. Does that connection work?

Will these work as both relate to the Holocaust:

Non-fiction: In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer

Fiction: The Storyteller

Stacie wrote: "I'm pretty sure this will work, but I thought I'd better get it approved just in case.

I read Speaking from Among the Bones and seeing as Flavia is obsessed with chemistry and poisons, I was think..."

Sure thing!

Amy wrote: "Will these work as both relate to the Holocaust:

Non-fiction: In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer

Fiction: The Storyteller"

that works!

For the historical fiction Burmese Days by George Orwell

Nonfiction book- Finding George Orwell in Burma by Emma Larkin

Would these be acceptable for this task?

Wanda wrote: "For the historical fiction Burmese Days by George Orwell

Nonfiction book- Finding George Orwell in Burma by Emma Larkin

Would these be acceptable for this task?"

yes - see post 106.

I was thinking of Fiction: and Non-Fiction: Both are about Marines in Pacific Theatre during WWII. Works or not works?

Could I use for fiction and for non-fiction?

Anne (Booklady) wrote: "I was thinking of Fiction: and Non-Fiction: Both are about Marines in Pacific Theatre during WWII. Works or not works?"

those work

Elizabeth wrote: "Could I use for fiction and for non-fiction?"

While both are excellent books, I don't see the connection here.

Thanks Sandy, I've wanting to read both books for quite awhile. I love Leon Uris.

Hello, I'm wondering if these two books have a close enough connection.

Book 1 is The 19th Wife
Book 2 is Beyond the Hundredth Meridian: John Wesley Powell and the Second Opening of the West

The first book describes in detail life the Mormon exodus and life in Utah from approximately 1850 to the early 1870s.

The second book describes the exploration of the Colorado river during the early 1870s and then continues with other information on the settlement of the west. There is a reference to Brigham Young's settlement of Utah but the second book doesn't emphasize it.

Please let me know what you think.

Amy C wrote: "Hello, I'm wondering if these two books have a close enough connection.

Book 1 is The 19th Wife
Book 2 is Beyond the Hundredth Meridian: John Wesley Powell and the Second Opening of the West
..."

I'm sorry, but I think any connection here is too tenuous, since it doesn't focus on the Mormons. The idea here is to read a nonfiction book that sheds some light on how accurate/real the historical fiction book is.

Thanks Sandy. With all the tasks I'm sure I can fit these books in somewhere.

Amy C wrote: "Thanks Sandy. With all the tasks I'm sure I can fit these books in somewhere."

That's the thing about this challenge - there's somewhere for everything! Also, you could look for one that's more closely related to one of these books, to make a pair.

Are these two books closely related enough?

Both are pilots in WWII. In the fiction book, the pilot must survive Ravensbruck concentration camp and in the nonfiction book, a real life WWII pilot survives an ocean crash:

Rose Under Fire
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

Karen GHHS wrote: "Are these two books closely related enough?

Both are pilots in WWII. In the fiction book, the pilot must survive Ravensbruck concentration camp and in the nonfiction book, a real life WWII pilot s..."

Those work. They sound good, too! I haven't read Rose Under Fire, but I thought Unbroken was terrific.

Sandy wrote: "Karen GHHS wrote: "Are these two books closely related enough?

Both are pilots in WWII. In the fiction book, the pilot must survive Ravensbruck concentration camp and in the nonfiction book, a rea..."

Thanks, Sandy--- I've wanted to read unbroken for a long time and I just picked up a signed Rose Under Fire, partner to Printz honor winner Code Name Verity at the library conference in Chicago. It comes out in September and is great so far!

having some issues getting my previous books. Can you approve the following? Thanks!

HR: Becoming Marie Antoinette or
The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette

NF: Marie Antoinette: The Last Queen of France

Ty wrote: "having some issues getting my previous books. Can you approve the following? Thanks!

HR: Becoming Marie Antoinette or
The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette

NF: Marie Antoinette: The Last Queen of ..."

those are fine.

Does one book have to be read before the other? In other words, is it ok to read the non-fiction book *before* reading the fiction book? Or is the idea to read a fiction book and then want to investigate further?

Thanks!

Ashley FL wrote: "Does one book have to be read before the other? In other words, is it ok to read the non-fiction book *before* reading the fiction book? Or is the idea to read a fiction book and then want to inv..."

However you choose. You may know upfront that there's a fictional book you want to read and that you'll want to learn more about, and it can be interesting to read historical fiction about something you've already read nonfiction about..

Are re-reads ok?

I'd like to re-read The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great and then read an autobiography of Catherine the Great: Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman.

Andrea wrote: "Are re-reads ok?

I'd like to re-read The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great and then read an autobiography of Catherine the Great: Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman."

Sure, re-reads are fine. This combo works.

I've read Remarkable Creatures, fiction about Mary Anning's discovery of some of the first ichthyosaurus and plesiosaurus fossils in modern times.

I'd like to read Dinosaur Odyssey: Fossil Threads in the Web of Life which is more a 'state of the field today' sort of book.

Will this pair work?

Evana wrote: "I've read Remarkable Creatures, fiction about Mary Anning's discovery of some of the first ichthyosaurus and plesiosaurus fossils in modern times.

I'd like to read Dinosaur Odyssey: Fossil Threads..."

that works.

Will this pair work?

Fiction: American Tabloid (JFK's assasination)
Non-fiction: American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History

I am also considering:
Fiction: Life After Life (WWII)
Non-fiction: Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

or

Fiction: The Thread
Non-fiction: some book about the city Thessaloniki or the Jew population of this city (eg. Salonica, City of Ghosts: Christians, Muslims and Jews 1430-1950)

Elizabeth wrote: "Will this pair work?

Fiction: American Tabloid (JFK's assasination)
Non-fiction: American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History
I don't see much of a connection between the two - for the first, you'd want a NF book about JFK or specifically about his assassination - or even one about presidential assassinations in general.

I am also considering:
Fiction: Life After Life (WWII)
Non-fiction: Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
Again, the connection is just too tenuous - WWII in Britain v. an American POW in the Asian theatre. For the first, something about the blitz or Britain during WWIII, something a little more connected. Both are terrific books, but they don't really work together here.

Fiction: The Thread
Non-fiction: some book about the city Thessaloniki or the Jew population of this city (eg. Salonica, City of Ghosts: Christians, Muslims and Jews 1430-1950) .."

This one appears to be fine.

Thanks! I'm so glad at least one pair works!