You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

Almeta wrote: "She should be here with us on this Toppler, don't you think?☺ t..."

Yes, absolutely! I think everyone should join us. Topplers are so much fun.

Oh yeah! I can imagine some of the hijinx :)

I'm so glad we are organised, but the wait to start is KILLING ME!

Kat wrote: "I'm so glad we are organised, but the wait to start is KILLING ME!"

I agree! I want to start reading my books NOW!

Erin, when you get a chance, could you post an updated graphic of our strings?

I hope that doesn't invoke Murphy's Law or something and spur a whole whack of changes.

I've already gophered my pile in the attic so I can't see them. Torture!

You are awesome Erin!! Thanks so much.

Can I count Snow Flower and the Secret Fan as a cultural book??

We have 6 strings filled. Good job everyone!


Needed:

B Down, we need Science/Nature filled.
I Down, Classic, Short Stories, Humour
N Down, Paranormal, Contemporary
O Down, Action/Adventure
B-O diagonal, Everything but diagonal
O-B diagonal, Short Stories, Dystopian.

This is like figuring out a puzzle complicated with everyone's likes/dislikes for genres. It's mindful of the chess game in Alice In Wonderland.

Janice, I actually come up with 8 possible strings if we use the books where they help most.

4 book strings:
B-O Diagonal
O-B Diagonal
N Down
N Across

5 book strings:
B Across
O Across
G Down
O Down

Theresa OctoberLace, I'm not sure I understand. It looks to me like, if we use people currently in Slot 2 as in Clot 3 instead (the diagonal rows) we could pick up the B-O diagonal (giving up on I down and G down) but we would still need one more "short stories" person to complete the O to B diagonal. I don't see how you get N down without adding people to paranormal and contemporary.

Casceil, in my 8 string count, I have I Across and G Across incomplete, as well as B Down and I down. That allows us to use the existing Paranormal and Contemporary for N down, and to use the Short Stories for the O to B Diagonal.

I'm not sure what you mean by "I across" and "G across." If you mean the 2nd and fourth rows from the top, that would mean we no longer need for me to read science, and I could fill some other hole. Or would I just move to slot 2 for science?

Casceil, you're right about Science, unless we have some people read more books. I tried different combos to get the max strings, and those choices gave me 8. Assuming everyone reads the books in those 8 strings, we would need just one more Chick Lit to get B down. To get the 2nd row across, we'd need another Paranormal, Dystopia, and Action/Adventure.

Well, I'm flexible. If I should read something else instead, just let me know.

Theresa, we're possibly on the same wave length. I was thinking that we could possibly utilize people better.

When I looked at the latest grid, I'm on for O-B diagonal with Cultural. That line just has me and Casceil. We need 2 more people for that line. If I don't do Cultural, I could do science/nature and finish off B Down.

If Casceil switched from O-B diagonal with Suspense/Thriller to Action/Adventure (they're almost the same thing... don't tell j'mom), we could have G Down done, too.

Yup, that would be 8 strings.

I have to tell you that I've been at a wine fair all evening, taste testing a whole whack of different wines (I think I have found new favourites in Chianti and red Zinfandels, and.... Grenache), and my thinking may be right out of whack.

I'm going to bed. I think you and Casceil already came to the same conclusion as I just laboriously pointed out. Just tell me if you want me to switch to science/nature.

Bummer! Casceil can't do action/adventure. She's doing science/nature and it's on the same line. This could drive me to drink. ROFL!

I now have an idea of my schedule for that week. I can cram in a audiobook. Would Absalom, Absalom! work for a classic?

I will post my books later today.

Casceil & Janice, I have come up with an option that would give us 9 strings, including B Down for Casceil's Science, but it would need help from Kirila. She's listed for Mystery and YA, but if she would give up those genres, she could read Chick Lit (finishing B Down) and choose another genre.

Kirila, if you're open to changing, reading Chick Lit would leave Short Stories, Humor, Paranormal, Contemporary, Dystopian, and Action/Adventure as open blocks that would work for you. Let us know if you might want to do this.

All other options to get Chick Lit and finish B Down would probably mean shifting multiple players.

Esther wrote: "I now have an idea of my schedule for that week. I can cram in a audiobook. Would Absalom, Absalom! work for a classic?

I will post my books later today."

Esther, Absalom, Absalom! should definitely work for Classic. I'm glad you can fit in another!

Kirila is already down for YA. She can't read Chick Lit and YA.

I'm headed to my parents' for the weekend so will not be online all that much. While I'm there I'll scour my dad's books to see if he has something that might work for science/nature.

I hope I didn't stir up a hornet's nest. This puzzle could have us shifting and reshifting till we lose our minds.

We have 14 team-members. No one can do two corners. We currently have eleven of us on corners. The only three people not on corners are Kirila, Sam and Esther. They are all already reading something in B down. I think, at this point, we are foreclosed from filling B down without a lot of switching.

Casceil, if Kirila changes, she would have to change both her choices.

If it helps, you can move me around. I could also fit in another book if I need to. I think where I am now only allows me 4 books. Anyway, just trying to help. :)

Maybe if Kirila traded Young Adult for Humor, and Roz moved to YA, and Kirila read Action/Adventure instead of Mystery, that might work. Assuming Kirila and Roz don't care what they read.

Good! I was able to get my image posted. The chart above shows how I came up with my 8 strings and a possible 9th. Positions within a block may change as books are read. For example, in Chick Lit, Anne and I may switch the top and bottom slots, depending on how the reading goes.

I can find something to read in YA if you want to switch me out of Humor. Just let me know. I'm going to go look at what I have.

Roz, please don't switch out of Humor! You're key to string #6. See my chart in #278.

Annette wrote: "If it helps, you can move me around. I could also fit in another book if I need to. I think where I am now only allows me 4 books. Anyway, just trying to help. :)"

Annette, I checked the chart and to move you around or give you another book would require moving other players as well. I think for you you're best to stay with your current choices.

The idea I proposed would have Kirila take Roz's place in humor, so Kirila would be reading Chick Lit and Humor. Sorry for trying to stick her in somewhere else, too. And, Kirila, I'm sorry to keep bouncing your name around like a rubber ball, but you really are the only person who could reasonably take that last slot in Chick Lit. The other two people not already on a corner, Sam and Esther, are both already double-conflicted, as both are reading books in B across and B down.

Oh, I think I misunderstood #279. I thought I was being asked to switch. I'm not a fast reader and I don't think I could finish 3 books in the week. It would be a squeeze but if you want I'll try.

Roz, my proposal would have you switching so that you would be reading YA instead of humor, but my idea seems to just confuse everyone, so maybe it is not a good idea.

Roz, you're good where you are. Casceil, if Kirila changes her choices to Chick Lit and one of the others I listed, B down will be taken care of without moving Roz.

As we start reading, we'll see how it all works out. For now, it's only a plan.

I can change to Chick Lit. And I can keep The Lover's Dictionary for Contemporary.

Thanks, Kirila, you're a real trooper! That gives us 9 strings with the books committed.

I edited post #278 to include Kirila's change. I numbered all possible strings and have the 9 that are completely committed in red lettering.

Today was the last day to sign up for the challenge, so it looks like we'll stay with our 14 players. I think we have a great team!

Erin, your chart is prettier, so do you want to update that with the changes for Esther and Kirila?

It looks good. I'd much rather do culture than science/nature, so I'm happy.

You glas are doing a super job at figuring this out.

Annette wrote: "Can I count Snow Flower and the Secret Fan as a cultural book??"

yes

Esther wrote: "I now have an idea of my schedule for that week. I can cram in a audiobook. Would Absalom, Absalom! work for a classic?

I will post my books later today."

yes

Ok, I'm ready to post my books.
Classic: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Action/Adventure: West with the Night
Steampunk: Soulless
Culture: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

If these aren't ok for any reason then let me know and I will try again!

Annette wrote: "Ok, I'm ready to post my books.
Classic: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Action/Adventure: West with the Night
Steampunk: Soulless
Culture: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

If these aren't ok for any rea..."

Annette, I know that Jaxnsmom has approved your choices for Action/Adventure and Culture, and I'm sure your picks for Classic and Steampunk work as well. Have fun reading them!

My choice of books are:
Chick-lit: Remember Me?
Contemporary: The Lover's Dictionary

Considering chick-lits are fast reads and my second book is also quite short, I might have a chance to try out a third one. But I only have time until Thu evening, so I can't be sure if I will make it. You can put me tentative in for Action/Adventure with Prince Caspian. But if somebody else wants to take it, go ahead, because I am not sure I will make it.

jaxnsmom, could you confirm that the chosen books fit the genres?

Why did you want me to move to chick-lit and contemporary? they don't actually complete any strings... I should read the action/adventure first because that will give us another string.

And currently I only count 6 strings... what am I missing?

Ok, I saw where I got confused. The colors in Erin's chart and the numbers in Theresa's don't correspond to each other...

Sorry, Kirila. I had shifted positions in some blocks to maximize the number of strings we can complete. To avoid the confusion, maybe Erin will shift hers when she has time.