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

1. What is your name? (First, Last, Middle, Nickname – you only need to pick one if you prefer. Feel free to list them all.) Sharon Lynne
2. What is your favourite sport? I'm so un-sporty, but if I have to pick one, I'll go with college basketball
3. What colour are your eyes? hazel
4. Have you ever had a broken bone? yes, my collarbone as a kid
5. What is your favourite movie? Gandhi, tied with Notting Hill. Yeah, I know.
6. What is your favourite book? This can't be a serious question for a book addict. It's the book equivalent of Sophie's Choice (and no, I'm not picking that one). OK. Pride and Prejudice. I'm a cliché.
7. Pick a number between 1 and 10. 1
8. What is your favourite holiday? Thanksgiving
9. What is your relationship status? married
10. Are you right or left handed? right
11. What is your birthday month? February
12. Do you have a pet? What is it? Don’t have a pet? Adopt a pet that someone in your immediate circle has (mother, brother, sister, friend, etc.) cat (3 of them)
13. What is your favourite type of food? (Chinese, Italian, Mexican, etc) Persian
14. What is something you use daily? (brush, computer, car, get creative) sofa
15. What is your shoe size? (No halves; roll up to next number) 9
16. What is your favourite Ice cream flavour? Ben & Jerry's coffee heath bar crunch
17. What is your country of birth? USA
18. What is your favourite season? autumn
19. What is your current desk top picture? this question prompted me to change it to something less boring. It is now a queen blowing snowflakes with a winter solstice poem
20. What is your preferred mode of transport? walking
21. How many candles were on your last birthday cake? none
22. Have you been in an accident? yes, 5 car accidents, which explains the answer to #20
23. Do you prefer a shower or bath? shower
24. Name a place you’d like to visit. Sweden
25. What is your favourite genre? literary fiction
26. Do you prefer a car or truck? car
27. Do you have a tattoo? no
28. Do you prefer Classic or Contemporary? classic
29. What is your favourite flower? magnolia blossom
30. Have you been to Europe? Where? (If you live in Europe, specify country other than your own.) Yes, to France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Turkey, Belgium, and England (does that still count after Brexit?)
31. If you could meet anyone famous, infamous, notorious, who would it be? Jon Stewart
32. What is the feature on you are most often complimented? nothing externally, so it occurs to me I must be unattractive. I most often hear, "you're so nice!" usually after I've agreed to do something I didn't really want to do
33. Would you rather encounter a ghost, an alien, or neither? neither
34. What is your favourite animal (other than domestic pets)? the sheep, as it is responsible for the best yarn
35. What type of holiday do you prefer? (Beach, Mountain, Camping, exotic, etc) anywhere with great food and minimal time in a car -- maybe a bicycle tour in France. I never get this type of holiday, but I'm sure I would love it.
36. If you had to lose one of the 5 senses, which would you prefer it to be? touch
37. Who is your favourite author? Hillary Mantel, Salman Rushdie, Anthony Trollope, Barbara Kingsolver, Jane Austen
38. Do you prefer tea, coffee, or water? coffee
39. What is your birthstone using the US 2016 listing:(https://www.americangemsociety.org/en...) amethyst
40. What is your favourite fruit? coconut
41. Issue you are passionate about (abortion, euthanasia, animal rights… etc) transportation reform
42. Would you rather explore in space or undersea? space, if Jean-Luc Picard is the captain
43. To what time period would you like to time travel? the future
44. Do you prefer shoes or barefeet? shoes
45. Do you prefer green or black olives? Neither? black
46. What is your Zodiac sign? Aquarius
47. What is your height in inches? 66
48. Who is someone you miss? my grandmother
49. What is your hobby? other than reading? knitting
50. What language would you like to learn to speak? French

For gophering:
1. What is your name? (First, Last, Middle, Nickname) – Read a book that contains one of your names in some way – author, title, character.

2. What is your favourite sport? – Read a book that is either about your favourite sport or one of the characters plays that sport. You could also chose a book where the cover shows that sport.

3. What colour are your eyes? – Read a book where the colour of your eyes is the main colour of the cover, or the word is in the title.

4. Have you ever had a broken bone? – If yes, read a book with the word “Bone” in the title. If no, read a book about archeology (the character may be an archeologist, the book may be set in a museum, etc)

5. What is your favourite movie? – If the movie is an adaptation, read the book that inspired the movie. Or, read a book that is written by the same author. Or, read a book that has the same title. If the movie is not an adaptation, read a book with a similar theme or has the same title.

6. What is your favourite book? – Read it again. Or, read a book that has the same title. Or read a book by the same author. If you can’t find the same title, or the author only has the one book, go to the book page and click on “Readers Also Enjoyed”. Select a book from the list.

7. Pick a number between 1 and 10. – Select a series and read the book that corresponds to that number. Or, read a book with the number in the title.

8. What is your favourite holiday? – Read a book that is about that holiday, set during that holiday, or has the name in the title.

9. What is your relationship status? – Read a book with that word in the title, or where the main character or author shares that status. Or…. Get creative. What kind of book will be representative?

10. Are you right or left handed? – Read a book with that word in the title.

11. What is your birthday month? – Read a book with the selected month in the title, or set during that month.

12. Do you have a pet? What is it? Don’t have a pet? Adopt a pet that someone in your immediate circle has (mother, brother, sister, friend, etc.) – Read a book featuring that type of pet. Or, read a book with that pet in the title.

13. What is your favourite type of food? (Chinese, Italian, Mexican, etc) – Read a book set in the country or region of choice. (Chinese – set in China, Italian – set in Italy, etc.) If you chose a type of food that is not specific to a country, what region would you find it prevalent? Read a book set in that region. For example – Seafood would be prevalent in the coastal areas of Canada, United States, among others.

14. What is something you use daily? (brush, computer, car, get creative) - Read a book with that word in the title. Or, is on the cover. Or…. Get creative. What kind of book will represent that item?

15. What is your shoe size? (No halves; roll up to next number) – Select that number of books on your TBR, put them into the Fruit Machine (or another randomizer), and read the one that is selected. If you used European sizes, convert to US using this site: https://www.softmoc.com/ca/shoesize.asp That will reduce the number of books you need to plug into the Fruit Machine.

16. What is your favourite Ice cream flavour? – Read a book that either represents that flavour by the colour of the cover, or in the title. You may also chose a book that represents that flavour in some way.

17. What is your country of birth? – Read a book set in that country, or written by an author that was also born in that country.

18. What is your favourite season? – Read a book with either the season in the title, or set in that season.

19. What is your current desk top picture? – Interpret that desk top picture any way you like. Read a book that represents that interpretation. For example, mine is a magnified picture of a frozen soap bubble. I could interpret it as ice, or alien landscape, or bubble. I could read a book with “Ice” in the title, a book set on an alien planet, or has bubbles on the cover. The gophering could be endless on this one.

20. What is your preferred mode of transport? – Read a book with your selection on the cover, or in the title, or it plays a significant role in the book.

21. How many candles were on your last birthday cake? – Go to your TBR and order the shelf by number. Read the book that corresponds to your answer. If you picked “none” or “zero” as your answer, your number will be 100.

22. Have you been in an accident? – If yes, read a book set in a hospital, or with the word “accident” in title. If no, read a book that is a thriller, in which an accident is a high probability.

23. Do you prefer a shower or bath? – Read a book with your selected word in the title, or depicted on the cover.

24. Name a place you’d like to visit. – Read a book set in that location.

25. What is your favourite genre? – Read a book in that genre.

26. Do you prefer a car or truck? – Read a book with your selection on the cover or in the title.

27. Do you have a tattoo? – Read a book that represents your tattoo in some way. For example, if you have a tattoo of a rose, your book choice could have a rose on the cover, in the title, or a proper name of the author or character. If you don’t have a tattoo, read a book with a tattoo on the cover, or represents a tattoo that you would want if you were to get one.

28. Do you prefer Classic or Contemporary? – If Classic, read a book published in 1800 – 1899. If Contemporary, read a book published in 2000 – 2017.

29. What is your favourite flower? – Read a book with that selection on the cover or in the title. Or, read a book that you feel represents that flower in some way.

30. Have you been to Europe? Where? – Read a book set in that location. If you haven’t been to Europe, read a book set in a European country you would like to visit.

31. If you could meet anyone famous, infamous, notorious… who would it be? – read a biography, autobiography, memoir, or historical fiction about that person.

32. What is the feature you are most often complimented on? – Read a book with that feature on the cover or in the title.

33. Would you rather encounter a ghost, an alien, or neither? – If ghost, read a ghost story. If alien, read a story with aliens in it. If neither, read a book about another supernatural being other than a ghost or alien (werewolf, vampire, witch, succubus, etc).

34. What is your favourite animal (other than domestic pets)? – Read a book with that creature on the cover, in the title, or in the story.

35. What type of holiday do you prefer? (Beach, Mountain, Camping, exotic, etc) – Read a book in that setting or that represents your choice.

36. If you had to lose one of the 5 senses, which would you prefer it to be? – Read a book with that word in the title, or read a book where a character is afflicted by that same loss.

37. Who is your favourite author? – Read either a book by that author, or a book recommended by that author.

38. Do you prefer tea, coffee, or water? – If tea or coffee, read a book with the word in the title, or set in a country where that beverage is a huge export (ie China for tea, Brazil for coffee). If water, read a book with the word in the title, or set on/near a large body of water.

39. What is your birthstone using the US 2016 listing: (https://www.americangemsociety.org/en...) – Read a book with that gemstone on the cover, in the title, or the colour of that gemstone is the colour of the cover.

40. What is your favourite fruit? – Read a book with that fruit on the cover, in the title, or the colour of that fruit is the colour of the cover.

41. Issue you are passionate about (abortion, euthanasia, animal rights… etc) – Read a book where this issue is prominent or is represented in some way. It may be fiction or non-fiction.

42. Would you rather explore in space or undersea? – Read a book in that setting.

43. To what time period would you like to time travel? – Read a book either set in that time period, or published in that time period. Or, read a book about time travel where the character’s time travelled to that period.

44. Do you prefer shoes or bare feet? – Read a book where your selection is on the cover or in the title, or get creative and find a book that represents your choice.

45. Do you prefer green or black olives? Neither? Read a book with either a predominantly green or black cover depending on your answer. If you said “neither”, read a book with a predominantly white cover. Aim for at least 75% of the cover so that when you look at the cover, it screams green, black or white depending on your choice.

46. What is your Zodiac sign? – This one is wide open. Read a book that represents your zodiac sign in some way. Mine is Sagittarius (the archer). I could read a book with Sagittarius in the title, Archer in the title, author named Archer, bow and arrow on the cover, horse on the cover, a Western with Indians (bow & arrow).

47. What is your height in inches? – Go to your TBR shelf and sort by number. Read the book that matches your answer. If you don’t have that many books on your TBR, select a listopia on a topic you are interested and read the book with the corresponding number to your height.

48. Who is someone you miss? – Read a book that represents that person in some way. I miss my mother, so I could read a book with “Mother” in the title, a biography of Mother Theresa, where the main character is a mother, a book with a mother holding her baby on the cover, etc.

49. What is your hobby? – Read a book that represents that hobby in some way.

50. What language would you like to learn to speak? – Read a book that was translated from that language to one you do speak. Or, chose a book where a character speaks that language. For example, if you chose Gaelic, you could read any of the books in the Outlander series.

First badge, 12 tasks:

Question #3: What colour are your eyes?
My answer: Hazel
Book: The Redbreast
Explanation: Of all the books I read this year, this cover comes closest to my eyes.

Question #5: What is your favourite movie?
My answer: Gandhi or Notting Hill (I know, very unlike each other)
Book: Cooking for Picasso
Explanation: Like Notting Hill, it involves a relationship between an ordinary person and a celebrity.

Question #7: Pick a number between 1 and 10
My answer: 1
Book: The One-Eyed Man
Explanation: Number in title

Question #9: What is your relationship status?
My answer: married
The Lake and the Lost Girl
Explanation: Many books this year could satisfy this requirement. I chose this one because it doesn't go anywhere else.

Question #13: What is your favourite type of food?
My answer: Persian
The Last Days of Café Leila
Explanation: Set in Iran at a cafe cooking the local cuisine. Yummy!

Question #14: What is something you use daily?
My answer: sofa
Ready Player One
Explanation: I use my laptop on the sofa, and the characters in this book spend nearly all of their time in a virtual reality world accessed by their computers. It all links up in my head.

Question #16: What is your favourite ice cream flavor?
My answer: coffee heath bar crunch
Thomas Jefferson's Creme Brulee: How a Founding Father and His Slave James Hemings Introduced French Cuisine to America
Explanation: The cover resembles the shade of the ice cream, and also, my favorite flavor of creme brulee is cappucino, so double duty.

Question #17: What is your country of birth?
My answer: USA
The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley
Explanation: set in USA and I don't need it for another category

Question #19: What is your current desktop picture?
My answer: Queen blowing snowflakes with a winter solstice poem
The Changeling
Explanation: The cover looks a little like that desktop picture (changed since the survey, but I still have it), except for the absence of the queen. However, the book has a character that reminds me of a fairy queen, so double duty there again.

Question #20: What is your preferred mode of transport?
My answer: walking
Blackberry Wine
Explanation: The main character does a good bit of walking, particularly in France, where it becomes a plot point at times.

Question #25: What is your favourite genre?
My answer: literary fiction
Zero K
Explanation: Lots to choose from, but I won't use this one for any other category.

Question #28: Do you prefer classic or contemporary?
My answer: classic
The Last Chronicle of Barset
Explanation: The crowning glory of Trollope's magnificenet Barsetshire series, which I finished in 2017.

Second badge, 12 tasks:

Question #29: What is your favourite flower?
My answer: magnolia blossom
The Barrowfields
Explanation: This extraordinary debut novel is set in North Carolina, where magnolia blossoms scent the summer air.

Question #30: Have you ever been to Europe? Where?
My answer: yes, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Turkey, Belgium, England
Bruno, Chief of Police
Explanation: Set in France. Lots of choices here, going with this one because I love this series and plan to visit Bruno's neighborhood on my next journey.

Question #35: What type of holiday do you prefer?
My answer: Bicycle tour in France
French Women for All Seasons: A Year of Secrets, Recipes, and Pleasure
Explanation: Could have gone with another in the Bruno series, but this one has a French woman on a bicycle on the cover.

Question #37: Who is your favourite author?
My answer: Hilary Mantel, Salman Rushdie, Anthony Trollope
The Golden House
Explanation: Rushdie's latest, and well worth reading.

Question #38: Do you prefer tea, coffee or water?
My answer: coffee
The Bedlam Stacks
Explanation: set in Peru, which produces the coffee I drink daily, Higher Grounds Trading's Peruvian Pangoa

Question #39: What is your birthstone?
My answer: amethyst
At the Existentialist Café: Freedom, Being, and Apricot Cocktails with Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Albert Camus, Martin Heidegger, Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Others
Explanation: purple cover!

Question #40: What is your favourite fruit?
My answer: coconut (if the question had been asked in the spring, answer would have been strawberry)
Nose
Explanation: the whitest of the white covers

Question #42: Would you rather explore in space or undersea?
My answer: space
Seveneves
Explanation: set in space

Question #45: Do you prefer green or black olives?
My answer: black
The Last Mrs. Parrish
Explanation: cover is black, also at least one character with a black heart

Question #46: What is your Zodiac sign?
My answer: Aquarius
The Little Paris Bookshop
Explanation: most of the story is set on a river

Question #48: Who is someone you miss?
My answer: my grandmother
What Happened
Explanation: the author is a grandmother and mentions that often in the book

Question #49: What is your hobby?
My answer: knitting
The Idiot
Explanation: Mostly, I wanted to include this book because it's so delightful. I do have some relevant reasoning. My sister is married to a Turkish man, and they have a daughter named Selin, the name of the main character. The knitting comes in because my brother-in-law has supplied me with yarn and handknit socks from Turkey over the years.

Bonus Question #50, in case something is disqualified: What language would you like to learn to speak?
My answer: French
The Dark Vineyard
Explanation: set in France, all characters speak French.

Reserved for reporting, part 3

re your question 30. Brexit hasn't happened yet just the vote for it. We'll only be out of the EU but we'll still be part of Europe. I have been surprised by those listing Russia in their lists of European countries visited. I wouldn't class it as being part of Europe.

They probably overlook "European" and focus on "countries visited" would be my guess, Sarah.

Sharon, I like your answer to #22! :-)

I want to go to Sweden, too!

Sharon wrote: "1. What is your name? (First, Last, Middle, Nickname – you only need to pick one if you prefer. Feel free to list them all.) Sharon Lynne
2. What is your favourite sport? I'm so un-sporty, but if I..."

#13 - I checked out Persian food at this website. Of course I found a lot of dishes I'd like to try :)
http://www.aashpazi.com/

#22 and #32 LOL

#42 - Yeah for Jean-Luc. He's who I want to meet :) And I would love to go traveling with him.

Sarah wrote: "re your question 30. Brexit hasn't happened yet just the vote for it. We'll only be out of the EU but we'll still be part of Europe. I have been surprised by those listing Russia in their lists of ..."

Isn't part of Russia in Europe, with the majority in Asia? That's what I was taught in school.

I think we're the only ones who answered sheep to favourite animal. I like your reason. :)

I just made a comment in my thread that I did not see anyone with "touch" as a sense that they would give up and now I see it on your list, Sharon.

Yes, a small part of Russia is in Europe (the continent, not the EU) ;).

Task 1/12

Question #3: What colour are your eyes?
My answer: Hazel
Book: The Redbreast
Explanation: Of all the books I read this year, this cover comes closest to my eyes.

Task 2/12

Question #5: What is your favourite movie?
My answer: Gandhi or Notting Hill (I know, very unlike each other)
Book: Cooking for PicassoCooking for Picasso
Explanation: Like Notting Hill, it involves a relationship between an ordinary person and a celebrity.

Task 3/12

Question #7: Pick a number between 1 and 10
My answer: 1
Book: The One-Eyed Man
Explanation: Number in title

Question #9: What is your relation

Task 4/12

Question #9: What is your relationship status?
My answer: married
The Lake and the Lost Girl
Explanation: Many books this year could satisfy this requirement. I chose this one because it doesn't go anywhere else.

Task 5/12

Question #13: What is your favourite type of food?
My answer: Persian
The Last Days of Café Leila
Explanation: Set in Iran at a cafe cooking the local cuisine. Yummy!

Task 6/12

Question #14: What is something you use daily?
My answer: sofa
Ready Player One
Explanation: I use my laptop on the sofa, and the characters in this book spend nearly all of their time in a virtual reality world accessed by their computers. It all links up in my head.

Task 7/12

Question #16: What is your favourite ice cream flavor?
My answer: coffee heath bar crunch
Thomas Jefferson's Creme Brulee: How a Founding Father and His Slave James Hemings Introduced French Cuisine to America
Explanation: The cover resembles the shade of the ice cream, and also, my favorite flavor of creme brulee is cappucino, so double duty.

Task 8/12

Question #17: What is your country of birth?
My answer: USA
The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley
Explanation: set in USA and I don't need it for another category

Task 9/12

Question #19: What is your current desktop picture?
My answer: Queen blowing snowflakes with a winter solstice poem
The Changeling
Explanation: The cover looks a little like that desktop picture (changed since the survey, but I still have it), except for the absence of the queen. However, the book has a character that reminds me of a fairy queen, so double duty there again.

Task 10/12

Question #20: What is your preferred mode of transport?
My answer: walking
Blackberry Wine
Explanation: The main character does a good bit of walking, particularly in France, where it becomes a plot point at times.

Task 11/12

Question #25: What is your favourite genre?
My answer: literary fiction
Zero K
Explanation: Lots to choose from, but I won't use this one for any other category.

Task 12/12

Question #28: Do you prefer classic or contemporary?
My answer: classic
The Last Chronicle of Barset
Explanation: The crowning glory of Trollope's magnificent Barsetshire series, which I finished in 2017.

Task 13/24

Question #29: What is your favourite flower?
My answer: magnolia blossom
The Barrowfields
Explanation: This extraordinary debut novel is set in North Carolina, where magnolia blossoms scent the summer air.

Task 14/24

Question #30: Have you ever been to Europe? Where?
My answer: yes, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Turkey, Belgium, England
Bruno, Chief of Police
Explanation: Set in France. Lots of choices here, going with this one because I love this series and plan to visit Bruno's neighborhood on my next journey.

Task 15/24

Question #35: What type of holiday do you prefer?
My answer: Bicycle tour in France
French Women for All Seasons: A Year of Secrets, Recipes, and Pleasure
Explanation: Could have gone with another in the Bruno series, but this one has a French woman on a bicycle on the cover.

Task 16/24

Question #37: Who is your favourite author?
My answer: Hilary Mantel, Salman Rushdie, Anthony Trollope
The Golden House
Explanation: Rushdie's latest, and well worth reading.

Task 17/24

Question #38: Do you prefer tea, coffee or water?
My answer: coffee
The Bedlam Stacks
Explanation: set in Peru, which produces the coffee I drink daily, Higher Grounds Trading's Peruvian Pangoa

Task 18/24

Question #39: What is your birthstone?
My answer: amethyst
At the Existentialist Café: Freedom, Being, and Apricot Cocktails with Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Albert Camus, Martin Heidegger, Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Others
Explanation: purple cover!

Task 19/24

Question #40: What is your favourite fruit?
My answer: coconut (if the question had been asked in the spring, answer would have been strawberry)
Nose
Explanation: the whitest of the white covers

Task 20/24

Question #42: Would you rather explore in space or undersea?
My answer: space
Seveneves
Explanation: set in space

Task 21/24

Question #45: Do you prefer green or black olives?
My answer: black
The Last Mrs. Parrish
Explanation: cover is black, also at least one character with a black heart

Task 22/24

Question #46: What is your Zodiac sign?
My answer: Aquarius
The Little Paris Bookshop
Explanation: most of the story is set on a river

Task 23/24

Question #48: Who is someone you miss?
My answer: my grandmother
What Happened
Explanation: the author is a grandmother and mentions that often in the book

Task 24/24

Question #49: What is your hobby?
My answer: knitting
The Idiot
Explanation: Mostly, I wanted to include this book because it's so delightful. I do have some other reasoning. My sister is married to a Turkish man, and they have a daughter named Selin, the name of the main character. The knitting comes in because my brother-in-law has supplied me with yarn and handknit socks from Turkey over the years.

Bonus Question #50, in case something is disqualified: What language would you like to learn to speak?
My answer: French
The Dark Vineyard
Explanation: set in France, all characters speak French.

Congratulations on finishing two parts, Sharon!

I enjoyed looking at your book titles and your answers.

I still have Joanne Harris' book Blackberry Wine to read yet. I need to locate a copy one of these days.

Thanks, Cheri. I liked Blackberry Wine. It’s set in the same village as Chocolat and some of the characters reappear. Disclaimer : I usually like anything set in France!