Old Books, New Readers discussion

(brewminate)

The goal of this challenge is to journey from the 9th to 20th century of literary history. Each century has a set of four tasks. Depending on your desired level, you will complete a number of these book tasks in order to reach the next century. Each century centers around a book or genre written or completed at the time.

*This is an individual challenge. I will create a thread for each person.*

Level:

Deckhand - Complete 1 task per century

Rules:

- Sign up begins: June 1st.
- Duration: at your own pace.
- Minimum of 100 pages per book.
- Book must be read after each century is posted to qualify to complete a task.
- Rereads & buddy reads permitted.
- If you are stuck on a century, you are allowed two skips.
- When signing up state desired level.

When you complete a task, comment with this form.

Completion Post
Book Read:
Date Read:
Task:
Explain How it Fits:

*Challenge inspired by Love of Books Group Challenges*

Centuries:

Ninth - The Thousand and One Nights
Tenth - Hrotsvitha
Eleventh - Shahnameh
Twelfth - Arthurian Legend/Romances
Thirteenth - Prose & Poetic Edda
Fourteenth - The Divine Comedy
Fifteenth - La Celestina
Sixteenth - William Shakespeare
Seventeenth - Don Quixote
Eighteenth - Candide
Nineteenth - Gothic Fiction
Twentieth - Literary Criticism/Globalization

Skips:

One
Two

Crystals:

(radiowest.kuer)

The Thousand and One Nights is a collection of Indian and Middle Eastern stories. There is still an ongoing debate on when the stories originated or who it's author/s are. This is a common occurrence with early century stories as they were often told orally through generations. The first book and most well known of the collection is titled "Arabian Nights". According to sources, it has been in circulation since the Ninth century. There was no known manuscript in Arabic until the Fourteenth century. It was not published in English until the Eighteenth century. The collection's stories are put within a frame story around King Shahryar. The stories are told through his wife in order to survive the night and avoid execution. Aladdin, Sindbad and Ali Baba are the most well known stories from the collection.

Complete 1 task to move to the next century:
1) Read tales from 1001 Nights (include page counts/must add up to a minimum of 100 pages)
2) Read a book that was originally published in another language.
3) Read a book set in the Middle East.
4) Read another book written or published in the 9th century OR a classic book with 9 in the publication date.