Reading with Style discussion

This season is starting out a bit strange, but hopefully, we will see some information for the Fall season soon.

When Kate is finally able to get the Task Overview and Task threads open, you will see some differences from prior seasons. There are a couple of tasks that will have you looking at pages at Wikipedia. In their infinite wisdom, the powers that be at Goodreads have decided you can't include links in comments to any site other than Goodreads. This change has happened since we designed threads, so we are trying to find workarounds.

You will be given the way to find the correct page at Wikipedia, but without the links in the comment. We apologize for all inconveniences.

Kate has indicated she will try to get things posted tomorrow, Friday. In the meantime ...

There may be one of you who is not especially tech savvy, but the following is for any member who could use a refresher. Below is an example of the kind of thing you will see in the tasks this season. (Not a real task, but if you like it, we can see about it in the future.)

Category:Novelists from Missouri at wikipedia.com

Using the Chrome browser, I would highlight that phrase - to highlight, point your mouse at the beginning of the phrase, left-click and drag your mouse to the end of the phrase. When you have finished highlighting, right-click, and choose "Search Google for ..."

It works like any Google search, but the page should be the first or among the first results. When the tasks are posted, to reassure you've gotten where you should be, I will post an image of the page you should find.

I think Firefox and Edge do not have that right-click search option (correct me if I'm wrong). You would highlight the same way, but then you would copy and paste the phrase into the search bar in a new tab and press enter. To copy/paste you press CTRL-C (for copy) and CTRL-V (to paste).

I am not famliar with how this might work on a mobile device nor the Mac. Perhaps someone else can describe the process for us if you're using a mobile or Mac.

Thanks for the explanation Elizabeth. I can add a description for anyone using Safari on an iPhone, and I believe the same will work on an iPad.

First click on the phrase to highlight all the text, then you will see a small menu with three options pop up. Select the option ‘Look up’ and it should then open a pop up with Siri suggested websites. The first option should be the page you’re looking for. If for any reason it isn’t then you can select the option further down the page ‘search web’ which will open a normal Google search page, and hopefully the correct page will be among the first few results.

I may be mistaken, but I think it may still be possible to post URLs, just not using HTML links. For example, if I post the URL for the above Wikipedia page, does it turn into a link that people can click on?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categ...

Bryony wrote: "I may be mistaken, but I think it may still be possible to post URLs, just not using HTML links. For example, if I post the URL for the above Wikipedia page, does it turn into a link that people ca..."

Oh! That's wonderful. Either they've changed it or we didn't try that in our testing. This solves loads of headaches. Thank you!

I’m glad it solves some of the issues. I’ve reported a few spam comments to Goodreads recently where the spammer had created a link labelled “more” which led to some external website. I guess their aim was that people would click on it believing it was a normal Goodreads link to continue reading a comment. So, perhaps that’s why Goodreads have removed the ability to add HTML links for now.

I have some poll 2 questions for clarification:

Read a book with a death word in the title

Does this mean words like dead, dying only or are words like murder included?

Read a book with a body part in the title

Would heart, brain and other internal parts count?

Thanks

I was wondering when such a question would come!

These polls came from a suggestion by Rebekah.

In addition to those she lists for Day of the Dead, kill and killing would also be included, RwS members always think outside the box, so there may be others. If this option prevails, I'm sure they will be brought forward.

The body part option is equally broad.

Sorry to seem impatient as I know Elizabeth and Kate must be busy, but will there be a reading plans thread for this season, please? I’m itching to start planning! Thank you.

Ask and ye shall receive!

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Thank you so much. Let the planning begin!

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I was wondering when such a question would come!

These polls came from a suggestion by Rebekah.

In addition to those she lists for Day of the Dead, kill and killing would also be included, RwS m..."

As this task is leading in the poll, could I ask if The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien would count? The Hangman's Daughter is on Rebekah’s list of suggestions so I wondered if this would be similar enough to qualify. Thank you!

Bryony wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I was wondering when such a question would come!

These polls came from a suggestion by Rebekah.

In addition to those she lists for Day of the Dead, kill and killing wo..."

Yes. I hope you like Maigret!

Thank you! I think this will be the third Maigret story I’ve read this year, he’s quickly become one of my favourite fictional detectives.

The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy is Assignment at Brooklyn Library and has no Lexile score, but at 113 pages I'm hoping it would be included on the canon as one of Tolstoy's "short novels"...?

Rosemary wrote: "The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy is Assignment at Brooklyn Library and has no Lexile score, but at 113 pages I'm hoping it would be included on the canon as one..."

Yes, we have that one as Canon and the Lexile rule does not apply.

Could you look at the publication date for A Nile Journal by Emily Hornby It should be 1908. https://www.worldcat.org/title/nile-j...

Thanks

Mary wrote: "Could you look at the publication date for A Nile Journal by Emily Hornby It should be 1908. https://www.worldcat.org/title/nile-j......"

Got it.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Mary wrote: "Could you look at the publication date for A Nile Journal by Emily Hornby It should be 1908. https://www.worldcat.org/title/nile-j......"

Thanks

Paperbacks from Hell: The Twisted History of '70s and '80s Horror Fiction by Grady Hendrix

I'm wondering if this will qualify for non-fiction style points. There is more text than there are illustrations, but I could only guess at the percentage. To get an idea of the ratio of pictures to text, the "look inside" feature on Amazon is representative of the whole book. Thanks.

Denise wrote: "Paperbacks from Hell: The Twisted History of '70s and '80s Horror Fiction by Grady Hendrix

I'm wondering if this will qualify for non-fiction style points. There i..."

Definitely enough text in this one, Denise, to qualify for not-a-novel/nonfiction points.

Great, thank you!

I am trying to determine the page count for All the Way Home by Tad Mosel

The MPE has no page count. The second most popular edition has a page count of 174 and the third most popular edition has a page count of 90.

Thanks for the help.

Mary wrote: "I am trying to determine the page count for All the Way Home by Tad Mosel

The MPE has no page count. The second most popular edition has a page count of 174 and the..."

This editionAll the way home: A play in three acts with 174 pages is the MPE.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Mary wrote: "I am trying to determine the page count for All the Way Home by Tad Mosel

The MPE has no page count. The second most popular edition has a page count o..."

Thank you!

I want to read Breakfast at Tiffany's which is the edition at my local library but Goodreads says it is not the most popular edition. The MPE given is Breakfast at Tiffany's and Three Stories. This edition doesn’t have “three other stories” . Do I use the edition I have or the one with the extra stories? What are the other stories?

Rebekah wrote: "I want to read Breakfast at Tiffany's which is the edition at my local library but Goodreads says it is not the most popular edition. The MPE given is [book:Breakfast at Tiffany's an..."

This looks like it has been miscombined. What is the ISBN of your edition?

We have that in the database without the other stories. What were your plans for it?

I would like to read Abe Lincoln in Illinois by Robert E. Sherwood. It appears thar the MPE has no page count on the record, but other editions have over 250 pages. Could you please let me know what the MPE page count should be. Thanks.

Mary wrote: "I would like to read Abe Lincoln in Illinois by Robert E. Sherwood. It appears thar the MPE has no page count on the record, but other editions have over 250 pages. C..."

I'm sorry, Mary. That edition has 86 pages and won't work this season. Save it for another season when we may have a task that will accommodate it!

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Mary wrote: "I would like to read Abe Lincoln in Illinois by Robert E. Sherwood. It appears thar the MPE has no page count on the record, but other editions have over..."

Thanks! I am trying to read the Pulitzer Prize winning plays as a personal goal. The MPE for plays always seem a bit confusing. I appreciate the help.

Would Rabbit-Proof Fence: The True Story of One of the Greatest Escapes of All Time count for Not A Novel points?
It's based on the experiences of the author's mother and aunts/cousins, but it reads like a novel, with dialogue, and sections from the points of view of people the author would not have known.

Rosemary wrote: "Would Rabbit-Proof Fence: The True Story of One of the Greatest Escapes of All Time count for Not A Novel points?
It's based on the experiences of the author's mother and aunts/cousin..."

Creative nonfiction makes for great reading, I agree! Yes, this qualifies for not-a-novel points.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Rebekah wrote: "I want to read Breakfast at Tiffany's which is the edition at my local library but Goodreads says it is not the most popular edition. The MPE given is [book:Breakfast..."
Every time I typed in title the one with the MPE included the other stories. I see editions without the three other stories but I don’t see any as MPE. Did that make sense? Is there another list of editions without the other stories?
I don’t have the book yet to look up IBSN. I just saw it there. I haven’t figured out how to get into it online yet. I’m slow and it is walking distance, about 1.5- 2 miles. I was going to use it for birthday but changed it to Classics

The one you linked has the same ISBN as one with stories (is an alternate cover edition). There is a different edition with the single title and not combined with anything. Let me know if/when you have your specific edition. There may be a problem with combining, but I'm not going to pursue it until you have your copy.

Most libraries have their catalog online. Try googling your library and see if there is a link to search their catalog.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "The one you linked has the same ISBN as one with stories (is an alternate cover edition). There is a different edition with the single title and not combined with anything. Let me know if/when you ..."

Ok in order to look at catalog, I have to make an account and all that and got all frustrated over having a past account that I couldn’t remember the password to and since it was late at night I looked to see if Audiobook had it because I’m due 2 credits on the 21st of each month with my membership. They actually had the book in the Plus Catalog which meant I could download it for free without using any credits! I did! But after getting half way through it, I saw it was only 2 hours 50 minutes and not full 3 hours. So can I still use it?

Rebekah wrote: " I could download it for free without using any credits! I did! But after getting half way through it, I saw it was only 2 hours 50 minutes and not full 3 hours. So can I still use it?"

That's why we use the MPE for page counts. You are not scored on the edition you read.

What library do you use?

Right now I just moved to Chattanooga so starting to use 5heir library but before that McMinn County and Polk County, Signal Mountain Libraries but not used them often. The library I used most was the Signal Mountain Middle High School Library where I volunteered once a week and 5he elementary library where I volunteered 3 times a week.
But anyhow my problem was I could never get to the edition you told me about that linked to the book without the other stories. There were books that had just the title story but they didn’t give the author was Truman Capote. But I just found a Penguin edition. Is that the one?

Sorry, Rebekah. I thought you had a specific edition you could access that had no other stories. I wanted to see if I could unravel the GR work.

We have the title separate in the database, so you can read just Breakfast at Tiffany's and it will count.

Elizabeth, I noticed that you mentioned a combo for Dick Diver being a Captain (in completed tasks #543).

I wasn't sure if being referred to as 'Captain' would be enough, so I didn't add it at the time. In Lady Killer the fellow who (on the face of it) is the suspect is referred to as "Captain" Lashelle. The novel was published in 1942, so I assume he was in WW2, or at least the military. Is that enough for a combo?

Valerie wrote: "Elizabeth, I noticed that you mentioned a combo for Dick Diver being a Captain (in completed tasks #543).

I wasn't sure if being referred to as 'Captain' would be enough, so I didn't add it at th..."

I made that reference because the claim for 10.7 was for the author rather than a character. I wanted to clarify and salvage the points.

I'm going to guess that Captain Lashelle was probably military or ex-military and allow it. It might be sticking my neck out though I think Anika works to be very generous with this task.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Valerie wrote: "Elizabeth, I noticed that you mentioned a combo for Dick Diver being a Captain (in completed tasks #543).

I wasn't sure if being referred to as 'Captain' would be enough, so I did..."

Thanks, Elizabeth.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Sorry, Rebekah. I thought you had a specific edition you could access that had no other stories. I wanted to see if I could unravel the GR work.

We have the title separate in the database, so you..."

Thank you! So sorry to have been such a bother

Need a little help with the MPE for this audiobook
The Venetian Years

Many thanks!

Ann wrote: "Need a little help with the MPE for this audiobook
The Venetian Years

Many thanks!"

Lots of scrolling to find it - it's this one: Venetian Years: The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt at 740 pages.

Could a librarian take a look ar The Right Sort by Edward Kennard and fix the date. It should be 1883.

See: https://www.worldcat.org/title/right-...


Thanks

Mary wrote: "Could a librarian take a look ar The Right Sort by Edward Kennard and fix the date. It should be 1883.

See: https://www.worldcat.org/title/right-...-..."

Got it!

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Mary wrote: "Could a librarian take a look ar The Right Sort by Edward Kennard and fix the date. It should be 1883.

See: https://www.worldcat.org/title/right-...-..."

Thank you!

Just finished Eugene Onegin.

Does a novel in verse get "not-a-novel" style points? The whole book is written in rhyming couplets, but it does tell a fictional story.

Bucket wrote: "Just finished Eugene Onegin.

Does a novel in verse get "not-a-novel" style points? The whole book is written in rhyming couplets, but it does tell a fictional story."

Yes