Reading with Style discussion

Here's a spot for posting plans. Plans are required if the original subchallenge required that a plan be posted. Otherwise, feel free to do any planning that you want here.

This is one I've had a tab on my spreadsheet ever since we first played it. I have over 20 books still left to read. But I'll probably add some because I'd like to focus on Countries of the World.

Fall 2023:
Celebration of Styles

Read 10 books by 10 different authors where each would qualify for one of the below RwS styles. ... Your books will fit at least four of the styles, with no more than 5 of any one style.

Styles for this sub-challenge:

Lost in Translation
Non Western
1001
Canon
Not a Novel
Aged
Young

I didn't have to go back very far to find another gem.

Summer 2023: FAVORITES
Favorites

Read 10 books that fit your favorite 20-point tasks from prior seasons. You must state the season and the task (number and brief description) when posting your book claim.

List tasks will work as the list is now. If the task required prior approval, posting a link in the Completed Tasks thread when you claim the book will be sufficient. Older seasons especially may have links to outside sources that no longer work. Please post an updated link for these tasks or ask in the Help thread.

NOTE: The bonuses for this challenge allowed us to repeat tasks


I think I could read for the rest of my life using these 2 subchallenges.

A plan is forming..

First: (finished)
(view spoiler)[WI 22-23 Alpha Omega
Read 10 books where the first letter of the author name and the last letter of the author name each uses a different letter of the alphabet. When an author name ends in an initial, the period will be ignored. There are 13 possible pairs of letters. You may not re-use letters.
✔ 15.1 Thrush Green by Miss Read - M D
✔ 15.2 The Death Watcher by Chris Carter - C R
✔ 15.3 Olivia in India by O. Douglas - O S
✔ 15.4 Lanark by Alasdair Gray - A Y
✔ 15.5 Close Quarters by William Golding - W G
✔ 15.6 Coram Boy by Jamila Gavin - J N
✔ 15.7 The Black Prince by Iris Murdoch - I H
✔ 15.8 The Call by Edith Ayrton Zangwill - E L
✔ 15.9 James by Percival Everett - P T
✔ 15.10 The Waves by Virginia Woolf - V F (hide spoiler)]

Second: (finished)
(view spoiler)[WI 19/20 CYOA - Author Edition
For this sub-challenge, you will read 10 books by different authors. Each author must fill a different criterion:

A. Author Name
1. Author's first or last name consists of exactly 4 letters.
3. Author publishes using (at least) 3 Names
4. Author's first or last name contains a double letter
5. Author publishes using initials and surname
- - -
B. Author Birth/Life
1. Author lived during Queen Victoria's lifetime (1819-1901)
2 Author born 1914-18 OR 1939-45
3. Author has a December, January, or February birthdate.
4. Author was born in one century died the next (xx01-xx00).
5. Author born in Octoberfest Country
- - -
C. Author Characteristics
1. Read a book by an author you have not read before
2. Read a book by an author found on the Literature Map of one of the following authors: Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Marcel Proust, William Shakespeare, Emile Zola, Carson McCullers, Muriel Spark, or Iris Murdoch
3. Read a book by a veteran author (one who has published 20 years or more).
4.Read a book by an author who has published in at least 3 forms (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, play, etc)
5. Read a book by an author who has worked as a journalist

✔ 15.11 A2. Author's Name contains no letter L
Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky
✔ 15.12 A1. Author's first or last name consists of exactly 4 letters.
The Drowned and the Saved by Primo Levi
✔ 15.13 A3. Author publishes using (at least) 3 Names
The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard
✔ 15.14 B2. Author born 1914-18 or 1939-45
Life, Love and the Archers: Recollections, Reviews and Other Prose by Wendy Cope (born 1945)
✔ 15.15 A4. Author's first or last name contains a double letter
Troubling Love by Elena Ferrante
✔ 15.16 B4. Author was born in one century died the next (xx01-xx00)
Winter in Thrush Green by Miss Read (1913-2012)
✔ 15.17 C4.Read a book by an author who has published in at least 3 forms (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, play, etc)
Gliff by Ali Smith (fiction, non-fiction, play) https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/al...
✔ 15.18 C2. Read a book by an author found on the Literature Map of one of the following authors: Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Marcel Proust, William Shakespeare, Emile Zola, Carson McCullers, Muriel Spark, or Iris Murdoch
Look Homeward, Angel by Thomas Wolfe (Emile Zola's map)
✔ 15.19 C3. Read a book by a veteran author (one who has published 20 years or more).
Messenger of Truth by Jacqueline Winspear https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/ja...
✔ 15.20 B1. Author lived during Queen Victoria's lifetime (1819-1901)
National Provincial by Lettice Cooper (hide spoiler)]

Third:
FA 19 Pick 'n Mix 2
The goal is to read 10 books that fit in 10 different sub-categories. No letter can be used more than twice and no number can be used more than twice.
A. Setting (must be set at least 75% in one of the following locations):
1. Canada, USA, Mexico, and the Caribbean
2. South and Central America
3. Europe
4. Asia
5. Africa
6. Australia/Oceania
B. Publication Date (original publication date):
1. 2001 or later
2. 1951-2000
3 1901-1950
4. 1851-1900
5. 1801-1850
6. 1800 or earlier
C. Narrator (see help thread for additional information):
1. Point of View Narrator over 60 years old
2. Point of View Narrator under 13 years old
3. First Person Narrator
4. Third Person Narrator
5. Unreliable Narrator
6. Multiple Point of View Narrators
D. Genre (GR Main Page Genre section, which members can lock in at any time.)
1. sci-fi, fantasy, steampunk, time travel, paranormal
2. mystery, thriller, crime, horror, suspense
3. short stories, poetry
4. non-fiction, biography, autobiography, memoir
5. historical fiction, romance, adventure, western
6. contemporary, realism, literary fiction, classics
E. Title
1. Title contains the name of a person
2. Title contains a number
3. Title consists of a full sentence
4. Title has a non-generic sub-title
5. Title has a repeated word (excluding articles a/an/the)
6. Title contains a Q, X, or Z
F. Author Name
Author's Name (as published) Begins With...
1. A-D
2. E-H
3. I-K
4. L-O
5. P-S
6. T-Z

✔ 15.21 B4. Published 1851-1900
Dr. Wortle's School by Anthony Trollope
✔ 15.22 F2. Author name begins E-H
Period Piece by Gwen Raverat
✔ 15.23 A3. Set in Europe
Rumpole of the Bailey by John Mortimer
✔ 15.24 D6. Genre: contemporary, realism, literary fiction, classics
The Devil in the Flesh by Raymond Radiguet (classics)
✔ 15.25 D5. Genre: historical fiction, romance, adventure, western
News from Thrush Green by Miss Read (hist fic, romance)
✔ 15.26 C6. Multiple Point of View Narrators
The White Cottage Mystery by Margery Allingham
✔ 15.27 E3. Title consists of a full sentence
Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
✔ 15.28 B2. Published 1951-2000
Point Zero by Seichō Matsumoto
✔ 15.29 E1. Title contains the name of a person
Mapp and Lucia by E.F. Benson
✔ 15.30 C4. Third Person Narrator
The Man Within by Graham Greene


Fourth:
SU 23 Favorites
Read 10 books that fit your favorite 20-point tasks from prior seasons. State the season and the task (number and brief description).

✔ 15.31 SP 23 20.6 Award
Read a book written by an award winning author. The award in this case should be for an author's body of work.
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
Connie Willis won the Science Fiction Writers of America Grand Master Award 2011
✔ 15.32 FA 22 20.9 ABCs
Read a book in which the author's initials appear in alphabetical order.
A Rare Interest in Corpses by Ann Granger
✔ 15.33 SP 23 20.10 Uncommon Letter
Read any book where the name of a major character - main or supporting - has a Q, X, or Z.
A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny (Ruth Zardo)
✔ 15.34 WI 22-23 20.7 Ratings
Read an extremely underrated book with fewer than 1000 ratings on GoodReads, or a popular book with over 75,000 ratings.
Babel by R.F. Kuang
✔ 15.35 WI 21-22 20.4 Day of the Jackal
Read a book with a main page genre of "thriller".
The Danger by Dick Francis
✔ 15.36 FA 22 20.8 Soup's On!
Read a book where one of the characters makes, serves, or eats soup.
The End of the Story by Lydia Davis
"he made a very large pot of rather thin cabbage soup"
✔ 15.37 FA 22 20.2 King
Read any debut novel.
Grimus by Salman Rushdie (GR description says this was his debut novel)
✔ 15.38 WI 22-23 20.10 Mystery
Read any book with an MPG of mystery.
Flying Finish by Dick Francis
✔ 15.39 FA 22 20.9 ABCs
Read a book in which the author's initials appear in alphabetical order.
Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings by Neil Price

FA 22 20.1 Jemisin
Read any book whose main character is a person of color.
The Dark Child by Camara Laye

Next season?

WI 22-23 20.1 Birthdays
Read a book published between the birth years of our honored authors, 1913-1952.
Wild Strawberries by Angela Thirkell (1934)

ok...

Sub #1: Fall 2023 Celebration of Styles

Fall 2023:
Celebration of Styles

Read 10 books by 10 different authors where each would qualify for one of the below RwS styles. ... Your books will fit at least four of the styles, with no more than 5 of any one style.

Styles for this sub-challenge:

Lost in Translation
Non Western
1001
Canon
Not a Novel
Aged
Young

READ > The Castle of Crossed Destinies (LiT)
READ > Willard and His Bowling Trophies (1001)
READ > The Brides of High Hill (young)
READ > The Potter's Field (aged)
Come Tumbling Down (young)
Italian Shoes (LiT)
READ > Stories and Legends (NaN)
READ > Mr. Vertigo (1001)
READ > Troubling Love (1001)
READ > We'll Prescribe You a Cat (LiT)
READ > The Swimming-Pool Library (1001)
READ > Detective Aunty (young)


Sub #2: Winter 19/20 CYOA - Author Edition

Choose Your Own Adventure: Author Edition

For this sub-challenge, you will read 10 books by different authors. Each author must fill a different criterion:

A. Author Name
1. Author's first or last name consists of exactly 4 letters.
2. Author's Name contains no letter L
3. Author publishes using (at least) 3 Names
4. Author's first or last name contains a double letter
5. Author publishes using initials and surname

B. Author Birth/Life
1. Author lived during Queen Victoria's lifetime (1819-1901)
2 Author born 1914-18 OR 1939-45
3. Author has a December, January, or February birthdate.
4. Author was born in one century died the next (xx01-xx00).
5. Author born in Octoberfest Country

C. Author Characteristics
1. Read a book by an author you have not read before
2. Read a book by an author found on the Literature Map of one of the following authors: Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Marcel Proust, William Shakespeare, Emile Zola, Carson McCullers, Muriel Spark, or Iris Murdoch
3. Read a book by a veteran author (one who has published 20 years or more).
4.Read a book by an author who has published in at least 3 forms (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, play, etc)
5. Read a book by an author who has worked as a journalist

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

A1: Stephen King - owned
READ > A2: P. J. Fitzsimmons The Case of the Case of Kilcladdich
READ > A3: Alexander McCall Smith - owned
A4: J.M. Coetzee - owned
READ > A5: V.S. Naipaul - owned

B1: Cyril Hare - owned, kindle
READ > B2: Rhys Bowen On Her Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service
B3: Seanan McGuire, Gerald Durrell, Tommy Orange
B4: J. G. Ballard
B5: Aravind Adiga - owned

READ > C1: Heron Carvic Picture Miss Seeton
READ > C2: someone from Muriel Spark's map - Helen Simonson The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club
C3: John LeCarre - owned
READ > C4: Ocean Vuong The Emperor of Gladness
C5: Louise Penny - owned
_____

Because I was able to listen to some audiobooks for the above challenges, I feel a little ahead..... so, I've been looking at other subs I might like to do.

Eyes on the Prize Redux from Fall 22

The Human Stain (l)
True History of the Kelly Gang (l)
Arthur Miller - Death of a Salesman (l)
Elfriede Jelinek - The Piano Teacher (l)
Ian Rankin - Hide and Seek (l)
The Three Evangelists (l)
On the Way to the Wedding (l)
The Yiddish Policeman's Union (hoopla)
Ismail Kadare (hoopla)
The Long Quiche Goodbye (l)

SU 23 Sub-Challenge Summer - Favorites

Read 10 books that fit your favorite 20-point tasks from prior seasons. You must state the season and the task (number and brief description) when posting your book claim.

Note: sub allowed for reading of one task

Task chosen: Spring 2022 20.7 The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao

Such a Long Journey (h)
Grimus (h)
The Kitchen House (h)
A Place Within (h)
All our Names (h)
Yiddish for Pirates (h)
The Lazarus Project (h)
The General in his Labyrinth (h)
When She was Queen (h)
The Assassin's Song (h)
My Year of the Racehorse
one of William Gibson's (h)
Spider Robinson (h)


If I have time:

Sub #3: Choose Your Own Adventure, RwS version.

using sci-fi/fantasy
Direct Descendant
Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick
Somewhere Beyond the Sea
Midnight Robber

SU 24 - Decathalon
100m: The Seduction (100-199pp)
Long Jump: The Lake Escape (Thriller)
Shot Put: You Were Wrong (Rating lower than 3.0)
High Jump: Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones (Rating higher than 4.25)
400m: Flashlight (400-499pp)
Hurdles: Man of Taste: The Erotic Cinema of Radley Metzger (nonfiction)
Discus Throw: Guards! Guards! (Discworld)
Pole Vault: The Calculating Stars (awards)
Javelin Throw: The Measure (auth initials in JAVELIN THROW)
1500m: The Scar (500+ pp)

FA 19 - Pick N Mix 2
A1 The Husbands (set in USA)
A3 The Catch (set in Europe)
B1 Mean Moms (pub 2025)
B2 The Book of Ruth (pub 1988)
C4 Snow in August (3d person narrator)
D5 The Proposal (romance)
D6 The Monsters of Templeton (literary fiction)
E3 Then We Came to the End (title=full sentence)
F2 Slut Lullabies (Auth name E-H)
F6 No Body No Crime (Auth name T-Z)

Maybe next: SU 18 - Listopia Tags

Planning

FA 2015 Travel the United States - SECOND SUB-CHALLENGE COMPLETED

Travel the United States: Read 10 books, each set in a different US State or Washington, DC. The setting will be more than 50% in the designated state. Travelers may start their trip in any state. The state setting must be clear within the work to count, but locations within that state may be fictional. *A note to our international readers: As an alternative to book setting, author's state of birth may be considered on a case by case basis.

Land Cruisers will travel in such a way that each state visited is contiguous to the preceding state. Thus, you might start your trip in California, then travel to Nevada, Utah, Colorado, etc. (Ferry rides are available to/from Alaska, Hawaii, and Maine - see below.) This map may be helpful in planning your trip. This reader will receive a 10-point bonus for states 4-8 and a 15-point bonus for states 9-10. Land Cruisers will receive a 100-point completion bonus at the end of their trip. Itineraries do not need to be pre-approved, but there will be a thread where you can share.

Flight-seers need no itinerary and may travel to states in any order. This reader will receive a 10-point bonus for destinations 6-10. Flight-seers will receive a 50-point completion bonus at the end of their trip.

Tentative Books for a Flight-seer, traveling in any order:

✓ 15.11 MD - Three Days in June by Anne Tyler
✓ 15.17 CA - Sweet Thursday by John Steinbeck
✓ 15.12 WI - Bewilderment by Richard Powers
✓ 15.14 VA - Closer Than You Know by Brad Parks
✓ 15.13 ME - How to Read a Book by Monica Wood
✓ 15.15 MS - Lay Your Armor Down by Michael Farris Smith
✓ 15.16 WA - The Heart of Winter by Jonathan Evison
✓ 15.18 NY - The Brigadier and the Golf Widow by John Cheever
✓ 15.19 MN - Evergreen by Rebecca Rasmussen
✓ 15.20 IL - They Came Like Swallows by William Maxwell
______
OR - Tilt by Emma Pattee
OH - Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
TX - The Which Way Tree by Elizabeth Crook
GA - Coming Up for Air by Patti Callahan Henry
MO - Tending Roses by Lisa Wingate
PA - The Haunted Lady by Mary Roberts Rinehart

________________________________________
FA 24 Scrabble, RwS Version - FIRST SUB-CHALLENGE COMPLETED

This Fall, we are going to play RwS Scrabble.

Find the available "tiles" here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

For tiles that link to a genre page or a listopia list (e.g., A1), you are limited to the first 200 books on the list (i.e., the first 4 pages on a genre page and the first 2 pages on a listopia list).

Each tile may only be used once. You may complete the challenge multiple times, but you may not reuse tiles.

TASKS:
Each task is a "tile" from the spreadsheet.
15.1 - A1 - Book 1
15.2 - N2 - Book 2
15.3 - D4 - Book 3
etc.
Each posted task scores 15 points.

QUIZ for 22 points:
✓ 15.5 10 points Q1 - Title Word Begins With Q
Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym
✓ 15.7 1 point U1 - Published in the 10s in any Century
Emma by Jane Austen
✓ 15.4 1 point I3 - Page Count 300-399
More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova
✓ 15.6 10 points Z1 - Author Last Name Has a Z
Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin

IT for 2 points
✓ 15.10 1 point I4 - Illness
Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan
✓ 15.3 1 point T1 - Translated
The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante

CAKE for 10 points
✓ 15.9 3 points C2 - MPG Classic
Perestroika by Tony Kushner
✓ 15.8 1 point A6 - Author Last Name Has No A
Millennium Approaches by Tony Kushner
✓ 15.1 - 5 points K1- Title Word Ends in K
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
✓ 15.2 1 point E1 - Author First Name Starts With E
Sylvia's Lovers by Elizabeth Gaskell
__________________________________________________
Third Sub-Challenge - SU 23 Favorites

Read 10 books that fit your favorite 20-point tasks from prior seasons. State the season and the task (number and brief description).

✓ 15.21 SP 2024 20.1 The National Gallery
Read a book about a piece of art, an art collection, or has a visual artist as a main character. (Painter)
Four Letters of Love by Niall Williams

✓ 15.24 FA 2022 20.9 ABCs
Read a book where the author's initials appear in alphabetical order.
We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes

✓ 15.25 SP 2024 20.4 The Fighting Temeraire
Read a book on the list of books about boats.
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

✓ 15.22 WI 2022-23 20.8 Short
Read a book of short stories
The World of Apples by John Cheever

✓ 15.23 WI 2021-22 20.9 Madame Bovary
Read a book with a surname in the title.
My Name Is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok

✓ 15.27 WI 2021-22 20.5 Wheels
Read one of these British novels (on Wiki list) adapted into television shows.
The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy

✓ 15.26 WI 24-25 20.10 The____ of ____
Read a book with a title that takes the form of The Something of Something.
The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston

✓ 15.28 SP 24 20.3 The Madonna of the Cat
Read a book where a character has a pet cat. Tell us the name of the character (and if you like, the name of the cat).
Cold Snap by Lindy Ryan

✓ 15.29 FA 2024 20.10 Zalphabetical
Read a book whose title contains at least three words that appear in reverse alphabetical order.
Why Read Moby-Dick? by Nathaniel Philbrick

✓ 15.30 WI 21-22 20.8 Dead Sea
Read a book in which the author's first and last initial can be found in "KHIRBAT QUMRAN."
Child of My Heart by Alice McDermott

UPDATED 26/06/25

I have found sticking to a plan is not a strong point for me, so I have lots of options, depending which rabbit hole my brain feels like taking me down next season ...

Plan 1 - Celebration of Styles (Fall 2023)
Styles, none can be used more than 5 times
Lost in Translation
Non Western
1001
Canon
Not a Novel
Aged
Young

Now Planning to potentially do this twice, and I am not grouping them into separate groups, as they will probably jump around as books become available, or take my fancy ...
Completed x 1
The Trip to Echo Spring by Olivia Laing (NaN) Complete 8/6
Hard Copy by Fien Veldman(Netherlands/LiT)Completed 11/6
Silken Gazelles by Jokha Alharthi (47/Young)Complete 10/6
Born with Teeth by Kate Mulgrew (NaN) Complete 5/6
Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali (LiT/Turkey) Completed 13/6
A Winter Book by Tove Jansson (Aged) / 86 Complete 15/6
Marigold Mind Laundry by Yun Jung-eun (South Korea/Non Western) Completed 19/6
Simpatía by Rodrigo Blanco Calderón (Venezuela/Non Western) Complete 18/6
The Yield by Tara June Winch (Young/41) Complete 7/6
The Traitor by Jørn Lier HorstLiT Complete 18/6

The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera (1001)
Coasting: Running Around the Coast of Britain – Life, Love and (Very) Loose Plans by Elise Downing (NaN)
Nevada by Imogen Binnie(Young/46)
Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer, and Sex Changed a Nation at War by Leymah Gbowee (Liberia/Africa)
Heaven by Mieko Kawakami (Japan/Non Western)
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe(1001)
69 by Ryū Murakami (Japan/Non Western)
Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon (Young/39)
The Devil and Miss Prym by Paulo Coelho (Aged/77)
The Friday Afternoon Club: A Family Memoir by Griffin Dunne (NaN)

Plan 2 - Growing Genres (Spring 2023)
10 books from the same genre. Books must be published no fewer than 5 years apart and must cover an overall spread of at least 50 years. Chosen genre - Sci-Fi

Starter Villain by John Scalzi(2023)
Early Riser by Jasper Fforde (2018)
Redshirts (2012) or The Human Division (2013) by John Scalzi
The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (2003)
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis(1997)
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton (1990)
Contact by Carl Sagan (1985)
A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick (1977)
The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin (1972)
Ice by Anna Kavan (1967)

Plan 3 - Author to Author (Summer 2014)
First, select a book you read for the spring challenge and go to the author’s page.
To find your first book, click on “Similar authors” and read a book written by one of the authors shown. For your second book, read a book by an author on the “Similar authors” page for the author of your first book. For the third book, read a book by an author that is on the similar authors page for the author of the second book, and so on ... Chosen Author - Olivia Laing (The Garden Against Time: In Search of a Common Paradise)

Smiling In Slow Motion by Derek Jarman
The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst
The Sea, the Sea by Iris Murdoch
Other Voices, Other Rooms by Truman Capote
Drown by Junot Díaz
The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
Old Filth by Jane Gardam
The Light of Day by Graham Swift
Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan
When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro

Plan 4: Spring 2012 Around the World
Read 10 books, set in 10 different countries, with no continent being visited more than twice.
A book qualifies for a country if two of the following criteria are met*:
A) Author born in said country
B) Author's nationality residency is of said country
C) Book takes place in said country

The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enríquez (Argentina/South America) Completed 21/6
Streetwise by Mohamed Choukri (Morocco/Africa) Completed 9/6
Road No Good by Bridget Isichei (New Zealand/Oceania - this is set in Vanuatu, and from checking it is only setting that counts for Project One Completed 29/6
The Simple Art of Killing a Woman by Patrícia Melo (Brazil/South America) Completed 22/6
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (Germany/Europe)
Your Own Kind of Girl by Clare Bowditch (Australia/Oceania) Completed 3/6
Notes of a Crocodile byQiu Miaojin (Taiwan/ Asia) Completed 25/6
This Mournable Body by Tsitsi Dangarembga (Zimbabwee/Africa)
The Preacher by Camilla Läckberg (Sweden/Europe) Completed 30/6
Beaches, Bungalows & Burglaries by Tonya Kappes (USA/ North America) Completed 12/06

Plan 5: Spring 2016 Waters of the World

Read 10 books representing 10 different countries by using the following criteria.
A book represents a country if at least two of the following are true:
A) Author is born in the country
B) Author's nationality is of the country
C) Book takes place primarily in the country (at least 75%)
Choose your books based on the countries that border these Waterways of the World. You can use either the links here to see those countries or use this spreadsheet.

War with the Newts by Karel Čapek (Czech Republic / Baltic Sea)
The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany (Egypt / Nile River Basin)
We Could Have Been Friends, My Father and I: A Palestinian Memoir by Raja Shehadeh (State of Palenstine / Mediterranean Sea)
On the Calculation of Volume I by Solvej Balle (Denmark / North Sea)
December Breeze by Marvel Moreno (Columbia/ Pacific Ocean)
Pink Slime by Fernanda Trías (Uruguay / Atlantic Ocean)
Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat (Haiti / Caribbean Sea)
The Moustache by Emmanuel Carrère (France / Rhine River Basin)
The House on Via Gemito by Domenico Starnone (Italy / Adriatic Sea)
A Passage North by Anuk Arudpragasam (Sri Lanka / Indian Ocean)

Plan 6: Winter 2013/2014 Travel the Pacific Rim

Read 10 books, from 10 different countries according to the list in post 2.
A book qualifies for a country if two of the following criteria are met:
A) Author born in said country
B) Author's nationality is of said country
C) Book takes place in said country (90%)

Held by Anne Michaels (Canada) Completed 20/6
Cigarette Girl by Ratih Kumala (Indonesia) Completed 29/6
Slow Noodles: A Cambodian Memoir of Love, Loss, and Family Recipes by Chantha Nguon (Cambodia)
Memories of a Pure Spring by Dương Thu Hương (Vietnam)
Of Ants and Dinosaurs by Liu Cixin (China )
The Harmony Silk Factory by Tash Aw (Malaysia)
The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami (Japan)
Human Acts by Han Kang (South Korea)
The Accusation: Forbidden Stories from Inside North Korea by Bandi(North Korea)
Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev (Russia)

Planning

Plan One

SU 21 Sub Challenge Summer Task Overview
Page Count

75-150 short stories
100-149 - Too Good To Be True - 112 pgs
150-199 - Somewhere Safe - 155 pgs
200-249 - Broken Life - 206
250-299 - The Quasimodo Killings - 264
300-349 - Black Valley Farm - 333
350-399 - Mother-Daughter Murder Night - 357
400-449 - The Girls on Chalk Hill - 400
450-499 - Z - 459
500+ - The Running Grave - 960

Plan Two

SU 21 Sub Challenge Summer Task Overview
Riding the Metro

Perth - A Bad Place Alone
London - Ice Blue
New York - Blood Music
Las Vegas - The Killing Room
Savannah - Changing Tides: Savannah Mystery Series Book 1
Oslo - Burned
San Francisco - The Broken Places
Chicago - Last One Alive
Copenhagen - The Midnight Witness
New Orleans - Fat Tuesday

RWS Summer 2025 – Feelin’ Free Summer Subs

Sub-Challenge # 1. Reading Globally. Fall 2017. Each book set in a different country. Each country begins w a different letter.

I’ll go for 7 continents, even though the 100 point bonus will not apply (Darn it). Even though Antarctica and Australia begin with the same letter and only have one country, the Mods say that for purposes of this challenge Australia and Oceania count as one continent, so I'll choose a country from Oceania [looks like it will be French Polynesia] and get all 7 continents in.

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

Completion = 50 points –

These are my first planned reads. They could change.
15.1 Turks & Caicos -- Blood and Belonging by Vicki Delany
15.2 Mexico. Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Canas
15.3 U.S. Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She? by Molly Ivins
15.4 Antarctica Fast Ice by Clive Cussler
15.5 French Polynesia The Limits by Nell Freudenberger
15.6 Bangladesh Lajja: Shame by Taslima Nasrin + 5 1st pub'd 1993
15.7 Peru Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time by Mark Adams
15.8 Kenya
15.9 Netherlands
15.10 Italy


Subchallenge # 2. Completely Re-Thinking --

Second Sub-challenge.
Winter 2022-23. The book I am basing this sub-challenge around is The Deluge by Stephen Markley. At 896 pp, I want to feature it. So, since its date of 1st publication is Jan 2023, I will attempt the Sub-Challenge from that season, WI 2022-23, as my second sub-challenge.

Alpha-Omega, first and last letters of author’s names cannot repeat.

15.11 OZ The Labyrinth of Solitude and Other Writings by Octavio PaZ

1st pub'd 1951 = + 5

15.12 Stephen Markley 's The Deluge
SY Stephen MarkleY

896 pp = + 5



15.13 D.H. Lawrence Sons and Lovers
+ 5 MPE 654 pp, + 5 1st pub'd 1913
DE

15.14 Cassandra Khaw The Salt Grows Heavy
CW

15.15 J Sheridan LeFanu Carmilla
JU

16 letters left -- A B C F G H I K L M P Q T V W X

Norma wrote: "SU 21 Sub Challenge Summer Task Overview
Page Count

75-150 short stories
100-149 - Too Good To Be True - 112 pgs
150-199 - Somewhere Safe - 155 pgs
200-249 - Broken Life - 206
250-299 - The Quasimodo Killings - 264
300-349 - Black Valley Farm - 333
350-399 - Mother-Daughter Murder Night - 357
400-449 - The Girls on Chalk Hill - 400
450-499 - Z- 459
500+ - The Running Grave - 960"

Norma, there are problems with some of your books in this plan because we go by the MPE for page numbers.

Broken Life: the MPE is the paperback edition, Broken Life, with only 160 pages.

The Girls on Chalk Hill: the MPE is The Girls on Chalk Hill with 398 pages.

Z: the MPE is Z with 353 pages.

You'll need to rethink these books!

Nick wrote: "...

15.11 Marjery Allingham 274 pp 1931 Look to the Lady
15.12 Samuel Delany 879 pp 1975 Dhalgren
15.13 James Elroy 427 pp 1996 My Dark Places"

Nick, the MPE of Dhalgren has 801 pages.

Everyone, to find the MPE (most popular edition), from the book page you need to go to "Show all editions", check that the list is sorted by "num ratings", and look for the first printed edition in English.

If there is no printed edition in English, we will take the first printed edition in another language. If there is no printed edition at all, we will take the first ebook edition in English, then other languages. If the MPE doesn't show the number of pages or if the book only exists in audio, please ask.

As well as page numbers, subtitles often change from one edition to another (and rarely, even the main title).

Fall 2015 Travel the United States

I'm going to be a flight-seer and am going to stay in the cozy-mystery genre.

15.1 - GA -Southern Sass and Killer Cravings
15.2 - CA- Plotting for Murder or Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
15.3 - ME - Hems and Homicide
15.4 - OR - Death Unfiltered
15.5 - MA - Cappuccinos, Cupcakes, and a Corpse
15.6 - KY Beaches, Bungalows & Burglaries
15.7 - MD Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits
15.8 - VA - Finlay Donovan Is Killing It
15.9 - OH - Brownies and Broomsticks
15.10 - MN - Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder


AND

2025 CYOA

15.1 Mystery genre

Subchallenge 1 may be read in any order

F 11 Back to School

Summer is almost over & it’s time to get serious about reading. To help you transition out of “beach-reading” mode, we’re assigning the subjects and you are selecting the reading materials.

15.1 – Math The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives by Leonard Mlodinow
15.2 – Science Madame Curie: A Biography by Ève Curie
15.3 – Literature (your country) Time Out of Mind by Rachel Field
15. 4 – World LiteratureWind, Sand and Stars by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
15.5 – History, Government, Philosophy, Religion Personal History by Vincent Sheean
15.6 – Psychology, Economics, Sociology, Anthropology Free to Choose: A Personal Statement by Milton Friedman
15.7 – Foreign Languages. Ædnan by Linnea Axelsson
15.8 – Art, Music, Dance The Raphael Affair by Iain Pears
15.9 – Gym, Health Who Walk Alone by Perry Burgess
15.10 – Study Hall The Boundless Sea: A Human History of the Oceans by David Abulafia

Books for tasks 15.1-15.9 can be fiction or non-fiction, as long as there is an obvious connection between the subject of the book & the task. For example, Music: read a biography of a musician (Mozart by Peter Gay), a non-fiction book about music (The Rest Is Noise by Alex Ross), or a book with a musician as a main character (A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan).

"For tasks 15.3-15.4 books should be ""literature"" as opposed to ""popular fiction"", in other words, something that might commonly taught in high school or university."
For task 15.7 - Foreign Languages you could read a translated work (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), a book about foreign languages (Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages), or a biography about a foreign writer (Anaïs Nin: A Biography).
For task 15.10 - Study Hall, read a non-fiction book about a subject you would like to learn more about.

"All ten ""BtS"" tasks must be completed before repeating a task. The tasks can be completed in any order."

You cannot claim regular style points for any book you read for Back-to-School (nor do the BtS categories count as Combo style points for regular Reading with Style tasks

Subchallenge 2. Must be read in order

Fall 2012 Know Your ABC’s (ABC) – Read ten books, in alphabetical order, where the author’s last name begins with one of following groups of 10 consecutive letters of the alphabet:

ABCDEFGHIJ JKLMNOPQRS
BCDEFGHIJK KLMNOPQRST
CDEFGHIJKL LMNOPQRSTU
DEFGHIJKLM MNOPQRSTUV
EFGHIJKLMN NOPQRSTUVW
FGHIJKLMNO OPQRSTUVWX
GHIJKLMNOP PQRSTUVWXY
HIJKLMNOPQ QRSTUVWXYZ
IJKLMNOPQR

A Nelson Algren The Man with the Golden Arm
B Van Wyck Brooks The Flowering of New England, 1815-1865
C Carl Crow 400 Million Customers
D E L Doctorow Billy Bathgate
E Ramona Emerson Shutter
F] Charles G. Finney The Circus of Dr. Lao Ararat
G. Elgin Groseclose Ararat
H Margaret Halsey With Malice Toward Some
I John Irving The Hotel New Hampshire
J Paulette Jiles News of the World

Subchallenge 3. May be read in any order

Spring 2013 How to Play 20th Century

That's SO 20th Century: Read 10 books originally published in any 10 consecutive years from 1901-2000 with no author being read more than twice.

A Chronologician must read the books in chronological order, starting with either the first published book and reading forwards or the last published work, reading backwards. This reader will receive 10 bonus points for every book completed after the first book (i.e., books 2-10). At the end of the reader's decade, he/she will receive a 150-point bonus if all ten years have been completed in order.

A Chaostician can start with any year and read the ten books in any order. This reader will receive 10 bonus points for every book completed after the fifth book (i.e., books 6-10). This reader will receive a 50-point bonus if ten consecutive years have been completed.

The fine print:
1. Just to make selecting books for this sub-challenge more challenging graphic novels, cookbooks, illustrated guides, and YA books with a Lexile score less than 800 are not allowed.
2. You cannot claim regular style points for any book you read for 20th C (nor do the 20th C tasks count as combo style points for Reading with Style's 10 and 20 point tasks).
3. You can complete 20th C only once.

1937 The Citadel by A.J. Cronin
1938 The World Was My Garden: Travels of a Plant Explorer by David Fairchild
1939 Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo
1940 As I Remember Him, the Biography of R. S.by Hans Zinsser
1941 Hold Autumn in Your Hand by George Sessions Perry
1942 Embers by Sándor Márai
1943 Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
1944 The Razor’s Edge by W. Somerset Maugham
1945 Brideshead Revisited: The Sacred and Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder by Evelyn Waugh
1946 All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren

Rosemary wrote: "Nick wrote: "...

15.11 Marjery Allingham 274 pp 1931 Look to the Lady
15.12 Samuel Delany 879 pp 1975 Dhalgren
15.13 James Elroy 427 pp 1996 My Dark Places"

Nick, the MPE of Dhalgren..."

Thanks for the heads-up. Dhalgren was going to be the cornerstone of my sub-challenge -- but I have gone back and edited it out, putting it off until another day.

SU 19 Ratings Game

Read 10 books by 10 different authors based on the number of ratings on GoodReads. Your books will be chosen using the following breakdown of ratings:

250,000 or more ratings: Macbeth, All Good People Here, Malibu Rising
100,000 - 249,999: Ask Again, Yes, 201,954
75,000 - 99,999: The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times, 95,020
25,000 - 74,999: Call Us What We Carry, 25,738
15,000 - 24,999: Bear, 17,240
10,000 - 14,999: Burn Book: A Tech Love Story, 14,428
5,000 - 9,999: Scorched Grace, 8,910
1,000 - 4,999: People Change, 1,643
250 - 999: A Town with Half the Lights On, 623
fewer than 250 ratings: The Kiwi Sisters' Camino de Santiago, 6

Putting this here so I don't lose it and also to document current ratings.