Take It or Leave It Challenge - August 2021 - Page 1

Discussão75 Books Challenge for 2021

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Take It or Leave It Challenge - August 2021 - Page 1

1SqueakyChu
Editado: Ago 29, 2021, 4:08 pm

For those new to this challenge: More info and monthly index can be found in post #1 of this thread or this TIOLI FAQS wiki.


...logo by cyderry

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Your challenge for August, 2021, is to

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Read a book with a “furniture vocabulary word” in the title or in the first paragraph of Chapter One or its equivalent.
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Rules:

1. You must use this list when choosing a furniture vocabulary word.
https://www.enchantedlearning.com/wordlist/furniture.shtml
2, The word can be one word or more, or it can be a word or words embedded in or across more than one word.
2. Do NOT use part of an entry you find on the furniture vocabulary list. All the words of a complete term must be included.
3. Please highlight the term. If in the first paragraph of Chapter One, give us a few words for context.
4. The furniture vocabulary word is acceptable in another language if your book’s title is not in English, but please translate it for us.
5. Plurals of listed words are acceptable.

Have fun!

Some examples:
Atonement – (bed-bound in a garret) – Ian McEwan
Couch – Benjain Parzybok
Hallucinating Foucault – (The tables are deserted) – Patricia Duncker
On Tokyo’s Edge (in the father’s dresser) – Gordon Ball
Pope Joan (She moved in the bed) - Donna Woolfol Cross

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Other Fun Stuff (not part of the TIOLI challenge):

1. The August 2021 TIOLI Meter - Optional page on which you may track your TIOLI reading. FYI: This is not meant to be competitive - only fun!
2. Morphidae's List of Previous TIOLI Challenges - You may use this reference (Do a control-F scan) to avoid repeating a previous challenge. If your idea is similar to a previous challenge, just make it unique by adding a new "twist" to it.
3. FAMeulstee's 2021 TIOLI Sweeplette Meter

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Supplementary thread --- In the past, this thread was used to talk about the pandemic which had been weighing heavily on each of us. Going forward, this thread is open to all supplementary talk. Should you think you are too far off topic for the main thread, well, just skip over there for a group conversation about almost anything!

Link to our SUPPLEMENTARY THREAD

2SqueakyChu
Editado: Ago 5, 2021, 10:47 pm

Index of Challenges:

Challenges #1-6
1. Read a book with a “furniture vocabulary word” in the title or in the first paragraph of Chapter One or its equivalent - msg #1
2. Read a book published between 1930 and 2021 - msg #3
3. Read a book with a word in the title that implies a measurement of time - msg #6
4. Read a book that starts with the definite article - msg #7
5. Read a non-fiction book about food or drink - msg #11
6. Read a book that has something on the cover that is mentioned in the title - msg #12

Challenges #7-12
7. Read a book where the author's name contains at least two common nouns - msg #15
8. Read a book which is tenth or higher in a series - msg #16
9. Read a book about someone who can't stop bragging msg #17
10. Read a book with a traditional anniversary gift in the title - ,sg #19
11. Read a book with a word indicating quantity in the title, but not a number - msg #23
12. Read a book listed on the 'Among Others' wiki - msg #24

Challenges #13-16
13. Read a book with an occupation in the title or author's name - msg #28
14. Read a book or work (fiction or non fiction) in which the characters or subjects read and discuss their reading - msg #40
15. Read a “coming of age” book that was suggested to you by someone else - msg #41
16. Read a book which has the name of a mineral water well among the first words - msg #49

Hold your challenge until the September 2021 TIOLI challenge is posted. Thank you.

3FAMeulstee
Jul 24, 2021, 4:47 pm

Challenge #2: Read a book published between 1930 and 2021

In honor of my father's 91th birthday next week.

4SqueakyChu
Jul 24, 2021, 6:31 pm

>3 FAMeulstee: Wow! Best wishes to your dad, Anita!

5FAMeulstee
Jul 24, 2021, 6:36 pm

>4 SqueakyChu: Thank you, Madeline!

6DeltaQueen50
Editado: Jul 25, 2021, 3:35 am

Challenge #3: Read a book with a word in the title that implies a measurement of time

Words that will work for this challenge would include: years, months, weeks, days, morning, afternoon, evening, night, hours, minutes, and seconds.

Eg) The Hours by Michael Cunningham
Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Vern
Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

7Helenliz
Editado: Jul 25, 2021, 2:30 pm

Challenge #4: Read a book that starts with the definite article

We usually file books alphabetically by ignoring the "The" at the beginning of the title. Time to reverse that, your book's title must begin with "The". Or with a definite article in the language the books is written in. It must appear on the cover of the book you are reading, regardless of what Library Thing lists the book as. Thereafter we'll file alphabetically, as usual.

8FAMeulstee
Editado: Jul 25, 2021, 6:23 am

>7 Helenliz: I always list the English title, if there is one, but read the Dutch edition. I assume the Dutch equivalent "De" on the cover will work for your challenge as well?

9Helenliz
Jul 25, 2021, 8:18 am

>8 FAMeulstee: Yes, the definite article is acceptable in any language.

10SqueakyChu
Editado: Jul 25, 2021, 8:56 am

>9 Helenliz: For challenge #1, I will accept the foreign furniture vocabulary word if your book’s title is not in English. I just added this to the “Rules” for that challenge.

11wandering_star
Jul 25, 2021, 5:09 pm

Challenge #5: Read a non-fiction book about food or drink

Recipe books etc. fine for this - also memoirs/travel books etc if they have a strong food or drink focus (eg the food/drink elements are mentioned in the title, on the cover).

12Morphidae
Editado: Jul 26, 2021, 1:53 am

Challenge #6: Read a book that has something on the cover that is mentioned in the title

Creativity is welcome though please explain anything that isn't obvious.

Examples:

Wild Sign (markings on trees) by Patricia Briggs
Blood Heir (woman is the named heir) by Ilona Andrews

For the most part, embedded words are not allowed unless the words are close in meaning. For instance, a garden would be fine for gardenscape or a robot for robots. But bat would not be accepted for battle nor lace for palace.

Enjoy!

13susanna.fraser
Jul 26, 2021, 12:29 pm

>11 wandering_star: I was literally going to make that exact challenge! So I'm back to the drawing board for my August challenge, but you've given me a home for two of my books!

14wandering_star
Jul 26, 2021, 3:58 pm

>13 susanna.fraser: What a crazy coincidence! I hope you find a good alternative challenge for this month

15susanna.fraser
Jul 26, 2021, 10:57 pm

Challenge #7: Read a book where the author's name contains at least two common nouns (list them)

Some examples:

Patrick Wyman - pat, trick, man
James Scott Bell - cot, bell
Lucy Parker - park, ark

16raidergirl3
Jul 27, 2021, 10:00 am

Challenge #8: Read a book which is tenth or higher in series

It feels like a while since there has been a series challenge, or maybe I'm at a point where I want to catch up on some ongoing series.

17Citizenjoyce
Editado: Jul 28, 2021, 7:54 am

Challenge #9: Read a book about someone who can't stop bragging
I plan to read I Alone Can Fix It: Donald J. Trump's Catastrophic Final Year by Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker.
.

18Citizenjoyce
Editado: Ago 31, 2021, 3:31 pm

My planned reads, it doesn't look like I'll be sweeping this month.
Read a book with a “furniture vocabulary word” in the title or in the first paragraph of Chapter One or its equivalent. - started by SqueakyChu
Island Queen: A Novel - Vanessa Riley (4)
Challenge #2: Read a book published between 1930 and 2021 - started by FAMeulstee
An Easy Death - Charlaine Harris (4)
A Longer Fall - Charlaine Harris (4)
A Master of Djinn - P. Djèlí Clark
Thunderstruck and Other Stories - Elizabeth McCracken (3.5)
Challenge #3: Read a book with a word in the title that implies a measurement of time - started by DeltaQueen
The Ninth Hour - Alice McDermott
*✔Yesterday - Felicia Yap (4)
Challenge #4: Read a book that starts with the definite article - started by helenliz
The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson (5)
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - V. E. Schwab (3.5)
Challenge #5: Read a non-fiction book about food or drink - started by wandering_star
Rebel Chef: Building a Life of Bon Courage by Dominique Crenn (3.5)
Challenge #6: Read a book that has something on the cover that is mentioned in the title - started by Morphidae
Sunflower Sisters - Martha Hall Kelly (4)
Written In Bone: hidden stories in what we leave behind - Sue Black (4)
Challenge #7: Read a book where the author's name contains at least two common nouns (list them) - started by susanna.fraser
Firekeeper's Daughter - Angeline Boulley (4.5)
Fugitive Telemetry - Martha Wells (4)
*✔Network Effect - Martha Wells (4)
Rememberings - Sinéad O'Connor (3)
*✔She Who Became the Sun - Shelley Parker-Chan (3.5)
Challenge #8: Read a book which is tenth or higher in a series - started by raidergirl3
Mirror Dance - Lois McMaster Bujold (4)
Challenge #9: Read a book about someone who can't stop bragging - started by Citizenjoyce
I Alone Can Fix It: Donald J. Trump's Catastrophic Final Year by Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker (5)
Challenge #10: Read a book with a traditional anniversary gift in the title - started by lyzard
Golden Hill - Francis Spufford (3.5)
Challenge #11: Read a book with a word indicating quantity in the title, but not a number - started by quondame
Infinite Country - Patricia Engel (3.5)
This Will All Be Over Soon: A Memoir - Cecily Strong (3)
Challenge #12: Read a book listed on the 'Among Others' wiki - started by humouress
Citizen of the Galaxy by Robert A. Heinlein (3)
Challenge #13: Read a book with an occupation in the title or author's name - started by lindapanzo
The Guest List - Lucy Foley (4)
How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories - Holly Black (4.5)
Challenge #14: Read a book or work (fiction or non fiction) in which the characters or subjects read and discuss their reading - started by elkiedee
*✔The Lost Apothecary - Sarah Penner (4)
Challenge #15: Read a “coming of age” book that was suggested to you by someone else - started by dallenbaugh
Mary Jane -Jessica Anya Blau (5)
Things We Lost to the Water by Eric Nguyen (4.5)
Challenge #16: Read a book which has the name of a mineral water well among the first words
Daughters of Sparta - Claire Heywood (4)

19lyzard
Jul 28, 2021, 6:07 pm

Challenge #10:

Read a book with a traditional anniversary gift in the title


I will accept any of the gifts listed here, including the flowers.

20Citizenjoyce
Jul 28, 2021, 6:18 pm

>19 lyzard: Do you accept embedded words?

21lyzard
Jul 28, 2021, 7:48 pm

22Citizenjoyce
Jul 29, 2021, 12:59 am

>21 lyzard: Thanks.

23quondame
Editado: Jul 30, 2021, 12:29 am

Challenge #11: Read a book with a word indicating quantity in the title, but not a number

NOT acceptable, a, an, the, one, two, three, ...

Acceptable:

All
Couple
Few
Infinite
Majority
Many
Minority
Most
Multiple
None
Only
Plenty
Single
Singular
Some
Triad

Other words are likely to be acceptable, but please check first!

24humouress
Editado: Jul 30, 2021, 9:26 am

Challenge 12: Read a book listed in Among Others

Please take it from this wiki which I created while reading it.

I admit it is very heavily weighted towards fantasy/ sci-fi but there are other books, like Greek classics, childhood favourites and Shakespearean plays. And (unless you're absolutely stuck) I would prefer that you use a book that is specifically mentioned rather than in one of the series or by one of the authors mentioned generally; it is a long list, so there's plenty of choice.

25DeltaQueen50
Jul 30, 2021, 1:07 pm

>23 quondame: Susan, would the word "full" qualify - as in A Room Full of Bones?

26quondame
Jul 30, 2021, 3:39 pm

>25 DeltaQueen50: It indicates quantity but doesn't have the numerical or relative numerical quality I was seeking, so let me think about it.

27wandering_star
Jul 30, 2021, 5:30 pm

>24 humouress: That's an impressive job on the wiki! I own Pavane so will be reading that.

28lindapanzo
Jul 30, 2021, 6:04 pm

Challenge 13: Read a book with an occupation in the title or author's name

I can't believe I missed this the entire week. Too much Olympics swimming watching, probably.

Glad I found it.

29Morphidae
Jul 30, 2021, 6:48 pm

>17 Citizenjoyce: The Contest Between the Sun and the Wind: An Aesop's Fable by Heather Forest has bragging as a tag. Is it okay? I figure the Sun and Wind are both braggarts.

30Citizenjoyce
Jul 30, 2021, 10:51 pm

>29 Morphidae: Yes, that's just what I'm looking for. I'm also thinking of Anne of Green Gables if I remember correctly. I know she talks a lot, but I can't remember if that includes bragging.

31humouress
Jul 30, 2021, 11:39 pm

>27 wandering_star: Thank you :0) I thought I ought to put it to some use, since it's there.

32lyzard
Jul 31, 2021, 7:19 pm

Ha!

If anyone is struggling for a book for my challenge, I just found this on Project Gutenberg:

The History of Silk, Cotton, Linen, Wool, and Other Fibrous Substances by Clinton Gilroy.

33PawsforThought
Ago 1, 2021, 6:17 am

>28 lindapanzo: Would you count “smuggler” as an occupation? Admittedly, it’s not a legal one, but still…

34lyzard
Editado: Ago 1, 2021, 6:53 pm

>28 lindapanzo:, >33 PawsforThought:

I have several illegal occupations also. :D

35quondame
Editado: Ago 1, 2021, 8:10 pm

>1 SqueakyChu: I have found "mirror" in the foreword of a short story collection. Would that qualify?

Clock is also not on the furniture page.

36lindapanzo
Ago 1, 2021, 9:55 pm

37SqueakyChu
Editado: Ago 1, 2021, 10:06 pm

>35 quondame: I would have to say no as Chapter One would be the equivalent of the first short story.

Where do you see clock? The only words that can qualify are words that are found on the furniture vocabulary list.

38quondame
Ago 1, 2021, 10:22 pm

>37 SqueakyChu: About clock, I was saying it is a piece of furniture, especially the grandfather variety, and it is not on that list.

The foreword of a collection often presents the reason for the collection and other information important to the book as a whole, much more than the introduction or foreword to a novel.

39SqueakyChu
Ago 2, 2021, 1:09 am

>37 SqueakyChu: I see. A grandfather clock indeed is a piece of furniture but it does not qualify for my challenge simply because it is not on the "furniture vocabulary list".

I purposely did *not* want Introductions, Forewards, Prefaces or anything else preceding the actual body of the work to be substituted for the "first paragraph of Chapter One or its equivalent" in my challenge. Use the first paragraph of the first story in a book of short stories.

40elkiedee
Ago 2, 2021, 7:30 am

Challenge #14: Read a book or work (fiction or non fiction) in which the character{s) or subject(s) read and discuss their reading

I'm listing a biography of a novelist (Barbara Pym) for this, so there are a lof of mentions of books that Pym read, and conversations and correspondence between Pym and friends, including other writers, about books. Later in her life Philip Larkin became a friend, regular correspondent and advocate for her work.

Works of fiction or non fiction and any kind of conversation/correspondence etc about reading are welcome for this challenge.

I could simply list everything I'm reading at the moment as published between 1930 and 2021, and probably at least half my books as starting with the definite article, but felt that I'd like to give myself an option, and hoping others will have a go at reading something for this one.

41dallenbaugh
Editado: Ago 2, 2021, 11:32 am

Challenge #15: Read a “coming of age” book that was suggested to you by someone else

The someone else can be an Early Review book you've won or a book mentioned on TIOLI now or in the past or any other suggestion you've read or been told about. List the source.

I'll leave it to you to decide what a 'coming of age' book entails.

42Morphidae
Ago 2, 2021, 2:44 pm

>28 lindapanzo: Would role-playing game character classes/fantasy occupations be eligible such as rogues, wizards, and witches?

43Citizenjoyce
Ago 2, 2021, 3:54 pm

>41 dallenbaugh: Would you consider Things We Lost to the Water by Eric Nguyen? President Obama didn't recommend it to me personally, but it is on his summer reading list.

44dallenbaugh
Ago 2, 2021, 4:16 pm

>43 Citizenjoyce: Yes, that is fine.

45Citizenjoyce
Ago 2, 2021, 5:58 pm

46lindapanzo
Ago 2, 2021, 6:04 pm

>43 Citizenjoyce: I'm thinking of an occupation whereby someone can earn a living, even if done illegally like a gangster or a bank robber.

47Citizenjoyce
Ago 2, 2021, 6:14 pm

>46 lindapanzo: I think you meant to reference >42 Morphidae:

48lindapanzo
Ago 2, 2021, 7:46 pm

>47 Citizenjoyce: Oops, you're right.

>42 Morphidae: I'm thinking of an occupation whereby someone can earn a living, even if done illegally like a gangster or a bank robber.

49paulstalder
Editado: Ago 3, 2021, 6:30 am

Challenge #16: Read a book which has the name of a mineral water well among the first words

Thanks for all the gifts for my birthday last month. The most impressive gift is the 'one hundred foot of water' ..., therefore I invite you all to come round and help me empty that lake of water ...

Read a book (or work) which has the name of a well/spring of mineral water in the first sentence. The name must appear on a wikipedia list (😊) , I give here three lists (English, German, and French) but if you quote from another such list in another language, just mention it. Embedded words are fine. Words like 'water', 'well', 'mineral', 'spring' (and the equivalents in other languages) do not count.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bottled_water_brands (basically English speaking countries)
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_europ%C3%A4ischer_Mineralwassermarken (Europe without the UK)
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eau_min%C3%A9rale_naturelle (France plus French speaking parts of the world)

List the first words in the wiki, highlight the word and list the name of the well/brand and the country of origin.

# The Big Four - Agatha Christie - (...sit calmly in their deck-chairs and, on arri'''val''', wait... -> Bon '''Val''', Belgium)

so enjoy your reading together with a fine bottle or glass of water

50humouress
Ago 3, 2021, 4:28 am

>49 paulstalder: Your birthday just keeps giving :0)

51FAMeulstee
Ago 3, 2021, 5:31 am

>49 paulstalder: Enjoying a glass of water :-)

I think your challange should be #16...

52paulstalder
Ago 3, 2021, 6:31 am

>51 FAMeulstee: you're right, 16 is correct (probably drank too much water ...)

53lindapanzo
Ago 3, 2021, 11:10 am

>49 paulstalder: Hmmmm, now that's a challenge.

I saw an ad for Nice water. It's the Walgreen's Pharmacy brand.

54quondame
Ago 5, 2021, 1:51 am

>49 paulstalder: There is a Crystal Clear brand, but that is not a spring, so I'm thinking it doesn't qualify. Arrowhead is a place, so not sure if it does either. How do we know which are springs?

55paulstalder
Ago 5, 2021, 2:53 am

>54 quondame: check the link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bottled_water_brands if it's there, it counts
Most mineral waters here have the well in their name. But I realized that that is not always the case abroad, so included these links and accept all brands from these lists.

56quondame
Ago 5, 2021, 3:30 am

>55 paulstalder: Thanks! Crystal clear that is.

57Morphidae
Editado: Ago 7, 2021, 10:35 pm

PROBABLE READING LIST

1. Read a book with a “furniture vocabulary word” in the title or in the first paragraph of Chapter One or its equivalent
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens ("Marsh is a space of light...") - Historical Fiction/Mystery
2. Read a book published between 1930 and 2021
Betwixt by Darynda Jones '''COMPLETED''' - Paranormal Fantasy
3. Read a book with a word in the title that implies a measurement of time
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig Reading '''COMPLETED''' - Contemporary Fantasy
4. Read a book that starts with the definite article
The Spinster and the Rake by Eva Devon - Historical Romance
5. Read a non-fiction book about food or drink
Much Depends on Dinner by Margaret Visser SHARED Nonfiction
6. Read a book that has something on the cover that is mentioned in the title
Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron - Urban Fantasy
-and-
Trees: Between Heaven and Earth by Art Wolfe - Photography
7. Read a book where the author's name contains at least two common nouns
Network Effect #5 by Martha Wells SHARED - Science Fiction
8. Read a book which is tenth or higher in a series
Delusion in Death (in Death #35) by J. D. Robb - SF Mystery
9. Read a book about someone who can't stop bragging
The Contest Between the Sun and the Wind by Heather Forest - Children's
10. Read a book with a traditional anniversary gift in the title
The HaunTINg of Tram Car 015 by P. Djeli Clark - Steampunk
11. Read a book with a word indicating quantity in the title, but not a number
All Systems Red #1 by Martha Wells - Science Fiction
12. Read a book listed on the 'Among Others' wiki
Mission of Gravity by Hal Clement - Science Fiction
13. Read a book with an occupation in the title or author's name
Rogue Protocol #3 by Martha Wells - Science Fiction
14. Read a book or work (fiction or non fiction) in which the characters or subjects read and discuss their reading
I'd Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel - Nonfiction
15. Read a “coming of age” book that was suggested to you by someone else
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (Lots of LTers and a BookRiot list I'm still trying to find again) - YA Fantasy
16. Read a book which has the name of a mineral water well among the first words
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer - Science Fiction/Horror

58lindapanzo
Ago 7, 2021, 1:43 pm

>57 Morphidae: If someone can make a living as a rogue, by all means, it's an occupation.

59Morphidae
Ago 7, 2021, 10:07 pm

60elkiedee
Editado: Ago 31, 2021, 4:38 pm

It's probably a bit late to do this but am listing my completed reads this month, my current ones and a couple that I'm about to start reading, if anyone is interested in shared reads.

I haven't decided where to list all books yet and don't rule out moving books around. All these books were published between 1930 and 2021 (I think only 2 were published before 2000) and 8 have titles starting with the definite article so, possible shared reads aside, I'm trying to match to less obvious challenges first.

Finished:
Paula Byrne, The Adventures of Miss Barbara Pym - #14
Kaitlyn Greenidge, Libertie - #15
Kristin Hannah, The Four Winds - #1
Lyndsay Faye, Seven For a Secret - #6
Zakiya Dalila Harris, The Other Black Girl - #4
Michelle Magorian, Goodnight Mister Tom - #6
Margery Sharp, The Eye of Love - #2
Ann Cleeves, The Heron's Cry - #4
David Downing, Wedding Station - #2
Sinead Gleeson (editor), The Long Gaze Back: An Anthology of Irish Women Writers
Lee Horsley, Twentieth-Century Crime Fiction - #3
Tanya Pearson, Why Marianne Faithfull Matters - #7
Francis Spufford, Golden Hill - #10 (shared read)
Lara Feigel, The Group - #4
Dawnie Walton, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev - #10
Peter Lovesey, Remaindered - #8 - library ebook short story - #8
Deborah Levy, Black Vodka - #2
Joanna Nadin, The Talk of Pram Town - #4

Current reading - for September TIOLI

Nathan Harris, The Sweetness of Water
Ruth Eastham, The Messenger Bird
Ruth Thomas, The Home Corner
Esther Freud, I Couldn't Love You More
Hermione Lee, Penelope Fitzgerald: A Life
Marika Cobbold, On Hampstead Heath
Liliian Li, Number One Chinese Restaurant
Rebecca Makkai, The Great Believers
Katherine Heiny, 561 - library ebook short story
Michelle Magorian, Back Home

Next Up:

Andrea Levy, Six Stories and an Essay

61lyzard
Ago 11, 2021, 1:47 am

>6 DeltaQueen50:

Judy, are you okay with a word not being used to indicate time? I have two books with 'second' in the title but they both mean 'not first'. :)

I can work with this if you'd prefer timey titles so don't worry.

62DeltaQueen50
Ago 11, 2021, 2:17 pm

>61 lyzard: Liz, even though the meaning is different, "second" can be a measurement of time so, yes, that would work.

63lyzard
Ago 11, 2021, 5:45 pm

64SqueakyChu
Editado: Ago 12, 2021, 8:06 am

TIOLI Stats for July, 2021

For August 2021, we read a total of 252 books (a monthly low for this year, but we had an even lower month last year). We shared 37 books or 15% of our total books read. We accumulated an all time July YTD low of 164 TIOLI points. I think that as the year progresses we will be stuck with those YTD monthly lows as less people are participating in our challenges these days.

The most popular books of the month were each read by three people. They were
Equal Rites - Terry Pratchett
The Bride Test - Helen Hoang
The Witness for the Dead - Katherine Addison
The Night Watchman - Louise Erdrich
The Waters of Eternal Youth - Donna Leon

Our most popular challenge, with 48 (!) books read, was the one by FAMeulstee to read a book with a title with 3 words or less.

The challenge with the most TIOLI points (six) was the one by Morphidae to read a book for the "Samesies" challenge.

Onward we go...

65lindapanzo
Ago 11, 2021, 9:26 pm

>64 SqueakyChu: It's always interesting to see these stats. Last year was my worst reading year in 30 years and, despite my best intentions, this year is much worse. When I do read, it usually involves not-yet-published Net Galley books.

66elkiedee
Ago 11, 2021, 10:17 pm

>64 SqueakyChu: I find it hard to complete shared reads within the month as other people, but I think every month I finish at least a couple of books that someone else read the previous month.

We have people participating from all over the world, getting books from lots of different sources. WE don't necessarily all have access to the same ones at the same time.

So over a longer period, I think we are getting reading ideas from each other as well as from other places. So many people are trying to read more diversely, or trying to read books written by authors from/in other countries, venturing out into unexplored territory. And that happens because of TIOLI and because of discussions and recommendations on this group and on other LT groups and other places online.

I still enjoy the challenges and trying to match up my reading, but there are just too many books I want to read competing for my attention, whether on my shelves or from the library or through Netgalley or whatever.

67quondame
Ago 12, 2021, 12:37 am

>66 elkiedee: It's the case with me. There are severa books I'd never have read except for a shared read for a challenge, though more of the ones out of my normal f&sf are from 75bpy threads BB.

68Citizenjoyce
Ago 12, 2021, 1:14 am

>66 elkiedee: I find books other members have listed and put them on hold at the library but frequently they don't come in before the month is up.

69Helenliz
Ago 12, 2021, 1:44 am

>66 elkiedee: I agree. Even if the library were operating reserves (which they haven't for the last 18 months), by the time I see a book listed, order it, get it and read it, it's easily at least a month down the line. I once did a challenge to have a late shared read - to read a book that someone had listed in the previous 3 months, because that seems to be what I end up doing quite a lot!

I still find it interesting to pull books off the shelf to fit a challenge, and even achieve a sweeplette occasionally.

I also think judging anything on performance in 202/2021 may be a false indicator. It's been such a rollercoaster ride that it's not a fair test, imo.

70PawsforThought
Ago 12, 2021, 2:18 am

I’m usually terrible about shared reads - I actually think this might be the first time in years that I’ve been part of a shared TIOLI read.
I’m the same with other shared/themed reads - it just never seems to work out on time for me.
But like others have said I often read books other TIOLI members read the month (or more) before. Maybe there should be another type of point for those reads - “inspiration points”, anyone?

71lyzard
Ago 12, 2021, 3:00 am

>40 elkiedee:

Sorry to be awkward again:

How much discussion of books is necessary? I have one where it is only a couple of conversations but important to the plot.

72elkiedee
Ago 12, 2021, 3:10 am

>71 lyzard: I think that sounds great. A couple of conversations would be fine - relevance to the plot is intriguing but no spoilers please in case they cause problems for someone else (I have far too bad a memory for books I've actually read to care about spoilers for me pesonally).

73lyzard
Ago 12, 2021, 7:28 am

>72 elkiedee:

I would never do that, least of all with a mystery!

Thanks, that's great. :)

74SqueakyChu
Ago 12, 2021, 8:04 am

>69 Helenliz: I also think judging anything on performance in 202/2021 may be a false indicator. It's been such a rollercoaster ride that it's not a fair test, imo.

I don’t really want it to be a judgment, but rather an indicator of our reading trends. I agree with everyone who says that reading over the past year and a half is unlike any other reading we have done in the past.

I probably have read fewer books than all others and definitely far fewer shared reads.

Take the numbers simply as stats. I started doing them to be sure I had enough interest in the TIOLI challenges to keep them going. Well, I started them in 2010 so the answer to that is a resounding “Yes!” even though the numbers in recent years have been lower.

Should I even keep posting stats? I find them interesting.

75bell7
Ago 12, 2021, 8:20 am

>74 SqueakyChu: If you enjoy doing them, I say go for it! I also find them interesting. It's kind of useful to see what kinds of challenges promote shared reads over the years, too.

It would be kind of a pain to track, but it would also be interesting to see what books get repeated throughout a year, whether they managed to be a shared read in a given month or not. I did what others have described just this month: I ran out of reading time in July so it wasn't a shared read, but I finished Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead this month, and probably wouldn't have tried to read it now if it hadn't been listed in July.

76elkiedee
Editado: Ago 12, 2021, 12:55 pm

It's not just members of this group or participants in these TIOLI challenges, but there is under the Lists feature there is a Books Read in 2021 List which is quite an easy way to see when 2 or more people have logged the same book among their 2021 reading. There are 83 members who've logged at least some of their reading, amounting to over 3000 listings so far this year. From that I have at least 15 "shared reads" through the year out of 86 books, and I think that would be over 20 with the shared reads I know I have here that aren't reflected there.

Some of what's listed is amusing/eyebrow raising, especially the LT user who has listed lots of erotica titles, some of which make me think ewwwwwww.

Quite a few of us have logged at least some of our reads there, and it would probably be easier to gather the info from that, or to create another list, than to try and put the information together from lots of separate online documents/Wikis.

77SqueakyChu
Editado: Ago 12, 2021, 10:23 am

>75 bell7: Feel free to track this if you want and report each month or even just do it on a on a wiki (without a monthly report) which I can link.

>76 elkiedee: Interesting!

78Citizenjoyce
Ago 12, 2021, 3:26 pm

>76 elkiedee: I find Books Read in 2021 List confusing. I don't understand how to use it.

79Helenliz
Ago 12, 2021, 3:29 pm

>74 SqueakyChu: ahh. In that case I misunderstood the tone of your post. It sounded a bit down due to the low numbers in the month and year to date.

Please carry on.

80Morphidae
Ago 13, 2021, 8:40 pm

>75 bell7: I started doing one ages ago. I've pondering doing it again but it's a huge task.

I'll think about starting one for July or August then slowly moving backwards from there as time goes on. Perhaps a month every two weeks.

81humouress
Editado: Ago 14, 2021, 2:57 am

I bet Anita would have some of the stats ;0)

>76 elkiedee: I had a quick look at the book list and I can’t quite see how it works either without experimenting first, which I’m reluctant to do in case I mess it up. Are there instructions anywhere for Lists?

82FAMeulstee
Ago 14, 2021, 4:04 am

>80 Morphidae: Maybe creating a wiki-page like "TIOLI_books_in_2021", Morphy, so others can help?

>81 humouress: I have thought about doing further TIOLI stats, Nina, but I didn't.

--

LT Lists

Homepage lists: https://www.librarything.com/home#lists
Books read in 2021 List: https://www.librarything.com/list/42790/all/Books-Read-in-2021

How to use:
Go to the page of the list you want to use.
On the right at the top you click on "add work to list", then a pop-up screen appears.
In the pop-up screen you can fill in the title and click on "search".
One or more titles appear, click on the title you want to add.
Now there is "added" under the search box.
Click "cancel/close", the pop-up disappears, and the book is added to the list.

Now you are back on the list page.
On the left is the complete list, all titles added by users, sorted by how many users added a work.
On the right there is a column with the books YOU added, sorted by date added.
On the right at the top you can add the list to favorites, if you click it the list will appear on your home page, and under "Your lists" at the lists homepage.

83humouress
Editado: Ago 14, 2021, 5:47 am

>82 FAMeulstee: Thanks Anita. I'll give it a go.

If there were a way to make and sort sublists (by month and year) that would be perfect for keeping the TIOLI books read lists.

84elkiedee
Ago 14, 2021, 6:38 am

The default setting for lists is actually Score - lists can be unnumbered so every addition has the same value, but most have been set up as numbered by default, so the first book on my list scored 4 and now I'm on over 80 books an addition only scores 1 point, and it's even lower as some users, like Anita and Thomas, get over 100/150! Users can drag and drop their lists so although I think many of us are just adding books in the order we read them, it's possible to order your list as favourites first. This means that if Anita and I both read the same book this month and enter it, the score will be lower than for some books read and added higher up the list by just one of us.

But most of the books listed on the first few pages are shared reads and there are some very clear popular hits at the top - Shuggie Bain, Piranesi, The Vanishing Half, The Midnight Library, Girl, Woman, Other - there is a huge range of books but more diverse writing, some issue novels, some fun stuff, and some quirky reads, and while a lot of the big hits and current hot books are there, there are also a few surprises in the current top 100, like a memoir/bio of the artist and writer Leonora Carrington which I'd had out of the library for ages and finally chose to read a few months ago. There are all kinds of LT Lists and I have found some of them have generated a few book bullets for me.

What I would like on some of the bigger lists is a better way to discuss things. You can comment on entries but only if they appear on your own list.

85bell7
Ago 14, 2021, 10:25 am

>80 Morphidae: maybe a Google spreadsheet that a few volunteers could edit? I'd be willing to help, but I get the sense it would be a monumental task to keep up with.

86SqueakyChu
Editado: Ago 14, 2021, 10:47 am

Phew! All of this sounds like waaay too
much work! Why not start a list of “Books read by TIOLI challengers in 2021” if you have the deep desire to do this? There is more than one way you could do this. I personally don’t want to do any more stats than I have been doing all along!

I do, however, like the list feature on LT although I haven’t used it recently. I used it more when it was new.

Conclusion: All together we do read a lot of books!!!

87Morphidae
Editado: Ago 14, 2021, 5:43 pm

>86 SqueakyChu: You wouldn't need to do anything. You do so much already!

*****

The only issue I see with doing it as an LT list rather than a Google spreadsheet is that there really isn't a way to say "Book A" has been read XX number of times. Or get a Top Ten of 2021. Those are the most interesting numbers to me.

I think what I'll do is open a Google spreadsheet to get it set up, do July's books, then start a thread where people can "claim" a month to work on.

How does that sound?

ETA: Then once we get a certain amount of data in, I can pull it into Excel (which I'm more comfortable with) and play with numb.. er... generate statistics.

88FAMeulstee
Ago 14, 2021, 6:07 pm

>87 Morphidae: Google spreadsheet sounds good to me, Morphy, and I am willing to help.

89SqueakyChu
Editado: Ago 14, 2021, 7:21 pm

>85 bell7: >87 Morphidae: >88 FAMeulstee: You guys are all crazy in the most lovely kind of way! This is why I love LT so much!

By the way, I Just recently had a mini meetup with LTers _Zoe_ and her husband radicarian who stopped by my home on one of their trips. I gave them real hugs during a lull in the pandemic covid numbers. I send all of you virtual hugs, but they are just as heartfelt

90quondame
Editado: Ago 14, 2021, 7:46 pm

>87 Morphidae: I thought Lists kept count of how many people included a title and allowed you to order the entries by how popular a title was.
What I want is a way to bulk select books for a list from my "Your books" display.

91Morphidae
Ago 14, 2021, 10:12 pm

>90 quondame: Yes, however, it is dependent on every person who read the book going in and adding it, if they are still around. Whereas, if we do it in Google, only people who volunteer would need to work on it.

92SqueakyChu
Editado: Ago 18, 2021, 11:22 pm

TIOLI Question of the Month

Which character in one of this month’s reads made you the happiest? In which book? Why??

93elkiedee
Ago 19, 2021, 6:51 am

>92 SqueakyChu: I finished reading Goodnight Mister Tom a few days ago - what took me 40 years (since publication) to get round to reading this really lovely book? The book shocked me and made me cry at several points too. I can't choose one character though, as this is very much a story of the relationships between characters. Willie, the main child character of his story, a wartime evacuee from London, and Tom, the grumpy widower who not only accepts Willie being billeted with him but looks to make sure the child has what he needs in a very practical and thoughtful way, made me feel really happy, but also the group of friends including another evacuee and several village children. I also like the way that the author offers little insights into some of the thoughts and dreams of even minor characters in the story,

94PawsforThought
Ago 19, 2021, 8:28 am

>92 SqueakyChu: Tough one, because most of my current reads aren’t ones with that kind of character. But I guess the narrator (the author himself) in James Herriot’s It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet makes me happy by telling me about all the animals and humans (all real characters) he comes across in his work.

95Citizenjoyce
Ago 19, 2021, 4:58 pm

>92 SqueakyChu: I guess the character who makes me happiest is Daunis Fontaine from Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley. She's an 18-year-old supreme (though injured) athlete, honors student, feminist, American Indian scholar of her heritage and the science connected with it. I can't say she inspires people to be like her because few of us would be capable, but it does make me happy to read about her life and environment.

96SqueakyChu
Editado: Ago 22, 2021, 9:55 pm

July 2021 TIOLI Awards!

The It’s a Crowd Award goes to AnneDC for reading Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth for lyzard's challenge to read a book with at least two characters in its title. Somehow the author of this book got five people tucked into this title. I hope they're all masked!

The Who Knew Award goes to dallenbaugh for the challenge to read a book where the main title’s initials can be used for an acronym that can be found in a search engine.This was a brilliant challenge with so many obscure meanings to the acronyms we found. I thoroughly enjoyed reading through that list of mostly strange things, places, and associations of which I never knew before.

The Motivate SqueakyChu Award goes to both quondame and Morphidae for reading Beyond for the challenge by humouress to read a book that triggers an ear worm. The song triggered was "Beyond the Sea". Why this award? Well, because after reading the title of the song, not only did I think of it, but I pulled up the lyrics and started belting it out over and over and over again. This isn't only an old song, but I heard it sung just a few years ago in a gamer's symphony orchestra concert where I discovered that it is part of the music in a modern video game! I was so proud to have been familiar with that song while sitting in a "much younger than I was" crowd. :D

The Obedience Award goes to both wandering_star and Citizenjoyce for reading Consider the Fork for the challenge by susanna.fraser to read a book whose title gives advice or an order. I thought this would be a very interesting, albeit limited, command to obey. Ha!



On this cheery note, I offer congratulations to this month's award winners. Feel free to add awards of your own at this time.

P.S. ..and, yes, I am related to the young lady holding up a three-tined cocktail fork!

97Helenliz
Editado: Ago 22, 2021, 11:36 am

It looks like the little lady is awarding the winners a fork that they can then consider. I hope she's a right sweetheart. And causes just the right amount of trouble >:-D

Congratulations to all the award winners.

98SqueakyChu
Editado: Ago 22, 2021, 12:15 pm

>97 Helenliz: LOL! She is, and she does. She gets into EVERYTHING! She wanted this picture taken...before I even considered the fork!

99Citizenjoyce
Ago 22, 2021, 1:12 pm

>96 SqueakyChu: How funny Consider The Fork gets an obedience award when that darling little girl seems to have more than a little mischief in her eyes.

100SqueakyChu
Ago 22, 2021, 1:17 pm

>99 Citizenjoyce: As long as it’s in her eyes and not in her deeds! :D

101dallenbaugh
Ago 22, 2021, 2:16 pm

>96 SqueakyChu: Thanks for the award Madeline. It was a fun challenge.

102quondame
Ago 22, 2021, 8:30 pm

>96 SqueakyChu: Thanks! I didn't even have to go above, just beyond.

103Morphidae
Ago 22, 2021, 8:51 pm

>96 SqueakyChu: Thanks! For some reason I was thinking Under the Sea which is also fun to belt out.

However, Beyond the Sea is good, too. I like it from the end credits of Finding Nemo.

104humouress
Ago 22, 2021, 11:12 pm

>96 SqueakyChu: In that case, I think you deserve a Made Me Smile award Madeline.

105SqueakyChu
Ago 22, 2021, 11:22 pm

>104 humouress: Thank you, Nina.

106wandering_star
Ago 23, 2021, 6:07 am

>96 SqueakyChu: Thanks for the award! It made me laugh out loud when I realised that Consider The Fork would fit into the challenge...

107humouress
Ago 23, 2021, 6:49 am

>105 SqueakyChu: You're welcome. I'm still smiling after reading your post (and the ones following) and seeing that photo. Very cute!

108SqueakyChu
Ago 23, 2021, 1:45 pm

>107 humouress: I don't usually post pictures of my family, but my granddaughter insisted that I take a picture of her with that fork right before I was to announce the awards. How could I not post this picture? It fit so perfectly!

109dallenbaugh
Ago 29, 2021, 3:37 pm

>2 SqueakyChu: Would you accept "shelves" instead of "shelf" for your challenge?

110SqueakyChu
Ago 29, 2021, 4:07 pm

>109 dallenbaugh: Yes. Plurals of listed words are okay.

111Citizenjoyce
Ago 29, 2021, 6:08 pm

>15 susanna.fraser: Can the nouns space across words? Would doc work for Sinead O'Connor.

112susanna.fraser
Ago 29, 2021, 6:12 pm

>111 Citizenjoyce: Yes, that’s fine.

113Citizenjoyce
Ago 29, 2021, 6:32 pm

114PawsforThought
Ago 30, 2021, 2:34 am

I just have to say thank you to the TIOLI in general (and susanna.fraser in particular who posted challenge #7) for helping me to finally pick up AND FINISH Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. I've been meaning to read it since it came out and have borrowed it from the library several times without ever starting it. And this time the combination of not wanting to let another TIOLI go by and not wanting to return it to the library unread *again* made me sit down and read it. I read over 500 pages in a week - I haven't read that much in years.
So thank you. (And yeah, the book was amazing.)

115AnneDC
Ago 30, 2021, 9:34 am

>96 SqueakyChu: Yay, a TIOLI award! Thank you. I have to say that lyzard's challenge reminded me of this book, which I hadn't thought of since I was a kid, but remembered that it had a lot of names in the title. I definitely wouldn't have picked it up otherwise, and I was happy to rediscover it.

Adorable fork picture, thanks for sharing!

116lyzard
Ago 30, 2021, 5:37 pm

>115 AnneDC:

Whoo! :)

117susanna.fraser
Ago 30, 2021, 7:41 pm

>114 PawsforThought: Glad my challenge motivated you! (And that's a book that's been on my TBR for years that I really should get to.)

118SqueakyChu
Ago 31, 2021, 11:08 am

Housekeeping Day!

Remember to remove any book from the August wiki that is not finished by 12 midnight tonight...except for the rolling challenges which can be marked DNF. Thanks!

119Citizenjoyce
Ago 31, 2021, 3:27 pm

>92 SqueakyChu: I'm glad that I ended the month with a book that made me very happy, Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau. Fourteen-year-old Mary Jane comes from a conservative, wealthy, patriarchal family. Her mother has instructed her well in all aspects of housekeeping. She spends the summer nannying a well-loved but fairly neglected 5-year-old girl and in the process becomes indispensable to the unconventional family and their famous house guests. (Is Sheba Cher?) Everything about Mary Jane makes me happy from her no-nonsense approach to housekeeping to her openness to varying life philosophies. We all need more Mary Jane in our lives.

120Citizenjoyce
Ago 31, 2021, 3:36 pm

As a counter to Sinead O'Connor I'm glad that I ended the month with a book that made me very happy, Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau. Fourteen-year-old Mary Jane comes from a conservative, wealthy, patriarchal family. Her mother has instructed her well in all aspects of housekeeping. She spends the summer nannying a well-loved but fairly neglected 5-year-old girl and in the process becomes indispensable to the unconventional family and their famous house guests. (Is Sheba Cher?) Everything about Mary Jane makes me happy from her no-nonsense approach to housekeeping to her openness to varying life philosophies. We all need more Mary Jane in our lives. It probably helps that Mary Jane is fiction and O'Connor is real.

'

121avatiakh
Ago 31, 2021, 6:11 pm

>114 PawsforThought: I read Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell when it first came out and really enjoyed it then. I also really enjoyed the tv mini series.
I've managed to finish two books in August that I'd had out of the library multiple times - both good reads too.
The Memory Monster by Yishai Sarid & The Plotters by Un-su Kim.

122lyzard
Ago 31, 2021, 6:22 pm

No sweep this month but I did manage a #7 - #12 sweeplette, so a minor 'whoo' for that. :)

123Citizenjoyce
Ago 31, 2021, 7:07 pm

124SqueakyChu
Ago 31, 2021, 7:35 pm

>122 lyzard: Whoo to Liz!

125AnneDC
Ago 31, 2021, 10:03 pm

126lyzard
Set 1, 2021, 5:31 pm

127Morphidae
Editado: Set 3, 2021, 10:22 pm

I made my first sweeplette ever! #7-12. And my first sweep-anything in a LONG time.

128SqueakyChu
Set 3, 2021, 10:02 pm

>127 Morphidae: Morphy, Could you move your challenge to the September TIOLI thread? Thanks!

129Morphidae
Editado: Set 3, 2021, 10:23 pm

>128 SqueakyChu: No idea what you are talking about. I was making a special announcement.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

:D

130Citizenjoyce
Set 3, 2021, 11:36 pm

>127 Morphidae: Congratulations, I hope that means you're feeling well.

131FAMeulstee
Set 4, 2021, 6:48 am

>122 lyzard: Whoo, Liz!

>127 Morphidae: Congratulations, Morphy!

132SqueakyChu
Editado: Set 4, 2021, 9:00 am

>127 Morphidae:. Congrats, Murphy!!

133Morphidae
Set 4, 2021, 4:24 pm

>130 Citizenjoyce: I am. Thanks!