Take It or Leave It Challenge - March 2018 - Page 1

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.

Simple directions for posting to the wiki can be found at the bottom of each month's wiki page.


...logo by cyderry

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Hi, everyone!

Your challenge for March, 2018, is to...

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Read a book in which the last letter of the author's first name plus the last letter of the author's last name spells a word
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Hahaha! Now that you've read my challenge a few times and understand it clearly, here are the...

RULES:
1. The resulting word must be two letters.
2. Your word MUST be listed on this Wiktionary Dictionary. No other words will be accepted.
4. Do NOT use capital letters.
5. Do NOT use authors who only use an initial for a first and/or last name.
6. Your word must be first name letter followed by last name letter, not vice versa.

Now that you understand the rules, here are some suggestions to get you started...
Jodi Picoult (it) Small Great Things
Nicola Yoon (an) Everything, Everything
Bailey White (ye) Sleeping at the Starlite Motel
Abraham Verghese (me) My Own Country
Donna Tartt (at) The Goldfinch
Téa Obreht (at) The Tiger's Wife

Have fun!

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

1. The March 2018 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.

Wiki Index of Challenges:

Challenges #1-6
1. Read a book in which the last letter of the author's first name plus the last letter of the author's last name spells a word - msg #1
2. Read a book where the author's middle or maiden name is included on the cover - msg #5
3. Rolling challenge: Read a book with a plural noun in the title, going up in alphabetical order - msg #6
4. Pangram rolling challenge: "How vexingly quick daft zebras jump!" - msg #8
5. Read a book where the title includes at least two different words beginning with the same letter - msg #10
6. Read a book where the author's first name is also the name of a city or village in your state, province or the like - msg #17

Challenges #7-12
7. Read a book by a female author who has had at least 3 books published - msg #22
8. Read a book for a project - msg #23
9. Read a book first published in the last 10 years (2008 or later) - msg #24
10. Read a book that isn't a "book" - msg #25
11. Read a book with something that grows from (or under) the ground in the title - msg #28
12. Read a book whose title includes the word “lion” OR a book written by an author with the last name of “Lamb” - msg #31

Challenges #13-18
13. Read a classic originally published in a language not your own - msg #36
14. Read a book with water on the cover - started by antqueen - msg #51 - thread
15. Read a book that starts with a fire - msg #66
16. Read a book with a word related to air in the title - msg #71
17. Read a book that features a cat - msg #76
18. Read a book celebrating the special women in your life - msg #87

Hold your challenge, please, until the April wiki pages are posted. Thank you!

psst, Madeline, take a second look at the author's name you used for your challenge ;0)

>3 Carmenere: Haha! I was the first one to mess up on my own challenge! It's not the first time, though. Thanks!

I don't think I've ever been Challenger #2 before....

Challenge #2: Read a book where the author's middle or maiden name is included on the cover - started by susanna.fraser

While looking for ideas for this month's challenge, I found a site that lists holidays and "special and wacky" days by month: http://www.holidayinsights.com/ One of March's days is Middle Name Pride Day on the 10th. I have no idea how legit this is, but it gave me the idea to make a challenge where the author includes their middle or maiden name on the cover. It must be an actual name, not an initial, though it's OK if the first name is an initial as long as the middle name is spelled out:

G. Willow Wilson - meets the challenge
J. K. Rowling - does NOT meet it

Challenge #3: ROLLING CHALLENGE: Read a book with a plural noun in the title, going up in alphabetical order

For example:
People by Peter Spier
King of Queens by Jack Patterson
Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett
Sisters by Lily Tuck

Rules: you can't post two books in a row; and you can skip one letter. Embedded words are not allowed for this challenge. You can go up by more than one letter if you have a suitable book title, ie:

Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
Raining Cats and Dogs by Laurien Berenson
Elephants Never Forget by Anushka Ravishankar

Hope that's clear!

Challenge 4: Pangram rolling challenge : How vexingly quick daft zebras jump!

A pangram is a phrase that contains all the letters of the alphabet.

Rules:

1. Must use the first letter of title of the book (may ignore articles)
2. Any letter in the title is ok for X. Series are acceptable for X.
3. You may do the letters in any order.
4. The phrase will reset once all the letters are filled.
5. it is OK to add multiple books at a time

Two long rolling challenges, back to back!

Challenge #5: Read a book where the title includes at least two different words beginning with the same letter

A title with two "the"'s for instance would be fine as long as there is another title word beginning with a T.

>8 neverstopreading: What are "multiple books in a phrase"?

>9 neverstopreading: I don't think we've ever had two rolling challenges in one month. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

>8 neverstopreading: We've never done a rolling challenge out of sequence. This will be very interesting!

>6 wandering_star: You can go up by more than one letter if you have a suitable book title

Ooooh! Nice twist!!

>11 SqueakyChu: "it is OK to add multiple books at a time"

Does that make more sense? I don't know what I was thinking the first time.

>15 neverstopreading: Yes. That does make more sense. LOL!

> 17 I'm googling Illinois locations. Are towns also included within your challenge? Some Illinois municipalities are towns. Well, 41 of 1,299 incorporated municipalities are towns, anyway.

>18 lindapanzo: Yes, towns are acceptable.

>17 Carmenere: Would Antonio (or even Anthony) count for San Antonio?

>17 Carmenere: Can the village be embedded in the first name?
My province (Flevoland) only has 20 towns/villages, and none could be a first name. One small village has a short name, that could occur embedded.

I have just added:

Challenge #7: Read a book by a female author who has had at least 3 books published.

March 8th is International Women’s Day so my challenge is to read a book by a female author who has written and published at least three books. The book that you read can be her debut book as long as she has had at least two more published since then.

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Challenge #8: Read a book for a project

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I'm thinking of books for course-work, or related to your job, or for a piece of research you are carrying out. I will also allow books for particular purposes: book clubs, or group reads, or as part of (for example) "1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die" or a similar pre-determined collection

There should be an overarching goal to the read, either formally or self-set. Note, however, that simply reading a series work, or a book off your own shelves, does not count! (Too easy!) The goal itself does not have to be a big one, though.

Please note your goal on the wiki. Shared reads are allowed; it need not be a project for the second person.

(And please ask if that isn't clear!)

Challenge #9: Read a book first published in the last 10 years (2008 or later)

I joined LT in March 2008, so I have my 10th Thingaversary this month. Include the year that the book was first published.

This may take some explaining:

Challenge #10: Read a book that isn't a "book"

A while back someone commented that Madeline always starts a new page with the challenge heading showing as "Read a book..." Someone wondered if one day that would be the entire challenge, just to read a book. Mine is the opposite of that, in a sense, read a book that is not a book in the conventional sense. A book printed on paper, with words in it will not count for this challenge. However any other way of absorbing information will count. You could listen to an audio book, or a book reading. You could try an e-reader. Read a book in braille would also count. I am going to read my first ever graphic novel (it is on paper, but it is not a book full of words, so is not a typical book). Please include how this is not a book in the wiki.

If you are adding a shared read, the sharer may read a conventional book, as long as the original listing is not a book.

Hope that is clear.

>20 neverstopreading: Absolutely!

>21 FAMeulstee: Embedded first names are just fine with me.

>25 Helenliz: *strongly encourages reading of graphic novels as I love them* "D

Challenge #11: Read a book with something that grows from (or under) the ground in the title

At least where I live, March is when new growth starts happening - the grass grows more, flowers poke their heads up from the ground. So, anything that grows from (or under) the ground counts. Trees, flowers, grass, vegetables, etc.

>17 Carmenere: Does editor count the same as author? We have a town in our state named George (yes, it's George, Washington). I'd like to read a collection of short stories edited by George R.R. Martin (he also contributed one of the stories).

>29 owlie13: Sorry, editors will not count as authors.

Challenge #12: Read a book whose title includes the word “lion” OR a book written by an author with the name of “Lamb”

If you choose to read a book whose title includes the word "lion" it must be taken from this list:
https://www.ranker.com/list/books-with-lion-in-the-title/ranker-books

Or you can read a book written by an author whose last name is Lamb.

The saying for March “In like a lion and out like a lamb” gave me the idea for this challenge.

>31 dallenbaugh: Any other option outside that list?
I have a Dutch book De leeuw en zijn huid would translate The lion and his skin. I could only find a few on that list translated... none is available.

>32 FAMeulstee: I would like to stick to that list but if you also can't find an author to read with the name of Lamb then I might be persuaded.

>33 dallenbaugh: Thank you, I'll come back to you next week, if I haven't found a book by an author named Lamb by then.

ETA Never mind, I usually try to avoid re-reads, but if all else fails I will re-read The lion, the witch and the wardrobe.

If anyone needs the "E" in Challenge # 4, I just removed my book so that I could add it to another challenge for a joint read.

Challenge #13: Read a classic originally published in a language not your own because I feel a burning need to reread The Tin Drum and see if it makes as much of an impression on me as it did decades ago.
Wikipedia says A classic is a book accepted as being exemplary or noteworthy, for example through an imprimatur such as being listed in a list of great books, or through a reader's personal opinion.
from WHAT MAKES A CLASSIC: THE BASICS by NELSON LOWHIM a classic -Addresses universal human concerns-Shifts people's views on life -Influences subsequent works (has)-Merit, which is continually respected and examined by experts and critics
I'm not sure about the personal opinion part of Wikipedia's definition, but it does have to have several years needed to influence subsequent works. I don't think a book written in 2017 could be considered a classic no matter how good it is.

>36 Citizenjoyce: Nice Challenge! Will you accept plays? There are several I've been meaning to get to, including Federico Garcia Lorcas' Blood Wedding (Spanish) and The Inspector General (aka The Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol (Russian).

>37 Dejah_Thoris: Plays are fine.

>36 Citizenjoyce: Classics have to stand the test of time.

>39 neverstopreading: that's what makes them classic
my planned reads for the month:
Challenge #1: Read a book in which the last letter of the author's first name plus the last letter of the author's last name spells a word - started by SqueakyChu
✔The Marco Effect - Jussi Adler-Olsen (5)
Challenge #2: Read a book where the author's middle or maiden name is included on the cover - started by susanna.fraser
✔All But My Life: A Memoir - Gerda Weissmann Klein (4)
Challenge #3: Rolling challenge: Read a book with a plural noun in the title, going up in alphabetical order - started by wandering_star
✔The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August - Claire North (2.5)
Challenge #4: Pangram rolling challenge: "How vexingly quick daft zebras jump!" started by neverstopreading
Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg - Irin Carmon
*✔The Seven Lady Godivas - Dr. Seuss (4)
Challenge #5: Read a book where the title includes at least two different words beginning with the same letter - started by lindapanzo
✔An American Family: A Memoir of Hope and Sacrifice - Khizr Khan (5)
Challenge #6: Read a book where the author's first name is also the name of a city or village in your state, province or the like - started by Carmenere (2.5)
*✔The Big Sleep - Raymond Chandler
Challenge #7: Read a book by a female author who has had at least 3 books published - started by DeltaQueen
*✔The Accidental - Ali Smith (3.5)
*✔City of Illusions - Ursula K. Le Guin (3.5)
The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin
Challenge #8: Read a book for a project - started by lyzard
The Secret Wisdom of the Earth - Christopher Scotton
*✔This Boy's Life - Tobias Wolff (3.5)
Challenge #9: Read a book first published in the last 10 years (2008 or later) - started by FAMeulstee
✔Carnegie's Maid: A Novel - Marie Benedict (3.5)
✔The Child by Fiona Barton (4)
Challenge #10: Read a book that isn't a "book" - started by helenliz
✔The Silver Pigs - Lindsey Davis (3.5)
Challenge #11: Read a book with something that grows from (or under) the ground in the title - started by owlie13
✔The Bean Trees - Barbara Kingsolver (4.5)
Challenge #12: Read a book whose title includes the word “lion” OR a book written by an author with the last name of “Lamb” - started by dallenbaugh
*✔Three Hearts and Three Lions - Poul Anderson (2.5)
Challenge #13: Read a classic originally published in a languange not your own - started by Citizenjoyce
*The Death of Ivan Ilyich - Leo Tolstoy
✔The Tin Drum - Günter Grass (4)
Challenge #14: Read a book with water on the cover - started by antqueen
Burying Water - K. A. Tucker
✔The Chronology of Water: A Memoir by Lidia Yuknavitch (3.5)Mr. Dickens and His Carol: A Novel of Christmas Past - Samantha Silva
Challenge #15: Read a book that starts with a fire - started by paulstalder
✔The Great Fire by Jim Murphy - (4)
*One Summer: America, 1927 - Bill Bryson
Challenge #16: Read a book with a word related to air in the title - started by Morphidae
✔Ride the Wind - Lucia St. Clair Robson (5)
Challenge #17: Read a book that features a cat - started by avatiakh
*✔How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You - The Oatmeal (3)
Challenge #18 : Read a book celebrating the special women in your life - started by humouress
✔In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination by Margaret Atwood (4)
The Witch's Daughter - Paula Brackston

Madeline, I think you still need to update the wiki link post with March's links.

>36 Citizenjoyce: I read that in college and absolutely loved it. Among my favorites, up to that time. Might be time for a re-read. Or least a consideration of other books by other authors in that European Realistic Novel class. Heinrich Boll, Andre Gide, and probably others, if I think about it for a minute.

>42 lindapanzo: I know that I loved it, but now all I remember about it are the eels. Poor little swiss cheese brain.

>43 Citizenjoyce: I'd forgotten that it's the first in the Danzig trilogy. I've never read #2 or #3.

>41 Helenliz: You're right, I do. I always forget that! Thx!

>44 lindapanzo: My library system doesn't have either of the other two in the trilogy, but it does have the fourth one. Weird.

>6 wandering_star: If someone skips a letter can you go back and fill in that letter?

>47 dallenbaugh: Good question. I can't remember how it normally works, but I'd be happy with that.

>48 wandering_star: Thank you. I'm not sure there is a normal, it is just how you want to set it up.

>49 dallenbaugh: You're right. There is no normal around here. Normal is what the host/hostess of the challenge wants.

Challenge #14: Read a book with water on the cover

The Ohio River is still going down even after all of the rain today, so in honor of receding floodwaters, read a book with water on the cover. Any water will do, even if it's not rain and more rain and rivers overflowing their banks. I've never been so glad we live on high land...

Is there an explanation of rolling challenges available? I feel I am misunderstanding the way of these.

>52 quondame: There is really not a per se explanation of rolling challenges because each one might be different. What is true for all rolling challenges, though, is that they are usually based on something continuing. These might be letters of a word, words in a phrase, etc. The title and/or author of the chosen book has to connect with the "rolling object" in some way. That "rolling object" and the way it should connect to the book title and/or author are explained by the challenge host or hostess.

Can someone else explain this better than I just did (or didn't)?

For rolling challenges, please don't make assumptions what the rules are. Ask the challenge host/hostess if they are unclear.

Generally, in rolling challenges, titles are listed one after the other and no spaces are left between listings...unless the challenge host/hostess says otherwise.

At the end of the month, I ask that you not remove the entire line of rolling challenges if you don't finish a book because, without the connection to the title and/or author and the "rolling object", the listing makes no sense.

The bottom line...if what I said makes no sense. just jump in and try it anyway. If it's not right, we'll let you know. This is not a competition so you just correct any mistake and move on. I mess up all the time. I'm just not very vocal about it. Haha!

In most challenges, books are listed on the wiki in alphabetical order by title.

In rolling challenges, they are listed according to the rules of the challenge. For example, last month we had the first letter of a title word or author name spelling out GOLDSILVERBRONZE. So in that case a 'G' book would come before an 'O' book and so on.

Previously (to give a different example type) we had a rainbow colours rolling-challenge, in which a book with 'Red' in the title was followed by one with 'Orange' in the title, then 'Yellow', and so on.

In most rolling challenges, the slots have to be filled in one at a time with no gaps. However, in this month's challenge leaving gaps (which can be filled in later) is permitted.

As Madeline says, the 'rules' of a given rolling challenge are up to its host, so check the post in which the challenge is described, then ask if you're still not sure.

I hope that helps?

>53 SqueakyChu: >54 lyzard: Some of them have 'resets' like >8 neverstopreading: Does that mean to start again at the beginning? (Though getting through 26 books of any sort in a month would even exhaust me)

>55 quondame: Yep. That's exactly what it means!

Though getting through 26 books of any sort in a month would even exhaust me

LOL!

>54 lyzard: Thanks, Liz. You did a better job explaining rolling challenges than I could. I tried. :D

>53 SqueakyChu: >54 lyzard: Thanks!

>51 antqueen: will you accept the word water? If it has to be an image, will you accept an abstract image evoking the feeling of water?

>59 Helenliz: I was thinking just images, but abstract ones are fine.

This is a general question about covers. When someone asks for a cover with an image or color (or maybe a word), does it have to be the cover of the actual copy we are reading? There are so many alternate covers out there, that sometimes the one I own doesn't fit, but there is one out there.

>55 quondame: If you take a look at challenge 16 of last month you'll see that once "GOLDSILVERBRONZE" is completed, it starts over. Basically, I mean the same thing, but you're allowed to skip around within the phrase.

For example, as it stands right now, if you have a book you want to read for my challenge that starts with a P, you'll have to wait until all the other letters are filled in. If other people don't fill them in, you'll have to find a book that starts with one of the available letters instead.

Make sense?

>61 owlie13: Yes, I would say it is supposed to be the cover of the book you are reading.
Only exception is when you do a shared read, then you read along with someone else who is reading a copy with the right cover.

But it is up to the one who made the challenge what is accepted and what not.

>62 neverstopreading: The 'other people' part is one of the questions - so is it a race to claim the next letter/word/idea in sequence with others or only with oneself?

>55 quondame: We all read books in different Challenges, so no one would read 26 in ONE Challenge.

>64 quondame: You and others claim the letters, you can see the letters that are claimed at the wikipage of this month Challenge #4. You can add a fitting book to an unclaimed letter.

Challenge #15: Read a book that starts with a fire

There must be a fire mentioned in the first sentence. Either the word fire is mentioned or a synonym for a fire (burning, blaze, conflagration, firebrand). Just heat or smoke will not do. It must be a 'real' fire, no sentimental fire, nor fire of love, nor burning shame or such non-things.

Please write the first sentence in the wiki and bold the word.

Have fun, don't burn any books

>51 antqueen: I just realized that you made a water challenge - my fire challenge is a nice extension, although unplanned.

Yesterday, two charming young ladies informed me that they would be having green eggs and ham at school today because March 2nd is Dr. Seuss's birthday - how cool is that?

I immediately decided that I'd reread a few of his classics (hooray for cheerful, fun and rhyming books) and thought about issuing a TIOLI Challenge. Instead, I've decided to scatter the books across different challenges, but I hope that other readers will join me for some entertaining reading - and shared reads, of course!

Happy birthday, Dr. Seuss!

>68 Dejah_Thoris: March 2 was my grandmother's birthday. I'm fairly certain she would not celebrate with green eggs or ham. We used to joke that she survived by eating crackers and cottage cheese because those two items were on her weekly shopping list. I'm not sure how anyone makes it through an entire box of saltine crackers in a week, but she did.

>67 paulstalder: Challenge #11 is an earth challenge. All we need now is air! Let me see if I can think of something.

Challenge #16: Read a book with a word related to air in the title

Refers to the element, not flight: air, wind, breath, breeze, waft, draft, puff, zephyr, vent, smog (bad air), oxygen, blast, cyclone, gale, blow, chinook, draught, mistral, tempest, whiff, whirlwind, whisk, sirocco, tornado, twister

Other References:
http://mentalfloss.com/article/56382/21-wonderful-words-wind
http://www.dictionary.com/e/s/wind-words/#aeolian
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wind_deities
http://ggweather.com/winds.html

(Maybe I should have made it a word related to wind! Ha!)

Plurals, embedded words and words across two or more words are fine.

(deleted duplicate post)

>71 Morphidae: Pretty cool, Morphy!

I also happen to be doing a 4 Elements Release Challenge on BookCrossing this month...so how fitting your added challenge turned out to be!

>71 Morphidae: If people haven't read them, the Weather Warden series by Rachel Caine would be good for this. (Titles include Ill Wind and Thin Air.

Recommendation for Morphy's challenge.

I loved the adventure of reading Into Thin Air by John Krakauer! :D

Challenge #17: Read a book that features a cat

As we have welcomed 3 ginger kittens to our home this month, I thought it only appropriate to honour the feline.
A simple challenge, just want the cat to have a fairly major role in the book rather than just there on a couple of occasions. Can be other members of the feline family.

Pics of my kittens are here - http://www.librarything.com/topic/287003#6402038
if you scroll up a few posts you'll see the explanation of their names etc

I read a couple of good Japanese novels featuring a cat in February - The guest cat and The travelling cat chronicles. Some more suggestions here - https://www.bookwitty.com/reading_list/meet-the-cats-of-japanese-literature/59ca...

And a list of fictional cats - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_cats_in_literature

>76 avatiakh: I love your challenge!

>76 avatiakh:

Hmm! I may have to find another book for Madeline's challenge and shift Ken Eulo's horror novel, The Brownstone, to your challenge, Kerry, because---

---the cat makes it out alive and no-one else does!

>77 thornton37814: Thanks. Squeezed it in in time too, it's nearing dinner time on the 4th here in New Zealand.

I read this one set in Greece a few years ago, it's a children's novel but very good from memory - The Last Black Cat by Eugene Trivizas. Also Paul Galico has written a few cat themed books, I read two of them in the last year or so, Jennie & Thomasina.

>76 avatiakh: Love the pics, Kerry! Congratulations on your growing family. All my life I've lived with only gingers. Naturally, I have a soft spot for them.

>76 avatiakh: ooooooh! Love the kitties and the inventive names. And here was me thinking they were all classically inspired. >:-)

>76 avatiakh: Such cute kittens! Have fun with them.

I find it amusing that so many animals are being named Max these days. One of my friends has a dachshund named Max. My dad's name was Max, and that's now the middle name of my grandson. However, these days, I know more animals named Max than people! :D

I posted a "water on the cover" thread so you may share images of your book cover art with water on the cover. This is optional. It's fun to see what people find so feel free to post on that thread if you'd like.

>70 Morphidae: thanks for the completion of the elements, morphy. Cool

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>82 SqueakyChu: I have noticed a lot of animals named Max, too! My grandfather's name was Max, and it was my father's middle name. The min pin who lived across the street at my last place is named Max. My dad loved the Geico commercials with Maxwell the pig.

The 10th of March is my sister’s birthday and Sunday 11th March will be Mothers’ Day. So my challenge is to read a book that celebrates the relationship with the special women in your life, be it sisters, mothers, aunts, the bond of sisterhood etc.

Challenge 18 : Read a book celebrating the special women in your life

I hope that’s not too vague? I’m not sure yet what I’ll be reading for my own challenge, but some options are The Truth-Teller’s Tale about twin sisters, Princess Academy (sisterhood) or Greenwitch where the women of the town have a special ritual conducted only by women and girls.

Happy Mothers’ Day to all the mums (in advance)!

ETA if there are any ‘friendship’ books carried over from February, they might fit in here.

>87 humouress: would reading one of the favourite books of my late wife, read in her memory, count, too?

>28 owlie13:

For challenge #11, will you accept embedded words?

>88 paulstalder: Absolutely Paul. I want to keep this challenge as open as possible. And how can I say no when you ask like that. :0)

>90 humouress: Thanks, I appreciate that :)

Argh! - so far I have found several books with fire on the cover, with words related to water in the title or with air in the first line. I have started secretly hoping to find a book which has all three elements in the wrong three places.

>92 wandering_star: The second Temeraire book Throne of Jade would fit challenge #15, as it has a fire in the first sentence.

ETA: I found three more books for challenge #15:
Stone of Farewell by Tad Williams
The Elf Queen of Shannara by Terry Brooks
The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler

>91 paulstalder: Shh; don’t tell Madeline.

A couple of options from books I've read for those looking for a book for Challenge #15:
The Great Fire by Jim Murphy
Blackwork by Monica Ferris

A couple of others if Paul would allow?
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury ("It was a pleasure to burn.")
In a Dark House by Deborah Crombie ("It took no more than a match, nestled beneath the crumpled paper and foil crisp packets.") - Describes setting a fire without using a word for "fire."

>89 lyzard: Yes, embedded words are fine.

>95 cbl_tn: Thanks for the hints. Yes, I'ld allow Bradbury and Crombie, since the intention is clear: a fire.

>92 wandering_star: That brought a smile to my face this morning. And it gives me an idea for a challenge next month.

>94 humouress: What?!!!! I definitely approve!!

>93 FAMeulstee: >95 cbl_tn: Thanks to everyone who is chipping in with suggestions for Paul's challenge #15.

>87 humouress: where are you from? I'm curious because you said mother's day for you is March 11 (which happens to be my grandmother's birthday).

Two about forest fires that would fit Paul's challenge:

The Big Burn by Timothy Egan -
Fire Monks: Zen Mind Meets Wildfire - Colleen Morton Busch

Most likely books. I don't usually add them to the wiki until later in the month unless it's for a rolling challenge or a shared read.

1. Read a book in which the last letter of the author's first name plus the last letter of the author's last name spells a word - The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher (er)
2. Read a book where the author's middle or maiden name is included on the cover - Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George (shared)
3. Rolling challenge: Read a book with a plural noun in the title, going up in alphabetical order - Years by LaVyrle Spencer
4. Pangram rolling challenge: "How vexingly quick daft zebras jump!" - Evicted by Matthew Desmond
5. Read a book where the title includes at least two different words beginning with the same letter - The Girl with all the Gifts by Carey, M. R.
6. Read a book where the author's first name is also the name of a city or village in your state, province or the like - Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis (Warren, MN - there is also an Ellis, MN)
7. Read a book by a female author who has had at least 3 books published - The Refrigerator Monologues by Catherynne M. Valente
8. Read a book for a project - Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild (1001 Children's)
9. Read a book first published in the last 10 years (2008 or later) - The Boy on the Bridge by M. R. Carey (2017)
10. Read a book that isn't a "book" - Wires and Nerve: Gone Rogue: Vol. 2 by Marissa Meyer (graphic novel)
11. Read a book with something that grows from (or under) the ground in the title - Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas
12. Read a book whose title includes the word “lion” OR a book written by an author with the last name of “Lamb” - A Lion To Guard Us by Clyde Robert Bulla (shared)
13. Read a classic originally published in a language not your own - Death Note, Vol. 4: Love by Tsugumi Oba (Japanese)
14. Read a book with water on the cover - Penric's Mission by Lois McMaster Bujold
15. Read a book that starts with a fire - Under a Flaming Sky by Daniel James Brown (shared)
16. Read a book with a word related to air in the title - Air Awakens by Elise Kova
17. Read a book that features a cat - The Door into Summer by Robert Heinlein
18. Read a book celebrating the special women in your life - The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan

>99 SqueakyChu: Oh, phew! That’s alright then. I thought challenges were supposed to be harder rather than easier.

>101 neverstopreading: Hmm; do you want the short answer or the long one? The short answer is that I’m from the UK but am now living in Singapore.

Got to give me credit for perseverance, I've listed Don Quixote for the second month in a TIOLI challenge, thank you Joyce. I don't think I'm going to finish it this month either. So if someone can plan a challenge in April and May that I can slot it into, more in hope than expectation, I'd greatly appreciate it.

>104 humouress: I like them harder. Others like them easier. That's why we have different challenges. :D

>96 owlie13:

Thank you!

-deleted, wrong thread-

>105 Helenliz: I've sometimes listed a book in 3 or 4 different month's worth of challenges before I finally get around to reading it. Good luck.

>105 Helenliz: I have an idea for a 'do' challenge next month fitting in the Don Quixote >106 SqueakyChu: I'll make it hard enough

>106 SqueakyChu: I'll make it hard enough

Haha!

>110 paulstalder: I had to laugh - Paul, your Challenges are rarely easy! I doubt any of us have a fear of that!

>111 SqueakyChu: >112 Dejah_Thoris: great, we are all looking forward to the next challenges. And what do we do in the meantime? Read challenging books

>110 paulstalder: You’ll give me a bye though, right Paul? Right?

>114 humouress: You’ll give me a bye though mmh, sorry, my English is not good enough for that one. Can you rephrase that so that a Swiss cheeser can understand it? Thanks. There are times when I could translate every single word, but I don't get any meaning (maybe I read too much English today and my brain refuses to getg along).

>113 paulstalder: Indeed!

I'm reading a challenging book. It has over 700 pages (and that's just not me!)

>115 paulstalder: I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, Paul, and assume you’re not trying to get out of making it easy for me ;0)

It’s more of a sporting term (from the OED online) :

1. The transfer of a competitor directly to the next round of a competition in the absence of an assigned opponent.
‘he has a bye into the second round’

2. Cricket
A run scored from a ball that passes the batsman without being hit (recorded as an extra, not credited to the individual batsman).

>117 humouress: oh, like a Wild Card in Tennis? Let's see ... you can give a book title and I try to put it in my April challenge, would that do? Or you could plan to read Don Quixote as a shared read...

>104 humouress: Singapore. My daughter was taking care of the children in the Swiss hostel run by the Overseas Missionary Fellowship for half a year. She liked the city very much.

>51 antqueen:

Would you accept snow (i.e. frozen water) on the cover, or is that pushing it too far?

>118 paulstalder: More like, if there are an uneven number of competitors, someone gets to go through without having to play a match, in one round. But don’t worry, I was only teasing :0)

Yes, Singapore is a relatively easy place to live in. When was your daughter here, Paul?

>119 lyzard: >51 antqueen: Also wondering about snow. I'll just pull up a chair and wait for the decision. :0)

>120 humouress: I would consider marking your book 'completed' but I am afraid, Madeline would notice it (she has fine ears) and would probably give as The Swindler's Award or worse :)

My daughter was at the end of the 2000s there.

>122 paulstalder: Aha!!!

>119 lyzard: >121 Carmenere: Sorry, haven't been around lately :) Sure, snow's fine.

>124 antqueen: Thanks! Now I have a spot to complete Haruf's trilogy!

>8 neverstopreading: Challenge #4 is now completely filled.

>122 paulstalder: *sigh*

>123 SqueakyChu: eeek!!

>126 FAMeulstee: Excellent! Cheers for u and z!

>126 FAMeulstee: Thanks I see that someone has started a new list.

>1 SqueakyChu: Can a book count if it has 2 (or more) authors, as long as one of the names forms the word?

>130 neverstopreading: Yes, but the word must be from only one of the two authors.

>17 Carmenere: I don't think I saw this question asked yet about Challenge #6: Would it be acceptable if the author's first name was part of the city's name? For example, if the town was called Charles City?

>132 rosalita: Yes, that would be fine.

Thanks, Lynda!

>134 rosalita: You are very welcome, Julia :0)

The February, 2018, TIOLI stats!

Hey! The stats are looking good this month!

For February 2018, we read a total of 469 books, with 99 (or 21%) of them being shared reads. TIOLI points for this month were 52 - not too shabby! Our February YTD total of TIOLI points was 96, the highest YTD for February that we have had since 2015. Good work, challengers!

The most popular book was A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin, read by five challengers.

The most popular challenge was Dejah_Thoris's challenge to read a book with title word or author name starting with GOLDSILVERBRONZE in rolling order - with 65 books read.

The challenge with the most TIOLI points was by PawsforThought's challenge to read a book by or about Ursula K. Le Guin. This challenge accumulated 8 TIOLI points.

The February 2018 TIOLI Awards!

The Shared Sweet Tooth Award goes to lindapanzo for reading Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake for DeltaQueen's challenge to read a book of which the title contains something that you love. This challenger's book mentioned chocolate (!) so there was no further competition. Haha! Besides, the chocolate was embedded in a chocolate cherry cheesecake. That was a hands down winner!!

The Down Memory Lane Award goes to humouress for reading A Wrinkle in Time for owlie13's challenge to read a book about, set in, or published in the 60s - any century, past or future. This book was set in 1962, the year I graduated from junior high school. The thought of it started me singing..."Pimlico, our alma mater... (and wondering what the rest of the words were!)". That was quite a while ago! :)

The Perfectionist Award goes to paulstalder for reading Du umschliesst mich von allen Seiten ..." Ps. 139,5 for Carmenere's challenge to read a book where the final page number of the story ends in 23. What better choice than a book that only has 23 pages? Perfect!

The Welcome a Relative Award goes to gabriel243 for the challenge to read a book with an animal on the cover. I think this is the first time that a younger relative of one of our challengers has also posted a challenge. TIOLI is now officially a two-generation challenge. Yippee!!

The That's a Lot Award goes to Citizenjoyce and klobrien2 for their shared read of Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body for dallenbaugh's challenge to read a book where a number higher than 2 is written somewhere on the front or back cover. No one could beat their (shared) number of 3.5 billion!

Now is the time to add awards of your own.
Hearty congratulations to our award winners!

> Thanks for the impressive number award.
Wow, TIOLI is a 2 generation challenge. Great news.

I got an award! I got an award! *dances around the table*

It’s my first one ever. Yay!!

Thanks Madeline.

>137 SqueakyChu: Liking the awards.
>139 humouress: well done. >:-) Will dancing on the table follow?

>140 Helenliz: Sure. But you may regret it.

Here goes - stop me if you can!

>27 SqueakyChu: you will be pleased to know I've finished my first Graphic novel, The Art of Flying. Seeing as it was a book exploring his father's suicide, it wasn't one that I can say I positively enjoyed. But the medium was very interesting. It's quite quick to read, as there are few words on each page. However, I found that I had to slow myself down to take the time to read the pictures as well as the words. Does that make sense? Having tried it one - and I'd never have picked it up at all if it hadn't been in my monthly book box - I can see that I will sample a few more.

>139 humouress: >142 Helenliz: Wow! I’m impressed both with humouress’s dancing and with Helenliz’s acceptance of graphic novels!

*applause*

>137 SqueakyChu: Thanks for the Shared Sweet Tooth Award!! I haven't won an award in a long time. Love those food-related cozy mysteries.

>142 Helenliz: I think the graphic novel that got many of us here loving graphics was The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel, a compilation of her strips. You will get so involved in the lives of these people that you won't want it to end. I still keep hoping for her to return and show us how they're doing in this day and age.

>145 Citizenjoyce: Bechdel, Bechdel... why do I recognize that name...

*spends the next 15 minutes on Google...*

>146 Morphidae: The Bechdel Test to see if a movie represents women as objects or people with brains.

>146 Morphidae: >147 raidergirl3: She was also the author of the popular GN Fun Home which has become a popular and well regarded musical about being gay and her father's suicide.

>146 Morphidae:, >147 raidergirl3:,>148 streamsong: Yup she's a giant. She made it OK to think graphic novels are literature.

>137 SqueakyChu: Thanks for the award, I would rather named it Minimalist Award or something like that :) My wife loved that brochure - and the 23 pages reminded me of her favourite Psalm 23.
>141 humouress: I like that, I hope the table is strong enough for my weight :)

>150 paulstalder: Hop up and let’s find out :0)

>147 raidergirl3: Yep, as I said, I spent the next 15 minutes (or more) Googling because it was a fascinating subject - who she was, how it came about, the variations, how it's been "improved," etc.

With finishing "Metamorphosen" for Challenge #8 I completed my sweep today (3/18).
Finished "Verhalen voor een Afrikaanse koning" for Challenge #5 and completed the double sweep! (3/22):-D

Books read (43; updated 3/29):
#1: Dood in den vreemde (Death in a Strange Country) - Donna Leon
#1: Toen Faas niet thuiskwam - Martha Heesen
#1: De vloek van Cornelia - Martha Heesen
#2: Elfenmiddag (Afternoon of the Elves) - Janet Taylor Lisle
#2: Noodweer (Dangerous Skies) - Suzanne Fisher Staples
#3: Heksen en zo... - Annie M.G. Schmidt
#3: De kwade inblazingen - Marten Toonder
#3: Roofvogels & uilen in Europa - Jaap Schelvis
#4: Iolo komt niet spelen - Alet Schouten
#4: Uk en Bur - Wim Hofman
#4: Wat dacht je van mij? - Corrie Hafkamp
#5: Geschiedenis van de Lage Landen deel 2 - Jaap ter Haar
#5: Verhalen voor een Afrikaanse koning (Tales Told to an African King) - Humphrey Harman
#5: Waarom kwamen de walvissen? (Why the Whales came) - Michael Morpurgo
#6: De encyclopedie van de grote woorden - Mark Boog
#6: Vrienden van de maan - Mensje van Keulen
#6: Wachten op Doggo - Mark B. Mills
#7: Donderslag (Thunderwith) - Libby Hathorn
#7: Vos en haas - Sylvia Vanden Heede
#8: De koperen tuin (The garden where the brass band played) - Simon Vestdijk
#8: Metamorphosen - Ovidius
#8: Vaderland (Fatherland) - Robert Harris
#9: Birk - Jaap Robben
#9: Verder alles goed - Nico Dijkshoorn
#10: Alptraum : Stanley's laatste gems - Koos van Zomeren
#10: De Cock en de geur van rottend hout - A.C. Baantjer
#11: Luna van de boom - Bart Moeyaert
#11: Stralend kruid - Roberto Piumini
#12: Het betoverde land achter de kleerkast (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) - C.S. Lewis
#12: Your future! hét trendwatchers handboek Lieke Lamb & Richard Lamb
#13: Het Gilgamesj-epos
#13: De prinses van Clèves (The Princesse de Cleves) - Madame de Lafayette
#14: De molen en de Boeseknor - Alet Schouten
#14: Piraten aan de Stille Oceaan - Karl May
#15: Het schnitzelparadijs - Khalid Boudou
#15: De zomer van 1927 (One Summer: America, 1927) - Bill Bryson
#16: De storm (Against the storm) - Gaye Hiçyilmaz
#16: Zoals de wind om het huis - Johanna Kruit
#17: De kat en de adelaar - Hans Hagen
#17: De kat in de gordijnen - Dolf Verroen
#17: Van Hector die een kater was - Alet Schouten
#18: Lieve Tracey... Lieve Mandy... (Letters from the Inside) - John Marsden
#18: Twtti Rhys Hec een meisje van zestien (What About Grandma?) - Hadley Irwin

>153 FAMeulstee: *faints*

*revives*

Congrats, Anita!!

>153 FAMeulstee: Joins Madeline on the fainting couch! Congratuations, Anita!

Hugely impressive, Anita! You rock!

>154 SqueakyChu: & >155 DeltaQueen50: Ladies!!! Please remain conscious, not enough fainting couches around for all of you ;-)
And thanks, Madeline and Judy!

>156 streamsong: Thank you, Janet, I am just lucky being able to read so fast. And finding the right books this month ;-)

>157 FAMeulstee: I fainted on my bed...leaving the fainting couch to DeltaQueen! :)

>157 FAMeulstee: >158 SqueakyChu: My cats licked me back to consciousness after I fainted (on my couch).

>158 SqueakyChu: I am glad it wasn't on the floor, Madeline!

>159 thornton37814: The fainting is spreading like a plague. Oh dear, what have I done... ;-)

>17 Carmenere: When checking books I've already read to see if the fit, I discovered there's a Jamestown, Texas, for Ice Hunt by James Rollins. It's Wikipedia page contains only one line affirming its existence. The Handbook of Texas Online gives more information including:

A 1959 map showed only a church, a cemetery, and a few occupied houses at the site. The last business closed in 1964, and the next year three dwellings and the Jamestown Cemetery remained. The school system had been absorbed by the Chapel Hill Independent School District. By 1973, maps no longer showed the site of Jamestown.

So it's either become a ghost town, or (more likely) it has been absorbed by the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex/behemoth.

Will it count?

If not, I have other books lined up to read that will definitely count.

>155 DeltaQueen50: Make space for me!.... oh, wait; I’m not allowed?

Congratulations Anita!!

>161 neverstopreading: Cody your research has earned you extra points. I also found when Googled so.....Yes, you may use Ice Hunt for my challenge.

Double congrats Anita!

Anita, that is AMAZING. 2x sweeps is not even something I can dream of. You rock!! Congrats!! :D

>162 humouress: >163 Carmenere: >164 jolerie: Thanks, Nina, Lynda and Valerie.

Not at the double yet, 6 books to go for the second sweep.

Wow is me. I have been haunting Challenge #3 on the wiki, hoping to be able to slot in Travels With Charley, but I missed the first go-round and we seem to be stalled on the letter I in the second. Ah, well. I snoozed, I losed. :-)

For Challenge 18, who read In Other Worlds by Margaret Atwood? You’ve not left your name.

Sorry; I can’t get the correct touchstone to stick.

>166 rosalita: And you didn't read it because you have a project going on to read Nobel Prize winners?
In that case it would fit challenge #8, else you will have to wait until the T comes again in challenge #8

TIOLI Question of the Month

Go on! Warm my heart! Tell me something very sweet that happened in a book that you've read so far this month? What was the book? Who was the author? What was the situation?

>167 humouress: oops, sorry. I read In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination , fixing it now.

> Sadly no, Anita — no Nobel project here! It's not the end of the world, since I'll never ever get a sweep anyway. But it's still fun looking for matches. :-)

>169 SqueakyChu: The book: Heksen en zo.... The writer: Annie M.G. Schmidt. The situation: A girl in a fairytale.
There is a beast in the woods, such a terror that the king offers his daughter to the one who beats the beast. Several knights have tried, but they failed. Then a girls accidently steps on a Lily of the Valley, and they start talking. It turns out that the beast is a distant relative of the Lily of the Valley, his real name is Beast of the Valley. He is easy to tame when he hears lullabies. So the girl sings to the Beast of the Valley and brings him to the King. The King offers his daughter, but the girl wants his son ;-)
And the Beast of the Valley gets his own place in the gardens of the castle.

>171 rosalita: And for me it is fun to try and help along finding matches :-)

>163 Carmenere: I always try to be thorough in my research. Thanks :)!

>169 SqueakyChu: Madeline, I read A Robot in the Garden by Deborah Install this month and the whole book is very sweet but with enough humor to keep it from being too sweet. The human main character, Ben, takes a battered robot, Tang, on an around-the-world trip in an effort to find someone who can fix the robots leaking cylinder. Taking care of Tang the robot was very much like taking care of a three year old, lots of love and difficulties but oh, so rewarding.

>169 SqueakyChu: I can't cite a specific sweet moment, but the whole book of Crooked Heart by Lissa Evans was touching. A uniquely raised orphan gets evacuated during the blitz in London and ends up with a woman with low morals and always scrounging for money, but they become friends and find ways to help each other. Just a nice 'there's someone for everyone' theme.

>169 SqueakyChu: I finished up The Secret Garden last week and I know it is classic beloved by a lot of people so I think anyone who has read it can probably think of a sweet moment they had while reading it. The whole theme of the kids having a magical place all to themselves to explore and discover their love of nature is my sweet moment.

>176 jolerie: Awwww! I loved The Secret Garden. I read it first as an adult to my sons as a bedtime store, one chapter a night. I loved the mystery of that book. It's very unique among children's books so it has rightly earned a place on the bookshelf as a classic.

>169 SqueakyChu: Looking back at this month's reading it seems I am not likely to encounter sweet moments, or remember them if I do, but the ending of Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach by Kelly Robson involving a lullaby or comfort song does have sweet overtones at least! Since it involves the last paragraphs of the book, a description is a spoiler!

>153 FAMeulstee: Congratulations, oh no, I think I'm getting dizzy from the heights of your reading.
>169 SqueakyChu: This month I read An American Family: A Memoir of Hope and Sacrifice by Khizr Khan. I don't know if many moments in the book were exactly sweet, except for the time he gave the woman he loved 21 live sparrows so she could release them and increase her blessings. The book as a whole though was very uplifting. The couple raised their children to be very caring, not only to help the disadvantaged by feeding them but also by sitting with them, talking with them and even teaching them computer skills and swimming. They also took disadvantaged people to live in their home for months at a time and helped them get on their feet. Really, they're such inspirational people, we're lucky to have them in the USA.

>179 Citizenjoyce: My heart just bled for that family when they were in headline news. Thank you for sharing a bit about the history of that family. They seem amazing.

I confess, I wasn’t sure I wanted to read it, I can be chauvinistic in my tastes, but I’m very glad I did.

>179 Citizenjoyce: Hmm, added to Mount Maybe.

>179 Citizenjoyce: Thanks, Joyce, prepare for more dizzyness ;-)

--

I updated >153 FAMeulstee: as I completed my second sweep for March! :-D
Still a few planned TIOLI books to go.

>183 FAMeulstee: Wow and double wow!

>183 FAMeulstee:: That's amazing!
*tries not to feel inadequate about having read 3 books this month*

>185 Helenliz: *tries not to feel inadequate about having read 3 books this month*

Come sit next to me! We can admire Anita together and commiserate about our own rate of reading. :-)

Congrats Anita!! Unbelievable!

>184 Citizenjoyce: Thanks & double thanks, Joyce ;-)

>185 Helenliz: & >186 rosalita: Thank you Helen and Julia!
I know the feeling, I was there only a few years ago, even left this group for a year because I barely managed a book a month...
So I feel very lucky and thankfull I am *able* to read this much now.

>186 rosalita: Thanks, Valerie!

>183 FAMeulstee: I just revived and feel faint again! I’m just kidding! Congrats on your second sweep. I may never finish another book again. The book I’m currently reading has 769 pages!!!!!!!!!!!! :o

>179 Citizenjoyce: I also really enjoyed Khizr Khan's book when I read it earlier this year. What a wonderful, caring human he is.

>183 FAMeulstee: Amazing, Anita! Madeleine, is this the first time this has been accomplished?

>25 Helenliz: I did proofreading a book on wikisource. I guess that counts as a non-book, too?

https://de.wikisource.org/wiki/Index:Kurzgefa%C3%9Fte_Einleitung_in_die_heiligen...

The _(11._Auflage) should be part of the URL but here it is not included in the link - strange. So, please add _(11._Auflage) in the link (if you are looking for it)

>191 paulstalder: yup, that's not a conventional book so it counts.
I admire proof readers, whenever I'm asked to do it I always find something that I missed later on...

>190 streamsong: No! In November, 2016, Anita did three sweeps in that month alone!

>170 Citizenjoyce: Thanks. :0)

So if only Madeline posts a challenge next month, we could all have sweeps...

>194 humouress: now that's an idea! I could probably sweep one challenge...

>189 SqueakyChu: Thanks, Madeline :-)
You can do it, even it is only with a few pages each day.

>183 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Janet.
The first who made a double sweep was harrygbutler in October 2016.

>194 humouress: >195 Helenliz: If we all agree and don't post other challenges, we could make April 2018 sweepers month ;-)

>194 humouress: >196 FAMeulstee: You all wouldn’t!!!!!
.
.
.
Would you?????! :D

>183 FAMeulstee: That’s good info to note. Thanks!

>197 SqueakyChu: I think Nina, Helen and me could....
I am not so sure about the rest of the gang :-D

:0D

Goodness - there's so much going on!

>136 SqueakyChu: Good for all of us for the excellent February numbers! I have to say I'm pretty sure a Challenge of mine has NEVER been the most popular before. Cool!

>137 SqueakyChu: And a belated congratulations to all the Award winners!

>142 Helenliz: On the subject of great graphic nonfiction, I'd like to recommend Poppies of Iraq. It's the story of Brigitte Findakly and her family (Iraqi father and a French mother) and how changing politics and times forced them to distance themselves from and ultimately leave Iraq.

>183 FAMeulstee: Anita, I cannot ever imagine completing a double sweep! Kudos to you!

>201 Dejah_Thoris: Thank you, Dejah!
It looks like you have completed yours for this month, or am I mistaken?

>202 FAMeulstee: I still have one more to go - Challenge #17. I've got The Cat in the Hat read for that one, but I counted it under works. I've just picked up my book for it from the library, so I'll be joining you in a sweep eventually - just not yet!

It's not just the number of books you have to read for a double sweep that's impressive, it's that you found and read 2 or more books for each Challenge. Some Challenges I find, er, more challenging than others.....

>198 SqueakyChu: And the first ever sweep was by Stasia (AlcottAcre) in August 2010. I think is was not called a sweep back then.

>203 Dejah_Thoris: The past 14 months went by without finding a chance for a double, I was happy to find a book for each challenge. This month I saw that with one re-read (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) I had 2 books for each challenge.

>205 FAMeulstee: Very nicely done, indeed! I try to get the sweep each month if possible - I like that I sometimes have to reach a bit to find something that fits - but I'm also a self-indulgent enough reader that I don't want to lock myself into reading something I really don't want to read!

I read a lot of plays, and that helps - they usually aren't very long and I sincerely enjoy them.

>194 humouress: >197 SqueakyChu: We could enlarge the number of books to be read by/for (?) one challenge :)
So, SqueakyChu lives in Maryland, Maryland is the 7th state ---> Read 7 books all having Mary in the author's name
or ---> Read 9 books each starting with a different letter a, c, e k, q, s, u, u, y :)

>206 Dejah_Thoris: I don't mind reading something I don't like, as long as it is only one or two books in a month. With my present reading rate it won't take me more than a day to get through anything below 250 pages. I usually start with the planned books I expect not to like, so they are done early in the month. And sometimes I am lucky, when a book turns out to be a better book than I anticipated.
The only restriction I have for myself is that I don't buy books for a challenge.

>204 FAMeulstee: That’s noteworthy as well!

>207 paulstalder: Nooooooo!!!!!!!!!! :D

>207 paulstalder: No, wait Paul; the idea was to make it easier. It’s all very well for folks like Anita and you, but have you seen how many books I tend to manage in a month? At the moment I think I’m stuck on about 3 for March.

>211 humouress: I’m up to three now as well. That makes it a 17% sweep! Right?

>25 Helenliz: I've just read Haruki Murakami's The Strange Library which is a mixture of words and pictures:



Would you accept this as 'not a conventional book'?

>213 wandering_star: I'd accept it if the pictures have to be read as part of the story and are not just illustrations alongside the text. If you took the images away, would the text stand by itself? If the answer is yes, then mine is no.

Thanks for all the info on the sweeps and sweepers, everyone! It's all very impressive!

>207 paulstalder: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

>215 streamsong: Thanks for the hilarity, Paul. I needed a laugh just now.

>215 streamsong: >216 SqueakyChu: That's the idea, have a laugh from time to time ... on the other hand, it is fun to imagine new challenges :)

>214 Helenliz: Thanks. In some places the text is embedded in the pictures but it would be possible to publish a version of the book with the text only, so I will put the book in a different challenge!

I'm going to slow us all down next month with a "Read a book over 1000 pages" challenge.

.
.
.
.
Maybe...

>219 neverstopreading: Can we take a year to read it? ;)

>219 neverstopreading:

I wish you'd had that THIS month! :D

>203 Dejah_Thoris: Congratulations, I see you finished the last book for your sweep!

>222 FAMeulstee:. Thanks, Anita, I finally did! It was a really great month of reading for me, with some terrific books.

I hope everyone else has been enjoying their March books as much as I have.

>223 Dejah_Thoris: Congratulations!

I’ve been enjoying my books this month, just not finishing most of them! :)

Congratulations, Dejah!

>223 Dejah_Thoris: Congratulations the sweep and even bigger congratulations on the reading enjoyment. That’s what it’s all about.

>223 Dejah_Thoris: oh well done! And that you're enjoying them is even better.

Way to go, Dejah!

>223 Dejah_Thoris: Congrats!!

March has been my best reading month in many, many months, both in quality and, especially, in quantity. I'm finally back into the reading groove, which was hard to do when I was sick. Alas, surgery is now on April 18th. I'm hoping that, while I'm on short-term disability afterwards, I'll feel up to reading and watching ballgames.

>225 DeltaQueen50: >226 Citizenjoyce: >227 Helenliz: >228 Carmenere: >229 lindapanzo: Thank you all for the congratulations!

>229 lindapanzo: I'm glad to hear that you're back in the reading groove! And hooray for Opening Day! I must admit it seems too early, though....

I'm planning on reading Daryl Brock's If I Never Get Back in April. I'd invite you to join me for a shared read, but given the number of baseball related books you've read, I suspect I'm way to late.

>229 lindapanzo: Such good news. Here's hoping April is very very good to you.

>230 Dejah_Thoris: I LOVE that baseball time travel book. I read it years ago and it's one of my favorite works of baseball fiction. I've never read Brock's Two in the Field, which involves the same character as in If I Never Get Back. I think I own a copy of that (if I can find it) so maybe I'll read that one next month.

>231 Citizenjoyce: Thanks. I've been told that, if they can do the surgery through my neck, it's not nearly as painful as going in through my chest. I hope that's true.

>230 Dejah_Thoris: Baseball and time travel. I might try to join you.

Finished my sweep today with a naked lady Dr. Seuss book, On to April.

>234 Citizenjoyce: Congrats!! I'm finishing up one last March TIOLI book (it's probably got another half hour to go) and then I'm moving on to April, too.

>234 Citizenjoyce: Congratulations Joyce!

>235 lindapanzo:, >236 FAMeulstee: Thanks, and thanks to Dr. Seuss.

>232 lindapanzo: I'm so glad to hear that you love If I Never Get Back - now I know I'll like it! I went ahead and requested Two in the Field in case I can't resist reading the next one soon.

>233 Citizenjoyce: I was going to let you know what Challenge I added it to, but you've already found it. Now I'm just waiting for it to transit through the library system.....

>234 Citizenjoyce: And congratulations on your sweep! Wasn't The Seven Lady Godivas a hoot? I read that after it's dismal sales, Dr. Seuss decided to write for kids, not adults. I have to say that worked out well for him.

I managed to finish one more book to join rosalita in a shared read of the new Inspector Ian Rutledge mystery The Gate Keeper by mother/son duo Charles Todd.

On to April!

>234 Citizenjoyce: I assumed that the time of day got to you but >238 Dejah_Thoris: I suppose not.

>234 Citizenjoyce: Congrats, Citizenjoyce!

>238 Dejah_Thoris: Oh, how exciting! I don't think I've ever been the one to start a shared read before, though I've certainly tagged in on others. That was a good read, too; hope you liked it.

>163 Carmenere: I have to give back those extra points. Apparently I counted that book in February. I got confused. :-p

>241 rosalita: I'm glad I was able to join you! I did enjoy The Gate Keeper, but I confess that, overall, I've come to prefer their Bess Crawford series. Sometimes the Ian Rutledge books are a little dark for me.

Housekeeping Day!

I know I'm late, but I was offline yesterday. Please remove any book from the wiki which was not finished by 12 midnight last night, except for those books you listed on a rolling challenge. For those, just mark them DNF (did not finish) instead of removing them. Thank you!

✔ Challenge 18 special women: Greenwitch by Susan Cooper
✔ Challenge 5 same letter: Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
✔ Challenge 3 plural noun (rolling): 18) The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
✔ Challenge 18 special women: Little Miss Naughty by Roger Hargreaves
✔ Challenge 18 special women: Little Miss Bossy by Roger Hargreaves

I’ve finished all these but am currently out and using my mobile. Will enter them properly on the wiki when I get home.

Has anyone else read Assassin’s Apprentice for the group read?

>245 humouress: I'll hold off doing the stats. Tell me when they're all in. Thanks!

Um, yes, right. Different day, same stuff. Did a sweep, don't have the info entered. Will get it entered by tomorrow and will let you know.

>247 Morphidae: Congrats on our sweep, Morphy!

Do let me know when to start doing the stats.Thanks!

>247 Morphidae: Hmm, about time *taps foot impatiently* I usually use your lists so I don't have to go all the way back to the top to work out my challenges. ;0)

Congratulations on your sweep and to all the other sweepers. Honestly, Madeline, I think this place must be the cleanest on LT.

>249 humouress: Yeah. I have to get all these "sweepers' into my house. I could use them!

Well, I've got my first 3 books in but I can't see where to fit the Little Misses in (unless you can relate 'miss' to 'air' - as in the air whistled as the ball missed my head by inches?). I can't see them affecting TIOLI points, though.

I managed to sneak Raven Boys into the rolling challenge as there was a B spot going a-begging.

ETA: I'll put them into my own challenge and move on to April

>238 Dejah_Thoris: I had no idea about the background. I thought it was Seuss trying to move up to adult books rather than the other way around. Thanks for the info.

>245 humouress: DONE!

Did you notice that the captcha is being a bit sneaky? It asked me for road signs and then on the second page, which had road signs, it asked me for bridges, which I only saw as I clicked 'verify'. Naturally, it didn't save and I had to wait a few minutes while it thought about it. Fortunately, it just let me have another go, without losing my changes.

ETA: >250 SqueakyChu: could you send them round to my house after they've finished in yours?

>253 humouress: I know it's keeping us safe, but that captcha is a pain in the eyes.

Apologies for being a bit tardy, Madeline, but I've now updated all my reads for March.

>253 humouress: >255 rosalita: Thanks for letting me know.

Oh dear - elkiedee, I owe you an apology. I started to read The Fishing Fleet: Husband Hunting in the Raj in March (I had it in Challenge #5), but as the end of the month grew closer, I had several books I was trying to finish and I needed to make some choices. Since Fishing Fleet fit so beautifully into April's Challenge #3 (fish) and because it wasn't going to be a shared read, I put it off and removed it from the March wiki.

Now I see that elkiedee finished it and added it to March. I am so sorry! If I had realized anyone else was reading it, I would have finished it for the shared read.

I hope you enjoyed it - I think it's quite good.

Okay, I should be good to go. There are three shared reads. If I missed something, let me know and I'll fix it.

I got all excited at first because the first five were already filled in. I thought I had forgotten I had entered all of them but then I got to the sixth and there was no book entered. *pouty face*

1. Read a book in which the last letter of the author's first name plus the last letter of the author's last name spells a word - The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher (er)
*2. Read a book where the author's middle or maiden name is included on the cover - Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George (shared)
3. Rolling challenge: Read a book with a plural noun in the title, going up in alphabetical order - Years by LaVyrle Spencer
4. Pangram rolling challenge: "How vexingly quick daft zebras jump!" - Evicted by Matthew Desmond
5. Read a book where the title includes at least two different words beginning with the same letter - The Girl with all the Gifts by Carey, M. R.
6. Read a book where the author's first name is also the name of a city or village in your state, province or the like - Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis (Warren, MN - there is also an Ellis, MN)
7. Read a book by a female author who has had at least 3 books published - The Refrigerator Monologues by Catherynne M. Valente
8. Read a book for a project - Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild (1001 Children's)
9. Read a book first published in the last 10 years (2008 or later) - The Boy on the Bridge by M. R. Carey (2017)
10. Read a book that isn't a "book" - Wires and Nerve, Vol. 2: Gone Rogue by Marissa Meyer (graphic novel)
11. Read a book with something that grows from (or under) the ground in the title - Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas
*12. Read a book whose title includes the word “lion” OR a book written by an author with the last name of “Lamb” - A Lion To Guard Us by Clyde Robert Bulla (shared)
13. Read a classic originally published in a language not your own - Death Note, Vol. 4: Love by Tsugumi Oba (Japanese)
14. Read a book with water on the cover - Penric's Mission by Lois McMaster Bujold
*15. Read a book that starts with a fire - Under a Flaming Sky by Daniel James Brown (shared)
16. Read a book with a word related to air in the title - Air Awakens by Elise Kova
17. Read a book that features a cat - The Door into Summer by Robert Heinlein
18. Read a book celebrating the special women in your life - The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan

>258 Morphidae: Thanks!

:0( I missed the opportunity to share a read with Paul S; I could have read The Snowy Day too.

One more sweep was done this month, by countrylife, she mentioned it on her own thread, but has not mentioned here.

Congratulations on your sweep, Cindy!

>257 Dejah_Thoris: No need to apologise. I did start it as a shared read but March wasn't a great reading month in terms of quantity - quality was fine - and April may be similar. I tend not to list books until they are finished - and I've just realised I haven't done anything about an unfinished book, though it was on a rolling challenge. The Fishing Fleet was an interesting read, that's the main thing - just hope you enjoy it too.

>247 Morphidae: & >258 Morphidae: Sorry Morphy, I completely forgot: Congratulations on your sweep!

>264 FAMeulstee: No apologies necessary! Thanks.

No guilt or apologies needed if shared reads don't materialize. Reads are for fun. Shared reads make sharing thoughts about the same book possible. Tracking shared reads makes talking about more books together possible. TIOLI points measure for me how much sharing of books might be going on. That's it!

Congrats on your sweep, Cindy!