Take It or Leave It Challenge - April 2021 - 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.


...logo by cyderry

---------------------------------------------------------------

Your challenge for April, 2021. is to...

****************************************
Read a book whose spine contains either the author's full name and/or the full title in white letters on a black background.
*******************************************

Rules:
1. Be sure the letters are white. Silver or gray will not work for this challenge.
2. You may read an audio-book, but please confirm that the corresponding hard copy of your chosen book complies with this challenge's requirements.
3. The entire spine does nor need to be black, but the part of the spine with the book title or author's name does have to be fully black.

------------------------------------------------------------

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

1. The April 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

----------------------------------------------------------------

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

Index of Challenges:

Challenges #1-6
1. Read a book whose spine contains either the author's full name and/or the full title in white letters on a black background - msg #1
2. Read a book whose title includes a woman's name - msg #3
3. Read a book with a title containing at least 3 words that start with the same letter - msg #4
4. Read a book whose author's name contains the name of an animal or bird - msg #5
5. Read a book with one of true, useful or kind or a synonym in the title or author's name - msg #7
6. Read a book in which someone does math or statistics - msg #9

Challenges #7-12
7. Read a book or work with a two word title in the format "The ----" - msg #11
8. Rolling Challenge - Based on the Number of Words in the Title - msg #16
9. Read a book with a title word or author name beginning with a letter in "April" - msg #
10. Read a book for the April CFF Mystery Challenge Challenge - msg #17 - thread
11. Read a book listed for an award or on a recommended list to improve representation - msg #19
12. Read a book with an epilogue which includes a word from the title - msg #20

Challenges #13-18
13. Read a book from the “Elevenses” list found on LibraryThing - msg #26
14. Read a book by an author whose first name starts with a vowel - msg #31
15. Read a book where the title has an odd number of words - msg #39
16. Read a collection of poetry by an author who also writes prose - msg #42
17. Read a book or two with a shared title word - msg #48
18. After sharing Madeleines and coffee, use a dishwasher - msg #53

Hold your challenge until the May 2021 TIOLI challenges are posted.

Challenge #2: Read a book whose title includes a woman's name

Should be self explanatory. Of course, more than one woman's name in the title is fine, too.

Wow, you're early this month.
Challenge #3: Read a book with a title containing at least 3 words that start with the same letter
I'll be reading
Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore

I didn't have a challenge in mind for this month, so I had a look at my current library loans to see if there was something they had in common. As soon as I looked at the page, this challenge jumped out at me:

Challenge #4: Read a book whose author's name contains the name of an animal or bird

(I have books by Raven Leilani and Cat Jarman out at the moment!)

Embedded words are fine.

>4 Citizenjoyce: It had to be very early or very late as Passover starts this weekend. I chose early. :)

>5 wandering_star: A bird *is* an animal! :D

Challenge #5: Read a book with one of true, useful or kind or a synonym in the title or author's name

True
truth
accurate
correct
verifiable

Useful
functional
utilitarian
utility
helpful

Kind - note, kind as in type is not acceptable
caring
compassionate
kindly

>6 SqueakyChu: Oh, so that's why Costco had hamantaschen.

In observance of Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month,

Challenge #6: Read a book in which someone does math or statistics

Could be anything from abstract algebra to counting change or even chickens before they hatch. A mathematician or statistician character may be assumed to do be "doing" math or stats, even if only quietly to themself between lines of dialog. (I promise that's exactly what they're doing.)

A nonfiction book with a mathematical theme counts because in that case the author or the reader (and hopefully both!) is/are "doing math."

Indicate the nature of the mathematical/statistical activity.

>8 Citizenjoyce: Hamantaschen are for Purim, not for Passover. Puirm is long gone! Hamantaschen are not even kosher for Passover!

Challenge #7:

Read a book or work with a two word title in the format "The ----"

Straightforward, I hope! The only restriction is that subtitled books are not allowed, only legitimate two-word titles.

ETA: I added 'work' because I'm hoping to have some people join me in a couple of short stories this month. I don't have a problem thinking of short stories as "books" - not if a 1000-page Michener only counts as one book! - but I know others may. :)

>10 SqueakyChu: How funny. Poor Costco got it wrong.

My planned reads:
Challenge #1: Read a book whose spine contains either the full author's name and/or the full title (indicate which) in white letters on a black background - started by SqueakyChu
*✔How Democracies Die - Stephen Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt (5)
Challenge #2: Read a book whose title includes a woman's name - started by lindapanzo
✔The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett - Annie Lyons (4)
*✔My Dark Vanessa - Kate Elizabeth Russell (4)
Challenge #3: Read a book with a title containing at least 3 words that start with the same letter - started by Citizenjoyce
✔Oona Out of Order - Margarita Montimore (4)
Challenge #4: Read a book whose author's name contains the name of an animal or bird - started by wandering_star
*✔The Widows of Malabar Hill - Sujata Massey (4)
Challenge #5: Read a book with one of true, useful or kind or a synonym in the title or author's name - started by quondame
✔Channel Kindness: Stories of Kindness and Community - Born This Way Foundation Reporters (3.5)
Challenge #6: Read a book in which someone does math or statistics - started by swynn
*✔Humble Pi: When Math Goes Wrong in the Real World - Matt Parker (4.5)
*✔Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy - Cathy O'Neil (5)
Challenge #7: Read a book or work with a two word title in the format "The ----" - started by lyzard
*✔The Test - Sylvain Neuvel (4)
Challenge #8: Rolling Challenge - Based on the Number of Words in the Title - started by DeltaQueen
✔Good Neighbors - Sarah Langan (3.5)
Infomocracy - Malka Older
*✔Once Upon A Time in the North - Phillip Pullman (5)
Challenge #9: Read a book with a title word or author name beginning with a letter in "April" - started by cbl_tn
✔Normal People - Sally Rooney (4)
Challenge #10: Read a book for the April CFF Mystery Challenge Challenge - started by Morphidae
*✔The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire by Kyle Harper (5)
✔The Mists of Avalon, Book 1: Mistress of Magic by Marion Zimmer Bradley (4)
✔The Mists of Avalon, Book 2: The High Queen by Marion Zimmer Bradley (4)
✔The Mists of Avalon, Book Three: The King Stag by Marion Zimmer Bradley (4)
Stonehenge by Bernard Cornwell (3.5)
Challenge #11: Read a book listed for an award or on a recommended list to improve representation - started by elkiedee
*✔Burnt Sugar - Avni Doshi (3)
*✔Finna- Nino Cipri (4.5)
✔This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger (3.5)
*✔Three Things About Elsie - Joanna Cannon (4.5)
✔The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones (4.5)
*✔A Woman is no Man - Etaf Rum (3.5)
Challenge #12: Read a book with an epilogue which includes a word from the title - started by Carmenere
Challenge #13: Read a book from the “Elevenses” list found on LibraryThing - started by dallenbaugh
✔The Cricket in Times Square - George Selden (4)
Dealing with Dragons - Patricia C. Wrede
✔The Witch of Blackbird Pond - Elizabeth George Speare (4)
Challenge #14: Read a book by an author whose first name starts with a vowel - started by susanna.fraser
*✔The Way to the Stars - Una McCormack (3.5)
Challenge #15: Read a book where the title has an odd number of words - started by FAMeulstee
✔The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold (3)
Challenge #16: Read a collection of poetry by an author who also writes prose - started by bell7
Challenge #17: Read a book or two with a shared title word (Note: alphabetize by shared word) - started by countrylife
✔The Moon Is Down - John Steinbeck (4)
✔The Sun Down Motel - Simone St. James (3.5)
✔The Speckled Monster: A Historical Tale of Battling Smallpox - Jennifer Lee Carrel (4.5)
Challenge #18: After sharing Madeleines and coffee, use a dishwasher- started by paulstalder
*Hieronymus Bosch: Visions of Genius - Matthijs Ilsink
✔The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley (3.5)

>1 SqueakyChu: Do you know if there's anywhere we can view the spines of books. Most of my reading is by electronic audiobook so I seldom have the cover. I can see covers on Amazon but not spines. I'd like to read Mary's Monster for this challenge since I won't get to it in March. The cover is black and white, but I don't know about the spine.

>14 Citizenjoyce: Ask quondame. She has that book! So does whisper1 (Linda) and msf59 (Mark). If you tell them what you're doing, I don't think they'd mind sharing that information with you. Blame it all on me! :D

I don't think there's anywhere we can just look up spines of books.

Alternatively, private message the author here on Librarything. She'd know! It's HER book! :D
https://www.librarything.com/profile/LitaJudge

Challenge #8: Rolling Challenge - Based on the Number of Words in the Title

Rules:

- All words in the title count, including “The” and “A”

- After the 6th entry the next person has the option of using a seven word title or starting over at # 1. This rule applies to each entry from
then on so if you have an 8 or 9 word title – be ready to jump in before it gets reset back to number 1!

- You can fill in two books in one set at a time but until someone has filled in #6 with a number of their choice, you can’t jump ahead. You can however, fill in #6 if it is open at any time.

Challenge #9: April Challenge - Read a book with a title word or author name beginning with one of the letters in the word "April"

Not a rolling challenge.

Challenge #10: Read a book for the April CFF Mystery Challenge Challenge

PLEASE READ! The challenges are MOSTLY READY. READ THE FIRST POST. I will continue to work on them but I at least wanted you to be able to get your continent(s). The mini-challenges are Author, Culture/People, Cover/Title, Setting (in process,) Genre/Theme (in process.)

If you have any ideas for resources to help me come up with ideas for Settings or Genre/Themes, I'd appreciate it.

_.~"~.Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ.~"~.APRIL'S THEME IS CONTINENTS .~"~.Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ.~"~._

• You can have two open challenges.
  
• There will be -6- different sets of book challenges with 2+ options each.
  
• You won't know what your particular challenge will be until you roll a random number.*
  
• Post the number to this thread and I will give you your challenge.
  
• For any questions, please ask there or in a DM.
  

*You can use https://www.random.org/ (the widget at the top right), Google "random number 1 to 6," or, if you have one, roll a die.

DETAILS

• Embedded words, as a rule, are allowed but partial words are not. For instance, a word like "walked" must include the entire word and not just the word "walk."
  
• Tags must be first level, i.e. do not click on "show all."
  
• No restrictions as to fiction or nonfiction unless otherwise stated in a challenge.
  
• Shared reads ARE allowed. Shared challenges ARE NOT allowed. That is, if someone reads a book published in 2021. You can read the SAME book. You can't read a different book published in 2021 (unless you get that challenge yourself.)
  
• If I give a reference link to a list of books, it does not mean they *all* qualify for a challenge unless specifically stated.
  
• After a certain number of challenges have been given out, I will re-randomize the list.
  

Challenge 11: Read a book listed for an award or on a recommended list to promote/improve representation

The Women's Prize for Fiction, also known in the past (for sponsorship reasons) as the Orange Prize and the Baileys Prize, was set up partly in response/protest to very male dominated award lists etc, especially for the Booker Prize.

Recently I learned of the Jhalak Prize, for books by black and minority ethnic writers living/working in the UK, which has been going for about 5 years and has just added an award for children's and YA fiction.

Other awards have been established for writing by black and ethnic minority writers, lesbian writers, LGBT+ writers, working class writers, for children's books, within genres etc. As well as award nominations and longlists, you can use lists such as books to read for Black History Month.

Any award or recommendation list set up to to promote the work of writers from any under-represented group is welcome.

I will try to set up a subthread for any interesting infomation and discussion etc and come back to amend this post etc as needed. Questions and ideas welcome.

>20 Carmenere: Does it have to titled epilogue? I've a candidate with a "five years later" chapter followed by a "the end?" chapter which seems pretty epilogue-ish.

>21 quondame: I'm sorry that won't work. It must say "epilogue".

>19 elkiedee: Would you accept a book that's part of the Shelter Box Book Club? Every 6 weeks, they list 3 books that are written by or about those that Shelter Box aims to help, and the subscribers vote for 1 which is then read and there's a Q&A chat about it. From their website "But the important twist that makes ShelterBox Book Club unique is that our book themes and choices are inspired by the people and places who have been helped through ShelterBox’s disaster relief work."

https://www.shelterbox.org/book-club/

The selection I have next up is A Woman is no Man about a 2nd generation Palestinian imigrant experience.

It's not exactly a fit for your challenge, but I thought it close enough to be worth asking if it might count.

Interesting. I'd like to know more about the Shelter Box Book Club. Yes, I think that it does work. It's not quite what I wrote but there is an idea of representation in "by and about". So thanks for asking and for telling me about this book club.

I even bought A Woman is No Man on Kindle last year.

Someone has also listed it on the awards and honours tab of Common Knowledge for another bookclub called Read with Jenna.

>24 elkiedee: Thank you. :-) It's been really interesting. I joined about 18 months ago and have read quite a number of books I'd probably not have picked myself. A mixture of fiction & non-fiction. Not enjoyed all of them, some have been execellent, and any number have been eyeopening.

They run a discussion through facebook, and have online discussions, sometimes including the author.

I've tagged all the books I've read in my library, if you wanted to see the range of reading.

Challenge #13: Read a book from the “Elevenses” list found on LibraryThing

Beverly Cleary died on March 25th of this year at age 104. To pay a tribute to her much beloved children’s books read a book from the “Elevenses” list gathered by LT staff on the 11th anniversary of LT. It is a list of 11 of their favorite books from when they were (approximately) 11-year-olds. Three of Cleary’s books made it onto this list.

https://www.librarything.com/list/10969/all/Elevenses

>26 dallenbaugh: Love this challenge. Is there a link to the list?

>27 elkiedee: Here it is. I'll put it in my challenge info also.

https://www.librarything.com/list/10969/all/Elevenses

>26 dallenbaugh: What a great challenge. There are so many books I missed when I was younger, I could read through this all month.

>16 DeltaQueen50: Just a little clarification. You can fill in #6 at any time, but must you wait for all the other numbers to be filled in before you jump in? For example, if #3 is open, can you fill it in or must you wait for #1 and #2 to be filled in first?

Challenge #14: Read a book by an author whose first name starts with a vowel

A nice straightforward challenge that happens to fit two of my current library books.

>25 Helenliz: The ShelterBox book club sounds interesting! In following it up I found your thread. I love what you have done with the postcards, especially that wonderful Dorothy Hodgkin.

>29 Citizenjoyce: Yes, I missed so many also. I was over 70 before I read Charlotte's Web

>30 Citizenjoyce: Once it has been determined when the number one starts again, then you are free to jump in with books with 2 to 6 word titles. At any time you can add the next two numbered titles, but after the #6, you can't skip ahead without filling in as you go. The way it stands right now someone could add an 8 and a 9 word title (or just an 8). They could also add a 1 and a 2 word title (or just a 1). They could also add an 8 and a 1 word title. If you do get to add the 1 word title, then you are also free to add a 2, 3, 4,5 or 6 word title. This all sounds much clearer in my head - I hope it makes sense to everyone.

>34 DeltaQueen50: I just bumped us back to 1.

>34 DeltaQueen50: I hate to laugh...but your explantation did make me laugh...because it's so much clearer than the way you explaiined it! :)

I dare you to go back now and read aloud what you just wrote...and not laugh!

>34 DeltaQueen50: got it, I think.

>36 SqueakyChu: Oh my!! This is why I usually go for simple, straightforward challenges!

>1 SqueakyChu: I know it's 3 days away but I noticed that the TIoLI meter link says "March 2021" and it does indeed link to this month's page.

>40 elkiedee: Thx. Fixed.

In honor of National Poetry Month -

Challenge #16: Read a book of poetry by an author who also writes prose

This can be a novel, short stories, essays or journal/newspaper articles.

>42 bell7: Yours is Challenge #16.

I think you read my mind. I've just gotten back into poetry after a long time. I think Amanda Gorman has a lot to do with this. I'm needing to read it out loud as well. Pretty soon I'll be making hand gestures while reading as well. :D

(deleted duplicate entry)

>43 SqueakyChu: I've found myself listening to poetry being read a most satisfactory experience. My last was Alexa, what is there to know about love? read by the author.

And I feel entirely justified in sharing this. Again. https://youtu.be/lmEbF2uhsZk

>43 SqueakyChu: it is, I mistyped! Hopefully it's right on the wiki 😂

>46 bell7: Haha! It is, Mary.

Challenge #17: Read a book or two with a shared title word

Play this challenge either way:

(1) Read two books which share a word in their titles.
(2) Read a book which shares the same title word already listed.

List your books alphabetically by the shared word.
A single title may not be added until there is at least a pair of shared words already listed to which it matches..
Embedded words are fine.
Do not use articles (a, and, the) or conjunctions (and, or, but) as the shared word.
ETA: The added single book must share the same word with any of the previously listed pairs.

Example:
Black Diamond, Martin Walker
Coal Black Horse, Robert Olmstead

The Good Daughter s, Joyce Maynard
Spider Woman's Daughter, Anne Hillerman

>17 cbl_tn:. Does the added single book have to share a word with the preceding title, or may it share a word with any book listed?

>49 SqueakyChu: : The added single book must share the same word with any of the previously listed pairs.

>50 countrylife: Thx!

>50 countrylife: Oh, I see. It has to share the same paired word as a third (or more) addition of that same word. Thx for the explanation.

Challenge #18: After sharing Madeleines and coffee, use a dishwasher

So we made some Madeleines and coffee, now we have to do the washing up, best, use a diswashing machine.
Read a book with a brand name of a dishwasher in the title or the author's name.
Check with an internet search, if wikipedia mentions 'dishwasher' od 'dishwashing machine' in their article on the company/brand, you're fine.

# Ice Candy Man - Bapsi Sidhwa

examples are Bosch, Bauknecht, Miele, etc.

>53 paulstalder: I'm not sure if Whirlpool is a brand known outside the US. It should show up in lots of titles.

>54 cbl_tn: it doesn't matter where a dishwasher brand is known - if wikipedia knows about it in any language, that's fine. So the English wikipedia article on dishwashers mentions whirlpool (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dishwasher).
So if a search with the words 'wikipedia dishwasher brand' give a result with a wikipedia article - everything's fine (or 'wikipedia geschirrspüler bauknecht' or ' 위키 백과 식기 세척기 삼성' etc.)

I just found this table of popular dishwasher brands in the UK:

https://www.statista.com/statistics/437626/leading-brands-of-dishwashers-in-the-...

Among others it lists Candy, Sharp, Cannon and Dyson - so I'm already reading a book by Margery Sharp.

>53 paulstalder: Many of the appliances we have, including the dishwasher have been LG's. Some words such as bulge or vulgar contain LG. Would they qualify?

>53 paulstalder: How about a name like George for the brand GE...which is short for General Electric?

>18 Morphidae:

The challenges are MOSTLY READY. SEE THE FIRST POST ON THE CHALLENGE THREAD. I will continue to work on them but I at least wanted you to be able to get your continent(s). The mini-challenges are Author, Culture/People, Cover/Title, Setting (in process,) Genre/Theme (in process.)

If you have any ideas for resources to help me come up with ideas for Settings or Genre/Themes, I'd appreciate it.

>56 elkiedee: thanks for the list - but remember that there must be a wikipedia article which joins brand name and dishwasher together

>57 quondame: >58 SqueakyChu: I am not too happy to use these abbreviations, but there they are, so visible, so we GEnially vuLGarize the challenge

>57 quondame: That was not an answer, Paul. :D May we use them or not?

>58 SqueakyChu: I already added a title with three GE's in it so I hope it can count!

>60 paulstalder: In message >53 paulstalder: you wrote

"Check with an internet search, if wikipedia mentions 'dishwasher' od 'dishwashing machine' in their article on the company/brand, you're fine."

I assumed that you meant that if you can find something on Wikipedia about a brand of dishwasher, that's an example of evidence, not that a referemce on Wikepeida is necessarily and something that is more substantial evidence of a dishwasher brand name isn't relevant. I think that what's most likely to come up searching for dishwashers online is reviews of dishwashers or perhaps their manuals. I don't have a dishwasher but if I have to call someone to fix an appliance I search out the washing machine or fridge manual online while waiting for them to rock up (can save some money if I'm being charged in 15 minute units of time).

My list is of the most popular dishwasher brands in the country where I live by sale volume.

So, two questions/suggestions:

1. if we can find evidence that any name is a brand of dishwasher, why shouldn't we able to use this? Not just Wikipedia.

2. Can embedded names including initials be used - eg "GE" in George, "LG" in vulgar, etc?

OK, so it's your challenge, and my chances of achieving a sweep this month aren't great. though it's more possible than some months in terms of the nature of challenges, I probably won't finish 18 books AND fit them all into different challenges. But to be honest if people's rules go beyond reasonable logic or making something a challenge, I'm not going to bother with those challenges.

>61 SqueakyChu: >62 AnneDC: yes, you may use them
so 'we GEnially vuLGarize the challenge' does not mean yes? I thought it means something like 'we popularize (make less refined) the challenge and make the abbreviations count'

>63 elkiedee: wikipedia: I wanted to include that because that would make it easier for checking that the brand is known enough for having a reference in wikipedia. If wikipedia has an article on a company (in any language) mentioning the kind of things they produce, I can verify the validity of the entries.
The statista page is useless to me since they want me to have an account in order to see the whole list - $39 is just too much.
I don't think that I use rules beyond reasonable logic, sorry for any inconvenience but I always understood my challenges as challenges. Sorry when my English is so lacking.

There is lots of info on that page that can be seen without an account - I don't have one, it's a page that came up on a google search for dishwasher brands. I use Wikipedia for lots of things but it would never be a starting point on household appliances. I haven't looked to see if there is a Wikipedia entry for a given brand of dishwasher.

> I wanted to include that because that would make it easier for checking that the brand is known enough for having a reference in wikipedia

I don't see why having an entry on one particular reference source is easier than any other link, eg a link for a retailer, reviews, any other source of evidence for a chosen brand. Insisting on a Wikipedia reference still seems to me unreasonable and irreelvant.

Your English is much much better than my German. Clearly we disagree on this, okay - that's got nothing to do with a language barrier.

TIOLI Question of the Month

If you were asked to read an excerpt aloud from a book you've read so far this month, what would you choose? From what book would it be? Why would you choose this particular passage?

>66 SqueakyChu: I don't have a particular passage to quote as I've already returned it to the library, but Precious Ramotswe always has some wise words to live by. I just finished How to Train an Elephant by Alexander McCall Smith and there were many quotes on behaviour that ultimately are about patience and kindness and giving people their space to be them. There was a nice storyline that ended with forgiveness. These books aren't so much a mystery as philosophy but I always feel better after reading them.

>66 SqueakyChu: I'd probably quote from Alan Moore's Jerusalem. There are some amazingly descriptive turns of phrase within this book, and I'm only at the end of chapter 8. I'll be reading this for quite some time yet.
The latest one that caught my eye was the way the Snowy views time and how he can see the emotional course of his daughter's life as she is being born. Is it any wonder that madness runs in the family, with that information available to you, I'm surprised he isn't mad already.

March 2021 TIOLI Stats!

For March, 2021, we read a total of 273 books, of which 47 or 17%, were shared reads. We collected 25 TIOLI points for a YTD total of 66, the smallest YTD total for the month of March since 2010.

The most popular books, read by 4 challengers, were:
---By Its Cover by Donna Leon.
---The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra by Vaseem Khan

The most popular challenge, with a total of 48 books, was the one by lindapanzo to read a book to help me celebrate my 60th birthday.

It was also that same challenge by lindapanzo with the most TIOLI points (seven).

Soon to come...the TIOLI Awards for March!

>69 SqueakyChu: Ein Elefant für Inspector Chopra was also read by 4 challengers :)

I just fininished a sweep!

>70 paulstalder: You are correct. I'll fix that. Thanks!

>71 FAMeulstee: Congratulations, Anita!

>71 FAMeulstee: Congratulations! There are some challenging challenges this month.

>71 FAMeulstee: Congratulations.

>72 SqueakyChu: >74 Citizenjoyce: Thanks Madeline and Joyce.

>73 quondame: Thanks, Susan. It was the first time in months that I could fill the challenges rather easily. And it helped that my reading speed came back to normal.

Well done, Anita!

>76 lyzard: Thanks, Liz.

Way to go, Anita.

At the other extreme, I still haven't finished a single book, TIOLI or non TIOLI, yet this month. I suspect that I will but possibly only one.

The March 2021 TIOLI Awards

The Great Motivator Award goes to wandering_star for the challenge to start, and/or read at least five chapters of a book which is a reading project for you. This was a brilliant way of getting our challengers to actually put forth some effort to conquer those reading projects which have been put off far too long. Thanks for this!

The Sad Laughter Award goes to Citizenjoyce for reading The Swallows for avatiakh's challenge to read a book that involves some form of game or contest (not sport). Our winning challenger remarked about the game involved in her read as "alas, it's a misogynistic blow job game". That totally cracked me up...in a sad way of course.

The Super Celebration Award goes to lindapanzo for the challenge to read a book to help me celebrate my 60th birthday and to LoisB for the challenge to help me celebrate my 75th birthday by reading a book with Diamond in the title or subject matter. It's a pleasure and honor to celebrate your birthdays together here on the TIOLI challenges. Hope your birthdays were terrific!

The It's Too Long Award goes to lyzard for reading The Source for this challenger's own challenge to read a book with 750+ pages. The book read for this challenge was 1,080 pages long. By the way, I remember those days in which my husband would devour as many of James Michener's books as he could in what seemed like no time at all despite their length.

The Perfect Oudoor Activity Award goes to Citizenjoyce for reading Miracle Country: A Memoir because this book contained the outdoor activity of hot air ballooning. This was a special activity for my husband's niece who took part in this activity only to have it followed by a surprise wedding proposal from her boyfriend. We watched it all on Zoom!

The Letter Detective Award goes to AnneDC for the rolling challenge where a one word title alternates with a longer title that includes the word from the previous title. This was a very unique and fun challenge with a bit of detective work thrown in. Very clever.

The Elusive Page Numbers Award goes to DeltaQueen50 for the challenge by dallenbaugh to read a book whose page numbers are anywhere but above the text. Our challenger read a book with no page numbers at all! What?! How did the challenger even know to which page to return?! I know. With a bookmark!

The Best Beverage Award goes to paulstalder for the challenge "Let's brew some coffee, rolling challenge", There is no way that a challenge about coffee would not win an award from me. Ha!

Congratulations to our award winners! Feel free to add awards of your own at this time.

Thanks for the award, Madeline. I believe that the book that had no page numbers was by Joyce Carol Oates and since she is an author that seems to delight in creating unease in her readers, she probably thought having no page numbers was a very good idea.

>80 DeltaQueen50: I find Joyce Carol Oates so interesting. I heard her speak once at the National Book Festival. She just went back to teach at Princeton. I guess she had been teaching virtually during the pandemic. I like to follow her on Twitter.

>79 SqueakyChu:

I thank you, and James A. thanks you! :D

>79 SqueakyChu: Thanks for the awards. Your story about hot air ballooning is sweet, and the book was considerably more pleasant than the misogynistic one.

>79 SqueakyChu: Thank you for the award. Yes, it was a wonderful birthday this year.

>79 SqueakyChu: Thank you for allowing me to share this award. &5 is a great age!

>79 SqueakyChu: Thank you!! It was an entirely selfish choice of challenge but I am glad that it helped others (and that I'm not the only one in this situation :-p)

>1 SqueakyChu: I don't know if you still like books about aging, but if so, I think you'll love Three Things About Elsie by Joanna Cannon. The main character is an 84-year-old woman battling dementia yet still living a full and renewing life.

>87 Citizenjoyce: I do! I added it to my wishlist. Thanks! At least the protagonist is younger than I am!

I had a great day today. I am battling to regain my independence. I suffer from vision and hearing problems. Howver, I just got the courage up (after five months) to sync my hearing aids to my iphone, and I made my first phone call independently in years! I called the dentist office to request an invoice for my last visit. Oddly enough, a friend found out about my newfound ability and wanted to call me. I asked her to text me. I'm still not comfortable with phone conversation after all these years! :D

Ah! The issues with aging. *sigh*

>88 SqueakyChu: You go, girl. You and your bad self.

>79 SqueakyChu: Thank you for the TIOLI award! My challenge was inspired by having so many books with one word titles on my planned list and trying to think of a "twist" to incorporate them--it was fun to see so many others take up the challenge.

>88 SqueakyChu: Wow, way to go. I always feel so proud of myself when I do anything new tech-wise. Mine are baby steps, it looks like you're the giant.

>88 SqueakyChu: So glad to hear this!!

>91 Citizenjoyce: >92 lindapanzo: So a good friend who's been texting me frequently now wants to have real phone conversations. I'm not sure I'm ready for this yet. :/

>93 SqueakyChu: I'm a bit of a hermit, so I understand. You don't seem like a hermit, just consider yourself part of the modern generation, all they want to do is text.

>94 Citizenjoyce: I like being part of this texting genertation. My kids don't complain about it, but friends my age do!

Actually part of my reluctance to talk on the phone is that, as a hearing imparired person, listening to understand for me is exhausting work. That doesn't happen with texting (or even typing to you, my fellow TIOLI challengers). It's so easy to type and read (even if I have to enlarge the font!). :D

>95 SqueakyChu: I think one thing Covid masking has shown us is just how dependant we are on lip reading in order to understand conversations.

>95 SqueakyChu:, >96 Citizenjoyce: Do teens use emojis to help convey meaning when they text?

>96 Citizenjoyce: A lot has to do with a person's speech. I took my masked husband with me to translate for the masked personnel at the center in which I received my covid-19 vaccine. The receptionist tried to keep out my husband saying that they would take care of me. I told her that was an exact example of why I needed him. I had to have him translate what the receptionist said. She let him stay.

>97 dallenbaugh: Mine certainly do, although I think I use emojis more than they do. Sometimes I have to look up what they write. Like my daughter, well past her teen years, but she replied "lolol" to one of my messages. Apparently that's a laugh much more uproarious than just lol! :D

>97 dallenbaugh: emojis are wonderful, fun and quick. I love them.

>99 Citizenjoyce: Yes, I use them quite often when texting in the same way my tone of voice would help to convey a meaning when speaking to someone. I just wondered if teens use them as well since they seem to prefer text to speech. I don't have any teens to ask.

>100 dallenbaugh: My grandson is 20, but I know he uses them sometimes.
ETA I just asked him, he said not very often.

>53 paulstalder: There's a Brigade CFDW101 dishwasher but it's offered by Viking. Would Brigade count?

>79 SqueakyChu: thanks for the award, Madeline


>102 Citizenjoyce: yes, Brigade is fine because wikipedia has an article on 'Brigade de cuisine' mentioning dishwasher :)

>3 lindapanzo: Linda, are embedded names okay? e.g. Gitter

>103 paulstalder:. Thanks for the delicious treats, Paul!

>104 paulstalder: sure

>103 paulstalder: Thanks.

Just to let you know, Judy, I'm joining you for a shared read of Missing Or Murdered. :)

>108 lyzard: I'm happy to have company, Liz. I picked up a number of Robin Forsythe mysteries of which this is the first. I liked it well enough that I will be reading the rest at some point.

>109 DeltaQueen50:

Sounds like a plan! :)

I don't get that many opportunities but I'm trying to do better with shared reads when one presents.

In under the wire with a sweeplette of challenges 1-11!

>111 wandering_star: Congrats on your last minute sweeplette!

Housekeeping Day

You know what to do. Please remove from April's wiki pages any book you don’t finish by midnight tonight, or, in the case of a rolling challenge, mark it DNF.

>111 wandering_star: Congratulations!

I fear I'll never manage another sweep again, and I usually miss out on shared reads by not finishing books until the following month! I did manage 1 shared read but should finish one which was meant to be another in the next few days, and have started reading The Witch of Blackbird Pond - I can only remember loving it as a kid - it took me a week or so to find my copy from when I was ooh, perhaps 8 or 9 or so! I've written my name at the time in it - I switched from my dad's surname to my mum's surname at 18, but more interestingly, I wrote out a list of the characters' names in what looks like rather recently learned joined up writing - I think my handwriting got better between 7 or 8 and and 12 - and then got worse again. The list might be useful reference more than 40 years later for my reread, but it does make me think I might have been at primary school rather than middle. It's a Dell Yearling edition, so did one of my parents bring it home from the US or was it a present from a family friend?

Astonishingly though after the last year or so, I managed to exceed my March total of 15 books (which I was quite happy with) by finishing 17 books (several books in 3 or 4 challenges). More bizarrely, I picked up Dear Reader thinking I could get started on a shared read for next month and finished it in 2 or 3 days - on Wednesday.

I have managed a sweeplette on Challenges 7-12 if I'd listed the book that way, by moving Polly Samson's The Kindness from the kind or true challenge to Challenge 7.

>115 elkiedee: Congrats on your sweeplette! Reading has been u usually difficult for everyone over the last year and a third. It’s starting to pick up for me, but very slowly. At this point, I can only manage a bare fraction of a so each sweeplette is a notable accomplishment.

>115 elkiedee: I'm sorry to have missed a shared read with you. I, too, manage very few of those. I hope you enjoyed Dear Reader though.

117: Maybe in May we can manage a shared read. I'm now reading The Lamplighters.

Yes, I enjoyed Dear Reader very much, and I hope you do too.