Awards CAT -- General Thread

Here it is, the final and long awaited CAT to bring fun to our 2013 Challenge. As its name indicates, the Awards CAT is an optional reading challenge that you can choose to do through the entire year, or you can pick and choose to participate when your interest, books and challenge fits with a month's theme, or you can ignore it altogether.

In the Awards CAT, each month two new awards will be up, one a general literary award and the other one a genre award. You decide what to do with that. You can read one of the winning books, one of the books shortlisted for the prize, or even from the prize's long-list. You can even choose to read another book by the author of a nominated book. You can read from one or both of the prizes.

Once you've chosen a book, let us know. Once you've read a book, let us know what you thought about it. There's a wiki for this challenge, and you're invited to include your books in the lists of what is read each month. Here's a link to the wiki:

http://www.librarything.com/wiki/index.php/2013_AwardsCAT

Since you can look on the wiki to find out which award we're doing each month, and there will be links to the prizes and to lists of appropriate books, each month's thread will only be opened during the last week of the previous month.

Here is our schedule:

January
Women's Prize for Fiction (previously known as the Orange Prize)
Spur Award (westerns)

February
American Book Award
RITA Award (romance)

March
The Morning News Tournament of Books
The Agatha award (mystery)

April
IMPAC Dublin Literary Award
local award of the reader's choosing

May
The Pulitzer Prize
The Kitschies (speculative fiction)

June
The Costa Book Awards
National Outdoor Book Award

July
The Independent Foreign Fiction Prize
The Edgar Award (mystery)

August
Scotiabank Giller Prize
The Thriller Award

September
The Man Booker Prize
The Hans Christian Andersen Award (children's/YA)

October
The Nobel Prize in Literature
The Bram Stoker Award (horror)

November
National Book Award
The Hugo Award (science fiction/fantasy)

December
The Miles Franklin Award
The Thurber Award (humor)

I've added in the missing 10 awards to the wiki page, including all 4 varieties of the National Book Award. :)

ETA
It'd be good to put a link to this thread on the main page of the group, for easy access to the schedule+wiki with all the links to the lists.

Well done, PM!

:)

I will be bouncing in and out of this CAT throughout the year. Thanks everyone for discussing and voting on the various suggestions over on the organizational threads and thank you Alison for managing it all!

I have my January AwardCats already picked out:

- I Was Amelia Earhart by Jane Mendelsohn (1997 Short List for Orange Prize)

- Double Crossing by Meg Mims (2012 Spur Award for Best First Novel)

I have my eye on another Spur Winner that I may add if I can fit it in:

- Damnation Road by Max McCoy (2011 Spur Award for Best Mass Market Paperback)

I spent some time last night roaming around the awards looking to see what I might have on my shelf that would fit. Even though most of them weren't in my original plan for this year, they're on the shelf because I planned to read them sometime, so why not now? I even have books that go with awards that I wouldn't have thought I would. So I'm almost ready.

I'm going to read Great House by Nicole Krauss, who was shortlisted for the Orange Prize a few years ago with a different book.

Thanks! I'm looking forward to these!

I doubt I'll be doing Jan ones, because I'm trying to focus on my shelves, and I definitely don't own any Westerns, and I didn't look at the short/long lists for the Orange, but I know I don't own any winners (titles or authors). But I'll join in where I have something fitting! I may also check the library on occasion if they have any, but probably not for this first one. We'll see! :P

ETA
I was just looking over the shortlists and checking to see if my library had any where the titles sounded like maybe something I'd be interested in, and it turns out they do have a couple, so I may get one after all.

I finished going through all the award lists last night and I've got something in the TBR pile for every award except one, although there were some interesting books on the list. Maybe I'll check out what the library has for that one. I had an awards category this year so I've already taken a few off the shelf.

I thought I'd just be ignoring the Spur Award, but I was surprised to see that not only are there many female authors represented, but there are also a few in my library. I may have to read both awards next month!

I've decided to read:

Ladder of Years Orange Prize shortlist 1996 and Congregation of Jackals Spur finalist First Novel 2011.

I had thought I'd be skipping the Spur Award too, Kay, but when I saw your comment, I went and looked at the list and found some that were already on my TBR list and available at my library. I guess I'll be reading for that category too!

I will open the January thread tonight, provided the stars remain favorable.

I'm just joining this group and I have to say I'm a bit overwhelmed at just reading some of the Award lists. How does one choose from so many?? ;)

use a book you already have on your TBR list?

Or one that will fit into one of your categories

17 & 18 -- I think I've found two for January that meet both of your suggestions. Thanks!

I've started Double Crossing by Meg Mims which won the 2012 Best First Novel Spur Award. So far so good ... although it reads a bit like a juvenile romance so far.

#20 - I've just barely started Double Crossing as well and I agree, so far it's definitely coming across as a YA romance. Oh well, it's always nice to read something light, quick and easy!

Does anyone have a good link for the Rita award for February? When I follow the one on the Wiki I get: The requested URI /cs/contests_and_awards/rita_awards/past_winners was not found on this server.

>22 MarthaJeanne: They must have changed formats since whoever added it in got the link. I just went to the site and found the new link, it's updated on the wiki now.

Thanks. Nothing pops out at me yet.

If I do a RITA, it will probably be one that falls in the romantic suspence category.

Looking at the RITAs, most of the ones that might interest me I've already read.

I haven't tried Tess Gerritsen's Rizzoli and Isles series yet and the first book in the series (The Surgeon) won the RITA award in the romantic suspense category. I'll either read that one or Heavens to Betsy by Beth Pattillo.

I'll try to find some links later today. I wasn't planning on opening the February thread until the 20th, but if you think it might be helpful for those of you who like to plan, I'm happy to do so! I haven't even chosen my Orange for the month yet.

Quick question - are the books listed on the wiki supposed to be in alphabetical order or in the order in which the are added?

Thanks!

Finished my Spur Award read, the disappointing Double Crossing by Meg Mims, winner of the 2012 Best First Novel. The best thing that I can say is that it's a CatTrick!

ETA - I don't know if it has been decided but I would like to see the books on the Wiki in alphbetical order, it makes going through the lists easier to find joint reads and to look them up later.

Let's do that, then, unless someone doesn't want to?

Alpha is good.

Thanks for the clarification - it will make it easier to find joint reads.

I just added my alpha/random read a few hrs ago and sorted the ones in those wikis that were out of place. There was just a couple.

So do we say what we read here or need to post challenge results somewhere else?

>35 TinaV95: The books people have chosen are listed on the wiki pages.

#35 - There are also individual threads for each CAT, the links are posted at the top of the thread, along with the links to the wiki pages.

Is there a particular way to add a book to the wiki so it's in order? I added my first one before this came up and I'm fairly new to this "wiki" business.

>38 dudes22: They're in alpha order, add it in where it belongs! :)

ok - I'll give that a try - I just finished my Spur award book, so sometime today (I'm at work), I'll test that out.

I am joining for January to read Orange Prize books. I have 2 on my shelves, and a couple more in the post, so I plan to read at least 2 before the end of the month.

I'm reading my Orange book, A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore and really, really enjoying it.

Today I finished The Help by Kathryn Stockett (Orange longlist 2010). This was also my first book by Kathryn Stockett so is a RandomCat also.

Review is here:
http://www.librarything.com/work/8019757/reviews

I just completed my first CAT-trick! Damnation Road by Max McCoy won a 2011 Spur award, and even though it is 3rd in a series, I've never read anything by this author before (Random CAT).

I forgot to post here that I finished my Orange Prize read. I quite enjoyed I Was Amelia Earhart, it's left me with a desire to now search out a non-fiction acccount of her life. This was also a Cat-trick for me as well.

Half of a Yellow Sun (by Adichie) that I finished yesterday was a CAT trick for me, too.

I just removed myself from a CAT trick. I just couldn't connect with Case Histories. I finally gave up on it. I didn't manage to get to the public library because the snow came earlier than expected so I'm trying to see if there's anything I can get online that is on my list of books TBR this month. If not, I've got one non-fiction that I've got down to read as well as my ER book that I was saving until either the end of the month or beginning of next so I could get the other books read first.

I've posted the February AwardsCAT:

http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=148552

I don't think I'm going to fit my award book in :-( I started reading The White Woman on the Green Bicycle and just couldn't get into it. Nevermind. I will go to the February page and try next month.

I read The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold over the weekend. It's been on my shelves for years but somehow I had never read it or anything else by this author. So a CAT-trick with A for Alice.

I finished The Night Watch by Sarah Waters today. It was shortlisted in 2006 for the Orange prize. Really liked this book and I'll be reading Fingersmith soon.

Finished my Spur Award book Comanche Moon by McMurtry. This is also a CAT-trick.

My AwardCAT book ended up being Small Island, by Andrea Levy.

Finished Swamplandia! as an awards CAT as well as the group read.

Managed s Cat Trick:) Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I finished my CAT trick yesterday: The Night Circus

I got a hat trick - Danger Along the Ohio by Patricia Willis. Thanks Carrie, for reading it first!

Finished swamplandia

#58 And... did you like it?

>59 sjmccreary: Yes on the whole, it's deeply flawed though. I'll put together a proper review tomorrow I think...

The Finalists for the 2013 Minnesota Book Award have been posted here:
http://www.thefriends.org/programs/mnbookawards/award_winners_and_finalists.html

Winners will be announced on April 13, 2013.

I'll be choosing from this list for my "local award" read in April . . . posting here in case anyone from the region would like to join me!

Happy Award Reading!

P.S. I read Swamplandia! too . . . but didn't realize it had won any awards (other than some top 10 lists) . . . details?
P.P.S. I also read Bel Canto in January, so I'll check to make sure I added it to the Wiki.
P.P.P.S. I'm having trouble keeping track of my reading for various groups and subgroups . . . anyone have any tricks for keeping track? HELP! :)

> 61 - re I'm having trouble keeping track of my reading for various groups and subgroups

I am not sure I can help much. My only trick is I designate one group as my main group (which is the 2013 Category Challenge for me) for all of my reading and keep track of all the reading here. It means some duplication over various groups but it does help keep me somewhat sane. ;-)

#61 I use an excel spreadsheet to keep track of everything

63. Excel spreadsheets are my best friends some days.

I use one note with embedded excel spreadsheets.

OneNote is awesome! I have my entire work life squirreled away in various notebooks. I don't know what I ever did without it.

I love excel spreadsheets, and use one to track my reading (and movie watching and cultural events attended) but have no clue how I would use them to keep track of all these threads . . . it's remembering where I'm supposed to be posting what and which group is reading which book/category/award/theme that are causing me trouble!

#67 I use columns, or sets of columns, for groups or categories or themes or other challenges. One row for each book. Mark the column(s) wherever it fits. Simple (which is just how I need it to be!) I can subtotal by month, and keep a running YTD total of books read in each column.

Nothing in March's awards for me.

Yay, the Agatha Award! I'll have to see if any of the mysteries on my TBR shelf fit the bill...surely one of them has to!

I'll set up the March AwardsCAT tonight or tomorrow morning.

I think my problem will be narrowing down my Agatha contenders.

>72 lsh63: I have the same problem. It does help that one of my Agatha books also has one of my favorite book covers. That one will definitely make the cut!

The only book I have on my shelves is Elizabeth George's A Great Deliverance so I guess that will be my March read. This book won the Agatha for Best First Novel in 1988. The very first time the Agatha was awarded!

I inherited this book from my mother along with 11 others by George and have not read any of them as of yet.

> 75
I'm unsure as to what you find amazing?

I have just started A place of Hiding, by Elizabeth George. OH got me Believing the Lie for Christmas so I thought I'd better at least try to read them in order, although I know there are 4 other books inbetween!

Just noticed this page, and have chosen Cool Water for April.

I'll add it to the Wiki once someone else puts in the format, since I'm virtually illiterate with that sort of thing... ;)

Just added a book for you to use as a template, fuzzi.

April's challenge thread is up!

http://www.librarything.com/topic/151677#

Thank you, majkia! I haven't learned the Wiki codes, yet...

Can someone see why mine looks wrong on the Wiki?

I believe you need to place brackets around the second internet address, along with whatever text you want. I hope this helps!

That looks better.

For anyone who was wondering -- I'll set up the AwardsCAT Challenge for May tonight when I have time.

May AwardsCAT is up!

http://www.librarything.com/topic/153164

June AwardsCAT is up. Sorry for the delay.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/154417#

July AwardsCAT is up!

http://www.librarything.com/topic/155340#

August's AwardCAT is running a little late, but I'll get it up this weekend.

The August AwardsCAT is up and running!

http://www.librarything.com/topic/156924#

I've been having a hard time with the Award CAT the last few months... am I alone?

Should we re-evaluate the awards chosen for next year?
Mainly, I would like something that is regularly available here at LT rather than having to go to other websites or through exhaustive lists.

I've had some problems with the awards as well. Often I don't own anything that fits a list.

Do we want to do the AwardsCAT next year? Think about it for now and also think about what topics for the CATs you'd like. We aren't tied into anything. I've been enjoying the AwardsCATs, but it's not something I feel like we have to do. Also, think about the RandomCAT, which I think has been wonderful for injecting a bit of the unexpected. Do we want to continue that? If so, will you want to take a month? And what do we want to do about the AlphaCAT?

Don't comment now, we'll discuss when the new forum opens up in late August or September, but think about it and be prepared for another lively discussion (or three).

>91 cyderry: I usually start out looking for AwardCAT books in my Stats/Memes through the Awards link under Common Knowledge. That way I can view the award winners/nominees I already have in my library. If I want to branch out from there, I click on the award name to see the LT list for that book award.

The months I haven't participated were solely due to running out of time and other shinier books forcing themselves ahead in the queue.

RandomCAT has been great as well - so much fun trying to find which Mt. TBR-book fits the best.

->94 cbl_tn:
That's what I do too since I am trying to get going on Mt. TBR.

I love the Random CATs. Well I've enjoyed all of the challenges, but I've had the most fun planning what to read for the random ones :)

I've enjoyed the Alpha, Award and also the Random cats. Sometimes I don't have anything that fits,which is ok. I love the variety we've had so far, there's been something for everyone. TheRandom cats have been the most fun though, I agree.

I really enjoy the Awards CAT. Some months, I don't end up reading any books from the category, but I still browse through the lists and make note of books I'd like to read in the future. In fact, I found out about the Tournament of Books through this thread and am very eager to follow it next year!

I like the fact that two awards are considered each month. However, instead of one general and one genre, how about using one "popular" and one less well known? That way, we can easily find books to read in one category and enjoy discovering new ones in the other category?

The September AwardsCAT is up!

http://www.librarything.com/topic/158028#

The two prizes are quite broad. I'm hoping there'll be something for everyone.

And the October's CAT is up:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/159172#

So I've been relentlessly nagging people to tell potential participants in the 2014 Challenge that planning has begun on possible group reads and on what CATs we want for next year. Please take a look at the threads and weigh in if you're interested in either. There are some interesting books being suggested and some interesting themes, but we can always throw a few more in the hat and we'd love to have a few more opinions to discuss. We're currently getting along way too well (just kidding!).

Here's the CAT discussion:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/158144#

Here's the possible titles for group reads discussion:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/158131

And here's the discussion on how we structure our group reads:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/158132

The AwardsCAT will not be continued next year without people speaking up for it.

The November AwardsCAT is up:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/160120#

Have I missed the December AwardCat thread? Is it up?

Here it is:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/160941

No, that's the RandomCAT. I forgot. I'll have it up here in a few moments...

Here it is!

http://www.librarything.com/topic/161597#

oh oops. I claim caffeine deprivation.

All I can claim is brainlessness. Sorry for the late arrival of December's AwardCAT thread everyone. Thank you, DeltaQueen, for reminding me. Now to go and root around to see if I have any suitable Australian books.