2019 Reading Through Time Reading Plans

We are entering into the 4th quarter of 2018 and it is time to start making plans for 2019. Is everyone still interested in continuing on with the format that we are using where one person hosts each month with a topic of their choice? If so let me know and then we can start the volunteering for next year. We aren't a very large group so if you know anyone who may be interested in what we are doing here, please invite them to check us out.

January: LibraryCin - "I Will Survive" http://www.librarything.com/topic/299208
February: tess_schoolmarm - "Be My Valentine" http://www.librarything.com/topic/299274
March: cbfiske - "Downtown" http://www.librarything.com/topic/302253#
April: DeltaQueen - "The Wonderful Emptiness" - The Great Central Plains of North America - http://www.librarything.com/topic/302058#
May: cindydavid4 - "Mythology Across Cultures": http://www.librarything.com/topic/304823#
June: Majkia - "Cryptography & Code Breaking" http://www.librarything.com/topic/305593#
July: Familyhistorian - "Travel" - http://www.librarything.com/topic/307713#
August: CurrierBell - "Philosophy and Religion" - http://www.librarything.com/topic/308563
September: Countrylife - 'Women Pioneers" - http://www.librarything.com/topic/302055
October: Clue - "Loss" - http://www.librarything.com/topic/311219
November: sallylou61 - "Marginalized People." - http://www.librarything.com/topic/311888
December: This-n-That - "Let's Go Retro" - http://www.librarything.com/topic/312608

I am ok with continuing this way, but if others have other ideas, that's fine, too.

In fact, I was deciding between two themes when I chose the science one, but I can now no longer remember hat my 2nd theme idea was! Sigh... Hopefully, if we do it this way again, it will come back to me.

im still interested in this format, its been very interesting both as a host and as a reader.

Not sure what theme I'd pick Thinking of children's books pre 1929?

So, we have 2 Cindys on board! :-) Can't recall how many Cindys are in the group, but that must be half of us! LOL!

Third Cindy chiming in! I love the format this has developed into!

I think the last time we talked about this we had 4

>6 cindydavid4: I was also thinking 4, but I wasn't sure! And yay! 3 Cindys agree! :-)

Not a Cindy, but I like the format and would host again if needed/asked.

Hi, I'm Dee, and I have just joined. I think that a person hosting each month, is a brilliant idea. I would love to have a go myself:)

I'm glad that most of us want to continue the Reading Through Time Challenge as it is. Please start thinking of which month you would lke to host as I will probably start a list later on in the month. At this point you don't have to have a theme worked out, just grab a month, you can always come up with the theme later.

And welcome Dee!

I'm very happy with the format and would enjoy using it again for next year. Hoping to be able to participate more in 2019 and would be glad to host a month.

I'll take whatever month isn't spoken for!

Thank you for the welcome:)

stopping by and checking things out, looks interesting

I like the current format and I hope to do better in actually participating.

I've added the month to the first posting here so if anyone wants to claim a month, please go ahead and do so. I will take a month but will wait as the theme I am thinking of doesn't depend on a particular time.

>16 DeltaQueen50: I wish I could remember the alternate theme I was thinking instead of science! I'm still hoping it will come to me. I don't think the month will matter, but I still feel like I want to remember what it was before I officially choose a month!

>1 DeltaQueen50: Judy, I'm going to jump in for 2019. I'm sure I'll go through several on my TBR!

>17 LibraryCin: Cindy, I went back and checked the 2018 Planning Thread and you mentioned a theme of "I Will Survive" along with the one you went with "Blinded By Science".

>18 clue: Welcome, Clue. This is a great way to whittle away at the TBR!

A question......what will the quarterly reads be (time periods?)

>19 DeltaQueen50: good idea to check back. I think i was thinking natural disasters! I will look back, as well, to see if i expanded on what i mean. Thank you!

I was not necessarily thinking natural disasters (at least not that i mentioned). Looks like I was simply thinking survival more broadly.

So, yes, can we put me down for survival in... no one else has picked a montn yet? I would be ok with january. How early would people like the thread posted for the first one in 2019?

I'll take February then!

>20 Tess_W: According to the Wiki, it will be the 20th century, starting with WWI in the first quarter.

>24 MissWatson: TY TY TY

You could put me down for March.

I have filled in January, February and March - thank you to the volunteers. I have added myself for the month of April.

As for timing, as long as we "planners" know what the theme is a couple of months in advance, the actual thread just needs to go up during the month before. Of course, if you wish to post early, by all means feel free to do so. I will try to send people a gentle reminder if their thread doesn't show up 2 weeks before the month starts.

The theme I am planning on going with is going to be books set in the Great Central Plains of America - Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, North and South Dakota & Nebraska. This central heartland of America shares many themes in common but there are also plenty of books set in each individual state. More about this when I post the thread.

I'm in...this sounds like a fun group. >28 DeltaQueen50: Thank you for posting about it in the 2018 Cat challenge. I don't always read every challenge, but I'll pop in here throughout the year to add my reads. This is very much in my wheelhouse. Thanks to everyone for organizing it.

>28 DeltaQueen50: Since I'm new I need to ask..so with your topic of the Central Plains, any book taking place on the plains at any time satisfies the challenge?

February's Theme: Be My Valentine?

I seem to be going through a mythology phase lately, with Circe Song of Achilles and Gaiman's Norse tales. So I'll do May. I'd like to get away from the tales we all know, and explore mythologies from other cultures and other parts of the world. Not sure how I'd title it, any ideas?

>31 Tess_W: Oh yes, great love stories! Far Pavillions will be my immediate choice!

a LT question that has alway confused me - why do we have monthly and quarterly themes, esp as several of them over lap or repeat . Whats the background for this structure (I notice that Reading Globally does quarterly, no monthly)

Somebody else can probably explain it better......our quarterly reads are not themes but division of time; hence reading through time. Our monthly is a different topic each month; so as to vary our reading. Now, I don't think you have to do this; but I try to keep my monthly reads within the time period we are in for the quarter. Example: The Old West is quarterly and if the monthly is women taking the lead, I would try to find books on women leaders in the Old West. I can't always do it, but I try!

I love coming here and finding lots of activity! :)

>30 clue: As we are reading through history, the books we read are usually either historical fiction or non-fiction, but yes, any book set in the past that takes place in the Central Plains will fit. Books like My Antonia, Dances With Wolves, The Children's Blizzard or Empire of the Summer Moon would all fit. We are pretty loose here so "history" is not clearly defined, I tend consider anything from the 1960s back to be history, but others include anything from the last century - again it's your choice.

>31 Tess_W: I like that theme, should I add it to the top?

>32 cindydavid4: I love the idea of myths - you could go with something like "Legends and Myths - Adventures From the Past". I've reserved May for you.

>34 cindydavid4: Another reason for the quarterly reads was that some people wanted a longer time to explore certain periods in history, so we decided to set up quarterly categories to allow this extra time so that people could read as many books as they wished. People can participate to the degree that they wish - 10 books or no books - you decide. :)

>36 DeltaQueen50: Yes !

>27 DeltaQueen50: Thank you! That will give me time to come up with something, probably by November, possibly mid-month. I'm used to the challenge thread where they are usually posted about 2 weeks ahead, but I've noticed in this group, the threads are usually posted much earlier than that!

Now that I'm back in the States and can actually use the internet, YAY! I'll take a month. No idea on a theme yet though.

>37 Tess_W: Done! :)

>39 majkia: Jean, I've added you in for June but you would rather a different month, just let me know.

I just found the planning thread although I should have known you would have it up already, Judy. You are much more organized than I am. You can add me for a month.

>41 Familyhistorian: Meg, I've put you in for July but if another month is more appealing, let me know.

July is fine, Judy. I will try not to go on a trip during my month next year.

For June I'd like my topic to be Spies

My topic for March will be "Downtown - Books Set in the City"

>45 cbfiske: Now I've got Petula Clark running in my head...

>45 cbfiske: oh my - all of Dawn Powell's NYC books would fit here!

>46 MissWatson: Yes, I have too since I thought of that for the theme title. I've always been a fan of that song.

>47 cindydavid4: Glad it's bringing some books to mind for you.

Oh! I just now saw this thread has been posted.

I'll take August with "Philosophy and Religion" if that's a topic of interest. (I'd been planning to do it this year, and I think folks liked it, but I chose "Going Hollywood" instead.)

I'll be setting up the page quite early, just in case I've got health problems come summer. I'll be starting on radiation treatment for prostate cancer in November.

For July the theme will be "travel" - either travelers in historical times or time travel into history. I think that should give us a lot of scope and be appropriate for the month of July when so many people are traveling or planning travels.

I like all the themes. Looking forward to next year's reading!

For April, for America's "Great Central Plains," I expect I'll be reading the Pulitzer-winning Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder. I'm not an enormous fan of the Little House books (I'm definitely much more "Anne with an E"), but I've read the first five of them and I've got Prairie Fires, bought it because the author is the editor of the Little House anthology in the Library of America. And I really should finish up the Little House series, because I've gotten to like it a bit more in the later books.

>50 Familyhistorian: Oh Meg, that is a wonderful theme!

>52 CurrerBell: Mike, I've got that very same book on my TBR pile; although I love the Little House Books. I just finished up the original 5 in the series and am now beginning some other ones. And BTW, good luck with the radiation. I'm currently undergoing it to my armpit (lymph nodes). So far, just tiring but no bad side effects, but then I'm only completed 8/25 treatments. I go 5 days a week.

I want to change my June topic a bit. Let's make it more focused and call it cryptography and code-breaking.

>50 Familyhistorian: oh my probably my top genre in non fiction reads! I'll have a bunch to list, tho suspect you'll have just as many of the same ones on yours!

>53 Tess_W: >55 cindydavid4: It was easy to think of because I just finished One Damned Thing After Another which reminded me how much I like time travel and for anybody who doesn't like that there were so many travelers in history like Marco Polo and the like.

I've added all these recent entries to the above list. Our 2019 is getting lots of interesting themes. We still have the last quarter of the year to fill, but I'd say our 2019 is shaping up well.

I'll take September, though I don't have a theme, yet.

>58 countrylife: Thanks, Cindy, I've put you down for September.

::bump::

Whoo! Thanks for the reminder! I started working on the January one already, but forgot to get back to it to finish, and post! Hopefully this weekend...

>56 Familyhistorian: Oh that looks good. And if you are looking for another Marco Polo, you cannot do better than Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta Lots to choose from.

>62 cindydavid4: I can't see anything to choose from there, Cindy.

Wha??? Ok that is weird. Lets try Amazon Ibn Battuta

AhA! Weird that LT isn't picking on on him....

There is also a travel narrative called Travels with a Tangerine you might enjoy. The author takes the same journey as Battua through Morocco, Egypt, Syria, Oman, Turkey and the Crimea.
He tells about the history of the area in the 13th century, as well as the history of Battuas life and travels, and describes how many of the areas now look. The author's sense of humor and perspective makes this a really fascinating and fun read. This is just the first volume - he continues more about travels in India, Africa and Asia Minor (haven't read those yet) Fascinating stuff

The Hall of a Thousand Columns: Hindustan to Malabar with Ibn Battutah India, Asia minor

On the Edge of Islam with Ibn Battutah East Africa, the Maldives Sri Lanka, China and the Sahel

January is now posted!
http://www.librarything.com/topic/299208

>64 cindydavid4: Much better. Thanks for the links, Cindy.

I'm likely going to go with one {ashamed! ashamed!! ashamed!!!} I've never read: Swiss Family Robinson. Also, I just bought Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy – Marilla Cuthbert orphaned at 13 by her mother's death in childbirth and forced to assume adult responsibilities at Green Gables with her father and her brother Matthew.

Dang if this didn't give me two entries....

>67 CurrerBell: I'm not sure if I've read "Swiss Family Robinson", either! I'm certainly interested in what you think of "Marilla of Green Gables" - I didn't know of that one!

Bumped to remind everyone that we still need volunteers for October, November and December of 2019.

I can take one of the months.

>71 clue: Thanks - do you have a preference?

>72 DeltaQueen50: No but if there is one of the months you think might be harder to fill I'll be glad to take it.

I'll put you in for October for now, but if you want to change it at a later day, let me know. And thanks for volunteering. :)

>74 DeltaQueen50: Okay, got it on my calendar.

Monthly challenge for September.

Forgive me for posting my challenge early. I have some stuff coming up and don’t know when I might get back to my desktop computer. (I find these things difficult to do on my cell phone.)

>76 countrylife: Absolutely not a problem, Cindy. Eary posting means early planning! ;)

This looks like an interesting group. I would be willing to host either November or December, neither of which appears to be taken.

Welcome to the group, Allison. Thank you for volunteering to host a month, I will put you down for November but if you would prefer December, just let me know and I'll change it. My thinking is that if no one wants December, we can always use it as a catch-up or free month.

We still have one month left if anyone wants to volunteer to host a month of Reading Through Time in 2019. If you are interested just let me know here and I'll reserve December for you. Hosting is fairly straight forward - think of a historical theme and set up a thread that clearly shows both the month and your theme. If you need any help or have any questions just let me know.

For November, I'm thinking of a theme about marginalized or "invisible," groups or people or those of another culture who are seen as not as worthy as others in some way. Examples could be the poor; racial or ethnic groups such as blacks, Eskimos, Indians (in both North and Latin America), aborigines; people of various religions, etc. I just haven't come up with any good name for it yet. (Plus I'll need to create a better description.)

>1 DeltaQueen50: For October the topic will be Something Lost.

>81 sallylou61:: Welcome to the group! And I love the theme you're considering for November. What immediately pops into my head from my wishlist is The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, with the marginalized being the Hmong.

>82 clue:: So many potentials with that theme! Can't wait to read your thread!

>83 countrylife: . Glad that you like the topic. Your choice of reading sounds fits it perfectly. Since November is still so far away, I will wait before posting a thread, etc.

I am kind of new to the 'talk' part of LT, and I would love to join this group. I am from the Netherlands and love to read (as you can imagine). Hope it is okay if I jump in at the february topic?

>85 hasse88: Please jump in. You are very welcome.

Welcome to the group. I am new also and am having a wonderful time here. Enjoy!

>81 sallylou61: I love this idea. When you have a name for your thread, let me know and I will add it to the first post of this thread

>82 clue: Another great idea, I will add this to the first post.

>85 hasse88: Welcome to the group, we are a small and fairly quiet group, but we sure read interesting books! Enjoy.

>87 marell: I hope you are enjoying the "Reading Through Time" group and the books you choose. :)

>88 DeltaQueen50: Let's list the topic for November as "Marginalized People."

>89 sallylou61: Got it. :)

Id like the May topic to be titled "Mythology across cultures" in hopes that we are not stuck on Norse/Greek/Egyptian and Roman gods, but can expand into many other cultures in our world.

>91 cindydavid4: I'll change the title in the first post, Cindy and on the Wiki as well.

I'm just giving this thread a slight bump to move it up. We still need a host for December so if you have an idea for a topic here's your chance. Another idea is that we could use December as a Reader's Choice month. I certainly wouldn't mind putting up a thread for that. Let me know how you feel about this.

Reader's Choice sounds good, Judy. December is usually a busy month when LTers are trying to fulfil challenges and end up juggling threads from the year just ending and the one to come.

I've posted the June monthly thread early so anyone pondering the subject can take their time finding appropriate books.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/305593

>93 DeltaQueen50: I am also fine with a Reader's Choice theme for December. I had been considering volunteering for December but it seems a 'catch-up' type of theme would work great during the holidays. Since I joined the group late this year, there are also some past themes I would like to revisit.

>96 This-n-That: Glad to hear that you are considering being a host as before you know it we'll be looking for hosts for 2020!

I think a Christmas/ holiday theme or catch up theme would be great for December.

>97 DeltaQueen50: >98 Tess_W: I'd be happy to volunteer for a "Retro Theme" month in December and post the topic. By Retro Theme, I mean revisiting a prior past theme. That would give everyone a lot of options, and I think Tess would still be able to get her holiday book in there. How does that sound? Any thoughts?

>99 This-n-That: I think that would be fun!

>99 This-n-That: I like that idea! I'll probably peruse some themes from a couple of years back and further, before I participated in the group!

>97 DeltaQueen50: >98 Tess_W: >100 clue: >101 LibraryCin: Since it seems people are interested, I volunteer in December for a "Let's Go Retro" theme. :-) Does that sound okay, Judy?

>102 This-n-That: That sounds great! I will add you to the list at top and I look forward to deciding which book I am going to read in December. :)