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

Charlas75 Books Challenge for 2021

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

1SqueakyChu
Editado: Ene 2, 2022, 2:10 pm

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


...logo by cyderry

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Your challenge for December 2021 is to...

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Read a nonfiction book by an author who wrote a book of fiction that you have read in the past
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Rules

1. Please list one book of fiction along with your chosen book.

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Other Fun Stuff (not part of the TIOLI challenge):
1. FAMeulstee's 2021 TIOLI Sweeplette Meter
2. FAMeulstee's Our TIOLI Sweeps
3. 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.
4. Supplementary Thread - for off-topic chit-chat about almost anything! :D
5. The December 2021 TIOLI Meter - Optional page on which you may track your TIOLI reading. FYI: This is not meant to be competitive - only fun!

2SqueakyChu
Editado: Dic 5, 2021, 12:52 pm

Index of Challenges:

Challenges #1-6
1. Read a nonfiction book by an author who wrote a book of fiction that you have read in the past - msg #1
2. Read a book involving a holiday which contains a number in the title - msg #4
3. Read a book with a celestial body in the title or on the cover - msg #5
4. Rolling Challenge: Read the first or the last (aka most recent) book in a series - msg #6
5. Read a book where the author’s last name could be used as a first name - msg #7
6. Read a book with an alliterative title - msg #9

Challenges #7-12
7. Read a book with "Night," "Long," or "Dark" in the title - msg #10
8. Read a book that you have borrowed in the last 12 months (and really ought to return!) - msg #14
9. Read a book with 500 pages or more - msg #15
10. Read a book with either PEACE or GOOD in the title or subtitle. - msg #16
11. Read a book with an unrealistic-styled illustration on the cover - msg #20
12. Read a book where someone on the cover (front or back) is wearing or holding glasses - msg #21

Challenges #13-16
13. Read a book about a combination of the mental health and legal systems - msg #36
14. Read a bloody book - msg #44
15. Read a book whose first sentence has seven words or fewer - msg #47
16. Read a book with at least three numbers in the first paragraph - msg #50
17. Read a book whose story takes place in a COLD setting - msg #51
18. Read a book from a 'What should you borrow?' - msg #58

Hold your challenge until the January 2022 challenge is posted!

Happy Chanukah to those who celebrate. Happy holiday season to everyone!

3jeanned
Nov 28, 2021, 12:53 pm

Happy holidays to everyone!

4Carmenere
Editado: Nov 28, 2021, 3:13 pm

Challenge #2: Read a book involving a holiday which contains a number in the title - started by Carmenere

The book could be about any holiday, not just Christmas

5quondame
Nov 28, 2021, 2:10 pm

Challenge #3: Read a book with a celestial body in the title or on the cover

Stars, planets, galaxies, comets, asteroids, meteors. Angels?

6lindapanzo
Editado: Nov 28, 2021, 7:12 pm

Challenge #4: Rolling Challenge: Read the first or the last (aka most recent) book in a series

As we approach the end of one year and the beginning of a new year, I thought this might be an appropriate challenge. Plus, as usual, pretty self serving as I have plenty of first in series and last in series books to read.

For last, I include, too, the most recent book in a series as of now. It doesn't have to be the absolute final book in the series, as long as it's the most recent book in that series.

One other thing, the same person can't put in a first and a last (or a last and a first) consecutively though they may share in a book that someone else has posted. So, for instance, I couldn't post the first book in one series and immediately follow that right up with the last book in another series.

7DeltaQueen50
Editado: Nov 28, 2021, 2:49 pm

Challenge #5: Read a book where the author’s last name could be used as a first name

I know there are some strange first names out there so I will accept odd names if you can give a point of reference - such as North (Kim Kardashian) or Apple (Gwyneth Paltrow)

8Carmenere
Nov 28, 2021, 3:13 pm

>4 Carmenere: I have re-worded my challenge #2

9lyzard
Editado: Nov 28, 2021, 3:42 pm

Challenge #6:

Read a book with an alliterative title


This does not necessarily mean that all or most title words start with the same letter (though that might be the case): it means that if you say the title out loud, one sound will predominate.

So (or example) your book might have the same letter frequenting recurring through its title words; or it might feature a hard 'c' as well as the letter 'k'. A title with a hard 'c' and a soft 'c' would not qualify.

If you're not sure, say it! :D

10susanna.fraser
Nov 28, 2021, 3:47 pm

Challenge #7: Read a book with "Night," "Long," or "Dark" in the title

In the Northern Hemisphere, December is home to the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year. Read a book with "night," "long," or "dark" in the title. Embedded words are OK.

11PawsforThought
Nov 28, 2021, 3:52 pm

>6 lindapanzo: How many books does there have to be in a series to count?

12lindapanzo
Nov 28, 2021, 3:58 pm

>11 PawsforThought: For the first in a series, one book would suffice if there's an indication that there will be at least another in the series. I read a lot of these from Net Galley and they tout them as being the first in a new series. For the last book, there would need to be two, a first book and the most recent book.

Also with Net Galley, I find lately that I'm reading quite a few most recent books from a series and then, if I like them, I start at the beginning of the series.

13PawsforThought
Nov 28, 2021, 4:03 pm

>12 lindapanzo: Great, thanks. I was planning on the first of a trilogy so I’m safe.

14Helenliz
Nov 28, 2021, 4:26 pm

This is entirely self serving. When lockdown hit, the library service stopped doing transfers between libraries. When they were allowed to open, we could borrow books from our branch, but not from the county service as a whole. Come August, they restarted that service and it is possible that I may have got a little bit too enthusiastic with the number of reservations I placed - which then all arrived at once. Typical. So, to try and make me clear the backlog, I have the following challenge.

Challenge #8: Read a book that you have borrowed in the last 12 months (and really ought to return!)

Can be borrowed from the library or a person, but it something that you ought to read and return. Even if only to free up more slots so you can borrow more!

15FAMeulstee
Nov 28, 2021, 4:43 pm

An other self serving challenge. I have some big tomes I really want to finish this year!

Challenge #9: Read a book with 500 pages or more

Please note the number of pages on the Wiki.

16alcottacre
Editado: Nov 28, 2021, 5:59 pm

Challenge #10: Since this is the month of “Peace, good will toward men” read a book with either PEACE or GOOD in the title or subtitle.

Forms of either "peace" or "good" are not allowed for this challenge.

17alcottacre
Editado: Nov 28, 2021, 6:22 pm

>9 lyzard: Would Burning the Books qualify, Liz? I am unsure if the "the" in between the 2 words beginning with B disqualifies it or not.

18lyzard
Nov 28, 2021, 6:48 pm

>17 alcottacre:

Yes, that's fine.

19alcottacre
Nov 28, 2021, 6:48 pm

>18 lyzard: Thanks! I will add it to the wiki.

20Morphidae
Editado: Dic 1, 2021, 2:25 am

Challenge # 11 Read a book with an unrealistic-styled illustration on the cover

There is a popular cover style that, while still relatively new, is about to become cliche and overused (if it hasn't already.) This trendy, ~cartoonish~ style is most often found on Chick Lit and YA.

I came up with this challenge after seeing this list based on that style (cartoonish, basic people often with no face.) Books for this challenge can have any subjects/items on the cover (other than text) as long as they match the style.

Books with similar illustrations
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/133963.Books_with_similar_illustrations_

Life-like (realistic) or near life-like (realistic) illustrations are not eligible. If a book has an edition with a cover that fits the challenge, it qualifies (i.e., you've read a paperback version and the audio version has a cover that fits.)

Please post your covers on this thread (TBA).



For the challenge, I'll be reading The Guncle by Steven Rowley - Fiction LGBT.



Other examples are (in no particular order):

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston - LGBT Romance
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry - Romance Contemporary

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas - Fiction YA BIPOC
The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams - Fiction Literary

God Rest Ye, Royal Gentlemen by Rhys Bowen - Mystery Christmas
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman - Mystery (smallest acceptable illustration)

Any Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling - Fantasy Middle grade/YA
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - Fantasy
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune - Fantasy LGBT

Yearbook by Seth Rogen - Nonfiction Memoir
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado - Nonfiction Memoir LGBT
Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking - Nonfiction Self-Help
The Body by Bill Bryson - Nonfiction Science
All Our Relations by Tanya Talaga - Nonfiction BIPOC

Another list to help:

Books with trendy ~cartoonish~ styles
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/145905.Books_with_trendy_cartoonish_covers

21dallenbaugh
Nov 28, 2021, 7:02 pm

Challenge # 12 Read a book where someone on the cover (front or back) is wearing or holding glasses

The glasses can be reading glasses, sunglasses, a spyglass, a telescope, binoculars, a monocle or even someone holding a magnifying glass. If the author is on the back cover with glasses on that will count also. The cover has to include a person not just the glasses.

22SqueakyChu
Nov 28, 2021, 7:11 pm

Leave for a few hours...and the page is filled up with challenges! I'll get to work on the index now! :D

23lindapanzo
Editado: Nov 28, 2021, 7:17 pm

Just a reminder that, for the rolling challenge (Challenge #4), people can't put in a first in the series book followed immediately by a last in the book.

So something like this would not be allowed and, if I see it, I'll remove it til I see another opportunity for it to fit:

Book 1 by favorite author--lindapanzo
Newest Book by another author--lindapanzo

24alcottacre
Nov 28, 2021, 7:19 pm

>21 dallenbaugh: What if the author photograph is on the inside cover? He is wearing glasses in it, but the photograph is not on either the front or back covers.

25alcottacre
Nov 28, 2021, 7:20 pm

>23 lindapanzo: Well, rats. I completely missed that. Sorry, Linda. I did not mean to cheat :)

26lindapanzo
Nov 28, 2021, 7:24 pm

>25 alcottacre: No worries. I saved it below so we can add it in later.

27alcottacre
Nov 28, 2021, 7:25 pm

>26 lindapanzo: Thanks, I appreciate it. I am just trying to get my ducks in a row before I leave for Joplin in the morning so I have less to do when I get back. I was not paying close enough attention.

28lindapanzo
Nov 28, 2021, 7:27 pm

>27 alcottacre: Oh, I forgot about that. Tomorrow is the first Monday after Thanksgiving. Have a great time!! I'm distracted a bit because, after almost 21 months working from home, my return to office (2 days a week at first) is on Tuesday.

Is Sandy going? I miss talking to her here.

29alcottacre
Nov 28, 2021, 7:37 pm

>28 lindapanzo: No, Sandy is not able to make it this year. She is having to work. It may just be Terri and myself this year for the first time ever.

Wouldn't you rather be in Joplin on Tuesday instead of at work? I will write you an excuse!

30lindapanzo
Nov 28, 2021, 7:40 pm

>29 alcottacre: We have very little capacity. 20% or less. No one would even notice I was missing in action. With that new Omicron (?) variant, I need to get in and grab some stuff at least once.

31alcottacre
Nov 28, 2021, 8:17 pm

>30 lindapanzo: Well, you could grab stuff after Tuesday!

32dallenbaugh
Nov 28, 2021, 9:29 pm

>24 alcottacre: Yes, I guess I will allow that.

33alcottacre
Nov 28, 2021, 9:49 pm

>32 dallenbaugh: Thank you!

34cbl_tn
Nov 28, 2021, 10:03 pm

>25 alcottacre: Just added a first in series so I moved your last up after my entry. :-)

35alcottacre
Nov 28, 2021, 10:07 pm

>34 cbl_tn: Thank you, Carrie!

36Citizenjoyce
Nov 29, 2021, 6:00 am

Wow, am I ever late to the party.
Challenge #13: Read a book about a combination of the mental health and legal systems
I'll be reading The Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear by Kate Moore about a woman who was committed to a mental institution by her husband.

37Citizenjoyce
Editado: Dic 30, 2021, 3:11 pm

My planned reads:
Challenge #1: Read a nonfiction book by an author who wrote a book of fiction that you have read in the past - started by SqueakyChu
*✔Island of the Lost - Joan Druett (5)
Challenge #2: - Read a book involving a holiday which contains a number in the title - started by Carmenere
Seven Special Somethings: A Nowruz Story - Adib Khorram (3.5)
Challenge #3: Read a book with a celestial body in the title or on the cover - started by quondame
*✔Sunburn - Laura Lippman (4)
Challenge #4: Rolling Challenge: Read the first or the last (aka most recent) book in a series - started by lindapanzo
*✔The Last Graduate - Naomi Novik (4)
Challenge #5: Read a book where the author’s last name could be used as a first name - started by DeltaQueen
Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show - Jonathan Karl (5)
Challenge #6: Read a book with an alliterative title - started by lyzard
*✔Three Mages and a Margarita by Annette Marie (4)
Challenge #7: Read a book with "Night," "Long," or "Dark" in the title - started by susanna.fraser
The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger - Stephen King (3)
Challenge #8: Read a book that you have borrowed in the last 12 months (and really ought to return!) - started by helenliz
The Boy in the Field - Margot Livesey (3.5)
Challenge #9: Read a book with 500 pages or more - started by FAMeulstee
The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story - Nikole Hannah-Jones (4)
Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds - Huma Abedin (4.5)
*✔The Lincoln Highway - Amor Towles (3.5)
*✔State of Terror- Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny (5)
Challenge # 10: Since this is the month of “Peace, good will toward men” read a book with either PEACE or GOOD in the title or subtitle. No forms of either PEACE or GOOD are accepted. It must be the root word only - started by AlcottAcre
*✔The Good People - Hannah Kent (4.5)
Challenge # 11 Read a book with an unrealistic-styled illustration on the cover - started by Morphidae
*✔The Guncle - Steven Rowley (4)
*✔Such a Fun Age - Kiley Reid (3.5)
Challenge # 12 Read a book where someone on the cover (front or back) is wearing or holding glasses - started by dallenbaugh
*✔Sunglasses After Dark - Nancy A. Collins (3)
Challenge #13: Read a book about a combination of the mental health and legal systems - started by Citizenjoyce
*✔The Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear - Kate Moore (5)
Challenge #14: Read a bloody book - started by JeanneD
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup - John Carreyrou (5)
In the Blood by Lisa Unger
Challenge #15: Read a book whose first sentence has seven words or fewer - started by AnneDC
The Lions of Fifth Avenue- Fiona Davis (4)
Challenge #16: Read a book with at least three numbers in the first paragraph - started by wandering_star
The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity by David Graeber (5)
Challenge #17: Read a book whose story takes place in a COLD setting - started by countrylife
Winter by Ali Smith (3.5)
Challenge #18: Read a book from a 'What should you borrow?'-list - started by paulstalder
Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday (3.5)

38Citizenjoyce
Nov 29, 2021, 6:47 am

>10 susanna.fraser: I want to read The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger by Stephen King . Would that count?

39PawsforThought
Nov 29, 2021, 9:16 am

My planned reads (and it's very likely I won't have time to read them all).

4. Rolling Challenge: Read the first or the last (aka most recent) book in a series
Met at Arms (first in the Sword of Honour trilogy) - Evelyn Waugh
5. Read a book where the author’s last name could be used as a first name
The Big Four - Agatha Christie
By the Pricking of My Thumb - Agatha Christie
Hangsaman - Shirley Jackson
6. Read a book with an alliterative title
Memento Mori - Muriel Spark
8. Read a book that you have borrowed in the last 12 months (and really ought to return!)
Wyrd Sisters - Terry Pratchett

Currently unplaced:
The Collector - John Fowles
Death in Ecstasy - Ngaio Marsh
The Triumph of the Scarlet Pimpernell - Emmuska Orczy
The Prime of Miss Jean Brody - Muriel Spark

40susanna.fraser
Nov 29, 2021, 9:26 am

41alcottacre
Nov 29, 2021, 11:18 pm

>4 Carmenere: Lynda, would you consider Christmas Eve a holiday for the purposes of the challenge?Also, can the number (in this case a year), be in the subtitle for the book? I was thinking of reading In the Dark Streets Shineth: A 1941 Christmas Eve Story for the challenge, but wanted to make sure it is acceptable.

42Helenliz
Nov 30, 2021, 2:30 am

Each month I eye up the challenges and the books on the shelf to see if a sweeplette might be on. This month I think I have books to sweep page 2 - but it would involve reading War and Peace - and that wouldn't be the book of over 500 pages.
That might be over commitment, methinks!

43PawsforThought
Nov 30, 2021, 3:24 am

>42 Helenliz: Oof! I don't think I'd be able to read War and Peace in one month. Maybe if I was on holiday and wasn't reading any other books.

44jeanned
Nov 30, 2021, 12:47 pm

************Challenge #14: Read a bloody book************

Books that have the words bleed, blood, or bled in the title, embedded or otherwise, fit the challenge.

45Helenliz
Nov 30, 2021, 3:17 pm

>43 PawsforThought: nope, me neither. I just get a bit carried away at this time each month, thinking a sweeplette might be on. I ferret out a list of titles and imagine that I might read them all... Then reality re-asserts itself.

46Citizenjoyce
Nov 30, 2021, 3:39 pm

>45 Helenliz: "Then reality re-asserts itself" Ah, the best laid plans of mice and men (and readers) ...

47AnneDC
Nov 30, 2021, 11:34 pm

*****Challenge #15: Read a book whose first sentence has seven words or fewer*****

Include the sentence.

By first sentence I'm envisioning the first sentence of the first chapter, but if your book has a prologue, preface, or introduction with a short first sentence, you can use that. But you can also skip over these sections if they don't qualify.

48Morphidae
Editado: Dic 1, 2021, 2:25 am

>20 Morphidae: Has been updated. I'll work on the separate cover thread tomorrow!

49Carmenere
Dic 1, 2021, 8:51 am

>41 alcottacre: Yes, Stasia that is certainly acceptable!

50wandering_star
Editado: Dic 1, 2021, 1:41 pm

Challenge #16: Read a book with at least three numbers in the first paragraph

Same rules as for >47 AnneDC:'s challenge as to what the first paragraph is!

A date (eg "on 18 June 1972") would be two numbers - the day and the year.

51countrylife
Dic 1, 2021, 8:00 pm

Challenge #17: Read a book whose story takes place in a COLD setting

Self-serving, but also easy peasy.

52quondame
Dic 1, 2021, 9:33 pm

>50 wandering_star: Do only digits count or words, one, two, three.....

53wandering_star
Dic 1, 2021, 9:40 pm

>52 quondame: Yes, words are fine, not just digits (as you can see from my entries on the wiki!)

54raidergirl3
Dic 1, 2021, 10:08 pm

>44 jeanned: I'll admit I was thinking 'blood' books would not be 'of the season', but when I searched my online library database there were a lot of books that looked promising! There were quite of few that I've already read and were very good (Troubled Blood, Bad Blood, In Cold Blood, Half-Blood Prince). So now I'm looking forward to getting to a 'blood' book.

55quondame
Dic 1, 2021, 10:36 pm

>53 wandering_star: I started reading a new today online story just after I saw your challenge. It turns out the book (actual paper volume) I am in the middle of Driving the Deep also meets the challenge, but it's headed into challenge #6.

56jeanned
Dic 2, 2021, 12:09 am

>54 raidergirl3: I find it funny because I often want to yell at students that they should "read a bloody book", meaning any book, bloody or otherwise. I did hesitate a bit, but rationalized my choice because red IS a Christmasy color.

But I had 2 planned reads I couldn't fit anywhere, and this is what they had in common, so also totally self-serving.

57wandering_star
Dic 2, 2021, 3:10 am

>53 wandering_star: I love the quote from the story!

58paulstalder
Editado: Dic 2, 2021, 9:39 am

Challenge #18: Read a book from a 'What should you borrow?'-list

So, last month we recovered treasures from sunken ships, there are other treasures to be recovered, reading treasures. LT has the feature of Compare books: "What should you borrow?" So, I challenge you to read a book which is in somebody else's library and LT recommends that book for you.
Go to Madeline's (SqueakyChu), Paul C' (paulcranswick) or Paul S' (paulstalder) profile page, click on "What should you borrow?" (on the right top, below Books you share), and chose a book from this list. Then indicate in the wiki 'who' is recommending that book for you.

# The Blue Mountain (from SqueakyChu) - Meir Shalev

disadvantage of this challenge: the book cannot be in your library already because if so, it will not show on the "What should you borrow?" list; so, no challenge for diminishing your already existing TBR mountains.

Why these three: well, I had to delimit the possibilities somehow, and I think with three different faiths and living on three different continents there should be enough varieties of reading stuff for everybody to find something

oh, a little help, please: how do I get direct links to the profile pages?

59FAMeulstee
Dic 2, 2021, 6:39 am

>58 paulstalder: Direct links to profile pages are made by addding an @ before the name: SqueakyChu, paulcranswick, and paulstalder

60wandering_star
Dic 2, 2021, 8:16 am

>58 paulstalder: Very disappointed to be told by LT that this feature doesn't mean I can actually borrow the books! (if this message wasn't there perhaps you three would be spending the whole of December packing and posting your books.....!!)

61paulstalder
Dic 2, 2021, 9:43 am

>59 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita, I keep forgetting things like that

>60 wandering_star: I would actually like that, but the postage fees are prohibitive. I am also on bookmooch but I had to stop sending books overseas - the costs were higher than the book price

62quondame
Editado: Dic 2, 2021, 9:16 pm

>58 paulstalder: Silly rant follows.

Of course I will find something, though certain factors limit my choices among the offerings: Alas, LT algorithms say that if I like Fantasy I must like Tad Williams, Raymond E. Feist, David Eddings, and Terry Goodkind. I've read lots of their books, and am happy to have forgotten them. To be fair, they show up because I haven't cataloged those I do own and since I haven't reread them since they appeared in paperback, that also keeps them unread as far as LT knows. LT does favorites, could it also do avoids?

Also there are five decades of books including those by the above authors, that I have read, classics, mysteries, romances, historicals, and even a few midlife crisis works, as well as F&SF. That makes for long slogs through the borrow lists. Well, maybe I'll hang out and slip in a shared read. It could happen.

So yes, LT, you have, outside of Fantasy, picked many books which are to my taste, which I know because I've read them. But LT, please, if you can detect that I've read books 1-5 of a series but nothing after #5, don't suggest #28. Really, I'll get there or not, but I'm not jumping the gun.
PS. I really dislike Sharon K. Penman but Ken Follett is OK.

63quondame
Dic 2, 2021, 9:22 pm

>15 FAMeulstee: Heh! Leviathan Falls is 529pgs and just showed up as ready to borrow on my holds list. I may not get the Sacred Games, 933pg, as soon as I was plannig prior to this notification.

64FAMeulstee
Dic 4, 2021, 10:18 am

>63 quondame: So it came in at the right time :-)

65paulstalder
Editado: Dic 4, 2021, 1:18 pm

>62 quondame: I don't consider that 'silly rant', Susan, you are just stating facts, I think it would be good LT to have 'avoids' as you asked. I have a few books with two stars and they are still taken as basis for suggestions, I also get too many German classics because I catalogued some of the books we had to read in school ages ago and now the other works of these authors pop up as 'should borrow'. It's an interesting feature which gives some additional insight in what I have not read or not told LT that I have read it ....

66quondame
Dic 4, 2021, 3:32 pm

>65 paulstalder: Thanks, Paul. It's hard to figure out what people would enjoy even knowing what they've read and say they like. An algorithm would have to be pretty highly developed to take into account holes as well as hits.

67avatiakh
Dic 4, 2021, 5:39 pm

>58 paulstalder: Hi Paul - I haven't catalogued all my books so this feature lists many books I own but not catalogued. Can I include one of these, especially as Paul Cranswick sent me the book a couple of months ago and it shows up in Madeline's list as well. Homesick by Eshkol Nevo.

68lyzard
Dic 4, 2021, 5:52 pm

>58 paulstalder:

Paul, I have a question:

One of the books that came up for me on Paul Cranswick's list was The Forsyte Saga: Volume 2. This is actually an omnibus, so I was wondering if it would be acceptable to read one book from that omnibus?

69paulstalder
Dic 4, 2021, 6:24 pm

>67 avatiakh: Kerry, you have received that book earlier but not put into LT, right? in that case, that's fine, especially if Madeline suggests it for you to read ...

>68 lyzard: yes, that's fine. I guess you catalogued vol. 1, so oit does not show up in the list. But if you haven't read it, do it now, Liz.

70lyzard
Dic 4, 2021, 6:39 pm

>69 paulstalder:

Thanks!

Technically I have read it, though not *as* an omnibus; I have the individual books catalogued. I'm not sure how the algorithm handles this sort of situation!

71avatiakh
Dic 6, 2021, 2:26 am

>69 paulstalder: Yes, Paul sent it to me a while back and it comes up as a suggested read by both him and Madeline. Ok, I'll pull it off the shelves and list it.

72elkiedee
Editado: Dic 30, 2021, 2:21 pm

FINISHED DECEMBER 2021

Gabriela Garcia, Of Women and Salt - #5
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Notes on Grief - #1
Jacqueline Woodson, Red at the Bone - #5
Louise Erdrich, The Sentence - #15
Elly Griffiths, The Midnight Hour - #4
Selina Todd, Snakes and Ladders: The Great British Social Mobility Myth - #8
Zadie Smith, Grand Union: Stories - #8
Jessica Fellowes, Bright Young Dead - #11
Elif Shafak, The Island of Missing Trees - #11
Jeremy Mercer, Books, Baguettes and Bedbugs - #6
Evie Wyld, The Bass Rock - #8

CURRENTLY READING

Jane Lovering, A Midwinter Match
Sara Nisha Adams, The Reading List
John Sutherland, Monica Jones, Philip Larkin and Me
Jennifer Donnelly, Stepsister
Katherine Heiny, Standard Deviation
Kiley Reid, Such a Fun Age
Soho Crime anthology, The Usual Santas
Robin Stevens, Murder Most Unladylike
Stef Penney, The Tenderness of Wolves
C L R James, Minty Alley
Marian Keyes, Grown Ups

73Citizenjoyce
Dic 6, 2021, 3:15 pm

>36 Citizenjoyce: I'd love to join you on The Sentence, but I'm 36 on the waitlist, so unless people zip right through it, I don't think that's going to happen this month.

74elkiedee
Dic 6, 2021, 9:05 pm

>73 Citizenjoyce: That's a shame. I'm very happy to have got hold of a copy through Netgalley. It's excellent (so far), and the author herself is a supporting character - the main character's boss. When you do get that chance, I look forward to hearing your view - and I hope that your library service gets more copies so you don't have to wait years to read it!

75lyzard
Editado: Dic 7, 2021, 4:38 pm

>15 FAMeulstee:

Anita, I have a large-print copy of a book, which is therefore over 500 pages: would it be cheating to add that to your challenge?

And if not, would a shared read of a less-than-500-pages copy be acceptable?

76FAMeulstee
Dic 7, 2021, 5:11 pm

>75 lyzard: A shared read is always permitted, if someone is reading a copy with the required number of pages.
A large print copy is no problem either.

77lyzard
Dic 7, 2021, 5:29 pm

>76 FAMeulstee:

Thank you! :)

78swynn
Dic 7, 2021, 5:33 pm

>75 lyzard: Hey Liz, if you're asking about Wheels then I'm reading a digital edition on Hoopla which (apparently counting the number of smartphone screens) is 952 "pages." Large-print cheating is practically honest.

79lyzard
Dic 7, 2021, 6:31 pm

>78 swynn:

That's exactly what I was talking about and I was just about to have a word with you! You okay with this for #9?

80swynn
Dic 7, 2021, 6:41 pm

>79 lyzard: Sure. I don't really see anywhere else to put it.

81Citizenjoyce
Dic 7, 2021, 8:20 pm

>78 swynn: "practically honest"
Too funny

82lyzard
Dic 7, 2021, 8:30 pm

>80 swynn:

Excellent, thank you!

"Hailey" as a first name was my back-up plan but that's a bit cheaty too. :)

83Morphidae
Dic 8, 2021, 9:36 am

>82 lyzard: Nope. Not cheaty at all! My PCA/friend/neighbor's sister is named Hailey.

84lyzard
Dic 8, 2021, 4:07 pm

>83 Morphidae:

Thanks, I haven't personally known that spelling before. :)

85raidergirl3
Dic 8, 2021, 5:11 pm

>82 lyzard: I can verify there are lots of Haileys in the school system thee days.

86SqueakyChu
Editado: Dic 8, 2021, 5:27 pm

The TIOLI Stats of November, 2021!

In the month of November, 2021, we read a total of 279 books with 67 (or 24%) being shared reads. We collected a total of 36 TIOLI points for a YTD November total of 277 TIOLI points. Although this was the lowest YTD total ever for a November, we made strides in some other stats. The number of shared reads was the highest number and percentage since June, 2020. I hope you are discussing amongst each other the books you share.

The most popular books were Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo and As Bright As Heaven by Susan Meissne. Each of these books was shared by four readers.

The most popular challenge, with 33 books read, was the one by lindapanzo to read a book by an author of a book you finished in the past 3 months.

The challenges with the most TIOLI points (each had 4) were these:
1. Read a book that combines the tags crime and LGBT (or QUILTBAG), started by Citizenjoyce
2. Read a book that helps you complete a 2021 challenge you are working on, started by DeltaQueen
3. Read a book by an indigenous author or featuring 1 or more indigenous characters, started by susanna.fraser

Going forward, I wish everyone a healthy, happy holiday season.

87Citizenjoyce
Dic 8, 2021, 9:04 pm

>86 SqueakyChu: What a surprise, I seldom create popular challenges, but I think some of us are routinely looking at each other's choices knowing we like each other's taste in books.

88SqueakyChu
Editado: Dic 8, 2021, 9:25 pm

>87 Citizenjoyce: I think some of us are routinely looking at each other's choices knowing we like each other's taste in books.

Finally! :D

89alcottacre
Editado: Dic 8, 2021, 10:30 pm

>87 Citizenjoyce: I routinely look at what you are reading, citizenjoyce, because I find such interesting books that way :)

90Citizenjoyce
Editado: Dic 9, 2021, 4:44 am

>89 alcottacre: >88 SqueakyChu: You've done a good thing. Sometimes on Facebook people post that they don't know what to read next, they can't think of anything. We don't have that problem.

91SqueakyChu
Editado: Dic 9, 2021, 8:59 am

>90 Citizenjoyce: they don't know what to read next, they can't think of anything. We don't have that problem.

Ha! I guess not!!

92AnneDC
Dic 10, 2021, 4:50 pm

>9 lyzard: Would you accept "A Lesson in Secrets as an alliterative title? It sounds like one to me but I wanted to check.

93alcottacre
Editado: Dic 10, 2021, 4:53 pm

>90 Citizenjoyce: Holy cow! Who are these people that cannot think of anything to read?!

ETA: I do not mean to offend anyone by this comment, I just cannot imagine it.

94lyzard
Dic 10, 2021, 5:31 pm

>92 AnneDC:

Yes, that's okay. :)

95FAMeulstee
Dic 10, 2021, 5:51 pm

>93 alcottacre: People like me, before I found LT ;-)

96raidergirl3
Dic 10, 2021, 8:00 pm

>93 alcottacre: in the ‘book supplier’ for my husband. He reads books I leave around or pick out for him but he really doesn’t look for books.

97alcottacre
Dic 10, 2021, 10:42 pm

>95 FAMeulstee: Even before LT, I had no problem finding books. Not that they were particularly good ones, mind you :)

>96 raidergirl3: Interesting. But then, I am married to a man who, in the 33 years we have been married, has read exactly 2 books. A reader he is not.

98Helenliz
Dic 11, 2021, 3:53 am

I once felt that I had "run out of books" and started reading the dictionary. In my defence, I was about 8 and I almost certainly had read all the books on my bookshelves, but wasn't quite brave enough to start on the parents' shelves.

That was the only time. Sometimes I'm not quite sure what to read next, but that's not because I have nothing to read next.

99SqueakyChu
Editado: Dic 11, 2021, 10:01 am

TIOLI Question of the month

How many books are in your To Read pile? Is this a virtual pile or real life pile? Seriously.

100elkiedee
Dic 11, 2021, 10:13 am

>99 SqueakyChu: I can't possibly answer that. I have shelves and boxes and various piles including real life or dead tree book piles, virtual piles. I do keep library books together and separate from other books unless they're in my current reading pile, but for TBR I don't separate read and unread. I might want to reread.

I have books which aren't logged as well as ones which are.

And then there's the reservations and the books I'm planning to request in January when the Central Library of one of the boroughs I borrow many books (and most of my reservations) from hopefully reopens.

And I've taken up borrowing library ebooks which get automatically returned if I wait - they're all free so I've been borrowing, renewing, returning to I can look at another book or because someone wants it and my chances of finishing before a book gets auto returned are minimal, so it's better to give it back and then place a ghold.

101markon
Editado: Dic 11, 2021, 11:19 am

Ooof! My virtual pile at library thing is over 700. Not that I will ever read all of these. And I have 26 checked out from the library, and 7 tree books plus 6 ebooks on hold. And probably a few listed on Litsy & Goodreads. And then there are some things I've bought but haven't read yet. So I don't think it's even organized chaos - just chaos.

102labfs39
Dic 11, 2021, 11:05 am

>99 SqueakyChu: Mount TBR
16 books piled beside my chair.
20 more across from me.
602 unread books in my physical collection.
240 on wish list.

103Helenliz
Dic 11, 2021, 11:07 am

I decline to answer with any certainty, on the grounds that himself doesn't need to have that sort of ammunition...

The list itself comprises a physical stash, plus a mental list of books I want to get to. I have plans to read all of several author's works, plus a number of awards and series I want to complete. My "To Read" list is nothing like complete, and my "wishlist" stopped being populated when I felt it was likely to end up with more books than there is the possibility to read in a lifetime.

104PawsforThought
Dic 11, 2021, 11:48 am

>99 SqueakyChu: Well, my TBR list here on LT contains 234 books, and one of my goals for next year is to get below 200. But not all books I want and/or mean to read are on the list so the true number is probably somewhere between 300 and 400. And always expanding.
The actual pile of books borrowed from the library is 8, plus the two I’m currently reading.

105lindapanzo
Dic 11, 2021, 11:52 am

>99 SqueakyChu: Hundreds and hundreds on my Kindle (if not more) and probably at least a thousand print books. I've also got two books currently checked out from the library. One is a new book that I'd read for my own challenge and the other would be a shared read for another challenge.

106lindapanzo
Dic 11, 2021, 11:55 am

Avitah, I moved your "first book" Al Capone Does My Shirts to the end of my challenge. It shouldn't go at the beginning. I posted the first "first book" and we've worked from there and I think people would be confused seeing two different "first books" at the top of the list.

Didn't want you to think that I deleted your book.

107alcottacre
Dic 11, 2021, 12:01 pm

>99 SqueakyChu: The BlackHole currently has over 7000 books in it. None of the books in it are books that I physically own. The number of books that I have yet to read there is well into the thousands.

I came to the conclusion a long time ago that I can never die because I have too many books yet to read! LOL

108quondame
Dic 11, 2021, 1:00 pm

>99 SqueakyChu: I have 77 books either checked out from the library or on hold. I have uncounted unread books on my Kindle. There are many paper books in the house that I haven't read, but really, isn't that just a fact of life.

109DeltaQueen50
Dic 11, 2021, 1:42 pm

Like most of us here, I have a very healthy TBR pile. Currently I have 636 "real" books, 41 audios, 1,636 e-books waiting for my attention.

110SqueakyChu
Dic 11, 2021, 2:08 pm

Phew! All of you make my actual "To Read" pile of real books, which number 429 at the moment, seem like such a tiny pile. Thanks, everyone! :D

111bell7
Dic 11, 2021, 2:43 pm

My physical TBR pile stands at about 220 or so. Virtual is over 2000 on a spreadsheet.

112lyzard
Dic 11, 2021, 3:58 pm

>99 SqueakyChu:

Let's just say that my username once came up in a discussion of abuse of the LT wishlist and why wishlists should be separated from the other collections for stats purposes. :D

113labfs39
Dic 11, 2021, 4:02 pm

>112 lyzard: I have thought about that very issue with my own books. Does anyone have a good way for keeping track of wish list books other than the wish list collection? Should I set up a separate LT account for my wish list? Seems like a lot of work to keep signing in back and forth.

114susanna.fraser
Dic 11, 2021, 4:03 pm

Currently my TBR of books actually in my possession is about 75, with ~2/3 on my Kindle and 1/3 physical. If you start adding books on wish lists, library holds, and my library "For Later" shelf, it's somewhere around 600.

115lyzard
Dic 11, 2021, 4:30 pm

>113 labfs39:

That's been discussed from time to time in 'Recommended Site Improvements' but nothing has ever come of it; I don't think Tim agrees.

I do, though, I think there should be a way of separating books actually in your collections from those that are not.

I haven't done anything about it, though your thought of a separate account is worth considering.

116Citizenjoyce
Dic 11, 2021, 4:35 pm

117FAMeulstee
Editado: Dic 11, 2021, 5:26 pm

>99 SqueakyChu: About 1250 unread paper books in the house. A few of them I might have read before 2008, and a large part was acquired by my husband, not sure I want to read all of those.
My "To read" and "Wishlist" on LT: 80
My library wishlist: 191 (some overlap with "To read")
Unread on my e-reader: 35
A text file on my computer with around 500 book titles I might want to read someday (some overlap with "To read" and library wishlist)

118dallenbaugh
Dic 11, 2021, 6:41 pm

>99 SqueakyChu: Too many to count but I know that I am getting pickier in my old age so I'm guessing a lot of books on my wish list really shouldn't be on my wish list.

119jeanned
Dic 11, 2021, 6:54 pm

There are probably fewer than 50 books in the house that I haven't read. My nightstand pile is only 1 book high. But there are 5500 items in the spreadsheet of books I'd like to read. I also use this to explain my future longevity.

120SqueakyChu
Dic 11, 2021, 7:30 pm

All of your answers have been cracking me up. Thanks for the humorous entertainment, challengers! :D

121alcottacre
Dic 11, 2021, 7:30 pm

>120 SqueakyChu: Anything for you, Madeline :)

122SqueakyChu
Dic 11, 2021, 7:31 pm

123elkiedee
Editado: Dic 11, 2021, 7:46 pm

I've been using the LT lists feature, for a list which is not strictly a wishlist, as it includes books I've owned for years, ones I hope to buy/borrow or even borrow then buy later when available at a lower price, books that are due out next year, all sorts. But I could make separate lists for these things if I wanted to. I don't like the confusion that using the LT Wishlist collection creates with books I have copies of. I do list books that I don't own, whether because they were borrowed from the library or because I didn't keep books when I'd read them.

124SqueakyChu
Dic 11, 2021, 7:52 pm

>123 elkiedee: That's actually a great idea. At first I was very opposed to having "wishlist" be a collection, but now I'm neutral about it. It really doesn't interfere any more with what I try to do as I currently have some collections that are not even my own books!

125wandering_star
Dic 12, 2021, 5:13 am

Well - I feel better! I can't add my own stats as my books are in the process of being moved so they are all in boxes. (lots of boxes)

126avatiakh
Dic 12, 2021, 6:09 am

>106 lindapanzo: Thanks. I didn't read through your instructions so 'my bad'.

127Morphidae
Editado: Dic 12, 2021, 2:14 pm

>99 SqueakyChu: Well...

There's the bookcase... and the LT collections... and the Goodread shelves... and bookmarks of listicles in Safari (iPad) and Firefox (laptop) and Chrome (Android phone)... and the lists in Evernote and Excel and Notes...then there's the handwritten notes and did I mention the Access DATABASE (of lists and awards that books have been mentioned on/won - so I can see what's "most popular")...

The database by itself has 10k+ unique books in it and I need to update it. I need to fill in the latest award winners that I follow (*coughfiveyearsworthcough*) and I want to add some lists like all the Goodreads Choice winners. Just a few (hundred) more books like that.

My big grand total if I could live forever? If I had to guess, somewhere between 12k to 15k.

Realistically? I used to read 300 books a year but it's been more like 200 the last couple. So 200 times... call it 30 more good years? 6k books! Whoo hoo! I better get started!

128Morphidae
Editado: Dic 12, 2021, 2:18 pm

And might I just add...



ETA: Meme graphic attribution - Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

129bell7
Dic 12, 2021, 2:13 pm

130SqueakyChu
Dic 12, 2021, 2:28 pm

131AnneDC
Dic 13, 2021, 11:14 am

>99 SqueakyChu: Well, there are 415 books marked TBR in my LT library but I know that's only a small fraction. I have a physical stack of books on the floor by my bed that are the books I'm planning to read next, plus an entire bookshelf of unread books that I'm planning to get to "soon." There are also unread books mixed in with the rest of the books, so there isn't really a designated spot for them except for those I aspire to read in the near term. Oh, and then there's my ever growing Kindle collection (459 books, probably at least half unread--it's far easier to download them than to read them)--and my audiobook library (435 titles but probably only about 10% of them are TBR).

So, no idea--over a thousand--and that doesn't even take into account books I intend to read but don't physically own.

132SqueakyChu
Editado: Dic 13, 2021, 11:36 am

>131 AnneDC: it's far easier to download them than to read them

So true!

133lindapanzo
Editado: Dic 18, 2021, 9:13 pm

Got only my second sweeplette of the year this month!! My last one was in May. This month, it's a page 1 sweeplette, for challenges 1 through 6.

134DeltaQueen50
Dic 18, 2021, 10:14 pm

Congratulations, Linda!

135SqueakyChu
Dic 19, 2021, 12:01 am

>133 lindapanzo: Take them whenever you can! Congrats on the second sweeplette of the year!

136avatiakh
Dic 19, 2021, 2:00 am

Since 2008, I log books that I want to read over on goodreads, at present that list which includes soooo many LT book bullets is at 5544.

137Helenliz
Dic 19, 2021, 2:28 am

>133 lindapanzo: Nice going.

138Citizenjoyce
Dic 19, 2021, 3:30 am

>133 lindapanzo: Congratulations. Nice way to end the year.

139bradvaldez6
Dic 19, 2021, 3:58 am

Este usuario ha sido eliminado por spam.

140FAMeulstee
Dic 19, 2021, 4:20 am

>133 lindapanzo: Congratulations, Linda!

141alcottacre
Dic 19, 2021, 4:21 pm

>133 lindapanzo: I never even knew sweeplettes were a thing. Congratulations, Linda!

142lyzard
Dic 19, 2021, 5:44 pm

>133 lindapanzo:

Well done, Linda!

143markon
Dic 19, 2021, 6:45 pm

What's a sweetplate?

144lindapanzo
Dic 19, 2021, 7:51 pm

>143 markon: Sweeplette.

Reading a book for each challenge on a page. So, reading a book for challenges 1 to 6, 7 to 12, or 13 to 18.

145Helenliz
Dic 20, 2021, 3:40 am

>144 lindapanzo: It's a challenge for those of us for whom a sweep (reading a book in each challenge) is out of reach.

146markon
Dic 21, 2021, 1:29 pm

Thanks! Learn something new every day.

147Citizenjoyce
Dic 21, 2021, 6:35 pm

>144 lindapanzo: Thanks so much for recommending State of Terror. What a great collaboration in a story that might be a little too tense for me but is still fascinating.

148lindapanzo
Dic 21, 2021, 6:55 pm

>147 Citizenjoyce: I'll say it was tense but it was still enjoyable. I wouldn't want a steady diet of that kind of book. I don't think I could stomach it.

149SqueakyChu
Dic 26, 2021, 4:08 pm

TIOLI Awards for November, 2021

The Gratitude Award goes to two challengers. It goes to Morphidae for posting the challenge to read a book where the title completes the phrase, "I am thankful for...", which I know repeats itself from year to year, but what do we have if we don't have thankfulness? It also goes to swynn for reading Freedom for this challenge because as an American I have seen democracy eroding in my country right before my eyes. I wish for freedom for everyone. I am thankful for my own ability to still live in freedom.

The SOOper KOOl Award (Haha!) goes to helenliz for the challenge to read a book with OO in the title or author's name. It was set up in honor of my cataract surgeries because the double Os look like a pair of eyes! Both surgeries were uneventful. I can read easily now, but I'm still waiting to be fitted with my distance eyeglasses. I was terrified of the surgeries, but they both went extremely well. However...I'm glad they're over! :D

The OOOO La La Award goes to DeltaQueen for reading The Blue Lagoon by Henry de Vere Stacpoole for helenliz's challenge to challenge to read a book with OO in the title or author's name. In this case, both the title of the book and the author's name containen double Os.

The Multiligual Award goes to helenliz for reading The Taming of the Shrew for FAMeulstee's challenge to read a book that can be found at LibraryThing in at least 3 languages. This book was not only written in 19 languages, but this challenger listed all of the languages instead of simply writing "etc." or "others". :D

The Brotherly Love Award goes to AlcottAcre for reading Earthman's Burden by Poul Anderson and Gordon R. Dickson for lyzard's challenge to read a book by an author whose surname ends in the suffix '-son'. Just one son was not enough for our winning challenger! :)

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

150wandering_star
Dic 26, 2021, 4:47 pm

>51 countrylife: The book that I am reading is in three parts - the first part is in Antarctica, the second and third in Cambridge, UK. Would this count as a book with a cold setting for your challenge?

151Helenliz
Dic 26, 2021, 5:00 pm

>149 SqueakyChu: Thank you for the awards! Both of them!!

So pleased that the cataract surgeries went well and that you're reading again. That is g00d to know.

I admit to a certain amount of copy & paste for the languages, I didn't actually type each one. But once you've started a list, you may as well finish it. >:-)

152SqueakyChu
Dic 26, 2021, 5:01 pm

>151 Helenliz: Copy and a paste was fine. It was the "etc." that told me nothing at all. :D

153Citizenjoyce
Dic 26, 2021, 5:38 pm

>149 SqueakyChu: I'm so glad your cataract surgery went well. It truly is a miracle surgery, I haven't heard many complaints about it. On the other hand, my daughter-in-law's mother is going in for knee replacement surgery in the new year, and I've heard nothing but complaints about it. Enjoy reading easily.

154alcottacre
Dic 26, 2021, 5:55 pm

>149 SqueakyChu: I am also glad to hear that your surgery went well, Madeline.

Congratulations to the award winners!

155quondame
Dic 26, 2021, 6:36 pm

>153 Citizenjoyce: My husband is very happy to have had his knee surgery. It was this summer and he is finishing his PT next week and spends hours at the gym several times every week. The only real problem was because he had an allergic reaction to the bandages which was mistaken for infection causing his surgeon to hospitalize him a few days and a be on a course of IV antibiotics.

156Citizenjoyce
Dic 26, 2021, 7:49 pm

>155 quondame: That's good to hear.

157countrylife
Dic 27, 2021, 1:34 pm

>150 wandering_star: ... Yes, that works for me!

158wandering_star
Dic 28, 2021, 12:34 pm

159Citizenjoyce
Dic 28, 2021, 8:47 pm

>44 jeanned: Thanks so much for your challenge. I had no desire to read a "bloody" book at this happy season, but you directed me to Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou about Elizabeth Holmes and her blood-testing company Theranos. Wow, ambition and charisma can evidently get you anything, or almost anything. We'll see if her ultimate skill as a salesperson will keep her out of jail.

160raidergirl3
Dic 28, 2021, 9:37 pm

>44 jeanned: agree! I had a local true crime book I’ve been wanting to read, Blood in the Water by Silver Donald Cameron, and this challenge was just the incentive I needed.

>159 Citizenjoyce: What a perfect time to read BadxBlood! And what a crazy story.

161Citizenjoyce
Dic 28, 2021, 10:24 pm

>160 raidergirl3: Right, and I didn't even know the trial was going on. It was perfect timing.

162Morphidae
Dic 29, 2021, 12:41 am

I haven't read anything this month. I've never read NOTHING.

Health whining:
Didn't help that both Mr. Morphy and I have been sick for almost three weeks (as of Thursday.) We are *finally* starting to feel human again.

No. Not Covid. At Home Rapid Test said nope twice and neither of us had the most common symptoms (like loss of smell/taste.) Plus I read an article about an upper respiratory virus in our area that exactly described our symptoms, how they started and how long we'd had it.

Seems like it's a particularly nasty bug going around. They believe it might be because every one stayed home last year, didn't get exposed to stuff to build up their immune system so got hammered by the first one out of the gate.

Yay, us. *coughcoughhack*

163quondame
Dic 29, 2021, 1:04 am

>162 Morphidae: Oh that doesn't sound good. Last year flu cases were down because of precautions, but I guess what ever precautions are in hand aren't proof against the one that hit you.

164Athabasca
Dic 29, 2021, 6:48 am

>162 Morphidae: That sounds horrid. It’s much the same here with people coming down with rotten flus and colds. Our immune systems will probably need some time to catch up with all the non-Covid bugs going around. Hope you both feel better soon.

165Carmenere
Dic 29, 2021, 9:42 am

>162 Morphidae: I hope you and Mr. M improve everyday so you can begin the new year in better health and less stress.

166PawsforThought
Dic 29, 2021, 10:15 am

>162 Morphidae: Oh, how awful for you. Flus are the pits. I hope you're both improving and that you get to start the new year healthy.

167jeanned
Editado: Dic 29, 2021, 1:02 pm

>159 Citizenjoyce: >160 raidergirl3:: Glad you found great books for my challenge!

I was surprised that no one went for the embedded 'bled' to read possibly something less bloody, eg Troubled Bones, In Troubled Waters, Over Tumbled Graves.

>162 Morphidae:: So sorry you are unwell. Hopefully your recovery will be speedy.

168Citizenjoyce
Dic 29, 2021, 1:38 pm

>162 Morphidae: It never seems fair when you're sick so disconnected from your regular tasks leaving free time for reading but are too sick to read. I hope you two feel better soon.

169Morphidae
Editado: Dic 29, 2021, 1:43 pm

>163 quondame: >164 Athabasca: >165 Carmenere: >166 PawsforThought: >167 jeanned: >168 Citizenjoyce: Thank you all so much. Thankfully, while we were pretty miserable it was a respiratory virus/cold and not the flu.

Health stuff:
Mostly we had sinus congestion, a *horrible* cough, and lots of fatigue. I'm almost all better except a bit of a lingering cough and lack of endurance. However, I'm sending Mr. Morphy to Urgent Care tomorrow because he still can't sleep through the night because of coughing. Probably because he's a smoker and has bronchitis now. (Insert eye roll here.)

170SqueakyChu
Dic 29, 2021, 2:14 pm

>169 Morphidae: Glad you and your husband are over the worst of the respiratory tract infection. i'm glad it wasn't complicated by covid. Speedy recovery to you both.

171alcottacre
Dic 29, 2021, 2:25 pm

>162 Morphidae: I am so sorry to hear that you have been ill, Morphy! I am glad to hear that you are feeling at least some better and hope you both recover quickly.

172AnneDC
Dic 30, 2021, 10:40 am

>162 Morphidae: So sorry to hear you've been sick, Morphy, and i hope the worst is over.

With my reread of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao with a bespectacled Junot Diaz on the back cover for Challenge 12 (for a book group), I have completed a December sweep.

173FAMeulstee
Dic 30, 2021, 11:12 am

>172 AnneDC: Congratulations on your sweep, Anne!

174SqueakyChu
Dic 30, 2021, 1:07 pm

>172 AnneDC: Yay for Anne!!!!

175alcottacre
Dic 30, 2021, 2:33 pm

>172 AnneDC: Congratulations, Anne! That is just great.

176Citizenjoyce
Dic 30, 2021, 3:09 pm

>172 AnneDC: way to end the year.

177lyzard
Dic 30, 2021, 3:21 pm

>172 AnneDC:

Well done, Anne!

178PawsforThought
Dic 30, 2021, 3:30 pm

>172 AnneDC: Congratulations on the sweep!

179quondame
Dic 30, 2021, 6:06 pm

>172 AnneDC: Congratulations!

180susanna.fraser
Dic 30, 2021, 11:35 pm

181SqueakyChu
Editado: Dic 31, 2021, 12:40 am

Housekeeping Day!

You know what to do. Please remove from the wiki any book you do not finish reading by midnight tonight. Any book in a rolling challenge may simply be marked DNF (did not finish) instead of removing it.

I am very excited to be moving into 2022 with all of you. There has been a renewed interest in the TIOLI challenges by some of our former challenges becoming active again. I'm so happy to welcome you all back!

I am also eagerly looking forward to see how the Asian Book Challenge is going to fire up the TIOLI challenges. It has started to do that already (especially to me!). Thank you, PaulCranswick.

See all of you in 2022!

182DeltaQueen50
Dic 31, 2021, 12:42 pm

Thanks for a great year of TIOLI, Madeline!

183SqueakyChu
Dic 31, 2021, 1:14 pm

>182 DeltaQueen50: It's been a pleasure.

Thank you to ALL of our challengers for as much or as little as you were able to participate. Your presence here on the TIOLI challenges has been and continues to be so much appreciated. All of what you contributed to the TIOLI challenges has helped keep me just a bit calmer in an otherwise unnerving and challenging 2021.

184alcottacre
Dic 31, 2021, 1:27 pm

>183 SqueakyChu: I had forgotten how much fun the TIOLI challenges are. I have a blast every month picking out the books for each individual challenge - and I have challenges set up for 2022 all the way to August already. I cannot wait!

185SqueakyChu
Dic 31, 2021, 1:32 pm

>184 alcottacre: That is terrific! I love the chatter from all of us, so the more the merrier. :D

186alcottacre
Dic 31, 2021, 2:39 pm

187FAMeulstee
Dic 31, 2021, 2:59 pm

Thank you, Madeline, for again a great year of TIOLI Challenges.

Happy New Year!

188SqueakyChu
Editado: Dic 31, 2021, 3:04 pm

>187 FAMeulstee: You’re welcome! Happy New Year, Anita!

All of you are my entertainment and my anxiety-reducing agents. So thanks back atcha!

189PawsforThought
Dic 31, 2021, 3:13 pm

Thank you for a great year of TIOLI! I have this challenge to thank for a large part of the reading I managed to do this year - if it hadn’t been for the TIOLI, I would have read about half as much.
I’m looking forward to all the challenges in 2022.

190SqueakyChu
Dic 31, 2021, 3:41 pm

>189 PawsforThought: Yay! That makes me so happy! Happy New Year, Paws!

191Citizenjoyce
Dic 31, 2021, 6:27 pm

When you first started this group, Madeline, I'll bet you had no idea how many lives you'd touch, how many psyches you'd improve, or how much business you'd give to bookstores and libraries. I see your spirit as a nurse peeking through. Thanks for another great year.

192SqueakyChu
Dic 31, 2021, 8:46 pm

>191 Citizenjoyce: Thank you for the kind words, Joyce. I had no idea what I was in for. At the time I started it, I was intrigued by the wiki and wanted to see how it worked. Now I have no patience for learning any more coding and just want to read and chat with everyone. Have a wonderful New Year!

193Morphidae
Editado: Ene 1, 2022, 2:48 pm

>181 SqueakyChu: Madeline, your TIOLI has been my lifeline to LibraryThing while life has been overwhelming the last few years. More often than I want to say, it's been the only thread I've read/posted on. (ETA: Anywhere on any social media. )

Now, when I'm finally able to lift my head and believe I can start to become a full member of the LT community again, I don't have anxiety or that "new neighbor on the block" feeling.

I credit that feeling entirely upon you, mostly, and all the others that have participated in the TIOLI challenges throughout the years. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

194SqueakyChu
Ene 1, 2022, 3:48 pm

>193 Morphidae: That is so sweet, Morphy. I'm glad it was so useful for you.

It actually has been sort of a lifeline for me as well. When covid was striking all around in 2020, I began having symptoms of anxiety and depression. When health problems in my family arose in 2021, I tried to put my focus elsewhere. It's good to have a zen place to come to quiet those feelings. Both the TIOLI challenges and jigsaw puzzling have been able to do that for me for both years of the pandemic.

I'm also starting to come out of my shell. I'm reading more. I'm actually happy to start moving around threads of others that I had once abandoned. I'm also looking forward to some real life meetups in the future when it becomes safe once again. I've missed those terribly.

I guess you had to do a lot of focusing on the challenges you presented as well. You put so much thought and effort into them.

I am so grateful for all of our TIOLI and LT friends.

195dallenbaugh
Ene 1, 2022, 5:09 pm

>194 SqueakyChu: I also am very grateful for TIOLI. Thank you Madeline. It and jigsaw puzzling both have helped me make it through the last couple of years.

196lyzard
Ene 1, 2022, 5:17 pm

I can only add a hearty "Hear, hear!" to all the comments above. Thank you so much for all your hard work here, Madeline! :)

197SqueakyChu
Ene 1, 2022, 7:46 pm

>195 dallenbaugh: >196 lyzard: You are both more than welcome. It is great fun to do this.

I find it funny that, although the pandemic caused me to read a lot less, it never stopped me from obsessing about running the TIOLI challenges. :D

198quondame
Ene 1, 2022, 8:26 pm

>197 SqueakyChu: I'm glad you kept the challenges going. Thank you. Sometimes this sort of voluntary commitment can be a burden but I am happy it was a support.

199SqueakyChu
Ene 1, 2022, 9:46 pm

>198 quondame: Fortunately, I guess, it has never been a burden. I guess I could just call it a hobby. Like stewarding my Little Free Library of Twinbrook (#7720), it brings me great joy as well as connects me to others. In this pandemic-crazed world, a little connection to others is a wonderful thing!

200SqueakyChu
Editado: Ene 1, 2022, 9:56 pm

Before we leave the 2021 thread, I want to offer a tip of the old hat to these sweepers.

AlcottAcre (November)
AnneDC (May, July, September, December)
Citizenjoyce (May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December)
FAMeulstee (April, May x2, June, July, September, October, November)
lyzard (July, November)
quondame (January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December)

*Please note that Anita (FAMeulstee) not only kept track of our 2021 sweeplettes, but also did a DOUBLE sweep in May, 2021. I think that was the first time anyone has EVER done that!
*Also note that Susan (quondame) had a sweep EVERY month of the year!

Keep on sweeping in 2022, challengers!

201AnneDC
Ene 1, 2022, 11:39 pm

I love all this TIOLI joy as the year wraps up!

TIOLI is one of my favorite things about LT and the 75 group and is what pulled me back after a break a couple of years ago. Thank you so much Madeline for thinking of it and for keeping it going year after year, and to everyone who posts challenges and enthusiastically participates month after month. TIOLI has really transformed my reading.

(And one of my 2022 goals is to accomplish at least one sweep.)

202SqueakyChu
Ene 1, 2022, 11:43 pm

>201 AnneDC: Good luck in your sweep attempt. Maybe one of these months I'll try to get another sweeplette! :D

203FAMeulstee
Editado: Ene 2, 2022, 6:04 am

>200 SqueakyChu: Thank you, Madeline, but it is no first double. Harry (harrygbutler) did that first back in 2016. I did a fiver in December 2018, the month I did nothing else but read.

And even more notable, Susan (quondame) did a sweep every month since April 2019. That is 45 months in a row!!

ETA: all this can be found at https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/Our_TIOLI_Sweeps

204quondame
Ene 2, 2022, 1:20 pm

>203 FAMeulstee: Really, 5 sweeps in one month impresses the hell out of me!

205SqueakyChu
Editado: Ene 2, 2022, 1:41 pm

>203 FAMeulstee: That's my memory for you. It's not going to get any better, I'm afraid. :) I didn't read Remember by Lisa Genova recently for no reason. :O

Thanks for the correction, Anita, and for the very special note about Susan (quondame). I appreciate your giving credit where credit is due.

That is a most amazing list of statistics! Thank you so much for doing this, Anita!!

206FAMeulstee
Ene 2, 2022, 1:44 pm

>204 quondame: Thanks, Susan, I will never manage do that again.
I just wanted to know how far I could stretch my reading, and did nothing else but reading, sleeping, and walk an hour a day.

207FAMeulstee
Ene 2, 2022, 1:48 pm

>205 SqueakyChu: That is okay, Madeline, we can't remember everything ;-)

I started that list when all the wiki pages had to be moved, and could look back at all TIOLI challenges since the start.

208SqueakyChu
Ene 2, 2022, 1:49 pm

>207 FAMeulstee: I think it's a really important wiki page so I added it to message #1 for all of us to look at in the future (especially me, myself, and I). :D

209FAMeulstee
Ene 2, 2022, 1:51 pm

>208 SqueakyChu: You put it at the bottom of the TIOLI meter every month ;-)

210SqueakyChu
Editado: Ene 2, 2022, 1:56 pm

>209I guess I never looked at it for all that time! Sheesh! I think I like it better on the main thread so I'm moving it there.

Now the wiki is not working so I'll have to fix everything later. :(

211FAMeulstee
Ene 2, 2022, 1:56 pm

>210 SqueakyChu: LOL!
Maybe you won't forget now ;-)

212SqueakyChu
Ene 2, 2022, 1:56 pm

>210 SqueakyChu: LOL! I just might!

213FAMeulstee
Ene 2, 2022, 1:57 pm

>210 SqueakyChu: Wiki is working again right now.

214SqueakyChu
Ene 2, 2022, 1:58 pm

>213 FAMeulstee: I think we're good now.

215Citizenjoyce
Ene 2, 2022, 1:58 pm

>203 FAMeulstee: Wow, those are just amazing statistics.

216SqueakyChu
Editado: Ene 2, 2022, 2:04 pm

>213 FAMeulstee: Okay. It's off the TIOLI meter page for 2022 and onto the main page going forward...as it has jumped in importance! :D

In addition, it credits you with doing all the work in maintaining these stats (that everyone but me seems to be reading!) *sigh*

217FAMeulstee
Ene 2, 2022, 2:05 pm

>200 SqueakyChu: Oh, and one more sweep was made by Stasia, in December.

218SqueakyChu
Editado: Ene 2, 2022, 2:09 pm

>217 FAMeulstee: Yay! Congrats Stasia!

I cleaned up "Other Fun Stuff (not part of the TIOLI challenge):" in message #1 so now it looks much better (and maybe I'll look at those links from time to time!).

219FAMeulstee
Ene 2, 2022, 2:11 pm

>218 SqueakyChu: Looks good, thanks Madeline!

220SqueakyChu
Editado: Ene 2, 2022, 2:12 pm

Now I'm going out for a walk...before the weather turns cold again! :D

221FAMeulstee
Ene 2, 2022, 2:14 pm

>220 SqueakyChu: Enjoy your walk, Madeline, I go back to my book :-)

222SqueakyChu
Ene 2, 2022, 2:17 pm

223SqueakyChu
Ene 2, 2022, 6:45 pm

It's a good thing I went for my walk today. I discovered three new Little Free Libraries in my neighborhood, I walked three miles, and there is going to be a snowstorm tomorrow. More time to read, I guess! :D

224alcottacre
Ene 3, 2022, 2:25 am