Take It Or Leave It Challenge - February 2017 - Page 1

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

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


...logo by cyderry

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If you have been following the end of January's TIOLI thread, you might have an inkling why I picked the following challenge for February:

Your TIOLI Challenge for February 2016 is to...

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Read a book whose one-word title is composed of four letters and/or numbers

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You may disregard any subtitle. Here are some ideas to get you started:

1984 by George Orwell
Cell by Stephen King
Cujo by Stephen King
Dune by Frank Herbert
IQ84 by Haruki Murakami
Eden by Yael Hedaya
Eggs by Jerry Spinelli
Emma by Jane Austen
Feed by M.T. Anderson
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
IQ84 by Haruki Murakami
Jaws by Peter Benchley
Jazz by Toni Morrison
Jinx by Meg Cabot
Lady by Thomas Tryon
Mash by Richard Hooker
Reef by Romesh Gunesekera
Risk by Dick Francis
Room by Emma Donoghue

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

1. The February 2017 TIOLI Meter - Optional page on which you may track your TIOLI reading. FYI: This is not meant to be competitive - only fun!
2. Morphidae's List of Previous TIOLI Challenges - You may use this reference (Do a control-F scan) to avoid repeating a previous challenge. If your idea is similar to a previous challenge, just make it unique by adding a new "twist" to it. (Updated 01/05/17)

Wiki Index of Challenges:

Challenges #1-6
1. Read a book whose one-word title is composed of four letters and/or numbers - msg #1
2. Read a book that's on the Alex Awards List or similar adult books for YA readers list - msg #5
3. Read a book that's relevant to one of your new year's resolutions - msg #5
4. Read a devilish book - msg #7
5. Read a book where both “humor” and “romance” are words listed in the tags for that book - msg #8
6. Read a book where the author’s first name begins with an A, B, or C - msg #9

Challenges #7-12
7. Read a book that is a collection of short stories - msg #10
8. Read a book about a political dystopia - msg #12
9. Read a book that is a satire - msg #13
10. Read a book connected to Thoreau - msg #14
11. Read a book containing a work or works originally written in an earlier form of a modern language - msg #21
12. Read a book where the title starts with the last letter of the previous title - msg #

Challenges #13-18
13. Read a book whose title includes something of which your body is comprised msg #30
14. Read a book with in the title a birthday or anniversary msg #33
15. Read a book with the word "president" in the title, or about a President of the United States - msg #37
16. Read a Book By or About a Medical Professional - msg #39
17. Read a book by an author whose full name is at least 5 syllables long - msg#43
18. Read a book with a title word beginning with "L" - msg#48

Challenges #19-21
19. Read a memoir or autobiography by a living author whose gender differs from yours - msg#50
20. Read a book whose title only contains one noun - msg#59
21. Read a book by an author whose work you enjoyed in February, 2016 - msg #72

Save your challenge until the March 2017 TIOLI challenges are posted. Thank you!

oh wow, first.

>3 avatiakh: Thumbs up!

Here's my challenge -

Challenge #2: Read a book that's on the Alex Awards List or similar adult books for YA readers list
The Alex Awards annually recognize "ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults ages 12 through 18".
There are other lists out there, I'll post a few as I find them. I've got Cart's Top 200 Adult books for Young Adults: two decades in review by Michael Cart out from the library which gave me the idea for the challenge.

LT Adult Books for YA Readers List
Alex Award List
2017 Alex Award winners
Meg Rosoff's top 10 adult books for teenagers
The Bookbag's Top Ten Adult Books That Teens Should Read
SLJ's Adult Books 4 Teens

As it's a month into the new year (already! - how on earth did that happen?) my challenge is to read a book which is relevant to one of your new year's resolutions. Maybe you resolved to read more non-fiction or poetry? Here's your chance. Or else it could be a book which supports your resolution to do a particular thing.

I will be reading What to Listen for in Music and The News: a user's manual, as I resolved to do things more mindfully, including listening to music and thinking about the media I consume.

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Challenge #4: Read a devilish book

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Read a book with the word 'devil' (or a derivative) in the title or the author's name; that features a devil, or the devil; or in which one character accuses another of being a devil or behaving in a devilish manner.

For this challenge, embedded words are *not* permitted for title / author qualification. The reference has to be properly devilish!

If it isn't clear why a book qualifies, please put a note on the wiki (e.g. quote the relevant dialogue).

Challenge #5: Read a book where both “humor” and “romance” are words listed in the tags for that book

You can use alternative tag words to the above such as “love” and “comedy”, “funny” and “romantic” just so long as they indicate the book is both humorous and about love. These words can be used for books about animals or really for love of anything.

Challenge #6: Read a book where the author's first name begins with an A, B or C

I think this is pretty straight forward, trying to keeping things simple as the news and events of the past week have my head swirling around!

Challenge #7: Read a collection of Short Stories
This is pretty straightforward too. A single author collection or themed anthology of short stories.

>6 wandering_star:

read a book which is relevant to one of your new year's resolutions

Time for a re-read of Thinner, perhaps??

For obvious reasons
Challenge #8: Read a book about a political dystopia
I'm planning on It Can't Happen Here
(looks like I'll move 1984 to challenge #1)

Needed for my Bingo challenge. I have no clue what to read. So I'm depending on you all to give me some good ideas. Nothing too brainy I hope.

Challenge #9: Read a book that is a satire

Challenge #10: Read a book with a connection to Thoreau

In honor of the 200th anniversary year of Henry David Thoreau's birthday (July 12. 1817), read a book with a connection to Thoreau. It can be written by him, about him, or even include him as a character. For instance, I've come across a mystery series featuring Thoreau as the sleuth.

>13 Morphidae: Morphy, I am planning to read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams for the "Satire" bingo square. Checking tags I see pretty much anything Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett have written are tagged as satire. Some other well-known books that are tagged as "Satire" are - Animal Farm by George Orwell, Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett.

>12 Citizenjoyce: That's really handy, as I'm reading It Can't Happen Here now for a book group next month, and definitely won't finish it before February - I'm not trying, as ideally I would finish any reading group book on the day of the discussion, so I don't start forgetting it.

My planned reads for the month:
Challenge #1: Read a book whose one-word title is composed of four letters and/or numbers - started by SqueakyChu
*✔1984 - George Orwell - E-Audiobook (5)
Challenge #2: Read a book that's on the Alex Awards List or similar adult books for YA readers list - started by avatiakh
Girl in Translation - Jean Kwok - E-Audiobook
*✔The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko - Scott Stambach - E-Audiobook (5)
Challenge #3: Read a book that's relevant to one of your new year's resolutions - started by wandering_star
✔The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama - Gwen Ifill - E-Audiobook (3.5)
✔The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Volume 1: Squirrel Power - Ryan North - Comics (3)
*✔The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Vol. 2: Squirrel You Know It's True - (self-care/enjoying simple pleasures) - Ryan North - Comics (2.5)
Challenge #4: Read a devilish book - started by lyzard
A Personal Devil - Roberta Gellis - E-audiobook
*✔The Devil in the Marshalsea - Antonia Hodgson - E-Audiobook (4)
Challenge #5: Read a book where both “humor” and “romance” are words listed in the tags for that book- started by dallenbaugh
Emma - Jane Austen - E-Audiobook
Challenge #6: Read a book where the author’s first name begins with an A, B, or C - started by DeltaQueen
✔Faithful - Alice Hoffman - Audiobook (3.5)
*✔The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet - Becky Chambers - E-Audiobook (4.5)
Challenge #7: Read a book that is a collection of short stories - started by cammykitty
Difficult Women - Roxane Gay - E-Audiobook
Challenge #8: Read a book about a political dystopia - started by Citizenjoyce
*✔It Can't Happen Here - Sinclair Lewis - E-Audiobook (5)
Challenge #9: Read a book that is a satire - started by Morphidae
*✔Yuge!: 30 Years of Doonesbury on Trump - G. B. Trudeau - Graphic (5)
Challenge #10: Read a book connected to Thoreau - started by lindapanzo
*✔Civil Disobedience - Henry David Thoreau - E-Audiobook (3)
Challenge #11: Read a book containing a work or works originally written in an earlier form of a modern language - started by harrygbutler
The Decameron - Giovanni Boccaccio - Kindle - abandoned
Challenge #12: Read a book where the title starts with the last letter of the previous title - started by paulstalder
✔Extreme Makeover: A Novel - Dan Wells - E-audiobook (2.5)
✔A Reunion of Ghosts - Judith Claire Mitchell - RL Book Club, E-Audiobook (4.5)
Challenge #13: Read a book whose title includes something of which your body is comprised - started by countrylife
His Bloody Project - Graeme Macrae Burnet - E-Audiobook
Challenge #14: Read a book with in the title a birthday or aniversary - started by FAMeulstee
Challenge #15: For "Presidents' Day", read a book with the word "president" in the title, or about a President of the United States - started by fuzzi
The Gatekeeper: Missy LeHand, FDR, and the Untold Story of the Partnership That Defined a Presidency - Kathryn Smith - E-Audiobook
Trump Revealed: An American Journey of Ambition, Ego, Money, and Power - Michael Kranish - E-Audiobook
Challenge #16: Read a book by or about a medical professional - started by susanna.fraser
✔Small Great Things: A Novel (nurses)- Jodi Picoult - E-Audiobook (3)
A Woman's Right to Know: How Women's Health Became a Political Pawn - and the Surprising Alliances Working to Reclaim It - Carol Roye - Kindle
Challenge #17: Read a book by an author whose full name is at least 5 syllables long - started by JeanneD
Juliet Takes a Breath - Gabby Rivera - E-Book
✔A Mortal Bane - Roberta Gellis - E-Audiobook (3.5)
Challenge #18: Read a book with a title word beginning with "L" - started by thornton37814
Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance - Simone Biles - E-Audiobook
The Lyrics: 1961-2012 - Bob Dylan
Challenge #19: Read a memoir by a living author of a different gender from yours - started by madhatter22
*Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah - E-Book
✔Tim Gunn: The Natty Professor: A Master Class on Mentoring, Motivating, and Making It Work! - Tim Gunn - E-Audiobook (5)
Challenge #20: Read a book whose title only contains one noun - started by inge87
Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? - Frans de Waal - E-Audiobook
Autumn - Ali Smith - E-Audiobook
✔The Reader (Sea of Ink and Gold) - Traci Chee - Audiobook (2.5)

>10 cammykitty: Nights at the Circus is a novel, not a collection of stories. Angela Carter did publish 4 collections of stories, and edited an anthology of stories by women, Wayward Girls and Wicked Women.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Carter

>16 elkiedee: ideally I would finish any reading group book on the day of the discussion, so I don't start forgetting it.

Haha! That's so me!

>16 elkiedee: >19 SqueakyChu: Me, too!

>17 Citizenjoyce: Oooh a book bullet before 7 in the morning. I have ordered myself a copy of Yuge!: 30 Years of Doonesbury on Trump :-)

Challenge #11: Read a book containing a work or works originally written in an earlier form of a modern language

Please identify the earlier language; for example, Early Middle Japanese, Old English, Middle High German, Vedic Sanskrit, Koine Greek, Middle Chinese. Anthologies of shorter works are fine.

Example works:
The Song of Roland (Old French)
The Tale of Genji, by Murasaki Shikibu (Early Middle Japanese)
Parsifal, by Wolfram von Eschenbach (Middle High German)
The Rigveda (Vedic Sanskrit)
Troilus and Criseyde, by Geoffrey Chaucer (Middle English)

ETA: Originals and translations fit within the scope of the challenge; adaptations and responses do not.

>21 harrygbutler: Would this book work for your challenge? Oriental Tales. They are retellings of early fables and legends including one where the author says she took the characters and setting from The Tale of Genji.

Challenge #12: Read a book where the title starts with the last letter of the previous title

Look at the last letter of the previous title of the challenge and start your book title with that letter. No articles, no subtitles, no serial title. Bolden the first and the last letter. All clear?
- A commentary on the book of Exodus - Umberto Cassuto
- Die Strasse - Cormac McCarthy

now the next title should start with an 'e'
(I am the only one who has the right to read two books in a row :) )

>14 lindapanzo: I've been reading Words I Wish I Wrote by Robert Fulghum and I'm halfway through. At least two of the pieces have been by Thoreau. Would that count?

>24 Morphidae: Sure, that's fine.

>22 dallenbaugh: I recall those being good stories, but I think I'd like to confine this challenge to originals or actual translations rather than retellings or responses (so I'd also exclude Till We Have Faces or The Odyssey: A Modern Sequel).

ETA: But that's a good idea for another challenge down the road!

>26 harrygbutler: No problem. The book Oriental Tales will easily go in the short story challenge #7

>21 harrygbutler: Trying again. How about Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney He has also done an audio version.

>28 dallenbaugh: Yes, that would definitely work!

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Challenge #13: Read a book whose title includes something of which your body is comprised.
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My books are:
Where My Heart Used to Beat - Sebastian Faulks
Blood and Beauty - Sarah Dunant

>28 dallenbaugh: it's also a really very good read, so enjoy.
I think audio would work really well as I found myself reading it under my breath, to get the alliteration and rhythm of the text right.

>20 streamsong: I haven't started it yet, but it looks is great. I've always loved his political satire.

Challenge #14: Read a book with in the title a birthday or aniversary

In honor of my brother and a friend who both passed away in the past year and shared their February birthdays with me, read a book with a birthday or aniversary in the title.

>31 Helenliz: Thanks for the encouragement as this is outside my usual reading habits. I did order the audio through the library so hopefully it will come in in time.

>34 dallenbaugh: I hope you enjoy it! If you are interested in seeing what the original manuscript looks like, there's a facsimile edition online: http://ebeowulf.uky.edu/ebeo4.0/CD/main.html

>33 FAMeulstee: (((((hugs)))))

Thank you for allowing us to help honor your brother.

While growing up, we used to have two holidays in February: George Washington's birthday and Abraham Lincoln's birthday. A number of years ago they were combined into one holiday, "Presidents' Day".

So my challenge is...

********Challenge #15: For "Presidents' Day", read a book with the word "president" in the title, or about a President of the United States********

>35 harrygbutler: Thanks for the link. I have to say I'm glad I'm not trying to read the original.

Because I'm having surgery...

Challenge #16: Read a Book By or About a Medical Professional

Doctors, nurses, surgeons, paramedics, etc.

>39 susanna.fraser: I've put Someone Knows My Name in Challenge #16 because the main character has learned midwifery from her mother. But during the historical period in which the book is set, midwifery wasn't considered a profession. Waiting on your verdict.

>40 jeanned: That meets the challenge--anything that's considered a profession now, regardless of how it was viewed historically.

41> Thank you!

Challenge #17: Read a book by an author whose full name is at least 5 syllables long

This is not their actual full name, but the name as it appears on the book.

I have started this off with Ice Moon by Jan Costin Wagner, but it gives me a place for 2 more books I want to read in February that currently have no TIOLI challenge home.

I'm sometimes prone to absentmindedness. I don't think that I put my own name down twice for Walden in my Thoreau challenge (#10). Maybe I did in a moment of absentmindedness but I'm thinking that, more likely, someone else just forgot to put their own name on it.

>44 lindapanzo: Sorry I think that was me, it was late last night when I was updating the wiki....
ETA Yes, it was me, corrected.

>45 FAMeulstee: Thanks. I thought I was going to have to read it twice. LOL.

I just found this February TIOLI, and I feel like the little girl in "Despicable Me": "I'm so happy!!!!" Looks like some great challenges this month (as usual).

Karen O.

Challenge #18: Read a book with a title word beginning with "L"

February is my birth month so in my honor, read a book with a title word that begins with the letter "L" (for Lori). Pretty self-explanatory.

>5 avatiakh: I've added an LT list to my challenge #2 - LT Adult Books for YA Readers List

Challenge #19: Read a memoir or autobiography by a living author whose gender differs from yours

Self-explanatory, I think ...

>48 thornton37814: Oh Hooray, Lori! And Happy Birthday! I had 2 'L' books without a TIOLI home!

>50 madhatter22: YAY! I just got Tim Gunn's The Natty Professor: A Master Class on Mentoring, Motivating, and Making It Work! and was wondering where to put it.

lindapanzo, you have to win some sort of award for the best title of a presidential book: Trump Revealed and Republicans Unconcealed for Millennials: Six Ways Putin's Fool in the Plot to Hack America, Aided by a Pack of Corporate Stooges and Neo-Confederates, Will Destroy Your Dreams by Scott McMurrey

>47 klobrien2: I know, right? Too bad that there are only 28 days in February...

I thought I wouldn't be able to fit either of the two books I'm reading into a challenge (which would be a great shame because the challenges are really good), but then realised that the heart is indeed art of the body so Heart of Darkness fits into challenge #13.

>7 lyzard:
I've got a book with a chapter titled One Step Ahead of the Devil, and the book title has Evil in it. Will that work for your challenge?

Or, a book in which a character rants that' the devil had come to claim her soul'

>53 Citizenjoyce: Thanks!!

This month, I've been experiencing a lot of same/similar title but different book-itis. I look and see someone already reading a book I'm planning to read but, upon closer inspection, not the same book at all.

ETA: For instance, I just won an ER book called The Gatekeepers about the White House Chief of Staffs. The old Poli Sci major in me is much more interested in the system, the process, and especially, comparisons between different administrations. Anyway, I saw your Gatekeepers book but quickly realized it's not the same one though I'll add it to my wishlist.

>50 madhatter22: Would The Hare with Amber Eyes fit for this challenge? It's the author's family memoir and biography.

***Challenge #20: Read a book whose title only contains one noun***

It can have as many adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, verbs or prepositions as you want as long as there is only one noun.

>59 inge87: When I think of strings of adjectives etc, I think of that old Ray Stevens song, Jeremiah Peabody's Polyunsaturated Quick Dissolving Fast Acting Pleasant Tasting Green and Purple Pills.

>60 lindapanzo: My first thought was It's a mad, mad, mad, mad World. :)

>60 lindapanzo: Where do you get these titles?
>59 inge87: I want to read Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? by Frans de Waal. It has both a pronoun and a noun. Will that work for you?

>62 Citizenjoyce: It's not a book, I don't think, just a song. In about 5th grade, one of my classmates was a huge Ray Stevens fan and used to play his songs a lot. That long, long title just stuck with me. I don't think there's a book.

>61 inge87: That was a good movie!!

>56 raidergirl3:

The second one would, if someone is ranting about the devil.

>62 Citizenjoyce: Yes, that title will work. It's only the number of nouns that matter.

>63 lindapanzo: Indeed, it was.

>37 fuzzi: Would Dreams from my Father written by Barack Obama work?

>7 lyzard: And does the personage have to be referred to as the devil or will Satan do? (I'm thinking of Job by Robert Heinlein where Satan (Loki) is a character.)

>66 Morphidae:

Any devil will do! :)

>64 lyzard: thanks!

Uh. Didn't read enough for a January Sweep and looks like I'm not able to fit a book into Challenge #11, so no sweep for February either. Been researching for hours but of the two I thought might fit The Prince isn't old enough (not in language anyway) and Don Quixote is 900 pages long! Le sigh.

>69 Morphidae: What sorts of books do you like? I'd be happy to try to recommend something that would fit the challenge.

>70 harrygbutler: I'd be content with something short (less than 250 pages) and not poetry.

I know anything from back then isn't going to be an easy read, but the less "dense" the better. That's why no poetry. I don't get it. I can read it and reread it and it makes no sense to me. I don't have the poetry gene! The only reason I've been able to "read" Shakespeare is because I find Modern English translations and even then I have to work at it. It's one of those things I wished I enjoyed more but it's like a foreign language to me and believe me, I've tried for years to "get it!"

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Challenge #21: Read a book by an author whose work you enjoyed in February, 2016
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>71 Morphidae: In that case, you might take a look at something like the Mabinogion. It comprises several prose stories originally in Middle Welsh that would probably be considered part of the fantasy genre today and should be readily available via the library or online. (Here's the Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabinogion). It might in its entirety be a little too long, though. The Norse and Icelandic sagas are pretty much all prose, and there are collections of shorter stories (including those about the Norse voyages to North America in The Vinland Sagas); the Prose Edda might be a possibility if you have any interest in Norse mythology. If you like satirical animal fables, it seems there's a pretty new translation of the Middle English version of Reynard the Fox; I haven't read that version, though.

Here are links to what we have tagged "medieval" (http://www.librarything.com/catalog/harrygbutler&tag=medieval) or "ancient" (http://www.librarything.com/catalog/harrygbutler&tag=ancient) in our personal library. Not all would fit the challenge, but if anything looks interesting, I'd be glad to comment on it.

>21 harrygbutler: Harry would a YA retelling of the Edda qualify?

>74 FAMeulstee: Sorry, Anita. Modern translations are fine, but adaptations and retellings don't fit the challenge.

>73 harrygbutler: How about Tristan and Iseult? It seems readable to me.

>76 Morphidae: Yes, that would certainly work. There's a Penguin translation of Béroul's Old French Tristan by Alan S. Fredrick that might be easiest to find. The Middle High German version by Gottfried von Strassburg is a significant work, but on the long side (the Penguin translation by A. T. Hatto is about twice as long as the Béroul, though it does include the fragmentary version by Thomas of Britain that was Gottfried's source).

>50 madhatter22: Would a travelbook qualify, Shauna?

>77 harrygbutler: I was looking at reading the Gutenberg version:

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14244/14244-h/14244-h.htm

>79 Morphidae: Unfortunately, although it is enjoyable, Bedier's version of the story is a modern retelling. Could you get the Béroul version from the library?

Somewhat similar stories that might be of interest (and for which translations are available on Gutenberg) are the romances of Chrétien de Troyes: Erec et Enide, Yvain, or the Knight of the Lion; Perceval (unfinished); Lancelot, or the Knight of the Cart; or Cligés. (I would consider any one of them enough to be a work read for the challenge, even if several were found in a single book; most, if not all, have been published separately from time to time.)

Four of them are available here: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/831/831-h/831-h.htm#link2H_INTR

And Cligés is also here: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2414/2414-h/2414-h.htm

Another possibility might be this, by Christine de Pisan (Pizan) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_de_Pizan), The Book of the Duke of True Lovers: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/36737/36737-h/36737-h.html

Finally, for shorter tales gathered together, there are a couple translations of works by Marie de France:

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/46234

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11417

>66 Morphidae: does he just talk about his father, or does he include himself, his childhood, etc?

>59 inge87: would a person's name work? I was thinking of reading Demelza, which is a woman's name.

>80 harrygbutler: I'm leaning toward the Arthurian ones until you have a better suggestion?

>81 fuzzi: It's definitely autobiographical but he was strongly influenced by his father.

>83 Morphidae: as long as it's about a POTUS, that's fine. :)

>82 Morphidae: I think the Arthurian ones would be good. I hope you enjoy them!

Phooey. Missed the M title opportunity in the rolling challenge.

Maybe there'll be another by the time I finish reading Moonglow by Michael Chabon. Not seeing any other place for it.

Woot! The reading gods were on my side and the rolling challenge got to S so I could put in Siddhartha.
First time I've ever had two books in the TIOLI. And I'll probably finish both on time, as well.

>86 lindapanzo: I think it should fit challenge #20.

>81 fuzzi: Yes, names are fine. They're proper nouns, after all.

Sorry! Just saw these questions -

>58 Ameise1: Sure, that'll work.

>78 FAMeulstee: Do you mean something like one of Bill Bryson's travel books? Someone recounting their own travels? If so, yes.

>52 Citizenjoyce: I should try to fit that in as a shared read. It's around here somewhere ...

>90 madhatter22: Yes, good guess, Shauna, I have a Bill Bryson from the library.

>7 lyzard: Liz, I am reading a book called The Book of Unholy Mischief. Are the words "Unholy Mischief" devilish enough to fit your challenge?

>92 DeltaQueen50:

No, sorry! - not unless it turns out it's a devil doing the mischief. :)

Ok, I thought I take a chance.

February Possibles

1. Four letter/number title - Feed by Mira Grant
2. Alex Awards or similar - The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba
3. Relevant to New Year's Resolution - Lab Girl by Hope Jahren (chosen as a shared)
4. Devilish - Job: A Comedy of Justice by Robert Heinlein
5. Humor and Romance tags - Arabella by Georgette Heyer
6. Author's first name starts with A, B, or C - The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
7. Short stories - Legends edited by Robert Silverberg
8. Political dystopia - We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
9. Satire - Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn
10. Connected to Thoreau - Words I Wish I Wrote by Robert Fulghum
11. Written in earlier form of modern language -
12. Starts with last letter of previous title - Martians Abroad by Carrie Vaughn
13. Body part - Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton
14. "Birthday" or "Anniversary" - Happy Birthday, Turk by Jakob Arjouni
15. President - Dreams from my Father by Barak Obama
16. By/About Medical Professional - Hurt by Catherine Musemeche
17. Author's name is 5 syllables - The Queen of Tearling by Erika Johansen
18. Title word starts with L - The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
19. Memoir/Autobio living author by different gender - Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee
20. One noun - The Round House by Louise Erdich
21. Enjoyed author in Feb 2016 - Wires and Nerve by Marissa Meyer

>89 inge87: I just wanted to make sure, thanks!

>90 madhatter22: I don't see Tim Gunn The Natty Professor anywhere else.

>97 Citizenjoyce: :) I meant that I have that book here at home somewhere so I should read it this month too.

>98 madhatter22: OK, that makes sense. I loved it and hope you do too. Whether you love Project Runway (as I do) or just want to know more about teaching, he has many interesting and pertinent things to say.

>99 Citizenjoyce: Oh good! I do love Project Runway and I adore Tim Gunn. I had this as an ARC and started it but set it aside for some reason and it got lost in the shuffle. Will def. try to get to it this month.

It's mighty quiet here. It's mighty hard to read anything but politics these days, I feel like I'm really falling behind, but, as Tim Gunn says, I will carry on.

>101 Citizenjoyce: I know what you mean. I'm still recovering from my surgery (everything went well, and I'm almost back to normal aside from bruising and itching around my main incision site and the fact going for a stroll at the park near my house is as fatiguing as spending all day on my feet touring museums or something), and while I've certainly read more books than normal for halfway through a month, I can easily spend most of a day on Twitter chasing the latest news. Which isn't relaxing or helpful, but it's hard to fight that instinct to always have my finger on the pulse of the latest news.

>101 Citizenjoyce: >102 susanna.fraser: I'm doing the same. I thought I'd get more reading in this week when my Chicago Blackhawks have their bye week and I do have more time but it's spent looking at tweets and FB posts.

One thing that has helped me....I typically go to bed about midnight each night and I've set myself a 10:30 pm cutoff on looking at FB. It's not usually the articles that rile me up, it's the discussions. As a result, that last 60 to 90 minutes of the day is spent in a more relaxing manner, reading books, not political news. The result is I'm not as wound up, tossing and turning over some political news I've just read.

>101 Citizenjoyce: I am totally consumed by the news these days, worrying if our democracy is slowly disappearing. I am also working on getting "heart healthy" since my latest blood work results. So, instead of reading, I'm trying out "heart healthy" recipes and walking again. I still think it's too cold and windy to be outdoors at this time of year. I'm a real wimp.

As for reading, I can't seem to get through 1984 because on every page or so, I find another quote that I want to write down. I'll be surprised if I finish more than a book or two this month. I have too many distractions.

Please, folks, don't let me forget the March TIOLI challenges at the end of this month. I can't believe I was so preoccupied at the end of January that I completely forgot them...for the first time ever!

>102 susanna.fraser: Glad you're on the road to recovery.

>102 susanna.fraser: I'm so glad your surgery went well. Here's hoping for speedy healing.
>104 SqueakyChu: I'm with you.
>103 lindapanzo:. Good idea

TIOLI Stats for January, 2017:

In January, 2017, we read 341 books of which 53 or 15% were shared reads. We had a YTD total for January of TIOLI points of 29. This is the lowest January YTD number since we began the TIOLI challenges in 2010. :O

The most popular book was When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi with five readers.

The most popular challenge, with 45 books, was lyzard's challenge to read a book with a compound word in the title.

The two challenges with the most TIOLI points, each with six, were:
1. lyzard's challenge to read a book with a compound word in the title
2. Citizenjoyce's challenge to read a book from a best of or notable books of 2016.

TIOLI Awards for January, 2017:

The From One Come Many Award goes to three challengers! For the largest number of names - which was tied with eleven names, both lyzard wins for reading Red Pepper's Patients: With An Account Of Anne Linton's Case In Particular and elkiedee wins for reading Wilfred and Eileen. However, of great note is the fact that our third winner (and someone already mentioned this before), swynn, was able to get eight names out of a one-word title by reading Alanna. Good work, everyone! Wasn't that fun?!

The Number of Numbers Award (Ha!) goes to swynn (again!) for reading History of the Civil War, 1861-1865 for lindapanzo's challenge to read a book whose title includes at least two of the same number. This book title had three 1s, two 8s, and two 6s.

The I Know that Gal Award goes to paulstalder for his challenge to read a book about SqueakyChu. Hey! That's me! What a fun (and funny) challenge! I had some great laughs over it. Very original! I adored all of the entries in this list but I do have to give out a special Invisible Friends Award to susanna.fraser because her reading of The Invisible Library made me realize how important my invisible friends are. That means all of you!

Congrats to our award winners! Feel free to add some awards of your own.

TIOLI Question of the Month:

Have you read any books this month with some good quotes? If so, would you like to share them with us and tell us why they are significant to you?

The Best Dressed Award goes to lyzard and souloftherose for reading a book with three articles of clothing in the title and author's name.

>109 cbl_tn: Congrats, you two! :)

Whoo! Thank you!!

Although I agree that Steve should walk away with the award for your challenge, Madeline, for getting so much mileage out of a one-word title! :)

>107 SqueakyChu: Thanks, Madeline, I just realized that often when reading something in a book or seeing something in a free book shelf, it reminded me of you, so I thought that others might experience something similar and I am pretty happy with all the different books and the connections to you which were read :)
Thanks for all the effort you are putting into TIOLI

>112 paulstalder: hear! Hear!!

>112 paulstalder: So true!

>112 paulstalder: Great challenge. But for the challenge, I would not have known that Madeline is a soccer fan.

Our TIOLI numbers might be down from where we once were but I'm still enjoying it and the first sign of a new TIOLI remains a bit of a thrill.

>115 lindapanzo: you're welcome. I didn't want to expose all squeakyan mysteries. When seeing a frog on a cover and then thinking of her or hearing someone saying 'take or leave it' - so just things each one tioli participants would know. I didn't about soccer either.

>116 paulstalder: Heh! I agree that the phrase "Take it or leave it" will always have a special meaning!

...and frogs as well. :)

>107 SqueakyChu: Awww, thanks!

>108 SqueakyChu: I just finished reading John Lewis's March trilogy, which is FULL of memorable quotes, but I'll mention one from the last MLK Jr speech depicted:

"Truth crushed to the earth will rise again...because no lie can live forever."

>107 SqueakyChu: Thanks! Actually, I was surprised as anyone else by the richness of names in Alanna. I'd assumed that of the longer titles in my stack would qualify, and perplexed when they didn't. "Alanna" didn't look promising, but as the title character could tell you, appearances can deceive (as can a name .... )

>118 susanna.fraser: "Truth crushed to the earth will rise again...because no lie can live forever."

I so desperately hope that is true.

>109 cbl_tn: Thank you!

Thank you. Did I really get eleven names out of that title - Wilfred and Eileen? It took me a while to be sure of getting 5!

Finished the last book for a February sweep today:

#1 Read a book whose one-word title is composed of four letters and/or numbers: Krik by Miep Diekman
#2 Read a book that's on the Alex Awards List or similar adult books for YA readers list: Misdaad en straf by F.M. Dostojewski (Meg Rosof list)
#3 Read a book that's relevant to one of your new year's resolutions: De twaalf rovers by Paul Biegel
#4 Read a devilish book: Dief van de duivel by Mikael Engström
#5 Read a book where both “humor” and “romance” are words listed in the tags for that book: Wie is Julia by Alyssa Brugman
#6 Read a book where the author’s first name begins with an A, B, or C: Lasse Länta by Cor Bruijn
#7 Read a book that is a collection of short stories: Laatste verhalen van de eeuw by Paul Biegel
#8 Read a book about a political dystopia: Heerlijke nieuwe wereld by Aldous Huxley
#9 Read a book that is a satire: Man zonder land by Kurt Vonnegut
#10 Read a book connected to Thoreau: Walden ; Burgerlijke ongehoorzaamheid by Henry David Thoreau
#11 Read a book containing a work or works originally written in an earlier form of a modern language: Van den vos Reynaerde by Willem, transl H. Adema
#12 Read a book where the title starts with the last letter of the previous title: Sjanetje by Thea Dubelaar
#13 Read a book whose title includes something of which your body is comprised: Kwaad bloed by Marita de Sterck
#14 Read a book with in the title a birthday or aniversary: De verjaardag van alle anderen & De verjaardag van de eekhoorn by Toon Tellegen
#15 For "Presidents' Day", read a book with the word "president" in the title, or about a President of the United States: Dromen van mijn vader by Barack Obama
#16 Read a book by or about a medical professional: Ver heen by P.C. Kuiper
#17 Read a book by an author whose full name is at least 5 syllables long: Zand erover by Laura Broekhuysen
#18 Read a book with a title word beginning with "L": Lawines razen by An Rutgers van der Loeff
#19 Read a memoir by a living author of a different gender from yours: Overal en nergens by Bill Bryson
#20 Read a book whose title only contains one noun: De rode prinses by Paul Biegel
#21 Read a book by an author whose work you enjoyed in February, 2016: Bij nader inzien by J.J. Voskuil

>123 FAMeulstee: Congratulations!!

>123 FAMeulstee: Congratulations, Anita!

>123 FAMeulstee: Another excellent reading feat!

Congratulations, Anita!

>123 FAMeulstee: Well done! Very impressive.

>124 lindapanzo: >125 harrygbutler: >126 dallenbaugh: >127 Ameise1: & >128 PawsforThought: Thanks everyone!

Wow, Anita! Two months in a row! I'm looking forward to seeing you sweep the whole year!

>130 countrylife: Wow, I hadn't even thought of that. >123 FAMeulstee: Go, go, go

>123 FAMeulstee: Impressive!

>130 countrylife: >131 Citizenjoyce: >132 susanna.fraser: Thanks ladies :-)

>130 countrylife: It has crossed my mind, Cindy, but don't dare to say that I am going to try, yet ;-)
It depends on the challenges if it is really doable...

Anita, you are the WOMAN!!! Brava!!

>108 SqueakyChu: It's a long one from Trevor Noah's Born a Crime about life in South Africa:
At the time, black South Africans outnumbered white South Africans nearly five to one, yet we were divided into different tribes with different languages... Long before apartheid existed these tribal factions clashed and warred with one another. Then white rule used that animosity to divide and conquer. All nonwhites were systematically classified into various groups and subgroups. Then these groups were given differing levels of rights and privileges in order to keep them at odds.

A statement well needed.

Congratulations to Anita!

>123 FAMeulstee: Amazing! I still haven't finished the one book I'm reading...but I haven't given up.

Congratulations on a job well done!

>135 Citizenjoyce: It seems that, no matter what culture we read about, we always come back to why subcultures can't coexist peacefully. I feel so disheartened by this.

>108 SqueakyChu: I'm reading 1984. At this point, it seems as if I could simply copy the book verbatim, but I'll give you just this one short quote.

"How does one man assert power over another, Winston?"
Winston thought. "By making him suffer," he said.

(1984, George Orwell)

I am in great distress over what has happened to the government of my country, the USA, where we seem to be slowly losing our democracy.

>134 LizzieD: >136 DeltaQueen50: >137 SqueakyChu: Thanks Peggy, Judy & Madeline

>139 SqueakyChu: I feel for you, Madeline, and all other Americans. We have elections next month and hope it won't turn the same way here...

I'd like to repeat the request from last month that we please keep politics off the TIOLI thread:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/244421#5914032
http://www.librarything.com/topic/244421#5914043

I didn't start participating in TIOLI to take part in political discussions — I avoid those fora (e.g., Pro and Con, Political Conservatives, and Progressive & Liberal!) and those threads. If politics are going to characterize these TIOLI challenge threads as well, I'll have to withdraw.

TIOLI is Madeleine's baby; if things in the world are affecting her and her administration of the challenge, I think she should feel free to express it on the threads she creates. And some people may want to offer her expressions of support or share things they've read. It's easy enough to quickly scan and scroll through messages one doesn't have an interest in. No one is forced to take part or participate in those discussions.

Just my two cents.

>142 katiekrug: Well said.

>142 katiekrug: agree

>123 FAMeulstee: Well done, Anita.

Looking to fit in The girl who drank the moon by Kelly Barnhill, if anyone has a suggestion.

>139 SqueakyChu: I just checked. The sales of 1984 have risen 10,000% since the inauguration. It's now 5th among all books, #2 in political, #1 in dystopia and #1 in classics. Of course the political situation affects what we read and how we read it. I just finished it this morning and am once again amazed at its accuracy. The chapter about The Book could be quoted in it's entirety.

>146 avatiakh: I read that last month, it's great. I was thinking it would fit challenge #2, but it's kind of the exact opposite - instead of an adult book that can be enjoyed by YA it's a children's book that can be enjoyed by adults.
By the way, I want to thank you for listing The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko there so that I could join you. What a great book, 5 stars from me.

>142 katiekrug: Thank you for your kind understanding.

>141 harrygbutler: I was relating what I read in my current book, 1984, to my personal feelings and as to why I chose that quote. I will not discuss it any further here.

message deleted

>151 SqueakyChu: You have my support, and I hope that you feel you can continue to be our TIOLI leader. I feel like we're here to read a wide range of books, and sometimes to discuss the impact they're having on our lives. Which has been more political than normal this last month, but the political environment is also unique in my personal experience.

>148 Citizenjoyce: Thanks for trying to fit my book in somewhere. Yes, The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko was excellent and I think it was the first novel I've read set in Belarus.

My way of handling controversy is usually just ignoring it, but being told what we can and can not discuss on Library Thing feels very wrong to me. This is a safe environment where people are generally polite and respectful, if one does not care for the subject matter, they are free to skip over the posts. The world has changed a lot over the past few months and many of us are trying to find our way by reading books that will help explain what is happening. If we wish to discuss those books or even make comments on the political situation, we should feel comfortable doing so no matter which side of the equation we are on.

>154 DeltaQueen50: Well said, DeltaQueen50! I don't normally like conflict or controversy, but we are in such an unusual and ugly political landscape right now, and I know that I, for one, am looking for insight and a balm for my soul. :) LT (especially the 75ers and TIOLI!) provides me that balm.

Karen O.

Thank you, everyone.

Hi Madeleine:

>104 SqueakyChu: Please, folks, don't let me forget the March TIOLI challenges at the end of this month.

(unless you are already on it, in which case, please disregard, and thanks!)

ETA: lol, nevermind!

> 157 Haha!

I enjoy TIOLI so much! I especially love being part of shared reads, earning those lovely TIOLI points.

This month has been especially fun, since it feels like Citizenjoyce and I have been playing leapfrog on the TIOLI Meter, both with number of books read, and with shared reading points. CitizenJ, have you felt that way, too? I loved it. Well, I am finished for the month, and CJ might be too, and it's at a beautiful shared place--16 books read, and 8 shared points a piece.

SqueakyChu, thank you so much for keeping this going! TIOLI has made me a better reader, and given me so many good reads that I might have missed otherwise...and it is so much fun!

Karen O.

>141 harrygbutler: I may be in the minority in the thread, but I tend to agree with a "no politics" zone, if at all possible. The Green Dragon has a "no religion or politics" as a guideline, and it's made for a gentler environment.

I just hate to see the divisive rhetoric all over the internet descend us into heated debate. I want to talk books, gardens, butterflies!

Ultimately, it's Madeline's baby, and her choice.

>160 fuzzi: I'd argue that everything is politics - or at least influeced by politics so avoiding talking about it feels counter-productive. That doesn't mean that we need to get into heavy debates about certain politicians or political strategies, but when our lives and everything we do is influeced by politics, why shouldn't we be allowed to talk about that?
Even seemingly non-political topics like gardening and butterflies are influeced by politics. The environment policies affect the wildlife - including butterflies - and the mass deaths of bees, which is a political topic, most definitely affects gardening.
And books! There are tons of out-and-out political books that we read and review here - should we not do that either?

If people don't want to talk about politics, then don't talk about politics on your thread, but a thread that's been created by someone else is their territory and thus it's up to them to decide what does and doesn't get talked about on there.

>161 PawsforThought: I have to agree. These days it's a luxury to think that you can be apolitical. The world is changing in enormous ways that no one can afford to ignore. It has to influence our reading and every other aspect of our lives, and it is only natural to mention those effects. We don't have to have big debates, but it is only natural to mention how we feel about various aspects of our reading.
>159 klobrien2: Yup, we've been doing the Madeline leapfrog, but I just finished The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama by Gwen Ifill this morning. One last leap. One more political book, this one about generational competition.

>161 PawsforThought:, >162 Citizenjoyce: My views on political discussion also.

It's impossible for me to read a book like The Plot Against America and not draw conclusions to current political events. Or The Submission and not think about how amplified the architect's responses might be in today's climate.

>161 PawsforThought:, >162 Citizenjoyce: I also think we have to acknowledge the effect of political changes that are altering virtually everything in our lives and country. My reading, for example, has changed drastically since November. My focus is significantly changed and I struggle to keep "on task". In a face-to-face book club last week, it was interesting to note that to an individual, every reader was experiencing the same issue.

>159 klobrien2: You're welcome, Karen. It's fun for me if it's fun for others!

I'm going to opt out of further discussion of whether or not politics will appear on this thread. It may, or it may not. Let's just leave it at that.

Housekeeping Day!

Since it's the last day of the month, please remove all books from the wiki which you do not finish by 12 midnight tonight.

For the rolling challenge, just leave the name of the book and remove the author's name and your name if that book is unfinished by midnight tonight.

Thanks, everyone!