Take It or Leave It Challenge - March 2020 - Page 1

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


...logo by cyderry

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Your challenge for March, 2020 is to...

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Read a book of fiction about a clash of cultures
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Rules:
1. No pressing parameters for this one. Your interpretation of a culture clash will suffice. It need not only be ethnic, but may also be racial, religious, socio-economic, etc.
2. Please identify the cultures on the wiki.

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

1. The March 2020 TIOLI Meter - Optional page on which you may track your TIOLI reading. FYI: This is not meant to be competitive - only fun!
2. Morphidae's List of Previous TIOLI Challenges - You may use this reference (Do a control-F scan) to avoid repeating a previous challenge. If your idea is similar to a previous challenge, just make it unique by adding a new "twist" to it.
3. @FAMeulstee's 2020 TIOLI Sweeplette Meter

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Wiki Index of Challenges:

Challenges #1-6
1. Read a book of fiction about a clash of cultures - msg #1
2. Read a book for the MARCH Semi-Rolling Challenge - msg #8
3. Read a book honoring "Plant a Seed" day - msg #10
4. Read a book with a word in the title that is often misused or misspelled - msg #11
5. Read a book you've had in the house or on your e-device since before Jan 1, 2020 - msg #14
6. Read a book where the final page count of the story portion of the book is an odd number - msg #16

Challenges #7-12
7. Read a book focused around some sort of physical activity, eg sports, dance - msg #18
8. Read a book with a title including a mathematical or astronomical term - msg #20
9. Read a book with a baseball connection - msg #22
10. Tour de Suisse by adding the read pages to the Swiss postal code - msg #23
11. Read a Non Fiction book by a woman about a woman, a group of women or a woman's issue - msg #26
12. Read an anthology of genre fiction - msg #33

Challenges #13-18
13. Read a book with a punny title - msg #34
14. Read a book about women who broke a glass ceiling - msg #38
15. Read a book with a country in the title - msg #39
16. March birthstone challenge - read a book with an aquamarine cover - msg #50 - thread
17. Read a book with a Founding Father or Another honored in DC msg #64

Hold your challenge until the April 2020 TIOLI challenges are posted. Thx!

(duplicate message deleted)

I had a feeling this was coming tonight, but I don't have a Challenge ready! Maybe I can come up with something quickly....

>4 Dejah_Thoris: Morphy sensed it the other day! :D

>5 SqueakyChu: It seems a shame to find it first and not be prepared! Some months I have something definite in mind - other months, not so much.

ETA: I really like your challenge, btw! Would fictional cultures count? I'm thinking of several science fiction and fantasy novels....

>6 Dejah_Thoris: I hadn't thought of that, but go ahead a do it as long as you can identify the culture clash. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell is the first book that comes to my mind for that!!

Challenge #2: Read a book for the March Semi-Rolling Challenge

For this challenge, there must be an entry for each of the five challenges, spelling out the word M-A-R-C-H, before the next "set" of letters, spelling out M-A-R-C-H, can be used.

Challenges can be taken in any order within the set. One person can take no more than two challenges per set.

Short version:
- Read a book that has a M-OVEMENT in the title that a person can do on their own feet
- Read a book by an author from the Zeitgeist A-UTHOR page
- Read a book with a fictional R-ELIGION, mythological, or theological system
- Read a book from one of the C- OMPILATIONS I organized in The Green Dragon group
- Read a book from the LT "HOT this month" list

Long version with explanations and links below.

(There will be similar "spell the month" rolling challenges through July. August is too long a word. Ha!)

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M - Movement

Read a book that has a movement in the title that a person can do on their own feet (stand, run, walk, jump, sprint, hop, limp, stagger, swagger, shuffle, skip, march, strut, jog, dance, tiptoe, etc.) To be inclusive, verbs like roll, wheel, push, ride, or scoot are also acceptable, i.e. verbs used for wheelchairs, walkers, etc.

Embedded words and different verb tenses are fine.

A - Author

Read a book by an author from the Zeitgeist Author page.

Do not click on links to "show more" or "see the full list." Stick with what's on the first page.

R - Religion

Read a book with a fictional religion, mythological, or theological system.

System can be totally fictional such as in Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin, or The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold or it can be a real system but must have a fictional twist such as Lamb by Christopher Moore , The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan or American Gods by Neil Gaiman.

Books such as Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman, The Iliad by Homer, Gilead by Marilynnn Robinson or anything with a "(World Religion, e.g. Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Pagan, Jainist)- Fiction" tag would not qualify

Try:

Tags "gods" or "gods and goddesses." Tagmashes "fantasy, religion" and "science fiction, religion."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_religions
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_religious_ideas_in_fantasy_fiction
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_religious_ideas_in_science_fiction

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FantasyPantheon
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FantasyCounterpartReligion
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CrystalDragonJesus
(TV Tropes is fantastic for this sort of thing.)

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1646.Best_Fantasy_God_Type_books

C - Compilation

Read a book from one of the compilations I organized in The Green Dragon group. These lists were created in 2010/2011 so do not have the most current titles. The lists can be found on my profile (http://www.librarything.com/profile/Morphidae) or use the links below.

1001 Fantasy Books to Read Before You Are Turned Into a Newt and 111 Science Fiction Books to Read Before a Supernova Kills Us All are libraries. You can click on the wiki links on the library profile page for lists by number of votes. Or if you sort the library by tag, it will sort by number of votes. The FANTASY list actually has 463 books as I only listed the first book in a series but *counted* the entire series (as of 2010/2011.)

For 111 Nonfiction Books to Read Before Your Brain Atrophies and 50 Mysteries to Read Before They Find the Body there are threads rather than libraries.

You can read any book from a fiction series, if the first book is mentioned in one of these lists.

H - Hot This Month

Read a book from the LT "Hot this month" list (http://www.librarything.com/zeitgeist/popularity). There are 100 of them to choose from. They are not all new books. I've seen books for all years back through 2012 and there may be some older.

>7 SqueakyChu: Finding culture clash in SF&F novels is rarely a problem! Thanks!

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Challenge #3: Read a book honoring Plant a Seed Day
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There’s an organization in the U.S. that has declared March 19th “Plant a Seed Day.” Who knew? Since I think planting seeds is a pretty good idea, I challenge everyone to read a book that relates to the plant a seed idea. It could be a book about planning gardens, starting seeds, big ag, the food to table movement, locally sourced flowers, Victorian plant hunters, food security, the importance of pollinators, or GMOs, etc. It could have plant or seed or something grown from seed in the title or author’s name. I’m willing to be pretty flexible. If the connection isn’t obvious, please clarify.

ETA:

Both fiction and nonfiction are acceptable. The words flower and garden in the title are fine, too. After all, both of these often start with a seed.....

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Challenge #4: Read a book with a word in the title that is often misused or misspelled

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This challenge anti-honours one of the things that drives me crazy!

There are many words that might qualify a book for this challenge: obvious homophones, such as its / it's, there / their / they're, or your / you're; or others such as rain / rein / reign; or near misses, such as lose / loose.

This isn't just about spelling mistakes, however: it should be about words that are used by mistake, in place of another word; what is meant would be clear from the context. The word in your book title may be either the "right" or "wrong" one from your example.

Though it isn't hard to think of words that qualify, I would *really* prefer it if people used one they had personally seen misused. If you can't remember any, I would suggest spending ten minutes on social media! :D

Please note your word and its alternative on the wiki.

>11 lyzard: The lose/loose one drives me out of my mind. Your pants get LOOSE when you LOSE weight.

>12 Morphidae:

YES!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

That is a particular bugbear of mine too. :D

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Challenge #5: Read a book you've had in the house or on your e-device since before Jan 1, 2020
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If you have the physical book it's fine if you read the e-book or listen on audio or vice-versa.

>10 Dejah_Thoris: Dejah, would a couple of fiction books with the words Garden and Flowers in the title work for your challenge?

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Challenge #6: Read a book where the final page count of the story portion of the book is an odd number.
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Please just count the story only - not any author's notes or interviews that are placed at the end of the book.

>11 lyzard: Liz, according to this website: https://english-the-easy-way.com/Confusing_English/Morning_Mourning.html

the words morning and mourning are often confused with each other - would this work for your challenge?

Challenge #7: Read a book with a focus on physical activity

I hope this is self-explanatory. This can be fiction or non-fiction, as long as physical activity, eg sports, dancing etc is significant in some way.

I can recommend these two books, which would fit:

Dancing With Cuba by Alma Guillermoprieto - memoir by a ballet dancer
Dare Me by Megan Abbott - a thriller focused on a cheerleading team

Also of course any book by a sportsperson or someone who has been active for a living, manual on exercise or sports, etc.

I am picking this partly because being more active is another one of my NY resolutions, partly because I just bought Keep It Moving by the dancer Twyla Tharp and am very keen to start reading it.

>15 DeltaQueen50: I think that's within the spirit of the challenge - go ahead, Judy!

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Challenge #8: Read a book with a title including a mathematical or astronomical term.
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In memory of Katherine Johnson, NASA mathematician, who was featured in the book Hidden Figures.

Please use the terms from either of these links:
https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-terms/ OR
https://www.storyofmathematics.com/glossary.html

Embedded words and partial use of multi-word terms are acceptable.

>19 Dejah_Thoris: Thanks, Dejah :)

Challenge #9: Read a book with a baseball connection

Spring Training is in full tilt in Arizona and Florida come March and the regular season starts, incredibly, this year on March 26 so I challenge you to read a book that has a connection to baseball. The book doesn't need to be entirely about baseball but baseball should have a somewhat significant connection.

Challenge #10: Tour de Suisse by adding the read pages to the Swiss postal code

Let's travel through Switzerland along the Swiss postal code: start with 1000 (Lausanne), read a book and add the pages to the previous code and so determine the next stop. (1000 + 477 = 1477, if there is no place with that code, take the nearest number -> 1475; if there are more than one place with the same number, it is up to you to chose which one comes next) write the code and the place in the wiki. The first letter of the place gives the first letter of the title of the book the next reader has to read (in this case the next book title has to start with M).

Articles do not count, not for the book titles nor for the places (La Chaux-de-Fonds goes as C, not as L).

Use the canonical title of the copy you actually read, not the original title (if that would be different)

- 1000 Lausanne Das Labyrinth der Welt (477 pages) - Ross King - paulstalder
- 1477 (next 1475 Montbrelloz)

http://postleitzahlenschweiz.ch/?s=1000&submit=Search (write the number in this field Erneut suchen: and click enter)
http://postleitzahlenschweiz.ch/tabelle/ (the tables for doing a numeric search)

🏁🏁🏁 drive carefully

I added a link with a map and (if I'll have the time) some informatoin concerning the stops we make
http://www.librarything.com/topic/317107

>23 paulstalder: Gorgeous challenge, Paul.

>23 paulstalder: Does it have to be 1475 Montbrelloz? Could it be 1475 Autavaux or 1475 Forel FR? If not, how are we supposed to tell?

Challenge #11: Read a Non Fiction book by a woman about a woman, a group of women or a woman's issue

I'm specifying non-fiction for a change, I know the majority of our reading is fiction, but sometimes it's good to read the non-creative arts.

There should be a reasonable degree of scope, while still remaining within the challenge. There seem to be an increasing number of women writing non-fiction, so get out there and discover some. The subject could be a biography of a woman subject, or a history of a group of women (a history of the suffragettes, for instance) or about an issue that is predominately concerned with women. A woman's autobiography would also count. As usual, I've probably not thought of something, in which case, please ask.

>17 DeltaQueen50:

Yes, that's the sort of thing I mean.

>25 Morphidae: you are right, could be any of these, the choice is yours (I chose M)

>28 paulstalder:

Perhaps you should add having a choice to your challenge description? The extra flexibility would be good. :)

>27 lyzard: Thanks, Liz. :)

>11 lyzard: What about a book with a misspelled word in the title? I have Jane Austen's Love and Freindship lined up for March.

>31 cbl_tn:

We-ee-ee-llll...

Not exactly what I had in mind but since it's Austen I'll give you a pass. :D

Challenge #12: Read an anthology of genre fiction

This is self-serving, since I have several science fiction, fantasy, and romance anthologies on my shelves that I keep not getting to. Please use the genres listed in this Wikipedia article:

1. Crime (includes mysteries)
2. Fantasy
3. Romance
4. Science Fiction
5. Western
6. Inspirational
7. Horror

Challenge #13: Read a book with a punny title

Jasper Fforde, Donna Andrews, Piers Anthony, Roger Zelazny, and Charlaine Harris titles come mind. I look forward to seeing what you find.

>23 paulstalder: I love the link which leads to the thread of our reading trip. Thanks so much.

>23 paulstalder:
please note that it is the first word of the title (except an article) which must correspond to the first letter of the place


--> this does not qualify, the title must start with W (the first word counts, not any word of the title)
2078 (next 2075 Wavre) The Million-Dollar Wound (443 pages) - Max Allan Collins

2521 (next 2520 La Neuveville) --> here there is an article, so N would be the beginning letter of the next title

>35 Ameise1: you are welcome. It is fun (well, at least for me) to see where the journey leads us to :)

Challenge #14: Read a book about women who broke a glass ceiling
meaning women who were finally able to do something women have been discouraged from or prevented from doing.
For my RL book club I'll be rereading Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History by Keith O'Brien.

Challenge #15: Read a book with a country in the title

Can be the name of the country, or as adjective: both American and America qualify.

I'll have a real hard time this month fitting my books in. This is what I have so far:

Challenge #1: Read a book of fiction about a clash of cultures - started by SqueakyChu
✔The Anatomist's Wife - Anna Lee Huber (3.5)
Challenge #2: Read a book for the MARCH Semi-Rolling Challenge - started by Morphidae
✔Strange the Dreamer - Laini Taylor (3)
Challenge #3: Read a book honoring "Plant a Seed" day - started by Dejah_Thoris
✔The Beekeeper's Lament: How One Man and Half a Billion Honey Bees Help Feed America by Hannah Nordhaus (4)
The Violets of March - Sarah Jio - Abandoned
Challenge #4: Read a book with a word in the title that is often misused or misspelled - started by lyzard
✔Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies: A Guide to Language for Fun and Spite - June Casagrande (3.5)
Challenge #5: Read a book you've had in the house or on your e-device since before Jan 1, 2020 - started by quondame
Challenge #6: Read a book where the final page count of the story portion of the book is an odd number - started by DeltaQueen
✔Dragonfly - Leila Meacham (4.5)
✔Olive, Again- Elizabeth Strout (5)
✔The Ten Thousand Doors of January- Alix E. Harrow - (3.5)
Challenge #7: Read a book focused around some sort of physical activity, eg sports, dance - started by wandering_star
✔Walking - Erling Kagge (3)
Challenge #8: Read a book with a title including a mathematical or astronomical term. - started by Carmenere
✔Asteroid Hunters - Carrie Nugent (3.5)
Challenge #9: Read a book with a baseball connection - started by lindapanzo
*✔Ten Innings at Wrigley: The Wildest Ballgame Ever, with Baseball on the Brink - Kevin Cook (4)
Challenge #10: Tour de Suisse by adding the read pages to the Swiss postal code - started by paulstalder
Challenge #11: Read a Non Fiction book by a woman about a woman, a group of women or a woman's issue - started by helenliz
*Becoming RBG - Debbie Levy
✔Kitchen Privileges - Mary Higgins Clark (4)
✔Three Women - Lisa Taddeo (3.5)
Challenge #12: Read an anthology of genre fiction - started by susanna.fraser
✔The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year, Volume 13 - Jonathan Strahan (4)
The Long List Anthology: More Stories from the Hugo Awards Nomination List (Volume 1) - David Steffen
*✔Nevertheless, She Persisted: Flash Fiction Project by Charlie Jane Anders (4.5)
Challenge #13: Read a book with a punny title - started by JeanneD
✔Assault and Pepper - Leslie Budewitz (3)
Challenge #14: Read a book about women who broke a glass ceiling - Started by Citizenjoyce
✔Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History - Keith O'Brien - (4.5)
Challenge #15: Read a book with a country in the title - started by FAMeulstee
✔ Our American West - Gary McCarthy (4)
✔American Oligarchs - Andrea Bernstein (5)
Challenge #16: March birthstone challenge - read a book with an aquamarine cover - started by humouress
✔Topics of Conversation: A novel - Miranda Popkey (2.5)
Challenge #17: Read a book with a Founding Father or Another honored in DC (list the name- started by countrylife
✔Eleanor Roosevelt, Fighter For Justice: : Her Impact on the Civil Rights Movement, the White House, and the World - Ilene Cooper (5)

>18 wandering_star: Would falconry be a sport for you challenge?

>41 FAMeulstee: I had to think about this one! But I decided I would be fine with something like horse racing or greyhound racing, so I think falconry also counts. Yes.

>26 Helenliz: Would a woman's autobiography count?

Some tough challenges this month.

>43 lindapanzo: yes. It would be written by a woman about a woman who just happens to be herself.
I will add that to the initial post.

>44 Helenliz: Thanks.

>36 paulstalder: Sorry. I missed that part of the challenge.

>46 jeanned: :)

Ha!

For anyone struggling with my challenge, I've just across a Twitter thread dealing with exactly that issue, which highlights the following misusages:

- to / too / two
- beans / beings
- Caucasian / concussion
- discuss / disgust
- insect / incest
- Roman / ramen
- grammar / grandma
- synonym / cinnamon

>48 lyzard: I suppose American vs UK spelling wouldn’t count?

****Challenge #16: March birthstone challenge - read a book with a predominantly aquamarine cover. ****

The birthstone for March is aquamarine which is a pale sea blue (green-blue or bluey-green). Not surprisingly it was considered to be the treasure of mermaids. It also seems to have had a whole slew of mythical properties such as a cure for procrastination, a charm against poisoning, conferring eternal youth or protection for travellers sailing a long distance over sea.



Post your covers here!

>49 humouress:

Oh, now you're pushing it! :D

I'm tempted to say 'yes' as that is another of my bugbears; but I don't think we can count it as a mistake when people use that spelling in their own territory. Sorry!

>16 DeltaQueen50: Is there a way to do your challenge for audiobooks? I could look at the total time and see if the 'second' is an odd number, or if I look up about the book (like on Amazon) and see how many pages it has, but it is hard to know if it's the last page of the story part.

>52 raidergirl3: For anyone using audio versions for Challenge #6, I will accept using the page count given by Amazon for the e-book whether it includes any extra material or not - as long as it's an odd number - it fits the challenge.

>53 DeltaQueen50: thanks! That makes an easy way to find a page number.

>50 humouress: Oops; I realised I missed out a word on my challenge. In past months I’ve emphasised that the cover should be ‘predominantly’ a specific colour for the birthstone challenges. I forgot to specify that this month but I’ve amended that now.

>49 humouress:, >51 lyzard:

Thinking more about your question, it would be a 'yes' if it was a word that you felt was often misused / misspelled anyway, but not if it was just about the variant spelling. Does that help?

>56 lyzard: That sounds fair, thanks.

I actually don’t have a specific title in mind yet; it was a general clarification before I went looking.

>48 lyzard: what about Chile / chili / chilli ?

>58 paulstalder:

Perfect! I see those confused all the time.

>58 paulstalder: >59 lyzard: Agreed - I see that one quite a bit, too. Makes me think of Colombia / Columbia.

I love how a majority of people are picking World of the Five Gods books by Lois McMaster Bujold for the religion portion of my challenge ( >8 Morphidae: ). It's my favorite made up religion.

>11 lyzard: Liz, would your accept a title which uses "Girls" when it should more properly be women, based on the age and sexual status of the ladies concerned.

It annoys me that there is not a generally used group description for women that is widely used and appropriate. Women tends to sound arch, girls and ladettes have their own, different connotations, equally negative, imo, with both of them tending to be diminutive.
*steps down from soapbox*

>62 Helenliz: Add to that "females" Being a member of the gender that doesn't have a neutral referent is still probably easier than being non-binary or trans, but oh, it gets old. I don't want to be an it or a they either. Why can't we be wonders? I certainly wonder at survival from time to time.

*** Challenge #17 : Read a book with a Founding Father or Another honored in DC ***

Having just returned from my first ever trip to Washington DC, I am in awe of all the history to be absorbed in that one place in our young country.

This challenge is to read a book about one of these people, or in which one of them plays a part, or which is authored by someone of the same last name. (Please list the name on the wiki.) Use the names on the two lists below.

Founding Fathers:
The following list taken from this page.

John Adams
Samuel Adams
John Dickinson
Benjamin Franklin
Alexander Hamilton
John Hancock
Patrick Henry
John Jay
Thomas Jefferson
Richard Henry Lee
James Madison
John Marshall
George Mason
James Monroe
Thomas Paine
Benjamin Rush
Roger Sherman
George Washington

Monuments to Individuals (not groups or lists):
Sculptures in DC list.

>62 Helenliz:, >63 quondame:

I completely agree with you, but no, not for this challenge: that usage tends to be quite deliberate.

>61 Morphidae: I hadn't given it much thought, but it's my favorite fictional religion, too.

>64 countrylife: Can I make a case for the 5 Sullivan brothers killed in WWII?

>67 quondame: : It was on the tip of my fingers to say nay. But your link made your case, and I AM partial to the story of the Sullivans. So, yes, I will accept your trees as memorials instead of sculptures.

>68 countrylife: Thanks!

Regarding Challenge 17 read a book honoring someone in Wasjomgtpm DC, can any advise which would be the better read - Eleanor Roosevelt, Vol. 1: 1884-1933 by Blanche Wiesen Cook or The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt
by Eleanor Roosevelt?

>65 lyzard: it was worth a try...
I will now scurry off to find another challenge to shoe-horn a book into.

>70 Citizenjoyce: I read the Blanche Wiesen Cook book decades ago and loved it. I recently picked up volume 2 and would like to get to it.

I actually rermember this one, despite it being decades ago, because some co-workers gave me it to me when I had horrendous 12-hour surgery and was off of work for months. This book was my companion for a good part of that time.

I'd also recommend that No Ordinary Time book about FDR and Eleanor and the homefront during the war.

>61 Morphidae: Are they still only published as e-books? I’m holding on and hoping they’ll be printed as paperbacks.

>73 humouress: Not as paperbacks, no. But the first three novellas can be found in the hardcover, Penric's Progress (it's $17.59 for me at Amazon), and the next three will be published in May in the hardcover, Penric's Travels (currently $25 preordered.) The seventh and most recent, The Orphans of Raspay, comes out in hardcover in June.

Each of the novellas came out in hardcover but it's nice that she's coming out with the omnibuses.

>73 humouress: >74 Morphidae: My library system bought the individual novellas as they became available in hardcover, but one of our librarians in the main branch locally is a SF&F reader, so that may be unusual.

I confess I bought them all in e-format as soon as they became available. I don't by many books, but I couldn't resist!

>75 Dejah_Thoris: Our library got them in ebook as well but then we have a really large library system (10th largest in US.)

May I suggest a shared read? Back in 2017, the folks at TOR (a SF&F publishing house) come out with a flash fiction anthology Nevertheless, She Persisted. It's now being made available in e-format across a number of vendors I've already pre-ordered it from Amazon) tomorrow, March 8th. It fits perfectly into @susanna.fraser 's Challenge #12, read an anthology of genre fiction.

There are some great authors (all women) included, and it's short. I hope some of you can join me.

>77 Dejah_Thoris: Sounds good!

>77 Dejah_Thoris:

Turns out to be free here (!) so I have downloaded it and will try to join in, though my challenge reading is very demanding this month.

Speaking of which--- Please tell me there are lots of places in Switzerland that start with 'B', and that one will certainly turn up sooner or later. Because I really, really need a 'B'. :D

>77 Dejah_Thoris: >78 quondame: >79 lyzard: Ooh, I got it for free too. Count me in.

>78 quondame: >79 lyzard: >80 humouress: Oh, ladies, I must have been very tired last night when I posted, because I forgot got the most important thing - it's FREE! Sheesh - where was my brain? Thank you for mentioning it, since I didn't manage to, lol.

I've read a few of the (very) short stories (there are 11) in Nevertheless, She Persisted, and I have to admit some of them are quite odd - interesting, but odd. So, er, persist.

I have to ask - did the situation that prompted the title and theme of this anthology come to the notice of many of our non-U.S. TIOLIers? In my disappointment over Elizabeth Warren dropping out of the Presidential race, there was no way I'd fail to read this....

It's definitely become a bit of a feminist catchphrase in the UK.

>80 humouress: Huh; that was fast. I’ve finished it already.

>81 Dejah_Thoris: To be honest, the title didn’t ring a bell with me at first but the situation did come up when I searched for the title. I read a few of the stories with the circumstances in mind.

>77 Dejah_Thoris: I've got my copy and I will most likely be reading it in a couple of days!

Just checking in hoping everyone is coping and doing well.

I haven't been active on LT at all this year but I'm getting back into it (trying, at least) and am reading Dorothy L. Sayers' Murder Must Advertise, which, like all Sayers, is a great read.

>85 jeanned: So far so good. Fingers crossed.

Yesterday, on my day off, I learned that our office will be shutting down for the duration. I'd started bringing my laptop and my work home every day so I was ok. Went into the office briefly to pick up a few things. Apparently it will be open for people to come in to do just that, briefly, but not open for working. Even that is subject to change if someone were to test positive.

So, anyway, my hockey game last night was cancelled. My stage show of Grease for tomorrow was cancelled. My April symphonies were cancelled. Nothing to do but work from home and also read. Thank goodness for both.

Hope everyone stays healthy.

Aaaand Susan just got me my 'B'! At this point I'm so drowning in chunksters, I hardly know whether to be grateful or annoyed! I don't think I'm going to be getting through much murder or mayhem this month... :D

>85 jeanned: Such strange times we are living in. Here on the west coast of Canada we are hunkered down after going out to the craziness of the grocery store today. Most events are being cancelled and people are advised to keep their social distance. A good time to enjoy staying home with a few good books!

Can't get tp, Kleenex, or NyQuil anywhere.

TIOLI Question of the month

Wow! Something very surprising happened in a book you read this month! What book was it, and what was the surprising thing? Tell us! :D

>91 SqueakyChu: we all know how much trump loved his lawyer and mentor Roy Cohn. I was surprised to read in American Oligarchs that when Cohn was dying and could no longer do him any service, trump treated him pretty shabbily.

>91 SqueakyChu: Inside Out and Back Again was poetry.

>91 SqueakyChu: I’m reading a book about the high scoring 1979 Cubs/Phillies, one of the most famous ever. Ten Innings at Wrigley. But first some info about Cubs history. I think of myself as well read on that topic but I never knew that the owner of Chicago’s Federal League team, the man who built Wrigley Field, later organized a large KKK rally in Lake Zurich, IL.

This is very close to home. I had no idea.

>91 SqueakyChu: & >93 quondame: I haven't even read Inside Out and Back Again yet but I am also surprised that it is poetry!

I have completed a sweep! I admit to some pretty short books in this one, but as I was doing one of my meta-challenges this month, and have every intention of filling in with weightier tomes from now on, I'm OK with it. It should be easy to guess what my meta challenge was!

1: Girl, Woman, Other - Bernardine Evaristo
2: Penric's Mission - Lois McMaster Bujold
3: The Flowers of Vashnoi - Lois McMaster Bujold
4: Dancers in Mourning - Margery Allingham
5: The Orphans of Raspay - Lois McMaster Bujold
6: The Raven King - Maggie Stiefvater
7: Spin the Dawn - Elizabeth Lim
8: A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet - Becky Chambers
9: A Whole New Ball Game - Sue Macy
10: Mira's Last Dance - Lois McMaster Bujold
11: A Field Guide to Getting Lost - Rebecca Solnit
12: Nevertheless, She Persisted
13: Tangled Up in Brew - Joyce Tremel
14: Dr. Joyce Brothers: The Founding Mother of TV Psychology - Kathleen Collins
15: Meet My Granmother: She's A United States Senator - Lisa Tucker McElroy
16: Blue Lily, Lily Blue - Maggie Stiefvater
17: Eleanor Roosevelt: First Lady & Equal Rights Advocate - Grace Hansen

>96 quondame: Congratulations Susan! Nah, not seeing a theme ;0)

>91 SqueakyChu: I’ve just re-read Princess Academy so no surprises for me. There are quite a few in the book, though - but to tell you would be too spoilery.

>96 quondame: Congratulations.

>96 quondame: Nice going, Susan!

>96 quondame: Nice!

>96 quondame:

Amazing, Susan!

Congratulations!

>96 quondame: Wow! I'm impressed, Susan! Congratulations!

I've been too upset by the pandemic to even concentrate on reading. I'm working on book #2 for this month. :(

>103 SqueakyChu: Same here, Madeline. I can't concentrate and work takes much longer because I get too distracted. Must watch TV is our Governor Pritzker's daily 3 pm press conference with the doctor in charge of Ilinois's Public Health Department. I feel good when the number goes up by only a few. Today, it went up by 128 (from 160 to 288). Even worse, my county has gone from 2 cases on Monday to 22 today. After this, I feel blue.

Just finished my third book of the month, finally. I felt this way after 9/11, too.

>103 SqueakyChu: >104 lindapanzo: Me too. I was off to such a good start, but trying to keep up with the news and then talking about it is taking up so much time right now.

>96 quondame: And well done, Susan!

>103 SqueakyChu: >104 lindapanzo: Yes, I am frightened, but reading has always been how I deal with fear and anxiety, so I'm just carrying on in my normal head in sand methodology. LA county was 190 cases as of yesterday noon, still only one death.

>97 humouress: >93 quondame: >99 Carmenere: >100 susanna.fraser: >101 lyzard: >102 DeltaQueen50: >103 SqueakyChu: Thanks!

>105 jeanned: For the first few days, I wanted to know everything. Now beyond local news about the virus, I'm trying to limit my social media to getting in touch with family and friends and also enjoying what fun things they've discovered to pass the time during at-home confinement. Art galleries etc making their collections available. For me, though, trying not to follow the news is a tough thing to do.

>106 quondame: Congratulations on your sweep. Maybe now that I've finished one book (and a shared read, no less), maybe I'll get back into the swing of reading. For now, I'm thinking light, fluffy books might be just the thing.

>104 lindapanzo: My own county in Maryland is up to 31 diagnosed, and our Governor Hogan just announced the first death in Maryland related to COVID-19. I was so freaked out last night about what's happening that I was unable to fall asleep until 5am this morning.

In a note that I posted on Litsy yesterday. I mentioned that I was reading The Orphan Master's Son. Even a book about North Korea seems like light reading now because at least that's fiction.

In another sad note, I closed down the Little Free Library that I operate in front of our house because I could not be sure that the books would not become contaminated before being circulated. I always knew that books were important to me, but I felt profound grief at the loss of my ability to share books with others at this time.

In lieu of reading, I've been doing jigsaw puzzles. @jessibud2 was doing one which reminded me how much fun they were. We used to do them at the beach, but we stopped going to the beach a couple of years ago, While reading requires concentration, puzzles do not. They are a sort of numbing. mindless activity that works for me. Maybe we should have a TIOLI challenge for puzzles completed each month? I've completed more puzzles than I have books so far in March (3 versus 1).

Hey, book buddies, and fellow LTERs, and grand TIOLIers, be safe! I love you all.

>108 SqueakyChu: Our first death in Illinois yesterday hit me hard. A 61-year old retired nurse from Chicago. Her family thought she was having trouble with her asthma and they all came over to help. I think two have now tested positive.

>109 lindapanzo: The death in Maryland today was a 60 year old man who had other underlying medical conditions (which put him in the high risk group).

I’m in Seattle, so I’m pretty much at the epicenter for America. Last week I was at near panic level, but I’ve calmed down quite a bit, largely because my office FINALLY went remote this week and I feel like I have more control over my level of social distancing.

I’m still reading a fair amount, and really craving escapist stories.

>111 susanna.fraser: I am so relieved to hear that you can now work at home. I have several in my family that work at jobs that cannot be done at home. I am so worried for them. I hope you are able to find and enjoy some escapist books in the coming weeks.

(duplicate post deleted)

>108 SqueakyChu: I understand your sadness Madeline but take comfort that it’s the responsible thing to do and you’ll be able to open it up again when this all dies down. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

I chose last week to go live with a Facebook group for a bellringing associaiton of which I am secretary. Class piece of timing. What with the PM advising no non-essential social contact on Monday and the church deciding to cease public worship on Tiusday, it's been a pretty hectic few days. Trying to balance the desire of some to continue a normal existance with the desire of others to lock the doors and not let anyone in has been taxing, to say the least. And now we've got a whole pile of people who are at home, unable to have their normal social contact, which may well be a mental health timebomb. So I'm spending time finding puzzles, challenges, etc to circulate to try and keep members engaged.

Which means I have very little time to worry about me. And I'm not worried about me, I'm fit, healthy and not in any high risk group. I also have a slight fatalistic streak; my days are numbered and I will die one day, I don't get to choose what of. WHich is probably not of comfort to anyone else, but it works for me.

Things are still fairly calm over here as we still haven't had any cases in my region (though there are confirmed cases just north of us, including one that they're not just of how they were infected). I'm sure it's just a matter of time because we get it. The school I work in have sent the first and second year students home to study via the online platform, but the third years are to remain at school because they have final tests the next few weeks. It's *very* quiet here now, and I have no idea what I'll be doing all day as my work is pretty student-dependent. I have made sure to stock up my phone with audiobooks and podcasts so if nothing else I can dust the shelves and listen to a book or podcasts.

I have actually made some progress with Murder Must Advertise and if I keep it upp I'll have finished it by the end of the week.

There are 95 cases in my county, 1 death. All the schools plus all nonessential businesses are closed. I work for a government agency that involves going in-person to selected houses. The last house I went to was 2 days ago, I felt so guilty I said I couldn't do it anymore, so I'm trying to contact people by phone. The stores have been cleaned out, but then they finally instituted rationing. Many of them also started a senior hours program so that from 7-8 am only seniors are allowed. That's a pretty good response. They're debating whether to reopen schools April 14 or close them longer.
They just reported the first case at one of our magnet schools.

>114 humouress: There is a big debate going on at the organization’s Little Free Library steward’s Facebook page about whether or not all of the Little Free Libraries should close. It was such a heated discussion that I even had my post defending closure removed completely. I then wrote privately to that admin with my reasons. She replied politely that she was checking with their viral expert and there was no change in their best practices which call for sanitation/disinfection. I disagree for various reasons. Dr Fauci, head of the Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, says that if you think you are being too cautious, you are doing the right thing.

>115 Helenliz: How I wish my husband and I (plus one son) we’re not in a high risk group. It is so great that you can make such productive use of this time.

>116 PawsforThought: I am so glad that your area is still relatively safe and that your jurisdiction is being proactive with its response. That is so important. Being a BookCrosser, I’ll never run out of real books to read here at home. :)

>117 Citizenjoyce: I don’t know what country you’re in. Senior shopping hours (7am-8am) were instituted here as well. My husband went to the grocery store this morning, and I freaked out when I discovered that. It was for only four food items! I am so panic-stricken. I don’t know if I’m overreacting or not. I’m going to try reading again today...if I can concentrate on it.

>118 SqueakyChu: I'm not at risk of running out of reading materials either. Apart from the audio versions I have also borrowed 12 books from the library (other people panic buy toilet paper, I panic borrow library books) and besides my own shelves (where most of the books are unread) there's also my parents shelves.

This reminds me of when I was little and we were in our summer house all summer and I had literally read everything we had there. So I read them again. And then I read my favourites again. And again. That's how I came to read The Knights of the Round Table so many times I lost count (it's more than 50, but I don't know how much more).

>118 SqueakyChu: maybe that's why we're not seeing Dr. Fauci at trump's press briefings anymore, he's too cautious. I'm not the biggest fan of rather being safe than sorry, but I have to subscribe to it now.

Our Province of B.C. has 231 cases so far. My husband and I have isolated ourselves as much as possible, as we are in the high risk age group. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow to discuss some blood work but they phoned me this afternoon and had me download a program so that my doctor and I can meet through the computer without me leaving my home - I hope this modern technology works tomorrow!

Stay safe and healthy everyone!

Illinois went from 288 cases yesterday to 422 today and from one death yesterday to four today. Almost more worrisome to me, my county went from one case a week ago and 44 today. The county health department isn't reporting on where the cases are located but,sometimes, the school or whatever will alert the public. The latest one is at the junior college a couple of miles away.

>121 DeltaQueen50: I have my annual physical on March 30 and the bloodwork for it on Monday. I've been in touch and surprisingly, yes it's still on, though they'll call right before to give me a mini physical questionnaire to see if I'm healthy enough to come in.

I understand that they're enlisting eye doctors, dermatologists, and retired doctors, basically all hands on deck, to help out. I am surprised that my primary care doc is carrying on, for the moment at least.

Besides my 83 year old parents, I'm also worried about my sister's MIL who had lung cancer surgery on March 4th. I think she's supposed to start chemo on May 3rd.

>119 PawsforThought: Well, we should have some interesting challenges for this coming month as people's ability to get books may be compromised.

>120 Citizenjoyce: Dr. Fauci has been on several programs being televised tonight. I listen to his advice because of his knowledge and experience in the world of infectious diseases.

>121 DeltaQueen50: We canceled all nonessential medical appointments for now. Our medical clinic wants all of us to use tele-medicine if we have an issue rather than come into the clinic. I'm sure the tele-medicine visit your doctor tomorrow will be productive.

>122 lindapanzo: My county does not report on where the cases are either. That would instill fear in everyone. Besides, everyone should be using the same precautions Are you sure you want to go to in now for just an annual physical? That would scare me!

Be safe, everyone, and stop by here to stay connected..

I'm having extended chats with old friends on Facebook, some I haven't had a serious talk with in years.

I haven't seen my 70-something mother in 5 years. She's saying goodbye to her friends. My brother who lives closest to her doesn't go in her house anymore, just leaves her goodies on the woodpile.

Both of my 20-something children have had scares in their offices with people returning from overseas ill -- one test came back negative so she was only sent home to self-isolate a few days as that process played out. They are bringing their work laptops and cell phones every night in case there are further restrictions on offices being open. The other is at the doctor's now.

So I'm not doing as well as I was yesterday. Slipping into a rather angry stage. And that's with me agreeing with the policies enacted here in New Zealand, except I think they waited too long to start sentinel testing (anyone with symptoms).

Be well.

>124 jeanned: The wait in my country, the USA, was too long as well. We're on the same trajectory as Italy. I don't know how this is going to play out. I'm not angry. I'm distraught and panic-stricken.

I'm in my 70s as well and feel this impending sense of doom. What I need more than anything now are hugs from my kids and grandkids. However, that won't happen as I can't see them, touch them, or hug them until this is all over.

I think I'll try to read a bit tonight. Not sure if I can manage it or not. We'll need something a bit smaller for future months...besides sweeplettes. How about dusties...if you've read at least two books during the month? I might not even make it to that. Tomorrow I should spend more time reading books and less time reading the news. WE'll see how it goes.

This is particularly hard time for everyone. Thanks for sharing you stories.

>123 SqueakyChu: Well, fortunately, the decision about whether to go to my physical was taken out of my hands. The doctor's nurse just called and said they were postponing it to September as my conditions don't require me to be there now, at this time, and in fact, it's much safer for me not to be in the doctor's office at all She also mentioned that, while general practitioners and internists are carrying on, some specialist doctors are being enlisted to train/assist on the virus. One less thing to worry about.

It IS nice to hear stories from all around. At this time, where I don't see anyone besides my family, it's nice to stay connected with other people in any way possible.

>126 lindapanzo: I, too, like knowing what’s happening with all of us. However, I had to turn off the news completely today except for the CDC report and the count in my own Montgomery County which is rising very quickly. I was becoming too depressed and anxious. I found other things to do earlier and am going to try to choose another book to read. I bailed on the book I was reading last night. I could not concentrate on it.

>127 SqueakyChu: My elderly mother, age 83 and in the same household, went to that same doctor's office for her blood test to measure her warfarin levels. Came home in shock at the efforts there and how the employees she knows are wearing masks. She burst into tears and said how worried she is that she's going to catch it and it'll kill her. I pointed out that I have several mild, but treatable conditions (as long as I take my medications), and that, if anyone is in danger from it, it's me. That made her stop crying but it made me cry. Glad our worries are now out in the open.

The governor issued a shelter in place order. We can go out to the grocery store, a restaurant for carry out food, go to the doctor, go to the bank, or buy gas, but that's about it. For most people, no change, really, from what we've done all week. We now have 585 cases in Illinois and one additional death (now up to 5). Haven't heard yet about the county.

I intend to really get wrapped up in a good book this weekend and listen to satellite radio music.

A co-worker of my son’s has a flatmate who has tested positive and is in self-isolation. I have yet to get a proper timeline on when this person tested positive. Anyway, my son, we’ll call him Jed, had scheduled himself a doctor's appointment to get a flu shot. He had yesterday off and was scheduled to go in at 3:30. While he was at work, 20 people got sent home because they had had direct contact with this co-worker. Jed called HealthLine and the doctor's office to see if he should keep his appointment. The doctor said to come in at 4:30 instead. When he got there, all the patients were lined up in the parking lot having their temperatures taken by a nurse in full protective gear. They had to fill out a form that asked a series of questions. Jed indicated that he had had a cough that was going away. The nurse brought him in through a back door down an empty hallway, opened the door to an examination room, handed him a face mask, and told him to step inside. Then the closed the door, slid a piece of paper under it, and had him write down his cell phone number so the doctor could call him. Ten minutes later the doctor called him, asked him some questions, said he was going to consult with another doctor. Twenty minutes after that, the doctor came in, also in full protective gear, told Jed "This is going to be unpleasant" proceeded to stick 6 inches of swab down the back of his throat via his nose. Jed thought he was getting a throat swab and was taken off guard. The doctor told him that he would not be going to work until his test results came, that he would be in self-isolation. Jed then started trying to have a conversation about how much it was going to cost him for coming in. The doctor told him no one was going to take his money, in fact no one in the office would be talking to him on his way out the door, asked him what he had touched in the exam room besides the pen, then opened the door and yelled "All clear?" and someone else yelled back "All clear". Then Jed was told not to touch anything and shown a different hallway where all the doors were closed, through an empty waiting room, and out the front door where the nurse in PPE was holding open for him to leave.

He lives with 3 other 20-year-olds. I have no idea how they are going to get through waiting for his test results to come back, how seriously Jed will take self-isolation, how he will emotionally handle self-isolation, and fear none of their relationships will survive intact if they all have stay together for 14 days in that apartment. Or maybe that would probably be better than just Jed being isolated.

Every day I'm living in a different world than the day before.

>129 jeanned: Sounds like the doctor's office handled this perfectly.
I got some horrible news today. My grandson had been scheduled to get his first base assignment for the Air Force in England. He was supposed to leave today, but got the wonderful news that they were cancelling flights for 60 days so he got to stay home. Today he got an order to report to Florida within 10 days. Florida where they have 520 cases, the governor just realized he had to close bars and restaurants and still can't manage to close the beaches. I am beyond worried.

>129 jeanned: OMG what a nightmare experience. It sounds like a Twilight Zone episode. I do hope Jed's tests come back negative, and quickly.

>128 lindapanzo: I feel for your mom. Earlier this week, I felt sure I would die in this. Today I’m trying to avoid reading the Coronavirus stats. I worked on some projects at home and did really well. I even baked a Challah (Jewish egg bread for Sabbath). At dinner, though my husband could not make it through the blessings without crying at our empty Sabbath table, usually filled with our kids and grandkids. We are so worried. I lost it, too, at that point. We’ll get through this somehow. Preferably sooner rather than later.

>129 jeanned: What a nightmare! I’m so sorry. Please keep us posted as to what happens. Hoping for the best outcome.

>130 Citizenjoyce: I am so sorry. Hoping your grandson will be able to protect himself through the precautions the CDC has publicized.

We’re all in this together, I’m afraid. {{{Group hug}}}

>130 Citizenjoyce: I agree. Before I had time to process that I'm going to have to wait "2 to 3 business days" for him to get results, I was actually comforted by the degree of caution the doctor's office was taking. I am so sorry that your grandson is being sent into the thick of things.

>131 quondame: Thank you. He was pretty shaken up by the experience.

Do you think it would be possible to set up a separate thread for talking about the coronavirus? I fully appreciate that for many people, reaching out and talking about the situation is a good way to deal with anxiety. And I want to send virtual hugs and good wishes to so many of you on this thread, especially the people who have just been sharing their personal stories.

But I also think for mental health purposes it's a good idea to try and find space to think about other things. I know that's really difficult, because right now it feels like there's nothing else going on in the world. But things are going to be like this for a while and we all need to find ways to look after ourselves, try and adapt to the new situation, and stay healthy in mind and body.

For me books (and by extension LT) are a good way of escaping into other worlds, and giving me the perspective to remember that this too will pass, eventually. I would love to know that I can just come here for some chat about books, if I want to get away from the anxiety-inducing news and social media feeds.

I hope that doesn't sound too heartless. I don't want to stop anyone from talking about the current situation if it helps them. But I think it would also help others to know there are some places where you can go, and communicate with other people, if you don't want to think about it for a bit.

>134 wandering_star: I was 100% thinking we needed to do that as well. I’m sorry if I brought everyone down that road. Let’s try to lighten up this thread. Further Coronavirus talk will be carried on in a separate thread I will create. I have found that the best support comes from people I “know” even just in the cyberspace sense. Coming up soon on this thread...the TIOLI stats for February.

By the way, how are people here getting books now? Has that been a problem or not?

For me, not at all because I have a huge backstock of books that were donated to my Little Free Library beside my own overabundant To Read pile. :D

Moving our Coronavirus discussion to this thread...
TIOLI Challengers' Corona Virus Support Thread

This link has also been added to Message #1 on top of this thread.

>135 SqueakyChu: I made sure to stock up on books a week ago so that if I have to self-isolate I'll have reading material. Plus, my library system has a decent e-book and e-audiobook system. And I have over 100 titles favourite on archive.org.
So my reading is secured if it comes to it, but we still haven't shut down workplaces in my region and I work in a library so...

I finished my first book of 2020! This year didn't start out well, and that was BEFORE the coronavirus, so my reading this year has been pretty non-existent. But I've been feeling a bit better and have made myself turn to books instead of other stuff and now I'm finished Murder Must Advertise.

>138 PawsforThought: Glad you're back on the road to reading and feeling better.

>139 SqueakyChu: Thank you!

>134 wandering_star: That’s a great idea. Sometimes I want to talk and sometimes I don’t.

>135 SqueakyChu: I think I own more books than I could ever read. If by chance I want something else, I’ve got leftover Amazon birthday credits burning a hole in my pocket.

transferred to the corona thread

>135 SqueakyChu:, >141 lindapanzo: Thank you - appreciated

I think I own more books than I could ever read. Yep, me too. I've got several months' worth on my Kindle alone! And my library has a really good selection of ebooks (I've just seen that their latest batch of new books includes several topical ones... from The Decameron and The Masque of the Red Death to Zone One and Cold Storage!)

TIOLI Stats for February, 2020

In February, 2020, we read a total of 301 books of which 67 or 22% were shared reads. We accumulated 35 TIOLI points for a YTD total of 66. These numbers are a bit low, but otherwise okay.

The most popular books, both read by four challengers each, were:
Through a Glass, Darkly by Donna Leon
and
The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty

The most popular challenge was my (@SqueakyChu's) challenge to read a book whose first word of the first paragraph starts with a vowel. There were 41 books read for that challenge.

The challenge with the most TIOLI points was the challenge by @helenliz to read the next book in a series by a woman author. This challenge accumulated 6 TIOLI points.

Stay tuned for the TIOLI Awards for February, 2020...

Is April not up yet, or am I just not seeing it?

It’s not up yet.

Thanks!

It will be forthcoming, though!

>146 SqueakyChu: >149 Dejah_Thoris: You can be very sneaky.....

>149 Dejah_Thoris: Heh!

>150 SqueakyChu: I have a list of things I watch for, you know. You do change it up, occasionally!

>151 Dejah_Thoris: LOL!

>64 countrylife: Is this mural enough of a recognition in Washington, DC to count Ruth Bader Ginsburg?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2019/09/19/newest-mural-town-ruth-bader-...

>153 raidergirl3: What a great mural.

The February 202 TIOLI Awards...

The Prescient Award goes to @AnneDC for reading Molly Fox's Birthday, to @quondame for reading Panto,mime, and to @susanna.fraser for reading The Seven Against Thebes. All of these books had covers showing a mask. Little did we know how masks would sadly be making the news in the following month.

The CORVID Award goes to @quondame for reading The Raven Boys and to @Dejah_Thoris for reading Raven's Strike. This award goes out because I'm originally a Baltimore gal so it goes without saying that I'm a Ravens fan...though now I watch more soccer than football. This award also goes out because I keep spelling COVID (as in COVID-19) as CORVID. I like CORVIDS (a family of birds containing, crows, ravens, etc.), but do NOT like anything that has to do with COVIDS.

The Fun Night Out Award goes to @paulstalder for the challenge to read a book planning your date with an author - started by paulstalder. This was such a fun and original challenge. It was interesting to wait to see how each date would end! :D

The Shared Reads Rule Award goes to @lindapanzo for the challenge to read a book with a sorority or fraternity connection. Fully 75% of this challenge were shared reads. Then again there were only four books listed in this challenge. Oh, well. :D

The Ew! Gruesome! Award goes to @helenliz for reading Faces on the Tip of my Tongue for JeanneD's challenge to read a book with a curious, intriguing, provocative title. This is curious indeed! It's also something I'd rather never see! :O

Feel free to add awards of your own now. Be safe...and stay with us in April.

>155 SqueakyChu: Thank you for the CORVID Award! And congratulations to all the winners!

>155 SqueakyChu: Thank you! I will say that the book was not at all gruesome. I think it was trying to capture that sensation of you know someone but can't place them. Like the word is on the tip of your tongue, but won't come; that sensation of you know that person, but can't summon a name or circumstance to mind.

Congratulations to the winners

>157 Helenliz: Phew!

*feels relief*

>155 SqueakyChu: Thanks for the awards - though, alas, they are both related to the current catastrophe.

>155 SqueakyChu: Thanks for the award--though I wish I hadn't been so prescient!

The funny thing is, I hadn't even thought then of a mask being "something you could wear on your face". I didn't have masks among my original cover-image suggestions.

Oh, to be that young and naive again!

Too late for this month's challenge, but---

I've just had someone, in all seriousness, use "poultry" instead of "paltry".

Rather undermined the point they were trying to make... :D

The phrases I see on line that drive me nuts are walaa for voila, and sike! for psych!

My misuse ire triggers are "free reign" instead of "free rein" and "tow the line" instead of "toe the line."

Ooops! Housekeeping Day was Yesterday!

That's okay. Go back and remove any book you did not finish by 12 midnight last night, except for the rolling challenges which you may simply mark DNF (did not finish). Thanks!