Take It or Leave It Challenge - June 2026

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 June, 2026, is to

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Read a book by an author whose published name has three parts
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Rules:
1. The name must fit this formula: first/middle/last --- first/last/last --- hyphenated first/last --- first/hyphenated last.
2. The name parts must be real names, and not a prefix or suffix to a name.
3. The names should be separate names so do NOT use names with words like "De", "Von", or "La" which are only prefixes to an actual name.
Avoid these prefixes:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_family_name_affixes

Here are some examples of acceptable names:
Andrew Sean Greer
James Hamilton-Paterson
Joel Chandler Harris
Todd Hasak-Lowy
Abraham Joshua Heschel
Jeanne Marie Laskas

You now have the idea! Go pick your author...and book!!

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Other Stuff (not part of the TIOLI challenge):
1. @FAMeulstee's Our TIOLI Sweeps - maintained by @alcottacre
2. Morphidae's List of Previous TIOLI Challenges (2010-2016) - A reference (Do a control-F scan) to avoid repeating previous challenges. If your idea is similar to a previous challenge, make it unique by adding a new "twist" to it. (Exception: Any challenge previously entered by FAMeulstee)
3. Shared Read Suggestions - (Optional) Plan shared reads by listing books you intend to read
4. The June 2026 TIOLI Meter - (Optional) Track your TIOLI reading. Not competitive--- just fun!

Index of Challenges:

Challenges #1-6
1. Read a book by an author whose published name has three parts - msg #1
2. Read a book with a mountain on the cover, and/or ‘mountain’, the name of a mountain, or the name of a mountain range in the title - msg #4
3. Read a NF memoir where the main theme is based on the author’s involvement with some kind of animal/s - msg #7
4. Read a book whose title must be in the format ____ ____ of _____ - msg #8
5. Read a book with a rainbow or the word "rainbow" on the cover - msg #14
6. Read a book with a number in the title, but not a date - msg #16

Challenges #7-12
7. Read a book by an author you've read at least three times before - msg #23
8. Read a book with a word from a Marvel Cinematic Universe work in the title - msg #8
9. Read a book that has a 3.5+ rating and 15 or fewer reviews here on Library Thing - msg #26
10. Read a book with a title that refers to the founding of the United States - msg #30
11. Read that book you feel ashamed not to have read yet - msg #44
12. Read a book by an author featured in the 2019 American Authors challenge - msg #49

Challenges #13-18
13. Read a book that matches a category on the 2026 Seattle Public Library Summer Book Bingo Card - msg #56
14. Read a book set in Paris, with Paris in the title, or in French - msg #85
15. Read a book about an alternative to religion in general or to a specific religion or religious tenet - msg #98
16. Read a book that mentions flowers in the first sentence - msg #119
17. Read a book with all the letters in WATER in the title (in any order) - msg #120
18. Read a book of Non-Fiction about The Americas - msg #124

Hold your challenge, please, until the July TIOLI challenge thread is posted. Thank you.

Dejah! You were so quick to catch this! LOL!!

Challenge #2: Read a book with a mountain on the cover, and/or ‘mountain’, the name of a mountain, or the name of a mountain range in the title.

You may ignore Mount or Mountain (and non-English variations) for mountain names, but other parts of the name must match. So for Mount Saint Elias, Saint Elias must be used, and remain together.

For mountain ranges, the word Range may be ignored along with Mountains, Peaks, Hills, Highlands, etc.

A quick search will turn up a remarkable array of mountain names, so this shouldn't prove too difficult.

Please note 'cover' if you're using a cover to qualify, or bold the mountain or range name. Subtitles are included.

BTW, as far as I'm concerned, the highest peak in North America is still Denali, so it will be accepted. If you need McKinley, though, I'll begrudgingly take it (folks in the U.S. will understand why I'm grumpy about this).

ETA: If anyone needs ideas for mountain name words they can use, take a look at this list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mountains_of_the_United_States

It's nowhere near exhaustive. If you can Google it and find a mountain, mount, peak, whatever, you can use it. Examples include: Red, Love, Dog, Bachelor, Denmark, Princess, Bellicose, Jewel, Lion, Alice, and so many more.

>3 SqueakyChu: I have a sneaky method of checking, lol - I watch for the wiki. But I truly never expected you to post this so early!

>4 Dejah_Thoris: I'm also grumpy about the name change even though I climbed Denali in 1987 when it was still named Mr. McKinley. 30 Below was a very good book

>5 Dejah_Thoris: Ha!

>6 dallenbaugh: How very cool that you climbed Denali! I'm really looking forward to Thirty Below - I'm glad you liked it!

My list of mountaineering books to read has gotten absurd.....

>7 dallenbaugh: Your challenge will be handy for the Nonfiction Challenge - excellent planning! ETA: wait - it's not animals in the 75's nonfiction Challenge! Hmmm...that must be over in the Category Challenge. I've seen animals coming up somewhere....

>2 SqueakyChu: Madeline the challenge you list on this page is the same one you had for last month although the challenge on the wiki is your new one.

>11 dallenbaugh: Fixed. Thanks!

>9 alcottacre: Stasia - May we ignore subtitles? I've got A Firehose of Falsehood: the story of disinformation checked out from the library.

Thanks!

ETA: And hyphenated words? The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport....

Challenge #5: Read a book with a rainbow or the word "rainbow" on the cover. The word or the rainbow may appear anywhere on the cover, and the rainbow need not be in the shape of a bow.

The word can be in the title, author name, blurb, description--anything--as long as it appears on the front cover, back cover, or spine. The "rainbow" can be an actual rainbow or a representation of the light spectrum not in a bow shape. The colors do not need to be strictly ROYGBIV, but it should be clear that the image means to represent a rainbow. No simple assortments of many colors.

Yes
Yes
Yes
No

>13 Dejah_Thoris: Yes, ignoring subtitles is fine. I am looking for titles only. Hyphenated words are fine too.

Challenge #6: Read a book with a number in the title. The number can be spelled out or a numeral. You can also use fractions, decimals and ordinals (first, second, third...). The number can be a part of an address, but not a date.

Yes to:
Six Suspects
One Foot in Eden
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
84, Charing Cross Road
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

No to:
1984
11/22/63
1066 And All That

>16 rhondak101book: Rhonda, if you need help posting your challenge to the wiki, let us know and we will help. Until it is listed on the wiki, it is not "official" (or as official as we get in these parts. . .)

>17 alcottacre: Done. Thanks!

>18 rhondak101book: No problem! If you ever need help with something, just ask. We are here to help (if we can - and then there is me, among the technically-challenged)

>14 lycomayflower: >16 rhondak101book: Newer folks! If you would be so kind as to go back and take your challenge's rules and regulations off of the wiki pages, I'd be so appreciative. Leave the challenge there, though! The rules and regulations need to go in the post where you explain your challenge, not on the wiki page as then the wiki page becomes too cluttered with information.

Also: Remember to post your challenge on the wiki before you post your challenge on this thread. There are two reasons for doing this. First, to be sure you are able to do this. If you need help at any time, just ask! Second, I take the index number (on post #2 above) from the wiki. I have found this the best way to not mess up challenge numbers.

Thank you all for joining us!

>20 SqueakyChu: Thanks. I fixed it. I will remember for next time.

>21 rhondak101book: Great! Thanks!

Challenge #7: Read a book by an author you've read at least three times before

For a book to count, you have to have read at least 3 books by the author previously. These can be in the same series, in a different series, a non-series book, or it can even be a re-read.

Also, just to clarify, if someone posts a book because they've read 3 or more books by that author, you can join in for a shared read, even if you've read fewer than 3 books by that author.

Challenge #8: Read a book with a word from a Marvel Cinematic Universe work in the title

I've decided to watch through all of the MCU in chronological order. So far I've watched The Eyes of Wakanda (animated show which starts in 1260 BC - 4 animated shorts), Captain America: The First Avenger, and the first 2 episodes of Agent Carper which was a lot more fun than I thought it was going to be.

◇ ◇ ◇

DE RULZ:

The word must be at least three letters long excluding the article "the"

Please use the list of movies/shows from the Timeline section of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvel_Cinematic_Universe_timeline?wprov=sfla1

Embedded words are fine.

Word lists are coming for ease of use - they aren't required. You have everything you need to choose books with the wiki link including words like all, new, home, love, first, and forever.

>16 rhondak101book: Check the books listed in your challenge, Rhonda. Some of those seem to have dates in the title...which would disqualify them according to your rules. I moved those down and out.

Challenge #9: Read a book that has a 3.5+ rating and 15 or less reviews here on LibraryThing

At the top of the bookpage you can locate both the LT rating and the number of reviews posted.

@laytonwoman3rd
I think I was not clear enough on the wiki (and SqueakyChu has clarified it for me). The rules (msg #16) say that titles with dates are not allowed. Sorry for the confusion.

>27 rhondak101book: No problem. If the original thread entry specified no dates, I missed it. (And I might have been going only by Madeline's summary in >2 SqueakyChu: above---that's on me.)

>28 laytonwoman3rd: Great. I hope you have another "number" lined up!

>29 rhondak101book: Ha! Nope. I just made my own challenge so I can use 1776!
(It's my RL book club selection for June, so I hafta read it.)

To wit:

Challenge #10: Read a book with a title that refers to the founding of the United States This could include books on the founding fathers, the Revolution and events leading up to it, the Constitution, the establishment of the Supreme Court and events through the end of 1789.

>30 laytonwoman3rd: Good going! Resourceful!

>30 laytonwoman3rd: Would the subtitle work, Linda? Thanks.

>32 alcottacre: Probably....what is it?

>33 laytonwoman3rd: It is a book by Simon Schama: Rough Crossings: Britain, the Slaves and the American Revolution

>7 dallenbaugh: I read Thunder Dog in May, and would highly recommend it for Challenge #3.

>9 alcottacre: I need a recommendation for Challenge #4 _____ _____ of _____. Can the first word be A or The?

>28 laytonwoman3rd: Oops! I fixed the list in the index to include no dates! Sorry.

I just made my own challenge so I can use 1776!

Ha! Perfect!!

>36 LoisB: Yes, certainly! All that really matters for the challenge is the format, not what the actual title words are.

>38 alcottacre: and it’s harder than it looks. Almost all of my possible books have an adjective in there, that is an extra word before or after the word “of”

>34 alcottacre: That works for me!
>37 SqueakyChu: No problem, there's always more than one way of "meeting the challenge"!

>35 LoisB: Thanks for the suggestion. I read it in 2024. It was very good.

>40 laytonwoman3rd: Thanks, Linda. I will add the book to the wiki.

>39 lindapanzo: Sorry, Linda. I did not mean for it to be that difficult. I had no problem pulling books off my shelves to meet the challenge, which is why I created this particular challenge to begin with. I hope you can find something that fits!

Challenge #11: Read that book you feel ashamed not to have read yet Reading Shame Forgiveness Month—often observed in June—is a dedicated time to overcome reading-related guilt and embrace books that bring you joy without judgment. It encourages readers to drop the pressure to read "prestigious" literature and simply enjoy the stories they love.

>44 Kristelh: I'm not sure I understand your challenge, Kristel. Should we read a book that we feel guilty about never having read, or read any book simply because we want to?

>45 SqueakyChu: Sorry about the confusion, Madeline. The way I intended the challenge was it could be either a book we never get to and have some "shame" that we don't or a book that we have guilty pleasure over. For some that would be chick lit, brain candy, etc. So either way. Or it could be a book we thought we read, said we read, and discover that we really haven't read it. It could be a time to correct that error.

Hey, folks, the only reason I'm doing word lists for my challenge is to make things easier. You don't have to wait for them.

You have everything you need to choose books with the wiki link including words like all, new, home, love, first, and forever.

I'm going to do my usual June challenge to read a book that fits the Seattle Public Library book bingo card, but right now the wiki isn't giving me the love. :-(

Challenge #12 - Read a book by an author featured in the 2019 American Authors challenge

Chaim Potok
Louisa May Alcott
Jon Clinch
Jesmyn Ward
Jay Parini
Pearl S. Buck
Ernest J. Gaines
Leslie Marmon Silko
W. E. B. DuBois
Marilynne Robinson
Founding fathers and mothers
Drama

>49 cbl_tn: Carrie - does Drama mean plays?

>50 Dejah_Thoris: I think so. That's how I'm interpreting it!

ETA: Here's a link to the Drama thread from the 2019 American Authors challenge: https://www.librarything.com/topic/311618

>50 Dejah_Thoris:, >51 cbl_tn: As host of the 2019 AAC challenge, I can confirm that Drama does, indeed, mean plays.

>51 cbl_tn: >52 laytonwoman3rd: My thanks to you both!

I just picked up The Mousetrap: 70th Anniversary Edition, so I'll be adding that to the wiki. And a few others.....

>53 Dejah_Thoris: The plays do need to be by American authors.

>54 cbl_tn: Well drat - I wasn’t even thinking about that. Thanks for the reminder.

Challenge #13: Read a book that matches a category on the 2026 Seattle Public Library Summer Book Bingo Card

The card itself is on the SPL website, or you can view the card and a list of the categories at the Seattle Public Library Book Bingo 2026 thread @Kyler_Marie created.

Please list the category your book meets.

Some lovely challenges this month! And lots that fit books I'm partway through, which is a happy coincidence.

>57 wandering_star: Isn't it always wonderful when it works out that way?

>9 alcottacre: The format is limited to 4 words?
I have The Mystery of Mrs Christie AND The Book of Margery Kempe on the possibles list.

>59 Helenliz: Yes. Two words before the 'of' and one word after. Sorry, Helen.

>24 Morphidae: Can we use words from the subtitle?

>60 alcottacre: that's fine, I was expecting that. They're only possibles. >:-)

Re: Challenge #2 - Mountains

Back up in message 4 >4 Dejah_Thoris: I've added a link to a Wikipedia list of U.S. mountains, just to give everyone some suggestions of title words that can be used to qualify for #2. If you can search and find a mountain (Mount, peak, ridge, whatever), you can use it.

The book does not have to be about an actual mountain or mountaineering, although I'd love to see what people come up with!

>62 Helenliz: Well, I hope you find some possibles that fit!

Challenge #14: Read a book set entirely in Paris, with the word Paris in the title, or in French.

Les regles/the rules: Yes, the novel must be set entirely in Paris OR have Paris (no, not Versailles, not the Marais or other Parisian neighborhoods) in the titile, or you must be reading a book written in French. By which I mean, you're reading the French version, not a translation.

Because I'll be in Paris (and visiting the bouquinistes along the Seine) from June 19 to 28, ahead of my first round of spinal surgery.

>64 alcottacre: I will, I'll squeeze them in somewhere. I have several books with "of" in them, one of 3 words, a couple of 5, none of 4! Typical!!

>65 Chatterbox: I love this challenge! I might not have time to fit it into this month but I'll try to pick up one of my french books and read one entirely in french. I assume that if it is written in French (not translated), that it doesn't have to be in Paris, correct?

>65 Chatterbox: How about 'Paris' in the subtitle?

Good luck with the surgery, Suzanne!

>66 Helenliz: Isn't that the way it always is? You either have books you can choose from in droves or its like picking hen's teeth!

>67 Kyler_Marie: Correct, if it's read entirely in French it does not have to be set in Paris! (I figured that if I'm obnoxious enough to introduce a quite difficult element by asking for people to read in a language that may not be their own, I should ease up on everything else!) I've really been dropping the ball on reading in French, so this should galvanize me to refresh my French language skills in the next few weeks ahead of my trip!

>68 alcottacre: Paris the subtitle also is fine, Stasia...

>70 Chatterbox: I have at least two shelves of books in French and haven't read any of them fully since college, so I love the additional motivation to pick one up. It's also one of my personal goals of 2026 to read at least one book in French. We'll see if it happens though...

Count me in among those who ought to freshen up their French skills. Maybe I could sneak in a read of a Tintin or Asterix album…

Question: when adding a book named “The Book of …”, do put it under T for the or under B for book?

>73 LoisB: Unless otherwise specified, you're safe ignoring the, a, and an when adding books to the wiki.

At least, that's what I've always done. :)

>70 Chatterbox: Thanks!

>73 LoisB: >74 Dejah_Thoris: Exactly what Dejah said, Lois!

>76 alcottacre: so, I filed The Five Star Weekend under T when I should have filed it under F which was my original inclination?

>77 LoisB: It is not that big of a deal, Lois. It makes it a bit easier for folks to find their books in the listings, I think is the main idea, but no worries. Yes, it should have been filed under F. You can move it if you like - or not :)

>78 alcottacre: Sometimes I move them if they’re out of order…if I see them.

>79 SqueakyChu: Sometimes I do too, Madeline :)

>9 alcottacre: Do we need to count 'the'? I have The Healing Season of Pottery from the library. Or do I need to go back to the drawing board? :)

>81 JayneCM: if you look at the books that are posted, “the” is counted.

>81 JayneCM: Sorry, Jayne, but it is back to the drawing board. 'The' is a word and we are limited to two words before the 'of' and one after.

>83 alcottacre: No worries - thanks.

>84 JayneCM: Good luck finding something for the challenge - which is proving to be more challenging for some than I thought it would be!

>85 alcottacre: I actually love your challenge, Stasia. By chance, I picked up a book that I bought twenty years ago...and it fit your challenge parameters so I'm I'm finally reading it. Ha!

>44 Kristelh: I am adding Nineteen Eighty-Four for this challenge as I keep adding it to challenge lists and never getting to it! It MUST be read by the end of June though, so it will be done.

>85 alcottacre: Correction. I’m bailing on that 20-year-old book. I decided I didn’t like it after all! :)

ETA: I did find another one I like so far! :D

>16 rhondak101book: May we have plural numbers for your challenge? As in, The Eternal Ones. Thanks.

>89 JayneCM: Sure

>90 rhondak101book: Thank you!

>87 JayneCM:. Perfect Jayne! I hope it gets read in June.

>88 SqueakyChu: I have been actively using TIOLI to cull books from my library, Madeline, so I am glad my challenge allowed you to get rid of the book that you have had 20 years and found you do not like! I am very happy that you found another one to use instead!

>93 alcottacre: The only problem is that, since I have a Little Free Library, people are constantly giving me book donations. Who am I to refuse these?!

>94 SqueakyChu: I can see no reason why you should! Lol

>78 alcottacre: thanks! I had it under F then moved it. I will leave it alone.

>96 LoisB: No worries, Lois. We are a pretty forgiving bunch around here :)

I love how each new month's TIOLI list is like a new beginning; like we have a chance to start our lives over again, even if in a small way.

Challenge #15: Read a book about an alternative to religion in general or to a specific religion or religious tenet
I'll be reading Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds by John Fugelsang and The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth
by Beth Allison Barr

>98 Citizenjoyce: I love how each new month's TIOLI list is like a new beginning; like we have a chance to start our lives over again, even if in a small way. Yes!!

My local library has the Fugelsang book so I will read that one along with you in June, Joyce, providing I can get my hands on it before the end of the month. With the library, you just never know.

>99 alcottacre: I know. Some books I put on hold with Libby, and it says 3 months wait, and I get it quickly; others, I guess, must be more difficult reads, because they take forever to come in.

>100 Citizenjoyce: Yeah, at times there does not seem to be any rhyme or reason to obtaining books from the library. I am very glad we have the libraries though!

My planned reads:
Challenge #1: Read a book by an author whose published name has three parts - started by SqueakyChu
✔Life as We Knew It - Susan Beth Pfeffer (4.5)
Challenge #2: Read a book with a mountain on the cover, and/or ‘mountain’, the name of a mountain, or the name of a mountain range in the title. - started by Dejah_Thoris
***The Big Rock Candy Mountain - Wallace Stegner
Challenge #3: Read a NF memoir where the main theme is based on the author’s involvement with some kind of animal/s - started by dallenbaugh
***How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals - Sy Montgomery
Challenge #4: The Fill in the Blank Challenge: Books whose title must be in the format ____ ____ of _____ - started by AlcottAcre
✔The Conditions of Will - Jessa Hastings (4)
Challenge #5: Read a book with a rainbow or the word "rainbow" on the cover. - started by lycomayflower
***Cherry Baby - Rainbow Rowell
Challenge #6: Read a book with a number in the title, but not a date - started by rhondak101book
***Margaret the First - Danielle Dutton
Challenge #7: Read a book by an author you've read at least three times before - started by lindapanzo
***Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
Platform Decay - Martha Wells
Challenge #8: Read a book with a word from a Marvel Cinematic Universe work in the title - started by Morphidae
***Seasons of Glass and Iron - Amal El-Mohtar
Challenge #9: Read a book that has a 3.5+ rating and 15 or fewer reviews here on Library Thing - started by DeltaQueen
Big Bad Wool - Leonie Swann
✔Committed: Dispatches from a Psychiatrist in Training - Adam Stern (5)
✔This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me -Ilona Andrews (4)
Challenge #10: Read a book with a title that refers to the founding of the United States - started by laytonwoman3rd
***Rough Crossings: The Slaves, the British, and the American Revolution - Simon Schama
Challenge #11: Read that book you feel ashamed not to have read yet - started by Kristelh
Plainsong - Kent Haruf
Challenge #12: Read a book by an author featured in the 2019 American Authors challenge - started by cbl_tn
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman - Ernest J. Gaines
Challenge #13: Read a book that matches a category on the 2026 Seattle Public Library Summer Book Bingo Card - started by susanna.fraser
The Map of Salt and Stars: A Novel- Zeyn Joukhadar
Challenge #14: Read a book set in Paris, with Paris in the title, or in French - started by Chatterbox
***A Bakery in Paris - Aimie K. Runyon
1.3 Challenge #15: Read a book about an alternative to religion in general or to a specific religion or religious tenet - started by Citizenjoyce
The Dalai Lama's Cat - David Michie
Heretic: Jesus Christ and the Other Sons of God – Gnosticism, Apocryphal Texts, and the Untold History of Early Christianity- Catherine Nixey
The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth - Beth Allison Barr
***✔Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds - John Fugelsang (4)
Challenge #16: Read a book that mentions flowers in the first sentence - started by paulstalder
✔This Flower by Katherine Mansfield (5)
Challenge #17: Read a book with all the letters in WATER in the title (in any order) - started by JayneCM
Wild Faith: How the Christian Right Is Taking Over America - Talia Lavin
Challenge #18: Read a book of Non-Fiction about The Americas - started by PaulCranswick
The Undocumented Americans - Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

I changed my #1 challenge to remove the rule that each name word must have four letters. Some books listed have names with only three letters, but now they will qualify.

>103 SqueakyChu: Will you accept Ryan La Sala? Or am I pushing it with only two letters?! :)

>98 Citizenjoyce: I was thinking of reading Charles Harris: A Struggle for Justice. He was an indigenous pastor who established the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, a First Nations movement within the Uniting Church of Australia. Many members of the Uniting Church at the time were against this.
Do you think this would fit into your challenge?

>104 JayneCM: I'm going to say no to La Sala. I wanted actually separate names. Nothing like "De" or "Von". "La" is just the Spanish word for "the". The origin of that particular name is actually Lasala, which means "the room" (la sala in Spanish). I added a rule for clarification in message #1.

This is what I wanted to avoid:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_family_name_affixes
This list is of prefixes rather than names. You will see "La" listed there under "other".

>106 SqueakyChu: Thanks for the clarification. I thought it was pushing it!

>103 SqueakyChu: I was guilty of adding Kelly Ana Morey so thanks for changing the rule. I'm always getting in trouble for not reading the details.
I have my name down for Goldberg-Polin's book at the library so if it comes in time can do a shared read.

>Kerry, there was another legitimate listing with a three-letter name, hence my rule change.

Be prepared for a really heartbreaking book when you read the book by Hersh’s mom. I’m reading it in very little pieces, but I feel compelled to do so in Hersh’s memory and for everyone who suffered as a result of 7 October.

>105 JayneCM: That absolutely works.
>108 avatiakh: " I'm always getting in trouble for not reading the details." I thought I was the only one. I had to go back and check my entry to see if I had followed the rules.

>110 Citizenjoyce: Thank you!

>98 Citizenjoyce: OK, I'm a bit puzzled about what might pass muster here. I'm tempted by a book about Marcus Aurelius as the Stoic emperor of Rome (Stoicism being a philosophical alternative to religions with gods) and also the latest episode of the adventures of the Dalai Lama's cat, which is about Buddhism teachings, disguised as fiction (Buddhism as an alternative to Christianity etc.) But I'm not sure, looking at what's on the wiki right now, whether those or similar books would qualify?? Not really interested in another book about atheism right now...

>98 Citizenjoyce: I’ll throw in my question, too, Joyce.

Would a book about Liberation Theology work?

Thanks!

It's @Citizenjoyce's call, but some things that might work for #15 are memoirs of individuals who have left a religious group. There are lots of those out there, including Educated and Growing Up Amish. Also books on ethics or moral philosophy, books on secularism, books on evolution/evolutionary theory, books on women's ordination and women's leadership in Christianity or other religions. Books on folk religion, syncretism, or superstition might fit.

>113 Dejah_Thoris: That's a big yes.
>114 cbl_tn: Exactly.
>112 Chatterbox: That covers the broader idea I was getting at. There is no "one way", though thinking there is only one way is also an alternative idea. What's the book about Dalai Lama's cat?

>114 cbl_tn: Yes, I feel as I have I have read a lot of those memoirs in recent years; not just the ones you mention but also some about fundamentalist Mormons, ultra-orthodox Jews, etc. as well as some broader ones like The ExVangelicals, A Well-Trained Wife and Losing My Religion (for those who are looking for other ideas) The Book of Separation by Tova Mirvis is probably my fave from amongst that genre... I do have a book about Ruby Ridge, where the Weaver family's religious convictions led them to stock up on weapons.

Other options for me include:
Heretic by Catherine Nixey (about early Christianity)
Wild Faith: How the Christian Right is Taking over America

Books on ethics/moral philosophy should cover the bio of Marcus Aurelius as a Stoic emperor, hopefully.

>115 Citizenjoyce: David Michie has.written a series of whimsical books narrated by the Dalai Lama's cat, in each of which the aforesaid cat interacts with a variety of characters in the broader community in McLeod Ganj, where the Dalai Lama lives, and learns Buddhist lessons of tolerance and how to live.

Advice, pls, CJ! I really don't want to have to hunt down a book I'm lukewarm about reading, so would one of these five (which I already have) work: the Ruby Ridge book, Heretic, Wild Faith, Marcus Aurelius, or the sixth book in the Dalai Lama's cat series?

None are straightforward memoirs, but I feel when reading those that I'm basically reading the same story through the prism of a different faith tradition. For an agnostic, I've read a lot of books about religion(s) and faith and related issues.... as well as Hitchens, Dawkins, etc. etc. back when those were first published. I can always re-read Karen Armstrong's memoirs, I suppose.

>116 Chatterbox: They all work, they all sound relevant, though some are so depressing. Maybe after reading some of them, the cat book could fortify me.

>117 Citizenjoyce: Thanks! Yes, the Buddhist cat books are delightful. I'll tackle that one and either the Marcus Aurelius bio or the Ruby Ridge book. Don't think I'm quite up for Catherine Nixey's new book, although I did v. much like her previous one.

Challenge #16: Read a book that mentions flowers in the first sentence

Say it with flowers ... so, when the first sentence mentions flowers, you're in.
Must be real flowers (a blossoming plant), not a name or place or animal or a boat .... It can be the generic terms like 'flower' or 'blossom' or a specific one (Lily, rose, taraxacum, tulip ...). Plural is fine, but Not embedded. The name can be in the language of the book or in Latin.

Auf dem Weg nach oben by Valerie Wilson Wesley
Es war das vornehmste Büro, das ich je gesehen hatte, doch bei den Blumen auf dem Schreibtisch musste ich an Tod und Sterben denken: weisse Lilien.(It was the most elegant office I had ever seen, but the flowers on the desk made me think of death and dying: white lilies.)

Challenge #17: Read a book with all the letters in WATER in the title (in any order)

Subtitles may be used if required.

Bookmarking - will edit this post to contribute something later! I keep losing the thread.

>121 elkiedee: It’s a new thread every month that needs to be sought out. I just check >1 SqueakyChu: when I’m ready and there under “this thread” (since the top post is edited rather than a new one being added, it almost never show as having a new post.)

>121 elkiedee: and >122 quondame: Thank you. By "bookmarking", I mean that I have posted so this thread appears on "threads I'm on". But I will replace >121 elkiedee: and >123 elkiedee: with contributions to this thread which aren't just for me. Hopefully by the end of the weekend.

Challenge #18 : Read a Work of Non-Fiction about The Americas

Is America one continent or two?
I was taught in school that it was one and this is why I have referred to the Americas.
Very simple a work of non-fiction about the continent(s) could be travel, could be politics, reportage, economics, biography or history etc etc.

I thought I should enable three full sweeplettes.

>124 PaulCranswick: We were taught N. America & S. America were two continents. Also that Europe and Asia were two continents.

>124 PaulCranswick: I thought I should enable three full sweeplettes.

:D

>124 PaulCranswick: I agree with >125 quondame:. I don't remember learning it at school, but I think this is commonly accepted

I suspect more confusion because it's sometimes a bit counter-intuitive - for example, I think Mexico is considered as part of North America, and you sometimes need to check Wikipedia or a map which shows which is which. I didn't actually study Geography, I did History to A level and then studied options in History, American Studies and Politics departments at university as part of a Combined Studies degree, renamed Liberal Arts - Politics options included "Latin America " which is not entirely the same as "South America" - the continent.

>124 PaulCranswick: Would this cover any non-fiction book about anywhere within the Americas (eg I have a non-fiction book about Mexico City) or does it need to be more of an overview?

>124 PaulCranswick: >125 quondame: I think it makes more sense to consider the Americas two separate continents than Europe and Asia. The isthmus connecting them is very new on the geologic time scale, and the land masses have such different geological and evolutionary histories. I also recognize that my reasoning marks me as a specific kind of nerd.

The Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI) when the isthmus connected is fascinating, at least to me: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_American_Interchange

>124 PaulCranswick: I had the same question as >128 wandering_star:
Can it be about a place in the Americas (e.g. Buffalo NY, Toronto, Alaska, Costa Rica, etc) or does it have to be the whole Americas? If it is simply any nonfiction book about the majority of the western hemisphere then you absolutely just enabled another sweeplette for me.

>128 wandering_star: & >130 Kyler_Marie:

Yes all would be allowed.

>126 SqueakyChu: >127 elkiedee: &
>129 susanna.fraser: I hear you and I am not making any judgement upon it.

I would say that it does depend where you come from as to how you were taught and I do remember that my Geography teacher who insisted America was one continent originated from France.

This is what Google came up with:

The Two-Continent Model (North & South)

The Model: Separates the landmass into North America and South America, divided by the Isthmus of Panama.

Where it's used: This is the standard seven-continent model taught in most English-speaking countries, as well as in Asia and parts of Europe.

The One-Continent Model (The Americas)

The Model: Views the entire landmass as a single continent (often just called "America"), pointing out that it forms a single continuous, unbroken landmass joined by a land bridge.

Where it's used: This is the standard six-continent model commonly taught in Latin America, Spain, and parts of continental Europe. Additionally, it is reflected in the five-ring design of the Olympic flag, where the single ring for "America" represents the entire landmass.

This is also an interesting website that details the various models of continents that geographers work with and debate upon.

https://worldcountryflags.com/continents/

I am ok with either definition as it happens and as Susannah points out the Central American isthmus does present a challenge to either definition.
I am also not an expert in the field and will merely note that there is not necessarily a right and a wrong answer here.

Since this is a book challenge and not a geography test, I am treating it for this challenge as 1 continent.

>131 PaulCranswick: Since this is a book challenge and not a geography test

LOL!

I found this conversation very interesting. I had no idea that other countries did not all accept the idea of seven continents! I simply accepted it because that’s what I learned in school (here in the USA, of course).

>132 SqueakyChu: And funnily enough, Madeline, I can see both sides of the argument - students in Latin America are apparently taught that they occupy the same continent as you do. It does seem to be quite settled in North America and the UK Curriculum also teaches that there are 7 continents nowadays. In Japan, Russia and some part of Eastern Europe they teach a different six continent model with Europe/Asia being a single continent (America being 2).

The UK only officially adopted the 7 Continent Model in 1991 as part of its national geography curriculum. Prior to this, geography curricula were highly localized and left largely up to individual schools.

>65 Chatterbox: I just wanted to note here for clarification about the book I have chosen for this challenge. It is listed in LibraryThing as The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau but in Australia, the title is All The Diamonds In Paris (which links to the same book in LT). Hope this is ok.

>131 PaulCranswick: Good day Paul. Have a great weekend. I too found the discussion on continents very interesting. I have to say I was unaware that there were so many ideas. Thanks for sharing.

TIOLI Stats for May, 2026!

For the month of May, 2026, we had 23 challenges in which we completed 507 books. Wow! That was the highest monthly number of books since 2016 (ten years ago!). Of these, 133 (or 26%) were shared reads. I hope you challengers are talking to each other about these books you've been enjoying together. We collected 70 TIOLI points making a YTD May total of 317 TIOLI points, the largest YTD number for May since 2015 (eleven years ago!). Another "Wow!".

The most popular book, shared by seven challengers, was Platform Decay by Martha Wells.

The most popular challenge, with 42 books read, was the one by @Dejah_Thoris to read a book from a series with 7 or more works (books, novellas, short stories, etc.).

The challenges with the most TIOLI points were these two, each with 7 TIOLI points:
---Read a book from a series with 7 or more works (books, novellas, short stories, etc.) by @Dejah_Thoris
---Read a current Hugo finalist or a previous Hugo winner by @susanna.fraser

Ever onward, challengers! Enjoy your books!

>136 SqueakyChu: Onward and upward! To bookshelves and the library!
I absolutely love these challenges. :)

>137 JayneCM: I absolutely love these challenges.

Yay!!

Great statistics! Good job everyone!

>134 JayneCM: Perfectly fine, but thanks for checking!

>140 Chatterbox: Thanks! And enjoy your trip. :)