Take It or Leave It Challenge - June 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 TIOLI Challenge for June 2020 is to,,,

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Read a book tagged "food writing".

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Rules
1. The tag must be those two words "food writing" in whatever form (foodwriting. food-writing, etc.) but not just "food" or "food writers" or "food history".
2, Your book should NOT be a cookbook, although it may have a recipe or two...but not be filled with many recipes. In other words, it may not be primarily a cookbook.
3. For your convenience, here's the tagmash link:
https://www.librarything.com/tag/food+writing

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

1. The June 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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Temporary Thread --- to help us all through this pandemic

TIOLI Challengers' Corona Virus Support Thread

Wiki Index of Challenges:

Challenges #1-6
1. Read a book tagged "food writing" - msg #1
2. Read a book written in the first two decades (+1) of any century - msg #4
3. Read a book about disability rights - msg #6
4. Read a book whose title contains a word that you would use to name a puppy - msg #10
5. Read a book by a woman that was given, bought or recommended to you by a woman - msg #13
6. Read a book that takes place in the summer or has the word summer in the title - msg #15

Challenges #7-12
7. Read a book with a connection to Russia - msg #16
8. Read a book about something you've missed during stay at home order - msg #17
9. Read a book relating to my 55th birthday - msg #18
10. June birthstone challenge - read a book with a predominantly teal and/or purple cover - msg #23
11. Read a book about Aliens - msg #27
12. Read a book with three words or more in the title - msg #32

Challenges #13-18
13. Read a book with a word which suggests color in the title - msg #36
14. Read a book with an activity you can do inside in the title - msg #38
15. Read a debut book by an author over the age of 50 - msg #44
16. Read a book with a connection to pentecost/shavuot - msg #54
17. Read a book you keep putting off reading - msg #17
18. Read a book with the word 'Fly' in the title. - msg #62

Please hold your challenge until the July TIOLI challenges are posted. Thank you!

You are so sneaky, Madeline! I always have the 25th as the earliest possible date for the next month's thread, but the 28th is much more likely. I haven't even figured out what challenge I'm going to post.
*dashes off to figure out a challenge*

Ok - I can't believe I got back here with a Challenge before anyone else did.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Read a book written in the first two decades (+1) of any century
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Read a book written or first published in any year **00 to **20 from any century. All 21 years must be filled before a new set may be begun, but they do not have to be filled in order.

So, it's looks something like this on the wiki:

# **00
# **01
# **02
# **03

Just fill in the correct century of your book - 1800, 2001, 1902, etc - and read away.

I hope this makes sense - please let me know if it doesn't.

Well, this is awkward.

I have a challenge in mind, but the library situation is such that I don't know if I'll be able to get hold of the book(s) I want for it...

Do I go ahead regardless or think of something else?? :D

Yahoo, Madeline, you're early this month.
Challenge #3: Read a book about disability rights
I plan to read Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann

>3 Dejah_Thoris: I try to be unpredictable. I’m glad it works. :D

>5 lyzard: Go for it, Liz - perhaps positive thinking will improve the library situation. You never know :)

>6 Citizenjoyce: >7 SqueakyChu: It really has been a while since you posted this early - and in a 31 day month, too!

>5 lyzard: Heh! Your choice!!

Wow, what a nice surprise!

Challenge #4: Let's Name This Puppy:



Although only a virtual pet, he/she would love to have a name - so using a word from the title of your book, let’s come up with a good name for this puppy. Embedded words are acceptable. Gender? You decide. Have fun and be creative, this doesn't have to be a proper name, if you like the name Shadow or Sunny, feel free to use it.

>10 DeltaQueen50: Awwwww... so cute! And what a clever challenge, Judy!

>11 Dejah_Thoris: It's kind of a play on the old "Name in the Title" challenge but I wanted to switch it up a little and actually this way opens it up quite a bit.

Challenge #5: Read a book by a woman that was given, bought or recommended to you by a woman

Should be fairly self explanatory. >:-)

>10 DeltaQueen50: Aw! Cutie! As always in trying times, I've been watching a lot of animal/veterinary shows in the past two months so I'm definitely going to scrounge up a book to fit in that challenge.

Challenge #6: Read a book that takes place in the summer or has the word summer in the title

An s, a u, two m's, an e and an r works for me.

Challenge #7: Read a book with a connection to Russia

Totally self-serving - I will finish War and Peace next month and two of my other planned reads also have a Russia connection.

Am feeling generous on this one - the connection can be the author, the setting, the subject matter, one of the characters, etc.

Challenge #8: Read a book about something you've missed during stay at home orders

Please explain what it is. For me, for instance, I miss baseball, among other things.

Challenge #9: Read a book relating to my 55th birthday

This month's challenge is going to be different (and really easy in comparison) because there are so many choices.

Ugh, come June 18th, I'm going to be 55. So let's celebrate (?) by reading books (fiction or nonfiction) related to my birthday. Some examples:

Friday - in title, on first page
June - in title, author's name, original publication date
18 - in title, series #, original publication date
1965 - in title, original publication date, events in story happened or about an event that happened in 1965
55 - in title, character's age, speed limit sign on cover (any speed)

I'm a Gemini, the Twins in Western Astrology and a Snake in Chinese Astrology. Read a book with the word "Gemini" or "Snake" in the title, two (and no more than two) of the exact same thing or a snake(s) on the cover, or is about twins or snakes (i.e. has twins or snake(s) as a first level tag.)

My user name Morphidae is in reference to beautiful blue iridescent butterflies from Mexico, Central, and South America. Read a book with a blue butterfly on the cover. 🦋

For hobbies, I have enjoyed crochet, cross-stitch, ceramics, and collage. Issues that are important to me are obesity, depression, anxiety, and (adults with) ADD. Also, I'm really into planners so books about bullet journal(ing), planners, and LISTS. I ADORE lists. The books should have the bolded words as a first level tag.

My parents are Dale and John. The actress, Kim Dickens, shares my birthday. Therefore, you can read a book that has an author first or last name of Dale, John, Kim or Dickens.

"Related" includes something appearing in the cover like a street address including the number "18", a cross-stitch sampler or a grocery list.

ISBN numbers will not count for the challenge.

You can be creative but don't push the line, i.e. a container of yarn on the cover *could* be for crocheting unless the book says the person is a knitter. I don't knit. (Believe me, I tried!)

>10 DeltaQueen50: I'm giving your puppy the name of my miniature dachshund, Amelia. I notice you also have the name Lucy, which is my pitbull's name. I love this challenge.
>18 Morphidae: so many opportunities, surely I'll find something to fit.

>18 Morphidae: And you got message #18, in the sixth month of TIOLI this year!

Guess who else has a June 18th birthday? Paul McCartney, and ME!
I'm a titch younger, born in 1967, but definitely same era. In a sense, we can share this challenge.

I still need to finish May's challenges! Ack!!

My planned reads
Challenge #1: Read a book tagged "food writing" - started by SqueakyChu
✔Delicious!: A Novel - Ruth Reichl (4.5)
Challenge #2: Read a book written in the first two decades (+1) of any century - started by Dejah_Thoris
✔The Tourist Attraction - Sarah Morgenthaler (3)
Challenge #3: Read a book about disability rights - started by Citizenjoyce
✔Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist - Judith Heumann (5)
Challenge #4: Read a book whose title contains a word that you would use to name a puppy - started by DeltaQueen
✔Our Only May Amelia - Jennifer L. Holm (4)
✔Perdition by Ann Aguirre (3)
Challenge #5: Read a book by a woman that was given, bought or recommended to you by a woman - started by Helen Liz
✔This is How It Always Is - Laurie Frankel (4.5)
Challenge #6: Read a book that takes place in the summer or has the word summer in the title - started by quondame
✔One Crazy Summer - Rita Williams-Garcia (5)
Challenge #7: Read a book with a connection to Russia - started by wandering_star
House of Trump, House of Putin: The Untold Story of Donald Trump and the Russian Mafia - Craig Unger
Challenge #8: Read a book about something you've missed during stay at home orders - started by lindapanzo
The Book Thieves: The Nazi Looting of Europe's Libraries and the Race to Return a Literary Inheritance - Anders Rydell
✔Out of Line: A Life of Playing with Fire - Barbara Lynch (5)
Challenge #9: Read a book relating to my 55th birthday - started by Morphidae
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - Suzanne Collins
✔The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History - John M. Barry (5)
✔The Plague by Albert Camus (4)
Challenge #10: June birthstone challenge - read a book with a predominantly teal and/or purple cover - stared by humorless
✔Long Bright River by Liz Moore (4)
Three Souls by Janie Chang - ABANDONED
Challenge #11: Read a book about Aliens - started by SilverWolf28
✔ The Dispossessed - Ursula K. Le Guin (4)
✔To Be Taught, If Fortunate - Becky Chambers (4.5)
✔The War of the Worlds - H. G. Wells (3.5)
Challenge #12: Read a book with three words or more in the title - started by FAMeulstee
✔Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right's Stealth Plan for America - Nancy MacLean (5)
✔The Next Pandemic: On the Front Lines Against Humankind’s Gravest Dangers - Ali Khan (4)
Challenge #13: Read a book with a word which suggests color in the title - started by countrylife
Challenge #14: Read a book with an activity you can do inside in the title - started by lyzard
✔Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America's Police Forces - Radley Balko (5)
Challenge #15: Read a debut book by an author over the age of 50 - started by susanna.fraser
Dracula - Bram Stoker

****Challenge #10: June birthstone challenge - read a book with a predominantly teal and/or purple cover. ****

 

The birthstone for June is alexandrite which is greenish in daylight but reddish-purple under artificial light. Maybe it has something to do with the Gemini twins' star sign? I'm happy to accept either colour - extra points for both in the same cover!

Alexandrite, a beautiful and rare colour changing stone, was named after Tsar Alexandra II. Naturally occurring fine alexandrite can be one of the most expensive gemstones in the world; it's almost as hard as diamond. It is said to aid creativity and inspire the imagination.

Please post your book covers on this thread:
Birthstone book covers thread

I wonder if Madeline is hungry? May and June's challenges have both included food; last month a food item in the author's name, this month food writing.

>24 Helenliz: LOL! Well, I'm always hungry, but that's beside the point. The truth is that I have been reading so slowly that May's book became fodder (no pun intended) for June's challenge. I did bail on three books in May. By month's end I will have completed ZERO books. Sad, indeed. I have a keeper now, although I'm reading it very slowly. It just so happens that my book fits both month's challenges...
The Seasoning of a Chef by Doug Psaltis

>10 DeltaQueen50: He is the same colors of my granddaughter's dog. She lives in Texas and is from Minnesota where there are Sven and Ole jokes. She calls him Sven because she thought in Texas, they would say Ole (o lay) and not Ole (o lee). I am from Texas and I would think o lay also. He is a large dog now and such pretty colors as this little one has. He is sweet. Let us know what his name will be.

Challenge #8: Read a book about Aliens.

Any book that features Aliens, or fantastic creatures like Elves, Leprechauns, Dwarves etc.

>26 mnleona: Unfortunately, this is only a virtual dog. I wish I was able to have a dog where I live but, alas, no pets. I simply fell in love with this picture and decided to build my challenge around it. It would be fun to name a new dog or cat after whatever book I was happening to read at the time or after a favorite author.

>28 DeltaQueen50: I've done that many times! Er...that would include my late kitty Dejah Thoris.

>29 Dejah_Thoris: And I've always wanted to have three cats named after the Queens of British Crime - Agatha (Christie), Josephine (Tey) and Dorothy (Sayers).

>30 DeltaQueen50: That's a fabulous trio - kitties and mysteries go together, in my opinion.

>32 FAMeulstee: Main title only, or subtitles included?

>33 Dejah_Thoris: If needed you may include the subtitle.

>34 FAMeulstee: Thanks! I didn't have anything specific in mind, but it's good to know. Yours should be a popular challenge!

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Challenge # 13: Read a book with a word which suggests color in the title
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Read a book with a word which suggests color in the title.
No red, blue, yellow, purple, green, orange, pink, etc.

Think hues, shades, tints, suggestions of color, like:
gilded, dark, light, smoke, denim, frost, melon, stone, orchid…

Embedded words are fine.

Edited to answer question:

"So, for example, no scarlet or maroon, but cherry, apple or burgundy would be okay?"

I'm not an artist, designer or color specialist of any kind, so, to my eyes, just no obvious color names. So - - - yes.

>36 countrylife: So, for example, no scarlet or maroon, but cherry, apple or burgundy would be okay?

I did say I was going to give the title challenges a rest, but oh well...

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Challenge #14: Read a book with an activity you can do inside in the title

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As the last month has taught us, you can almost anything inside if you have to! - so hopefully this opens up a wide range of choices.

I would like to stress, though, that for my own chosen book I am referring to the first word in the title, not the second. Although... :D

>38 lyzard: Would sleep be considered an activity.....

>38 lyzard:

THAT is the very activity I am referring to in >38 lyzard:!

For this challenge, it does *not* have to be an active activity. :)

>40 lyzard: I was thinking of checking for what you entered, but obviously got no further. I guess the second would be possible, as I'm sharing the house with others, but I think I can make a few more weeks without indulging in that. But if Home Alone were a book I might enter it into challenge #8.

>41 quondame:

Oh my goodness me, yes! :D

>38 lyzard: I'm glad to hear it, Liz!

Challenge #15: Read a debut book by an author over the age of 50

A self-serving challenge, as it's one of the categories for the Seattle Public Library's Summer Book Bingo this year. Here are some lists of possibilities to consider:

https://www.spl.org/programs-and-services/learning/summer-of-learning/2020-adult...

https://centerforfiction.org/book-recs/five-over-fifty/

https://www.thoughtco.com/bestselling-authors-who-debuted-after-age-50-4047864

I’m trying very hard to limit myself when reading for TIOLI to books I already own. And of course, as I mentioned last month, I’m always looking for shared reads. I’d like to participate in at least one challenge each month.

I’ve got one for this month so far (thank you, Dejah Thoris), but I’ll keep scrutinizing the lists with a very fine-toothed comb...

>41 quondame: LOL. Hang on in there!

Oh happy day!! Found out late yesterday that our public library is opening. Baby steps though. I can start returning books on June 1 and, on June 8, I can do curbside pick up of books I've reserved and which came in for me.

So, if I see a book on TIOLI which I don't own but would like to read, once again, I can reserve at the library and get a copy. Yay!! The only drawback is that they're not doing inter-library loans yet, but this is a nice start.

>45 Matke: You're welcome! You reading The Gods of Mars has set me off on a series reread. We could keep this up for months!

>40 lyzard: For this challenge, it does *not* have to be an active activityI>

LOL!

>37 Morphidae: : "So, for example, no scarlet or maroon, but cherry, apple or burgundy would be okay?"

I'm not an artist, designer or color specialist of any kind, so, to my eyes, just no obvious color names. So - - - yes.

>38 lyzard: Liz, I added the book Lockdown by Peter May to your challenge, but now I'm wondering if it's, well, active enough for your intent.

I await your ruling with bated breath!

>51 Dejah_Thoris:

:D

I hadn't thought of going into lockdown as an "inside activity" but I guess it is!

>15 quondame: Can the word in the title be "summers?" I own Dreams of My Russian Summers and was thinking of adding that one to this challenge, but if it will not work for this one, I can add it to Challenge #7.

Challenge #16: Read a book with a connection to pentecost/shavuot

Today some celebrate Pentecost/Shavuot, so read a book connected to that feast.

title/first words: any name of the feast Pfingsten, Pentecost, Whitsunday, Shavuot ...) or the number/chiffre 50 (of fifty, but not 150 or 500 ...) appears in the title or the words. Note: no embedded words or numbers; adjectives (pentecostal) or oridnal numerals (fiftieth) are okay

author: Pentecost/Shavuot is a movable feast and can happen between 10th May till 13th June (inclusive). So, read a book by an author whose birthday is within these dates. Note: the birthday must be listed in the CK of the author in LT. Please list the birthdae in the wiki

# Luftgärten - Val McDermid (birthday 4th June 1955)

>54 paulstalder: Here's some links for Literary Birthdays:

May: http://librarybooklists.org/literarybirths/bmay.htm

June: http://librarybooklists.org/literarybirths/bjune.htm

>55 raidergirl3: thanks :)

>52 lyzard: Thank you! It struck me as rather morbidly funny, I confess.

>53 alcottacre: Yes, of course, since having the requisite letters to form summer is all that's required.

Challenge #17: Read a book that you keep putting off reading

This can be a book that:

a) you are listing on a TIOLI challenge for at least the 3rd time
b) you have checked out of the library at least 3 times
c) you are picking up for at least the 3rd time after starting and abandoning it before
or
c) you have owned and been "meaning to read" for at least 3 years

>58 quondame: Thanks, Susan!

>38 lyzard: How about cartwheeling? I could not do it in my house, but I could do it in a gym, which is technically inside. I have a book called Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms that I need to get read, lol.

Challenge 18:

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The "Fly in the Ointment" Challenge: Read a book with the word 'Fly' in the title.

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It must be the word "fly," "flies," or "flying." "Flew" or "flight" or something like that will not be acceptable for this challenge :)

>59 madhatter22: If there were another book you had been putting off, you could do a shared read on The Soul of an Octopus on #2 >4 Dejah_Thoris:, Or I could find something else for 2011. But, I did enter that book first, really I did.

>62 alcottacre: How about Flying?

>63 quondame: I will accept flying, Susan, and update the challenge.

Funny you should mention The Soul of an Octopus as I was adding that one to challenge 17.

>64 alcottacre: I may move it to #17 as well.

>63 quondame: Ooooh! The Soul of an Octopus. That was a great book! My husband is reading it now. Highly recommended! :D

>65 quondame: The more, the merrier!

>66 SqueakyChu: Makes me very sorry I have put off reading it for so long!

>63 quondame: I was about to say it was no problem for me to move Soul of an Octopus to #2 for the shared read but now it's shared on #17 as well! Sorry - I hadn't noticed and didn't think to check if it was already being used for a challenge. (I just shared a read on your challenge to make it up. :)

>61 alcottacre:

Again, not really what I had in mind but I suppose it's a technical 'yes'. :)

>69 lyzard: I will take a technical 'yes'! Thanks, Liz!

>63 quondame: Susan - If you want to move The Soul of an Octopus (good book) to #17, I've got something I could plug into 2011, if you can't find anything. Just let me know.

>71 Dejah_Thoris: I've already found something that fits 2011 better than The Soul of an Octopus, but thanks.

>62 alcottacre: I think you forgot to put your challenge in the wiki, Stasia.

>73 FAMeulstee: I did not forget, Anita, I just do not know how to add it there. I have a PM into Madeline so that she can tell me how to do it :)

>74 alcottacre: Stasia, I copy the heading of the challenge above mine, so in this instance, challenge #17. Place if below all the entries of the current challenge 17 and change the challenge #from 17 to 18, change the title to your title, and change the previous person's name to your name.

When you do it, be sure to edit the page and not just a single entry.

If you like, I can start you out. Easy enough.

>74 alcottacre: at the top of the page, where you see June 2020, there is an 'edit' button to the right - that's the one you want to click to be able to add a new challenge. You can do this!

>75 lindapanzo: >76 raidergirl3: Thank you both for the help. Madeline sent me detailed instructions on how to do it and I was able to easily follow them, so challenge 18 is now up :)

>77 alcottacre: Hurray! You did it!! :D

>78 SqueakyChu: Thanks again, Madeline!

Has anyone who is planning to read Revenger started it yet? If so how do you like it?

>80 SilverWolf28: I haven't started it yet, I have an audio version so I will be listening to it and plan to start it over the weekend at some point.

>1 SqueakyChu: Madeline, first time in months that I've had a book to add to your challenge. I've been reading a great manga series, Oishinbo à la Carte about Japanese food set around a rivalry between an estranged son and his impossible father, decided to complete the series this month.

>82 avatiakh:. That sounds cool! I’ll have to see if my library has that series after it opens. My son collects manga, but now he only buys them in Japanese! It seems that series contains 100 books!! :O

Yeah, but only 7 in English. The publisher collated the best instalments into 7 volumes.

>84 avatiakh: As I mentioned over on your thread, I checked my library for these. They only have one - #3, lol. It looks as though it'll be ok to read it out of order - am I right?

>84 avatiakh: Well, I'd be happy to find at least one!

>85 Dejah_Thoris: If there's only one around then go for it.

I’ve got a few books added this month:

Challenge #2: Fun Home 2006
The Warlord of Mars 1914
Challenge #9: Stoner
Challenge #13: Golden Hill
Challenge #14: Sleeping Murder
Challenge #16: Strong Poison

All except Fun Home are shared reads.

My personal goal in TIOLI this year is to read only books off my Shelves, virtual or physical, and to have as many shared reads as possible.

>88 Matke: Those are great goals to have, Gail!

>89 DeltaQueen50:
I started with just shared reads but now am trying to incorporate more of my vast and unwieldy TBR of owned books.

Because it’s just a tottering tower of trouble right now.

> a tottering tower of trouble. Sounds like my life.

>90 Matke: & >91 Citizenjoyce: I hope we all manage to pull a few books off those tottering towers before we get squished!

TIOLI Question of the Month

Are any of your current reads related to these following big problems of our time: pandemic, political corruption, racism. What are you reading, and in what way are they related? Do they inspire comfort or cause you anxiety? Explain.

Heh! This sounds like a school essay question

>93 SqueakyChu: I think The Orphan Master's Son could be applied to political corruption in the sense that absolute power corrupts absolutely. I still have a couple of racism titles in to read on the kindle and well, last month was for pandemic.

>94 quondame: I started reading The Orphan Master’s Son right before the pandemic struck. I was freaking out so badly that I had to drop it in favor of a comfort read. Maybe I’ll hold onto it and read it again at a later date.

>93 SqueakyChu: I read the wonderful The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History by John M. Barry. It did give me hope because people were as stupid about the pandemic then as we are now, but somehow the world made it through the "Spanish" Flu. Sure lots of people died, but here we are. First of all, the flu probably started in Kansas, but there was a war going on, and politicians didn't want to demoralize citizens by giving them the bad news of a pandemic. The only country that was able to publish openly about the deaths was Spain, so it became the Spanish flu. Military, local and national governments pretty much did everything wrong when it came to social distancing Troops were transferred from one base to another regardless of warnings by health departments that they would spread flu. People didn't want to disrupt the regular way of doing things, so they didn't until it became undeniably obvious that they had to. Doctors put in enormous quantities of work to prove the flu was caused by a bacteria not a virus. Oh, and when penicillin was discovered, its main use was to kill bacteria growing in cultures so that the virus could grow there. I watched The Wiz last night. When I heard the wicked witch Evillene singing "Don't nobody bring me no bad news" I thought she epitomized governmental response.
https://youtu.be/pQT-QFy5Nig

Also, the scarecrow song epitomizes, in a pleasant way, what racism is like
https://youtu.be/3r1ssg1LIt4

>96 Citizenjoyce: I guess history does repeat itself, but why do we never learn from it? Loved The Wiz clips!

>93 SqueakyChu: I'm almost exclusively reading childhood favourites and mystery novels. 100% comfort reads. There's too much stress going on in my life at the moment for me to read anything else. I already have stress-rashes, I don't need anything else.

>93 SqueakyChu: I’m avoiding current topics this month. As in >98 PawsforThought: , I’m just too overwhelmed by events and anxiety right now.

>96 Citizenjoyce: I have to say, though, Joyce, The Great Influenza sounds fascinating. Next month I hope to read at least a book about a pandemic or plague.

>98 PawsforThought: >99 Matke: I totally understand the need for only comfort reads.

Lol! Thanks for the invite squeaky! I had made a new group (Food Writing for those who are interested! ) without realizing about this wonderful challenge! And I also understand about comfort reads I have been wrapped up in those lately as well.

Currently reading through Food Rules and Why French Women Don’t Get Fat as these are two Food Wribooks that have been buried in mount TBR for a while!

>101 Bcteagirl: Waiting to hear what you think
of French Women Don’t Get Fat.

Here’s the link to the Food Writing group for any TIOLI challengers who are interested.
http://www.librarything.com/groups/foodwriting

Madeline, please help. On challenge #4 I moved my book Perdition to put it in the right alphabetical order, and now there's a #15 with just the beginning of a post. I don't think anything goes here, but I can't remember. Is it fixable?

Is anyone reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins? My request came in much sooner than I thought it would, so I put it in Morphy's Challenge #9.

>103 Citizenjoyce: Fixed.
You always can trace what you have done by clicking "history" in the left under "This page".

I’ve finished this month’s challenges except for Golden Hill, which is just a case of “wrong book, wrong time.” Sorry, Stasia!

>105 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita!

>105 FAMeulstee: Thanks.

I won't buy the book, I won't encourage my library to buy the book, but look what I found on Facebook about The Room Where It Happened https://data.ddosecrets.com/file/The%20Room%20Where%20It%20Happened%20-%20John%2...

Tor is offering The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal for free today through 12:00pm EST, June 26th.

"On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington D.C. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process.

Elma York’s experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition’s attempts to put man on the moon, as a calculator. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn’t take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can’t go into space, too.

Elma’s drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her."

You'll need to sign up for their newsletters but I don't find them too frequent and if you are into fantasy/sci fi, there are interesting articles now and then. And the books they offer for free are *good*. I got all of the Murderbot books by Martha Wells from them, for instance.

TIOLI stats for May 2020

We have some really interesting stats for this past month.

We had 20 challenges which is the most we've had in one month since 2018.

Together we read 401 books, the most in one month since July, 2019.

We shared 143 books, the highest number of shared reads in one month since 2015. This represents a shared percentage of 36%, the highest percentage of shared reads since 2012 (eight years ago!).

We accumulated 78 TIOLI points, the most points in a month since 2015.

We now have a YTD accumulation of TIOLI points of 224, the highest since 2015.

The most popular book was The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy Sayers with five readers.

The most popular challenge was the one by Dejah_Thoris to read a book with a sentient thing or about AI. There were 51 books read for this challenge.

The challenge with the most TIOLI points was also the one by Dejah_Thoris to read a book with a sentient thing or about AI. The challenge accumulated 25 TIOLI points. Wow!

We're looking good! Thanks all!

>111 SqueakyChu: That IS interesting. Thanks, Madeline.

We must be reading more as the pandemic wears on. I know I am the longer I "stay at home." Though with news about major league baseball resuming around July 24th and the NHL hockey playoffs starting around then, too, my numbers will start to go down. Something I finally want to watch on TV.

The May 2020 TIOLI Awards!

The Lovely Dessert Award goes to humouress for reading The Icebound Land by John Flanagan for my (SqueakyChu's) challenge to read a book whose author’s name contains a food or drink. This author's name contains the food word flan which I love...especially if it is made by my husband's niece. It's been so long since I had some, I might have to make it myself!

The Best Permission Award goes to Carmenere for reading A Walk in the Woods for this challenger's own challenge to read a book which finishes the sentence "Mother, MAY I...". At this time of devastation worldwide, I can't think of something more calming than being with nature. I hope mom says, "Yes!"

The Highest Number Award (you knew that was coming...) goes to antqueen for reading The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms for Lindapanzo's challenge to read a book with a number in the title. Yep! Good number!

The Move It Along Award goes to madhatter22 for the challenge to read a book that you won't be keeping. In this time of covid-19, after having my library books in my home for three months, I'm wondering how I'll ever get books to start moving again. The title of this challenge made me laugh, although it did encourage me to reopen my Little Free Library. Books are now moving out, albeit slowly.

Congrats to our award winners. Feel free to add awards of your own now if you'd like.

>113 SqueakyChu: Congratulations to all the winners.
Madeline, I'm glad you decided to reopen your Little Free Library.

>112 lindapanzo: All it takes is a pandemic.... And as for my challenge having a lot of shared read - well, most of the credit should go to Martha Wells!

>113 SqueakyChu: Congratulations to all the winners!

And like Joyce, I find it good to hear that your Little Free Library is back in business.

>110 Morphidae: Thanks.

>114 Citizenjoyce: I'm glad you decided to reopen your Little Free Library.

Me, too! I missed giving books away!

>115 Dejah_Thoris: Thanks!

>112 lindapanzo: >115 Dejah_Thoris: And then in June we read all the Calderon books by Jim Butcher. Dejah, for July, shall we try for another series? 😆

>118 Morphidae: Well, I haven't actually read First Lord's Fury yet - library delay (I've got the others). What Challenge did you put it in?

I doubt I'll be doing quite that much binge reading going forward, lol - I'm back at work.

>113 SqueakyChu: Oooooh I got an award! And it has dessert.

Congratulations to all the winners.

I would like to add a couple of awards for my May challenge to "Read a book with one of the four elements in the title":

The Get It Done in One Award goes to Quondame who covered all 4 elements by reading one book. And to FAMeulstee who also had all 4 elements in her title.

4 Elements/4 Books Award goes to AlcottAcre for reading 4 different books for the challenge, each one with a different element in the title.

Well done, ladies. And thanks to lindapanzo for suggesting these awards. :)

>121 DeltaQueen50: Thank you! (I thought it was also geeky cool to have the word number in the title for #7)

>121 DeltaQueen50: And all 4 elements in Dutch don't count?

>119 Dejah_Thoris: I haven't yet looked for a place for it. I thought you had it all covered so didn't realize that that one was missing!

>124 Morphidae: Truthfully, it may be July before I get it finished. I have 10 other books I'm still looking at for June, lol. I always, always have books at the end of the month I didn't get to.

>120 humouress: Yeah. Dessert's the best! Hooray!!

>121 DeltaQueen50: Excellent work, Quondame and @AllcottAcre. Congrats on your Four Elements awards!

...and also to the forgotten @Famulstee! We definitely need to learn Dutch! :D

>126 SqueakyChu: And I forgot to say: thank you for the award.

>123 FAMeulstee: >127 SqueakyChu: Judy's translator wasn't working? ;0)

>123 FAMeulstee: Oh Anita, I am so sorry that I didn't realize your title included all the elements! I definitely need Dutch lessons! Hopefully Susan won't mind sharing the Get-It-Done-In-One Award with you.

>129 DeltaQueen50: No knowledge of Dutch needed to notice 4 words in bold ;-)

>130 FAMeulstee: Obviously, I need new glasses as well as Dutch lessons!

Housekeeping Day

Please remove from the wiki any book you don't finish by 12 midnight tonight, except for those in rolling challenges which you may simply mark DNF. Thanks!

Challenge 4: name a puppy Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews (remember the Sooty and Sweep show?)

Challenge 5: *(shared read) Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly (1998)

Challenge 10: birthstone challenge Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale (2012)

Challenge 11: *(shared read) Hospital Station by James White

Challenge 13: a word that suggests colour The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White (2019)

Challenge 14: activity you can do inside Esme's Gift by Elizabeth Foster

>36 countrylife: Would you accept 'neve' from the Irish Niamh, meaning 'bright' or 'radiant'?

Otherwise I'll put The Guinevere Deception into Challenge 12.

>134 humouress:: sure.

>135 countrylife: Thanks.

>10 DeltaQueen50: Well we just got a puppy and I suggested Nutmeg, thinking of The Nutmeg of Consolation as my daughter was distraught without Manny. Nutmeg is in the foreground.

>137 quondame: Sweeties.