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Genre Challenge 2011-12 > Introducing the genre challenge

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message 301: by Matt (new)

Matt (riverranger) | 155 comments Oh, okay! If they win we don't do them again?

I will look at Liz's post - obviously not doing my homework. Gawd! Another detention.

Hope you're feeling better.


message 302: by Helen (new)

Helen | 4217 comments Thanks, voice going that usually signals that my throat won't hurt much longer. Also earache gone so feeling much better :)

I'd have liked to do the historical


message 303: by Matt (new)

Matt (riverranger) | 155 comments Good oh! Hopefully that'll be it for holiday illness.

Yes, me too. I seem to be getting in to it recently. As I used to read almost entirely non-fiction, I like the mix of fiction with non-fiction. Have also managed to find HF authors that link into my interests or preferences.

Ho hum. Maybe next year! Having picked up a copy of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell I am burining to read it, so have chosen MR (now I know what it means after last month's debate...sort of).


message 304: by Helen (new)

Helen | 4217 comments Me too - I have The Book Thief lined up! It'll be some surreal genre now!


message 305: by Matt (new)

Matt (riverranger) | 155 comments Helen wrote: "Me too - I have The Book Thief lined up! It'll be some surreal genre now!"

Actually it could be a toss up between the 2 as i've just managed to pick up copy of that too. Not sure what genres that would fit into.

Was a bit dubious it might just be very dark - but dipped in & it made me smile! Am intrigued now!


message 306: by Susan (new)

Susan Strey wrote: "Good oh! Hopefully that'll be it for holiday illness.

Yes, me too. I seem to be getting in to it recently. As I used to read almost entirely non-fiction, I like the mix of fiction with non-fiction..."


I read Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke a couple of weeks ago....I thought it was brilliant....you have a treat in store!


message 307: by Abi (new)

Abi (abi_b) The Book Thief and Jonathan Strange are two of my favourite books - enjoy guys!


message 308: by Dave (new)

Dave Wood (pocket7976) | 977 comments Abi wrote: "The Book Thief and Jonathan Strange are two of my favourite books - enjoy guys!"

The Book Tief was a great read moved me to tears in parts. But I have to say i don't share the enthusiasim for Jonathan Starnge i found parts of it really entertaining but it was a real struggle in some parts its a long book.


message 309: by Matt (last edited Jul 27, 2011 07:16AM) (new)

Matt (riverranger) | 155 comments Thanks Susan, Abi & Dave. Currently shuffling the two...trying to decide! Being an emotional soul I am still a bit worried about 'Thief'...

Was hoping the Genre Challenge poll might make my mind up, as particularly JS may take up quite a lot of my month's reading. Neither will fit into a pocket for carrying around with me & quick reads on passing benches!

[Yes! Yes! I know what my Kindleista friends will say to that, thanks!!]

But looking at the GC running I'm not sure I can shoe-horn either into "Comedy"! So I think it's got to be the magicians...or maybe the thief...hmmm!


message 310: by Abi (new)

Abi (abi_b) Strey wrote: "Thanks Susan, Abi & Dave. Currently shuffling the two...trying to decide! Being an emotional soul I am still a bit worried about 'Thief'...

Was hoping the Genre Challenge poll might make my mind u..."


I think it depends on what kind of a read you want! As I said I loved both books, but equally I think they could both be described as 'challenging'. The Book Thief for it's subject matter. Jonathan Strange for the sheer size of the thing - I won't lie it took me a while to get into it but I'm glad I stuck with it.

If I had to choose out of the two, I would probably rate The Book Thief higher, as Dave said it was a really moving book and I think the author handled the subject material really well, giving how dark it could be. Not sure if this will help with your decision at all!!


message 311: by Matt (new)

Matt (riverranger) | 155 comments Abi wrote: "Strey wrote: "Thanks Susan, Abi & Dave. Currently shuffling the two...trying to decide! Being an emotional soul I am still a bit worried about 'Thief'...

Was hoping the Genre Challenge poll might ..."


Thanks Abi. The truth is I'll end up reading them both...now just need to decide which first...! :)


Lynne - The Book Squirrel (squirrelsend) | 3572 comments I have Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell on audio and had to follow it with the book as I kept getting lost. Reading along with the book helped to understand it better.


message 313: by Helen (new)

Helen | 4217 comments I'm looking forward to reading Thief, although don't know when I'll get to it without the genra challenge's influence.


message 314: by Liz, Moderator (new)

Liz | 4150 comments Mod
Strey wrote: "Thanks Susan, Abi & Dave. Currently shuffling the two...trying to decide! Being an emotional soul I am still a bit worried about 'Thief'...

Was hoping the Genre Challenge poll might make my mind u..."


I loved Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - it's certainly a whopper and the style takes a while to get used to BUT it is wonderful (like Dickens on laudanum).

I can't comment on The Book Thief as I haven't read it - but it's on my to read list....


message 315: by Liz, Moderator (new)

Liz | 4150 comments Mod
Well, it looks like comedy and horror are currently neck & neck. If you haven't voted yet; go on, you know you want to...


message 316: by Ian, Moderator (new)

Ian (pepecan) | 5518 comments Mod
Book Thief is fab Matt


message 317: by Matt (new)

Matt (riverranger) | 155 comments Thanks Ian et al. I have taken the plunge with "Book Thief" (with "Jonathan Strange..." to follow I suspect...) maybe sandwiching a GC book of some sort. Hope it's comedy, I might need a bit of light relief!

Am around 100 pages in & though I'm enjoying it, I am as yet fairly ambivalent as to the style - I'm sure it's a grower!

To use a nautical analogy I find it sorts of ebbs and flows like a tide of words, but has yet to make it's mind up...but in that it sort of represents an unseen insecurity to the situation. Hmm, anyway...

Once I get Pratchett's Mort out of my head I'm sure I'll be fine...am I that shallow?! Maybe it's just 'cos the tide's out...


message 318: by Helen (new)

Helen | 4217 comments I'm late starting a read for another group - The Witching Hour so heres hooping horror wins. Its 1300+ pages so I shall be some time!


message 319: by Angela (new)

Angela (bookangel2) | 744 comments Helen wrote: "I'm late starting a read for another group - The Witching Hour so heres hooping horror wins. Its 1300+ pages so I shall be some time!"

I really enjoyed The Witching Hour - hope you do too!


message 320: by Vicky (new)

Vicky Ashwell | 140 comments If it's comedy is Romantic Comedy ok? I'm going to read The Single Girl's To-Do List I haven't read any chic lit type books in ages (thanks to the genre challenge my horizons have truely been broadened)


message 321: by Em (new)

Em (emmap) | 2899 comments Romantic Comedy definitely ok in my book!

I knew that if Gothic/Horror won I'd go for the obvious choice of Frankenstein which I've never read but I can't quite make up my mind about Comedy... perhaps re-visit some Douglas Adams or P. G. Wodehouse or I could try another Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum novel - I really enjoyed the first one. There again, would like to re-read The Life and Loves of a She Devil which is a v. dark brand of humour but I loved it so much when I first read it, it would be good to have an excuse to read it again. There are others in the running too. Indecisive, as you can see!


message 322: by Bill (new)

Bill | 2909 comments If it's comedy, I'll be reading The Return of Hyman Kaplan by Leo Rosten. If it's Gothic / Horror, I'll be reading The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson..


message 323: by Liz, Moderator (new)

Liz | 4150 comments Mod
*drumroll*.....
....Comedy/humour has beaten horror/gothic by one vote!


message 324: by Helen (new)

Helen | 4217 comments Boo hiss! I still have 900+ pages of my gothic horror book - what if I laugh every 10 pages or so...


message 325: by Dave (new)

Dave Wood (pocket7976) | 977 comments Hmm no real comedy in my to read pile at the moment.

Would Chris Evans autobiography count do you think?

Failing that I have New Moon to read (don't ask!!) based on reading the first book that should be fairly humorous.


message 326: by Em (new)

Em (emmap) | 2899 comments The thought of you reading New Moon is amusing me Dave! You don't strike me as the target demographic for that particular series somehow.


Lynne - The Book Squirrel (squirrelsend) | 3572 comments New Moon now that is hilarious!


message 328: by Em (new)

Em (emmap) | 2899 comments It's hard to imagine how a person could fit any more teen-angst type torture (which boy to pick) into one book - mooning around I think my Mum used to call it. Is that why it's called New Moon?


message 329: by Bill (new)

Bill | 2909 comments Liz wrote: "*drumroll*.....
....Comedy/humour has beaten horror/gothic by one vote!"


Hyman Kaplan it is then.. :0)


message 330: by Deanne (new)

Deanne | 684 comments The ascent of Rum Doodle, just have to go to the library.


message 331: by Helen (new)

Helen | 4217 comments I enjoyed the whole Twilight series!! Although Jacob was definitely the better bet.


message 332: by Liz, Moderator (new)

Liz | 4150 comments Mod
Dave wrote: "Hmm no real comedy in my to read pile at the moment.

Would Chris Evans autobiography count do you think?

Failing that I have New Moon to read (don't ask!!) based on reading the first book that sh..."


I have Steve Martin's autobiography lying around somewhere too - I'm sure it'd squeeze into the comedy genre...
(BTW if you really want to laugh out loud, Breaking Dawn had me rolling!)


message 333: by Ian, Moderator (new)

Ian (pepecan) | 5518 comments Mod
I shall be delving into some Stephen Fry


message 334: by Joseph (new)

Joseph (seppy) Now your talking Ian, 'The Liar' is very good.


message 335: by Ian, Moderator (new)

Ian (pepecan) | 5518 comments Mod
More likely to be his memoir- The Fry Chronicles by Stephen Fry


message 336: by Em (new)

Em (emmap) | 2899 comments I enjoyed that one Ian! Still making my mind up.


message 337: by Ian, Moderator (new)

Ian (pepecan) | 5518 comments Mod
Could also try How To Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran by Caitlin Moran which I think may help in my lifetime quest to learn Venutian


°Õ³Üğç±ð Gökırmak (tugcenidasevin) | 48 comments I missed the voting, I would definitely vote for horror as I don't have much humour books in my hand at the moment. I am planning to read A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. Hope it's a good one as it is definitely a long one.


message 339: by Dave (new)

Dave Wood (pocket7976) | 977 comments Em wrote: "It's hard to imagine how a person could fit any more teen-angst type torture (which boy to pick) into one book - mooning around I think my Mum used to call it. Is that why it's called New Moon?"

Nope definitively not the target demographic - my evil friend bought in for me as an xmas 'present' knowing full well that I have to read every book I'm given.

suffering from OCD much :)


message 340: by Bill (new)

Bill | 2909 comments Tugce Nida wrote: "I missed the voting, I would definitely vote for horror as I don't have much humour books in my hand at the moment. I am planning to read A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Brys..."

I just finished and enjoyed very much. It doesn't get too technical and he covers 'almost everything'..


°Õ³Üğç±ð Gökırmak (tugcenidasevin) | 48 comments Bill wrote: "Tugce Nida wrote: "I missed the voting, I would definitely vote for horror as I don't have much humour books in my hand at the moment. I am planning to read [book:A Short History of Nearly Everythi..."

Glad to hear, it is next on my pile. :)


message 342: by Liz, Moderator (new)

Liz | 4150 comments Mod
Ok, the poll results to date:
Currently in the lead with 13 votes is Magical Realism, closely followed by Horror and Spy fiction, both with 11 votes.

If you haven't voted yet, what are you waiting for?
We'll find out which it's to be on 1st Sept.....


message 343: by Helen (new)

Helen | 4217 comments Shall I confess now that I didn't do comedy? I'm 1 2/3 books behind on August too. Have two lined up for Magical Realism though, The Book Thief and if I can get a kindle version, The Magician King.


message 344: by Ian, Moderator (new)

Ian (pepecan) | 5518 comments Mod
ego te absolvo Helen


message 345: by Helen (new)

Helen | 4217 comments What a super Mod you are today!


message 346: by Ian, Moderator (new)

Ian (pepecan) | 5518 comments Mod
Helen wrote: "What a super Mod you are today!"

I try to please


message 347: by Em (new)

Em (emmap) | 2899 comments I'm pleased, I can read The Shadow of the Wind at last and it will complete my A-Z Challenge too. Fantastic!

Helen, perhaps you should just read a funny poem for Comedy -
The Owl and the Pussy-Cat perhaps?


message 348: by Helen (new)

Helen | 4217 comments Haha, okay then.


message 349: by Helen (new)

Helen | 4217 comments Completed it! Feel quite saintly.


message 350: by Em (new)

Em (emmap) | 2899 comments Happy to help!


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