Anyone interested in a challenge for next year?

I would be interested.  I read quite a few contemporary books this year.

Yup!  Let's do it.

Ok. I was thinking of just combining all our old topics (& eliminating redundancies) & perhaps having people use a randomizer to select topics. Sound ok? 

Flexibility is good. If a randomizer does that, go for it!

Instructions:

Step 1: Choose your challenge option (see below)

Step 2: Enter the number of integers needed (i.e. the number of books you’ll be reading) in the “Generate” box on the online randomizer.

• Example for competitive challenge: "Generate 18 random integers. Each integer should have a value between 1 and 73."

Step 3 (optional):  If you can't stand some of the topics you ended up with, you have a designated # (per your challenge) that can be replaced. On the randomizer, the number of integers to generate should be the number of replacements you want.

• Example for competitive challenge: "Generate 2 random integers. Each integer should have a value between 1 and 73."

CHALLENGE OPTIONS:

Super deluxe challenge: 36 books; 4 “re-randomizes”

Deluxe challenge: 24 books; 3 “re-randomizes”

Competitive challenge: 18 books 2 “re-randomizes”

Challenge: 12 books; 2 “re-randomizes”

Mini-challenge: 8 books; 1 “re-randomize”

For flexibility (or to quell any dissatisfaction with your randomized choices):

• you may replace any unacceptable-to-you topic with a different randomized topic
• you may also double or triple up, reading 2-3 books for each topic in order to meet your challenge goal

Read a work…

1. that is on your your TBR list
2. that has been on your “Reminder” or “WL” list for at least a year:
3. that you really want to re-read
4. that you borrowed from the library or a friend
5. that is on a fellow PBS’ers “best of 2014 or 2015” list
6. that is on any PBS book club list
7. that is on any nationally or internationally recognized awards list (Pen/Faulkner; Edgar; Lambda; Costa; World Fantasy, etc.). Choose a winner or finalist/runner-up/nominee.
8. whose cover art you like:
9. whose cover art you don’t like:
10.  with snow, ice, icicles, naked trees or fog on the cover:
11.  with a person's first AND last name in the title:
12.  with a season, holiday or month in the title
13.  that includes a time-related word in the title
14.  that has a title more than 4 words long (Yes, you may count article like "the" and "an")
15.  that has a name in the title
16.  that has one of your first initials in the title
17.  with a one-word title (but will accept 2 words such as "The Infinities"):
18.  that you consider short:
19.  that you consider long:
20.  that is part of a series:
21.  that was published the year you were born:
22.  that was published in 2016:
23.  that was published 2011-2015:
24.  that was published 2001-2010:
25.  that was published 1991-2000:
26.  that was published 1966-1990:
27.  that is from your favorite genre
28.  that is from a genre you don’t normally read
29.  that is historical fiction or history
30.  that is fantasy
31.  that is a romance
32.  that is a mystery or horror story
33.  that is science fiction or somehow related to science
34.  that is non-fiction
35.  that is a "non-novel" (short stories, play, poetry, essays)
36.  that mixes genres, interweaves stories, or is told from more than one point of view
37.  in which the main characters are children or the conflict revolves around children
38.  in which the main characters are teenagers or the conflict revolves around teenagers
39.  in which the main characters are 20-30-somethings or the conflict revolves around 20-30-somethings
40.  in which the main characters are middle aged or the conflict revolves around characters who are middle aged
41.  in which the main characters are senior citizens or the conflict revolves around characters who are senior citizens
42.  in which a non-human character plays a key role
43.  that takes place in a capital city 
44.  that takes place in a small town
45.  that is set in suburbia:
46.  that takes place near you
47.  that is set in another country (different from the one in which you live)
48.  having to do with gardens, the land or the environment (“Back to the Garden”)
49.  a work in which the “world” is other than your own (could be set on a different planet, a foreign country, a different time or place from your own):
50.  work translated into English
51. contemporary political issue
52.  that involves a secret or something hidden
53.  that involves cultural conflict
54.  that alludes to or directly involves one of the five senses
55.  in which a character delves into the past
56.  that involves time travel
57.  that centers around mental disorder
58.  a work about friends, family or community (including the workplace)
59.  a work about a member of the creative class (“Portrait of the artist”)
60.  a work that has to do with a literal or spiritual journey
61.  about [an] international event[s] or about events outside of the US
62.  a work in which a character kills another character (“Thou shalt not kill”)
63.  work by an author from a "developing" country:
64.  by an author you were unsure about (or downright didn’t like) the first time around:
65.  work by one of a country's greatest contemporary writers:
66.  by one of your favorite authors:
67.  by a new-to-you author:
68.  that is an author’s first book:
69.  an author who shares your birth year: (Helpful link: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/years/)
70.  that was (or is going to be) made into a film:
71.  that takes inspiration from a classic work of art/literature
72.  that is part of a series
73.  that involves books, storytelling or writing 

was there something in there that involves sports in some way -fiction or non fiction.

I like a certain number of books to read.  There were 24 categories in the last challenge.  What if we want to read more or less?

REK - You will have that option when you decide which chellenge level you want to complete. (See that "Challenge Options" in blue font.)

Charles - I just stuck with all of our previous categories as I had indicated in the OP. I think there are many opportunities on the current list (#'s 1-4, 8, 11...) to pursue sports-related reading, though, if that is your preference, as most of the categories are broad. 

So what happens if I change my mind?

Very random.  I like it!

(I'm a very random person)

I love this!!!!!   I am all in.........Pamela

Do you mean change your mind about how many books you want to read (i.e. which 

challenge level you want to complete)?

I like the option to choose any 24 of the 73 catagories.  We could even do it like the Hidden Gems best of the month style and structure the page for each of us as the catagory, copied from the list, and then fill in our books.  Or as I often do, find a catagory that matches my book......

Maybe that would keep things fresh as we would be adding to our list.  I am comfortable with not pre-selecting the 24 catagories but I realize that some might find that not enough structure.

What say Ye????

Yup, I sometimes get involved in a genre and keep reading in it for awhile!

How about this: I will set it up as a randomize challenge, but will change the re-randomizes to "replacement category of your choice." Additionally, since our group never really has been a bunch of rigid rule followers anyway, if you want to choose rather than have your categories randomly selected, "Just Do It!" I promise I will not review your work and accuse anyone's lists of being "not random enough." 

(Also, given that you can double or triple-up on categories, mightn't that address your concern as well, REK?)

Your 2016 challenge lists can be posted here. I hope this meets everyone's needs! Happy Holidays...& happy reading!

Ha!  This will be fun.  I'm not sure I fixed the duplicate numbers in a truly "random" fashion, but it picked new numbers for me, so I'm going with it.