The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

15.9 - “He Who Knows Others Is Wise. He Who Knows Himself Is Enlightened.” - Lao Tzu
In life more often than not we come to see ourselves in certain roles (the cheerleader, the jock, the nerd etc.) or titles if you will...for this task you will need to read...
A. A book whose title in someway reflects who you think you are; that describes you in someway. (EXAMPLES: A Hopeless Romantic, Company Man)
AND
B.Explain if and how the main character (presumably whom the title refers to) does or does not remind you of yourself.

If you need suggestions OR have suggestions for books to read for this task post them here.

Could I use Flipped because I'm really indecisive?

Can I use Geek Love since I'm a geek, but a generally lovely person (or so I hope)?

How about Disgrace? Kidding, kidding. Back to the drawing board.

Alisha wrote: "Can I use Geek Love since I'm a geek, but a generally lovely person (or so I hope)?"

Yes

Felina wrote: "Could I use Flipped because I'm really indecisive?"

The word flipped doesn't really make me think indecisive.

Can I use Miss Understanding?

I am always listening to people and trying to understand their feelings or their side of things.

Any suggestions for this one that aren't chick lit? Its hard to find Fantasy/sci-fi and Historical Fiction (my favs) that have personality traits as the titles unless they are negative like traitor.

Perhaps I'll go with Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress. After all who isn't a hypocrite from time to time. Does that work Cynthia?

Could I do Sense and Sensibility, since I am the realistic, practical, and sensible half of my marriage? :o)

Cait wrote: "Could I do Sense and Sensibility, since I am the realistic, practical, and sensible half of my marriage? :o)"
I was really looking for more of a stated type like the examples but if you can't find one of those then that would be ok.

Felina wrote: "Any suggestions for this one that aren't chick lit? Its hard to find Fantasy/sci-fi and Historical Fiction (my favs) that have personality traits as the titles unless they are negative like traitor..."

Nicole wrote: "Can I use Miss Understanding?
If you own and wear a pouffy white dress...yes.

I am always listening to people and trying to understand their feelings or their side of things."
Yes

Ok.... what about A Reliable Wife or The Collector?

Um, or Good in Bed? Lol. :oD

Cait wrote: "Ok.... what about A Reliable Wife or The Collector?

Um, or Good in Bed? Lol. :oD"
those work

The Case of the Lazy Lover (might be the opposite of Cait's Good in Bed)

Cait wrote: "Ok.... what about A Reliable Wife or The Collector?

Um, or Good in Bed? Lol. :oD"

LMAO!

LOL. I cannot wait to see how Cait and Elizabeth handle part B: "Explain if and how the main character (presumably whom the title refers to) does or does not remind you of yourself." hehehehe

Cynthia wrote: If you own and wear a pouffy white dress...yes.

I do own a fairly pouffy white dress although not as puffy as the one on the cover of the book. I'll wear it for you!! ;)

Would The Perks of Being a Wallflower work? I don't like to be the center of attention & tend towards shyness.

Liz wrote: "Would The Perks of Being a Wallflower work? I don't like to be the center of attention & tend towards shyness."
I'll take that.

So, based on your other responses, the entire title needs to be the description, it can't just have one word. Is that correct?

How about Queen of Babble if I really like to talk? :)

Would Ain't She Sweet? work? I'm sweet... most of the time ;o).

Kristi (Passion for the Page) wrote: "Would Ain't She Sweet? work? I'm sweet... most of the time ;o)."
sure

Erin wrote: "How about Queen of Babble if I really like to talk? :)"
yes

Manday wrote: "So, based on your other responses, the entire title needs to be the description, it can't just have one word. Is that correct?"

Think about it like this - if you were a book what would your title be.

Think I'll select The Sugar Queen. I constantly am snacking on sugary sweets much to the amusement and shock of my family, friends and coworkers. And I buy candy for others, usually a jar near my desk, OR I'll bake more sweets.

OR I might buy Sweet Misfortune: A Novel which applies to my life - sweetness wrapping layers of misfortune. HEE!

Books from my to-read that might work for someone (not me):
The Underground Man
The Portrait of a Lady
The Go-Between

I might use Strong Opinions, though I am still looking.

ooh! and of course The Reader would work for just about any of us!

or I Am the Messenger

Would this work?
Good Fight
I'm a lawyer (like the main character in this book) and I spend my time representing veterans who are having trouble with the VA, so I definitely see myself as fighting "the good fight."

Gigi wrote: "Opps
It's a little hard to read
A. American Nerd: The Story of My People by Benjamin Nugent"
Yes

Sandy wrote: "Would this work?
Good Fight
I'm a lawyer (like the main character in this book) and I spend my time representing veterans who are having trouble with the VA, so I definitely see my..."
That's not really it...if it were Good Fighter that would work - slight difference I know but that's what I'm looking for on this task. I.E. there should be some sort of noun in the title possibly with an adjective or be a descriptive statement.

I moved stuff around a bit (already) and will read The Art of Racing in the Rain. I'm an amateur racewalker in a town that gets 160 inches of rainfall annually.

How about:

I Am Not A Serial Killer - hopefully this works for most of us...
Fantasy Lover or Dark Lover or any of JR Ward's books
The Windup Girl
The Book Thief
I Am Charlotte Simmons - though i suppose this will only work for a very specific person...
Presumed Innocent
Midnight Rambler: A Novel of Suspense - for night owls
Master of the Game - anyone good at cards or chess or sports?
Lifeguard
The Widow of the South
FIRST BORN
Perfect - obviously this one is for me
Knitting Under the Influence

Hmmm...

Another possibility might be
American Wife

Or if your husband kicks serious culinary ass
The Kitchen God's Wife

If your husband's in the hoosegow
The Prisoner's Wife: A Memoir

If you are married to a McDreamy or McSteamy
The Doctor's Wife

If you're spacey or a little bit cuckoo
The Woman Who Was Not All There: A Novel

If you have a green thumb
The Constant Gardener

If you are an exhibitionist named Juliet
Juliet, Naked

If you are really strict
The Warden

If your mom is full of sunshine, rainbows, and fluffy white kittens
The Optimist's Daughter

A contemporary woman named Mary
Mary Modern

If you think very highly of yourself and think others should/do too
I Am Legend

If you are a twin
The Double

If your husband flies
The Pilot's Wife

If your husband works at a zoo
The Zookeeper's Wife

If your head is always in the clouds
The Daydreamer

Are you shy or non confrontational and from the US?
The Quiet American

Another book for the quirky
Emotionally Weird: A Novel

Is your name Grace?
About Grace


If you've beaten the odds
Survivor

If you feel out of place in your current environment
Stranger in a Strange Land

Are you a klutz?
The Woman Who Walked into Doors

Into History?
The Historian

Named Rebecca?

Cait wrote: "Or if your husband kicks serious culinary ass
The Kitchen God's Wife"

Some interesting possibilities based on husbands! How about

The Time Traveler's Wife or The Shape-Changer's Wife

Do you entertain a lot?
The Host

Gullible?
Fool

If you're brave
I'm Not Scared

If you are dishonest
The Liar's Diary

If you are a teacher who isn't "getting any"
The Abstinence Teacher

If you are facing or have faced a roadblock in life
Girl, Interrupted

If your boyfriend is really tall
Dating Big Bird

Cait - your list made me really laugh this evening (and I needed it!) And Rebecca - how fitting ;)

I think I might do The Lacemaker but I'm still deciding.

Great Cait! - My DH is a stay at home husband, and I was thinking about something along the lines of working breadwinner, etc, but he IS the Kitchen god, does (most of the time) kick culinary ass...there was that unfortunate sausage dish...but to make up for it he occasionally pulls out the Julia Child, seriously awesome.

Cindy wrote: "Great Cait! - My DH is a stay at home husband, and I was thinking about something along the lines of working breadwinner, etc, but he IS the Kitchen god, does (most of the time) kick culinary ass....."

LOL! I'm glad (and a little jealous) that it works for you. :oD

Rebecca wrote: "Cait - your list made me really laugh this evening (and I needed it!) And Rebecca - how fitting ;)

I think I might do The Lacemaker but I'm still deciding."

You make lace? That's awesome! I'm so domestically challenged it's not even funny.

Yes, in my "spare" time, I am a lacemaker. However, ask me to sew a button or even hem pants and you are on your own ;)

If you love to shop
Confessions of a Shopaholic

If you are the less attractive step sister
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister

If you love Jane Austen
Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict

For your average reader
Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader

If you are full of shite
Confessions of a Crap Artist

If you lost your mother of the year award months ago
Confessions of a Slacker Mom

For the spoiled and/or privileged
The Princess Diaries
A Little Princess

Ahem, Cait, I think
Confessions of the Crap Artist, might be more about smooth talkers, or BSers as we say in LA, rather than untalented artists...they would be "crappy", I believe.;).

Cindy wrote: "Ahem, Cait, I think
Confessions of the Crap Artist, might be more about smooth talkers, or BSers as we say in LA, rather than untalented artists...they would be "crappy", I believe.;)."

Ah, gotcha. ;o) Editing my post now.

LOL, LOL, afraid to ROFLMAO.

Cindy wrote: "Ahem, Cait, I think
Confessions of the Crap Artist, might be more about smooth talkers, or BSers as we say in LA, rather than untalented artists...they would be "crappy", I believe.;)."

Isn't that the same thing as being, as Cait said, "full of shite"?

She edited her post, sorry guys it was a classic. Funny now too.

Ok, I want to see if I have this right. The title of the book is supposed to describe something about us, but the content doesn't necessarily have to fit. After we read the book, we compare the main character to yourself and just see how it comes out. If that's a possible way to interpret the task, I'd like to use The Invisible Bridge because I tend to be a go between when people don't see eye to eye, especially with the young man who I am surrogate mom to and who suffers from emotional illness. Will this work?

And thanks for the laughs everyone!

Karen wrote: "Ok, I want to see if I have this right. The title of the book is supposed to describe something about us, but the content doesn't necessarily have to fit. After we read the book, we compare the mai..."

ok

Just for Cait...What's Wrong With Being Crabby?

Could I read:
Cheating at Solitaire (I always cheat at cards...)?
Dancing Queen (I like the dance around a lot)?
Insatiable (I'm pregnant...)?
Sister of the Bride (my baby sister is getting married in June)?

Options for others:
I was a Non Blonde Cheerleader
I Was a Teenage Popsicle (???)

LOL at Cait's suggestions!!

Could I read:


Secret Diary of a Demented Housewife as I was a housewife until it sent me demented, and now I work part-time and am now only a demented housewife part of the time?

or I could go with The Reader

Cynthia wrote: "Karen wrote: "Ok, I want to see if I have this right. The title of the book is supposed to describe something about us, but the content doesn't necessarily have to fit. After we read the book, we c..."
Thanks for the ok, but now that I read the synopsis and your rules I'm going to keep looking.

SuzieR wrote: "LOL at Cait's suggestions!!

Could I read:

Secret Diary of a Demented Housewife as I was a housewife until it sent me demented, and now I work part-time and am now only a demented ..."

Secret Diary of a Demented Housewife - yes

Sara ♥ wrote: "Could I read:
Cheating at Solitaire (I always cheat at cards...)?
Dancing Queen (I like the dance around a lot)?
Insatiable (I'm pregnant...)?
[book:..."

Cheating at Solitaire - no
Dancing Queen - Yes
Insatiable - Yes
Sister of the Bride - Yes