You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

I've set up a poll to vote on the date for the Toppler.

The theme of this Toppler is Name That Tune!

So, what’s the tune? That’s your assignment. You can read any book you want, but there is a catch.

1 – Pick your favorite type of music.
2 – Pick your favorite song from your type. You might have to use the fruit machine for this.
http://www.classtools.net/education-g...
3 – Choose books that would make a good song titles.
4 – Read your selected book(s). You might want to make notes of highlights/lowlights.
5 – After reading your book, write a song set to the tune of your favorite song chosen in step 2. It doesn’t have to be long, 8 lines or more is good. There will be a separate thread to post your songs. Be sure to tell us what tune it’s set to, so we can sing to ourselves. There will be bonus badges if you sing the song and post a link to it, and special recognition for the best and worst singers (you know I covet the gluestick). Although the book(s) must be completed by Sunday noon DST, you will have until Monday August 11th, noon DST, to complete and post your song.

This Toppler is one day long, and will begin on August 9th at noon DST and end at noon DST on the 10th.

The rules:

1. Books must be started and finished in this time period to qualify. There will be an extra 24 hours to complete your song.
2. You may read any format - paperback, hardcover, ebook, or audiobook. For the last two use the page numbers on the first edition that comes up on the GR page.
3. Each book must be at least 150 pages.
4. Toppler books can count toward the monthly challenge, the group theme read, and the chunkster yearly challenge if they qualify.
5. You may plan ahead and chose books for the challenge, but you are not restricted to those books. You may swap them out at will.

Don’t let the idea of having to write a song stop you from participating! It doesn’t have to be good, have fun with it! Let your creativity run wild, and remember, if you think you’ll be horrible at this part, so will a lot of us. ☺

reserved

How exciting!

This might just be a stupid question but...what is a TBR toppler and how does it work?

Charlotte wrote: "This might just be a stupid question but...what is a TBR toppler and how does it work?"

Not stupid at all. We do tend to have our own language at times! Hard for a newcomer to keep up. You may want to review the Glossary discussion topic.

From Glossing the Glossary:

Toppler ~ A period of time in which everyone around the world reads at exactly the same time. Sometimes just for one day, sometimes for an entire week. The idea is to topple books off your To-Be-Read (TBR) shelf. In general, the concept fails, because you end up adding more to your shelf than you remove, by stealing er, borrowing other book ideas from the participating membership. It's a read-a-thon like no other, complete with themes, tasks, chatting, and lots of fun.

Thank you! I'll be sure to go over the glossary.

Let me emphasize that you can't read just any old book - it has to fit in with one of the tasks for that Toppler. And that leads to all the fun planning and gophering. And chatting about what you might read, how meanie (that's me) won't approve that book you really want to read, and how you wish the Toppler would hurry up and get here :)

I'm very curious about this one! Just voted. Although I've never done a non-team toppler before, it'd be fun. :)

jaxnsmom wrote: "....how you wish the Toppler would hurry up and get here :)"

Absolutely!! Faster!!

Two months is not much of a sample, but it does seem that when there is a poll about timing of the toppler, the earliest date available tends to draw more votes.

Oh, I see what you mean. Big lead for the 9th! :)

is this an individual toppler then? and is it just one day?

Marie wrote: "is this an individual toppler then? and is it just one day?"

Yes this time it's one day ..... I can't be certain as we haven't been given details but every one day toppler so far (that I've been part of) has been an individual toppler

Ann, at the top of this page in the right hand corner there are links in green. Click on "polls" and it will take you there.

I found it right after I posted! Thanks!

Will the task be announced on the day of the toppler then? This sounds really fun. :D

It's usually announced at least a little bit earlier. Half of the fun is planning what to read, and comparing possibilities with other group members.

I'm hesitant to give away too much too soon, but I'll probably post the details this weekend.

But we need more time to plan!! :)

Yes, definitely give us the details .... we need to plan!!
(not that a 24 hour one needs that much planning .... but that's beside the point ;o) )

The anticipation is killing me!

Isn't this close enough to the weekend now?? Pleeeeease tell us....we promise to be good! ;)

I ain't promisin' nothin'!

I was going to do the toppler last time but when I saw the theme I bailed. This one sounds interesting.

I think JMom is trying to limit the time we can whine about which books fit the Toppler.

The music theme is intriguing to me. When I was 8 years old I was in an "everyone is welcome" choir at my Catholic Elementary School. Those "sweet" little nuns kicked me out saying God obviously didn't mean for me to sing!!!

So give us some details Jaxnmom or I will serenade you. :)

It's okay Marnie. I'm sure God didn't mean for me to sing either. Yet I'm cursed with a love for all things musical. Woe is me.

Let's both serenade Jaxnsmom.

I'll join you two, and we'll make a lovely trio. : )

I'll just keep the volume turned off :)

That's too funny Marnie.

*cue the howl*

Charlie wrote: "It's okay Marnie. I'm sure God didn't mean for me to sing either. Yet I'm cursed with a love for all things musical. Woe is me.

Let's both serenade Jaxnsmom."

I´m joining too. I am so unmusical, I can not ring even the doorbell without being terribly off tune.
:-)))))

Since we are sharing singing stories...

When I was a kid, my mom heard me screaming from the bathroom. She thought I fell and hurt myself, so she ran to check what happened. It turned out I was singing under the shower... :)

I love to sing in the car. One time it almost got me in trouble. I was singing away, directing the band with my hands, having a good time. At a stop sign, the guy in the truck in front of me got out and started stomping his way towards me. I guess he thought I was cursing and gesturing to him - which makes me think he was being an idiot driver and didn't like it being noticed. Luckily for me Jackson was in the car (especially since it was my old car which didn't lock), because he was very territorial about his car. He started going berserk as the man got closer, and that guy turned and practically ran back to his truck. Jackson got extra treats that day. ☺

LOL, love that story, J'mom. And Kirila, yours was hilarious too. :)

I'm just sitting over here laughing. Kirila- too funny and Jackson deserved the extra treats!

Alright everyone - the Toppler is posted in Message 2. Let the gophering begin!

I hope you'll keep posting singing stories here.

I'm looking forward to hearing some opera - Dawn, Cherie, Mariab...

jaxnsmom, the toppler sounds like a lot of fun :) Unfortunately, I am at a wedding that weekend, where I won't have an opportunity to read, sing nor write lyrics... But I will be looking forward to reading/singing all your creations later!

OMG

Write an Opera song...and then sing it?? That's crazy!!

Well now I'm having flashbacks to choir :)

This sounds like tons of fun. My husband is offering me bribes if I post a video but I think I will spare y'all. Hey could I get Lynn to sing my song? I remember from the camp Toppler she has a GREAT voice!

Oh, dear me! I may fail! I was the ballerina never the singer! Haha! Good thing J'mom said it doesn't have to be good to count!

I love/appreciate opera; however, I will not be trying to write an aria. ROFL

Kirila wrote: "jaxnsmom, the toppler sounds like a lot of fun :) Unfortunately, I am at a wedding that weekend, where I won't have an opportunity to read, sing nor write lyrics... But I will be looking forward to..."

Well, since it's a special occasion, you could post a video of you singing 'Here comes the bride...' LOL

Marnie wrote: "Well now I'm having flashbacks to choir :)

This sounds like tons of fun. My husband is offering me bribes if I post a video but I think I will spare y'all. Hey could I get Lynn to sing my song? I ..."

Yes! Go for the bribe!! I remember Lynn's singing too, maybe you could rig up video of you moving your mouth with Lynn's doing the actual singing :~D

In the unlikely case i make it, you take song in French? And is there a link between the song and the book?

I'll accept the song in any language. I hope you make it! Your book title has to be the title of the song, but it doesn't have to be about the book. It would be great if it were, but it might be too hard to avoid spoilers.

I am currently reading Animal Crackers, and although I've never seen the movie, I have the first line stuck in my brain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cntYIk...

Hmmm...The Guermantes Way by Marcel Proust. Song set to music of the late 60s - early 70s, perhaps Simon and Garfunfel; Crosby, Stills, and Nash; Bob Dylan; Steppenwolf...

Would something like that work? Can we finalize the song choice after finishing the book?

This sounds like fun! Like a few others, I don't have the best singing voice so I'm unlikely to post me singing it. I think writing the song will be hard enough! Can't wait!

Oh, and there's going to be some serious earworms going on this toppler!

Theresa~OctoberLace wrote: "Hmmm...The Guermantes Way by Marcel Proust. Song set to music of the late 60s - early 70s, perhaps Simon and Garfunfel; Crosby, Stills, and Nash; Bob Dylan; Steppenwol..."

First I had a good laugh. I wore a 22 year old t-shirt to work yesterday from a Crosby, Stills and Nash concert :)

Yes, you can finalize your song after reading your book. BUT, if you choose a Bob Dylan song, you have to sing your song imitating his voice! ☺

I object! This is discrimination against Dylan fans! By the way, did you know that Dylan is rumored to have stolen the tune for "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright," from an old folk tune, "Who's Going to Buy You Chickens When I'm Gone?"