Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

One of the prompts for the 2021 ATY Challenge is "A book related to a codeword from the NATO Phonetic Alphabet." Some people discussed the idea of completing the entire alphabet as a side challenge.

So here it is...a thread dedicated to a NATO Phonetic Alphabet Challenge. Share your challenge lists. Discuss ideas for books. Ask questions about the prompt and/or challenge.

Challenge dates: January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021

Prompt Listopia

A - Alpha
B - Bravo
C - Charlie
D - Delta
E - Echo
F - Foxtrot
G - Golf
H - Hotel
I - India
J - Juliet
K - Kilo
L - Lima
M - Mike
N - November
O - Oscar
P - Papa
Q - Quebec
R - Romeo
S - Sierra
T - Tango
U - Uniform
V - Victor
W - Whisky
X - X-ray
Y - Yankee
Z - Zulu

Links to individual challenge posts
dalex
Pam
Kim
Joanne
Ellie
Bryony
Robin
Steven
Roxana
Kathy
Sue
Kendra
Anna
Annie
Sara
Suzanne
Jette
Sarah
Beth
Alicia
Rosemary
Karissa
Aimee
Anabell
Johanna
Carol
Nancy
Donna
Arunima
Frances
Tanvi

dalex's alphabet challenge

Tally: 4/26

Alpha
Bravo
Charlie

Delta

Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward (3 Stars)
Delta is a letter in the Greek alphabet. Greek mythology is a minor theme in this book.

Echo

Foxtrot

Zero Bomb by M.T. Hill (4 Stars)
There is a fox on the cover and in the story.

Golf
Hotel
India
Juliet
Kilo

Lima

Five Little Indians by Michelle Good (3 Stars)
Lima is the number five in the Indonesian and Malay languages.

Mike
November
Oscar
Papa
Quebec
Romeo
Sierra

Tango

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones (3 Stars)
"Cell Block Tango" is a song from the musical Chicago. The musical is set in prison; one of the characters in this book spends time in prison.

Uniform
Victor
Whisky
X-ray
Yankee
Zulu

Pam’s Challenge
Completed: 3/26
Challenge Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2021

A - Alpha: First in a series
B - Bravo: Play
✅C - Charlie
Codename Villanelle - Villanelles' codename on one mission is Charlie.
✅D - Delta
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 - Delta = Change. This book is set in South Korea during a time of changes relating to women's issues such as “family planning” birth control policies and gender discrimination.
E - Echo: The Deadliest Echo
F - Foxtrot:Fantastic Mr. Fox; The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse; Mr. Fox
G - Golf: Radio Golf; The Man Upstairs and Other StoriesMiracle on the 17th Green: A Novel about Life, Love, Family, Miracles ... and Golf
✅H - Hotel
The Dead Mountaineer's Inn- Inn = Hotel
I - India: A Passage to India
J - Juliet:
K - Kilo: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms; The Ten Thousand Doors of January; The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
L - Lima: Set in Peru (Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter)
M - Mike- Author or character named Michael (or derivate): The White Guard by Mikhail Bulgakov
N - November: Moominvalley in November; November by Gustave Flaubert; November 22, 1963
O - Oscar: Oscar Wilde; Oscar and Lucinda
P - Papa: Synonym for papa in title: The Innocence of Father Brown; Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History; Fathers and Sons; Letter to His Father
Q - Quebec: Quebecois author or setting- A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny; Kamouraska by Anne Hébert; Agaguk by Yves Thériault;
R - Romeo: A Wolf Called Romeo
S - Sierra: Set in the Sierra Nevada Mountians or Sierra Leone - Nature Writings: The Story of My Boyhood and Youth / My First Summer in the Sierra / The Mountains of California / Stickeen / Essays; The Heart of the Matter; The Memory of Love
T - Tango: Dance theme- Mao's Last Dancer; Dancer; Russian Winter
U - Uniform: cover with symmetry; character who wears a uniform (military, police)- WWI: The Eye in the Door; war non-fiction
V - Victor: Victor Hugo; The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab (real name Victoria)
W - Whisky: Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts
X - X-ray: The Art of X-Ray Reading
Y - Yankee: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's CourtEast Goes West: The Making of an Oriental Yankee
Z - Zulu: The Washing of the Spears: A History of the Rise of the Zulu Nation Under Shaka and Its Fall in the Zulu War of 1879

Challenge dates: January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021
Complete 4.5.21

A - Alpha - What Once Was True by Jean Grainger 2/16/2021 [first book in a series]
B - Bravo - The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan 2/3/2021 [performance at Sanheim]
C - Charlie - How to Raise an Elephant by Alexander McCall Smith 1/15/2021 [character]
D - Delta - The Silence by Don DeLillo 1/2/2021 [flight]
E - Echo - A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess 1/16/2021 [music was an important element]
F - Foxtrot - Ladies of the Lake. Haywood Smith. 3.2.21
G - Golf - My Man Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse 2/16/2021 [golf is mentioned in several stories]
H - Hotel - Murder in the Mystery Suite by Ellery Adams 1/8/2021 [setting]
I - India - The Dutch House by Ann Patchett 7-Feb [the mother goes off to India]
J - Juliet - The Last Days of Café Leila. Donia Bijan. 3.15.21 the hotel has juliet balconies
K - Kilo - Hawaii by James A. Michener 1/28/2021 [book over 500 pages]
L - Lima is of Arabic origin and means "Star beside the moon" - A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum 1/4/2021
M - Mike - When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn 1/25/2021 [character named Michael]
N - November - Emma by Alexander McCall Smith 2/1/2021 [pub. in November]
O - Oscar - Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston 15-Feb [character name]
P - Papa - A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness 2/2/2021 [Matthew/Marcus - father/son]
Q - Quebec - The Bone Collection: Four Novellas. Kathy Reichs. 4.4.21 Temperance works both in Quebec and North Carolina
R - Romeo - It's in His Kiss by Julia Quinn 1/30/2021 [romance]
S - Sierra - by Kristin Hannah 1/22/2021 [mountain on cover]
T - Tango (orange cover) by Elizabeth Berg 1/11/2021
U - Uniform Murder in the Locked Library by Ellery Adams 1/1/2021 [involves police]
V - Victor - A Column of Fire. Ken Follett. 3.19.21 to the victor goes the spoils
W - Whisky - First Comes Scandal by Julia Quinn 1/16/2021 (takes place in Scotland)
X - X-ray - B is for Burglar by Sue Grafton 1/20/2021 (x-rays used to identify murder victim)
Y - Yankee Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman 1/8/2021 [set in New England]
Z - Zulu - Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah 2/13/2021 [setting/zulu tribes mentioned]

NATO Phonetic Alphabet Challenge
Start: 01/01/2021

A - Alpha
B - Bravo
C - Charlie
D - Delta
E - Echo
F - Foxtrot
G - Golf
H - Hotel
I - India
J - Juliet
K - Kilo
L - Lima
M - Mike
N - November
O - Oscar
P - Papa
Q - Quebec
R - Romeo
S - Sierra
T - Tango
U - Uniform
V - Victor
W - Whisky
X - X-ray
Y - Yankee
Z - Zulu

10/26

Alfa: a book with a werewolf

✔ Bravo: a book that includes a performance:
🌆 Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson ⭐⭐⭐

✔ Charlie: a book with a character or author called Charlie:
🌈 Heartstopper Volume Four by Alice Oseman ⭐⭐⭐⭐

✔ Delta: a book involving flight:
✈✊🏾 Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo ⭐⭐⭐

Echo: a book related to sound
Foxtrot: a book related to horses

✔ Golf: a book with a vehicle on the cover:
🚘 The Road Trip by Beth O'Leary ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hotel: a book involving a hotel

✔ India: a book by an author of Indian ethnicity:
👶🏽 Brown Baby: A Memoir of Race, Family and Home by Nikesh Shukla ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

✔ Juliett: a book with a tragedy:
Afterlove by Tanya Byrne ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kilo: a book over 500 pages
Lima: a book related to the goddess of doorways
Mike: a book with a character or author called Mike (or Michael)
November: a book published in November
✔ Oscar: a Green Book:
📽 The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick by Mallory O'Meara ⭐⭐⭐

✔ Papa: a book with a father/child relationship:
📖 Maxwell's Demon by Steven Hall ⭐⭐⭐⭐

✔ Quebec: a book set in Canada:
🌲 A Stranger in Town by Kelley Armstrong ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Romeo: a book with a romance
Sierra: a book with a mountain (or hill) on the cover
Tango: a book with an orange cover
Uniform: a book involving the police
Victor: a book related to Frankenstein
Whiskey: a book set in Scotland
X-Ray: a medical memoir

✔ Yankee: a book set in New England:
🔎🌈 Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Zulu: a book set in South Africa

Great idea dalex! Thanks for setting this up. I don’t think I’ll finish this all in 2021 but I’ll try and see how many I complete.

A - Alpha
B - Bravo
C - Charlie
D - Delta
E - Echo
F - Foxtrot
G - Golf
H - Hotel
I - India
J - Juliet
K - Kilo
L - Lima
M - Mike
N - November
O - Oscar
P - Papa
Q - Quebec
R - Romeo
S - Sierra
T - Tango
U - Uniform
V - Victor
W - Whisky
X - X-ray
Y - Yankee
Z - Zulu

Those with * are complete.

*A - Alpha - Whose Body? - 1st book in series
*B - Bravo - Miss Marjoribanks - vocal performances are a plot point
*C - Charlie - Sylvia's Lovers - a major character is named Charley
*D - Delta - The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland - some of the planes were Delta
*E - Echo - The War for Kindness: Building Empathy in a Fractured World - talks about how we mirror or echo other people's feelings
*F - Foxtrot - The Gown - main character dances this
*G - Golf - Hieroglyphics - main characters live on golf course
H - Hotel - set in a hotel or with Hotel in title
*I - India - Homeland Elegies - family is of Indian descent
*J - Juliet - True Grit - teenage girl
*K - Kilo - The Big Sheep - a major plot point is the unusual weight of the sheep (300 pounds!)
L - Lima -
*M - Mike - How the Penguins Saved Veronica - name of a character
*N - November - The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club - set in November
*O - Oscar - Queen of Hearts - about people making a movie
*P - Papa - The Ten Thousand Doors of January, main character is looking for her father
Q - Quebec - set in Quebec or written originally in French
*R - Romeo - Hamnet - both are Shakespeare characters
*S - Sierra - A Friend of the Earth - major character named Sierra and book is about ecology
T - Tango - about dance or set in Latin America
*U - Uniform - about police, fire, waitstaff, private school, etc. - Wait for Signs: Twelve Longmire Stories - main character is a sheriff- read Jan 3 - used for ATY prompt "collection of stories, essays, poetry"
V - Victor - about war or sports
*W - Whiskey - Ask Again, Yes - alcoholism is a plot point
*X - X-ray - The Doctors Blackwell: How Two Pioneering Sisters Brought Medicine to Women and Women to Medicine
*Y - Yankee - Iola Leroy - set in Civil War
*Z - Zulu - His Only Wife - set in Africa

Steven's NATO challenge

Tally: 2/26

Alpha - Fool Moon involves a group called the Alphas
Bravo
Charlie
Delta
Echo
Foxtrot - A Dance of the Forests by Wole Soyinka a foxtrot is a dance
Golf
Hotel
India
Juliet
Kilo
Lima
Mike
November
Oscar
Papa
Quebec
Romeo
Sierra
Tango
Uniform
Victor
Whisky
X-ray
Yankee
Zulu

Ellie wrote: "0/26

My preliminary interpretations included!

Ooh, these are helpful. I was also thinking Golf - sport, Kilo- drug or weightlifting, Oscar - related to a movie, and Tango - dance or "it takes two". I was overwhelmed with coming up with ideas until I saw these. Thanks!

Roxana's NATO Challenge

Tally: 0/26

Alpha
Bravo
Charlie
Delta
Echo
Foxtrot
Golf
Hotel
India
Juliet
Kilo
Lima
Mike
November
Oscar -- Oscar Hammerstein or Wilde
Papa
Quebec
Romeo -- Romeo and Juliet probs
Sierra
Tango
Uniform -- Aubrey-Maturin series
Victor -- Victor Hugo
Whisky
X-ray
Yankee
Zulu

Kathy's Challenge

26/26 Finished 9/13/21

A - Alfa
✅The Garden of Small Beginnings - Abbi Waxman

B - Bravo
✅Olive, Again - Elizabeth Strout (Bravo = Again)

C - Charlie
✅Eugénie Grandet - Honore de Balzac (character named Charles)

D - Delta
✅Angle of Repose - Wallace Stegner (NTLTRC)

E - Echo (retellings)
✅A Study in Scarlet Women - Sherry Thomas 4* (related to Sherlock Holme and A Study in Scarlet)

F - Foxtrot
✅Jane, the Fox, and Me - Fanny Britt

G - Golf (players putt on greens, gardens have green color)
✅The Garden Party and Other Stories

H - Hotel
✅At Bertram's Hotel - Agatha Christie 3*

I - India
✅The Satapur Moonstone (Perveen Mistry #2) - Sujata Massey 3.5

J - Juliett
✅Evangeline - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 3.5* (young love, tragic)

K - Kilo
✅Of Human Bondage - W. Somerset Maugham (book over 500 pages)

L - Lima
✅The Turn of the Key - Ruth Ware (goddess of doorways, door on cover, key)

M - Mike
✅The White Monkey(Forsyte Chronicles #4) - John Galsworthy (character named Michael)

N - November
✅The Lost Art of Mixing - Erica Bauermeister (about food and cooking, like Thanksgiving which is in November)

O - Oscar
✅An Ideal Husband - Oscar Wilde

P - Papa
✅The Innocence of Father Brown - G.K. Chesterton

Q - Quebec
✅How the Light Gets In (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #9) - Louise Penny

R - Romeo
✅By the Pricking of My Thumbs - Agatha Christie
(title is from Shakespeare's Hamlet)
- William Dean Howells
S - Sierra
✅Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants - Robin Wall Kimmerer (environmental writing l- Sierra Club)

T - Tango
✅I'll Be Your Blue Sky - Marisa de los Santos (two POVs, takes two to tango)

U - Uniform
✅The Thursday Murder Club - Richard Osman (police officers)

V - Victor
✅The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue- V.E. Schwab (V is for Victoria)

W - Whisky
✅500 Miles from You - Jenny Colgan (set in Scotland)

X - X-ray
✅The Poet X - Elizabeth Avecedo

Y - Yankee
✅North and South - Elizabeth Gaskell (Yankee - north)

Z - Zulu
✅The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon - Alexander McCall Smith (an Ethnic group in Botswana, where the story takes place )

Sue's NATO Alphabet Challenge

4/26

✔︎A - Alpha - Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (Roman Emperor)
✔︎B - Bravo - Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne (great achievement)
C - Charlie
D - Delta
E - Echo
F - Foxtrot
G - Golf
H - Hotel
I - India
J - Juliet
K - Kilo
L - Lima
M - Mike
N - November
O - Oscar
P - Papa
Q - Quebec
R - Romeo
S - Sierra
T - Tango
U - Uniform
V - Victor
W - Whisky
✔︎X - X-ray - Useful by Debra Oswald (character donated a kidney)
Y - Yankee
✔︎Z - Zulu - The House of Unexpected Sisters by Alexander McCall Smith (set in Africa)

Kendra's NATO Challenge
Duration: Jan. 1st, 2021 to Dec. 31st, 2021
26/26

✔️A - Alpha - Book 6 in the Alpha & Omega series.
Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs - Mar. 14th
✔️B - Bravo - About preforming.
We Had a Little Real Estate Problem: The Unheralded Story of Native Americans and Comedy by Kliph Nesteroff - June 14th
✔️C - Charlie - MC is named Charles
Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs - Jan. 7th
✔️D - Delta - Set during a Delta Alert, uses Delta Protection Space Suit
The Demon in the Freezer by Richard Preston - Apr. 18th
✔️E - Echo - About going back to relive a short moment in time.
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi - Feb. 17th
✔️F - Foxtrot - MC is a struggling ballroom dancer.
Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire - May 8th
✔️G - Golf - Set in Scotland, the supposed birthplace of golf.
One More Bite by Jennifer Rardin - Aug. 13th
✔️H - Hotel - There's a conference at a hotel and things don't go well. 😉
The Dirty Streets of Heaven by Tad Williams - Feb. 14th
✔️I - India - Gives a brief history of India
Enemy of All Mankind: A True Story of Piracy, Power, and History's First Global Manhunt by Steven Johnson - Jan. 22nd
✔️J - Juliet - About Shakespeare's family
Hamnet and Judith by Maggie O'Farrell - Mar. 10th
✔️K - Kilo - Kilo is a drug term and this is all about people OD'ing and having memory lose because of it.
The Memory Thief : And the Secrets Behind How We Remember: A Medical Mystery by Lauren Aguirre - July 31st
✔️L - Lima - Lima is the Goddess of doorways and doorways feature prominently in story.
Across the Green Grass Fields by Seanan McGuire - Jan. 12th
✔️M - Mike - Character named Uncle Mike.
Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs - Feb. 6th
✔️N - November - Published Nov. 5th, 2019
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert - Jan. 2nd
✔️O - Oscar - Turned into an Oscar nominated movie.
The Martian by Andy Weir - Feb. 16th
✔️P - Papa - 1 MC is the other MC's Papa
Heir to the Shadows by Anne Bishop - Mar. 21st
✔️Q - Quebec - Wilf Perrault is a French Canadian artist and the book is in both French and English.
Wilf Perreault: In the Alley / Dans la ruelle edited by Dave Margoshes - Jan. 1st
✔️R - Romeo - Romance novel.
Life's Too Short by Abby Jimenez - Apr. 7th
✔️S - Sierra - Set in the Sierra mountain range.
Get a Clue by Jill Shalvis - Jan. 20th
✔️T - Tango - 1 of the MCs is a ballroom dancer/teacher
Tangled Webs by Anne Bishop - Mar. 28th
✔️U - Uniform - Sailor Suits
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Short Stories, Vol. 1 by Naoko Takeuchi - Jan. 18th
✔️V - Victor - Character named Victor.
A Stranger in Town by Kelley Armstrong - Feb. 16th
✔️W - Whisky - MCs buy a bar called "The Whisky River"
The Forever Girl by Jill Shalvis
✔️X - X-ray - MC has light power.
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo - June 27th
✔️Y - Yankee - About Immigrating to the USA
Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai - Feb. 13th
✔️Z - Zulu - Set in Africa.
Shuri, Vol. 1: The Search For Black Panther by Nnedi Okorafor - Jan. 7th

I really like this idea and will have it as a side challenge during 2021. Great initiative!

Anna's NATO Challenge

Duration: Jan. 1st, 2021 to Dec. 31st, 2021

Progress:9/26

A - Alpha - Fatal Isles by Maria Adolfsson
First book in the series
B - Bravo - The expedition. a love story : solving the mystery of a polar tragedy by Bea Uusma
Five star read
C - Charlie - Beatrice by Lina Bengtsdotter
Main character is called Charlie
D - Delta
E - Echo
F - Foxtrot
G - Golf - Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
Green is a Golf term
H - Hotel - At Bertram's Hotel by Agatha Christie
Hotel in the title
I - India - Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara
Set in India
J - Juliet
K - Kilo
L - Lima
M - Mike
N - November
O - Oscar
P - Papa - Mig äger ingen by Åsa Linderborg
book is a portrait of the author's father
Q - Quebec
R - Romeo - Du, bara by Anna Ahlund
Young love
S - Sierra
T - Tango
U - Uniform
V - Victor
W - Whisky - Stormvarning by Maria Adolfsson
whiskey distillery plays a major part in the story
Y - Yankee
Z - Zulu

thanks for setting this up dalex!

annie's nato challenge

completed : 0/52

loose plans or interpretation of prompts

Alpha: werewolves
Bravo: How To Break Up With Fast Fashion (author's last name is Bravo)
Charlie: a book by Charlie N. Holmberg
Delta: transport on the cover (preferably some kind of plane or airship)
Echo: Our Last Echoes
Foxtrot: Shadow of the Fox
Golf: She Drives Me Crazy (sports romance)
Hotel:
India:
Juliett:
Kilo:
Lima:
Mike:
November:
Oscar: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Papa:
Quebec:
Romeo:
Sierra: Feast of Sparks
Tango:
Uniform:
Victor:
Whiskey:
X-Ray:
Yankee:
Zulu:

COMPLETED 10/18/21

✔ Alpha The Big Sky - First in a series
✔ Bravo A Bell for Adano - Bravo for this man of courage
✔ Charlie Let Me Tell You About a Man I Knew - Character Charlie Trabuc
✔ Delta Dreamers of the Day - Set in Egypt, the Nile Delta
✔ Echo A Place in Time: Twenty Stories of the Port William Membership - Echoes my childhood
✔ Foxtrot Enemy Women Involves horses as a major element of the plot
✔ Golf Dandelion Wine - Greens
✔ Hotel The House Between Tides - She intends to turn the old house into a hotel
✔ India - The Book of Tea - India is the second largest producer of tea
✔ Juliet - Oystercatchers Book about a teenage girl and young love
✔ Kilo - Dombey and Son - 880 Pages
✔ Lima - The Door - Liminal deity (goddess of thresholds)
✔ Mike - The Life and Times of Michael K
✔ November - Now in November - November in Title
✔ Oscar Dragonwyck - Made into a movie
✔ Papa The Tie That Binds Major character is Edith's father.
✔ Quebec Bodily Harm - Canadian author, Canadian character and story begins in Canada
✔ Romeo This Must Be the Place Contains a love story
✔ Sierra Woodsmoke Deals with the mountains and nature
✔ Tango A Wreath of Roses - Twisted Romance Plot
✔ Uniform Montana 1948 - A major character is a sheriff
✔ Victor The Law and the Lady - Victorian
✔ Whisky The Long Home major character is a bootlegger
✔ X-ray Hamnet Agnes has a sixth sense and sees deep into people
✔ Yankee A Message from the Sea - Captain Jorgan, who brings the message, is an American
✔ Zulu The Mission Song - About the Congo

Jette's NATO challenge
Tally: 5/26

Alpha: the first, 'alpha' type character
Bravo: acclaim - theatrical work/performance related.
Charlie: Hacker (in honor of Charlie Bradbury)
Delta: change, sorority, Vietnam War
**Echo: Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know - memories of the past
Foxtrot: dancing
Golf: putting green -> book by John Green
Hotel: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
India
Juliet: The Book of Lost Names
Kilo
Lima
Mike
November
**Oscar: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
**Papa: The Deal of a Lifetime
Quebec:
**Romeo: Marrying Winterborne
Sierra: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Tango: orange (British beverage)
Uniform
Victor: The Return of the King
Whisky
X-ray: medical theme, civil war
Yankee: baseball, Civil War theme, set north of the Mason Dixon line
**Zulu: Things Fall Apart fictional tribe, set in Nigeria

Suzanne wrote: "You can buy a NATO alphabet throw pillow at the link above!"

LOL! That's awesome. Thanks for sharing.

What a great idea!

Sarah's NATO Challenge

Running: January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021

Completed: 1 / 26

A - Alpha

B - Bravo
-- Astérix: Le Menhir d'Or by René Goscinny This comic is about a singing competition, so "bravo" in the sense of positive acclaim.

C - Charlie
D - Delta
E - Echo
F - Foxtrot
G - Golf
H - Hotel:
I - India
J - Juliet
K - Kilo
L - Lima
M - Mike
N - November
O - Oscar
P - Papa
Q - Quebec
R - Romeo
S - Sierra
T - Tango
U - Uniform
V - Victor
W - Whisky
X - X-ray
Y - Yankee
Z - Zulu

We have 19 challenge participants (wow!) so I added links to individual challenge posts in the first post to make it easier for everyone to find their post. <-- That's an awkward sentence. I need coffee. Ha!

haha thanks dalex!

Thanks, dalex!

I'd like to join in too! I probably won't be able to fit these all in as a separate challenge but I'm sure there will be some overlapping reads with the usual ATY challenge next year :)

Completed: 9/26

A - Alpha

B - Bravo
(author is a singer/musician)
Sounds Like Me: My Life (So Far) in Song - Sara Bareilles

C - Charlie
(main character's name)
This Was Not the Plan - Christina Alger

D - Delta
(airline; main character's fiancé is a pilot)
How to Walk Away - Katherine Center

E - Echo
F - Foxtrot
G - Golf
H - Hotel

I - India
(Indian author)
The Namesake - Jhumpa Lahiri

J - Juliet
K - Kilo
L - Lima

M - Mike
(author's name)
The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit - Michael Finkel

N - November
O - Oscar

P - Papa
(main characters are father-daughter)
West - Carys Davies

Q - Quebec

R - Romeo
(related to Shakespeare; tragedy)
Hamnet - Maggie O'Farrell

S - Sierra
T - Tango

U - Uniform
(main characters are school mums)
The Lies You Told - Harriet Tyce

V - Victor

W - Whisky
(main character's mother is an alcoholic)
The Winter Sister - Megan Collins

X - X-ray
Y - Yankee
Z - Zulu

I missed something, I love Ellie and Robin's ideas, But Oscar and Green how? I just want to understand is all.

Horses = foxtrot b/c they trot? There is a book from the 80s all about horse racing (scandelous) Riders which can also fall under "you read what"

Alicia's NATO Challenge
Duration: 1/1/2021-12/31/2021
Progress: 22/26

Alpha Life on the Leash> dogs are alpha ★★★
Bravo Twice in a Blue Moon> MC is an actress ★★★★
Charlie The Dirt on Ninth Grave> MC is Charley ★★★★
Delta Flock> love triangle ★★★★★
Echo An Echo in the Bone
Foxtrot The Last Train to Key West> takes place in the 1930s> the height of the Foxtrot dance popularity
Golf Act Like It by Lucy Parker> Lucy is a golf term ★★★
Hotel
India The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters>they visit India ★★★★
Juliet These Violent Delights> Romeo and Juliet retelling with a character named Juliette ★★★★★
Kilo Blood & Honey> long book> over 500 pages ★★★★★
Lima Simmer Down>lima beans are food> about food ★★★
Mike Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder> character Mike ★★
November Get a Life, Chloe Brown> published in November ★★★★
Oscar The Seat Filler> hero is an actor and the MCs meet at an award show ★★★★
Papa The Heart Principle> familial ties ★★★★
Quebec A Better Man> takes place in Quebec ★★★★
Romeo Hamnet> tragedy and love and Shakespeare ★★★★★
Sierra Bittersweet> mountains on cover> Sierra Nevada=mountains ★★★★
Tango You Had Me at Hola> Latin America> big on Latinx characters ★★★★
Uniform A Bad Day for Sunshine> MC is a Sheriff ★★★★
Victor Shipped> the winner, "victor" gets the raise
Whisky A Breath of Snow and Ashes> Scottish Jamie makes whiskey ★★★★
X-ray British Bedmate> about a doctor and a nurse ★★★
Yankee That Second Chance> takes place in Maine> New England ★★★
Zulu My Sister, the Serial Killer> in Nigeria ★★★★

Rosemary's Alphabet Challenge 2021
Completed: 26/26, 27 May 21

✔ Alpha - Information Received by E.R. Punshon, 10 Jan 21
(first in series)

✔ Bravo - The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante, 2 Feb 21
(Italian word, Italian book)

✔ Charlie - The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood, 16 Mar 21

✔ Delta - Midaq Alley by Naguib Mahfouz, 5 Mar 21
(set in Egypt)

✔ Echo - Self-Made Man: My Year Disguised as a Man by Norah Vincent, 25 Feb 21
(the word Man appears twice in the title)

✔ Foxtrot - The Bees by Laline Paull, 14 Jan 21
(the bees dance to give each other directions to feeding grounds)

✔ Golf - A Dreadful Murder: The Mysterious Death of Caroline Luard by Minette Walters, 25 May 21
(Caroline Luard's husband was at the golf course when she was murdered)

✔ Hotel - Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination by Helen Fielding, 30 Apr 21
(she spends almost the whole book staying in hotels)

✔ India - Romantic Hero by Candida Crewe, 5 Feb 21
(main character is called India)

✔ Juliet - The Blue Diamond by Annie Haynes, 15 Jan 21
(a nurse plays an important role)

✔ Kilo - All Systems Red by Martha Wells, 6 March 21
(the word "kilos" appears 5 times in this book, although weirdly it refers to distance rather than weight)

✔ Lima - Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson, 26 Feb 21
(contains a character called Rafael Lima)

✔ Mike - The Soul Slayer by Paul Doherty, 23 Apr 21
(character Michael St Clair)

✔ November - The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz, 4 Apr 21
(set in November 1890)

✔ Oscar - Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally, 11 Jan 21
(Schindler's first name was Oskar)

✔ Papa - The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth, 19 Feb 21
(Carl Joseph calls his father Papa: the word appears 46 times in this book)

✔ Quebec - A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny, 27 Mar 21
(set in Quebec)

✔ Romeo - Cutter and Bone by Newton Thornburg, 8 Feb 21
(Richard Bone is a professional lover of women)

✔ Sierra - Crossed Skis: An Alpine Mystery by Carol Carnac, 16 Feb 21
(sierra means a mountain range; this takes place in the Alps)

✔ Tango - Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett, 12 Jan 21
(orange cover)

✔ Uniform - The Soldier's Art by Anthony Powell, 3 Jan 21
(soldiers wear uniform)

✔ Victor - Bitter Pill by Jordan Castillo Price, 8 Mar 21
(main character is called Victor)

✔ Whisky - The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, 5 Jan 21
(much whisky is drunk in this book)

✔ X-ray - Less by Andrew Sean Greer, 10 Feb 21
("Less was allowed an X-ray of his right foot" at 80%)

✔ Yankee - On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King, 7 Jan 21
(King is from Maine and writes of himself and his wife in this book: "we were both political Democrats with typical Yankee suspicions of life outside New England", p 61)

✔ Zulu - Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton, 18 Jan 21
(The main characters are Zulu people)

Did you know that CF (Charlie Foxtrot) basically is a cluster f**k?
A botched plan. LOL

Where can I find the Listopia for months that books are released?

Alicia wrote: "I missed something, I love Ellie and Robin's ideas, But Oscar and Green how? I just want to understand is all.

Horses = foxtrot b/c they trot? There is a book from the 80s all about horse racing (..."

I assume she meant because the movie named "Green Book" won an Oscar a couple years ago. I thought that was clever. And also the trot part of foxtrot. I also thought of fox hunting which comes up in some 19th century books but it's pretty rare so I broadened it to woodland animals. We could also look up what decade the foxtrot was invented and read from that decade.

Alicia wrote: "Did you know that CF (Charlie Foxtrot) basically is a cluster f**k?
A botched plan. LOL"

Similar idea in the movie (I think based on a book) Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

A Missouri Fox Trotter is a type of horse that does the foxtrot :)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missour...

Robin is right on the Green Book connection, I was looking through Oscar winning films to see if there was any I could connect a book to and was pleased to find such an easy link.

I sincerely thought the oscar-green connection was because of Oscar the green muppet on Sesame Street. LOL!

LOL I'll have to try and find a green book with a grouchy character.

Ellie wrote: "LOL I'll have to try and find a green book with a grouchy character."


Hahaha!!!

LOL. That was great Dalex

Karissa's Challenge
0/26

It was so much fun coming up with (or copying the people above me's) prompts related to the NATO codenames. I'm really excited to complete these next year!

A - Alpha (The 1st in a series or a book featuring a boss)
B - Bravo (A 5 star read)
C - Charlie (Author or character's name)
D - Delta (A love triangle)
E - Echo (A reread or retelling)
F - Foxtrot (A book published or taking place from 1910-1940)
G - Golf (A book set in or author from Scotland)
H - Hotel (A book where the characters visit a hotel)
I - India (A book set in or author from India)
J - Juliet (A book about a relationship from a woman's POV)
K - Kilo (A book set in or author from France)
L - Lima (A book set in or author from South America)
M - Mike (Author or character's name)
N - November (A book about a family)
O - Oscar (A book made into a movie)
P - Papa (A book featuring a grandparent)
Q - Quebec (A book set in or author from Canada)
R - Romeo (A book about a relationship from a man's POV)
S - Sierra (A book related to mountains)
T - Tango (A book told from two POVs)
U - Uniform (A book set at a school)
V - Victor (A book related to a sport or competition)
W - Whisky (A book related to alcohol)
X - X-ray (A book featuring a character with a superpower)
Y - Yankee (A book set in or author from Northeastern US)
Z - Zulu (A book set in or author from South Africa)

I don't know if I will tackle this challenge next year, but all of your brainstorm has GREATLY helped me with figuring out how to choose books for this prompt. I'm going to include the link for this thread in the Weekly Threads for the prompt so everyone else can get ideas!

Emily wrote: "I don't know if I will tackle this challenge next year, but all of your brainstorm has GREATLY helped me with figuring out how to choose books for this prompt. I'm going to include the link for thi..."

This prompt certainly requires some creative thinking (unless you do something super simple like a book with hotel in the title for hotel). I’m looking forward to the discussion of this prompt amongst the main group.

Tally: 26/26

Alpha - The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
First book in a series

Bravo - Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood
MC is directing a play -> you shout 'bravo' at the end of a play

Charlie - All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders
Author's name is Charlie

Delta - Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters
Set in Egypt, near the Nile delta

Echo - Black Girl Unlimited by Echo Brown
Author and MC are called Echo

Foxtrot - What Abigail Did That Summer by Ben Aaronovitch
Foxes (magical talking ones!) feature prominently in the story

Golf - The Inimitable Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse
Wodehouse was renowned for his love of golf

Hotel - All the Ways We Said Goodbye by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Karen White
Set in and around the Paris Ritz hotel

India - A Passage to India by E.M. Forster
India in the title

Juliet - These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
MC is called Juliette

Kilo - The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore
Kilo is a measurement of weight -> weight in title

Lima - A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
Allende was born in Lima, Peru

Mike - Solar Bones by Mike McCormick
Author's name is Mike

November - The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
First published in November 2019

Oscar - The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
Oscar in the title, also the name of a main character

Papa - Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
Related to fatherhood (it's about the death of Shakepeare's son and Shakespeare's relationship with his own father)

Quebec - Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel
Montreal is the largest city in Quebec

Romeo - Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town by Mary Beard
The name 'Romeo' is derived from the word 'Roman'

Sierra - The Devil That Danced on the Water: A Daughter's Quest by Aminatta Forna
Set in Sierra Leone

Tango - Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enriquez
Set in Argentina, where the tango dance originated

Uniform - Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres
Several characters are soldiers and wear military uniforms

Victor - The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle
Author's name is Victor

Whisky - Whiskey When We're Dry by John Larison
Whiskey in the title, several characters drink whiskey during the story

X-ray - War Doctor: Surgery on the Front Line by David Nott
Memoir of a surgeon working for Médecins Sans Frontières, although ironically there's usually no x-ray machine in the makeshift hospitals he works in

Yankee - A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
Set in New Hampshire

Zulu - Chaka by Thomas Mofolo
Chaka, also known as Shaka, was king of the Zulu people in the early 19th Century

Aimee wrote: "*This one might need a bit more explanation for non-Brits! Over here there's a fizzy drink called Tango..."

That was exactly where my brain went for Tango too.

Ellie wrote: "Aimee wrote: "*This one might need a bit more explanation for non-Brits! Over here there's a fizzy drink called Tango..."

That was exactly where my brain went for Tango too."

Haha glad it's not just me!

Anyone here read A Game of Thrones that can confirm if there is a strong father presence in it for the Papa prompt?

This sounds fun. I will add in later on how I'm going to tackle this one :-)

A - Alpha
B - Bravo
C - Charlie
D - Delta
E - Echo
F - Foxtrot
G - Golf
H - Hotel
I - India
J - Juliet
K - Kilo
L - Lima
M - Mike
N - November
O - Oscar
P - Papa
Q - Quebec
R - Romeo
S - Sierra
T - Tango
U - Uniform
V - Victor
W - Whisky
X - X-ray
Y - Yankee
Z - Zulu

Alicia wrote: "Anyone here read A Game of Thrones that can confirm if there is a strong father presence in it for the Papa prompt?"

Yes, I think Ned Stark, is one of the main POV characters (it's sort of merged into the TV show in my memory), and parentage is an important theme throughout the series.

Alicia wrote: "Anyone here read A Game of Thrones that can confirm if there is a strong father presence in it for the Papa prompt?"

Yes, as Ellie said you have POVs from Ned, often reflecting on his family, and POVs from characters like Tyrion and Jon Snow who have complicated father-son relationships.

Thank you both. The Thornbirds is always an option too. Papa=father=Priest. So I have options now.

Alpha
Bravo
Charlie
Delta
Echo: The Echo Wife
Foxtrot
Golf: The Legend of Bagger Vance: A Novel of Golf and the Game of Life
Hotel: The Glass Hotel
India
Juliet
Kilo
Lima
Mike
November
Oscar
Papa
Quebec
Romeo
Sierra
Tango
Uniform
Victor
Whisky: Whiskey When We're Dry
X-ray
Yankee
Zulu

This looks like fun! I'll give it a try.
26/26 completed - Challenge completed!

All of the books I'm reading for this challenge were chosen from the 2021 ATY Reading Challenge and overlap with this challenge. (Some changes were made from this initial plan)

ATY Prompt #
* 1. A - Alpha - Alpha is in the title - Alpha and Omega: The Search for the Beginning and End of the Universe by Charles Seife - finished 1/5/21
* 13. B - Bravo - there's a murder on stage during a performance & Bravo is yelled after performances - A Wreath for Rivera AKA Swing, Brother, Swing by Ngaio Marsh - finished 4/24/21
* 14. C - Charlie - Charlie is main character - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl - finished 4/21/21
* 11. D - Delta - Egypt is the location of the Nile River Delta - Empire of Ancient Egypt by Wendy Christensen - finished 3/29/21
* 17. E - Echo - Echo (plural) is in the title - Echoes by Jamilah Kolocotronis - finished 4/20/21
* 12. F - Foxtrot - Fox is in the title - The Fox Was Ever the Hunter by Herta Müller - finished 5/28/21
* 38. G - Golf - Golf is in the title - The Golf Course Mystery by Chester K. Steele - finished 1/10/21
* 16. H - Hotel - Hotel is in the title - The Haunted Hotel by J.A. Whiting - finished 4/28/21
* 34. I - India - The story of Vasco da Gama's voyage around Africa's Cape of Good Hope and through the Indian Ocean to discover a sea-route to India and events that happened in India - The Lusiads by Luís de Camões - finished 10/5/21
* 10. J - Juliet - Book is known as the Spanish "Romeo & Juliet" - La Celestina by Fernando de Rojas - finished 9/29/21
* 3. K - Kilo - One story in the book is about drug smuggling, drugs are sold in kilo amounts - Broken by Don Winslow - finished 4/13/21
* 42. L - Lima - Book is set in Peru & Lima is the capital of Peru - Death in the Andes by Mario Vargas Llosa - finished 1/28/21
* 46. M - Mike - Author's first name is Mike - The New One: Painfully True Stories from a Reluctant Dad by Mike Birbiglia - finished 3/26/21
* 22. N - November - Book from November 2020 Best Book of the Month list - Recursion by Blake Crouch - finished 4/15/21
* 15. O - Oscar - Movie of this book was nominated for 11 Oscars - The Color Purple by Alice Walker - finished 4/17/21
* 33. P - Papa - Author known as "Papa" Hemingway - The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories by Ernest Hemingway - finished 4/14/21
* 28. Q - Quebec - Set in Quebec during Quebec's Winter Carnival - Winter Wonderland by Belinda Jones - finished 3/22/21
* 9. R - Romeo - Romeo is in the title - Redneck Romeo by Randi Alexander - finished 4/6/21
* 5. S - Sierra - Author was raised in Sierra Leone and the book is set there - Ancestor Stones by Aminatta Forna - finished 4/8/21
* 35. T - Tango - Tango is in the title - The Tango Singer by Tomás Eloy Martínez - finished 5/23/21
* 26. U - Uniform - A uniform is an article of clothing & book is about a man who sells cloth & makes clothes - Thomas Of Reading by Thomas Deloney - finished 4/16/21
* 47. V - Victor - Book is about war which has a loser and a victor - The War of 1812: A Captivating Guide to the Military Conflict between the United States of America and Great Britain That Started during the Napoleonic Wars by Captivating History - finished 5/1/21
* 39. W - Whiskey - Irish whiskey is from Ireland, as are the parents in this book - Maureen O'Carroll: A Musical Memoir of an Irish Immigrant Childhood by Maureen O'Carroll - finished 4/25/21
* 45. X - X-ray - Word x-ray is in title - Cat in an Alien X-Ray by Carole Nelson Douglas - finished 4/19/21
* 44. Y - Yankee - Book is about famous NY Yankee, Yogi Berra - Yogi: It Ain't Over by Yogi Berra - finished 4/23/21
* 52. Z - Zulu - Book set at the end of the independent Zulu nation & features Cetshwayo, the last Zulu king - Rough Diamonds by Guy Hallowes - finished 8/19/21

Completed! This was fun!

✅Alpha - The Beach Club (debut novel)
✅Bravo - The Poet X (main character performs her poetry on stage)
✅Charlie - Survive the Night (main character's name is Charlie)
✅Delta - Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano (book involves a plane crash)
✅Echo - Patient Zero (the military team is code-named Echo)
✅Foxtrot - The Four Winds (set in the 1930s when foxtrot was most popular)
✅Golf - Looking for Alaska by John Green (golf green)
✅Hotel The Glass Hotel
✅India - A Little Princess (lots of references to India - Sara was born there, her father died there, the "Indian gentleman" next door, Ram Dass...)
✅Juliet - The Nightingale (main character's code name is Juliette)
✅Kilo - It (over 1,000 pages)
✅Lima - Too Good to Be True by Carola Lovering (Lima is the goddess of doorways, and the MC has OCD and a compulsion to knock on doorways in a certain pattern before leaving a room)
✅Mike - Malibu Rising (character named Mick, short for Michael)
✅November - Future Home of the Living God (published in November, also takes place in November)
✅Oscar - While We Were Dating - MC works in movies and was nominated for an Oscar
✅Papa - The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan (the sisters deal with the death of their father)
✅Quebec - As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust (character stops in Quebec on way from England to Toronto)
✅Romeo - One of Us Is Lying (male teenager dies)
✅Sierra - A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (mountains/nature)
✅Tango - The Last Flight (two POVs)
✅Uniform - Half of a Yellow Sun (takes place during the Nigerian War)
✅Victor - The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab (author's name is Victoria)
✅Whisky - Normal People by Sally Rooney (set in Ireland)
✅Xray - The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue (takes place in the maternity ward in a hospital during the 1918 Flu)
✅Yankee - Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (set at Yale in Connecticut)
✅Zulu - Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood (set in/author from S. Africa)