The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

15.2 - Summer Stock: Read TWO books, one A and one B
A Read a biography/autobiography/memoir of an actor, actress, or entertainment celebrity or a novel with a main character that is an actor, actress, or entertainment celebrity
AND
B Read a play at least 80 pages long


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

What works:
film directors
geishas
Musicians
tv directors- Vamps and the City
We Owe You Nothing, Punk Planet : The Collected Interviews

These don't work
Choosing to SEE
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

would you accept a musician as the entertainment celebrity?? thanks for your help! :)

kiki wrote: "would you accept a musician as the entertainment celebrity?? thanks for your help! :)"

Do you have a title in mind?

as a heads up, if you look at the GR Awards challenge - in the bio/memoirs section, there are quite a few about actors/actresses

i'm planning on reading Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated if I can find it

i was thinking of either Trumpet: A Novel or A Visit from the Goon Squad. both are novels, since i don't have any non-fiction and i'm hoping to only use books i own for this challenge.

kiki wrote: "i was thinking of either Trumpet: A Novel or A Visit from the Goon Squad. both are novels, since i don't have any non-fiction and i'm hoping to only use books i own fo..."

I'll take a musician.

Dee wrote: "as a heads up, if you look at the GR Awards challenge - in the bio/memoirs section, there are quite a few about actors/actresses

i'm planning on reading [book:Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I..."

I was thinking about that one too Dee!

i took a look at it in borders the other day - it looked cute...I always loved Nellie

Also thinking about Bossypants and Is The Noise In My Head Bothering You?

i've heard good things about bossypants - she narrates it as well, if you do audiobooks.

I was struggling with part A for this, but found Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie on my book shelves. It's fiction about a legendary blues singer who sold his soul to the devil (supposedly).

What about Choosing to SEE? It is Written by Steven Curtis Chapman's Wife.

Christina wrote: "What about Choosing to SEE? It is Written by Steven Curtis Chapman's Wife."

Is MaryBeth Chapman a performer? The description is unclear. It does not seem to be a biography of her husband- more like her memoir of loss. Can you provide more info?

Dlmrose wrote: "kiki wrote: "i was thinking of either Trumpet: A Novel or A Visit from the Goon Squad. both are novels, since i don't have any non-fiction and i'm hoping to only use b..."

yeay, thanks! :)

I'm thinking of I Drink for a Reason by David Cross. I wanted to read Tina Fey's book but I'm 291st in line at the library so I don't see that happening during this challenge.

Dlmrose wrote: "Christina wrote: "What about Choosing to SEE? It is Written by Steven Curtis Chapman's Wife."

Is MaryBeth Chapman a performer? The description is unclear. It does not seem to be a ..."

I believe it is supposed to be a story on their life, but I'm not sure. She is not a performer though, Just him.

Christina wrote: "Dlmrose wrote: "Christina wrote: "What about Choosing to SEE? It is Written by Steven Curtis Chapman's Wife."

Is MaryBeth Chapman a performer? The description is unclear. It does n..."

I don't think it works. Sorry.

If someone has more info, please let me know.

Does a geisha count as an entertainment celebrity? I was thinking of either Geisha, A Life (nonfiction) or Memoirs of a Geisha (fiction).

Does The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side count for a novel featuring an actor?

Lahni wrote: "Does a geisha count as an entertainment celebrity? I was thinking of either Geisha, A Life (nonfiction) or Memoirs of a Geisha (fiction)."

A geisha works

mstan wrote: "Does The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side count for a novel featuring an actor?"

It works for A

Thanks.

for part B, do we literally need to read a play? or can it be something like

(wicked is the name of the musical)
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

Dlmrose wrote: "Lahni wrote: "Does a geisha count as an entertainment celebrity? I was thinking of either Geisha, A Life (nonfiction) or Memoirs of a Geisha (fiction)."

A geisha works"
Yay!

May I re-read ? It has been years since I read it ~ on my Favorites Shelf

LindseyPinzy wrote: "for part B, do we literally need to read a play? or can it be something like

(wicked is the name of the musical)
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West"

For B it should be the written work of the playwright- usually scripted dialogue.
Sorry, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West won't work

I have a book called The Complete Works of Shakespeare. It has all of his plays and poems in it. May I read one that is at least 80 pages and not read the whole book?

good deal. thanks!

Will the book, The Next Big Thing work for the first part? The main character goes on a reality television show.

oh yay! i'd been hoping to find a reason to read Tina Fey's new book:)

Joy Marie wrote: "Will the book, The Next Big Thing work for the first part? The main character goes on a reality television show."

That works

Bea wrote: "I have a book called The Complete Works of Shakespeare. It has all of his plays and poems in it. May I read one that is at least 80 pages and not read the whole book?"

Bea, I'll get back to you as soon as I can- we're thinking this through

I was thinking of reading Shadowflame. It's urban fantasy but the main character is a musician in Austin. (she's also an empathic vampire, but her day job is musician.) Would this work?

Amanda Pearl wrote: "I was thinking of reading Shadowflame. It's urban fantasy but the main character is a musician in Austin. (she's also an empathic vampire, but her day job is musician.) Would this..."

It would

Bea wrote: "I have a book called The Complete Works of Shakespeare. It has all of his plays and poems in it. May I read one that is at least 80 pages and not read the whole book?"

We've updated the rules to handle this- see formats #11.

Yes, you may, but you must include all the required information when you post

Dlmrose wrote: "Bea wrote: "I have a book called The Complete Works of Shakespeare. It has all of his plays and poems in it. May I read one that is at least 80 pages and not read the whole book?"

We've updated t..."

Thank you. :) Now to select the play.

Can someone help me out with The Phantom of the Opera? Is it considered a book or a play? Are there different versions of it?

Can we read two plays by the same author that add up to more than 80 pages or does it have to be a single play?

Jennifer N. wrote: "Can someone help me out with The Phantom of the Opera? Is it considered a book or a play? Are there different versions of it?"


The Phantom of the Opera is a novel that was made into a musical, sorry, it doesn't fit.

Joanna wrote: "Can we read two plays by the same author that add up to more than 80 pages or does it have to be a single play?"

You may read two or more to get to 80 pages

Nickboy.

Would the film director Robert Altman count as an entertainment celebrity? He was a celebrity in the entertaiment business of Hollywood filmmaking, but he wasn't a performer...so I'm wondering.

Nick wrote: "Nickboy.

Would the film director Robert Altman count as an entertainment celebrity? He was a celebrity in the entertaiment business of Hollywood filmmaking, but he wasn't a performer...so I'm wo..."

Yes, a director works

I'm reading Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?. Memoirs have never really been my thing but for some reason I'm dying to read this one! And I think I'll also read Hamlet for part B.

Dlmrose wrote: "Jennifer N. wrote: "Can someone help me out with The Phantom of the Opera? Is it considered a book or a play? Are there different versions of it?"


[book:The Phantom of the Opera|480..."

Aww. Sad face. I was hoping to read that too because i thought it was a play about an opera. So for clarification, for part b, does a play have to be something more along the lines of a script where it says the persons name and then what their line is?

Mo wrote: "Dlmrose wrote: "Jennifer N. wrote: "Can someone help me out with The Phantom of the Opera? Is it considered a book or a play? Are there different versions of it?"


[book:The Phantom ..."

yes- scripted dialogue between characters

Would Vamps and the City work? It's written by Kerrleyn Spraks. The main character is a director for a tv show.

I want to verify. I read in post 42 that we may read more than one play to make up the 80 pages, but do they all have to be by the same author? I have a book called Laugh Lines: Short Comic Plays which has short 15-20 page plays in it. I was wondering if I could read like 5 of those to equal the 80 pages, or even just read the whole book?

Vamps and the City works