How much of a book could you read to the public?

ShaunHorton · Aug 22, 2014

So, in addition to the Ice Bucket challenge for ALS, the rapper 50 Cent challenged Floyd Mayweather to read a page from a Harry Potter book.

It actually got me thinking, what about a literacy challenge? No donations needed, just people getting called out to name their favorite book and read a passage from it, (no more than a single page). Could be a good idea, though I have no illusions of it going viral like dumping ice on your head did.

My only problem is how much of a book could you get away with reading in an uploaded video before running afoul of legal issues?

Thoughts?

Rules would be thus:

You challenge three other people to pick a book and read a passage from it. They cannot chose the same book that you did.
You identify the book and the author.
You read a passage from the book. At least 200 words and no more than one page.
No Spoilers.
Challenge is completed by reading the passage out loud. No cut and paste onto Facebook or anything.

jeffo20 · Aug 23, 2014

I confess, I don't quite understand the point.

The Ice Bucket Challenge works because of social media. If you pull that piece out, how are you communicating it to people, and how are you raising awareness of literacy? And what is it actually DOING? The IBC has raised awareness of ALS, and a hell of a lot of money.

HeavyAirship · Aug 23, 2014

I think in order for it to be a "challenge" there needs to be some less than desirable thing happening to the doer. I don't know how you would do that with a reading challenge but if you could I think it would catch on.

Maybe you could make it a Shakespeare challenge where people have to read the chosen selection from one of his plays in a public place and upload a video of it?

snowpea · Aug 23, 2014

HeavyAirship said:
I think in order for it to be a "challenge" there needs to be some less than desirable thing happening to the doer.

I dunno, reading erotic literature to your grandparents, or at an old age home. Haha sorry.

Jorshington · Aug 23, 2014

Read a sex scene from 50 Shades with a poker face the entire time. Preferably a section about Anastasia's inner goddess.

snowpea · Aug 23, 2014

Yes the challenge is to not crack a smile or laugh at all. haha

Maryn · Aug 23, 2014

Uh, could we not equate erotica with fodder for jokes, please? Humans are sexual and sensual creatures and there's nothing especially amusing about writing which appeals to that part of our nature.

Maryn, with a sigh

snowpea · Aug 23, 2014

Maryn said:
Uh, could we not equate erotica with fodder for jokes, please? Humans are sexual and sensual creatures and there's nothing especially amusing about writing which appeals to that part of our nature.

Maryn, with a sigh

Nothing is funny about erotic fiction. But it's embarassing to talk about anything sexual in front of your grandparents. I wasn't making fun of the genre.

CoffeeBeans · Aug 23, 2014

HeavyAirship said:
Maybe you could make it a Shakespeare challenge where people have to read the chosen selection from one of his plays in a public place and upload a video of it?

My city has a Shakespeare Slam. It's an arts fundraiser, and people who participate as performers memorize monologues/sonnets/whatever they want, and partygoers "tip" them at the party to recite publicly as the night goes on.

I'm with Maryn, for something like this to catch on, the fun should be in the reciting, not mocking writing or genre. There's nothing funny about an ice bucket itself, but in watching someone have to stand there and get soaked.

snowpea · Aug 23, 2014

CoffeeBeans said:
My city has a Shakespeare Slam. It's an arts fundraiser, and people who participate as performers memorize monologues/sonnets/whatever they want, and partygoers "tip" them at the party to recite publicly as the night goes on.

I'm with Maryn, for something like this to catch on, the fun should be in the reciting, not mocking writing or genre. There's nothing funny about an ice bucket itself, but in watching someone have to stand there and get soaked.

*shrugs* I really was not trying to make fun of the genre, but I understand how you guys saw that.

Bufty · Aug 23, 2014

I can't see any point or amusement or entertainment factor in this particular challenge at all.

Jamesaritchie · Aug 23, 2014

Maryn said:
Uh, could we not equate erotica with fodder for jokes, please? Humans are sexual and sensual creatures and there's nothing especially amusing about writing which appeals to that part of our nature.

Maryn, with a sigh

Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you mean, but I find a LOT amusing, and often hilariously funny, about that type of writing.

jeffo20 · Aug 23, 2014

I didn't think it was so much a crack at erotica as a genre as it was a crack at 50 Shades. Which would violate the RYFW rule, except it doesn't seem to apply to E.L. James.

amergina · Aug 23, 2014

RYFW does, actually, apply to E.L. James.

The rule of thumb for RYFW is critique the text and not the writer.

There does exist humorous erotica, but I'm with Maryn...I would prefer the genre as a whole not to be mocked. <--- forum mod request.

jeffo20 · Aug 24, 2014

My apologies. In re-reading my last post, I realize now I did not communicate my meaning clearly. RYFW absolutely applies to E.L. James. However, when certain writers come up--and James is one of them--there seems to be a lot of latitude given as far as what that means, and I see a lot that, in my mind, crosses the lines and is not stepped on.

Ken · Aug 24, 2014

Wow. Nice insult by 50 Cents. Challenging Floyd to read a page, "w/o messing up."
Not cool.

ShaunHorton · Aug 24, 2014

Ken said:
Wow. Nice insult by 50 Cents. Challenging Floyd to read a page, "w/o messing up."
Not cool.

To be fair, Mayweather replied by tweeting a picture of two checks written out to his company for $70 million.

Maybe Floyd never finished school and he can't read, but it might be a bit of an unfair challenge for someone who's career is effectively getting hit in the head a lot.

cornflake · Aug 24, 2014

Bufty said:
I can't see any point or amusement or entertainment factor in this particular challenge at all.

I thought it was beyond assholery, by a guy whose name is pocket change. It was just cruel and for no conceivable purpose but to be an asshole and make someone feel like shit.

NRoach · Aug 24, 2014

cornflake said:
I thought it was beyond assholery, by a guy whose name is pocket change. It was just cruel and for no conceivable purpose but to be an asshole and make someone feel like shit.

I know nothing about Fifty Cent's personal life, but it's just as possible that they're friends, and he was acting as friends are often want to do.
Not to mention that if rappers are going to be assholes to each other anywhere, it'll be in their lyrics. A youtube video just isn't their playground.

But, who can know?

cornflake · Aug 24, 2014

NRoach said:
I know nothing about Fifty Cent's personal life, but it's just as possible that they're friends, and he was acting as friends are often want to do.
Not to mention that if rappers are going to be assholes to each other anywhere, it'll be in their lyrics. A youtube video just isn't their playground.

But, who can know?

Mayweather isn't a rapper, to my knowledge.

snowpea · Aug 24, 2014

NRoach said:
I know nothing about Fifty Cent's personal life, but it's just as possible that they're friends, and he was acting as friends are often want to do.
Not to mention that if rappers are going to be assholes to each other anywhere, it'll be in their lyrics. A youtube video just isn't their playground.

But, who can know?

Rappers tease each other constantly--it's bantering and it's part of hip hop culture.

Ken · Aug 25, 2014

ShaunHorton said:
what about a literacy challenge?

In any event, it's neat you've turned this into something constructive.
Why not give it a go.

I vaguely recall reading about a party Madonna or some other celebrity had in which she gave cards to attendees with literary quotes on them they had to read aloud. Pretty cool, and somewhat related.

Jamesaritchie · Aug 25, 2014

I can't really see any reason to do a challenge like this. A writing challenge for donations, maybe. I can't remember the exact circumstances, but Harlan Ellison used to sit in a storefront window and quickly write a short story based on a word someone watching him yelled out. I'd be willing to do something like that for donations. Or I'd be willing to donate a story for the purposes of donations.

But unless someone, somewhere, is getting the benefit of my effort through needed money, it ain't happening.

How much of a book could you read to the public?

ShaunHorton

AW's resident Velociraptor

jeffo20

Tyrant King

HeavyAirship

Aboard my phaneron.

snowpea

Jorshington

Big Daddy

snowpea

Maryn

At Sea

snowpea

CoffeeBeans

snowpea

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

Jamesaritchie

jeffo20

Tyrant King

amergina

Pittsburgh Strong

jeffo20

Tyrant King

Ken

ShaunHorton

AW's resident Velociraptor

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

NRoach

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

snowpea

Ken

Jamesaritchie