2024 HistoryCat Planning Thread

I have elected to start the thread, not necessarily host this topic. I did not suggest this topic. I read through the discussions but did not find who suggested it! If you want to organize/host this Cat, please be my guest. However, I will begin the discussion.

How do you want this organized? Broad topics or time periods?
Examples of broad topics:
epidemics, revolutions, independence movements, etc.

Examples of time periods:
ancient world, Great War, Medieval Ages, etc.

I have found in the past that if we leave the month up to the individual, they are usually wildly creative. I don't know that we need a prescribed topic for each month? Leave it up to the host?

Also, to be more inclusive, I think reads can be either fiction or non-fiction.

JAN: North & South American Wars & Conflicts; SillverWolf28
FEB: Georgian/Regency Britain; pamelad
MAR: Science & Medicine; librarycin
APR: Riots, Revolution, & Mayhem; Tess_W
MAY: Middle Ages; NinieB
JUN: Historians; MissWatson
JUL: Spies; christina_reads
AUG: Byzantine Empire; h-mb
SEP: WWI/WWII; JaymeCM
OCT: Disasters; KeithChaffee
NOV: Ancient & Classical History; susanna.fraser
DEC: Religions and Religious Festivals; MissBrangwen

I like the idea of broad topics.

Thank you for starting this, Tess! I like broad topics, as well, and I will host a month (two, if need be).

ETA: I don't know that we need a prescribed topic for each month? Leave it up to the host?
Do you mean it would be more like RandomKIT where we don't know the theme ahead of time? How do we do this if we don't have a theme each month? I guess I'm just not understanding. Thanks!

>3 LibraryCin: I meant, instead of the group coming up with the 12 topics/time periods, the host just chooses a historical time/topic.

I had been assuming that was how it would work. Probably quicker to just let people volunteer for months/topics rather than try to come to consensus on twelve topics.

Oh! I see. Thank you!

I don't think we need consensus, but I do like having a list to choose from (that's not to say others couldn't come up with something not on the list). That being said, I can probably come up with some historical topic that would work

ETA: I'll check previous years for ideas.

The historical fiction challenge will run as well in 2024. I had suggested some broad topics for this CAT, but don't want to duplicate the challenge so have removed them.

Leaving it up to the host sounds reasonable. The last time we did this CAT, the planning was very complicated.

I would like to do Georgian and Regency Britain, if that works.

I am happy to host a month - WWI and WWII.

I'd like to take October, with the theme of disasters. Could be natural disasters (floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, etc.), medical epidemics, man-made disasters (Chernobyl, Triangle Shirtwaist Fire) -- lots to choose from.

OK, so it looks like we're generally OK with hosts choosing an era/topic for each month, and we have the following volunteers so far:

JAN: North & South American Wars & Conflicts; SillverWolf28
FEB: Georgian/Regency Britain; pamelad
MAR: Science & Medicine; librarycin
APR: Riots, Revolution, & Mayhem; Tess_W
MAY: Middle Ages; NinieB
JUN: Historians; MissWatson
JUL: Spies; christina_reads
AUG: Byzantine Empire; h-mb
SEP: WWI/WWII; JaymeCM
OCT: Disasters; KeithChaffee
NOV: Ancient & Classical History; susanna.fraser
DEC: Religions and Religious Festivals; MissBrangwen

I'm happy to keep this post up-to-date as more volunteers raise their hands with topics.

>10 KeithChaffee: I'd like February.

>11 pamelad: Noted!

>10 KeithChaffee: How about September? Thanks.

>13 JayneCM: Got it!

Needed to look at previous years for ideas, but I have three topic ideas to decide between! Hmmmm...

But put me in for March. I'll choose a topic soon!

>16 LibraryCin: Done.

I will take April with Riots, Revolutions, and Mayhem

I'll do May with Middle Ages.

April and May filled! That puts us halfway there.

I'll take November with Ancient and Classical History.

>21 susanna.fraser: On the list.

I'll take January. I'm open to suggestions for the topic.

>23 SilverWolf28: January's yours!

>23 SilverWolf28: I was going to check past HistoryCAT wikis for ideas. I haven't yet (and we'll see if I have time for it before all the months are snatched up or not!). Have had a busy week and that continues through tomorrow!

For those looking for a topic, how about Saints & Sinners (I'm not really interested in hosting next year)?

Non-fiction could be history of religion while fiction could have a Biblical character or the Buddha, or a priest/monk/nun or other religious figure as an important character.

>26 Robertgreaves: Good one, Robert!

I'll take August with a theme around Byzance/Constantinople/Istamboul and the successive empires.

I can take December with the theme that Robert has proposed in >26 Robertgreaves: ! Although I might adapt it a bit and give it another title, so it is "religious theme - tbd" at the moment.

Is that ok for you, Robert?

August and December added to the list!

>29 MissBrangwen: Sure. It's yours now. Run with it any way you want

I'd be happy to host Spies in July -- theme of espionage, could be any location or time period in history. Unless that is perhaps too narrow?

Sounds fine to me. You're on the list!

I could take June, with a temptative theme of historians: archaelogists who discover the ruins of long-forgotten peoples, biographies of famous historians etc? This offers both fiction and non-fiction options.

June is yours, which fills the year!

>34 MissWatson: I think that‘s a very good one!

I have given it some thought and will call my theme "Religions and religious festivals". This would enable readers to choose nonfiction books and novels about festivals like Christmas or Hanukkah in addition to the topics that were mentioned in >26 Robertgreaves:.

List edited accordingly, which means the only remaining gaps are the TBDs in January and March. (Not trying to pressure those hosts; take all the time you need to consider your options.)

>38 KeithChaffee: My life has been way too busy, so I have yet to look at previous themes. I hope to get to it by (or on) this upcoming weekend!

I had thought of another theme, if anyone cares to use it.
Leaders Through Time. Not just political leaders; leaders of industry; religious leaders; leaders of civil rights, environmental, land rights, women's rights etc; leaders in a particular field - medicine, scientific endeavours, arts, etc.

My topic will be American Wars and Conflicts. You could read about the Spanish conquest, the American Revolution, the Civil War or battles between the Europeans and the Native Americans for example. Even though we've been involved in wars on other continents I wasn't planning on including them.

Do you guys think Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Eric Larson would qualify for January?

I am still a relative newcomer to the Challenges, but my attitude is generally "if it's close enough for you, it's close enough." I tend to be an "interpret things narrowly" kinda guy, so an event that didn't involve the US, and that took place before the US joined the war, would probably be too big a stretch for me to squeeze into an American Wars theme.

But ultimately, there are no rules beyond individual judgment. It's not like there's a judge waiting to hit the "FOUL" buzzer if you get it "wrong."

>43 KeithChaffee: I hear ya. I wasn't sure how strict the interpretations were for the group. I had to ask, so that means it's not close enough for me for it to fit (in good conscience, anyway.) I'll just have to pocket that book for another day! (Thanks for the response. I'm still feeling things out.)

>42 beccac220: >43 KeithChaffee: I think most hosts are happy to accept fairly loose interpretations of the theme. I do sometimes ask first, but as often as not it's because I'm not sure whether the book will fit until I've read it.

>44 beccac220: Oh, gosh! I didn't mean to imply (and hope I didn't) that my own tendency to interpret rules strictly should guide anyone else. I mean, yeah, I've helped to organize this year a little bit, but it's not MY HistoryCAT to interpret, nor is any individual month mine. You do you.

>42 beccac220: I think it would fit better in September. I'll update my last post to better reflect what I was thinking.

>47 SilverWolf28: So if I understand correctly, you're thinking of a focus specifically on conflict that took place IN what is now the USA?

>47 SilverWolf28: >48 KeithChaffee: Oh, Spanish conquests threw me off. I was thinking Aztecs and Incas as well as the US.

Oops, missed that. So, conflict within the Americas?

>46 KeithChaffee: No worries! I didn't take it that way. Just needed a little more clarification. ;-)

>48 KeithChaffee:; >49 Robertgreaves: Yes I had just been thinking of North America. Though I would be fine with expanding it to Central and South America.

>10 KeithChaffee: We could rename my topic North and South American Wars and Conflicts.

Done!

Hi, so for March I'd like to do:
Science & Medicine

Thanks!

And that completes our year of topics!

Tess, would you mind copying the list from my post #10 into your post #1, so that people will be able to find it more easily as the year goes along? Thanks!

Fantastic! Looking forward to lots of recommendations from this CAT.

>56 KeithChaffee: Done

Is there a wiki?

Not yet. Does somebody know how to create one?

>60 KeithChaffee: I can do it later tonight unless someone else has time to do it sooner.

The wiki is now set up here:
https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/2024_HistoryCAT

>62 LibraryCin: Thank you!

>1 Tess_W: Tess, would you mind copying the link to the wiki from post #62 into post #1 so that it can easily be found at the top of the thread? Thanks!

>62 LibraryCin: Thanks!

No worries!

I've got my pick for January and ready to get started!

I should have the thread up sometime this weekend. I'd planned to have it up yesterday or today, but I'm dealing with a lot of trouble with my Mom's health insurance right now.

>68 SilverWolf28: No hurry! Insurance is always so much fun - NOT! Hope it all gets settled soon with very little hassle.

Here's January's HistoryCAT: https://www.librarything.com/topic/355971

February HistoryCAT: https://www.librarything.com/topic/357148

March is posted!
https://www.librarything.com/topic/358453

April:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/359222

The May thread on the Middle Ages has been posted.

The June thread is up: https://www.librarything.com/topic/360825#n8535028