Alicia’s Comments (group member since Dec 25, 2019)

Alicia’s comments from the Around the Year in 52 Books group.

I'm not sure if I'll be awake in time for the suggestion poll tomorrow, and I have a feeling it may fill up fast. Would someone mind suggesting my prompt for me?

"A book with a non-binary/trans/+ author or character"

My only downvote made it in, cross genre. I felt that it was a bit of a freebie, as there are so many options. I’ll need to go back to the discussion and review the Listopia to see what works to make it a bit tougher.

Really disappointed that you read WHAT?!?? didn’t make it. I also enjoy writing WHAT?!?!? in all caps, so I hope this gets resubmitted.

Ooh thanks!!

I think I might read the The Communist Manifesto for "you read WHAT?!?!" (I'm putting out the positive vibes that it is definitely getting in).

I'm interested to know about the beginnings and different theories of communism. Not sure if this is actually the best book for that, or just the most popular. So definitely open to suggestions if anyone has any.

This is the first time I didn't use all 8 of my votes. I didn't have strong feelings on most of these. I could do them all, but not particularly jazzed or disappointed about most.

I did upvote "you read WHAT?!?!" because I just absolutely love that prompt, along with Black Novelists (I'll be using my BIPOC and race relations to focus on Asian authors/culture), sports, and two-word title with 2 and 1 syllable(s).

Emily wrote: "I would say Becoming is an autobiography, as is Educated. I'd think books like Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood that are more episodic (rather th..."

I agree. Maybe if we accidentally read a technical autobiography v. memoir, we've given ourselves the KIS option.

Now I'm confused, according to that writer's digest article, isn't Becoming an autobiography? Since she's not only discussing her time in the White House but a chronological discussion of her life ending with the White House?

I was waiting for the next round to resubmit my non-binary/trans/+ character or author prompt.

It was a very close call, but I wanted to give it some time in case it didn’t make it in a second time, due to it being too fresh in people’s minds. Having it not make it in twice, when at the time, it was the only one suggested/discussed, would have been a bit heart breaking.

I added the character aspect to encompass stories, as it can be tough to know how the author identifies.

But I also love the idea of LGBTQIA+ history!

As for the black authors, as a black woman, I’ve found this group to be very open and accepting of diverse reading. When I saw that list, I was really excited that we were highlighting some really excellent authors that don’t always get the attention they deserve. I didn’t think it was tokenism or trying to make ourselves feel good, but instead an effort for everyone to read these diverse perspectives and filling holes we unconsciously have.

If we get to poll 19 and don’t have enough prompts, so we lessen the standards for what makes it into the top? Or create more rounds?

Congrats Laurel! Have you read Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia?

Would you recommend She Walks in the Shadows?

Just signed up for Tor! I love fantasy and novellas, so this is perfect me.

When people mention Tor Novellas, are you talking about this site: https://www.tor.com/

I just tried to google it and this was the first result, but I've never heard of it before this discussion

Also, this may be a stretch or a creative way to interpret, but the Kennedys are regularly referred to as American royalty. There are a lot of fiction and non-fiction books about the Kennedys, or at least feature members of the family or the JFK assassination in them.

If the royalty prompt makes it in, maybe Russia could be a KIS option.

If people do choose to go the Russia route, I highly highly recommend Robert K. Massie's books on the Nicholas and Alexandra (the Romanovs/Anastasia's parents), Catherine the Great and Peter the Great. They are non-fiction BUT they read like fiction. He is an amazing writer and you will be sucked in like you are reading a drama.

Isn’t a chapter just a division throughout a book? I would think dates that designate different entries would be a chapter, right?

At least I hope so, or I’m going to really struggle finding where to put that lol.

This is why I love the discussion period. I was planning on downvoting uncommon chapter titles, because I had the same fear about not knowing till I read. But Avery’s post re: poems and short stories reminds me that I was trying to fit in Sylvia Plath’s journals into my challenge next year, as well as some other poetry books if I’m not jazzed about her journals next year.

This is now a definite upvote for me.

That’s all overrated. I just want to rub it in some peoples faces that I’m a princess lol.

If you know any other princes... there are some nice single ladies in this group.

Nadine wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Is it just me who hated Moby Dick? Maybe I read it at the wrong time like Wendy said but I hated it so much I'm not going to give it another chance anytime soon"


LOL obviously I can..."

For Count of Monte Cristo, are you reading the original version or the abridged version? That's definitely on my list of books to read, but I never know which version I should pick up.

I also like the short book idea, but wish it wasn't a new-to-you author.

I was actually thinking of this prompt this weekend, because there are a lot of prequels and small side stories in the different fantasy series I read. However, they wouldn't count for this prompt and for some reason I feel like it's cheating to include them for other prompts.