Around the Year in 52 Books discussion
Weekly Topics 2018
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34. A suggestion from the AtY 2018 polls, that didn't win but was polarizing or a close-call
I had a few ideas for this one.The first which I'm definitely doing is to have a family member choose a book of my shelf for me to read. Doubling up here because I let each of my daughters choose one.
Squirrels pick:Beauty and the Beast: Lost in a Book
Chipmunks pick:The Dog Who Saved Me
LOL....I'm not at all surprised by either of their choices and they keep asking me if I've read them yet.
The other prompt I liked and chose books for was to pick a five star read off one of the mods shelves. Of course I had to check out everyones and had made a choice from each of them. Not convinced time will permit but :
Fairytales for Wilde Girls (Zaz)
The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared (Sophie)
The Pact ( Laura)
Revolting Rhymes (Emm)
Sing, Unburied, Sing (Katie)
I'm going to choose the prompt of a book about feminism because I'm also doing the popsugar challenge and that's one of the prompts on there. I'm coordinating as many prompts from both as possible.
Mod
The Mezzanine (Takes Place Over the Course of a Day)
Manic: A Memoir (Mental Illness)
All the Light We Cannot See (Pulitzer Prize Winning Author)
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear (Mental Illness)
So Big (Pulitzer Prize Winning Author)
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women (Based on Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw)
Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words (Based on Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw)
Where Am I Now? (Based on Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw)
PS. If you're interested in using your Hogwarts house, Book Riot has a series of articles out that recommend books based on your house!
https://bookriot.com/2017/10/16/books...
There was very little doubt that I was going to choose Nobel Prize winner as my option. I think we were doing the run-off poll right about the time they were announcing that Kazuo Ishiguro won for 2017. That was the clincher. If I don't do one of his books, I'll do one by Faulkner.
I’ve picked the same prompt, Angie. So many authors on that list that I’m yet to read, and I’ll be glad for the push!
Either going with the prompt 5 star book from Moderator so my book of choice is from LAURA’S bookshelf All the Missing GirlsOr a book with an elderly person
Or a book with sex, drugs and rock and roll but I need help with these! Any suggestions??
Jody wrote: "I’ve picked the same prompt, Angie. So many authors on that list that I’m yet to read, and I’ll be glad for the push!"It's a great prompt with lots of options. I'm glad we're able to use it!
Erika wrote: "I'm going to choose the prompt of a book about feminism because I'm also doing the popsugar challenge and that's one of the prompts on there. I'm coordinating as many prompts from both as possible."I was thinking the same thing...and I'm leaning toward #MeToo Essays About How and Why This Happened, What It Means and How to Make Sure it Never Happens
I've chosenA book by an author who has published at least 30 fiction books or 10 non-fiction books.
I finished reading Stephen King's Cujo yesterday. I was browsing my GR groups and looking at others readers' goals and then I started looking through the Rory Gilmore reading list (I'm slowly working on that too), where I saw King's Carrie. I had forgotten it was on that list. I decided I wanted to read it, because Cujo was still on my brain. Luckily, I was able to make it fit the challenge. Choosing this one was more about wanting to read the book, and finding a prompt that could make it work.
King has 54 published novels according to Wikipedia. Yay for not having my a side read for my first book of the year! Now I really want to read it!
I wound up choosing "a book picked off your TBR list by a family member or friend". Before the year started, I let my mom choose a book for me off my bookshelf (from the ones I haven't gotten to yet). She picked The Hummingbird's Daughter, which I'm reading now. So far I'm really enjoying it, so maybe I'll have to let people pick books for me more often!I love the prompt Emily picked, for choosing a book based on your house; I might have to look and see if any of the chosen books for my house are already on my TBR list.
Emily wrote: "I have a variety of options for this one! I couldn't pick one prompt, so I picked from a few and we will see what I end up choosing...The Mezzanine (Takes Place Over the Course of a..."
I absolutely LOVE the idea of reading a book I associate with my Hogwarts House - I'm also a Ravenclaw Emily ;). Thanks for including the Book Riot link!
Finished my first book! Hopefully I'm doing the check in right, I'm new to the group. - What are you reading for this category and for which prompt? The Snow Child, book set in the winter or snowy weather.
- Why did you choose this book and this topic? I was reading for popsugar already (book with a weather element in the title), and was looking for a place for it to fit. I am doing three reading challenges so trying to make books fit across challenges. I don't double dip in the same challenge, but I do want to read some books that don't fit any challenge this year, and probably won't have much time if I'm insisting on unique books for every single challenge prompt.
- Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list? I'm new to the group, so have no real opinion.
A book with a supernatural character (vampire, werewolf, witch/wizard, zombie, ghost, etc.) 
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
- What are you reading for this category and for which prompt?Middle Ground by Denise Grover Swank
It is for a book with less than 100 pages
- Why did you choose this book and this topic?
I am already reading this book for another challenge so I just found a category that fit this book.
- Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list?
A true crime novel
So I think I've decided on one book that fits two different prompts:The Golem and the Jinni
Fits:
A book describing the experience of immigrants (set during 1900's- describes the experience of Jewish immigrants from Poland)
A cross genre book (mostly categorized as Fantasy but there is a major element of Historical Fiction)
Depending, it might also fit: a book with supernatural creatures, however Golem's and Jinni's seem more mythological so I wasn't sure it counted.
I'm reading Columbine for this prompt (a book about a subject that made the headlines). Was initially going to read this for the narrative non-fiction prompt but I have chosen a different book for that so this one has slotted in quite well here.
- What are you reading for this category and for which prompt? A book about Mental illness. A Tragic Kind of Wonderful by Eric Lindstrom- Why did you choose this book and this topic? A friend of mine was diagnosed with Bipolar so I try to read books on the subject to better understand.
- Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list? There were quite a few other topics I voted for that didn't make it.
Good Faeries/Bad Faeries - this fits for one of the close calls and one of the polarizing options:- A book with a supernatural character
- A book about or involving the arts
For those of you who don't know, this is a "field book" of sorts, a pretend manual if you will (like fantastic beasts and where to find them "by" Newt Scamander).
It's filled to the brim with illustrations and sketches made by the author, he actually created many of the drawings before writing about the different fairies that "exist" in the World, and how to deal with/handle them.
- Why did you choose this book and this topic?
I chose this because I recently purchased "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - The illustrated edition", but it's in transit and won't arrive for a while.
Then I remembered I still had this book in my collection.
When I was between 8 and 10 years old, I saw it at a book store and thought the paintings were magical, I still do, they're absolutely gorgeous.
But at the time my parents couldn't buy it, it was very expensive.
Also, we could only find an English edition so they weren't sure I'd be able to read it.
In the end I couldn't forget about it, so months later, for the first time ever I asked for a book for my birthday, my parents surprised me with it in the morning.
I still have all sorts of happy emotions connected to this book, and the fact that it has something in common with Harry Potter (the first book that really got me into reading), makes me super happy.
So I wanted to read it again whilst waiting for Harry's "school manual" to arrive.
A book set in one day.
I loved it. 5/5 It was easy to read and the characters were interesting. I can't wait to read another of her books later in the year for a different category. I haven't read a 'stream of consciousness' book before that I know of so nothing to really compare it to. But I loved it.
I read Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor
I had started this book New Year's weekend with no intention to add it to the ATY challenge for 2017 or 2018, however while I catch up on updating my ATY prompts, I thought I'd try to fit this one in somewhere. I couldn't find a good spot for it in the chosen prompts, so I used this one to widen my choice of prompts.
I am using "A book with a supernatural character (vampire, werewolf, ghost, witch, etc.)"
This book contains chimaera and angels
I'm going with a 'book that you would associate with your favorite Hogwarts House' (Ravenclaw) and like the looks of From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler from a random list of Ravenclaw books on the internet.
I'm going to go with 'a graphic novel' for this one. Although I haven't decided which one yet, i have a lot on my shelf I've been meaning to get to. Maybe Saga?
Heide wrote: "I'm going to go with 'a graphic novel' for this one. Although I haven't decided which one yet, i have a lot on my shelf I've been meaning to get to. Maybe Saga?"Saga is a little but weird, but really good :D, if you choose to read this one, I hope you enjoy it !
Saga is great! I also loved Nimona, I Kill Giants, The One Hundred Nights of Hero, The Complete Persepolis, Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too (all standalones). A great series is Lumberjanes.If you like Doctor Who, this one is great: Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor, Vol. 1: After Life.
And if you've watched Sons of Anarchy, I highly recommend Sons of Anarchy, Volume 1.
What are you reading for this category and for which prompt? Enchantress of Numbers for the the polarizing poll: A book published or set before 1900- Why did you choose this book and this topic? I've always loved books by this author
- What are you reading for this category and for which prompt?I am reading North: Poems by Seamus Heaney.
- Why did you choose this book and this topic?
I have been wanting to read more of Heaney's poetry, and this collection contains Grauballe Man, who is from the town I live and work in (and is a poem I have taught some). So, the prompt "A book representing each of the four points on a compass (i.e. Title, Author, or Location)" allowed me to do this. I don't know if I will go on to fulfill the rest of that ambitious suggestion (which I imagine would have ended up with four prompts), but it is a fun game to play. There is Hamid's new novel for West, and I am sure there is a Goodreads list for this somewhere.
- Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list?
There were some interesting prompts. I liked the idea of this one: "A game changer (a book that had an effect on society, people, a book genre, etc)", as well as "A book that has been controversial" and I think we really need more books that fit into this category: "A book describing the experience of immigrants" as familiarity breeds acceptance.
The close call suggestion that I selected was "A book that is an Audie Award winner or nominee." I listened to The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher: Stories by Hilary Mantel. This audiobook won an Audie in 2015.
What are you reading for this category and for which prompt? From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg for the prompt "A book from Goodreads Top 100 Children's Books"
Why did you choose this book and this topic?
I had the book and thought the topic would be fun, as well as giving me ideas for books for the grandchildren.
Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list?
Not really
I’m reading Mort by Terry Pratchett for the prompt “a book in a series of more than 5 books”. Yesterday I bought two like-new hardback Discworld books at Goodwill, not realizing there are series within the series. Since one of them is #5 in the Death series, I chose to read Mort since it is the 1st book in this series. Fortunately, my library had it. I have read and enjoyed several of Pratchett’s books but none in this massive series!
What are you reading for this category and for which prompt? Homegoing for the prompt: 5 Star book from a Moderator's List (though I call the prompt Sophie's Choice)
Amok for: A Book with a title that has 4 letters or less
The Clown for: A Nobel Prize Winner (I haven't finished this one yet)
Why did you choose this book and this topic?
All three prompts seemed interesting to me. I thought it might be nice to check out what the mods were reading.
Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list?
I would have enjoyed so many of the prompts from those lists. Here are 5 that I wish had made the final list.
- A book with less than 100 pages
- A book related to music (on the cover, in the title, or the subject)
- A book that's often assigned for a high school literature class
- A true crime novel
- A book recommended by a famous person
Tracy wrote: "I had a few ideas for this one.The first which I'm definitely doing is to have a family member choose a book of my shelf for me to read. Doubling up here because I let each of my daughters choose ..."
The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared Loved it. It’s free on Audible.
I chose the prompt "A book that takes place in one day", and for that I read Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist. Honestly I didn't love it, which really bummed me out because it's one of my favorites movies. But it fit the prompt and it was a fairly quick read.
What are you reading for this category and for which prompt?Jane and the Man of the Cloth for A book published or set before 1900. It's set in 1804.
Why did you choose this book and this topic?
The topic because I read a lot of books set in historical time periods so I knew I could find something. The book because I'm trying to read all the books in the Jane Austen Mysteries series this year.
Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list?
I like general prompts as the whole reason I participate in ATY is to reduce my TBR. So I would have liked a few more vague prompts. I feel like this year if I want to complete the challenge I'll have to add a bunch of books to my TBR, which I don't want to do.
What are you reading for this category and for which prompt? Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader GinsburgWhy did you choose this book and this topic? This book had been on my list for a while and it fit the category of a book about feminism or feminist themes. In fact, the movie version is due for release later this year.
Hey, it's The Year of the Woman! And Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a sista worth knowing! I had wanted to learn more about this fabulous dynamo, a true legend for our times, as the second female (after O'Connor and before Sotomayor and Kagan joined the ranks) appointed to serve as a US Supreme Court Justice. Plus, at 85, RBG still planks like a champ!
Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list? Maybe a high school lit read, or a book about the arts.
What are you reading for this category and for which prompt? Poldark, by Winston Graham. The prompt was 'a book by an author who has published at least 30 fiction books or 10 non-fiction books'.
Why did you choose this book and this topic? I received this book for my birthday last year, and this prompt allowed me to read it.
Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list? Too many to mention.
SIDETRACKED: The Betrayal And Murder Of Anna Kithcart
By :Richard T. Cahill
True crime
Because it's about a murder case that went trouble wrong and the murder vitamin was forgotten.
Optional questions:- What are you reading for this category and for which prompt?
The Vatican Diaries: A Behind-The-Scenes Look at the Power, Personalities, and Politics at the Heart of the Catholic Church by John Thavis for the prompt “A book (fiction or nonfiction) about a subject that made headlines”
- Why did you choose this book and this topic?
I had already read this book, and was looking for a place to put it - but its completely fit the prompt, and I also liked that.
- Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list?
I'm ok with the crowdsourcing of prompts. I always like some that don't make it, but I also like being pushed to pick up books I might have not read otherwise.
What are you reading for this category and for which prompt?I read Gator by Ron Guidry for the prompt "A book with less than 2018 ratings."
Why did you choose this book and this topic?
I had already read the book and was looking for a way to fit it in the challenge and chose this topic because the book currently only has 39 ratings on Goodreads
Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list?
Since this is my first time doing the challenge and I didn't participate in voting for the topics this year, I'm good with what was picked for the final list.
Mod
I'm reading An American Marriage because there's a character named Celestial and I love a good pun!
Tammy wrote: "Homegoing for the prompt: 5 Star book from a Moderator's List (though I call the prompt Sophie's Choice)"I cracked me up with "Sophie's Choice" 😉 I hope my 5 stars gave you a good read!
For this prompt, I chose "A book about something celestial or containing something celestial in the title or author's name. (moon, star, sun, planet, etc)" as a way to fit in The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet.
- What are you reading for this category and for which prompt?I read I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer for the prompt a true crime novel.
- Why did you choose this book and this topic?
After the arrest of the Golden State Killer, I wanted to read more about the case.
- Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list?
A book by a Nobel prize author and A memoir written by a person from a country different than your own.
What are you reading for this category and for which prompt?Women Who Become Men: Albanian Sworn Virgins by Antonia Young
The prompt was a book with fewer than 2018 ratings (this has 47).
Why did you choose this book and this topic?
I saw the book on a list and the title was intriguing. I decided to read it and just hoped it would fit a category -- and I found this one.
Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list?
Yes! I wish an art or music one had made it to the final list.
- What are you reading for this category and for which prompt?Paper Towns by John Green. I read this as a buddy read.
- Why did you choose this book and this topic?
I was reading it as a buddy read and it fit the prompt.
- Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list?
There were a few interesting ones. I really like to narrow down my TBR so the vague ones are good for me.
What are you reading for this category and for which prompt?The good father by Noah Hawley
*a game changer - a book that had an effect on society, people, a genre book etc*
Why did you choose this book and this topic?
I love Noah Hawley and his books are always game changers
Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list?
- a book about feminism or with feminist themes
- a book about a subject that made headlines
I read Apex by Ramez Naam for this one, using the prompt A book with a title that is four letters or less in length. I chose the topic because it fit the book, which I read for a different reading challenge as well.
What are you reading for this category and for which prompt? The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. The prompt was "A book set in a place related to showbiz (i.e. theater, circus, movies, etc)Why did you choose this book and this topic? Loved the prompt -- very surprised it didn't make it. And the idea of a circus that is only open at night lends a creepiness that I just can't resist,
- Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list? I like the Nobel Prize idea as well as the the celestial body idea.
What are you reading for this category and for which prompt?I read We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for the promt "A book about feminism or with feminist themes".
Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list?
- A book that you would associate with your favorite Hogwarts House.
- A book with a celestial body as a part of the title or as part of the author name.
- A book describing the experience of immigrants.
- A book with a fruit or a vegetable in the title.
Around the Year in 52 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
The Night Circus (other topics)The Name of the Rose (other topics)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (other topics)
The Return of the Soldier (other topics)
Every Note Played (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Rebecca West (other topics)Laurie Fabiano (other topics)
Patrick White (other topics)
Mikhail Bulgakov (other topics)
Annabel Pitcher (other topics)
More...
The goal of this prompt is to choose among the list of close-call and polarising topics a prompt that you like a read a book that's linked to it.
Don't hesitate to ask in the comments below for suggestions for the prompt you want to fullfill.
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Optional questions:
- What are you reading for this category and for which prompt?
- Why did you choose this book and this topic?
- Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list?