[2019] Voting for 2nd Mini-Poll

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

I agree, Amy. I don't have many people born on my birthday, but John Pulitzer is on my birthday, so I may read something that won a Pulitzer Prize if this prompt ends up making it. It's all about making the challenge work for you!

(Also, Tammy, thanks for that resource!)

[Jillian]

I don't like tasks that are based upon me- where/when I am born, live/have lived, my name etc. For me these are not enjoyable and I down vote them all. If any make it on the list then, I try and work with them or will use a wild card.

[Nadine in NY]

Tammy wrote: "the real goal is to find something new and wonderful that we never would have tried if we hadn't done the challenge. ..."

That is actually one of my goals, too, I want to be pushed out of my comfort zone, but I don't want to be forced to read a celebrity memoir that I have no interest in. I like categories that make me think outside the box, but I don't like categories that push me into a different, smaller, box.

[Marina]

For me it would make more sense if the task was rephrased to something like "Read a book linked to a person born same date as you". That way it's a lot less restrictive and leaves a lot of room for creative thinking.

[Chinook]

That seems to unrestricted to me. I wouldn’t know where to start with that prompt.

I like reading challenges because they make it easier to pick my next book. Prompts that require too much creative thinking annoy me. I don’t want to spend a bunch of time trying to link some author/book to my birthday, I want to spend a bunch of time reading.

[Marina]

Chinook wrote: "That seems to unrestricted to me. I wouldn’t know where to start with that prompt.

I like reading challenges because they make it easier to pick my next book. Prompts that require too much creati..."

You could still just read a book by an author born that day as the original task suggests. You don't have to think creatively. But we all see it differently I guess.

[Chinook]

Lol - I have zero interest in the birthday prompt in general, I guess.

I already read very widely and periodically do checks to make sure my reading is diverse - by all kinds of metrics including genre. So I don’t need the challenge to push me to read diversely - I like it to help me pick from what is a pretty overwhelmingly large pool of options. Before reading challenges, I’d often waste days trying to pick a book after finishing the last. Now I just plug a keyword from the prompt into Overdrive and off I go.

Which isn’t to say that people should vote or think of the challenge as I do, but to offer another way someone might be approaching the challenge, rather than to push one to read diversely or to be creative with prompts.

I do agree that I’m pretty done with prompts cantered on some aspect of me - where I was born or live or whatever. I’m already pretty inclined to be interested if a blurb mentions somewhere I’ve once lived.

[Rachel]

The only author I could find who was born the same day as me is Dostoevsky, and I don't really want to feel forced to read one of his books.

I'm also not a fan of prompts that relate to me. I hated the prompt requiring an author with my initials a few years ago because I couldn't find anything other than Watership Down at the time, and I had very little interest in that. I'd be a little more okay with it now since I've found many more options, at least. I also don't like prompts requiring books set in my hometown/where I live now, partly because I feel like it's been done so many times, and partly because I haven't been a huge fan of any of the ones I've read.

I think it's hard to make general statements about what the goal of the challenge is, since it's not necessarily the same for everyone. For me, the goal is to help narrow down what I want to read and I love the fun scavenger hunt/puzzle aspect of trying to find ways to fit in as many as possible of the books I really want. I wouldn't say it's necessarily a goal of mine to discover new authors, although it's great if that happens in the process.

[Laura, Celestial Sphere Mod]

I tend to like prompts that members can find something they're interested in, no matter what. Even if it's a genre prompt and the person doesn't typically like the genre, there are so many books out there that people can typically find something. Although a common goal is to use the challenge to push a person's reading and get them out of their comfort zone, no one wants to read a book that is completely unappealing to them.

So for me, the birthday prompt goes beyond stretching people's comfort zones and sways more towards forcing people to read things they have zero interest just because it is so limiting. Some may have a lot of options but many have only a few. So once you get into so few options, it's going beyond "outside your comfort zone" for me.

[Jody]

I'm also not a fan of prompts that relate to me, or require being linked to a person I'm supposed to have in my life (parent, grandparent, friend etc.).

[Jill]

I agree with both Marina H and Amy The challenge is up to each individual. However there have been instances where people have judged what other people have chosen. I happened to me this year.

[Joan]

Jill wrote: "I agree with both Marina H and Amy The challenge is up to each individual. However there have been instances where people have judged what other people have chosen. I happened to me this year."

I noticed one kind of "judgey" person last year. I've also noticed that they seemed to have dropped out of the group last year.

[Pam]

This thread has gotten to be a very interesting discussion! I’m with Rachel wrt using the challenge to narrow down which books to read and the fun of a scavenger hunt. I also use challenges as a motivator to finish books! I’d like to see the prompts not be too specific and limiting (e.g. medical or legal thriller is a tough one this year). In general, I dislike having to read from a list, especially GR listopias. I like to find hidden gems rather than books everyone is reading.

It’s nice to see the creativity and different reading interests in this group! I can’t wait to see poll 3 suggestions.

[Joan]

I agree part of the fun is the hunt of the book. I wish something could keep me on track to read the books I have though. I just seem to get distracted by new shiny books or books that are group/buddy reads. A couple of the prompts have been a little hard for me this year but I feel like it's expanding my knowledge. I seem to have a problem with the continents one. It took me forever to figure out what to read for the Africa/South American one this year. Which oddly I have a couple that would fit on my tbr but I just don't seem to be in the mood for them. That one and the Wind one seem to be my hardest this year. I'm just not feeling the books that I have to go in those spots.

[Peter]

I think everyone uses the reason challenge in the way they feel best suits them. Some people use it to encourage me to read more and knock books off my TBR. Others use it to find brand new books and authors. Others (myself included) do a combination of those.

I think the main goal of the reading challenge is just to get people reading and sharing and talking about books they like or don't like. That's why this group is so great because the list we come up with is flexible to be interpreted in whatever way works best for each member.

[Peter]

encourage them to read more*

on my phone, so I can't edit the comment right now...

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

You know all this discussion of the birthday prompt keeps leading me to like that zodiac prompt more and more. If it doesn't make it, I hope it can come back later.

[Rachel]

Jill wrote: "I agree with both Marina H and Amy The challenge is up to each individual. However there have been instances where people have judged what other people have chosen. I happened to me this year."

I'm always hesitant to read any kind of negativity into any comments on these kinds of boards, even those that might seem judgmental. At the end of the day, we are each responsible for our own challenges, and it shouldn't matter what other people think of our book choices. It's fun to come here and discuss what we're picking, but I don't think other people's opinions should necessarily put us off reading any book that we pick. I guess the only caveat on that is if you're unsure if a book fits for a specific prompt, and ask the group for feedback on whether it fits.

I think Laura said it really well above -- I love prompts that are broad enough to allow everyone the freedom to choose what they want, but still have some element of challenge/restriction so it's not just a straight-up free choice. Like Laura said, I don't like when prompts get overly restrictive to the point where I'm stuck with only 1 or 2 choices. I'm a mood reader, so the worst thing for me is to be locked in to just one book that I may or may not end up being in the mood to read.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Jackie, I totally agree about the zodiac prompt. I’m an Aries that doesn’t feel like I identify with the traits of an Aries, but I really like that prompt. It gives guidance without being too restrictive.

[dalex]

Nadine wrote: "I like categories that make me think outside the box, but I don't like categories that push me into a different, smaller, box.."

Rachel wrote: "For me, the goal is to help narrow down what I want to read and I love the fun scavenger hunt/puzzle aspect of trying to find ways to fit in as many as possible of the books I really want"

This. X1000.

[dalex]

Jill wrote: "I agree with both Marina H and Amy The challenge is up to each individual. However there have been instances where people have judged what other people have chosen. I happened to me this year."

I have occasionally questioned a person's book choice but only if it's a category for a very specific type of book. Like, using historical fiction for the alternate history category or a title that's only a phrase for the complete sentence category. And when I mention it, I do so not to judge them but to educate them. I do my very best to be polite about it.

[Tammy]

I think I stirred something that was not intended. People were negatively piling on the Birthday pick and I wanted to send out a resource that would help people see that if it was expanded to birth month, as people had suggested, that it could be a pretty wide open theme. It was an effort to support and validate another ATYers selection. We are all afforded the opportunity to put our own suggestions in and I felt that whoever picked the subject might not appreciate everyone being so down on it. As for my assumption (we all know what is said when you assume something) that folks in ATY had a main goal to read new and wonderful books I was off base and apologize. But it did spin up a great discussion and I enjoyed finding out about other readers' goals within the group. I thought all the poll themes were great and would be happy with any one of them. I'm really looking forward to hearing the results!

[Rachelnyc]

Tammy, you definitely sparked an interesting conversation and I find it interesting to see what people like about the challenge and how they use it to inspire them.

I guess I'm a combination of what others have written. I definitely like the "scavenger hunt" aspect of going through my tbr list to see what fits so I can make a dent in that list but I also like the getting out of my comfort zone aspect where I am exposed to genres/authors/subjects I may normally pass up and am often pleasantly surprised by the result.

Having said that, I am not a fan of very restrictive topics and agree with Nadine about not wanting to be "pushed into a different, smaller box". As I've mentioned, this is my first time participating in the voting process and so far, it seems most members are on the same page (even if we all have our own reasons) and restrictive topics are voted down.

It doesn't mean that those suggestions are not good, just that they are not for everyone, and isn't that what this entire process is about?

[Tammy]

Nicely put, Rachelnyc. It's my first time around with the voting, too. Funny thing is that I can't even remember my votes because I thought everything was pretty good. I tend to steer clear of the animal topics. I like animals, but I don't necessarily love stories about animals. Maybe I've never gotten over having my heart ripped out by Where the Red Fern Grows.

[Lizzy]

Tammy wrote: "Nicely put, Rachelnyc. It's my first time around with the voting, too. Funny thing is that I can't even remember my votes because I thought everything was pretty good. I tend to steer clear of the ..."

Or Old Yeller, or Bambi!

[Jody]

I’m still traumatised by Bambi, thirty years later.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Don't even get me started on Marley and Me. I always vote against animal prompts.

[Maple]

I don't read many animal books (intentionally anyway), because I always get the impression that the goal is to make you cry.

[Tammy]

My mom came back to the car (back in the day when you just left your kid in the car) to find me crying (not just crying but the hideous blowing snot bubbles out of your nose type of blubbering...kinda like you've just watched the opening sequence of Up). She thought something horrible had happened to me, but no, I'd just finished my sweet little doggy book. She bought me ice cream! Maybe I'll make my daughter read these books just so we can get ice cream after she's done bawling her eyes out.

[Marina]

Animal prompts make me think of the rabbit book. I've tried to erase it from my memory so I can't think if the name right now... Down something. I'm sure Jody knows which book I'm talking about ;-)
I never want to experience anything like it ever again so animal prompts will always be a bottom vote for me!

[Lisa (the.running.bookworm)]

Marina H, do you mean Watership Down?

[Maple]

Watership Down!

[Jody]

Marina! 😂 I still regret reading that. I like it even less now then when I read it.

[Marina]

Yes that's it... I used to like rabbits but I couldn't care less what type of grass they prefer. That book was really not for me!

[dalex]

Well, I guess we know at least one prompt that is going to be in the bottom four...haha!

And I bet all of you voted against "raining cats and dogs" in the multi-prompt, just on principle, even though I specifically said it just had to be in the title or cover art. :)

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

I don't vote down animal prompts but I do avoid "dog books". Where the Red Fern Grows, Shiloh, Old Yeller...my young tender heart broke so many times before I learned my lesson.

[Laura, Celestial Sphere Mod]

I can't handle anything to do with animals, not just dogs. I had a hard time with Jurassic World this weekend and it's a darn killer animal movie....

[Rachel]

If anyone is looking for a great children's book about a dog (and one that is not sad at all), I highly recommend A Boy in the Doghouse. It was my absolute favourite when I was younger, and it's so cute!

One book that I found really upsetting though was A Dog for Jesse. It's about a boy named Jesse who has a pet dog, and ends up finding another dog that is missing a leg (or something like that) and wants to take it in too, but his parents say he can choose only one. I was so upset that he had to pick between them, and even more upset by his choice ((view spoiler)[He chose to keep the dog that had the leg problem, since he knew his old dog would easily be adopted, but the other one would have trouble (hide spoiler)]) even though I fully understood his reason.

Also, I just wanted to build on what dalex said above about questioning people's book choices. I think there's a big difference between asking a question and being judgmental. I know tone is hard to figure out sometimes online, but I don't think there's a problem with asking why someone chose a book for a specific prompt, as long as it is done respectfully. Maybe it's just not easy to see the connection.

[Katie]

I bawled while reading Where the Red Fern Grows a few years ago. My husband said, "You need to stop reading that book," and I just wailed, "I can't!"

[dalex]

Checking the calendar. Checking the clock. Rechecking the calendar. Yep, today is the day. (Im)patiently waiting for the results. :)

[Nicole]

Oh, animal books. I can't handle sad animal books. However, I don't just automatically down-vote animal prompts. I know a lot of people don't love them, but there are tons of cozy mysteries with dogs and cats as important characters (and even the main character/sleuth) in the stories. I know there are lots of other books that have animal characters that aren't sad books, but I can't think of any off the top of my head. I do prefer the prompts that just say "animal/dog/cat/whatever on the cover," or something like that.
And, I'm with dalex - impatiently waiting for the results! :)

[Marie]

Carl Hiaasen and Janet Evanovich have had some great animal characters in some of their books, but they are sidekicks, the books aren't about them.

I definitely say Terry Pratchett's Moving Pictures counts as a book about a dog. There must be quite a few fantasy novels that have animals as main characters?

[Charity]

Weren’t we supposed to get result today?

[Laura, Celestial Sphere Mod]

I apologize for the delay in the results. There were some unforeseen complications that I'm working through now (more info to come).

Results will be posted shortly.

[°~Amy~°]

Laura wrote: "I apologize for the delay in the results. There were some unforeseen complications that I'm working through now (more info to come).

Results will be posted shortly."
No worries Laura, just hope the 'complications' aren't causing you too many headaches!

[Nicole]

I think doing birth month instead of birth day is a good idea! It was my original idea, and nobody hurt my feelings:) I came up with it on the spot and thought it would be fun for some people who enjoy the hunt, but in my original comment I acknowledged doing birth month instead to make it easier for others.

I enjoy challenging myself, but I get the box idea. I wouldn’t want to read something that sounded like I’d hate it. Birth month is more open? Zodiac too!