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[2020] 3rd Mini-Poll Results
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Well, looks like my rejects list is getting quite long already! None of my top choices made it. Rural/sparsely populated was (narrowly) a bottom 4 for me, but I'm okay with it. I have options for sure, it just wasn't something I was particularly interested in reading. Global city is fine, and a book related to time was somewhere in the middle of my list so I'm okay with that too.
Super simple prompts. Kinda disappointed to be honest.
I'm happy with these and won't miss the rabbit
Mod
No close calls or polarizing and only one bottom prompt... I wonder if our votes are getting so split with this new voting system that only the more general prompts are getting in, and there's either not enough people downvoting or upvoting to make it more polarizing or there's so many suggestions that it's hard to find enough with high votes.
I'm cool with these (although I downvoted the rural prompt because bleh), but I would have liked to see a bit more controversy or difficulty in the top votes. But I, like Jill, won't miss the rabbit.
I went back on the voting thread and saw a lot of people say they liked the time prompt. The only things that come to mind are time travel and Love in the Time of Cholera. dalex posted some good options for time, but what other kinds of things are you all thinking for that one? Would you think books by Rutherfurd that focus on a single place through generations would fit?
Mod
So it looks like I'll be reading1. a book set in NYC or London (as in: almost any historical romance I pick up)
2. a zombie book
3. a time travel book
All of these are easy enough to fill, but none of my top choices made it. I think only one top choice has made it since we started voting. This is the first year I've been so out-of-synch with the majority.Rabbit was one of my bottoms, though, so happy about that result.
Katie wrote: "I went back on the voting thread and saw a lot of people say they liked the time prompt. The only things that come to mind are time travel and Love in the Time of Cholera. dalex posted some good op..."I just loved the concept of a book about time, since I like math/science type books, so I haven't done much research. This is what comes to mind off the top of my head:
Time travel (as mentioned), with variations like stopped time, time bubbles, time moving at different rates in different worlds/dimensions, etc. Recursion looks like one of those 'not quite time travel' variations to me.
Timekeepers: How the World Became Obsessed With Time (There are a lot of books with very similar names apparently, so that could be one avenue of research)
Einstein's Dreams
The Power of When: Discover Your Chronotype--and the Best Time to Eat Lunch, Ask for a Raise, Have Sex, Write a Novel, Take Your Meds, and More
This one is essentially about 'marking time' though the day: Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life
Would a book about being immortal count? -- Juliet Immortal
And to me this angle is boring, but maybe one of the many books on time management, such as: 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think or The Fringe Hours: Making Time for You
Maybe even something that focuses on the passage of time, like Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Really pleased the global city got in. I’ll definitely be reading something set in Dubai. I’ve even found a book by a New Zealand author set there (I’m a New Zealander and am challenging myself to read more NZ authors next year) which I may use if I can’t find anything by a UAE author. In keeping with my desire to read globally I may interpret the rural or sparsely populated area prompt to go with a country with a low population density. I see Mongolia has the lowest and so long as whatever book I find isn’t set solely in UlaanBataan it should work. The time prompt I can take it or leave it. I’m with Dalex though in thinking all these prompts are easy. Be interesting to see if we get more challenging ones later or whether the voting process leads to more generic prompts than some other challenges. I can’t see an own voices prompt set in Oceania (a prompt for Read Harder this year) making the cut here.
I upvoted all of these but they weren't the three that I was most excited about, by far. But, on we go!
Mod
I am fine with all three of the top prompts, but they just feel so bland in comparison with the other options. Disappointed we only have seven prompts so far with so many good options.
For the Time prompt, I’m looking at Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett or a SF book involving time travel. 3 of my 8 tops made it so I’m happy! Aaaaw, no love for the 🐇. I think it was too similar to this year’s Chinese Year prompt.
Emily wrote: "The community spreadsheet is updated!No close calls or polarizing and only one bottom prompt... I wonder if our votes are getting so split with this new voting system that only the more general p..."
I was thinking the same thing, although I'm not sure if it's the voting system or just having 20 suggestions to choose from. It definitely seemed a bit unusual to me that we haven't had more than one (I think?) polarizing or close calls at all so far.
I think for me, this vote felt a bit anti-climactic because I predicted that global city and rural area would both win after seeing so many people in the discussion saying it was like a mini multi-week prompt, so there wasn't much of a surprise like I usually get when opening a thread to see the winners. The more I think about these prompts though, the more I find books that I'm very interested in trying, so I'm sure I'll find something great.
I find these rather generic and did not vote for either. So many were really exciting, so I am disappointed.I voted for rabbits. I have two rabbits. They are adorable. And I think we could use some prompts that are more strict. I like a mix of prompts that are broader and some that are quite specific. It is not a challenge if I can just fit all my books without even trying, at the same time I do want to fit most categories with books on my TBR. Most, but not all.
Kindred would be perfect for the time travel prompt. And if anyone is interested in using Seoul as their global city, I highly recommend Please Look After Mom.
It’s interesting that last week the post results discussion involved a lot of people saying that they didn’t want prompts that weren’t flexible enough and this week the concern is that they are too generic. I wonder, how do we hit that sweet spot between the two?
I am going to have to start keeping track of the prompts I vote for and the ones I vote no for....But also if there are really favorite prompts, I need to keep track of them and renominate them for other polls...
Katie wrote: "I went back on the voting thread and saw a lot of people say they liked the time prompt. The only things that come to mind are time travel and Love in the Time of Cholera. dalex posted some good op..."Katie, I read How to Stop Time by Matt Haig earlier this year and really enjoyed it, so would definitely recommend it for readers of light sci-fi who like an element of romance.
But I was thinking for this book:
- anything with "time" in the title (using the search function at the top of the "My Books" page, I see I have 17 books with time in the title - although most of them I've read!)
- anything with "hour", "day", "minute" etc in the title - you can search the same way or there's also this Listopia - Time Passages with over 700 books!
- anything with a clock, watch etc on the cover - this list has a few - Keeping Time
- anything that spans generations (but I still haven't read the multi-generational saga from this year yet!)
- anything set over the course of a single day (but I hate that sort of prompt myself - pretty sure The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith would qualify for this, but while it was enjoyable enough, it's also quite forgettable, and I don't know that I'd actually recommend it! If you're a YA lover you might like it more than I!)
I'm sure there are more options than this, but this will give me enough to be working on!
I voted for both the location ones, they seem to be goods ones for BIO/KIS options. I do agree that the list needs a mix of difficulty, we're very early on so it's hard to see how the list will take shape. I wonder if the fact we're not downvoting ones we're ambivalent about means they're the ones making it through? I do like using my votes how I please but maybe not downvoting much is detrimental.I didn't vote for time because I thought that nearly every book could be made to fit. I might BIO with a time travel book as I've already read a few non-fiction books around time and timekeeping. I thought Time Warped: Unlocking the Mysteries of Time Perception was fascinating.
I posted this in the voting discussion thread and the KIS/BIO thread but I'm putting it here also so it's easily accessible.Some thoughts for "A book related to time".....
The word “time” in the title
A word like “midnight” or “dawn” in the title
A word like “hours” or “year” in the title
A word like "past," "present," "before," or "after" in the title
A time keeping device in the title - clock, watch, sun(dial)
A month or a day of the week in the title
A book in which a character spends time in prison - “doing time”
A book that covers a very short span of time, like one day
A book that covers a very long span of time, like a character’s entire lifetime
A book that captures the mood of a specific time period, like the Jazz Age or the Victorian Age
A book in which time is altered - time travel or alternate history
I think anything where time is part of the plot would work too. Like a heist story where the participants are working to a strict time, or anything where a person only has 48 hours to do x thing.
Mod
We may eventually have to adjust what we consider polarizing. In the past, it's been those prompts that have had a number close to the top but then an equal number of bottom. For example:
Prompt 1 - 100 top, 2 bottom - winner
Prompt 2 - 90 top, 80 bottom - polarizing
Prompt 3 - 80 top, 3 bottom - close call
This year it's been something more like:
Prompt 1 - 100 top, 2 bottom - winner
Prompt 2 - 60 top, 58 bottom
Prompt 3 - 60 top, 10 bottom
If that sheds any light on to why there haven't been any polarizing or close calls announced (all numbers above are arbitrary).
Interesting. It seems to me that clearer tops is an overall positive - presumably that means people are generally getting the prompts they want, on the whole. The polarizing ones could def switch to just being prompts where upvotes and downvotes are super close. It’s always fascinating to see what people loved and hated at the same time.
dalex wrote: "I posted this in the voting discussion thread and the KIS/BIO thread but I'm putting it here also so it's easily accessible.Some thoughts for "A book related to time".....
The word “time” in the..."
I like your suggestions. My mind automatically went to time travel. I feel more excited about this prompt with your suggestions.
I don't think any of these were in my top votes but I can fill them easy enough. I actually didn't mind the rabbit one because the second book in the Annihilation series has a rabbit on it but it did mean I would have to hold onto it until next year!!
I liked the rabbit prompt too! It seemed fun and challenging, very sad to see it go. I think I must be a weirdo outlier. What I vote up loses and vice versa.
I up voted a book related to time as I really enjoy time travel novels. I down voted rural or sparsely populated and rabbits. So a bit of a mixed bag for me this time.
I have to say, ever since the rabbit prompt I’ve been noticing that there are a surprising number of rabbits on covers.
OK, people now it's serious. I suggested the rabbit theme. I'm entering the summer reading challenge lottery and with luck we will see rabbit's revenge.
Ron wrote: "OK, people now it's serious. I suggested the rabbit theme. I'm entering the summer reading challenge lottery and with luck we will see rabbit's revenge."LOL! Personally I loved the rabbit prompt so fingers crossed you win the lottery.
Is there a place where the new list is being compiled? And will they just be posted in the order the winners are announced?
Mod
You can also go to the community spreadsheet for a Planning tab where you can pencil in your choices for each prompt: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Once the list is complete, the mods will post the final order and the folder for planning threads.
It just occurred to me that certain murder mysteries would also work for 'book related to time' because sometimes the alibi has to do with timing and making it appear that something happened at a certain time when it really didn't, and similar kinds of playing with time.
That's actually a good insight, thanks Raquel!
That is interesting! I found something with time travel that I think I’m 100% solid on reading, but that’s a fun option.
Chinook, what is your time travel option? I'm always looking for time travel book ☺️
Sophie, you could always read Adam’s time travelling left nipple book! 😂
🤣🤣🤣🤣 I completely forgot about Adam's time travelling left nipple book! Thanks for making me laugh out loud haha
I aim to please! 😂🤣😂 Honestly, the thought of that book will never not be hilarious to me. It has to be the stupidest idea ever and I LOVE IT. 😁
Around the Year in 52 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
The Order of Time (other topics)Time Warped: Unlocking the Mysteries of Time Perception (other topics)
All Flesh is Grass (other topics)
How to Stop Time (other topics)
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Carlo Rovelli (other topics)Matt Haig (other topics)
Jennifer E. Smith (other topics)
Top 3:
- A book set in a global city
- A book set in a rural or sparsely populated area
- A book related to time
Bottom:
- A book with a rabbit
Results are calculated by subtracting the number of voters who put a prompt in their bottom 4 from those who put a prompt in their top 4 (top 4 - bottom 4). The totals are then compared to find the top result(s).
The next round of suggestions will open tomorrow, Sunday, June 30 at 9:00am EST.