Play Book Tag discussion
December 2019: 2005
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Announcing the Tag for December
Recommendations published in 2005 and on the shelfMy number one recommendation because it was a 5 star read for me isSnow Flower and the Secret Fan
Also recommended:
Measuring the World by Daniel Kehlmann (a novel)
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy
I am not yet sure what I will read but found a couple of my want to read books on there.
Nicole R wrote: "Another option for a quick read is Looking for Alaska by John Green. At only 220 pages of YA fiction, you can probably knock it out in a sitting.Also, it is currently a Hulu series t..."
I read Looking for Alaska last year and I really enjoyed it.
Nicole R wrote: "I am almost devastated to have to break Meli's heart, but the tag for December is:2005..."
Oh, groan...
Nicole R wrote: "Ghosts was in the lead going into the tie-breaker, but 2005 surged ahead when the gothic revotes were counted!..."Really!? I would have thought gothic and ghosts would kind of go hand in hand... Sigh.
Sorry, I know I shouldn't react like this as an admin, but I do dislike the year tags. (And, as the rest of you can see, Anita and Nicole don't always give us sneak peeks behind the scenes of how the voting is going!)
Booknblues wrote: "I voted gothic, with a back up of ghosts and I might have thrown some points on if I suspected 2005 would win.hat, I wasn't feeling it for gothic or ghosts, sorry. I am finding some ..."Yeah, there was too much discussion about ghosts! The one with the most discussion never wins!
Now, since I have to live with the vote, like (many, I think) others, I plan to use 2005 as the publishing year. I'm sure I'll have plenty.
LibraryCin wrote: "Now, since I have to live with the vote, like (many, I think) others, I plan to use 2005 as the publishing year. I'm sure I'll have plenty."This is what I'm going to do since this is how I use years most of the time.
Oh, this looks interesting: Adaptations: From Short Story to Big Screen: 35 Great Stories That Have Inspired Great Films It includes All About Eve, Memento, and at least one Christmas story. Published in 2005.Darn, I already read the only Outlander book published in 2005, Breath of Snow and Ashes.
Pride and Prejudice is on the tag list for 2005, lol. I think that's actually when I first read it. There was a surge of interest due to The Jane Austen's Book Club, and the 2005 movie.
The third Maisie Dobbs book was published in 2005, so I might read that if it fits my mood. Lost by Robotham is another mystery about a psychologist who solves murders.
Karin wrote: "This is what I'm going to do since this is how I use years most of the time...."I'm pretty sure this is what I've done with all the year tags, as well.
OK so there are actually a whole heap of decent/excellent books on the lists shelved as 2005. Maybe it will actually make me read more than the first page of Ender's game which I meant to start ages ago but got distracted by shiny new books or God of Small Things (same story) or Oryx and Crake (shiny and new arrived today). Exciting.
I highly recommend Gilead by Marilyn Robinson, who won the Pulitzer Prize 2005. I would count it as 2005, even though the first pub date was late 2004. It has plenty of 2005 tags, page 2 or 3.Gilead
I just finished it, and my face is still wet from my tears. I loved it!
Nancy, the Short Story to Big Screen Book looks interesting! Good find. And I agree with Karin’s Snow Flower and the Secret Fam rec. I adored that book.
Anita wrote: "So I have a good number of 2005 books (as in published in 2005) that look interesting to me. Has anyone actually read any of these? ..."I loved Savage Summit and did a review.
Another option for 2005 is to read somrthing that references an event in your life from 2005. For me, that could be reading a legal thriller or mystery or other fiction set in a law firm because I set up my own law firm that year.
These are my suggestion for 4 and 5 stars read Puslished in 2005Zorro
A Breath of Snow and Ashes
Shaman's Crossing
The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey
The Camel Club
Marley and Me: Life and Love With the World's Worst Dog
I'm sorry Meli. I didn't read your post rooting for ghosts until after I'd voted. I wasn't paying much attention to the thread, clearly, or I would have thrown my votes behind ghosts instead of gothic!I haven't had a chance to really browse the list yet, though just a quick scan tells me it's missing a lot but here is the Wiki for books published in 2005
For fans of Dystopian YA, the first two books of the Uglies series were both published in 2005. I found them enjoyable:
Uglies
Pretties
Palaniuk Fans:
Haunted
Vonnegut Fans:
A Man Without a Country
Gaiman Fans:
Anansi Boys
Pohl Fans:
Platinum Pohl: The Collected Best Stories
I'm considering The Areas of My Expertise or rereading A Feast for Crows possibly The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century
Though we'll see. Honestly, most of my reading this year has been dictated by books I want to get out of my house, so I'm gonna have to see if any of those fit the tag.
I'm moving in the next year, so I'm reading mostly books I've borrowed or that I have, but know I'll likely only want to read once or twice, so I don't need to move with them.
I googled Debbie Macomber 2005 Christmas and found There's Something about Christmas. Published in 2005 and it works for Fall Flurries. I can read Debbie Macomber in a day, so that'll be my pick and to make it better, my library has the ebook available... win, win, win. :)
Sigh, not thrilled with the tag but oh well. I'll read Dating is Murder since I own it and it was published in 2005. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a very good book for those who haven't read it yet.
Michael wrote: "Anita wrote: "So I have a good number of 2005 books (as in published in 2005) that look interesting to me. Has anyone actually read any of these? ..."I loved Savage Summit and did a review."
Lol, that's probably where I heard of it!!
Theresa wrote: "Another option for 2005 is to read somrthing that references an event in your life from 2005. For me, that could be reading a legal thriller or mystery or other fiction set in a law firm because I ..."I love all your ideas for interpretations! Thanks Theresa.
Hey here is a funny - Went to the Library to drop off and pick up books, and I had to immediately return four of the eight waiting! I never guessed that 2005 would win. I thought it was so out of the question that I went ahead and ordered some ghost/gothic books. See what I know. Returned Strange the Dreamer as well as the Witch of Willow Hall.
Amy wrote: "Hey here is a funny - Went to the Library to drop off and pick up books, and I had to immediately return four of the eight waiting! I never guessed that 2005 would win. I thought it was so out of t..."I wanted to read Strange The Dreamer this month toooo!
My top recommendation for December's tag is The History of Love by Nicole Krauss which I discovered through a 2017 PBT challenge.Other recommendations:
The People of Paper by Salvador Plascencia
(metafiction, experimental, magical realism)
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
(gothic fiction, Dracula legend, set in Hungary, England, Turkey, Budapest)
Books I'm interested in reading for the tag, mostly because they are easily accessible:
Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
The Penelopiad
I also put this short story collection on hold - it's due in two weeks, so it may come in time for me to read it for the tag also:
20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill
I am going to try to read any of the following:Melville: His World and Work
Never Let Me Go
The Year of Magical Thinking: The Play
I recommend the following (to anyone in need):
Saturday
No Country for Old Men
Team of Rivals, Part Two of Two, Discs 16-36
2005 - hmmm... Well I found a Christmas story which will do good for me. Need some light reading over the holidays.The Christmas Train by David Baldacci
Nicole R wrote: Stop the presses. Twilight was originally published in 2005?!? OMG do I do a fifth reread?!? It is SO TEMPTING. ..."Why yes, yes you do need to do a fifth reread. Twilight isn't my thing, but I fully support anyone rereading a favorite with the barest of excuses.
Amy wrote: "Don’t blame me! I voted for gothic with second choice ghosts. I guess the other gothics went with 2005. For 2005, going with the Hummingbird’s Daughter, which has been on my TBR forever! Anyone i..."
I LOVED The Hummingbird's Daughter!
Charlie, I really liked Never Let Me Go! I read it back in 2009 and it is a book that has totally stuck with me. Charlotte, great idea about the Macomber book!! I may follow your lead on that one!
Charlotte wrote: "I googled Debbie Macomber 2005 Christmas and found There's Something about Christmas. Published in 2005 and it works for Fall Flurries. I can read Debbie Macomber in a day, so that'll..."I may follow your lead, Charlotte.
Another option I have on my TBR is Louise Erdrich's The Painted Drum
I looked at some lists, and then went to some readers I follow in goodreads, ordered their lists by pub. date and looked some more.this is my maybe list:
• Weight: The Myth of Atlas and Heracles (Some other Canongate books were published that year. such as Lion's Honey: The Myth of Samson)
• While the Shark is Sleeping
• Monsieur Linh and His Child I read a book by him this year - and it was wonderfully written
• Sulphuric Acid
• Summer Crossing (Truman Capote's debut book, that was only discovered and published in 2005)
• The History of Love
• Arthur & George (I've had it at home, probably since 2005, but was for some reason always scared of starting it)
• Specimen Days (not very tempted as it sounds a bit science fiction almost, but it is Michael Cunningham - who wrote The Hours)
• The Sea (I read earlier this year his book The Untouchable, and it was great)
• Envy (found it in NYT 100 notable books of 2005 article - looks like could be awesome or really really bad)
• Shalimar the Clown
Theresa wrote: "Another option for 2005 is to read somrthing that references an event in your life from 2005. For me, that could be reading a legal thriller or mystery or other fiction set in a law firm because I ..."Interesting I got my Australian permanent residency that year sure there could be an angle on Australia or migration.
Nicole R wrote: "Charlie, I really liked Never Let Me Go! I read it back in 2009 and it is a book that has totally stuck with me. Charlotte, great idea about the Macomber book!! I may follow your lead on that one!"
Ditto on Never Let Me Go. Loved that book!
I echo that History of Love was a great book. I read it for the same challenge as Kimber when we did Hitting the High Notes.
I have decided to go with The Widow of the South-I am still reading off of Jolene's Historical Fiction shelf in her honor, and this there and I have Sarah's Quilt the follow up to my Trim book in November
Rachel N. wrote: "Sigh, not thrilled with the tag but oh well. I'll read Dating is Murder since I own it and it was published in 2005. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a very good book..."See, folks, at least three of us have recommended this :) :), and let it be duly noted that I am not a reading twin if Rachel or Nicole R so I think it has a fairly widespread appeal :)
Ok, I think I have something picked out that was published in 2005. I believe I will read Black Rose by Nora Roberts. Just an fyi, for those of you on LibraryThing, if you have your tbr listed over there, you can sort by date (that is, publishing year). Just make sure it's part of the view you have set up when you look at your "shelves", and click on the Date column and it will sort. You probably want to confirm the publishing date, but that seems to be the easiest.
LOL. I was thinking about the personal angle for 2005. All I can think of is Bad Decisions or Regrets! In 2005 I made a decision that seemed good in the short term but turned out to be bad in the long run. Can anyone think of a novel about someone dealing with regrets made earlier in life? Perhaps a "road not taken" situation or giving up on a dream?
Joanne wrote: "I have decided to go with The Widow of the South-I am still reading off of Jolene's Historical Fiction shelf in her honor, and this there and I have Sarah's Quilt the foll..."I'd like to read Sarah's Quilt too.
NancyJ wrote: "LOL. I was thinking about the personal angle for 2005. All I can think of is Bad Decisions or Regrets! In 2005 I made a decision that seemed good in the short term but turned out to be bad in the l..."Atonement by Ian McEwan
Washington Square by Henry James
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
Just a reminder, we can all sort our Goodreads "To read" lists by publishing date as well :) When in 'My Books' choose the "Want to Read" shelf on the left hand, and sort by publishing date. If that column doesn't show up for you, click "settings" on the top banner (next to search and add books), and check the "date pub" option to add it as a column.
I surprisingly only had 4 books on my shelf already published in 2005.
Pardonable Lies, # 3 Maisie Dobbs is an option
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
But I'll probably end up reading Looking for Alaska
Joi wrote: "But I'll probably end up reading Looking for Alaska"Yay! Me too!
Joi wrote: "Just a reminder, we can all sort our Goodreads "To read" lists by publishing date as well :) When in 'My Books' choose the "Want to Read" shelf on the left hand, and sort by publishing date. If t..."
Thank you Joi, that was very helpful & revealed that I did already have a few on the list. Based on that, I've just put in a library hold request for The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time because I was thinking at the weekend about how things like sleep, exercise & diet affect my emotions, and this sounds like it covers all of those in some depth...
Nikki wrote: "Joi wrote: "Just a reminder, we can all sort our Goodreads "To read" lists by publishing date as well :) When in 'My Books' choose the "Want to Read" shelf on the left hand, and sort by publishin..."
Update: I've just had it pointed out to me on another thread that I had somehow misread the year and I need to start again - please ignore my last comment!! ;-)
Nikki wrote: "Nikki wrote: "Joi wrote: "Just a reminder, we can all sort our Goodreads "To read" lists by publishing date as well :) When in 'My Books' choose the "Want to Read" shelf on the left hand, and sor..."
Well, I am glad I said something....I thought it might have been a typo-but then I thought, what if she really does think it's 2015!
Joanne wrote: "Nikki wrote: "Nikki wrote: "Joi wrote: "Just a reminder, we can all sort our Goodreads "To read" lists by publishing date as well :) When in 'My Books' choose the "Want to Read" shelf on the left..."
It had a 5 in it, at least ;-)
Found myself a couple 2005s:Zahrah the Windseeker - early middle-grade Nnedi Okorafor!
Mystic and Rider by Sharon Shinn, an author I've been meaning to try.
In addition to my Trim title (second Outlander book). I might read Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, Jilid III, which was a 2005 Hugo winner and I now know won't get called from my Trim list since we're done for the year, but honestly, that seems rather ambitious with trying to read an Outlander book....
Joanne wrote: "Found this listTop Selling Books of 2005
https://www.abebooks.com/docs/Communi...
Edit: Careful with this one, it looks like some were actually published in lat..."
Thanks for this link. The Goodreads shelf for 2005 has books all over the place in terms of publishing date - and few from 2005! Guess this shelf just means someone read the book in 2005? (Ah ha, I see Karin has already noted this problem above)
Theresa wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "LOL. I was thinking about the personal angle for 2005. All I can think of is Bad Decisions or Regrets! In 2005 I made a decision that seemed good in the short term but turned out to ..."Theresa, you're awesome. These are powerful and meaningful choices, with ethical dilemmas, societal issues, period settings, and probably some heartbreak. I have a feeling I'll need a tissue box handy for any of them. I don't know if I could handle another Baldwin book so soon after Another Country, but then again it might be the perfect time. I've been wanting to read Persuasion for a very long time. I could follow up my book choice with a movie (maybe 4 movies?) for pajama days. Thank you!
Nikki wrote: "Joi wrote: "Just a reminder, we can all sort our Goodreads "To read" lists by publishing date as well :) When in 'My Books' choose the "Want to Read" shelf on the left hand, and sort by publishin..."
That sounds like a great book. I'm amazed to see what neuroscientists are learning about how people can create change in themselves and others. Will power just isn't enough.
Play Book Tag
Books mentioned in this topic
Incendiary (other topics)Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything (other topics)
20th Century Ghosts (other topics)
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking (other topics)
Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Louise Penny (other topics)Ian McEwan (other topics)
Henry James (other topics)
Jane Austen (other topics)
James Baldwin (other topics)
More...
I really enjoyed Freakonomics. It's half psychology, and all the stories are interesting in different ways. For some reason, I remember the Sumo Wrestler story best.
I want to read Team of Rivals too. I have it on my table, and it's a bit intimidating for this time of year.
So far I'm considering:
A year of Magical Thinking
The Book Thief (It was on my Trim list, but it's number never came up.)
Sara's Quilt (Sequel to These is my words)
1776
Team of Rivals or Lincoln's Melancholy
Fledgling - Octavia Butler
Elsewhere - Gabrielle Zevin
I haven't read anything by Ali Smith yet, so I'll also look at The Accidental.
I still need to look at the rest of the ideas posted above!