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[2021] Poll 18 Voting
have voted. I changed my picks slightly but only downvoted Fat positive. I didn't want it last week and nothing has changed in between.
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My two upvotes went to systemic obstacles faced by women (because I read a lot of memoirs and that would work well here) and not the intended audience (because I read a lot of YA and that would work well here).
I'm currently two books behind on 2020 ATY and in a reading slump, so I'm probably looking for easier prompts right now to pad the list next year for when the inevitable slump arises.
So many good prompts! I had 7 upvotes, including time-travel, not intended audience and more than two decades which were my favourite prompts from this round.My only downvote was for the place you grew up in because I moved around a lot as a kid (every couple of years) so this prompt just seemed like a headache to me personally, but I wouldn't be too upset if it made it in.
Emily wrote: "I actually did only 2 up and 5 down this week.My two upvotes went to systemic obstacles faced by women (because I read a lot of memoirs and that would work well here) and not the intended audienc..."
Same i currently have two books fighting for the same prompt so really need to fit one of them to something from this list.
Emily wrote: "I actually did only 2 up and 5 down this week.My two upvotes went to systemic obstacles faced by women (because I read a lot of memoirs and that would work well here) and not the intended audienc..."
I'm in that slump, too. I have 6 prompts left and it's the ones I kept putting off:
Southern hemisphere (I had one book on my TBR that meets that I think!)
Maximilian Hell (same)
Emotion in the title (none really interested me)
Witches (nothing on my TBR)
Classic book (daunting because I've already read so many classics as an English major/teacher that there's a reason I've missed the ones I've missed!)
Silhouette (3 on my TBR)
I'm listening to The Map of Salt and Stars for the Maximilian Hell prompt and reading Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West for the witch prompt, but neither are holding my interest.
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(We have LOTS of prompts left in common lol. I think I have all of those except classic book left, which I just finished yesterday.)
Emily wrote: "How does Map of Salt and Stars connect to Maximillian Hell? I need a new book choice for that prompt since the one I wanted to read isn't available at the library.(We have LOTS of prompts left in..."
Maximilian Hell = astronomer = mapper of stars = The Map of Salt and Stars
There's a dual narrative on-going throughout it with one set in 2011 and one as a fantasy story from the past involving a map-maker. There's talk of constellations and celestial navigation using astrolabes throughout.
I noticed that a good number of people had used it on our spreadsheet, so I decided to try it out since I couldn't figure one out myself!
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Voted. I went 5 up/3 downUp:
An author whose career spanned more than 21 years
A book you associate with a specific season or time of year
A book related to the Year of the Ox
A book that is disturbing
A book that takes place in at least two decades
Down:
A book featuring a theme of women overcoming systemic obstacles (I face enough obstacles in my own life... I don't enjoy reading about it.)
A book with a fat-positive perspective (I like this in theory, but most of the choices don't appeal to me.)
A book set in a time or place that you don't know much about (This seems too close to "place you've never been.")
Steve I had a problem with a classic too. Someone suggested Anne of Green Gables. It may not fall into what most of us think a classic is. While that book may not appeal to you I hope it opens up more possibilities.
Steve wrote: "Classic book (daunting because I've already read so many classics as an English major/teacher that there's a reason I've missed the ones I've missed!)"No reason you couldn't re-read a favourite classic! I re-read both Pride and Prejudice and In Cold Blood every few years (I have quite varied tastes!).
I have a feeling that we will be having at least one more poll. LOLMy up votes:
-An author whose career spanned more than 21 years - I had been thinking about suggesting something similar, but this one is worded well
-A book you associate with a specific season or time of year - I have some 'between the numbers' books with seasonal themes that I would like to read.
-A book related to the Year of the Ox - I changed my mind after reading the comments. I think I could use it with year of publication or maybe find a listopia of books with character that exhibit characteristics of listed for people born in this 'sign'.
A book that elicits humor/comedy/satire: I would like to find something lighter to read and have several candidates on my TBR list.
Down Votes:
-A book featuring a theme of women overcoming systemic obstacles - I'm a little burned out on the 'social justice' type of theme. I tend to like the more generic themes that allow people to fit those books in if they are so inclined. I just read for relaxation and distraction.
-A book with a fat-positive perspective: I didn't like it last time and I still don't like it.
-First published as a episodic: I've read most on the link and the others are not my cup of tea.
-Time travel: I read a lot of these as a teen and just don't care for them anymore. If it gets through, I have a Doctor Who related item on my Kindle that I never read that will work. Funny that I love Doctor Who, but don't like time travel as a trope in books.
I have left:The second binary opposite
Real name you're not sure how to pronounce (this was a hard one for me to fill)
10 Most Coveted Literary Prize
For all three the books I picked just don't excite me, and two of them aren't available on audio. The other one is, but I own a print copy so I don't want to do the audio. But I might anyway.
As for this poll, I think I'm getting prompt fatigue and want to vote for the books I know I can fill without a lot of research. I had 7 up and 1 down, which has been typical for my voting. I don't like to downvote unless I really don't like a prompt. I made one change from my initial thoughts.
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(We have LOTS of prompts left in..."
I read it for that week- and used the same theory. It was just interesting enough to hold my attention...
I also have been loving the spreadsheet this year. I am totally stumped on the Billy Joel prompt and keep looking for inspiration there.
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The second binary opposite
Real name you're not sure how to pronounce (this was a hard one for me to fill)
10 Most Coveted Literary Prize
For all three the books I picked just don't ..."
Have you checked the spreadsheet? Almost every book I read this year fits names I can't pronounce (I just learned Yaa Gyesi is "Ya Jessie")
Pamela wrote: "I feel like I'm one of the few voting for place where you grew up. I thought it was a dumb prompt. The church I went to nursery school is the church in the The Witch of Blackbird Pond..."I am from a teeny tiny town in Central Maine but when I think of the area I grew up in, I tend to think of the state more-so than the town. I have several books that fit that way. Maine is a pretty popular location for books. Also, if Connecticut is too limiting, you could use New England in general. That would be my next choice if I happen to run out of Maine related books.
So far for Maine I have:
Anything Stephen King (he actually filmed Graveyard Shift in my town)
When We Were the Kennedys: A Memoir from Mexico, Maine
Lost on a Mountain in Maine
A Seal Called Andre: The Two Worlds Of A Maine Harbor Seal
Northern Frights
This Cider Still Tastes Funny!: Further Adventures of a Game Warden in Maine
Cousins Maine Lobster: How One Food Truck Became a Multimillion-Dollar Business
Murder on the Rocks
The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit
The Detective in the Dooryard: Reflections of a Maine Cop
Pamela wrote: " (I just learned Yaa Gyesi is "Ya Jessie")..."Whoa. I had no idea.
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The hardest ones this year for me to fill were
Witches - not something I gravitate to
Maximillian Hell - eventually went with sci-fi/space travel
Silhouettes on cover - harder to find than I expected
Southern hemisphere - I just keep reading Australian books which I don't think is the point
Classics are no problem at all for me, since I belong to a classics group on GR. I think kids' classics like Anne of Green Gables are perfectly fine. Also modern classics from the 20th century. There are also some short classics like A Christmas Carol or stories of Edgar Allan Poe, which many people know but may not have read.
I think there have been some wonderfully creative prompts this year but they just don't make it through voting. I'm finding it hard to decide which one to add to the list for prompt that didn’t make it. I usually pick one of my own suggestions but there have been so many I want to do. I don't have time for a rejects prompt but it would be fun.
The area you grew up, for me, is just so overdone. I grew up in northern NJ, and the Kopp Sisters books are perfect, but I've read all of them. There are a lot of other books set in the area but I've either read them or am not interested in them.Pamela the book I picked is one that's been on my Kindle for a while so I do want to at least attempt it. (True Places by Sonja Yoerg)
I am upvoting:- A book featuring a theme of women overcoming systemic obstacles (I just LOVE these types of books)
-A book set in a time or place that you don't know much about (I have SO many books from around the world that I want to read.)
-A book that elicits humor, comedy, or satire (because we all need some humor after this year)
-A time travel novel (again, enjoy this trope)
-A book related to the area you grew up in (I grew up in oil country, so I can read anything related to that. I read Valentine this year, which actually takes place 60 miles from where I grew up.)
I will be downvoting:
- A book with a fat-positive perspective (None of the books that fit this interest me. I love the idea of body positivity, and I actually think that would have been a better prompt, as it would have been less restricting.)
-A love story (meh)
-A book that is disturbing (I'm disturbed on a constant basis right now.)
Donna Tartt would be a good option for the 21 years. She has only published 3 books but with 10 year gaps between them - The Secret History was published in 1992.There may be some other authors like this who are not so obvious.
Nancy wrote: "The area you grew up, for me, is just so overdone. I grew up in northern NJ, and the Kopp Sisters books are perfect, but I've read all of them. There are a lot of other books set in the area but I'..."I grew up in central NJ - without engaging in the "does central NJ exist" argument (because yes it does) ;-) - what other books have you read set in the area? I like reading books set there, but most NJ books seem to be in south NJ. I've been reading the Kopp sisters books, and Harlan Coben's books, and I know about Philip Roth and Richard Price - what else is there? I'm Just asking in case I've missed something!!!
Beth wrote: "Donna Tartt would be a good option for the 21 years. She has only published 3 books but with 10 year gaps between them - The Secret History was published in 1992."Actually Donna Tartt doesn't work. She's one of the ones I thought of when I was checking. The Secret History was published in 1992 and The Goldfinch was published in 2011. Twenty-one years from 1992 would be 2013.
These are the authors I found on my TBR that would work. I'm certain there are more...I just stopped looking after I'd found twelve -
Caitlin Kiernan (1998-2020), Helen Humphreys (1997-2020), Haruki Murakami (1985-2021), Barbara Kingsolver (1987-2020), Octavia Butler (1977-2005), Jeffrey Eugenides (1993-2020), Elizabeth Berg (1993-2020), Anne Tyler (1964-2020), Gail Godwin (1970-2020), Ken Follett (1974-2020), Robin Hobb (1995-2017), Alice Hoffman (1977-2020)
I feel like there are a lot of authors that have been publishing (or did publish, if they've passed on) for more than 21 years. Margaret Atwood. Toni Morrison. Kristin Hannah's first book was published in 1996. Just search for books published in the 80s or 90s by authors who are still publishing today.
Ahh you're right, dalex. I was thinking of first novel until the present day if still alive.. maybe it's a bit trickier than I thought then!
The Goldfinch was published in 2013. If that gets put through I think I would read Charlaine Harris. Sometimes I just need a easy, cheesy read.
Nadine wrote: "I grew up in central NJ - without engaging in the "does central NJ exist" argument (because yes it does) ;-) - what other books have you read set in the area?"If it makes you feel better I do believe central NJ exists. :)
There's Janet Evanovich's books, which are set in Trenton, which is where I went to college so those were fun to read, until they got repetitive at least!
Harlan Coben is one for sure. But you're right that most are set in south Jersey, which is the other reason I'm not a fan of this prompt!
Alicia wrote: "The Goldfinch was published in 2013."Fantastic Fiction says it was 2011. But you're right...everywhere else says it was 2013. So she would work for the 21 years prompt, though just barely.
Pamela wrote: I also have been loving the spreadsheet this year. I am totally stumped on the Billy Joel prompt and keep looking for inspiration there"..."Pamela, I read Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton on audio for the Billy Joel prompt mentioning Cuba. I really enjoyed the audio.
Just a reminder people - the prompt is "A book RELATED to the area you grew up in" and not "set in the exact location where you grew up." Was it an affluent community or was there a lot of poverty? Was it highly populated or isolated? Was it urban or rural? Was it near an ocean or in the mountains or in a jungle? Was it a tourist destination? Was there a college/university? Were sports a big deal or was there more emphasis on culture? What types of industry were prevalent? Was it traditional or liberal? Was it more of a conventional religious place or was it a freethinking hippie type place?
Really, there are a bazillion ways to think about this prompt! (I didn't vote for it so I'm not trying to influence anyone's votes. I just think some people are making this far more difficult than it is.)
That’s why I vote quickly so I don’t have time to be swayed from my gut
I'm not forgetting that part, and TBH, that doesn't make it any easier. I don't like to do a ton of research for a prompt, so the easiest way to fill it would be to be set in the area. I'm not creative when it comes to filling a prompt, and I make no apologies for that.
dalex wrote: "Alicia wrote: "The Goldfinch was published in 2013."Fantastic Fiction says it was 2011. But you're right...everywhere else says it was 2013. So she would work for the 21 years pr..."
You're assuming she's retired haha. As far as I can tell, we have a few years to wait for the next one ;)
Ali wrote: "You're assuming she's retired haha. As far as I can tell, we have a few years to wait for the next one ;)"That's true. But her publishing history is from 1992-2013. Unless she has a book coming out in 2021, we can't really count the years from 2013-present. (At least that's how I'm interpreting the prompt.)
Nancy wrote: "I'm not forgetting that part, and TBH, that doesn't make it any easier. I don't like to do a ton of research for a prompt, so the easiest way to fill it would be to be set in the area."But if it's not the easiest way - as so many people seem to be saying - then there are other ways to approach the prompt (and they really don't require a ton of research). Whatever works for you, though. I don't mean to sound argumentative. :).
There's a college in the town near where I grow up, so anything related to academia would work for me - from the realistic (On Beauty) to the fantastical (All the Birds in the Sky) to the paranormal (Ninth House).
Irene wrote: "I love this idea of throwing our weirdest and most creative prompts at the last poll!! I'd love to have more exciting prompts that force us out of our comfort zone."This sounds fun! Now to think of something truly bizarre to suggest 🧐
Nancy wrote: "Nadine wrote: "I grew up in central NJ - without engaging in the "does central NJ exist" argument (because yes it does) ;-) - what other books have you read set in the area?"If it makes you feel ..."
As someone who grew up in North Jersey (Passaic County) and now lives in South Jersey (Burlington County), I’ll advocate for a central Jersey existence! Another good Jersey author is Tom Perrotta. And Harley, Like a Person is set in a fictionalized version of my hometown.
A lot of good options. All 8 of my votes went towards upvoting.
This was probably the easiest time I've had voting, but that's mostly because the list mostly contained repeats. I mostly ended up voting for prompts that I'd already voted for the last time they came up.I voted for: women overcoming obstacles, fat-positive, love story, disturbing, and time travel. I have some great options for all of those already on my TBR.
I downvoted: episodic format (although I'd probably use a book that originated as a webcomic like Heartstopper: Volume Two if it gets through), Year of the Ox because it seemed the most difficult for me to find books that made sense to me as a fit, and related to the area I grew up in. Even with all of dalex's options above, I still feel like I've done prompts very similar to this to death over the years, and I'm just not interested in doing it again.
Grew up in Bergen county, lived in Morris county for a few years before moving across the country to Colorado. I miss the food, but I do not miss the population density, traffic, or the humidity. I just feel like there's not a whole lot more to the area. It's a suburb of NYC, and George Washington of course slept there, like he did everywhere in NJ (and I've already read 1776). There are colleges, there are race issues, there are shopping malls. But those things aren't unique to the area, so it feels a lot to me like, "read a book."
Nancy wrote: "Grew up in Bergen county, lived in Morris county for a few years before moving across the country to Colorado. I miss the food, but I do not miss the population density, traffic, or the humidity. ..."
I grew up in Union County. There's just TOO MUCH that could be related to the area.
We went to the shore every summer (read a book set on a beach or about the ocean)
Yes, George Washington slept here (read a book involving the Revolution or the Colonies)
My greatgrandparents immigrated to NJ (read a book about immigrants)
We have a lot of transportation - go to Ikea in Elizabeth and you'll see all four major modes of transportation: airport, seaport, highway, train. (read a book about transportation, import/export, or travel)
A big chunk of NJ is suburbs (Read a book set in the suburbs.)
NJ is between NYC & Philadelphia (Read a book set in a big city. Or set in one of those big cities.)
NJ is the Garden State (Read a book set on a farm or about gardens.)
NJ is well known for its blueberries, among other things (read a book that's blue)
NJ has wineries (read a book involving a vineyard or wine)
NJ has one of the first casino cities outside of Nevada (read a book set at a casino, or involving gambling)
Atlantic City NJ is the setting for Monopoly (read a book about games, or monopolies) - ok AC is a bit far south from where I grew up, but ... you all get the idea
Or ... just read a book set in NJ.
It's a lot. Which is why I neither downvoted nor upvoted. The category is just wide open.
I had three upvotes and 5 downvotes.Apparently I like disturbing books. I looked at the list and more than half I read and a bunch more I had marked to read.
I upvoted the fat positive book and a book related to where you grew up.
I downvoted a time travel - I just feel like I've read most of those that I want to read. I still have to read that prompt for this year and I'm not looking forward to it. I like science fiction but it just seems with time travel it doesn't interest me that much. I guess this year's is a book related to time but I ended up picking The Time Traveler's Wife. It has been on my tbr the longest.
Bec wrote: "Yay, another South Aussie....you have been very creative with your ideas - Love it. Thanks!
I read the Somerton Man mystery a few years ago as I live close by now (forgot about that one!)."
i can't believe there are two of us in one group haha! but if the prompt gets through, i hope you have some more ideas now :)
I read the Somerton Man mystery a few years ago as I live close by now (forgot about that one!)."
i can't believe there are two of us in one group haha! but if the prompt gets through, i hope you have some more ideas now :)
Thomas wrote: "That’s why I vote quickly so I don’t have time to be swayed from my gut"
if i lived in the right timezone, i'd do this but i inevitably wake up to a lot of good discussions and make my choices based off of that
if i lived in the right timezone, i'd do this but i inevitably wake up to a lot of good discussions and make my choices based off of that
Nadine wrote: "I grew up in Union County. There's just TOO MUCH that could be related to the area."And you just completely proved my point that I'm so bad at being creative with the prompts, I came up with almost none of that.
And a lot of it doesn't apply for me. AC, the shore, the wineries, those are all south Jersey and I wouldn't consider them the area I grew up. We didn't go to the shore when I was a kid because we went to Hilton Head or Florida. AC is a 3+ hour drive from my home town.
So the things you mentioned that do apply are as I said, what almost makes this prompt "read a book."
Kristina wrote: "I'll have almost all upvotes this round. My top favorites are: - a book with a fat-positive perspective: I will most likely read Thick: And Other Essays or [book:The No. 1 Ladies'..."
Interesting. Thick:... was one of my favorite reads this year and I highly recommend it. That said, it wouldn't occur to me to think of it as a fat-positive book.
Around the Year in 52 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body (other topics)Thick: And Other Essays (other topics)
Thick: And Other Essays (other topics)
The Time Traveler's Wife (other topics)
1776 (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Chanel Cleeton (other topics)Charlaine Harris (other topics)
Georgette Heyer (other topics)
Garry Disher (other topics)
Agatha Christie (other topics)
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(Bryony will update the first post in this thread when she has a minute.)