[2022] Wild Discussion Showing 851-900 of 2,340

[Nancy]

Totally agree, Jillian. I'm going to just go with A book about books and see how it does.

FWIW, A story within a story and A book mentioned in another book are both worthy prompts, but different from A book about books.

[Beth]

I don't enjoy books about books so would usually downvote any of these kinds of prompts. I don't think the wording would make much difference to me personally.

[Raquel (Silver Valkyrie Reads)]

I like the 'touch of gothic' prompt. I might even love it, if there was a wording that allowed for it to be *actually* gothic while still including the lighter references to gothic, but I also wouldn't want to ruin the simplicity (almost poetry) of the suggested wording.

I just have an overly literal brain that might be like, "but maybe that's TOO gothic to count" when I was looking for options. :-)

[Thomas]

I like the gothic idea but may need recommendations

[Beth]

'A gothic element' maybe? agree it doesn't sound as pretty as 'touch' but it might be a little more encompassing

[Nancy]

So for sub-genre, what if it was something like "A sub-genre of a genre you usually read"?

[Alicia]

I like the gothic prompt as well.

It still ruins the flow a bit, but what about “at least a touch of gothic”

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

I like the "gothic element" phrasing. In another group with a similar prompt, I used The Goblin Emperor. It's a fantasy, and nothing about it would relate to Gothic. As I read it, I saw that it contains a young hero going to a mysterious castle where he doesn't know who to trust and there is some supernatural activity. But it's not an obvious choice (which I think is more fun.)

You might want to include a few examples of gothic elements when submitting the prompt

[Jill]

I think touch is fine, as does this:-
https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesa...

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

In a different vein, I was introduced to the site https://www.literature-map.com. You put in the name of an author you like and it gives you a visual of other authors who are similar in some way. Those closest together will be most alike. I didn't necessarily want to add more names to my huge TBR, but I found that something already on my TBR was linked to an author I liked. I wondered if there was any interest in a prompt like that?

[Nancy]

I personally prefer gothic element over touch, but I wouldn't quibble on the wording.

[°~Amy~°]

I wouldn't vote for "a book about books" for the reasons stated above.

I also wouldn't vote for "a book related to books" because of the whole "related to..." issue

HOWEVER, I might put strong consideration into "A book with a bibliophile character" (maybe with better wording but I think you get the idea)

I think that would cover most of the same settings that you would think of in a book about books such as a library or a book store. Thoughts?

[°~Amy~°]

I also prefer "a gothic element"

This article defines what elements are necessary for a book to be considered GOTHIC. I think including the list of items with your suggestion would be very helpful.

[NancyJ]

Jill wrote: "I think touch is fine, as does this:-
https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesa..."

🤨 That could bring up a completely different set of genres.😊😊

[Nancy]

Thanks Amy, that's the kind of feedback that is very helpful.

How about A book with a character who loves books?

I was thinking ...who loves to read, but I think I prefer loves books.

[°~Amy~°]

Nancy wrote: "Thanks Amy, that's the kind of feedback that is very helpful.

How about A book with a character who loves books?

I was thinking ...who loves to read, but I think I prefer loves books."

That option would work for me

[Jill]

NancyJ wrote: "Jill wrote: "I think touch is fine, as does this:-
https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesa..."

🤨 That could bring up a completely different set of genres.😊😊"

I just thought that it illustrated that a touch can be a simple tap on something or an embrace. Therefore people could decide how much the gothic element was displayed in the the book. 😊😊

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

LOL the "gothic touch" took me a minute NancyJ but I got there. Dying of laughter

[Irene]

I LOVE the gothic element/touch element prompt! It's not as specific/narrow as lot of "true" genre prompts, but also not so ridiculously easy that it's a freebie.

[NancyJ]

I read a lot of gothic this year for a monthly tag. It's not my favorite, but I prefer it to horror. (You might call it a touch of horror.) It can include classics (Jane Eyre, Rebecca), historical, atmospheric ghost stories, or some fantasy and mystery books. My favorites were The Broken Girls, The Night Tiger, and A Madness So Discreet.

[NancyJ]

Jackie wrote: "LOL the "gothic touch" took me a minute NancyJ but I got there. Dying of laughter"
Jill wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Jill wrote: "I think touch is fine, as does this:-
https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesa..."

🤨 That could bring up a completely different set of genres.😊😊"

I just thought ..."

I know, I don't know why my mind went in that direction! I agree that it gives you a lot more flexibility, to go full on horror, or mildly spooky. In my other group, many people chose books set in the 1800's or 1900's, in big dark scary houses. I usually read 5-10 books for each tag, and it wasn't as hard as I expected. I'm sure I could read one more next year.

[Harini]

°~Amy~° wrote: "I wouldn't vote for "a book about books" for the reasons stated above.

I also wouldn't vote for "a book related to books" because of the whole "related to..." issue

HOWEVER, I might put strong co..."

I was thinking on similar lines. With wording 'a book with a character who loves books' the prompt becomes broader. People who want to read book about books can otherwise you can read a book in which one of the character is a bibliophile. On top of my head I can think of Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice, Klaus from A Series of Unfortunate Events, Matilda from Matilda, Hermione Granger from Harry Potter, Liesel from The Book Thief etc.

[NancyJ]

Nancy wrote: "Totally agree, Jillian. I'm going to just go with A book about books and see how it does.
.."
That sounds great to me. I spent a lot of time looking at lists of books about books, and I think that most (maybe all) the variations that were brought up can be found on the "books about books" listopia and tag lists, though some might be near the end. There are books about libraries (real or fantasy), bookstores, book clubs, bibliophiles, and authors. There are books about reading books, writing books, and collecting, analyzing, loving, banning, burning, stealing, or talking about books. Some mention one book, and some provide long lists of books to read. I recognized at least one popular "story within a story," and at least a few retellings. There are books about real, imaginary, metaphysical and magic books.

I don't know if the books about authors are necessarily biographies. I agree with an earlier comment about bookshops in titles. I think it practically guarantees placement on one of these lists, but it doesn't guarantee that book lovers will like it.

I would suggest that people review one of the lists to see if there are books that they would like to read. Other lists were posted in the last couple days.

Listopia: Book about Books
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/5...

Tag list: Books-about-book
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

30 New Reads for Bookish People. I will read one of these soon.
https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/2...

[Perri]

NancyJ wrote: "I read a lot of gothic this year for a monthly tag. It's not my favorite, but I prefer it to horror. (You might call it a touch of horror.) It can include classics (Jane Eyre, Rebecca), historical,..."

OOoh I like a touch of horror. That would make it more acceptable to those who don't like the genre to find something else

[Jill]

NancyJ wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Totally agree, Jillian. I'm going to just go with A book about books and see how it does.
.."
That sounds great to me. I spent a lot of time looking at lists of books about books, and..."

There are lots of books on those lists I want to read, and as you say they are very varied

[Nicole]

Thanks everyone for the input on the genre prompt.

I'll wait for the later rounds to see if something comes up.

NancyJ I haven't heard the terms Quantum Fiction and Portal Fantasies before, but they sound super interesting. That's exactly the kind of genre I would like a prompt with.

For me the challenges are for broadening my reading and opening my mind about books I wouldn't normally read. So a prompt that is broad enough for everyone to keep reading what they're always reading isn't really what I enjoy on the list.

[Nancy]

The challenge has 2 purposes for me - broadening my reading is for sure one of them, but also to help me get through my TBR. So I like a good mix of prompts that get me to read new things while also being able to easily search through my TBR to find books that fit.

That said, all of the prompts so far are helping me get through my TBR but I haven't added anything new, so I wouldn't mind a genre prompt that will get me out of my comfort zone.

[NancyJ]

Jillian wrote: "Sometimes trying to please everyone just ends up with no one pleased."

Wow, this got me thinking. Playing it too safe at this stage could result in a lot of generic ideas that don't excite anyone. I would rather have a diverse interesting list, even if it meant that a few prompts scared me or turned me off. It would be OK because I know that this is a safe place. I know that no one here is going to shame me for reading a book that doesn’t exactly fit the definition. People are free to interpret the prompts in a way that makes them happy (and makes them feel creative at the same time).

I’m at an age where “use or lose it” is more urgent than ever. So I need to push myself outside my comfort zone.

Maybe at this point in the planning process we should be more adventurous, even if we know a prompt won't get in the first time. It will plant an idea in people's head, and they might be more open to a lighter version later on. My first reaction to really new ideas is usually "No thanks," but the idea might stay in my head, and I'd be more open to something similar later.

[NancyJ]

Nancy wrote: "The challenge has 2 purposes for me - broadening my reading is for sure one of them, but also to help me get through my TBR. So I like a good mix of prompts that get me to read new things while als..."

That sounds like me too. I try to read a wide range of genres every year, so I would have started with some basic genres - historical fiction, cultural, fantasy, science fiction, non-fiction, romance, etc. to get them out of the way. But this group seems to thrive on being creative and that's inspiring me to try to look for new things too. My TBR list is ridiculously long, and I'm in different groups, so I'm always thinking about how things can meet multiple goals. When I saw the Island prompt for this year, I subconsciously picked a lot of books with island settings for other challenges.

The world 1000 list and the translated authors list were a little scary to me, but I loved them. In my other group, the August tag is "cultural" and that 1000 list will come in very handy.

[NancyJ]

I thought of these after reading an exciting book set in the turbulent 1960's, The Songbook of Benny Lament, and a short book on the French revolution. I started a non-fiction book about how people act during disasters.Humankind: A Hopeful History. [There was a great 60 minutes story last week about kids who survived on an island for 15 months. They're making a new movie about it (spoiler - they didn't kill each other as in Lord of the Flies.) It's a small part of the book. The prologue to the book is fabulous (I downloaded it from the library right away.)

Read a book relevant to: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

It could be historical, current, fantasy, futuristic, related to the Dickens book, or something else. The focus could be very personal or about the whole universe.

Some books show that during the London Blitz in WWII, the constant bombing didn't break the people, it brought out the best in people. After a natural disaster many people step up to save others. (It happened in my home town too when we got hit with several feet of snow.)

Or

Read a book relevant to: "May you live in interesting times."

You could read about a turbulent, awful, or exciting time to be alive, or a time of recovery, rebuilding, peace, or stagnation. War, disasters, 911, arts/music, inventions, the information age. It could be ancient (Greek) history or our current times. It could be about a period in an individual's life. It could be about any big change, or a book on meditation. This phrase is sometimes also called a curse. Nonfiction, fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, mental health, memoir, or...

Related ideas:
Read a book about a revolution
Read a book that involves something revolutionary
Read a book about change.
Read a book that involves a major change (in a society, family or person's life).
Read a book that involves a major change in a person's life.
[book:His Majesty's Dragon|28876] could fit here.
Read a book about revolutionary (sudden, big, drastic, disruptive, chaotic) or evolutionary (gradual, over time) change

-----------------
Reading for Social Change.
This year's prompt to read about a Muslim character can help to build empathy and understanding. 2022 will probably have a disability prompt. Have you had a prompt about the autism spectrum or neuro-diversity? How about Black Lives matter? Some of the prompts in the summer challenge do this too. Black female characters, lgbtq characters. Did you do women in science yet?

I like to read fiction on topics that I would probably avoid in nonfiction, I thought climate change would be too depressing or preachy, but so far I loved the "climate fiction" books I read.

[Shannon SA]

like these ideas, especially best/worst of times
may I ask what you read for climate change? I'm interested to read this genre

[Chrissy]

Shannon wrote: "like these ideas, especially best/worst of times
may I ask what you read for climate change? I'm interested to read this genre"

I thought The Ministry for the Future was pretty good, as was Migrations.

[Joyce]

I won’t be around tomorrow to suggest anything Gothicky, so if anyone wants to run with that I don’t mind or it can wait til next time.

[Shannon SA]

Chrissy wrote: "Shannon wrote: "like these ideas, especially best/worst of times
may I ask what you read for climate change? I'm interested to read this genre"

I thought [book:The Ministry for the Future|50998056..."

Thank you :)

[NancyJ]

Joyce wrote: "I won’t be around tomorrow to suggest anything Gothicky, so if anyone wants to run with that I don’t mind or it can wait til next time."

I thought Sunday was the day for suggestions (which I guess is tomorrow already). I can't commit to be here but I'm going to try.

Or do you mean keep the discussion going on Saturday? Did you want to go with "Gothic" or "a touch of Gothic." Or "Gothic or modern gothic?"

[NancyJ]

Shannon wrote: "like these ideas, especially best/worst of times
may I ask what you read for climate change? I'm interested to read this genre"

Chrissy wrote: "Shannon wrote: "like these ideas, especially best/worst of times
... I thought The Ministry for the Future was good as was Migrations.

I really loved Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy. It was my first and favorite book of 2021. It wasn't just about climate change, it was also a very personal story, and an ocean voyage. It read more like fiction or literary fiction (as opposed to science fiction). Her new book Once There Were Wolves will be released Aug 3. I also liked Flight Behavior and Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver quite a long time ago. I'm not an outdoors person, but I liked a lot of nature related books recently, including Lab Girl about a nature biologist.

Friends recommended:
Oryx and Crake by Margarent Atwood
The History of Bees
The Overstory
Parable of the Sower
I'm adding The Ministry for the Future - Thanks Chrissy.
and The Water Knife

Listopia: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...
Climate fictionTag list: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
The Climate-fiction list has a lot more than the Climate-change-fiction list, but it might be lost to the goodreads shelf merge.

[NancyJ]

I'll add some more ideas just in case I can't check in tomorrow. I want to submit one idea this week. I need some feedback to help me decide.

Read a fiction book involving a topic that you might avoid if it were nonfiction.

I was thinking of this for social change issues, thorny or controversial topics, personal interests, or trending issues that gain your attention in 2021 or 2022. It doesn't lock us into one specific issue, but it's not a frivolous freebie. Fiction helps us to understand issues in ways that other books can't, and is especially good for building empathy. Some topics are boring or preachy (or they make us defensive) in non-fiction, but they can engaging and enlightening in fiction.

Examples: Immigration, LGBTQ/trans issues, race, black lives matter, evolution, politics, disabilities, climate change. the autism spectrum, mental health/illness, Alzheimer's, medical diseases, ancient history, history, science, nature, technology, abuse, harassment, religion, suicide, etc.

I intended this for sensitive or societal issues, not for something easy like mysteries or thrillers. Does that wording work? I welcome comments or suggestions.

[Shannon SA]

NancyJ wrote: "Shannon wrote: "like these ideas, especially best/worst of times
may I ask what you read for climate change? I'm interested to read this genre"

Chrissy wrote: "Shannon wrote: "like these ideas, es..."

Thank you for the suggestions, I'll be looking at them and the listopia. I loved The History of Bees :)
And so the pile grows :)

[Jillian]

NancyJ wrote: "I'll add some more ideas just in case I can't check in tomorrow. I want to submit one idea this week. I need some feedback to help me decide.

Read a fiction book involving a topic that you might a..."

You may want to rewrite your idea with using the word ‘avoid.’ It carries a negative connotation and prompts tend to do poorly in the polling if they involve something you don’t like.

[Shannon SA]

NancyJ wrote: "I'll add some more ideas just in case I can't check in tomorrow. I want to submit one idea this week. I need some feedback to help me decide.

Read a fiction book involving a topic that you might a..."

Yes, I like this, would vote for it.
Charles Dickens would work well for social issues if one wanted to read a classic.

[Shannon SA]

I was wondering if people would be interested, because of the last year and a half of severely restricted travel, in a book that involves travelling - not just set in a different country to where you live, but that focuses on the actual journey or road trip. Fiction or nonfiction. Comes to mind:
Riding the Iron Rooster and others by Paul Theroux
Down Under and others by BIll Bryson
The Last Road Trip  by Gareth Crocker
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again by JRR Tolkein
The Driving Lesson
The Travelling Cat Chronicles
Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure

[Steve]

Shannon wrote: "I was wondering if people would be interested, because of the last year and a half of severely restricted travel, in a book that involves travelling - not just set in a different country to where y..."

We have "a book with a travel theme" on this year's prompts, so it might be repetitive.

[Shannon SA]

Steve wrote: "Shannon wrote: "I was wondering if people would be interested, because of the last year and a half of severely restricted travel, in a book that involves travelling - not just set in a different co..."

Oops, so we do!

[RachelG.]

It looks like we have 3 ideas on how to word a gothic genre prompt. Which sounds best to be most encompassing?
1. A book with a touch of the gothic
2. A book with a gothic elements
3. A book with at least a touch of gothic

[Raquel (Silver Valkyrie Reads)]

I like gothic element best, but would vote for any version.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

I like gothic elements and would probably not vote for the other two.

[Pam]

Shannon- Even though we have a travel prompt this year, I still like it and may use it for a common theme for our 3 continents prompt.

[Jill]

I like books that are labeled gothic, so would vote for any of them.

[Hannah]

Nancy, I share the concern about using the word “avoid” because I definitely look at that prompt and think “well, I don’t think there are any nonfiction topics that I would straight up avoid.” Plus some people don’t read nonfiction at all, so that might make it hard to interpret (“I would avoid nonfiction on any topic!”) But I really like the idea!

Some thoughts:
A fiction book about a difficult topic.
A fiction book about a subject you want to know more about.
A fiction book about a “hot topic”.
A fiction book related to a current event or current issue.

[Kathy]

Rachel wrote: "It looks like we have 3 ideas on how to word a gothic genre prompt. Which sounds best to be most encompassing?
1. A book with a touch of the gothic
2. A book with a gothic elements
3. A book with a..."

I'd vote for 2. A book with gothic elements.