[2022] Wild Discussion Showing 1,251-1,300 of 2,340

[Beth]

I'd also like to see the glass prompt resubmitted. There are a lot of possible ways to interpret it without it being too broad.

[Kathy Jo]

Some ideas I've been thinking about- what do you think?

A book listed in the top ten Goodreads best book by year (any year) https://www.goodreads.com/book/popula...

For 2022- a book with double letters (the same letter twice). For example:
EMMa https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...
David CoPPerfield https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
They CaLLed Us Enemy https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

A title containing a word you might use when giving directions- east, west, turn, left, right, cross, stop, go, etc
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't STOP Talking
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...
Where'd you GO, Bernadette https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
The RIGHT Stuff https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...

[Nancy]

The top ten by year would be a good alternative to the choice award winner.

I'm not sure I'll vote for another title prompt at this point but I like both of those.

[Jill]

The top ten by year would surely be down to what various groups have been reading

[Angie]

Kathy Jo wrote: "Some ideas I've been thinking about- what do you think?

A book listed in the top ten Goodreads best book by year (any year) https://www.goodreads.com/book/popula...

For 2022- a book wi..."

I like the idea of Goodreads best books by year. Lots to choose from but not overly broad. Like Nancy said, it would be a good alternative to the GR Choice Awards.

As for the titles, I probably wouldn't vote for another title prompt. We already have several, and I'd like to see more balance with other types of prompts.

[NancyJ]

I like this idea. How did I not know they did this? I like that it continues to update the ratings after the year is over. GR Choice awards favor books that come out early in the year, and are heavily promoted. People vote on books they haven't read yet (for instance those by favorite authors). I think that problem gets corrected over time.

The biggest disadvantage is that the top 10 (or 15) seems to favor high volume fiction categories like fantasy, and YA. I really like looking at the new non-fiction/science/history lists each years. We might be able to use the list to come up with an additional prompts for non-fiction. Or maybe they already have those lists broken out.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

I like this feature a lot! I used to follow their best books of the month, but they stopped updating it and I guess switched to this format instead.

[NancyJ]

I looked at the most popular books lists a little more closely. I don't like that it is based solely on what books you added, rather than books that were read and rated. I wish there were lists of which books were highly rated. Though that could lead to too much rating manipulation I suppose.

My tbr is ridiculously bloated, partly because I like to apply for giveaways, and each time you click on one, it gets added to your shelves. That all goes right into the popularity measure.

[Kendra]

I would still prefer the Goodreads choice awards - it covers more genres and therefore gives more choice. IMO

[Jill]

I agree with NancyJ . Lots of books I have added to my list but know I won't ever get to read them all. I think a lot of people add books whether they read them or not. I think it would be better if it was books read rather than added.

[NancyJ]

This might be the way books get on the GR Choice Awards too.

[Ellie]

NancyJ wrote: "This might be the way books get on the GR Choice Awards too."

The first round uses a combination of popularity and rating. Like they wouldn't put a book into it with one five star rating even if that was the highest rated book that year. But they don't tend to put through very popular books with average ratings either. Second round includes write ins, so that has less to do with the book's standing on Goodreads.

I have read a lot of books from the top tens of recent decades already, so it's not a very appealing prompt to me.

[Nadine in NY]

Kathy Jo wrote: "Some ideas I've been thinking about- what do you think?

A book listed in the top ten Goodreads best book by year (any year) https://www.goodreads.com/book/popula...
..."



I can see there are a lot of good books on this list, but I wouldn't vote for this, because I don't like lists in general, and I especially don't like "fussy" lists that have many parts and are always changing. I want to be able to pick up a book and know by looking at / reading the book if it fits a category, I don't want to have to go check a list. On the other hand, it's a pretty big list, with multiples going back to 1921, so I guess odds are pretty good that any popular book will show up on it.

[NancyJ]

Nadine, I don't think the overall lists will change, though the order of the books might shift a bit (in the most recent years), I think if you picked a book that was in the top 10 (or 15) that should count, even if it shifted a few spots by the end of the year.

There really are some fascinating books when you go back 50, 100 years. I'm having fun just browsing. The non-fiction books and children's books give a sense of the changing times. There are quite a few really old ones that I've always meant to read- like Anne of Green Gables, Grapes of Wrath, Carl Jung, and - guess which book was the most popular in 1972? - Watership Down. 1922, and 1972 both have books that I would read. (Senior moment with the dates)

I think there are enough interesting books to limit it to the xxx2 years. Then for 2023, the xxx3 years.

I would prefer to choose from the top 15, since that's what they show us first.

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

Hmm, Watership Down wasn't around in 1922, unless there was a different book by that name. 1972 sounds right.

[Chrissie]

Velveteen Rabbit is in the 1922 list, not Watership Down.

Watership Down is #1 on the 1972 list though.

[Juliet]

And we want to remember that these aren’t lists of what was POPULAR then but what was published that year that Goodreads users are adding to their TBRs NOW

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

A little housekeeping: We want to note that in the past, we have had a rule that stated that a prompt cannot be submitted in more than 3 polls, so after it's third poll, if it does not make it in, it would be restricted from being resubmitted.

This rule was not in our rules list this year by accident, and we have added it back in.

Although this is the Disney/Pixar prompt's third showing in the polls, we will allow it to be submitted one more time (if suggested) since the rule was not clearly posted before. All other prompts will have to adhere to this rule.

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

Results for Poll 8 were just posted!

[Kat]

Now that we are over half way I'm struggling for ideas. We seem to have plenty of title, setting and author prompts which is all I seem to be thinking of. Any thoughts on what we are missing or would like to see on the list?

[Angie]

I just peeked at the list, and we're still thin on character, theme, list/awards, and genre prompts. We have two genre prompts but only one each for the others.

I'm trying to think of some character prompts that don't involve spoiling the story ahead of time for those who like to plan ahead of time.

[Nancy]

There's always a character who loves books.... :-D

[Shannon SA]

Nancy wrote: "There's always a character who loves books.... :-D"

Yes! and the "older person" character, I'd vote for both again if they were submitted again.

I'm trying to think of some character and genre prompts that are "a bit different" ... people seem to be generally anti-lists/awards, perhaps the two we have are enough? ... I struggle with knowing exactly what is theme...?

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Theme is generally a plot-driven prompt, like our loving LGBTQIA+ relationship that just made it on the list, or this year's racism or race relations, travel theme, or elements of magic.

[Samantha]

I would love to see the "older person" prompt make it on the list.

I was trying to think of a theme and one that I see in a variety of books is disappearing.
Some examples:
Someone getting ghosted in a romance
Someone vanishes without a trace in a mystery
Someone lost in action while at war in a historical fiction
Someone disappears in one timeline and enters another.

[Nancy]

What do people think about a prompt like "A book with a theme of food or drink?" I just finished The Lager Queen of Minnesota, where one of the MCs bakes pies, and several women brew beer. There's also the obvious one like Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, or The Peach Keeper or Sourdough. I recently read With the Fire on High, where the MC is a teenager who loves to cook.

Chef/foodie memoirs and non-fiction by Anthony Bourdain or Alton Brown, Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, and even a cookbook would work too.

[RachelG.]

I don’t know if this has been mentioned before but what about a book with a theme of courage?

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

Samantha wrote: "I would love to see the "older person" prompt make it on the list.

I was trying to think of a theme and one that I see in a variety of books is disappearing.
Some examples:
Someone getting ghoste..."

I like this idea but it's hard to know if it's there until you read the book, especially since that is the kind of element that could be a spoiler.

A couple I've just thought of are The Glass Lake and A Very Long Engagement. Of course lots of mysteries have disappearances and you don't know if the person is dead or hiding out, living under a different name, etc.

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

Nancy wrote: "What do people think about a prompt like "A book with a theme of food or drink?" I just finished The Lager Queen of Minnesota, where one of the MCs bakes pies, and several women bre..."

That's actually an idea I was going to propose this year. I think it's a good one. There are lots of cozy mysteries with food tie-ins, and all those memoirs.

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

RachelG. wrote: "I don’t know if this has been mentioned before but what about a book with a theme of courage?"

That could work, courage can be interpreted many ways. Last year we had "a theme of survival", which is kind of similar, but I don't think that's a problem.

[Pearl]

A book about a courageous or inspiring person.
A book about heroic or inspiring people. Health care, first
response. People overcoming challenges.

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/... - fantasy

A book about a character with a common mental health issue
A book about a character with a mental health issue, where mental health is not the primary plot or point of the book.
Can anyone help to rephrase it?

A book about relatives reuniting, or meeting for the first time.
A book about a person recovering from a traumatic experience.

[Pearl]

RachelG. wrote: "I don’t know if this has been mentioned before but what about a book with a theme of courage?"

Sorry, I didn't see this before I posted. I originally thought of heroic or inspiring people.

[NancyJ]

I plan to post my old age idea if I can find my notes and links.

I would love to see a suggestion for literary fiction too.
I like the mental health and disabilities themes.
I like the inspiring people, courageous, heroic ideas.
I'm less interesting in superheroes, and more interested in people who have the courage to speak truth to power, such as whistleblowers.

Also kindness, and other social psychology topics.
Strong Female characters

[NancyJ]

RachelG. wrote: "I don’t know if this has been mentioned before but what about a book with a theme of courage?"

Definitely. I'm less interested in superheroes. I love stories about people who are morally courageous as well as physically courageous. People who have the courage to speak truth to power, who stand up for what's right. Though morally ambiguous characters are also interesting - everyone has both good and bad in them.

[Shannon]

I am thrilled that the LGBTQIA+ loving relationship got through! Yay! I am trying to come up with some more prompts that might be new and fun. would anyone find any of the following interesting?

A book about a woman (real or fictional) who changed history.

A book where the main character wrestles with their ideals or morality.

A book whose plot is related to a lie.

[RachelG.]

With the news coming out of Afghanistan I have been reflecting on some of the books I have read about women and education in Muslim countries. I really learned a lot about a society I had very little knowledge of and a lot of these books have women who really have courage to try and get an education when it may not be easy. That is where I was thinking of courage. I think heroes and inspiring people would be good.

[NancyJ]

Nancy wrote: "There's always a character who loves books.... :-D"

Yes, was that a close call last time? I would like it. I still like Books about books better, mainly because it's easier to search for.

[NancyJ]

RachelG. wrote: "With the news coming out of Afghanistan I have been reflecting on some of the books I have read about women and education in Muslim countries. I really learned a lot about a society I had very litt..."

Me too. A Thousand Splendid Suns is one of my all time favorites, and I really don't want any more girls and women to be treated like that.

[NancyJ]

Shannon wrote: "I am thrilled that the LGBTQIA+ loving relationship got through! Yay! I am trying to come up with some more prompts that might be new and fun. would anyone find any of the following interesting?

..."

These are all so good! I would definitely upvote the first two. Maybe the 3rd too.

I love women who changed history. It might be a little confusing with fiction/non-fiction, (fake history v real history). I love all the newish spy books based on the previously classified files.
This woman definitely qualifies:
A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II

for #2. "moral dilemma" might be more concise, but I think your way is more clear and natural sounding (not text-book language).

for #3 . A lot of people don't like the word "related."
Whose plot "involves" a lie
whose plot "rests on" a lie

[NancyJ]

I want this prompt to include books about aging, not just fictional old people. Which phrase works better for that? Other ideas? I decided not to set a specific age, since that's hard to tell when reading a blurb, and it's all relative. I wouldn't want to rule out a book like Still Alice.
Which is better?

1. " Read a book about old people, or getting old."
2. "Read a book with a main character in their golden years."
3. "Read a book about aging, or with a character in their golden years."
4. "Read a book that involves aging, or a character in their golden years."
5. "Read a book about a feisty, grumpy, or interesting old person."
6. "Read a book with a feisty, grumpy, or interesting old person."

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/genres/aging
https://www.goodreads.com/genres/old-...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

[Jill]

NancyJ wrote: "I want this prompt to include books about aging, not just fictional old people. Which phrase works better for that? Other ideas? I decided not to set a specific age, since that's hard to tell when ..."

I really like your use of golden years. It makes it sound refined and something to look forward to, instead of old age.

[NancyJ]

Does anyone have ideas for books that involve recovering, healing from a loss, or guilt, or set back, or break-up, or a painful experience? People dealing with the loss of a loved one. People who have to change careers after the age of 40.

I loved Dear Edward, about a boy who was the only one to survive a plane crash. It was sad, but the focus was on how he creates meaning from it.

[Alicia]

I like #1-#4. What if it’s just a nice normal older person. I want them included too.

[NancyJ]

Alicia wrote: "I like #1-#4. What if it’s just a nice normal older person. I want them included too."

Thanks Alicia. : ) In one draft I had "completely normal" and "lonely" as options on that last one.

[T.]

I know it's probably been done before, but what about "read an anthology or collection." This could include poetry, essays or short stories.

[Martha]

Older characters sounds good to me. Here's a Book Riot list about older women characters. https://bookriot.com/novels-about-old...

Another list about Aging and End of Life: https://mindjoggle.com/books-about-ag... I note that they call older characters Seasoned characters.

I'm in this phase of life and I've been attracted to fiction where people evaluate life and think about what they want their legacy or the meaning of their lives to reflect. I also think about memoirs or essays from authors like Toni Morrison or Ursula LeGuin.

[Harini]

NancyJ wrote: "I want this prompt to include books about aging, not just fictional old people. Which phrase works better for that? Other ideas? I decided not to set a specific age, since that's hard to tell when ..."

I like the way 2 and 4 are worded. Golden years add an interesting touch to the prompt.

I was thinking of getting one non-fiction prompt in. Is 'Non-Fiction book about a subject that interests you' good enough?

[Nancy]

NancyJ wrote: "Nancy wrote: "There's always a character who loves books.... :-D"

Yes, was that a close call last time? I would like it. I still like Books about books better, mainly because it's easier to search..."

Yes, it was a close call in the week 5 poll.

[Shannon SA]

NancyJ wrote: "I plan to post my old age idea if I can find my notes and links.

I would love to see a suggestion for literary fiction too.
I like the mental health and disabilities themes.
I like the inspiring ..."

I would vote for literary fiction

[Shannon SA]

NancyJ wrote: "I want this prompt to include books about aging, not just fictional old people. Which phrase works better for that? Other ideas? I decided not to set a specific age, since that's hard to tell when ..."

I like numbers 4 and 5