Around the Year in 52 Books discussion
Archives
>
[2022] Poll 2 Voting
date
newest »


I agree. I had to do it for Popsugar. A real pain

Ok, I'm such a dork, I would LOVE to do a challenge one day with only Agatha Christie books. That would be fantastic!
I actually think I like more of these prompts than I did last week! I'll have a lot of upvotes:
- Year of the Tiger: it was my prompt and an ode to my cat, Bella)
- a famous pair: I too read a lot of retellings so this is fun. I truly hope no one puts Daisy and Gatsby as their famous pair though. Only because there is never a pair that I've hated more besides the lead characters of a Star is Born
- 22nd element, Titanium: I loved this version of the prompt last year and was sad it didn't make it. So I'm hoping we get it this year.
- Eastern Europe and Arab world: I love location prompts. They help me be more cognizant of the stories I'm reading.
- All five vowels: a true scavenger hunt. My favorite!
- Book published at least 10 years ago: This doesn't have to be published exactly 10 years ago, right? And I like that it helps those that don't read as many new releases or want to read older books (like one person that wanted to read books from the first 20 years of their life).
The only downvote I may give is Taylor Swift. I'm not a "Swiftie", but I generally wouldn't mind this prompt. Also, I agree with someone else and am afraid that this prompt would take Disney out of the running, and I like that one better.
I already voted for the 10+ years, but I love how someone mentioned that it would be a good play against the published in 2022 prompt! Such a great take on it (and Alicia, it can be any book published in 2012 or before!)

Ok, I'm such a dork, I would LOVE to do a challenge one day with only Agatha C..."
I'm actually doing a personal challenge to read through all of Agatha Christie's books in publication order (skipping the ones she published under other names). Originally I was thinking of trying to get through them in a year or so, but I'm realizing I'm too much of a mood reader to be that aggressive with it and still enjoy it, so it's now an open ended challenge.

My upvotes were:
Time related word - very easy for me to fulfill (which was also a reason why I was going to leave it as a non-vote, since it isn't much of a challenge)
Missing person - also very easy, but I want it because it's a bit different from prompts I've seen before and fits a lot of books I want to read
Full name in the title - I have a lot more of these than I expected on my TBR
All five vowels - this is the one that I want most strongly, and it seems like such a fun scavenger hunt!
My downvotes were arthropod, titanium, Arab world and Catch-22, all because they were the ones I found most difficult to find options. I know titanium and Catch-22 are pretty broad because they are "related to" prompts, but I didn't see anything that jumped out at me that seemed to have a strong enough connection to really make sense. I could always read Catch-22 itself if it gets in, but I'm not that motivated.
Alicia wrote: "The only downvote I may give is Taylor Swift. I'm not a "Swiftie", but I generally wouldn't mind this prompt. Also, I agree with someone else and am afraid that this prompt would take Disney out of the running, and I like that one better."
I hope it doesn't take the Disney prompt out of the running because that was one of my favourites from last round and I'm hoping it'll be resubmitted later!
I hope it doesn't take the Disney prompt out of the running because that was one of my favourites from last round and I'm hoping it'll be resubmitted later!

I think it’s a mixture of being too broad (it’s really easy to find something that “relates to” something else) and also being a bit niche (I’ve never watched Twilight Zone so the prompt doesn’t jump out to me if I haven’t read the discussions, which not everyone does before voting).
Plus the first few polls often have a lot of split votes because people like so many of the options that we end up having only a couple that make their way to the top.
Plus the first few polls often have a lot of split votes because people like so many of the options that we end up having only a couple that make their way to the top.

Upvotes:
1. A book with a time-related word in the title
2. A book related to a famous pair
3. A book with someone's back on the cover
4. A book with a missing person
13. A prompt related to the 2022 Year of the Tiger
14. A book that uses all five vowels in the title and/or author's name
Downvote:
6. A book related to a Taylor Swift song or album - I usually don’t/won’t share my downvotes, because I just don’t like to do that, but I wanted to explain why on this one. I don’t necessarily have anything against Taylor Swift or her songs, but I like the Disney song prompt more and the Betty White prompt more (see the Wild Discussion thread if you don’t know what I’m talking about), and I’m afraid that this person/song prompt getting through would lessen the chances of those two options getting through. If all three made it, I’d be perfectly happy, but if people didn’t vote for one or both of those in the future because we already had this one on the list, that would kind of bum me out.
I have one vote remaining that I’m not sure what I’ll do with, because I have a few more maybe upvotes and one or two more maybe downvotes. Glad I still have some time to think it over.

Tina wrote: "I haven't been here long so I was wondering if someone could explain why more creative prompts, like the twilight zone and catch-22, don't seem to do well? It'd really help with my future voting :)"
I also think it's because of people voting without reading the explanations, so when they see a more unusual prompt, they just go "Huh?" and move on to something else. They may think they need to know the TV show/book/song but of course they don't have to. We always have thorough explanations, suggestions and listopias. However, in the last couple years some creative prompts definitely made it through, even if not on the first try. So don't give up!
I also think it's because of people voting without reading the explanations, so when they see a more unusual prompt, they just go "Huh?" and move on to something else. They may think they need to know the TV show/book/song but of course they don't have to. We always have thorough explanations, suggestions and listopias. However, in the last couple years some creative prompts definitely made it through, even if not on the first try. So don't give up!

I think, that while the Twilight Zone was creative not as many people had any connection to it. I had an extra up vote so I voted for but if I had not read the Wild Discussion thread or the polling thread I won’t have voted for it. Catch 22 will be a down vote for me since I have a negative view of the book not the prompt. Who knows, Catch 22 might make the top. The poll discussion does not always match up with the votes.

I really like the Year of the Tiger and Titanium prompts. I'm thinking of reading a book by an author whose initials can be found in the word "titanium" if that one makes it through. I also like the published over 10 years ago prompt because around 20/47 books I've read so far this year have been published at least 10 years ago!

I agree with everyone else that maybe people who don't follow the Wild Discussion don't understand why they're being suggested. I know for the Twilight Zone prompt, at least one person said they didn't realize that the episode was titled "Twenty Two" (they thought it was just episode #22 of the series) and thought it was random because so many shows have at least 22 episodes.
I'm thinking of re-suggesting it in later on, but I wish I knew how well/badly it did in Poll #1! I wouldn't bother to suggest it again if I knew it was almost a Bottom prompt, for example.

-Famous pair: I'm not sure what I'll read, but I like the idea.
-Person's back on the cover
-Full name in title
-Published at least 10 years ago
-Year of the Tiger



There's only 4 prompts on the list so far, so I wouldn't say we *need* freer or less free options just yet lol.
I personally only vote for the prompts that I have a connection to (so I didn't vote for Twilight Zone, even though I know there are a ton of options, but I did vote for T Swift because I love her folklore and evermore albums lol). I'd love to see both the T Swift and Disney ones make it in, but I wouldn't be opposed to both or either of them being narrowed down to one song. We have seen single-song prompts make it on the list (We Didn't Start the Fire, My Favorite Things, etc) so I think that is doable.
I personally only vote for the prompts that I have a connection to (so I didn't vote for Twilight Zone, even though I know there are a ton of options, but I did vote for T Swift because I love her folklore and evermore albums lol). I'd love to see both the T Swift and Disney ones make it in, but I wouldn't be opposed to both or either of them being narrowed down to one song. We have seen single-song prompts make it on the list (We Didn't Start the Fire, My Favorite Things, etc) so I think that is doable.

I personally only vote for the prompts that I have a connection to (so I didn't vote..."I really think with the Disney one that would easilycause a spoiler effect. Since there is no one above the others. WIth Taylor Swift there is an obvious one song (21) but with Disney I really can't see an obvious one.



Cinder would be perfect, and it looks like you haven't read it yet!

I personally only vote for the prompts that I have a connection to (so I didn't vote..."
I think specific songs are easier for me to get into than "a Disney song". I wish the prompt had been for 22 instead of Taylor Swift.

Top:
2. A book related to a famous pair
(I'm probably going to regret this if it makes it).
4. A book with a missing person
(It fits that perfect spot of not being too broad or restrictive).
5. A book with an arthropod on the cover
(Long shot but I have to vote it up).
8. A book with a full name in the title
(This balances this years title prompt where the person was not directly named).
10. A book published at least 10 years ago
(I read several older published books so this fits the books I like to read).
14. A book that uses all five vowels in the title and/or author's name
(Just a fun scavenger prompt that can be made harder or easier).
Bottom:
9. A book set in Eastern Europe
(I did not see much in the discussion to help me like this location prompt).
15. A book relating to Catch-22
(Just a strong dislike of the series).

I didn't think about that -- I have a titanium hip.... works like a charm!
Good point, Jillian, about the full name being a contrast with the person without a name this year. There are plenty of books, such as the X of FirstName LastName.


I don't normally gravitate to cover prompts, but I happen to have a lot of books in my TBR that show people's backs. This is an easy yes for me.
I love the idea about the famous pairs, especially because it can include concepts not just people.
I like the 10 year prompt (50 years would be great too). One of my favorite books this year was published in the 1920s.
I like the Catch 22 idea. Multiple perspectives is very appealing to me, but I would rely on suggestions for book with catch 22 type situations.
I can probably find something for everything, but I might need a lot of examples to get me started.
I really like the Arab world and Eastern European prompts. I would want them both. But if they don't both get in, maybe they could be resubmitted or combined in some way. I think they both fall to the east of the 22nd East Meridian line. (There are two 22nd meridian lines so it's a little confusing.)
I like time travel, so I think a time related word might appeal to me. I'll need to search my tbr.

I'll bet a lot of sci-fi would work, such as Cinder by Marissa Meyer. She had a lot of extra parts, though I don't know if they were made of titanium.
I just listened to the song Titanium. I heard terms that reminded me of a lot of mystery and thriller titles or ideas. "criticism" made me think of a recent book about bullies online.
You shout it out, but I can't hear a word you say
I'm talking loud, not saying much
I'm criticized, but all your bullets ricochet
Shoot me down, but I get up
I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose
Fire away, fire away
Ricochet, you take your aim
Fire away, fire away
You shoot me down, but I won't fall
I am titanium
Cut me down, but it's you who'll have further to fall
Ghost town and haunted love
Raise your voice, sticks and stones may break my bones
I'm talking loud, not saying much
Stone hard, machine gun
Firing at the ones who run
Stone hard, as bulletproof glass
You shoot me down, but I won't fall
I am titanium
Shoot me down, I get up

I had a similar idea with initials for the titanium prompt, except I was thinking use an author whose initials are Ti for titanium's chemical symbol. After scanning my TBR though, I realized that would be a serious BIO option!


Books mentioned in this topic
Cinder (other topics)The Bees (other topics)
Les Fourmis (other topics)
Les Fourmis (other topics)
The Bees (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Agatha Christie (other topics)Guy N. Smith (other topics)
Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai (other topics)
I downvoted this prompt because I knew I'd done it last year. And books are not published evenly throughout the year. My birth month was hard.