Around the Year in 52 Books discussion
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[2022] Poll 5 Voting
Jen K wrote: "The new Anthony Doerr book 
also includes clouds."Oh, I'm pretty sure I have that on my tbr. I really struggle with the cover prompts because of my eyes (it's hard to focus on the tiny pictures), but I can easily search my tbr for title words. Thanks Jen.
Emily wrote: "We have had a couple group list suggestions in the past -- one was a lesser-known list (like your five star rated books that people don't talk about). It was a close call for the 2019 list a few ti..."I love hearing about "hidden gems."
NancyJ wrote: "I love hearing about "hidden gems."Same, I would love that prompt. I just trust all of you more than others. We're strangers, but not.
After waffling for a while, I voted. I went 5 up/3 down.My upvotes were genre classic, alternate reality/history, Powell's list, auto/bio/mem, and gothic. I like several others, but I didn't want to do all upvotes.
I am suddenly seeing rabbits everywhere. This is on the giveaways list of books that expire tonight (midnight Pacific time)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
If Rabbit makes the list, I'll read this
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
NancyJ wrote: "I am suddenly seeing rabbits everywhere.
This is on the giveaways list of books that expire tonight (midnight Pacific time)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
If Rabbit makes the list, I'll read this
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
"
It's weird. I saw that first book before the voting thread went up, and I was like, "I wonder if someone will nominate rabbits again this year, lol." And then someone did! Rabbits really do seem to be everywhere.
I love the looks of that second book, but I was thinking of rereading an old childhood favorite, Bunnicula, if the prompt gets in.
Well, I downvoted the 2 list prompts and the weather one (I don't like the whole favorite aspect.)I up voted the gothic, the forbidden, the book loving character, the rabbits (got love the persistence 😁) and then I upvoted the Beatles one because I appreciate the uniqueness of it.
I went with 5 upvotes this round: the Powell and Obama lists, bio, memoirs, etc., Sgt. Pepper and rabbit. Hope the Beatles and bunny prompts make it in (but probably won’t) as I really enjoy these types of fun scavenger hunts for books - almost more than reading the books themselves. My downvotes were the sequel, one about weather and alternate settings.
Alicia wrote: "I may be the only one in the world, but I absolutely hated Normal People and DNF'd Hamnet. I just rarely have good experiences with these "critically acclaimed" books..."I totally would have DNFed Hamnet if it wasn't that I had very few options for a Popsugar prompt. I ended up liking it but it's definitely not my kind of book.
Just saw an Instagram post from Booksandlala about her favorite cover elements. The first on the list was RABBITS! I am still half asleep and didn't wow down the name of the books. I will have to go back and do that after my coffee!**edit: slightly more awake. Here is the list:
(I have read this and LOVED it!)
Shannon wrote: "If the rabbit gets in, I loved When God Was a Rabbit"This is exactly the book I had in mind when I voted for it! :)
I'm a little confused about why the rabbit. It'd work pretty well in 2023 since that's the Chinese year of the rabbit for zodiac. Next year is tiger.It just seems like a random choice.
Steve - Ron has been submitting this idea for the last 3 years, I believe. One tie in to 2022 is that it is the 50th anniversary of the publication of Watership Down. It is random, though. But then most prompts are. Furniture, Sgt Pepper, and clouds are all really random, too. I decided to go 7 up and 1 down. If I had a few books that would work I didn’t downvote the prompt.
I was thinking for anyone who did not want to read a book with a rabbit a different take could be on the phrase “going down the rabbit hole.” That would open it up to portal fiction or even micro histories. I’m sure there are other ideas.
Since the prompt is "related to a rabbit" you could relate it to a famous rabbit, eg. a character called Peter, Roger or Harvey, or "bugs" on the cover.
°~Amy~° wrote: "Just saw an Instagram post from Booksandlala about her favorite cover elements. The first on the list was RABBITS! I am still half asleep and didn't wow down the name of the books. I will have to g..."I read Bunny because it is one of Booksandlala favorite books and boy is it weird maybe the weirdest book I have ever read.
I kind of feel bad that I didn't vote for Rabbit (not vote either way), I voted before noticing all the rabbit love.
Jillian wrote: "I was thinking for anyone who did not want to read a book with a rabbit a different take could be on the phrase “going down the rabbit hole.” That would open it up to portal fiction or even micro h..."That's a great idea Jillian! If you query "rabbit hole" in the GR search, there are 476 books! When I think of going down a rabbit hole, I think of genealogy research - hours and hours of pulling up databases and looking at matches and trees! Another idea is a book relating to magicians (pulling rabbits out of their hats).
Haha rabbit appears again. I will always vote for rabbits. One day he will prevail! :)
Didn’t someone say that 2022 is the 100th anniversary of Velveteen Rabbit?
will choose this book if Rabbit gets in...
Nadine wrote: "Didn’t someone say that 2022 is the 100th anniversary of Velveteen Rabbit?"Yes! Also Peter Rabbit's 120th anniversary, so it's very literary rabbit year.
Pam wrote: "Another idea is a book relating to magicians (pulling rabbits out of their hats)."Thanks Pam! I definitely didn't think of that and it is what I will go with if it gets in. I admit I downvoted it (so ashamed) but it's only because I'm very very scared of rabbits in real life.
That said I love the support of Ron and his prompt. I'm so torn.
I also voted for rabbits. I have a lot of falconry books sitting about waiting for me to get to them and rabbits are frequently what is being hunted so I am sure one of them will work.
Juliet Brown wrote: "I also voted for rabbits. I have a lot of falconry books sitting about waiting for me to get to them and rabbits are frequently what is being hunted so I am sure one of them will work."I wasn’t sure whether to mention this but my copy of A God in Ruins has a dead rabbit on the cover.
And I also voted rabbit.
Just a quick reminder for those using only cover images, they often don't show up on the phone app and people using text readers also won't pick them up
I don't feel like Goodreads passes accessibility standards in general.
Ellie wrote: "I don't feel like Goodreads passes accessibility standards in general."Probably not but my dyslexic partner is both on Goodreads and sometimes uses a text reader so there are at least a few people it is relevant to
A screen reader should pick up the alt text in browser? I don't think the mobile experience is great even for those not using accessibility tools.
Ellie wrote: "A screen reader should pick up the alt text in browser? I don't think the mobile experience is great even for those not using accessibility tools."I can only speak to our experience with iPhones, which don't pick up the alt text in the app at all regardless of whether or not one is using a screen reader.
Sorry you have that experience. It's hard to get people to change their behaviour. I will try and add the titles as well as images in future on these discussions.
Pam wrote: "Steve - Ron has been submitting this idea for the last 3 years, I believe. One tie in to 2022 is that it is the 50th anniversary of the publication of Watership Down. It is random, though. But then..."Angie wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "
I am suddenly seeing rabbits everywhere.
This is on the giveaways list of books that expire tonight (midnight Pacific time)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
..."
I thought it had something to do with Velveteen Rabbit, which is a lovely children's book. I will definitely read that, though it's too short to count. I never read Watership Down so I might give it a try.
I know it's personal preference, but technically no book is too short for the challenge! Read what inspires you!
No full-length book is too short to count, for me!! I’ll count graphic novels, children’s books, and picture books, but I won’t count short stories. I know, it makes no sense.
NancyJ wrote: "Pam wrote: "Steve - Ron has been submitting this idea for the last 3 years, I believe. One tie in to 2022 is that it is the 50th anniversary of the publication of Watership Down. It is random, thou..."I would totally count The Velveteen Rabbit (which is lovely). I've used children's classics at times to give myself an easy week, especially if I'm reading a doorstopper that month. As far as I know, there is no page-count requirement. It's up to you.
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Robin P wrote: "I don't know anyone else who feels this way, but I find The Velveteen Rabbit horrific. Maybe it's because I only read it as an adult, but the message to me is that love hurts, you get abandoned and..."I thought it was very sad, and was glad I had not read it as a child, or read it to my children.
I read Velveteen Rabbit as a child (after an illness, no less) and I found it unbearably depressing.
Mod
As someone who has never read the book, this is fascinating. I always assumed it was a happy rabbit story. Also, for those a bit rabbit adverse, I was thinking we could also do an Alice in Wonderland retelling: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
I read Velvateen Rabbit as a child, and as a child who lost a parent at a very young age. It’s still a favorite for me BECAUSE it helped legitimize and give paths to manage difficult emotions
Shannon wrote: "I Loved Hamnet LOL!"I loved it too. I was totally immersed in that world. Parts were slow, but I found the end too rushed. I liked the ending and I wanted just a little more.
The different views on the velveteen rabbit are interesting. I didn't read it until I was an adult, and it was recommended as an almost romantic book. I really liked it. When I read it to my kids, it was with a message that you are loved. I suppose it's like The Giving Tree in that it can be seen as wonderful or very sad.
Juliet Brown wrote: "I read Velvateen Rabbit as a child, and as a child who lost a parent at a very young age. It’s still a favorite for me BECAUSE it helped legitimize and give paths to manage difficult emotions"Great point.
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Around the Year in 52 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (other topics)A God in Ruins (other topics)
The Tale of Tallest Rabbit (other topics)
Alice (other topics)
The Velveteen Rabbit (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Shel Silverstein (other topics)Anthony Doerr (other topics)
Anthony Doerr (other topics)
Laura Purcell (other topics)
James M. Cain (other topics)
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I know that goldilocks feeling. That's why I try not to vote right away. My perception of "just right" might shift when look at a prompt from a different angle.
I might have gone for the album cover if knew more of the people, or if I knew there were great books about them. I love Mae West's quotes, and Bob Dylan won literary award for his song writing.